45 jewellery shops raided in six cities of Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The consumer welfare department has conducted raids on 45 gold and jewellery shops in six cities across Odisha during November 22-25.

The raids were conducted on jewellery shops by the legal metrology officials in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, and Balasore, said a release from the department.

Out of 45 jewellery shops, 29 shops were found violating the weight and measure standards. The department has collected Rs 3.77 lakh as fine from 27 shops while it has issued compounding notice to two jewellery shops.

The department has collected fines from Lalchand Jewellers, Kalyani Jewellers, Khimji Jewellers, Tanishq, Reliance, Senco Gold, Epari Govindam and Sons, Jyotsna Alankar, Anita Jewellers, among others, the release said.  

Few days back, Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain told the state Assembly that raids were conducted at 42 jewellery shops in the past two years for cheating consumers in weight and measures across Odisha.

The Minister said the consumer welfare department had raided 31 jewellery shops in 2017-18 and 11 in 2018-19.

As many as seven jewellery shops in Cuttack, six in Balasore and four in Khordha were found to have cheated consumers in weight and measure of ornaments, the Minister said.