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Awareness drives help nab wily traders
The Legal Metrology Department registered a hike in the complaints following vast awareness on wily traders. So far, the department registered 11,149 cases between April 2017 and January 2018 compared to 9,611 during the previous year for the same period. A total of Rs 5.39 crore was collected as penalty during April-January in contrast with Rs 3.75 crore during the previous year.
Hyderabad: The Legal Metrology Department registered a hike in the complaints following vast awareness on wily traders. So far, the department registered 11,149 cases between April 2017 and January 2018 compared to 9,611 during the previous year for the same period. A total of Rs 5.39 crore was collected as penalty during April-January in contrast with Rs 3.75 crore during the previous year.
According to department officials, most of the complainants are from denizens working in MNCs, who send emails to the department after being cheated by traders, while others lodge complaints over phone. However, when the department officials seek their presence at the time of inspection over 90 per cent citizens shy away and do not turn up for ensuring the trader is booked.
Amongst the 43 different trades, the Legal Metrology Department registered more than 10,000 cases between April 2017 and January 2018, following which they conduct raids twice a week throughout the State.
For instance, 351 traders selling packaged drinking water at higher price were booked, while 254 petrol pumps owners who cheated customers were also booked. Amongst other traders, bullion (264 cases), steel, cement & hardware (793 cases), fertilisers and pesticides (430 cases) were booked.
Cases were registered under Packaged Commodities Rule -2011 and Legal Metrology Act -2009. “We have registered cases for overpricing (above MRP) and failure of trader to stamp their weighing machines,” said Siddharth Kumar, Assistant Controller of Legal Metrology.
Cases were booked against traders, including top hotels in the city, for selling packaged drinking water at a higher price, which sometimes is sold at a four-fold increase over MRP. The official said that the complaints received from petrol pumps were regarding cheating mostly. It could be because of technical reasons. “We do not rule out the possibility of intentional cheating. We are also keeping a tab on petrol pumps using chips,” added the official.
Decoy operations are planned by the Department to catch traders red-handed. As the officials cannot recognise a particular trader, an ‘unknown’ person is sent to check if the case is genuine. If the trader is found to be an offender, penalty will be levied depending on the gravity of the offence. Victims can file their complaints to the department on [email protected] and on Whatsapp no 9490165619.
