Sabarimala to get food price boards

Kochi: When the Pathanamthitta district administration volunteered to set up “food price boards” before nearly 200 temporary hotels during the upcoming Sabarimala festive season, little did the hotel owners realize it would be a measure to rein in food prices.

“This time around we will display food price boards at such hotels functioning across the district. However the prices will be moderate. For that I have scheduled a meeting of the hotel owners at Pathanamthitta on November 11 so as to agree on the price and quantity. The initiative is done to check exploitation of devotees by the hotel lobby,” District Collector S Harikishore told DC.

The district administration has written to the Travancore Devaswom Board to hand over the list of persons who win the auction that will be conducted soon for running hotels at Sannidhanam and Pamba.

Earlier, concerns were expressed from various quarters when the district administration refused to issue an order for uniform pricing of hotel foods unlike previous years.

“We decided not to issue such an order this time as the hotel owners would approach court and get a stay. This happened on previous occasions. Moreover they argue that quantity and quality would differ from hotel to hotel. Hence this approach this time,” Harikishore said.

“Those who refuse to follow the prices listed would be penalized. Also we have instructed hotels not to give out bills containing the total amount alone, and instead we have instructed that it also mention the food item and the quantity consumed by the customers too. We have almost doubled the special squads this time to conduct frequent inspections at the hotels. Last time there was five squads and Rs 51 lakh was collected towards fine,” said C P Gopakumar, Superintendent, General Section, and Officer-in –Charge, Sabarimala.