People term Ramazan Sasta Bazaars a ‘flop show’

Rawalpindi : Establishment of ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ in city and cantonment areas has failed to provide relief to public. People have termed it a ‘flop show’ of local management because poor consumers yet deprived of lemon, onion and sugar on subsidised price in ‘Sasta bazaars’ even on 5th of Ramazan on Saturday.

All Utility Stores in city and cantonment localities are already facing shortage of essential items like ghee, cooking oil, pulses, basin, drinks, sugar, atta, etc. In the state of gloom, a large number of people visit to ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ where they also failed to find necessary items, even the quality of vegetables and fruits available was poor, therefore they have to return with empty baskets.

The City District Government, Rawalpindi has fixed rates of 1-kilogram lemon at Rs148, sugar at Rs55 and onion at Rs52 per kilogram. The rate lists were placed on every stall but the items were not available.

On first Ramazan, the price of 5-kilogram potato was Rs80 in sasta bazaars, but now on 5th Ramazan local management has increased the rate to Rs110.

The people wanted to lodge complaints but price magistrates in Sasta Bazaar of Adiala Road, Committee Chowk and Gulzar-e-Quaid were not available to address their grievances.

Talking to ‘The News’ people belong to different walks of life said that they were facing shortage of essential items in sasta bazaars. Ramazan Bazaars have failed to break the monopoly of profiteers and hoarders in open market they were looting people with both hands, they denounced.

Additional District Collector (ADC) Chaudhry Zaigam Nawaz Gujjar told ‘The News’ that we are trying to provide quality items to public in all sasta bazaars.

Whole management was busy in sasta bazaars to provide maximum relief of public, he said. He has warned that the would take strict action against absent officials in Ramazan Sasta Bazaars.