FDA action against Pune hotels forcing customers to buy bottled water

Acting against hoteliers for forcing customers to choose paid bottled water over free municipal water, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week recovered a compounding fee of Rs8,000 from a hotelier in Kondhwa after one of the hotel’s staff forced a customer to buy bottled water

Acting against hoteliers for forcing customers to choose paid bottled water over free municipal water, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week recovered a compounding fee of Rs8,000 from a hotelier in Kondhwa after one of the hotel’s staff forced a customer to buy bottled water. Furthermore, the FDA has urged citizens to approach it directly in case they are forced to buy bottled water by hotels and restaurants. With citizens demanding that they be served free Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) water instead of paid bottled water, the FDA has promised action against errant hoteliers and restaurateurs.

Mineral water served at a hotel. (Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

FDA assistant commissioner Sanjay Nargude said, “We have taken action against one hotel in Kondhwa for forcing a customer to buy bottled water. It is mandatory for hotels and restaurants to serve PMC water free-of-cost to customers. While we are not receiving any complaints on record, if someone comes to us with a complaint, we will take action against the errant establishments.”

It was during the Covid-induced lockdown that the practice of buying bottled water gained currency however many hotels and restaurants have been found continuing the practice despite the state government having eased restrictions. Till Tuesday, the FDA has taken action against one such case on record. The FDA move came after hundreds of residents complained in private or on social media regarding restaurants not serving PMC water for free. A casual visit to any of the hotels in the suburbs and business hubs of Pune revealed boxes of bottled water stored for sale to customers.

Rahul Jain, who frequents different hotels in Deccan, Kondhwa and Market Yard, said, “The hotel staff politely tells the customer that PMC water is not available but that bottled water is available for purchase. Conditions are created such that customers have no option but to buy the bottled water. The FDA must make it mandatory to serve water free-of-cost to customers.”

Anita More, another customer, said that buying water is costly and that it is a marketing technique whereby a basic resource such as water is given a price tag. Water is free and should be made available to all for free. “The FDA must carry out random checks to keep those forcing citizens to buy bottled water under check,” More said.