Food prices soar, market regulars missing in action

JAMMU: It is almost three months now that countrywide Unlock1.0 was announced with a motive to revive the shattered economy despite of rising number of COVID-19 cases but, simultaneously as coffers go dry, the inflation graph has added to the woes of already cripple lives of consumers under the financial crisis.
The rates of essential commodities, however, go unchecked particularly of fruits and vegetables varying from vendor to vendor under the nose of the administration. In view of skyrocketing rates of fruits and vegetables, the consumers have slammed the Department of Legal Metrology, Food and Supply for not releasing rate lists to prevent loot by the ‘mafia’ of dealers operating in mandies and heading various bodies.
“Though the rates of these items undoubtedly differ in wholesale and retail markets but once out for sale, a fixed-rate list should be issued by the concerned department based upon the quality to relieve the consumer,” Saranshi Gupta, a banker told ‘The News Now’.
She expressed, “the rates differ from wholesale dealers in mandies to markets, further in super bazaars and vendors.”
“Huge margin is seen and the rates vary from dealer to dealer,” she expressed alleging that unfortunately, there is no one to check this menace and in the name of the COVID crisis, these vendors are looting a common man.
Pranav Andotra, a teacher busy buying fruits at Jewel Chowk said, “Last week I had purchased a piece of pineapple from a roadside vendor outside Bus Stand @ Rs 85 (around 2-kg) but on Saturday, I paid Rs 120 for the same pineapple (per piece without weighing) at Canal Road.”
“The rates are totally varying from vendor to vendor and market to market,” he expressed saying that surprisingly, the rates are also vary based upon the locality quoting example he said that in posh localities like Gandhi Nagar, Trikuta Nagar, Channi Himmat, Sainik Colony, the essential commodities (without print rate) are sold on higher rates but the same items if are purchased from parts of old City have a huge difference.
He also alleged that many shops are even selling fruits/vegetables on double rates on the pretext of having good quality. “Tomatoes and Onions are being sold @ Rs 25/- and @Rs 45 per Kg respectively by the shopkeepers and grocery dealers but the same quantity of items can be purchased from a ‘rehariwala’ @ Rs 12/ and @ Rs 35/-per Kg respectively,” he rued.
One of the consumers suggested that the concerning government-run department should issue a rate list of these items on daily basis, atleast once a week, which can be circulated on social media and mandatorily be displayed at shops, vends, and stalls, so that the customers are not looted.
“These are items of daily use and there is no check on its sale. The vendors are making merry by charging by choice from the consumers,” he alleged.
Prema Sharma, a housewife said, “fruits and vegetables are having various varieties. Some are being imported from parts of the country but, rates should be fixed to relieve our pockets.”“Why the rate list cannot be issued by the government agencies to aware consumers about rates of various items?” she added and alleging ‘loot’ by fruits/vegetable dealers, she said that and they are minting money in this period of COVID pandemic crisis when people are already facing lot many difficulties.
“Dealers in mandies sell these items on cheaper rates but the same variety of fruits or vegetables turn costlier when sold by shopkeepers, hawkers and vendors,” she rued. The consumers appealed to the administration to check this menace at least in this COVID period.
A senior official in the Food and Supply told ‘The News Now’, “we have received a number of such complaints and in days, teams areto be constituted to carry out surprise raids across the district to check the reports of inflation.”“It is a matter of concern and we receive several phone calls, emails, and messages on social media in this regard but due to COVID period, the manpower is engaged in dealing with the pandemic. The concern is noted on a serious note and soon action will be initiated,” he ensured.