'Weights and Measures Department safeguards consumers' interest'
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, August 08 2016: Weights and Measures Depart ment, Government of Manipur safeguards the interest of the consumers by standardizing various weighing machines, weights and other measures so that consumers are not denied the correct amount of any item he/she purchase from the market, said Laitonjam Nripendra Kumar, Controller of Weights and Measures Department, Government of Manipur today at the 56 th press conference organized by DIPR at its office complex.

Nripendra Kumar further informed that the Weights & Measures Department is responsible for periodical verification of all the measuring instruments utilized by the manufacturers, industries, trade, public and private sector establishments.

The verification exercise is carried out at the office of the Inspector, Legal Metrology.

Legal Metrology Officers also conduct surveillance of markets / trading and factory premises.

If any is found to have violated the rules, the offender shall be booked apart from seizing of the weighing and measurement equipment.

Cases of first offence may be compounded by the officers not less than the rank of Assistant Controller, Legal Metrology or Controller of Legal Metrology, Manipur.

According to the Controller, the department functions under the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act 2009, Manipur Legal Metrology (Enforcement ) Rules, 2011, Legal Metrology ( Package Commodities) Rules , 2011, Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011 and Legal Metrology ( Approval of Model) Rules, 2011 .

Asked about the rampant use of faulty weighing scales by the shopkeepers especially women fishmongers, Ng Hemabati Devi, Lady Assistant Controller, Weights and Measures said that she and her team would carried out drives for at least four days in a week in the fish market areas at Kwairamband Ima market.

She informed that her team on the average would confiscate ten weighing scales in a day.

She also listed various means adopted by some of these fishmongers to manipulate the weight which include making a whole in the weight and covering it up.

Nripendra Kumar said all the meters at petrol pumps are verified and sealed by the Department and local manufacturing of measuring cans have been stopped completely as those firms refused to manufacture the cans under a license and by maintaining proper standardization practices.

He also informed that the department has so far issued licences to 37 dealers to sell weights, scales, cans and other measuring instruments including seven dealers for electronic scales.

Talking about pre-packed commodities, he said it is mandatory to print name and address of the manufacturer/packer, name of the commodities, net quantity or number, date of packing, MRP(inclusive of all taxes) and e- mail address on the package or in label affixed to the package.

Comment