Srinagar, May 14, : Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCSCA) here in Kashmir Valley has authorized agencies to supply kerosene directly to the consumers. If not in all districts, at least the department did it in two districts of Srinagar and Budgam.
Director, FCSCA, Bashir Ahmed Khan told that they faced problem in Srinagar because Dealer didn’t turn up to deposit the cash. “We have not bypassed any Assistant Director. All I did was in the interest of general public and to bring more transparency in the department,” he said.
Insiders said that in every district of Kashmir, AD’s are authorized to distribute the kerosene in their respective areas. The oil being procured from different agencies is distributed among AD’s who in turn supply it the dealers and after finishing the task submit monthly utilized certificates.
Insiders added that this time around, some AD’s were bypassed and agencies were authorized to directly supply the kerosene. Director, however, refuted this charge, saying no AD was bypassed and everything was done in a transparent manner. “If I supplied kerosene to the people without any problem, what’s wrong in that,” he questioned.
The Director added that in every district AD’s were in loop. “In Srinagar and Budgam, there were some problems but still the Assistant Directors were taken into confidence,” Khan said.
Meanwhile, consumers alleged that Kerosene oil was sold at exorbitant rates during this pandemic. “Instead of selling kerosene liter for Rs 25 it was sold at Rs 38-a difference of Rs 13,” said a local Firdous Ahmed.
When contacted a couple of Assistant Directors declined to reply to this query saying they don’t know anything about it. Director, FCSCA, Bashir Ahmed Khan said that during the month of the lockdown the rate of kerosene per liter was Rs 40 and in April prices come down to Rs 30 per liter. “We couldn’t distribute the oil among consumers in March in wake of strict lockdown and in April, we supplied two months of kerosene to consumers on aggregate rates,” he added. (KNT)
