DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's state-run standards watchdog on Sunday launched a national-wide crackdown on imported and locally made substandard iron bars used in the construction of houses and other structures, including bridges.

Donald Manyama, a senior inspector with the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), said the crackdown started in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam before it was extended across the east African nation.

"We visited traders at Kigamboni, Kariakoo, Mbagala and Buguruni areas and we found that most of the iron bars were substandard and they did not have required specifications particularly in length," said Manyama, an engineer by profession.

The official said the length of a genuine iron bar should be between 38 feet and 40 feet.

Ramadhani Shija, a TBS quality assurance officer, urged consumers to buy iron bars with required specifications to avoid constructing inferior houses or structures.

Shija appealed to people engaged in the construction industry to get advice on quality materials from recognized institutions.