3 CAPD officials arrested for violating norms: Police

While government has ordered free ration distribution of rice and other essentials, Jammu Kashmir police today said three consumer and public distribution (CAPD) officials (munshis) were arrested for violating official norms.
As soon as the order of free distribution was announced by state government, there was a lot of scuffle everywhere in the Kashmir including Srinagar, where people alleged that they were not provided any relief.
The chaos also led to the massive traffic jams across the valley at many vital links. The police department after scrutinizing the situation caught three munshis and according to police FIR’s have been registered at Batamaloo, Shaheed Gunj and Sher Gadi police stations.
The police officials told “The munshis of sales depots were violating the recent government order despite court directives as per which free ration was to be provided to the affected families.”
FIR’s number 80/14 under section 188 RPC has been registered at Sher Ghadi police station, 131/2014 under section 188 RPC at Batamaloo and 85/2014 under section 188 RPC at Shaheed Gunj has been registered against the violators.
Police said, the drive would continue till the situation stables in the valley.
“It was also noticed that the areas of violators were facing acute shortage of food grains and they were demonstrating protests which in turn was hampering the traffic moment in the city,” police officials said.
Moreover, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had announced that every family would be provided 50 kgs of free ration in September and later 35 kg for subsequent five months free of cost.
CAPD after receiving many complaints before the arrest of munshis had alleged that they had not received any written order from the government for free ration, which led to confusion and scuffle at many areas.
However, the story happened to be something else on ground. At some places, the store keepers distributed ration free of cost through committees, However, in some areas, people alleged that despite announcement government they were provided only 25 kg or 30 kg.
The protests that were demonstrated across the valley since past four days where in people were slamming government for deliberate apathy towards flood victims. They alleged that they were asked to pay for the ration.
Meanwhile, the CAPD officials claimed that they have distributed thousands of quintals of free ration to the affected.
As per the reports people have been facing acute shortage of vegetables and other essentials in Srinagar city.
Mostly vegetable crops have been damaged due to floods, particularly in the Dal Lake and south and Central Kashmir.
Shortage of vegetables had resulted in increase in the prices of essentials, particularly vegetables with authority sleeping over the issues.
Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD), Chaudhary Ramzan had earlier said that the government had distributed 75,000 quintals of food grains free of cost among 12 to 13 lakh people hit by floods.
However, numerous complaints were coming from people from most areas of Kashmir valley complaining of not receiving free ration as witnessed by protests across valley.
The locals also alleged that the CAPD officials are hoarding ration and telling people that they will not be given free ration. Soon after the arrests, police has observed a change in the ratio of ration depots in Srinagar city which were thrown open at many places.