Money
Four pharmacies fined Rs 800,000 for selling surgical masks at high prices
An inspection team was dispatched after receiving a consumer complaint, officials said.Krishana Prasain
The customer said he asked the store owner for the reason for the exorbitant price after receiving the bill of sale, at which the shopkeeper snatched back the bill and tore it up.
Following the complaint, an inspection team from the department swooped on four pharmacies and surgical stores in the Pulchowk area and caught them selling surgical masks for Rs150 apiece.
The department slapped fines totalling Rs800,000 on the stores for overcharging customers under the Consumer Protection Act 2018.
The government fined the four errant stores—Bidya Alka Pharmacy Unit (1), Pulchok; Gautam Pharmacy and Diagnostic Centre, Pulchok; Sadikshya Medical Hall, Jawalakhel and Shuva Surgical Suppliers, Kupondol—Rs200,000 each.
During the inspection, the department team had checked eight pharmacies, grocery stores and cooking gas depots.
Netra Prasad Subedi, director general at the department, said the inspection team was dispatched after receiving a consumer complaint. “The inspection team found pharmacies and surgical shops selling surgical masks for up to Rs150 each when they usually cost Rs10-15,” he said.
The coronavirus outbreak which appears to be spreading relentlessly has pushed up demand for surgical masks, leading pharmacies and surgical houses to create an artificial shortage with a view to profit from the rush buying.
The department intensified market inspections in the Kathmandu Valley, especially of pharmacies and surgical stores, after consumers started complaining about the high prices shopkeepers were charging for surgical masks.
On Thursday, the department slapped fines amounting to Rs430,000 after conducting an inspection of seven pharmacies and surgical stores.
Subedi said that mask making machines had already arrived in Kathmandu. They will start operating soon which will help to ease the shortage to some extent, he added.
The department also checked different gas stores in the valley on Sunday and found no irregularities. The department slapped fines totalling Rs50,000 on different pharmacies on Friday for not having purchase bills and not cooperating with the inspection team.
Industry Minister Lekh Raj Bhatta said that his ministry had requested the Finance Ministry to waive customs duty on the import of masks and hand sanitisers in view of the urgency.
Demand for surgical masks increased drastically after the coronavirus outbreak started spreading globally. The mask is considered to provide protection against infection.
The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Confederation of Nepalese Industries declared that the shortage of masks would ease soon, and that consumers would be able to buy them at regular prices within a week.
The District Administrative Office has warned traders against creating an artificial shortage of masks and hand sanitisers and selling them at a high price.