----------------------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Documentation Service & circulated by Goa Civic & Consumer Action Network (GOA CAN)<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ph:2252660 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ Betalbatim Consumer Forum gets off to good start ------------------------------------------------------------------ The Betalbatim Civic and Consumer Forum which has been formed by the residents of the Betalbatim village to deal with consumer problems faced by them, as well as to provide a platform for the villagers to get actively involved in the Gram Sabhas of the Village Panchayat has got off to a good start.
At first instance the Forum has taken up the issue of Home Delivery of LPG Gas cylinders to the residents of the village by Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum the two companies supplying refills in the village.
After a consumer survey of the LPG services provided in the village the Forum made a representation to the Directorate of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs highlighting the need for proper home delivery of cylinders, mechanical check ups of the equipment, provision of emergency service in case of gas leakage and the holding of safety camps for the consumers.
At a meeting convened by the Director of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs N.B.Narvekar it was unanimously decided that home delivery of cylinders would be provided to all LPG consumers of Betalbatim with no extra transport cost within 5kms, bills will be issued to all consumers, the Bharat Gas consumers who have been transferred from other dealers will get their blue domestic cards endorsed by M/s Salcete Gas Agencies, mechanical checks will be undertaken in each vaddo and both LPG companies will hold safety camps in the village for the benefit of the consumers.
The meeting was attended by Leisha Pimenta of M/s Salcete Gas Agencies (distributors of Bharat gas), Ajeet Kumar Majithia of M/s Damodar Gas Service and Umesh R.Naik of Aurora Electric Company (distributors of HP Gas), HPCL senior sales officer Rakesh Maheshwari and BPCL senior sales officer Jitendra Jiandani.
Also present were Goa State Consumer Protection Council member Roland Martins, Assistant Director of Civil Supplies Ashutosh Apte, Betalbatim Civic and Consumer Forum convenor Xavier Cota, Franklin Fernandes and Antonio Jose Rebello both volunteers of Betalbatim Civic and Consumer Forum.
Meanwhile the Consumer Forum has been holding its monthly meetings and has already started receiving a number of complaints related to poor Cable TV services and non issuing of receipts by Majorda Cable Network, supply of defective computer equipment by a unregistered supplier, poor maintenance of the electrical fittings by the Electricity Department and danger posed to the residents of Chaulvaddo due to a sparking electrical transformer.
The residents who attended the meetings have also agreed to attend the Gram Sabhas regularly and put forward positive development proposals besides actively participate in the formation of various committees on garbage management, beach management, supervision and vigilance.
The Consumer Forum has also decided to take up issue of a full time Secretary for the Betalbatim Panchayat with the Director of Panchayats P.M.Borkar, Salcete BDO Laura Britto and Panchayats Minister Manohar Azgaonkar. ------------------------------------------- Gomantak Times 21/5/03 page 3 ------------------------------------------
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