The city administration has decided to set up wholesale shops in the Sahibabad vegetable market. They may even be sold in government fair price shops.
Keeping in mind rising vegetable prices in the city, the Ghaziabad administration has decided to keep a vigil on the vegetable market. In order to ensure that the common man is not deprived of his regular vegetable requirements, the administration has decided to set up wholesale shops in the Sahibabad vegetable market. If this measure fails to arrest the price rise, vegetables, particularly tomatoes, shall be sold in government fair price shops. In addition to this, the Mandi Committee of the Sahibabad wholesale market will employ shops for selling tomatoes to the general public at wholesale rates.
The recent price hike has forced people to buy tomatoes at Rs 100 per kg, which is almost five times more than the normal rate. Ministhy S, district magistrate of Ghaziabad, has ordered local officials to apprise the general public of the current official rates of vegetables through fair price shops. The DM has stated that if the price does not come down, arrangements will be made to sell tomatoes at mandi rates in fair price shops.
However, even at the moment, not all is bleak as far as vegetable shopping in Ghaziabad is concerned. SP Gangwar, secretary of the Mandi Committee said that tomatoes were being sold between Rs 40 and Rs 60 per kg at the Sahibabad vegetable market. Gangwar also added that three shops had been set up at the Sahibabad Mandi where people could buy tomato at wholesale rates; one of them is in Govindapuram and another in the vegetable market of Loni. According to Gangwar, there were 1,400 government ration shops in Ghaziabad. “Whenever the district magistrate orders, we shall provide tomatoes to shops at wholesale rates. In case of any difficulty in getting tomatoes at Rs 40-Rs 60 per kg, the mandi management can be contacted at 9456601110,” Gangwar added.
Though residents of high-rises in Ghaziabad said they were not too affected by the price hike, they did express their concern at persistent hikes which may influence the prices of other vegetables as well.
