Aata-Dal scheme faces flak as 3 beneficiary women fall ill

FARIDKOT: The Parkash Singh Badal government's ambitious Aata-Dal scheme has come under a cloud ahead of Parliament elections after three women fell ill after consuming rotis made from wheat supplied under the scheme. Residents of a Faridkot village have complained of foul smell emanating from the wheat being distributed to beneficiaries having blue cards with photo of CM Badal.
Distribution of the wheat at a time of elections has also come under attack from opposition Congress, which has termed it a violation of model code of conduct. Faridkot food supplies controller has been asked to investigate the quality of the highly subsidized wheat, sources said.
A villager had complained to Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal during his visit to Faridkot on Wednesday about the poor quality wheat being distributed among beneficiaries. He had waved poor quality rotis, made from wheat supplied by the government, at Badal during a rally.
Faridkot deputy commissioner Mohammad Tayyab has asked district food supplies controller to investigate the matter. Confirmed receipt of a complaint regarding the quality of wheat, he said, "Some persons had sent a complaint about the quality of wheat and that some women have fallen ill." He however said there is no bar on distributing of wheat even after model code of conduct, but political figures could not distribute it.
Gurdev Kaur, Baljit Kaur and Harjinder Kaur of Machaki Khurd village were admitted to Faridkot civil hospital on Thursday after they complained of heaviness and illness after consuming rotis made from wheat supplied by the government. "The wheat is very poor in quality and a bad smell was emanating from it", said Machaki Khurd residents Charanjit Kaur and Harjinder Singh.
The villagers have stopped using the wheat and alleged that the wheat was supplied a few days ago after the model code of conduct came into force. The wheat bags have the logo of Punjab government.
Officials of food and supplies department have taken samples of the wheat and also visited the affected women at the hospital. Food supplies inspector Manjinder Singh said that the samples were being sent for investigations.