TNN, Sep 29, 2010; PANAJI:
The Pilerne Citizens Forum (PCF) has alleged that the Bardez mamlatdar's office has been issuing ration cards without verifying the documentary evidence provided and not as per guidelines.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji on Tuesday, PCF president Prakash Bandodkar and co-ordinator Paul Fernandes said two Right to Information (RTI) applications to the mamlatdar on the number of ration cards issued in Pilerne village have revealed two different answers.
While the first RTI application received a reply that 1,217 ration cards were issued, the second RTI application was told 988 ration cards were issued in the village.
The PCF further stated that it had procured the ration card application form of one Nitin Mistry who has shown plot No. 19, Pilerne industrial estate, as his residence.
Similarly, the ration card application form of one Jabar Singh Rajpurohit and his family, states that he resides at house No. 105, Moica vaddo, Pilerne, and is the head of the family.
"However, we have shown that as per the electoral rolls, the resident of House No. 105 is one Vassudev Naroji," PCF members told reporters.
Further, if one sees the copy of the ration card application form, it shows two house numbers — house No. 105 and house No. 20.
"The fact is that the two houses are lawfully possessed and owned by their respective owners Vassudev Naoroji and one Assuciana Victoria," Bandodkar said.
The PCF said that the respective house owners brought the matter to the notice of the Mapusa and Porvorim police through separate complaints.
The complainants also told the police that they never permitted Jabar Singh to use their residential house numbers and that he did the same to play a fraud on the government by misrepresenting their addresses, PCF members told the press.
But no action has been taken although complaints have also been lodged with the office of the north Goa collector, inspector general of police (IGP) and the vigilance department, PCF members alleged .
"It is shocking to see how ration cards are being issued in Goa in this fashion," PCF co-ordinator Paul Fernandes said.
Meanwhile, the PCF pointed out that the civil supplies department has issued a circular that it would commence a door-to-door scanning exercise to delete bogus ration cards.
The PCF said it would not tolerate a farcical exercise and would seek legal recourse if proper guidelines are not followed by the state administration while issuing ration cards.
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