MUZAFFARGARH: The district administration and labour officials have failed to check alleged malpractices at the local vegetable market (Sabzi Mandi) where wholesale traders use bricks instead of proper weights for weighing vegetables and fruits.

Vendors who buy produce from the market say that they have made numerous complaints to the market committee and the assistant commissioner only for their pleas to go unheeded.

They say that inspectors carry out their inspections once a month only to fulfill the orders of the chief minister and the chief secretary and only take some pictures for the sake of accountability.

Wahid Bakhsh, a vegetable vendor, said people selling vegetables at the Sabzi Mandi use bricks to weigh vegetables since they are, in their opinion, sufficient. But Wahid says he has had troubling experiences in the past where he did not carry the amount he had purchased at most of the time.

“Nobody listened to me whenever I tried to bring up the issue,” he said.

Shopkeepers alleged there is a systematic practice of traders paying labour and market committee officials daily commissions.

A Sabzi Mandi trader admitted to this correspondent that the malpractice is well-known among officials, who turn a blind eye to maintain their share of the illicit earnings.

Attempts to seek comment of Deputy Commissioner Quratul Ain were unsuccessful.

Shopkeepers also criticised the pricing lists issued by market committee officials. These lists, which cost only Rs5, are sold for Rs40 under a contractor-based system.

While market officials deny direct involvement, they concede that the inflated charges are part of a tender process handed over to private contractors.

Labour officials claimed that the district council awards contracts for monitoring standard weights. They shifted the responsibility to contractors. The lack of oversight allows wholesale traders to exploit small-time vendors without consequence.

Villagers and shopkeepers have appealed to teh chief minister and the chief secretary to take strict action against negligent officials and eliminate corruption in the system.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024