Sharks in the market

Prices of items at Dimapur market are higher than at nearby Bokajan and Khatkhati, under Karbi Anglong district, Assam. While Khatkhati is around 8.2 kilometers and Bokajan is around 17.4 kilometers from Dimapur the differences in rates of various items between Dimapur and the two, cannot be justified under any circumstances. Since the distance between Dimapur and the other two small town under Karbi Anglong district are not at all far, the difference of market prices between Khatkhati/Bokajan and Dimapur does not make sense. Demand for various items were more than ten times that in Khatkhati and Dimapur and so, bulk purchases also mean reduction of wholesale rate particularly since storage godowns are part of the business promotion cycle. To cite an instance, the price of one 50-kg bag of cement (Dalmia, Star)etc at Khatkhati is around Rs.470 to Rs.480 whereas, it is sold for around Rs.490 per to Rs.500 per kg at Dimapur. Prices are expected to follow a rational norm and should be determined on the basis of percentage and not lump sum slab. Even steel rod (M.S.Round) exhibited a similar trend between the prevailing rate at Khatkhati, some 8 kms from
Dimapur. Prices of various items in Dimpaur has been taken care of by ’sharks’ or middlemen or syndicates who impose extraordinary syndicate tax. The general public are quick to blame various political groups for being responsible for the unnatural hikes. However, it may be noted that syndicates are created by underground mafia as well as certain organisations remote controlled by a select individuals having links with all underground groups as well as so-called trade unions at Dimapur. Even after withdrawal or closing down of various check gates to prevent various armed groups and civil society organisations (CSOs) from indulging in illegal collection of taxes; various government agencies and other CSOs have set up mobile check posts to continue with collection since the windfall provided by illegal income is too good to be true. Beside these invisible check gates, the helpless customers and public of Dimapur cannot escape from the clutches of the predators who have imposed control over distribution and sale of various items. Syndicates in Dimapur are nothing less than self-styled illegal and self-styled parallel authorities who are a law unto themselves and who appoint dealers for various items on payment of extortionate amount and ensure that non-syndicate dealers are not allowed to operate freely. This is one of the main reasons for the high cost of various items in Dimapur in comparison with the price of various items at Khatkhati or Bokajan. Check gates may have been dismantled but those who have been milking the market have better and more ingenious ways to ensure they rule the market. These mafia-like stranglehold over the market by various organisations be it government agencies, factions or syndicates has the potential of eventually suffocating the economy of Dimapur. In order to provide some kind of relief for the harassed customers in Dimapur, various traders at Khatkhati and Bokajan are offering items priced 30% below the market rates at Dimapur. This only fits into a plan conceptualised several decades back, to make Khathati and Bokajan as the main markets for customers of Dimapur. Unfortunately, the so-called unions, associations, syndicates and factions in Dimapur, have only made this a reality.