The government has started market inspection targeting the big festivals of Hindus, which are just around the corner. Last week, the government authorities including the local bodies, the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) and the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumers Protection that are mandated for the market monitoring announced their aggressive plan to mobilize their teams for the purpose. It is ironic that these government bodies once again step up their performing rituals that they conduct every year.
Violations of consumer rights appear every now and then while consumers continue to suffer in their daily activities. May it be related to consuming food, buying apparels and other necessities, using public transports, receiving banking services and using telecommunication means, among others, the general public is being victimized. Selling substandard products through relabeling of expired products is rampant and charging exorbitant prices is common in the market. Sale of unlabelled water contaminated with harmful germs and adulteration in oil and ghee are almost normal. The DFTQC filed 178 cases against the sellers of substandard edible items in fiscal year 2023/24, out of which 45 were related to processed water. However, in most of the cases, the wrongdoers do not face stern actions while the victims do not get anything in return as compensation. Lack of adequate concerns at the government level has compelled the consumers to face serious health hazards along with losing their hard-earned money just to make the wrongdoing traders wealthier.
Strengthen market monitoring to protect consumer interests
With some exceptions in place, unscrupulous traders are brought under legal framework only in a few cases. The Consumer Protection Act 2018 has empowered the government authorities with more legal backup to effectively conduct the market inspection. Based on the provision ensured by the act, the authorities occasionally slap on-the-spot cash fines against the wrongdoers in the market. However, most often, these authorities express their helplessness on the pretext of lacking necessary resources including sufficient manpower to mobilize them for market monitoring, resulting in very low number of market inspections in times other than the festive season. Although the new act has talked about installation of a consumer court, it has remained just on papers.
Providing importance to the market research in government policy interventions and commitment to check the ransom collection by the political parties from the local traders could help check the malpractices of the cartel, price hike and selling of substandard products at the local market. Effective market monitoring throughout the year along with the stern actions against the wrongdoers are necessary to ensure consumer protection. In addition, the government should step up efforts instantly for establishing a consumer court as envisioned by the Consumer Protection Act.
