The Sub- Divisional Officer (Sadar), East Jaintia Hills District, Khliehriat has informed that the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) was launched a country-wide campaign to raise awareness and consciousness among consumers to purchase goods that conform to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and prevent sale of spurious and counterfeit goods that violate standards directed for compulsory use by the Central Government as per Quality Control Orders (QCOs).
Under Section 2(10) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, goods which violate the standard which is required to be maintained by or under any law for the time being in force are liable to be held defective. The sale of goods in violation to Standards prescribed under QCOs is not only an unfair trade practice but also a violation of the right of consumers under the Act.
Further, under Section 2(47) of the Act, unfair trade practice includes promoting the sale, use or supply of any goods which adopts any unfair method or unfair or deceptive practice by falsely representing that the goods are of particular standard, quality, quantity, grade, composition, style or model and permitting the sale or supply of goods intended to be used, or are of a kind likely to be used by consumers, knowing or having reasons to believe that the goods do not comply with the standards prescribe by the competent authority relating to performance, composition, contents, design, construction, finishing or packaging as are necessary to prevent or reduce the risk of injury to the person using the goods.
Selling or offering for sale of goods which do not conform to standards directed for compulsory use violate the Right to be protected against marketing of goods, products or services hazardous to life and property and the Right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods, products or services as the case may be, to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices which are Consumer Rights under Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act.
It may be mentioned that QCOs have been notified by the Central Government for various consumer durables, prescribing compulsory conformity to the specified standard and use of the standard mark. These include Electric Immersion Water Heaters IS 302-2-201 (1992), Electric Iron IS 302-2-3(1992), Switches for domestic and similar purposes IS 3854:1998, , Hand Held Blender IS 302: Part 2 Sec 14, Domestic Electric Food Mixer(Liquidizers and Grinders) and Centrifugal Juicer IS 4250, Domestic Gas Stove for use with Liquefied Petroleum Gases IS 4246:20020, Aluminium Foil for Food Packaging IS 15392, Sewing Machines IS 15449: Part 1:2004, Helmet for Riders of Two Wheelers Motor Vehicles IS 4151: 2015, Microwave Oven IS 302: Part 2: Sec 25: 2014 and Cooking Gas Cylinder as specified in Gas Cylinder Rules, 2016.
Violation of standards mandated by the QCOs can not only endanger public safety, it can make consumers vulnerable to severe harm and injuries and it is a critical cause for concern especially in the case of consumer durables, since such goods are present in most homes and are in the immediate vicinity of family members.
“It is essential that consumers are made aware to check that the goods have a valid ISI mark before buying them,” the office said.
