Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (KD/NR)

Mangalore, Jul 17: Government PU College (Balmatta) principal Shivananjappa said here on Monday July 16, that there is a need to create awareness about consumer rights, so that a consumer is alert to any case of cheating.

He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop for teachers. This workshop was being conducted in order to aid the formation of consumer clubs in schools and colleges and was organized by the Dakshina Kannada district federation of consumer organizations. He said that there were several instances of consumers being cheated by the traders.'If we do not do anything in the face of all kinds of cheating, we ourselves help them to form a vicious circle around us. Even a newborn baby is a consumer in it own way, so everyone should wake up and fight for individualn rights,' he averred.

President of consumer federation M J Salian said it was necessary to create awareness on the rights of the consumer, redressal of consumer grievances, and consumer protection act among the rural folks. 'It is time that all consumers fight for their rights and if they did not then the whole country will be an open field of corruption,' he added. 

Salian further stated that every district has a consumer protection council but 'it is a shame on our part that we are not even aware of it and do not even attend the meetings. But the media can play a vital role in creating an awareness on consumer rights,' he added. He urged the teachers to motivate students to join the consumer clubs.

Addressing the students, he exhorted them to fight for the rights within the framework of law. The redressal of grievances by the consumer court is inexpensive and speedy and according to Salian the consumer grievances are redressed by the court within nine days.