Staff Reporter
KHARSANG, 14 Jan: Concerned over supply of poor quality rice under the PDS in Kharsang circle and the entire Miao subdivision, three organizations of Changlang district have jointly written to the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) Banderdewa divisional manager.
Members of the Kharsang Circle Unemployed Youth Association (KCUYA), the All Changlang District Students’ Union (ACDSU) and the All Tangsa Students’ Union (ATSU) met the Kharsang FCI godown manager and urged the authorities to ensure allocation of good quality rice for the subdivision.
Speaking to media persons at the FCI godown here on Wednesday, KCUYA president Munpong Khimhun informed that there have been numerous complaints from the locals and villagers of Kharsang area regarding the supply of poor quality rice under the PDS.
“People of the entire Miao subdivision are supplied rice from the particular godown, and since two years the locals, especially the villagers, have been complaining about the poor quality of rice. Recently, on 23 December last year, following the villagers’ complaint, a team of officials from the local administration, the food and civil supply department and a FCI quality control team also visited the FCI godown here. During their visit, the FCI authorities here assured them of providing good quality rice. However, nothing has changed as the quality of rice disbursed by the FCI to the PDS shops in the subdivision have still not improved. It has been only a week now and the villagers have again received the substandard quality rice,” Khimhun stated.
Urging the FCI authorities to address the issue soon, ATSU general secretary Samchan Changmi stated that complaints from the general public should not be ignored by the authorities. He further urged the authorities to “desist from indulging in blame game.”
ACDSU assistant general secretary Okam Mungrey, who was also present, informed that the organizations would initiate democratic action in case the FCI authorities fail to improve the quality of the PDS rice.
