KATHMANDU, Nov 2: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) collected Rs 460,000 in cash fines from the Kathmandu-based traders who were found selling substandard products.

According to the KMC, it collected the aforementioned amount during the festival-targeted market inspection conducted in the past 19 days. Of 61 business outlets that the Metropolis office cross-checked, 11 firms were slapped with on-spot cash fines.

Recently, the KMC grilled popular sweets shops including Gulab Sweets in Sundhara and Rameshwaram Sweets and Snacks in Battisputali on the charge of using date-expired ingredients to make sweets. According to the KMC officials, they will be conducting aggressive market inspections, particularly in sale of dry fruits, flower garlands and sweets, among others, during Tihar.

Meanwhile, the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection (DoCSCP), the focal authority to regulate domestic markets, has remained almost defunct during festivals, when there is the utmost need for market inspection. The department has remained without its chief for over a month after the then Director General of DoCSCP Prakash Paudel was transferred to the Department of Revenue Investigation.

 
• KMC
 
• market_inspection
 
• festival