Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Aug 8: After the media brought out a report about supply of 'plastic rice' by a fair price shop at Hejamady in the district, some customers visited this shop, and confirmed that the shop has indeed been providing plastic rice to the ration card holders. After getting confirmation, Citizens Action Committee of Hejamady has sent a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of the district, seeking stringent action.
Grains of plastic were found in 250 bags of rice supplied by government under 'Anna Bhagya' scheme to Hejamady branch of Padubidri Agricultural Cooperative Society. The government in the past had promised to handle the menace of plastic rice with iron hand. Through the memorandum submitted now, the committee has urged the deputy commissioner to hold departmental inquiry into the continuance of this menace in spite of the government's assurance, and take imperative steps to make sure that this type of rice is not supplied to any of the fair price shops in the state.
President of Citizens Action Committee Hejamady, Shekhar Hejamady, and some villagers from Hejamady visited the office of the deputy commissioner in the city on Monday and handed over the memorandum. Shekhar Hejamady said that the deputy commissioner of the district, Priyanka Mary Francis, immediately passed order asking food and civil supplies department to hold proper investigation and file a report thereof.
Shekhar Hejamady said that the authorities concerned have already passed an order against distribution of the rice bags containing contaminated rice. He said he would be sending a copy of the memorandum to food and civil supplies department minister, U T Khader, urging him to hold investigation and bring out the truth about people who mix plastic granules in rice. He warned of organizing strong fight against the system if the needful is not done and the guilty are not acted against.
Former president of Udupi zilla panchayat, Katapadi Shankar Poojary, asked the state government, which had claimed that the allegation about plastic rice was false, after holding discussions about the subject in the assembly, to wake up to the seriousness of the issue. He noted that media reports in the past had warned about plastic rice being supplied for 'Anna Bhagya' scheme from Chattisgarh state. He asked the government to identify the middlemen who have been involved with the supply of contaminated rice to districts in Karnataka, which threatens to play havoc with the health and lives of the people here, by holding a detailed department inquiry.