Buyer awareness emphasised

Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum to be set up in CBallapur shortly

Inaugurating the Consumers Day organised jointly by District Administration, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Food Corporation of India and Legal Metrology Department at the city’s Citizen Club on Friday and he observed it was very important to create consumer awareness among the citizens.

The retail shops are duping the people not only by selling inferior quality items but also cheating them in weight. The consumers are forced to pay different prices for the same quality of products. Price of the products varies from place to place. Such differences should be curbed, he said.

Informing about the precautions to be taken before going for a product he said the consumer should check the name of the manufacturer, the date of manufacturing, the company or the manufacturer’s name and address, the packing day, month and year. If any of these is not mentioned on the packing material, then the customer must complain to the officials of the department concerned, he said.

Anwar Pasha, Deputy Commissioner suggested that consumers can complain to the consumer forum about the quality of products. “A decision has been taken to set up a Consumer  Grievance Redressal Forum in the district shortly. A proposal has been sent to the government in this regard. Once the permission is given a suitable place will be identified and the forum will be set up,” he said.

“The government has brought in several Acts to protect the interest of the consumer. The consumers should make use of these and exercise their rights,” he said. Kolar District Consumer Forum president, G V Hegde said majority of the consumers are unaware of their rights. They should make efforts to know about the consumer forum and their rights and use them, he added. If the consumers feel that they are cheated, they should approach the consumer forum. The forum will go into the details and if the seller is found guilty he will be levied a fine.

Kolar Consumer Forum member T Nagaraj said  the forum is established in each and every district in the State. The consumers can give their complaints here. Within 90 days, the complaints will be addressed, he said.

The Weights and Measures department had organised a exhibition to create awareness among the consumers on this occasion.ZP CEO N Krishnappa, Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation District manager Chandrashekar, Government B Ed College principal Kodirangappa, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department deputy director C Sridhar and Legal Metrology department assistant controller B C Chowdappa and Kolar Consumer Forum member K G Shantala were present.