TIRUCHY: Officials of the labour department conduct inspections and take punitive action regularly, yet the use of manipulated, and unauthosied weighing scales continue to be used across Tiruchy’s busy markets.
According to sources, in the last eight months inspections were carried out at several places, including NSB Road, Gandhi Market, the Central Bus Stand, Singarathoppu market and Uzhavar Sandhai.
At least four raids were conducted on NSB Road, five in Gandhi Market, three near the Central Bus Stand and four in Singarathoppu, apart from periodic checks in other vending zones. Several faulty weighing instruments were seized during the raids, however, complaints of violations remain unabated.
A senior labour department official said enforcement remains a challenge. “Most vendors do not have permanent addresses, making it difficult to initiate penal action or track repeat offenders. Though fine of up to Rs 50,000 can be imposed as per law on repeat offenders, it is often not practical. Hence, seizure of faulty weighing instruments remains the primary action,” the official said.
Officials noted that vendors employ several deceptive techniques to manipulate weights. These include attaching concealed metal plates beneath weighing scales, tampering with digital devices by switching measurement modes, and offering misleading pricing combinations such as 1 kg for Rs 80 and 1.5 kg for Rs 100.”
Ansardeen Abdulhameed, a member of the AITUC street vending committee in Tiruchy, said that while associations are working to sensitise vendors, enforcement gaps remain. “There are multiple associations, and not all vendors fall under a single regulatory structure,” he noted.
M Jeevanatham, state deputy secretary of Makkal Kalai Ilakiya Kazhagam, said that during raids last week, faulty weights were found only among a section of vendors, and around eight weighing instruments were seized.
Consumers echoed similar concerns. Deepa Lakshmi of Palakarai, said such practices tend to decline immediately after inspections but resurface later. “They follow proper methods for a short period after raids, but gradually return to old practices,” she said.
A senior Labour Department official said that under the Legal Metrology Act, the use of unverified or tampered weighing instruments is a punishable offence, and added that the department will continue intensified inspections and awareness drives to protect consumer interests.
