Action against hoarders

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

ICT administration seizes 50,000 crates of apples

* DC says supply to be ensured to stablise prices

* CDA, ICT admin’s joint team to monitor fruits and vegetables auction process daily

by Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration during its campaign against profiteers on Friday raided I-11 Fruit and vegetable market and seized 50,000 crates of apples hoarded for profiteering.

The seized apples will be auctioned today (Saturday) at the fruit market for their sale in the open market.

According to spokesman for ICT, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amer Ali Ahmed said the ICT administration had decided to maintain strict check on the prices of food items, especially fruits and vegetables to ensure their availability in the market at the controlled rates.

He said the administration launched a crackdown against the hoarders and profiteers and started operation from I-11 fruit and vegetable market. During the raid the ICT administration officials seized 50,000 crates of apples hoarded for profiteering, he said, adding, the seized apples will be auctioned today.

Auction monitoring: Ahmed said the ICT administration officials had also held a meeting with the fruit and vegetable traders and CDA officials and it was decided that the CDA and ICT Food Department and Labour Department officials would remain present in the market during the time of auction of fruits and vegetables and will monitor the auction process to determine the rates of fruits and vegetables for circulation in the markets on daily basis.

The DC said presently 25 to 30 trucks loaded with fruits and vegetables were coming into the I-11 market daily from other the provinces. He said during the meeting with traders it was decided to increase the number of trucks up to 50 to ensure smooth supply of vegetables and fruits in the city from Monday. He said this measure would help stabilise the prices.

He said the meeting had also decided to improve the supply of onion with the increase of incoming number of trucks from other cities. The administration has launched strict vigilance over the new prices control mechanism right from I-11 market to other markets in the city, he added.

Ahmed said he had also ordered magistrates and food department to ensure daily price checking in the markets and take action against those who do not display the rate list at their shops prominently.

The meeting was informed that since the market committees had not been so far notified in Islamabad, as required under the Agricultural Market Produce Act, the arrangements at I-11 fruit and vegetable market are being looked after by an administrator appointed by CDA. Now it has been decided to look after the auction process at the market jointly by the officials of CDA and ICT Food Department and Labour Departments so that effective monitoring and fixation of prices could be ensured with strict implementation of rate list in the city.

The DC has asked ICT Additional Deputy Commissioner (G) to convene a meeting of CDA weekly bazaars management so that prices of food items and their quality could be ensured and enforced with regular monitoring by the magistrates.