Wholesalers at APMC markets across Maharshtra booked for flouting norms

About 117 APMC markets have been inspected across the Maharashtra, during which more than 284 cases were registered against wholesalers

After initiating a state-wide crackdown last week, officers from the Legal Metrology Organisation (LMO) booked 11 wholesalers from the Agricultural Produce Market Committee’s (APMC) market in Vashi, Kalyan and Panvel for violating weights and measurements norms. The wholesalers were found cheating on weights and marking of prices.

Cases have been registered against wholesalers for either not using standard weighing measurements, not stamping the weighing machines and for non-declaration of packaged goods for aspects such as maximum retail price (MRP), manufacturing date and manufacturer details(Pic for representation/ REUTERS)

Two wholesalers booked at the Vashi market were charged with non-declaration of packaged good and the third one using non-stamped weighing machine. While the wholesaler at Kalyan APMC was booked for using non-standard weighing equipment like stones instead of standard weighing measures. Similarly, seven traders at Panvel APMC were booked for not renewing their weighing measurements stamps annually.

About 117 APMC markets have been inspected across the Maharashtra, during which more than 284 cases were registered against wholesalers for either not using standard weighing measurements, not stamping the weighing machines and for non-declaration of packaged goods for aspects such as maximum retail price (MRP), manufacturing date and manufacturer details.

Welcoming the action against the wholesalers, the consumer activists said that they usually find variation in the weights of the product purchased from the wholesale and the retail markets.

“We generally purchase in wholesale from the APMC market and have noticed that the weight varies when the grocery is delivered at home. When questioned, trader blames moisture in the gunny bag or wastage during transportation to justify the difference. We are glad that the LMO is taking action, but it should be on a larger scale,” said Anuradha Deshpande, member of Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP).

The MGP supplies monthly groceries to 20,000 households in the city, which are its members.

Moreover, violation across APMC markets pertaining weighing scales means that not only consumers but even farmers are being cheated when they sell their produce to the traders. The LMO will penalise the accuse Rs 5000 per violation.

“We appeal to the consumers and the farmers to file their complaints with the Legal Metrology Organisation about any discrepancies they notice at the APMC in terms of weight or the maximum retail price and other information of manufacturer is not mentioned on the packaged goods,” said Amitabh Gupta, LMO controller.