Karnataka - Belgaum   

Consumers taken for ride

Staff Correspondent

MEASURING PROFIT: A file picture of consumers and vendors bargaining for a better deal in Belgaum.

Belgaum: A consumer approaches a street vendor, selling fruits at the busy Ganpat Galli in the city and asks the price of a kg of apple. It is Rs. 60, says the vendor. After some haggling, both settle for a price of Rs. 50. But what many such consumers do not know is that the vendors tamper with the weighing machine. If the consumer insists on checking the weight, then the vendor turns abusive.

Hundreds of consumers are cheated by hawkers, especially those selling fruits, in this way every day. A simple technique is adopted. The seller moves the lever just below the weighing pan and manages to adjust about 200 grams for every kg. At other places, some vendors use stones in place of approved weights.

Not many consumers are aware that they can complain to the Department of Weights and Measurement on this issue. This leaves the onus on the officials of the Department of Weights and Measurements to conduct surprise checks and punish the vendors, says Anwar.

The Food and Civil Supplies Department observed National Consumers' Week since December 24 with the objective of creating awareness among consumers. But the effort appears to have gone in vain.

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