Price Control: 50 shopkeepers sent to jail, 616 fined

LAHORE:

At least 50 shopkeepers have been sent to jail for violating the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 1977.

As many as 616 shopkeepers have been fined a total of Rs0.634 million.

This was stated by Noorul Amin Mengal, the district coordination officer during a meeting with price control magistrates on Friday.

He told the magistrates that the government had taken notice of the complaints received about substandard flour that was being sold at some Ramazan Bazaars.

The district officer (food), he said, has been ordered to seal the flour mills responsible.

The DCO was briefed about the steps taken by the City District Government Lahore for lowering the prices of essential items over the last few days.

DCO Mengal said that the government will not allow anyone to overcharge consumers or to sell substandard items at Ramazan Bazaars.

He appreciated the steps taken by the price control committees in ensuring continuous supply and stable prices at the bazaars.

The district coordination officer  said government teams were also monitoring fruit and vegetable bidding at wholesale markets and cold storages to check overcharging and hoarding.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2012.