KADAPA: The lockdown has come as a big blow to the common man as the prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed. With grocery stores being opened only from 6 am to 9 am, customers are thronging the shops in large numbers in the morning hours. Some of the grocery stores have remained closed as the traders are unable to bring commodities from wholesale shops. Taking advantage of this, small traders have hiked the prices of essential commodities at their will. Those who earn Rs 400 per day are struggling to buy the commodities being sold at exorbitant prices.
“We used to spend Rs 150 to purchase essential commodities before the lockdown. Now, we are spending Rs 250 to buy the commodities of the same quantity,” said M Srinivasulu, who works in a saloon. Since the saloons have remained closed for the last 28 days, he has run out of money and is unable to buy essentials at exorbitant prices. This is the pathetic state of those who work on daily wages in the district.
The price of essentials, including rice, grains, sugar and tamarind have been hiked considerably in the last 28 days. M Prasad, who is working as an electrician, said that he used to earn around Rs 400 per day. He has not found work for 25 days now and he ran out of money to buy essential commodities. “We are not sure how we will be able to survive this extended lockdown. We are unable to buy essentials as the prices have skyrocketed,” lamented carpenter Ramanachari.
Interestingly, the prices of eggs have gone up beyond the reach of the common man. The officials of Weights and Measurements have registered 34 cases and conducted 1,044 inspections since March 23. The officials imposed Rs 1.64 lakh penalty on traders for selling essentials at exorbitant prices. Weights and Measurements department assistant controller P Sudhakar warned of sealing the shops, if the prices of commodities were hiked.