The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Tamil magazine to create consumer rights awareness

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 13, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Tamil magazine to create consumer rights awareness

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: A Tamil monthly magazine ‘Hello Consumer’ to create awareness among those, far and wide, of their rights as consumers as well as their basic fundamental rights as Indians was launched here on Thursday.

Speaking at its launch, Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection Organisation (TNCPO) president C. Paul Barnabas said only the name of the magazine was in English, but its real purpose was to reach out, even to those at the grassroots, to make people aware of their rights. “We need to work with a sense of community welfare and ensure that the rights of everyone are protected with a sense of equality. This is the purpose of this magazine,” he said. The TNCPO is associated with the magazine.

Editor of the magazine Leena Joshi said the main purpose of the magazine was to help the poor people who are not aware of their rights.

The 19th Metropolitan Magistrate, I. Jayanthi, said such magazines were welcome because they would help to spread the word about consumer protection laws and regulations.

“Everybody should be aware of the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act and the type of compensation one is entitled to. The only way one can become less vulnerable is through education. Even if you go to the police station or a government office, you need to know your rights so that you can articulate them,” she added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ambattur) Joshi Nirmal Kumar said many people came to the police when some product they had bought turned out to be faulty or they had been cheated by someone into buying a product.

All this was mainly owing to a lack of awareness of what one should do, he said.

Insurance Ombudsman, Union Government, K. Sridhar, participated in the meeting.

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