The Hindu : Helplines to ensure supply of essential items

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Helplines to ensure supply of essential items

By Our Staff Correspondent

Onions rotting at the APMC yard in Mysore because of the lorry strike.

MYSORE APRIL 19. The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has set up 24-hour helplines in Mysore, Mandya, Kodagu, Hassan, and Chamarajanagar districts to ensure supply of essential commodities in view of the lorry strike.

The Deputy Commissioner of Transport, Narendra Holkar, told presspersons here on Saturday that the helplines had been set up to ensure supply of milk, water, vegetables, fruits, and petroleum products.

Those facing difficulties in transporting these commodities could call the helplines for assistance. The vehicles owned by the Government would be deployed for the purpose.

Mr. Holkar said taluk-level coordination committees comprising tahsildars, police officials, and motor vehicle inspectors had been formed for ensuring goods transport. In case of difficulties, assistance could be sought from the tahsildars.

The vehicles from Government departments had been deployed to transport foodgrains from the Railway goods shed to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown. Efforts would be made to supply foodgrains to the people through the public distribution system.

He said the KSRTC had agreed to transport perishable commodities such as vegetables and fruits to the market. Tempo vans, tractors, and maxi cabs were also being used to transport essential commodities, he added.

Meanwhile, at a meeting convened to take stock of the situation, the district administration decided to invoke the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act on traders trying to profiteer by creating artificial scarcity and raising the prices of essential commodities.

The representatives of petroleum companies, traders, and senior district-level officials participated.

The traders said the stock of foodgrains would last for 10 days, and the prices were stable.

The district administration assured traders of assistance in transporting foodgrains.

The representatives of petroleum companies said there were sufficient stocks of petrol, diesel, and LPG.

A press release from the Mysore-Chamarajanagar District Cooperative Milk Producers' Societies Union Ltd. assured consumers that every effort would be made to supply milk daily. Arrangements had been made to transport milk in buses.

Even if the strike were not to be called off soon, supply of milk would not be affected.

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