The Department of Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection, Nagaland, has directed traders, dealers, retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, packers and others engaged in trade and commerce to strictly comply with legal metrology and consumer protection laws.
The department said Legal Metrology Officers will conduct inspections and enforcement activities throughout the state to ensure compliance with the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 and other applicable laws and rules.
The department has directed all concerned to ensure that weights, measures and instruments used for trade and commercial transactions are duly verified and stamped within the prescribed period.
It has also prohibited the use of unverified, unstamped, defective, unclean, non-standard or otherwise unsuitable weighing and measuring instruments for commercial transactions.
According to the department, all transactions involving goods sold by weight, measure or number must be carried out using prescribed standard units and duly verified instruments.
The department has further directed traders and dealers to ensure that all pre-packaged commodities comply with mandatory declarations under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. These include details such as net quantity, maximum retail price (MRP), and the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or importer, along with other applicable particulars.
Traders and dealers have also been instructed to maintain and produce licences, certificates, verification certificates, records and other documents required under the applicable laws and rules.
The department specifically warned against practices resulting in short delivery, incorrect weighing or measurement, or any other violation of legal metrology provisions.
It said the directions would take effect immediately and advised all traders and dealers to ensure full compliance and cooperate with officials during inspection and enforcement activities.
The department stated that any violations detected during inspections would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and applicable laws and rules, including penalties and other proceedings.