DHADING, Aug 29: Festivals are nearing, market price is skyrocketing, and the price of daily consumable goods is troubling consumers.
Complaints of adulteration in food and cheating in weight surface from time to time. The District Administration Office (DAO) of Dhading has expedited monitoring to address the consumers’ concerns. But the issues remain far from being contained.
Price hike takes place especially during the festivals and consumers fall prey to this. There has been no progress in controlling the ‘cheating culture’ of traders as the government monitoring has not been effective, according to consumers.
However, the DAO has said that Assistant Chief District Officer (CDO) Arjun Kumar Sharma has recently led a drive to monitor the markets of Dhading Besi and highway areas.
DMC intensifies market monitoring ahead of festivals
Though there is a provision of jail term for those found guilty in the matter, it has not come into implementation.
Assistant CDO Sharma acknowledged that consumers are obliged to pay high prices as traders and retailers hike the price when festivals near. “We monitor the markets to ensure that consumers do not suffer from high price,” he said, “We regularly monitor Dhading Besi and the other market areas.”
“We have cautioned the traders and retailers to be fair in the market,” Sharma said.
Sharma said that the monitoring has been expedited with an aim of saving consumers from getting cheated during festivals.
“Traders and retailers generally charge high prices on goods during festivals,” he told Republica, adding: “Besides festivals, the administration is continuously monitoring the market during other times as well.”
A team consisting of representatives from the DAO, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and District Police Office had monitored different shops of Dhading Besi Bazar. Meat shops, vegetables shops, hotels, and other businesses including vehicles were monitored by the team. The monitoring took place in more than 15 places.
The monitoring team found out that some businesses were running without registration and some were slack in maintaining sanitation. The committee stated that some of the shops did not have price list, while others sold date-expired food, oil and bakery products. The administration has expedited the monitoring as the festivals are nearing.
Running without a price list, lacking sanitation, and charging high prices is common practice for businesses every year, according to consumers.
The DAO always directs concerned bodies to strictly monitor the market, especially eateries and meat shops. But there has been no noticeable improvement in the market, local consumers claim.
Meanwhile, passengers have been complaining about exorbitant prices and unacceptable hygiene conditions in restaurants and eateries operating around Prithivi Highway in Dhading district. But there is no body that addresses such concerns, passengers claim.
