Consumers’ Club Manipur president T Phulchand Sharma on Thursday said that only 25 per cent of the population of Manipur are aware of the consumer rights due to outreach of awareness programmes.
He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 32nd Foundation Day observance cum consumer awareness programme that was held at GM Hall in Imphal West.
Phulchand said that the club has been giving various awareness programmes on consumer’s rights to the public from time to time; however, they are still unable to reach out to all the public due to lack of funds.
As a new strategy, the club will start taking up the awareness programmes at schools and colleges to let the youngsters become aware about the rights of the consumers, he said.
It is a must for all the people to know at least the six basic rights of being a consumer, he further said. The six rights are right to safety, right to choose, right to be informed, right to consumer education, right to be heard and right to seek redressal, he said.
If the customers feel that his or her rights is suppressed, he or she can put up the matter before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission or even to the Supreme Court if the customer is not satisfied with the proceedings of the commissions.
Consumer Protection Authority can even send a person who defies the consumer’s rights, if the person fails to comply with the pay fine imposed by the authority thrice, he added.
Every service provider or business establishments are consumers in one way or another, he said. He further apprised all the service providers or business establishments to comply with the rights of the consumers while operating their business.
The function was also attended by chief patron of Consumers’ Club Manipur Salam Bharat Bhushan; designated officer of Food Safety Department, Imphal West T Brojendro Khaba and inspector of Weight and Measure Department Sanabam Suraj as presidium members.
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