'Wholesalers refreshing stale vegetables artificially'

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Nov 5: Vegetable consumers beware! If the allegation leveled by green grocers and fruit-sellers on Sunday has anything to go by, you are certainly at hazards for illness!

Addressing the press in Guwahati on Sunday, the Guwahati Sak-Pachali Phalmul Byabasayee Santha (GSPPBS) alleged that as many as three wholesale vegetable markets are being run illegally in Guwahati under the very nose of the administration. To cap it all, the Santha alleged, that the three illegal markets have been engaged in artificially refreshing stale vegetables and selling them at higher prices. The three alleged illegal wholesale markets are at Machkhowa, Paltan Bazar and Fancy Bazar.

Santha general secretary Md Murtaza said: “There was a wholesale market on Tarun Ram Phukan Road in the city. However, the Gauhati High Court ordered the shifting of the market. We had to move the Supreme Court of India challenging the High Court order. However, the apex court upheld the High Court's order on March 23, 2012. Executing the SC order, the administration vacated Tarun Ram Phukan Road on March 31, 2012 and shifted the market to Pamohi Bazar of Assam Agriculture Marketing Board. However, despite the official shifting of the wholesale market from Tarun Ram Phukan Road, three illegal wholesale markets have been doing business from Machkhowa, Fancy Bazar and Paltan Bazar under the very nose of the district administration. These three wholesale markets have been controlling vegetable rates in the city. They’re also engaged in refreshing stale vegetables though artificial means and selling them at higher prices. There're syndicates in the three wholesale markets. We demand Dispur to take action against the three illegal markets.”