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KARACHI, Sept 24: An ordinance will be issued in couple of days to ensure strict action against hoarders and profiteers so that prices of the items of daily use could be stabilized in the holy month of Ramazan.
This was stated by Sindh chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman while presiding over a meeting on Saturday.
The meeting decided that all DCOs in the province would put in their personal efforts to ensure stabilization of prices and availability of essential commodities in markets during the month.
It was pointed out that the matter was in hand to entrust magisterial powers to deputy district officers (Revenue), town municipal officers, mukhtiarkars and assistant mukhtiarkars through judiciary and a notification will be issued before the start of Ramazan.
PRICE CUT PLEDGED: The city government on Saturday pledged to bring down prices of food items by around 10-20 per cent for the holy month of Ramazan as part of the special relief package.
EDO Enterprise and Investment Raeesuddin Paracha, after holding consultations with the Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association, Retail Grocers Group and other relevant associations, said that a list of the prices of essential commodities had been sent to DCO Fazalur Rehman for finalization.
“Hopefully it would be made public on Monday,” he told PPI on Saturday. He said consumers, should expect an average 10 to 20 per cent cut in the prices of essential commodities.
However, he regretted, meat, dairy and poultry merchants’ organizations appeared reluctant to offer a reduction in prices. “Their excuses are baseless and uncalled for,” he remarked, while referring to meat merchants’ stand that expensive supply chain had put burden on consumers.
Mr Paracha said the meat, dairy and poultry merchants would be given a last chance, in the next meeting, to offer some relief to consumers out of their profit. “If they did not come to our terms, we may have to opt for other means,” he warned.
On his part, Chairman of the Wholesale Grocers Association Malik Zulfikar Ali said that his organization had been taken into confidence with regard to the prices to be introduced in Ramazan. He said that the organization’s recommendations had been incorporated in the proposed price list. He pointed out that the prices of Gurr had not been agreed upon but during the next round of talks, the same would be finalized.
CLEAN WATER: The chief secretary also directed all the district coordination officers to spare no effort in ensuring supply of clean drinking water in their respective districts.
He told them to establish liaison with local government and all concerned departments and organizations and ensure that people are supplied clean water.
The chief secretary expressed sorrow over the deaths caused by supply of contaminated water in Karachi and said aside from the issue of limited resources or growing problems, it is the responsibility of officials of district governments to become practically active for implementation of water supply, sewerage, health, education and population welfare schemes.
He stressed the need for a crash programme for improvement of water courses in all the districts and said he should be sent district-wise reports from Oct 1 with regard to technical sanctions for 1,312 water courses.
He directed that quality material should be used and every DCO should personally monitor the work.—PPI/APP
