KATHMANDU: The Department of Commerce (DoC) has decided to dump 10.5 kl of Pakawan brand soyabean oil seized on September 20 from

Radhe Shyam Food Stores at Balkumari of Lalitpur

district. DoC is planning to dump the oil this week,

said DoC director Dr Khil Nath Bastakoti.

Tampered with pouches of the oil had been seized after these were found to be overwritten in the consumer instruction section deleting the word ‘six’ in the “Best before so-many months” segment. Some pouches of the oil bore “Best before 12 months” violating laws regarding edible oil. The government has set a fixed nine-month expiry date for edible oils.

“DoC decided to take action after it is found substandard stuff,” said Bastakoti, “Those pouches with the deleted word ‘six’ will be dumped first.” The market price of the seized Pakawan brand edible oil is Rs 8,40,000 and it was produced by Sri Ram Refined Oil Products Pvt Ltd, Biratnagar, a company of renowned businessman Atmaram Murkarka.

DoC has also started destroying sub-standard consumer goods from today. “We destroyed 19 litres of Dhara brand, eight litres of Tej brand and one litre of Bigul brand mustard oil today,” said DoC inspection officer Kamal Bahadur Thapa. The oils were found at Kharibot Mini Store, Hattiban, in Lalitpur district.

DoC also destroyed 21 jars of Anamol brand and 30 bottles of Aqua brand mineral water seized from Swargadwari Traders, Satdobato, in Lalitpur district. The department seized 500kg subsidized sugar from Kharibot Mini Store after it found the shopkeeper selling it at Rs 70 per kg. The subsidized rate is Rs 53 per kg.

The department was compelled to take strong action as friendly monitoring could not stop black marketing. “We were forced to resorty to this as the stockists, wholesalers and retailers did not support us,” said Thapa. DoC has intensified its marketing monitoring campaign from August to curb the price hike.