Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jun 6: As Kashmir prepares to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha Saturday, residents across the Valley have been left disappointed with the absence of price regulation by the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Kashmir (FCS&CA) department, which has remained largely missing from the markets in the weeks leading up to the festival.
In Srinagar and elsewhere, shoppers reported varying rates for essential items like mutton, chicken and groceries, with no visible enforcement on the ground.
Earlier, despite action by the department during the last few days of Ramadan, residents say that was short-lived.
“They only come out for a show during Ramadan or when there’s public or official pressure,” said Suhail Ahmad, a local at Nowhatta.
He said this time there was no regulation at all. “Chicken is being sold at whatever price the seller wants, and mutton prices are touching the sky.”
Another local, Manzoor Ahmed, said it is Eid tomorrow and they had to pay different prices at different places for essential items. “No official rate list is being followed or even issued. Where is the enforcement wing?” he questioned.
Earlier this year during Ramadan, It was reported that the FCS&CA enforcement wing appeared in the markets in the final days of the holy month, conducting surprise inspections. However, that momentum did not carry forward into the Eid season.
Moreover, vendors and consumers alike confirmed that officials have not made any rounds in most districts this week. “We haven’t seen a single official here,” said a local in the Srinagar market. He said the rates vary from place to place because no one is monitoring anything.
Additionally, residents across districts of Kashmir have called for stricter, continuous regulation and not just during selected festivals or under media glare or pressure.
With Eid-ul-Adha tomorrow, locals said they feel let down yet again, forced to navigate chaotic market conditions without any official support or intervention.
Notably, despite repeated attempts, the officials from the department couldn’t be contacted for the comments. (KNO)
