Dimapur, July 22 (EMN): The Nagaland Volunteer Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has once again spoken out for the rights and entitlements of the public.
The NVCO in a press release issued to media on Sunday stated that every citizen is a consumer one way or the other and the Government as a welfare state is responsible to provide the basic needs of its citizens such as water supply, electricity services, good roads, essential as well as non-essential commodities at reasonable rates. The organisation said legislators / minister / politicians have no shares, to regulate and control the rates and charges in goods and services, food safety etc. of central schemes such as supply of rice or wheat entitled by the citizens under the National Food Security Act.
Consumers entitled to enjoy 24 hours of electricity services
On electricity problem, the organisation president reminded the Power department consumers are legally entitled to enjoy 24 hours of electricity services and on unavoidable circumstances the consumers are to be informed in advance through local newspapers or All India Radio.
The NVCO mentioned that said a place like Dimapur, “the complaint is services,” stating that several citizens called up its president Kezhokhoto Savi, complaining against electricity services where failures is very frequent, terming it as purely deficiency services under the Consumer Protection Act 1986. “They also said that they pay electricity bills and even the bills is quite high and they are entitled regular services they have been paying regularly and even suggested for a protest in any form including PIL,” the press release stated.
Excessive labours charges
Following complain received from the Kohima citizens about the excessive charges of labours where non-local, ‘a mere labour who does not have any working experience as labour/ unskilled charges not less than INR 500 as daily wage and the self-styled so called “mistery” claimed himself as skilled labour charges not less than INR 700 per day,’ the NVCO questioned as to why the locals tempt to give more money to non-locals than the local youth. The organisation said that it is the responsibility of the government to fix the proper rate and revised as per the market trend.
The NVCO request the office of the Labour commissioner and the Kohima Municipal Council to look into the complaint at the earliest. Also, citing an example of a shop in Kohima for charging INR 3 and 4 for zexox per copy of one side A4 size paper which was almost double of other shops, the NVCO said that no organisation is competent to fix for their own rates such as labour charges, carrying charges, transport charges including taxi fare and bus fare, zexox charges, service charges, bricks and other building materials, etc.
It also pointed out the illegal collection of cash at the check-gates / highways which leads to price rise of commodities.
Concerning the food safety, and pointing out the recent alarming issues in the market like formalin fish and others, the organisation sought cooperation and support from the consumers to the State Food Safety Commissioner and the enforcement and the analysis wing.
Govt. top priority should be to provide good roads
On bad roads, the NVCO mentioned that citizen as consumer especially vehicle owners paid road tax are solely entitled for good and smooth roads.
The NVCO said to provide good roads must be the top priority of the government as a welfare state and having festival like road show or mini-hornbill should be secondary. Pointing out the recent repaired roads which were washed away by the monsoon rain, the organisation questioned whether to blame on poor quality works or the concern minister or PWD department or PDA government.
“We are to question whether there was any violation of NPWD or CPWD rules in executing the works when no competent contractors were engage in a work amounting to huge crore and no tender norm was followed. What is this fund? Is it maintenance? The Government should not take its citizens for a ride. Several citizens called up the NVCO to initiate protest against bad roads,” the press release stated.
The President of NVCO Kezhokhoto Savi said that “we don’t want our land to be a land of protest and rallies but if circumstances compelled and the government don’t pay heed to it then the voice of the consumers are to be heard.” Citizens may contact the Nagaland State Consumer helpline through its toll free no. 1800-345-3701 for any queries related to consumer daily complaints.
