The strike coincides with the transporters’ strike thereby pushing the prices of vegetables and fruits upwards.

Deputy Commissioner R K Rao, meanwhile, visited the markets today and asked the traders to allow the checkposts to remain for 15 days. The data collected would be analysed to verify the claims of the anomalies present.

The Administration had set up the checkposts after receiving complaints of bungling in revenue collection by the market committee. It claims that the introduction of the system of maintaining the gate entry register at the four main entry points of the market has led to an increase in the arrival of both fruits and vegetables.

The officials claim that a comparative assessment of the average per day arrivals for the first week of January with that of the average per day arrivals for December reveal a marked increase in the influx of fruits and vegetables in the mandi. The increase has been the most visible in case of apples which has shown a 446 per cent rise. The same trend of increase in average per day arrivals has also been observed in the case of vegetables.  

The traders who continued to hold the dharna outside the office of the market committee for the third day maintained that the checkposts were causing inconvenience to them as well as customers.

Political parties, meanwhile, blamed each other for the situation. In a press conference, BSP leaders said the checkposts should be removed and a probe be ordered into the functioning of the market committee.

BSP convener Harmohan Dhawan said traders resorted to the strike as a last resort. “The strike is causing inconvenience to everyone. But due to the actions of the Administration, the traders were left with no other option,” said Dhawan.

Chairman of the market committee and Congress leader Devinder Singh Babla later claimed the checkposts were set up after a trader affiliated to the BSP submitted a complaint. 

Meanwhile, the truckers’ strike entered its third day today. The strike has already caused the prices of vegetables to rise by nearly 20 per cent. The worst hit were some fruits that come from Nasik.

Members of the Indian Oil Officers’ Association also went on an indefinite strike today to protest against the meager hike in wages. The first day of this strike did not affect the supply of petroleum in the tricity. As the petrol pumps have adequate supply to meet the demand for a couple of days, the effects are expected to be seen in the coming days.

FRUITS DEARER

Due to the ongoing truckers’ strike, the prices of some of the fruits, especially those being brought from Nasik, skyrocketed on Wednesday. Grapes, which were available at Rs 60 per kg till yesterday, were being sold at Rs 110 today. Similarly, chiku was being sold at Rs 45 per kg today, a sharp contrast from yesterday’s Rs 25 per kg. The price of guava spiralled to Rs 30 today from that of Rs 25 yesterday. Meanwhile, the prices of orange, bananas and locally supplied vegetables reflected a slight increase. “The prices will swell tomorrow if the strike continues,” said Brioj Mohan, vice-president, Sabzi Mandi Arhati Association.