YADGIR: In a controversial decision aimed at ramping up Covid-19 vaccination coverage in the district, Yadgir deputy commissioner Ragapriya R allegedly instructed staff at a review meeting on Monday to stop supply of free rations to people resisting the shot.
The information department sent out a release to reporters, stating: “DC Ragapriya R has instructed deputy director (DD) of food and civil supplies department to withdraw free ration to citizens refusing to take vaccination.” However, when contacted on Thursday, Ragapriya said she was misquoted.
The reluctant lot
Recently, residents of Kanchagarahalli village had locked their houses and fled when officials arrived to administer the vaccine. The district has been reporting many similar incidents. However, in the case of Kanchagarahalli village, senior officials counselled residents and many initially reluctant took the shot.
The deputy commissioner’s orders has drawn flak from various quarters. Many say that when neither the central nor the state government has made vaccination mandatory, it is wrong on the part of the DC to force and threaten people to take the shot. Every citizen has the freedom to choose, they say.
Officials in the food and civil supplies department confirmed to TOI that the DC did indeed pass the order. An official said, “The DD of our department received oral instructions to stop rations. But there is no written order. The DC has done this for the good of the people and to encourage them to take vaccine.”
‘I asked to act against those who attack warriors’
To get or to not get
Deputy commissioner Ragapriya insisted she was misquoted.
“I only told officials to stop rations to those who attack Covid warriors. I orally gave these instructions and asked officials to file FIRs against these people. We have been receiving a good number of vaccine doses and are working hard to reach the target. The direction was in the interest of citizens and to protect them from a possible third wave of infections.”
Dr Srinivas Kakkilaya, one of those who criticised the DC, said, “If the DC has the courage, she should pass written orders. In the name of Covid, officials are suppressing freedom of people. This instruction from the DC violates constitutional rights.”
