Shirdi Administration Seals Three Shops for Overcharging Devotees on Pooja Items
Shirdi Administration Seals Three Shops for Overcharging Devotees on Pooja Items
Shirdi: In a crackdown on unfair trade practices, the Shirdi Municipal Council (SMC) and Shirdi police sealed three shops for selling pooja items at inflated prices to devotees visiting the Sai Baba Temple.
Officials stated that multiple complaints were received regarding exorbitant pricing of essential pooja items such as flowers, coconuts, incense sticks, and prasad. Acting on these reports, municipal authorities conducted an inspection and found that some shopkeepers were charging unreasonably high rates, taking advantage of pilgrims.
Following the inspection, three shops were identified for violating fair trade practices and were immediately sealed.
A senior SMC official said, “Devotees visit Shirdi for spiritual purposes, and exploiting their faith by overpricing religious items is unacceptable. Strict action will be taken against any shop engaging in such malpractices.”
SMC Chief Officer Satish Dighe emphasized that the sale of items within the Sai Baba Temple premises is banned as per court guidelines. He added, “Many shopkeepers were found selling pooja-related items at inflated rates, prompting this action. A meeting will soon be held to finalize guidelines for better regulation.”
Authorities have warned vendors and shopkeepers to adhere to fair pricing policies and maintain transparency in their transactions. Devotees have also been urged to report any instances of overcharging to the administration.
