Local stores receive over 100,000 bags of sugar
PHOTO: FILE
The Rawalpindi district administration provided over 100,000 bags of sugar to dealers, marts and cash & carry stores.
A district administration spokesperson said that sugar stocks were sufficient to meet the demand of the commodity in all tehsils until Dec 5. He added no one would be allowed to sell sugar at exorbitant rates. He said that the price control magistrates were instructed to ensure availability of sugar at Rs90 per kg, and to take stern action against the shopkeepers involved in profiteering.
The spokesperson further said that citizens could lodge complaints about profiteering on the official phone numbers provided. He added that the district administration conducted nearly 18,000 inspections in the past week, within four districts, to check the prices of daily-use items.
He said that strict action was taken against hoarders and profiteers. Because of these steps, the rates of sugar were stable in the division, and an artificial price hike had been controlled.
The spokesperson informed that imported sugar was also being sold in 33 ‘Sahulat Bazaars’ in Rawalpindi. So far, over 909 metric tonnes of sugar had been sold in these bazaars. The administration was ensuring supply of wheat flour at the official rate of Rs1100 for a 20 kg bag.
The price control teams also imposed fines amounting to Rs1.3 million, and 20 FIRs were lodged against the rules violators during the last week, he added. He said that Chakki Ata was also being supplied at rates fixed by the authorities concerned.
Special DC counters were also set up at all the big stores of the division. A total of 127 DC counters were functional within the division to provide essential commodities to the citizens at official rates, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2021.