PUDUCHERRY:Following complaints from the public, the officials of the Legal Metrology wing of the administration swung into action and conducted checks at various shops selling helmets higher than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).
The officials, led by Assistant Controller of the wing, Kumaran, inspected ten helmet selling shops situated at Thiruvalluvar Salai, S V Patel Salai, Anna Salai, Kamaraj Salai. They seized 50 helmets from a shop at S V Patel Salai and five from a shop at Thiruvalluvar Salai after it was found that the products were priced much higher than MRP.
Controller of the Legal Metrology wing, S Abel Rozario, told Express on Thursday said that they have received several complaints from the public about the overpricing and decided to conduct checks.
He said the over pricing of helmets was an offence under the packaged commodities rules and officials have seized helmets from two shops.
In case the shop keepers want to compound the offence then they have to pay a penalty. In the case of second and third offence, they will be taken to the court, Rozario said.
Rozario said as per the rules, the shops have to display helmets with details of manufacturer, MRP, etc and sell it at the MRP.
The Controller said the officials will continue with their checks in the coming days also with a view to curb the overpricing.
According to a customer, a helmet, which costs Rs 800 is now being sold at Rs 1500 and the prices even crossed Rs 2500 for branded ones as the rush for buying helmet increased.
There was brisk sale of helmets in the last ten days following the order of the Madras High Court to the Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police making wearing of helmets mandatory. Helmets are mandatory for pillion riders as well.
Due to the order, residents of Puducherry region were also forced to wear the helmet when they pass through the areas of Tamil Nadu in the main national highways.
Huge rush was witnessed at helmet shops and according to some buyers “the shop keepers were pricing at their will” ignoring the MRP. There was shortage of helmets as the people from neighbouring Tamil Nadu districts also lined up to buy it from the shops here.
The official action on Thursday will send out a stern warning to the shop keepers and will hopefully keep the prices under check.