Bhubaneswar, Jan. 1: The Ganjam district administration today directed the block development officers of Buguda, Seragada and Beguniapada to lodge complaints against six persons for applying for ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in violation of the norms. Four of the six accused are government employees, one being a lecturer of Pitalla College.

Following detection of irregularities in the preparation of the list, Berhampur Municipal Corporation has decided to conduct the identification process afresh. "We want to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is deprived," said civic commissioner Manoj Kumar Mahanty. Some 17 councillors had applied for ration cards. However, the names Parbati Pradhan and Rajeswar Behera - both from BJD, figured in the final list.

Irregularities have also been found in the lists of the notified area councils (NACs). The names of Digapahandi NAC chairperson Sunita Sethi, Khallikote NAC chairpersonJyotsna Rani Nahak, Aska NAC vice-chairperson N. Renubala and Purushottampur NAC vice-chairperson Raghav Prasad Patnaik featured in the list.

Dhenkanal zilla parishad chairperson, BJD's Binodini Samal, managed to get a ration card for both herself and her son. Hindol sub-collector A. Champatiray said: "The cards were issued, but the chairperson did not receive these. Her card has already been cancelled on her request last week." In Sambalpur, the chairperson of Maneswar panchayat samiti, Pabitra Mahananda, has been listed as a beneficiary.

In Cuttack, Congress councillors met the civic commissioner today and demanded that a casual vacancy notification for the mayor's post be issued following the resignation of Anita Behera. In Balasore, ineligible beneficiaries who were holding ration cards have begun to return their cards.