We are surprised to see the abrupt hike in prices of essential commodities after the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr. Amid the government’s assurance to keep the prices of daily essentials stable, some rogue and price gouging businessmen are still fleecing the consumers.
The prices of necessary commodities including fish, vegetables, pulse, oil, sugar and onion are rising non-stop. Besides, chicken and beef are also selling at high prices, complained consumers.
Although traders have been warned against using the escalating fresh conflict between Iran and Israel alongside Russia-Ukraine and Palestine-Israel as an excuse to raise the prices of essential commodities arbitrarily, they (traders) have already increased the prices of daily essentials as the warning fell on deaf ears. The traders could not wait and have already raised the prices of essential commodities at the very start of the Iran-Israel conflict, on the pretext of probable fuel oil price hike. So, the government will have to issue a warning and take action against crooked traders immediately.
Government should
use the Price Control
and Anti-Hoarding Act.
Expressing frustration, people begin to say that the government has pledged to keep prices of the daily essentials at a tolerable level, but there has been no visible action when all the items are selling at high prices.
Although in terms of economic principles, conflicts or wars could cause the prices of goods and services to rise, such an increase, as it does in our country, would not necessarily happen worldwide.
Section 3(1) of the Essential Articles (Price Control and Anti-Hoarding) Act, 1953 empowers the government to fix the maximum price of essential articles from time to time, be it at the retail, wholesale or any stage of sale.
The government should use the Price Control and Anti-Hoarding Act at any time. We think the government should use this law regardless of whether there is a war or not. Anyone who does business must be ethical.
All concerned, particularly the field level administration, must go tough on any sort of food hoarding and adulteration as dishonest acts. The deputy commissioners should have been asked to keep vigil against food stocking as some unscrupulous traders become desperate to make quick bucks creating artificial crisis.
We think the deputy commissioners must give special attention to stop such acts and make sure that the consumers are not harassed anywhere. Tougher legal actions will have to be taken against hoarders, dishonest businessmen, traders, and some vested elements involved in making the country’s kitchen market volatile.