Despite a government promise that prices of essentials won’t rise during the holy month of Ramadan the prices of essential commodities are rising day after day as if public outcry on this count has gone unnoticed. Despite Divisional Commissioner Kashmir censuring retailers over allegations of illegal profiteering and Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Kashmir issuing fresh rate lists over retail prices for mutton and chicken the meet is allegedly being sold at the rate of Rs650/per Kg,i.e, atleast Rs 50/- more than the official rate and chilcken at the rate of Rs140/- per Kg,I,e, atleast Rs 10 more than the official rate. Unscrupulous wholesalers and retailers charging people more and more for essential commodities particularly grocery items and vegetables despite repeated warnings from the divisional administration shows their tendencies to sell goods at exorbitant rates even during the holy month of Ramadan .Price rise during the days of fasting when both the stock and supply of the goods at the markets are adequate demands immediate attention and intervention of the government ahead of the commencement of Shab-e-Qadr, Jumat-Ul-Vida and Eid Ul Fitr. Obviously a nexus of unscrupulous wholesalers and retailers have created illegal, profit-mongering syndicates which are charging extra for essential commodities despite warning from the divisional administration. In this situation, it is the people, especially those from the low and middle classes, who are suffering the most.
Surprisingly unscrupulous wholesalers and retailers has also set precedence of seeking revision in rates of essential commodities only during the holly month of Ramadan obviously to blackmail the government over the issue of price rise. Interestingly the situation was by and large same during the holy month of Ramadan last year also. Top helmsmen urging the field functionaries of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumers Affairs (FCS& CA) department and law enforcers to take strict measures against the profit mongers is not enough as finally a close supervision over the working of market checking squads can reduce the intensity of price rise ahead of Shab-e-Qadr and Eid Ul Fitr.
Like previous year this year also the unscrupulous wholesalers and retailers are carrying out a vicious campaign of hiking the prices of essential commodities before Shab-e-Barat, Jumat-Ul-Vida and Eid-Ul-Fitr just to show that market is unstable during the holy month of Ramadan and onus for this lies on the government only. Unfortunately unscrupulous wholesalers and retailers have set a precedence of selling essentials on exorbitant rates during the holy month of Ramadan for last several years. Surprisingly unscrupulous wholesalers and retailers has also set precedence of seeking revision in rates of essential commodities only during the holly month of Ramadan obviously to blackmail the government over the issue of price rise. Interestingly the situation was by and large same during the holy month of Ramadan last year also. Top helmsmen urging the field functionaries of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumers Affairs (FCS& CA) department and law enforcers to take strict measures against the profit mongers is not enough as finally a close supervision over the working of market checking squads can reduce the intensity of price rise ahead of Shab-e-Qadr and Eid Ul Fitr.
