The Hindu : When consumers are denied their money's worth

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

When consumers are denied their money's worth

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 19. Consumers are being denied their money's worth due to various frauds practised by a section of unscrupulous manufacturers and traders, if the findings of the Legal Metrology Department here are any indication.

The law requires that the manufacturer declare the net weight of the commodity. Instead, some manufacturers declare the "gross weight'' of the commodity, which is illegal.

According to the Controller of the Legal Metrology Department, B. Satheesan, the illegal practice had come to the notice of the Department and a few cases had been registered in this regard. "This clearly is an offence under the Packaged Commodities Rules, 1977,'' he said.

For example, of the 15.8 kg gross weight declared by a palmolein manufacturer, one kg would be the weight of the container. Thus the consumer would be getting 200 g less of the commodity because the exact net weight to be declared by the manufacturer is 15 kg.

As per the rules, the offence was punishable with a fine of Rs.5,000, if it was committed for the first time and an imprisonment of six months if the offence was repeated for a second time.

The sale of spurious soda is also rampant in the city, according to Mr. Satheesan. Soda is sold in second-hand bottles without the name or address of the manufacturer, the content details, quantity and date of manufacture.

Used bottles of approved companies are procured by illegal manufacturers and the same bottles filled with soda would reappear in the market. The department was taking the matter seriously, Mr. Satheesan said.

The practice is punishable under the Packaged Commodities Rules, 1977. A fine of Rs.2,000 can be imposed if the offence is committed for the first time and second-time offenders can be jailed for up to six months.

As per the Standards of Weights and Measures Enforcement Act, 1985, the use of measurement units such as inch, foot, cents, acre, etc., is illegal. The internationally accepted SI system of units is followed in the country.

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When consumers are denied their money's worth