Consumer Rights Awareness Event In Shillong

A Correspondent

SHILLONG: The Department of Social Work, Martin Luther Christian University, conducted a two-day awareness programme on ‘Consumer Rights’ at Nongspung, Meghalaya on May 9 and 10.

A skit competition on the theme of consumer rights was held on the first day of the programme. Various schools of Nongspung participated in this competition and Nongspung Presbyterian Secondary School emerged as the winner. On the 2nd day, special talks were held for the benefit of the residents of Nongspung by representatives of the Metrology and Food and Civil Supplies Department.

JM Jala, an official of the Legal Metrology Department briefed the villagers about weights and measures in trading and cited many examples on the methods that sellers employ to cheat their customers. He urged the villagers to be vigilant and wary of the way their commodities are weighed and measured when they buy anything. He further emphasised that under the Legal Metrology Act, it is the consumer’s legal right to demand for correct weights and measures when buying anything and the seller’s legal obligation to provide correct weights and measures when selling.

He further added that consumers should only buy commodities as per the MRP displayed and should insist on a cash memo at the time of purchase as that would ease the complaint filing process. S War, an official of the Food Civil Supplies, briefed the villagers about the various schemes as well as the process and policies of food distribution under the National Food Security Act. He also talked about the importance and benefit that can be gained from the seeding of Aadhar and ration card. He also briefed the villagers about the various means that can be accessed for queries and complaints regarding food distribution.

The students of MLCU also had an interactive session with the villagers of Nongspung during which the villagers shared their problems regarding the food ration distribution. The villagers said that the rice they get is very dirty to a point that it is inedible. There is also no proper distribution between the individuals entitled for APL and BPL rice. The allocation of rice is also not proportionate to the number of members in a family. They also lamented on the fact that they do not get important commodities like oil and sugar. They had attempted to approach the authorities with their grievances but to no avail.

Also read: Meghalaya News