Unlicensed contractors in weighing business

By Gangadhar S Patil

Bangalore, May 6: Some contractors who have been repairing electronic weighing machines (EWM) under the Legal Metrology department of Karnataka are operating illegally as they do not have the requisite licenses to do so
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An RTI reply seeking information on their licenses revealed that they are license holders only for manual weighing machines.

Under the Standards of Weights and Measure (Enforcement) act 1985 (W&M), a circular was issued by the legal metrology department stating that anyone who intends to have license for EWMs should get a ‘skill certificate’ from the department after going through a test. The rule was enforced in 2003, after a large number of commercial sectors started using EWMs.

Graphics by : Gangadhar Patil

A circular dated July 27, 2009 was sent to the legal metrology office of Bangalore Rural, Urban and Ramanagar by the deputy controller of Bangalore division, directing the officials to forbid contractors who do not hold required licenses from repairing and maintaining EWM.

These contractors have been dealing with reputed private and public sector units, revealed replies of several RTIs filed in the month of November to various sub-divisions of the Legal Metrology department.

For instance, Guru Enterprises is working for big companies like Wrigley’s, Cadbury, Otis elevator, Department of space. While, Weitek has contracts with HAL engine division, HAL foundry and forge, ISRO satellite centre store division, CPILA and the likes. Even Bell Scales, which got its license just recently in April 2009, had contract with Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation since a few years.

“I am maintaining EWMs in Bangalore for which I have the license from the department, said R R Vasudheva owner of Guru Enterprise” Adding to it he further said, “Whether it is electronic or any other weighing machine, there is no difference between them and I can repair both of them.”. When question about separate skill certificated required for repairing EWMs, he said the It does not apply to him and it is not necessary. The owner of Weitek, refused to talk over the phone when contacted.