The residents, after buying their monthly quota of rice from the shop, went home to find the rice unfit for consumption. Some people rushed back to the shop and showed everyone, including the shopkeeper, what they had got with their rice.

According to local Shashikant Dessai, he found a rat poison cake along with rat droppings and supposedly cat feces in the 17 kilos of rice he had brought from the fair price shop.

“On noticing this dirt in the rice, I went to contact the shop owner and found another consumer was discussing with him on the same issue,” said Dessai.

He further informed that he then contacted the Civil Supplies Department in Quepem, which accepted his verbal complaint, saying that there is no need for written complaint and assuring him that they will investigate the case. He also brought the issue to the notice of local MLA Nilesh Cabral, who has assured him to look into the matter.

When contacted, the shop owner admitted that there was a problem and expressed helplessness as he had supplied the stock that he received from the authorities.

“The consumers spoil our name due to poor supply of food grains, which every time we have to clean and give to them. Hope at least now the authorities wake up,” said the shop owner, adding that despite his several complaints to the department, it still supplied poor quality food grains from a godown in Khamamoll, Curchorem.