(Sukhbir Singh Badal says the government must ensure safety to those who are taking risk of distributing ration among the masses)
Depot holders President Gurjinder Sidhu says depot holders would not be able to perform this duty by compromising their own safety
Chandigarh/April 29( Wishavwarta)- Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh today urged the state government to provide an insurance cover of Rs.50 lakh as well as appropriate safety arrangements to all Depot holders of Punjab so they could start distribution of central relief including wheat and pulses among 35 Lakh blue card holders in the state under the Covid relief measures.
In a statement here, the SAD president said he had received a representation from Punjab State Depot Holders Union led by its president S. Gurjinder Singh Sidhu and they informed him that the State and central governments had assigned a big task to the 26,000 depot holders of the State by directing them to distribute the ration among the needy. He said however no arrangements had been made for the safety of the depot holders. “On one hand the government has advised all citizens to maintain social distancing and stay indoors to keep themselves safe from the coronavirus disease but on the other hand all depot holders have been put into service for distributing ration among masses without providing any protection- financial or physical to them”. Mr Badal said the government must ensure safety to those who were taking the risk of distributing rations among the masses.
Condemning the callous attitude of the state government in this regard, State Depot Holders Union, President Gurjinder Sidhu said “we are pained to announce that we would not be able to distribute this central relief among people until our own safety is not ensured. Demanding an insurance cover of Rs. 50 Lakh as well as all required safety arrangements for depot holders, Mr Sidhu said the state government should provide an insurance cover, medical protection and PPE kits to the depot holders for putting their lives at a huge risk. “Besides, we want the government to provide us a labourer for weighing wheat and few cops to maintain social distancing among people gathered to collect ration,” he added
Mr Sidhu urged the state government to ensure safety arrangements and assistance to them for smooth and hassle-free distribution of the Central relief among poor and needy.