DC issues orders to prevent hoarding, ensure adequate supply of essentials

In response to the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, District Magistrate Ashika Jain has issued stringent orders to ensure the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities in the district.

Exercising powers under Section 163 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and the Indian Civil Safety Code, 2023, the District Magistrate has called for strict monitoring of the availability of key items, including food grains, animal fodder, milk, dairy products, fuel and other daily essentials.

The issued orders emphasise the prevention of hoarding, black marketing and unreasonable price hikes. In case of any such issues, residents have been advised to report complaints to the relevant authorities.

For complaints regarding essential items such as petrol and diesel, District Food and Supply Controller Harveen Kaur can be contacted at 86991-74429 or 01882-222663. For animal fodder issues, Dr Chaman Lal, Deputy Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, can be reached at 76580-67043 or 01882-253574. The District Market Officer, Gurkripal Singh, is the point of contact for vegetable and fruit-related complaints at 98152-06188. For cattle feed issues, Sanjeev Chopra, District Manager of Marfed, can be contacted at 98720-02155, while Verka’s General Manager can be reached at 98149-07999 and 01882-238822.

A key focus of the orders is the regulation of the supply of fruits and vegetables. The District Magistrate has instructed authorities to prevent hoarding and ensure that the prices of these items remain stable. Special checks will be conducted to curb any unreasonable price hikes in the vegetable markets and strict action will be taken against those found guilty of hoarding or overcharging.

Furthermore, in the event of a blackout, the District Magistrate has issued instructions to ensure that all market lights are turned off and that hawkers, street vendors and aartiyas adhere to these guidelines. Additionally, vehicle lights in the markets should also be kept off during the blackout.

The District Magistrate has also directed that a report on the availability and stock of fruits and vegetables be submitted immediately after holding special meetings with the aartiyas. All secretaries of the market committees have been instructed not to leave their stations under any circumstances to ensure swift action in case of any emergency.