A high-level team will be investigating reports of alleged malpractice at the Dambulla Economic Trade Centre, as soon as the Avurudha holidays are over.
According to a senior official at the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, both farmers and consumers have lodged complaints of price fixing and artificially creating food scarcities.
Consumer Affairs Ministry secretary Lalith. R. de Silva said the ministry was taking the complaints very seriously and would take stringent measures if the complaints were substantiated.
Mr. de Silva admitted there was a “mudalali mafia” operating in the Dambulla area, and that it had a stranglehold on the local market, causing immense hardship to farmers who were being forced to sell their produce at impossibly low prices.
Mr. de Silva said the team would be looking into all aspects of business conducted at the Dambulla Trade Centre, and would take action where necessary, with Cabinet approval. Among other things, the team will review the tenancy contracts of 144 traders.
The 10-year lease on contracts to operate shops at the trade centre expired last month, and the traders will be issued temporary one-month contracts in the meantime.
Allegations of malpractice will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, Mr. de Silva said.
“It is very likely that the majority of the traders will be asked to vacate their shops and that the spaces will be offered to a new batch of tenants. A final decision will be taken once the assessment report is completed,” Mr. de Silva said.
Last week, The Sunday Times drew attention to alleged corruption and malpractice at the Dambulla Trade Centre, with the possible involvement of regional-level politicians.
It is understood that several of the traders who had taken out original leases on shops at a rental of Rs. 6,000 a month were said to have sub-let their premises at exorbitant rents, ranging from Rs. 80,000 to 100,000.
As a result, the new tenants, faced with high overheads, were were forced to offer farmers the lowest possible prices for their produce. |
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