Nepal

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has set out on a Dashain market monitoring drive, inspecting vegetable, meat and grocery shops along Tukucha banks. 

A metropolis team, led by Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol, inspected the quality of products, including their expiry dates, the manufacturer's address, and the registration of shops. The team also checked if the shopowners were providing bills to the customers.

Speaking with the media, Dangol said that a lot of the shop owners weren't aware of the registration and that the inspection team found a lot of unhealthy products being put up for sale. 
"We have made shop owners aware of legal repercussions," the deputy mayor said, adding that the KMC inspectors found most customers oblivious to the quality of products."

She vowed that such surveillance would be continued beyond Dashain. 

Due to high demands, unscrupulous shop owners and manufacturers often adulterate food products, sell bootleg products and price gouging.

The KMC team even found a fair price kiosk run by the state-owned  Food Management and Trading Company Limited selling products without manufacturing date. 

However, Gyanu Thapa who heads Bagmati Provincial denied selling such items. She claimed the date could have been erased during shipping. 

"However, we will try to improve on our end and take suggestions from the KMC," said Thapa.
Chairperson of Consumer Rights Research Forum Madhav Timilsina hit out at the FMTC, saying: "It's very disappointing that even state-owned enterprises are selling unhealthy food items, showing utter negligence towards consumer health." 

Urging the government enterprises to be transparent, he expressed hope that the market monitoring will continue to ensure the quality and quantity of goods.

Market monitoring was conducted at Gamgadhi, district headquarters of Mugu, on Sunday and Monday.

A joint team comprising representatives from District Administration Office, Chhayanath-Rara Municipality, District Police Office, Livestock Office, civil society, and media conducted the market monitoring.

Inspectors destroy date-expired products

The office of industry and consumers' protection has started monitoring markets in view of the Dashain and Tihar festivals.

While monitoring over two dozen shops at Gamgadhi, an inspection team found foodstuffs worth tens of thousands of rupees being put up for sale despite having past their label dates. 

The team confiscated and destroyed such items, including cold drinks, chocolate, horlicks, century spice, and turmeric.

The monitoring team was jointly led by Assistant Chief District Officer Khadga Bahadur Rokaya, and Chairperson of Consumers' Rights Protection Office Krishna Bahadur Bohara. 

Civil society member in the district Rup Bahadur Malla said the stakeholders concerned must conduct such market monitoring every three months. 

With RSS inputs