After receiving a good response to its ‘Urban October Consumer Action Drive’ from consumers across Goa, GOACAN will launch its second phase of the campaign to address issues plaguing the towns and city being managed by the various municipal councils and the Corporation of the City of Panaji, respectively.
It may be noted that the focus of ‘Urban October’, the month-long action drive by GOACAN had a special activity called ‘Spot the Deficiency, Identify the Official, Pursue the Remedy’, where consumers from housing societies, schools, high secondary schools and colleges participated by highlighting issues of pedestrian safety, waste management and public amenities among other issues, with a special focus on the rights of senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
The second phase of the campaign, beginning on 31st October on World Cities Day and the start of Vigilance Awareness Week 2022, will focus on the ‘Power of One’ wherein GOACAN will create ‘Awareness for Action’ among individual consumers on the use of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the various grievance redressal opportunities available to make things happen.
Some of the issues to be tackled are irregular public transport, poorly managed public toilets, lack of bus stops, unsafe footpaths, unregistered gymnasiums, illegal plant nurseries, exorbitant charges for pay parking, illegal coaching classes, unregistered food establishments, wine stores and bars, illegal speed breakers, non-availability of waste bins for single-use plastic and the unauthorised sale of tobacco.
During the second phase of the campaign, GOACAN will submit memorandums, reminder letters, Whatsapp messages, emails and postcards to heads of departments and grievance officers to keep all landline helplines operational and to check their complaint books and boxes in order to take action on pending complaints filed by individual consumers.
