Ration card woes continue

Officials take more than 5 to 6 hours for work that can be done in half an hour, allege public

The problems confronting people in procuring ration cards and getting the names added and deleted from the existing ration cards are becoming a huge nuisance and has added to the already existing woes.

The public who come from distant places stand in the queue since morning and their names never turn up in the list until evening.

This has been a common phenomenon since the government has announced the measures of issuing new ration cards. The long queue before the old DC Office which has been now converted into taluk office is a routine affair. Besides, the building also lacks basic infrastructural facilities. People have no proper drinking water facilities and seating arrangements.

Yashoda from Padubidri told Deccan Herald that the officials attend people on the basis of token system. The token which has no name and no proper seal can be easily tampered. “We come from distant places and wait for hours together. Most of the time we should return empty handed owing to the time restrictions and officials will ask us to come on some other day,” she complained.

The patience of the people was tested to maximum extent and public started creating chaos in the premises of the taluk office on Thursday. Most of them alleged that the officials take more than five to six hours for the work that can be done in half an hour.

They also alleged that MLA and Tasildar are not responding to any of the problems faced by the public. They do not react even when we approach them, they added. The fury of the public reached the peak and the officials had no option and they were compelled to seek police help to control the angry mob. Police who arrived on the spot tried controlling the people by requesting them to adjust to the anomalies and being patient.

When contacted, Tahisldar Sadhashiva Shetty told Deccan Herald that the huge rush and confusions are due to the government holidays that came in between. However, we have no staff shortage. We have nearly six computers to handle the document transactions. The officials take utmost care to make public at ease.

“We guide them and also help them to get their work done at the earliest. Sometimes it so happens that they do not bring proper documents and we have to send them back. We take all measures to see that no applicant is returned empty handed,” he added.