Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI) leaders have asked the authority concerned to address the price list issues being faced by traders ahead of Ramazan.
Traders have urged the district administration to ensure a fair and practical pricing mechanism aimed at averting unnecessary arguments between traders and the district administration during Ramazan.
HCSTSI Senior Vice President (SVP) Ahmed Idrees Chohan chaired an emergency meeting of Hyderabad grocery and general store representatives at the chamber secretariat.
During the meeting, the traders strongly protested against the conduct of officers and their representatives during price list inspections. They aired concern over the inappropriate behaviour, forced sealing of shops and the collection of fines in cash instead of official banking channels.
They also criticised the deputy commissioner office for issuing price lists without consulting relevant business representatives, resulting in unrealistic prices that failed to reflect market realities.
Meeting participants highlighted that prices of many essential commodities "fluctuate daily and, in some cases, even hourly". However, the district administration continues to enforce outdated price lists, often two months old, and penalises traders by sealing their shops and imposing hefty fines.
Citing the example of spices, they pointed out that a single item could have more than six different varieties in the market, yet the official price list did not distinguish between them. This discrepancy repeatedly leads to conflict between the business community and the administration.
Addressing the traders' concerns, the chamber SVP assured them that the HCSTSI had always been at the forefront of advocating the traders' rights and conveying their grievances to higher authorities and the chamber had consistently played a key role in seeking solutions.
To tackle such pressing concerns, the chamber has formed a special committee comprising representatives of wholesalers, retailers, supermarkets, emporiums and general stores from different areas of Hyderabad including all four tehsils of Hyderabad district – Hyderabad, Latifabad, Qasimabad and Hyderabad rural.
This committee will accompany the chamber's delegation in a meeting with the deputy commissioner to formally present their objections and propose practical recommendations before the issuance of Ramazan price lists. The goal is to ensure a fair and practical pricing framework that prevents unnecessary conflicts between traders and the administration during the holy month.
The HCSTSI urged the government to take immediate steps to engage in meaningful consultations with the business community and put an end to the unfair treatment of traders. Ensuring a fair and transparent pricing mechanism is crucial to safeguarding business activities and maintaining market stability.
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