Rates fixed, but vendors sell vegetables at higher price in Chandigarh

Even as the market committee here has been releasing the rate list on a daily basis, vegetable vendors continue to charge a higher price than the approved rates of fruits and vegetables.

Taking note of this, Chandigarh Residents Association Welfare Federation (CRAWFED) has written to the UT administration asking to penalise those found guilty of overcharging. CRAWFED chairman Hitesh Puri said, “Even though the market committee is releasing the list on a daily basis, vendors were selling items at a much higher price as compared with the capped price. Around two to three vendors per sector were designated by the municipal corporation (MC) who said that they provide a better quality of vegetables and that’s why they overcharge.” He said that he has to pay about ₹10 extra as per the pre-approved rates.

General secretary of Sector 19C resident welfare association (RWA) Yashpal Kapoor said, “Vendors are fleecing residents of our area. They are selling items two times more than the price fixed by the UT market committee. Some vendors said that they are overcharging as earlier CTU buses would transport vegetables and now they have to do it spending money from their pocket.”

For example, some vendors were selling tomato for ₹60 per kg. The wholesale price for tomato is ₹32-36 per kg, while the fixed price is ₹50 per kg. Cauliflower was being sold at ₹55 per kg by vendors, against its fixed price of ₹40 per kg.

Speaking about wholesale prices, Rashwinder Singh who works as the auction recorder at the wholesale market said that wholesale prices had gone down, and spells of rain in Punjab had left prices unaffected. “These days a lot of our vegetables including potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower, etc are coming from Himachal Pradesh. The supply chain has improved after the lockdown so prices are on the lower side.”

Officials of the market committee said that while prices are fixed, ensuring that vendors follow the rate list was the MC’s duty and demanded the civic body inspectors to challan those who overcharge customers.

Vendors flouting Covid norms

Many residents are also claiming that vegetable vendors are flouting social distancing rules, and not wearing masks properly even as Covid-19 cases in the city has touched 800-mark. Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC) secretary Ranvinder Singh Gill said, “In the northern sectors there are only a few houses yet so many vegetable vendors pass through our house. They can be seen without masks. The police need to take action against such vendors.”

Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Charanjit Singh Virk said that although the police weren’t targeting anyone specifically, people seen without masks including vegetable vendors were being challaned in a drive undertaken by the police.

Rates at which vegetables were sold on Thursday

Tomato- wholesale price- ₹32-36 per kg, Market committee price- ₹50 per kg, vendor price ₹60 per kg

Cauliflower- wholesale price- ₹10-25 per kg, Market committee price- ₹40 per kg, vendor price ₹55 per kg

Capsicum- wholesale price- ₹15-25 per kg, Market committee price- ₹40 per kg, vendor price ₹60 per kg

Green chilies- wholesale price-₹8-9 per kg, Market committee price- ₹30 per kg, vendor price ₹40 per kg