SHILLONG, SEPT 15: The Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO) has threaten to demand for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the supply of PDS in the state even as it served a one month deadline to the state government to remove names of the “well-to-do” from BPL list to ensure that the poor and downtrodden are not deprived of their rights.
“We will demand for a thorough probe by CBI into the irregularities in the implementation of PDS scheme in Meghalaya,” CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing told reporters at a news conference on Monday.
Kharshiing statement came after over nine families of Upper Klew village in Ri Bhoi district were denied of ration cards and right to food under the PDS for the past 13 years despite their names being listed in the 2002 BPL list of the government.
Kharshiing also alleged that there are many more who are not aware that they are in the list and are deprived of their actual quota but do not dare to come forward due to fear of repercussion from the headman of Klew village Pholning Makdoh, who is now the sordar of the village.
“The nine families were only recently given 10 kgs of rice per household after a complaint to NHRC. The ration was given from a dealer of a neighbouring village of Thadrang. She, however, said as per the quota allotted each household was supposed to get 35 kgs.
The villagers, who were present during the news conference, alleged that they were deprived PDS on instructions of the Sordar for reasons not known to them.
On the PDS irregularities, Kharshiing said there are huge discrepancies in the BPL list as per the 2012 census provided by state C&RD department. Apart from depriving ration card, the list even have the names of people who have already expired, wrong names besides names of rich families,” she said.
Kharshiing came down heavily against the failure of the state government to address the issue. According to her an enquiry conducted by the magistrate based on direction of the NHRC has failed to refer to the 2002 BPL list which only shows the insensitive of the government towards the issue.
Stating that this is a violation of human rights, Kharshiing said, “There seems to be a serious crime perpetrated against the poor in the entire state.”She added this could be the reason the government is intentionally delaying in providing ration cards to all beneficiaries under BPL, AAY and APL.
Kharshiing informed as per the Supreme Court orders on the right to food, it is the duty of the government to identify the poor families within a time bound so that the benefits will reach the poor. She also demanded the government correct all these irregularities by providing ration cards to all deserving families within one month time.
“We also demand the government to seized ration cards and remove the names of the rich families from the BPL list or face the contempt of court as this is a violation of the right to food of the deserving poor of the state,” Kharshiing stated.
The CSWO also demanded immediate action by removing the names of erring traditional heads by the autonomous district council authority. Kharshiing said, “Such heads should be removed from their post as they abuse their powers, insert names of the rich and deprived innocent villagers of most of the central schemes.”.
Meanwhile, the CSWO urge all concerned to come forward and fight against this injustice. The organization will soon hold a public rally to garner support against such irregularities, Kharshiing informed.- By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours