Seller Beware
20 Nov 2007, 0000 hrs IST
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Editorial/TODAYS_EDITORIAL_Seller_Beware/articleshow/2554333.cms>
Despite the existence of the Consumer Protection Act (COPRA) for
over two decades, Indian consumers have not got their due. Now, that might
change. The Planning Commission has suggested that a new body draw up health,
safety and environment standards for a range of economic and social activities,
so that consumers can enforce their rights accordingly.
At present, consumer dispute redressal forums operate without such a framework
of reference for most areas, as a result of which producers can evade
responsibility for shoddy goods and services. EU leads the way in drawing up
technical standards for a range of goods, from automobiles to food.
How could a country that has opened up its economy and is trying to reinvent
itself as a brand overlook quality? The rights of consumers and producers are
like two sides of a coin no point focusing only on the latter. Toy and
medicine producers in China were shown up for using suspect, if not toxic, raw
materials. With India emerging as a major supplier of goods and services to the
world, it can do without such embarrassments.
India has failed to walk the talk on quality in the post-reform years.
Companies started adopting ISO norms, but these focused more on management
systems and processes than the quality of a product. Consultation agencies of
all types mushroomed, helping companies get ISO certification.
Somewhere in this scramble, both government and industry perhaps forgot about
setting up institutions to ensure actual product and service quality.
Individual firms with an eye on overseas markets went about achieving global
standards in their own way. However, bodies like the India Brand Equity Forum
and chambers of business should have tried to make this a more coordinated and
collective effort. After all, lapses by one producer can impact the fortunes of
many others.
The National Quality Council, instead of being just an apex administrative
body, should have drawn up standards applicable to all areas, something that
the plan panel now wants the national quality and standardisation authority
to do. It is surprising that despite repeated controversies over the quality of
soft drinks, packaged foods and spices, the requisite food laws and standards
are not in place.
Amidst this concern for consumers, it should not be forgotten that the
government is the shoddiest producer and service provider of all. Public sector
airline companies, housing development agencies, post offices, banks and
transport companies should not be allowed to shortchange consumers. The Copra,
1986, should be read with the Right to Information Act, 2005, to improve the
government-people interface.
JUSTICE 4 ALL !
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