Residents of two tribal settlements within the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) at Udumalpet staged a demonstration on Thursday alleging poor quality of public distribution system (PDS) rice delivered every month.
Over 100 residents from Mavadappu and Kattupatti settlements took part in the demonstration held outside the part-time ration shop in Madavappu as the officials from the Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department visited to supply the monthly quota of rice to the settlements.
A. Selvi of Kattupatti alleged that the rice supplied to the two tribal settlements was of low quality and emanated a foul odour when cooked. “Earlier, we used to get the rice by 15th of every month,” Ms. Selvi told The Hindu , claiming that the rice supply had been delayed to the last week of the month.
G. Chinnappan from Kattupatti, who circulated videos of the demonstration on social media platforms on Thursday to take the issue to the authorities concerned, alleged that the officials were asking the residents to reach Ravanapuram village panchayat outside the ATR limits for better quality of rice, which is about seven km away from here. The residents would soon stage a protest in Udumalpet if no action was initiated in this issue, Mr. Chinnappan said.
When contacted, an official from the Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department in Udumalpet denied these allegations and asserted that boiled rice was being supplied to the settlements. The delay occurred as the vehicles carrying the rice from the godown in Ravanapuram had to travel uphill to reach the tribal settlements and had to wait for the rain to abate, he said.
