KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 17

More than half of over 1,800 operating firms across the country that have been recently monitored have faced action in seven months in the current fiscal year, 2021/22, according to the Department of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection.

The Department has collected over Rs 8.9 million in fines from the firms that have faced action. The Department during a monitoring of the total 1,819 firms including in the Kathmandu Valley found that half of them were involved in 'indecent' trading.

Those firms that were found to have committed minor faults have been given a chance to correct their shortcomings, said Director of the Department Hari Pangeni.

Similarly, samples of goods from 16 firms in question have been collected and three traders have been arrested and 12 firms in question have been sealed off, he said. Also, the Department disposed of substandard and date expired goods worth over Rs 2.8 million.

Likewise, the Department took action against 33 of 106 pharmacies monitored.