August 25: Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology took action against 19,014 businessmen during the last fiscal year for cheating customers using sub-standard weighing machines.

According to the bureau, almost half of those booked were from Kathmandu. The bureau said that a total of 8851 businessmen were found using sub-standard weight and were booked accordingly. Likewise, 1679 businessmen from Pokhara, 1064 from Butwal, 150 from Nepalgunj, 409 from Surkhet, 1067 from Dhangadhi, 174 from Silgadhi, 1251 from Birgunj, 1139 from Janakpur, 1485 Biratnagar and 845 from Jhapa were also booked for the same offence.

The bureau’s Spokesperson Jyoti Joshi Bhatta informed that they took action against the businessmen after they were found fleecing customers using faulty weighing machines.

Bhatta  said that the bureau has stepped up monitoring due to an increasing trend of businessmen using faulty weighing machines to  cheat customers. During the monitoring, it was found that many businessmen had not registered their weighing machines and those who had registered were yet to renew their registration.

Bhatta said that the department has been taking action against such businessmen. During the last fiscal year, a total of 23049 weighing machines were checked by the department. The highest number of weighing machines were checked in Kathmandu. According to the bureau, altogether 5641 businessmen had brought their weighing machines for checking at the bureau in Kathmandu.