VIJAYAWADA: The Vigilance & Enforcement department conducted surprise checks on 399 wholesale/retail traders, supermarkets and manufacturing units to check the sudden spurt in prices of edible oils and pulses in markets across the state on Friday.
During the inspections, 87 cases under legal metrology act 2009 and legal metrology packaged commodities rules 2011 were filed for selling items at prices higher than the MRP.
In all, 3,288 surprise checks were carried out in the state from March 6 to 24 on wholesalers/retail traders, supermarkets and manufacturing units. During these inspections, 67 cases were registered under U/s 6A of EC Act 1955; 1483 cases under the relevant provision of legal metrology act 2009 and the packaged commodities rules 2011; 43 cases under food safety and Standards act, 2006. Nine criminal cases were filed.
The V&E department is giving statutory warning to the wholesale /retail traders, supermarkets and manufacturing units, to prevent illegal hoarding of palmolein oil, other edible oils, and commodities. Hoarding causes artificial scarcity and a hike in the prices.
