Shopkeepers flouting municipality pricelists: Badghis residents

QALA-I-NAW (Pajhwok): Residents of western Badghis province say the municipality has distributed pricelists, but its officials are not monitoring their implementation and shopkeepers are overcharging customers.

The municipality of Qala-i-Naw has recently prepared and distributed pricelists of essential food commodities to control price-hike, but residents complain the pricelists are not being implemented.

Mirwais, a resident, told Pajhwok Afghan News municipality officials were never seen monitoring the pricelists.

He claimed to have witnessed several times shopkeepers selling commodities at higher rates than the prices fixed by the municipality.

Mirwais added: “Qala-i-Naw municipality officials have distributed pricelists, but they do not monitor their implementation. The municipality has fixed meat price 350 afs a kilogram, but butchers sell it for 400 afs”.

Burhanuddin Fayez, a civil society activist, said, the prices of most of food and non-food items had skyrocketed and people could not afford them.

Fayez said municipality supervisors should keep an eye on shopkeeper not to flout the prices fixed by the authority.

However, acting Qala-i-Naw mayor Mohammad TahirGhafori denied they did not monitor prices, but admitted some possible violations in parts of the city.

He said after the price lists were issued, they were always monitored by officials and the violators were dealt with legally.

He asked people to cooperate with the municipality in better implementation of the pricelists. “People must report us any violation of the pricelists so that municipality officials take action in accordance with the law.”

The prices of most food and non-food items have increased in the country, especially in Badghis province.

aw/ma