Govt weighs in with test scales to rein in errant shopkeepers

Under the initiative, test weighing scales would be installed at all major market places, parks and government offices where consumers having bought any weighable commodity can weigh them themselves and lodge a complaint online to the department immediately if there is any discrepancy

In an effort to protect consumer rights, Bihar’s agriculture department has launched an online process of receiving complaints against unscrupulous shopkeepers who tamper with weighing scales and would be installing test weighing scales in various locations in the state capital in a phased manner, a top official said.

The weights and measures division, entrusted with the responsibility of checking the accuracy of all types of weighing scales and metal weights, comes under the agriculture department. (HT Photo)

Under the initiative, test weighing scales would be installed at all major market places, parks and government offices where consumers having bought any weighable commodity ( be it grocery, edible items including fish, mutton and sweets) can weigh them themselves and lodge a complaint online to the department immediately if there is any discrepancy.

“We have already put test weighing scales at 421 locations, mostly in block headquarters, across the state. Now, we are working on putting big test weighing scales at different locations in Patna and other major cities in the next few months. This will help consumers who are often cheated with less quantity of purchased items due to manipulation of weighing machines,” said Adesh Titarmare, director, agriculture department.

The weights and measures division, entrusted with the responsibility of checking the accuracy of all types of weighing scales and metal weights, comes under the agriculture department.

Titarmare said there have been growing complaints of inaccuracy in weighing scales being used by business establishments in Patna and other places.

“The consumers can lodge their complaints in our newly launched site maaptaul.bih.nic.in and their complaints would be redressed at the earliest. Till recently, the process of lodging complaints related to inaccurate weights and measurements was a bit tedious,” said Titarmare.

He said the grievance lodging system is linked with the right to public grievance redressal system.

Officials said the department has also tightened the process of issuing licence and yearly renewal of weighing scales and other equipment used by shopkeepers across the state and weighing kiosks at the state and national highways in a bid to increase revenue and also check tampering.

This year, the revenue target by the weights and measures division has been kept at ₹40 crore, by way of grant of new licences, their renewal and penalties collected by errant shopkeepers. All field inspectors have been asked to conduct random inspections of business establishments periodically.

“All inspections by field officers would now be monitored through an app so that they do not have enough room to cover up any act of pilferage or manipulation in weight scales by shopkeepers. Once an inspector visits a shop, he has provide feedback about the weighing scale in the app, which is geo-tagged where images would have to be posted online,” said another senior official of agriculture department.

The department has already installed weighing scales at the entrance gates of three airports in Patna, Gaya and Darbhanga, where passengers going to board the aircraft can first check the weight of their luggage and offload some items if it’s beyond the permissible limit fixed by air service operators. Usually, air service operators allow each passenger to carry luggage weighing up to 15 kg and levy extra charges per kg for additional luggage.

Right measures

Weighty matters

Test weighing scales have already been set up at 421 locations, mostly in block headquarters, across the state and one each at airports in Patna, Darbhanga and Gaya.

Complaint a click away

Consumers can lodge their complaints in newly launched site maaptaul.bih.nic.in. The grievance lodging system is linked with the right to public grievance redressal.