“To correct the attitude of traders, I order refunding of the amount paid – rather than replacement of goods – and payment of compensation and cost of litigation,” said Dakshina Kannada Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum President, Asha Shetty.
Inaugurating Consumer Day, observed to mark the passage of Bill to help consumers on December 24, 1986, Ms. Shetty said the change has helped a lot. The traders were keen on agreeing for compromise rather than fighting the case.
Giving the example of sale of faulty mobile phones, she said orders replacing the goods with a new one were not effective because the traders lost no business and consumer has to go back to the same trader in case of problem with the goods. But if they are asked to refund the entire amount, the traders perceived it as business loss.
In addition to refunding the entire amount, she has been asking the guilty firms and traders to pay a minimum compensation of Rs. 5,000 plus cost of litigation of Rs. 2,000 even if the cost of the mobile phone or other household equipment was merely Rs. 2,000 or Rs. 3,000. In cases where compromise is reached, she still ordered refunding and payment of cost but refrained from compensation.
Ms. Shetty and Deputy Commissioner, A.B. Ibrahim, gave away the prizes to winners of essay and collage competitions on consumer issues. Among the winners were Vignesh Kamath and Sanjana Kamath of SDM College of Business Management who bagged the first and second prizes in essay and Avinash and Vishmitha K. of St. Philomena’s College, Puttur (fist and second in collage).
