Market checking intensified in main markets of south Kashmir
Locals urge authorities to extend drive to villages
Pulwama: Authorities have intensified market checking drives across major markets in South Kashmir in an effort to curb overpricing, ensure quality standards and check violations of consumer protection rules. However, residents have urged the administration to extend the inspections to rural areas as well, saying that violations are more common in village markets where monitoring remains limited.
Officials from the Food Safety Department, Legal Metrology, and other concerned departments conducted inspections in several prominent markets across districts including Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian.
During the drive, teams inspected shops, grocery stores, bakeries and other establishments to verify price lists, quality of food items, expiry dates and weighing standards.
An official associated with the market checking drive said that the inspections are being carried out on the directions of the district administration to ensure that shopkeepers adhere to the rules and that consumers are not exploited.
“We are conducting regular inspections in major market areas to check overcharging, sale of substandard or expired products and violations related to weighing and measurement. Strict action will be taken against anyone found violating the norms,” the official said.
He added that several shopkeepers were warned during the inspections and directed to display proper rate lists and maintain hygiene standards. “Some minor violations were noticed during the drive and the concerned shopkeepers were advised to rectify them immediately. The objective of the drive is to protect consumer rights and ensure fair trade practices,” he said.
Meanwhile, locals from different areas of South Kashmir welcomed the initiative but said that such drives should not remain limited to towns and main markets only.
A resident from Pulwama said that authorities usually focus on bigger markets while many village-level shops continue to operate without any checks.
“Market checking in towns is a good step, but authorities must also visit villages where people are often forced to buy goods at higher prices due to lack of monitoring,” he said.
Another resident from a village in Shopian said that shopkeepers in rural areas often do not display rate lists and sometimes sell expired items.
“In villages there is hardly any inspection. Some shopkeepers charge different prices from different customers and there is no system to check it. If officials start visiting villages regularly, it will greatly benefit the people,” he said.
Locals also demanded that the administration conduct surprise inspections in rural markets to ensure that shopkeepers follow proper standards and that consumers are protected from unfair practices.
They expressed hope that the administration will expand the ongoing market checking drive to village-level markets so that people living in remote areas can also benefit from effective monitoring and regulation.
