VISAKHAPATNAM: A ration shop dealer and mandal-level stock point supervisor were suspended on Tuesday following preliminary probe into alleged diversion of Public Distribution Scheme (PDS) rice meant for distribution to ration card holders to a private trust at Anakapalle. There were allegations that the ruling YSRC MP from Anakapalle, B Satyavathi, was associated with the trust.
However, a trust member clarified that she was no longer associated with the trust. She was the secretary of the trust earlier, the trust member said. The alleged diversion came to light after alert officials found the vehicle deviating from its designated route. Joint Collector L Shiva Sankar said the vehicle carrying 105 quintals of PDS rice was supposed to go to fair price shops, which will start the third phase of free rice distribution from Wednesday.
As the vehicle deviated from the designated route, officials got an alert as the vehicle was under GPS tracking and they immediately rushed to the place where the vehicle stopped. The PDS rice was shifted to Sarada Sadan in Anakapalle where Sri Venkateswara Charitable Trust functions. Civil Supplies deputy tehsildar and ASO visited the place and conducted an inquiry and 105 quintals of rice was seized by civil supplies district manager.
The joint collector said as per preliminary inquiry, it was found that the rice was meant for PDS. It was also found that the dealer of fair shop No 30 indulged in diversion of the rice. The Joint Collector said civil supplies deputy tahsildar was asked to file a case under Section 6A of the Essential Commodities Act against the trust where the vehicle was parked in the night. The contractor of stage two carriage vehicle was blacklisted and it will not be engaged for PDS transport in future.