Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 24: The High Court today issued notice to Government to show cause as to why the Public Interest Litigation on unabated price hike of essential commodities be not admitted.
Commissioner Secretaries of FCS&CA and Transport as party respondents in the PIL, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice D S Thakur issued notice to them in order to show cause as to why the petition be not admitted. The letter addressed to Chief Justice over the issue of steep price hike on essential commodities has been treated as the PIL.
It has been stated before the Court that the authorities in Kashmir valley have crumbled and failed to address the issue of price rise in the Valley. It submitted that vegetables and mutton are being sold at very high rates. “Cooking gas home delivery system has totally been abandoned, gas stocks are not available but are offered for sale once in a week”, it said, adding with “Petrol pumps remain closed for days together whenever National Highway is closed for traffic”.
It was further added that tainted traffic managements is in place and to and fro traffic is allowed at the whim of traffic police officers. “In internal city of Srinagar, auto rickshaw operators have created their own rates from one distance to another. There is no public transport available in various routes of Srinagar and its adjoining areas after 6 pm and hundreds of passengers including employees, students have been seen in distress condition on roads”, read the letter.
Advocate Shafakat Nazir submitted before the court that Departments of Food Supplies, Food Safety, Regional Transport Office and Traffic are totally sleeping over the issues which hit the public at large. It is also added that Divisional Administration is laying high claims but those are only for public consumption but not true on ground.
Advocate Nazir said that it not only affects the common people but also creates additional burden on Government exchequer in the shape of claim of officers and dignitaries travelling for official purpose as such he was seeking intervention of the court to address all these issues.
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