Dimapur, Sep. 18 (EMN): A team of resource persons consisting of LL. B final year students of Kohima Law College namely Asenla S Longkumer, Teisozelhou Bei-o, Vinikali Chishi and Keyipiebeung led by its assistant professor and president of Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO), Kezhokhoto Savi, conducted an awareness programme on consumer rights, food safety, food security, environment and street vendors at Kohima College on September 16.
Addressing the gathering, Kezhokhoto Savi highlighted on the importance of consumer’s movement and the need to make the consumers more aware of their rights and responsibilities. Stating that rural areas need more awareness on consumer rights, he said the responsibility lies with educated people and particularly with the government agencies.
He pointed out short supply of LPG cooking gas, selling lottery tickets/ raffle draw for fund raise, illegal collection of cash at check-gates and on highways, backdoor appointments, corruption in different ways including spending crores of rupees under various names of works without executing the projects especially Special Development Programme (SDP), bad roads, deficiency services, unfair means of practices by the butchers, human rights violation, selling expiry goods, food safety, food security, removal of original price tag like motor parts etc, which amounted to exploiting consumer rights.
He has particularly emphasised on six consumer rights namely right to safety, right to be informed, right to choice, right to be heard, right to seek redressal, and right to consumer education. He, therefore, said it is important to promote the basic rights of all consumers to demand that those rights are respected and protected so as to protest against the market abuses and social injustices.
He also elaborated that the right to safety means the right to be protected against the marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and properties and the right to information means the consumer has the right to get information about the quality, quantity, purity and standard and prices of goods and services.
