By TC News Desk
Agartala, 8th June 2024: The enforcement team of Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate conducted a surprise raid on the Maharajganj market and other key markets in the city. The operation carried out on Saturday revealed a troubling pattern of price manipulation by unscrupulous traders who have been inflating the costs of essential commodities like potatoes and onions.
Despite stable market conditions, prices have soared, with onions being sold for 35 to 40 taka and potatoes exceeding 40 taka in most shops. This artificial inflation has been a cause for concern among the local populace, who feel powerless against the traders’ tactics.
Swapan Debbarma, an official from the Food and Civil Supplies Department, expressed his concerns in a media interview. “The raids have uncovered a lack of proper documentation among several wholesalers and retailers,” he stated. Notably, a wholesaler named Ramprasad Bhuiyan was found operating without any legal paperwork for the purchase and sale of the said vegetables.
The situation was similar in the shops of businessmen Palash Pal and Shankar Pal, who failed to produce cash memos upon request. “This absence of transaction records raises questions about the legitimacy of their business operations,” Debbarma added.
The enforcement team’s intervention has led to the seizure of three rickshaws loaded with potatoes and onions, as the drivers could not provide any cash memo for the goods. The implicated traders have been given until Monday to present their justifications.
Debbarma emphasized the department’s commitment to ongoing vigilance. “This campaign to ensure fair pricing and market transparency will continue in the coming days,” he assured.
