By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 2: Jatia Sajagata Mancha, Assam has threatened agitation if the Kamrup (metro) district administration does not take action against fair price shop owners indulging in irregularities in distribution of items under the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Jatia Sajagata Mancha, Assam general secretary Manoj Kumar Nath said, “The Jatia Sajagata Mancha, Assam, along with the residents of Piyali Phukan Nagar in Guwahati had staged a protest on January 20 against Surya Kalita, who runs a fair price shop in Chandmari. Kalita has been indulging in irregularities in the distribution of PDS items. Soon after this protest, Kalita deprived 34 APL customers from their rightful quota of rice under PDS by claiming that their quota of rice had been allotted for the Mukhya Mantrir Anna Suraksha Yojana.”

Nath further said, “Surya Kalita has already come under the scanner of the Inspector of Food and Civil Supplies, Kamrup (metro). The Inspector sent three letters to the district administration urging action to be taken against Kalita. However, no action has been taken as yet.”

In one such letter written to the district administration by the Inspector of Food and Civil Supplies, Kamrup (metro) it was stated that on 1.2.2012 when the Inspector had visited Surya Kalita’s shop on the basis of a complaint filed by a resident of Piyali Phukan Nagar, Kalita refused to open the shop and even used unparliamentary language. An FIR was also lodged by the Inspector against Kalita at the Chandmari police station.

Nath said, “There are also allegations that Surya Kalita took Rs 2,000 from people to issue them APL cards. We want to know why the district administration is shielding Kalita? Why has no action been taken against him as yet despite so many complaints against him?”

He added, “Unless the district administration acts fast against Kalita and other fair price shop owners who indulge in irregularities in distribution of PDS items, we will be compelled to intensify our agitation.”