Steep price rise of essential commodities hit Ramadhan fervour: Sagar

Srinagar, Apr 6: National Conference (NC)n on Wednesday expressed dismay over the paucity of drinking water and electricity in Kashmir, saying the erratic supply of public utility services, and overcharging by shopkeepers and vendors is giving tough time to people during the on-going holy month of Ramadhan.
JKNC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar in a statement expressed concern over the slack attitude of the administration in rendering its duties.
Sagar said, “Administration has failed to take steps to ensure steady water and electricity supply to people. Concerned agencies have failed to address issues faced by people. Ideally all the line departments including PDD, PWD, FCSC and concerned corporations and municipalities should have been instructed to work in tandem. Contrarily, the administration has again failed to rise up to the occasion,” he said.
Earlier, Sagar met scores of public delegations who had called on him here at the party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha from different parts of the valley. The visiting delegations gave a grim picture of public utility services provided to them. They said that the erratic water and electricity supply had dampened the festive spirit during the ongoing holy month. The visiting delegations also apprised the general secretary about the scarcity of ration particularly sugar, wheat, and rice at the FCSC stores. They said that the absence of flying squads of police and FSCS officials has compounded the woes of consumers, who they rued are being overcharged.
The delegations specifically from Srinagar flagged the issue of unsatisfactory sanitation, unavailability of public transport, shortage of ration, and unsteady water and electricity supply with Sagar.
“Ahead of the holy month of Ramadan the traders in several parts of Kashmir have allegedly started selling essential commodities at exorbitant rates. The move has left the consumers at the receiving end as the checking squads of the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCSCA) department are missing from the field in various districts,” the delegations said.
There is no fixed rate-list for green vegetables and other eatables with shopkeepers as the rates vary on a day to day basis, the aggrieved visiting delegations said.
They complained that fruits that witness sharp increase in consumption during the month are being deliberately overpriced in various markets across Kashmir. They said that there is no way a daily wager, labour class, and other marginalised sections of the society can make both ends meet amidst such wanton over charging by the shopkeepers.
Sagar assured the delegations that the party was giving air to the issues of public concern at all appropriate forums.