CURCHOREM: Vendors in the Curchorem market are allegedly being taken for a ride with the office of Weights and Measures, Curchorem charging them for repairing their measuring instruments without actually doing any repairs.
Vendors on condition of anonymity disclosed that the ones using electronic scales are charged Rs 300 annually and those using manual scales are charged Rs 100 and are issued receipts.
Also, vendors using electronic scales are separately charged Rs 600 while those using manual scales are charged Rs 250 for repairs with the receipts issued in the name of Mahalaxmi Repairing Works, Curchorem. They said that there is neither registration number of the firm nor any contact number. The shopkeepers said that they do not question the authorities as they do not want to be in their bad books.
Grocery vendor Naubat Vaidhya told this daily that during the repairs only the punching plate attached to the electronic scale are taken by the officials and are punched. Another vendor Hanumant Kakodkar informed that since last 25 years, they are making payments towards Mahalaxmi Repairing Works. But no repair is done. Another vegetable vendor Sameer Naik also had the same story to tell.
When contacted, assistant director Mahesh Naik attached to the Curchorem office of Weights and Measures department said that he will inquire into the matter on Tuesday. NT