KMC intensifies market monitoring in Kathmandu ahead of festive season

KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has intensified its monitoring as black marketing activities have increased with the onset of the festive season.

The Consumer Rights Protection Committee of KMC said that it has monitored a total of 123 shops in three weeks.

The committee has intensified its inspections stating that malpractices such as arbitrary price hike, artificial shortage of daily necessities and supply of contaminated sweets have increased in recent days. It added that some traders have been found selling stale meat and contaminated water as the festive season nears.

During the market monitoring, KMC inspected the price list, business registration and renewal papers, certificate of the products’ weight, details to be disclosed on the label, management of expired goods, billing and issuance process, and food license in the shops.

The committee has recommended a fine of up to Rs 255,000 on 27 shops and companies. It has also urged the Department of Industry, Supply and Consumer Protection to take action against the erring businesses, said Hari Bhandari, chief of the Agriculture Division of KMC as well as the head of the committee.

He said, they will be fined under the Consumer Protection Act 2075 (2018). Till date, the department has collected fines worth Rs 1.287 million.

The committee also destroyed goods worth Rs one million from 11 shops that had been selling expired products including edible oil, biscuits, flour, noodles, bottled water, soft drinks, milk and sweets, among others. Likewise, it has directed 76 retail shops to get their businesses registered within seven days.

The committee had monitored vegetable and fruit shops in Kalimati, Balkhu, Naxal, Tinkune, Manohara, Machhapokhari and Kuleshwor in Kathmandu. Large warehouses of pulses, rice and oil were also monitored in Kuleshwor, Koteshwor, Balaju, Vanasthali and Battisputali areas.

The committee also arrested some people from Balkhu, Kalimati and Tinkune vegetable markets on the charge of black-marketing onions and confiscated 13,268 kg onions. The onions had been bought by the traders at Rs 46 per kg but they were selling it at Rs 130 per kg by creating an artificial shortage.

KMC will be inspecting the main sales centers of Kathmandu Valley from Ghatasthapana to Navami.