The Tamil Nadu government has initiated legal action against 114 eatery owners in cinema halls across the state for violating the Tamil Nadu Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules, 2011. It was found out that several canteens, restaurants and eateries in cinema theatres are selling packaged commodities at rates higher than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).
During the inspections carried out at 335 cinema halls across the state, as per the instructions of the Commissioner Labor Dr. R. Nantha Gopal, I.A.S., a total of 72 cases were of violation of pricing norms, including the sale of water bottles, soft drinks and food packets at rates higher than the set MRP.
Thirty eight cases were filed for not including details like the name and full address of the manufacturer, MRP (inclusive of taxes), date of packaging and the ‘best before’ date. While four cases were booked in connection with contravention of rules concerning weights and measurements.
A statement released by the Department of Information and Public Relations said, “A total of 114 cases were booked against theatre canteen owners, and the necessary penal action is being initiated.”
Moreover, the Labour Department has introduced a mobile app – the Tamil Nadu Legal Metrology Complaint Tracking System (TN-LMCTS). Consumers can download the TN-LMCTS app from the Google playstore and lodge complaints regarding excessive pricing, non-declaration of statutory information, short weighment and other violations of norms found in petrol bunks, ration shops, cinema food stalls and other places and can seek immediate relief.
Earlier in July, the Maharashtra government ordered cinema theatres in the state to allow outside food and to sell food items at MRP. Multiplexes and movie theatres in Hyderabad too have been directed to not sell packaged food items at prices higher than the MRP.