Special committee formed to monitor edible items’ prices during Ramazan

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has formed a special committee to ensure sale of edible items especially vegetables and fruit at controlled rates during the holy month of Ramazan.

“The 20-member committee is headed by Deputy Commissioner , Additional Deputy Commissioners, Naib Tehisldars, Tehisldar, Excise and Taxation officers, Directors Excise and Food are among members of the committee, who will have all magisterial powers,” City Administration spokesman Muhammad Khalid said.

He said an effective strategy had been devised to avoid hoarding of edible items and ensure their availability as per approved rate lists, which are issued on daily basis.

The Islamabad Chief Commissioner, he said,

had recently held a meeting and directed the committee members to ensure the availability of commodities at controlled rates and take strict action against those found involved in creating artificial shortage and overcharging.

The committee members would visit different markets on daily basis to keep an eye on prices during Ramazan and impose heavy fines on violators so that exploitation of public from the hands of profiteers could be avoided.

An official of Rawalpindi’s city administration said FIRs (First Information Reports) were being registered against profiteers besides imposing heavy fines on them , adding that a plan had been devised to deal with profiteers with iron hands.