Consumer panel to get new place

PATNA: A division bench of the Patna High Court, comprising Chief Justice Ravi S Dhavan and Justice Shashank K Singh, on Friday summoned the chief secretary, S N Biswas, secretary of food and civil supplies G S Kang, buildings secretary K K Pandey and director of consumer affairs Gopal Prasad Singh on a public interest litigation (PIL) by senior lawyer Sadanand Jha complaining about lack of space and facilities to the state consumer dispute redressal commission.
They arrived well within an hour.
The judges were furious that the state government could not provide proper accommodation and other amenities to the consumer commission even a decade-and-a-half after its formation despite the fact that people in high places are in command of big premises for private accommodation, often illegal.
The commission is, unfortunately, functioning from a private building, whose cramped accommodation is hardly commensurate with its need and dignity, the bench observed.
The cornered government promised the court that the required alternative temporary accommodation for the commission will be provided in Indira Bhavan near Hartali More.
The government also promised to meet all other requirements and it has been asked to put this on affidavit.
The government will notify it by Saturday in deference to the desire of the high court to settle the issue before the commencement of its one-month-long annual vacation scheduled from May 25.
Initially, the secretary of food and civil supplies said there is no accommodation of the type requisitioned by president of the commission Justice (retired) D P S Chaudhary.
The state government is in the process of allotting a plot. Kang’s reply in the presence of the chief secretary, and his aggressive and argumentative way of putting facts was censured by the bench.
“In that case, it will appoint a commission to investigate the housing allotment muddle.
The court may also examine the whole policy as well,� the bench observed.
However, Justice Dhavan said the development of the plot may take years, while the commission urgently needs an alternative accommodation.
Justice Dhavan reminded the officers that the commission is the state’s baby, which it should nurture.
The chief secretary, agreeing with it, said it is the government’s desire to see that the commission functioned effectively.