The Hindu : National : Villagers without ration cards face difficulty in collecting relief material

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Villagers without ration cards face difficulty in collecting relief material

Raktima Bose

Village ration dealer had taken their ration cards for ‘safe-keeping’

LALGARH (PASCHIM MEDINIPUR DISTRICT): In the last 26 years, Helu Sen of Bamal village near Lalgarh never felt the need to keep his ration card with himself. The village ration dealer was the safe custodian of his ration card.

It was only when he wanted to collect relief material from the district administration that he realised he needed his ration card. The ration dealer could not furnish the card. He said it was lost.

“Most people in the village trusted the dealer with their cards and have now been left in a lurch. We cannot collect the relief rice now. We have realised he had been siphoning-off ration items by using our cards,” Mr. Sen said.

A queue of new ration card applicants from several adjoining villages was seen before the Lalgarh police station on Wednesday, Mr. Sen being one of them. Most people have a Below Poverty Line (BPL) card and have been living without any source of income since unrest started in the region.

“When they came to know about our plight, some local Maoist leaders came to our village two days ago and threatened the dealer to issue documents to the villagers so that they could apply for fresh ration cards. Fearing for his life, he did so,” said Nripen Sardar of Bamal village.

Two departmental secretaries of the State government, who arrived at Lalgarh on the day to discuss development process in the region, were surprised when they learnt of the practice.

“I do not understand how a ration dealer can keep other people’s ration cards with him. This should be stopped immediately,” Sourav Das, Secretary of the Public Health Engineering Department, told The Hindu.

Mr. Das also asked the Block Development Officer of Binpur to accelerate the process and issue ration cards within three days of applying, instead of the usual one month time period.

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