Consumer Blog

CELEBRATING 1986

2012-02-21T02:27:00.003-08:00

The International Days are spread all over the calendar and the good thing about these DAYS is that these days act as a successful tool to bring the world at one single platform. In the month of March there fall two International Days, one the International women’s Day and the other one we are going to discuss here in this article the International Consumer Rights Day. Need not to mention that approximately sixty percent of all the buyer and consumer is made by women only whatever the place at the planet. So the nod from the women is a necessity for most of the markets and manufacturers. Congratulations to all the women for being so much aware when it comes to the rights of the consumer.
In India came in existence the ACT to Protect the Rights of Consumer in 1986, 24 of December was the date of historical importance in market of this south Asian Sub-Continent. People of all walks and different culture and economy backgrounds came at one platform with the help of Consumer Protection Act 1986. This was only a start of a dreadful and challenging voyage that took Indian consumer at international level of thought. As all the mankind is consumer of one thing and producer of some other thing supposed to be consumed by other people. Like every rights this one also anticipate and attract certain amount of responsibility. The whole world is consumer and the whole world is manufacturer, believe it or not we all produce something or the other and trust me some of us are producing smoke out of our vehicles and that is not less important than any other kind of production. The smoke being emitted from the pipe behind the transport running around in the city is creating big business for the hospitals and the good news is that we have more business and demands than we have service providers as far as medical help is questioned not only in the developing countries but in the well developed nations too.
Back home in New Delhi the consumer of electricity, water, and other basic amenities is unaware of its rights for there is no means the consumer compare itself with the consumers around the world. There are power cuts a dozen times in one single day and no claims are made against the organization, no law suit is introduced to the concerned authorities by the consumer. Taps give sewage water, visit a nearby park the grass is watered with the sewage water and your child is playing right there in front of your eyes in the sewage. Have you ever experienced the fountain around twenty five feet high producing beau…tiful mist, the dust of water flying with air flow coming all upon you and you are enjoying it immensely and you come to know all of a sudden its sewage water…….
So what we get as consumer is what we offer as provider as MJ says ‘we are the world’ and ‘saving our own life’ but the ground reality is different from what we sing all around. As consumers the Indians have to go through an evolution and that comes with the higher level of awareness not about the ‘rights’ but the ‘wrongs’ happening with them.

Women Drive the Demand Wagon This Valentine’s Day

2012-02-14T03:48:00.000-08:00

Retailers report 10-15%rise in demand for gifts such as apparel, jewellery, cosmetics and mobiles

From TOI

Women have taken the lead in buying gifts for theirloves this Valentine’s Day as shopping malls and retailers report 10-15% risein demand for popular gifting items such as apparel, jewellery, cosmetics andmobile handsets.

“Women are making 60%-65% of our buyers for February 14, either by way ofpurchasing something for themselves or to gift something special to theirpartner,” says Arjun Sharma, director of Select Citywalk mall in Delhi.
DLF Promenade, another south Delhi mall, reports 10%-15% yearon-year increasein consumer spend with the best-selling price point at the mall being .5,000-10,000. “The consumer base has increased with this day evolving beyondthe dating concept. So it’s not an occasion limited to the youth alone as wasthe case in previous years,” says Pushpa Bector, VP and mall head of DLFPromenade. While retailers and shopping malls have launched special offers andschemes to attract lovers in hordes, the mood is down among restaurateurs andpub owners.
Booking in restaurants are 20%- 30% lower this year inmost of north and central Indian cities because Valentine’s Day falls onTuesday — a day when most Hindus in these parts of the country abstain fromalcohol and non-vegetarian food. “We saw more rush on the weekend that has goneby, perhaps with couples preferring to celebrate it earlier,” says Marut Sikka,who runs fine dining restaurant Magique in the capital.

OFFERS GALORE
Essar Group’s The MobileStore, the largest mobile phone retailer with more than 1,200 stores, expects10%-20% jump in samestore sales this Valentine’s Day season, supported by mall is celebrating ‘Love and Cruise in Style’wherein anyone shopping for . 5,000 and more get a chance to win aHarley-Davidson bike. The celebration is on till February 29. JW Marriott hotelin the city will have a gala candlelight dinner with unlimited spirit and food,complete with the live music of Ludhiana-based disc jockey DJ Bhanu, for anall-inclusive . 4,500 per couple.

ROSES ARE FOREVER
Apparel and jewelleryretailers a zero-interest EMIscheme. Almost 35-40% of the sales are happening through zero percent EMIschemes, The Mobile Store CEO Himanshu Chakrawarti says. Nokia and Samsung, thetop two mobile phone makers, are seeing more demand for ‘passion’ colours likeorange, pink, red and white. Samsung estimates a 10-15% spike in sales. InChandigarh, DLF City Centre such as Reliance Trends,Pantaloons, Tanishq and Swarovski expect 10%-20% growth in sales duringValentine’s Day.
Reliance Trends CEO Arun Sirdeshmukh, however, says that some consumers aredown trading. “Those who used to buy big expensive brands are now opting fornational brands, while those who chose national brands are now looking atprivate labels for better deals,” he says.
In the case of jewellery, retailers are tapping the market with small, stylishand urbane pieces that find favour for this occasion.
Sukanya Dutta Roy, consumer goods business head of Swarovski India, says,“There is a lot of intelligent gift buying in the market now as far as displayof emotions is concerned. In that sense, the market has evolved since earliertimes.” Some things, however, remain the same. The fascination for red roses isone.
Florist Ferns ‘N’ Petals has seen a 50% increase in Valentine’s Day businessthis year. “While carnations and chocolates do good business, nothing enjoys asmuch popularity as the red rose on this day,” says its MD Vikaas Gutgutia. Evenfor him, three out of every four customers are women. “Women indulge more,”says Gutgutia.

2012-02-11T02:57:00.000-08:00

Colors have many colors

the colorful land

boasts the shades

that has no end

the color of purity love

dedicated

for forgiveness

contaminated

with elements

called poisonous

There are different colors

there are rich colors

and there are poor colors

there is no wrong of colors

for colors are just colors

white colors

blue colors

silver colors

gold colors

saffron colors

green colors

mixing different colors

evolutes new colors

colors have different

languages

the language of

contaminated water

the language of illiteracy

the language of rain

outside and inside

reflecting different colors

we are richest

yes the filthy rich

boasting giggling enjoying

the biggest number of

colors

Loyal H. Lall

Be Attentive, In Choosing Your Leader!!

2012-02-01T23:24:00.000-08:00

Health is Wealth

2012-01-12T23:17:00.000-08:00

One of the most common sights we see these days, is that of people with their mobile phones next to their ears. A boon for better communication, cell phone usage nonetheless has many health hazards. Various studies indicate that the emissions from a cell phone can be extremely harmful, causing genetic damage, tumors, memory loss, and increased blood pressure and weakening of the immune system. This is alarming information, and one has to take into account all these factors..
CELL PHONES AND HEALTH
Though there is no evidence of cell phones causing cancer or any such illness, but the suspicion, or fear of the same is not baseless either. The electromagnetic radiation from cell phones does have a potential link to cancer. The fact that this radiation is invisible, intangible, and enters and leaves our bodies without our knowledge makes it even more intimidating.
Possible hazards:
* Two minutes of exposure to emissions from mobile phones can disable a safety barrier in blood causing proteins and toxins to leak into the brain, could increase chances of developing Alzheimer’s multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s. (Scientists at Sweden’s Lund University) * Scientists say exposure to the phones’ low-level radiation causes red blood cells to leak hemoglobin and can lead to heart disease and kidney stones.
* Recent studies suggesting a link between cell-phone use and brain tumors, and the possibility that the microwaves could ignite petroleum fumes at gas stations.
* A cell phone unit, or communications tower, has so many of thee radiation emanating gadgets. This can be a problem for its immediate environment.
SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS
Cancer / Tumors
Studies have been conducted suggesting that rats that have been exposed to microwaves similar to the sort generated by mobile phones but more powerful, showed breaks in their DNA which could indicate an adverse effect. Also, mice exposed to radiation for 18 months developed brain tumors. Though of course, these studies are not concrete proof. Blood Pressure It was observed that people using cell phones were prone to high blood pressure. Again, there isn’t any concrete evidence of the same.
Pregnancy
A study at the University of Montpellier in France was carried out on 6000 chick embryos and suggested that the heavily exposed chick eggs were five times less likely to survive than the control group. This study raised questions about possible effects on pregnant women but it has not yet appeared in peer-reviewed scientific literature or been reproduced, so its findings are difficult to assess.
Headaches, Heating Effects, Fatigue
A study brought out that longer the people used mobile phones, the more likely they were to report symptoms such as hot ears, burning skin, headaches and fatigue. The study did not include a control group (that is people who do not use mobile phones, to make a comparison); therefore the symptoms reported could have been caused by any number of other factors in the mobile phones users’ environment, such as working with computers, stress, driving or reading.
Memory
There have been various studies into the connection between mobile phones and memory loss. A study looked into the effect of radiofrequency (RF) on the section of rats’ brains that is linked with the memory. The results showed that RF could modify signals in the cells in a part of the brain that is responsible for learning and short term memory. Posture (holding phone between raised shoulder and ear) Some researchers claim that holding a mobile phone between the raised shoulder and the ear could have a damaging effect on muscles, bones, tendons and discs. These problems would apply equally to a cordless phone or a landline phone as to a mobile phone and are the effect of bad posture.
Mobile Phones and Children
Because of their smaller heads, thinner skulls and higher tissue conductivity, children may absorb more energy from a given phone than adults.
PREVENTION TIPS
* Cell phones should be used for emergencies, and not for long conversations.
* A small chip-like cell phone microwave radiation protection device is available, which has the ability to absorb electromagnetic energy waves from your mobile phone. It helps in reducing the potential harmful effects of these emissions to the human body.
* Using a mobile headset is a good idea, you don’t have to hold phones next to your ears all the time
* Use a hands free mobile car kit while driving, without taking your hands off the steering wheel
THE WHO (World Health Organisation) RULES
* Mobile phone users should limit their exposure to harmful radio frequencies by cutting the length of calls.
* Hands-free devices cut exposure by keeping the instrument away from the head and body.
* Driving cum mobile phone talking should be banned.
* Mobile phones should not be used in Intensive Care Units of hospitals as they can pose a danger to patients by interfering with the working of pacemakers and defibrillators.
* People with hearing aids should not use mobile phones.
* Base stations, which have low powered antennae on their terrace to communicate with cell phones, should not be located near children’s schools and playgrounds.
CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING
Studies indicate that a lot of car accidents have happened, while the driver was on the phone. This is because while driving, one obviously needs to concentrate, and talking on a phone doesn’t help. Some countries like Portugal have banned the use of cell phones, which may not be very practical, as their main use is to be reachable while you are on the move. Thus, it is important to take certain precautions while driving:
* Position your phone within easy reach so that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road.
* Get to know the features of your cell phone – speed dial, redial, voice mail, they can be your lifesaver. But don’t dial and drive at the same time. Use a hands free kit.
* Avoid using a phone when road conditions are hazardous or traffic is heavy. You can let your voice mail take messages and then call back later.
* Don’t engage in stressful conversations that may distract your attention from the road.
* Don’t take notes or look up phone numbers whilst driving, wait till you can pull over.
* User abbreviated speed dialing. In fact, voice activated dialing is even better. It leaves both hands free. Frequently called numbers can be programmed.
* Have an answering machine installed that could take messages until you can return the calls. Let your co-passenger handle the calls if you are not travelling alone

No Smoking Scenes in Film "Dirty Picture"

2012-01-12T22:48:00.000-08:00

This discussion is focus on non Smoking scenes in Hindi film industry; The Health Ministry has wanted to bring new notification against Smoking scene in Movie's but Information and Broadcasting Ministry not banned smoking scene in movie's with Prof. S.R.Khanna, Consumer Rights Activist

Lab Testing of Electric Kettles by Consumer Voice

2012-01-12T22:30:00.001-08:00

Lab Testing of Electric Kettles by Consumer Voice

2012-01-12T22:30:00.000-08:00

Auto Expo 2012: A curtain raiser and visitor’s advisory

2012-01-05T02:57:00.000-08:00

This year’s Auto Expo promises to be one interesting experience. The theme for Auto Expo 2012 is ‘green’, which is all very good, considering the smog and haze-laden Delhi

A few hours ago I booked my ticket for the Auto Expo 2012 online, all of Rs200 worth which will hopefully entitle me to entry at Pragati Maidan in Delhi on Saturday the 7 January 2012, without much fuss and demur. I say ‘hopefully’, because the experiences people had in the 2010 version of the Auto Expo make the Gurgaon New Year’s riots look tame.

The organisers at Auto Expo 2012, along with the authorities, appear to be trying to take no chances this time around, by restricting entry to the first 1 lakh people every day, which is about half the number that officially entered the fair grounds last time around—the actual number by way of unofficial entries, hanger-ons, VIPs, and more, would easily be more. In addition, the 1 lakh cap appears to be an arbitrary number, includes participants and officials, so there is no idea on how this will relate to visitors.

I have been visiting the Auto Expo on ‘PRESS’ passes since the inception, and therefore been spared most of the issues faced by visitors, but this time around, due to the rather complicated and time-consuming process as well as fairly blatant expectations of what reportage should be like, I choose to visit it on my own steam. Let us see how it pans out. In any case, the ‘PRESS’ experience is increasingly like a PR sponsored guided tour, lately.

Even with tickets bought in advance, if indications are to be believed, entry is not guaranteed. In addition, the fine print in the “terms and conditions” for the booking service online makes it clear that they are not responsible for any damages or any loss resulting from “inability to use the services”. In other words, if the organisers decide to shut the gates, that’s it—regardless of whether you have a ticket or pass or not. Safety is supreme—and rightly so.

So, if you want to visit the Auto Expo 2012, you need to get your entry formalities in place early—and then land up there even earlier before they put a cap on entries. In addition, most of the launch functions and special events are being held starting the 4th of January onwards, while public entry starts on the 7th.

The theme for this year’s Auto Expo is ‘green’, which is all very good, the display of new generation alternate fuel vehicles like the Audi-3 E-Tron, the Mahindra Reva NXR, the Nissan Leaf and others are surely welcome in smog and haze laden Delhi. But the larger buzz, as always, appears to be reserved for the usual smorgasbord of big engine supercars, superbikes and SUVs. Of which there are far too many to list out—but one honourable mention needs go to the home-grown supercar from DC in Mumbai. That will be essential viewing.

Likewise, the smaller component and accessory stalls, as well as speciality displays of customisation and more, hold an appeal which is often missed out in the glamour and hype of the larger pavilions from manufacturers. They are also less crowded, the exhibitors are mostly genuinely pleased to greet and show visitors their wares, and the atmosphere is more, how do we put it, Indian?

By contrast, the larger pavilions are certainly eminent displays of brilliance and new technology, on wheels and otherwise, but the often surly and condescending attitude towards visitors during public hours can be a put off. My take here to the exhibitors is this—you have come to India to sell your motor vehicles to people, not to a market. Our buyers like to touch, feel, squeeze and analyse the product thoroughly. They will therefore expect to be permitted to do the same. Live with it.

For me, the most interesting and lately most important part of this exhibition has always been the one pertaining to public transport and goods vehicles, especially in view of the extremely high growth envisaged in both these sectors in the coming years. In addition to the new buses and trucks on display, there are going to be some even more interesting displays and discussion on issues like toll collection, inter-state movement of trucks, inter-modal movement of unitised and break-bulk cargo, and long-distance buses.

But the really important part, if trends are to be believed, will be the further emergence of the mini and micro-mini trucks and people movers—and in this, the Chinese influence is to be seen to be believed—silently but inexorably making progress while the media focus and bright arc lights are on the luxury sector.

All in all, this year’s Auto Expo promises to be one interesting experience, like the ones before—but what a long way we’ve come since people came there in their lakhs to gawk at the early Marutis!!

However, do buy your tickets in advance, and be at the gates early.

More details, including on how to book tickets in advance online, are available at:
http://www.autoexpo.in/

By:Veeresh Malik

मे आई हेल्प यू

2012-01-03T01:23:00.000-08:00

मिसेज गुप्ता ने नए साल के मौके पर एक अच्छा काम करने का मन बनाया है। वह नेत्र दान करना चाहती हैं, लेकिन समस्या यह है कि उन्हें यह नहीं पता कि इस बारे में किससे संपर्क करें। तमाम कोशिशों के बाद उन्होंने इससे जुड़े हेल्पलाइन नंबर को तलाशा, लेकिन जिंदगी में कई मौके ऐसे भी आ जाते हैं जब आपको ऐसे हेल्पलाइन नंबरों की इमरजेंसी में जरूरत पड़ जाती है। ऐसे में अगर आपको रोजमर्रा के कामों से जुड़ी हेल्पलाइनों की एक अपटुडेट लिस्ट मिल जाए तो आपका काम आसान हो सकता है। तोटीम एनबीटी तरफ से स्वीकार करें नए साल का यह तोहफा, हेल्पलाइन की अपटुडेट लिस्ट के रूप में:

मेडिकल

एंबुलेंस- (सामान्य)- 102
एंबुलेंस - 011-2659-3689 (चौबीसों घंटे)
एम्स एडमिशन - 011-2659-4707 (चौबीसों घंटे)

किस काम के लिए
- एम्स की एंबुलेंस के बारे में जानकारी हासिल करने के लिए।
- किसी को भर्ती करने के बारे में जानकारी के लिए।

नैशनल आई बैंक
(011 - 2658 - 9461)
ईमेल:- neb@aiims.ac.in

- अगर आप आंखें डोनेट करना चाहते हैं।

- अगर किसी मृत परिजन की आंखें डोनेट करना चाहते हैं तो कम-से-कम एक घंटे और अधिकतम छह घंटे के अंदर फोन करें।

ऑर्गन रेट्रिवल बैंकिंग ऑर्गेनाइजेशन (एम्स)
अंग दान- 011-2658-8360
ईमेल:- info@orbo.org

स्टेम सेल दान- 011-2659-3085
ईमेल:- stemcellinfo@orbo.org

- अगर आप अंग दान या स्टेम सेल डोनेट करने के इच्छुक हैं।

- अगर किसी मृत परिजन का कोई अंग डोनेट करना चाहते हैं।

- अगर किसी नवजात के स्टेम सेल सहेजकर रखना चाहते हैं।

एड्स
हेल्पलाइन:- 1097 ( सोम से शुक्र सुबह 10 से शाम 5 बजे तक)

हेल्पलाइन:- 011-265 88 333 ( सोमवार से शुक्रवार सुबह 10 बजे से शाम 5 बजे तक)

- एड्स से जुड़ी किसी भी जानकारी के लिए।

स्ट्रेस मैनेजमेंट

संजीवनी
011-2431-1918 ( सोमवार से शुक्रवार तक सुबह 10 बजे से शाम 5:30 बजे तक, शनिवार को सुबह 10 बजे से दोपहर 2 बजे तक)

011-2686-2222 ( सोमवार से शनिवार सुबह 10 बजे से रात 7:30 बजे तक)

स्नेही
011-6597-8181, 011-6541-8181 ( सोमवार से शनिवार तक सुबह 9 बजे तक रात 7 बजे तक)

- स्ट्रेस मैनेजमेंट के लिए आप इन नंबरों पर कॉल कर सकते हैं।

- इन हेल्पलाइंस पर फोन करने के बाद आपको अपॉइंटमेंट लेना होता है, जिसके बाद काउंसलिंग की जाती है।

- यह हेल्पलाइन बड़ों या बच्चों सभी के लिए है।

हार्ट हेल्पलाइन
995867-71177 (सुबह 8 बजे से शाम 6 बजे तक)

किस काम के लिए-

- हार्ट केयर फाउंडेशन ऑफ इंडिया आपको हार्ट से जुड़ी सभी तरह की जानकारी देगा। आप सीधे डॉक्टर से भी बात कर सकते हैं और मेडिकल सलाह ले सकते हैं।

एयरटेल मेडिफोन
54445 (सिर्फ एयरटेल फोन धारकों के लिए) (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- इस फोन पर स्वास्थ्य सेवा अधिकारी आपकी मदद करेंगे। सामान्य बीमारी में आपको एसएमएस के जरिए दवा बताई जाएगी। गंभीर स्थिति में एहतियात और इमर्जेंसी मेडिकल हेल्प के बारे में बताया जाएगा। डायटिशियन से भी सलाह ले सकते हैं। प्रति कॉल के लिए 15 रुपए का चार्ज लगेगा।

रेलीगेयर मेडिकल हेल्पलाइन
011-3300-6666 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- डॉक्टर या मेडिकल एडवाइजर से बात करने के लिए। किसी दवा के बारे में जानकारी हासिल करने के लिए। किसी पैथलेब, अस्पताल या बीमारी के बारे में पता लगाने के लिए।

एम्स ब्लड बैंक- 011-2659-4438 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

रेड क्रॉस ब्लड बैंक- 011-2371-1551 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

क्राइम

पुलिस- 100
फायर- 101

ट्रैफिक पुलिस

सामान्य हेल्पलाइन- 011-2584-4444 (24 घंटे, सात दिन)

- दिल्ली के किसी इलाके में ट्रैफिक की स्थिति के बारे में जानकारी लेनी है या यह पता लगाना है कि कहीं जाम तो नहीं लगा।

- ट्रैफिक संबंधी किसी भी तरह की शिकायत या सुझाव के लिए।

- ट्रैफिक नियमों का उल्लंघन करने वाले किसी शख्स की सूचना देने के लिए।

- ऑटो, टैक्सी या बस ड्राइवर-कंडक्टर द्वारा ज्यादा पैसे मांगने और गलत व्यवहार करने की शिकायत।

ऑटो चालक की शिकायत

हेल्पलाइन- 011-2584-4444
SMS- 56767

अगर ऑटो वाला जाने से मना करे, तो मेसेज बॉक्स में REF लिखें, स्पेस देकर ऑटो का नंबर लिखें। फिर स्पेस देकर लोकेशन लिखें और फिर स्पेस देकर टाइम। इसे 56767 पर भेज दें।

- ऑटो चालक द्वारा ज्यादा पैसे मांगने पर OVC लिखें, बदतमीजी या दुर्व्यवहार करने पर MIS लिखें और प्रताड़ित करने पर HAR लिखें। फिर उसी तरीके से उसी नंबर पर भेज दें।

कंप्लेंट कार्ड
एयरपोर्ट, रेलवे स्टेशन, बस अड्डे आदि पर स्थित ट्रैफिक पुलिस के बूथों पर कंप्लेंट कार्ड उपलब्ध हैं। इन्हें भरकर भी आप ऑटो चालक की शिकायत कर सकते हैं।

ऑनलाइन कंप्लेंट
ट्रैफिक पुलिस की वेबसाइट www.delhitrafficpolice.nic.in पर लॉग इन करें। लेफ्ट साइड पर बनें लिंक्स में Traffic Police-Public Interface पर जाएं। जो लिंक्स खुलेंगे, उनमें से Complaint Card पर क्लिक करें। पूछी गई डिटेल्स भरकर Submit कर दें।

क्रेन ले गई गाड़ी
- अगर ट्रैफिक पुलिस की क्रेन अवैध पार्किंग में खड़ी आपकी गाड़ी उठाकर ले गई है, तो एसएमस भेजकर पता लगा सकते हैं कि गाड़ी कहां है।

- मेसेज बॉक्स में जाकर A लिखें, स्पेस देकर गाड़ी का पूरा रजिस्ट्रेशन नंबर बिना किसी स्पेस एक साथ लिखें और इसे 98114-52220 पर भेज दें।

- जवाब में मेसेज आएगा, जिसमें लिखा होगा कि आपकी गाड़ी कहां ले जाई गई है। संबंधित अधिकारी से संपर्क करने के लिए नंबर भी भेजा जाएगा।

चालान की जानकारी
- अगर आप यह पता लगाना चाहते हैं कि कहीं आपकी गाड़ी का कोई चालान पेंडिंग तो नहीं है, तो आप एसएमएस भेजकर पता लगा सकते हैं।

- मेसेज बॉक्स में जाकर N लिखें, स्पेस देकर गाड़ी का पूरा रजिस्ट्रेशन नंबर बिना किसी स्पेस लिखें, फिर मेसेज को 98114-52220 पर भेज दें।

- जवाब में जो मेसेज आएगा, उसमें गाड़ी का नंबर, पेंडिंग नोटिस चालान का नंबर, गाड़ी मालिक का नाम, नियम उल्लंघन की तारीख, जगह और जुर्माने की रकम लिखी होगी।

चाइल्ड
1098 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

ईमेल- dial1098@childlineindia.org.in

- बाल मजदूरी कराई जा रही हो।

- बच्चे का उत्पीड़न हो रहा हो।

- किसी बच्चे को शिक्षा या किसी काउंसलिंग की जरूरत हो।

- कोई गुमशुदा बच्चा मिला हो।

- हेल्पलाइन के जरिए मदद मांगने वाले व्यक्ति या बच्चे के पास वॉलंटियर भेजे जाते हैं।

दिल्ली महिला आयोग
हेल्पलाइन- 011-2337-9181 (सोम से शुक्र, सुबह 10 से शाम 5 तक)
ईमेल- msdcw.delhi@nic.in

- महिलाओं से जुड़े किसी भी मुद्दे पर शिकायत।

- घरेलू हिंसा, छेड़छाड़ या दुर्व्यवहार से संबंधित मामलों के लिए।

- महिलाओं को काउंसलिंग और गाइडेंस देने के लिए।

दिल्ली महिला आयोग (रेप क्राइसिस सेल)
011-2337-0557 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- रेप पीड़ित महिलाएं-युवतियां फोन कर मदद मांग सकती हैं।

- रेप पीड़ितों को सलाह भी दी जाती है।

वीमन हेल्पलाइन
1091 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- महिलाओं के खिलाफ होने वाले किसी भी तरह के अपराध, घरेलू हिंसा, उत्पीड़न और दुर्व्यवहार की सूचना दें।

- दिल्ली पुलिस से सीधे जुड़ी है हेल्पलाइन।

- शिकायत के आधार पर तुरंत पुलिस की मदद मुहैया कराई जाती है।

अश्लील फोन कॉल
1096 और 99111-35446 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- अगर कोई फोन पर अश्लील बातें कर रहा हो।

- अगर कोई मनचला या संदिग्ध व्यक्ति आपका पीछा कर रहा हो।

- शिकायत के आधार पर पुलिस फौरन मदद मुहैया कराती है।

बुजुर्गों और बच्चों के लिए
1291 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- बुजुर्गों और बच्चों के खिलाफ होने वाले किसी भी तरह के अपराध, उत्पीड़न और दुर्व्यवहार की सूचना के लिए।

- दिल्ली पुलिस से जुड़ी है हेल्पलाइन।

- बुजुर्गों के लिए चिकित्सा संबंधी मदद का भी इंतजाम।

- बच्चों, बुजुर्गों के साथ घरेलू हिंसा होने की स्थिति में भी संपर्क किया जा सकता है।

अपराध और आतंकवाद की सूचना
1090 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- किसी भी तरह के अपराध के बारे में जानकारी दें या शिकायत करें।

- दिल्ली पुलिस के कंट्रोल रूम से सीधे तौर पर जुड़ी।

- आतंकवाद संबंधी जानकारी की सूचना देने वाले की पहचान गोपनीय रखी जाती है।

बिजली-पानी

पानी
पानी संबंधी शिकायत होने पर अपने मोबाइल फोन से नीचे लिखे मुताबिक 53030 पर एसएमएस कर सकते हैं।

- पानी नहीं आने पर लिखें DJB W

- पानी का टैंकर मंगाने के लिए DJB T

- गंदा पानी आने पर DJB C

- पानी लीक होने पर DJB L

- सीवर ब्लॉक होने पर DJB B

- मीटर से जुड़ी दिक्कत के लिए DJB MT

- बिल संबंधी दिक्कत के लिए DJB BL

वेबसाइट- www.delhi.gov.in

बिजली
बिजली, मीटर, बिल, उत्पीड़न, बिजली चोरी संबंधी शिकायतों के लिए

बीआरपीएल कंस्यूमर- 011-3999-9707 (24 घंटे सातों दिन)

बीवाईपीएल कंस्यूमर- 011-3999-9808 (24 घंटे सातों दिन)

वेबसाइट- www.bsesdelhi.com

टाटा पावर दिल्ली डिस्ट्रिब्यूशन लिमिटेड (पुराना नाम एनडीपीएल) के उपभोक्ताओं के लिए
नए कनेक्शन, मीटरिंग, बिलिंग संबंधी शिकायत के लिए 011-6611-1912 (रोजाना सुबह 9 से रात 9 तक)

बिजली सप्लाई नहीं होने पर- 011-6640-4040 (कभी भी)

स्ट्रीट लाइट की शिकायत- 011-6640-4444 (कभी भी)

ईमेल- consumercare@ndpl.com
वेबसाइट- www.ndpl.com

एमसीडी

अपनी समस्या के लिए आप एमसीडी के संबंधित जोनल दफ्तर में फोन कर सकते हैं।

सिटी जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2326-1713

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2326-1527

सेंट्रल जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2981-5975

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2981-2700

साउथ जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2625-2648

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2652-2700

करोल बाग जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2572-9723

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2581-2700

सदर पहाड़गंज जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2352-5955

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2351-2700

वेस्ट जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2593-4789

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2542-2700

सिविल लाइंस जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2398-2437

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2394-2700

शाहदरा साउथ जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2230-3651

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2230-3700

शाहदरा नॉर्थ जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2282-4647

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2282-2700

नरेला जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2778-3285

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2778-3261

नजफगढ़ जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2532-1302

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2532-1235

रोहिणी जोन

डिप्टी कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 011-2705-2101

कंट्रोल रूम- 011-2704-2700

एमसीडी की वेबसाइट- http://www.mcdonline.gov.in/

किस काम के लिए-
- अगर आपके इलाके में कुत्ते, बंदर आदि का आतंक हो।

- अगर आपके घर या दफ्तर के पास कोई जानवर मरा है।

- आपके आस-पास कोई अवैध निर्माण हो रहा है।

- मच्छरों का प्रजनन हो रहा है।

- सड़कें टूटी हैं।

- कचरा फैला हुआ है।

- अवैध पार्किंग चल रही है।

- कोई फुटपाथ, पार्क आदि की चीजों को नुकसान पहुंचा रहा है।

- आपके इलाके की सड़क, पार्क आदि की सफाई नहीं हो रही है।

- आपके इलाके में अवैध बूचड़खाना चल रहा है।

एजुकेशन

AIEEE
97171 - 82594 , 97171 - 82698 और 85275-57572 (सुबह 7 से रात 11 बजे तक)

- AIEEE 2012 के लिए अप्लाई करने वाले स्टूडेंट्स के लिए सीबीएसई ने हेल्पलाइन नंबर जारी किए हैं। यहां आप एग्जाम से संबंधित कोई भी जानकारी हासिल कर सकते हैं।

दिल्ली यूनिवर्सिटी

डीन, स्टूडेंट्स वेलफेयर, मेन कैंपस- 011-2766-7092

डिप्टी डीन, स्टूडेंट्स वेलफेयर ऑफिस, साउथ कैंपस- 011-2411-9832

- डीयू स्टूडेंट्स को अगर कोई समस्या है, तो वह डीन स्टूडेंट वेलफेयर ऑफिस में कॉन्टैक्ट कर सकता है।

- एडमिशन के दिनों में डीन स्टूडेंट वेलफेयर ऑफिस में हेल्पलाइन के जरिए स्टूडेंट्स के सवालों का जवाब दिया जाता है।

यूजीसी
(011-2323-2701)

असोसिएशन ऑफ इंडियन यूनिवर्सिटीज़- 011-2323-0059
मिनिस्ट्री ऑफ ह्यूमन रिसोर्स ऐंड डिवेलपमेंट- 011-2338-3436
इनसे संपर्क करके आप यूनिवर्सिटी के असली-नकली होने का पता लगा सकते हैं।

एंटी रैगिंग
1800-180-5522 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- अगर आप किसी भी कॉलेज-यूनिवर्सिटी में रैगिंग का शिकार हो रहे हों।

- अगर आप रैगिंग रोकने संबंधी नियमों से वाकिफ होना चाहते हों।

- इस नंबर पर शिकायत दर्ज कराने पर 15 मिनट से 24 घंटे के भीतर कार्रवाई होगी।

- शिकायत की जानकारी संबंधित कॉलेज के प्रिंसिपल, यूनिवर्सिटी के वाइस चांसलर, इलाके के एसपी और एसएचओ को दी जाएगी।

AICTE

जनपथ ऑफिस- 011-2372-4151 (सुबह से शाम 6 बजे तक)
लोदी रोड ऑफिस- 011-2436-9691 (सुबह 10 बजे से शाम 6 बजे तक)

आना-जाना

आईजीआई एयरपोर्ट

कस्टमर केयर नंबर- 0124- 337- 6000 (24 घंटे सातों दिन)

वेबसाइट- www.newdelhiairport.in

- किसी फ्लाइट के डिपार्चर और अराइवल की जानकारी।

- एयरपोर्ट मेट्रो, डीटीसी बस और शटल सेवा आदि की जानकारी।

- वेबसाइट पर होटल, ड्यूटी फ्री शॉप और एयरपोर्ट पर यात्रियों को क्या सुविधाएं मिल सकती हैं, यह जानकारी दी गई है।

रेलवे

एनक्वायरी- 139

चलती ट्रेन में शिकायत होने पर एसएमएस कर सकते हैं (140 कैरेक्टर तक) :- 097176-30982

दिल्ली डिविजन में शिकायत या सुझाव के लिए:- 011 - 2334-5686

दिल्ली में कोहरे के दौरान ट्रेनों की जानकारी के लिए:- 011-2374-7110

दिल्ली मेट्रो हेल्पलाइन
155-370 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- मेट्रो आने-जाने के समय, किराए या दूसरी जानकारियों के लिए।

- किसी मुसाफिर का कोई सामान या मोबाइल खो जाने की स्थिति में।

- किसी यात्री से कोई दुर्व्यवहार होने पर।

सिक्युरिटी से जुड़ी शिकायतों और सुझाव के लिए:- 011-2218-5555

कैब

सुपर कैब
011-4100-4100

कहां के लिए-
दिल्ली-एनसीआर

रेट: 10 रुपये प्रति किलोमीटर (सुबह 5 बजे से रात 11 बजे तक), 12.5 रुपये प्रति किलोमीटर (रात 11 बजे से सुबह 5 बजे तक)

बुकिंग: अधिकतम 24 घंटे पहले, कम-से-कम 40 मिनट पहले

डेल्ही कैब
011-4433-3222

कहां के लिए-
दिल्ली-एनसीआर

रेट: 20 रुपये प्रति किलोमीटर (सुबह 5 बजे से रात 11 बजे तक), कुल बिल पर 25 फीसदी अतिरिक्त (रात 11 बजे से सुबह 5 बजे तक)

बुकिंग: कभी भी

ईजी कैब
011-4343-4343

रेट: 20 रुपये प्रति किलोमीटर (सुबह 5 बजे से रात 11 बजे तक), 25 रुपये प्रति किलोमीटर (रात 11 बजे से सुबह 5 बजे तक)

बुकिंग: अधिकतम 48 घंटे पहले, कम-से-कम 30 मिनट पहले

मेरू कैब
011- 4422- 4422

बुकिंग: अधिकतम 24 घंटे पहले, कम-से-कम 30 मिनट पहले

मेगा कैब
011-4141-4141

लीगल

दिल्ली स्टेट लीगल सर्विस अथॉरिटी (डीएलएसए) टोल फ्री नंबर: 011 - 12525

वेबसाइट:- www.dlsa.nic.in

ईमेल:- dlsathebest@rediffmail.com, dlsathebest.yahoo.com

कोर्ट कॉम्प्लेक्स में सेंटर

- दिल्ली हाई कोर्ट लीगल सर्विस कमिटी, हाई कोर्ट, फोन: 011-2338-5421

- दिल्ली स्टेट लीगल सर्विस अथॉरिटी, पटियाला हाउस कोर्ट, फोन: 011-2338-33014

- डिस्ट्रिक्ट लीगल सर्विस अथॉरिटी, तीस हजारी कोर्ट, फोन: 011-2393-3231

- डीएलएसए, कड़कड़डूमा कोर्ट, फोन: 011-22101386

- डीएलएसए, रोहिणी कोर्ट, फोन: 011-2755-4408

- दिल्ली स्टेट लीगल सर्विस अथॉरिटी लोगों को मुफ्त कानूनी सलाह देती है और उन्हें उनका पक्ष रखने के लिए मुफ्त वकील मुहैया कराती है।

- इसके लिए दिल्ली के जिला अदालत कॉम्प्लेक्स, तीस हजारी, पटियाला हाउस, रोहिणी कोर्ट, द्वारका और कड़कड़डूमा कोर्ट कॉम्प्लेक्स में सेंटर है। दिल्ली हाई कोर्ट लीगल सर्विस कमिटी के दफ्तर में भी संपर्क किया जा सकता है।

- जिन लोगों की सालाना आमदनी एक लाख रुपये से कम हो और जिन बुजुर्गों की सालाना आमदनी दो लाख से कम हो, वे मदद ले सकते हैं।

मोबाइल फोन कंपनियां

एयरटेल

अपने मोबाइल से- 121

दूसरी कंपनी के मोबाइल से- 98100-12345

आइडिया

अपने मोबाइल से- 198

दूसरी कंपनी के मोबाइल से- 98910-12345

वोडाफोन

अपने मोबाइल से- 111

दूसरी कंपनी के मोबाइल से- 98110-98110

रिलायंस

अपने मोबाइल से- *333

दूसरी कंपनी के मोबाइल से- 011-3033-3333

कुछ और यूजफुल नंबर

इनकम टैक्स पूछताछ
0124-2438-000 (सुबह 8 बजे से रात 10 बजे तक)

- अपने पैन कार्ड के बारे में जानकारी के लिए। इनकम टैक्स रिटर्न, भुगतान और रिफंड की जानकारी के लिए।

यूआईडीआईए (आधार)

नंबर: 1800-180-1947 (सोमवार से शनिवार सुबह 7 बजे से रात 11 बजे तक)

ईमेल- help@uidai.gov.in

- अपने पहचान नंबर 'आधार' की अर्जी का स्टेटस जानने के लिए।

- तय वक्त बीतने के बावजूद 'आधार' नंबर नहीं मिला तो शिकायत के लिए।

- रजिस्ट्रेशन कराने के लिए जरूरी दस्तावेजों की जानकारी के लिए।

- अपने पास के किसी रजिस्ट्रेशन सेंटर का पता लगाने के लिए।

स्टेट डिजास्टर मैनेजमेंट हेल्पलाइन
1077 (चौबीसों घंटे)

वेबसाइट- ddma.delhigovt.nic.in

- भूकंप, बाढ़ जैसी किसी भी आपदा के बारे में जानकारी देने के लिए।

- जानकारी देने पर तुरंत सिविल अथॉरिटी को सतर्क किया जाएगा।

- मदद मांगे जाने पर तुरंत मुहैया कराई जाएगी।

एनिमल हेल्पलाइन
98181-44244 (चौबीसों घंटे)

ईमेल- contact @jaagruti.org
- अगर आपके पास कोई पालतू जानवर है तो उसकी देखभाल के बारे में जानकारी हासिल करने के लिए।

- पालतू जानवर को टीके लगाने के बारे में काउंसलिंग के लिए।

- कोई पंछी या जानवर जख्मी मिले तो क्या करना चाहिए, यह जानने के लिए।

नैशनल कंज्यूमर हेल्पलाइन
1800-11-4000 (सोमवार से शनिवार सुबह 9:30 से शाम 5:30 के बीच)

ईमेल: info@nationalconsumerhelpline.in

- अगर आप से एमआरपी से ज्यादा दाम वसूले जा रहे हों तो आप यहां फोन कर गाइडेंस ले सकते हैं।

- अगर आप खरीदे गए सामान से संतुष्ट नहीं हों, तब भी संपर्क कर सकते हैं।

- आपकी शिकायत दर्ज की जाएगी और उस पर फॉलोअप भी किया जाएगा।

मुख्य निर्वाचन अधिकारी
011-2391-8888 (सोमवार से शुक्रवार सुबह 10 से शाम 6 तक)

- बतौर मतदाता रजिस्ट्रेशन कराने के लिए।

- रजिस्ट्रेशन के जरूरी दस्तावेजों की जानकारी लेने के लिए।

- पास ही के किसी संपर्क अधिकारी या रजिस्ट्रेशन सेंटर के बारे में जानकारी के लिए।

इरडा
टोल फ्री नंबर- 155255

मेल भी कर सकते हैं: complaints@irda.gov.in

- इंश्योरेंस कंपनी क्लेम लेने में आने वाली दिक्कतों के लिए।

- किसी भी तरह की मिससेलिंग के लिए और दुर्व्यवहार आदि के लिए भी।

- इंश्योरेंस कंपनी से डील करते वक्त आने वाली किसी भी और दिक्कत के लिए।

मुफ्त वेबसाइट बने के लिए
1800-266-3000 (चौबीसों घंटे, सातों दिन)

- कारोबारी मुफ्त वेबसाइट बनाने के बारे में सलाह ले सकते हैं। इंडियागेट ऑनलाइन कंपनी रजिस्ट्रेशन के बाद आपका डोमेन बनाएगी। इसके बाद डिजाइन टीम आपकी मदद करेगी।

नशे से छुटकारा

अल्कोहलिक्स एनॉनिमस
92138-73683 (24 घंटे)

- अगर कोई शराब की लत से जूझ रहा हो।

- अल्कोहलिक्स एनॉनिमस की टीम संपर्क करेगी और बिना दवा से नशे से छुटकारा पाने के तरीके बताएगी।

नारकोटिक्स एनॉनिमस
98180-72887(24 घंटे)

- अगर कोई किसी मादक पदार्थ की लत से जूझ रहा हो।

- समूह के वॉलंटियर्स संपर्क करेंगे और बिना दवा लत से छुटकारा पाने की सलाह देंगे।

जन शिकायत

उपराज्यपाल के दफ्तर में
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- इस वेबसाइट पर Useful Links सेक्शन में 155355.nic.in पर क्लिक करें।

- इस लिंक से नई वेबसाइट खुलेगी जहां For Register your Grievances पर क्लिक करें।

- वहां Click on the link to Login as Citizen पर क्लिक करने के बाद शिकायत दर्ज की जा सकेगी।

दिल्ली सरकार से
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- इससे एक नई लिंक खुलेगी जहां पेज के निचले हिस्से में Click here to Lodge Your Complaint पर क्लिक करें। इसके बाद अपनी शिकायत दर्ज करा सकते हैं।

...और ये हैं एनसीआर के नंबर

गाजियाबाद
डीएम- 0120-282-4416

एडीएम(ई)- 0120-282-9040

एडीएम(सिटी)- 0120-282-8411

सिटी मजिस्टेट- 0120-282-7365

नगर आयुक्त- 0120-279-0425

जीडीए वीसी- 0120-279-1114

जीडीए सचिव- 0120-279-0891

फरीदाबाद
बिजली शिकायत केंद्र- 1800-180-1615 (24 घंटे, सातों दिन)

बीके अस्पताल- 0129-241-4300

बीके अस्पताल ब्लड बैंक- 0129-241-1881

एंबुलेंस- 102, 99116-88217

पुलिस कंट्रोल रूम- 100, 99991-50000, 0129-222-7200

ट्रैफिक हेल्पलाइन- 78387-83783

वुमन हेल्पलाइन- 98737-37100

वुमन सेल- 99115-99100

सीनियर सिटिजन सेल- 99113-08222

रोडवेज इंक्वायरी- 0129-224-1464

फरीदाबाद रेलवे इंक्वायरी- 0129-243-3506

पुलिस कमिश्नर ऑफिस- 0129-243-8000, 0129-243-8004

हूडा ऑफिस- 0129-222-7676

डीसी- 0129-222-7935, 0129-222-7936

नगर निगम कमिश्नर- 0129-2416464, 0129-2416465

भारत गैस एजेंसी- 0129-233-26770

हिंदुस्तान पेट्रोलियम- 98109-34211

इंडियन ऑयल- 155-233, 1800-23-3555

नोएडा
नोएडा अथॉरिटी (कॉल सेंटर)- 0120-242-5025, 0120-242-5026

डीएम- 0120-256-0044, 0120-254-4700

सिटी मैजिस्ट्रेट- 0120-244-1544

सीएमओ- 93590-71829

जिला अस्पताल (इमरजेंसी)- 0120-250-1872

बिजली विभाग (कस्टमर केयर)- 0120-244-1177

पुलिस कंट्रोल रूम- 100, 8800-19-9955

सीबीआई (एंटी करप्शन ब्रांच, गाजियाबाद)- 0120-275-2825

इमरजेंसी एंबुलेंस- 9540-04-0088

रोटरी ब्लड बैंक- 8447-75-0619, 0120-455-3000, 0120-421-3091

कैलाश हॉस्पिटल, सेक्टर-27 : 0120-244-5566, 0120-244-4444, 0120-255-2323

फोर्टिस हॉस्पिटल, सेक्टर-62 : 0120-240-0444

मैक्स हॉस्पिटल, सेक्टर-19 : 0120-254-9999

मेट्रो हॉस्पिटल, सेक्टर-12 : 0120-253-3419

गुडविल हॉस्पिटल, सेक्टर-40 : 120-413-3333, 0120-463-5777

ग्रेटर नोएडा
ग्रेनो अथॉरिटी (कस्टमर रिलेशन सेल)- 0120-232-6150

यमुना अथॉरिटी (कॉल सेंटर)- 0120-429-1361

डीएम- 0120-255-2552

डीआईओएस- 98682-50811

जिला पूर्ति अधिकारी- 98186-60595

बिजली (एनपीसीएल कॉल सेंटर)- 0120-233-3555

पुलिस कंट्रोल रूम- 100

एसएसपी- 0120-2514750

गुड़गांव
बिजली शिकायत केंद्र- 1800-18-01615 ( 24 घंटे, सातों दिन)

फायर ब्रिगेड- 101, 0124-232-0101 ( 24 घंटे)

हरियाणा रोडवेज- 0124-232-0222 (सुबह 6 से रात 10 बजे तक)

पुलिस कंट्रोल रूम- 100, 0124-231-6100 (24 घंटे)

विजिलेंस- 0124-232-1428 (सुबह 9 बजे से शाम 5 बजे तक)

स्वास्थ्य विभाग- 0124-232-0102 (24 घंटे)

नोट: यहां दिए गए तमाम फोन नंबर हमने खुद मोबाइल फोन से फोन करने के बाद ही प्रकाशित किए हैं। फिर भी भूल-चूक मुमकिन है।

Consumer court fines bank 3 lakh for seizing client’s car

2012-01-02T23:38:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI: Nataranjan Bahidar had done it right for the most part. He’d taken a car loan, paid most of it through ECS (electronic clearing service) and wished to pay the remaining instalments by cheque. With only five more to go, his car was seized by “goons” and sold almost immediately. The consumer court, however, does not approve of the use of hired muscle to seize property.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (New Delhi), ruled that the consumer “was not fraudulent in any manner or …escaping from payment” and that the bank “has acted negligently, in the facts of the case, to deserve punitive damages.” The court has directed the bank to pay Bahidar Rs 3 lakh “as damages for loss and harassment” and another Rs 25,000 for litigation expenses.
Bahidar had taken the bank loan from Citi Bank in 2000, agreed to pay through ECS (electronic clearing service) and paid all, but nine of 59 EMIs through it. Apparently, he had given “irrevocable authority” to the bank to recover loan through ECS but for the last nine, wanted to pay by cheque and directed his own bank to block further transfers. Citi Bank first issued him a notice but later accepted cheque payments for the next four instalments. With five EMIs to go, it issued a “loan recall letter” and asked the customer to deposit the outstanding amount with later charges and then decided to repossess the car. On June 15, 2005, four-five recovery agents caught Bahidar in transit and seized his car “by robbery mode.” The bank sent a “pre-sale notice” the next day (June 16) with a notice to clear dues within a week but actually sold the vehicle for Rs 50,000. It did all this despite having nine “undated” cheques from the customer as security and also denied having received any instruction to stop the use of ECS. It argued that the switching over to cheques was in breach of the original agreement with customer.
Source from TOI and posted by Consumer Voice

In November, Johnson & Johnson released

2012-01-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

In November, Johnson & Johnson released a statement saying it will reformulate all of its baby products worldwide to remove a formaldehyde-releasing preservative.US Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) has called for reformulation of a baby shampoo to remove quaternium-15 (a chemical that releases formaldehyde, a known carcinogen), the company was still using the ingredients in the United States, Canada, and China, while making formaldehyde-free versions of the shampoo.The CSC is a coalition of 150 non-profit organizations campaigning to remove toxic chemicals from cosmetics.by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Indian Kitchen Remedies For All Diseases

2012-01-01T08:22:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon

Colds

Mix a gram of cinnamon powder with a teaspoonof honey to cure cold. Prepare a cup of tea to which you should add ginger,clove, bay leaf and black pepper... This should be consumed twice a day.. Reducethe intake as the cold disappears.

Ginger tea is very good to cure cold.Preparation of tea: cut ginger into small pieces and boil it with water, boilit a few times and then add sugar to sweeten and milk to taste, and drink ithot.

Cure For All Diseases

Mix 1 teaspoon honey with a teaspoon ofcinnamon powder and have it at night.

Carom

Blocked Nose

For blocked nose or to relieve congestion,take a table spoon of crushed carom seeds and tie it in a cloth and inhale it.

Asthma
Boil carmon seeds in water and inhalethe steam.

Cumin Seeds

Sore Throat

Add a tea spoon of cumin seeds and afew small pieces of dry ginger to a glass of boiling water. Simmer it for a fewminutes, and then let it cool. Drink it twice daily. This will cure cold aswell as sour throat.

Ginger

Backache

Rub ginger pasteon the backache to get relief.

Garlic

High Blood Pressure

Have 1-2 pod garlic first thing in the morningwith water. Or mix 1 table spoon and 1 tablespoon ginger juice, 1 table spoonof crushed cumin seeds, and have it twice daily.

Pepper

Migraine

For the cure of migraine or acute cold in thehead; boil a tablespoon of pepper powder, and a pinch of turmeric in a cup ofmilk, and have it daily for a few couple of days.

Mustard Oil

Cramps

You must do a self-massage using mustard oilevery morning. Just take a little oil between your palms and rub it all overyour body. Then take a shower. This is especially beneficial during winter. Youcould also mix a little mustard powder with water to make a paste and applythis on your palms and soles of your feet.

Almonds

Headaches

If you have a regular migraine problem,include five almonds along with hot milk in your daily diet. You could alsohave a gram of black pepper along with honey or milk, twice or thrice a day. Makean almond paste by rubbing wet almonds against a stone. This can be applied to forehead.

Eat an apple with a little salt on an emptystomach everyday and see its wonderful effects. Or when headache is caused bycold winds, cinnamon works best in curing headache. Make a paste of cinnamon bymixing in water and apply it all over your forehead.

Lemon

Hiccups

Take a warm slice of lemon and sprinkle salt,sugar and black pepper on it. The lemon should be eaten until the hiccups stop.

Turmeric

Dry Coughs

Add a gram of turmeric powder to a teaspoon ofhoney for curing dry cough. Also chew a cardamom for a long time.

Arthritis
Turmeric can be used in treating arthritis due to its anti-inflammatoryproperty. Turmeric can be taken as a drink other than adding to dishes to helpprevent all problems. Use one teaspoon of turmeric powder per cup of warm milkevery day. It is also used as a paste for local action.

Heart

Turmeric lower cholesterol and by preventingthe formation of the internal blood clots improves circulation and prevents heart disease and stroke. Turmeric canbe taken as a drink other than adding to dishes to help prevent all problems..Use one teaspoon of turmeric powder per cup of warm milk every day. It is alsoused as a paste for local action.

Indigestion
Turmeric can be used to relieve digestive problems like ulcers, dysentery.Turmeric can be taken as a drink other than adding to dishes to help preventall problems. Use one teaspoon of turmeric powder per cup of warm milk everyday. It is also used as a paste for local action.

Injuries

For any cut or wound, apply turmeric powder tothe injured portion to stop the bleeding. It also works as an antiseptic. Youcan tie a bandage after applying turmeric.

Those just might be tears of joy as you saygoodbye to your arthritis pain with fresh onions. A natural painkiller andinflammation-fighter, the onion is a star player in The Arthritis Healing Dietfor its many compounds that soothe arthritis pain.

Onions

Inflammation

Onions relieve inflammation. Onions are loadedwith sulfur compounds that significantly drive down inflammation and reducepain by inhibiting the enzymes directly responsible for joint inflammation.Sulfur is a critical component of both healthy cartilage and healthy joints,yet when analyzing the amount of sulfur in the fingernails of arthritispatients, researchers found that they have far less of this important mineralthan people who didn’t have arthritis. Sulfur compounds also contain positiveimmunostimulant properties, which is important for people with rheumatoidarthritis (RA) because it is an autoimmune disease.

Arthiritis Relief

The onions that make you weep offer maximumarthritis pain relief. The strongest onions contain the most phenols andflavonoids, thus providing the greatest anti-inflammatory and pain-relievingeffects. Researchers found that the Western Yellow variety of onion contains 11times more flavonoids than the Western White. Shallots have even moreantioxidant activity, so mince these tiny onion-ettes into everything fromsalads to omelets.

Winter Health: Dry Skin

2011-12-01T21:00:00.001-08:00

A dry skin problem can be uncomfortable during winters. Your skin might feel tight and painful; it might look dull or red or flaky – a dry skin problem can be more than just a superficial issue, experts say.

There are lots of good reasons to do something about your dry, itchy skin — your looks, your health, and your sanity. So its time to figure out what’s really causing your dry skin problem.

For many, dry skin is not a sign of a skin condition or disease, but is simply caused by harsh soaps, itchy clothing, misusing moisturizer, and long, hot showers. But the medications you take — and even medical conditions such as diabetes, psoriasis, hypothyroidism, and malnutrition — can also cause severe dry skin.

Understanding Dry Skin
Let’s start with some skin basics. Normal, healthy skin is coated in a thin layer of natural lipids, or fatty substances. They keep in moisture, leaving the skin soft and supple.
What causes dry skin — something in the environment — or something you’re doing to your skin — what is stripping away these fatty oils, leaving your skin unprotected. Less often, the cause is internal; a health condition or genetic predisposition which makes your skin dry out.
While patches of dry, itchy skin can appear anywhere, it’s most common on the arms, hands, lower legs, and abdomen. Dry skin is often felt more than it’s seen, but on some people it can be noticeable and embarrassing.
If untreated, dry skin can sometimes lead to dermatitis — inflammation of the skin — swelling, and infection. The good news is that just as most causes of dry skin are external, most cures for dry skin are external. With careful dry skin care, you can usually solve the problem.

Dry Skin Problem: Misusing Moisturizer
If you’ve been contending with dry skin, you’ve probably already tried a moisturizer — if not dozens. But while moisturizers are a crucial part of dry skin care, experts say that we don’t always use them very well.
The biggest mistake we make is applying moisturizer on dry skin, when it’s least likely to help. “You have to put on moisturizer when your skin is still damp -that way, the moisturizer is traps the moisture still on your skin. Your skin shouldn’t be sopping wet — just pat yourself dry with a towel and put it on. Let it soak in for a few minutes, and then towel off the excess.
You’ve also got to get the right type of moisturizer. Experts recommend that people with dry skin get mild moisturizers that have no perfumes or alcohols.
“Dry air is probably the most common cause of dry skin, especially during the winter, which draws the moisture right out of the skin. Dry skin during winter even gets its own name: winter itch.
While cold, harsh weather does dry your skin, another big problem in the winter lies indoors — the dry heat churned out by your room heaters/blowers. To counteract the dry heat, start with a moisturizer.
Other dry skin care tips include using a humidifier in your bedroom, and bundling up — with hats, scarves and gloves, when you’re outside.

Dry Skin Problem: Long, Hot Showers & Baths
Prolonged exposure to water — especially hot water — can wash away the natural oils that protect your skin. If you get out of the bath or shower and your skin feels tight, it’s dried out.
So what should you do? First, choose showers over baths. limit showers to a few minutes and skip the hot water.
“The water doesn’t have to be cold, but it should be lukewarm rather than hot.
Afterward, pat your body dry with a towel — rather than vigorously rubbing it — and put on a moisturizer right away.

Dry Skin Problem: Soap
“One of the biggest problems people have with dry skin stems from their soap. Soap can quickly strip away your skin’s protective oils, if we use too much of it.
“The average person just doesn’t get very dirty during the day, the only parts of the body that need any soap or cleanser at all are the face, hands, feet, groin and underarms. The rest of the body can usually just be rinsed off with water.
While our doctors, mothers and now advertisers — always tell us to wash our hands frequently, that can also lead to trouble. Ironically, while done in the quest to rid ourselves of germs, excessive hand washing can dry out the skin and cause it to crack and bleed, making infection much more likely.
Many of us choose our soaps unwisely. We go for harsh soaps, such as deodorant or antibacterial soaps, that generate lots of lather and leave us feeling squeaky clean. “The bubbling and lathering from soap removes the oils from the surface of the skin and dries it out.
For dry skin care, look for milder, “fragrance-free” soaps. That’s not the same as “unscented,” which may still have perfumes. For many people with dry skin, the best choice is a mild skin cleanser rather than soap, experts say.
Whatever you do, don’t use any harsh implements to wash yourself. “People will get these incredibly abrasive sponges and brushes.

Dry Skin Problem: Itchy Clothing
Dry skin is especially sensitive to contact irritants, so continually exposing your skin to uncomfortable clothing could make your skin drier and itchier.
Go with clothes that feel comfortable the first time you put them on. “Instead of wool, choose cotton next to your skin. Make sure your clothing isn’t too tight either, since chafing can also cause and irritate dry skin. And remember, if your skin feels irritated, use detergents without perfumes or dyes.

Dry Skin Problem: Medications and Drugs
A number of medicines have the side effect of drying out the skin. They include drugs for
High blood pressure, like diuretics Acne and other skin conditions, like retinoids
If you notice the onset of a dry skin problem after starting a medication, talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to help by changing the dose or switching the medication.

Dry Skin Problem: Medical Conditions
Usually, dry skin is caused by external factors. But sometimes, it can be a sign of something going on internally, whether it’s a natural physiologic change or an illness.
For instance, dry skin often develops when people get older, especially in women. “Changes in hormone levels can cause dry skin as we age,” says Petronic-Rosic. As many as 75% of people over 64 have dry skin. Other people, regardless of age, are simply genetically prone to dry skin.

A number of medical conditions can result in dry skin. Some of the more common of these medical causes are:

Skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis. While they usually need direct treatment, careful use of moisturizers often helps.
Diabetes. Fluctuations in glucose levels can lead to dehydration, and that dries the skin out. Given that diabetes can also slow healing and increase the risk of infections, it’s especially important for people with this condition to keep their skin healthy.
Hypothyroidism. Low levels of thyroid hormone can reduce the amount of oil produced by your skin. As a result, skin becomes dry and rough and moisturizer is unlikely to help. Hypothyroidism is usually accompanied by other symptoms, like fatigue and weight gain, Kenet says.
Malnutrition. Not getting the nutrients you need can leave your skin dried out. One possible cause is an eating disorder.Other diseases, both minor and serious, can also cause dry skin problems. The best way to treat these cases of dry skin depends on the illness. Sometimes, getting medication for the underlying condition directly will resolve the dry skin. But in other cases, you might still need to follow some of the basic dry skin care tips outlined above. Ask your doctor for advice.

Getting Help for Dry, Itchy Skin
While dry skin can be a sign of these more serious health conditions, it’s usually nothing more than run-of-the-mill dry skin, but if your dry skin problem is making you miserable, it’s time to talk to a doctor. He or she can help you identify the causes and get you the treatment you need. Doctors can recommend medicine if you need it.

Petrol prices lowered by Rs 1.85 per litre

2011-11-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

New Delhi: India's fuel retailers Tuesday cut petrol prices by Rs 1.85 per litre, excluding state taxes and levies, which should make its price cheaper by Rs 2.22 per litre in the national capital from midnight, bringing welcome relief to vehicle owners. The move comes against the backdrop of some allies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and opposition parties alike criticising the move earlier this month by oil retailers to hike petrol prices by Rs 1.80 per litre.
However, IndianOil Corp (IOC), the largest of the three state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs), said a fall in global crude prices and the rupee remaining stable at 49.30 to a US dollar were the reasons it could bring down prices of petrol.

The last time prices were slashed was in January 2009.
Incidentally, in early November when OMCs announced a hike in petrol prices, the rupee was still hovering over 49 to a dollar.
"IndianOil reviews motor spirit prices on fortnightly basis and based on the review, fixes prices for the next fortnight. In keeping with this practice, IndianOil has reviewed the pricing cycle as prevalent in the last fortnight," the company said Tuesday.

"The review reveals that at the current prices, there will be an over-recovery of Rs.1.85 per litre. It has, therefore, been decided to revise the MS (motor spirit) prices downward by Rs.1.85 (excluding state taxes and levies) with effect from Nov 16," the company added.

The current and new petrol prices in the four metros are as under:
                           Old                New
New Delhi         Rs.68.64           Rs.66.42
Kolkata             Rs.73.15           Rs.70.84
Mumbai             Rs.73.81           Rs.71.47
Chennai            Rs.72.73           Rs.70.38

"This is some relief for the middle class. But petrol prices are still too high when you compare them to diesel. Government should bring it down further," said Ravi Ahuja, a 26-year-old sales executive with an FMCG firm.

OMCs, however, continue to incur under-recoveries on account of selling diesel, kerosene and cooking gas below their international prices. All the three fuels are still regulated by the government, compared to petrol which is sold at a de-regulated price.
"In case of diesel, the international prices have firmed up (a trend exactly opposite to petrol) during the fortnight and as a result, the under-recovery of the company on diesel has increased from Rs.8.58 to Rs.10.17 per litre," IOC said.
The under-recoveries on kerosene and cooking gas are Rs.25.66 per litre and Rs.260.50 per cylinder, respectively. The projected total under-recovery of IndianOil for 2011-12 (excluding petrol) is estimated to be over Rs.71,000 crore and for the OMCs together would be around Rs.1,30,000 crore.
However, economics notwithstanding,Trinamool Congress supreme and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday Welcomed the decision to cut petrol prices by Rs.1.85 per litre as a "positive step", and said she was very much concerned about the prices of cooking gas and kerosene.
"It is a positive step. We are happy about it," Banerjee told reporters.
Earlier this month, Trinamool -- the second largest ally of Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) -- had threatened to pull out of the government over its dissatisfaction over repeated hike in petrol prices.
Giving a temporary reprieve to the Congress, Banerjee had then said her party would not stay with the central government if price of kerosene, diesel and cooking gas was raised yet again as the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was non-committal on the issue of further hike in the prices of petroleum products.

"We are very much concerned about the prices of domestic gas, kerosene and diesel," said Banerjee Tuesday.
The party meanwhile dubbed the decision to bring down the prices as the victory of the party supreme Mamata Banerjee.
"It is definitely a success for Trinamool and party chief Mamata Banerjee who had time again protested against the price rise of petrol. We welcome the decision as it will bring some relief to the masses who are reeling under the bane of inflation," Trinamool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar told IANS.
The cut in petrol prices, by Rs.1.85 per litre, evoked mixed political response elsewhere in West Bengal with the Left Front describing it as a ploy to woo the masses before the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
"We have seen this ploy earlier also just before the 2009 Lok Sabha polls when the oil prices came down and were increased just after the polls. As the UP assembly polls are knocking at the door so it has been decreased to appease the masses," said Mohammed Salim, central committee member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist.
"They were under tremendous pressure both from their alliance partners and opposition parties. The UP assembly election is near so they had to put up a pro-public image, so the prices have come down," said Kshiti Goswami, state secretary, Revolutionary Socialist Party.
"The petrol prices have been increased 11 times (in 12 months) and this is the first time the oil prices have come down. So it needs to be calculated first how much has increased and how much the price has come down," said Manju Kumar Majumdar, state secretary, Communist Party of India.
The NCP Tuesday hailed the slash in petrol prices, noting that the move showed that the government has come to "some sense".
In his reaction to the cut party General Secretary DP Tripathi said, "This shows that the government has come to some sense. Therefore, I welcome the decision."
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP, an ally of the UPA, had asked the government to devise some mechanism to keep fuel prices in check after state-owned oil companies effected a steep hike of Rs 1.80 per litre on November 3.

Source: IANS/PTI

Rebuild Your Vision 10-10-10 Rule

2011-11-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Use a simple way you can reduce near point stress associated with reading, watching television, and computer use.
Every time you are performing close vision work for over 10 consecutive minutes, look up and focus on anything that is at least 10 feet away, for at least 10seconds. 10-10-10…
Incorporate this into everything you do up close. This technique, along with a few more simple ones just like it can help to save your vision for years to come!

Do You Use A Computer At Work?

Many of us sit in front of the magic box all day!
If you’ve experienced any of the 14 symptoms listed below, you’ll want to read on for information on how to combat CVS.

The American Optometric Association’s 14 Symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome

• tired eyes
• eyestrain
• periodic blurred near vision
• occasional blurred distance vision
• headaches
• dry eyes
• slowness in changing the focus of your eyes
• burning eyes
• contact lens discomfort
• changes in color perception
• glare sensitivity
• excessive tearing
• sore eyes
• red eyes

Obviously, the easiest way to prevent CVS is to stop using the computer! But, as that is simply not an option for the millions of us who make a living performing computer-related tasks, here are 6 tips to help you monitor your natural monitors: your eyes.

1. Make sure your workstation, whether on the job or at home, is set up ergonomically

“Ergonomics” is just a fancy way of saying “Being kind to your body.” But as we know, being good to your body every day will benefit you in the long run. Repositioning your monitor is an easy and effective way to avoid awkward head or eye movements. As Dr. Ergo (aka Dr. James Sheedy) notes on his Web site,“Because the eyes lead the body, your body will assume whatever position is required to enable your eyes to see comfortably. A poorly located computer screen causes awkward body positions.” He notes that a viewing distance of 18-28 inches is most common.
He also says that the center of the computer screen should be 4-9 inches below your eyes, because your eyes work best with a slight downward gaze. Your computer screen and other work (and your phone, if that’s part of your office)should be located straight in front of you so that you don’t have to look sideways or twist your body or neck to see them.

2. Eliminate glare in your work area

Glare is an all-too-common cause of eyestrain and eye fatigue. Modifying your office lighting will eliminate glare and harsh reflections. First, find the source of the glare: Is it coming from a window, task light, or the screen itself (see #3 below)?
If possible, remove the offending source of light. Adjust blinds or curtains to minimize sunlight. Turn down overhead lights so that the brightness of the screen and the surrounding room are balanced. Do not, however, work in the dark: the contrast between computer-generated light and lack of background light strains the eyes.
Task lights should be positioned to provide direct light for reading and other office work, but should not shine directly on the computer or in your eyes. You may need to use a low-wattage bulb.
You may also need to move your desk so that bright overhead lights or windows are not in your field of view. The best position for your desk is directly to the side of a window/overhead light. That way you can still enjoy some natural light without glare (caused by brightness in front of your field of vision) or reflections(caused by brightness behind you).
Another option is to use a monitor glare hood, or better yet, a screen. Look for anti-reflection screens that have been approved by the American Optometric Association.

3. Adjust your screen

Dr. Ergo notes, “Optimal contrast and visibility are attained with black characters on a white background. However, other combinations can be comfortable so long as the brightness contrast between the characters and the background is high. It is best to avoid dark backgrounds.”
You can also adjust your brightness/contrast controls, and use a larger text size, as display legibility is an important factor in visual performance. For most, the size of the text should be three times the size of the smallest text you can read.
An article on “Flat-Panel Monitors Versus CRTs” in the magazine PC World says that “flat panel (LCD) displays have visual advantages compared to cathode ray tube (CRT) displays. They do not flicker and the contrast is typically higher.” And because CRTs deteriorate gradually over time, you may not even realize that the picture you are looking at today is not the same one you were looking at five years ago when you bought the monitor-although this deterioration may be causing your CVS symptoms. Consider an upgrade.

4. Take a break

It’s easy to lose track of time at the computer. Always remember the 10-10-10 rule and at the minimum take a break at least once an hour for about 10 minutes and blink frequently — video display use is associated with a decreased frequency of blinking. (And a computer break is a perfect excuse to perform your Rebuild Your Vision eye exercises.) Computer use can also cause an increased rate of tear evaporation.

5. Stay healthy

Although you can relieve dry, itchy eyes with artificial tears from the drugstore or supermarket, it’s best not to rely on them. A better way to prevent dryness is to stay hydrated with good old-fashioned H2O. Of course, eating your beta-carotine-rich foods is always good for maintaining eye health, and a Japanese study suggests that supplementation with the amino acid taurine appears to alleviate vision fatigue. Contact lens wearers may want to switch to glasses during PC work, as contact lenses themselves can cause dry eyes.

6. Rest Your Eyes

A nice cold washcloth, or a soothing, camomile- or lavender-filled eye pillow-or even closing your eyes for 10 minutes! (does wonders for sore eyes after a long day’s work)

And a great reminder for taking breaks… Follow the 10-10-10 rule!

Top 10 Blackberry Apps

2011-11-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

If holding a Blackberry phone in the hand gives a feel of pride, on the other hand apps can excite you and help you. If you are very busy and couldn’t able to send emails on time Blackberry helps you. If you are a business traveler and struggling hard to build and manage your itinerary then Blackberry is the solution for you. You might be wondering that how a phone could be helpful in such a tricky situation. Whether you believe it or not Blackberry Apps are helpful for millions of people in many ways.

Here are the top 10 Blackberry Apps. http://ow.ly/6GZin

Soy: Not A Healthy Alternative

2011-11-03T22:54:00.000-07:00

Soy is the latest food fad to sweep the country. But is it really good for you?

One of the longest and best-conducted studies on the effects of soy consumption — involving annual CT brain scans of subjects — found that those who ate the most soy foods had a dramatically higher incidence of brain shrinkage and dementia compared to those who ate the least or none at all.
It has been shown that soybeans naturally have high levels of glutamate, manganese, fluoride, and aluminum, all of which are brain toxins. Yet because of massive propaganda campaigns by so-called health authorities, women, in particular, are consuming large amounts of soy-containing foods and drinks.
These women think that they are reducing their risk of breast cancer. In fact, studies have shown that in women who have had breast cancer or are currently fighting the disease, soy increases the growth of their cancers.
Of special concern is the high manganese content in soy products, particularly soy milk and baby formula. In babies, manganese can cause damage to critical areas of the developing brain. In older adults, it can worsen damage to the parts of the brain responsible for Parkinson’s disease.
The fluoride and aluminum in soy combine to form a compound that damages brain cells and other organs — especially the thyroid. Dr. Anna Strunecka, a friend and colleague of mine from the Czech Republic, has conducted extensive research on the toxicity of aluminofluoride.
In addition, more than 80 percent of all soybeans used for manufacturing foods are GMO (genetically modified). Genetic modifications cause the plant to produce abnormal proteins as well as to overproduce toxins normally produced by the plant.

So, ignore the hype: Soy is not a healthy alternative.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) exempted various service providers

2011-11-02T23:44:00.000-07:00

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today exempted various service providers, including the dealers of telecom operators, e-ticketing agencies and social networking sites, from the new limit of one

Following concerns raised by telecom lobby COAI on limiting the SMS entitlement to 100 per day, TRAI today exempted various service providers, including the dealers of telecom operators, e-ticketing agencies and social networking sites, from the new limit of one hundred SMSes per day per SIM

New Delhi: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today exempted various service providers, including the dealers of telecom operators, e-ticketing agencies and social networking sites, from the new limit of one hundred SMSes per day per SIM, which was imposed to block pesky calls and messages, reports PTI.
On 5th September, after much delay, TRAI had come out with recommendations to stop pesky calls and text messages from 27th September, ordering that no access provider (operators) shall permit thetransmission of more than 100 SMSes per day per SIM.
“… Hereby directs all access providers to exclude the following persons from the limit of one hundred SMS per day per SIM-dealers of the telecom service providers and DTH operators for sending request for electronic recharge on mobile numbers,” TRAI said in a statement.
The directive from the regulator had come in the wake of concerns raised by telecom lobby COAI on limiting the SMS entitlement per SIM to 100 per day.
It will also exempt e-ticketing agencies for responding to e-ticketing request made by its customers, SMSes from social networking sites Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, LinkedIn and GooglePlus to their members in connection to activities relating to their accounts, based on verifiable options; and agencies providing directory services, such as Justdial, Zatse, Callezee, Getit and Askme, TRAI added.
Earlier, COAI had asked TRAI to reconsider its recommendation to limit the number of SMSes per SIM to 100 per day, saying that such a regulation may pose a potential challenge to the ‘fundamental rights’ of an ordinary user.
There are several instances where SMSes are an important mode of communication. There could be a situation where a customer has exhausted the limit and suddenly some emergency occurs, COAI had said.
Further, this limit will not also be applicable on ‘blackout days’ (festive occasions), when the customer is free to send as many messages he wants.
In the case of post-paid telephone numbers, the access provider shall not permit more than 3,000 SMSes per SIM per month, the TRAI recommendations had said.
However, TRAI said, “The access provider shall, before excluding the persons, obtain an undertaking from such person that he shall not use the said facility in any manner for sending commercial communications.”
Subscribers have the option of choosing to be under the ‘Fully Blocked’ category, which is akin to the ‘Do Not Call Registry’. If a user selects the ‘Partially Blocked’ category, he/she will receive SMSes in categories chosen.

For registering under the fully blocked list, a customer has to SMS `START 0' to 1909.

No more pesky calls and SMSs

2011-11-02T23:36:00.000-07:00

New Delhi: Millions of mobile subscribers across the country are likely to get relief from pesky commercial calls and messages with the regulations preventing such communications coming into effect Tuesday, the 27th
To avail the service, the customers will have to get themselves registered with the National Customer Preference Registry, earlier known as “National Do Not Call Registry”. The regulations include fines ranging from Rs.25,000 to Rs.250,000 for the defaulting companies.
According to reports, while the number of pesky calls has come down lately, the messages still remained a menace. On an average, as many as 47,454 complaints per month are being registered in this regard.
Communications Minister Kapil Sibal will Tuesday announce the implementation of the regulations — The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulation — thus laying down strict penalties for violators.
Although over 130 million mobile subscribers had registered with the National Do Not Call registry till Aug 25, consumers are still pestered with unwanted commercial calls and messages.
The telecom watchdog had announced a set of new measures last year to curb such unsolicited commercial communications which were to be implemented from Jan 1, but it kept repeatedly postponing the implementation sate.
The department of telecom (DoT) has provided ’140′ number series to be allocated to telemarketers for a fixed line network. Access providers have to make relevant provisions in their network before allocation of resources to telemarketers using ’140′ numbering series from fixed line network.
Unlike the previous regulation that asked customers to register their numbers in “Do Not Call” list, the new regulations allows customers to choose from different categories like “Fully blocked” or “Partially blocked”.
TRAI has disconnected over 72,000 telephone connections of registered telemarketers and over 118,000 of unregistered telemarketing companies for breaching guidelines related to commercial calls and messages up to May 2011.Source: IANS

Contracts Favouring Manufacturers To Go

2011-10-12T03:35:00.000-07:00

Govt To Amend Consumer Law To End Unfair Terms

Soon, your telecom operator, bank or real estate developer may not be able to get away with one-sided contracts.
The government is set to revamp the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 to provide for acting against unfair terms in contracts which are skewed in favour of service providers or manufacturers.
Government officials said discussions are on to bring in transparent rules on unfair contracts. Under the present laws, the contracts are unilateral and there is no protection against unfair contracts. The planned changes are likely to be introduced in Parliament soon. “Work is under way on the issue and we hope to bring the changes for debate soon,” a senior government official told TOI.

A COMPLAINT LETTER [ TO THE RAILWAYS ] IN 1909 !!!

2011-10-12T03:23:00.000-07:00

________________________________
Okhil Babu’s letter to the Railway department:
________________________________

I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with lotaah in one hand and dhoti in the next when I am fall over and expose all my shocking
to man and female women on platform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station. This too much bad, if passenger go to make dung that dam guard not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report to papers. Okhil Chandra Sen wrote this letter to the Sahibganj divisional railway office in 1909. It is on display at the Railway Museum in New Delhi. It was also reproduced under the caption Travellers Tales in the Far Eastern Economic Review.
Any guesses why this letter is of historic value?

It led to the introduction of TOILETS in trains in India…..!!!!

You want anything done?
write to ‘Consumer VOICE’!

Never think any idea is stupid and discard it.
Speak up. Wake up.

Breakthrough Could Make Dental Drills Obsolete

2011-10-12T03:14:00.000-07:00

Imagine never having to face your dentist’s drill again. No more needles… no more “floppy lips” or embarrassing drooling afterwards… and no more pain.
Doctors at Britain’s University of Leeds may have just made the drill obsolete. Their breakthrough actually helps teeth reverse decay and repair themselves. And their discovery may not only save you from pain… it could save you thousands of dollars in dental bills, too.

Here’s the story…
Within 20 minutes of eating, bacteria in your mouth begin to combine with food particles and your saliva. Together, they form plaque deposits on your teeth.
The bacteria also convert sugars and starches in your food to acid. This acid eats tiny holes – called micro-pores – in your teeth. Over time, the acid enlarges the pores more and more – until you have a “cavity.”
You usually don’t notice a cavity growing, because there are no nerve endings in your tooth enamel. But as the cavity grows larger, it can eat down to where there are nerve endings – or even fracture your tooth.
When this happens, you need a filling… a crown… a root canal… or maybe even an extraction. And any one of these procedures can be painful.
The researchers at the University of Leeds discovered how to “train” teeth to rebuild healthy enamel while cavities are still at the micro-pore stage. The secret is a tiny molecule called a peptide.
Peptides are sort of like mini-proteins. Their structure is very similar to a protein, but usually much simpler.
The doctors at Leeds discovered a special peptide – called P11-4 – can assemble itself into fibers. They’ve created a fluid that triggers this action and can be “painted” onto a tooth’s surface.
When their “magic fluid” comes into contact with your saliva, it forms a gel. A gel loaded with these special peptide fibers that build a sort of scaffolding in the micro-pores.
And here’s where it gets really interesting. Calcium – the major building block of tooth enamel – is attracted to P11-4. Calcium begins to build up on the scaffolding in the micro-pores and the tooth literally rebuilds itself.
Now here’s the great part… This isn’t just a theory. The research team at Leeds has already tested P11-4 on humans. When they painted it on teeth showing early signs of decay, the “scaffolding” formed inside micro-pores and the people’s teeth literally reversed the effects of decay.
No needle… no drill… no pain. Even better, by avoiding a filling, you could be avoiding even more discomfort later on.
For one thing, plaque tends to build up along the edges of fillings. So this process may not only help repair existing damage… it may help prevent future damage, too.
Plus, teeth with fillings are weaker than healthy teeth. It’s not uncommon for cracks to form in filled teeth after several years. At that point, a crown or root canal may be necessary. That can mean a lot of discomfort. And an unwelcome expense. A crown can easily set you back $1,000 or more.
A Swiss company has already licensed the P11-4 process and plans to run larger trials. So, before long, you could be seeing a lot less of your dentist’s drill.

Stay Healthy,

Dr Kenneth Woliner, M.D.
Best Life Herbals
1 “Filling Without Drilling,” University of Leeds. Aug 22, 2011.

2.5 lakh students will be given water bottles!

2011-08-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

These students are from 100 primary schools, run by MCD in Delhi,

which have no drinking water!

This is slated to cost the MCD, approximately 1.5 crores.

This truly harks back to the alleged quote by an insensitive member of the French royalty, which supposedly triggered the French Revolution: When a queen was told that her subjects were rising in protest because they had no bread to eat. Her solution : 'Oh if they don't have bread, give them cakes'! So if they don't have water, give them water bottles!

In any case why we are interested in the story is because our organization VOICE, carried out a comparative test story about these very water bottles that kids carry to schools, and published it in the May 2011 issue of 'Consumer VOICE'. We have several interesting findings to report.

Interested parties kindly contact : editor.online@consumer-voice.org for a full story.

Mass Migration to metro cities

2011-08-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

The population boom over the years in India has seen its share of distress. The birth control policy scheme has also not been able to halt the rapid growth of population. Being under-developed nation, metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkatta, Chennai has witnessed a mass migration, as small cities are unable to offer a sky-rocketing growth.

Under these circumstances, do you think the government shouldn't restrict the developmental plans, employment generation and infrastructure plans to metro cities alone ?

Is hunger strike unconstitutional ?

2011-08-17T02:09:00.001-07:00

The hunger strike has always been the hallmark of protests since the times immemorial. However, Anna Hazare's hunger strike is giving night mares to the Central government, many intellectuals believe that hunger strike is not a peaceful demonstration rather it is a way to blackmail the government along with the public support.

Do you think hunger strike is unconstitutional ?

Anna detained; what next?

2011-08-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

Anna Hazare courted arrest after being detained by Delhi Police at his residence in Mayur Vihar ahead of his indefinite fast.Hazare had declared that he would go on fast Aug 16 for a strong Lokpal bill.

Junk Food

2011-08-10T23:30:00.001-07:00

With children switching on to fast/junk foods at large scale and suffering from various health problems, do you think school authorities in school should ban the junk food in their school canteen?

2011-08-10T00:38:00.001-07:00

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression "going bananas" is from the effects of bananas on the brain.. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!

This is interesting.

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases.. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance.. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth.. Amazing fruit !!!

Traditional Khadi cloths

2011-08-08T02:54:00.001-07:00

The consumption of fashion has seen scaling new heights in India over the years. People call it "borrowed" fashion, as clothes, trends, cosmetics are majorly borrowed from the Western world. Do you think, fashion designers need to revamp the traditional khadi into a fashion statement with innovative changes in manufacturing of khadi made clothes ?

2011-08-01T00:19:00.001-07:00

"During the 'Slut Walk', yesterday, Delhi youth, both boys and girls, brought sexual harassment into central focus and used the Nukkad Natak to convey their message. With Delhi Police personnel standing by, the street play turned out to be the most powerful medium through which the participants drove their message across and attracted the loudest cheers.

Consumer VOICE has been using the street play to raise awareness amongst Delhi consumers during the Trade Fair at Delhi's Pragati Maidan in the last week of November. It is happening again!. We invite Delhi colleges to come forward and register themselves with VOICE, as soon as they can get a team of around 15 together. The theme : Consumer awareness within the 'Jago Grahak Jago' ambit.

Contact :

Sapna Saini: 9953429822, sapna@consumer-voice.org, sapnaa.saini@gmail.com
Roopa Vajpeyi: 9810026032, roopa.vajpeyi@gmail.com

Trust deficit within the government

2011-07-28T02:22:00.000-07:00

To move forward, economy needs money. And, money comes in form of FDI, FII, World Bank, IMF and UN developmental programs. Despite getting truck loads of money from these prestigious organisations, consumers are yet facing the quality and service crunch. With mounting corruption and scams, government has embark themselves into trust deficit.

Under these circumstances, do you think an autonomous body working towards the developmental of the masses should be formed in every state?

Hair Products

2011-07-25T21:30:00.001-07:00

With number of hair oils, hair gel and hair creams doing round in the market, claiming the best for consumers.

Do you think too much of hair related products confuse the consumers, and spoils the hair?

2011-07-22T04:01:00.000-07:00

Attention! all Tea lovers.. Enjoy!

By Christopher Shay

One Glass, Seven Layers of Tea

Mr. Gour and his layered tea.

Bangladeshis will travel hours to the sleepy town of Srimongol, in Bangladesh’s northeast, just for a cup of Romesh Ram Gour’s famous tea. In a country of avid tea drinkers, Mr. Gour is the inventor behind a seven-layer tea which, he claims, no one else has been able to replicate. Copycats in the region have succeeded in creating five-layer teas, but none have been able to unlock the secret to Mr. Gour’s rainbow brew.

Mr. Gour invented his colorful layered teas 10 years ago, when he was selling tea from a bamboo shack. He says he realized that teas from different leaves have slightly different densities. It took a year of experimenting before he could sell teas with more than two layers. Over the years, he learned to expand to seven.

The kind of layer tea Mr. Gour makes is unique to the Srimongol area. An iced three-layer tea has become popular in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, but those drinks include one type of tea and are typically layered with palm sugar on the bottom, evaporated milk in the middle and tea on the top. What makes Srimongol’s special are the discrete layers of tea blends.

Mr. Gour mixes different types of locally grown tea—three black teas and one green tea— from four types of bushes, with milk and various spices. Each mixture has a distinct color and taste, and he pours one on top of another to create seven distinct bands. Customers sip each layer slowly: Trying to figure out what’s in each one is a fun act of gustatory detective work. The top layer of the seven-layer tea has hints of cinnamon; the layer below has a slight citrus flavor to it. Mr. Gour says the fourth layer from the top and bottom layer get the most reaction from his customers. The fourth layer is a black tea mixed with condensed milk, while the bottom layer is a sweet, syrupy green tea with cloves, cinnamon and “secret spices.” (Customers can choose to have one to seven layers of tea in their drink.)

In a country that consumes more than 55 million kilograms of tea leaves a year, Mr. Gour’s layered tea has turned him into something of a celebrity. He has shared a cup of his tea with many of Bangladesh’s top politicians, including members of Parliament and the governor of Bangladesh Bank. Bangladeshi newspaper clippings about his tea cover one wall of his open-air shop. In January, he opened a second tea cabin, just down the street from his first one.

A seven-layer drink costs 70 taka, or about one U.S. dollar. It may not sound like much, but most cups of tea in the area cost about seven U.S. cents.

Just how, exactly, Mr. Gour layers the tea is a closely guarded secret. Mr. Gour heads to a back room so he can make his concoction away from prying eyes. He has trusted the recipe to his three sons and brother who work at the shops—only the five them are allowed into the tea-preparation room.

Though imitators have popped up around town, offering their own layered teas, Mr. Gour is leading the competition with most layers. He says after years of practice, he will release a 10-layer tea later this year.

So, is the tea worth the trip?

With its varied flavors, tea connoisseurs are bound to find at least a layer or two they like. The fourth layer from the top stood out with its strong spices, likely some mixture of ginger and cinnamon in a black tea, while the popular bottom layer was a bit on the sweet side (though would have tasted great as a syrup on ice cream). Mr. Gour claims the flavors “will live with you a lifetime,” but there’s no one tea flavor that makes that memorable of a mark. It’s more about the experience – and drink — as a whole: the mystery of the ingredients, the rows of tea bushes just outside the shops and the chance to drink from the hands of a Bangladeshi tea master.

Nilkantha Tea Cabins are on Kalighat Road just a few kilometers outside of the town of Srimongol in Sylhet division, Bangladesh.

http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2011/06/07/the-secret-of-the-seven-layer-tea/

JOIN Consumer Voice to educate consumers on a spectrum of consumer issues

2011-07-22T00:09:00.000-07:00

Consumers are very important for any business to flourish. The advent of new technology and high demand with the blend of globalization has open the door for various goods and services. These goods & services are increasingly day by day. They have succeeded in catching the demand of the consumers that leads to high consumption. However, every glitter is not a gold and gold comes with a heavy price tag. With the rising demand of goods & services, there have been cases of fraudulent and cheats on consumers. Although consumer courts are there to safeguard the consumers, but the slow process of the court proceedings allows mongers to have a safe passage.

A consumer awareness campaign launched by consumer VOICE is a treat for consumers. We help consumers to sort out their grievances and provide them satisfactory solution. Therefore, we, therefore, request all the consumers to encourage us in keeping up the work by providing the information about goods & services.

Ragging

2011-07-21T04:03:00.001-07:00

Now, Social Media to Fight Ragging

Be the revolt in Egypt to overturn a dictatorial regime or Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have played a pivotal role in bringing people together. As a powerful administration tries to block and hide information, social media becomes an uncensored and virally spreading information agent for the protestors. What is more, people can form public groups on these social sites and do a strong protest campaign , without having to be physically present at the location.

Now, it is time for fighting ragging through Facebook. CURE: Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education has come up with a novel concept of having a Facebook page on ragging: www.facebook.com/noragging/ The page is a one-stop destination for all information on ragging: it features India’s first song and video on ragging, latest statistics, myths and research information associated with ragging. The Wall is regularly updated with the latest ragging news, ragging facts and invites people to post their views and complaints about ragging.

“We want to reach out to both the fresher and senior students. Today students spend majority of their time on Facebook. We want to talk to students directly across India and communicate to them the ills of ragging. We believe that students are very sensible and once made aware will stop indulging in this insensitive act”, says Mohit Garg, CURE co-founder. The page invites students to become CURE Ambassadors and spread the message of stopping ragging to all their friends and local community.

CURE founders believe that laws are enough and one needs to find creative ways of taking the message to the youth. “We have a very creative page. The idea is not to lecture people. We usinnovative images, quotes and videos to introduce students to the psychology of ragging and why it is not ‘cool’ to rag. A lot of parents between the age of 35 years to 50 years are also on Facebook. We want to reach out to them as well.”, says Varun Aggarwal, CURE. He feels that this page will become the Mecca for protests and advocacy against ragging.

Till now students and parents and students approach CURE through their website, www.noragging.com. “There have been multiple occasions in the past where students have approached us for a platform where they could share their experiences and learn more about ragging. The Facebook page addresses this gap.”, recalled Harh Agarwal, CURE. “Not only that, CURE’s Facebook page will be an excellent interactive forum for teachers, principals, parents and media to exchange their views, share their anti-ragging initiatives and also develop better understanding of this issue” adds Harsh.

If you feel strongly about ragging, you do not need to go to Jantar Mantar to protest, just logon to www.facebook.com/noragging/. Your voice will reach far and wide.

Teacher's Day

2011-07-21T03:58:00.001-07:00

Education is important! Consumers have a right to consumer education!

Consumer VOICE invites all its members to reconnect to their student life on the occasion of Teacher's Day in September.

Share some interesting, life changing recollection about a teacher, from either your school or college days with us, and we will further share it with our members ONLINE and in print to celebrate the Day!

Please restrict your narrative to maximum 200 words.

Send it to us Online by going into our BLOG :

Is India Going The Right Way?

2011-07-21T02:35:00.000-07:00

By Smriti Das

We are privileged that we are living in an independent democratic country. We are independent citizens who have right to information, right to act, right to say, right to express etc. etc. etc... but is that really so???? Do we really have right or freedom of expression?

India's current stance is little confusing to understand. On one hand, people are using slangs in songs and dialogues of movies without a beep, on the other hand people have to face strong protest if they say that their origin resembles to that of a political leader... But why is it like so...Nobody is there to stop corrupt people from taking bribes, to make them realise what they are doing is purely unethical, nobody is eying on what the so-called news channels telling us is really true or those are just their own biased opinions. If nobody is bothered about those serious issues, why everyone is making a fuss by jumping on the totally personal comments of an individual? Why are the khap panchayats so bothered about the love between a boy and a girl, why they don't let them do what they want to do. In our country, love is considered as a sin, but murder, rape, unethical marketing ploys which are used to fool consumers, are considered nothing but part and parcel of modern India... I just want to ask where is India going...to a new level where everything is going to be perfect or to a place where only the unethical things exist...

Online Media

2011-07-18T23:18:00.001-07:00

The popularity of online media has witnessed a rising demand over the years. The online media is seen as a threat to traditional print media.

Do you think online media will kill the market of print media in future?

Privatization of Passport office

2011-07-18T02:58:00.000-07:00

To make or renew a passport has become a headache, people are frustrated as the delay goes up to 4 -5 months. Government has completely failed to handle this department.

Do you think passport office should become privatized for smooth functioning ?

2011-07-15T01:21:00.001-07:00

Consumer VOICE brings you an open letter to the TRAI Chairman .

Ajoy Eric Lal is Friend /advisor of Consumer VOICE. He helps us articulate consumer angst concerning some vital issues.

This is first of the series.

We invite one and all to come forth and join the protest and create enough noise to get attention to resolve these issues.

Ajoy Eric Lal :

Open letter to

Dr. J. S. Sarma, IAS
Chairman
TRAI - Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg
(Old Minto Road)
New Delhi - 110002
India

Dear Dr. Sarma,

Greetings!

As a consumer and professional who has helped TRAI where he could, I am very disappointed at experiencing the current, abysmal situation in the Indian telecom sector.

No action has been taken at all against offenders, especially the "repeat offenders" on the UCC (Unsolicited Commercial Communication) front. The frequency of UCCs has again increased. Every consumer gets these disturbing spam SMS even at night time.

The TATAs continue to rule the roost (~72% of bulk SMS/ INR 330+ crore) and even Government owned companies such as BSNL continue to flout the few rules that exist (NDNC register).

The proposed, new laws (partly flawed because they are utterly dependant upon a consumer complaint) have not been implemented yet and no date has been fixed either (it would be a joke anyways -- fact is that the term "deadline" has been re-invented by TRAI to mean "no action necessary"!)

It's a 'Free For All' situation, like in the 'Wild West', where the 'Guns and Goondas' ruled.

UCCs continue unabated and the situation is getting much worse. The 4 postponements (Implementation of new rules/ guidelines) by TRAI have not made things any easier but have, instead, made things much worse.

TRAI has lost face and our trust!

I have some examples, as you must already be aware of in detail. The subsequent NDNC registered numbers have registered the following complaints thus far:

1. 99101-00077 = 101 UCCs
2. 99101-62289 = 457 UCCs
3. 99101-67077 = 695 UCCs

That makes it 1,253 complaints from just 3 numbers to date... isn't that enough evidence of your failed policies?!

These tantamount to torture for us consumers and these are and continue to be a major intrusion into our privacy.

Given the above scenarios, who today can take your "Regulatory Authority" seriously? Their is no regulation and neither is there a show [and proof] of authority.

Sir, with due respect to you as an individual, I proclaim that TRAI has failed! The earned grade isn't just an "F", its worse.

Whether on the MOBILE SERVICES front (UCCs, ridiculously low GPRS bandwidth, call drops, never any reimbursements for the customer, incorrect bills, no smooth MNP, numerous fluctuating Pre-Paid issues, etc.)

OR
whether its on the BROADBAND SERVICES front (abysmally low bandwidths, no laws for true quality in place, no importance given to upload speeds, PING, Line Attenuation, SNR margins, Jitter, etc.)

OR
whether its about a SINGLE NATIONAL POLICE NUMBER (distress helpline) (such as a 911 in the U.S.A., 999 in the U.K. or 112 in Europe & China, etc.)

ALL fundamental issues remain unresolved!
ALL are your to-dos!!

Sir, your organization needs to get these sorted out. These issues concern the whole nation -- every individual, every citizen!

Sir, TRAI needs to shift gears and get real, get forceful and win back lost trust immediately... after all, a regulatory authority needs to be strong and not as weak and ineffective as it is today.

Sincerely
Ajoy

Inefficient Government

2011-07-12T02:26:00.000-07:00

Government has deprived it's citizens of UPC ( Under Postal Certificate ) facility.Just because there has been fraud with the connivance of some postal authority personnel and to avoid such frauds, Govt has abolished this services. Instead of taking strong monitoring measures, govt. has adopted easiest way by depriving citizens this facility .

There have been number of scams and irregularities in almost all deptt. of govt, means govt should close down all these deptt. For example, some fake currency notes have been found in circulation, then why not govt. banning currency notes ?????
Either way it is the common man who suffers in this country.
We are being governed by impotent people sitting at the helm of affairs and that too at our hard earned money
( Tax we pay ). Dont you think we should raise our voice against all these inefficiencies ????

2011-07-10T23:05:00.001-07:00

Should government ban the practice of private builders constructing houses/flats?

With home-buyers in Greater Noida took to the streets on Sunday, asking the Supreme Court and government to ensure that builders refund their deposits, do you think privatization of the construction of the houses/flats should be banned to safeguard the home-buyers interest?

Mumbai, Delhi among cheapest places in the world

2011-07-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

An International survey says Delhi and Mumbai are the cheapest places in the world. Would you agree : yes/No

Comment :

If not - why?
If Yes - why ?

Gemstones

2011-07-08T02:30:00.000-07:00

An astrology and gemstones are considered as fortune changer. With expensive stones, people are expecting to have miracle after wearing gemstones.
Do you think wearing gemstones are really effective ?

Hourly wage system in India

2011-07-06T04:42:00.001-07:00

Do you think it is high time that India should establish a minimum hourly wage system like in western countries ?

THE COMPUTER SWALLOWED GRANDMA

2011-07-01T03:51:00.000-07:00

One of Consumer VOICE subscribers sent us this when she learnt that most of our senior members love their computers. She herself is an octogenarian.

The computer swallowed grandma.
Yes, honestly its true!
She pressed 'control' and 'enter'
And disappeared from view.

It devoured her completely,
The thought just makes me squirm.
She must have caught a virus
Or been eaten by a worm.

I've searched through the recycle bin
And files of every kind;
I've even used the Internet,
But nothing did I find.

In desperation, I asked Google
My searches to refine.
The reply from him was negative,
Not a thing was found 'online.'

So, if inside your 'In-box,'
My Grandma you should see,
Please 'Copy,' 'Scan' and 'Paste' her
And send her back to me.

This is a tribute to all the Grandmas who
have been fearless and learned to use the
Computer........

Turbulence in Ministry over gold

2011-07-01T02:37:00.000-07:00

New Delhi, June 23: The Central government admitted before the Kerala High Court that highly carcinogenic elements such as Iridium and Ruthenium were being freely added to gold ornaments in India.

This alarming revelation was made in a counter affidavit submitted by Director of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) before the Kerala High Court. A division bench comprising Justice A.K. Basheer and Justice P.Q. Barkath Ali had suo moto initiated proceedings based on a letter received from Mr N. Shankaran Narayanan, a UN official, complaining of the presence of such elements in gold jewellery.

Expressing concern at the disclosure, the HC said, “Strangely the BIS director pointed out that no action can be taken under the current BIS Act unless appropriate amendment is brought into the Schedule of Industries (Development and Regulations) Act 1951.”

The BIS director informed the court that the differences of opinion between the ministry of commerce and industries and the ministry of consumer affairs had kept the amendment in a limbo. Further, the BIS director contended that BIS hallmarking scheme for gold was voluntary in nature and therefore the department does not have any say in it.

2011-06-28T23:04:00.001-07:00

Celebrate Teacher's Day - September 5 with us at VOICE!

Pen your 'Thank a Teacher' - thought! and post it to 'Consumer VOICE!

If you are sick of hearing just about anyone getting up to blame our hardworking teachers for all of society's ills? Then with 'Consumer VOICE' 'Thank a Teacher thought' you can change the direction of present thinking on education, and show off your impressive penmanship!

Pen your thoughts in about 150-200 words and send by 10th of August via e-mail at :editor.online@consumer-voice.org, or courier it to us at: 441 Jangpura - Mathura Road, New-Delhi - 110014. Address it to: The Editor - Consumer VOICE - subject : 'Thank a Teacher' on National Teacher's Day - 5th of September.

We'll print the 1st 3 'thoughts' in the September issue and the next 10 best in our BLOG!

'Consumer VOICE' a University Teachers Initiative!

No filling of tax return for salary & interest income up to Rs. 5 lakh

2011-06-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

No income-tax returns is required for salaried persons whose annual taxable income including salary and interest is up to Rs 5 lakh. However, this would not cover income from other sources like house property, capital gains and gains from profession and business. Income Tax department has issued notification No. 36 / 2011 dated June 23, 2011 in this regard.

The scheme would be applicable for assessment year 2011-12. This means that "the salaried persons eligible under the scheme would not have to file returns for the financial year 2010-11 in assessment year 2011-12.

Under the scheme, those salaried persons who want to claim tax refund, would have to file return and those salaried persons who want exemption from filing Income Tax return, have to disclose about incomes like dividend and interest to his employer for tax deduction.

Form 16 issued to salaried employees will be treated as Income Tax Return. At present, it is obligatory for all salaried persons to file income tax return under the Income Tax Act, 1961.

To read more log on to http://www.consumer-voice.org/

Petrol hike

2011-06-28T00:19:00.001-07:00

Petroleum and Natural Gal Minister S Jaipal Reddy says hike is not a big increase and wont be a burden for consumers.

Does Jaipal Reddy's comments really reflect his ignorance about consumers' plight ?

Airtel users' complaint

2011-06-24T00:31:00.000-07:00

dreamworkers Abhisek Pandey

One dozen calls to #Airtel broadband and #CoralHub to find the situation back to square one! #fail

_sumant Sumant Dubey

It's been 3 days since we complaint for th stb not working n even today Airtel guys are telling me they dun hv a replacement available #fail

si0007 Sampath Iyengar

Here to cancel an #airtel number not in use. If u take new number they xerox your document but if u cancell they say xerox kar ke aao #fai

sudhirsyal sudhirsyal

Strange. TEN Cricket has suddenly disappeared from my Airtel DTH#Fail

Airtel tops in complaint list

2011-06-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

The data revealed by National Consumer Helpline (NCH) shows that 2,001 complaint calls were received against Bharti Airtel between March 2010 and February 2011.

We, being a consumer awareness organisation, welcomes consumers grievances.

Complaints

2011-06-22T04:49:00.001-07:00

vishesh Vishesh Agrawal

so Kingfisher airlines refused a passenger cos she was blind....#Fail

Complaints

2011-06-22T04:46:00.001-07:00

arjun697 Arjun

Does a samsung laptop actually give you 7 hours battery life, vaio just gives me 2 :| #fail

2011-06-22T04:42:00.001-07:00

nilakanta nilakanta

Hate #android and Galaxy S I9003 when it crashes, auto reboots.. Happens at least twice a day #samsung #fail

Do you think India's coffee manufacturer meets the international standard ?

2011-06-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

With the latest figure revealed by Coffee Board, the production of the brew in the 2010-11 is estimated at 2.99 tonnes, and many industry experts believe that India's coffee production may decline by 10% in 2011-12 season beginning October due to sporadic rains early this year.

Do you think India's coffee manufacturer meets the international standard ?

Complaints of some consumers like you and here Consumer Voice is here to support them and also needs your support so join us in the movement.

2011-06-17T04:41:00.000-07:00

Airtel has become a pain, after one hour customer care call to shift a connection, no proper information was given - By Sathish Nagrajan

How bad customer support is managed?Airtel customer support engineer calls after two days & asks customer if someone responded - By Sudarshan

Reliance Digital Store is not willing to service my @SennheiserIndheadset. I'm gonna sue them through Consumer Court for sure - By Indu Mouli

Vadilal may touch at Rs 250

2011-06-17T03:50:00.000-07:00

Vadilal may touch at Rs 250
By Aditya Rangroo

New Delhi, June 17: Chocobar, Feast and Vanilla cups are the hallmark of this summer. To beat the heat people rush to the ice cream parlors. The famous ice cream manufacturers such as Vadilal, Amul and Mother Dairy are few, which have dominated the market over the decades. Among all the industries, Vadilal is expected to touch at Rs 250 within 12-18 months.
In an interview with CNBC-TV18, PN Vijay, portfolio Manager, said that “Vadilal Industries is a fairly significant player in the ice-creams, frozen yogurts and frozen fruits market. It’s been traditionally Gujarat based company. The ice cream market in India about Rs 3,000 crore and about 60-70% is gone into the organized sector. Amul is the leader with about 35-40% market share and Vadilal and Levers after their acquisitions share about 22-23% each”.
Speaking about the market hold in the country, Vijay said that “Vadilal has got very strong brand equity in Western India. It’s moved into Rajasthan. It’s the biggest player. It moved into Delhi also, the biggest ice cream market in the country. The company did well. Last year they ended up with an EPS of about close to Rs 7. In terms of price earnings it’s around Rs 17-18."
Commenting on the expansion plans, Vijay said that “they have got strong expansion plans. It’s a low equity capital of Rs 7 crore or something. The market cap sales ratio is very low compared to other FMCG companies. The brand power is not getting reflected in the share price. The immediate trigger was the listing of the stock in the NSE a few days ago which gave it a sort of national presence and the stock went up sharply. But, even then, if you correct and after that Vadilal should be good. Because right now people are moving to branded stocks, FMCG stocks etc, and in terms of valuations it’s pretty low”.
He further added that there is some concern that it’s got a bit of debt on its portfolio. But, probably it might do some fund raising at some point of equity because the promoters have a very large stake to bring down the debt. The footprint is very strong and it’s moving in the Northern India market, the biggest market. And it should touch Rs 250 or so in the next 12-18 months.

TEll IT YOUR WAY - 3 minutes of your time!

2011-06-17T00:18:00.000-07:00

Once in a while you get one you just wish to share with everyone……this is one of them. Very short. Worth the watch.

This summer, Philips and the renowned director/producer Ridley Scott
launched a global filmmaker competition dubbed “Tell It Your Way” following its Cannes Lions award-winning short-film project “Parallel Lines.”
The entrants were given freedom of expression and could take up any theme they wanted; still there were two strict rules—there had to be the exact six-line dialogue as it was in the Parallel Lines films, plus the entries
could last no longer than three minutes.

Here's the prize-winning entry in Philips' "Tell It Your Way" competition.
It gets my vote for winning entry also. I can easily see how it impressed
and touched the judges. Watch it here:

http://www.porcelainunicorn.com/

How would you like your breakfast bread to be spiked with human hair?

2011-06-16T04:19:00.000-07:00

NaturalNews.com reports that if you read the ingredients label on a loaf of bread, you will usually find an ingredient listed there as L-cysteine. This is a non-essential amino acid added to many baked goods as a dough conditioner in order to speed industrial processing. It's usually not added directly to flour intended for home use, but you'll find it throughout commercial breads such as pizza dough, bread rolls and pastries.

Human Hair : a source for L-cysteine used in making commercial breads.

While some L-cysteine is directly synthesized in laboratories, most of it is extracted from a cheap and abundant natural protein source: human hair. The hair is dissolved in acid and L-cysteine is isolated through a chemical process, then packaged and shipped off to commercial bread producers. Besides human hair, other sources of L-cysteine include chicken feathers, duck feathers, cow horns and petroleum byproducts.

Most of the hair used to make L-cysteine is gathered from the floors of barbershops and hair salons in China, by the way.

Western consumers have no principled objection

While the thought of eating dissolved hair might make some people uneasy, most Western consumers ultimately have no principled objections doing so. For Jews and Muslims, however, hair-derived L-cysteine poses significant problems. Muslims are forbidden from eating anything derived from a human body, and many rabbis forbid hair consumption for similar reasons. Even rabbis who permit the consumption of hair would forbid it if it came from corpses -- and since much L-cysteine comes from China, where sourcing and manufacturing practices are notoriously questionable, this is a real concern.
In one case, a rabbi forbade the consumption of L-cysteine because the hair had been harvested during a ritual at a temple in India.
Source: 25 Amazing Facts About Food, authored by Mike Adams and David Guiterrez.

Do you think a need for an effective water management policy is indispensable ?

2011-06-10T03:44:00.000-07:00

Urban India is facing a serious crunch of water resource. Water regulatory bodies are facing tough time in meeting minimum requirements of every household.

Do you think a need for an effective water management policy is indispensable ?

Do you really think Consumer Courts are effective ?

2011-06-09T03:55:00.000-07:00

A defective product always brings trouble for consumers. With many brands launching their products in the market, consumers are lured into buying but at the same time, they are being misled by the companies.

Do you really think Consumer Courts are effective ?

2011-05-20T04:40:00.000-07:00

If you color your hair,

get smart about the products your stylist is using.

Are they damaging your tresses?

Know what can damage your hair through a short survey.

To particiapte in the surey click here:
http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/rm-quiz-hair-dye?ecd=wnl_skin_051811

2011-05-14T04:50:00.000-07:00

Privatizing of Water Sector by Govt. of India:

Like the power sector Govt. is all set to privatise the water sector. As a consumer do you thinks its a good idea?

Diaetics - Take Care of your Pancreas

2011-05-14T04:29:00.000-07:00

2011-05-14T04:20:00.001-07:00

Upcoming VOICE test programs and parameters

2011-04-23T02:43:00.000-07:00

CONSUMER VOICE bringing you their upcoming test programs to know your views about the parameters which we are going to use in our test programs.

So Click here to know and be a part of our forthcoming Test Programs and Parameters

2011-04-05T03:23:00.000-07:00

Wiped Away With Waves…..

On March 11, 2011, Japan was hit by an enormous earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 about 400 km (250 miles) north-east of Tokyo. The earthquake of such high intensity further triggered a giant wave of around 33 feet on the shores of Japan sweeping everything in its way. The giant wave devoured whole cities and rural areas of country’s north, sweeping away cars, homes, buildings, trains, and boats, leaving a path of death and devastation in its wake. There has been death toll of more than 7,000 people and more than 1, 00,000 people have gone missing.

The tsunami disaster in Japan recalled memories of tsunami in South-East Asia in 2004. As soon as news spread the alerts were issued all across Russia, Taiwan, Hawaii, Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and the west coasts the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and South America.

There seemed to be a no end to the disaster in Japan as three of its nuclear reactors in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station crumbled one after another on Saturday March 12, 2011. The cooling system of the reactor failed, leaving behind grave danger of radiation for the people in Japan. Many people who got affected had nowhere to go for treatment. Alerts were issued to stay at home for fear of spreading radiation in the environment. Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Naoto Kan, declared it as one of its worst disaster after World War II in 1945.

The courage and patience of the people of Japan is quite commendable, but it is sure to have far reaching effects not only for Japan but for the other countries as well especially when the world is still trying to come out of economic slowdown.

*****************************************************************

It was a deadly black Friday on March 11, 2011 for Japan as it was hit by an enormous earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 about 400 km (250 miles) north-east of Tokyo. The after effect was so devastating that it caused failure of 3 of nuclear reactors triggering high alert of radiation in the environment. More than 3000 people were wiped out in tsunami and now millions of people are facing the fear of radiation in their country.

Wiped Away With Waves…..............

2011-04-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

Wiped Away With Waves….............. On March 11, 2011, Japan was hit by an enormous earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 about 400 km (250 miles) north-east of Tokyo. The earthquake of such high intensity further triggered a giant wave of around 33 feet on the shores of Japan sweeping everything in its way. The giant wave devoured whole cities and rural areas of country’s north, sweeping away cars, homes, buildings, trains, and boats, leaving a path of death and devastation in its wake. There has been death toll of more than 7,000 people and more than 1, 00,000 people have gone missing. The tsunami disaster in Japan recalled memories of tsunami in South-East Asia in 2004. As soon as news spread the alerts were issued all across Russia, Taiwan, Hawaii, Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and the west coasts the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and South America. There seemed to be a no end to the disaster in Japan as three of its nuclear reactors in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station crumbled one after another on Saturday March 12, 2011. The cooling system of the reactor failed, leaving behind grave danger of radiation for the people in Japan. Many people who got affected had nowhere to go for treatment. Alerts were issued to stay at home for fear of spreading radiation in the environment. Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Naoto Kan, declared it as one of its worst disaster after World War II in 1945. The courage and patience of the people of Japan is quite commendable, but it is sure to have far reaching effects not only for Japan but for the other countries as well especially when the world is still trying to come out of economic slowdown.

******************************************************************* ......... It was a deadly black Friday on March 11, 2011 for Japan as it was hit by an enormous earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 about 400 km (250 miles) north-east of Tokyo. The after effect was so devastating that it caused failure of 3 of nuclear reactors triggering high alert of radiation in the environment. More than 3000 people were wiped out in tsunami and now millions of people are facing the fear of radiation in their country.

Happy Women’s Day!

2011-03-07T22:34:00.000-08:00

One third of the human resources at VOICE are women working for various departments in the office. Our women make the best use of their grey matters, vigour and energy to empower consumers in India. Women at VOICE office make things happen in the subscription, management, writing, legal and technical team.

Isn't it time for our legislature also to have 33 percent women representation. Shouldn’t more women like Jaya Pradha stand up the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Parliament?

If Wishes were Bar Coded

2011-02-07T23:16:00.000-08:00

Are you aware of “Gift Registry”? If yes, do you think it is a good idea?

Western concept is setting a new trend in India, imported by young NRIs and travelers abroad. Prospective brides and grooms tell their friends the gifts they want, not vocally, but through a wishlist in the form of invitation letters or e-invitations. The concept is known as gift registry, where as soon as the preparation for marriage begins a wishlist of gifts is also made and mailed to the guest with the invitation card.

Are you one of the guests who would welcome “Gift registry”?

The brides and grooms are mostly educated in the west and they found the concept of wishlist quite pragmatic and economical. Back in India, they tie up with individual shop which is equipped to handle this kind of traffic or websites that provide gift registry services, and make a wishlist of the items they wish to be gifted. The barcode of these items are mailed to the guests, who can choose a single gift or pool the money to order products from the list. Payments can be made through credit cards, debit cards or directly at the shop. On the day of the event all the gifts are delivered at the doorsteps of the host.

Do you think it will send shock waves down the spine of most guests at the “big fat Indian wedding”?

Surely, gift registry is creating cultural shocks in the minds of Indians who consider it beneath their dignity to ask for gifts. We love giving and receiving gifts of cash, gift vouchers, or gold rather than try to understand what a friend wants or needs. We love to be bestowed with gifts but fight shy of demanding them outright by making wishlists – for after all, the definition of gift is ‘something given of your own free will, and not engineered to be delivered to meet specific wants or needs of the receiver.’

Are you amongst the newly-weds who do not want to end up with junk wedding gifts?

A shift in the mind set can reduce the wastage, as the newlywed will not end up with 4 pressure cookers, 3 dinner sets and a large number of wall clocks. With a little bit of prior consultation, checking out the wishlist and pooling of money the newly wed could have an entire range of kitchen appliances to start a new home. According to owners of gift registry websites, the young generation of 14-35 years is showing huge interest in gift registry, as they are more open to and will welcome new methods of giving and taking gifts.

Gift Registry is useful for occasions like Weddings, Birthdays, Baby Showers, Anniversaries and Festivals. Gift Registry shops and websites provide an array of products in various categories for various brands including foreign brands priced as low as Rs 300 for Apparels & Clothes, Baby & Maternity Care, Pregnancy Apparels, Bags & Luggage, Books & Magazines, Cameras & Accessories, Flowers & Gifts, Home Decor, Jewelery, Kitchen & Home Appliances, Wine Glasses & Accessories, etc. Some also prefer to have experience based gifts like spa treatment, hotel stays or pet grooming sessions.

A few websites like shareurjoy.com, Wishberry.in, lamhe.co.in., have ventured into this new concept with customer-friendly services. Registering and using their services is as simple as using any other online shopping services.

Many mothers of young children would also welcome this new concept on birthdays, as the guests always bring toys that the siblings can play together like chess, badminton racket, tennis racket etc. Gift registry is in its salad days, if we make it part of our culture it will bring smiles on the face of the host and a sense of satisfaction in the minds of the guest.

How to use gift registry service?

Register with a website or shop.
Create your wishlist
Choose the products and get the barcodes.
Send invitation cards with the link of the site or the shop to the invites.
Guests can view the list online or contact the shops.
Purchase the gift.
Payments can be made through credit cards, debits cards, net banking.
Gift will be delivered at the door steps on the day of the event.

_______________________________________________________________________

6-Year-Old Girl Is World’s Youngest Yoga Instructor:

2011-01-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

6-Year-Old Girl Is World’s Youngest Yoga Instructor:

Yoga has been around for thousands of years, and the benefits it has for the mind and body are unquestionable, so its ever-growing popularity is not surprising . But what is very surprising is 6-year-old Shruti Pandey, who has been a successful Yoga teacher for two years now.
Interestingly enough, she is not the only “miracle” in her family, as her older brother, Harsh Kumar, mastered all 84 yoga positions by the age of five, making it into the Limca Book of Records and becoming a source of inspiration and motivation for Shruti. But he has never been interested in becoming a teacher.
67 year-old Hari Chetan, Shruti’s instructor, who set up the Swami Brahmachand Saraswati Kaivalya Dham Ashram 35 years ago, is simply amazed not only with her flexibility, which many may find normal for a child this age, but also with her talent and determination. She proved to be e vary quick learner and as she mastered this art for herself, it didn’t come as a surprise when she started teaching others, in classes of around 30 adults that start at 5:30am. Everyone is amazed with her talent and the patience she puts in for everything and every one.
“The best thing about Shruti is she tries to provide an alternative position for the complicated ones that are difficult for an older person like me to do. She’s very patient,” says 90-year-old retired teacher Swami Bhanu.
After only three months of attending Shruti’s classes, 48-year-old businessman Lokendra Pal Singh says: “I have noticed a positive change in my life. I used to be short-tempered, but now I’m able to control my anger to quite an extent and it’s all thanks to a little six-year old.”

http://zugem.blogspot.com/2010/12/6-year-old-girl-is-worlds-youngest-yoga.html

2011-01-03T04:10:00.000-08:00

Four Reasons Finland's Schools are Better Than Ours....
First, no child in Finland ever takes a standardized test. The only test a Finnish student takes is the one that determines if he/she will go on to university. In addition, standardized tests are not used to measure teaching ability or to compare schools..........
Second, Finland put time and money into elevating the teaching profession. Parents and politicians regard teachers in the same manner they do doctors.........
Third, administrators from principals to school superintendents are all former teachers. ......... Fourth, Finland does not promote the idea of educating its young as a competition. Schools work in tandem and cooperation is the rule rather than the freakish exception. Interestingly, Shanghai – whose students bested Finland in math and science this year – also shuns the competitive model of school reform...........
http://www.care2.com/causes/education/blog/four-reasons-finland-s-schools-are-better-than-ours/

2010-12-21T23:12:00.000-08:00

2010-12-21T23:07:00.000-08:00

Consumer Club Activities

2010-12-20T22:49:00.001-08:00

Contentment is natural wealth; luxury, artificial poverty

These are the words on which the TEEN CONSUMER CLUB OF BAL BHARTI PUBLIC SCHOOL has been working readily for the past five years since its establishment in the year 2005.

In association with VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION IN INTEREST OF CONSUMER EDUCATION(VOICE),the teachers and the club members have been striving for the augmentation of CONSUMER AWARENESS in the society.The club aims at preparing better consumers in future by sensitizing them towards the various consumer issues prevailing in the society.

The club has been motivating the students and their parents too to become consumer conscious and be vigilant and wide awake on all such consumer products that are detrimental and unsafe. In this regard every year at the school annual function the TCC has been distributing hand outs to teachers and parents that make them aware of their rights as consumers and enthuse them to be a part of this HEALTHY CONSUMERISM.

The club has been inspiring the students not only through speeches and discussions but has provided them a platform to showcase their own views and ideas on consumer issues. Each year the club organizes various fun activities like POSTER MAKING,POWER POINT PRESENTATION,SLOGAN WRITING,QUIZES AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPETETIONS to generate consumer awareness.

Most recently the club has initiated a GO GREEN MOVEMENT that has austerely banned polythene bags in the school premises, the club members monitor this on a regular basis and the club itself provides paper bags in place of poly bags to the students. Under the GO GREEN DRIVE, teachers and students of the school have also started CAR POOLS that saves a lot of fuel because We at the TCC believe that in a consumer society there are inevitably two kinds of slaves: the prisoners of addiction and the prisoners of envy, what we require to be better and green consumers is to move above both.

The club has been a regular witness each year at the IIPM Auditorium for the celebration of NATIONAL CONSUMER DAY ON 24^th DEC. The club members were also appreciated for their constant efforts regarding consumer issues by a famous news daily THE TELEGRAPH.

The TCC supported incalculably by the NGO VOICE has appealed to the rationales of its members and has been sufficiently victorious in gathering support from teachers, students and their parents in carrying forward our legacy MOTHER EARTH WITH DUE CARE.

TCC has constantly been shaping GREEN CONSUMERISM in the minds of its followers to have a better TOMORROW…It frequently reminds its members that it require more sense to spend than to earn it.

TCC’s firm belief is that when the awareness of environmental problems penetrates deeply enough into the community consciousness the purchasing power of the mass market will force all manufacturers to green both their products and their manufacturing processes -- on pain of being rejected in the market-place by green-leaning consumers.

With this the TEEN CONSUMER CLUB continues with the slogan WE CARE SO, WE DARE….!!!

2010-08-09T05:17:00.000-07:00

Helplessness of anti-ragging Helpline number (1800-180-5522)

Harsh Agarwal

It will be shocking to know that there are perhaps more digits (11 in total) in this national anti-ragging helpline number than the number of ragging complaints on which helpline system has achieved any success in last thirteen months. And if we talk of the colossal publicity that this helpline received and the tremendous hope it generated then there is no comparison with the little or no utility that this number has shown so far. Or this may be my illusion. But what can I do, I have read so many media stories on how this helpline would help eradicate ragging, but I am yet to come across even a single success story. And on top of it helpline people never share their internal information with us citing confidentiality as the reason. Confidentiality in helpline- Strange isn’t? If everything is going well as it was anticipated, then I don’t understand the reason to hide anything especially from a voluntary group which is pioneer in anti-ragging campaign in India and running it for almost 10 years now.

Just to make things clear, I am not opposed to the idea of running an anti-ragging helpline. Anti-ragging helpline is indeed important for students who wish to report the incident but do not know where to complain. However I am vehemently against excessive expectation from this helpline number. We are treating helpline number as if it is elixir to the problem of ragging. I wonder if social problems could be solved so easily by starting helpline numbers then India would have got rid of dowry, caste discrimination, and several other social maladies long ago simply by starting helpline numbers.

What is disappointing is that we have suddenly transferred the entire burden of the anti-ragging campaign on this helpline number. We don’t see it as merely one of the ways of lodging complaint against ragging but as a cure to ragging. Our too much optimism from this helpline would only lead us to disappointment. And I am saying this because our hope is based on a fundamentally flawed assumption that ragging victims have the courage to register complaint Here we are ignoring the immense role of fear involved in ragging and the pressure on students to anyhow survive in college as the stakes are very high- in term of getting admission and money and hard work invested on it.

If I recall my days in medical college, which I left 10 years ago because of ragging, I remember I didn’t share my torturous ragging episodes even with my parents for a month. I was afraid if my parents went and complained to the principal, what will be the consequences. And re-imagining the terror that I lived with during ragging day, I can say that 999 out of one thousand freshers in that situation would prefer to endure the torture and take injury on their body than think of lodging any complaint. The terror of ragging is so severe and the fear of consequences of complaining so threatening that the victim doesn’t want to confide the ordeal to anyone. If there is anything that can support my argument then there is nothing better than the revelation made by the government itself. This year in March, government on the floor of the parliament, admitted that helpline received 1.6 lakh calls but could register only 300 complaints. This skewed ratio might be surprising to many. However if we think little practically and understand the fear that a ragging victim has in giving sufficient information (name, name of the college, name of seniors, etc.) to lodge a complaint then we can easily understand why several thousand calls could not be registered as complaints.

The reason for my dissatisfaction is therefore simple. In May 2007 when Raghavan Committee made exhaustive recommendations to address ragging, I was extremely happy. I was full of hope because the committee had recognized all different aspects behind ragging- sociological, psychological and law and order aspect- and suggested appropriate remedies to cure them. But today we don’t know the fate of those 50 odd recommendations that were made in the report after so much deliberation? Today from media reports we hear only about the technical problems that helpline is facing and how we are busy solving them. It seems that our focus on helpline is paramount and we are fighting the entire battle against ragging with this 11 digit number.

Our focus on the real issue of ragging is lost so much so that recently even the news that 19 students died because of ragging in last one year, didn’t make national headlines; Even news of Nayan Adak who 10 months ago tried twice to commit suicide because of ragging and died in the second attempt- the most shocking suicide case I have heard of in my life- didn’t make national headlines. Are we too busy rectifying the helpline? Sigh!

I am deeply saddened. Since my ragging in 2000 till now, 10 years have passed and 2 committees formed, and today we achieved just a defunct anti-ragging helpline! I really don’t know when would we finally dial the right number to solve the menace of ragging? Is there a helpline for that?

(Harsh Agarwal is a Co-founder of Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education (CURE, Estd in 2001) and a former Consultant to Supreme Court of India –appointed Committee on Ragging)

2010-07-27T02:29:00.000-07:00

Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions Fall in 2009 – Past Decade Still Sees Rapid Emissions Growth

In 2009, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in China—the world’s leading emitter—grew by nearly 9 percent. At the same time, emissions in most industrial countries dropped, bringing global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use down from a high of 8.5 billion tons of carbon in 2008 to 8.4 billion tons in 2009. Yet this drop follows a decade of rapid growth: over the 10 previous years, global CO2 emissions rose by an average of 2.5 percent a year—nearly four times as fast as in the 1990s. Increasing temperatures and the resulting melting ice sheets and rising sea levels demonstrate the destructive effects of the carbon accumulating in the atmosphere.

Carbon Emissions Falling in Wealthier Countries

Emissions in many wealthier countries fell in 2008 and 2009 as the global recession took hold. In the United States, CO2 emissions shrank by nearly 10 percent from 2007 to 2009, from a high of 1.58 billion tons of carbon to 1.43 billion tons, the lowest level since 1995. Emissions from oil, which is largely used for transportation, declined by nearly 11 percent, while those from coal, which is mainly burned to generate electricity, fell by over 13 percent. The United Kingdom’s CO2 emissions fell by over 10 percent from 2007 to 2009. German emissions dropped by 8 percent, and French emissions dropped by 5 percent. Japan saw its emissions decline nearly 12 percent over the two-year period. (See data.) At the same time, CO2 emissions in the world’s most populous countries, China and India, continued to grow rapidly. China’s emissions rose to 1.86 billion tons of carbon in 2009, representing nearly a quarter of global emissions from fossil fuel burning. With average annual emissions growth of 8 percent over the past decade, China overtook the United States in 2007 as the world’s leading CO2 emitter. India’s emissions grew by close to 5 percent a year over the past decade; the country passed Russia in 2007 to become the world’s third largest emitter.

Causes of Carbon Dioxide Emissions

While fossil fuel use is responsible for the majority of carbon dioxide emissions, changes in land use, such as clearing forests for cropland, also emit a substantial amount of CO2. In 2008, the most recent year for which data are available, global emissions from land use change were estimated at 1.2 billion tons of carbon. The vast majority of these emissions were from deforestation in the tropics; Indonesia and Brazil alone represent over 60 percent of land use change emissions.

Slash and burn deforestation in the Amazon

More than half of the carbon dioxide emitted annually is absorbed by oceans, soils, and trees. The rapid rate at which carbon dioxide is pouring into the atmosphere is overwhelming these natural systems, posing a particular threat to ocean ecosystems. The large amounts of dissolved CO2 alter ocean chemistry, making seawater more acidic, which makes it more difficult for organisms such as reef-building corals or shellfish to form their skeletons or shells. The world’s oceans are now more acidic than they have been at any time in the past 20 million years. Experts have estimated that if CO2 emissions continue to rise on their long-term trajectory, coral reefs around the world may be dying off by 2050.
Recent research has also indicated that the oceans’ capacity to absorb carbon dioxide may be unable to keep up with the rising level of emissions. The CO2-absorption ability of both the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica, and the North Atlantic Ocean has decreased in recent decades.

Carbon Emissions and Climate Change

The carbon dioxide that is not absorbed by these natural sinks remains in the atmosphere, where it traps heat. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which stood between 260 and 285 parts per million (ppm) from the beginning of agriculture until the Industrial Revolution, has risen rapidly in the last two-and-a-half centuries, to over 387 ppm today. The last time carbon dioxide levels were this high was roughly 15 million years ago, when sea level was 25-40 meters (80-130 feet) higher and global temperatures were 3-6 degrees Celsius (5-11 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer.
The increase in atmospheric CO2 has driven a rapid rise in global temperature: each decade over the past half-century has been hotter than the last. Responses to these rising temperatures have already been documented in melting glaciers and ice sheets, shifting weather patterns, and changes in the timing of seasonal events.
While much of the global emissions drop in 2009 was due to declining fossil fuel use associated with the recession, the past year also saw strong growth in the use of renewable energy. Installed wind capacity alone grew by over 30 percent worldwide. In the United States, where coal use dropped by more than 13 percent from 2007 to 2009, over 200 new wind farms came online during the same period, adding more than 18,000 megawatts of capacity. With hundreds of billions of dollars in stimulus funds allocated for clean energy and energy efficiency projects worldwide, this growth will continue in the years ahead.
However, evidence is mounting that faster, more substantial action is needed. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body of over 2,500 scientists, has modeled a number of scenarios for possible emissions growth in the coming decades. The likely rise in temperature projected in these scenarios ranges from 1.1 to 6.4 degrees Celsius (2-11 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. Even with the recent drop, carbon dioxide emissions continue to track some of the worst-case IPCC scenarios. Increasing numbers of scientists agree that atmospheric CO2 must be stabilized at 350 ppm or less; in order to achieve this goal, a fundamental shift in course is needed—and quickly.
The question going forward, then, is whether the international community can move carbon dioxide emissions onto a rapid downward trend by decoupling economic growth from fossil fuel emissions. Otherwise, it is likely that emissions will rise again as the global economy recovers, further destabilizing the earth’s natural systems. Only by shifting to a new energy economy, one that relies on carbon-free sources of energy such as wind, solar, and geothermal instead of climate-threatening fossil fuels, can we avoid the worst effects of climate change.

http://blog.sustainablog.org/causes-of-climate-change-carbon-dioxide-emissions/

2010-07-27T02:23:00.001-07:00

Have an Eco Get-Together: Throw a Local Food Potluck!

Eating food in groups is a vital social experience. To share in the joys of a good meal, cooked with care and skill, and garnished with loving attention brings people together. It’s a great excuse to get your friends and family together, too. What social event is really complete without a hearty meal? Well, here’s a suggestion to spruce up your next get-together, with an eco twist. Throw a local foods potluck!
Perhaps you’ve never had the fortune to attend a potluck before. Basically, it’s an event where each person brings a dish to contribute to the whole group. It’s usually unplanned, so you never know what the full meal will entail. It’s a great way to get people involved in contributing to an event. But instead of just any old potluck, why not make it interesting?

Think Local for Your Next Potluck Meal

Challenge your friends and families to a local food potluck. Encourage that all guests bring a dish that features local, seasonal foods, with as few imported ingredients as possible. Inspire your friends to be creative: suggest that guests peruse farmers markets for fresh organic ingredients. What would a menu look like that only featured local, seasonal produce, cheeses, meats, and beverages? More importantly, how would it taste?
When guests present their food at the potluck, ask them what the ingredients are and where they are from. How many food miles have guests’ dishes traveled? It’s a great way to get people excited about supporting and eating local foods if they can participate in an event where they can be creative about cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Try it out! Next time you want to get together with your friends, suggest a local foods potluck challenge!

http://blog.sustainablog.org/local-food-potluck/

2010-03-29T22:36:00.001-07:00

Have the recent exposure of godmen through media and their activities influenced your faith in them. Please raise your opinion.

2010-03-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

Telecom sector provides easy connectivity but impacts human and environmental health. Please give your opinion.

Ragging: the hidden human rights violation

2008-06-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

July is the time when lakhs of students take their first steps out of school and into college life. For some, the first few days in college leave a permanent scar on their psyche.

How to deal with ragging

For some, it can be a harrowing experience to be ragged in college. The severity of ragging varies from frivolous play to verbal harassment, sexual abuse and physical torture. It is hard to understand how students, who are otherwise academically-bright and appear to be normal, can be insensitive towards their peers who have gained admission in their college as their fellow-students. Ragging is deemed essential to break ice between ‘seniors’ and ‘freshers’. What is needed is that more friendly ways of interaction be devised by the college authorities themselves, so that the very reason why ragging happens, is rooted out.

Punitive steps can also be a deterrent. As far as the law is concerned, the Supreme Court of India has appointed a committee to recommend how ragging can be curbed. The points made by the Committee, if implemented in full spirit, can go a long way towards preventing the scarring of thousands of young and sensitive people, who suffer at the hands of their peers.

What is the Raghavan Committee?

A six member committee headed by Dr R.K. Raghavan, Former Director, CBI, was constituted by the Supreme Court of India in November 2006. The committee members travelled to different cities across the country and held discussions with students, college faculties, civil society organisations, psychological experts, officials from various educational councils, etc. and submitted its detailed report in Supreme Court on May 16th, 2007. Some of the key findings of the Raghavan Committee were:

Primary responsibility for curbing ragging rests with academic institutions themselves.
Ragging adversely impacts the standards of higher education.
Incentives should be available to institutions for curbing the menace and there should be disincentives for failure to do so.
Enrolment in academic pursuits or a campus life should not immunize any adult citizen from penal provisions of the laws of the land.
Ragging needs to be perceived as failure to inculcate human values from the schooling stage.
Behavioural patterns among students, particularly potential 'raggers', need to be identified
Measures against ragging must deter its recurrence. Concerted action is required at the level of the school, higher educational institution, district administration, university, State and Central Governments to make any curb effective.

Ragging: How to curb it

College authorities must make effort to sensitise both seniors and freshers on ragging. They must undertake various activities such as games, dramas, short excursions to facilitate interaction between senior and junior students.

College authorities must conduct anonymous survey of freshers to know if ragging is going on in their institute.
Worst form of ragging takes place in the college hostels during the night therefore college authorities must conduct surprise checks in their hostels during the night.
In case of any incident of ragging victim must try to take the teacher into confidence and apprise him/her of the incident.
Parents of fresher/senior students must form a small group and remain in touch with each other on phone or email.
This would help them share information on the situation of ragging in college and the involvement of their wards in it.
Education Ministry at the Central and the State level must conduct various awareness programmes to make ragging a social evil.

Don’ts

During the initial days in the college, freshers must try to be in groups and avoid places like canteens or hostels of the senior students.
College must take each ragging complaint seriously and should not ignore or avoid cases even of mild ragging.
It is commonly seen that college authorities try to save the reputation of the college and deny cases of ragging. In case of any serious incident of ragging, college shouldn’t hesitate in registering complaint with the police.
Seniors should not do anything, which could make their juniors uncomfortable.