Hanamkonda: Consumers’ body launches survey on amendments to Legal Metrology Act

The Southern States Consumer Coordination Committee has launched surveys and awareness programmes seeking amendments to the Legal Metrology Act. The organisation wants inspections of weights and measures to be conducted once every six months to better protect consumer rights.

Hanamkonda: The Southern States Consumer Coordination Committee has planned to conduct surveys and awareness programmes with the aim of urging the Central government to reduce the Legal Metrology inspection interval to six months.

The Coordination Committee president Dr Pallepadu Damodar noted that the current practice, where Legal Metrology Inspectors inspect weights, measures and electronic scales in the market only once a year and subsequently rectify defects and affix seals, has failed to curb fraudulent practices.

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In this context, a publicity poster on ‘The Importance of Legal Metrology in Protecting Consumer Rights’ was released by District Legal Metrology Officer K Visweswaraiah, Consumer Confederation of India (CCI) national general secretary Sambharaju Chakrapani, Dr Damodar, State Committee joint secretaries Ravula Ranjith Kumar and Nalla Rajender.

Chakrapani observed that in the current liberalised business environment, which lacks stringent penalties, the protection of consumer rights was being compromised. He said amendments should be introduced to reinstate the practice of continuous inspection of weights and measures, as was done in the past, once every six months.

Dr Damodar emphasised that, before introducing any amendments to existing laws and regulations, the views and opinions of consumer associations must be taken into consideration. He said reducing the number of officials in the Legal Metrology Department, as proposed under the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, was detrimental and required immediate amendment.

Rajender informed that the feedback collection drive regarding amendments to the Legal Metrology Act was launched in Telangana on May 20 and would continue till June 4.

Ranjith Kumar noted that the malpractice of manipulating weighing scales to show short weights was rampant not only in fish and vegetable markets but also in highly sensitive sectors such as the gold jewellery trade, pharmacies and businesses dealing in cement and iron.