Siliguri mayor Goutam Deb has urged the Darjeeling district magistrate to closely monitor the inflated prices of vegetables and other goods in various markets across Siliguri.
In a statement to the media, mayor Deb today expressed concern over the artificial price hike and the significant price differences between wholesale and retail markets for many products.
Following orders from chief minister Mamata Banerjee, a meeting was held with the Darjeeling DM to request continued surveillance by government officials in the market.
Mayor Deb stressed the importance of not discontinuing this effort after only one day, and urged for surprise visits by administrative officers in various markets in Siliguri to combat artificial price hikes of essential items.
On the other hand, in light of a recent incident where a woman was indirectly hit by a school bus and subsequently passed away, mayor Deb also implored the Darjeeling district magistrate to conduct an impartial investigation to ensure justice for the victim’s family.
He also requested for checks on the fitness and insurance papers of school buses. Furthermore, the commissioner of SMC has written to the commissioner of police to initiate an unbiased investigation into the accident involving a school bus that resulted in a fatality.
Additionally, it was discussed that both the police and transport department will work together to address these issues.
According to Mr Deb, many English-medium private schools charge exorbitant fees from their students and it is their responsibility to comply with transportation regulations when operating school buses.