Consumer Movement: How can we strengthen it in Mysore? (Part II) Mysore has at least more than fifteen to twenty consumer NGOs. Some of them are quite specialized like dealing only with tax payers issues or transportation or environment or health problems. Some others like Mysore Grahakar Parishat have attempted to solve consumer problems in just about every area. Attempts made in the past to collect information on these NGOs to assess their impact on Mysore have not been successful. No researcher has attempted to make any systematic study either. In any case when we take a look at how different government institutions serve Mysore’s residents or private sector deals with their consumers, it is evident that consumer movement in Mysore is not very strong here. At least this is not because attempt has not been made based on the past activities of MGP since its inception in 1989. Under the leadership of Dr. Parpia assisted by Chief traffic warden Mr. Ramakrishna, MGP has attempted to improve traffic situation in the city for many years. NIE’s help was taken to draw up a long term traffic flow plan. Many meetings had been conducted and information about traffic regulations in different countries had been given to various commissioners. Despite all these efforts, driving today in the city continues to be a hazardous task. For some inexplicable reasons, all efforts of this transportation subcommittee have not produced desired results. Mr. C. V. Nagaraj must have conducted more than 600 training sessions to inform about food adulteration in our city. MGP has been taking samples of various food items and informing the public on rampant food adulteration, and putting pressure on the corporation to improve their food inspection system to punish the guilty traders for several years. The only satisfaction one can draw is that food adulteration in Mysore has not deteriorated in comparison what it used to be. Food Adulteration act if implemented at all, is exploited fully to collect bribes and not to assist the consumers. Mr. Manjunath the current Working President of MGP along with Mr. Venkatesan and Prof. Ananda Thirtha have been giving presentations on environmental protection and consumer protection to various civic bodies and schools. Not only have they attempted to inform consumers about their rights but also about their responsibilities.
Mrs. Uma Shenoy by serving on Petroleum Advisory committee (which has been wound up since the dismantling of administered pricing system) has served the LPG, petrol and kerosene consumers. At the suggestion of MGP kerosene coupon system was introduced to avoid sale of subsidized kerosene in black marketing. Unfortunately, despite good results the system was dropped as a result of the opposition by the vested interests. Poor consumers especially living in slums continue to suffer because of black marketing in kerosene and poor quality products from PDS shops. Mr. Nayak and Maj.Gen Vombatkere have been taking up the problems of electricity consumers. MGP has been opposing unnecessary price increase by filing well reasoned complaints to the newly formed Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission. In fact it was MGP which had suggested a long time back for the formation of independent regulatory body to approve tariff increase and also to divide KEB into four to five independent autonomous companies for better management. MGP’s recommendations have been partly implemented. MGP has also informed the public on how our own government gave lucrative contract terms to Tannir bavi a la Enron. P. M. Bhat has been helping the cable TV consumers who are suffering because of the monopolistic behaviour of Multi-system operators and cable operators. Meetings were organized with the police commissioner’s office to implement the spirit of TV cable act to reduce monopolistic behaviour on the part of TV signal providers as well to eliminate mafia type of activities if new cable operators come forward to give competition. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Prof. Ramalingam, Mysoreans have been introduced to simple water testing kits. Mysoreans are now more aware of the responsibility of the corporation to supply potable water. MGP’s continuous struggle with Vani Vilas Water works to install working water meters at all its customers, to fix tariff based on a scientific way based on cost of operations (when such a tariff structure was developed, MGP fully supported it even when consumers had to pay higher price), to draw up a long range plan to supply water on 24 hours basis have fell on deaf years. This is mostly because of vote bank politics. MGP has been suggesting to form an autonomous body like the one for Bangalore to manage water supply for Mysore.
Dr. S. A. Prasad and B. V. Shenoy, the current President of MGP have been spearheading the campaign to enforce building by laws so that the city can develop as per the comprehensive development plan and does not become a vast slum like many other cities. The frequent change of guards ( 15 commissioners in a short span of 10 years at the corporation) and utter contempt on the part of the bureaucracy to implement the rule of law has resulted in officers using by laws to make money rather than to promote the planned development of the city to preserve its rich heritage. MGP has also taken active interest in protecting the environment. Most of the time it had to file PILs against the very government for failing to implement its own acts. MGP filed a PIL to stop sewage from entering Kukkerhalli lake, to stop felling hundred year old trees near the race course by organizing an “appiko” agitation, saved the People’s Park by exposing the corruption scandals, forced the closing down of Chamundi lead factory which was polluting the nearby residential areas etc. Thanks to the education sub-committee of MGP, today students can get copies of their examination papers. Stopping of declaring ranks for SSLC and PUC, a totally irrational system to recognize good performance was also the result of MGP’s efforts. However MGP’s efforts to bring about qualitative improvement in primary and secondary education especially in government schools have not borne any fruits. The above long list of active work by just one NGO (there are others in Mysore doing) should make any one to ask question, why has consumer movement failed to take off? And what should be done to strengthen the consumer movement? (Cont’d tomorrow)