CAPD and civil administration listless, people suffer
Inayat Qayoom
Baramulla: Already distress with hike in price of essential commodities including cooking oil, skyrocketing prices of vegetables has broken the back of consumers as tomato and pear price has shot up to Rs 100 in Kashmir valley.
As if financial distress induced by Covid-19 was not enough the consumers are helplessly watching the spiraling price of essential commodities including vegetables. Throwing the government issued a price list to dogs; vegetable vendors are ragging the consumers by selling the vegetables on exorbitant prices.
“Rates have become the choice of sellers as they throw out a rate list issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution to dogs. They don’t adhere to a rate list and sell fruits and vegetables on high rates. We have no option than to buy the vegetables at exorbitant rate now Tomato and Pears are sold Rs 100 per kg what will a poor family do,” asked Mohmmad Haris, a customer.
What gives more jitters to the vegetable buyers is that these high prices are not being checked and reduced by the CAPD which are supposed to maintain affordable prices for people. Prices of most of the commonly used vegetables including tomato, beans, drumstick, ladies finger, and brinjal are up.
“With Tomato and pears being sold at Rs 100 per kg, Haak and Green chillies are being sold at Rs 70, French beans for 90 and fresh beans for Rs 100. Other vegetables like pumpkin, bitter gourd are also very expensive. We are forced to buy vegetables on high prices too,” lamented Abdul Ahad , a local resident.
Not only vegetables, rates of fruits are soaring and nobody seems to bother to put a check on the skyrocketing rates which are a sheer violation of the CAPD rate list .
“We have to buy bananas for Rs100 a dozen and grapes are sold at Rs 400 kg which is astonishing. How can poor people like me dream of buying fruit or vegetables,” said Mohammad Ayoub, a local labourer.
“We are a family of five members and have to spend at least Rs 150 a day for vegetables alone. At this rate if we have to dedicate Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 for vegetables alone per month, how we can we take care of other expenses,” asked Dr. Amjid.
The government should ensure that vegetables and fruit prices do not shoot up. Buying furits vegetables has become a burden for not just poor but also for middle and upper middle-class households,” he added.
When contacted Assistant Director Food, Sheikh Tariq Ahmad Baramulla, he said, “Our teams are conducting market checking of vendors and vegetable dealers. We have fined many violators and whosoever will found selling commodities at higher rates will be fined and booked.”
He added that people must register complaints with the department so that action will follow against the sellers.