MADURAI
Consumers should be aware of increasing instances of malpractice by non-accredited certification bodies, said Aparna Dhawan, Joint Director, National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), a board of Quality Council of India (QCI), during the inauguration of a consumer awareness programme here on Thursday.
She also stressed the importance of accreditation of certification bodies in compliance with international guidelines. “Consumers must be aware of the prescribed standard of products they intend to purchase and related safety aspects,” she said.
The annual consumer awareness programme, organised by the NABCB and Consumer Coordination Council, was held in Madurai for the first time. Over 100 participants, including students, representatives of consumer rights associations and the Bureau of Indian Standards, participated.
The participants were sensitised to the role of accreditation, product certification, compliance with voluntary standards and regulation, and to grievance redressal mechanism.
“We must ensure that the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, reaches all consumers and fetches them more benefits,” said S.M. Murugesshan, member of the Circuit Bench of the Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
The participants raised various queries and got their doubts about the provisions of the Act, product certification and ways to file a complaint cleared.
Chairman of Consumer Coordination Council Abhishek Srivastava and founder of Women Consumer Protection Association, Madurai, C. Packialakshmi, were also present.
