The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has demanded that fixing of priority and non-priority lists for ration cards as per the national eligibility criteria be amended considering the special social situation in the State.
SHRC member K. Mohanakumar said at the commission’s sitting at the government rest house here on Tuesday that the national eligibility criteria for ration cards were not practical in the State where a house having 1,200 square feet built-up area is not an indication of its owner’s wealth. Most people in the State construct houses here by taking long-term loans and mortgaging their land, he said.
The commission’s intervention followed a complaint that a family was not accorded priority category in the ration card despite the fact that two of its members were differently abled. The District Supply Officer, in his report, said the family could not be listed in the priority category because their house has a built-up area of 1,200 square feet.
27 complaints
The commission considered 27 complaints at the sitting. On a complaint about a perinatal death because of lack of required medical care, the commission directed the constitution of an expert committee to examine the issue as the complainant was not satisfied with the findings of the District Medical Officer and denied issues raised in it.
The complainant is a native of Nallikkunnu Kadappuram here. He complained that his wife was taken to a private hospital in Mangaluru in an ambulance without adequate facilities.
On a complaint demanding shifting of a liquor outlet of the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) near the bus stand at Bandadukka here, the Bevco replied that the outlet was selling only liquor bottles and did not offer any facility for the buyers to drink there.
The Bevco also said that two liquor bars are located in the area.
The commission sought a report from the police on the complaint.
Electric line
The commission also sought the report from the KSEB and local panchayat secretary on a complaint that the high tension electric line across the Bakrabayal AUP School’s ground was a threat to students’ safety. The commission also sought report from the Railway Protection Force here on complaints that baggages of passengers travelling on trains, including Jan Shatabdi, were being stolen.
