Consumers to suffer without Ramazan bazaars

LAHORE:The Punjab government’s decision not to establish special Ramazan bazaars this year in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic will haunt the consumers as the government does not have efficient price control management in open markets.

The Punjab government will formally announce its decision after a cabinet meeting on Thursday (today) as the Cabinet Committee of Punjab has recommended that Ramazan bazaars should not be established in this current situation. There should be no sale of edibles on trucks and other vehicles at any sale point. The deputy commissioners of 30 districts of Punjab are also against the establishing of the Ramzan bazaars. They said the district administrations are already under considerable pressure due to wheat procurement and corona activities. The recommendations of the deputy commissioners were entrained without considering their performance in price control.

Official price list is violated across Punjab. Normally, overcharging on fruits, vegetables, meat, grains, rice and other edibles increased manifolds during Ramazan. Unprecedented price list violations are being observed since the lockdown.

The sellers claimed that the supply is short while the market committee issuing price lists with continuously declining trends in the majority of fruits and vegetables.

The government’s decision not to establish makeshift Ramazan bazaars and provide the direct subsidies to the needy is a good step. The government has planned around Rs10 to 12 billion subsidy under Ramazan package for this year and out of which major portion would be disbursed in electricity bills of the targeted community. For this the industry department has already sent a performa to the power distribution companies (DISCOS) asking the details of the consumers having monthly consumption of upto Rs 2,000 per month. Further, the government is also considering some direct cash disbursement to them as well.

However, the decision-makers ignored the facts that all stalls in the Ramazan bazaars are never subsidised expect a few where majority of the poor purchase. The rest of the stalls are established by the companies of different food products, and other vegetable and fruit vendors who sell the perishable things at controlled rates due to administration check. The administrative officials deputed in these special makeshift bazaars remain available there whole day to ensure and enforce the official list. This provides an opportunity to general public to do hassle free shopping at official rates under one roof. The government can also ensure the social distancing SOPs in the special bazaars since the administrative staff is always present there and can forcefully implement the SOPs.

Now these bazaars will not be established. The public will at the mercy of vendors and profiteers mafia which never missed any opportunity to fleece the public. Further, the government could not be able to implement the social distancing SOPs in the open markets as it has so far failed to implement it in fruits and vegetables market.

Firms asked to collect data about power consumers The Punjab government on Wednesday planned to give exemption to power consumers in the province on their utility bills of up to Rs3,000 due to COVID-19 lockdown.

The provincial authorities have directed for collecting data of electricity distribution companies including Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) to provide relief to the consumers due to coronavirus pandemic.

It is decided to provide relief on all utility bills charged between Rs1,500 to Rs3,000. The government is also mulling over suggestion to set up Ramazan bazaars along with targeted subsidy given to masses during the holy month.