Delhi to check hoarding of sanitisers, masks

The Delhi government on Monday issues directives against hoarding or selling of santizers and masks on inflated rates.

In a meeting with officials, Food and Supplies Minister Imran Hussain directed FIRs against hoarders or malpractice followed by surprise visits to keep a check on such practices.

He also reviewed on Monday the compliance of Packaged Commodity Rules in regard to sale of essential medical commodities by chemists, retailers, shopkeepers, manufacturers, traders etc. with regard to the sale of face masks, surgical masks, hand sanitisers, other essential items/medicines used for control and prevention of spread of Covid-19.

During the meeting, the Minister directed the senior officers to immediately depute all the field functionaries to various parts of Delhi to check the instances of overcharging of prices beyond Maximum Retail Price (MRP), if any, and take immediate necessary punitive action against chemists, dealers, retailers, shopkeepers, manufacturers, traders etc. who are found indulging in fraudulent activities during the sale of such essential and vital items.

He said since sanitisers have been declared as essential commodity under the Essential Commodities Act, actions can be taken against dealers involved in their hoarding and black-marketing.

"Overcharging means a consumer is charged more than the MRP. For the offence, the retailer/manufacturer/trader etc.is prosecuted under Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the Packaged Commodities Rules, 2011," the Minister said in a statement.

Legal Metrology Department has also been tasked for enforcing compliance of Packaged Commodity Rules and also to educate citizen about mandatory declarations on the packaged commodities -- the name and address of the manufacturer/packer/importer, the common name of the product in the package, the net quantity, month and year of manufacturing or pre-packing, MRP (inclusive of all taxes) and name, address, telephone number of the person who can be contacted by the consumer in case of a complaint.

Hussain also directed that at no cost, the chemists, retailers, traders etc. should be allowed to take undue advantage of the health crisis due to the pandemic nature of the coronavirus.

"The violators and defaulters must be immediately proceeded against, strictly as per law," he said. IANS