UP consumer panel on `strike' for facilities, funds

UP consumer panel on `strike' for facilities, funds
R.B. SINGH

LUCKNOW, NOVEMBER 23: The process of securing justice for consumers has come to a grinding halt in UP. The President of the state's Consumer Protection Commission, Justice K.C.Bhargava, and a Member, D.D.Bahuguna, have been refusing to carry on with their work since yesterday to protest against the lack of essential facilities, staff and budgetary support.

They have shot letters to the Chief Secretary, Bhola Nath Tiwari, the Registrar of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, the Registrar of the High Court and the Director General of the state's Consumer Protection Directorate. ``The entire judicial working of the Commission shall remain suspended till the government provides an adequate number of stenographers, PAs and other staff members and budgetary support and fulfils other requirements,'' the letter says.

They have said that ``due to the shortage of stenos, in about 300 cases though the hearings have been completed, judgements are yet to be delivered.'' Complaining about the cash crunch, the Commission chief claimed he and the members have so far spent more than Rs 50,000 from their pockets to keep the commission functioning.

The letter says that ``despite heavy odds being faced by the Commission for the past more than one year, the sittings were being held on a regular basis to redress the grievances of the consumer litigants.

``But nothing has been done by the government to ensure smooth running ofthe Commission despite repeated requests to it,'' the letter says. The two have complained about the ``complete silence'' on the appointment of the Registrar, filling up of the posts of stenographers and PAs, maintenance of telephones, vehicles and essential equipment and the sanitary conditions at the Commission's office.

``The conditions are such that it is very difficult to continue with even theregular and urgent work of the Commission,'' they have said. ``Even thecases on which the High Court has issued time-bound directions for hearing onwrit petitions cannot be disposed of.''