Arrest people taking food grains from ration shops with mala fide intentions

Kolkata: In a significant stride to crackdown on a section of some local leaders who are taking away food grains from ration shops to distribute it on their own or with other mala fide intention, state Food and Supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick has instructed the aggrieved ration dealers to immediately lodge a complaint with the local police station.

The police have been instructed to initiate FIR based on such complaints and take action as per legal provisions.

"There have been complaints from districts where some influential local leaders, mainly from the Opposition parties, are intimidating dealers and are taking away food grains from ration shops, cooking the food and then distributing it among the people claiming that their party is doing the exercise. I have asked the police to arrest such persons irrespective of their political affiliation," Mallick said.

On Monday a complaint against a Trinamool Congress councillor of North Dum Dum municipality was raised for taking away ten sacks of rice from a ration shop in ward 21. The minister on being informed instructed Nimta police station to take necessary legal action. The police raided residences of some allies of the councillor and recovered the sacks. The role of the councillor is being investigated.

The minister on Tuesday held a video conference with the district magistrates and gave necessary instructions about streamlining the process of distribution maintaining social distancing to the best possible extent.

The department has received complaints against a section of ration shop owners who have been allegedly giving customers less quantity of food grains.

"We have posted inspectors in all the blocks from where such complaints have been received. They have been provided with vehicles to keep track of the distribution process and report immediately in case of any irregularities. We have a special package of food grains for the tea garden workers, the Junglemahal areas, certain parts of Singur and parts of Sunderbans that was affected in the Aila cyclone in May 2009. The concerned DM's have been advised to lay special emphasis on distribution in these areas," a senior official of the department said.

Malda, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur are the districts from where a majority of complaints have been received.

The Mamata Banerjee government has started offering free food grains and ration under the Public Distribution System from April 1 to 7.86 crore people in the state. Such free distribution will continue for six months.

"There is no dearth of food grains and there is nothing to get worried," assured Mallick.