Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 19: The High Court today passed slew of directions to Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD) and Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to ensure providing day to day standard commodities to masses on approved rates.
The Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Hasnain Masoodi directed SMC to identify places where hoarding can be erected to display prices of essential commodities.
“We are in agreement with the submissions made by AG, and direct the SMC in consultation with Deputy Director CA&PD to identify 20 places so that hoardings in Srinagar city be erected to display price of essential commodities as fixed by the committee,” the court directed.
Advocate General also submitted that communication has been sent to the Railways for erecting hoardings and recommendations in this regard have been sent to higher authorities at Delhi for according sanction.
He also emphasized that SMC has been requested to identify public places for erecting digital display boards on free of charge displaying the rates of commodities but no response has been given to the request.
SMC counsel submitted that the corporation would not charge for erection of hoardings as “it is a social obligation” of SMC.
AG also stated that the prices of essential commodities are available online on website of CA&PD and even the price list are circulated in the leading news papers. He also pointed out that price list should be highlighted on television and also announced on radio.
“Direction is issued to the television as well as the radio authorities to permit CA&PD to publish and announce the price of essential commodities,” the court asked.
The court also directed the Government to open their own fair price shops after the Advocate general suggested that Government should open their fair price shops.
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