Delhi minister directs action against those found overcharging for essential items

Delhi food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain on Monday directed officials to take strict action against retailers or distributors found overcharging for essential items, including medicines, oxygen and injections remdesivir and tocilizumab that are needed for the treatment of Covid-19

Delhi food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain on Monday directed officials to take strict action against retailers or distributors found overcharging for essential items, including medicines, oxygen and injections remdesivir and tocilizumab that are needed for the treatment of Covid-19.

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“The minister directed senior officers to review the functioning of field staff on a daily basis. He further directed that at no cost should chemists, retailers or traders be allowed to take undue advantage of the health crisis. Violators and defaulters will be dealt with strictly, as per law,” said Hussain in a press statement issued on Monday.

He directed the constitution of a district-wise enforcement team, whose contact details must be prominently displayed on the department’s or the Delhi government’s website for the convenience of the public. Hussain also instructed senior officers to review the action taken by the field staff in this regard on a daily basis and to send a report daily by 5pm to his office, besides informing him personally about the action taken.

“I appeal to chemists, retailers, traders and manufacturers to scrupulously comply with the provisions of the packaged commodity rules and desist from overcharging for the benefit of consumers and join hands with the government in the fight against Covid-19,” Hussain said.

Packaged commodity rules prescribe mandatory declarations on the packaged commodities -- the name and address of the manufacturer/packer/importer; the common name of the product; the net quantity; month and year of manufacturing/packing and expiry; MRP (inclusive of all taxes) and name, address, telephone number of the person who can be contacted by the consumer in case of a complaint.

Failure to comply with rules renders the retailer/manufacturer/trader liable for prosecution under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, and the Packaged Commodities Rules, 2011.