Team Herald
PONDA: Worried over the daily spike in COVID cases across the State and the fear of contracting the infection, ration cardholders and the fair price shop (FPS) owners in Ponda have urged the State government that they be exempted from biometric scanning on point of sale (PoS) machines to collect their monthly ration quota and instead be allowed to follow the old practice of maintaining a register.
They said that the government has exempted its employees from biometric attendance stating that it could lead to the spread of the virus. The same yardstick should be applied with regards to the collection of ration quota as the same risk of contracting the infection is involved while using biometric scanning on PoS machines.
In view of the spurt in COVID cases, the locals called upon the government to follow the old practice of maintaining a register for collecting the monthly ration quota.
Dhavalim local Santosh Naik, who had gone to collect his monthly ration quota on Saturday, was surprised to see biometric scanning on PoS machines was still practiced at the fair price shop.
To avail ration, biometric scanning is essential on PoS machine and this can spread the virus. Despite a sanitiser placed at the fair price shop, people were seen directly placing their thumb on the PoS machine.
Ration cardholders questioned why is the government insisting on biometric scanning on PoS machines for ration cardholders to collect their quota? They complained that besides this, they are forced to stay for long time at FPS when the PoS machines encounter net connectivity issue.
