Question

Indian Youth Organisation (IYO) organised a visit of its members to an old age home to inculcate the habit of social work among them. The visit revealed that the living conditions of the inmates of the old age home were not hygienic. So, the IYO members decided to clean the premises. During their cleanliness drive, they realised that the old age home also required pest control. But some of the inmates of old age home were reluctant for it because they believed that the pest control may create health problems for them. IYO, therefore decided to provide ethical, safe and odourless pest control. They showed to the inmates of old age home a pamphlet of the proposed pest control product which promised easy, inexpensive and long lasting pest control. The inmates happily agreed and the pest control was carried out. It worked for a fortnight but to their dismay the effect stared wearing ***. IYO contacted the pest control company which kept on postponing their visit. After waiting for a month, IYO filed a case in the consumer court.

The consumer court was satisfied about the genuineness of the complaint and issued necessary directions to the pest control company.

(a) State any six directions that might have been issued by the court.

(b) Also identity any two values that are being communicated by IYO to the society.

Answer 1

(a) Directions that can be provided by the govt are:

(i) To remove the defect in goods or the deficiency in service.

(ii) To replace the defective product with a new one, free from any defect.

(iii) To refund the price paid for the product.

(iv) To pay a reasonable amount of compensations for any loss or injury suffered by the consumer due to negligence of the opposite party.

(v) To pry punitive damages in appropriate circumstances.

(vi) To discontinue the unfair/restrictive trade practice and not to repeat the same in future.

(vii) Not to offer hazardous goods for sale.

(viii) To withdraw hazardous goods from sale.

(ix) To cease manufacturing of hazardous goods.

(x) To pay any amount not less than 5% of the value of the defective goods to be credited to the Consumer *** Funds or any other organisations/person, to be utilized in the prescribed manner.

(xi) To issue corrective advertisement to neutralize the effect of misleading advertisement.

(b) Values:

(i) Cleanliness and hygiene.

(ii) Fulfilling social responsibility.