Essentials costing unusually dear

Various reasons are being cited by the government for such a scenario. The Prime Minister has ascribed higher domestic prices to increased import costs. The floods and heavy rains are also held responsible for supply shortfalls and consequent rise in prices. Though there is merit in such arguments, yet not all of the soaring spurt in prices can be explained away in terms of flood damages. We think it is the large scale extortion at the ports and ghats, on the highways and supply lines and at the wholesale and retail points that is pushing up the prices. Even the commerce minister himself has admitted to a high incidence of extortion taking place.

In the past there were allegations of a nexus between some insider vested quarters and traders causing market distortions through the choking of supply lines. Though it is just an assumption as far as this year is concerned, it would nonetheless be worthwhile to probe how deep that nexus has gone and how active it is in the present scenario.

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There must be a neutral and expert investigation into the price situation, followed by an identification of the culprits and action taken against them. In the webs of such vicious and criminal manipulation, the helpless consumers suffer the most. Those who resort to black marketeering must not be allowed to continue with their trading in human miseries.