Punjab govt grapples with price hike as citizens cry foul

Authorities fail to implement official price list at Ramazan bazaars

LAHORE: Following surplus supply in the wholesale markets, prices of some seasonal commodities have witnessed a little decrease when compared to previous week’s rates of Ramazan bazaars and open markets but overcharging and profiteering is still continuing across the provincial metropolis.

Everywhere in the city, citizens are complaining about overcharging. Speaking to The Express Tribune on Sunday, a citizen Muhammad Rafiq complained that street vendors and grocers in his neighbourhood were fleecing citizens in the absence of a proper price control mechanism.

He highlighted that not even a single shopkeeper or street hawker in Township area was selling seasonal fruit and vegetables at the government’s notified rate. Most street hawkers, especially fruit sellers, have not displayed price lists and selling their merchandise at the asking price. However, a few shopkeepers have displayed deputy commissioner’s price lists but they were also not selling commodities on these rates, he pointed out.

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Another citizen, Ismail, said profiteers have jacked up prices of all essential commodities ahead of Ramazan. The government is paying subsidy in Ramazan bazaars to neutralise the effect of this artificial price increase. So in the actual term, a major chunk of the government’s subsidy under Ramazan package will directly go in the pockets of profiteers.

He said the government should establish an efficient price control system and impose exemplary penalties on profiteers to resolve this issue on a permanent basis.

“Local administration keeps them busy for eleven months but during Ramazan all of sudden they started raiding shops and carts to check prices. This half-hearted and futile effort cannot produce results until the government makes price control a permanent feature of governance,” he underlined.

Another citizen, Rahim Khan, said except a few big outlets, everywhere in the city and Ramazan Bazaars, vendors are selling second-grade fruit and vegetables at premium’ prices. He pointed out that most greengrocers in Ramazan bazaars are selling blended varieties of fruit and vegetables because the administration is not monitoring product quality.

A couple of days ago, he indicated, the banana was selling for Rs100-120 a dozen but now the same is being traded for Rs150-160. Similar is the situation with other fruit and vegetables, he lamented.

Official statistic issued by the district administration Lahore showed that the price control magistrates checked some 7,750 shops and retail outlets in the provincial capital during the first 10 days of Ramazan. Data indicated that price control magistrates found overcharging and profiteering and they imposed fine of Rs1.86 million over 598 shopkeepers. The authorities also arrested 346 traders and registered 337 cases.

Similarly, during the first 10 days of Ramazan, the district administration also conducted raids at restaurants and food corners selling food items in violation of the Ehtram-e-Ramazan Ordinance, 1981. Total 98 raids were conducted and cases were registered against 45 restaurants, 45 people were arrested and another 49 restaurant owners were sent to jail. District administration officials also sealed four restaurants over violation of the ordinance.

Meanwhile, Ramazan bazaars in Faisalabad depicted the lack of interest and apathy of the district administration. Consumers have to stand in long queues to purchase essentials from these bazaars. Now the consumers have to buy these commodities from the open markets. Citizens said they were allowed to purchase only one kilogramme of onions and potatoes due to the scarcity of these vegetables in the market. Many elderly citizens said these bazaars are tantamount to ridiculing the public and were set up for political point scoring.

As a 10kg flour bag was available for Rs290 in Ramazan bazaar and while in the open market it was available for Rs395. Similarly, one kilogramme of sugar was available for Rs55 in Ramazan bazaar and Rs64 in the open market, apple Rs190 in Ramazan bazaar and Rs200 in the open market, pomegranate Rs255 a kilogramme in Ramazan bazaar and Rs265 in the open market.

A minor difference of rates ranging between Rs3 to Rs5 in all essential items was recorded in Ramazan bazaars and open markets.

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Shopkeepers said it was impossible for them to follow the official price list as they could not sell a commodity on lower rates which they originally bought on a higher price. They said the deputy commissioner office should strongly monitor the auction system of these commodities in the vegetable market rather than forcing the shopkeepers to obey the official price list which was devised without taking the retailers on board.

An amount of Rs50 million was allocated for arrangements in the establishment of 19 Ramazan bazaars in Faisalabad and subsidy of Rs35 million was also paid on 21 items.

Faisalabad Deputy Commissioners Saifullah Dogar was not available to comment on the situation. However, Additional Deputy Commissioner Tariq Niazi said crowded Ramazan bazaars show that the step taken by the district administration was successful.

With additional input from our correspondent in Faisalabad

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2019.