September 6, Shillong: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has raised concerns over the escalating prices of essential commodities in Meghalaya, calling on the state government to take immediate action. In a letter to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, VPP general secretary and Shillong MP Dr. Ricky AJ Syngkon highlighted several key issues contributing to the price rise.
VPP general secretary and Shillong MP Dr Ricky AJ Syngkon said in a letter to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma, “We urge the government to monitor and regulate the functioning of toll gates and check points along the highways, which significantly attributes to the increased cost of goods in the state.”
The party also demand which include the need for the government to ensure that farmers are not exploited by middlemen and that a fair price mechanism should be in place and administered to protect the interest of both the producers and the consumers from unjustified profiteering.
It also emphasized the need to strengthen the department of food and civil supplies to enforce government-fixed prices and address the widespread violations of these price controls and to address the tranportation challenges caused by the Umiam bridge being unsuitable for movement of heavy-loaded vehicles carrying goods (including essential commodities) to the city which are forced to take longer routes. This may have contributed to the sharp rise in prices due to increased transportation costs.
“Given that Meghalaya is dependent on supplies from outside the state, the government must urgently explore and create shorter alternative routes to ease the movement of goods,” Syngkon stated.
“If these steps are not taken in a timely manner, the VPP will be forced to take further action, including continued agitation, to demand justice for the people of Meghalaya,” he said.
On September 13, the VPP had staged a one-day sit-in-protest against the unprecedented price rise in Meghalaya. According to Syngkon, the VPP strongly believes that such alarming rise in prices is exacerbated by various factors, including the presence of multiple toll gates on the state and national highways, and the failures of authorities to prevent exploitation of farmers and consumers etc.