Srinagar, June 28: Former Deputy Mayor SMC Sheikh Mohammad Imran on Tuesday raised serious queries over the rates fixed by the department of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs for sacrificial livestock in the valley.
In a statement issued to the press, Imran termed the published rate list as fixed in cosy rooms while neglecting the imperative process of market surveys and deliberations with the associated suppliers.
“On every Eid-ul-Adha, the concerned department issues such fixed rate charts for sacrificial animals but its implementation and rationalization in the markets has always remained uncertain thus casting shades of doubt on the whole process of revision of rates. I have talked with various suppliers and even surveyed the market in person where such rates are seen as fancy and fantastically absurd keeping in view the current market trends,” he remarked.
Imran urged the concerned FCS&SA department to rationalize the published rates in relation to the supplier rates from Delhi and Rajasthan markets.
“If these rates have been published after the necessary market survey then the onus of implementing these rates in letter and spirit of all sacrificial markets of Kashmir lies on the concerned department. The FCS&SA must also open its own distribution outlets in order to keep a check on the soaring rates and do pre-booking of sacrificial animals so as to provide profit to the general public and also keep agents.
Moreover, if these supply chains are opted to be managed by this government department, I hereby propose to engage numerous dedicated youths, whom I know, to sell these sacrificial animals at a maximum 5% margin. It will not only provide livelihood to various families but also maintaining the prices of sacrificial animals for consumers will also be achieved,” he said.
Imran asserted that if the concerned department fails to provide livestock at the earlier published rates then officials involved in framing and fixing the prices must be held accountable for creating a crisis in the markets by instigating the consumers.
“When the published government prices and actual selling prices of the sacrificial animals have a colossal difference, the consumers are caught up in a chaotic situation which in turn hampers this vital trade and immensely hurts our economy as it has a subprime effect on our economy. I urge the government authorities to put forth surveys conducted by this department before the public so as to understand the premises and the figures on which such rates have been fixed,” he demanded.
He also suggested that while fixing the rates of livestock professional chartered accountants, cost accountant, auditors and surveyors must be involved to reach realistic conclusions. “The bureaucrats sitting in the cozy offices cannot comprehend the market dynamics holistically until professionals are involved to do the necessary field work as only then the survey results will be factual and non-controversial,” he added.
Imran also urged the UT government to allow SMC to charge a minimum fee from the household who sacrifice livestock in order to clean and dump its residue while maintaining the hygienic conditions in the city on the eve of Eid-al-Adha. (KDC)
