HAN and REBAN's objections to monitoring and direction of Department of Commerce in Hotel-Restaurant

KATHMANDU, Sep 28:The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection increased the monitoring as the festival gets nearer.

Hotel and restaurants entrepreneurs have protested to increased government monitoring and action.

They have particularly taken issue with the department's instructions and warnings that specify that food and beverages should be sold in restaurants and hotels at their maximum retail price (MRP).

The Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) and the Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) published a joint statement on Wednesday, claiming that the department's statement last Monday had caused panic among entrepreneurs.

On the same day, the government fined a Kathmandu restaurant Rs 3 lakh for selling water three times its MRP.

It also informed all  hotel and restaurant entrepreneurs that if they did not sell at the specified price, they would face further consequences.

The entrepreneurs  said that in the hotel and restaurant business, they cannot sell goods at MRP because the operating expenses will increase when meeting the standards set by the government, including rent, electricity, water, health protection, staff, and other International trend of big brands.

Sajan Shakya, General Secretary of HAN, has claimed that the hotel restaurant will keep a price list in a way that everyone can see and understand and give it to the customer and provide service according to the customer's interest.

He also stated that entrepreneurs have raised concerns about the fact that government monitoring and action should take place throughout the year, rather than only during festivals.