Licence of corrupt fair price shop owner cancelled

GONDIA: Villagers of Powaritola in Gondia district ended their eight-day long relay hunger strike after their demand for cancellation of licences of the dealer of kerosene and fair price shop on grounds of corruption was conceded.Under the auspices of Bhrashtachar Nirmulan Samiti (Anna) Gondia, the villagers started hunger strike on February 4 in front of local tehsil office to press the demand for cancelling Yograj Shahare's licence as they had not received their quota of foodgrains from his shop from November 2011. However, following the suspension of his kerosene permit and cancellation of fair price shop they withdrew agitation on Friday.For quite a long time, the villagers of Powaritola had not been receiving their regular supply of foodgrains and kerosene as Yograj was black-marketing these commodities. In spite of several complaints to the officers concerned, no action was taken against him, as, apparently, the authorities were hand-in-glove with him. The villagers then contacted Bhrashtachar Nirmulan Samiti (Anna) and the issue was entrusted to one its activists Deepak Dohare.A memorandum was submitted to the tehsildar of Gondia on January 27, signed by over 75 villagers. They said that they were starting a relay hunger strike in front of the office of the tehsildar from February 4. As no cognizance was taken, the hunger strike started. Ultimately, on February 9, the district supply officer (DSO) of Gondia issued orders of suspension of licence of kerosene, cancellation of permit for fair price shop and forfeiting the security deposit of Shahare. This decision was conveyed to villagers on February 10 following which they withdrew the agitation.The DSO has further directed the tehsildar to reallocate these customers to some other shops immediately so that they could get foodgrains immediately.