No implementation on notification for reduction in prices of kitchen items

Rawalpindi
The district coordination officer (DCO), Rawalpindi, fails to implement his notification issued on February 2, 2015 regarding lowering down 'roti' rate to Rs5 and 'naan' to Rs7. The notification of District Coordination Officer (DCO), Sajid Zafar Daal, has proved only to be a piece of paper as the consumers are being looted as per routine.
The government has reduced the petrol price by Rs43 per litre in five months from Rs113 to Rs70. A big relief indeed! However, the local authorities as per routine have issued another notification on February 2, 2015 to lower down prices of kitchen items.
The government announced reduction in petrol price by Rs7.99 per litre and diesel by Rs5.62 per litre with effect from February 1, 2015.
According to notification issued by DCO, under Section 3 of 'The Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 1977' No.358 the price of 120 gram 'roti' was fixed at Rs5 against Rs7 and 'naan' at Rs7 against Rs8. Similarly, a 20-kilogram bag of 'atta' was fixed at Rs760, the price of 'ghee' was reduced by Rs2, whereas price of rice basmati (new) was fixed at Rs84 per kilogram, rice basmati (second class) at Rs62 per kilogram, rice basmati (old) at Rs120 per kilogram, rice 'irri' at Rs37 per kilogram, gram 'daal' ('moti') at Rs64 per kilogram, gram 'daal' (bareek) at Rs53 per kilogram, 'masoor daal' (bareek) at Rs125 per kilogram, 'masoor daal' (moti) at Rs110 per kilogram, 'mash daal' (washed) at Rs134 per kilogram, 'mash daal' (barma) at Rs112 per kilogram, 'moong daal' at Rs138 per kilogram, mutton at Rs480 per kilogram, beef at Rs260 per kilogram, sugar at Rs54 per kilogram, milk loose at Rs70 per litre and yogurt at Rs80 per kilogram.
A survey conducted by 'The News' reveals that less weight 'roti' as per routine is being sold at Rs7 and 'naan' at Rs8, loose milk litre being sold at Rs80 to Rs100, yogurt at Rs90 and Rs100, 1-kilogram mutton at Rs600 and Rs650, beef at Rs350 and Rs400.

Similarly, all pulses, rice and 'ghee'/cooking oils are being sold at higher prices as per routine.
The shocking news for consumer is that all branded companies have silently increased the rates of 'tea' to Rs127 from Rs122 for a 250gram pack.
It merits mentioning here that the notification was issued by the DCO, after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited different markets of federal capital to review the impact of reduction in fuel prices on prices of daily use commodities.
At that time, when notification issued on February 2, 2015 District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajid zafar Daal said the order shall come into force immediately. "No person or shopkeepers shall charge the prices of the aforementioned items offered for sale in excess of the rates fixed so far. Strict action would be taken against violators."
But, unfortunately not a single action has been taken so far against profiteers.
The customers, especially those having low income, are perturbed over the ever-increasing prices of items of daily use because shopkeepers charge at will with no hindrance or check from the price magistrates even after lowering down petrol rates by Rs43 per litre in five months.
In fact, the City District Government, Rawalpindi, is only relying on paper work rather than checking violation of prices in the city markets. Price magistrates, according to the customers, have already developed an understanding with the shopkeepers.
Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) had fixed LPG price by Rs110 but shopkeepers and dealers selling 1-kilogram gas at different rates of Rs140 to Rs180. But, concerned authorities are seeing the whole drama with closed eyes.
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajid Zafar Daal in December 2014 has also issued a notification to lowering down prices of different items including meat, milk, yogurt, 'roti' and several other items. But, it remained on papers.
While talking to 'The News' people said that the City District Government, Rawalpindi, is only doing paper work rather than checking prices. There is an underhand deal between the shopkeepers and price magistrates, they alleged.
The District Coordination Officer, however, denied charges and said we are working on this problem and our price magistrates are visiting markets regularly to monitor the situation.