Most Sunday bazaar items have no expiry date

Monday, February 16, 2009

By Jawwad Rizvi

LAHORE: NO manufacturing and expiry dates on different edibles items is a serious threat to human being, as in many cases the expired items are sold in the market, which caused health problems to users.A survey conducted by The News at various Sunday bazaars of the city found that on most of edibles items, the expiry and manufacturing dates were not printed. Even in some cases, the companies had also not printed the price of their products. The News has found that various brands of ghee and cooking oil were being sold in the Sunday bazaars but the same was not mentioned. Similarly, manufacturing and expiry dates were not printed on the washing powders, bath soaps and detergent soaps packages, it directly affected the skin if someone uses the expired item. The sales representatives of these companies said that sometime customers’ complained about the poor quality of the products but they were unable to take back the sold and semi used item from the customers. They said that if they replaced a product with a new one, the company distributors do not replace it. Therefore, we do not replace the used product here at Sunday bazaar, they added. Meanwhile, mixed price-trend was seen this week in the Sunday bazaars with the complaints of overcharging. Lethargic attitude of the government officials towards the poor and middle class localities’ Sunday bazaars persisted as no district government official bothered to solve their problems.Brisk business activities were recorded this week. Shortage of onions continued in majority of Sunday bazaars the vendors sold mixed onion of different quality onion at higher rates. In Shalimar, Tajpura, Green Town and Shahdara Sunday bazaars vendors sold lower quality and rotten fruits and vegetables at higher rates.The city district government reduced the sugar price by Re one per kg for Sunday bazaars and fixed it at Rs 41 per kg from last week’s price of Rs 42 per kg. Daal Masoor was sold at Rs 113 per kilogram, lentils whole rate was fixed at Rs 62 to Rs 69 per kg from Rs 65 to Rs 68 per kg.The price of potatoes was fixed at Rs seven to Rs 10 per kg and it sold at Rs 10 per kg. The price of onions gained by Rs three per kg and was fixed at Rs 19 to Rs 25 per kg from Rs 16 to Rs 22 per kg and it had sold at maximum price of Rs 25 per kg.Tomatoes price was reduced by Rs two per kg and fixed at Rs 20 to Rs 26 per kg from Rs 22 to Rs 28 per kg. It was sold at Rs 26 per kg everywhere. Chinese garlic price was fixed at Rs 26 to Rs 28 and it sold at Rs 30 per kg while desi garlic price was fixed at Rs 28 to Rs 32 per kg from Rs 26 to Rs 32 per kg and it sold at Rs 35 per kg.The price of Thai ginger sharply gained by Rs 12 per kg and reached Rs 58 to Rs 62 per kg from last week’s Rs 46 to Rs 50 per and sold at Rs 62 per kg. Chinese ginger price was fixed at Rs 68 to Rs 72 per kg from Rs 56 to Rs 60 per kg after gaining Rs 12 per kg. The price of farm spinach was fixed at Rs three to Rs four per kg and it sold at Rs five per kg and desi spinach at Rs four to Rs five per kg and it sold at Rs eight per kg. Brinjal was sold at Rs 14 per kg while its price was fixed at Rs 12 to Rs 14 per kg. Cucumber price was fixed at Rs 14 to Rs 18 per kg after reduction by Rs two per kg from the last week’s Rs 16 to Rs 20 per kg. Cabbage’s price was fixed at Rs seven to Rs 10 per kg and it sold at Rs 10 per kg while cauliflower price was Rs four to Rs six per kg and it sold at Rs six per kg. Pumpkin was sold at Rs 26 per kg as compared to its price of Rs 20 to Rs 26 per kg. The price of turnips was fixed at Rs four to Rs five per kg and it sold at Rs eight to Rs 10 per kg. Radish had sold at Rs five to Rs eight per kg from its price of Rs three to Rs four per kg, carrot was sold at Rs six per kg from its price of Rs four to Rs six per kg. Peas’ price was fixed at Rs 14 to Rs 20 per kg from Rs 16 to Rs 20 per kg and it sold at Rs 20 per kg.Capsicums price was reduced by Rs 12 to Rs 16 per kg and sold and fixed at Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg from last week’s Rs 42 to Rs 46 per kg and it sold at Rs 40 per kg.Green Chillies price also sharply gained by Rs 15 to Rs 20 per kg and reached at Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kg from last week’s Rs 35 to Rs 40 per kg and it sold at Rs 60 per kg. A Coriander bundle was sold at Rs five as compared to its price of Rs three to Rs four per bundle.The price of different variety of apples was fixed at Rs 24 to Rs 65 per kg and average price in Sunday bazaar was Rs 50 per kg. Guava price was fixed at Rs 24 to Rs 40 per kg and it sold at Rs 40 per kg.The price of different varieties of oranges was fixed at Rs 26 to Rs 70 per dozen from Rs 24 to Rs 70 per dozen but average price in Sunday bazaar was Rs 40 to Rs 60 per dozen. Grapefruit price was fixed at Rs seven to Rs 10 per piece but it was sold Rs 10 per piece. The price of bananas was fixed at Rs 14 to Rs 30 per dozen and it sold Rs 30 per dozen.

Bakeries do roaring business after gas loadshedding

Monday, February 16, 2009

By Jawwad Rizvi

LAHORE: RESIDENTS in southern Lahore faced problems after unannounced loadshedding of gas by the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) for over 12 hours on Sunday.The gas supply to Green Town, Township, Model Town, Link Road, Model Town, Akbar Chowk, Faisal Town, Johar Town, Kot Lakhpath and other adjacent areas was suspended by the SNGPL for maintenance. The gas supply to the said areas was suspended at 11am and it was not restored till the filing of the report. The SNGPL officials were only telling people that gas supply would be restored at midnight. When The News called the helpline, Saleem, an official, said the gas supply was suspended at 12pm noon and it would be restored at midnight. People of the abovementioned localities faced numerous problems as due to Sunday, they got up late and due to gas outage, they were unable to prepare breakfast. They rushed to the hotels and restaurants of the areas but they were also closed due to non-availability of gas. They had to go to the areas like Iqbal Town and other localities for purchasing food. Following the suspension of gas supply, bakeries did a roaring business as they were the only option left for people who purchased snacks and other bakery items to have their breakfast. Some of them even went to their relatives’ houses as guests to evade the problem. Amer Baig, a resident of XI-Block, Township, said he was shocked to experience the loadshedding of gas without a prior notice. He said he moved to his in-laws in the cantonment area after he was informed that gas supply would not be restored till midnight. Imran Ahmed, a resident of Green Town, said the gas closure had created huge troubles for him. “I had invited my friends in a party at my residence but I had to cancel it,” he said.On the other hand, the SNGPL officials claimed that they had announced the gas closure some two days back in the national print and electronic media. SNGPL Regional Manager Arif Hameed said the company had also made announcements in the area through loudspeakers, besides giving intimation advertisements in the media. He further said the company had been shifting main supply line of the area and it had had intimated the company high-ups about the suspension of gas supply. He said there was no gas shortage in the Lahore region and Sunday’s gas suspension was just for maintenance work.

Agri Dept to launch drive against wheat virus

Sunday, February 15, 2009

By Jawwad Rizvi

LAHORETHE Punjab Agriculture Department has issued instructions to filed officers of irrigated districts of the province to start campaign against ‘Aphid’ attack on wheat crop. According to experts, punitive measures are crucial to protect wheat crop from Aphid virus at this stage. Wheat crop has now in the phase where the plant is prone to the attack of aphid due to intermittent temperatures. A letter issued by Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali to all district officers stated that Aphid damage was reported in previous year in Punjab. The Punjab Agriculture Department has made a comprehensive plan to avert loses from this particular virus attack, it said. The department had adopted biological and physical control such as sowing of brassica lines in wheat as part of the pre-emptive measures adopted for the purpose.The letter said the appearance of this pest had been reported and its population may increase in coming days and it was the right time to go for the second phase of the strategy to put Chrysoperla Cards in wheat to maximise the population of this friendly pest. Therefore, the department had advised the officers of Irrigated Districts of the province to place their demand with the laboratories of the department to install the cards for keeping the aphid population below threshold level. The Chrysoperla rearing facilities are available at six places in the Punjab and Vehari laboratory of the department would help Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Lodhran and Layyah districts to maximize the population of Chrysoperla (Aphid Lion) in accordance with the plan approved by the agriculture secretary.Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakpattan and Vehari districts would be taken care of by Pakpattan laboratory, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Bhakkar by TT Singh laboratory, Okara, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Lahore, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura and Hafizabad by Sahiwal Laboratory and Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal and Sialkot by Okara while Khushab, Sargodha, Mianwali and Gujrat districts would be taken care of by Faisalabad installation of the agriculture department.The letter advised that since gram and other winter vegetables were also in fields and it was feared that problem of Helicoverpa may cause damage to these crops and may shift to cotton as well, so the districts having area under gram and vegetable may also install Trichogramma Cards.