Respite needed
Winter not only brings with it an endless list of miseries for the common man but the callousness shown by the administration here multiplies the peoples woes to a large extent.
The administration claims that it is keeping an eye on everything but the fact remains that the supply mechanism in Kashmir takes a hit during winter months and the price rise becomes a common norm which not only hits the common man but makes him pay extra bucks for almost every household item he consumes.
During winter months the administration it seems forgets about controlling the market prices. The callous attitude of the authorities in this regard is giving a free hand to the black marketers and hoarders who have left no stone unturned to loot the general public.
Starting with the prices of daily used items in our households, the prices have sky rocketed during the past three months. The price of vegetables is so high that a commoner has to pay through his nose while making purchases in the morning. This has been happening everyday and again, the administration watches the developments but fails to intervene.
In most markets of Srinagar Onion prices besides vegetables and fruits have been touching the sky with rates fluctuation on daily basis. Onions which are readily available across dozens of Indian cities at Rs 30 a kilogram are still being sold at Rs 60 in Srinagar and other towns.
Same stands true for fruits and vegetables which too have gone out of the reach of a common man. The prices are being governed by the whole sellers at the mandies and no rate lists are formulated by the market checking agencies to control the prices. The fact remains that the price controlling agencies have stopped working as the administration is not bothered to see any welfare measures being activated on ground for the hapless common people.
The price rise does not stop here. Every provision that is needed in all the households like tea, dry milk powder, pulses, oils and other eatables have witnessed more than 100 percent hike and the shopkeepers are telling their consumers that the price rise may continue.
We understand that the supply chain witnesses some disruptions owing to the breakdown of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. But that does not mean that the hoarders will have a field day and the common man’s back is broken by the steep and uncontrolled price hike that is disturbing the budgets of every household.
The efforts of the government in this situation should have been quite reassuring and promising. The agencies that are meant to control the market prices should have been more than active to check any price rise that may hit the commoner, but on the contrary a different situation is emerging and is being witnessed.
The dealers and sellers are being provided a free run and the price control mechanisms have been halted or done away with. This situation is becoming quite depressing for the common man who finds it had to manage his cost of living during these testing times when the economy is witnessing a slump and the earnings of people have witnessed a severe shortfall.
This situation should have forced the administration to shift its priority and set up additional safeguards for the people and provide them some respite. But the failure of the administrative machinery implies that the government is not bothering itself to provide some respite to the people.
KV Network
