In the month of March, 2006 the Nagaland Voluntary Consumer Organisation (NVCO) had received a complaint letter from the Senior Pastor of Assembly of God Church, Officer’s Hill, Kohima complaining about the excessive charges while the church bought glass of 8 mm (thickness) from the church pulpit from BC Glass House, Opposite War Cemetery, Kohima. The church had also enclosed a receipt mentioning – “Goods once sold will not be taken back.” With this complaint letter the President of NVCO Shri Kezhokhoto Savi went to visit BC Glass House situated opposite to War Cemetery, Kohima and luckily the proprietor was available in the shop and while working out the price in sq. ft. of 8 mm they found a big difference amounting to Rs. 300/- which had been charged (excessive) in each receipt.
The Glass House refunded the amount charged in excess and Mr. Savi also informed the Glass House that mentioning ‘Goods once sold will not be taken back’ is not in consonance with the provision of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 whereas every consumer has every right to return or change the defective goods. When Mr. Savi enquired as to how and which rate do they follow/charge, the Glass House/Shop charge differently and also admitted that they were charging much higher than the rates of other places.
It is found that there is no uniformity in charging glass prices. When the trader charges prices in this manner, how many Kohima citizens really know the various qualities and proper price of glass mainly for windows, etc. Why did the government not take any initiative in order to maintain proper prices and charges on the consumers? There are so many other items which the traders charge in their own rate and the consumers are left with no alternative but to buy according to the traders’ benefit.
Mr. Savi had innocently visited all the Glass Houses situated opposite to War Cemetery, Kohima and found each Glass House has its own rate and not similar or same to the next door Glass House and even to talk about different name such as Saint Gobain, etc., with different mm and at the Glass House which was found to quote the minimum rates, the price range was as follows :-
2 mm sq. ft. = Rs. 17/-, 3 mm sq. ft. = Rs. 22/-, 4 mm sq. ft. = Rs. 30/-, 5 mm sq. ft. = Rs. 38/-, 6 mm sq. ft. = Rs. 55/-, and 8 mm sq. ft. = Rs. 105/-, and this was the rate of March, 2006 but the rate of other Glass Houses were much higher.
Consumers/buyers are to be more careful while buying glasses for building or any other purposes and at least have some knowledge about the quality, thickness (mm), prices in sq. fts. and actual mm you want to buy.
On the other hand the President of NVCO Mr. Savi requests the Glass Houses to be more genuine and not cheat the consumers.
Kezhokhoto Savi
President NVCO
