In order to control the high inflation of essential items across markets of the capital city and hoarding by a section of traders despite adequate stocks across the state, the Food and Civil Supply department and local administration on Wednesday conducted massive raids  against hoarding of essential items at all major markets of the capital city.

As per the decision of the state government during a meeting with the leaders of all merchant associations of Agartala city based wholesale and retail markets along with all officials of Food department and other administration officials, the  Food and Civil Supply department  strictly issued guidelines for regular visit in all markets to control artificial crisis and hoarding of all essential items and as per the decision with the onset of Monsoon season, the Sadar administration along with Food department officials launched their raids against hoarding at the markets of Agartala city Durga Chowmuhani, Lake Chowmuhani, Battala Bazar and MG Bazar.

It may be recalled here that with the onset of Monsoon season and after blockade of national highway at Meghalaya portion due to land sliding and incessant rains in last month, large-scale of artificial crisis has been reported from many markets of Agartala city along with hoarding of essential items.

Despite,  state having sufficient days of stock of all essential items, the government has launched their anti-hoarding drives across all markets.

On Wednesday, a jumbo team of Food and Civil Supply department and Sadar subdivision led by Director of Food department, Nirmal Adhikari started their anti-hoarding raids at MG Bazar’s wholesale market. During the raids, the team has found discrepancies over the rates of wholesale and retail of essential items including rice, pulses, wheat, flour, sugar etc. The team has also detected open sale of public distribution system (PDS) rice in wholesale rice shops and sealed one of the shops.

The team also issued notices to a few shops and registered cases for hoarding of essential items.

While speaking with media persons, the Director of Food and Civil Supply department Nirmal Adhikari strictly warned and said that  the government will tolerate any kind of artificial crisis and hoarding of essential items.

He said that the team will inspect all the major markets of Agartala city and the department is committed to ensure the protection of all consumers. He added that all the stocks essential items are in adequate number and functioning of national highway is also normal, despite that a section of traders are creating artificial crises in the market for their personal gain. But, the department will not tolerate such kind of hoarding and will take steps as per rules and regulations.

Adhikari also appealed to the traders to maintain the normal pricing of essential items and should stop their hoarding.

With the beginning of Monsoon season, there is no situation for panic over availability of all essential food items and fuel products, but a section of errant traders started their rampant hoarding across the state, despite repeated appeals from government to maintain the normal prices.

The jumbo team of Sadar administration staff, Food department authorities along with police personnel has also caught red handed some errant traders taking extra prices from common customers.

 The team has issued notices to some errant traders, who are not maintaining proper distribution systems and are not also maintaining the prices of edible essential items in both wholesale and retail markets.

Adhikari also said that despite repeated appeals and numbers of meetings with traders, many traders were still taking exorbitant prices.

He said that on Wednesday, the administration issued notices to some errant traders and strictly warned them. Adhikari added that their surveillance teams will continue their monitoring in all markets and if the traders are taking extra prices, then the department will seal their shops or will take legal action as per the law.

The teams also monitored whether the shopkeepers are maintaining the norms for purchase and sale of stocks with rates.

‘Our teams monitor each and every shop of the markets and review the wholesale and retail prices’, said Adhikari adding that there are many discrepancies  in prices of wholesale and retail, but the situation of the entire market is under control.

He said that a section of traders are creating artificial crises in the market by hiking prices of rice and other edible items for their own interest and creating a panic in the markets.

 He said that strict warning has been given to all errant traders and if they do not take proper measures to sell their goods, then administration will also impose Disaster Management Act and will take action as per the law.

There are no shortages of any essential items and all items are available in the markets, said Adhikari

The team has also continued their raids in all major markets of Agartala against exorbitant prices of vegetables.