Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 24, 2008
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Monday, Mar 24, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
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Tamil Nadu
VOICING CONcERN: A resident gives her feedback at the public hearing held in Vyasarpadi on Saturday. CHENNAI: Residents of North Chennai voiced their grievances at a public hearing on the ‘Public Distribution System in North Chennai’, held at Vyasarpadi on Saturday. “Do we look like VIPs to any of you? My husband is an electrician and I work as a house maid. For seven years we walked from one government office to another and at the end of it all we got a white card that is given to VIPs, who do not get sugar, rice or kerosene,” fumed an angry Kala. “Because of this card we were not given the Rs. 2,000 that was given to flood affected families of Chennai and are not eligible for a free gas cylinder or television set,” she added. The government official, who responded to Kala’s query on whether something could be done to change the card, said it depended on what had been filled in the initial application form. He said he would try and retrieve the application within 15 days and check. Kala’s is not the only case. Tens of families in her area have the same ‘white card’ problem. And all of them were at the hearing, wanting to be heard. Kanniga, a resident of Pudhu Nagar, whose ration card and coupons were burnt in a fire accident in 2002, considers her receiving a duplicate card “a miracle”, but despite her best efforts she was unable to get her due quota of 20 litres of kerosene. “I run a small idly centre and cannot afford kerosene at Rs.40 a litre every day. I have three children to take care of,” she said, asking if she would ever be able to get PDS kerosene. The large number of women, who had gathered at the hearing, alleged that they received only 8.5 litres of kerosene in the place of 20 litres, 10 kg of poor quality rice in the place of 20 kg and no palm oil at all. “Nearby shops offer ration rice that has been cleaned and polished at Rs 5 a kg and we are forced to buy that since open market rice costs around Rs 20 a kg,” said a participant. The panellists, who included the Perambur MLA Mahendran, Advisor of the Supreme Court Commission on Food Security for Tamil Nadu V. Suresh, former IAS officer V. Karuppan, Member of National Child Right’s Commission’s working committee R. Vidyasagar and all India additional secretary of Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangh R. Geetha, suggested that committees of locals and PDS staff be formed to streamline PDS distribution. The public hearing was organised by the Slum Children Sports Talent and Education Development Society in association with CRY to highlight the need for implementing a G.O. that said there must be one ration shop for every 1000 card holders.
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