Grocers refuse to sell sugar at Rs 70/kg in Khanewal

KABIRWALA: The Grocers Association of Khanewal has refused to sell sugar at the rates fixed by the district government.

Khanewal Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbas Sherazi had ordered to sell sugar at Rs 70/kg on the court orders. However, the grocers refused to sell sugar at the said rate and announced selling sugar at Rs 78/kg.

In this connection, the DC chaired a meeting with the management of a local sugar mill and asked them to make sure continuous supply of sugar at Rs 70 per kilogramme. They had sent the list comprising of 128 fair price shops and outlets to the Industries Department for approval to provide sugar at declared price by the government.

Moreover, 17 shopkeepers had been fined Rs 35,000 for sugar price violations, the DC said. “How can we sell sugar at cheaper rates when we were getting it high prices from wholesalers,” said Karyana Merchant Association representative Abdul Rahman while talking to The News on Sunday.

Similarly, the Market Committee officials said that they would fix some shops in each market that would sell sugar at the official price. They assured of making an uninterrupted supply of the item from the sugar mills.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbas Sherazi ordered to launch a crackdown on those involved in artificial hike in the price of sugar. “Those who found involved in inflation and hoarding do not deserve any concession and would be dealt with an iron hand”, he warned.

He also directed the price control magistrates, the Market Committee officers and the departments concerned that they should perform their duties with devotion. He said that the process of auction in open markets and wholesale markets should be monitored strictly and no negligence would be tolerated in this regard.

In a related development, the district administration on Sunday launched a crackdown on the transporters for overcharging and not following the corona SOPs.

Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbas Sherazi stopped public transport vehicles plying on Lahore Mor and asked the passengers about fares charged from them. He also inspected the implementation of the corona SOPs. Three transporters were fined heavily while many other routes were cancelled on not following the SOPs.

RTA Secretary Hina Rahman and COMC Iftikhar Bangish were also present on the occasion. RTA Secretary Hina Rahman told the DC that the complaint desks had been set up at all transport stands and public complaints about transporters would be addressed immediately. Several passengers told the official that the drivers had received exorbitant fares from them in violation of the official fare list.

The DC fined several drivers on the spot for overcharging. The DC also ordered traffic wardens to issue tickets to the drivers and imposed heavy fines on them.