Residents of East Lakshmibil under the Lakshmibil Gram Panchayat in Bishalgarh Subdivision continue to suffer due to the persistent negligence of the local fair price shop dealer. Consumers often wait for hours like “pilgrims in vain,” only to find the ration shop closed or the dealer absent.
Though the shop is officially supposed to open at 7 AM, locals claim that the current dealer, Baby Debnath, and her husband, Sudhanshu Debnath, rarely show up before 8 AM. The situation reached a breaking point this Tuesday when people waited for hours, but the shop never opened. When contacted over the phone, the dealer claimed that the boy assigned to distribute the rations was sick, hence the shop remained closed.
This excuse sparked outrage among the waiting beneficiaries, who expressed their anger at what they called “a lame justification.” According to them, this is not an isolated incident. The couple frequently keeps the shop closed citing reasons like the dealer’s poor health or employee unavailability.
Interestingly, Sudhanshu Debnath was once a staunch left-wing political leader but allegedly switched allegiance after a change in government, now identifying as a BJP supporter. Locals allege that ever since, their attitude toward ration distribution has become increasingly indifferent and arbitrary.
Frustrated by repeated disruptions and unprofessional behavior, one local consumer finally voiced strong resentment, reflecting the growing anger in the community. The affected villagers are now demanding strict administrative action to ensure proper functioning of the ration shop and accountability from the dealer.
