NEW DELHI: The Union home ministry on Wednesday asked states to ensure availability of essential goods and to prevent any hoarding or black marketeering, given the supply shortage due to the lockdown because of covid-19.
Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla wrote to the chief secretaries of states asking them "to take urgent steps to ensure availability of essential goods, by invoking provisions of the Essential Commodities (EC) Act 1955," including fixing stock limits, capping prices, enhancing production and inspection of accounts of dealers. "Offences under EC Act are criminal offences and may result in imprisonment of seven years or fine or both.