OPEN FORUM: Padmini Lazarus, an NGO representative, address a meeting of the Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection Organisation on Saturday. Also seen are (from left) the organisation's district vice-president Parameswaran, former High Court judge A. Ramamo orthy and district president C. Paul Barnabas. PHOTO: S. THANTHONI

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection Organisation has appealed to the State Government to make it mandatory for autorickshaw drivers to go by "meter rates".

At a meeting on Saturday, the organisation resolved to demand that auto-rickshaws install correct meters and fares be charged on the basis of meter reading. The appeal would be put forth at a meeting with the Special Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection to be held on June 19.

`Exorbitant fare'

"Many autorickshaw drivers demand exorbitant fare and even shout at passengers if they disagree," said N.S. Parameswaran, district vice-president of Consumer Protection Organisation. "Another appeal we will make is to curb private schools from demanding building funds, which is just an indirect form of collecting donation," he said.

The organisation requested that only graduates with a degree in Pharmacy be allowed to serve in government authorised medical shops. This would prevent chances of wrong medication being supplied to consumers.

School curriculum

Consumer rights should be included in the school curriculum, the organisation said. Representatives of various non-governmental organisations also put forth their appeals. C. Paul Barnabas, district president of the organisation, said that the complaints and petitions would be followed up for redressal.

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