Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram): With the prices of everyday essentials spiralling and reports of shortages surfacing across the Islands, ANTCC Campaign Committee Chairman TSG Bhasker has called for immediate intervention by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, warning that the unchecked price rise is placing an increasingly unbearable burden on ordinary households.
In a letter to the Director, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Bhasker said the prices of almost all essential commodities have risen sharply over the past few months, hitting middle-class and economically weaker families particularly hard. He pointed to steep increases in the prices of grains, sugar, cooking oil, vegetables, fruits and other perishables, medicines and household necessities, besides several other commonly used items.
The reported escalation in potato prices has emerged as a particularly stark example of the worsening situation, with the commodity reportedly selling for as much as ₹180 per kg in some places. Such prices, Bhasker said, are making even basic food items increasingly unaffordable for islanders.
Seeking an immediate inquiry, he urged the Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department to determine whether the abnormal price rise is being driven by supply shortages, transportation costs, distribution bottlenecks, hoarding, profiteering or other factors. He also called for effective market monitoring and strict enforcement against any malpractice that may be contributing to artificial scarcity or price escalation.
Bhasker stressed that ensuring a regular, adequate and affordable supply of essential commodities must be treated as a priority, particularly given the Islands’ dependence on mainland supplies and the additional transportation costs involved. He urged the Administration to take corrective measures across the supply and distribution chain and restore prices to reasonable levels before the situation worsens further.
“The people of Andaman & Nicobar Islands should not be forced to bear the burden of unchecked price rise and shortages of basic necessities. The Administration must urgently intervene and ensure that essential commodities remain available at reasonable prices,” Bhasker said.
The demand comes amid growing concerns over the rising cost of living in the Islands, with consumers increasingly being squeezed by higher prices of food, medicines and other household essentials.
