The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Erode News : Ration card distribution hits classes in schools

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Erode

Ration card distribution hits classes in schools

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE, JAN. 11. For the second day in succession, the functioning of classes in various schools was affected due to the distribution of new ration cards.

In the Mahajana High School, some classes were shifted to the backyard of the school and the classrooms were being used as distribution centres. Due to the crowd, the teachers could not teach and the students too were found to be more interested in watching the crowd, some parents complained. In the CSI Higher Secondary School also, classes were affected.

In Manickkampalayam area, due to improper arrangements, the public had to wait for more than six hours to get their cards, yesterday. The District Revenue Officer, K. Nagarajan, and other Revenue officials rushed to the spot and made arrangements to distribute the cards till 9 p.m.

Confusion prevails

Confusion prevailed in Kangeyam and Erode today. Many who waited for hours together had to return disappointed, as they were told that their applications were rejected. Daily wage earners had to forgo their wages as they had to wait for hours to get the card. The public complained that the names of the cardholders were not pasted in front of the centres.

Public plea

Though the district administration already announced that the new cards would be distributed daily from 10 a.m. to 5.45 p.m. till January 16, the public appealed to the Collector to extend card distribution till January 20 as they were busy preparing for Pongal.

Police pickets were posted in all the 359 distribution centres and in crowded areas, more policemen were deployed to avert any untoward incident.

Women injured

Two women sustained minor injuries when they were waiting in the queue in front of a ration shop at Jeevanandham road to get kerosene on their cards.

An announcement was made in the ration shop on Jeevanandham road that kerosene would be supplied today. Over a hundred women and men gathered before the shop by 4 a.m. itself. When the shop was opened at 9 a.m. the women pushed each other and in the melee, two women sustained minor injuries. The police rushed to the spot and restored order. Kerosene was supplied till 12 noon.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

Ration card distribution hits classes in schools