Ration Dealers To Be Suspended If Strike Continues

Taking serious note of the ongoing strike by the 18,000 ration shop dealers in the state since November 25, the Telangana government warned that dealers who had not paid DDs till now for commodities, or had paid but were not distributing commodities, would be suspended.

As per the orders from Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, the Civil Supplies Department declared 2nd December as the last date for the ration dealers to deposit DDs for ration commodities, after which the defaulters would be suspended. Only about 2,000 dealers have so far deposited their DDs, of the 18,000.

Commissioner for Civil Supplies C V Anand issued orders to district Collectors and Joint Collectors to appoint new dealers to fill up the vacant positions. He also asked for the collection of the data of the dealers participating in the strike and the details of the dealers who had deposited DDs but were not distributing commodities to the common people.

Anand asked officials to take alternative measures for the distribution of essential commodities to the public without any disturbances in the major areas where ration dealers were on strike.

However, President of the Telangana State Ration Dealers Welfare Association Battula Ramesh Babu said that the dealers were not prepared to give up their strike.