THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will take stern action if charged exorbitant prices for Covid essential items. The Legal Metrology Department will be given charge to implement the Essential Property Control Act. It is learned that government notification will be issued soon to solve the shortcomings in the order. With this, the Legal Metrology, Civil Supplies and Health Departments will jointly proceed with the checking process.

The civil supplies department had on May 14 fixed the prices of 15 essential items including masks, sanitizers and PPE kits. However, there has been an uncontrolled inflation in the market for unavailable items including oximeters. Exploitation in the market was discussed at the cabinet meeting yesterday amid widespread complaints that traders were overcharging for such items.

As per the order issued after fixing the price, only civil supplies inspection wing and drugs controller coming under the control of the health department can take action. Both groups are busy with Covid defences and food distribution. It is in this context the government decided to authorise Legal Metrology Department under the Kerala Essential Property Control Act.

Once Legal Metrology Department is allowed to inspect, the three departments will start a joint inspection to find excess price. The departments of health and civil supplies can only carry out inspections as per the Package Commodity Act. However, the Legal Metrology Department will be able to intervene more severely than the Package Commodity Act. The government has also directed police special branch to reduce the prices of Covid essential items.