VIJAYAWADA: Rythu Bazaar at Swaraj Maidan has put curbs on bulk purchase of vegetables in a bid to prevent hoarding and resale. Buying any vegetable has been restricted 2 kgs. According to officials, this restriction will help control prices of vegetables. There are instances when restaurant and hostel owners relied on Rythu Bazaar for purchasing vegetables in bulk which is against the rules.
In order to curb bulk purchase for hoarding and resale, the district administration issued orders to limit purchases. If anyone purchases more than 2 kgs, he will be detained and necessary action will be taken against the vendor.
Estate officer of Swaraj Maidan Rythu Bazaar MS Sastry said, “Some vendors have been selling vegetables during early hours to hoteliers and hostellers at high prices. With this going on, the public has been deprived of quality and fresh vegetables. In order to provide good quality vegetables to the public, we have restricted the sale of vegetables.” He further said that any individual, who wants to buy vegetables in bulk for some occasion, can walk in with proof of that occasion and take the vegetables.
With restriction in bulk purchase of vegetables, mid-day meal workers in the city are facing problems. The mid-day meal workers, who buy vegetables in bulk, are being asked to get an attested copy of a letter from the school management and district administration to buy bulk vegetables for meals.
“We have to purchase vegetables thrice a week, and in each visit, we have to get vegetables sufficient for two days. We require over 5 kgs of vegetables to cook meals for hundreds of students. But the authorities are not letting us purchase more than 2 kgs,when we try to explain our need, they tell us to provide a letter. ,” said N Krishnaveni, a mid-day meal helper at a government school.