Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, July 13: A team of LMD Rajouri and Poonch, led by Assistant Controller, Kewal Krishan, carried out surprise inspections on Jammu-Poonch National Highway.
The team checked various establishments including motor vehicles carrying clay baked construction bricks to various destinations. The team in two cases detected sale and supply of under-sized bricks compared to corresponding approved standard.
Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri has notified the size of clay baked bricks manufactured in the district as 22.86cmx11.43cmx7.62cm with rate as Rs.7.8 per brick (excluding GST). However, on examination and analysis, the average sample size came to be lesser than the sizes permissible under law.
Apart from this, the team also found one of the brick kiln firms providing ordinary handwritten cash memo instead of original GST bill to gullible customers and another was observed to be charging over and above the approved rates of bricks.
Inspector M.M. Qazi, booked 2 proprietor firm of brick kilns for various offences under Legal Metrology Act, 2009 including for sale of under sized bricks to consumer which is not an offence under Legal Metrology Laws but a serious offence under Consumer Protection law. On sensing gravity of matter, one of proprietors firm approached the department with application to get the case compounded.
The Assistant Controller on the assuarnce that all shortcomings with respect to size shall be rectified and resolved by the said proprietor firm besides adhering to approved rates, compounded the case for Rs 25000, while issuing legal notice to other offending party.
The Assistant Controller directed all the concerned to observe and establish applicable standard sizes of bricks and provide genuine GST bill to consumers besides desisting from overcharging. In addition to above, the team also imposed a fine of Rs.18000 on two traders for adopting anti-consumer practices.