The action has been taken after a sudden market inspection carried out by ROSM which revealed widespread anomalies in plywood, tea and dairy industries in Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Illam and Siraha districts. [break]
"We have asked all these industries involved in wrongdoing to shut down their operations and be present at the office within three days," said Shashibhusan Yadav, chief of ROSM. The turnover of industries against whom actions are being taken ranges from Rs 50 million to Rs 200 million annually.
Yadav said the office is taking action against these firms as per the Standard, Weights and Measurement Act. “While monitoring, we came to know that they were flouting the laws for last 20 years,” he said, adding that the office is also preparing to file cases against them and investigate the extent of their wrongdoing.
Industries who are set to face action are Ambe Plywood of Jhapa, Mittal Plywood of Garamani, Annapurna Plywood of Lahan, Evergreen Plywood of Mirchaiya and Banktrace Woodplan of Sunsari, among others. Similarly, the office has also informed tea producers, including Gorkha Teat Estate, Ilami tea, Gurans Tea Estate, and Jun Chiyabari that it was taking action against them.
Nobel Dairy of Biratnagar and Ganesh Dairy of Morang, Katehari, are also set to face action for cheating customers.
"All these industries were producing low-quality goods and were also cheating customers in measurement," said Yadav. Officials at ROSM even suspect that these industries might be involved in black-marketeering and tax evasion. “We can also file cases under Revenue and Black Marketeering Act,” he added.
ROSM Officials said some of the tea producers were found operating business without obtaining any license. “Illami Tea and Dhankuta Tea Industry, on the other hand, were using uncertified measuring equipment,” he added.
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