PRAYAGRAJ, April 10 -- Irregularities such as faulty measuring instruments, use of unverified weights, and charging above the maximum retail price (MRP) emerged as the most common violations during a district-wide enforcement drive by the weights and measures department in 2025-26. More than 4,000 establishments were inspected over the financial year, with violations detected in 1,181 cases. The crackdown led to the recovery of over Rs.2.53 crore in penalties, officials said on Thursday. The department had been assigned a revenue target of Rs.2.69 crore for 2026, and collections are reported to be largely on track, officials said on Thursday. Sanjay Kumar Saroj, district weights and measures officer, said the inspections revealed widespread discrepancies. "Discrepancies in weighing equipment, use of non-verified weights, and instances of charging above MRP were found during inspections. Strict action was taken in all such cases," he said. Alongside enforcement, the department conducted a year-long verification campaign, under which around 1.48 lakh traders had their weighing instruments certified. This exercise generated Rs.1.33 lakh in revenue. Officials noted that a significant number of complaints received during the year were related to pricing issues, with more than half found to be valid. Action was subsequently taken against the erring shopkeepers as per rules. A focused monitoring drive at fuel outlets also found short delivery at 48 petrol pumps, resulting in penalties exceeding Rs.4.5 lakh. htc...