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FAISALABAD, Oct 11: Union, tehsil and district governments have failed to arrest the trend of overcharging, black marketing and hoarding in the wake of forthcoming Ramazan.
During a survey here on Monday, it was found that retailers had increased the prices of vegetables by 15 to 25 per cent. The grocers were also selling kitchen items like flour, ghee, sugar, gram powder, red chilies and other consumer goods at higher rates.
The 20kg flour bag which was available for Rs215 to Rs220 a fortnight ago is now being sold for Rs240; sugar for Rs24 per kg against the fixed price of Rs20; red chilies for Rs100 per kilo instead of Rs70; and gram powder for Rs28 per kg instead of Rs22.
The fruit prices have also gone beyond the reach of the poor people, but the agencies concerned are playing the role of a silent spectator. A wholesale dealer in the main grocery market said the prices of kitchen items had been enhanced by hoarders in the wake of forthcoming Ramazan. He said there was no check on prices from any agency concerned.
Citizens have urged the Punjab governor and the chief minister to take stock of the situation, and direct the authorities concerned to take a legal action against the profiteers and hoarders.
SIALKOT: People have protested against the sky-rocketing prices ahead of Ramazan in the district. They are of the view that the district government has failed to check the price hike and provide any financial relief to them.
According to a survey, potatoes are being sold for Rs24-26 per kg instead of Rs16, onions for Rs22-25 per kg instead of Rs16, tomatoes for Rs45-60 per kg instead of Rs24, ginger for Rs60 to Rs90 per kg, lemon for Rs40 to Rs60 per kg, pumpkin for Rs16-20 per kg, brinjal for Rs10-16 per kg, lady finger for Rs18 to 26 per kg, garlic for Rs35 to 48 per kg, beef for Rs100 to 110 per kg instead of Rs70, mutton for Rs180 to 210 per kg instead of Rs120, chicken for Rs110 per kg instead of Rs85, fish for Rs130 to 150 per kg instead of Rs80, eggs for Rs33 to 38 per dozen, ghee for Rs55 to 70 per kg, sugar for Rs21 to 23 per kg, white gram for Rs32 to 48 per kg, black gram for Rs30 to 40 per kg, a 20kg flour bag for Rs230 to 240, banana for Rs24 to 30 per dozen, apple for Rs40 to 60 per kg, guava for Rs20 to 32 per kg, grapes for Rs60 per kg, melons for Rs20 to 25 per kg and dates for Rs60 per kg in all open markets of the Sialkot city, Daska Cantonment, Bhopalwala, Sambrial, Uggoki, Motra, Bajwat, Saidpur, Pasrur, Badiana, Chawinda and surrounding areas.
Citizens Rights Forum Chairman Dr Mohammad Munir condemned the performance of the District Price Control Committee, and stressed the need for reorganizing it.
Presiding over a meeting of the District Price Control Committee, District Nazim Mian Naeem said the district government would soon constitute special monitoring teams which would conduct raids in all parts of the district to check prices and quality of the daily use items in Ramazan.
He said the Punjab government had delegated special magisterial powers to revenue department's DOs, DDOs, tehsildars and tehsil officers (regulation). He said the district government had established 37 sasta atta sale centres in the district - 17 in Sialkot tehsil, 13 in Daska tehsil and seven in Pasrur tehsil - where as many as 165,000 flour bags would be sold at the subsidized rate of Rs190 per bag. He said six special Ramazan Bazaars would be set up in the district to facilitate the people.
