By IANS,
Shillong : After villagers in Meghalaya were ostracised for unearthing a scam in the public distribution system (PDS), a woman’s group has asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to protect them, an official said.
A village council of Dongrum in the East Khasi Hills district Monday ostracised 17 families after they unearthed the scam exercising their Right to Information (RTI).
As per the RTI findings, village chief Artowel Kharshandi and his wife Asorda Marbaniang, who run a fair price shop, had denied 72 months’ quota of foodgrain supply to Below Poverty Line and Above Poverty Line families covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana.
“We have appealed to the NHRC seeking its intervention and to urge the Meghalaya government to take action against the village chief for ostracising the families,” Agnes Kharshiing, president of Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), told IANS Wednesday.
“Many poor families in Dongrum village have been deprived of their right to food and the PDS meant for them was diverted elsewhere,” the CSWO chief said.
Jopthiaw Lyngdoh, the district magistrate, said: “We have instituted a magisterial inquiry and action will be taken as per the report.”