VEHARI, Sept 10: Traders have reportedly started hoarding daily-use commodities and overcharging ahead of Ramazan. Various household items, including tomatoes, ‘Basan’, dates, quality pulses and fruits have ‘disappeared’ from markets while the district government has failed to control the situation.

The provincial government had delegated magisterial powers to deputy district officers (DDOs) of the revenue department to control prices of daily-use items about two months back.

Despite raids by them, prices of vegetables, fruits and other kitchen items could not ease rather registered 50 to 60 per cent increase.

A market survey conducted by this correspondent shows that tomatoes are available at Rs80 per kg, onions at Rs20, lady fingers at Rs30, potatoes at Rs35, chicken at Rs130 per kg, `Daal Chana’ at Rs70, `Moong’ at Rs70, `Mash’ at Rs75, ginger at Rs60, garlic Rs65, flour at Rs15 and sugar at Rs40 per kg.

Beef is being sold at Rs100 to 120 per kg instead of Rs90 fixed by the Vehari district government while mutton and chicken are available at Rs250 and Rs130 per kg, respectively against Rs170 and Rs110.

A trader says he has stocked a big quantity of kitchen items and will sell them during Ramazan.

A group of consumers says that traders are least concerned about the prices fixed by the government rather they have raised the rates of fruits and vegetables by 30 to 80 per cent.

Meanwhile, retailers of Mailsi, Burewala, Laden, Tibba Sultanpur and Gagoo areas are also active for making a fast buck.

On the other hand, only one utility store on Vehari DHQ hospital Road is insufficient to provide subsidised pulses, sugar and other kitchen items to the entire district.

Despite statements by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other government functionaries, not even a single utility store has so far been opened in Mailsi and Burewala tehsils and other small towns.

People have to wait for hours for their turn at the sole utility store. Time and again, they have to return without purchasing anything owing to limited stocks. Uncertainty always prevails at this store regarding the availability of sugar. The store staff is reluctant to inform the people about arrival of the commodity. According to a storekeeper, they are supplied with sugar from Multan twice a week preferably on Mondays or Thursdays. But this schedule is not being observed by the Utility Stores Corporation, he says.

A consumer from Luddan told Dawn that he visited the Vehari utility store after paying Rs15 bus fare, but sugar and other required items were not available there.

When contacted a magistrate concerned said the district government was taking steps to provide kitchen items to people at fixed rates.