Kolkata, Jul 10 (IANS): The task force set up by the West Bengal government to check prices of essential commodities in retail markets, sprang into action on Wednesday.

The task force made spot visits to different retail markets to review the situation a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directed it and other arms of the state administration to take action to bring down prices of vegetables in the next 10 days.

The task force was accompanied by Enforcement Branch (EB) personnel and state police and personnel from the markets division of the municipal bodies.

The task force asked retail sellers why they were selling items at high rates.

Most retailers informed the task force that since they were themselves purchasing the vegetables at premium prices from the wholesale market, they were forced to charge higher rates from end consumers.

Rabindranath Kolay, a task force member, told media persons that while the concern of the retailers was understandable, they were requested to minimise their profit margins for the time-being so that the end consumers were not impacted.

“We will also be visiting the wholesale markets. Then after comparing the rates quoted at the wholesale markets with that in the retail markets, we will adopt corrective measures to bring prices under control. I hope this method will work and the prices of vegetables in the retail markets will be brought under control,” Kolay said.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lambasted a section of big potato traders for the high price of the staple vegetable in the retail market.

She pointed out that hoarding by big traders was responsible for the price of potatoes reaching Rs 35 a kg in the retail markets, when the potato farmers were selling them at Rs 15 per kg.