DM invokes EC Act to control potato price hike

Invoking Essential Commodities Act of 1973, Cuttack district magistrate has directed a Jagatpur-based cold storage unit to update the administration about daily stock of potato in the unit.
The order, issued yesterday, said stock from the storage unit would not be lifted without the permission of the district administration in view of the current short supply of potato in Odisha market.
The storage unit is believed to have over 38,500 quintals of potato and the district administration has decided to distribute this stock through fair price shops under PDS scheme in order to put a check on the skyrocketing of potato price hike, official sources said.

Reports said truck-loads of potato from West Bengal are stranded on roads and the trucks are not entering into Odisha border reportedly on the instructions of West Bengal government without citing any reasons.
Although the state has substantial quantity of potato and efforts are on to bring the stock from elsewhere, the halt in movement of potato-laden trucks from West Bengal have triggered price hike of this essential vegetable.
Reacting to the reported issue, Bajrang Dal activists here yesterday stopped some fish-laden trucks that were on its way to West Bengal shouting slogans saying 'Release potato to take fish'.