Shopkeepers, fruit & vegetable vendors fined

As Many as 139 fruit, vegetable sellers and retail shopkeepers were fined Rs 90,300 by district administration Matiari for overcharging and measuring embezzlement during last eight days of holy month of Ramazan.
It was released in a weekly price checking report issued by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Matiari Parwaiz Ahmad Baloch. On the instruction of DC Matiari all the Assistant Commissioners and Mukhtiars has launched anti-profiteering campaign throughout the district from the first of Ramazan in order to check the prices of essential commodities and to ensure availability of fruit, vegetable and other essential food items at lower rates during Ramazan.
Deputy Commissioner Matiari on Monday visited main Bazaar Matiari and checked the prices of fruits, vegetables and other food items while concerned Assistant Commissioners and Mukhtiarkars paid surprise visits at Matiari, Hala, Bhit Shah, Khyber, New Saeedabad and Odero Lal Station and imposed heavy fines on the profiteers for overcharging and not displaying rate list of food items on prominent places.
Deputy Commissioner said that Chief Minister Sindh has strictly directed all district administrations for daily check of prices of perishable items in markets and to take strict action against the profiteers to provide maximum relief to the consumers during Ramazan-ul-Mubark. He added that as per directives of Sindh Chief Minister all possible measures were being taken to ensure protection of interest of consumers through strict monitoring of prices of food items and keep the prices of fruit, vegetables and other commodities within the reach of a common man. Deputy Commissioner strictly warned the shopkeepers and vendors to avoid profiteering, overcharging and cheating while measuring, in case of violation of government issued price list stern legal action would be taken besides imposition of heavy fines.
Parwaiz Ahmad Baloch directed all Assistant Commissioners to ensure strict implementation of official rate list for providing maximum relief to the people for which district administration has evolved effective price control mechanism which will be implemented in letter and spirit.
Taking serious notice of lack of cleanliness in streets Deputy Commissioner directed the local government officials for prompt measures for proper cleanliness of street and markets. He also asked the police officials for better management of traffic to avoid inconvenience to the public especially in markets.
He said that government of Sindh has decided to provide maximum relief to people and to ensure the sanctity of sacred month of fasting; to materialize this all concerned officers and staff will have to perform their duties with honesty and efficiency, any kind of lethargy and negligence would not be tolerated in this regard, he warned.