The Department of Ayurveda will temporarily stop registering Ayurvedic spas from this month, Daily Mirror learns. However, registration of spas in institutions that had already been registered with the Sri Lanka Tourist Board will continue.

“The Department has decided not to register more Ayurvedic spas because today there are bogus spas using the term Ayurveda,” Commissioner of the Department Palitha Weerakoon said today.

“There were complaints from people stating that some spas were not up to the standard,” he said.However, the Commissioner said the decision was temporary.

He said that only 167 Pancha Karma spas were registered under the Department and added that the registered spas would also be inspected immediately.

He said the department would continue the registration of Ayurvedic spas in Rest Houses that had been already registered with the Tourist Board.

“If a Rest House is already operating an Ayurvedic spa and is registered with the Tourist Board, we would register them after inspecting,” he said.

He said the department was working hand in hand with the Police and investigating bogus spas. (Darshana Sanjeewa and Lahiru Pothmulla)