Pernambut locals denied rations after facing problems with biometric system at PDS shops

To be recalled, when the biometric system was introduced, the plight of daily wage earners was highlighted through these columns. It was expected that the initial glitches would be either set right or that official action would be taken to ensure that consumers were not affected due to technical issues.

However, Pernambut Consumers Welfare and Protection Association president T Basheeruddin said: “Despite the Chief Minister stating that ration shops would use the old scan system to disburse rations, this has not happened in Pernbambut shops as salesmen are adamant to take fingerprints of the consumers. This despite the biometric machines were not working due to server issues.” On Tuesday, irate locals came to the road in protest and when the town Congress Committee president G Suresh Kumar telephoned the Taluk Supply Officer (TSO) to request his presence. However, the TSO was rude enough to say that he would not come to the spot and let the people do whatever they want to do.

“Then I informed the Tahsildar, who was in a peace committee meeting. He, however, assured to send somebody, but that person also failed to arrive. Later I also informed Collector A Shanmuga Sundaram through Whatsapp, but again there was no response,” Suresh Kumar told DT Next.

However, it is the daily wage earner who is affected much as he loses wages for two days to come to the ration shop twice due to the above issue. “But then when have officials ever cared about the woes of the public,” says former councillor Meeran G Saleem.

FPS staffers wary of facing angry consumers in Tiruchy

The fair price shop (FPS) workers are irked by the technical snag in the biometric system for more than 25 days and that has led to frustration as they could not pacify the angry consumers and they sought the district administration to solve the issue at the earliest. “For past 25 days, we have been continuously telling our consumers the same response to server problems and it provokes most of the consumers who even throw filthy comments against us,” a frustrated employee on condition of anonymity said. He also said that the employees have informed to concerned officials, who said the company which had distributed the biometric machines will rectify them. “Since we have been repeating the same response, the people have been looking at us suspiciously,” the employee said. In some places, the machine works but the authentication gets failed and this irritates the consumers who lose patience. Meanwhile, the officials from the District Supply Office said that they are in the process of rectifying the issue as early as possible. As many as 1224 outlets are functioning in Tiruchy and 7.50 lakh families are benefited.