Crackdown on errant bakery owners

By Ananda KANNANGARA

The Consumer Affairs and Internal Trade Ministry (CAITM) yesterday assured that immediate action would be taken against bakery owners who make exorbitant profits by increasing wheat flour based products following last week’s gas price hike. Ministry investigation teams will be deployed on the directive of Minister Johnston Fernando from tomorrow to crack down on such errant bakery owners and restaurateurs who take undue advantage of the increase in gas prices.

The CAITM has also received several complaints over the past few days that some bakery owners and restaurateurs in the city and the outstations have already increased the prices of all flour based products including cakes, buns, hoppers and a variety of short eats.

Consumer Affairs Minister Johnston Fernando told the Sunday Observer that it was unfair to increase the price of every flour based product when the Government permitted the bakery owners to increase the price of a loaf of bread by Re. 1.

CEB losses will not hit consumers

Meanwhile, the Power and Energy Ministry has assured that the heavy losses, incurred by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) due to non settlement of electricity bills by several public sector institutions will not affect the 4.3 million electricity consumers in the country.

Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, who visited the Kerawalapitiya Power Station on Thursday told the Sunday Observer that although the CEB incurred an additional cost on every electricity unit, the current tariff will not be increased at this juncture. The Minister said he was happy to witness the ongoing construction work of the Kerawalapitiya Power Station and added that commissioning the new power stations in the coming months in Sampur (Trincomalee) and Upper Kotmale will also benefit consumers to a great extent.

Referring to a statement he had made on the heavy losses being incurred by the CEB, Minister Ranawaka said steps would be taken to recover all dues from public sector institutions without delay.

He, however, said that this will not be applicable to emergency services, such as hospitals, police and the three Armed Forces.

He said such public institutions will be provided power continuously, and a time frame will be given to them to settle their unpaid bills. Minister Ranawaka also focused attention on the generation of electricity in some areas of the Northern province and said that the CEB is committed to provide electricity in the peninsula following the heavy influx of Northern residents after almost three decades.

“Providing electricity is also important to develop the tourism sector in and around the peninsula,” he said.