KATHMANDU, JUL 31 - The parliamentary Finance and Labour Relations Committee on Sunday directed the government to maintain sufficient stocks of essential goods to ensure smooth supply and check artificial price hikes with the festive season approaching. The committee has also asked the government to conduct effective central and district level market monitoring and take immediate action against wrongdoers.
The committee has asked the concerned ministries and departments under them to keep ample stocks of food, LP gas, kerosene, petrol and diesel in response to its sub-committee’s recommendation
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Earlier on Sunday, the sub-committee formed under the coordination of CA member Shanti Basnet Adhikari submitted a report to the committee emphasising improvements in consumer rights laws, market monitoring and quality test of commodities.
Sushila Kandanwa, coordinator of the committee, said that since artificial price hikes and shortages of goods tended to occur prior to festivals, the central level and district level market monitoring committees must work to control price hikes, food adulteration and short weighing. “The government must formulate a provision to take immediate action against black marketers involved in ill practices in the market,” she added.
As per the findings of the sub-committee, price hikes, hoarding, cartelling and food adulteration are normally seen during the festive period of mid-July to mid-November. “Consumer rights forums and the Department of Commerce have to be more strict at this time to prevent consumers from being cheated in the market,” said Adhikari, coordinator of the sub-committee.
The sub-committee is also planning to monitor the market itself with the view of finding out the real situation. Members of the committee said the monitoring to be done by the sub-committee would help build a baseline for other monitoring committees and encourage them to conduct effective market monitoring activities.
The recommendation made by the sub-committee has stated that there was a need to increase resources and equip the workforce with modern technology besides formulating a provision to take immediate action based on complaints filed by consumers. “Market monitoring should be carried out twice a day even during public holidays by the concerned government bodies with the involvement of representatives of stakeholders,” said Adhikari.
In the last fiscal year, the government had carried market monitoring in 620 businesses including 505 businesses in the Kathmandu Valley. The Department of Commerce had asked the Kathmandu District Administration Office to take action against 21 traders for not maintaining price lists and disobeying directives issued by the department.
According to the department, it has filed nine cases against Bagmati Oil Industries, Siddhartha Oil Industries, Annapurna Vegetable Products, LG International Trading, Nirwan Banaspati Udyog, Quality Khanepani, Sagarmatha Butter and Ghee Udyog and Arati Ghee Udyog at the Kathmandu District Court for producing and selling sub-standard products. Likewise, a case has been filed against Himalayan Snacks and Noodles for its misleading
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