Jumla shopkeepers found selling inedible food products

JUMLA, June 17: Stores in Khalanga, the district headquarters of Jumla, have been found openly selling inedible, underweight and expired products.



The issue came to light after a monitoring team led by Deputy Chief District Officer of Jumla, Dharma Raj Neupane, found three sacks of inedible products in different stores in Khalanga during market inspection.



“Stores have been found selling food items unfit for consumption through the backdoor,” Neupane said, adding: “Customers should be aware of the quality of products that they are consuming before buying.”



Neupane also requested consumers to develop the habit of asking for bills while shopping.



The team seized 16 different items, including food and beverages, worth around Rs 28,200 from different shops. The items were destroyed in the presence of concerned stakeholders, according to the local administration.



District Administration Office, Jumla, has instructed shopkeepers to not sell inedible food products. Similarly, it has requested consumers to inspect expiry date before buying anything.



Consumers, however, said that unscrupulous traders were taking advantage of the government's inaction by selling expired food products. 



Neupane said the local administration will intensify market monitoring. “We will conduct monitoring at least once a month. If possible, we will do it every fortnight now onwards,” he added.

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Over four dozen shops face music 

Meanwhile, the local administration has brought to book more than four dozen shops who were operating without fulfilling criteria specified by the government.



According to Neupane, the shops did not have sign boards and Permanent Account Number (PAN). “They also were not displaying price list of commodities,” he added.



The shops were fined Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000. 



The local administration has directed the shopkeepers to pay the fine within a week.



Despite direction from the local administration, local shopkeepers have been found selling expired, substandard and underweight food products, among others.



Representatives of Taxpayers Service Office, police, Directorate of Animal Health, Cottage and Small Industry Development Office, local chamber of commerce and media personnel, among others, were in the monitoring team.