THRISSUR: The raids conducted by Thrissur Taluk Officer (TSO) in two ration shops here on Friday and Saturday have pointed towards large scale illegal hoarding and manipulation in records at ration shops. The raids came after widespread complaints from the beneficiaries of BPL and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) that either they were denied rations or given only a part meant for them. TSO P.R. Jayachandran told DC that in the raid conducted at Mudikkode and Kattilappuvam on Friday and Saturday respectively, as many as 10 quintals each, including both rice and wheat, had been misappropriated and the licence of both the ration shops were suspended.
A handful of retailers in Thrissur, who are at loggerheads with wholesale Civil Supplies godown owners and department officials, when questioned about the alleged diversion of foodgrains from wholesale godowns to private mills in December had come out with the allegation. They said that more than 341 tonnes of wheat meant for distribution to 54,521 beneficiaries of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) in November last year in the district with a market price of Rs 26.7 lakh had disappeared from the Public Distribution System without reaching the beneficiaries.
Both the District Supply Officer and DySP of Vigilance Unit here are sitting on a detailed complaint submitted by an organization named ‘Nerkazcha’ based in Mannuty here. TSO Jayachandran said that beneficiaries needed to be vigilant over such diversion of food grains and should alert Taluk Supply Officials, if they were not given full ration at the retail shops. The complaint cell numbers for Thrissur taluk is 9747206207. “Raids will be conducted instantly if the complaint cell is alerted,” he said.
