No letup in overcharging at Sunday bazaars

LAHORE: Despite a surprise visit of Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq to Shadman Sunday Bazaar, overcharging of food items continued there and no missing facilities were provided to the visitors, The News learnt here on Sunday.

The deputy commissioner while talking to the media said all missing facilities would be provided in the bazaar next week and artificial price hike would be controlled. He said weekly makeshift markets fall in municipal corporation jurisdiction, but the Punjab government will ensure better arrangements in these markets and control prices of food items. Such instructions were issued by all assistant commissioners in the past, but no practical steps were taken to implement these instructions and consumers continued to face overcharging and artificial price hike across the city Sunday bazaars.

This week rates of most of fruits and vegetables have increased while meat and flour are not sold in Sunday bazaars. Due to wrong pricing, most of vegetables were either missing in these markets or sold at high prices. The vendors were not selling most of vegetables such cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini local and long, cabbage, pea, lufa, lemon local, biter gourd, capsicum and. Further, the market committee even issued higher rates to lower grade items such as potato store and sugar free rates were issued for potato new price, cucumber rate were issued Rs 80 per kg, instead of official rates of Rs 50 per kg. This week the price of potato new was reduced by Rs 2 per kg, fixed at Rs 30 to 32 per kg and potato store at Rs 11 to 12 per kg and sugar free fixed at Rs 18 to 20 per kg, while market committee issued store and sugar free rates at Rs 32 per kg and potato new was not available there. The price of onion was stable at Rs 23 to 25 per kg. The price of tomato was declined by Rs 22 per kg, fixed at Rs 59 to 62 per kg, sold at Rs 60 per kg.

Garlic China was stable at Rs 92 to 95 per kg, and garlic local at Rs 68 to 70 per kg, it was sold at Rs 80 per kg, and China variety was sold at 120 per kg. Ginger Chinese was fixed at Rs 184 to 190 per kg, Ginger Thai at Rs 136 to 140 per kg, while it sold at Rs 200 per kg. The price of brinjal was unchanged at Rs 38 to 40 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg. Cucumber was fixed at Rs 48 to 50 per kg, while market committee issued its rate at Rs 50 to 80 per kg.

Bitter gourd was further increased by Rs 20 per kg, fixed at Rs 107 to 110 per kg, sold at Rs 120 per kg. Spinach was stable at Rs 23 to 25 per kg, sold at Rs 30 per kg. The price of methi was reduced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 70 to 75 per kg, not sold there. Lemon local was gained by Rs 10 per kg, fixed Rs 117 to 120 per kg, sold at Rs 180 per kg, lemon Chinese was fixed at Rs 78 to 80 per kg, sold at Rs 100 per kg. Zucchini local was gained by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 63 to 65 per kg, Zucchini long at Rs 28 to 30 per kg, but not sold on wrong pricing issue. Pumpkin was gained by Rs 7 per kg, fixed at Rs 23 to 25 per kg, not sold on wrong pricing issue while pumpkin long was sold at Rs 60 per kg.

Green chilli was gained by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 73 to 75 per kg, sold at Rs 80 to 100 per kg. Capsicum was stable at Rs 88 to 90 per kg, not sold on wrong pricing issue. Ladyfinger was unchanged at Rs 68 to 70 per kg, sold at Rs 80 to 100 per kg. Luffa was reduced by Rs 12 per kg, fixed at Rs 38, not sold there. Arum was also stable at Rs 38 to 40 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg.

Coriander was increased by Rs 50 per kg, fixed at Rs 130 per kg, but sold at Rs 240 per kg.

Carrot price was fixed at Rs 40 per kg, sold at Rs 50 to 60 per kg.

Cauliflower was reduced by Rs 10 per kg, fixed Rs 53 to 55 per kg, sold at Rs 90 per kg, and cabbage fixed at Rs 33 to 35 per kg, sold at Rs 60 per kg.

Pea was fixed at Rs 110 per kg, sold at Rs 200 per kg.

Different variety of apples was fixed at Rs 33 to 110 per kg, lower quality was sold at Rs 60 to 120 per kg.

Banana Special was fixed at Rs 58 to 60 per dozen, A-quality was fixed at Rs 48 to 50 per dozen, and B-quality at Rs 28 to 30 per dozen, while A-quality was sold at Rs 60 per dozen.

Papaya was fixed at Rs 90 per kg, not sold.

Peach was fixed at Rs 140 per kg not sold.

Grapes sunderkhani was fixed at Rs 184 to 190 per kg, sold at Rs 200 per kg, Grapes black was fixed at Rs 136 to 140 per kg, and Grapes Gola was fixed Rs 97 to 100 per kg not sold there.

Guava was gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 53 to 55 per kg, not sold there.

Pomegranate Qandhari was fixed 145 to 150 per kg, Pomegranate local was fixed at Rs 117 to 120 per kg, lower quality was sold at A-quality rates.

Sweet fruit A-category was fixed at Rs 97 to 100 per dozen, sold at Rs 150 per dozen, and B-category fixed at Rs 58 to 60 per dozen, sold at Rs 80 to 100 per dozen.

Persimmon was fixed at Rs 63 to 65 per kg.

Cantaloupe (Garma) was fixed at Rs 58 to 60 per kg, lower quality was sold at Rs 60 per kg. Sweet potato was fixed at Rs 30 per kg, not sold there.