After the Central government has declared masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities, the Haryana government has ordered its officials to carry out operations against speculators and those involved in black marketing and over pricing amid the COVID-19 scare. The director of State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has asked the district food supplies controllers (DFSCs) to inspect pharmacies, chemists and drug wholesalers to ensure availability of products at reasonable prices. “As district head of consumer affairs, the DFSCs and their subordinate inspection staff shall visit chemist shops, pharmacies and drug wholesalers to check their stock of masks and hand sanitisers. Notably, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has regulated the production, quality, distribution, logistics of masks (2ply & 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitisers for COVID-19 management. Both masks and hand sanitisers have been brought under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, empowering States to regulate production, distribution and prices and also crackdown on hoarding and black marketing.

Source: The Hindu March 16, 2020 14:26 UTC