CHAPTER 5- CONSUMER RIGHTS (ECONOMICS CLASS 10)

1. What are the various ways by which people may be exploited in the market?

Consumers (People) are exploited in the market by (a) Charging high price of the product. (b) Not giving proper after sale service. (c) Less measurement and under weighing goods. (d)Traders add charges that were not mentioned before. (e) Traders sell adulterated or defective goods. (f)False information is passed through the media and other sources to attract consumers.

2. Think of one example from your experience where you thought that there was some ‘cheating’ in the market. Discuss in the classroom. 

Not providing the exact weight of the product is the most common method of cheating. This is done especially by vegetable and fruit vendors.

3. What do you think should be the role of government to protect consumers? 

Many state and federal agencies have been set up to protect consumers. They publish materials to help consumers with their buying decisions and problems. They also enforce laws. The Federal Citizen Information Center is a good source for consumer information. Consumer Protection Act provides Consumer Rights to prevent consumers from fraud or specified unfair practices. These rights ensure that consumers can make better choices in the marketplace and get help with complaints.

4. What could have been the steps taken by consumer groups?

In India, the consumer movement as a ‘social force’ originated with the necessity of protecting and promoting the interests of consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices. Rampant food shortages, hoarding, black marketing, adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to the consumer movement in an organised form in the 1960s. Till the 1970s, consumer organisations were largely engaged in writing articles and holding exhibitions. They formed consumer groups to look into the malpractices in ration shops and overcrowding in the road passenger transport. More recently, India witnessed an upsurge in the number of consumer groups. The efforts of these groups resulted in the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 amended in 1919.

5. There may be rules and regulations but they are often not followed. Why? Discuss. 

There are rules and regulations to protect the consumer from exploitation, but they are not followed because consumers are hesitant to fight for their rights and do not want to get into legal hassles.

6. For the following (you can add to the list) products/services discuss what safety rules should be observed by the producer?

(a) LPG cylinder - Adequate number of fire extinguishers should be installed in the premises. Clearly marked and well illuminated exits should be there in all areas for emergencies like fire. Lifts should be of approved make with all safety features. Staircases must have handrails.

(b) cinema theatre – There should be a passage of 0.9 meters in width for every 10 rows of seating accommodation.

· The gangways should not be less than 0.9 meters in width and should be so arranged that no seat shall be more than 10 seats from a gangway.

· The distance between the screen and the first row of seats should not be less than the height of the screen or the top picture height of the screen.

· The seating capacity of any theatre is calculated at the rate of 25 persons per 9 square meters of floor area after excluding the area of entrances, passages, gangways, stage, stair cases and all places to which the public are not admitted.

· The first two rows of seats from the screen shall be earmarked and provided at a lower rate of admission than the seats behind. (Only Multiplexes)

· Every air-conditioned theatre should fix thermometers of Fahrenheit type at three or four conspicuous places inside the theatre, seven feet above the ground or floor level, and should keep them properly enclosed in suitable fittings as to avoid any possible damage and to facilitate taking of readings, and also ensure that suitable temperature, ranging between 76-80 F, is maintained in theatre during the whole period of actual running of the shows.

· At no point of time during the show, the maximum noise level inside the auditorium of the cinema theatre shall exceed the following maximum.
At Source : 90 Decibels
At 5 Mts : 86 Decibels
At 15 Mts from Source : 80 Decibels
· One WC and one Urinal for every 50 persons and less for exclusive use of each gender should be provided.
· Drinking water should be provided in adequate quantity.
(c) circus – The cage for dangerous animals like lions should be secure.
Safety net should be there for trapeze artists.
Adequate number of fire extinguishers should be installed in the premises.
Clearly marked and well illuminated exits should be there in all areas for emergencies like fire.
(d) Medicines
• Date of manufacture, date of expiry, batch number and composition direction of use and risk associated must be printed on the packaging.
• The contents must be sealed with tamper-proof seals.
(e) Edible oil
• Date of manufacture, date of expiry, batch number and composition must be printed on the packaging.
• The contents must be sealed with tamper-proof seals.
• Agmark seal should be there.
(f) Marriage pandal
• Adequate number of fire extinguishers should be installed in the premises.
• Clearly marked and well illuminated exits should be there in all areas for emergencies like fire.
(g) A high-rise building
• Adequate number of fire extinguishers should be installed in the premises.
• Clearly marked and well illuminated exits should be there in all areas for emergencies like fire.
• Lifts should be well maintained periodically and have all safety features.
• Staircases must have handrails.
• Fire escape’ Staircases must be provided at locations away from the main staircases and lifts.

7. What is the difference between consumer protection council and Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission? 

Consumer protection council has not any legal right and is a voluntary organization. Consumer courts are three tier quasi-judicial machinery set up for redressed of consumer disputes.
8. If the standardisation ensures the quality of a commodity, why are many goods available in the market without ISI or Agmark certification?
Standardization no doubt ensures the quality of a product but it is time consuming and expensive to avail of it. Millions of small producer cannot afford it.
9. Find out the details of who provides Hallmark and ISO certification.
Hallmark certifies gold products and is provided by Gold Council of India. ISO certification is given by the International Standardisation Organisation headquartered in Geneva.
10. What is the rationale behind the enactment of Consumer Protection Act 1986?
The rationale behind the enactment of Consumer Protection Act of 1986 is to protect the consumer against unethical and unfair trade practices. Also, it recognises the consumer's right to be informed, right to choose, right to seek redressal and right to represent himself/herself in consumer courts.
11. By what means can the consumers express their solidarity?
Consumers can express their solidarity by forming consumer groups that write articles or hold exhibitions against traders' exploitation. These groups guide individuals on how to approach a consumer court, and they even fight cases for consumers.