The Bandarawela Magistrate’s Court has fined a tourist establishment in Ella Rs. 1 million after its owner was found guilty of selling bottled drinking water above the government-approved price.
The offence came to light during a raid by investigation officers of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), who found that the establishment had been selling bottled water at prices above the permitted maximum retail price.
The CAA subsequently filed legal proceedings against the owner for violating provisions of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act.
When the case was taken up, the accused company pleaded guilty to the charges, and the court ordered it to pay the Rs. 1 million fine.
Overcharging at hotels and shops in tourist areas has drawn repeated CAA enforcement action, with the authority pursuing prosecutions against businesses that sell price-controlled items such as bottled water to visitors above the gazetted rate.
