A team led by the Department of Commerce (DoC) sealed Trishuli Mineral and Beverage at Manmaiju VDC-2, Kathmandu for not setting up laboratory with qualified technician for quality test. [break]
Tika Prasad Bhandari, market inspection officer of DoC, told Republica that the bottled water producer lacked laboratory and necessary technicians for quality test.
“We also found the company putting wrong labels on its products. It is surprising that the company didn´t think it necessary to set up a lab and hire technician to ensure quality of its product,” said Bhandari.
The team also shut down Siddhartha Bakery and Confectionary in Nayabazaar, Kathmandu for producing food commodity without acquiring license from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC). Food Act requires food producers to seek license from the DFTQC before starting operation.
Similarly, the team also raided Rajan Gas Service on the charge of hoarding different brands of LPG cylinders.
Bhandari said all three firms have been ordered to furnish written clarification to DoC and improve their production standard within five days.
The teams also comprised of representatives from Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO), consumer right groups and DFTQC.
In another case of black marketeering, a market inspection team of DFTQC found a small mill in Babar Mahal packaging substandard spices in the packet of BMC - a reputed producer of spices in India.
“We have sealed the mill owned by one Dharma Subedi after we found six workers packaging locally made spices in BMC packets,” said Pramod Koirala, spokesperson of DFTQC.
The team also comprised of representatives from Kathmandu DAO and consumer rights groups.
The DoC, Kathmandu DAO and DFTQC have been intensifying market monitoring after more than half a dozen eateries and gudpak producers in the capital were found producing and selling substandard foods.
According to our Pokhara correspondent Manoj Adhikari, a market inspection team has confiscated tainted food items worth thousands of rupees from various stores in the lake city.
The team dispatched by District Inspection Committee seized food items like biscuits, bread, juice, cake, lemon juice and titaura (sour candy) from various stores in Ram Bazar Monday. Most of these products were either substandard or had date expired, the committee said.
The committee has directed the owners of these stores to be present at District Administrative Office within next three days.
“During Dashain, when people buy food items in bulk, many stores tend to sell substandard products. We have also noticed packaged food items falling short of weight. These are done solely with the aim of profiteering,” Shambhu Kumar Jha, chief of Standard and Metrology Office, said.
However, Narayan Shrestha, operator of Narayani Provision Store, tried to shift the blame upon wholesalers, citing those stores were deliberately supplying substandard products to retail stores like his.
Whether it is the fault of wholesalers or retail stores, these acts directly violate the Consumer Protection Act.
During the course of inspection, the committee also found most of the stores had failed to put up price lists. The team has directed the owners to correct their mistakes within seven days, Jha said.
Related story
Hetauda FTQC Office files cases against 44 traders selling subs...
-1200x560-1781083488.webp)
