Dimapur Ao Youth Organisation (DAYO) organised a seminar on “consumer awareness” at DABA Church here, on Saturday. The seminar was sponsored by department of Metrology, government of Nagaland.
Addressing the gathering, resource person, advocate, Rongseninla stated that consumers were considered as the largest economic group in any economy affected by almost every public and private decisions.
She lamented that it was also the largest important group who were not effectively organised, and whose views and voices were often unheard. In this regard, she maintained that consumers all over need to be organised in order to fight for their rights to secure proper justice.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, she said that the consumer provided opportunities to business people to serve them and that the consumer was the ultimate purpose of business.
She further maintained that majority of consumers were not aware of the existence of consumer courts and that there were barely two or three consumer rights organisations that were active. Citing the roles of consumer rights civil societies, she stated that consumer societies should focus on educating the public about their rights by organising awareness programmes and encourage consumers to strongly protest and take action against unscrupulous, exploitive and unfair practice of sellers.
Rongseninla also added that providing legal assistance to consumers by way of providing legal advice in seeking legal remedy and taking initiative in filing cases in consumer courts was among the important roles of consumer rights societies.
Meanwhile, resource person, advocate, Imti Imsong stressed on the amended Consumer Protection Act 2019. Stressing on the recently amended Act, Imsong stated that product liability was one area where consumers should pay heed to. He informed that if any product was found adulterated or scrupulous, the manufacturer, deliverer or the seller after proper investigation would be fined with an amount of Rs. Rs. 1 lakh, even if the product did not cause any harm to the consumers. In an event where the product slightly injure/harm, seriously injure/harm, or if the consumer dies by using the product, either of the three would be fined Rs. 3 lakhs with one year imprisonment, Rs. 5 lakhs with 7 years imprisonment and Rs. 10 lakhs with life imprisonment.
Imsong further informed that consumer societies did not have any rights or action to settle issues relating to consumer rights. It either had to be taken to a district, state or national commission. With regard to court cases, Imsong informed that any cases less than 1 crore could be taken care by the district commission while cases with 3 to 10 crores need to be taken up with the state commission.
He added that cases amounting to more than Rs.10 crores were taken into national commission and not other level.
Imsong further maintained that a lawyer was not needed in the district and state level in cases relating to consumer rights. Earlier, the programme was moderated by DAYO advisor, Imtiakum and vote of thanks delivered by DAYO president, Aotemsu Aier.
Meanwhile after the programme, DAYO appealed to all the Nagas and Aos in particular not to allow their names to be used for Benami accounts and to do away with this process.