The district administration of Dhubri in Assam has resolved to crackdown on pharmacy outlets which create artificial scarcity and hoard masks, sanitizers and other protective aids.
The officials of the Food Civil Supply & Consumer Affairs has recently conducted raids in many medical stores within Dhubri town area and seized a huge quantity of N-95 masks and hand sanitizers from one such medical store namely Sanjivini Medical.
Bipin Ch Chakraborty, deputy director of Food Civil Supply & Consumers Affairs department, Dhubri said the deputy commissioner was directed to take action into the matter following complaints of masks and sanitizers being sold higher then MRP as well as above the rate fixed by the government at one hand.
While on the other hand, the said shop keeper was also not selling the hand sanitizers and masks to all customers with a ulterior motive to stocking it illegally despite it was available in his medical store, said Chakraborty.
He also informed that a total of 325 numbers of N-95 masks and 32 numbers of Lifebuoy hand sanitizers have been seized by his officials during the surprise raid conducted at the aforesaid medical store.
In this connection, a case has been registered against the propertier of said medical store for artificial hoarding of essential commodities like face masks and hand sensitizer.
Dhubri police station registered a case no 442/2020 under the Section of 402 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust) of IPC.
Meanwhile, amid the total lockdown fears since Monday morning, the wholesale prices of all essential food commodities particularly the rate of potato and onions are being sold at very high prices, said local retailers.
“We are aware of the facts and we have already deployed a team for checking such anomalies in the markets of Dhubri District”, said Chakraborty.
Ananta Lal Gyani, deputy commissioner, Dhubri said all concerned officials have been directed to look into the complaints of hoarding of masks and all other essential commodities which are in demand.