Opposition legislator threatens legal action against Sri Lanka consumer authority

Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera has threatened to institute legal action against the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) if it failed to act against the importing and distribution of substandard cement in the country within two weeks.

Jayasekera told that the substandard cement imported to the country have already been distributed and available for sale in the local market.

He said legal action would be sought to protect the best interests of the consumers by vindicating, enforcing and protecting their due rights in the courts of law.

In a letter to the CAA Chairman, the legislator has pointed out that the cement must not be released to the public until an inquiry is held on the matter.

He has questioned how the Sri Lanka Customs permitted the import of the cement and released it even before receiving the approval from the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI).

He has also questioned how the SLSI lifted the ban earlier imposed on the Lucky Cement Company of Pakistan.

Jayasekera has pointed out that the importing and offering for sale Cement by National Cooperative Board from Lucky Cement Industries in Pakistan in or about August 2011 was in violation of the Sri Lanka Standard Specifications prescribed by the Extraordinary Gazette No. 1521/29 dated 02nd November 2007 made under Section 12(1) of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 09 of 2003.

Jayasekera has noted that the sale of this cement posed a serious risk and had endangered the life of people.