Mohd Irfan
The department of food civil supplies and consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) whose mandatory duty is also to regulate the prices of essential commodities is apparently in deep slumber which can be gauged from the fact that the department miserably failed to issue an order so far in respect of fixation of prices of mutton and chicken resultant there in the consumers questioned the functioning of the department.
Complaints pouring in from the different quarters revealed that the consumers are up in arms against the department for their utter failure to fixed the prices of the essential commodities adding, as a result of no order has been passed by the department this has aggravated the hardships of the gullible consumers.
Consumers while taking pot shots against the department divulged that Mutton which has been sold at Rs 600 per kg in Jammu city till now adding, when auspicious occasion of Eid ul Fitr is just few days away but department not bothered to fixed the rate as of now and this has compounded the miseries of the consumers.
It may recall that whenever Eid came the mutton sellers sold the mutton at exorbitant rates due to failure of the department to check the implementation of the government order as to whether the same has been implemented in its letter and spirit or not.
One of the consumers rued that due to free hand given by the department these mutton sellers even don’t comply with rates list of the department rather they entered into verbal duel with the consumers. Mutton sellers went to the extent of saying if you wish to buy the mutton at this rate then right otherwise better to buy from other ones.
“As the consumers being in tight spot as they have to buy the mutton as such they left with no other option then to buy the same. Had the department go tough against these erring defaulters then surely the consumers won’t face the precarious situation at the hands of these mutton sellers” he categorically rued and urge the department to awake from the slumber and do the needful so that the consumers relieve of the agony which they confronted on Eid.
Social activist training guns against the department that when masses crying hoarse then the department awake and conduct the market checking for few days in order to show that they have discharge their duty with devotion and same has been highlighted by the department in the press.
“Every year department should pass an order in regards to the fixation of the rates of the essential commodities so that the mutton sellers and other shop keepers not resorted to black-marketing and profiteering adding, which they do the same as such department should show their very presence on ground otherwise the consumers continue to face hardships” he maintained.
It is pertinent to mention here in that there is Legal Meteorology department (LMD) in the food supplies department who is also vested with the powers to conduct the market checking in terms of checked the malpractice which the shopkeepers do the same as such the LMD discharge their duty so that masses not feel alienated and they get the essentials at the fixed price of the department.
As per past practice there is difference of mutton rates between Jammu and Kashmir adding, as in Kashmir on account of freight charges there is increase of mutton rates by Rs 100- Rs 150 as compared to the Jammu meaning there by mutton rates should be less than the counterpart Kashmir in Jammu. Now, it has to be seen as what is the present difference between both the regions in regards to the mutton rates. Director Food civil supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Jammu couldn’t be contacted for his comments.
