Rs 58 lakh collected from Thane industrial units traders for violating Legal Metrology Act

Thane, Dec 10 (PTI) Around 400 cases were filed against industrial establishments, traders and shopkeepers in Thane district from January to November and Rs 58.32 lakh was collected as fines for violating an Act that enforces standards for weights and measures, an official said on Tuesday.
The Thane Legal Metrology Department said its detected violations of different provisions of the Act and followed it up with taking actions against industrial establishments, traders, and shopkeepers in the district in the first 11 months of the year.
The legislation in question, Legal Metrology Act, 2009, is designed to ensure fair trade practices by mandating periodic verification of weights and measures and proper declarations on packaged goods. Laws also prevent practices such as undercutting prices, selling goods in lesser quantities, and using uncertified weights.
Around 400 cases were registered against violators for failing to comply with provisions of the Act. The actions against erring industrial establishments, traders, and shopkeepers resulted in collection of Rs 58.32 lakh as fines, informed R F Rathod, Deputy Controller, Legal Metrology Department, Thane district.
Violations included failure to verify and stamp weights and measures within the prescribed time, selling goods in lesser quantities than declared, selling packaged goods at a higher price than printed and using uncertified weights and measures or undercutting prices, he said.
According to Rathod, violators were subjected to fines ranging between Rs 2,000 and Rs 25,000 depending on the nature of the offence.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)