KL Report
SRINAGAR
The steep hike in the prices of essential commodities is adding to the miseries of the people of Srinagar after the closure of Jammu- Srinagar highway for more than five-days.
Up in arms against the authorities over failing to put a lid over the black marketing of essentials in the valley, people alleged that not even a single time officials of the CAPD visited the markets and acted against the outlaws.
The director CAPD didn’t answer the repeated calls from KNS.
The residents of various areas in Kashmir valley on Sunday while taking jibe at the state government for “failing to keep a check” over the rising prices of food products said that black marketing has become the order of the day with many traders finding it convenient to fish in the troubled waters .
“We are getting the commodities almost at the double prices and the government is not doing anything to curb this menace,” says Mushtaq Ahmad, a resident of north Kashmir. Various others echoed Mushtaq’s views in his area saying that greens are sold at the rate of 100 rupees per KG and peas at Rs 150 per kg.
According to KNS correspondent, scores of people from various city areas accused the authorities of being in nexus with the traders who are taking commoners for a ride.
“Everything here is happening under the nose of the authorities. If the government is saying that it cannot check such violations or it has no information about it then it means the government is itself in nexus with them,” an aggrieved customer said.
After the devastating floods struck Kashmir including Srinagar, the prices have gone up steeply, customers complained.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Lone told KNS that due to the closure of the highway, shortage of commodities including the vegetables was felt on ground “but with the improvement in the situation, the issues would get over by Monday.”
Asked over the price hike and black marketing dominating the markets in Srinagar, the DC said, “They also have received the complaints of this nature. I have asked the CAPD department to intensify the market checking in Srinagar so that peoples’ grievances could get addressed,” he told KNS.
