GOACAN launches Consumer Rights campaign in Goa

Panaji, Aug 20 (UNI) Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN), a city-based voluntary organistion, today launched Consumer Rights Awareness Fortnight to educate the masses.

During the fortnight, GOACAN volunteers, along with the village- based consumer forums and campus-based consumer clubs, will display posters and banners, distribute awareness slips, record complaints and provide guidance.

Volunteers will focus on the LPG consumer's rights like mandatory mechanical safety checks, home delivery of gas cylinders, computerised billing and doorstep check of cylinder weight so as to put a stop to harassment and inconvenience caused to women and senior citizens.

The volunteers will also focus on the consumer rights related to Legal Metrology such as proper use of weights and measures, full name and address of manufacturer, date of manufacture and expiry and maximum retail price (MRP) of packaged commodities, coordinator Roland Martins said here.

In order to draw public and media attention to consumer rights during the fortnight, the NGO has organised visits to super markets, grocery stores and sweet marts to check products and take samples.

Consumer Forum volunteers will also organise ''phone in's'' with the Directorate of Food&Drug Administration, Controller Legal Metrology, Commissioner of Civil Supplies&Consumer Affairs.

During the fortnight, the volunteers will publicise the official telephone and fax numbers of the Customer Service Officers of Bharat Gas, HP Gas and Indane, the Inspectors and Assistant Controllers of Legal Metrology and Inspectors of the Directorate of Food&Drug Administration.

GOACAN has also called upon the consumers to be alert about the sale of counterfeit, fake, spurious and adulterated goods at exhibitions, discount sales, exchange offers and carefully examine the guarantee and warranty cards and conditions during the festival period.

The NGO has also requested the consumers to forward a copy of their complaints by email to [email protected] for doing the needful, Mr Martins added.

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