Govt 'chief defaulter' for consumers

MARGAO: Records of the South Goa district consumer disputes forum reveal that on an average 17% of the complaints filed every month are against government departments and public sector undertakings including aided educational institutions.
According to statistical data, 3-4 of the 18-19 cases filed every month last year were against the government for deficient services.
Of approximately 228 cases filed before the forum in 2010, 40 involved civic shortages including in telecommunication, electricity, water supply, medical, civic, housing, banking, railways, etc.
Confirming the figure, forum president Jagdish Prabhudessai told TOI that most complainants are from urban areas who are aware of the remedies available under the Consumer Protection Act against various state and central government agencies.
Offering the government a suggestion, Prabhudessai said instead of waiting for the forum's final verdict on the merits and outcome of appellate proceedings, government departments should resort to an alternative dispute resolution system to settle disputes.
"The forum recently disposed of cases against the Goa housing board filed by its consumers. The forum granted the consumers compensation and directed the board to strictly follow guidelines while allotting land," said Prabhudessai, recalling some of the forum's hearings against the state.
In fact, the housing board was directed to refund a complainant Rs 1,14,750 with interest at the rate of 12% per annum in a case of unfair trade practice.
In another recent case, the Margao municipal council adhered to the forum's directive to keep the Margao city development plan open for public inspection for a reasonable time, he added.
As per the statistics, complaints against government-aided educational institutions have also been entertained by the forum where at least two prominent South Goa colleges have accepted the compromise formula.
Seven such cases pending before the forum were disposed of in December 2010.
Another area of increasing litigations against public sector undertakings is the provident fund department.
"Twelve cases were pending before the forum since its inception in 2001. By December 2010, the forum disposed of seven cases which chiefly pertained to gratuity amount due to complainants after retirement and the government's failure to pay the same," said Prabhudessai.
Last year, the forum, as per Supreme Court directives, disposed all 22 cases filed against BSNL, a central government undertaking, and referred the same to arbitrators to be appointed by the central government under the Telegraph Act.
In one of its recent orders the forum directed the electricity department to pay damages to an aggrieved consumer after giving him a connection within a stipulated time. It also set aside the excessive electricity bills submitted to complainants.
Statistics also reveal that the forum received 11 complaints against the railways filed by aggrieved passengers. These mostly pertained to failure to confirm tickets, loss of articles/luggage, thefts, and resultant damages, etc. All cases were disposed of by December 2010, while the forum decided two cases filed against the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.
"The decree and order passed by the forum has been complied by the authorities," said Prabhudessai.
In a matter against civic authorities, the forum last year directed the Margao municipality to construct two composting units and also directed SGPDA officials to set up a proper mechanism to streamline erring vendors in light of hygiene problems at the market complex.