Consumers in trouble

Although public officials know well the plight of consumers in contemporary times they appear negligent over their problem. It has further boosted market prices of all goods including those categorized as daily necessities such as vegetables, eggs, fruits, grains. The explanation forwarded by officials concerned is the international rise in petroleum and diesel price. Various internal measures which could have been undertaken for tackling the problem have not been pursued. The market, it appears, has been left completely under the control of sellers and the middle persons who act between real time producers and shop keepers. Consumers with fixed income group have been compelled to cut down their demand for goods and limit their choices. As festival season began from the Nag Panchami recently, the trend to augment price at sellers’ whim and convenience got further encouraged. This resulted in adverse impact on the quality of life of majority of consumers in the country. Although there are some organizations and people who, sometimes, voice problems facing consumers and routinely, demand attention to their rights, the same go ignored by authorities concerned. The tendency of Nepali consumers is characterized by high level of tolerance. They, in a sense, go on suffering from the pains of high market price in a silent mode. A few public speakers complain about their plight openly. Their observations do not attract any attention from the authority. Parliamentarians, government officials, political parties – ruling and opposition appear more focused on the forthcoming general election for the House of Representatives and the provincial assemblies. Local elected authorities who have just started work after fulfilling their initial formalities have not yet been able to show any interest in consumers’ problems. The overall scenario remains thus rather detached with the difficulties facing consumers day in and day out. Ignoring consumers’ problems would ultimately affect the interest of the economy. If their purchasing capacity goes down it will create further problems in the economy. That is why it is high time consumers’ plight is addressed properly and professionally. Doing so would contribute to the broad cause of the economy particularly the production and the employment sector.