[ಕನ್ನಡ ಅನುವಾದ ಶೀಘ್ರದಲ್ಲೇ ಬರಲಿದೆ — Kannada translation coming soon]
(Feb 27, 2021) World Consumer Day: Time for strategic approach to promote real consumer movement. Bhamy V Shenoy We in India celebrate two consumer days – National Consumer Day on December 24 to commemorate the date on which the Consumer Protection act came into force to promote consumer rights and responsibilities in 1986 and World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) on March 15th on which US president announced the consumer rights for the first time in 1962 and is being celebrated since 1983. WCRD gives us an opportunity to reflect on what Mysuru’s consumer movement has achieved so far and what direction we should take. Consumers International, a global federation of consumer groups has approved the theme for this WCRD to be ‘tackling plastic pollution’. It is certainly a worthy and pressing consumer problem for India in general and Mysuru in specific. However the real and basic problem we in Mysuru face is getting any type of service from our own, democratically elected government. Even after 73 years of Independence we the public are treated in all the government offices with rare exception as servants rather than masters – a continuing colonial hangover. How many of us are even aware that we the public should be treated with dignity irrespective of whether we are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, connected with VIPs or no connection at all. This is true both in urban and rural areas. It is because of such indifference to serve the public, there are always big lines in front of the residences and offices of MLAs, MPs, or even defeated political leaders seeking help. There are large crowds in front of the offices of the bureaucrats where public stand with patience for hours to get services like registration, khatha, paying property
taxes, completion reports, building permits, ration cards, etc for which there are all kinds of schemes like Tatkal, E-platform, E-complaints, Right to Information Act, etc. It is a rare event when any one can accomplish the task at first attempt in any government office. Consumer activists (including myself) have welcomed the latest Consumer Protection act 2019 which replaces Consumer Protection Act 1986 with great excitement. It is certainly a progressive law which certainly helps the consumers by providing several reforms like the concept of product liability, filing complaints electronically, alternate resolution mechanism like mediation, action against unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements, flexibility to file from where consumers live or work, no fees for filing for cases involving less than 5 lakhs, and providing consumer protection while purchasing online. Unfortunately just like COPRA 1986 failed to bring about the systemic changes, COPRA 2019 may face the same dismal results and give at best band aid. One of the biggest hurdles was the inefficiency of consumer courts which were turned into civil courts by the presiding officers by giving never ending adjournments and consumer unfriendly environment in the courts. In short consumer courts which are now called as consumer commissions more often than not violate the advice so beautifully stated by Mahatma Gandhi on correct way of handling the consumers. “Customers are the most important visitor on our premises, they are not dependent on us, we are dependent on them. They are not an interruption in our work. They are the purpose of it. They are not outsiders in our business. They are part of it; we are not doing them a favour by serving them. They are doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.” Do any of our government offices follow the above advice given by Mahatma Gandhi in serving the public? Often the basic philosophy is how to send back the persons seeking any government service by raising every possible excuse one can
dream of: concerned officer is on holiday, come tomorrow since officer has not signed, bring some more forms, review is not over and it is not certain when it will be ready, etc. In short how to delay the process of providing services is the motto of every government offices. Just to give an extreme example of such a delay is the number of times a former President of MGP had to go to Mysuru City Corporation seeking a permit to rebuild a house. Even though he met all the by laws (he is the person who has helped thousands seeking solutions to consumer problems over the last 25 years) and knew all the officers, he had to visit MCC 111 times over two years to get the required permit. But for those who are prepared to pay bribe, they can get the permit in a day even when the by laws are violated! Let us take a look at services like water supply, and electricity, basic needs to be supplied by the government. In Mysuru for many, getting quality water supply is still a large problem. 24X7 water supply is only a dream even after spending crores. Electricity is as undependable as always but we claim that all the villages are connected to the national grid. Less said the better about the services provided by Indian Railways, Public sector Banks, KSRTC, LIC, etc where we are often treated with discourtesy and negligence despite the COPRA. All over the country on March 15th, in a ritualistic manner, in each state capital and major cities, World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated by publishing the famous quote of Mahatma, or praising the outstanding benefits of the new COPRA 2019 or how Consumers should be treated as kings. This is because most such functions are organized by the government departments. No one mentions how we the public are teated worse than servants by the government departments.
It is high time, NGOs start demanding our rights of getting services with minimum delay and inconvenience. For that we need to strengthen consumer movement by taking active part either by joining an existing NGO or starting a new one. Consumer movement should stop concentrating only COPRA, and start working on the concept of public being the masters and not servants. Just like Mahatma Gandhi used a simple concept of protesting salt tax to usher a new chapter in India’s freedom movement, we in the consumer movement should adapt a new strategic direction to demand the status of masters in all the government offices and stop acting as servants. (March 15, 2021) Vani Vilas Water Works: What is the optimum way to manage Mysuru’s Water Supply? Bhamy V. Shenoy It is very unfortunate that our city fathers along with other elected leaders are enacting the same drama with the same plot but with different actors when we look at city’s water supply and sewage drainage system. We the public have been mute spectators though it is affecting just about every one in varying degree. Hopefully this time we can hope for a happy ending. Currently with KRS and Kabini Reservoirs with more than adequate water availability to get over any situation till the next rains, there is no water crisis on the horizon for the city. However there are pockets of the city and neighboring villages where because of poor infrastructure and incompetence, water supply has always been precarious. Even for the city, much promised 24 X 7 water supply has remained a dream even after spending more than Rs 160 crores by JUSCO. Less said the better about the failing or already collapsed sewerage drainage. In recent years we have not heard of deaths (recall tragic two deaths in Eklavya nagar in 2007) or gastroenteritis (again in 2007 in Paduvarhalli) because of drinking water contaminated with sewage. Still there are doubts about the quality of drinking water because of failure on the part of VVWW to test water quality as per regulations.