KATHMANDU, July 28: Various consumer rights groups have criticized the concerned government bodies for not carrying out effective monitoring on consumers' rights as per the government directives.

The government had issued the directives five years ago with a view to monitor markets and to ensure the general public's access to daily necessities of good quality.

Speaking at a program organized in Lalitpur on Wednesday to mark the fifth anniversary of the introduction of the directives, Anup Raj Sharma, chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said that the government bodies have not responded to the recommendations made by the NHRC.

“The monitoring directives were issued with a purpose to ensure rights of the consumers,” Sharma said while addressing the annual function. “The bodies should have used technical and efficient manpower for monitoring the markets and punished those who produced and sold harmful goods.”
He also said that the situation can be improved significantly if the market is monitored as per the methods mentioned in the directives because that has clearly described the way to ensure the rights of the consumers.

Jyoti Baniya, chairman of Forum for Protection of Consumer Rights-Nepal (FPCR-N) claimed that the government was too slow in monitoring and that has put the general people's health at risk.

“The the market prices of daily commodities are very high due to uncontrolled market. So the bodies responsible for monitoring should continuously monitor market prices and quality of goods.”

Baniya also underscored on the need of establishing a separate consumer court to ensure consumers' rights.  

“For hearing on cases of violation of consumer rights, to punish the violators and to fine them, a consumer court has become necessary,” he added.

Another consumer rights activist Apsara Koirala also criticized the government for not controlling the market. “The cost of commodities has skyrocketed but the government bodies are not bothered at all,” she said.
 
Officials from various government bodies, who were present at the program, claimed that they have been making all efforts for effective monitoring of market.

 
• national human rights commission
 
• govt bodies criticized