Traders meet Dikshit, but raids to continue

After a series of raids on hoarders in the last two days, wholesale traders meet CM Sheila Dikshit to highlight their problems, reports Amitabh Shukla.

After a series of raids on hoarders in the last two days, wholesale traders met Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday to highlight their problems. While some said they were being “harassed”, others said they would impress on merchants to desist from hoarding and help in price stabilisation.

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Two ministers — Food and Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf and Development Minister Rajkumar Chauhan, also in-charge of the agricultural commodities and the wholesale markets — were also present.

Yusuf said the raids would continue. “We have information that price rise of essential commodities is due to hoarding,” said the minister. He later told the Hindustan Times that the central government has already cut down on import duty and excise duty and any price rise in such a situation was largely due to hoarding.

“We have positive feedback that the price situation has started easing following the raids on godowns and unscrupulous traders who were indulging in hoarding to earn a quick buck,” Yusuf added.

Chauhan said his department was keeping a close watch on Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee markets to monitor increase in prices and take corrective action. “We are advertising everyday so that people know what the price of fruits and vegetables is,” he said. The minister said the price situation is “under control” as the supply to the markets is normal at this time of the year.