‘Prices to come down within ten days’: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asks police and EB to raid markets

“Within the next 10 days prices should reduce in markets. Enforcement Branch and police should visit markets,” said the chief minister during the meeting with was beamed live.

“A section of people are doing this for profit and artificial crisis is being created,” she said.

The task force formed to check the increasing prices should have regular meetings, said Banerjee, adding that she wanted price reports every week.

“I asked the chief secretary and home secretary to be present in the meeting along with ADG law and order and representatives of Kolkata police,” she said.

Stating that the onion prices have risen to Rs 50 per kg, the chief minister questioned why it is being imported from Nasik despite state produce that “are also going out to Bangladesh”.

She said the ministry for agriculture should look into the matter and “first ensure the state’s demands of onion are met before exporting it”.

Banerjee has asked the state administration to build more multipurpose cold storages, so that other vegetables apart from potatoes and onion can be stored.

Aiming to avoid dependency on other states, the chief minister has urged various departments to work towards self-sufficiency in fish and onions. “We are going to be self-sufficient in eggs this December,” said Banerjee.

The prices of some vegetables are low as compared to last year but people are suffering, the chief minister said. “The prices of tomato, onion, brinjal, okra, bottle gourd and others are very high,” she said.