LAHORE – Overcharging was continued in majority of makeshift markets of the provincial capital this Sunday also, as visitors complained that price control mechanism is not being implemented properly. The rates of several essential food items have also been started increasing while seasonal productions are at its peak.
Overcharging incidents were witnessed in the makeshift markets, and in some cases the vendors overcharged the customers more than 50 per cent than the officially fixed rates.
The staff of different markets said that issuing price cards to the vendors was responsibility of market committee and they could only check whether price cards were issued or not and market committee was responsible for overcharging.
Moreover, it is also a regular phenomenon that prices are different in different bazaars.
Besides, rotten and low grade items were sold there Market committee staff was also missing in these bazaars in the afternoon and their absence has given a free hand to the vendors to overcharge the customers.
They were of the view that despite the efforts the government Market Committee was unable to control issue of wrongly fixing prices of fruits and vegetables and overcharging at various makeshift bazaars.
Vendors in Sunday bazaars said that they purchased vegetables at higher rates from Mandi despite no supply shortage, as weather is good for picking the vegetables from the fields.
Spinach of farm rate was fixed at Rs10 per kg and sold at Rs20 per kg while spinach desi, rate was fixed at Rs16 per kg with a cut of Rs2 per kg. Brinjal price was stable at Rs14 per kg while sold at Rs20 per kg. Cucumber price was increased by Rs4 per kg and fixed at Rs24 per kg and sold at Rs26 per kg.
Rate of potato was stable at Rs18 per kg while onion rate was raised by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs33 per kg. Tomato rate was stable at Rs45 per kg but rotten tomatoes were sold at Rs40 per kg.
Pumpkin price was fixed at Rs40 per kg and sold at Rs55 per kg. Peas price was further reduced by Rs3 per kg and fixed at Rs20 per kg. Capsicum price was raised by Rs12 per kg and fixed at Rs52 per kg and sold at Rs70 per kg. Green chilli price was increased by Rs15 per kg and fixed at Rs60 per kg and sold at Rs70 per kg.
Garlic China rate was increased by R4 per kg and fixed at Rs125 per kg while garlic, desi, price was stable at Rs70 per kg and sold at Rs130 per kg. ginger, China, price was raised by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs120 per kg and ginger, Thai, rate was increased by Rs10 per kg and fixed at Rs80 per kg but sold at Rs125 per kg.