The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) - Madurai Bench, has directed the Kodaikanal Municipality to seize stocks of ‘Gautheria Wintergreen Oil’ which is sold in all shops in the tourist destination, within two weeks. The direction was given as the oil was considered hazardous.
In a complaint filed before the SCDRC, K Manavalan, who identified himself as a consumer activist, contended that Gautheria wintergreen oil was being sold in gross violation of the Packaged Commodities Act. He said the Act mandates every manufacturer to declare the name and address of the manufacturer, contents and composition of the product, precautions, date and batch of packing and date of expiry.
According to him, the toxicity of the wintergreen oil is such that 30ml of the oil is equivalent to 55.7 grams of aspirin or about 171 aspirin tablets. Overdose of wintergreen oil has resulted in fatal poisonings, he said, and produced documentary evidence to prove that no treatment was available in case of an accidental overdose.
Contending that the peak tourist season is on, he said there was all possibility of people and tourists purchasing and using the oil without any information about the product and its use. Hence, he sought a direction from the Commission to the authorities to seize the oil and prohibit its manufacture, by invoking Section 13(3-B) of the Consumer Protection Act 1986.
Hearing the plea, Justice R Regupathi, chairman, SDCRC, directed the Kodaikanal Municipal Commissioner and the local Health Officer to send the samples of seized wintergreen oil to the laboratory to ascertain its hazardous nature. He observed that if immediate intervention is not made it could expose people to serious risks.
Further the Commission directed the Dindigul Superintendent of Police and the Deputy Superintendent of Police to give protection to the officials at the time of seizure.