Kukatpally: Six shops found to be selling surgical masks at exorbitant prices

Kukatpally: Based on a complaint from Sai Teja, the vice-president of Forum Against Corruption a FIR was registered on six medical shops for selling the surgical masks at exorbitant prices in Kukatpally and Serilingampally Zones.

As per the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) 1955, If the centre finds that a certain commodity is in short supply and its price is spiking, it can notify stock-holding limits on it for a specified period.

The list of items under the Act include drugs, fertilisers, pulses and edible oils, and petroleum and petroleum products.

Speaking about the complaints, Sai Teja said, "These medical shops across city are not authorised to raise their charges on their own it is against the ECA Act. When this thing came into my notice I sought help from the GHMC Zonal Commissioner Kukatpally Zone V Mamatha and Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar to conduct riots and take action on these shop owners."

The Kukatpally Zonal Commissioner conducted riots across her limits on Saturday and Monday.

So far, the GHMC team has levied fines of around Rs 15,000 and a total of 10 medical shops were booked and six cases filed in police station.