Dated at   Kerala  ,  the  3rd day of  June  ,2008

 

From                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

PA. Surendran ,   

Member : Central Consumer Protection Council , Krishi Bhavan  ,Govt. Of India. .

General Secretary , Consumers' Association ,

( PDCA ) (Regd.No.256/1991)

Kit's College ,Court Road , Palakkad, Kerala  State-  678  001.

Phone : 0491-2522320, Fax : 2569952. Mobile : 9446059952.

 

To

 

Shri. Y.S. Bhave , IAS

Hon'ble Secretary ,Dept.of Consumer Affairs ,Krishi Bhavan ,New Delhi.

 

Copy to :

 

1) Shri. Sharad  Pawar ,

Hon'ble Minister for Public Distribution, Food Agriculture & Consumer Affairs,

Govt. of India ,  Krishi Bhavan  ,New Delhi.Shri.

 

2) Shri.  A.K. Antony ,Honble   Minister for Defense , other concerned   Union  Ministers  , Govt. of India ,    New Delhi  &

 and     all CCPC Members.

 

Sub:  Memorandum for  the immediate  amendments of the   CPA-1986

to  Withdraw  the  registration  fees  up  to  the  claims  of   rupees   Five  lakh ..

 and  strengthen    the  Consumer  Protection  Act  &  Machineries. ..

Sir,

 

We  invite your kind attention  on our activities  as   a NGO  ,  functioning in the field of Consumer  interests     for the last 17 years, with  5  State awards  ,  2 National  awards .  We are  happy to inform you that  we  have  received  the United Nations  Special Consultative Status  accreditations  this year  & we are the only   Consumer Association in India  having the  UN  Status.

 

The  consumer  Protection Act 1986 provides  better  protection  to  the   interest of the Consumers   in  India . The  Consumer  movement  has  in  recent  years  grown  tremendously  both  in  scope  and in  size. The  year 2008 sequentially represents  the 22^nd    year after  the  Consumer Protection Act  was  legislated  and  came  into  force . Our  country  has  witnessed  a  steady  growth  in  the  awareness  of   the  consumer  with  regard  to  his  rights & remedial  Course  for  redressing  grievances in the beginning . We ,  the  Indian  Consumers community  ,  very  proud  of CPA 1986, and its  three  tier  Govt. machinery functioning at District to National  level  , till 2002 . 

 

The significance  of the  Indian Consumer Protection Act-1986.

 

1) No. advocate  required for filing  a case.

 

2) No. Court  or stamp fee  required.

 

3) Evidence  Act  is  not applicable  etc.. These  are  the  most important  factors  attracted  the civil society  in the  beginning of the  Consumer Protection Act-1986..

 

Since  2002 , the functioning of  consumer courts  in India   became    very poor :

 

1)  The main reason  is  the amendments  of the  CPA-1986 on  December 18 th  2002, recommending  registration fees in      consumer Courts /Forums. 

 

2) It also   recommended   the formation of the  District Consumer Protection Councils inserted by  section  8a & 8b.  But   the Councils  were not  constituted  anywhere in India till last year.    ( I have  received   solid proof   through RTI  Act )

 

3) The  State Consumer Protection Council  ( Section 7  of CPA-1986 ) is   also  not  functioning  in majority of the States, including  the  Kerala  State. ( I have  received   solid proof   through RTI  Act )

 

4) The Central Consumer Protection Council ( CCPC )  section 4 of CPA-1986  is  the backbone  of the   Act . But  it   has not   functioned  since 2003 in India .( I have  received   solid proof   through RTI  Act )

 

5) The  NGO's  in this  field  have  been totally  neglected . The consumer  affairs dept. has never thought of    utilizing  the potential  of the NGO's  for the  consumers welfare.  Instead of    they have  tried their level best to destroy  the NGO's  in this field  activities.  So far   no action  is taken to  attract the Government / Public Sector  /Private Sector employees / Employers  to attract the Consumer  Protection and   Movement by the  Department.  As a result no one is interested to celebrate the World / the National Consumer Day   on  15th March and 24th December in every  year  at their level..  If suitable  leave  is  provided   majority of them come forward to celebrate the days..

 

6) Formulated  Code of Conduct  for  NGO's  in this field  has been totally neglected  after  the  period of    the Hon'ble  Ministers  Shri. A.K. Antony  and Shri. Santhakumar . Hence many   NGO's  in this field    involved  in  misguiding  & initiating   unfair services  ..  So far  there is no action  / direction  or   advise  to the  NGO's in this field  from the  Krishi Bhavan..

 

7) Swamy Vivekanda  National Award for the  best  NGO's in this field  was a token of encouragement . But it  has been  stopped  since 2003 without the  decision of the government.. There is no records / evidence  in the Krishi bhavan  as to  , who has  or , which committee has  decided to stop the Award.

 

8) Upabhothru Jagaran  was  the  best  magazine  and the "  mouth piece  "  of the  dept.of consumer affairs .  It has been  stopped  by the department   without the knowledge  of the  Ministry.. The question is , who has  or , which committee has  decided to stop the publication??.

 

9) Finance  support is not   provided  to the efficient  NGO's  activities. For example .We  have applied  several times  for  financial support  from  CWF   before the consumer  affairs dept. at  state  and the  central government  for   the last 17 years.  We have not received a single rupee till  now ??

 

The records reveal  that at the same time financial  support has been  given to fraud  & paper organizations. 

 

10) BIS activities also derailed  since 2003.. For example  : We have applied for BIS accreditation  during  2004 with  the supporting documents and  DD for  Rs 1000.00. We don't know  about the fate of our application till the date.

 

11) The Consumer Affairs Department is spending crores  of rupees from Consumer Welfare Fund  as their   wish  since 2003  without the consent of the CCPC or other Stautory  Committee.   To avoid   enquiry   they  have   constituted   a  name sake committee  with their   loyalists included .  I think  the Ministers   are  not aware the  faoul plays..

 

Why the    dept. of Consumer Affairs at Krishi Bhavan  keeping mum against all   these  evils ???? 

 

There is no action , no order  and no direction  against  the  non-functioning of the CCPC  at  Central Level ,  SCPC at  State levels  and  DCPC's  at  district levels. Consumer awareness  programmes also affected seriously .  The  bureaucrats   in the   Consumer Affairs Department  at   Krishi Bhavan    alone  responsible for  the paralysis   of  the whole process…

 

After the  period of    the Hon'ble  Ministers  for Consumer Affairs  Shri. A.K. Antony  and Shri. Santhakumar  ,  the Consumer Protection  machinery  through  out India  started sinking .  At the same time    the  fund  allotment  for consumer protection   has  been  increased in  each  Budget..

 

Growing  Exploitations  and  Unfair services :

 

Exploitations  & unfair services   have  been increased  in  alarming rate with modern fashion and size in new generation  Banks sector , new generation  Insurance sector , Telecom  sector , Mobile phone , Medicine & Health care , Electronics  and home appliances   sector  etc. .  The consumers community   believe  that  all are happening  due to  globalization  and the New  Economic  Policies.

 

The  new  amendments on 18^th December ,2002 & the  decision to impose   registration  fees  in the  consumer courts      affected  the   interests  of the   consumers . Through this , the department  has given  the  license  to cheat the public  up to  Rs 100/=  at any event.

 

If   a  strong   Consumer Protection  law  and  machinery  prevails , the Exploitations  & unfair services   can be  prevented  up to some extent..

 

The  present  style of  the Consumer Forums / CDRF & CDRC

 

The  present  style of  functioning  of  many  consumer  Forums are  against the  Consumers  interests . Registration fees in consumer courts , Undue delay for orders , ( Neglecting 90-180 days ) neglecting of consumers  interests by the CDRF & CDRC  authorities ,   Non-uniformity found in the orders of different forums on the same issues,  relaxed  appointment  procedure of the CDRF & CDRC  members  and   lack of   transparency are   a few  among them..  

 

In addition to all this  the   Consumer Affairs Dept. has not been constituted  till now   at State level.  Still it is functioning  along with the   Civil Supplies department.   Hence the activities are managed by the  Civil Supplies department as an additional  duty..?  It affected the consumer  protection activities  throughout India.

 

These are causing a dent  in the belief of  the Consumers in this  act  and  they are    reluctant to take up their disputes  to  Consumer courts . As a result    the   number of   case   registrations  has been  reduced  to   single  digit    average  per   month  in every  consumer courts  in our   country.

 

In the  prevailing  situation , If  the   Government  of India   continues to  impose  the   registration fees  in consumer courts  ,    the   poor  consumers  will be forced  to  neglect  the   Consumer courts    and   it may   lead to   end  of  this   act.

 

* Hence to  protect the Act , we  request your honour  to  withdraw    the decision  to   impose  the  registration fees in the    consumer  courts up to  5 lakhs  and necessary steps may please be taken  for the amendments ...

 

**  A   Vigilance   enquiry may  please be  conducted  against   the CPA sabotage  activities ,  since    2002.

 

*** Immediate  direction may please be given to  convene the  newly constituted  CCPC meeting.. Because general election is 

       nearer .

We will be highly obliged  if an early  action  is taken  in this regard.  Assuring you of our  best services and anticipating  a   reply  at the earliest ...

 

Thanking  you ,

Yours faithfully ,

 

 -sd-

 

PA.Surendran .

( Member : CCPC.)

Copy to all other  CCPC  Members..