Chaos prevail at ration shops, many cardholders return empty-handed

Coimbatore: Arguments turned into ugly fights and confusion prevailed at fair price shops across the district a day after the Madras high court directed the state government to distribute Pongal gift hamper only to those ration card holders below the poverty line.
Huge crowds began to assemble in front of the shops from early morning, eager to collect the gift hampers. At some places like Annur, on the outskirts of the city, those who were refused the hampers staged road blockades.

Ration card holders from Ottarpalayam, Kurukaliyampalayam and Nagammapudhur in Annur staged a protest after the workers announced that they could not issue gift hampers as they did not receive sufficient fund.

Geetha, a beneficiary from Rathinapuri, said that the shop where she was enrolled, closed by 11am. “I was waiting there for hours. But the officials told us to come back tomorrow. They said that Rs 3lakh was allotted per shop. I don’t know how they exhausted the fund within two hours. I had to go back disappointed for the third day,” she told TOI.

Daisy, another beneficiary, said she came to the shop at 7am to get a token, but couldn’t manage to get one because of the huge crowd. “Only six people from my street managed to get the hamper only because they knew the ration shop staff. Others will have to wait for days for their turn. I have already lost three days wages as I had to wait in the queue.”

Meanwhile, an official with the district supply office blamed it on fund shortage. “Money is given to the shops on instalment as there is not enough facilities to keep it safe. The district, with 10,03,665 card holders, has received Rs 107crore. At least 40% of card holders would have received the gift hamper till date. We will collect the hampers from the card holders, who were not eligible. We stopped distributing to them from Thursday.”

The gift hampers will be given to 8,46,141 card holders, who have rice card.