As news of the Madras High Court’s questioning of the State Government’s rationale behind distributing ₹1,000 to every ration cardholder started trickling in, residents began to make a beeline to ration shops in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts.
The HC on Wednesday issued a directive to the government that the cash distribution must be confined to ration cardholders who were below poverty line.
In rural pockets of the two districts, the crowd began to swell with every passing hour. Anxiety was writ large on the faces of many, who feared they would be left out in the event of the government toeing the HC directive.
In some places, farm workers, who had left their homes to earn their daily wages, returned and rushed to ration shops with smart and Aadhaar cards.
“We heard that there are riders on Pongal gift distribution. We have rushed here from work to receive the Pongal gift before authorities begin to give effect to the High Court order,” said S. Sivakumar,40, of Sadayankovil near Thanjavur.
C. Sivakumar, 62, of the same village said the State government had promised relief for all cyclone-affected people. However, except for a few, most of them had not received relief. The distribution of ₹ 1,000 was a solace to the affected people to celebrate Pongal.
Sivakumar said he would not mind waiting till evening hours to get the gift hamper.
A ration shop employee of Duraiandarkottai said he was yet to receive fresh instructions from officials on the HC order.
The order was expected to take effect from Thursday and the distribution of cash would hinge on further instructions from senior officials, he added.
