OUR CORRESPONDENT
KOKRAJHAR: Rumours are doing the rounds in and around Aflagaon Village Council Development Committee (VCDC) about distribution of plastic-type rice from Samabai Samity under the Public Distribution System (PDS). BPL families who received PDS rice mixed with plastic rice have allegedly stopped consuming it. The plastic-type rice is allegedly been mixed with normal rice supplied every month to BPL families at a rate of Rs. 1 per kg.
Speaking to this correspondent, many BPL families of Aflagaon, Belguri, Podmabil and South Aflagaon have complained that the supply of rice from Ramfalbil Samabai Samity was found mixed with plastic type rice which is unfit for consumption. They said that they did not receive such kind of rice earlier but this month, they received rice mixed with plastic-type rice. They also said that most of them have not consumed it for fear of possible ill effects on their health.
The villagers said that the dealers of the respective villages brought the rice from Ramfalbil Samabai Samity, which comes from the district food and civil supplies department, to be distributed among the BPL card holders. The rice is a little bigger than normal rice and turns into powder when crush, they said, adding that when cooked it becomes very steamy and has a bad smell. They said that neither the dealers nor the chairman or secretary of the Samabai Samity had concrete answers to their questions.
Villagers told this reporter that some of the dealers claimed the rice to be vitamin prepared from tapioca and in fact, the rice was supposed to be supplied to Anganwadi centres but somehow, the Samabai Samity received the bags of rice mixed with rice made from tapioca. The consumers of PDS rice have demanded that there should be fair inquiry into the distribution of 'unsuitable' rice among the BPL families and action should be initiated if foul play is found.
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