JAGATSINGHPUR: Residents of Tentulibellari village in Balikuda block on Saturday seized 1,600 litres of kerosene, meant for sale to prawn gheri owners in the area. The kerosene was seized from a pick-up van. However, the driver managed to escape from the spot.
The villagers informed the district officials of the seizure following which a probe was started. A case in this regard was also registered by Balikuda police. The villagers alleged the PDS dealers have been supplying less kerosene to National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries and supplying the surplus to prawn gheris in gross violation of rules.
Even as each beneficiary is eligible to receive five-litre kerosene every month, the dealers have been deducting 500 ml to one litre from each of them, they said. It may be recalled that last year, unscrupulous traders were caught while taking nearly 150 liters of kerosene by an autorickshaw to supply the fuel to prawn gheris. They had lifted the fuel from local PDS dealers. Acting on a tip-off, police had intercepted the auto at Goda Bazaar Chowk of Erasama and seized the PDS kerosene from their possession. The persons were arrested.