Jalandhar, June 14
The district food and supply controller has directed owners of all retail and wholesale grocery outlets to display price lists of all essential goods outside their shops within a period of 15 days.

Failure in the implementation of the direction can land grocery shop owners in jail as the non-display of price lists and any violation of the Price Display Order, 1992, is a non-bailable offence under section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act.

The Food Display Order covers as many as 32 essential goods, including, wheat flour, wheat, pulses and sugar. All wholesalers and retailers have to adhere to the order and display detailed price lists of these items in front of their shops.

Ironically, the order has largely remained practically null and void so far for the failure of the food and civil supplies authorities preferring not to give due attention to the implementation of this vital directive, particularly, from the consumers’ point of view.

Making the officials of the department come out of their long slumber, Simarjot Kaur, district food and supply controller, has not only asked them to act against erring traders, but also given 15 days’ notice to traders to adhere to the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act or else face action.

Acting on the directions of Ajit Singh Pannu, Deputy Commissioner Simarjot Kaur called a meeting of the Wholesale and Retail Kariyana Associations of the district today and made it clear to them that they have to display price lists for the convenience of the consumer.

“We have undertaken the exercise to educate the consumer about his rights and at the same time apprise traders of their duties. It has been observed that consumers turn out to be at the receiving end quite often when prices of certain commodities fell as they are not informed about this by certain traders who charge old and higher rates from them. It has become necessary to save the consumer from such unscrupulous traders,” said Simarjot Kaur.

She said after the expiry of 15 days, her department would form joint teams with officials of the weights and measures department and these teams could raid premises of the erring traders.

Harpal Singh, assistant controller, weights and measures’ department, said consumer should be aware that goods sold in packets must have details like maximum retail price, weight of the commodity and expiry and manufacturing dates of the same printed on the cartons.

Besides, the name and address of the packing company should also figure on the packet or container.

Kapurthala, June 14
Three member investigation team of Punjab States Human Rights Commission (PSHRC), headed by IG H.S. Randhawa, began probe into the alleged cane charging of agitating B.Ed qualified youths here on June 10.

Taking suo moto notice of news reports regarding cane charge on Monday, the PSHRC had ordered an inquiry to be held under Section 17 (ii) of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 and directed IG (P) to investigate and submit its report within three weeks.

Randhawa along with two other members of the team; SP Gurdev Singh and S.S. Chawla, recorded the statements of several eye-witnesses, including some mediapersons.

The PSHRC had reportedly sent information through fax to the civil and police administration of the district about the two-day visit of the team but the administration failed to pass the message to the aggrieved B.Ed youths.

Allegedly, some police officers, including a DSP and SHO, tried to get the statements recorded in the favour of the police. They allegedly tried to influence a B.Ed teacher of Jagga village in Kapurthala district also.

State president of B.Ed Unemployed Front Punjab, Sukhdarshan Singh, said that he had no information about the visit of any investigation team.

Hoshiarpur, June 14
Five councillors of Congress along with one SAD (B) and one independent councillor have revolted against the president Rakesh Kumar Behal of the municipal council of Hariana town in Hoshiarpur, for his alleged failure in providing the civic amenities to the inhabitants.

The revolted councillors include Baldev Raj, Munish Chander, Promila Rani, Meena Kumari, Bimla Marwaha, all Congress councillors, Arun Kumar (Independent), and Satinder Kaur of SAD (B).

The delegation today submitted a memorandum to the Hoshiarpur deputy commissioner, in which they sought removal of Rakesh Behal from the presidentship of the MC for his complete failure in providing potable water, maintaining sanitary condition and carrying out other development activities.

They also alleged that the MC had returned the grant of Rs 60 lakh to the state government, provided for installing a tubewell in order to steady drinking water supply in the town, due to non-availability of a suitable site.

The Congress has eight out of the total 11 councillors in the house. The BJP and SAD have one councillor each and the remaining is an independent.

Deputy commissioner D.K. Tiwari said he has sent their memorandum to the LA branch for legal opinion.

Hoshiarpur, June 14
The health and family welfare department organised a seminar on “safe blood for safe motherhood” to mark Third World Blood Donors Day at Government Boys Senior Secondary School here today.

District health officer M. L. Puri said the objective of observing the day is to popularise non-remunerative voluntary blood donation, besides thanking those individuals who voluntarily donate their blood.

The day was first celebrated in the year 2005 to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of nobel prize winner Karl Landsteiner, the father of transfusion medicine, who discovered ABO blood group system.