DODA : At a time when consumers are baffling with the problem of substandard products in the markets, the Food and supply department has added to their woes by allegedly supplying sub-standard rice to erstwhile Doda district.
Women who queued to the ration shops were shocked to receive poor quality wheat. Some declined to take the stock even if it was offered “free of cost”. People from Manjimi area of Dessa in Bhagwah Doda alleged that the rice given to them is so bad that not even animals could eat it.
“We won’t accept substandard rice in anyway, informed people and demanded inquiry in the supply”, they said .The alleged that amid implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the state, the consumer affairs and public distribution department has failed to monitor the quality of the food grains, thus raising serious doubts that sub-standard ration being provided to the people.
People in the comdition of anonymity said, “Rice supplied by a government ration shop here was of sub-standard quality. Half the quantity of rice was filled with clay, stones, unhusked wheat, and rust. We don’t know whether the government expects us to accept food grains of such inferior quality.”
They said as the early takers were shocked to receive the supply of substandard rice , a large number of cardholders were totally averse to avail of their stock and refused to buy in spite of goading by the shop keepers. The complaints by cardholders regarding the poor quality wheat is quite widespread in the rural belts of Doda and Bhaderwah.
According to sources, there was no testing laboratory or trained manpower available with the department for conducting quality inspection of food grains in Doda and Bhaderwah thus raising serious doubts that poor quality ration was being provided to the people. As per the PDS (Control) order 2001, the representative of the department should conduct joint inspection of stocks to ensure that quality of food grains conformed to the prescribed quality specifications.
The poor sections of society, especially those living below poverty line, are totally dependent on public distribution system for ration as they cannot afford to buy rice, Atta, sugar etc, from open market .When contacted, Assistant Director Food Supply and Distribution Doda his cell phone was not reachable.
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