PDS outlet in-charge suspended after Minister's surprise visit

CHENNAI: A surprise check by state labour minister T M Anbarasan and Kancheepuram collector Santosh K Misra at a public distribution system (PDS) outlet in Tirusulam on Friday exposed the problems faced by hundreds of card-holders and led to the suspension of salesman Selvapandian, who is also in-charge of the outlet, based on an inquiry.
After the inquiry, minister Anbarasan announced that a 450-sq ft PDS outlet on Dargha Road in Satya Nagar, already allotted to decongest the existing outlet, would start functioning from Monday.
The surprise visit and suspension came on the day The Times Of India carried a report on the erratic supply of essentials at the outlet. "The Minister and I made a surprise visit to the outlet and met the people waiting to get essentials and got their complaints. Following instructions from the Commissioner of Civil Supplies, the salesman was suspended. Commodities would be given to all eligible cardholders without any delay," Misra told TOI.
Earlier, around 9.30 am, Anbarasan, who is also the local MLA, collector Misra and other officials from the district administration landed at the shop and found more than 500 people in a queue for essentials. As the news that the minister and collector had came to hear their grievances spread, more people came until the crowd swelled to nearly a thousand and all started speaking about their problems at once. Anbarasan then spoke to food minister E V Velu, who in turn ordered officials of his ministry to the shop immedietely to initiate neccessary action the erring persons.
For nearly an hour, Anbarasan and Misra patiently heard the people's complaints against the staff of the outlet. "We never thought our grievances would be addressed. But it has happened. Thanks to everyone who made it happen," said U Maragatham. The 60-year-old had been coming to shop daily for nearly two weeks for her share of rice. She got it on Friday.
From Monday, when the new PDS outlet on Dargah Road is expected to start functioning, pressure is expected to ease on the existing outlet which has 2,884 cardholders. The new outlet will have 1,329 cardholders. "The new outlet will cover residents in Amman Nagar, Uzhapali Nagar, Rani Annan Nagar and Satya Nagar. This would not only ease the pressure on the existing outlet but also help all eligible cardholders get essentials without delay," said civil supplies deputy commissioner M Balasubramanian.
madhavan.d@timesgroup.com