In a meeting with government officials at the Department of Commerce and Supply Management (DoCSM) on Wednesday, they expressed commitment to sell corrugated roofing sheets in the price set before April 25.
DoCSM held the meeting with manufacturers to prevent possible black-marketeering of corrugated roofing sheets which are high in demand as people have started to rebuild their homes.Commerce Secretary Naindra Prasad Upadhyay has vowed to take strong action against those selling corrugated roofing sheets at a higher price.
"In this moment of crisis, manufacturers have committed to sell corrugated roofing sheets in price fixed before April 25," Shambhu Koirala, director general of DoCSM, told Republica. "We started preparation to fix price of corrugated sheets in coordination with the manufacturers after we received complaints regarding price of roofing sheets," added Koirala.
After receiving complaints, the department had collected VAT bills of corrugated roofing sheets dated before April 25 from the manufacturers.
According to government official, complaints regarding arbitrary rise in price of corrugated roofing sheets was the major complaint received through government's hotline number -- 1234 -- which the government had set up immediately after the earthquake to listen to public complaints.
Secretary Upadhyay told Republica that the government will soon issue a public notice regarding price of corrugated roofing sheets soon after studying VAT bills of the manufactures dated before April 25.
Four industries -- Bhagawati Steel Industries Ltd, Hulas Steel Industries Ltd, Arati Steels Ltd and Rajesh Metal Craft Pvt Ltd -- are producing corrugated roofing sheets at present.
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