Raids on hoarders and black marketers dip, shows data

NEW DELHI: Both Centre and state governments may have promised a crackdown on hoarders and black marketers to curb artificial price rise, but data shows their action do not match their words. There has been less effort to discourage hoarders by all state governments this year, except Maharashtra. The western state recorded an over four-fold increase in number of persons arrested relating to offences of violating stock control orders.

In the past eight months, the number of raids, prosecution and conviction across the country is much less in comparison to last year. Across the states and Union Territories, the number of raids has gone down. States that have done better than others are Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

In the case of total number of persons arrested Maharshtra has taken the lead by arresting as many as 6,475 persons in the past eight months in comparison to only 1,501 during the entire year in 2013. "So, Maharashtra has pushed the total number of arrests across the country despite all other states not having performed that well. This exposes how almost all states prefer to pass the buck of increasing prices of essential commodities to the Centre rather than taking action on their own," said a government official.

The report on action taken under Essential Commodities Act shows how only 76 persons were convicted till August end. During entire 2013 it was 258. "Keeping this low rate of conviction in mind, the Central government has asked states to set up special courts to take up such cases so that judgments come fast. This will create fear among hoarders and would work as a deterrent," a consumer affairs ministry source said.

On Wednesday TOI had reported how despite the Centre allowing state governments to fix stockholding limit on onion and potatoes following its demand by several states, only West Bengal and Telangana have notified stockholding limits. Delhi and Punjab are two other states where the process has been initiated.