LAHORE, Nov 2: Essential commodities continued to be sold at exorbitant rates in all parts of the city on Sunday despite the cosmetic efforts of the City District Government to enforce the price control.

While every shopkeeper was charging the customers at will, the CDG teams arrested only 30 traders for purveying foodstuffs at exorbitant rates and booked 20 for under-weighing the goods.

The officials empowered to impose on-the-spot fines on profiteers under the Ehtaram-i-Ramazan Ordinance provisions were conspicuous by their absence.

Fruit and vegetable vendors provided only substandard stuff at 15 Sunday Bazaars after sorting out the quality one for sale at their shops at exorbitant rates.

Many shopkeepers were seen offering only substandard stuff for sale and keeping the quality stuff covered or demanding a higher price for it. Satellite bazaars were also held around all the Sunday Bazaars where quality fruits and vegetables were available at higher prices.

The Market Committee failed to implement the directive of District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmud to set up its model shops for selling fruit and vegetables without the intervention of middlemen at any of the Sunday Bazaars.

Inferior quality mutton and beef was sold at some Sunday Bazaars at Rs60 and Rs130 per kg, respectively. The chicken continued to be sold for Rs77 per kg.