Raids were conducted at malls and multipluxes at various locations in Karnataka by state officials today in a crackdown against overcharging of mineral water, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said.
The raids were conducted following spate of complaints from consumers about overpricing of mineral water, he said adding action would also be taken against excess pricing of eatables.
"Our legal metrology officials raided malls and multiplexes at 178 locations across the state, including Bengaluru Urban and Rural, Belagavi, Kalaburgi, Mangaluru and Mysuru districts for selling mineral water above the MRP to consumers," Khader told reporters here tonight.
Under the provisions of the amended Legal Metrology Packaged Commodities Rules (PCR), overpricing of mineral water was a violation of the law.
The rules as amended in 2016 by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution provided for a penalty of Rs 2000 for first time violation and six months imprisonment for second violation, Prasad said.
As many as 39 teams of officials registered 46 cases against establishments for charging Rs 30 for a one litre water bottle priced at Rs 20, Khader said.
"The raids were conducted by 39 teams following numerous complaints from consumers across the state to the department that they were forced to pay 150 per cent more than the MRP for a litre of mineral water," the Minister said.
Most mumber of cases were registered in Belagavi (17) and Kalburgi (15) districts, and the least was in Mysuru (two) district, Legal Metrology Controller P R Shiva Prasad said.
Moreover, Karnataka has urged the central government to include bottled or mineral water under essential commodities' list to protect consumers from being exploited by unscrupulous sellers, Khader said.
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