Agitated consumers block roads, demand Rs 1,000 as promised

Card holders from Pakkiripalayam near Chengam blocked the Chengam – Krishnagiri national highway for more than an hour following the Pongal cash gift not being disbursed to them. They complained that only a chosen few were given the bounty.

Police arrived at the scene and pacified them to disperse, following which normal traffic resumed.

Similarly, consumers attached to a Fair Price Shop at Devalapuram near Ambur tried to block the Ambur-Pernambut road on Wednesday, irked at the shop not being opened till evening.

Police who rushed to the spot called on local revenue officials to intervene. The local revenue officials explained that the shop was not opened as the lone salesman was in charge of three shops and had thus opened one shop a day. After being assured that their Pongal cash gifts would be distributed on Thursday, the agitators dispersed.

It may be recalled that two days ago, a shop in Cheyyar in Tiruvannamali district was shut as the shop did not receive its quota of cashew nuts and almonds and officials had to urgently rush both commodities to ensure that an agitation did not take place. Meanwhile, Pongal cash gifts were disbursed to white card holders (both no commodity and only sugar cards) despite the High Court ban.

When asked about this, officials in Vellore revealed that the shops had been instructed to issue gifts to everyone till they received instructions from the High Court.