With economy plummeting Planning Commission enhances its peeing ambiance

New Delhi: The Planning Commission has issued a statement in an attempt to explain why it spent 35 lakh rupees on renovating two toilets in its office.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the Deputy Chairman of the Commission, avoided questions on Wednesday morning about the controversy. The expenditure was revealed by a Right to Information application filed by activist Subhash Agarwal who points out, "Cost of installation of Door Access Control System is Rs. 5,19,426 for two toilets. Cost of renovation of two toilets where door access control system is installed is Rs. 30,00,305."
Social activist Nikhil Dey links that controversial statement to the swanky toilet plan. "There is almost everything that is wrong with what was done and with the justification for it. The Planning Commission represents planning for whom, the poor of the country. And there has been a dispute with their figures because there has been a perception with everyone that within the planning commission they have one standard for the poor and another for the rich. They were placing smart cards for entry into those toilets. That privatizes, reduces the number of those who can use it...it's a huge amount of money and it's that same planning commission that not only decides what the poverty line is but also decides on how much money can be spent on a toilet across the country," he says.
Apart from the poverty line estimates issue, Mr Ahluwalia was also criticized recently after a newspaper reported, based on an RTI reply, that Rs. 2.02 lakh a day was spent by him on foreign travel between May and October, 2011. Another report said that he undertook 42 official trips (between June 2004-January 2011) of 274 days at a cost of Rs. 2.34 crore.
Planning Commission renovates its Rest Rooms for Rs 35 lakhs
Comment: What an irony? An American Bill Gates trying to build cheap toilets for Indian masses and sample Planning Commission's wasteful expenditure of Rs 35 lakhs on one single toilet...
Reinventing a toilet that has an operational cost of $0.05 per user, per day, that does not rely on water to flush waste and does not discharge pollutants is Bill Gates' latest mission. "One of my ultimate dreams now is to reinvent the toilet - find a cheaper alternative to the flush toilet that does not require running water, has smell characteristics better than the flush toilet and is cheap."
Reinventing the toilet is Bill Gates's new mission: click here

Ahead of CWG, Kiran Bedi's Book on Civic Sense

Outlook India New Delhi | Aug 26, 2010
Moved by the 'not so good' image of civic sense of Indians among foreigners, India's first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi has brought out suggestions for laymen to improve their civic behaviour ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

"There are article after article in foreign nations calling Indians unhygienic and dirty. Being a true Indian, I wanted to change the scenario," says Kiran Bedi who has collaborated with socio-political thinker, Pavan Chaudary for the book Broom and Groom.

With an introduction by former President APJ Abdul Kalam, the hardbound book suggests globally accepted manners and etiquette and features a muppet and other illustrations on its pages.

"Foreigners hug and hold hands in public. We should not stand and start staring at them, else they will carry a bad impression of us back home," Bedi told PTI while releasing the book here last evening.

Co-author Pavan Chaudary says the government should stop tweaking and wake up before the games to provide good sanitation and hygiene conditions.

"India was the first cradle of civic virtue in the world as Indus and Mohanjodaro civilisations had irrefutable evidence of good sanitation and code of conduct," he says.

Invoking Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, he said,"Gandhi ji said our Swaraj will stink if we do not clean our backyards. But, post-independence our governments have failed to provide education and infrastructure for good hygiene."

According to the authors, the idea to write the book came due to the appalling living conditions in our country and from their desire of not seeing India lag behind other nations in terms of civility.

"The book tells that we are not giving up. We are starting a revival and revolution of civility. The book is for civil responsibility," says Bedi.

The book focusses on civic sense issues such as not spitting paan at public places, ogling at female co-passengers in an elevator or quarrelling in front of a guest at home.

Catering to a variety of sections ranging from the elite to government servants and domestic help, the book covers such issues such as restaurant and banquet manners, auditoria or airplanes must dos, gymnasium and sports field behaviour, greeting properly as well as being a good host or house guest.

Anu Anand, publisher, Wisdom Village(Publication Division) says, "We are happy to introduce the book just before CWG. We hope our readers will learn and put their best foot forward before our guests from 54 countries during the Delhi CWG."

The publisher has started a website and blog to get feedback from readers whose suggestions will be included in the next edition of the book. The book would also be released in Hindi and other regional languages soon.

"Keeping a good hygiene has been brought out very nicely. Each page in the book is useful to improve the way of life," says Kalam in his foreword.
Ahead of CWG, Kiran Bedi's Book on Civic Sense

Incredible India, can we have a Clean India?

Peeing and spitting has become the National Hobby- You cannot miss or mask it
“Are you on the side of those who make India hang her head in shame or those who raise her head in pride,” asks Aamir Khan in an ‘Incredible India' advertisement. I am as big a patriot as is the next person, but sometimes, queries buzz about inside my head querulously. Is there any harm in talking about those aspects of our country that could be wished away!

Do you need that big gob of spit that just misses your big toe on your way to an important appointment? Or that red-flecked liquid spewed out so casually in a traffic snarl? What could be worse than that giant phlegm-filled hawk that begins from deep inside a champion ‘spitter', making you wince and shut your eyes and ears in anticipation of the actual event? And those artistic red squiggles on pristine walls, winding staircases, and ironically, below signs which scream “Please do not spit here!”

What about the male members of the human species with undoubtedly canine habits, when they sight a vacant wall, and proceed to let loose in public? The movie Three Idiots has a funny yet effective way of dealing with this, where the culprit receives a gentle jolt, just enough to bring him to his senses, yet does no permanent harm! Pedestrians are often caught between the devil and the deep blue sea; is it safer to sink into excreta, or step off the pavement and be hit by a bus! Tread on mush or turn into mush, as it were!

The tagline of Lays Chips (no one can eat just one!) rings true as one perceives bright wrappers forming part of the vast garbage dump that our roads have turned into. Plastic bottles, cans, fruit peels and groundnut shells turn the picture murkier! On one memorable suburban train ride from Guindy to Chetpet in Chennai, I walked in confidently to a deserted corner in the ladies' compartment, only to be assailed by a stench that made my insides churn. Someone had let her child squat on the floor and left the evidence behind! ‘Incredible India', anyone?
Forget about Incredible India, can we have a Clean India? by DEEPTI MENON: The Hindu
Related news:
Expanding cities, vanishing space for citizens by T. R. Bhat: The Hindu

Empowering the National Consumer and Redressal Commission

Friday, May 21, 2010
Creation of two additional posts of Members in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (National Commission) approved

The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal of creation of two additional posts of Members in the National Commission, one from judicial background and one from non-judicial background for the establishment of one additional Bench for a period of five years. This would not only enable early clearance of backlog of cases pending before the National Commission but also help bring about speedier disposal of fresh cases received in the National Commission.

Under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, a three-tier Consumer Disputes Redressal machinery has been established in the country with the `National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission’ (NCDRC) popularly known as the `National Commission’, as the apex body at national level, State Commissions below it at State/Union Territory level and District Fora at the district level.

At present, the National Commission consists of the President and nine other Members, with five Benches set up in the Commission with a disposal of almost 88% of the cases.

The National Commission has been receiving around 450 fresh cases each month and the rate of disposal is 600 cases each month. Going by the present rate of disposal with the existing strength, the existing backlog of nearly 8000 cases can be cleared earliest by another four and a half years. NCDRC is also presently not in a position to fully dispose of cases within the time norms mentioned in the Consumer Protection Act. ****SH/LV/SKS
Creation of two additional posts of Members in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (National Commission) approved

Question
I injured my knee in a game of football on 31st December 1997. It was diagnosed as ACL TEAR. For that I was operated upon in the knee on 2nd March 1998. After the operation my knee developed stiffness, which is unusual in such cases even after undergoing physiotherapy for two months I was unable to bend or straighten my knee. So after two months of operation my knee was manipulated under anesthesia to relieve stiffness. A plaster was put on the knee for one month. I was told to start walking . I used to walk with a limp. For about 8 months I continued to walk with a limp but then my condition deteriorated & in March-99 I had to start using crutches to move around. To find out the cause of this pain I underwent investigative arthoscopy in June-99 which revealed the following 1. ACL Laxity 2. meniscus tear 3. patellofemoral osteoarthritis . I was advised by the doctor to do physiotherapy, and take painkillers for the pain, I am still doing physiotherapy, but neither the pain has reduced nor am I able to walk without crutches, this whole experience has affected my life badly. Can I sue the doctors for negligence / inefficiency. My both operations were carried out in military hospitals, and they were done free of cost since I am serving in army. So I can not go to Consumer protection court. Please advise?.
Answer
You can file a writ petition in the High Court of judicature against the hospital, making doctors responsible for your condition a party. You can also seek damages alongwith the appropriate action against the doctors and the management in the writ petition.
To read more of Sample Questions and Answers on consumer protection- click here

Do Indian Military Welfare Organisations like ECHS, CSD, AWWA, AWHO, AWES and the rest come under the Indian Consumer Protection Act and do they exhibit transparency in their functioning?
Click here for present status and views on Army Welfare Organisations
Can we tune up the Military Welfare Organisations?
Major D S Bisht (Retd) was commissioned into 7th Battalion, The Jat Regiment on 30 Jun 1963. Presently, he is working for Central Himalayan Institute at Dehradun which has been established to undertake studies for good governance and development to strengthen national security. His essay is thought provoking and if his suggestions are implemented it is bound to improve the morale of serving Jawans and the ESM.
Journal of the United Service Institution of India, Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 573, July-September 2008.
Welfare of Armed Forces Personnel by Major D S Bisht (Retd)

India’s million-strong military prepares to vote

Ritu Sharma
NEW DELHI - India’s apolitical military is proactively preparing to vote in parliamentary elections only a week away. Thanks to steps the military establishment has taken, more than one million forms have been submitted to the Election Commission so that soldiers can vote whereever they may be posted.

This follows the military brass’ decision to ensure that soldiers get to vote — a democratic privilege many are forced to skip because of flaws in the electoral exercise involving soldiers. The Indian Army has 1.1 million men and women, the air force has 140,000 and the navy has about 55,000 personnel.

‘About 10 lakh (1 million) forms have been forwarded by the army personnel for registration. The Election Commission has acknowledged nearly 45 percent,’ an army official told IANS, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media. In January, the armed forces, for the first time, asked all its personnel to get themselves registered with the poll panel in their area of posting to exercise their right to vote.

Most Indian soldiers, including airmen and sailors, have never or rarely voted while in service for want of an effective polling mechanism. Military personnel can vote in their area of posting only during general elections and provided they are registered with the Election Commission in that area. This, however, rarely happens.

Most soldiers also find the postal ballot system faulty, and appear to be unaware of the proxy voting system that allows a family member to vote on their behalf. Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major told IANS recently: ‘Although there are proxy voting and postal ballots, things have not materialised as desired.’

The IAF chief has himself not been able to vote regularly because, like most of his colleagues, he has been away from where he has been registered as a voter during election time. ‘The last I voted was 10 years ago when I was home on vacation. I have voted only four times (in 41 years of service),’ he said.

The Indian Air Force has put all the procedures on its intranet. The notification of the Election Commission has been sent to various command headquarters, which in turn has informed the field units. ‘People are being encouraged to vote,’ a senior IAF official said. The Election Commission reiterated Monday that defence personnel can use proxy voting. But there are complaints against postal ballots. The system suffers from long delays, so much so that at times the postal ballots reach the units after a new government has already taken office.

Why the sudden desire to vote?
While no one is ready to speak on record, some retired and serving officers said this was linked to the discontent among the armed forces due to what they see as a raw deal in revision of pay scales. ‘The armed forces are being shortchanged in the Pay Commission and their lack of say in decision making is hurting them,’ said another high-ranking army official.
India’s million-strong military prepares to vote

Bureaucratic Terror: RTI Act Sabotaged

RTI application to the PIO of Governor's Secretariat Kerala

I had been sending a number of complaints to the Governor of Kerala on a host of issues ranging from service provided by the government being a most essential service and hence strike by government employees being illegal to the case of a minister using his official car with false registration number to removing the CIC for subverting the RTI Act. But none of them elicited even an acknowledgement. Finally I was forced to seek an interview with him and... you guessed it right... there has been not even an acknowledgement to that also. Under the circumstances I have filed an application under the RTI Act. Copy of the same is attached click here for you perusal.

Regards and best wishes
Maj PM Ravindran (Retd)
RTI application to the PIO of Governor's Secretariat

An NRI Victory: Right to Information Act

Activists of Association for India’s Development U.S. demonstrating outside the Indian embassy in Washington, D.C., demanding that the Indian government withdraw its amendments to curtail the Right to Information Act.

After persistent efforts from volunteers of the Association for India’s Development, the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., has implemented India’s landmark Right to Information Act, 2005, bringing its operations fully under the act’s purview.

However the path of getting RTI to the U.S was not all that rosy. Volunteers of AID have been campaigning since November of 2006 to get the Indian Embassy officials in Washington to implement the RTI act. A number of emails and phone calls were made. Later, realizing that the communication with the embassy officials was proving to be futile, a few volunteers started communicating directly with the Chief Information Commissioner in India, Wajahat Habibullah, seeking his intervention. The Central Information Commission issued an order around April 2007 bringing all the missions abroad under the purview of the RTI act. It took 90 days more of campaigning by AID volunteers to get the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. to accept its first RTI petition.
An NRI Victory: Right to Information Act