Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Traders at Digboi Charali Bazar in the Tinsukia district of Assam face heavy scrutiny for using outdated weighing equipment. Despite warnings from local authorities, many vendors refuse to switch to electronic scales. Compliance remains spotty across the market.
The numbers highlight a significant divide. Out of 17 fish stalls, only four have updated their devices. The remaining 13 continue to use non-compliant tools. Two chicken stalls and three mutton stalls also ignore current standards. The Digboi Charali Bazar Association issued a warning to traders two months ago, but the situation has not changed.
Local police previously ordered vendors to ditch old equipment. Those orders were largely ignored. Reports suggest some traders hide their heavier weights during official inspections to avoid detection. One vendor claimed they lack the cash to buy digital replacements and asked the government to provide free machines.
An association official noted that Legal Metrology last inspected the market in 2021. He claimed many sellers are actively cheating customers while "dusting the eyes" of the concerned government department. Social worker Nasir Neog brought the issue to social media, calling the practice "cheating the public pocket in broad day light ".
Consumers and activists are fed up. They demand to know why the district administration has ignored this problem for so long. A full sweep of the market is needed to verify if customers are being shorted on their purchases.
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