Consumers complain of overpriced eatables in markets

Resentment is brewing among people against the government authorities for their failure to regulate market rates of essential commodities in Kashmir division.

Complaints continue to pour in against the fruit and vegetable vendors for overpricing of the eatables as the government authorities have failed to intensify the market checking in several areas particularly the Srinagar city.

   

The complaints come days after the market checking squads of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCSCA) and other allied department sealed over two dozen shops and registered half a dozen FIRs against the shopkeepers in Baramulla and other districts for overpricing of essentials in violation of the government fixed rates.

The consumers complained that the government is not making the market checking a regular exercise to regulate the market prices of all eatables including mutton and chicken.

“Mutton is still being sold at Rs 600 per kg against the government fixed rate of Rs 535 per kg. Similarly chicken sellers also violate the government norms and sell it at Rs 160 to Rs 170 per kg against the government fixed rate of Rs 125 per kg,” said Muhammad Saquib, a resident of Srinagar.

The Srinagar residents complained that no market checking was conducted by the competent authorities to regulate the market rates of eatables and other essentials.

“Market inspections should be permanent exercise but the officials visit the markets only when there is a hue and cry over illegal market inflation. After a few days the enforcement teams disappear from the ground,” Saquib said.

However, the officials refuted the allegations and said the enforcement wing of the FCSCA department is holding market inspections regularly.

“Not only in Ramadhan but we conduct market inspections everyday in other months as well. But it is not humanly possible to be present in every market because our staff strength is limited,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, Assistant Director Enforcement FCSCA department Kashmir.

He said they have sealed around 500 shops and registered dozens of FIRs against other shopkeepers for overpricing and violating government fixed rates of eatables.

“Besides taking action against erring traders we have continuously appealed to the Mohalla Committees to report to us on our toll free number wherever they find any shopkeeper floating government fixed rates of eatables,” he said.

He said the people can contact on the toll free number of FCSCA department and action will follow within no time.

“We have been receiving calls from many areas and we have taken action against violators as well,” he said.

The consumers complained that the fruit and vegetable vendors have fixed their own rates of eatables with no check from the competent authorities.

“Vegetables and fruits are being sold at different rates in the same market as the shopkeepers fix the rates as per their own wish,” said Iqbal Ahmad, a resident of Sanat Nagar here.

He said none of the fruit and vegetable vendors display the rate list of items and no action is taken against them. “This shows how serious the government is about controlling the marker inflation,” he said.

An official however said the department has issued the rate list of vegetables in December which has not been revised for the last five months thus resulting in illegal overpricing of items.

“The rate list of fruits and vegetables is supposed to be revised monthly but that has not been done in the last five months. Also, besides tightening the noose against retailers, the department needs to regulate and fix the price of chicken, meat, fruits and vegetables of wholesalers then only we can implement the rates of retailers in the market,” he said.

He said otherwise the retailers play victim card saying that they purchase these items at high rates from wholesalers.

The newly appointed director FCSCA department Adbul Salam when contacted acknowledged that shopkeepers were resorting to overpricing of all eatables.

“Yes this is true that fruit and vegetable vendors resort to illegal overpricing. I personally noticed it from the past few days at several places. I have taken note of it and strict action will be taken in this regard,” Director FCSCA department said. He said a meeting will be convened in this regard to further strengthen the market checking besides issuing revised rate list of all eatables.

“We will deliberate on the matter and a revised rate list of all fruits and vegetables will be issued to control the overpricing in the market,” he said.

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