The Consumer Guidance Society of India has decided to empower the younger generation by encouraging them to take up consumer activism, thus helping their families and society at large.
The Consumer Guidance Society of India has decided to empower the younger generation by encouraging them to take up consumer activism, thus helping their families and society at large. The CGSI held the first of its series of seminars at Pravin Gandhi Law College on Saturday, in which students were educated about consumer laws as they form the largest consumer base of online business as well as encouraged them to set up consumer redressal forums where they could mediate between consumers and companies and avoid going to court.
Dr Manohar Kamat, president CGSI, said the young consumers take things lightly, as a result of which they end up getting cheated. “It has been observed that youngsters do not pay much attention. If they end up buying a packet of stale biscuits, they simply throw it away and buy another one. While it is a question of only one packet of biscuits for the youngster, if they object to the biscuits they could possibly be saving hundreds and thousands of people from buying from that stale batch. CGSI has tried to make them aware of the same and create a sense of responsibility towards society by awakening the activist in them,” said Dr Kamat. “Initially the professors and senior counsels could act as mediators on these cells between the aggrieved consumer and guilty service provider. Once they get used to the idea, the students can themselves start mediating and reconciling the grievances,” he said.
Students welcomed the proposal wholeheartedly, so much so, the student body of the college also agreed to set up the cell on a war footing. “The seminar was an eye opener and gave us insight into how consumers are fleeced and how they can stand up for their rights. We are glad to have been part of this seminar,” said a student.
Dr Kamat further added that CGSI was going to conduct similar seminars across the state and would initially concentrate on the law colleges.
