THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Government on Thursday decided to cap the price of packaged drinking water at Rs 13 a litre. At a meeting chaired by Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Thilothaman, it was also decided to bring bottled water under the purview of the Essential Commodities Act.
The government will issue an ordinance in this regard. Spiralling prices of packaged drinking water prompted the government to fix a ceiling. Despite an earlier agreement to cap the price at Rs 12 a litre, traders were continuing to sell water at prices as high as Rs 20.
This had prompted the government to convene a meeting on Thursday of those engaged in the production of packaged drinking water. Bringing bottled water under the ambit of the Essential Commodities Act will prevent an arbitrary increase in the price.