Punjab Govt conducts raids to check black marketing of Masks, sanitizers

Jalandhar: The Health department of Punjab, along with the Food and Civil Supplies department, Police and Legal Metrology department on Wednesday carried out raids at various medical shops across this district under 'Mission Fateh,' to check the overpricing and black marketing of masks and sanitizers.

According to Drug Inspector Rupinder Kaur, the raids were conducted on the directions of Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori.

She said that all surgical and protective masks and hand sanitizers have been declared as essential commodities under the Essential Commodities Act 1955, to ensure availability of these items at the right price in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

The inspector said that masks consisting 2ply, 3ply surgical masks and N95 masks and hand sanitizers have been put on the list of essential commodities.

Ms Kaur said that they did not find any instance of these essential commodities being sold at an overpriced rate or in black. However, the drug inspector said that if any person was found hoarding, black marketing and profiteering from the illegal sale of these commodities, he/she will have to face stern action under the relevant laws and rules.

Any sort of 'artificial scarcity' of items like sanitizers and masks to make a quick profit by selling them at exorbitant rates was unwarranted and undesirable, she said, adding that the sale of these commodities at more than its Maximum Retail Price (MRP) would not be tolerated at any cost.

The drug inspector said that this malpractice would be checked with a heavy hand and the perpetrators of this heinous crime would be brought to book.

Read also: Ensure Parity in price of N-95 masks or face action: NPPA tells sellers