HAPPY VILLEGE GLOBEL | NATIONAL CONSUMER CONVENTION LIVE | DAY -02 | 16-12-2023

For Dear friends today very important subject right to information is contacting now I think everybody is staying there and they have taken breakfast at 7:30 and enough time you come here in every seminar the problem is that the people will come by the meeting will start by

10 and the people will come by 11 that is a normal procedure so let us change at least one thing keeping time time is the most precious thing in the world everything we can get back Health we can get back food we can get get back any any sorts of money we

Can get back but time if he lose the time the time will we will not get back so we can very interestingly wait for this session right to information the fear of political leaders the fear of bureaucrats but the common people those who can work wonderfully but they are not in

They are not in fear but they are double fear if they are doing something what will happen anyway in India too many things have been revealed by the RTA like consumer protection act is a stronghold to the consumer protection act so dear friends we can

Hear about RTI from from Dr AB George he is working for this C and I invite Raju n to welcome Dr AB George thank you sir thank you Matthew sir a warm good morning to one and all namaskar we all know we are in the second day of the Great convention

National Consumer convention and yesterday we had many wonderful sessions and eminent speakers they have addressed me and we have exchanged our ideas and yesterday’s all the sessions were not only informative but thought provoking today we are going to start with our session a right to information a great tool for

Consumers very important and a very useful subject for for all of us not only for all of us anyway we have a great we are really proud to have an eminent and great speaker Dr AB George RTI RTI activist and teacher I met him five minutes before I asked him sir uh

Can you please give me a few sentence to speak about you then he told me no need just tell that uh this is RTI activist and a teacher so he said down to earth person and he is an eminent scholar and he has doctorate in development planning

Dr AB George is a he is the coordinator of all Kerala level RTI Network that’s a huge responsibility in spite of that he is part of national campaign for people’s right to information so we are really lucky to have Dr Abie George this morning with us and his session it is definitely going

To benefit not only all of us but to everybody whom we are going to meet in future so on behalf of all of you assembled here I happy to welcome Dr Abie George to this wonderful session welcome sir welcome I would like to welcome all of

You from all over the states of India and actively involving in social activities and Ur represented of various Nos and lot of experience and whatever we are going to gain from here we are going to share in future to our fellow members so I welcome all of you all the respected people assembled

In front of you I welcome you all to for the second day of our this session with the opening um uh subject right to information a great tool for consumers I hope we are all going to make use of this one thank you thank you

All can you take it to the side please one side I mean I don’t want to miss them for my yeah any side is thank you good morning uh I’m sure most of you must have uh used RTA anybody who is not uh not used RTA as a

Tool in some of your work anybody filed an RTA application how many of you filed RT applications yeah okay fine I have an idea how many of you use used it so I can talk accordingly uh and I’m sure all of you must have filed a complaint against a service

Delivered to somebody a consumer or a kind of a a complaint about a about a a you know a purchase you have made or something like that I mean as a consumer you and as as consumer activist you all must have filed a complaint what happens to a complaint

Then once you file a complaint what happens to a complaint any idea what happens to a complaint yeah notice then yes then yes no no this is not about the RTI I’m asking about you can you all hear me because this audio is uh funny can you hear hear

Me you you file a complaint against a a a failure in the service then what happens that is my question as a consumer activist you file a complaint then what happens yeah yeah complaint sleep somewhere yeah that’s the that’s the most important thing happens on any complaint on

Anything not on the consumer any complaint a citizen file it it sleeps for a while then mostly dies off or somebody will kill it finish it off that’s what happens and what I’m trying to say is that if you are starting the combination of this complaint with

RTA then there is no way a complaint can die a complaint can’t sleep maximum it can sleep for 30 days the only thing you need to know is how to file an RTA and if you file an RTA unlike any other act this act will work this act will

Override on every other act it’s I mean we all know we have the constitution in this country which is a supreme law there’s nothing can go beyond Constitution and then we have the central acts then the state acts then the government order then the circular then the do letter Etc this is the

Hierarchy of uh the way in which the legal system function here in terms of orders and uh laws and orders RTA act under Section 22 of the RTA act which I wanted to come to you but before that even before that I wanted to talk about you uh fundamentally the

Democracy our country is supposed to be in democracy supposed to be in democracy democracy is a process in which citizen will will have a say citizen will have a right to descend or agree to a decision by the government that’s the Democracy means but that decision should be an informed

Decision citizen should be informed before I take a decision how many of you will be able to speak for 10 minutes about Chandra I think none of us will be able to speak for 10 minutes about Chandra because we don’t know anything about it we know that Chandra the the Moon is

There and we s a rocket and something something and then it goes and falls in half the way uh few of them go to the Bay of Bengal then one finally one will go there this is all we can say I don’t think any of us can talk more than that about

Chra but if you are asked about the consumer law you may be able to talk little bit in detail why because you are informed about that law you can only make a decision you can only talk about an issue only and if only you have some information base about

It as a citizen I will be able to engage in the Democratic process only and if only I can have certain knowledge about certain aspects of the democratic functioning in our society is it is it so and this is true with everything every decision making

You you have to have I was talking to uh one of the esteemed colleague here who was talking to me about about the gender violence Etc she was talking to me in detail about the status of the the the gender violence happening in Kerala I I’m I’m quite happy to hear

That because I understood that she has really gone through into the details of this whole thing because he’s in she’s informed about it so we need to have this information base to make any decision or if you want to make a a a studied opinion we need to

Have information basis and without this knowledge basis this is without this information basis you cannot do a thing about any Democratic decision- making process so for a democracy to function in this country we need informed Citizen and the ACT is for that I I’ll come to that

Uh one of the one of the most important thing we need to understand before that we need to have some clarity how our government system functions our government system functions only through file there is no other way the government can function only through file and the file contain everything about government functioning

So if you can have the access to the file and you know in our country after right to information you have the right not the anybody’s uh you know uh anybody’s Goodwill or anything you as a citizen has the right to access all the files from all the office in this

Country any file from any office in this country you have the right to access which we never use Yeah Yeah so basically we have the right to access to each and every file why this this is there because we are a constitutional democracy and we have a

Constitution by which we made this is a Democratic Republic these two words are very very familiar to us but we don’t actually don’t know what is the meaning of it what is I mean let’s just take it what what you what we understand by Republic it’s a it’s a it’s a sovereign

Country that’s what he said Republic what is Republic what is Republic what we understand by Republic just anybody can speak I mean nobody will go wrong I know but I want to really get into the detail of what what what do you understand by Republic simple question Republic India is a republic we

Are a Democratic Republic what is it people governed by the people very interesting power with the people interesting these are part of the uh part of the uh the attributes of Republic more is needed Republic fundamental rights no no nothing huh open to open to public that’s very interesting but still you

Are not not reaching to the point these all are very important aspects you know we we need to understand this why this is very important transparency no sir that’s all part of actually Republic doesn’t need to be transparent that’s a very different complicated thing anyway you know we

Have a situation in the world where the the countries were governed by Kings and more countries were governed by gods countries are governed by gods countries are governed by Pope so and for the God and the pope and the God and the king and the elite people who rules the country it’s a small oligarchy a small set of people we very very wise nice people we rule the country you the common people you all are out you are

Not there in the government we govern my son will come his son will come his daughter will come like that only this small circle of Elites we call them Elites noble people we call ourselves noble people not all the people all this common people they are out they were not

There so Republic means Resa the thing of public who are outside this Noble Circle who are kept away from the governance they are coming to the coming to the power they are ruling the country they are the people who decide for this not this Elite anymore not this noble

People anymore so Republic means the thing of public coming into the rule and decision making and we have the very strange combination Democratic Republic which makes it much much further democracy means demos cratos the the rule of the people which you define somebody here defined rule of the people is

Democracy so why I’m saying this is we have a we have a constitution by which we say we the people constituted this country it means we the people decided to rule this country so we once we decided that as a constitution we decided to rule this country then actually very interesting we always

Say we the people and this we the people the people the decision of people ruling the country it’s a very critical decision anyway before I get into that let me want to check this one thing I told you about the God and the the ruling which is the country which got

Maximum number of gods which country got maximum number of gods you all are unanimous seeming to that India is the country no India is not the country with the maximum there is there is another country which more Gods than in India can you think of that country that

Country is in trouble now not because of the god they are in economic crisis Greek Greek people got more Gods than India Greek people they have every word every every letter got a god attached to that that’s the number of gods there but there is only one country in the

World which made a oting and defeated God God was put to OT and defeated you know which country is that in one country in the history in one country God is put into wot and God is defeated in oting you know which country is that that’s that’s very interesting

It’s it’s our country when we need to decide about whether we have to start our constitution with we the people or by the grace of God in the constituent assembly there was a debate about it whether we need to have the people or God to start the Constitution so in our constitution

Assembly where more than 90% of the participants of the constituent assembly were very religious people God-fearing people but when they come when they came to make a decision about who should form this country whether it should be the grace of God or by the people they said yes I am a strong

Believer in God but in the na in the in the matters of the politics and the decision making of the nation it should be the people so they decided against 68 uh 41 against 68 o they decided keep God away from the nation India thus decided we the people

People we the people will constitute this country not the grace of God so we when we said we constitute this country we took the responsibility of running this Constitution and this nation so why I am saying this is this nation belongs to the people of this country so then who is this

Government which belongs to the people of this country who ises this is files files of the office belongs to the people every record in any office belongs to people of this country they are the Masters and nobody can hide it from from the people that is the whole

Point every report every record every file every paper in this country belongs to the people not belongs to the officer who holding it I’m an officer I’m a district collector holding few files I cannot say I cannot show this because this file I’m holding is for the people of this

Country you got it so anyway and we also said very interesting thing in the Constitution why this nation we said this nation to ensure Justice Liberty and equality to every person and also to ensure fraternity the the sense of Brotherhood friends of sibling between the people I should feel

Fraternity with you so this nation is for that once you decide that this nation is for that then we need to have this law the RTA acts why if this nation is for the people and the nation belongs to the people and if this nation has every office belongs to the people then

Every record should be seen by the people watch by the people examined by the people and so we have an act an act which says that it’s a very thin act with 30 sections and just 10 sections will cover the main aspects of the ACT I will just run through the ACT

We have it the this first section is the title second section is the definitions definitions in the act and third is the act third section very simple one sentence section which is the smallest section in this RTA act which is saying that every Indian citizen shall have the

Right to information it sounds very simple every Indian citizen shall have the right I mean the the usage shall have right to information is a very powerful usage and once once this act says you shall have the power to access to information every citizen nobody man woman delit tribal upper cast lower cast

Disabled mentally challenged everybody has the right to information that is what this act says and if everybody got the right to information then it’s the obligation of the obligation of the government body to ensure that every information is there out in the public so section four is the obligation of the

Public Authority so if as a citizen I have the right to information and if if the government officers are obliged to honor my right to information then it is that there should be an officer in the office that person’s name is public information officer he or she has the responsibility

To oblige to me so you file an application at the public information officer under SE uh public information officer who is designated under Section Five of the act so I have the right as a citizen to have right to information and there is a public information officer

Designated to give me the information in under Section six I file an application once I file an application under Section six under uh seven they will have have to dispose that request within 30 days there is no excuse nothing can be done we need to understand in our

Country for anything and everything you can go to the court and get a stay anything and everything you can get a stay except for RTI right to information if I file an application you cannot go to the court and say no no he has filed an application that information is very

Problematic it should not be given that should he should be stayed no it won’t happen it it just won’t happen no court will entertain your request to stay my you know somebody to dispose that right to information request so you have the but when you are disposing that right to information we

Need to ensure that section 8 and N under which certain aspects of life is kind of res restricted certain aspects of information is not to be disclosed Section 8 and N this these are the only two section under which you can deny information and section 10 which

Says if a if a document carries certain information that cannot be disclosed that should not be the ground to dis uh Denay information to the about the whole documents so a part of the document which cannot be uh you know disclosed which part you can’t disclose you don’t disclose but the rest you

Should disclose so under this act in India no report can be no document can can be completely hidden from the citizen part of that can be hidden so now uh I will say section 12 to 17 is about appointment of public I mean State and Central information commission we are

Not going to look into that because that’s all appointment business now about section 18 19 and 20 powers and functions of information Commissioners who can call for any document in this country and information commissioner can access any information from any document even from the Chamber of the judge they

Can call for the document they’ll have to give and that document if they find it is it has to be shared with the citizen it has to be shared and when I file an application within 30 days I need to get a replay if I am not getting a replay within 30 days

I can always file a first appeal which will be reped within next 30 days if the second first appeal is not satisfactory to me I can go for the second appeal which will go to the information commissioner this is the procedure now in case section under Section 20 in case the public

Information officer is not giving me the information or giving me only part of the information or giving me wrong information or giving me incomplete information I can file an appeal and the delay in giving me the information or the if the information is wrongly given all these things will attract

Penalty penalty of the order of 250 rupees per day for for a delay of after 30 days every day 350 Rupees to a maximum of 25,000 rupees this is the this is the act and that is why this act is creating a lot of difficulty for the people in the holding offices right

Now section 21 I I file an application asking some uncomfortable question about this office can they sue me no my question can be wrong right or whatever you cannot take action against me you he is asking uncomfortable question no you can Denay that but you cannot take action against me you cannot

File a defamation case against me this is protected under 21 protection uh given to the citizen who is filing an application and section 22 I told you overriding effect see you go to a village office asking for an FMB fmbb means sketch Village sketch they say that an FMB will cost

500 rupees 52 rupes in Kerala I don’t know what is the cost of fixed by all revenue but then then the question comes if I filing an RTA asking for an fmbb they cannot charge me that why because the the rate is fixed by an order of the

Revenue department that this fmbb cost 500 rupees section 22 of the RTA act says this act will override all other acts all other orders all other documents so what happens your your direction to take 500 rupees from me is not valid when I file an RTA I will get

The fmbb under 2 rupees you got it I if I file an 2 rupe uh file an RTA I’ll get the same document for 2 rupees which otherwise I have to pay 500 rupees this this is the difference yes an office has to take money from me to

Give me a service this service here is giving the copy of an FMB fmbb you understand the the the village map I mean survey map whatever it is of a of a particular part of the land field measurement book whatever that that thing is coming now how they

Decided that is that price of that is uh 500 rupees or 200 rupes or 300 rupees that is that decision is taken by a government order which says whenever a citizen asks for an FMB you should charge 250 rupe per page now the section 22 of the RTA act says this act will

Override a every other act every other rule every other direction every other circular this will have the you know upper hand so what happens you cannot charge me 500 repes when I file an RTI when I file an RTI you can only take me the charge prescribed under this act not any other

Act so any other form any other uh order that don’t stand in front of this this is the r act right yeah it’s a supreme act actually only thing which will go above is this is the Constitution nothing else we we need to really appreciate and use it in that way yeah please

No not at all it is the rightful use of the acts yes yes you you you as a citizen to get the information see you you are now using this act to get a copy of a document and that copy of a document can be given only under the fees prescribed

Under this act no other act will stand against it that simple as that it I I understand you will not be able to believe it but that is the truth any document any price on stand in front of it this is the RTA this is the

Power of RTI and most of us think that lot of documents in the office all are secret there is nothing secret about any document except Section 8 and N Section 8 and N certain restrictions are there those restrictions only will stand we’ll come to that later I told you before also so if

Somebody want to go to the court and get a stay on an RTA no it is not possible not even high court will entertain your your request they will just dismiss the case even before entertaining it that’s the power of the act and section 24 is uh certain organizations like the

Enforcement directorates uh and CBI uh raw like that some investigation agencies 24 organizations are Exempted under this act the in those cases also if there is a corruption or a human rights violation this act app even in the case of Exempted offices in the case of corruption and human

Rights violation this act applies Police Department yeah Police Department police department everything in the police department is accessible under R act except what is Exempted under Section 8 of this act certain things are Exempted under eight of this act I will I I’ll come back to that

Later we we think Police Department is some holy cow nothing yeah what no uh section 81 a is about the Integrity of the nation section 81 B is uh uh I will I will take all those sections for you if time permits I mean it’s all

There with me uh let’s see how far we can go uh so what what I wanted to say is that I mean let me these are not that great important to us as consumer activist and others so I will skip this and I’ll come back to the fundamental thing which is

The again I will say the most important thing in the whole why this act is so powerful because this act is coming directly from the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution of this India article 191a which says freedom of speech and expression so if I have the freedom of speech and

Expression I should have the right to know so Supreme Court an earlier judgment said right to information and right to freedom of speech and expression go hand in hand so right to information is a fundamental right even before this act coming into the into force in 2005 this decision from the

Supreme Court was there so you have the uh uh you have the Preamble of the ACT which is very clearly says that this act is for setting out a practical regime of right to information we always misunderstand this act as an act for uh in a sense act for you know

Giving an application and getting a a response on that no this is to ensure that every document in an office is made public so Moto not by an application without an application every office should disclose all the documents available in their office in the website section 41A of the ACT is saying very

Clearly that within 120 days of the pronouncement of this act all these documents should be in the public domain which is not happened so far that is the failure from our side from citizen side to enforce that this is an act and to be enforced by the citizen not by the

Government government will never do so the Supreme Court of India in 17th August 2023 gave a very clear order chief justice the Ben of Chief Justice Chandra gave a order saying that this section four of the ACT which I will describe you in a minute uh which says every document

Should be placed in the public domain that should be in letter and spirit applied and obliged by every off office in this country and if that happens your endre consumer initiative will be much much faster and easier and no body will be able to hide anything from you in terms of service

Provision nothing can be hidden from you all the files are out in the uh uh in the in the in the in the uh in the in the open so every Public Authority I’m call reading from the Preamble of the ACT every Public Authority should increase their transparency and accountability in their entire

Work now we file an application then we don’t know what happens if this act is implemented in letter and spirit and we put pressure for that what happens that every every every noting in a Note file can be made available to each one each and every one

Of us every note every file every paper in a government office can be brought out and one of the most important uh objective of this act is to ensure that government and their instrumentalities are accountable to the Govern this this sounds little complicated nothing if I am an agriculture

Officer I think I am obliged to my senior officers and ministers but this act put it all differently it’s saying that if I am an agriculture officer I am obliged to the farmer whom I am giving my service my first obligation is to to the farmers whom I

Am giving my service if I am a doctor my accountability is to the patients not to the senior doctor my first accountability to the patient if I am a teacher my first accountability to the the students and the and the and the their parents if I a pchat official my first

Accountability is to the people of that pchat so make government and their instrumentalities accountable to the people that means people can people can inspect the office and the files this sounds little problematic but this is the this is what the ACT means I’ll just talk about it in a minute people can inspect

Office people can check file people can ask for the details in any file and every file that’s what the right to information means and what is this information my knowledge about the poems I mean the dramas of Shakespeare that is not the information under right to

Information Act if I know the details of the primam stories that is not the or shivak literature that’s is not the information under R act under R act information is a material that can be felt that can be touched information is a material it defines like information

Me any material in any form it’s a material it also means records documents memos emails opinions advices press releases circulars orders log books contracts reports papers samples and models all these things are information and we can access all these things from any office now you tell

Me anything in the office which is not included in any of this you tell me a thing which is not in a something in the office which is not included in any of this thing under which is not coming under the definition of information tell me one one

Thing anything in any office which is not information nothing everything in an office is information everything and if everything in an office is information everything is accessible by citizen if everything is accessible by citizen citizen will know about it know about the details of that and they will in a democracy ask

Questions those who are feeling sleepy please enjoy the water it is lot of available here I know it’s it may not be that comfortable for you people to uh in in the in the nights here it’s very humid and hot but I’m sorry can’t sleep in the class yeah

Right so can you think of something in the office which is not coming under this do records document memos emails opinion advises press release circular order log book etc etc everything I just want to say everything in the office is information which can be accessible everything meeting minutes every meeting

Minutes is a record it has to be shared with the people every meeting minutes anything you tell me anything you can think of in an office which is not coming under information yeah they have you have to file an RTI application they will give us everything every document every

Meeting minutes every uh every activity of an any officer in any office is a information under RTI act uh an office cannot say that records are not available there is a public records act which is a very strict act if an office is not not having a

Document which they have to to keep maintain then the custodian of that file every file will have a custodian by the way custodian is that file should have to undergo 3 to seven years of imprisonment so if they saw in writing they give that you file a case against

It they are trapped we don’t know that so they will say we don’t have it so okay we’ll also say no no that’s not the thing when I take charge from you I give a signature I have verified all the files and I comfortable with that and I take over so

In in any office all the files are always in live nobody can say that this is not available here and all that’s all irresponsibility that is what we need to fix and information also means anything in the electronic form available in the office that is also information if I am given an office

Phone even the WhatsApp chat in that office phone is an information if I’m provided with a laptop every email in that laptop is an information and I can a citizen can access that right any anything in any electronic form in any office is information to be shared with the people

And what is this right to information that also we need to understand right to information means accessing all the information available in the office that’s the first case all the information which is we have defined now that is the first case of right to information but also it

Include inspection of work documents and records what does it mean information right to information means a citizen go and inspect the work inspection of the work inspection of a work in the road inspection of a building inspection of a construction program inspection of a particular officer who is doing a

Particular work that also I can inspect I have to give an R application and I wanted to say to the School the to the principal of a college that I want to examine I want to inspect the work of such and such Professor when he or she

Is taking class I can ask the a clerk whether that clerk is doing work or not I can go and inspect this is permitted under right to Information Act you can go and inspect a file you can ask for a file you can inspect that file you can take whichever

Pages you want that is also permitted under right to Information Act clear and you can also take notes extracts copies of any document and record and also I can ask for a certified sample this is a if this is a public building government building I

Can ask for the mix of this beam I can ask for the mix of the road the black topping the mix of that which they are the contractor and the engineer can I even mix it up in a wrong fashion you can ask for the sample of that

Certified sample of that and send it for the examination and you can unearth corruption yeah yes there should there is a procedure of doing it that’s all it’s a very simple procedure you can give in writing if you are an illiterate person and if you don’t know how to write you

Can go to the office ask the public information officer I wanted following information though then the it’s the responsibility of the public information officer to reduce it into writing and get my signature and give me the information that much is the power of the acts public information officer is

Obliged to facilitate me if I am in illiterate and right to information also means taking information from all these things so I just wanted to conclude I mean before we we we lose out on the time I just want to say that every office every institution in this country under the

Fundamental right of the citizen we can we should ask for information and one more one more point last one this is this is the obligation of the all the public authorities in this country under this act which is a central act which overrides all other acts which says that maintain all its

Record duy cataloged index in a manner and form which will facilitate the right to information and uh and ensure that all that records appropriated to be computerized are computerized and connected through a network all over the country what is it saying it’s saying every office should have all the documents taken

Scanned properly cataloged indexed put it into the website so that anybody and everybody from anywhere in this country can access all those records without even asking for anybody I can straight away access what is happening in P in Tamil Nadu in Kerala in in in in Assam or in in in Jammu

Kashmir I should have the access that is what this act says and that is what this act is meant for and we need really need to really fight for that to ensure that every document is maintained in the public domain that that is what the spirit of this

Act so under the section six of this act you should file an RTA application to you don’t know to whom you have to file no it’s very simple you just write to the public information officer then any office Office of the police office of the school office of the pchat

Whatever be the address that is the thing 10 rupe is the fees you can file it through Indian postal order draft or Court fee stamp any form but 10 rupe you have to file paste and give an application saying that kindly furnish the following information 1 2 3 4 5 all

This thing you sign it and send it that’s it in 30 days you will get a reply and if you are not getting a reply file an appeal straight there again then again next 30 days still you are not getting it file another second appeal that’s the procedure it’s very

Simple procedure straight and simple procedure anybody can do but mostly nobody does that’s what I wanted to say you if you have uh any questions to ask I I’ll be obliged to answer yeah yeah for inspecting document inspecting document is a act under right to information so you will have to file

An application right to information application paying 10 Rupees like in any I’m asking copy same is the case for inspection both are the same so with 10 Rupees I will say that I want to inspect all the files regarding dispersement of salary in this office 30 days within 30 days they will

Inform me when when I file an application to in inspect a particular file they will in inform me within 30 days in imagine I filed it in 1 January they will say between before 30th January either on 15th or 16 or 17 between 2:00 and 5:00 you can come and

Inspect that kind of a reply will come to you and then they will also they are bound to say that if these days are not suitable please contact us we can fix a date you can also fix setting what all are the information that cannot be shared the following information cannot

Be sh I I’ll read it out fast for the time time to save the time uh information disclosure of which will sovereignity and integrity of India you cannot disclose one section 1 t uh usually we feel that if there is a case existing no details should be

Shared no that’s not right in terms of RTI the court should explicitly say that in this particular case no information should not should be disclosed otherwise all the information should be given so a court case existing is not a reason for not disclosing that is b c is the

Privilege of the parlament and the N SAA which says that if the the budget documents are available I want to get a copy of that no it will be first go to the parliament so those kind of things next uh intellectual property right usually should not be disclosed but if there is

A larger public interest that also can be disclosed uh the information given in fiduciary relations fiduciary relations means based on the trust I go and talk to a lawyer I go and talk to a doctor about my personal things I did a murder I did this way and that way and I killed

That person I told this these details to my my attorney because he or she has to help me so these are the Judiciary relations those information cannot be disclosed the the information we get as secret information from uh outside government of other other countries when the CBA or other a Ed and

Other agencies they they they get informants from the public the name of such informant should not be disclosed that’s uh that’s important for uh you know discharge of law then the information which would impede the process of investigation and prosecution then the cabinet decisions before the cabinet make a decision the files

Pertaining to the uh the process that cannot be disclosed and uh personal information you can’t read it because I don’t intend to show it to you personal information which is uh it’s Inver into the privacy of a citiz an individual and a citizen that cannot be disclosed I mean you I’m an officer

Working in an office you cannot ask me a question what is the name of your wife you cannot that’s my privacy you have no business to ask my my wife’s name or my husband’s name but the salary of an officer is a public document every office should disclose

The salary of without even asking salary of every office every officers in that office that they should disclose there are a lot of interesting things to be said about it about every office I mean uh and then the final word it’s very important the provide that information

Which cannot be denied to Parliament or legislature cannot be deny to a public so if you are if you your office will disclose an information to the parliament under a question start question or a n under a question then that has to be disclosed to individual this act equalizes me with a

Parliamentarian or a legisl assembly member clear that is the power of this act that is not it’s this act itself says this overrides all other acts so anything said in the official secret acts will not stand and what actually official Secrets acts in 1923 is for restricting Indian people to

Know anything about the office what is happening in law Fe after 47 after the Constitution still we were holding on to that act but after 2005 under this RTA act which overrides section 22 overrides official Secrets act section 22 under RTA act nothing can be hidden because of the official Secrets act

Nothing Evidence Act what is problem there is no The Evidence Act yeah Yes Evidence Act is uh taken by uh by an a competent authority to get information to produce as an Evidence in some court of law this is by a citizen for his or her understanding of the scenario they get it it’s a very simple proced evidence as is a very complicated

Procedure this is a very simple procedure I can with 10 Rupees access any information Evidence Act are we using Evidence Act just like that we can’t use it like that yes please yeah it should be shared with everybody there is no secrecy actually we need to understand our country after 2005 right to

Information Act nobody can no office can no individual can claim any secrecy about anything except your individual uh thing protected under Constitution to article 21 uh of the right to life right to life with dignity and privacy nothing else you can share it with everybody yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yes yes

Yes one second Madam is asking this simple question that when there is a construction going on they will have to put a board there with the details of the contractor the construction the schedule and the processes involved Etc and nobody put a board what we can do it’s very simple

You file an RTA to the office which is controlling that construction process one you can ask anything I will say if I am asking I will ask give me the details of the estimate details of the schedule details of the money spent for establishing and putting that board which is a legal

Mandatory thing they should do and if you have not done it why the reason for that in RTA act section 41d any citizen can ask for the reasons reasons for failure of a particular thing particular Duty or particular function so you can ask for the reasons why that board is not fix

There you can ask this question they will they will have to ask give a reply within 30 days you just try the the the magic will work you just try that’s all there on their misunderstanding and our lack of understanding we we will say when they

Say we’ll also gulp it and come back you ask you read section 41d of the act just note it down section 41d which is is very clear saying that every office should disclose everything and every office should give reasons for uh you know provide reasons

For I don’t know whether I get time but uh can you read this provide reasons for its administrative or CI judicial decisions to affected person so in our country there are only three decision- making process one is the judicial decision making second is the administrative decision making that is

What all the officers are doing third is the CI judicial which is which means uh Human Rights Commission women’s right commission child Rights Commission when they do certain things they have judicial power so that is why they are costy judicial so whatever be the decision the reasons for without reason

A decision making is a is not permitted which is a wrong decision making yes now I need to get the time permission from Matthew sir yes you Cann there are certain certain you know roundabout way they are trying trying to hide things but the main Act is basically for disclosure we need to

Go on working because our bureaucracy and our political head all are kind of feel that they they should hide everything from the people and we need to work towards a regime where we need to disclose everything with the people that’s the difference that’s what we should try yeah

Yeah defense not all the details are not available but very great extent lot of details are available any other question from anybody yeah please yes yes yes yes yeah no you you can use RT also you you can use the first and simple most thing I will

Suggest for RTA you never go to any office you just write to the prin public information officer address of that office then your question should be systematically simple straight questions now two questions what is the name of the person and the other person and the other that no question straight you ask

Three questions five question 10 question 15 question it doesn’t matter but simple straight T question so that they can reply straight they cannot hide you from you know explaining it way that should not be permitted so you you ask questions systematically get trained in framing the questions and file application and

Wait for 30 days on the 31st day you file 31st day you file the appeal Again by post never go to the office they will they wanted to talk to you and say say that this that and never get into this any of this music you just go systematically the answer will start

Coming never go to the office yeah yeah no no the the I’ll tell you sir the the fees has to go to that office that fees has to go to all the government office this stamp is when you put the stamp this money will go back to them

But when it is an independent entity like RCC or Water Authority or you know University it’s all independent entities in terms of law so in that institution they have their own ways of taking the fees you can file you can pay Straight 10 Rupees and finish it off that is also possible Right

Thank you okay thank you dear friends I can give a big clap to abor Sir so I welcome fail B to give the word of thanks if you have any doubts in after this also from all over India you can call him did you give your

Number okay uh his number will be there and you can call him and ask for good morning good morning I am Fila Karam Kerala Happy Village Happy Village of [Applause] Glob You can write down a Serv number 94978 97 S one so now we are starting the necess consumers and the senior citizen is a very interesting subject I think that the people those who are here they are getting to senior and I think that the 20 30% of

People are senior citizens so what is the rights of them and how the senior citizens can use cons protection act in their life as a coun before he he was an Anar officer he thought that what I have to do then he have in his mind two ideas one is ADV

Then he as a psychologist a counselor so he studied psychology and became a counselor for the whole people an advocate can be only for little people so dear friends now shaj Jorge from wam he is here with us and he will deliver an excellent inputs about senior citizens

And its rights thank you I welcome shaji [Applause] Jor stand I tell tell with your for granting me an opportunity to come over here and to meet and address all of you also I remember and express my gratitude to Consumer Confederation of India and noer India uh to voluntary

Organizations with uh some dedicated elegant members for the welfare of the society and enl through Enlightenment of the people uh we know Awareness on a subject is the most important thing uh we have already heard about the rights provided by government to us through RTI right to right to

Information uh uh Act is really uh a revolution in the Democratic field of India uh we have already heard that uh the citizen of the this country really get the right of the um citizen from the position of subjects really in uh in the rule of Kings we were only subjects and even

After getting the Constitution and democracy we remain as subjects but this right to Information Act clearly provides us to uh know everything about the performance of government the ruling how it is happening how that Administration is going on so that and uh these developments really provide us

Uh to have a better democracy a better life for the citizen of the country and among which the welfare of the senior citizen is a very important thing and the subject given for me to interact with you is uh this uh situation of the senior citizen uh their rights and

Um there were privileges they are receiving from the society and this uh particularly will not come under the provisions of consumer act or something like that because it is something beyond that it is more important uh to get to get some privilege and this privilege is something more and

Beyond rights right is okay it is equal for everybody but uh some weaker session should have some kind of privileges in the society to maintain their rights and if they have no such a privilege they will be unable to have their right that is the problem Really technically I am very poor and if anybody can help [Applause] e [Applause] n [Applause] [Applause] oh [Applause] one else guys then come back For faced by senior citizens really I am sure if there is some students studying 10th or plus two they will handle this very simply and efficiently uh anyhow we also have to go through life through this world which is full of technicals and Technologies everything happen for everything happened for a reason thank

You again thank you sir okay uh now we can go to senior citizen and consumer protection I have already told this is some privilege for senior citizen really uh happiness is a fundamental right of uh each person each human being in the world we know in American Constitution

There is a provision for Pursuit of Happiness and really the world follows that tradition and then happiness and well-being well-being is to live with a dignity as a human being that is something come under the human rights that is really a fundamental right of a person and in all countries which have

This Constitution and democracy really upheld this aspects of happiness and well-being but in uh practical application Justice is far away from the people because uh justice has to be turned into righteousness Justice is not for a sleeping person we have already heard that it’s a power is we have to fight

For justice and grab it and AC it but righteousness is not so that it is uh to be flow as water flows in a river or poor upon us just as uh sunrise or mon L fell upon us that is righteousness and we need a righteousness in this regard from the

Society then we have to think about is there is any discrimination uh for faced by senior citizen in this respect do you think there is any discrimination for senior citizen old age people yes yes of course because people are really uh tend apart from the rest of the society

Only because they are old people uh let us have a compartive study in this regard uh this is not for against anybody please don’t think that just for academic purpose there is a compartive study from our Kerala that is about the consideration of society especially government uh towards old the people and

And young people see in Kerala there are so many angen bades we know uh in every pchat in every W of a pchat there is an angan angan means uh just that is the school in the card that is something um that is for the children children below 5 years or 6

Years and in every W of the every PCH there is a government institution it is not a village office it is not a post office it is not a police station it is ang body in Kerala we have um go very up to the European level of Health Care

That is uh I am saying that in Kerala there are 33,5 Angies that is average 25 average 14 15 W WS but more than uh one angan in a Ward and that is for the care of children up to 6 years that is uh surely they will be provided with the nutrition

Proper education and health care that is the aim of these Angies and we know it is fulfilled almost completely that is we know if a person if a woman is known to be pregant then Asha workers will visit the house give enough nutrition vitamins mineral tablets and everything and the mother

And children the child born to that mother is under proper care of the government health department at least up to five or 6 years of that child and then it goes to the uh public education system okay but uh the fact I want to uh display before you is that the uh

Percentage of population total population the percentage of children below 6 years only 6% really it was 12% in 2001 and 10% of the population in 2011 but now um the number of newborn children is going fast down and only 6% of the total population is um the children below 6 years but the

Case of senior citizen it is fastly growing the percentage of senior citizen is fastly growing and now it has came up to 21% of the total population but the point I want to bring to your attention is that when there are 3,00 sorry 33,50 anganwadis in Kerala there are only

631 old age homes for the care of aged people it’s a good sign okay okay okay coming to that point it is a nice thing it is a part of our culture the part of our um Family setup but that setup is really changing and this changing scenario should be

Addressed by us by the People Like Us organizations like this and leaders political parties and governments that is the point I am I am going to express okay then coming to the next Point who is a senior citizen in Kerala in India it is persons with 60 60 years and above

Are senior citizens but uh in US and many developed countries it is 65 years we know uh the age of retirement was 55 and now it is 56 for the government employees but really it is not an age to be retired anyhow uh in developed countries

Especially in US 65 years uh from 65 years is is considered to be a senior citizen okay uh when I am telling about this uh 65 years and above this is the scientific presentation of uh different stages of persons that is not so relevant in this field then just to see

That is an Eric event psychologist he has divided the eight stages of life and they have there is um particular development in each stages that is infancy uh tot Hood preschool years early school years adolesence early adulthood middle adulthood then come to late adult really uh from 18 to 65 it is the

Period of a person a resources person to work for himself his family his Society his nation and after that he is to be Cared by others this is a sign for care for the Aged then we know after 60 or 65 years everything in a person in a the body mind psychologically uh

Cognitively everything is became deteriorating and so they need care that means care means care and it is care nothing less then come to the problems of an old age person there are physical psychological Financial Health and social problems these all are problems faced by a person and uh this picture shown is

That an old man is going away from the Community really um he’s isolated being isolated at the time of attaining more and more age then come to the physical problems that is body our physic turn into weak then first memory loss hearing loss then poor vision fragile bones loss

Of habitate this uh we know uh we most of the people sitting here is also a experiencing these type of things memory loss is not coming all on a sudden it is a very very very slow process we take more and more time to remember some name

Of dear ones name of place something like that house name or something like that we know it is at the tip of our tongue but we cannot recollect reproduce and this situation increases increasing and increasing and we lose our memory very slowly then hearing loss that is also we you know

That something is not clear we want to be um distinguish to be repeated to distinguish the things then Vision we know we using the spectacle is first one of the first um sign then fragile bones it is very important uh the weak the bones of the person are weak and most of

The elderly people um become bedridden not to physical weakness but because of some fracture on some important bones especially hip or something like that then loss of appetite that is digestion become poor and hunger or appetite taste Etc also weakens then some psychological changes it is very important and the

Physical changes can be distinguished easily and um we can um find out some solutions for them very easily but the psychological problems are more serious uh more affecting but we cannot find out it easily we cannot distinguish it or diagnos it easily they are depression depression is a very serious uh severe

Mental condition in which people really turns alone really avoid friends avoid talking avoid activities they are not interested but there are irritability also it is a very fast topic I am not going there then mood disorders mood disorders means mood means emotions there are quick changes in emotions

Easily easily turns unhappy easily turns irritated easily turns aggression um anger Etc comes and um they know why they are behaving so that is the reason of mood disorders then anxiety disorders we know some old amas saying that M saying that I am really anxious about my son or my grandson or

Something like that about the marriage about the job then when the son is settled um they tend to anxious about uh their grandson their education their job their home their marriage Etc that is not because of the seriousness of the issue of the children but because of the

Mental activity done in the mind of the person that is anxiety disorders then dementia it is also very important when I talk about this memory loss dementia is also a very important thing uh along which comes this alimer disease alimer diseas is really uh the reason is that some protein molecules

Are deposited somewhere in the neurons the cells of our brain and prevents the easy moving of the signals of neurotransmitters and so memory loss and other acuities happens then come down then psychosis psychosis is another problem uh this is really um interpreted as some Disobedience or uh Revenge from

The parents by the um son or daughter really psychosis is a mental condition in which the patient is unable to distinguish between what is real and what is unreal they cannot distinguish they may see something which is not actually there and they may not see something they cannot perceive something which really

There is and the sound the speech or the request from other person is head by their ear but it is processed by their brain in a different manner we know there are some parents um just when we visit them in old people in our neighbor could we visit them have you any

Medicine have you your food then they say no medicine no I am f with pain very hungry no food they will say then we think about what a cruel person their um people at family members but really they just forget about the food they have already just have and they may forget

About the medicine they are taking daily or two or three times in a day that is um that is they just forget that may be cause of dementia or psychosis and they may distinguish they cannot distinguish between people they just mistake there is something some other person that is

Uh remember psychosis is the situation where a person is unable to distinguish between reality and unreality that is because of the um defect in our brain brain processing system then sleep disorders that is also a very serious problem uh really older people may sleep afternoon some one or two hours then

They sleep very early at 8:00 or 9:00 and wake up at 2 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. then they spend their time on bed very much irritated and Disturbed without sleep and this uh irregularity of sleep and also in kind of food that is rhythmicity rhythmicity means the Rhythm or the

Order of food and sleep that may be disturbed only due to old age then uh cognitive environments cognitive environments means about their thought about their understanding there is also some imp they are unable to understand something they are unable to uh get the clear idea of something that is also

Another problem then come to financial financial problem is really a very serious problem of old people we know there are a lot of people in the family just grabbing getting their wealth their income and not caring them that is a very serious problem they may may not

Have any income or very poor income and we know the government is giving 1,600 rupees as um Social Security pension for the people and now it is not also paying regularly uh then their money their pension or their income is also handled by other people and old people are are

Unable to get the right to hand handle uh the their own money then spending this old people may have income but the spending or expenditure is done by young people and for the young people for the Young Generation for the education for their well-being and not for the old

People then there may be health problems uh these health problems are quite different from the problems I have already told about the physical problem that is some diseases health problem that is arthritis we know joint pain and something like that then old people have to face cancer that is very prevalent

Then kidney problems diabetes stroke Etc this also make the life of an old person uh very uh Troublesome then some social problems this is also very important uh first is agism uh I shall tell in detail just after that uh then come isolation isolation is really a psychological

Problem felt by the old people and we know uh there is many reasons but they are not active they are unable to be so active and smart and efficient in their daily activities as previously and so uh they themselves feel that they are worthless they are helpless and remember that they turn

Hopeless with this with this uh thoughts they become isolated they are unable to communicate with to their children or grandchildren or um the neighbors and other people and uh there is a poem in English that is one is alone on his death B and he is more alone as he dies because

When we are sick we know we are just isolated from others our friends and family members when just sickness can um isolate us and these all these weaknesses and how the weaknesses increases the isolation is also increases then uh social Mobility they are unable to move to the grocery shop

Uh to some social Gatherings neighborhoods some functions Etc because of their um just body pain or immobility that is also very important reason then communication gap that is to communicate with the new generation is very important very problem problematic matter and if if there is a grandson or granddaughter they are unable to

Communicate with them and the children is also unable to communicate with the grandparents that is also another problem then come to the problem of aism I have told that aism is a very important social problem faced by an old person person aism really resembles with racism or communalism or something like that that

Is a negative implication has this word people think that a person is old so he is useless so his words have no worth no value no importance and we can just ignore and avoid that person his words his wishes his attitudes his advice everything is just um avoided just

Neglected by others and this aism really expressed in three ways that is stereotype stereotype means a person a person is uh has some problems so all persons in his category have such problems these kinds of prejudice uh thinking is stereotype uh those who studied sociology or psychology may know all this difference

Of this words stereotype prejudice and discrimination stereotype means thinking something against Prejudice to others thinking in thought but Prejudice means feel something against some persons that is without any proper reason without any cause some people are thinking against some people that is discrimination then discrimination comes in the activity in

Actions that is just sending that person apart physically so remember stereotyping is about our thoughts Prejudice is about our feeling and discrimination is something connected with our activity and these all these things um we may we know that some people are thinking that you are a girl

You should not do this you are a child you should not this likewise people are think saying that you are an old man you should not go there you are an old lady you should not do this you should not eat this and there are some kind of

Limitations and fences around a person only due to their age this is wrong this is not right age is only figure that is uh not about the acties of a person then we need Solutions of all these problems now I have discussed about problems after listing out the problems

Separately we turn into the solutions of the problem that is first of all we want to see who is responsible for making the solutions the problems are really uh sprouting out from the society uh from our life that is about our culture civilization Etc but who is responsible for making the solutions

That is first of all it should be done by the state government from the government side of government that is from the authorities then Society has a very responsible position in this regard then family coming to because in family uh really old person are um handled Cared by the family

Members uh and I have told about the mishandling of people about the old person but I really admit there are thousands and thousands of people where children grandchildren and others caring the old people very well and above their capacity above their ability by avoiding their own rights and Facilities but it is not

Enough then uh first of all we are taking about the responsibility of the state that is about the law the loss which for Senor citizen that is something related to our consumer activities then what are the laws just to go there are only very very little law for the protection of senior

Citizen and we are discussing are they enough then the existing Act was maintenance and Welfare of parents and senior citizens act 2007 that is the act and based on this act and its amendments uh this act is not enough so there is any amendment that is amendment

Of that act maintenance and Welfare of parents and senior citizens Amendment Bill 19 sorry 2019 and in that Amendment there included abandonment of a senior citizen or parents is punishable it is a punishable offense we know uh yesterday we know a teacher is arrested for harassing her mother-in-law we have

Already seen in the videos and such activities is punishable it is a crime it is an offense and the punishment is not so serious um the case we discussed is really an attacking but this is not attacking just abandonment if we are neglecting if we are not catering them

With sufficient food cloth shelter medicine Etc that is enough to attract the punishment of 3 months imprisonment and 5,000 fine or both that is the that is not for harassing them not for troubling them not for attacking them that is criminal offense that is a different thing but this is just

Avoiding them is also punishable and some cases um that is maintenance maintenance act and that is done by okay uh but this is not enough and this uh we know it is not enough for the welfare of senior citizen we need a comprehensive Act uh that is how a person a senior citizen

Should be treated by others others means who and who uh by the uh relatives by the neighbors by the health department by the other government agencies uh and such things to be specified in this comprehensive act for the welfare of citiz senior citizens then it should be a social security act

Just as in most of the Western countries and developed countries we need a free and effective life security for all through a Social Security Act and it is uh sorrowfully says to be said that in India no such act has implemented then uh just looking to the other nations that is senior citizen

Protection the best models of the world Netherlands Denmark Israel Australia Finland and so on and we can study a lot from them and I may say no leaders or ministers or officials to visit those countries to see but just just Google it you will get how they did all these things

Then we have discussed about the necessity of a comprehensive Security Act Social Security Act then we have want to know what is an act an act is uh something made a rule made by the representatives of the people that is Parliament or legislative assembly then before making an act we need to

Form a policy there will be a policy for the party or for the alliance com in the election and they may um give this policy they will speak about this policy in this Prospectors before appearing for the election and if those party or allian is come to power they will follow

These policies and also these policies can change we can make a new and newer policies there are green fuel policy uh that is e-mobility policy um in case of vehicles there is a scrap policy and all these things these policies are formed in various types of uh means that is

Through so many discussions and we our organizations and um these kinds of movements also have some uh chance to present our uh ideas to making this policy that is policy making of the government and after that an act is passed by parliament assembly then policy that is that I said

A policy is formed based on the desire of the people or need of the people and that is expressed through various political parties organizations and popular movements any people any people can propose to a policy or propose a change in the in the policy of the government and these policies are really

Published that is also that may be published in some journals or periodicals or GS but now it is easily available for us through our mobile phone or net then uh we all have some right and Duty in forming of the policy of a government then policy uh of a

Government leads to making an act then act is something made by the Legislative Assembly or parliament of our nation that is by the representatives of the people but an act cannot be implemented to implement we need some rules and this rules are made by government state government or central

Government then in that rule in that of rules there will be uh specific description about who is to implement all this uh act who is to do what uh how a case can be taken how it can be penalized how which court will um interact in this case and what will be

The punishment something like that and now uh this uh act regarding the senior citizen is implemented by police and also the executive magistrate or the RDO Revenue divisional officer and there are so many cases that is maintenance case in Revenue Department it is discussed as a

Maintenance case that is if a person a senior citizen is filing a complaint before RDO tar District collector or Village officer there will be an inquiry through the road level that is why Village officer and um this upon this report RDO that is the executive magistrate can take make a decision give

An order to the son or daughter or son-in-law or daughter-in-law or something like that to do such such things and should not do such such things and also uh any punishment can be implemented by um enforced by this RDO but it is not we know it is not

Sufficient and it is not efficient uh we need more and more uh transparent actions in this regard then the if the implementation is come to the lower Authority it will be better and more effective so gchats or our local self-government organizations are best agency to ensure the welfare of the sen

Citizens that is uh this implementation should go to the grassroot level to the lowest level of the society then then this Social Security Act is an urgent necessity and for the effective Implement what will be the effective Implement that is uh the reason is that the reason of a Social Security Act and

Its implementation is necessary at present because because as I have already told the cultural setup of our society is totally changing it is very fastly changing and the number of the senior citizen is increasing not only because of the birth rate decreased but also due to the migration young people

Are just leaving this place leaving our country leaving our state and going abroad and they are not returning and they most of them are unable to take their parents with them so so here there will be a lot of abandoned and given up parents old people here that is the

Present scenario and uh the increasing number of senior citizen we know it’s a reason then next is the nuclear families The Joint family setup was very efficient and able to handle the problems of senior citizen there may be at least one person or two persons in a

In a family who are caring the home it’s earning surroundings uh and also it’s sick and old people but now we know every person each and every person is going out in the morning for studies for work and returning only at night and they are unable to look at care their parents and

This is the present scenario and we need not no at no cost we cannot shut our eyes to this reality that is not because of their lack of love of the children no it is not because of that that is the reality of Life they have to work more

And they have to fight to exist in the life then migration of our Young Generation then lack of Institutions then lack of funds all these things are really um compel us to have a very sting and effective measure from the side of government we urgently need a need for

More agencies to care the old people more agencies more old age homes though we can say the less number of old age home uh is uh symbol of our social security setup family setup that is okay but now it is very drastically very quickly changing and we if we are

Indifferent to this problem it will be turn a very important social problem then we need more fund Provisions we need more researchers in this field we need more trained people to handle the old people that is to handle the older people uh cannot be the duty of his

Their son or daughter because it is quite complicated thing to handle the physical mental and other problems other necessities of an old people and a trained person very easily can um handle this so and number of pained people should be more and our compassion our empathy towards the people that is more

Care and Devotion to senior citizen then food medicine shelter that is primary necessity uh that is also to be CED compulsorily then there are some programs and projects now in caram that is I have seen that is a w grasa grasa which is is um conducted in each W of

The and that is some places some in some there are special Gras Safa for the problems of old people then and the most important thing that in all our local self government bodies should have to spend 5% of their own funds only for exclusively for the old people and that

Fund cannot be changed into any other project that is 5% of the own fund Surly come above 5 lakhs to 15 lakhs that is the one fund of pchat should be about 1 CR so that is a not a negligible amount that is a fair amount but its utility is

Not done seeing done in many of the pchs then let me c this is a complex problem the problems of old person is really a complex problem and should be addressed in a larger level first that is National level make a govern make a policy and an act in National level then lawmaking

Should be made in National level supervision and evaluation should be done in state level by the state government and the implementation of the ACT should be done in lower level that is in Grand panch level and each person in a PCH we know there are representatives for each W for about

4,000 houses there will be a representative and this system know each and every person of a family and their situation so it is very easy to uh Implement effectively then more researches have to be done in geriatrics geriatrics is the branch of medicine or social science dealing with the health

And care of older people that is geriatrics it is a very important branch of medicine that just like our pediatrician or gynecologist orthopedic surgeon something like that uh that is very fastly growing and more researches and studies to be done in this respect then uh the same thing uh this is fastly

Growing and need much growth then just see uh who is an old person here see Barack Obama who became the president of us at the age of 44 and retired from his job at the age of 48 but next person president President Joe Biden he became

The president of us at the age of 78 that is the point I am I want to say you that is age is not a problem that is um this Barak Obama just a retired person at the age of 48 but 78 is the entry age

Of next president so we can do anything at 60s and the 70s if we have will that is very serious message we have to convey to the older people then other important thing is that a senior citizen is not an outdated person that is his experiences uh his abilities his caliber

Also should be utilized then uh something more about this Social Security Act that I we have already uh discussed and due to the lack of time I am just skipping Then this well-being well-being is the most important thing uh put forward by the modern psychology in the 21st century that is a right of a person to have wellbeing then uh my request is that let us wake and unite for to provide the society with necessary awareness that is awareness of the

Society or each person is very important in any movement and our attempt to encourage the leaders and our rul is to make a policy we also become part of the policy makers then uh this lead to make a necessary Social Security Act thereby we can enjoy the well-being and uh till

The end of our life because we all have to expect a period of life in our life such a period that is old age old age is really uh welcoming all people in this world and nobody is accepted only those unlucky person die before that that death is also unlucky and the sufferings

The problems of the old age is also unlucky but we have to face it face with W face with the force not the vant but dies but once dies but once only CS are dying each moment so don’t fear about the problems of old age just go into it

And enjoy it and we have to uh plan something prepare something before attaining that period that is even though we are unable to experience such facilities of the society our next Generation the coming people should enjoy these facilities that is we have to um create a road a path even a

Highway for the coming people that is the communication of the society that is a civilization should be growing in that way that is growing old day is optional if we think I am old I am old if we thinking I am not old that is we have to do something

Some some different things when we get old and do it strongly happily that is it then thank you everybody uh I am from mua and my name is shaju Geor I am a psychologist and uh counselor and you may use my priv personal mobile number uh for any communication for any remarks

Any comments uh any advice and also any help thank you all thank you this organizations and M thank you it’s a very very Important subject because some people those who are sitting here they are saying that we will not become old and they told me that M you are old and you have to go and hear that is but I am old but I am not going to see hear

This thing the young people should hear what is going to happen so you have to develop a Social Security Act for us if you are not developing a Social Security Act we all are the same so dear friends please you please the next session is 10

11:15 and 12 12:00 we have to stop so everybody should go and take tea at the aist and no no after Thanksgiving Dr PR sir will give the yes good morning everybody so I think uh I’m not going very very long talk only thing that just sum up that is

It was I think most of the Gathering are uh senior citizens so sh s’s talk was very much very informative and uh what is the how we law is La lacking but it is our attitude that makes more our theme of the this convention is itself is a Happy

Village globally so uh I think uh you have to be uh more happy for that of course laws are there but still how you your attitude that is make you one happy so anyway I first thank sh sir for his very excellent and informative uh talk on uh senior citizen and consumer protection

And thank you everybody thank you very [Applause] Much Escape from penalties so our next session is on road routs and consumers so I invite Krishan to give the welcome speech Namar heartly welcome to All sir welcome S good morning everybody first of all first of all I cordially welcome all of you to the next session of our convention that is the road rules and Consumers Road Rules and consumers I shall introduce myself myself I am Mano from idigi District now working in Kerala transport Department as a public relations

Officer and from the beginning itself I express my sincere thanks to Matthew sir the chairman noer India who give me the honor to present a class and a discussion on the matter consumers and Road regulations or Road Rules I have alloted very little time and these Road Rules and Regulations are very

Was and this cannot be discussed or uh discussed in a very little time that is one hour is only alloted for me and a number of things that have I point out in this session and there are a number of other things are also discussed in this convention

Also therefore I directly enter into the into the matter without losing my time in one way or other we are all consumers in the vast area of our society and also India is also a fast developing country consumer country and we have a number of things that

Uh are to understand both in the consumer level and and uh especially Kerala is a very good consumer State you know that who is the consumer and what is the relevance of this consumer protection in India as well as in Kerala in the early beginning of the

1990s itself an Awakening can be seen in the part of consumers in India due to a new economic theory or New Economic Policy and overall education in the field of industry and Agriculture and technology and who is a consumer we should know little about what is a

Consumer and we are all assembled here uh on the part of the consumer convention and we should know that who is a consumer a consumer is one that buys goods for consumption and not for the sale or commercial purpose the consumer also High services for consideration a person who expenses money has certain

Rights and thus such realization of right of a consumer ends in the consumer protection act in India and first of all I am giving you a connection between the consumer and a road safety or Road rulle regulations in India because uh there are three ways we use the roads especially

We use the road as a pedestrian and also we use the road as a passenger in a vehicle also we use the road as a driver of a motor vehicle in these three fields that we regularly use the road and Uh and we consume means using this road in three different ways the Kerala motor vehicle Act 1988 G gives a comprehensive direction to regulate the entire play of Motor Vehicles throughout in Kerala State also the central motor vehicle rules 1989 also the ministry of Road Transport and

Highways that is the mor passed at Central rule in 1989 which has amended by the motor vehicles Amendment act 90 20 19 come into force with effect from 1 9 2019 also in 2017 2017 the Motor Vehicles driving regulations 2017 has been come into with effect from 23rd June

2017 why with a a GSR number to 634 e of central government these three act and rules are very important in the in the case of a consumer because consumer protection means it is a knowledge of what we use in uh by by by accumulating or by buying a commodity

Or or a product from others here also while we are using the this road what are the protection or what are the rights of a pedestrian rights of a passenger or rights of a driver these three things we should know uh for our better our better better transportation system Sy and with

Safety of the public then what are the reason for the introduction of these Road regulations before 2017 there was not a comprehensive act and rules for the Safeguard of the public or the road users reason for the introduction or reason for the implementation of the road regulations is mainly for the road

Regulations have been introduced due to the increasing number of Road accident and fatality in India as you know that India is a fast developing country and the infrastructures are very much less in uh with When comparing with the other uh modern countries India’s only very little developments in the field of Road

Transport and there are a number of accidents has been Road accident has been uh during in the previous years more in in the case of Kerala itself more than 43,000 accidents were registered during 2022 and average statistics is that 43,000 major road accidents have been registered during

2022 and not less than 4 4,300 peoples were lost the their lives in Road accident during 2012 22 also this means that not less than 12% per day has been diseased in Kerala this is the statistics of Kerala accident history that is 12 persons have been

Killed in every day in Kerala it is a very very very astonishing and fearful Dreadful situation in the in the in the state of Kerala that is one person loses their life in two hours this is very Dreadful situation one person have been died in 2 hours after the conclusion of my session

This is one hour two persons lost their life it is very threatful then another important fact that we have to understand that the 70% of the Mortal persons in the age group between 16 and 29 that is the diseased persons in the age group of 16 and 29 70% of the died

Death cases are in the age group of age group of 16 and 29 another the rate of mortality is much more than that of the other states in India especially in Kerala that the Mortal the rate of mortality is much greater than that of in

Kerala then what is the reason I what is the reason of increasing Road accidents in Kerala can you say or what is the reason for increasing Road accidents Madam have you doubt right no viation rules violation of rules only reluctance to to obey the traffic rules and regulations especially that in India

That we have not ready to obey traffic rules or obey any rules that is a same reason do you drive drive do you not drive driving yes sir what are the type of vehicles you drive d fourwh fourwh two whe two whe both are okay are you obey all the all regulations and

Rules Madam where do you come from TAMU okay okay okay do you know Mal okay okay AC what is the rate of accident Road accidents Inu I think that it was an average Road total Road length is more than that of in Tamil and can you say that why what is

The reason for to such an increasing number or an increasing rate of accidents what is the reason what may be the reason yes yes that is one of the okay there a the condition of the road another anything else drinking okay okay okay another anything over speed negligence a number of reasons can

Be number of reasons can be using mob using also mobile phone and neglect neglectance Asha rash driving overp speeding use mobile phone drugs drinking etc etc all are all the reasons for the increasing rate of accidents Road accidents in Kerala not in especially Kerala but also in other

State also India is I think that India is the most vulnerable or vulgar driving system and among the other countries and also I shall put forward that uh introducing that uh the road regulations or Road rule regulations that was introduced by the mor Ministry of Road Transport and highways

Especially to SP Safeguard the driveways and more Road using public and first one and this my simple advice is that the persons present in this meeting should at least read once carefully these Road regulations uh which was introduced by the government of India and I shall put

A copy of this this regulation and this regulations are total at 40 number 40 points 40 rules are there and this is a copy of English copy of this road regulations published by 2017 and this you should simply downloaded these can be these regulations can be downloaded from the

Google uh Google and uh just simply typing Road ruled regulation 2017 which was published by Mort Ministry of Road Transport and highways there are some important uh points that I wish to discuss that is already time for uh allow me to discuss these matters and first one there is a short title

Extended and commencement second rule second point is the uh definitions and third one is the duty towards other Road uses and general public what is the what are the duties of other Road users and general public and there are some something some important points that I shall read every

Vehicle or combination of vehicle while moving on a road shall have a driver this is the first one a motor vehicle shall be driven on the Carriage Way provided that provided that provided that on carriageways the vehicle shall be driven on the left carriageway unless otherwise directed by

The police officer in uniform for the time being on the duty or by appropriate road signs that is that means the every Vehicles going through a road should have have a driver and the driver should drive the vehicle on the on the left side of the Carriage Way

Carriageway means it is the same same uh simple road carriageways then every driver shall at all times say Drive the vehicle with due care and caution with the full control of his physical and mental abilities and physically and mentally fully fit to drive a vehicle this is the rule number five

And where Whenever there is a violation of this rule five that is every driver shall be shall at all times Drive the vehicle with the due care and caution with the full control of his physical and mental abilities that means a driver will always or should always mentally

Fit and sometimes these people um Unfortunately they are misleaded by their Feit by drinking something isn’t so then rule number six what is rule number six sorry before that we should understand uh duties of a driver and Riders what are the duties of a driver and this duties of a driver every

Driver shall at all times Drive the vehicle with the due care and caution the driver shall ensure that the time of driving a vehicle he is full control of his physical and mental abilities and physical mental uh physically and mentally fully fit to drive a vehicle

The driver shall at all times m maintain a good Lookout and concentrate on the road and the traffic and avoid any AB activity with distracts or is likely to distinct his attention there are a number of sub rules are also here and I shall only giving rendering that this

Important points of the rules and regulations I’m simply giving only the title of that how you only time to disc discuss then another six role number six Lane traffic the driver shall Drive the vehicle within the lane and change lane change lanes only after giving a proper signal another one that every driver

Should give a a a a signal for his Lan changing Lane changing okay there rule number seven right of way when when a stop signal is displaying the driver shall stop before crossing the lane crossing the stop sign where a giveway sign is displaying the driver shall slow

Down giveway to traffic on the road and proceed consciously you may have seen giveway sign in some of the roads what is meant by that what is meant by the giveway sign giveway sign do you see that what is the importance of this giveway sign who gives away who should give the

Way this giveway sign yes yes yes that is the giveway sign is generally seen at a main road when a pocket Road has been entering to that main road and before that enter in the pocket road that giveway sign has been seen that means we have to give way the main road

Usage we have to we have to give the way to freely passing the uh vehicle from in the uh going through the main road on the Central Road okay this is the giveway theory another then duties of a driver and Riders the drivers and Riders shall take special care and precautions to ensure

The safety of the most vulnerable Road uses such as pedestrians cyclist children and elderly and differently abled persons these are the uh important points that a driver must take care that is a driver should take care of ensure the safety of the most vulnerable Road uses such as

Pedestrians and there is a question for you that uh on the road who has the majority who has the priority can you say Sir who has the priority on a road or a or a pedestrian or a passenger or a driver or a vehicle who has the priority pan differently abled

Madam who has the priority in the road who has the priority ambulance ambulance what about you madam who has the priority on the road you become a little confusion about that okay of course I know that the priority on a road is the vehicle only there is no person no pedestrians

No aged person has the priority but only the vehicle that is going through the road has the maxim imum priority the full priority while we are crossing a road what happened or what how can we cross a road how can we cross a road only through pedestrian

Crossing a passenger a ride sidew Walker a side Walker sidewalker means a pedestrian has only to cross a road by means of cbra Crossing or P pedestrian Crossing okay otherwise unless all the priority on a road is fully a vehicle you should understand of course of course that why

Discussing this road rules and regulations in 2017 issued by Ministry of Road Transport and highways it is provision of course this is the rotes and regulations all these things are explained well clearly explained how a vehicle has been driven on the road a driver the duties

Of a driver the duties of a passenger the duties of a pedestrian all are well clearly discussed in this rules and regulations that is why I’m giving you that you should at least read once are these rule regulations while we are entering in the driving seat of a vehicle

Radations what are the provisions that was interested or what was uh given by the government by by by the protection of law how can we attain the legal protection from uh the part of the government by implementing or by obeying these rules and regulations this is the only

Way these are the clearcut evidences or clearcut directions which was given by the by the government uh by the government in the form of a law rules obeying these rules are uh is a very must and this obeying these rules and regulations are given as the driving license has been given by

You on the basis of this rule regulations priority the rule three and four has been mainly discussing about the priority of vehicles on the road I think that it was uh uh well clearly explained uh in different points of this overall overall points okay then next one next is the

Rule eight the left right and UTS and actually this road road regulations are exclusive for how a driver can be uh using this vehicle in the road because how a left turn is taken how a right turn is taken how a uturn can be taken it was it was

Clearly en written in this road regulations and while violating this uh this rules it will give a penal offenses in the IPC section or Cara or Motor Vehicles rules and regulations this is p penal offense and here also how and I think that uh while we are going through a road we

Are straightly driving a road or moving forward there is nothing to uh there is no further or no no other rules that prevailing that we’re just riding a vehicle uh forward but while turning left or by turning light right or you take a uturn there should be a number of things

That you have to understand a signal proper signal shall be given uh that gives the rule number eight left right and UTS the driver shall plan well in advance of a turn move to the appropriate Lane of the road and give signal for the intended turn on the

Following manner that is the rule a eight TS taking a left turn taking a right turn and taking a U turn then next one it is the next one rule number nine precautions to be taken at an intersection intersection means what are the precautions to be uh taken a driver

In in the case of a intersection intersection means a junction the vehicle shall slow down When approaching a Road intersection a road Junction a pedestrian Crossing or a road Corner these are the things is that a driver must obey that rule number nine while there is an accident has been

Happened the the the the the the penal offenses charged against the driver may be rule number nine next one no rule number 10 precautions to be taken at roundabouts what are the directions that has been given by the government that uh the precautions to be taken on the

Roundabouts how a roundabout that is a motor vehicle approaching a roundabout shall choose the lane relevant to the direction of its further movement the driver shall use indicators when changing lanes within the roundabouts and also there are a number of other points are also given this rule number 10 and you should

Also read carefully about the what are the other things that you have to practice on the on the road I’m just giving you the important points only in this matter then rule number 11 indicating the signals another one is the important thing that it is a knowledge about the indicators indicator

Before that the driver shall clearly indicates his intention to change turn left or right using mechanical or electrical devices fitted in the vehicle or by hand signal that is a driver shall clearly indicate his intention to change turn left or right using mechanical or electrical devices fitted in the vehicle

Or hand signal can you say how many hand signals are there sir please how many hand signals are there first one anyone slow down for then how many numbers are that how many number of hand signals are or signals are there do you know Madam do you know how

Many hand how many signals are there how many signals are there 10 left 10 right then straight total confusion isn’t so only driver while we are going to left what is a hand signal what is the hand signal can you say left turn left how can there is not a signal

Indicator in a motor vehicle how can we indicate that we are going to turn left right okay okay okay what is the purpose of this left hand where there is any left hand signal in a motor vehicle act or rule left hand signal there is if there is any left hand

Signal what is the purpose of this left hand you are all totally confused yes no U turn left turn how can we indicate a left turn with the left hand or right hand which hand are there we used for a left hand which hand are your

Driver yes only that that that yes yes that is the hand signal there are five hand signal in the uh in the time of driving there are only five hand signals and uh right hand has can be seen that right hand then Slow Down slow down stop stop

Left is it using the left hand Allah no it is it is using why our right hand itself how how how you can indicate that you are going to or you’re turning to the left side of a road this left this right hand should rotate in 180° 180° this

Is slow down and this is stop signal this is right signal these are the another another signal is overtaking how can overtake to indicate that overtake this is the right signal no this is the wrong side of the signal that is is a misbehavior that uh and

Every driving has a significant or a special type of communication Isn’t So driving has a special type of communication and this type of signal is a wrong communication and it’s a wrong language okay okay okay then our role number 12 traffic control signals while approaching a role traffic

Control signal the vehicle shall slow down and follow the directions given by the traffic control signals in the following manner one that is first one it is a red traffic light second one green Traffic Light Amber traffic light these three types of indications are there traffic signals red green and

Amber and the significance of this uh red signal and green signal are and Amber signals are clearly explained this rule you may please read down then study well okay next one uh rule number 13 manual traffic control where a police officer in uniform or any other authorized person

Is regulating the traffic at an intersection the driver shall slow down the vehicle and follow the directions of the said officer or a person rule number 13 and is a manual traffic control there are five points extra in this set there are I’m only giving the just only title

Of this rule number 13 and uh there are five subsection in also there are five other subsection and you should all read about this and understand the rule 13 what is the importance of what was uh explained in this Rule 13 then another one it was rule number

14 it is very important that is the explain that okay okay okay another one that is the rule 14 rule 14 how we can take an overtaking on the road just only mentioning the title of the rules and then then then next one is the rule number 15 merging traffic

Merging traffic then uh Ro 16 is uh speaking about the speed of a vehicle how can we uh in what speed that we can drive a vehicle on the road different types of Roads what are the different types of roads this is also how can understand how can understand the speed

Of a road or a vehicle on the road how can what are the types of roads in in in India especially in India what are the types of Roads how can we identify this uh this is a road that is it is a national for four lane road or single

Lane traffic how can we understand can you can you say driver can you say how can you understand that how is the road is uh that can be used by single line traffic or double train traffic or how can we understand no sir yellow lines yellow lines what

Are the importance of yellow lines or broken White Lines or straight white lines this indicates the the language of a road this Lane yellow lane or broken linee or White Lane that are indicating the type of Roads okay that is explained clearly explained in the rule 16 of this road reg Road regulations

2017 another one and uh rule 17 says that the keeping of safe distance and it gives three sub rules are there and uh another one that is uh rule 18 restrictions of driving backward also that was not so important then uh level crossing rule number 19 it is level crossing the directions are

Given how we can cross a level cross in in the case of uh rail transport then another one rule number 20 that is entering a tunnel how what are the precautions that we can taken while entering a tunnel then rule number 22 says that stopping and parking of a motor vehicle in public

Places how can park and how can stop a vehicle and there are a number of uh sub rules are also there a BC D2 and it was in the are yes up to 12 points are there how can we pass how can we park and stop a

Vehicle while driving a road another one it is uh uh the usage of horns and silence SES rule number 23 says that the use of horns and fent another one okay there are a number of other important rules and regulations are also there you should simply download this

Road regulations from the Google form and you can understand how a driver should drive the vehicle on the proper manner that was given by that is the direction given by the government by the protection of this law then another overtaking there the rule 37 gives ah yes I don’t know

The help of uh this projector and Rule 37 use of mobile phones and communication devices it is a Banning of uh mobile phones while driving okay then production of documents what are the documents that a driver should possess while driving or going through a vehicle and this gives the driver of a

Transport vehicle shall always carry with with him the following documents in original except for a document that that might have been seized by an auth Sters there okay we are going to a conclusion that uh then there the route 37 is the production of documents what are the documents that we have to produce before an inquiring officer and that is uh tells about the rule 38 of Road regulations okay friends

Uh we are going to moving our fast conclusion and I think that you have heard a little about a bit of uh this vast topic and this is only an introduction uh which flash only some important topics or points of our subject and uh you should download a

Copy of this road regulations from Google and uh and read carefully and Obey these traffic rules and study well and this will give you a confidence while riding or driving a vehicle on a road and with a back support of Law and we must obey the r rules and for

The sake of the our beloveds and there are some dos and don’ts uh that we have to obey on while driving a vehicle and the religions to obey traffic rules and ignorance of the law are root cause of the increase rate of accidents and we

Shall practice a good A tiate or a a good sense of driving while while understanding these rules and regulations okay thank you thank you very [Applause] much you huh what of T of please some B of thanks B of mu mu uh I thank to all from morning onward

You have three sessions are going so next session was uh once again thanks to all from morning 9:00 you people are sitting and hearing three sessions are completed now fourth session I request CCC chairman to come on D for a photo session so this sessions was from par from every state one first

To one so I thank that last session Public Relation officer RTO any M next cons protction Advocate W sir Advocate John Joseph Sir advate W speech hello consumer consumer prote law is the best law for the country today consumer protection consumer redressal consumer protection is redressal Forum commission ERS today advate M

Bab class under John Joseph next B of thank Ki Philip today president inviting to advate m bav Advocate John Joseph persons who are present in the days and of the days I’m told to speak about judgments in the consumer field rather judgments made by the consumer protection forum and commission and so

On I’m very happy to say that I was in the field for the last several years and uh could get consumer judgments even reported judgments in favor of the consumers by the activities done by an organization a similar sister organization in which I was one of the I

Was one of the active members our organization is was named is named coin par rather a full form is Center of Indian consumer protection and research initially you know consumer forums were very active judicial activism was shown by the consumer fora after some time such judicial activism died down to some

Extent that is due to the increased number of cases and delay in Decisions by the commission by the state commission previously called us district for then the state commission uh that is that was State commission even in the earlier times then the national commission these are all the three Tire

System which we have in the consumer protection field it’s a three Tire system District Forum now 20 in fact 1986 there was a consumer protection act 1986 in the when when when the consumer protection 1986 was made by the parliament Indian Parliament it was implemented in 1990 the after after lot of persuation

Uh from the consumer groups and activists one of the activist is that common cause uh common cause one of the organizations HD shuri was the person he has to be named HD shuri is the father of Adin Shi who who is parliamentarian and all you know so that that consumer case in the

Supreme Court has paved the way for making consumer for in the country in trandum you you know once only only three forums were there in three states three regions then subsequently in all the districts the consumer Forum was started in Kerala like that everywhere the consumer forums

Were consumer for were made by the government by the persuation of the consumer Act actives in the country in the initial time the consumer cases consumer cases were consumer friendly more more consumer friendly at that time lot of cases were decided within reasonable time went on new new cases were coming

And many many times priding offices were not there or the number of Quorum was not there so decisions were not forthcoming from the consumer fora consumer commissions and National commission and suprem okay Supreme Court is the final Authority that is the upate authority Supreme Court so consumer uh judgments judgments in favor of

Consumers is sued in fact in fact need not necessarily be in favor of the consumer it may be against the consumer also but still uh generally consumer organizations uh consumer individual individual consumer activists are taking uh steps to make the for of function better but nowadays consumer activ consumer

Activism has gone down you know in 2019 government of India made another enactment consumer protection act 2019 so this is revolutionary change in the in the in the in the in the ACT there there were there were a lot of changes in the in the enactment by these changes

The the pecuniary jurisdiction pecuniary jurisdiction uh has of the consumer commission District level has been changed to to 100 cres or now it is brought down then beyond that State commission will take care of the cases National commission will take care of still further the cases so like that the

Pecuniary jurisdiction also changed three persons are there in the consumer Forum you know many of few those who have gone to the consumer fora and filed a case or even witnessed consumer activities you can see that there are three persons one president that that means uh chairman of

That uh that group he’ll be a district judge or a person capable of being a district judge or qualified to be a district judge then a state commission president is a chairman who is who is a high court uh judge and other members are also there some five members judicial member including judicial

Member five members or six members are there and maybe two consumer commissions are there two commissions means maybe two benches can be constituted for for the consumer commission so that is the structure of the consumer fora so regarding consumer judgments the judicial activism has to

Be is to be there but uh we are at a loss to find that judicial activism is really absent those who are coming those who are joining the consumer fora as members or presidents are just as government employees they are they are acting just as government employees no judicial

Activism uh no consumer activism or anything and we are getting some judgments in favor of the consumer or against the consumer whatever it is based on the cases in their hand so in fact I have got an example I yesterday I told the district President also see

The consumer judges they are waiting for judicial activism my friend Manon is also there he was also telling that way judicial activism should be there need not wait for all the formalities to be observed and the Judgment passed in that case consumer will not get Justice in

Time Justice denied is this is Justice delayed is this is denied so that is happening so if the if proper Justice is to be done to the parties to the litigant to the consumers some judicial activism is to be shown by the uh president uh president and members of The Forum why

Three members are put including the president it it is to show consumer activism in favoring the consumer if he has got a case so case sometimes cases will be filed without any case without any case to be adjudicated so that case we need not want we don’t want any

Judgment but in other cases when there is a there is a reasonable reasonable uh case to be decided that should not be delayed for ever and a day you know that some cases even even I have got a case running for the last 20

Years it will be very it will be it will be highly hard and inequitable if such a thing is happening in the consumer field there is no meaning in conducting cases for over 20 years by nobody no individual can conduct a case for 20 years so that should be changed and

People should be given opportunity to get judgment within a reasonable time in fact the the cases are to be decided within 3 months or at the most when there is a commission where is a commission proof and other things are required it should take some 6 months

Maximum that is what is meant that is what is expected but uh unfortunately that is uh those things are all only in the in the statute book it will be it will be going on and cases will not be decided new cases will be coming so when new cases are coming

Old cases will go down the in fact in trandum District Forum I don’t know whether in all district for it is like that in trandum District Forum they go by AIT so that it can be it can be easily resolved so you file the petition you the other the opposite

Party will file their their objection or version based on that you file your affidavit with the relevant documents no hearing no hearing on affidavit then you you file uh the opposite party will file an affidavit with any document finally the court will adjudicate the matter that is that is in fact theoretically a

Good proposition but in practice that is not happening as expected it is being delayed even then it is being delayed then what is the meaning to file an affit the the complainant will take three chances so 6 months will be over two months every every posting the opposite party will take

Some four months four chances or five chances so 10 months will be over like that minimum 2 years only these things will be finalized so what will happen is the consumer is denied Justice consumer can never expect Justice from consumer for a old time otherwise we have to make

More consumer uh number of Benes should be should be increased and see that the cases are decided within one year otherwise the the the whole the very purpose of consumer litigation is uh gone that is what is happening that is the pathetic situation in which consumer for is working at

Present as as a person who is who is engaged in consumer litigation and helping the consumers I’m finding it very very very awkward even even from the last you know 1986 only first consumer protection act came into Force cases filed in 1990 when the consumer Forum first formed is still going on that

Means how many years 20 25 30 years so who can it cannot be tolerated the app appet Forum it is there otherwise other for is there so consumer is not getting Justice we are we are always challenging consumer consumer we are always chanting consumer but consumer is not consumer is denied

Justice on time so that should change that must change for that consumer organizations and uh should should raise their voice government should come out with the proposal to uh to increase the chance of uh chance of to increase the chance of solving the problems on time

So we expect that that will happen uh in due course for that all the the missionary will work the in fact we cannot blame everyone for that that pathetic situation the corona this this disease you know that a lot of problems were caused by the disease 3 years nothing happened in the

In the courtrooms but still in civil courts and other places the cases are running but in consumer for the cases are not decided so we have to think what way we have to get debate we uh how to improve the system uh from this pathetic condition so further after my friend

John Joseph talks I shall come back thank you please to advate J S wahab who prides over this function s Sharma chairman of uh consumer Council other dignitaries on the DI and de FRS consumer activists from different states now I am told that today there are consumer activists from eight states now that’s a great thing consumer activist from eight States

Coming together is a very very happy Affair now I would like to Enlighten you on certain things which will strengthen you as consumer activist and which will enable you to render better services to the consumers and the general public I’m sorry that I have to speak in

English because I do not know Tamil and I do not know other languages other than Hindi now if there is anybody who can translate from English to Tamil I will take help of that person because there are around 40 persons knowing Tamil there for if somebody can translate from English to

Tamil I will take the help of that person is there anybody who can translate I can I can speak in simple English that should be translated to Tamil can anybody help me in that no I know that many of the people do not follow English that is why I’m taking your

Help so I will start in a structured manner first as a consumer activist we should be aware about the rights of the consumers now there are seven valuable rights of the consumers I’m not sure whether all of you are aware about those seven important consumer rights the first important consumer

Right is right to information right to information now as a consumer when you buy a commodity an article you have to know different pieces of information you have to know the price you have to know the standard of quality of that product you have to know the

Various uses for which a product can be put to you have to know whether the manufacturer of the product gives you some guarantee or warranty you have to know about the after Sal service that is rendered by the manufacturer or his authorized service center so on many things you

Have to have information before you purchase an article now this is true about services also when you get service from the electricity board you have to be aware about the voltage in which the electricity is supplied now if the voltage goes up you know some of your equipments will be get

Will be getting destroyed now if the equipments get destroyed then what is the step that you can take in order to get compensation from the electricity board so there are many things about which you have to know when you take electricity from the electricity board or from any other

Organization so thus when a consumer is buying an article or buying a service he has to gather a number of pieces of information he has the right for that and that is why the first important right of a consumer is right to information now with regard to government services you know that now

The right to Information Act is there therefore you can gather information from the government departments government organizations Etc by using the provisions of right to information act just like that by using the provisions of the consumer protection act you can ask for information either from the manufacturer or the dealer of

An article and they are bound to give you information so that is the first right right to information keep it in mind your first right is right to information now your second right is right to safety whenever you buy an article you have to know whether that article is

Safe when you are putting that article to use are there any chances of dangers accidents Etc when you get service from the electricity board you have to be aware as to whether there are any possible risk when electricity is used or when an equipment is used

Etc when you travel in the bus you know that the government makes sure that the bus that is rendering the service which is running on the road is safe and that is why a restriction is put that a bus cannot be used for more than 15 years it

Should be in safe conditions and there is a department the transport department and the RTO officers which are to make sure that the vehicles which are playing on the road are safe and that is why we say the second right of the consumer very important right is right to safety

So you have to remember that right to information then right to safety now there is a third right called right to be heard right to be heard as a consumer you can ask questions you if you have a complaint you can raise that complaint and those who are on the opposite side

Are bound to hear your complaints hear your views hear your opinions Etc and that is why right to be heard is made an important right of the consumer so right to be heard now I have explained to you three rights right to information right to safety right to be heard now the

Fourth important right is right to education now we know that the government is trying to educate people government is trying to create awareness among the members of the public similarly trade organizations manufacturers they are also bound to provide education to the consumers you know that some companies try to educate

The consumers through giving advertisements in the newspapers some companies send their representatives to the consumers so that the representatives go go to the consumers they explain to the consumers the important features of their product they educate consumers and then try to sell their products to the consumers so

That is our right to Consumer education now four rights right to information right to safety right to be heard right to Consumer education now there is the fifth important right called right to redressal of grievances right to redressal of grievances it is always natural that grievances may arise

When we use things when we buy things there may be chances of grievances but when there are grievances those grievances have to be redressed those grievances have to be solved and that is why the fifth right is made as right to redressal of Grievances and it is to satisfy that right the consumer

Forums are created consumer codes are created and according to the provisions of the consumer protection act apart from the consumer codes there are other mechanisms also you know that at the district level there has to be a district consumer protection council at the state level there has to be a state

Consumer protection council at the national level there is a National Protection Council all these councils are set up in order to see that the Grievances of the consumers are attended to grievances are addressed to and grievances are resolved so that is the important fifth right called right to redressal of

Grievances then there is the sixth right right to live in a healthy environment have you heard about that right right to live in a healthy environment we know that as industrialization goes forward chances of pollution are increasing our life gets miserable different diseases attack us because of pollution and that is why

The the sixth right of the consumer is termed as right to live in a healthy environment so these are the important consumer rights you have to be clear about all these rights you have to be clear about the scope of these rights only when you are aware about the scope

Of these rights then you will be able to imagine a situation and find out what you can do when you are facing a problem Etc so the first thing that a consumer activist and if possible a consumer should try to learn is the consumer rights have you taken the rights as a

Note have you listed the rights I will tell you once more I will list out the consumer rights number one right to information number two right to safety number three right to be heard number four right to Consumer education number five right to redressal of consumer Grievances and number six right to live

In a healthy environment you have to be clear about these rights so that whenever you face a situation you can yourself analyze and find out whether any of these rights is affected whether any of these rights is denied so that is the first situation that you have to

Build in yourself you have to be strong enough to analyze a situation to find out whether any of your rights is denied now next is is it clear do you understand what I explain okay now the second position is are you aware about unfair Trade Practices unfair Trade Practices now

Normally when we buy an article paying price you are concerned about the price of the product you are concerned about the quality of the product you are concerned about the safety of the product you are concerned about the after sales services that will be available to you now what do you mean

By after sales Services once you purchase an article and if it goes defective then the manufacturer is legally bound to cure the defect correct the defect they have to come to you on your complaint they have to attend to your complaint now if

It is a gas Stow that gas St has to be repaired if it is some other article say a fridge if it is defective that defect has to be cured and for that purpose they will have to attend to your complaint sometimes they will come to

You if it is within the guarantee period if not then sometimes you will have to take that product to the service center of the manufacturer now here you have to be aware of the concept of after sales service there is such a concept called after salale service the relationship between

A consumer and a Trader does not end with the sale or purchase of an article the relationship continues because the article will have life say 5 years 10 years 20 years Etc so for this 5 years or 10 years or 20 years you have the right to get after sales service from

The manufacturer or the distributor Etc so about that after sales service you should be conscious if a Trader does not render after sales service promptly that is a failure on his part you can raise a complaint about that then I was trying to explain about unfair trade practice

What do you mean by unfair trade practice unfair trade practice now there are certain circumstances explained in the consumer protection act which says that if a Trader or a manufacturer adopts such practices then such practices are unfair Trade Practices and a consumer can raise a grievance if a manufacturer or or a

Trader adopts unfair trade practice now you may see advertisements in which falsities will be published the information given in the advertisements may not be true false advertisements will be given in order to attract consumers giving a false advertisement is an unfair trade practice giving a false advertisement is

An unfair trait practice now if a consumer is misguided by a false advertisement and he happens to buy an article based on an advertisement which is false only after purchase of the article he finds that the article is not good as was explained in the advertisement what is his

Relief what is his method to get relief then he can say he can allege that the trader has has adopted unfair trade practice therefore the article has to be taken back the price has to be given back and compensation also has to be given by the trader or the

Manufacturer so that unfair trade practice is an important concept about which we should be aware so that when a complaint comes to you as a consumer activist or a consumer organization you should be able to understand what is the nature of the company complaint does it comes under a complaint of quality or

Does it come under a complaint with regard to price or is it a complaint with regard to an unfair trade practice Etc therefore you will have to when you prepare a complaint you will have to give a definite allegation what is the nature of the complaint now this

Complaint is with regard to an unfair trade practice adopted by a Trader or a manufacturer or this complaint is with regard to the quality of the product which is sold by the manufacturer or the trader Etc you should be capable to decide the nature of the complaint the

Content of the complaint and the relief sought for when a complaint is lodged with the consumer Court should be accordingly you cannot write anything sometimes the complaint may get dismissed you have to definitely say the complaint is with regard to Quality of the product with regard to after sales

Service with regard to manufacturing defect with regard to unfair trade practice Etc so therefore you should be aware about the unfair Trade Practices adopted by manufacturers or Traders Etc now another matter you will have to have specialized knowledge with regard to different sectors specialized knowledge with regard to different sectors we know that

There are different sectors electricity sector now the telephone or mobile sector Health sector education sector different sectors are providing services to people or different sectors are selling articles to people so you will have to acquire knowledge you have to earn knowledge sector-wise now how will you deal with a complaint from the health

Sector suppose a person approaches you as a consumer with a complaint relating to health sector how will you deal with that suppose a person approaches you with a complaint with regard to electricity service how will you deal with that again suppose a person approaches you with a complaint with

Regard to a mobile how will you deal with that now you cannot deal all the complaints in a single manner you will have to prepare the complaint according to the nature of the complaint according to the sector from which the complaint arises Etc you know that as far as

Health sector is concerned medical service the scope of a complaint cons Consumer complaint is very limited you know many of the complaints against doctors against medical services get dismissed because the scope of Court’s intervention as far as medical service is very limited only if you are able to prove before the court that

There is medical negligence the doctor was Reckless the doctor was careless when he conducted the operation then only your complaint will succeed now there may be accidents when medical service is rendered and a certain percentage of accidents is taken note of or is approved by the courts also so mere

Accidents in medical service will not make you successful in a Consumer complaint you will have to prove that the doctor was negligent there is professional negligence on the part of the doctor that is why I’m saying you will have to specialize yourself sector wise when you are dealing with a

Complaint from the health sector when you are dealing with a complaint from insurance now do you know how much are consumers cheated by insurance companies many of the companies are nationalized government companies but now majority of insurance companies are from the private sector without much difference both sectors the public

Sector insurance companies and private sector insurance companies cheat the consumers when a claim is put up before a company they try to reject the claim in all means when a complaint is raised before an insurance company they always try to reject the complaint as far as possible

Only if the consumer or if the advocate or the person representing the consumer is very persistent is very knowledgeable he will be able to act against an insurance company successfully so you will have to learn specifically about insurance similarly take the case of banking service do you know how much are

The banks exploiting the customers of the banks in calculating the interest in calculating the installments while compelling the customers to pay back the money different types of unfair tra practices are also practiced by Banks so the banking sector you will have to acquire specialized knowledge about the working

Of the banks do you know about the existence of utsman banking utsman do you know there is such a body called banking utsman now Reserve Bank had given full page advertisements about Reserve Bank utsman banking utsman now that utsman can entertain complaints from the customers and do we know the difference I will

Explain if you are going to a civil court if you are going to a civil court claiming some amount maybe you have deposited some amount with a bank in Kerala now it is very common and prevalent that Cooperative banks have failed and they do not pay back the deposits of the

Customers more than 100 Banks in Kerala Cooperative banks have failed and they are not paying the deposits of the customers back to the customers now take the case if the customers are to go to civil courts demanding that their money should be paid back then they will have to pay

Court fees huge amounts as court fees whereas if you go to utsman you can Lodge a complaint without paying court fees do you know that do you know that if you are going to civil court with certain claims then you will have to pay court fees and what is the amount

Of court fees 10% of the amount that you are claiming so that if you want to get 10 lakh Rupees from a bank you will have to pay one lakh rupe as C fee first if you want to get one CR you will have to pay rupees 10

Lakh as CT fee first when the case is over if you are successful that Cod fees also will be paid back but in the initial stage you will have to pay the Cod fees from your pocket only if you are succeeding you will get it B but if

You are going to an utsman there are two types of utsman Reserve Bank has got its own utsman otherwise also there is banking utsman if you’re going to utsman you need not pay court fees first then you will get early order if you are going to a civil

Court it will take years together to get a decision whereas if you go to an utsman you will get decision within three or four months and you you will also get back your money so you have to be aware about the working of Ombudsman chiefly the working of Reserve Bank

Utsman similarly in Insurance also there are utsman instead of taking the case to civil court or even consumer Court you can go to the utsman normally as consumer activist we will be thinking about approaching the consumer court for with a complaint from insurance but don’t go to the consumer Court initially

You can go to the utsman they will gave you order within 3 months and you need not spend any money and in many cases in utsman ETC you need not take the help of Advocates we know that as advocates we are also cheating [Applause] people as advocates we are also cheating

People Advocates are also cheating people so in order to protect yourself from Advocates you have to be careful to go to the consumer Court yourself to go to the utsman yourself and if you have to go yourself then you have to have the knowledge you have to learn how to make

A complaint how to Lodge it in a consumer Court how to conduct the case and get a favorable verdict Etc so about these things you have to learn what I said sector-wise knowledge have you understood that sector-wise knowledge you have to learn sector-wise you have to learn

About buying and selling of products you have to learn about buying and selling of services then Services also you have to go sector wise Insurance banking electricity mobiles sector wise you will have to learn then only you will be able to frame a complaint uh in a in a

Successful manner so these are some of the preliminary things you will have to understand as consumer activist now along with consumer rights the consumers have certain duties also how many of us are conscious about consumer duties what are the consumer duties can anybody say what are your duties as

Consumer listen ah okay you have to listen then you have to listen you have to give your opinion if there is a complaint you have to raise the complaint only if you are active only if you are raising complaints only if you react to a situation then the authorities will hear

You the trader will try to repair or will try to correct the mistake Etc so there are such duties also on the part of the consumers apart from this there is another important duty I do not know how many of you are aware about that Duty now we have to shape a

Lifestyle in which opportunities for complaints will be the minimum you have to shape your life in such a manner that the chances of complaints are the minimum now in other words we can say you have to protect your yourself from consumerist culture what do you mean by consumerist

Culture now if a person does not have wisdom and if he goes back behind anything he purchases anything unmindful of the money he is spending he goes for all the uh all the luxuries in life and then in order to have the luxuries he spend money and he gets into difficulties or Complaints now that is against your duty to Nature also not only as a consumer to protect yourself but you have a duty to the nature also and that duty is called Stand for conservation stand for conservation now Gandhi has explained that we are only trustees we are only Trustees of the

Resources we can take only what we need we should not go for luxuries we should not consume excessively we should lead simple life minimize your necessities and thus protect yourself from more chances of complaints that is also a duty of the consumer and if you can be a model as a consumer activist

Then perhaps you will be able to motivate a number of consumers around you to lead such simple life to lead a policy of conservation now do you understand conservation as I expect do you understand conservation conservation means you have to lead Simple Life you should not go for luxuries you have

To minimize your Necessities so that the resources of the nature are maintained and kept for the future Generations not for ourselves the resources of the nature have to be maintained and kept for the future Generations that responsibility that feeling is the feeling of conservation I will give you an example as a consumer

Activist I got an opportunity to visit America in the year 1991 okay in the year 1991 I got an opportunity to visit America as a consumer activist selected by the American government now the mission was to visit different consumer organizations and find out how the consumer organization in America

Function and then we were taken care of by the American government so we were given the facilities of five star there most of the hotels are seven star seven star hotels Etc now if you go there in such hotels you will see people order food more than they

Want people order food more than they want and they waste at least half of the orders one thing second in the rooms they Supply you a new soap every day they Supply you a new bottle of oil every day so such luxurious pattern of life is followed in

America how can America do this because America is exploiting the whole universe America is exploiting the whole universe all the countries as far as America is concerned for their use so they consider the whole world as their area of operation they exploit all the countries therefore they have unlimited riches therefore they can

Waste food and waste all materials Etc whereas on the way back I had an opportunity to stay one day in London also you know in airflight there is a stop over for one day we will have to stay somewhere in between so I had to

Stay in London for one day there I found in a similar hotel in a fourstar hotel I found a new soap is stick to the old so soap the the lasting one that is put on the new soap so that it is not wasted

So that is the way of conservation I I I explained this example to show you how we can conserve resources of nature we should not waste any resource in the nature because by Nature itself and as Gandhi has taught us we are only trustees the natural resources are not

Given to us according to use according to our to use them according to our will and pleasure we are only trustees you have to keep it for other Generations coming generations and if you lead such a simple life then the chances of more complaints will be limited you will be

Able to lead a trouble free life you will be able to lead a trouble free life so that also has to be taken as a consumer Duty and you should Advocate or teach this Duty also to the consumers around you okay now I think the time is over if there is

Time in the afternoon I will be waiting here up to 4:00 if there is time in the afternoon I will explain to you something more there are many things which are very interesting and which the consumer activist should know and practice in their day-to-day life

Because we have to be more useful to the people now we profess ours as consumer activist now we are presenting ourself before the general public as consumer activist and the general public have got certain expectations about us we have to fulfill the expectations of the general public and in order to fulfill the

Expectations of the general public we should have more knowledge we should have more strength and confidence to fight exploitation Etc so you will have to learn many things more now I will just offer you something now if some of you are interested in having such study

Programs in your States if some of you are interested in having such study programs in your States and if you are able to have at least say minimum 50 people to attend that study programs I am prepared to come and guide you because I was doing this from 1980s for the last several

Years I am not in the field I am in some other fields Etc but as I see you I also get encouraged now you have come from different states to to Kerala to participate in this uh convention National Convention I congratulate Mr Sharma to have taken this initiative to

Have this convention here actually the First National Convention also was done in kin it was done in a town hall say 1 and a half kilometer from here you can see in front of the North railway station Town railway station there is a town hall and it is in that town hall

That the first national convention was held in 1990 April and it was inaugurated by a great Justice called Justice tund have you heard the name of Justice tund he was a human rights activist judge justice tund so I’m offering you if you are interested and if you are prepared to

Have such study programs in your States I’m prepared to come and make you aware about many things thank you very much please phip B of thanks of thanks thank you sir and Advocate VAB who chaired the session and P sir who welcomed the Gathering and

Uh Sharma G who is the chief of uh CCI oh sorry CCF and and finally Advocate John Joseph who delivered a captivating engaging insightful insightful session about consumer rights and I was actually longing to hear more about readal also and as the time did not permit him he

Was unable to deliver that or or delve into to that area anyways thank you once again for delivering such an insightful and engaging session and we heard about many things rights of consumers and uh duties of consumers also as so let us all hope that we all inculcate a culture

As responsible consumers and we who are actually empowered consumer was and thank you thank you once again and thank you audience also for very patient listening and for your interactions also thank you again thank you thank you in this session before lunch we are going to a group photo so

Just wait for few minutes before we conduct a group photo I’m especially thankful to Mr John Joseph who is is the one of the leading consumer activist since 35 years he was the founder of First National Federation of consumer organizations cons Confederation of Indian consumer organization

SEO so it is a great pleasure for the CCI that Mr John Joseph is today here with us and we wants to honor Shri Joseph G so I invite Mr M Raj G our senior General Secretary and Mr Mr prti working president to come here And inala when we hadal St Coordination Committee we had a policy that we will not go for awards not for and we will not for such Problem Mr again we are very thankful okay now I invite here Mr lak Raj Sharma who is here from sikim he is here from more than 3,000 kilom Mr lak Sharma is here from sikim he is coming here from 3,000 away 3,000 kilom come this side [Applause]

Now I invite Mr B Singh G who is from more than 2,500 km here Mr B Singh G come please sit and uh This program the success of this program is basically efforts not only of Mr Matthew and Mr Manan it’s also a eff of our senior General Secretary Mr M S so I want to honor Mr M [Applause] S Mr Matthew is outside and he is coming within few minutes then we also want to

Honor Mr Matthew uh you and on the behalf of the our Kerala team I want to honor our state president Mr Advocate venu Menan just Come just few days back we have conducted a program just few days back we have conducted a program at Goa and more state representatives was there due to within a 7 Days program persons from the entire country is not attended the Kerala convention because in previously

I have given a concern only for State Convention but Mr Matthew announced this as a National Convention so due to the Lake of the time more States who wants to participate cannot participate in this session but presently it is a pleasure to us that it was only a State Convention and

Announced a National Convention last time eight states are present here so I want to invite one person from one state one state to create a photographs from the eight state so first I invite from from Kerala Mr Manan will be come on the behalf of Mr Matthew sir you will be

Here from Gujarat PR pya is there from Tamil Nadu Mr sraj come this side he will be from Tamil Nadu he will be there from sikim Mr lak Raj from Rajasthan uh Mr Mukesh come our state president from up Mr H sing pal come from panderi who is from panderi representative of

Panderi some representative from panderi is it there some representative p p p p some representative come here you also come come come this side just right look how about how about get It Now we take a group photo all you persons are requested to join us in the photograph person main leader should be stand on the DI and all will be the back site Come Mobile and go to Play Store And download bisare b i s c a r if those who are not in start that one you have [Applause] to hello S [Applause] So he has been he will not come so I invite Advocate John Joseph sir to come and empow us so till 2:30 John Joseph s will speak with you and after that a great program with woman only how the consumers treat woman the woman leaders are speaking

So I request all to hear that as men are here more so they have to understand what the problems of woman so I invite advate John S my Guru to speak till 2:30 okay thank you okay our stomach is full so naturally sleep sleep will come to us as a

Visitor and there will be a tendency to be sleepy and perhaps I will not allow you to sleep because you have come to learn about consumer protection now in the morning I told you a few things and if you are able to remember those things in a structured manner

Now you have seen a ladder in the ladder we know we go up step by step it has got a structure it has got the steps we have to first step into the first step then to the second third thus we are going upwards similarly if we can keep knowledge and

Information in a structured manner we will be able to remember that in a better manner without confusion and we will be able to to explain to others Also consider knowledge about consumer rights as the first step of the ladder as a consumer everybody has got a good number of Rights one should be conscious about those rights and when you are facing a problem you will have to be able to analyze and find out which of the

Consumer rights is denied by that particular situation has anybody denied your right to have information or is it a violation of right to safety or if somebody is not prepared to hear you then we should understand your right to be heard is is denied you want to have information and

Knowledge and somebody denies you that it means your right to have consumer education is denied you have a complaint and nobody is there to attemp a complaint it means that your right to redressal of complaints is denied similarly the area where you are living is polluted different types of pollution it

May be sound pollution or it may be some gases pollution or it may be noise pollution so you are right to live in a healthy environment is denied so in short when you are facing a problem you should be able to determine for yourself which of your rights is denied in that particular

Situation that is one of the step preliminary steps therefore I will say you consider your knowledge about your rights as the first step of the ladder which you are trying to go up next you be conscious about your duties everybody will be more concerned about rights that is human

Nature but if you have a little more wisdom if you have a little more nobility you will also be concerned about your duties unless we are prepared to honor our duties unless we are prepared to perform our duties then you cannot blame anybody for denying your right so we should be

Conscious about duties not only be conscious we should perform our duties now many may have objection when something is done in your area when a road is constructed you may see that the construction of the road is not proper the whole of the T is not put the

Whole of the materials are not used you may have that feeling but you may go back with that feeling you will not raise your voice you will not register a complaint against the mistake committed by the contractor and the engineer together they may be clubbing together and they

May be looting some of the materials and the construction of the road will be with inferior quality you may have feeling you may oppose in your mind but unless you raise your eyes it will not be registered and it will not be attended to therefore we should always

Be proactive what do you mean by proactive proactive means you should take the initiative and initiate something merely by feeling you cannot reform your community you have to express your feeling you have to make other people understand your feeling and you have to get them together and then have a community

Action only when Community Action is built up then you will be able to correct the mistakes you will be able to persuade the offic officials to perform their duties Etc so we should be conscious about consumer duties that is the second step now what are the duties I try to explain in the

Morning what are the duties number one you should be able to learn as consumer and consumer activist you should be able to learn you should be able to respond and then finally I explain to you we should be able to lead a simple life in which chances of complaint will be

Less why should we invite complaints and then get confused about those complaints if you lead a simple life by minimizing your necessities then you can have a quieter life without much disturbances so that also should be considered as a consumer Duty instead of going behind all luxuries instead of getting junk food

And then getting sick we know that we are taking junk food and then getting sick we know several young persons every day evening they are sick because during day they always consume Jun food and consumption of jun food will definitely lead to sickness sickness will compel them to go to doctors doctors will

Prescribe them several medicines a list of medicines they will consume the medicines consumption of medicines will create side effects new diseases will appear that happens generally so if we lead a simple life if we limit our Necessities if we are conscious about health then we will be more comfortable as a

Consumer now that is an individual benefit there is a social benefit also you will be contributing to conservation of resources I explained to you resources in the nature in the universe are not unlimited even now we know that new natural phenomena appear every now and then now this natural phenomena dangerous

Situations are actually the creation of human beings themselves unless we are conscious unless we conserve the resources then we will not be able to block these natural phenomena now can you imagine about our earth now we have learned in our classes that Earth is round it is a globe

Etc can you get me in classes in school we have learned that Earth is a globe but how many of us think of Earth as a globe when we think about Earth can you tell me when we think about Earth how many of you think immediately that it is a

Globe normally as normal human beings though scientifically we know that Earth is a globe we take it as a flat space and it is because we are taking Earth as a flat space we feel that construction of these big buildings big constructions is not dangerous but if you are conscious that

Earth is a globe then immediately you will feel that if a big construction comes on one side it will have repercussion even on the other side if there is a construction in Assam sometimes the consequence will be in Kerala or if there is a big construction in

America the consequence can come even in Kumari because Earth is a globe so if you can think about Earth as a globe whenever you think about Earth my question is can you normally as human beings we when we think about Earth we feel that it is flat therefore we are not

Conscious about the danger that may occur if something happens in any part of Earth but if you are conscious that it is a globe then you can conceive you can imagine that if something happens at one end it can have a repercussion it can have a consequence even at a far distant place

So that is the importance of conceiving Earth as a globe then you will be more conscious then you can talk to other people if you are making these huge constructions all over finally it will the earth will have to come to an end because the Earth cannot contain all

These big constructions or even illegal Quarry if we make quaries everywhere it will have some impact on the other part of the globe also so thus as consumers as people who have the right to live in an environment in a pollution free or in a safe environment we should be Duty

Conscious about these things also so that is about consumer duties then I tried to explain we have to to study sector-wise now we know that as consumers we are buying articles Commodities Etc we are also taking Services of different organizations so what are the things which we should be conscious about in

The matter of buying articles in the matter of buying Commodities what are the things first one is normally we are concerned about the price we are concerned about the quality then we should be concerned about the uses of that commodity what are the different uses for which a commodity can be put

To what are the ingredients of the commodity are all the ingredients of the commodi safe or is there anything unsafe in a commodity then we have to think about if a complaint arises how can we get redressal either from the trader or the manufacturer when you purchase a

Commodity then at that point itself you have to think if a complaint arises how can I get it R trust is the trader responsible for that is a manufacturer responsible for that is some condition is printed on the package of the commodity if not you should ask the

Trader if I have a complaint where should I approach so all these aspects you have to be conscious with regard to transactions in Commodities similarly transactions in Services now what is the practical way when you are dealing with a commodity or when you are entering into a transaction you think about the rights

Your rights one by one you consider and find out whether all the rights are available to you when you are purchasing an article in a transaction that is the way you can scientifically relate the consumer rights and the transaction of purchasing a commodity okay then I explained to you

About unfair Trade Practices somebody told me during noon interval that he is more or he is interested to learn more about unfair Trade Practices I can give you some examples usually trade organizations advertise that if you buy one sht you will get two by paying the the price for one

Shirt you will get two by paying the price for One S you will get two actually that is an unfair trade practice because no Trader can sell you any product below the price of that product so if he is offering one more product as a gift it means that the

Price of the main product which is displayed for sale is increased that is unfair trade practice now if consumers at large take a decision that consumers will not go behind such gimmicks such tricks such unfair Trade Practices then the Traders will have to discontinue that practice it is only because consumers are

Attracted by such advertisements and large number of consumers go for such gifts that unfair trade practice is still prevalent and it increases now take another case in Kerala some years back palm oil there was deficiency in the supply of palm oil some of you may remember and then the Civil supplies

Corporation had a practice when you buy one lit of palm oil you have to buy 1 kilog of sugar also so by selling palm oil civil supplies Corporation wanted to increase the sale of sugar for some months that practice continued then we made a complaint that is it is unfair type

Practice you cannot cheat the consumer by selling palm oil compel the consumer to buy sugar also that is unfair take practice we made a complaint and ultimately civil supplies Corporation had to withdraw from that or discontinue that type of sale then they had to sell palm oil as palm oil without the company

Of sugar so unfair take practices are practiced in different ways by different organizations and we should have the intelligence to find out whether a practice is fair or unfair how can you find out you can find out by comparing that you rights if a Trader is following a particular practice you try to

Analyze the analyze the different areas of that transaction and find out whether it contradicts or whether it denies any of your consumer rights if any of the consumer rights is denied by a practice adopted by a Trader it means it is an unfair trade practice if you make a complaint they

Will have to withdraw though we are conscious we do not make complaints you make a complaint either to a consumer court or to the civil supplies Department which is responsible for Consumer Protection also then they will have to take measures legally it is not allowed practically I cannot say legally it is

Not allowed it is unfair trade practice you first make a complaint to the trader you first make a comp to the trader then you take it up to the Civil supplies department or you take it up with a consumer code let the consumer code send a notice then they will

Discontinue okay so unfair Ty practices then I was trying to explain to you about different sectors now do you know the motor vehicles loan scheme is very prevalent Motor Vehicles loan scheme very prevalent loans are given by nationalized Banks or scheduled Banks loans are also given by other private

Banks now I have a personal experience I will explain to you I took a scooter I think the price at that time was 60,000 or so I gave checks postdated checks I gave the take stated checks then one of my checks was Dishonored because there was no sufficient money in my

Account then I got a notice from the financi year that I should pay buying charges extra buying charges for presenting the check once more I should pay the interest for the delay in their realization of the amount apart from these two they also demanded rupees 500 towards penalty do you

Understand they demand extra banking charges for presenting the check twice once more there is some delay in the realization of the money so they demand interest for that delay apart from these two they also demand rupees 500 as penalty in some cases if the installment amount

Is more what the demand as penalty will be higher 1,000 rup or 2,000 or 3,000 Etc in fact no financier no organization has the legal right to impose penalty on a consumer no penalty can be imposed unless there is a law you know know that electricity board May impose

Penalty or some other government departments May impose penalty it is because the department is enabled by a law made by the legislature no financier can impose a penalty on a consumer because there is no law enabling a financial team BOS penalty I fought I fought I told them I sent an

Email that I am not bound to pay rupes 500 as penalty because you have no legal right to impose that they kept silent they did not give me any reply I stopped or discontinued honoring the checks so more checks started getting discontinued or Dishonored they sent me repeated mails I send an

Email I will go to Consumer court against you then they stopped sending me emails I was not honoring my checks for installments they were not giving me notices Etc at last they approached me to settle the matter and they reduced rupees 7,000 on the final amount which I

Had to pay so if you are prepared to fight they will come to you they will be amenable and this type of exploitation is very prevalent that is something which we can as consumer organizations take up we should educate the people that no financier can impose penalty they can

Only impose additional buying charges and additional interest if there is a dishonor of the checks they cannot impose penalty I’m sure crores of rupees are looted from the people every year crores of rupees thousands of crores of rupees are looted from consumers every year by the financiers if we consumer activists are

Conscious about it and we popularize this knowledge and if those who Avail loan take a stand that we will not pay penality now that practice can be discontinued so I explained this to say that we will have to learn in detail about each sector now in Insurance thousands of consumers are rejected their

Claims because they do not have specialized knowledge about insurance and they are not in a position to present their case properly before the insurance company and perhaps they do not have the resources to go to court thousands of people are denied their legitimate insurance claims only because of technical objections raised by insurance

Company officials so we have to learn specifically insurance law and then fight insurance cases now that is a case with the health sector also what is happening in health sector we foren food we get sick we go to hospitals we get prescriptions of medicines we consume medicines again we

Get more sickness again we visit hospitals frequently now in the case of Health actually now there is a revelation perhaps consumer activist can become conscious about that now the new revelation is that millets are more healthy you have all heard Now by this time you have all heard millets are more healthy reduce

The consumption of rice reduce the consumption of wheat replace as far as possible with millets and millets were very popular in ancient times nowadays millet have come down but now the government is promoting millets farming of millet also is promoted you have heard that when Modi

Was in United States in the kitchen of White House Millet was cooked and shared between Modi and the American President Biden his wife Etc it was uh shown in the channels it was reported in the newspapers Etc and Modi has declared that by 2050 India will become the chief

Supplier of millets to the world we may be opposed to several policies of Modi but as far as this Millet promotion is concerned it is good it is good for health now if we as consumer activists popularize millets among the people and if people build a habit of consuming Millet

Also then they will become healthier along with this we can also popularize a concept of Health now we have developed a concept called holistic health program holistic health program I shall explain that if you are interested you can also take that holistic health program now we should educate young people that they should

Follow healthy habits healthy practices that is the first step we should educate young people that they should follow healthy habits normally people who follow healthy habits will not become sick at least till the age of 3540 they will be healthy now by the age of 3540 let people have checkup of their

Health under the guidance of experts let people have checkup of their health and now we know that the whole body checkup is is possible and if there is any symptom of disease that can be detected by that checkup now if some symptom is detected then take the treatment when you take the

Treatment what are the considerations when you take the treatment what are the considerations one consideration is expenses of the treatment should be moderate second consideration is the treatment should be the most suitable for the sickness the treatment should be the most suitable for the sickness the third consideration

Is the treatment should not have any side effects treatment should not have any side effects now perhaps from the point of view of importance of Health these three considerations can be rearranged when you think of a treatment choose that treatment which will not have side effect that is the first

One so choose that treatment which will not have side effect second consideration choose that treatment which is the most suitable for the sickness now when I say which will not have side effect which is most suitable for the sickness Etc then you will have to think about different systems of

Treatment there are different systems of treatment you have the English system of treatment you have the ayura system of treatment you have the Homeopathy system of treatment you have the nature cure system of treatment and nowadays there are other systems also if you are aware about all these different systems of treatment then

Choose that system which is most suitable and which will not have side effect and along with these two considerations you will you also consider about the cost Factor how expensive will be the treatment so first educate people to have healthy habits if people follow healthy habits

Normally he will not get sick at least up to the age of 35 40 Etc maybe at the age of 40 start checking up with the guidance of some experts and with the available infrastructure now we can find out symptom of any sickness if a symptom is identified take treatment for that

Choosing treatment how these three considerations it goes like this the holistic health program anyhow I’m finishing as the time is over consumption of millet and holistic health program is a concept that the consumer activist can take forward so that the consumers at large can be made healthier

And less addicted to different types of uh treatments and consumption of medicines thank you thank you very much sir how we can thank him my Guru is every time like this his knowledge is wide open so we have to explore him somebody told me from outside that anyway

And advate jph has taken his action I said no it is not the action the action is vigorous the action is not a not in a one word or two word he can speak spontanously so dear friends now the time for our woman so I thank you all

The participants outside and inside they are hearing from outside and they are saying that tremendous okay thank you we can give a big clap toate [Applause] Joseph uh now I invite the ladies speak I can’t speak also because this program is totally conducting by woman woman and consumers so I

Invite Vani and all others where is okay come so this is a section for woman and you have to speak you are ask your doubts what they are saying and we can make a wonderful session this one so CCI CCI member gatri gatri please come on the Stage I’m Get T good afternoon to all here we are going to have a session women and consumer protection act as per sdg I am very happy and honored to welcome you all to this session I am happy to welcome Mrs Anita member State consumer protection committee who is preseeding the session

Welcome you ma’am to this session this session is going to be inaugurated by gatri on behalf of each and everyone assembled here I welcome you Ma’am the van from Bangalore is here to deliver the keynote address with immense pleasure I welcome you ma’am I wholeheartedly welcome each and everyone of you to this session thank you all I I invite Mrs Anita to chair the session good afternoon all of you Anan

S uh Ral commission uh DB binu s Surendra moan sir uh my inviting and Matthew sir uh other all of you Namaste I tell you consumer protection act first of all I student this program inviting and Aram coming uh from North rival station program attending E standard man Language important Serv Ucation and awareness commission three options public service benit Improvement protection consumer who is the consumer online purchas digital online purchas f rep onl Authority cable electricity importance electricity Decision woman important gold gold dress home app electricity elects TR cable operating For ecommer mising advertisement [Applause] please listen to me womans all of you [Applause] Namaste thank you Anita M so today our topic open forum is women and consumer protection act as for the sustainable development goal of un this is where the open topic is given to discuss in this open Forum before moving

Into this discussion let’s will remind this day it is a very remarkable day in uh Indian history Vijaya Divas where many soldiers they have sacrificed their life in a indo Pakistan War 1971 so please stand up all and give tribute to our soldiers kindly requesting to stand up

All and give a one minute of tribute to our Indian soldiers thank you please be seated yeah the given concept where can be divided into two categories year the role of women in a consumer protection act towards the consumer protection and then we’re finding the significance of women in achieving sustainable

Development goal so we are going to speak on this topic today uh we need attention of all the participant and we request all the participant to interact with us and the bring the women issues and find the women issues and we’ll make the some social changes and firstly I would I

Would like to congratulate all the organizers those are present here because one who keep one step forward they are someone who can have very broadminded and one who think about others so I hope everyone are from the different organization have they have kept some their significant or identical

Their own ideas to bring in a society to change the society so I’ll congratulate all the organizers those are present here and then so when it come to the concept here I’ll start up the concept with the one sloka so it mean that when a women are

Honored divinely BLS there and when they are Dishonored all the action remain unfruitful so the society need to bring wom in all the sector socially economically politically we’re treating equal so we arew where the uh where the human rights is given the 14th article where the rights to leave

Where the fundamental rights but even though so we need to find whether women are enjoying their rights in this present scenario so with this concept we’ll move into the towards the concept here so before moving into discussion I would like to uh welcome your The gatri

Madam one who is the member of the C and I’ll request her to share the view or her opinion and address the Gathering good afternoon to all top STG Su sustainable development goals import goals total goals importants gos okay go suain development equity Equity clean water and sanitation health health is important next affable and clean next One Global goals the goals uh gender Equality uh thank you gatri madam and sharing the few words and giving the awareness and uh the sharing the information uh Among Us I would like I would request to come the pry Madam first will welcome the pry Madam to this session National walking president CCI

And I would like to call upon the stage and to share the few words and address the Gathering Is for women and consumer consumer protection act is go sustainable development goal hello namaskaram everybody knows Hindi or English engl English okay okay uh Mrs WTI uh Mrs Anand Mrs Anita and uh my all friends or all consumer activist I welcome you uh this uh as I I was come to know

That this is the session for women empowerment in as a consumer so I would like to talk how woman can protect uh their money as a consumer activist as a consumer this is the simple thing in every family of more than 50% amount of earning monthly earning will be spent by

Women Am I Wrong am I correct in uh grocery in clothes and fee in every daily uh expenditure but when uh women are spending more than 70% of earning amount every day every month every year though though she should know how to protect their money from as uh told

In uh earlier uh session by expert misleading advertisement and uh unfiltered practice and adulteration we have to know we should know how we can save ourself by using this malfi task by Traders first I would like to say when we are uh watching the headings banners of

Sell 50% discount 20% discount buy one get one free buy one get to free and we rush there to purchase we are not using our consumer mind what is this Trader is not want to make loss of their business then how they are giving 50% discount 20% discount on their

Products as far as edable things is consult in Mall expired dat are near those good they are selling buy one get one scheme after purchasing we bring it those things in our home and at that time after 10 day after 50 day after 5 days expired it is

There and we are eating that thing that’s why don’t rush in uh greedy Moment Like buy one get one free sell 50% discount this discount those discount use your sense consciously second thing misleading advertisement yesterday I visited One Mall one shop for to purchase S and K Kerala

S and uh I asked them for Discount they told me if you are purchasing we will give you 10% discount coupon if you are purchasing ,000 rupees uh uh s we will uh give you 100 rup coupon I think I I I thought something is wrong we four person were

There and think uh we will purchase 10,000 rupees uh s we will get 1,000 rupees coupon and again we will purchase One S of 1,000 rupees this is the simple account but on that shop they told us you if you are purchasing 10, uh if you bill is

10,000 rupees you will get coupon of 1,000 rupees uh in different manner different uh number one coupon 100 rupees one coupon 500 rupees and when you will purchase again in February not right now in February when you will purchase uh 2,500 uh rupees uh uh Bill and you will

Get 500 less from that it means straight way they are not giving discount of 10% as on their Banner as they declared first we purchase 10,000 rupees Bill and then again we will purchase the 10,000 rupees we will get only five uh 10% y not 10% they are giving us 5% when

Then in February it’s called misleading advertisement we have to aware for that this is only one example yes Madam so when we are going to purchase vegetables fruits what happened we are doing bargaining with uh vendor I’m bargaining I did bargaining with every shopping every my shopping on that time we told him if he ask the rate 100 rupees kg I bargain with are you ready to give me 80 rupees

Kg and on my mind mindset if he is ready to give 90 rupes kg it will be okay then 90 rup kg I purchased vegetables after that I ask him for some uh free chili free coriander free little uh bit of uh Ginger yes and then we are happy we bargain 10 Rupees

And we get this much thing free but we never wait the original vegetable what we purchased from him and the weight was definitely less than what we paid for that in uh uh your state I don’t know is there a uh gas pipeline or gas cylinder generally you are using cylinder gas

Cylinder uh anybody knows what is the weight of a uh gas in cylinder 14 14.7 14.7 anybody else did you measure when uh delivery boy come to your home to deliver this gas cylinder never okay you never check it anybody uh check the expired date of your

Cylinder yes every time when you are getting delivery are you watching the expir date of your cylinder no yes yes that is the good thing and do you know the what is the weight of the gas cylinder empty cylinder no it was written on your cylinder oh yes exactly exactly exactly

The gas cylinder empty cylinder weight you have to add 4.7 14.7 and the total weight should be there when when delivery boy delivers you new cylinder but we are not doing there are so many uh section when we are cheated by Trader or vendor or anybody when we are spending our precious

Money uh you are purchasing uh milk in uh dairy milk in form of 500 MLS pack I don’t know uh which kind of of milk you are purchasing lose milk or in pouch milk totally pouch 500 mL pouch okay when you are going to purchase the milk from your pouch

Milk how much you paid for 500 mg pouch as according to MRP printed on your pouch or more one or two rupees more okay that’s a good thing but in so many State uh the vendor is uh telling we are make uh we are preserving milk uh for uh

By Cooling and we will take cooling charge one rupes more 2 rupes more it will be not happen Okay that’s very good thing but in each and every stage women has to take care of their money what they are spending either misleading advertisement either unfair trade practice either uh more

Than MRP you are paying you are PCH uh you are getting less quality you are purchasing uh less quantity we have to take care of that because we are using More than 70% of amount of our total family income am I wrong no and remaining 30% is used by to

Purchase big property or the gold and uh for the uh big uh ceremonies marriages Etc but most of the the amount uh used by female we then so this is the session for for women that’s why I’m talking only for women there is the point if you are feeling cheated by

Anybody vendor or Trader distributor or dealer then what what is the remedy you may ask you may give your complaint first uh to the vendor from whom you are treated you have to talk with them you did the wrong thing I can shoe for uh against you in consumer court if he will

Agree he accept their uh mistake and then your complaint will be resolved if you don’t agree then you may go to any consumer organization you may go to uh District Supply officer you may go to Consumer Affairs Department you may go to weight and measure officers with your complaint they will

Try to resolve your complaint in way of pre litigation mode and if on that uh level if you don’t get remedies of your complaint if you don’t uh resolve your complaint then you can go to Consumer court it’s called Uh District consumer redressal commission every district is having this uh District consumer redressal

Commission according to Consumer act consumer protection act 2019 on that Court when you think about court you think uh you have to appoint a Advocate you have to pay them a big amount of fees you have to go there in every ad adment no you may file your complaint

Yourself you need not required to appoint any Advocate and this is the simple format to file your complaint in consumer Court consumer Court I I I will use the word consumer Court but it’s a consumer Commission in consumer commission with evidence when you are filing your complaint they are

Giving notice to opponent they will Ser notice to opponent opponent will when opponent will appear within 45 days and give their stand against the consumer uh Commission then you have a right to uh give reinder against their reply and after that you have to give your argument and judgment will be on your

Hand if youth feel that judgment is against you and you are right you you have given proper evidence but judgment is against you then you may go to higher Court State means State consumer dispute redressal commission and after that you may if required you may go to National Consumer dispute redressal commission

And then after you may appeal in Supreme Court Court also these are the four step but most of the uh most of time if you are having proper evidence you are having uh proper complaint then you will get remedies against opponent in District level commission if you have any

Questions you may ask me no questions I think no question is a good thing or bad thing yes yes yes I would like yes yes yes good good good yes your question please please please come please Come sorry gas cylinder please please the gas I told total weight of the cylinder 14.7 but I check the net it is told 14.8 which is correct 14.75 is correct 14.75 is correct yes yes uh weight of uh guas apart from cylinder cylinder weight are different

Some cylinder are 19 k 19 kg some CER cylinder are 18 it was written on cylinder it was written on cylinder in a yellow with yellow color and you have to add 4 uh 14.75 on that and the total weight should be there okay you can ask the person BR

Gas yes yes you this is your right this is your right to ask the delivery boy of cylinder to uh measure the weight before getting delivery if he is not taking a measuring machine with him then you may refuse to take cylinder and you may complain to gas agency and gas agency is

Not listening you you may complain to the district Supply officer District Supply officer will take action against the gas agency and that delivery boy Yes yes yes yes okay okay yes uh in a cylinder there is a three pillar like three pillar and then round ring on that pillar you will see A B C or D and then 230 2 uh 30 it means uh a means January February March B

Means April May June c means July August September and d means uh no October November and December and if you find 2 25d then in December uh 2025 the expir date of that cylinder after that if you are using that cylinder it may be blast and

Uh you will get damage on the that’s why uh when you get delivery of cylinder see the expir date of cylinder and measure the total weight of your uh gas what you have purchasing and what you are paying for That uh in in all measuring machine if you have uh that weight measuring machine that uh number uh you displayed when you are going to purchase anything from by waiting this kind of uh measuring machine in that also they are giving stamping on that by weight and measure measurement department and they

Are using this code this is decided by government not decided by no I don’t know the IDE ideology but whole January Fe February March it is better to use ABCD it is so Easy yes yes exactly exactly exactly gas company is not putting coding on the cylinder When government orders uh uh given uh given to by department on Manufacturing Company of gas cylinder and that their criteria no no no no no no no no no no no no no

No no no we have to over this much uh for for that we are for that we are we have to we have to aware the each and every people for that we are here to our people what is the meaning of that a 25 and a 27 B 45 for that we

Are okay no no no no no no no no ABC OB is there any question again is there any question regarding any complaint yes uh c9.4 in 14.8 29 which this is correct after uh this session I will show you I will come to the topic women

Ro in consum protection and Achi the sustainable go okay okay uh as far as uh one question from uh your side what is the insurance if within uh warranty period of that cylinder if cylinder blasts if expired cylinder delivered to you and it it blast and you get damaged you may

Give insurance by government and you may ask for uh uh you may apply for that and you will get uh the damage is the amount of Damages there is a provision the insurance taken uh by government for sake of your lives and your properties against uh damage of damage by gas blasting

Yes no no no no no no no no it no extra premium you have to pay if you are a consumer you are having your own uh connection then you are eligible to get uh Insurance uh against uh this kind of Damages by your GL gas cylinder okay and now this

Is I I can’t I can’t hear properly the agency the supplier within 5 km under the customer has not pay any more chares it’s important within a perview of 5 kilm from the gas agency you did not give any single rupees for as a delivery charge after that according uh to government

Described you have to pay per kilometer or this much Rupees amount as a delivery charge okay and now uh we [Applause] Are this is the main topic of today’s session what should women women can do to uh make their uh sustainable and make the a uh to achieve this goal in consumer movement first we have to aware ourself we have to educate ourself and then we can educate another we have

To raise our finger we have to raise our voice against any kind of teaching any kind of uh uh Consumer complaint if we think that okay it’s okay it’s a question of 2 rupees it’s okay I don’t want to complain no if there is a question of one panny we have

To raise our voice against this kind of activities done by anybody and for that when we are going to raise our our voice against anybody we have to educate about our rights and responsibility if we are not educated about our right and responsibility we can’t raise our voice

Against these kind of techniques done by vendor and Traders or anybody there are uh so many cases filed in consumer C against insurance companies in uh medical uh negligences case medic claim cases they are giving less amount they repated your case uh your claim showing uh double meaning uh that U conditions

Written in in that condition uh then policy though we have to learn we have to interpret properly the conditions of policy and then we have we should purchase any policy like life policy or vehicle policy or any insurance policy or medicam also when uh insurance agent came to

You they will show you big big uh dreams you will get this much amount you will get this much amount after the this much year you you pay this you pay this and you will get this much and at the time of claim insurance company deduct your amount they reputed your

Claim and that time we are feeling treated by that agent and that company that’s why we have to read we have to learn not only read but we have to learn the terms and conditions of your policy very clearly and after after that if you will

Agree then and then only you have to sign you have to pray pay the premium on this occasion I would like to say there are very few amount of women’s are here 1 2 3 4 5 6 and this is the Dignity of our Das

But in general there is a no gender in consumer we all are consumer and we we have to protect our rights we have to learn about our rights and when we feel cheated by anybody we have to raise your voice this is the main thing when we are

Starting to raise our voice against a complaint then the vendor Trader manufacturer and dealer distributor all all will be our all will be come down otherwise not okay then I’m very thankful to you all people Dignity of Das Mr uh Matthew sir Mr soraj G and team of

Kerala thank you very much for uh this event this today’s seminar and uh all the things done by you it’s a very good thank you so much thank [Applause] you so thank you ma’am uh now it is the session for the discussion with the some question to the all the male fraternity

Here so while looking this Gathering participation of women ratio countable is only few then questions to all do woman redressal or participation is huge in India or what is a step can be taken what is the participation of women in aspects of consumer protection in a concept towards sustainable development goal we aware

Sustainable development goal it is a inclusive growth goal where connecting and inclusing all no one should be out of the development it is a main theme of sustainable goal by the year of 2030 right and Justice equality and integrity so do you think women are integrated the questions to all

Is woman participation is increasing in uh India yes we need the justification from the yes in our in a party special in a political or social reforming or in economical view or in a education sector or getting the good health sector in all the sector Madam Yeah in our India wom’s

Participation in every field is noticeable recently also that wom’s scientist is very good so every Field in administ ative political in our India first prime minister IND Gandhi g is in the world first prime minister so noticeably scientifically education field everything in health field also mutaki

Is the first lady doctor in our India Tamil Nadu so every field women’s development is there equal participation also there only because of education education made them confidence and uh goldness in every field thank you for opportunity okay so the point of view is the woman participation is gradually

Increasing gradually increasing we are asking if it is a gradually increasing the number of participants should be more in this event Madam now I will Of yes there is a little bit of M Domination of course so we need the some some other answer from somebody we need women to give answer for it either women participation is increasing in India so if it is of course yes yeah the answer is from the Das no can you pass the mic yeah

So then what can we do to increase the women participation in all the sector you demand for equ participation in politic leaders yes so the election the commission it given the statistics and overall the country the 9 percentage of women with the participating in a political sector then where

Remaining so there is a need to educate the women more and I request to all the male fraternity to stand for the women so so when you are standing the grassroot you see the statistics says that school Dort girl child school dropo is a more than boy why the Reason have anybody uh did any research upon this school dropout of girl school dropout yes the title it is a given what is the title Happy Village Globe the Happy Village can be created while giving the educating equally to girl child also Okay so s is sharing his view in a room rural area the action should be implemented to increase the girl child education I have visited the many schools where in a remote controlled Village areas the number of girl child they are more in a preschool and till the fifth 7th

Standard after that the number of the girl education is gradually decreased the reason is what might be the reason government is providing why only one person is interacting I need the woman to be interact here and last please you can share your opinion yes yes okay clear the

Question women repeat the women asking the reservation at the same time they are saying they are equal to men is it not paradoxical uh I request to give for this answer uh and I ask the dignitaries you can listen that question and we can interact with them

Yeah yeah yeah you can explain yeah you you too we need the male to come forward to explain about the female issues yeah yeah the answer to his question lies in the policy of the Constitution which provides for reservation of schedule cast and schedule tribes now the fathers of the

Constitution decided to provide reservation for scheduled cast and scheduled tribes because scheduled tribes and scheduled cast were downtrodden for a a large uh long period centuries they were downtrodden unless a helping hand is given they will not come up that is the reason for reservation in the case of women also women are

Downtrodden from centuries unless a helping hand is provided to them they will not be able to come up on their own that is why reservation is claimed by women and that is the reason why reservation should be provided to women sir is it your point of view is

Reservation is no need to be in our society so can uh we go with the point of the why there is a reservation is a needed according to your uh population yes you need a reservation or representation as per your uh Community uh number yeah it is indicator some of

The indicators are there for it okay why don’t you claim for equal representation that is his question you should ask equal representation representation on the basis of the ratio of population yeah for that the grassroot of the education literacy is needed for women right nobody is stepping the out

Then who will B the cat so it is a way the issues are there so we need to educate more in a rural area I do have a point here the moment we say uh reservation or representation does it really look look into the capacity of the women when we

Say so-called reservation or representation we doesn’t uh take into account the individual level or capability of women per se if you are going to have any classification over whether women have come to a certain standards or we are addressing women of a particular standards here it is only to

Differentiate whether people have come up because now we can see most of the women are coming up academics in most of the board examinations we can see women are performing well it doesn’t mean that uh the percentage is getting varied so when you actually say that women have to

Come up to whom are you going to have this percentage of reservation or percentage of representation you’re going to give today after so many women are coming into politics but remote control of these women’s fun functioning is happening everywhere so even here in consumer forums I am finding it very very strange

Why women are not able to come and fluently speak and communicate it doesn’t mean the language I’m saying it is actually conveying of the message so what is happening are we the consumer organizations really keen on taking the values and principles of consumerism first of all to us as well as to the

Fellow gender this is a serious question I am reflecting within my mind thank you there is one thing you need to share yeah so uh I hope many we are aware about the national income right so national income the county where the excluded point the view of women the

Woman will be walking at home as a home maker the housewife the more than 8 hours but it is a unproductive job where it is not considered as a payable but the same work if if she’s ready to go do somewhere else out of her home own

House then it is a very calculable then is it this considered as justice so sustainable development goal with the women and achieving the the consumer protection with this the concept base we have to look the woman so whether it is a just ible or not excuse me Supreme Court told

That uh the Homemaker womens are not unproductive uh person yeah and uh they Define how much uh they ear yeah so how many are gaining and uh uh I have to I would like to say that when we are talking about the role of women 50% role of

Women uh I would like to say all the male please leave your ego and Dominationshipmentismad necessary only woman should be uh 50% uh uh reservation in uh politics in this field and that field no every field which according her capacity according her capability you give them free hand to do work Beyond any limitations then you will get more participations of women in any

Field that I I think that there should not be any kind of uh reservation like scst and uh this is not necessary only male has to live their domination and egos it will Work marri of marage why why women girls are denying marry because they don’t want to live their life under any domination of equal person no no no no they don’t they want to free from any any prison that’s why that’s that’s that’s you have to give free free hand

To your women to your girls to your daughters to your wives to your mothers also when I’m giving one example when man men can marry at the age of 50 60 70 why not women why not one father can marry when why mother cannot not About you male has to change their mindset it’s a it’s a type of the freedom of choice right is is is Like State president please come to Stage the all to advocate dear friends the National Convention of the CC and India join the program The sikim State president the honor to our chief guest Justice Moan Uh please come to our senior General Secretary Mr Sil sir s sir other person please who the other person sir M president Dr s sir please come to D the honor to CH guest or [Applause] Advocate dear friends in the warmly welcome to CC and noar India thank you dear friends our respected Justice surenda Mo sir our past trure District Forum president Dr radhakrishan s tamad CCA State president and my dear friends from sikim to lead it is a great time for all of us that we

Are having to take some decisions yesterday we have taken a decision that we will arrange rural ambassadors to for mediation and for eiling purpose from the shop from the workshop from Road from bus wherever you are your complaints can be filed by the rural ambassadors so we have taken a step to

Go for that now today we are taking the decision of organizing 5 lakhs consumer movements in India from today to 20130 because 2030 has the importance of sustainable development goals so we are having to Consumer movements in India five consumer movements the people from all over the state here the people from

All over the Grassroots perhaps they cannot grasp English or other languages then also they are be they are ready to work for the rural people so this is our second step the third step years we are asking for a consumer Ministry now all of us know that the ministry is

Under civil supplies consumer consumer affairs is a under the C supplies so we have today we are going to sign a m campaign all over India to ask Central and state you have to get consumer Ministries so if we get that the consumer ministry will function more

Effective after that we are now giving an award to for the excellent editorial to the Daily we have got appr people’s coming from for madumi for this article about the court order for order but unfortunately they are not interested to get it you and I we all are

Consumers we are reading the paper giving money what we have to read the paper G should not do the we have to read what is interested to us so I think this is the chance this is the place that we have to understand that only for advertisement and getting money the

Paper cannot go so the people from all over Kerala and Mal speaking people unanimously said that the excellent editorial has done by Diva for the consumers and farmers so the award is given by our Justice to daily so I think that this these are our works and till 22 23

2030 we will we we can see together what we have done only one words we have to work thank you dear friends I invite Justice s sir to inaugurate this W function this people are from all over India uh and consumer activists from all over India thank you Sir thank you very much it’s my great pleasure and privilege that I’ve got this opportunity to participate in this function where the consumer activists from all over the country have got together to deliberate upon the manner in which the rights of customers uh consumers could be better protected president of

The consumer Confederation of India my friend Dr r other dignitaries on and off the Das consumers we are all aware are one group that is the most exploited in any society you take any society it is a consumer that gets exploited at all times for every price hike for every

Difficulty that a society encounters it is the consumer who Bears the burden we must understand that even the Kerala is a state where the major income that the state gets is from the sale of liquor and from sale of lotteries because we don’t have much industrial activity or other

Activities taking place in the state but whenever the price of liquor is increased we always feel that it is some not something that would affect us because we don’t consume liquor but we must understand that ultimately even the increasing the price of liquor ultimately affects the ordinary consumer who does not consume

Liquor this is because it is the labor class that consumes the liquor and when just because the price of liquor is increased they would not stop drinking but what they would do is along with the increase in the price of liquor they’ll demand higher wages you ask a carpenter to come for a

Small work in your house he wants 1,100 rupes per day so that this increase in the higher wages that each one of us would have to pay because the price rise of liquor Cascades and comes onto the shoulders of the ordinary consumer therefore we must understand that any price hike any

Fiscal uh burden that is thrust upon any society it is the ordinary consumer who Bears therefore it is in order to empower the consumers it is necessary for us to be aware of the fact that uh this it is this that affects the right of rights of the consumers

Most we have now in place a new act consumer protection act 2019 of course this uh act has taken a very big step from the 1986 act it has uh it is more broad-based it takes into its fold every type of commercial transaction whether it is online offline multi-level

Marketing all types of selling are now included within the Mischief of 2019 act but in spite of the elaborate Provisions made one aspect that has been one important aspect that has been missed to be addressed by that enactment is pricing how are prices of Commodities fixed that’s why I told you

See the even the increase in the price of liquor is born by the consumer who does not consume liquor apart from this the any com the price of any commodity that is enhanced now today also I saw an advertisement where the Hyundai car company has published a an advertisement Harding the consumers to

Purchase their models before the price hike of next year so they accept as a rule that every year the price of a car should increase but why is it a rule that prices of Commodities should increase every year see people who are connected with the exporting of products

Will tell you that if you are exporting products to Japan the Japanese will ask you whenever you ask for an increase in price they will ask you we’ll Grant we’ll buy at an enhanced price only if you adopt the open book method so when I heard about this I was

Curious to find out what is this open book method so open book method means we the person the seller would have to place his account books before the buyer and see you were giving us or selling this particular product for $10 up to last year now you want to

Enhance the price to $15 why which is the ingredient that goes into your product which has become more expensive they ask so if we say that now the labor is become has become more expensive now the laborers are being paid 100 rupees more then once you convince

Them they will accept for an enhancement in the price by that 100 rupees if the customers had such a right or such an opportunity to demand from the manufacturer or the seller why you are increasing the price of our products it would have been wonderful it would have

Uh given us more uh value for the money that we pay now we pay a lot of money for very little that we are able to purchase if you want to purchase a shirt the manufacturer shirt like Louis Philip will say each shirt is 3,500 rupees but what is their cost of

Production their cost of production would be less than 500 rupees so they are actually recovering from the consumer profit that is hundreds of times more than the cost of production they may say that for advertisement we are spending a lot of money but then you go to buy a

Toothpaste any toothpaste now will cost some 165 rupees for that matter a toothbrush toothbrush is also like that exorbitantly priced we must understand that this is not the situation in other developed countries in all other developed countries the essential Commodities that we need are all reasonably priced and that will

Bring down the cost of living of every human being if only if we are able to bring down the cost of living the would get a better deal in our country even with all the laws we find that the customers get a raw deal at all times is it not necessary that we

Address ourselves to this problem of how to fix prices how to enhance prices we could have a national pricing board like the national wage board or the minimum wages Authority or something like that which would have to be approached by every uh person who wants to enhance the price and if you

Are in the habit of watching the commercial practices you will find that uh see what the sellers do a usual practice that is done is they’ll first say uh on a 100 G toothpaste they will say now you are getting 25% extra at the same price and they say

That our pack package is 125 G immediately you must realize that that is the first step towards enhancing the price The Next Step will be they will say that the offer period is now over now the 125 g pack will cost that enhanced enhanced price inclusive of the

25 G extra and the third step will be they will remove the 25 G make it into a 100 g pack again but the price will remain the same you can watch it’s very easy to watch the toothpaste the pinhara is a tablet or is a medicine that most people would be

Using whenever they have a uh something problem with the tummy they swallow a pinara for 10 capsules of pinara it used to be only 10 Rupees and then came a packing with with two tablets extra at the same price then the two uh and the price then

The two tablets were removed it went back to the old but then it became 14 rupees then now it later on it became 18 rupees I don’t know what the price is now so that is how they slowly enhance the price and the customers would not even notice that the manufacturer has

Increased the price without giving you any anything extra so it’s a case where you end up paying money and not getting any benefit commensurate with the price that you pay the these are all practices of which you must keep track of because if each one of us can keep track of these

Practices we’ll certainly be able to challenge these practices the manufacturer is always interested in getting more profits and the seller who is the dealer of the manufacturer he is also interested in making more profits we have the classic example of the prices in petrol going up petrol and diesel prices go up but

They never come down when the prices go up they say that the prices of crude in the International Market has increased but when the prices of crude in the international market Falls prices of petrol and diesel in our country do not fall that is why the only thing that defies the rule

Of gravity are prices prices once they go up they never come down and uh the governments are also happy because willingly without any complaints people will go on paying at the government’s uh public exer is also get also benefited in the process so I just wanted to draw your

You I’m certain that you would have dwelt upon a lot of other points during the two day session that you had and that you must have had a very enlightening and uh empowering section uh experience during these last two days I just I don’t know whether you

Have dwelt upon this aspect of prices but please if you have not pay your attention to prices because increase in prices is one area where the customer is powerless they always give the argument put forward the argument no no we are not asking anybody to buy only persons who come forward Willingly with uh and who are willing to pay the price need purchase but uh these are all excuses because see in the case of petrol do we have a choice prices of essential articles when they are enhanced customer is not able to resist customer is not able to decide

That he should not buy in the US there is a very strong movement called the consumer resistance movement where the consumers will boycott every article that is overpriced the price of which is not uh your far are in excess of the benefit that the customer is able to

Derive we can also think of some method like the consumer resistance where the expensive Goods that are thrust upon the customers and marketed through effective advertisements are boycotted by the process of consumer assistance please think about these things I only wanted to place onor aspects before you on this occasion with these few

Words I declare this valory SE session as formally inaugurated thank you thank you very much [Applause] For hi thank you respected Justice is very nice informative and empowering speech I think that you all understood and we will give you the recorded speech to all of you to after hearing now we are having the as you all know noal India is giving newspaper awards every year it is

For reporting consumer newses and editorial cases so this year we have God selection the Excellence award in editorial to Diva we congratulate Diva and I invite father Sun COI Chief to come and receive this award from Justice you should give a big clap to [Applause] Him As a consumer we all are seeing television we all are reading newspapers magazines the consumers are interested and they want they are looking this type of informations that the papers would also Al know that is why we are arranging this type of programs now I request Dr radak Krishan sir to for a

Campaign we want consumer Ministry now all of you know that civil supplies Ministry is handling consumer cases so the people those who are working in the or those who are purchasing things for as grocery items they are in the consumer codes so this should be changed there should be an independent

Consumer Ministry because 140 cres of people are having this problem and they are the benefactors of this consumer act so an independent consumer Ministry should be open so from all over India s Dr radhakrishan sir and shaj General Secretary cc is jointly signed and we

All can sign from all the places and I invite Dr sir to speak and to honorable Justice Surendra M our uh no sir mat G and all other dignitaries on the Das and also yesterday as you all know I have given a speech here highlighting the issues of the consumer

Today we are very proud of getting a person like justice Surendra mohanji to inaugurate this function why I say we are proud of whatever he has spoken to you it is from his internal spontaneous outflow of his internal feeling with regard to the consumer interest as a high court judge was a

Very efficient judge during his period as a judge of the Kerala High Court as a state president it is my duty to say all along I think he has only more than only two or three months more as a state president or something like that all along during his Reign he was fighting

For the consumers we cannot even imagine how much strain how much efforts he has taken to W the consumer interest and he was fighting or he is fighting against a very very very very Force which is as good as Mountain they are not bothered about the consumers their interest is entirely

Different from our consumers interest in Kerala I would like to express our sincere thanks to him for standing always with the consumers is a man for a consumer justice so I repeat we got a right person to inaugurate this program my duty today is to declare a resolution of all unanimous

Resolution that I reading and I have signed and this will be given to shelar we hereby unanimously resolve to have an independent Consumer Affairs Ministry in Center as well as in state and it should be separated from food and civils supplies Department we have to pass this resolution without any any objection

Unanimously we hereby resolve that so as we have decided about 5 lakhs signatories will be here and this is today we start it so now I’m giving to Mr uh s [Applause] [Applause] Dear respected honorable Justice team Dr dear respected Dr radhakrishan sir dear my respected friends and my dear what I can say my dear brothers and sisters this two days we are together we have been discussing we are speaking about the empowerment of consumers and consumer movement

Here you have and we together taken too many decisions and we are ready to go all over India to aware the people India 140 cres of people there 40 cres of people don’t know how to read and write and 25es of people did not see a school till this time here is our

Work we as consumers consumers and Farmers should join together now we all of us know that till 1980 in our Kerala I’m not speaking about India there are only very few hospitals there are no multip specialty hospitals we got it only by our diseases how it comes only by our

Food so dear friends consumers connect Farmers each and every consumer to get what the farmer is doing when I went Indonesia to see what is Happy Village our program is Happy Village when I went there the people are very happy they said that they are not greedy

And they will not be greedy also because every time there is natural calamities then also they are happy the farmer is getting 1 lakh rupees the doctor is getting 75,000 the dver is getting 50,000 you cannot think of that and we asked how many Hospital in this District mang the richest District in

Indonesia Malang Technical University invited me they said that we have only five hospitals we don’t want hospital and doctors because we are taking food from the farmers they are cultivating organic farming de friend why we are we are educated we know everything but why we are taking the pesticides Foods as

Consumers we have to think after 20 or 30 years the hospital should be shut down and we all to work for consumers and Farmers together so I thank my our sincere thank to coming for this W function and inaugurating this function for the on behalf of CCA consumer

Confederation of India and noer India I thank Justice surra mji for his great words today we have taken a great decision five L consumer commit we will introduce in India and for a campaign that consumers should have a min Ministry of its own no civil supplies Ministry we have to get a

Ministry of consumer Ministry so that for Dr he has and Mr sh so both of them have signed and now we have to go all around India from sikim see 3,000 km traveling from sikim they are coming is coming his friends are coming so dear friends

And I thank both of you and for the welcome speech I thank for his and I thank all of you my dear brothers and sisters that we have done this two days program wonderfully and I thank our national president an and our national working president PR G and all

Other National dignataries here those who are par participated in this program and I thank nor India leaders and all other leaders to cooperate this program I thank all of you once more once more and I thank this renal Center giving good food and good stay and a good H for arranging

Everything this so I thank them also for all these things thank you thank you dear friends Together Now in the last session we have started the signature campaign our National working pres from Gujarat state so every state representation has to sign in the resolution so please wait for 10 minutes PR will start the campaign signature on behalf of CCA on behalf of all states representation you give announcement to

Start first you sign and start this is City here but too High Pass the you recomend Toate okay okay okay uh we want separate Ministry for uh consumer department and uh this is the resolution I’m signing and I request you all to sign in this resolution we will submit it to the government and uh we try to make our resolution in uh work thank you

The will come to all the tables on behalf of every state representative kindly sign on behalf of your organization you have to mention your name mobile number and straight then signature Oh [Applause] all

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