July 07, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1428

MUZAFFARGARH, July 6: Three price lists are under circulation in Muzaffargarh and every list has different price of every item. There is no consumer court in the district to redress the grievances of consumers, Dawn has learnt.

Of the three lists, the first one is issued by the market committee; the second by the merchants association; and the third price list is issued by shopkeepers.

According to government officials, there are more than 10,000 shops in the district.

The price mentioned on each list is different from others.

When this correspondent compared the prices of items on the three lists, it was found that there was a huge price difference on the three lists.

The price of chilly powder on the market committee list on July 2 was Rs110 per kilogramme (kg); on the merchants association list Rs120; and on the lists displayed at the shops Rs125. But this is not the end. The same item is being sold at Rs130 in retail. While wholesalers in Multan markets sell it at Rs70 per kg.

The lists of shopkeepers show the price of A-quality vegetable ghee is Rs100 per kg. Its price on the market committee’s list is Rs90 per kg; and on the merchants associations’ list is Rs95. The same commodity is being sold at Rs84.30 per kg in the wholesale market of Multan. But one has to pay Rs105 per kg while buying it in retail.

The Sindhri variety of mango is being sold at Rs45 per kg in the open market. Its price mentioned on the market committee list is Rs36 per kg while its price on the merchants association’s list is Rs40. The same thing can be bought at Rs30 per kg from the Muzaffargarh fruit market.

The price of onion is Rs16 in the open market. Its price on the market committee’s list is Rs8 to 12 per kg; and on merchants association Rs14. The wholesale market sells it for Rs6 to 8 per kg.

An investigation by Dawn revealed that price magistrates rarely visit the city markets to check prices of commodities. A shopkeeper on condition of anonymity said all shopkeepers paid Rs20 every month to their union president for protection from the governmental action. He said whenever the price magistrate raided the market, their union informed them in advance and they got enough time to display the lists issued by the market committee.

Moreover, there is no consumer court in the district. One has to go to the Dera Ghazi Khan Consumer Court for submitting complaints against shopkeepers or companies.

The government entrusted the powers of price magistrate to the deputy district revenue officer (DDRO) with price magistrate but he hardly visited markets.

DDRO Qazi Zaffar Iqbal was not present in his office for his comments.

The district administration has now appointed Executive District Officer (Community Development) Malik Khair Muhammad Budh to check prices in the city. He said he had made an action plan to control prices in the city.

Anjuman-i-Tajran President Dr Ameer Hasan said he was not aware that shopkeepers used different price lists. He said the government should take action against such law violators. He denied the allegations that they got Rs20 from every shopkeeper for protection. A market committee official, Muhammad Zia, said the committee faced shortage of officials, so they were unable to check each and every shop in the city.