Hyderabad, Nov 6 The Telangana Civil Supplies Department carried out a week-long crackdown from October 29 on traders accused of creating artificial scarcity and manipulating prices, following a sharp rise in the prices of widely consumed rice varieties.
The inspections found a range of irregularities aimed at cheating consumers, according to a press release issued on Friday.
Officials said some traders were manipulating weights by affixing 26-kg labels to bags that held only 25 kg of rice.
Others were found covering the manufacturer’s printed rates with higher-priced stickers, hoarding Public Distribution System (PDS) rice, and operating without GST registration or FSSAI licences.
Acting on the directions of Commissioner of Civil Supplies M Stephen Raveendra, the Enforcement Task Force and the Legal Metrology Department carried out joint searches.
The department said it has fixed maximum retail prices for these varieties to protect consumers from market volatility.
The retail prices are fixed at Rs 66 per kg for BPT/KNM varieties, Rs 74 per kg for the premium RNR/Telangana Sona varieties and Rs 79 per kg for HMT/JSR varieties.
Millers and traders must print these maximum retail prices prominently on all 26-kg packaged bags, the release said, to ensure transparency.
Task Force teams conducted 1,141 surprise inspections at rice mills, wholesale dealers and retail outlets, resulting in 55 cases against violators, including 35 criminal cases.
Legal Metrology officials carried out 1,545 inspections across the state and booked 280 cases against traders accused of cheating customers.
The department said it is also preparing to invoke the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against people repeatedly found hoarding PDS rice or manipulating prices.
Habitual offenders face prosecution and possible jail terms under the Essential Commodities Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the release added.
(PTI News)
