Government Office Vicinity Traders Overcharge for Photocopy and Water in Tikapur

Tikapur. Traders around government offices in Kailali's Tikapur, including the Area Administration Office, Land Revenue, and Survey offices, have been found to be overcharging consumers. When the Tikapur Municipality and market monitoring team reached the area, shops surrounding government offices were found to be charging double the amount for photocopy and drinking water. The rate should be Rs 5 per page for photocopy, but Rs 10 is being charged, and while drinking water should be Rs 20 per bottle, Rs 25 to Rs 30 is being charged. Bhaveshraj Nayak of Tikapur says he had to pay a high fee for photocopying. 'They charge Rs 10 for photocopy, this is too expensive,' he says, 'Prices should be uniform. People here are compelled.' Legal practice businessman Dhan Bahadur Budha also says he is getting photocopies done by paying a high fee. 'Consumers who come here have no choice, they say do it if you want, otherwise we won't,' he said, 'Customers do it here rather than go far.' Service recipient Dhanbahadur Bohara drank water bought for Rs 30 per bottle. He says he knows the price is less but is being cheated. Like him, other citizens Patiram Chaudhary and Shanta Raj Sharma have been cheated in water and photocopy. 'My view is that there should be no cheating on prices, but it has not been improved,' said Shanta Raj, 'We buy water for Rs 12 and it reaches Rs 30. Improvement is needed.' Businessman Sanjay Chaudhary charges Rs 10 for photocopy. He said he charges Rs 10 because all traders charge Rs 10. Another businessman Nrip Thakulla says he provides photocopy service for Rs 5. 'I regularly do photocopying for Rs 5,' he says, 'I don't know about others.' Lawyer Muktiprasad Sharma urges for monitoring and improvement in these matters, stating that traders around the land revenue office are cheating a lot on photocopy and water, and they are forced to pay high fees. 'The municipality should conduct regular monitoring, consumers are being cheated around government offices,' he said, 'Hundreds of consumers are cheated daily, let's improve this.' Tikapur Municipality Chief Administrative Officer Suman Dhital urged traders not to charge more than the fixed price, stating that legal action will be taken if found to be charging more. 'For the first time, traders have been urged not to charge excess prices. We are regularly monitoring,' he said, 'Those who cheat on prices and sell substandard goods will be prosecuted as per the law. Everyone's cooperation is needed to make the market organized and consumer-friendly.' In addition, during the monitoring, the municipality found expired food items being used in cake and bakery shops in Tikapur. Ingredients used in making cakes were found to be expired and spoiled. During the monitoring, the municipality seized expired and spoiled ingredients used in making cakes for the first time. Lok Bahadur Budha, Head of the Municipality's Sanitation Sub-branch, informed that ingredients used for good aroma in cake making, inedible colors, lack of sanitation, expired baking powder and baking soda, and 'party poppers' that make noise and scatter colored paper when burst on birthdays were seized and traders were warned. Similarly, pharmacies and clinics, specialist services, and dental services operating in Tikapur are also being monitored. During the monitoring, it was found that some medical facilities were not renewed, did not have permission for specialist services, and had not complied with repeated instructions, so a 7-day period has been given, said Health Branch Chief Bal Bahadur Rawal.