Demanding a judicial probe into the recent suicides and suicide attempts by the ration shop workers, members of Tamil Nadu State Primary Cooperative Society Workers’ Association staged demonstration at Palayamkottai on Monday.
The protestors said ration shop workers Elango of Chennai, Swaminthan of Kalappal in Tiruvarur district and Nallamalai of A. Pudhupatti in Madurai district had committed suicide and Karthikeyan of Kambaliyampatti in Dindigul district, Gopi of Nanganallur in Kancheepuram district and Sivasamy of Annadhanampatti in Salem district had attempted to end their life in the recent past. The reason for their taking the extreme step was the undue pressure exerted by the higher-ups.
Besides ordering a judicial probe to bring out the truth behind these extraordinary developments, the State government should give a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to the families of the ration shop workers, who were forced to commit suicide.
Moreover, transit loss of 500 gram per every 100 kg of essential commodities and five litre of kerosene per barrel should be allowed, they demanded.
Tuticorin
Members of Tamil Nadu Primary Cooperative Bank All Employees Union sought prompt supply of essential commodities meant for public distribution system to all fair price shops in the district. They staged an agitation near Chidambara Nagar bus stop on Palayamkottai road pressing for a charter of demands to be fulfilled by the government. They condemned the action taken by the inspection officers against salesmen of fair price shops for running short of stock.
M. Jesurajan, district secretary of the union, who led the agitation, said the salesmen were forced to pay penalty by the officials on a charge of using bogus bills and were even placed under suspension on several occasions. The officers deputed for inspecting fair shops should be honest and straightforward. Salesmen of fair price shops in Chennai, Thiruvarur, Madurai, Salem, Dindigul and Kancheepuram districts were under pressure from officers, he said. Hence he also sought a judicial probe into the issue. Moreover, the government should provide compensation of Rs.10 lakh to each of the affected families. As many as 550 fair shops under the Cooperative Department and 152 primary cooperative societies did not function and the employees took part in the agitation.
