Kathmandu, August 16
The Ministry of Supplies started market monitoring in the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday by mobilsing 12 teams. Early in the morning, it sent four teams at different marketplaces and dispatched eight more teams later.
The monitoring comes amid increase in food adulteration and escalation in market prices in a way that defies logic. The teams will target both retailers and dealers of essentials.
On Sunday, Minister for Supplies Dipak Bohora had discussed the planned monitoring with industrialists and traders. Industrialists had asked the government to take stock of their stocks first and conduct market monitoring a few days later.
Laxman Shrestha, director at the Department of Supplies, said: We have started market monitoring to control black marketing, sale and distribution of inedible foodstuffs, escalating prices, quality, adulteration and distribution as well as sale of date-expired foodstuffs.
The Ministry of Supplies had directed the department to conduct a special monitoring to control quality of products, inflation and black marketing at a time when festivals are round the corner. Consumers are at the receiving end when traders are hiking market prices, citing shortages in the market.
The ministry showed interest in market monitoring after newly-elected Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, directed government secretaries to produce results.
