November 27, 2001	Tuesday	Ramazan 11, 1422

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MITHI, Nov 26: Sharp increase in the prices of kitchen items during Ramazan has further multiplied the worries of the people who were already finding it difficult to make ends meet, a random survey of the market revealed the other day.

As neither the local marketing committee has fixed the rates of essential commodities nor any checking is being conducted against the unjustified profiteering, the shopkeepers and vendors are charging exorbitant prices for most items, especially fruits and vegetables.

Though some of the vegetables were being sold at 30 to 50 per cent cheaper rates than during the previous month, but as the purchasing power of the middle class has dwindled owing to inflation the majority of them seldom purchase these vegetables.

A vegetable vendor claimed that last month he was selling tomato at the rate of Rs40 per kg, cauliflower at Rs20 per kg, green chilli at Rs40 per kg, brinjal at Rs20 per kg, okra at Rs40 per kg, carrot at Rs20 per kg, and onion at Rs20 per kg, but now all were being sold at half the rate. He said that the majority of the people were unable to buy these vegetables.

However, fruit vendors, taking advantage of Ramazan, were selling apple between Rs20 and Rs40 per kg, banana between Rs20 and Rs30 per dozen, guavas between Rs15 and Rs25 per kg, oranges between Rs20 and Rs30 per kg, melon between Rs10 and Rs12 per kg, dates between Rs12 and Rs18 per kg, and dried dates at Rs40 per kg.

Though Mithi town is the district headquarter, where scores of high-ranking officers and Nazims reside, and peddle influence to check the sale of edibles which are not even properly covered. But a visit to various places revealed that all these items were exposed to dust.