The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has seized 436 items in a special islandwide operation against traders selling Atapirikara and Pirikara sets, uncovering incomplete sets and substandard contents.
The operation was carried out on August 10 and produced 92 successful raids. A further 35 raids were conducted between January and July, bringing the total for the year so far to 127, according to the Daily Mirror and News 1st. Ada Derana put the year’s raid count at 119.
What inspectors checked
Officers examined whether traders had complied with Order No. 55 of Extraordinary Gazette No. 1918/20 dated June 11, 2015, and inspected bills, invoices and other records maintained at the premises.
Most of the violations detected involved a failure to display required information on Atapirikara, Tanipata Sivuru, Adanakada, Bandapati, bowls and other Pirikara items, or on their packaging.
The items seized included Atapirikara sets, robes, Adanakadas, Bandapatis, bowls and other accessories.
Sets opened and examined
Rather than confining checks to outer packaging, officers randomly opened selected Atapirikara sets to inspect the contents. According to the CAA, that turned up several irregularities:
- Single-layer robes supplied in place of the required double-layer robes
- Incomplete sets missing some of the eight components traditionally associated with an Atapirikara
- Contents varied according to the stated price
- Aluminium alms bowls, and bowls that were dented or damaged
- Razor blades that were rusted, blunt or unusable
Ada Derana and the Daily Mirror describe the robe defect differently — Ada Derana reports single-layer robes substituted for double-layer ones, while the Daily Mirror describes sets containing a single robe rather than a pair. The Daily Mirror’s own list of seized goods includes Tanipata Sivuru, the term for a single-layer robe.
The Authority warned that such shortcomings may not be visible from the outside of a package, and urged buyers to check the contents carefully, particularly when purchasing complete sets for religious purposes.
The CAA said legal action will be initiated against the traders concerned before the relevant Magistrate’s Courts, and that responsibility for providing required product information and ensuring goods are in proper condition rests with the trader.
Update — August 12
The CAA said on Tuesday that the special raids targeting substandard Atapirikara and related items are continuing across the island, News 1st reported. The Authority said officers are checking whether sellers comply with the applicable legal requirements, and that further action will be taken against traders found in violation.
The operation continues a run of CAA enforcement activity in recent weeks, following raids on pharmacies and a canned fish seizure in Pannala.
Sources: Daily Mirror, Ada Derana, News 1st.
