The police insistence against selling bottled drinking water and soft drinks inside the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at Kaloor during FIFA Under-17 World Cup matches has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for vendors selling food and beverages.
The restriction provided the vendors with the perfect time to ignore the provisions of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 (PCR) with impunity.
Taking full advantage, the vendors on Tuesday sold drinking water and soft drinks in glasses. While water and soft drinks in a medium-size glass was sold ₹10, the same item on a relatively bigger glass came at ₹20.
The Legal Metrology Department had initially batted for the sale of bottled beverages but backed out in the face of stiff opposition from the police, citing security threat. “The police feared that there was the possibility of spectators throwing empty bottles on to the play field,” said R. Rammohan, Deputy Controller, Central Zone, Legal Metrology Department.
He, however, said that strict instructions had been given to the vendors that drinking water should be sold only in big glasses for ₹10. Obviously, not every vendor complied with it.
On the first match day on Saturday, the department registered two cases for selling bottled soft drinks priced at ₹90 for ₹300 inside the stadium. The cases were charged invoking Rule 18 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 (PCR).
Though only a mere fine of ₹2,000 could be imposed as it was a first-time offence, the department decided to exercise its discretionary powers and initiate prosecution measures against the contractor concerned.
Meanwhile, the public outcry against the paucity of drinking water and long queues in front of vendors selling bottled drinking water on Saturday had the desired impact on the second match day. The organisers lived up to the promise of providing abundant water for free inside the stadium, and a team led by District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla and Mr. Rammohan inspected the stadium to ensure the availability of free supply of water.
“Packaged drinking water in 20-litre cans was placed at around 40 points inside the stadium. Besides, 20 to 25 cans were kept as a buffer stock to ensure immediate replacement whenever cans went dry,” said Mr. Rammohan.