from Special Correspondent
for Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Aug 20: State opposition party alleged a kerosene fraud in the state in the name of hawkers, forcing the civil supplies minister Jose Philip D'Souza to investigate the allegations.

Leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar participating in the discussion during the ongoing state legislative assembly session alleged that the kerosene which was supplied to the hawkers is being pumped in the black market for mixing with the petrol and diesel.

Civil supplies minister Jose Philip D'Souza replying to the allegations ruled out any fraud initially but later relented when speaker Pratapsingh Rane told the minister to investigate the charges.

D'Souza said that there are 705 hawkers in the state supplying kerosene. "Frequent inspections are conducted by the enforcement wing to check that the kerosene supplied to them has been properly distributed to the needy at declared prices and not black marketed or mixed with diesel or petrol," he added.

The opposition benches however raised strong objection to the minister's statement contending that there is a huge scam involved in the entire matter.

After a debate on the issue, the minister assured to probe the charges after speaker intervened in the matter.