MANGALORE: Is rice meant for Dakshina Kannada being diverted to Davangere? It appears so if orders from the deputy commissioner's office and from the secretary of the Food and Civil Supplies office are taken into consideration

Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, leaders of a group of non-governmental organisations, including president of the Federation of SC/ST Associations Lolaksha, secretary of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha K. Yadav Shetty, convener of the Campaign Against Child Labour Karnataka Rennie D'Souza, secretary of AHINDA Sanoor Sathish Salian, P. Keshava of the district unit of Dalit Sangharsha Samithi and president of the Dakshina Kannada unit of PUCL P.B. D'Sa urged the Government to take steps to retain the rice consignment meant for Dakshina Kannada and use it in the district.

Giving details of the consignment, Mr. Lolaksha said the Centre had released 3,000 tonnes of rice to Dakshina Kannada for distribution in the areas affected by rain. Udupi and Kodagu districts had been allotted 2,000 tonnes each and 6,000 tonnes for Hassan district. These districts had taken steps to lift their share from the godowns here, while the district office had asked the Government to take back the rice consignment sent to Dakshina Kannada stating that there was no demand for it.

Subsequently, the secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, in a letter on July 25 ordered withdrawal of rice from Dakshina Kannada and transport it to Davanagere district. But the officials of the Food Corporation of India wrote to their regional office that the deputy commissioner's order or that of the secretary could not be implemented as the rice consignment meant for a certain area had to be released for distribution only there. This led to some alterations in the orders of the Deputy Commissioner and the Secretary, he said.

Leaders of non-governmental organisations urged the district in-charge Minister to direct the district officials to take steps to retain the rice consignment at the Mangalore FCI warehouse and distribute it among poor people in the district.

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