RAISING SLOGANS: Residents of Kurubarahalli in Mysore staging a dharna against the `loopholes' in distribution of BPL cards. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: Residents of Kurubarahalli and adjoining localities of J.C. Nagar, Jockey Quarters and Siddartha Layout here staged a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office on Thursday protesting against the "faulty" distribution of ration cards.

Angered by the lapses in the distribution of ration cards - many poor people had been given Above Poverty Line (APL) cards instead of Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards - the residents of these areas, particularly housewives, gathered in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office to lodge a complaint with the authorities concerned.

Depot locked up

The protesters led by the former corporator of the area, B. Jayashankara, locked up the fair price depot in the area.

Declaring that they would not allow the fair price depot to function till the loopholes in the distribution of ration cards were set right, the residents marched to the Deputy Commissioner's office where they met officials from the Department of Food and Civil Supplies.

Mr. Jayashankara told The Hindu that there were 12,000 people at Kurubarahalli, J.C. Nagar, Jockey Quarters and Siddartha Layout, which form Ward No. 63 of the Mysore City Corporation.

But many poor families in the area had been given APL cards instead of BPL cards because of a "faulty" survey conducted by the authorities.

Mr. Jayashankara claimed that the authorities had admitted to the lapses and promised to set them right after conducting a fresh survey.

"We have given them a two-day deadline," he said.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu