Redressal panel too needs a saviour

Did you know Bihar has a consumer dispute redressal commission? Did you know this body and its district forums are supposed to get you quick justice in case you have been defrauded?
Presuming that you know all this how many know that the newly appointed president of this commission Justice (retd) D P S Chaudhary, is running from pillar to post seeking “redressal of the commission’s problems�?
“It is a sorry state of affairs in the office of the commission here and there is virtual non-functioning of the forums in different parts of state because of lack of proper infrastructures,� says Chaudhary.
Since his appointment about 20 days back, Chaudhary has approached government officials several times about the shifting of the commission office from its present dilapidated location.
He has also complained about the non-constitution of statutory forums in most of the districts.
Well what have his efforts yielded? Nobody in the corridors of power is taking his grievances seriously.
Now, what say you about the complaints you might make against a shopkeeper or a doctor or the phone exchange...?
But, Chaudhary will not lose heart even if he runs out of breath pursuing authorities for a just cause.
Says Chaudhary that even after such a deplorable condition of the commission there is tremendous response from aggrieved consumers and service users.
They have been filing complaints against doctors for wrong treatment, wrong billing and harassment by telephone and power authorities, and against harassment of bonafide passengers by the railways.
In a majority of cases various district forums and the commission has awarded compensation to complainants in lakhs of rupees in the last five years, “but due to poor infrastructures, we are helpless in providing speedy justice to many of the victims,� lamented Chaudhary.
Not only are the members of the commission and district forums are paid negligible amounts (ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2000 per month), they also know that there are better run and better paid commissions and forums in other states.
Despite all this some of the landmark relief given to consumers here has created a sense of awakening among suffering people and victims.
A case relating to wrong treatment of eyes by a local doctor is a pointer.
Even after appeals made by the doctor to the national commission against the judgment of this commission, the doctor had to pay compensation of Rs 7 lakhs to the victim.
As per the Union government directive, the state government should have identified non-government organisations for creating awareness about the utility of consumer forums — but so far it is a case of ‘no show’from the Rabri government.