Sale of Kerosene in City Slips on Mismanagement Road
A detailed look into the chaos surrounding kerosene distribution in Bhubaneswar after the cyclone. Long queues, poor coordination, and official negligence expose how the public distribution system failed the people when they needed it most.
By Saswat Pattanayak
The Asian Age
The queues were long, people were disorganized, and the officials clueless. If popular experience is any yardstick, the state administration’s decisions and recommendations regarding the sale of kerosene at PDS outlets in various counters have failed in their purposes.
Although only four filling stations were officially announced to sell kerosene, it is being sold at many other counters in the city. Counters for the sale of oil are located near ration card counters, petrol stations, and a few police stations — including police stations at Unit-I and Sahid Nagar. Instead of giving four litres of kerosene to each family, most people have to remain content with only one.
No wonder then, families are now deputing several of their members and getting away with their share, leaving the officials guessing.
Those who cannot battle it out at the counters approach the Fair Price shops for kerosene with their ration cards. “But the dealer says, his stock is exhausted and so we should rush back to the petrol pump outlet,” said a visibly agitated Hemant Kumar, who was seen returning from the control shop in Sahid Nagar. The shop has not displayed stock status for public benefit as required under Clause 3 of the Orissa Declaration of Stock and Prices of Essential Commodities Order, 1973, nor does it mention timing for sale.
Running around the city to inquire at other Fair Price shops at Unit-4, Unit-6, and Unit-7 would not help either, since they are conveniently shut. Outlets near Forest Park, Siripur, and Ganganagar are helping long queues with half a litre of kerosene to each customer.
“The control shops open at specific times; I know only the retailers. I was rather lucky. But the shopkeeper allowed only one litre,” said Laxmiprasad, who poured oil from the only retailer in Unit-6 market.
Apparent disgust of the public is reflected in the scene. Even as the trend is in front of the counters since 7 a.m., the officials attend them only after 10 a.m. at most counters. Some people, tired of waiting, lose patience for having no reason to do so as the counters close at noon — much before the displayed timing.
Among these conflicts, it is only natural to witness a few altercations between the crowd and the police in the presence of media persons. Yet, despite their interference, the night-long exercise is right at home on the mismanagement road.
