Kamrup (M) admin task forces to monitor prices of essentials amid COVID surge

GUWAHATI: The Kamrup (Metro) district administration has constituted four task forces to monitor market prices of various essential commodities and prevent hoarding and artificial price rise in the wake of COVID surge in the country.

The task forces have been constituted on the basis of a meeting of the district administration with various traders’ associations here yesterday.

The task forces, headed by executive magistrates, include officials from food and civil supplies and  weights and measures departments, Agriculture Marketing Board, Guwahati Municipal Corporation and local police officials.

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Each task force will inspect different market places of the city and monitor stock and prices.

The task forces have been empowered to take legal action against any unscrupulous trader taking advantage of the COVID situation to charge undue profits from customers.

In the meeting yesterday, presided over by additional deputy commissioner Naren Das, representatives from traders organisations such as those of essential commodities, groceries, egg, vegetables etc, officials of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department and Assam Agriculture Marketing Board were present.

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Das appealed to the traders’ bodies to keep a vigil against hoarding and price rise by unscrupulous traders.

When he enquired about the price rise of egg, pulses and edible oil etc, the traders’ organisations said it was due to price rise at the source.

The district administration has also directed the supply department official posted at Fancy Bazar, the commercial hub of the Northeast, to take stock of prices of all essential commodities on a daily basis and submit it with the higher authorities.