Keep essentials available to people during holy month, NC to Govt

Srinagar, Apr 15: Urging administration to keep essentials available to people during the holy month of Ramadhan, the National Conference (NC) said people are going for panic buying, hoarding and blackmareting in the valley.

Impressing upon administration to ensure price stability and availability of essentials to households during the auspicious month of Ramadan, NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said, ''Come Ramadan and the requirement of all edibles increase exponentially.

The non-availability of various kitchen condiments, edibles, and household commodities including Ramadan specific merchandise particularly Sugar and rice has aggravated the problems of people who are purchasing essentials at exorbitant prices due to the alleged inconsiderate approach of the government towards rampant hoarding, and panic buying.''

''It looks like the government is sleeping at the wheel, at a time when it should have taken preemptive measures to ensure hassle free Ramzan to people,'' he said.

''The rice which is being distributed, I am told is very old and charred and unfit for public consumption. Half of the quantity of grains, I have been told, is filled with clay, stones, and husk. I fail to understand how the government expects people to consume such low quality grains. The BPL, AY TPDS families are particularly at the receiving end due to the lackluster approach of administration,'' he said, adding that sugar scarcity has particularly hit entire Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the ration stores across the length and breadth of J&K should be kept open catering to the needs of people throughout the month. Government should also increase the quota of sugar to consumers during the ensuing month. Besides that administration should also mull to come up with e-bazaars, special rapid action teams for home delivery to ensure that people are delivered necessary items at their door steps.

Imran also sought uninterrupted power and water supply to consumers during the Iftaari, and Sehari time. He impressed upon the administration the need of reining in the malefactors as indulge in black-marketing, and hoarding. He asked the government to consider having special Ramzan markets in every locality, where essentials including fruits should be made available to people at specific timings following the COVID-19 protocol.

He asked the people to abide by the COVID-19 protocol and concerned government advisories in the ensuing month, saying the challenges can surmount if people take precautionary measures as advised by the concerned agencies.