Sagalee, Oct 29: In a bid to streamline the  market regulations and licensing procedures, the District Administration, Papum Pare started its 2nd District wide Market Inspection from Sagalee-Toru Markets on Friday last.

The town magistrates of Sagalee and Toru,  Khoda Oniya and Yang Siram led the Inspection Team in their respective markets.

 Tai Arun, Trade Development Officer (TDO),  appealed to all the shopkeepers to refrain from illegal selling of unauthorized items like liquor, petrol, and tobacco products. Citing the stringent punishments incorporated in The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 or COTPA, 2003 and Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, he cautioned shopkeepers not to sell tobacco products to children below 18 years of age and appealed to them to make schools and religious places as tobacco free zones.

During the inspections, the trading licenses of all the shops were verified and traders and shopkeepers were made aware of the importance of possessing and renewing of trading license. New and renewal forms were also distributed.

The inspection team also seized gambling items and imposed penalty on people playing dice without permit in the Friday Market at Sagalee.  A penalty of Rs. 39,850 collected mostly from repeat offenders was deposited in the custody of the magistrate. In Toru, all the illegal items seized were destroyed on the spot in the presence of Magistrate, OC Sagalee, TDO and others.

The inspection team  comprised of officials from Departments of Trade & Commerce, Tax & Excise, District Tobacco Control Cell, PI, Market Welfare Committee and Police Personnel. The next market inspection has been tentatively scheduled for 4th November at Doimukh market.