KATHMANDU: The Department of Commerce (DoC) has decided to expand its market monitoring and inspection of the service sector. It took the decision on Friday after it got a large number of complaints.

“DoC has decided to expand its market monitoring and inspection of the service sector,” said inspection officer Kamal Bahadur Thapa. There are dozens of complaints about the service sector, he added. Previously, DoC was monitoring the commodities sector also.

“We will enter into all sectors that are associated with consumers,” he said. “DoC will enter the medicine sector as well soon,” he said, “We got complainta about date expired and substandard medicines being sold in the market.” DoC along with the Department of Medicine will start intensive monitoring and inspection campaign from next week, he added.

“Protection of consumers’ rights is DoC’s prime concern,” he said, “We will destroy date expired and substandard goods on the spot.”

Moreover, DoC is planning to enter the industrial sector. It is doing homework for that with other agencies, he said.

DoC has continued market monitoring and inspection after Dashain and Tihar. It has destroyed large amounts of consumer goods from three shops — Sulabh Store, Palpali Store and Gautam General Store — in Buddhanagar last week.

“We have also issued orders to register the shops within a week as many were found operating without registration,”

he said.

The department also

directed the shops to display price-list as per the Consumer protection Act. The act has listed 26 commodities as basic consumer goods.