Rice smuggling in ration shop: RTI activist demands probe (video)

MADURAI: The movement of a private omni van at Anna Nagar ration shop in Madurai city and the loading of rice bags into the same van today became an important issue raising strong suspicion among people and activists that smuggling is taking place. The rice meant for distribution to card holders is being diverted by private individuals from government ration shop, they say.

People who are closely watching this particular ration shop in Anna Nagar (BZ 003) have passed on the rice smuggling information to a couple of persons. The omni van and loading of bags of rice in to that private vehicle is enough for the district authorities to conduct an enquiry, sources said on 13th May 2020.

RTI activist Mr.Hakkim has said that commodities from a fair price shop will not be and should not be taken in a private vehicle as per rules. 

“What else it is if not smuggling. Staff in ration shops are aware of what is happening. Only a government vehicle with a clear trip sheet and timings load and unload things at ration shops. So what happened at Anna Nagar ration shop needs a thorough probe,” Mr.Hakkim has demanded today. 
 
The supply officer has to monitor when commodity bags from a ration shop are taken to another ration shop locally. “But in this case, it did not happen. At a time when people are waiting for rice, this sort of smuggling by private parties is shocking. We want the Madurai district collector to look into this matter,” the RTI activist said. 

Mr.Hakkim had pointed out that in some ration shops where the demand is less and ration card holders come in less number, there is a lot of misuse.