HYDERABAD, Sept 5: District Coordination Officer (DCO) Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri has formed a committee headed by Executive District Officer Revenue Hyderabad Sajjad Haider and assigned it the task to fix reasonable rates of essential edible commodities during the month of Ramazan.

Other members of the committee include the Administrator Market Committee, representatives from wholesale, retail and shopkeepers associations.

The DCO formed this committee while presiding over a meeting regarding adoption of measures for price control here at Shahbaz Hall on Wednesday.

Aftab Khatri asked the committee to fix rates of all the essential items with the consultation of stakeholders concerned and to ensure its implementation on agreed price list before the commencement of Ramazan.

He called upon the traders and shopkeepers associations to cooperate with the district government in this regard.

He said once agreeing upon the rates the shopkeepers are legally and morally bound to abide by the rates circulated by the district government.

He asked the traders to ensure the display of price lists in front of their shops to avoid any misunderstanding between the seller and buyers.

The powers of special judicial magistrate will be given to deputy district officers and Mukhtiarkars of Revenue department in the district who will conduct surprise visits of markets of the respective areas and take strict action against those found responsible of illegal profiteering and hoarding of commodities.

He was of the view that imposition of fine is not a solution of problems of the poor sellers.

In addition to that, he said the district government has planned the establishment of bachat bazars in each taluka of the district.

He asked the traders to participate in these bazars by establishing their stalls and assured that district government would facilitate them.

He said the management of utility stores has been asked to make their stores more effective and to launch mobile marketing services to facilitate people.

Representatives of wholesale, retail and shopkeepers association attended the meeting.—APP