’Consumer awareness day’ marked in M’luru & Udupi

’Consumer awareness day’ marked in M’luru & Udupi

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 23, 2015 :  Speaking at a programme organised to mark the National Consumers Day by the district administration, Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and District Consumer Federation here at SDM College of Business Management on Dec 22,Tuesday,  Dakshina Kannada District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum President Asha Shetty called upon students to become responsible consumers and not fall prey to greed of the manufacturers or sellers.

The forum president Asha Shetty said the forum can provide justice to the aggrieved consumers, but cannot prevent them from getting cheated by commercial ill deeds.  She said that there has been a rise in the number of complaints since earlier. "The forum was receiving 15-20 complaints (per month) in 2006 when I took charge as the president of the forum. We are now receiving 60-70 complaints every month," she said.

She attributed the increase in complaints to greed of manufacturers and traders who lure consumers through misleading advertisements. The younger generation should not be carried away by such advertisements.There has been an increase in the number of complaints pertaining to medical negligence, deficiency in services provided in buildings by builders as well as against educational institutions for failing to live up to the standards and quality as promised in the brochures of the institutions. There is a need to create awareness among the general public to ensure that the rights of the consumers are not violated. There is also a need to create awareness on Consumer Protection Act to empower the consumers on their rights and duties, she said.  She called upon the students not to live in ignorance, but live in good awareness.

Consumer clubs, course

District Consumer Federation President M J Salian said consumer clubs have been started in 54 schools and six colleges in the district to create awareness on Consumer Rights. "The federation is also offering a one-year certificate course on consumer education in four colleges for a nominal fee of Rs 250. For the same course, NLSIU, Bengaluru is charging Rs 15,000," he said.

He said the theme of this year’s National Consumer Day is ’Safe and healthy food: Combating food adulteration’. The consumer should have knowledge on their rights and fight against adulteration of food. According to the law, every taluk should have a taluk food safety officer. There is a shortage of officers in the district to check adulteration of food. Consumer vigilance is the only way to prevent adulteration of food items. If consumers detect any adulteration, they should not hesitate to approach the consumer court, he added.

He said the district has a consumer information centre through the efforts of the federation. According to the guidelines of Consumer Protection Act 1986, every district should have a consumer information centre to help and guide people. The Zilla Panchayat should run such centres or the responsibility should be handed over to an interested NGOs. The consumers can contact the centre at 0824- 2441894 for guidance on Consumer Rights.

Awareness on consumer rights  at Udupi :

Udupi : Speaking at inaugural of the Consumer Day 2015 programme organised by the Food and Civil Supplies Department, in association with the consumer forum and the Information Department here on dec 22, Tuesday,   Zilla panchayat Chief Executive Officer Priyanka Mary Francis said consumers have all the rights to raise their voice against injustice.  She said awareness on consumer rights is the need of the hour. This would bring down the number of cases related to deceiving the consumers.

Delivering a talk, Brahmavar Zonal Research Centre Assistant Professor Bhageerathi said contamination begins right from the soil. This would, in fact, elaborate the extent of the adulteration, wherein the consumers are misled in all aspects. Food adulteration is due to the target set for reaching out the food production. The target ended in extensive use of chemical fertilisers to augment the growth. The food chain was also contaminated. Food production became a trade and the profit was the factor that was counted, she felt.

She said the chemical fertilisers injected into the soil would have a long lasting impact. The awareness for using organic fertilisers is a welcome move. However, the level of food adulteration taking place is increasing. The only solution to prevent these activities is to use organic fertilisers. The Consumer Rights Act should be well understood by all to exercise the rights, she observed.   She elaborated on the food chain and the consequences.

Emphasising on the impact of proteins on growth, she said protein is an important substance found in every cell in the human body. Except for water, protein is the most abundant substance in the body. The protein is manufactured by the body utilising the dietary protein one consumes. It is used in many vital processes and thus, needs to be consistently replaced. One accomplishes this by regularly consuming foods that contain protein. Protein is a major source of energy. If one consume more proteins than required for body tissue maintenance and other necessary functions, the body will use it for energy. If it is not needed due to sufficient intake of other energy sources such as carbohydrates, the protein will be used to create fat cells. .