Retirees win award as consumer champions
By Feng Jianmin |
January 3, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LOOKING for something to do after retirement, 18 people in China's southwest Chongqing City decided to fight for the rights of local consumers.
Since its establishment in 2001, the "Grandpa Rights-Protecting Team," as people call it, has solved 1,230 disputes, and retrieved nearly 50 million yuan (US$7.5million) for consumers. The average age of the members is over 70.
The group in Chongqing's Dianjiang County has been honored as one of the country's Top 10 Elderly News-makers of the Year, Chongqing Morning Post reported yesterday.
"We fight because we feel bad when consumers' rights are threatened," said Pi Zhixian, 83, the oldest member and initiator of the team.
Last year, their major achievements included petitions against excessive charges by local monopolies.
In February, the county's water company raised prices a month before they should have. The team immediately organized talks between consumers and the company, and pressed county officials to order a refund. The company finally agreed to pay back a total of 350,000 yuan.
Later, the team found that a school in Gao'an County was taking bribes from unqualified applicants, charging extra fees for lessons and uniforms, and using pirated teaching materials. They collected proof and handed it to county officials.
In 2011, they said, their main targets are going to be canteens and school shops.
"Currently several of the members are investigating salt prices in nearby counties and 'spying' on food quality in school canteens," said Pi. "The operation of school canteens and shops are not transparent, and they usually sell old rice and uncertified meat at high prices."
The team's official title is the Dianjiang County Voluntary Rights-Protecting Station.
"At first, some government departments found these elderly people annoying," said Zeng Yong, head of the county's Industrial and Commercial Adminstration. "But nowadays they are the privileged guests of the county's top officials.
"Their investigations are polite and well-founded, and their suggestions are always accepted by officials."
Since its establishment in 2001, the "Grandpa Rights-Protecting Team," as people call it, has solved 1,230 disputes, and retrieved nearly 50 million yuan (US$7.5million) for consumers. The average age of the members is over 70.
The group in Chongqing's Dianjiang County has been honored as one of the country's Top 10 Elderly News-makers of the Year, Chongqing Morning Post reported yesterday.
"We fight because we feel bad when consumers' rights are threatened," said Pi Zhixian, 83, the oldest member and initiator of the team.
Last year, their major achievements included petitions against excessive charges by local monopolies.
In February, the county's water company raised prices a month before they should have. The team immediately organized talks between consumers and the company, and pressed county officials to order a refund. The company finally agreed to pay back a total of 350,000 yuan.
Later, the team found that a school in Gao'an County was taking bribes from unqualified applicants, charging extra fees for lessons and uniforms, and using pirated teaching materials. They collected proof and handed it to county officials.
In 2011, they said, their main targets are going to be canteens and school shops.
"Currently several of the members are investigating salt prices in nearby counties and 'spying' on food quality in school canteens," said Pi. "The operation of school canteens and shops are not transparent, and they usually sell old rice and uncertified meat at high prices."
The team's official title is the Dianjiang County Voluntary Rights-Protecting Station.
"At first, some government departments found these elderly people annoying," said Zeng Yong, head of the county's Industrial and Commercial Adminstration. "But nowadays they are the privileged guests of the county's top officials.
"Their investigations are polite and well-founded, and their suggestions are always accepted by officials."
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