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Salt and price rise crises: Centre summons chief secretaries for meet on Nov 7

The Union government has called a meeting of chief secretaries of all states in New Delhi on November 7 to discuss the price rise and other related issues.

Despite assurances given by the Central and Delhi governments about enough quantities of salt available in the capital and caution against panic buying, people continued to purchase the commodity in bulk creating artificial shortages in the market.

Most of the outlets of Super Bazaar and Kendriya Bhandar in New Delhi, the two most important consumer cooperatives, were virtually unable to cope with the demand and consumers' rush as people queued up in large numbers to make bulk purchases of essential commodities.

Retailers in many markets made a killing selling a one kilogram packet of salt for as much as 40 per cent more than its normal price.

Meanwhile, Super Bazaar chairman Surendra Singh Dhoori announced that enough quantities of salt were available at the Super Bazaar and its outlets all over the capital and people could buy it as per their requirements.

Dhoori who convened a meeting of officials of the Super Bazaar and conducted inspection of its outlets in the wake of rumours of an impending salt crisis, appealed to the people not to pay any heed to such rumours spread by anti-social elements. ''Such rumours are spread by vested interests particularly when elections are round the corner,'' he said.

He also directed his officials to maintain the supply of salt in sufficient quantities.

Officials said the government was contemplating stern action against rumour mongers, black marketeers and hoarders and would invoke the National Security Act against such people.

They said that as on November 1, the availablity of salt in the capital was four million tonnes and monthly consumption in the entire country was about 500,000 tonnes. About 2.8 million tonnes of salt were available for industrial requirements and part of it could also be released for human consumption.

Delhi food and civil supplies minister Poornima Sethi said more than 80 traders had been rounded up in a crackdown on hoarders and black marketeers.

The officials said the government would also take action against rumour mongers under various acts which could entail imprisonment even upto three years. The government was also trying to find out the cause and source of these rumours and would proceed accordingly.

The railways had also assured priority in making available wagons for transporting salt.

The officials said there was a surplus stock of salt to be carried over to the next season. Moreover, the new stock would be available in January to boost the stock.

UNI

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