Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 5: With the ongoing strike of ration dealers in Jammu and the strike of millers since February 20, the ration supply has been badly affected in the region for the last over a fortnight while Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) has miserably failed to ensure essential supplies to the public.
The members of City Ration Dealers Association led by its president, Prabh Dayal Sharma and general secretary Sanjay Abrol are on strike for the last four day. They are demanding release of their commission pending for the last about ten months. They alleged that many times, the matter was brought to the notice of Assistant Directors (district heads) and even the Director concerned but they did not bother to release the pending commission.
More than 200 ration dealers from Jammu area assembled in the Ware House office of FCS&CA Department (Trade & Store/ Circle I &II) in the morning and started protest demonstration. They were shouting slogans against the concerned Minister Ch Zulfkar Ali, Director Jammu- RA Inqlabi and the concerned Assistant Directors/ District heads. They also raised slogans in support of their demands.
Later, they sat on day long dharna at the same venue. Several members of the Jammu Ration Dealers Association including Prabh Dayal addressed the gathering. They demanded that commission of the dealers pending since May 2017 be released without any delay. They pointed out that their deputation had met the Minister for CAPD about some time back and the minister immediately directed the CAO to transfer the amount to the concerned Assistant Directors. But the ADs/ TSOs are not releasing the amount for the reason best known to them. They are causing delay on the flimsy grounds and senior officers are well aware of it.
They also alleged that department is charging Rs 14 per quintal against gunny bags while they are getting these bags free of cost from Food Corporation of India. They demanded that commission/ loading/ unloading carriage charges may be deducted before depositing the cost of atta/ rice, enhance the carriage charges from Rs 30 per qtl to Rs 100 per quintal, issue 10 kg Atta bags and issue carriage/ loading/ unloading charges of Kashmiri migrant rationees as department is drawing amount from the Relief Department, but denying to the ration dealers. They also demanded inquiry from Vigilance Department or Crime Branch for these irregularities.
Meanwhile, with the strike of millers, grinding wheat for the Department of FCS&CA since February 20 in Jammu region, the atta supply has also been badly hit in the region. The ration depots are running dry and public is not getting ration for the last more than two weeks. The department has badly failed to ensure supply of ration to the public. It is said that today the minister concerned took review meeting of the senior officers where issue related to these strikes was discussed. He took the initiative to solve the issue. But ration dealers have decided to continue with their strike.
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