Shimla Distt. admin to crack whip on the Pvt. School-Businessman cartel

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The Private School Management and Businessman duo running stationary cum book seller cartel is first time under the scanner of the Shimla district authorities as the magisterial probe has been launched recently.

‘If you are the parents of modern day school children you may be well aware of the day to day to itinerary of yours kin and kith being handed over to you on frequently.” Additional Deputy Commissioner Mr. D.K. Rattan told UNI when asked about the action being taken.

He said that it may be beyond the control of parents during the annual admission time when a lists of books, school dress and clothe are being handed over to them to be taken from the one stationary particular shop in the town.

We have received a number of complaints of parents and also media clippings revealing the nexus between private school management and stationary shops businessman cartel who cater few schools charging exorbitant rate of books, note books, school bags and school shoes.

Officer said that parents are left with no option to buy books or stationary at exorbitant rates owing to monopoly of booksellers despite facing this open plunder parents hardly raise their voices by overcharging this cartel which is making a hole in their pockets.

It is high time to nail down this nexus from the buds as district administration got written complaints from parents who had also provided with the video footage showing how some book sellers overcharge for the books and notebooks.

Serious note should have been taken earlier however, taking charge of the Deputy Commissioner Shimla Mr. Rohan Thakur already appointed a magisterial probe issuing the letter to all the private school in the district to submit their fee structure, commission or gifts being taken from the businessmen in lieu of procuring bulk orders.

Complaint maintains that the books and note books have on the print rate pasted stickers with new rates, he added. The complainants have maintained that there was 100 percent overcharging as books with Rs 20 print rates have sticker of Rs 50. Similarly the books costing Rs 50 have been Rs 70 stickers on the printed rate.

Sub-divisional Magistrate Urban, Shimla Mr. Negi has been handed over the inquiry to probe the matter, said D K Rattan. After the inquiry some private schools had submitted their fee structure however, it has yet to receive reply from many of them as deadline ended today, Mr. Rattan added.

“Almost 50 % of the schools have submitted the requisite information that includes fee structure we had asked for. Those who do not submitted will be sent a reminder before initiating any action,” he said.

Even the Parent Teacher Association of one of the private schools at Sanjauli had met the DC Rohan Chand Thakur and Shimla Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Tikender Singh Panwar on the issue of fee hike on May 5, seeking their intervention.

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