Complaints of corruption in fair price shops: Team conducts inspection at Bhaga Bazar

A team of the Department of Food and Civil Supplies, on Tuesday, conducted an inspection at Bhaga Bazar in Cachar district following frequent complaints of anomalies in the distribution of items in fair price shops under the Bhaga Bazar co-operative society.

Local residents in huge numbers gathered in front of Bhaga Bazar co-operative society building after hearing that a team of the department had come on an inspection. The team comprised inspector Samsul Haque Mazarbhuiya, sub-inspectors Rajkamal Sharma and Dipak Kumar.

Residents told the officials that the fair price shops’ dealers sell rice at Rs. 4 per kilogram whereas as per guidelines the price is Rs. 3 per kilogram. Similarly, the dealers sell kerosene at Rs. 35-40 per litre instead of Rs. 27.

Speaking about the issue, Bhaga Bazar co-operative society’s chairman Abdul Noor Choudhury and other members Abdus Salam and Alok Das said the residents had been raising allegations against the dealers for the past many months. Around one week back, some residents had filed a written complaint against the dealers because of which the department officials had come to inquire the matter. The officials also recorded statements of some of the residents, they said.

A meeting was held between the officials and some members of the Bhaga Bazar co-operative society including Abdul Noor Choudhury. During the meeting, Choudhury raised allegations against one of the department officials (who had come for inspection) Samsul Haque Mazarbhuiya and claimed that he was involved in corrupt practices.

Mazarbhuiya dismissed the allegation and said he was not involved in any corruption. Further, he assured that strict action would be taken against all the corrupt dealers.