Vegetable vendors fleecing consumers

DROSH, April 21: People wait for the opening of the Lowari tunnel to travel to and from Chitral twice a week, on every Saturday and Sunday. But those who do not travel out of their homes also keenly await the two weekly opening of the tunnel. They want fresh vegetables which come from down districts when the tunnel opens. Soon after every Saturday and Sunday, people rush to the markets to purchase the fresh arrivals to stock for the next week. But it is very strange that the district administration has done little to regularize the prices of vegetables and fruits in the markets giving a free hand to the vendors to fleece the consumers. In the market of Drosh and even in streets many people have set up stalls and sell vegetables on exorbitant rates. But there is no one to check the prices and take action against the vendors. The residents of Drosh have called upon the government to remove the snow from the Lowari pass so that traffic can be restored on the road linking Chitral with other parts of the country round the clock and the people can be provided items of daily-use on affordable rates.—Abbas Hussain]]>