Shillong September 28: The Department of Social Work, Martin Luther Christian University conducted a Mass Awareness campaign on Consumer Rights over a period of three days in three different locations, which included Mawrynkneng, Umtong both in East Khasi Hills and Mairang in West Khasi Hills. The campaign started on September 26, 2017 in Mawrynkneng and ended in Mairang today September 28, 2017.
The mass awareness programme has been sponsored by the office of the Deputy Commissioner (Supply), East Khasi Hills and the Office of the the Sub-Divisional Officer (Supply), Mairang Subdivision.
As part of the awareness programme in Umtong a Half- Marathon was conducted for the school students of the area, followed by a role play by the students of the Department of Social Work. The role-play highlighted the different laws and acts that can help both the consumer and the seller to trade in a lawful and fair manner.
The resource persons for this awareness programme included Shri Shai Kupar War, Project Manager, Project Management Unit, Office of the Director of Supply, GoM, Smti. J Rapthap, Inspector of Weights and Measures, Office of Controller of Legal Metrology, Weights and Measures, East Khasi Hills, and Shri. Lurshaphrang Shongwan, Advocate High Court of Meghalaya. This awareness program was attended by school children, Members of the community both young and old and the village authorities.
Resource person, Shri Shai Kupar War, Project manager, Project Management Unit, Office of the Director of Supply, GoM gave a brief talk on the different aspects and benefits of the National Food Security Act 2013, which is an Act of the Parliament of India with an aim to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of India’s 1.2 billion population. It was signed into law on September 12, 2013.
He advised the villagers and the students to be aware of the rights that have been made for their benefits and he went on to add the various points in the act that can the community to feed its poor.
Smti. J Rapthap, Inspector of Weights and Measures, Office of Controller of Legal Metrology, during her speech talked at length about how consumers are being duped shopkeepers who don’t use proper weighing instruments. She added that one has to always be alert while buying products that have to be weighed and to check the weighing machine for any irregularities.
Shri. Lurshaphrang Shongwan, Advocate, High Court of Meghalaya while talking on the different kinds of punishable acts under the Consumer Rights Protection Act 1986, informed that this awareness campaign has come at the right time and it will be very helpful to the people residing in rural areas since they often fall victim to fraud by the sellers.
On the final and third day of this mass awareness programme in Mairang Market area, where the students of the department performed a series of street plays to educate the crowd about the different laws that provides aids for the consumers and traders.
Present during this awareness programme were the staff from the Office of the Sub Divisional Officer (Supply), Mairang Sub Divisional office headed by the SI (Supply) Miss Baphi Wankhar, faculty of the Department of Social Work, MLCU and the students.
