Consumer forums facing 18,000 cases

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 19

At a time when the Delhi State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission and various District Consumer Forums in the city are faced with a massive backlog of about 18,000 cases, a proposal for enhancing manpower, spaces and financial resources in the Consumer Affairs Department of the Delhi government is being examined by its Law Department.

The department is “actively pursuing” finalisation of space with various land owning agencies, including the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), among others, for reducing the pendency of cases in the city’s consumer forums.

As per the data available with the government, around 6,000 cases are registered per year in the Commission and various District Consumer Forums and around 7,000 cases are disposed of by them. Overall, there is pendency of about 18,000 cases, said an official.

Consumer Affairs Minister Imran Hussain directed officials to ensure expeditious disbursal of cases by creating separate cadre of staff for the State Commission and District Consumer Forums.