Dimapur, April 8 (EMN): The prices of essential commodities have increased drastically over the past few days in Mon districts of Nagaland despite government’s directive not to hoard and hike prices of goods during the nationwide lockdown, according to the Konyak Union (KU).
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the union stated that prices of essential commodities have increased by about 35% because of “uncontrolled existence of black market in Assam” and requested the state government to intervene and take up the matter with the Assam and central governments.
The union stated that price hike continues unabated in Mon district even after it had requested the business community to abstain from taking advantage of the present novel coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. It added Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared that all essential commodities and its supplies would not be hampered but ‘almost all the state governments’ have ill-managed the sudden lockdown.
“It may be noted that the present crises is not only confined to the pandemic alone but this pandemic itself is also creating social disorder on account of uncontrolled abnormal price rise. The existence of numerous and unaccounted black market in the neighbouring state of Assam is causing drastic artificial inflation which in fact is very much severe than coronavirus itself,” the statement read, adding that the present market scenario in remote areas like Mon is grim.
Claiming that parimal rice, which cost INR 27 per kg before the lockdown has been raised to INR 37 per kg within a week, an increase of 35% (approximately), the union warned that the prices of goods might not return to normal rate even after the lockdown is lifted and people “will have no option but to suffer” if the state government doesn’t intervene now and stop black market at the source.
“The Konyak Union opines that Mon district, being a remote region which is constituted by about 70% of citizens below poverty line is bound to face chronic economic pandemic through such uncontrolled market system and supplies. Such situation is not only confined to Mon district but the entire north-eastern states in general,” the statement read.
While lauding the prime minister for sanctioning free 5 kg of rice per head for three months in view of the lockdown, KU lamented that ‘about 50% of its poor populace still does not have beneficiary cards/ration card’. It also appealed to the minister and advisor in-charge of Mon district to look into the inflation issue as well as made a clarion call to all the civil societies to voice their grievances for justice.