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| Sunday, 19 September 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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CAA lapses helped gas companies by Jayantha Sri Nissanka Official lapses of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has helped the two major gas companies to increased gas prices in the recent past by Rs. 99 (Shell) and Rs.70 (Laugfs).The two companies charged that the CAA did not respond to them in time when they gave 30 days notices for the CAA to communicate their objections. "But the failure of a response led us to increased gas prices. If the CAA did not want us to revise the prices they could have informed us", two companies said. However, the CAA considers that the 30 days completes only after the companies submit a complete application."They can not suddenly revise prices without forwarding an incomplete application", Chairman of the CAA Dr. M. I. M. Muhseen told the Sunday Observer. We requested them to send us more information but by the time they increased the prices without our approval, Dr.Muhseen said. However, the CAA is studying the possibility of taking legal action with the help of the Attorney General Department against the two gas companies. But the two companies said that are not scared to the threatening behaviour of the CAA as they have acted within the regulations and did not intentionally violated any law in the Act. Chairman of the Laugfs Company W.K.H.Wegapitiya told the Sunday Observer that he knows how to defend his company in courts as they have not violated any regulations.Media and Communication Manager of the Shell Gas Company Mrs.Renuka Jeyaraj also said "we have done everything under the act giving 30 days notice. The issue today is not with the price hike but with the stipulated time period". However, the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Jeyeraj Fernandopulle is going to amend the time period for the CAA to respond to 90 days and fill many loopholes in the Act. |
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