AIADMK co-ordinator , O. Panneerselvm, on Monday expressed shock over the silence of Chief Minister M.K Stalin over the rising prices of vegetables.
Recalling that Mr. Stalin, while in the Opposition, had called for control of the prices of vegetables, Mr. Panneerselvam, in a statement, said the increase now was higher than it was even at the time of peak COVID-19. He called upon the Chief Minister to have vegetables sold through all fair price shops so that the prices would come down by half.
Referring to recent reports, quoting an official of the Civil Supplies Department, that hereafter vegetables would not be sold through fair price shops as the prices of tomato and others had fallen in the wake of the State government’s measures, the AIADMK coordinator contended that this had come within 10 days of the announcement of Cooperation Minster I. Periyasamy that the prices had come down considerably as the vegetables were being sold through farm fresh vegetable outlets, both stationary and mobile, and select fair price shops in and around cities.
Mr. Panneerselvam doubted whether fair price shops would have sold the vegetables at nominal rates. This could have arisen as employees at the shops had wanted assurance from officers that they would not be forced to shell out for unsold stocks of vegetables. On a previous instance, the officers had collected the amount from the employees for the unsold stock of onion, he said.
The AIADMK leader wanted the Chief Minister to ascertain the correctness of such reports and find a solution. If the vegetables were not sold through fair price shops, the poor and the middle class would be hit adversely, Mr Panneerselvam added.
