Pema Khandu chairs State Consumer Protection Council meeting
Itanagar
Chief Minister Pema Khandu today chaired the 20th meeting of the Arunachal Pradesh State Consumer Protection Council (APSCPC) organised by the Department of Legal Metrology & Consumer Affairs.
During the meeting, the APSCPC discussed measures to protect and promote the consumers rights as enshrined in the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). It also discussed on various initiatives being planned by the department for creating mass awareness about the consumer protection activities in the state.
Earlier opening the discussion, the Chief Minister observed that Arunachal being a hilly state with difficult terrain and landscape, it becomes difficult for the government to facilitate the departments with sufficient manpower and other facilities, necessary to carry out consumer protection activities. He, however, assured that during his tenure the state government will definitely try to meet up all the shortages the department is facing.
The Chief Minister suggested the department that in trying to disseminate information on CPA to the public, they must target the students, panchayat and women so that the information on consumer awareness reaches to the masses.
Also speaking on the occasion, member council and Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Zingnu Namchoom called for proper policy mechanism to check vegetables and other grocery items for adultery observing that the vegetables available in the market are injected with toxic chemicals to make them look fresh.
Appreciating the government’s move to introduce prepaid meter system for electricity, he suggested the department to carry out awareness at district level for people to install the machine. The Parliamentary Secretary also suggested the department to generate awareness on health insurance schemes and generate awareness on it.
Earlier participating in the discussion, Member Secretary, LM&CA Jokey Angu informed that it is difficult to get qualified people as member of the council at district level due to which the importance of consumerism could not percolate to the masses. He suggested that honorarium per sitting of the council members be enhanced since it has not been hiked after its formation. Angu also requested that lab testing facilities for consumers be also set up in each district.
Director of Health Services, Dr Moji Jini emphasized that drug testing facilities be set up to check the widespread of spurious drugs being marketed informing that North East has become a dumping ground of such fake drugs. He informed that the centre has made available Rs 9.6 crore for food testing laboratory and Rs 6 crore for manpower fulfilling manpower requirement in those facilities.
President of Arunachal Pradesh Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Techi Lala stressed on awareness to be first generated among the council members through regular sittings, thereafter which they would be well-equipped to generate awareness to the masses.
Appreciating the discussion as fruitful, the Chief Minister asked the department to initiate a note mentioning all the requirements of the department, which he assured to take it up on top-down approach so that no submission gets pending at the lower level. He also assured to fulfil all financial, manpower and vehicular requirement of the department. Further the CM asked the department to conduct regular sitting so that work progress and departmental requirements can be monitored easily.
The discussion was also participated by Dilip Siram, BSNL General Manager, Pallab Chakraborty, Director, Doordarshan Kendra, Itanagar, Hoktum Ori, Controller (L&M), Taru Talo, Director (Industries), L Borang, Director (Food & Civil Supplies), Pallab Dey, Director (Planning), Dipti Bengia, Social Worker, Goken Bam, GHRO Chairman and Mihin Kani, Principal, GHSS, Naharlagun.
