VIJAYAWADA: Civil Supplies Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao on Wednesday made it clear that stern action would be initiated against the shopkeepers who charge more for a product than their MRP.
The minister, along with Legal Metrology and food safety department officials, conducted surprise checks at PVP Mall in MG Road. As part of the raid, the minister noticed that several shopkeepers were violating norms and charging more GST on some products, manufactured between July and October. He instructed the legal metrology department officials to impose penalty on the brand.
“We have received many complaints from consumers against overpricing of drinking water and other packaged commodities. The raids will continue in other places. We want the malls and multiplexes to sell drinking water at maximum retail price (MRP) only,” Pulla Rao said. He also called upon the consumers to file complaints with the Legal Metrology department or the consumer court if the traders sell food items at exorbitant prices.
Over pricing of packaged drinking water is a violation of packaged commodity rules . “The first instance of violation will attract a penalty of `2,000 penalty. The violation of packaged commodity rules for the second time will attract six months imprisonment,’’ MPS Naidu, assistant commissioner of Legal Metrology department, said.