Team Herald
PANJIM: GOACAN (Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network) will observe a Consumer Rights and Responsibilities Awareness drive from March 15, World Consumer Rights Day.
The month-long awareness drive which seeks to remind consumers to Assert their Rights and Assume their Responsibilities when they purchase goods and services is part of the ongoing GOACAN Consumer Literacy Campaign.
During the month, GOACAN will hold awareness actions, lead delegations and submit memorandums to Govt. Departments, participate in enforcement raids, attend official meetings, conduct surprise checks and organise Customer Outreach Programs.
The activities will cover the rights of the consumers under the Consumer Protection Act 2019, the Standards of Weights & Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and the BIS Act 2016.
As one focus of the awareness drive will be on the importance of Food Safety, consumers will be alerted to be aware of the contents of packaged food and street food by giving special attention to the ingredients being used.
Special efforts will be made to alert consumers purchasing milk, edible oils and packaged drinking water to acquaint themselves with the Packaged Commodities Rules and guidelines of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) with regards to possible labelling violations.
Safety and Quality Standards for products and services will be another focus of the awareness drive wherein consumers will be alerted about the Fire Safety norms for LPG cylinders and Electrical appliances which must have the ISI mark.
GOACAN will have a special activity during the month called “Spot the Deficiency, Identify the Official, Pursue the Remedy” which will have the participation of volunteers from the village based Consumer Forums and campus based Consumer Welfare Clubs.
GOACAN will give special focus to the consumers right to seek redressal with regards to Post Offices, Banks, Mobile andlandline Telephones, Cable TV, LPG cylinders, Electricity, Bus Transport, Goods and Services Tax and service at Public Toilets among other issues.
Special focus will also be on spreading awareness among consumers on the various Helplines available to report complaints and the redressal agencies available to file complaints.
