KOCHI: The Legal Metrology Department has launched a crackdown on electronic goods wholesale and retail dealers who sell packed items without declarations or declarations in small font sizes flouting norms. On Tuesday, the department central zone conducted checks at several wholesale and retail outlets in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Idukki districts.
Recently, the amendments to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules had made declarations on products mandatory.Similarly, the declarations in the packages should be given in standard font size which can be easily seen by consumers.
R Rammohan, Deputy Controller, Legal Metrology, central zone, said 27 cases were registered following the crackdown in four districts. “We have found several wholesale dealers supply goods not according to the prescribed rules. Some of them were found charging in excess of the MRP printed on the packages. They will be fined if they flout the norms. If repeated, steps will be initiated to prosecute them. The crackdown will continue in the coming days,” he said. As many as eight cases have been registered for selling packed products with declarations in small font sizes. Similarly, 16 cases have been registered for selling packed products without declarations and three cases for charging exorbitant rates.
The checks held in various parts of Ernakulam district resulted in the department registering 10 cases.
A total of 12 cases have been registered in Thrissur, two cases in Idukki and three in Palakkad. In Ernakulam, raids were held at MG Road, Pallimukku, Tripunithura and North Paravoor.