Protection · Part 2

Consumer Grievances Where the business enterprises have customer care department, it should handle the grievances’ of consumer immediately or within a definite time frame. Role of Government Since most of consumers including academically educated are illiterate about their rights and hence passive. Government should assure an active role in safeguarding the consumers. Government both the central and the state have brought out a number of legislations to protect the interest of consumers across the country. Other statues have been listed out in the ‘Do you know’ segment of this lesson. Despite the existence of legal system to protect the consumers, consumers in India are still illiterate and passive. Mere statue book will not address the problem. Law enforcement authorities should see that penal clause is not mere paper jaws- they should sting the offenders mercilessly. Role of Consumers Ultimately it is the consumer who alone can put an end to all their unethical trade practices. Business enterprises may break the codes and Government may rest content with mere enaction of laws and do little to protect consumers. In this context consumers have to be vigilant and organise themselves into a movement for concerted action. Activation of Consumer Action Councils . Consumer action councils established at village levels should educate consumers of the right. . Consumer protection agencies should take necessary steps to investigate consumer complaints and grievances and arrange to forward them to correct forum. . It should regulate business enterprises according to the rules of the industry. . Voluntary consumer groups should provide information so as to educate consumers on matters affecting them through media. . It should organise movement against the malpractice of manufacturers and traders. . Consumer cooperatives need to be strengthened. . Consumer groups should contact the legislators to raise the consumer issues in Assembly and Parliament. . There should be testing laboratories at each district to test the purity of goods. . Voluntary consumer organisations should publicise the malpractices of manufacturers and traders by media. . It should take initiation to report such officials and authorities who let the offender to go scot free to