GUWAHATI, Sept 26 � The Consumers� Legal Protection Forum has demanded immediate withdrawal of any decision to hike the price of milk. The forum, while criticising the silent role of the administration in controlling the arbitrary hike in milk price, said that milk consumers have been paying high prices without any guarantee of the quality of milk.
�Instead of supplying quality milk, the suppliers hike the price of milk according to their wish,� said Ajoy Hazarika, chief coordinator of the forum.
It needs to be mentioned here that in May last year, the milk suppliers hiked the retail price of milk by Rs 5 from Rs 22 per litre. This year on May 4, the milk suppliers again announced that the price of milk has been hiked by another Rs 3, raising it to Rs 30 per litre.
�Again, the milk suppliers have whimsically decided to hike the price of milk by Rs 2 per litre with effect from October 1. Milk is an essential item required for children and people have no option but to buy milk. So the milk suppliers are taking advantage of the situation,� said Hazarika, adding that arbitrarily going for a price hike is a violation of consumer rights.
The forum had participated in two rounds of emergency meeting with the then Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (M) Dr J Balaji in May this year to deal with issues like checking the abnormal hike in milk price, fixing a uniform price for milk in entire Guwahati city, ensuring the quality of milk and taking the requisite action to prevent adulteration of milk.
�However, the situation has remained the same as it was before. This is sheer negligence on the part of the administration towards the common consumers,� said Hazarika.
