Warning against charging excessive rates for food items

Special Correspondent

KOCHI

District Collector Jaffar Malik has warned against charging excessive rates for food items. He said there would be stringent action against outlets doing so and that joint inspections by officials from different departments would be held in view of the ensuing festival season.

Inspections would be held in major markets, hotels, exhibition, and wholesale centres. It would also be ensured that hotels displayed the charges for various items being served. If customers were charged more than the prices displayed publicly, there would be action under the Essential Commodities Act, said a communication here.

Special squads were being formed at the taluk level to carry out the inspections. The taluk supply officer, food safety officers, officials from the Department of Legal Metrology and Revenue would make up the squads involved in carrying out the inspections. The hygiene conditions in hotels and eateries would also be checked.

The public has been asked to submit any of their complaints about excessive charges along with the bills they had been issued by the outlets.