‘Everyone adheres to displaying the rate list and the other guidelines’, says Consumer Affairs official

Anantnag: Despite repeated issuance of “rate lists” by the administration, the adherence to them by shopkeepers is almost negligible in most parts of Anantnag district. Traders here are often found indulging in the malpractice of selling commodities way above the rates prescribed by the Consumer Affairs department.
The Consumer Affairs authorities come up with regular rate lists for essential commodities, and every shopkeeper is supposed to have a copy of the official rate list in the shop, for transparency and public convenience.
People in Anantnag complain that most of the shopkeepers do not keep the rate lists displayed in their shops, and charge exorbitantly from the consumer without fear of reprisal from the authorities.
“It holds true with almost everything here,” a resident of main town Anantnag told Kashmir Reader. “Let us take chicken, for example. We always end up paying twenty to thirty rupees more than the prescribed rate, given the fact that the chicken shops do not display rate lists, and rarely adhere to the directions of the administration.”
Mutton, vegetables, fruits, cereals, milk, and other essential commodities are on the list of things being sold at exorbitant rates, locals say. “Even after much ado and stern efforts by the authorities, the mutton sellers have fallen back to their old ways in Anantnag district. Here in Bijbehara, for example, mutton is being sold at 650 rupees per kilogram, right under the nose of the administration,” a resident of Bijbehara town said.
He said that people tried to resist such high rates hike but received almost no support from the administration. “Superficial efforts, like sealing a particular mutton shop for a couple of days, won’t end the menace. There has to be a system in place where markets are checked regularly for any aberrations,” the residents said.
The worst affected is the vegetable and fruit segment of the market. People in Anantnag district lament say they are paying way more than people in other parts of the valley for fruits and vegetables.
“I haven’t seen oranges being sold at less than 120 rupees a dozen since the last year and the rates can go up to even 250 rupees a dozen. There is no one to ask why or how? The same overcharging plagues other fruits as well as vegetables,” the residents said.
Kashmir Reader talked to the Assistant Director of the Consumer Affairs department for Anantnag, Mudassir Ahmad, who maintained that the markets are being checked on a regular basis in the district.
“In fact, Anantnag district is one of the top districts as far as market checking is concerned,” he said. “There might be isolated incidents of overcharging and non-adherence to orders, but overall the situation is pretty good here. Everyone adheres to displaying the rate list and the other laid down guidelines.”

Suhail A Shah