BHUBANESWAR: In what is seen as a grave provocation and denial of justice to people, the State Consumer Protection Council (SCPC) and the District Consumer Protection Council (DCPC)s in as many as 22 districts in the state are defunct for the past many months. Reason: The terms of these panels have expired long ago, and no replacements have been made. Result: No checks on unfair trade practices in the state.
As per the terms under Section 7 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, it is for the state government to set up the State Consumer Protection Council. The minister-in-charge, consumer affairs department, is the chairman of the council. The objective of the SCPC is to protect the rights of consumers as laid down in clauses (a) to (f) of section 6 of the act. This includes the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods or services, so as to protect consumers against unfair trade practices.
These panels are to be reconstituted once in three years following expiry of their terms. State Consumer Protection Council had its term expired in September last. Likewise, as per the Consumer Protection Act of 1986, the state government also establishes in every district, by notification, a District Consumer Protection Council to promote and protect the rights of the consumers therein.
The council generally comprises the district collector as its chairman and a number of officials and non-officials as members.
However, the period of the existing DCPC in all the districts — expect Balasore, Boudh, Ganja, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nawarangpur and Rayagada — have expired September 31, 2014.
New panels are yet to be constituted. Sources said that the local administrations are taking things easy. The state government has asked all the collectors to submit a proposal for the reconstitution of the respective councils, but there was no follow up action from any level.
The existing of the consumer protection act mandates both the SCPC and DCPC to hold periodic meetings. However, sources revealed that in the absence of their reconstitution, there were no such meetings since September last.
“While price of essential commodities have increased and the market is bearing the brunt of unfair trade practices, the problems of consumers remain unheard in the absence of functioning of these consumer bodies,” said KP Krishnan, chairman of the all Orissa consumer protection council, a registered consumer forum.
He said disputes regarding the selection of members for the SCPC have been a hindrance to its re-constitution.
DCA-cum-additional secretary to government, food supply and consumer welfare (FS&CW) department, Ratnakar Rout, said, “The names of 10 members of the SCPC have already been shortlisted and sent to the concerned authorities for approval and reconstitution of the body.”
He said the state government had, very recently, asked the collectors of 22 districts to send fresh proposals for constitution of the DCPC as per the Orissa Consumer Protection Amendment rules -1988.
