LAHORE, Nov 18: The city government could not keep its promise of providing quality essential commodities at affordable prices to people on the first Sunday of Ramazan.

District Nazim Mian Aamir Mahmood had a day earlier (on Saturday) told a press conference that the city government would set up 14 Sunday and 100 cheap bazaars, as many fair price shops and six family markets to provide kitchen items to the people, especially the poor.

Representatives of various traders associations on the occasion had said that they would ensure the availability of various quality goods at the agreed prices at these bazaars and shops.

This reporter visited various family markets, Sunday and cheap bazaars in Green Town, Model Town, Wahdat Colony and the Gulberg area and found that no claim of the city government and traders was true.

The customers interviewed by this reporter in Green Town and Model Town Sunday bazaars complained that the stuff being sold there was of poor quality. They said A-grade fruits and vegetables were never supplied to these bazaars as traders used to recover their ‘losses’ caused by much trumpeted price cut through supplying inferior quality commodities.

Farmers allowed to sell their produce directly at these bazaars were disappointed over the charging of Rs6000 in the name of stall fare. They said they were unable to pay this much amount. The authorities present at the Model Town complaint cell were seen assuring them that their grievance had been conveyed to the high-ups with a recommendation that they should not be charged more than Rs1500.

Fresh fruit and vegetables were in short supply at the Wahdat Road Sunday Bazaar. The Union Council 115 Naib Nazim, who was present at the complaint cell there, said shortage of onions and potatoes was very severe at the bazaar. He said he was present at the complaint cell since morning and during this time he had received numerous complaints about the quality and prices of various items.

He admitted that prices of various items on last Sunday (before Ramazan) were almost half than those being charged this Sunday (Nov 18). Some vendors were even charging more than the prices approved by the market committee, he said.

On complaints, he visited the vendor concerned and directed him to charge his customers according to the market committee manual. The vendor complied but for a short span of time, said the Naib Nazim, who did not know how to handle this situation.

This reporter witnessed absolutely no check on prices of items other than eatables in these bazaars. The vendors selling cloth, cosmetics, shoes and other such things were charging various customers according to their ‘paying capacity.’

Wheat flour, which the flour millers had promised to supply at Rs149 per 20-kg bag, was being sold at Rs163 per bag at these bazaars which, however, were drawing a great rush. Some policemen deployed at the Model Town Sunday bazaar said the rush of people this Sunday was almost double.

To his astonishment this reporter could not find the Liberty family market, Gulberg, as announced by the district Nazim in his press conference.

Meanwhile, chief secretary Imtiaz Masroor visited the University Ground, Shadman and Wahdat Road Sunday bazaars and expressed his satisfaction over the quality and prices of essential commodities.

Mr Masroor was informed that those found overcharging were being penalized by mobile courts, says a handout.