AMSU asks Govt to fix price; warns traders to fall in line
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 23 2011:
Taking grim note of the state Government's failure to fix prices of essential commodities, All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) has said that it will continue to oppose traders selling goods at the rate fixed by individual traders.
Speaking to newspersons this evening, AMSU general secretary N Dipanjit said traders taking undue advantage of the ongoing economic blockade and selling goods at exorbitant rate cannot be tolerated.
While the people continue to suffer due to hoarding of goods as well as being forced to buy the available ones at high price it is an irony that the Government is yet to declare its position with regard to prices of essential commodities, he opined while insisting that the goods should be sold at the rate which was prevalent before the economic blockade came into force.
Seriously noting some traders continuing to sell goods at exorbitant rate, Dipanjit said either goods be made available to the customers at normal rate or face permanent closure of the shop.
Asserting that economic blockade should not be the ground for hiking prices of essential commodities, he said as supply of goods at present is through the NH-53 and under security escorts there is no collection of tax along the route by both authorised and unauthorised agents as was the norm when goods carriers had to cross atleast 11 check-posts on the Imphal-Dimapur route.
Even though there might be some increment in the expenditure of drivers while traversing on the comparatively lengthy Imphal-Jiribam section of NH-53 it is beyond doubt that non-levying of taxes is a relief for both the truck owners and traders, he opined while adding that a marginal increase in the price of goods is reasonable.
In case traders are still trying to justify hiking of prices citing economic blockade, AMSU is willing to have an open debate on the issue with all concerned, he affirmed while reiterating his demand that the Government of Manipur fix prices of essential commodities rather than leave the fate of the people at the hands of
unscrupulous traders .