KATHMANDU, AUGUST 12
Although consumer rights are protected in instruments, laws and government commitments related to human rights, the implementation aspect is found to be weak, reads a report recently published by the National Human Rights Commission.
The NHRC has been continuing with monitoring according to its consumer's rights monitoring guidelines. The facts obtained from the monitoring shows that the situation of consumer rights is not satisfactory. There is lack of easy supply and food security, adulteration of non-food items, sale of date-expired food items and artificial price rise. Consumers are not getting enough information and knowledge.
"Advertisements that misinform and tempt customers are posing a huge challenge. On the one hand, there is a situation where the market is not clean and competitive, while on the other, the actions of government agencies responsible for monitoring and regulation, including the Department of Commerce, are not effective and transparent. Apart from this, lack of resources and coordination, shortage of skilled human resource, lack of effective monitoring, unused existing laboratories and lack of effective monitoring have added to the woes of consumers," says the report.
The constitution has recognised the rights of consumers as fundamental rights. Article 44 of the constitution ensures that consumers have the right to receive quality goods and services and the right to compensation if someone is harmed by low-quality goods or poor services.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2017 has also ensured the right of the general consumers to be informed and protected. The right to a clean environment mentioned in Article 30 of the constitution and the right to health mentioned in Article 35 are also associated with consumer rights.
According to the NHRC, the consumer's kitchen is not pesticide-free. The laboratories for pesticide testing are few and they are also not in full use. Some laboratories lack staff while others lack infrastructure. The activity or responsibility of the authorities concerned with monitoring and action has become limited to formality and in a vacuum.
The NHRC's provincial branch office in Khotang has written to the concerned authorities to ban the import of inedible items found in the market and monitor the market on a regular basis.
"Unnatural rise in market price, not holding anyone accountable and misleading advertisements about goods and services are rampant. Consumers themselves are not organised and sufficiently aware of their rights. Therefore, it is necessary for all three tiers of the government and stakeholders, including the consumers, to become more responsible in these matters," said the rights body.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 13, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
