Sindh Chief Secretary (CS) Ijaz Choudhry on Tuesday directed the Additional CS and provincial secretaries for Home, Local Government and Prices and Supply to strictly check the reported rise in the cost of edible items and their hoarding.
Chairing a meeting at his office, the CS also directed senior officials to immediately develop close coordination with commissioners and deputy commissioners to combat the menace of hoarding, unauthorised price hike, irrational profiteering and sale of sub-standard goods.
The CS said in the most categorical terms that price control must be maintained and no one should be allowed to fleece consumers under any pretext.
He further said that effective vigilance was essential for rendering public service and upholding of professional obligations towards the betterment of society.
With reference to public complaints about arbitrary decision of the traders to increase cost of edible items, the CS said that immediate legal action would be taken against such unscrupulous elements.
Furthermore, he also ordered that quality and quantity of items available at “bachat bazaars” must also be ensured in accordance with public satisfaction.
While taking stock of the reported adulteration of milk, ghee, edible oil, spices and other eatables, Ijaz said that official machinery must be expedited to address the issue and penalise the perpetrators playing havoc with public health.