NAHARLAGUN, Dec 12: Legal Metrology and Consumer Affairs Minister Kamlung Mossang urged the business community to uphold honesty in business and respect the rights of the consumers by refraining themselves from selling or trading spurious and sub-standard products.
“Be a responsible citizen and refrain from bringing or selling spurious and sub-standard items keeping in mind the consumer health,” said Mossang during a meeting of the Arunachal Pradesh Consumer Protection Council held at the Conference Hall of the Department of Legal Metrology & Consumer Affairs, Naharlagun on Wednesday.
The minister also emphasized the need of testing laboratories in the state to check the quality of consumer items.
Mossang suggested the Department of Legal Metrology to conduct awareness programme on important occasions, like National Consumer Day, World Consumer Rights Day, Republic Day, Statehood Day, Children’s Day and local festivals to educate the consumer about their rights and responsibilities as enshrined under Consumer Protection Act.
He also suggested the department to open toll free helpline numbers in all the district headquarters to receive and resolve consumers’ complaints.
Later, the minister launched the Whatsapp and facebook accounts of the department, through which a consumer can seek redressal of his/her grievances.
Secretary of the Department, Yeshi Wangmu Ringu, who is also holding the post of Finance Secretary, further suggested the department to include all the major components of activities, including proposal for consumer awareness activities in SADA, in future.
She suggested the department to conduct awareness programme during Sarkar Aapke dwar programme to educate the consumers about their rights and responsibilities.
Highlighting the problems being faced in distribution of fund to all the departments as well as in post creation, she suggested department to engage the officers and officials in districts to multi-task, especially in dealing with the works of the District Forum.
Controller of Legal Metrology cum Director of Consumer Affairs Hoktum Ori highlighted the achievements made by the department in the last few years and also the obstacles being faced by the department in the implementation of the consumer protection laws in the State.
The meeting was also addressed by Member State Commission Hoksum Ori, Prof RC Parida of Rajiv Gandhi University, senior journalist Pradeep Kr. Behera, ACLM Taba Tabin.
