World Consumer Rights Day observed in Dimapur
Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 15
The Department of Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection (LM&CP) in association with Consumers Society Dimapur observed World Consumer Rights Day here at Lotha Hoho Ki, with Deputy Commissioner, Kesonyu Yhome as chief guest and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dr. KPA Ilyas as resource person.
Speaking on the topic ‘Consumer rights in the digital age’, the resource person said reports suggest that people from North East are specifically targeted by people sitting afar extracting bank details, offering delivery of items after online payment to name a few instances.
“The innate trust we have in our fellow human being and our massive use of technology can be a dangerous combination that can result in massive financial losses unless discretion and caution is employed,” the DCP said.
Dr. Ilyas shared the major concerns for consumers in a digital era including data and payment services and also e-commerce and e-products.
“There is a need for using e-commerce with discretion as the nature of e-commerce with a wide range of choice increases daily and the quality through ecommerce is difficult to ascertain especially for non branded products which makes it difficult for consumer redressal with jurisdiction and accessibility as the setback,” he said.
“With increase in e-commerce frauds it is difficult in identifying reliable firms and in identifying fake websites as well. With every individual as consumer of multiple agencies, these can pose complexities in Right to Dispute Redressal on the face of lack of awareness and lacunae in law,” Dr. Ilyas added.
Defining trends of digital era that impinges on the Rights of the Customer, Dr. Ilyas underlined difficulty in protecting digital identity of the consumer. The individuals, he stated, are burdened with intricate, super sized terms & agreements and accelerating pace of technology, which challenges the customers’ Right to Information and put them in a serious disadvantage.
DC Dimapur in his address said as per the United Nations survey in 2012, India alone recorded 14 billion US dollars in terms of e-commerce (digital trading) transaction. This, he remarked, is a vital aspect to discuss and know the “right to education” of consumers.
“As consumers, we fail to check on prices and impulsively overlook our rights as a consumer. Consumerism and protection on consumer will have to intermediate and not only depend on laws,” Yhome said.
Lack of education on consumer is also one of the major problems, including for consumerism, the DC said.
Earlier, Principal District & Session Judge and President Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum Dimapur, GH Ramlia, also spoke on the occasion.
Assistant Commissioner of LM & CP Limatoshi Jamir delivered the welcome address and President of Consumers Society Dimapur, Vinoka Aye, proposed vote of thanks.
