Despite various claims by the city administration, prices of onion and other vegetables have increased two-fold since Monday. In the last few days, onion prices have gone up from Rs 20 to Rs 35-40 per kilogram. Potato prices have gone up from Rs 15 to Rs 30 per kilogram. Vendors have blamed weak and delayed monsoons for rising prices. However, the city administration continues to maintain that no crisis has emerged for its citizens.
‘Recent arrival of onions and potatoes in Delhi has raised stocks to more than the city’s daily requirement. Today (on Tuesday) 1,200 metric tonnes (MT) of onions and 1299 MT of potatoes have arrived, which is much more than the city’s daily requirement’, said development commissioner Puneet Goel. At present the city government is selling onions and potatoes at cheaper rates in 40 premises and from Wednesday onwards, the number of premises will rise to 200. Despite the steep hike in food prices, the government has claimed stability.
‘The wholesale and retail prices of these essential commodities are also stable. While the wholesale prices of onions was from Rs 13 to Rs 25 per kg, the retail prices in various locations has varied from Rs 16 per kg to Rs 30 per kg,’ Goel said.
The government’s Department of Food and Supplies also conducted city-wide raids on hoarders, in order to further tackle price rise. 549 premises were raided and 104 people were prosecuted under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and Legal Metrology Act, 2009. ‘Fifty-two teams consisting officials from Department of Food and Supply and Delhi police conducted these raids against hoarding of onions, potatoes, edible oil and other basic essential commodities,’ SS Yadav, commissioner Food and Supply Department said in a statement.
The raiding parties also unearthed a massive illegal stock of pulses and rice and recovered 12,000 quintals of food grains. ‘The stock has been confiscated and FIR under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 has been lodged. The Lieutenant Governor has directed that such strict action against the hoarders shall continue in the future and no person involved in hoarding, profiteering or cheating people shall be spared,’ he added. This is the second raid against the hoarders in the city. The last raid was carried out on 19 June, during which the department had conducted raids on 532 premises and prosecuted 42 people.
The areas in which raids were conducted on Tuesday include Burari, Azadpur Mandi, Wazirpur, Shakur Basti, Shalimar Bagh, Narela, Rohini, Mangol Puri, Kalkaji, Badarpur, Tuglakabad, Mehrauli, Chhatarpur, Najafgarh, Palam, Dwarka, Okhla, Sadar Bazar, Ballimaran Karol Bagh, Laxmi Nagar, Trilokpuri, Sarojani Nagar, INA Market and Malviya Nagar.