The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Consumer courts not popular with the shopper

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Consumer courts not popular with the shopper

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: In a lighter conversation, “Swalpa adjust madkoli” (Please adjust a bit) is a common usage that has been picked up by the non-Kannada population too. It is this usage that is also making consumer rights activists wary as this compromising attitude has let down consumers even when they are cheated.

Though the consumer movement in India is of recent origin, consumer activists state that psychologically, people do not wish to fight because of our “chalta hai” attitude which is also helping industries and service prov iders even when there is clear deficiency in service or the a deficient product is marketed. “Consumers either ignore when they are being cheated or do not want to seek legal remedy by approaching consumer courts,” says Y.G. Muralidharan of Consumer Rights, Education and Awareness Trust (CREAT).

Busy as urbanites are, it is also lack of time that is keeping consumers away from seeking legal remedies, and on many occasions, the value of the transactions is so small that people tend to ignore it.

The consumer awareness movement has also not been very successful as most organisations are not effective. They have mostly remained voluntary setups which are often starved of funds as against professional, funded organisations that are managed in the West.

Besides, Mr. Muralidharan said, volunteers are in short supply.

It is learnt that of the nearly 130 consumers’ organisations registered in Karnataka only about 10 are functioning properly.

A large number of them face shortage of staff, office space and financial crunch. Grants to the consumer organisation from the Consumer Welfare Fund, jointly set up by Union and State Governments, are often not released, and on many occasions, the procedure for release of funds is cumbersome.

Suggestions

Mr. Muralidharan suggests strengthening the movement, improvement of infrastructure in consumer courts and creation of awareness through education and information.

Managing trustee of Consumer Education Centre Vasanth Kumar Parigi says approaching consumer courts is only a legal remedy, what needs to be done is to strengthen penal provisions in other acts such as Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, Standard of Weights and Measures Act.

Mr. Parigi says: “Consumer courts are also not going to rural areas where the violations are more rampant and consumers are not aware of their rights.”

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