The DCO Hyderabad Ali Ahmed Lund, has issued last warning to the retailers, wholesalers and middle men directing them to refrain from their criminal activities of charging high prices from clients, failing which strict legal action of three months imprisonment, heavy fine or both simultaneously would be taken against them.
This he observed while presiding over meeting of Revenue Officers, having powers of Special Judicial Magistrates at his camp office last night. Addressing the meeting, the DCO Hyderabad said that 10 complaint centres of price control of essential commodities, one each at fire Brigade Station Market Tower, Fire Brigade Station Fakir-Ka-Pir, Poultry Dealers Lajpat road, Main market Latifabad NOs.7 and 11, near Mustafa Masjid Latifabad No 11, Main Chowk Qasimabad and Naseem Nagar, Tandojam main bazar and near Poly-Technical College Wahdat Colony Hyderabad have been established and directed the concerned DDO Revenue and Mukhtiarkars/Special Judicial Magistrates to record their attendance at the Complaint Centres more than six hours daily from 01.00 pm to 06.30 pm.
Whenever any complaint regarding charging of high prices is received they should take immediate legal action against the illegal profiteers he added.
He said that DPO Hyderabad has also been asked to establish police picket at each complaint centre to provide necessary assistance to the Special Judicial Magistrates and other staff members of the centre. He directed the officers that these complaint centres should be maintained properly by displaying banners, complaint books and attendance registers of staff members detailed for duties. He also directed for giving wide publicity of such complaint centres in the areas through mega phone. The DCO Hyderabad directed the Revenue Officers to furnish progress report on daily basis so that their performance could be valuated.
Addressing the meeting, the DCO Hyderabad Ali Ahmed Lund said that prices of all essential commodities have been fixed with the consultation of wholesalers and retailer merchant associations, which they were bound to follow but in case of any violation, District Government Hyderabad was directed to take legal action against the defaulters.
The DCO also asked the NGOs specially consumer-oriented organisations and citizens to be proactive and to identify, inform the Judicial Magistrate about price hike and illegal profiteers so that the consumers' rights should be protected properly. He also advised the Citizens not to pay high price other than the government fixed price to the shopkeepers and in case of charging of high prices they should report to the nearest complaint centre of their area with immediate effect.
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