Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 9: Acting on the complaint of overcharging on sale of cement, a joint team of officers of Legal Metrology Department and Police conducted raids in Satwari, Airport Road, Karan Bagh, Chatha and Talab Tillo areas.
Four traders namely M/s Manish Traders, M/s S.L Building Materials, M/s Manhas Cement Depot and M/s Mahalaxshmi Hardware Store were booked under the relevant provisions of Legal Metrology Act and Rules.
The team found that a racket of traders was involved in smuggling cement of branded companies from Punjab with marked MRP of Rs 355 for ACC Cement, Rs340 for Ultratech Cement and Rs 340 for Ambuja Cement.
“The cement is sold to the consumers at higher rates as the MRP for J&K is Rs 550 approx for these brands and no genuine bills were given to the consumers for the purchase of cements”, a spokesman of LMD said, adding “the team also ascertained facts from manufacturers of cement companies about the existence of their dealers at Kathua which did not exist on their record”.
“The officers of companies also informed the department that colour of bags meant for J&K and Punjab are different. The team seized the record and bills of firms of Kathua and will be sent to Commercial Taxes Department for ascertaining the authenticity”, the spokesman said, adding “790 cement bags were seized with deceptive MRP and kept in the custody of police and proceedings were initiated against the defaulters for overcharging”.
Similar raids will be conducted in other areas to check that no overcharging is done by any traders.
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