JOIN US Aysha is a common face at the Deputy Commissioner’s offfice because she has no option but to run from pillar to post to rectify the error she has not committed.
Ayesha (36), wife of M P Ibrahim residing at Door number 15-111/31, Sinan Gousiya Bagh, Near Ballal Hospital, Ullal, Mangalore, had applied for a ration card 7 months ago at Food and Civil Supplies office.
However, when she received the ration card, it carried her mother’s residence address (15, Hyder Ali Road, 11 Mukkacheri, Ullal) except that the door number 16-97-15 changed to 16-97-15 (a).
“I had not clicked or submitted any photograph for my ration card, but I received my card with the photograph of a lady named Zubeida, which was carried under my name.
Zubeida is a relative of the 198 Mukkacheri fair price shop owner Aliyabba,” says Aysha speaking to Deccan Herald.
“My biometric finger print did not match the one on the card. The food inspector was non cooperative and insisted that the card was mine. Later, he gave me the false card and told me to come back later. Hence, I approached People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) who helped me to submit a memorandum to the District Commissioner and Lokayukta,” says Aysha upset on the discrepancy and shows the false card that has been issued to her.
Official speaks
“According to the protocol, the card should not be issued if the photo and the biometric identification do not match,” said Assistant Director for Food and Civil Supplies Suresh Kumar. When posed with the situation on how Aysha managed to get the card, he said the card must have been given to her to rectify the mistake. He further added that if the card had been given to the wrong person, there were chances of misuse but the card has reached the proper person.
There are chances that someone may have taken the temporary ration card issued to Aysha and have taken the photograph in her name. If such cases are reported, the department will rectify the matter, he said.
“When cards are given to a huge mass, there are possibilities of mistakes. Error in computer data entry can also lead to such discrepancies,” says a Food Inspector.
However, the issue confronted by Aysha is just the tip of the ice berg as there are sources in the Food and Civil Services department agreeing on the errors committed in ration card distibution, which has troubled the common man.