The prices of essential commodities have again gone up at the advent of Eid-ul-Fitr as lack of effective price control system has given traders complete liberty to increase the prices of essential commodities at their own will.
Chicken rates have crossed all time high as live broiler is being sold openly at Rs 100 per kilogram. Mutton rates were also increased to Rs 280 to 300 per kg while beef is being sold at Rs 160 to 180 per kg.
Once prices of essential commodities have seen certain raise at the arrival of Ramazan and now with a new wave of price hike in the last week of Ramazan traders have started minting money at the cost of human miseries. All the claims made by the governments, to keep check on prices and bring illegal profiteers to task, proved false.
Chicken and mutton are out of common man reach, while it is also becoming difficult to buy vegetables and fruits as their rates are moving upward with every passing day.
Tomato, potato and onion were being sold at Rs 40 and Rs 28 per kilogram in Ramazan while the rates were increased at the advent of Eid-ul-Fitr as tomatoes are being sold at Rs 70 to 80 per kilogram, potatoes at Rs 30 to 40 and onion Rs 30 to 40 per kilogram. Lemon and green chilies rates are Rs 100 per kilogram.
The prices of gourd and ladyfinger increased from Rs 20 per kilogram to Rs 35 and Rs 40 per kilogram. Lemon and green chilies were selling at Rs 50 and Rs 60 per kilogram.
Apple are being sold at Rs 60 to Rs 80 per kilogram, banana at Rs 40 to Rs 50 per dozen, guava at Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kilogram and grapes at Rs 100 to 120 per kilogram, while Rs 10 to Rs 50 per kilogram were added to the rates of other fruits.
The district administration set up Sasta bazaars to provide relief to consumers with the advent of Ramazan but these Sasta Bazaars and utility stores have became a source of disgrace and humiliation for people. People expressed their deep concern over government's failure to control prices and stated that enforcing price control through magistrates may not provide relief as it had failed to tighten the noose around the big hoarders.
People also expressed complete dissatisfaction over the establishment of utility stores in different areas saying that these utility stores have became a source of nuisance for the people. Long queues, sub standard food items and extra rates were forcing people to purchase the essential commodities from open market in spite of utility stores.