Even though the Consumer Welfare Act was framed in 1980, the demands for consumers’ interest, security and welfare have not been fulfilled till now, said the Upavokta Surakhya Avijan Odisha (USAO) at a Press meet here on Friday.
The Orissa High Court’s direction, the Assembly Standing Committee’s recommendations and the proposal approved by the USAO to form a Special Consumer Directorate are not being implemented despite repeated demands. However, the effort to instal the Odisha State Consumer Forum President as the head of the Consumer Welfare Department is highly motivated, the USAO alleged.
The powers given to the Consumer Welfare Commission as per the Consumer Welfare Act’s Sections 17 and 24 (B)2 are not being implemented. As a result, a huge number of cases are pending in the Odisha Consumer Welfare Forum and the District Consumer Redressal Forums.
While according to the rules the cases should be disposed of in 90 days, some cases are pending for the last nine years. Besides, the State Government had issued a notification for setting up Circuit Benches of the forum at Sambalpur and Bramhapur, but the forum is not implementing it, the USAO alleged.
USAO general secretary Gobinda Ojha said in place of efficient persons, inefficient candidates are being chosen. The Consumer Welfare Parishad’s recommendations are not being implemented. At the district level, the District Consumer Redressal Forums are not being formed. The required infrastructure and staffs have not been provided to the dispute redressal forums; so, the cases are lying unsolved for years together, Ojha alleged.
In the coming days, consumer grievances relating to education, health, transport, weights and measures and adulteration of fuel would be a major headache for the Government, he pointed out.
The USAO demanded that Government ensure consumer protection at the grassroots level and sought help of the MlAs in this endeavour. Among others, USAO president Banshidhar Acharya, Hrushikesh Panda, Prasanna Mishra, Sukanta Nayak, Pratap Chandra Mishra and former MlA Brundaban Majhi also spoke on the occasion.