As consumers you are entitled to eight consumer rights accepted universally. There are:
-- The Right to Basic Need
-- The Right to Safety
-- The Right to Information
-- The Right to Choose
-- The Right to be Heard
-- The Right to Redress
-- The Right to Consumer Education
-- The Right to a Healthy Environment
The Right to a Healthy Environment entitles consumer to:
-- Planned Cities
-- Efficient system of drainage and sewerage
-- Cleanliness and greenery
-- A Steady Supply of Amenities like Water, Electricity and Gas
-- An effective sanitation system
-- Freedom from air, water, soil, and noise pollution
Government bodies of our city are responsible for providing these services. But they need your co-operation to sustain them.
A good quality of life is your right. You are entitled to certain quality standards of goods and services. You must demand rights. But you must also work for them.
Women have traditionally been responsible for survival tasks and betterment of life. Since almost half population of our country population is women, participation of women in creating healthy milieu and protecting the environment can turn them into responsible consumers.
Consumers are the end users of energy and can pave the way for getting basic needs sustainability by conserving energy. Consumers contribution in energy saving can help in protecting non-renewable energy resources and consumers themselves can also be benefited by lowering their energy bills.
Don't become excited if see the boards of 'SALE' and think before you shop. The offer of discount sales will all its type brings out the worst in consumers. Use your right to chose every time you make a purchase ask yourself - do I really need it? Be a good and responsible consumer and select appropriate item, check date of expiry, ingredient, weight and price. Avoid buying from profiteers and make price control movement effective.
If you are not getting the goods and services as committed use your right to be heard and go to consumers courts for justice and compensation. You will definitely receive a fair settlement of just claims, compensation for misrepresentation shoddy goods or unsatisfactory services. In this way your right to redress will become effective.
To exercise your right to be heard consumers must participate in policy making and execution by government by electing their true representatives.
To exercise your right as a consumer you must first fulfil your responsibility and protect your environment from further deterioration. Don't rely entirely upon government, come forward use the platform of "Consumers Association of Pakistan" fight for your right and establish consumer sovereignty.