Rally on Female Foeticide
The student union of Maharana PG College, Chittorgarh, organised a social awareness rally against female foeticide and organised a signature campaign against this social evil at Chittorgarh, on December 23, 2006. The campaigning student party visited CUTS CHD and asked its staff to sign the oath paper and pledge that they would also take up female foeticide issue in tackling the problem.
On this occasion, Shashi Prabha, the Centre Coordinator explained how female foeticide could be prevented. She also assured the visiting group that she would get reports registered against the guilty provided the people of neighbouring areas inform about such incidents.
Consumer Awareness
An awareness rally was organised at Gardana village of Bhadesar panchayat samiti, Chittorgarh, on December 23, 2006, with active support from local Bal Panchayat. In the rally, around 105 participants took part, which included members of Bal Panchayat and students of Government Senior Secondary School. The rally echoed the message of consumer awareness. On this occasion, Madan Lal Keer, CUTS’ representative and Prithviraj Keer, the ex-sarpanch of Gardana and Mangi Lal Regar, a CUTS’ well wisher were present.
Legal Education Week
The Consumer Information and Counselling Centre of CUTS CHD, jointly with Bhopalsagar panchayat samiti and District Judicial Services, Chittorgarh organised legal education week during December 09-16, 2006. On the last day, a seminar was organised at Bhopalsagar panchayat samiti’s conference room.
The objective of the seminar was to provide maximum legal information to the villagers and to sensitise common people against social crimes. Participants in the seminar included P N Khandelwal, District and Session Judge, Chittorgarh; Praveen Jain, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chittorgarh; Dr J L Bhatnagar, retired medical practitioner; and Roop Singh Ranawat, President, Bar Association, Kapasan. P N Khandelwal inaugurated the seminar, while Dr J L Bhatnagar lit the lamp, which was followed by a prayer. In his address, P N Khandelwal opined that social crimes cannot be remedied only by legal provisions, but also by love, harmony and mutual conciliation.
He provided legal inputs to the participants on social crimes like dowry, alimony and divorce. Praveen Jain said that the first effort of the police is also of conciliation, and information related to laws and rights is being provided to the people during the monthly Community Liasion Group (CLG) meetings held at the police stations in order to make them aware of their rights.
Dr J L Bhatnagar informed the attendees that many a times people get fake medical report to lodge a complaint to the police, and in the absence of actual information, the police is misled. Thus, people spend their hard-earned money uselessly. Roop Singh Ranawat said that many a times people, for taking revenge or scoring personal motive, file fake petitions on harassment due to dowry or foeticide, which creates problem for the police. He asked the people to consider this aspect of social obligation.
National Consumer Day
To mark the National Consumer Day, CUTS CHD, jointly with District Supply Office, Chittorgarh, organised a seminar on “Empowerment of Consumers – Assert Rights, Pursue Remedies” at the Centre, on December 24, 2006.
P L Agarwal, the District Collector, Chittorgarh was the chief guest in the seminar, while Rajeshwari Meena, Pradhan panchayat samiti, Chittorgarh and Mohan Lal Tailor, President, District Consumer Forum were the special guest and the president of the seminar respectively. The seminar was inaugurated with lighting of the lamp by P L Agarwal, Rajeshwari Meena, Mohan Lal Tailor and Shashi Prabha.
Throwing light on the practical aspects of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, Chandmal Garg, an advocate, opined that there should be control on the prices of goods. He further elaborated that retailers and shopkeepers charge arbitrary prices from the consumers. He asked the retailers to mention both – maximum and minimum prices on the goods.
Addressing the participants, P L Agarwal informed that there is a need for sustained educational campaign to create awareness among the consumers for their rights. Rajeshwari Meena called for a resolution for a wide awareness campaign on the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. She said that sometimes educated consumers, along with the illiterate ones, are also cheated; hence both need to be aware of their rights. Shashi Mathur, Member, District Consumer Forum, Chittorgarh showed satisfaction that consumers are becoming aware of their rights and praised the work being carried out by CUTS, in this regard.
Mohan Lal Tailor said that an aware consumer is a precious asset for the country. If the consumer is aware, then he/she will resist cheating. He called for the need to regulate some activities of private educational institutions, such as charging hefty fees but hiring unqualified and incompetent teachers, which hampers the educational system.