Vikram Gour
The Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution (CAPD) department of J&K Government reconstituted the ‘Price Consultative Committee’ (PCC) headed by Director CAPD by a latest government order vide G O No. 53 dated 20.07. 2012, almost a year back, to regulate and fix rates and quality of Essential Commodities in view of the rush of tourist-season to Valley and Pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi, Shri Amar Nath and Haj. This PCC under Director, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) is supposed to meet periodically to review the market position of Essential Commodities in respect of price, quality, quantity and services made available to public by the sellers and service providers in conformity with Essential Commodities Act and Consumer Protection Act of 1987. Surprisingly, even State Consumer Protection Council headed by Minister CAPD and Transport to review the working of the all the departments connected with mitigating the consumer problems, that is mandated to meet at least 2-3 times a year under the Consumer Protection Act, has not met for the last more than two years inspite of repeated requests by Consumer Organizations.
The Consumer Organizations are surprised to note that in the last almost two years this PCC have met not more than once for the purpose for which it was created by the Government. This is inspite of repeated assurances by concerned Minister CAPD and the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu that the meeting of the PCC will be called by CAPD to keep check on the essential Commodities made available by Dhabas, Halwais, Milk and Milk products venders, mutton and chicken sellers, fruit and vegetable sellers etc well before the on-rush of the Pilgrims and tourists to protect the consumers from unscrupulous traders and service providers. In this regard even the District Development Commissioners have not discharged duties assigned to them (under Consumer Protection Act) for fixing and monitoring prices of all essential commodities within their jurisdiction. For quite some time now the prices are being fixed and announced by sellers own unregistered, so called, associations without any interference by CAPD.
This attitude of being a ‘Mute Spectator’ (to whatever is happening in the market) adopted by CAPD and all other Government agencies including DDCs, Drug Control, Legal metrology etc is in complete violation of Essential Commodities Act of 1955 read with S.O. 145-E of 1990 and the Consumer Protection Act 1987. The government has made a mockery of much talked about ‘Consumer Protection Rights’. All this coupled with absence of District Consumer Courts and official agencies to receive and process consumer complaints has placed the consumers in a pathetic situation.
Although, the Minister, CAPD has more than once agreed (with Consumer organizations) to the need of formation of an independent Directorate of Consumer Affairs to deal exclusively with consumers’ enormous problems yet no concrete step has been taken in this direction. It appears existing CAPD directorate has already assumed that they are responsible only for Public Distribution and have nothing to do with Consumer Affairs.
Consumer organizations strongly feel that it is now for the Minister to intervene and protect the consumers’ rights as contained in the Consumer Protection Act, 1987.
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