Sikkim rain fury: Inspection teams dispatched to ensure availability of essentials and no artificial price rise

The Sikkim Government has sent out inspection teams to ensure that traders and shop-keepers are not hoarding food and essentials and resorting to artificial price hike of commodities amid rain triggered floods and swelling rivers washing away roads and bridges, snapping road connectivity in the state and an increased fear among people that supply of essentials might get disrupted leading to a hike in prices.

The inspection team have been dispatched as per the directives received from the Secretary of the Food and Civil Supplies Department.

The Sikkim Government in a statement informed that retailers and wholesalers were strongly cautioned against hoarding essential items or unjustly raising the prices of edible goods without obtaining the requisite approval from the competent authority. This directive aimed at maintaining a fair and just distribution system to avoid any undue hardships for consumers.
While landslides have blocked key roads, the state government is looking into the fact that there is no crisis of essentials that includes LPG supply as well as foodgrains.
The inspection commenced from Tadong, Ranipool, and Singtam, led by the teams of District Civil Supplies Officers (DCSO) Gangtok and DCSO Pakyong, with the latter joining at Singtam bazar before proceeding towards Rangpo.
Upon arrival at Rangpo, the joint team meticulously examined the IOC Depot and conducted a thorough evaluation of the LPG stock in cooperation with the Depot Manager of IOC and the Manager of the LPG Bottling Plant in Majhitar. Prompt measures were implemented to ensure a continuous supply of LPG in the state, guaranteeing uninterrupted service to the residents.
Subsequently, the team headed towards Rangpo Market, where they inspected the inventory of essential items available for public consumption. During the inspection, instances of certain edible products lacking essential information such as the manufacturer’s mark, date of packaging, and expiration date were observed. Decisive action was taken, necessitating the individuals responsible to sign an undertaking in the presence of the authorities, accompanied by a stern warning against any future misconduct.
Moreover, retailers and wholesalers were strongly cautioned against hoarding essential items or unjustly raising the prices of edible goods without obtaining the requisite approval from the competent authority. This directive aimed at maintaining a fair and just distribution system to avoid any undue hardships for consumers.
Simultaneously, a separate team led by an Inspector and Assistant Sub-Inspectors from Pakyong Godown, with the support of police personnel from Pakyong Police Station, conducted a parallel inspection of Pakyong bazar. This included inventory checks of essential commodities and rigorous monitoring of the pricing of food items, ensuring transparency and compliance with regulations within the local market.