AN EYE FOR DETAIL: Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy looks through an Iris camera at the launch of the issue of ration cards at a DPL centre in Hyderabad on Monday.Arvind Kumar, Hyderabad Collector, Arvind Kumar Yadav, MP, and Mayor Teegal a Krishna Reddy are also seen. - Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

Hyderabad : Distribution of ration cards, launched amidst fanfare on Monday, was called off abruptly owing to a technical snag. Only 10 cards were issued, five at the Designated Photo Location (DPL) Centre in Khairatabad Assembly constituency where the Civil Supplies Minister, N. Raghuveera Reddy inaugurated the programme in the morning. The remaining cards were issued elsewhere.

Officials of the Andhra Pradesh Technological Services were busy trying to rectify the problem in the print out. "We have collected the other data from applicants and kept it ready. The problem would be sorted out by tomorrow," said Hyderabad Collector Arvind Kumar.

Suspended

Meanwhile, the Collector placed under suspension an Assistant Labour Officer V. Devender for not reporting for duty at the DPL centre set up at Zakir Hussain Community hall in Aghapura under the Asifngar constituency. The Collector also took serious note of the absence of 18 supporting staff at various DPL centres.

They were asked to report for duty by 8 a.m. on Tuesday failing which they would be placed under suspension.

In Maharajgunj constituency, a serious lapse on part of an official at the DPL centre in Victory Play Ground came to light. He was found to have handed over 13 declaration forms to a representative of a political leader. All the forms were immediately cancelled and a memo issued to the official. The declaration forms are supposed to be delivered at home. The Collector instructed officials not to accept any declaration form without the signature of the MCH staff.

Two Designated Photo Location (DPL) centres were opened in each of the 13 Assembly constituencies. In the next few days 135 more DPL centres will be set up.

Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said the present distribution system was foolproof and ruled out the possibility of someone possessing bogus ration cards.

The iris image of every applicant was being captured by camera and stored in computer.

Once one obtained a ration card, he could not take another anywhere in the State as the iris image stored in the system would immediately give an alert. "There is absolutely no scope for manipulation," the Minister said.

Mayor T. Krishna Reddy, Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav, MLA P. Janardhan Reddy, Deputy Mayor Subhash Chanderji, Collector Arvind Kumar and Chief Rationing Officer Vani Prasad were present .

Declaration forms

Mr. Reddy said there was no need for one to visit the Civil Supplies Office or to entertain brokers.

Department officials themselves would go round each house and issue declaration forms.

They would also inform the DPL centre where the family had to come for obtaining ration card.

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