Chennai: It was a day to rise early – braving the chill air that has been surrounding Chennai. Because it was the day the government had said the Pongal gift hampers and the Rs 1,000 cash gift distribution would begin in ration shops.
Queues began to form as early as 4 am in places like Pattalam, in Perambur (video). Elsewhere, people gathered in front of PDS shops before they could open and waited patiently in long queues – albeit under the watchful eyes of police personnel who have been directed by the authorities to maintain order at all ration shops.
The crowds began to swell despite the government requesting people not to rush to ration shops to avail of their gift hampers as it would be given to all card-holders.
It is customary for the government to offer a gift hamper to make the sweet pongal for the Pongal festival – rice, dal, jaggery, cashew and cardamom – to people who draw rations from the PDS shops. This year, the government announced that the gift hamper for all ration card-holders in the State.
It generously added Rs 1,00o for every card-holder in Tamilnadu as Pongal gift this year. But in some places it was reported that the money had not reached the ration shops.
(Video by A R Jayakumar)