Ice cream cost not cricket': LMD

Mumbai: The legal metrology department (LMD) has sought an explanation from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) after it was found that vendors at Wankhede Stadium were allegedly selling ice cream at inflated rates during Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.

The incident came to light after a LMD team conducted raids at stalls at the stadium, following directions by food and civil supplies minister Girish Bapat, officials said.

There were complaints of overcharging of products that were sold at the stalls in the stadium during the ongoing IPL season, following which teams of the LMD were formed to verify it.

During the checks the officials found that a stall, run by M/s Dana Pani at the Garware Pavilion, was selling a branded ice cream worth Rs 75 for Rs 100. Among other outlets, stall 3 and stall 1 at the Vijay Merchant stand was selling another branded ice cream with the printed price of Rs 55 for Rs 60.

Officials said that several packed food products were checked including packaged drinking water, which is generally overcharged at various places. The officials, however, found ice creams being sold at higher rates.

This was not the first time that these stalls were found to be overcharging. In December last year, the LMD officials had booked some stalls for selling bottled water with printed price of Rs  20 at a steeper rate of Rs 50.     

“This was in gross violation of the laid-down rules which doesn’t allow the seller to charge more than maximum retail price printed on the packed food products, and to cheat the buyers. Hence, an official notice was sent to the BCCI,” said Amitabh Gupta, LMD chief.

The notice also asks the BCCI and MCA the steps being taken to stop buyers from being fleeced.  

Repeated attempts to contact Rajeev Shukla, chairman, IPL, and other spokespersons yielded no response. Attempts to contact Ashish Shelar, president, MCA, were also futile.

Breaking the law

• LMD officials have said they have found packaged food, mainly bottled water, being sold at steep rates in malls, theatres and stadiums. Officials have issued notices to all such outlets in the past and have also registered cases against them.
• Complaints of overcharging can be lodged at LMD control room number: 022-22622022
• Complaint e-mails can be sent to: dclmms_complaints@yahoo.com