EMN
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 9
THE Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) has expressed outrage at the still-unchecked prices of commodities in Nagaland. From convenience goods to appliances, prices in Nagaland continue to spiral while the district administration and government continue to slumber. The past one year has experienced one of the most criminal market systems in Nagaland while the district administrations remain unworried.
The NVCO issued a press on Tuesday decrying the various prices of goods above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP), black-marketing and ill-treatment meted out to consumers in LPG cooking gas, shortage of weight (solid as well as liquid) in meat/butcher shops and gas-station/petrol-pump, price-rise, etc in the state.
“Several verbal complaints has been reported to the NVCO within the last few days that several shops in the state capital refused to honour the rights of consumer to the extent that they did not listen to the consumers despite of their fight and strong insist on Maximum Retail Price where the price is mentioned specifically on the goods,” the NVCO stated in the press release. For instance, just a few days back there was a complaint that a small shop situated on N.H-29, AOC area, Kohima charged Rs.10 for a packet of ‘TOPAZ’ containing 5 blades where the price was clearly mentioned with Maximum Retail Price Rs.7.00 per pack (inclusive of all axes).
“To some citizen this kind of complaint may be found to be silly but to a consumer activist this is important because the manipulation of prices and exploitation of Consumer Rights begins in this simple manner,” the organization stated.
The NVCO has warned shopkeepers to immediately stop this kind of illegal and unfair trade practices in their dealing with consumers and not to charge above the MRP. “A young parent brought a pair of ladies sandal/shoe of which he bought for his daughter terming his complaint as not listening to the mentioned of MRP despite of showing the MRP Rs. 150.00 but the shopkeeper charged Rs. 750.00. There are several complaints against the charges of motor parts where the trader usually remove the original MRP and sold at a higher rate to the consumers,” the NVCO added.
The organization also narrated an incident where a young literate mother who was in a queue for more than three hours to secure LPG cooking gas was denied by the counter saying that her share has already been taken by somebody else and not even given her an opportunity to verify or justified her stand.
The NVCO questioned as to how it could happen when the gas card is at the possession of the rightful consumer and anxiously waiting for her entitlement. “This kind of ill-treatment meted to the consumers by the counter is becoming more common. It is easier to get filled LPG in black-marketing which is costing more than a sum of thousand per cylinder. The NVCO once again sincerely appeal to District Administration to ensure the rights of the consumer and stopped the practices of black-marketing which is bringing shortage of supply and also not to allow the hotels, restaurant, hostels, etc to use domestic connection.”
Further, the NVCO pointed to the complaint against weights practiced by butchers and meat dealers, fish, mutton and even in grocery shops. “We have consumer complaint against certain gas-station/petrol pump in their practices of shortage in giving fuel stating that their meter is always found to be short/less,” the NVCO stated.
The NVCO has appealed to the departments to start taking action and check and verify the weight and measurement instruments used by various businessmen especially the butchers, meat sellers, grocery shops, and fuel stations to protect the rights and safety of the consumers.
“The general public complaint against the price-rise in all essential commodities and non-essential commodities as well including building materials and this is the hue and cry of the general public as consumers,” the NVCO stated through its president Kezhokhoto Savi. The state government is asked to take effective measures to control the prices to a “reasonable one.”
