MGP plans novel celebration on National Consumer Day

The Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) has planned novel celebrations for the National Consumer Day (NCD), this month.

Bhamy V Shenoy and Shobana Sambasivan of the MGP said, the celebration of Water Day, AIDS Day, Youth Day, Women's Day, etc are usually a one-day affair, with the same routine of holding an awareness march or having speeches in a closed auditorium.

"This year, MGP has taken a different approach to celebrate the NCD, which falls on December 24. The district Administration, public sector oil companies, MYMUL and Rotary Main Club have expressed interest in joining hands with the MGP, in educating the people on different aspects of consumer protection at Chikka Gadiyara (Dufferin Clock)," said Shenoy.

"MGP has already started a series of events, which will conclude on December 24. They are: creation of awareness among youth in schools and colleges by MGP-trained teachers or MGP activists, demonstrating food adulteration detection, educating the public on their responsibility of keeping Mysuru Clean, interacting with different government agencies like Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), Deputy Commissioner's office, Police department, and public sector companies like KSRTC, and Railways, to convey the messages that "we are the masters and not servants" and "Consumer is King". MGP believes that an awakened consumer, who is aware of his rights and responsibilities, is a good social worker," said Shobana.

Shenoy said that already MGP activists have interacted with students of Teresian College, members of The Youth Hostel Association of India, and teachers at Lucky School. "They have trained students of St Philomena's College on food adulteration detection. The students and volunteers will in turn educate the public on the harmful effects of food adulteration and the simple ways of detecting it," he said.

Shobana said, on December 7, MGP had an interaction with the staff of the DC's office, where new insights were discovered. "Some good ideas for spreading awareness about the consumer movement came out of the meeting. Although, all the participants have been cheated as consumers at one time or the other, only one of them had filed a case before the District Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum. It emerged that they did not know how easy it is to file a case without the help of a lawyer, and how quickly, with minimum number of adjournments, cases have to be heard. Some suggested that the MGP should give more information to the public on the working of the Consumer Protection Act," she said.

Volunteer for the National Consumer Day celebrations or those interested in organising interactions on the consumer movement can call 0821-2515150.