Hoarding, black marketing goes unchecked in JK, people demand action against violators

Srinagar, Apr 15 : As restrictions continue to remain in place in all parts of Jammu and Kashmir due to Covid-19 pandemic, shopkeepers and vendors have resorted to black marketing by over-charging even for essential items.

Residents from different localities told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that the shopkeepers and vendors have resorted to open loot as they have been over-charging for all the essential items as administration has failed to keep a check on these issues.

They said that on one side they have been caught by the deadly virus and on the other shopkeepers and vendors have resorted to open loot. “Daily use items are being sold at huge prices and the administration has failed to keep a check on the same. We have nowhere to go,” locals said.

Wazir Ahmad, a local resident from Udhampur told KNO that poor people are in distress because of the black marketing and hoardings on grocery and other daily use items.

“If black marketing and hoarding remains unchecked, many people here will die of hunger because they are unable to earn a single penny due to the lockdown and the shopkeepers have resorted to open loot,” said Irfan Ahmad, a local resident from Srinagar.

The locals demanded that authorities should cap the prices of essential commodities including vegetables, fruits and other daily use items. They also said that they don’t have any other option but to buy these prices even at higher rates because of the extension in the lockdown.  

“Medical items like masks and sanitizers are also sold at very high prices and nobody.” locals said. Residents from different areas of the union territory also alleged that different gas agencies were looting people on the pretext of registration of names under Ujwala scheme.

“People are being asked to pay Rs 100-200 for registration, however, officials say there is no need of registration at the moment as families who have got gas connections under Ujwala scheme are already registered,” they said.

Pertinently government had recently announced that the families who have gas connection under Ujwala scheme will get three gas cylinders or an equal amount as per market rate in three months starting from April 2020.

Meanwhile authorities have asked people to contact concerned tehsildars and station house officers wherever there is black marketing— (KNO)