'Consumers Court' has started functioning here in Multan and complaints regarding substandard materials, misleading advertisements, adulterated eatables, unhygienic drinks and food items, and overcharging prices are being entertained under Punjab Consumer Protection Act, 2005. A consumer council has also been formed to protect the rights of the consumers.
'Access to Justice Programme' has requested the general public and civil society to join hands for creating awareness among the consumers about protection and promotion of consumers' rights. It may be noted that eight Consumers Courts have already been established in Punjab, which are headed by District and Sessions Judges.
These courts, established under the 'justice sector reform agenda', are destined to play a positive and effective role in extending maximum relief to the public. The concept of setting up consumer courts is to discourage substandard articles of daily use and defective services to the masses. The provision of quality items of daily use and better services in the area that directly concerns the general public and thus need to be addressed appropriately.
In this regard, the Punjab Consumer Protection Act, 2005 has been practically implemented for ensuring the availability of standard services and to eliminate the practice of substandard products and defective services. People can easily approach and register their complaints about the sale of substandard commodities and provision of defective service in various sectors.
People should note that complaints against articles of daily use, medicines, petroleum, textile, hosiery products, vehicles of all kind, building material, electronic products and cosmetics and services like health, education, engineering, banking, radio, water, electricity, Sui gas, telephone, internet and mobile phones are worth hearing in these courts.
A key feature of the Punjab Consumer Protection Act 2005 is that its definition of products does not differentiate between public and private goods and services. It, therefore, strengthens consumers both in the market place and with respect to state provisions such as health and education by treating them as consumer rights.
The Access to Justice Programme is making adequate efforts to create awareness among the consumers about their rights and to ensure quality articles of daily use and other commodities to the people.
Some workshops and seminars for the general public have already been conducted in various districts of the country to educate the people about their rights as consumers.
The national media is also requested to highlight that the relevant government departments need to provide and introduce standards for best practices in various areas of service delivery. It is high time for consumers to come forward and extend their cooperation for purging the menace of the sale of sub-standard articles and defective services from the society.
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