Pic: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)
Udupi, Jan 22: "Applying for Aadhaar card has become a cumbersome and difficult task in Udupi. The outrage by people who are trying to apply for an Aadhaar card has reached its limit," said social worker Vishu Kumar Shetty, Ambalpady.
Addressing a press meet here to highlight problems relating to Aadhaar card, he said, "People leave from their homes at midnight and come to Gandhi Bhavan in Udupi to stand in the queue. There are many women, young girls, elderly persons and sick people among them. A woman came at 1 am after taking a lift in a lorry with her neighbour. She even wept as she had a horrible time.
"Is it fair to make people come from Harikhandige, Nandikoor, Padubidri, Kodi Kanyana, Atradi, Hebri, Uppooru and other distant places at night? Those who do not have their own vehicles come by hired vehicles. It is not safe for women to come from distant places at night. They also come by bikes. However the officials have ignored their plight," he said.
Giving examples of how people have suffered because of issues related to Aadhaar card, he said, "Havanje resident Jayalaxmi said that she came by auto rickshaw at 4 am and still she did not get the token. Nearly 200 people have returned after being unable to obtain tokens. The common people are faced with several of such problems. There is no toilet facility for people who come at night.
"A person came from Nandikoor along with his aged father and a three-year-old child for the fourth time. He lamented that he had to come after locking his house. He was anxious that his house would be broken into by thieves," he added.
"Amba Shenoy, an elderly woman came at 4 am with great difficulty. She said that it was not enough if the officials get up at 8 am. While some of the applicants are annoyed, some are in tears and others cursing the officials," Vishu Kumar Shetty said.
Shetty also hinted at possible corruption in the system and said that one Ravindra Pai said that officials at the Aadhaar application centre give tokens if they are paid Rs 500. "This has to be investigated," Shetty urged.
Social workers Ashok Neeravar, Raghu Ambalpady and Praveen Shetty were present at the press meet.