Jammu: The Legal Metrology Department (LMD) has issued 60 improvement notices and booked 71 challans across Jammu and Kashmir in October so far as part of an intensified enforcement drive to check violations and protect consumers during the festival season.
The inspections, conducted under the supervision of Controller Legal Metrology J&K Shiv Kumar Gupta, have focused on short delivery, underweight commodities, use of unverified weights and measures, and violations of mandatory declarations on packaged goods.
The department has also imposed penalties amounting to ₹3.50 lakh in cases involving short delivery of fuel, underweight commodities and failure to comply with improvement notices within the prescribed period.
Under the Jan Vishwas framework, improvement notices are being issued, wherever applicable, to allow traders and commercial establishments to rectify identified violations within the stipulated time. Failure to comply has led to further legal action, including penalties in appropriate cases, the department said.
Alongside inspections, the department has been conducting consumer awareness camps and programmes for traders to explain legal metrology requirements, compliance procedures and the improvement notice mechanism.
The department has advised consumers to check the maximum retail price (MRP), net quantity and mandatory declarations on packaged commodities, verify promotional offers and discounts, insist on bills and ensure that the quantity delivered matches the quantity paid for.
Consumers have also been urged to report suspected violations to the nearest Legal Metrology office for appropriate action.