SHOPIAN: The inhabitants of Dunado, a far off village in Keller belt of south Kashmir’s Shopian district recently staged a protest against callous attitude of authorities for not plugging the supply of foodgrains meat for the poor, that according to them is benefitting rich families in the area.
Locals said that many people in the area are holding BPL and AAY ration cards who are rich with many having government jobs.
The problem is not only with the villagers of Dunado but Kashmir Reader,contacted by many villagers from other areas of district where similar complaints who demand fair verification by the authorities
Villagers demand that a committee should be constituted by the government to verify the deserving BPL and AAY ration card holders and those who have Above poverty level (APL) ration cards.
“They are rich people, have connections with officials of food and revenue departments and have managed to get ration cards on their names ment only for the poor people who continue to suffer,” said Ghulam Ahmed, a local.
“I applied for a ration card to avail ration on very subsidised prices, but the officials have not processed the case saying that the quota for the poor is already booked ,” said Bilal Ahmad a resident of main town Shopian.
He added that in his neighbourhood many people have multiple government jobs and are also holding BPL and AAY cards, that should be looked into.
Deputy commissioner Shopian, Choudary Muhammad Yasin told Kashmir Reader that the supplies are being distributed as per previous exercise, however ,the administration has started fresh verification in the district.
According to another official around 60,000 such cards are being verified and fresh data is being taken for the distribution of ration cards.

Raashid Hassan