Traders booked for irregularities in Itagar

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITAGAR, March 9: A total of 14 irregularities were detected by the Inspector of Legal Metrology & Consumer Affairs here, during an announced inspections conducted at Gandhi Market for violation of various provisions of the Legal Metrology Acts & Rules.

The inspection team led by Assistant Controller Amrit Taba found that the traders were selling packaged commodities beyond maximum retail price printed on the packages and without obtaining proper registration from the concerned authorities for selling of such packaged items. Some of the traders were also found transacting business with the use of unverified weights and measures, which is a violation of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. Accordingly, cases were booked against the defaulting traders under the Act, an official release informed here today.

Making an appeal to all conscious consumers of the area to keep vigil on unscrupulous trade practices, the department has requested the citizens to come forward with their grievances either to the nearest office of the Legal Metrology & Consumer Affairs Department, or to lodge complaints at the nearest District Forum.

The department has also appealed the traders to avoid any kind of mal-practice like hooking of weighing balance, use of stone/iron pieces as weights, smudging of printed price etc.

The release informed that any weight and measure used during commercial transactions should have to be duly verified by the concerned Legal Metrology officer of the area before these are put to use.

Under the Legal Metrology Act, it is mandatory for every user of weights & measures to get their weights & measures verified before initiation of commercial transactions. Similarly, every packaged commodities meant for sale should have mandatory declaration on a level affixed thereto as regards weight, measures or number, date of manufacture/packing, expiry, maximum retail price (inclusive all taxes).

No use of additiol price sticker is allowed except in case of reduction of prices supported by authorized logo of the company/manufacturer. Tempering of origil printed price is also a punishable offence, the release added.