Tirupati: Onion woes haunt commoners

Tirupati: Onion woes continue to haunt common people everywhere. The prices have been skyrocketing and even crossed Rs.100 at local retail stores while in wholesale markets they are being sold above Rs.80 depending on the quality. As majority people use the commodity daily, they flay the state and central governments for their in action in bringing the prices under control.

The Commissioner of Marketing, government of AP PS Pradyumna has ordered the officials to get onions imported from Kurnool and sell them at subsidised price of Rs.25 per kg at Rythu Bazars in Tirupati and Chittoor.

For every two days 10 tonnes of onions were reaching the district and the marketing department officials have taken steps to sell five tonnes per day in the two markets. It is going on for the past 10 days.

However, due to the continuous downpour in Tirupati for the past three days, fresh stocks have not arrived from Kurnool and as such there was no sale of subsidised onions from Saturday. Officials are hoping to get it by Monday morning. When stocks are available, the sales start at about 9 am and continue till evening. People have to stand in long queues to get one kg onions from early in the morning waiting for the two counters to open.

By the time the sales begin, serpentine queue lines can be seen at Rythu Bazars with impatient customers waiting for their turn. The Rythu Bazar staff and sales persons were having a tough time to control the people who have been expressing their anguish to get onions.

Speaking to The Hans India, the Assistant Director of Marketing in Chittoor P Gopi has said that the subsidised sales will continue till the prices in the open market come down. To a question, he said that they were not asking for Aadhar card for selling onions following the instructions from higher officials.

But, people from other areas have been expressing their anger for not getting onions on subsidised rate. While people from nearby areas are reaching either Tirupati or Chittoor, others residing at far off places particularly from Western areas could not do so.

Adding to this, the prices of other vegetables are also soaring up continuously giving no respite to the people. Tirupati Rythu Bazar in charge Estate Officer said that they have been following the instructions of higher officials and having a tough time in dealing with the people.