Chennai: Dry ration stores add to demonetisation sorrows

Chennai: It is still the first week of the month, but ration shops in the city are already dry. Inadequate stock and employee crunch are taking a toll on Chennaiites already experiencing demonetisation blues.

Hopes of people to buy groceries from ration shops, till they withdraw their money have been singed, aggravating the monetary tension. In a state of irony, an assistant and a helper mans both the ration shops (with Licence numbers - HC 007 and HC 009) on Rameswaram Road off T. Nagar, thus forcing residents to wait in serpentine queues.  

Narrating the ordeal, Jayaraman, a member of the T Nagar Welfare Association said, “We were happy when the civil supplies department shifted the ration shops functioning under a single shed till some months ago. But, it comes to us as a shock as they have not allocated separate sufficient staff.”

Adding to their plights, lack of stock has aggravated the consumers who demand the government for an answer. “There is no money at the ATMs and now, the ration shops are empty too. How can we manage the crisis? I thought I would run the home for some days with supplies from ration shops, as I could not withdraw my salary,” said S. Ilavarasan, explaining of how a similar situation is witnessed at the ration stores of Perambur.

Lamenting about her miseries, S. Selvi, a resident of Siva Elango Salai from Perambur,  said, “There have been issues with weighing and adulteration of food. We get rude replies when we question them. The current crisis questions the inefficiency of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies and Consumer Corporation, which boasts of providing nutrition-based food.”

Assuring this reporter to solve the crisis, the assistant commissioner for the Civil Supplies Corporation said that they would convene a meeting soon. “Triplicane Urban Cooperative Society has been informed to solve the problem at T Nagar ration shops. A comprehensive solution will be provided,” the official promised.