Markets to be inspected to check price rise

The Delhi government on Friday ordered inspection of wholesale and retail markets across the city to check hoarding of tomatoes and onions.

"Steady and continuous rise in prices of tomato and onion without any plausible reason indicates the possibility of hoarding of these commodities," Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Imran Hussain said in a statement.

Hussain directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to carry out "intense inspections" of Azadpur Mandi, Okhla Mandi, Ghazipur Mandi and Keshopur Mandi.

Teams have been directed to visit godowns of wholesalers and conduct surprise visits to different city markets early in the morning, as food items reach wholesale markets at night and are sold to retail markets around 3 am. He also directed the Department to send inspection reports to him daily.

Earlier, the department officials had found numerous cases of hoardings in major markets of Delhi, as well as complaints from vendors of the markets.

Hussain has also asked officials to interact with small vendors to understand the issue.

The union members of various vendor organisations are likely to meet and submit their complaints to the department next week. Hussain also noted that regular increase of price shows there is something wrong in the trading system.

Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Imran Hussain has directed the Department to send inspection reports to him daily