MCCI asserts to safeguard traders’ rights
Mokokchung, August 9 (MExN): The Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) has expressed shock and dismay that small time “innocent grocers” in Mokokchung Town are being “harassed and exploited by abusive individuals on flimsy grounds almost on a daily basis, often taking matters beyond reasonable bounds.”
A press release from MCCI President, Tsukti Longkumer and General Secretary, Limalenden Longkumer pointed out that the general perception of the populace of late seems to be that every grocer in Mokokchung Town is selling “adulterated rice” and called it a “gross misjudgement” of the situation. “The grocers are being accused, without any evidence, of adulterating rice with “PDS rice” and are often being abused and victimized for no fault of theirs at all,” it said.
As a custodian of preserving traders’ rights, MCCI declared that it is committed to best serve the people “but we shall take our own stand when our rights are being violated or abused.” It further cautioned that anybody accusing a trader of selling “adulterated rice” without any evidence can be taken to task for slander and defamation.
It highlighted that there are natural causes like precipitation and humidity that may deteriorate the quality of rice or any product. Also, MCCI noted that grocers selling rice in Mokokchung Town are neither the producers nor manufacturers of rice but mere traders buying from dealers and agencies and reselling them to customers. Therefore, packaging and manufacturing defects, if any, should not be misconstrued as “adulterated rice,” it added.
The release also stated that rice buyers are given absolute liberty to choose and pick any bag of their choice in any grocery and when a buyer is satisfied with the product of his choice and makes purchase, the transaction ends there.
Therefore, the MCCI and the grocery traders selling rice have resolved that rice bags once purchased by a buyer after being satisfied with the quality of the product in the first place shall not be accepted back if returned by the buyer under any circumstances whatsoever, the release stated.
MCCI asserted that they will not shy away from safeguarding their rights while they respect the customers and their consumer rights.
Further, MCCI reminded all in concern that “we stand for ethical business practises in the service of the people. As such, any trader found indulging in unethical and illegal business practices prohibited by law shall be dealt with sternly.”
