KARACHI, July 4: The authorities concerned have not taken any action against the milk sellers who unilaterally raised the prices of fresh milk four months back. In March, the mighty milk sellers of Karachi unilaterally raised prices of fresh milk and since then this daily-use essential commodity was being sold at Rs30 to Rs32 per litre.

Though citizens, social and political organisations, media and consumer rights outfits made a lot of hue and cry against this illegal, immoral and unilateral price hike, but their cries fell on deaf ears of bureaucracy.

The retail food inflation here seemed climbing new peaks with every passing day. Besides milk, prices of sugar, wheat flour, meat, cooking oil, pulses and vegetables are on a constant run. To manage kitchen budget has become a nightmare for the poor housewives, belonging to low-income families. Buying milk, a daily-use kitchen item and a must dietary component for babies and kids, always occupies top priority in the shopping lists of housewives.

Many citizens say that administration at both provincial and city government levels knew well about the illegal rise in milk prices in Karachi, but they had yet to summon courage to practically tackle with this lingering problem.

With the rise in milk prices, prices of yogurt and other dairy products have also escalated. The prices of milk being sold in tetra-packs are also on the rise. Ironically, almost all producers of packed milk, both liquid and powered, did not bother to print the retail prices in figures on their packages. Hence, the shopkeepers fleece the consumers by charging rate as per their own sweet will.

It is learnt that to control prices of eatables and other essential items is the responsibility of the city government. In the past, a few statements were issued by the city government that the EDO concerned would take steps soon to check unauthorised rise in the milk price, but as far as practical measures are concerned till now there seemed no visible activity to check this issue.

It is good for administrations to be ‘trader-friendly’, but ignoring economic plunder of innocent citizens by profiteers could not be justifiable under any pretext.

The citizens say four months are too much when an issue is concerned with daily life of citizens.

They feel statements and promises could not serve in long run. It is time for direct action or people must be informed as to why the administration is unable to tackle this lingering issue.

Citizens have requested the city and provincial governments to take notice of this outstanding issue and ensure that milk is being sold in the city on officially fixed price.—PPI