Hotel owners fleece pilgrims

by M. Nelson Piyaratne - Kataragama Group

Several pilgrims complain that some hotel owners in Kataragama are selling food items at exorbitant prices. Pilgrims from North and East are fleeced. According to them some hotels charged Rs.20 for a plain tea, Rs.35 for a tea bun and Rs.175 for a plate of vegetable rice.

And when they inquired about the high prices of food they behave in high handed manner threatening to assault them.

They said they belonged to the low income group and come to Kataragama annually to pay respect to God Skanda.

"Throughout the year we collect money for our annual pilgrimage to Kataragama.

It is hardly enough for the trip but we come to Kataragama with our families spending money. So it is very unfair to exploit our money selling food at exorbitant prices.

These hotels do not have price lists. Our areas were under LTTE those days. Kataragama is a predominantly a Sinhala area where all communities live in harmony and we the outsiders to this sacred land do not wish to create chaos with anybody over these fraudulent activities the pilgrims said.