As Eid-ul-Azha draws nearer, markets are abuzz with people wanting to get their shopping done for the big occasion, traders are resorting to arbitrary price hike of commodities and other goods, with complaints galore across the Valley.With Eid-ul-Azha just around the corner, women and men alike are in the final phase of their shopping, be it clothes, shoes or other items.Buyers on Monday said that they are forced to pay inflated prices for different items while they griped over government failure to ensure fair prices of essential commodities on Eid eve.“Everyone wants to celebrate Eid happily but price hikes in items, including vegetables have been hiked,” said a customer while returning from shopping complex .People have started buying clothes, household items, and other good, they complained that shopkeepers have inflated prices.Whether it is women or children wishing to get the best outfits, or men buying the perfect kurta shalwar for the joyous occasion, shopping malls and clothing brands see a considerable rush and a spike in their sales.The shopkeepers have raised prices, but many have also displayed ‘sale’ signs to hoodwink the customers.Prices of products like mutton, poultry, bakery products, vegetables, cottage cheese, clothes and other items are likely to be shot up by the traders .
Reports have emerged from north as well as south Kashmir districts too where buyers are being looted by some traders, as there are complaints that shopkeepers have inflated prices on clothes, household items, and other goods.A woman says she is extremely fond of Eid shopping. “Most of my children have shopped online, but I still prefer looking at the things before buying them.”But officials said checking squads have been directed to the markets. Traders and businessmen, however, point out that the rush at markets doesn’t mean that sales have increased. They add the numbers are likely to go up in the last 10 days Nowadays, the main focus of the citizens is towards the purchase of clothes, footwear and many other items for the festival. A larger number of makeshift shops have sprung up on the pavements of the city.Due to the rush in Kashmir markets, severe traffic jams are witnessed at and around commercial areas. These include Lal Chowk , Shalteng, Kamarwari, Pattan, Sangrama, Baramulla and other districts as well as towns of the valley .While as Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan has directed all Deputy Commissioners to start a crackdown against black marketers, profiteers and hoarders across the valley to arrest all traders immediately who are found indulging in such illegal practice. (PTK)