Arunachal: Market inspected.
YUPIA: A joint team comprising officials of the district administration and the Trade & Commerce (T&C) Department, along with police personnel, led by Doimukh CO Nyalisa Raji, conducted a market inspection and enforcement drive here in Papum Pare district on Thursday.
The drive, which was carried out in the vicinity of the Government Higher Secondary School, Doimukh and the Government Middle School, Rono, focused on verification of trading licences, checking commercial irregularities, and enforcing the ban on sale of tobacco products near educational institutions.
During the verification drive, eight shops were found operating without valid trading licences, while three shops were detected functioning with expired licences. Financial penalties amounting to Rs 3,000 were collected from the establishments operating without valid licences.
As part of the enforcement action, the inspection team seized all visible tobacco products from defaulting shops located near the schools’ premises.
The team also conducted an on-the-spot awareness and advisory programme for the local shopkeepers. The defaulters were educated on legal procedures for obtaining or renewing trading licences through the T&C Department.
Shop owners were further instructed not to stock, display, or sell tobacco products within a 100-yard radius of educational institutions. They were warned that stricter legal action, including sealing of shops, may be initiated against repeat offenders. The shopkeepers were also sensitised to the COTPA, 2003.
Other members of the inspection team included Yupia Trade Development Officer Sorang Yapa, Yupia T&C Inspector Toko Mira, and police personnel from the Doimukh police station.
