In continuation of the drive against hoarding of essential food items and vegetables, specially to control the soaring prices of onions across markets of the capital city, the authorities of Sadar (SDM) and the Food and Civil Supply department on Thursday has also conducted their raids in many markets of Agartala and take appropriate legal action against errant traders.

But, the Onion prices touched Rs 70 a kilogram in a number of retail markets across Agartala on Thursday.

Official sources said that hoarding by a section of traders despite adequate stocks, especially to control the prices of onion, the authorities of SDM (Sadar) has also served notices to few wholesale traders of onions at Maharajganj market for taking extra prices on onion.

While the minimum price of onions in the retail markets in Agartala is Rs 70 a kilogram, in certain markets located in the city it is being sold at Rs 75 a kilogram.

The Sadar subdivisional team led by DCM Ranjit Kumar Das on Thursday continued their raids in both wholesale and retail markets of MG Bazar and found many discrepancies.

The task force members have started taking precautionary measures to control the prices. Accompanied by the police, they have started visiting different retail stalls, asking the sellers to maintain the price of onions within a reasonable range.

The skyrocketing price of onions is due to a section of traders as there are sufficient stocks in all markets of the city, said DCM Ranjit Kumar Das and appealed to the customers to verify the rates of onion before purchasing by visiting numbers of shops.

The state has to depend in a major way for supply from Nasik in Maharashtra, but at present huge quantities of fresh onion stock are available in the city , said Das.

However, he admitted that high prices of onion in the retail markets and it is because some middlemen and hoarders are artificially jacking up the price and the administration have served notices to some wholesale traders and if they did not rectify, then administration will take necessary action under Essential Commodity Act, said Das.

The authorities said that traders purchase onion at Rs. 56 per kilogram through wholesale rates, but they are selling the same at Rs. 65 to 70 per kg, which directly violates the restrictions imposed by the government and they are looting customers.

The Food department authorities said that their regular drives in all major markets of the state capital with the teams of Sadar-SDM and Legal Meteorology department to check the prices of all essential commodities has been continued.

But, some traders are also selling onions at much higher prices, which will not be tolerated and the government once again issued strict warnings. They hoped that within the next few days, the prices will come down and people will get some relief.

The department has requested the traders to maintain the prices and should avoid any kind of hoarding of essential items.