Sri Vijaya Puram, November 2: Our Rights Organization has written to the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands complaining that cracker shops and stalls in Sri Vijaya Puram and other parts of the islands are looting the public, and has sought urgent raids and action against them.
In the letter issued today, the organisation’s Chairman, Mr. C. Saravanan, said shopkeepers themselves print a very high Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on cracker boxes, for example Rs. 5,000 for a box worth Rs. 1,000 on the mainland.
After fixing a high MRP, he said, the shops display boards offering “60% to 70% discount”. The public thinks it is getting crackers cheap, but even after the discount people are paying more than double the original price. He called this cheating under the Legal Metrology Act.
The organisation also said it has received a verbal complaint from members of the public alleging that some shopkeepers are selling expired crackers. Several shops are reportedly selling crackers one to two years past their expiry by pasting new, duplicate MRP and manufacturing-date stickers over the original labels on expired stock.
The letter said the sale of such expired crackers is highly dangerous and may pose a serious risk to public safety, as expired crackers, particularly those containing damp or deteriorated chemicals, may cause serious injuries, fire accidents and other health and safety hazards. A video relating to the matter is also circulating on social media and has been attached to the complaint for reference.
“During the Deepavali season, thousands of poor and middle-class families purchase crackers for their children by spending their hard-earned money. This loot should not be allowed,” Mr. Saravanan wrote.
The organisation has demanded an immediate joint raid on all cracker shops by Civil Supplies, Legal Metrology (Weights and Measures) and the Police; verification of the original company invoice against the MRP printed; seizure of all expired crackers carrying duplicate stickers, with strict legal action under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the Essential Commodities Act; and a uniform fair price list fixed as per mainland Sivakasi rates.
Calling the matter most urgent in the interest of public safety and to stop black-marketing, the organisation has sent copies of the letter to the Chief Secretary (Vigilance), A&N Administration, the Director of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, and the Controller of Legal Metrology, A&N Islands, for information and necessary action.
