The hike in the prices of food items and subsequent profiteering by shopkeepers has badly hit the customers. No mercy was shown towards the customers in this holy month of Ramadhan whether they had to buy mutton, chicken, vegetables, fruits or other items.
The government-fixed rates are being violated in broad day light and customers are having no choice but to succumb to the malpractices of the shopkeepers. Not all shopkeepers indulge into such illegal things but vast majority does so.
Even as the concerned department did market checking at several places but such measures proved inadequate. Absence of checking in markets on large scale proved costly for the customers.
Be it mutton, chicken, fruits or vegetables the customers had to pay through the nose. Mutton is being sold at 650, even upto Rs 700, per kg in the market at most places. With Eid rush having picked up, the meat sellers have got further emboldened.
Scenes of huge rush of customers, struggling to get meat for Eid, were witnessed on Wednesday. They could get the meat after a long wait. This rush is likely to continue on Thursday also. Taking advantage, several meat sellers are selling the meat at Rs 700 per kg.
The arguments are not working. The meat sellers are telling the customers that they have the choice – whether to buy at Rs 650 or Rs 700 kg or leave. Rates of chicken and other poultry birds have also gone up. Same is the case with vegetables and fruits.
Even in Ramadhan the shopkeepers indulge in profiteering as far as food items are concerned. The customers helplessly watch and buy food items at the raised prices. This has become a permanent practice now for last several years.
This practice has to come to an end. Otherwise, the people will continue to suffer. It is not about Ramadhan only, if the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway gets blocked for some days, prices go up in the markets. The customers at that time have to face hoarding and profiteering by the shopkeepers.
Even throughout the year most shopkeepers, selling these food item, sell those at the prices of their own choice. There seems no control over them by the concerned department. The customers too have accepted this situation as a reality and they do not resist.
With financial condition of some sections of population having got already weak for last several years due to various reasons, their buying capacity has also weakened further due to soaring prices in the market. Officials blame people also for the price hike.
They say that most customers readily buy the items at raised prices and do not lodge a complaint. According to them, if a complaint is lodged then only an action can be taken.
The officials say they cannot be omnipresent and that wherever a violation takes place, they will act. They say the customers must come forward and be ready for an action by government officials against the erring shopkeepers.
Only a few customers are ready while vast majority likes to buy at hiked prices. There is a shortage of manpower in the concerned department for conducting the checks in markets.
The man power should be increased and this can prove helpful in checking the price hike. Other required measures also need to be taken in this direction.