GUWAHATI, Dec 24 - The Consumers� Legal Protection Forum (CLPF), Assam, in association with Consumer Voice, New Delhi, organised a daylong programme at Six Mile area of the city to mark the National Consumer Day today to create awareness among common consumers about their rights and various laws.
On this occasion, the CLPF organised a street awareness meeting, free legal aid camp, and poster and leaflet distribution programme. Volunteers and office-bearers of the Forum conducted an awareness meeting at bus stops, market places and in front of educational institutions and distributed leaflets containing various information regarding the rights of common consumers enshrined in the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
The Forum also provided free legal aid to consumers on the spot. Through the street programmes it tried to make the consumers aware as to how they are cheated by the business community in various aspects and how they have to protect themselves from any kind of cheating.
The Forum appealed to the people to utilise the power of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, to protect their rights as consumers.
The secretary of the Forum, advocate Ajoy Hazarika said, �This Act gives us enough power to protect our rights as consumers. Most of us are not aware about our rights. After shopping, we never go through the cash memo even once. Without the cash memo, we cannot claim compensation. A victim can knock on the door of the District Consumer Forum, the State and the National Consumer Commission if he has the case memo in his hand, seeking justice.�
�Under no circumstances should consumers pay more than the maximum retail price. They can actually bargain over the MRP. Shop owners cannot put their own stickers on the commodities to make extra profit. At the time of online shopping, we should go thoroughly with the terms and conditions of the business house. We should also raise our voice strongly in the cases of medical negligence,� he said.
