IMPHAL, June 20: The newly formed People’s Price Monitoring Committee today conducted an awareness campaign on Price Hike in Manipur in three different schools of Bishnupur district.
The schools are Pemton Devi English School, Ningthoukhong, Loyalam Public School, Moirang and Little Bird School, Moirang.
A team comprising of around six members of the apex body went from school to school and explained the impact of price rise in the state.
Addressing the students of the Pemton Devi English school, convenor Sh Gopal Macha Manipur has become a land of terrorism, and gun culture has become widespread which has adversely affected the general public.
Elaborating on the reasons behind price rise in the state, he said that the business community in the state has been controlling the prices of all commodities in the state. They hike the prices of any commodities at their own whims and wants.
The business community get their supplies at as much cheaper price as compared to the price they are selling the commodities.
The government seems to be working hand in glove with the business community and has been remaining as mute spectators to the price hike in the state.
“Not just the prices of essential commodities but any commodity sold in the state including construction materials and electrical appliances are controlled by the community, which needs to be checked at the earliest possible”, he told the students.
The people should come together and discuss on ways to fight price rise in the state, he said.
Meanwhile, advisor Namoijam Tomba urged the students to be cautious against the practice of several shopkeepers of changing tags of certain commodities even after their expiry date has passed and selling the commodities to the general public. He asked the students to check the commodities before buying.
He further expressed that the prices also vary from localities to localities, customers should complain of any such practices to the Consumers club.
He further said the government should establish a Monitoring Cell for price hike in the state and should install price indexes at various places of the state. He further urged the government to establish a State Price Fixation Board.
Such awareness campaigns are necessary and should be considered as curricular activities, he said.
A Manipur Women Price Monitoring body of state meira paibis was also formed today.
The People’s Price Monitoring Committee was formed on last Saturday by All Manipur Bar Association, All Manipur working Journalist Union, SACO, Irabot Memorial Charitable Trust, Irabot Research and Commemoration Committee, All Manipur Road Transport Association, All Manipur Women Democratic Front, All Manipur Students Guardians’ Association, Senior Citizen Manipur, Intellectual Forum, civil organization and advocates and officers of the state.