Citizen Consumer Clubs planned in Vellore schools, colleges

[sajiv]

Citizen Consumer Clubs planned in Vellore schools, colleges

VELLORE: The Palar Consumer Protection Association, Minnur, has planned to organise Citizen Consumer Clubs in 100 schools and colleges in Vellore district. This is in response to the initiative of the Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department to help the formation of such clubs in schools and colleges in order to create awareness of the need to buy quality products and sensitise people against unfair trade practices.

According to a circular issued by K. Rajaraman, Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, Citizen Consumer Clubs were started in 500 schools each under the first phase of the scheme in 2005-06 and in another 500 schools under the second phase in 2007-08. With 50 students being members of each club, a total of 50,000 students are today members of Citizen Consumer Clubs throughout the State.

Consumer education and awareness was being imparted to them through non-governmental organisations. In order to take the message to the colleges, Citizen Consumer Clubs have been established in 500 colleges in 2008-09. The government has taken a policy decision to form the clubs in all types of educational institutions and asked all schools and colleges to start the clubs as part of their extra-curricular activities.

Mr. Rajraman said that the schools and colleges interested in starting such clubs could obtain technical advice from the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection.

The procedure for starting the clubs could be downloaded from www.consumer.tn.gov.in.

R.P. Ramesh Kumar, secretary, Palar Consumer Protection Association, told The Hindu that with the intention of helping the government to achieve its objective of starting Citizen Consumer Clubs in all schools and colleges in the State, the association had decided to organise such clubs in 100 schools and colleges in Vellore district.

It has already formed the clubs in four schools — Government High School, Melsananguppam; Aided Middle School, Veeranguppam; Government High School, Arangaldurgam, and Government High School, Devalapuram, all in Vaniyambadi taluk. It planned to form clubs in Government Higher Secondary School, Madavalam, in Tirupattur taluk, on July 21, Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur, on July 22 and T.V.K.V. Higher Secondary School, Vaniyambadi, on July 30.

Schools/colleges in Vellore district interested in starting such clubs in their institutions could contact Mr. Ramesh Kumar at 9840848838.