Complaints against Press

Complaints against Press

Who do you think you can complain for the misdeeds of any journalist or newspaper?

You can lodge a complaint against the press with the Press Council of India.

It is open to any person to lodge a complaint with the Press Council against a newspaper for a breach of the recognized ethical canons of journalistic propriety.

The complainant need not necessarily be the person aggrieved or directly involved.

Cases can also be initiated by any member of the public against any professional misconduct by an editor, working journalist, staff of a newspaper or engaged in freelance work. 

Here is the procedure for filing the complaint with Press Council of India.

It is a requirement of the Inquiry Regulations that the complainant should initially write to the editor of the newspaper drawing his attention to what the complainant considers to be a breach of journalistic ethics or an offence against public taste. 

The complainant has, in his complaint, to give the name and address of the newspaper, editor or journalist against whom the complaint is directed. 

A clipping of the matter or news-items complained of, in original or self attested copy (English translation, if the news item(s) is in vernacular) should accompany the complaint.

The complainant has to state in what manner the passage or news-items or the material complained of is objectionable.  He should also supply other relevant particulars, if any.

Similarly a newspaper, a journalist or any institution or individual can complain against Central or State Government or any organization or person for interference with free functioning of the press or encroachment on the freedom of the press.

For more details log on to www.presscouncil.nic.in 

Free legal aid services:

Free legal aid services: 

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

In every District, District Legal Services Authority has been constituted to implement Legal Services Programmes in the District and provide free Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society.

The District Legal Services Authority is situated in the District Courts Complex in every District and chaired by the District Judge of the respective district.

Individuals who fall under the criteria prescribed by Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 can avail free legal services.

Legal Services Authorities after examining the eligibility criteria of an applicant and the existence of a prima facie case in his favour provide him counsel at State expense, pay the required Court Fee in the matter and bear all incidental expenses in connection with the case.

The person who avails legal aid from legal services authorities is not called upon to spend anything on the litigation once it is supported by a Legal Services Authority.

To seek the support of legal services authorities to fight and get justice to your case

Contact Karnataka State Legal Services Authority,

Nyaya Degula Building, 1st Floor, H.Siddaiah Road,
Bangalore-560027
Email : karslsa@gmail.com
Website : www.kslsa.kar.nic.in

Toll Free No.: 1800-425-90900.

Ph. No. 080-22111714, 22111729, 22111875

Goods once sold can be exchanged

Goods once sold can be exchanged

Goods once sold can be exchanged

Do you know that "Goods once sold will not be taken back" foot note on cash bills and a cash memo is against the law?

The footnote is in contravention of Section 14 of the Consumer Protection Act. In 2001, the then Union minister for consumer affairs, Shanta Kumar, had issued a letter to all state governments to take appropriate measures to curb such unethical trade practices. Fifteen years on, the practice is widely prevalent in the state.

This footnote deters dissatisfied consumers from going back to the shop even if they have purchased a defective product from a shop. It was inappropriate and an unfair trade practice on part of the traders to mention this foot note on their cash bills.

You as consumers have the provision to exchange or replace goods if you are not satisfied with it and it is not right to carry this footnote on cash bills or cash memos. 

Packaged fruit juices

Packaged fruit juices

Packaged fruit juices are divided into three sub-categories like fruit drinks, fruit

juices, and nectar drinks.

An existing rule of the Food Standards & Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) has stipulated a minimum of 10% fruit juice or pulp content for a drink to be qualified as a juice drink, except in lime, for which it is 5%.

How to choose a healthy fruit juice over an unhealthy fruit juice.

The best way is to check the nutrition label and opt for a fruit juice that has no added sugar, preservative, colour and flavour. Opt fruit juices that have least number of calories and a high amount of carbohydrates and other vital nutrients!. While the FDA has allowed for a maximum range of 40 gms of sugar intake per day, most

fruit juices usually go over this limit! So be cautioned when consuming such packaged fruit juices that contain sugar beyond healthy limits.

Some packaged fruit juices claim to contain ‘Pulp’. Check the label of pulp based juices for their ‘Fibre’ content that indicates the amount of pulp. Most often it will be negligible!

Waste fly ash makes cement concrete stronger

Waste fly ash makes cement concrete stronger

The use of cement might add strength to a concrete mix and eventually to the structure.

But recent studies by an Indian Institute of Technology have found that adding a small quantity of wastes disposed in thermal power plants or a steel factory to the concrete mixture can help the structure last a lifetime.

The study says that use of mineral admixtures like fly ash generated as waste from thermal power plants and ground granulated blast furnace slag from the steel industry can increase the durability and useful life of reinforced concrete structures tremendously.

Thermal power plants in the country generate nearly 200 million tonnes of fly ash a year, but less than 30 million tonnes are utilized.

The study recommends that cement used for construction be partially replaced with at least 15%fly ash or 30% slag along with the use of low water content.

The lower water content can increase resistance against carbonation, which occurs due to vehicle and industrial emissions, and enhances the strength and stiffness of the structure.

So if you wish to construct your building much stronger then try to find fly ash and mix it in the concrete mixture used to construct your building. 

Offered unhygienic food - Complain on FSSAI app

Offered unhygienic food - Complain on FSSAI app 

Discovered some “strange” and “unexpected” object in your packaged food and you do not know whom to approach?

Are you unhappy with the quality of packaged food you’ve just bought, or the food you’ve been served at a restaurant?

Have you been helpless when you found packaged food or food served at a restaurant sub standard? But now you don’t have to. You can easily complain about it just through a free mobile app.

Raise your concerns about substandard and poor quality food through a new mobile app launched by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The FSSAI App will allow consumers to raise food-safety related concerns about packaged food or items served at a restaurant.

For served food, the app provides an option to rate the overall hygiene of the food service establishment.

The app also empowers consumers to check many parameters on which the food safety is compromised for both packaged foods and food served in ready-to-eat establishments.

The food concerns raised by a consumer will be routed to the food safety officer (FSO), a designated officer or the state food commissioner for necessary action.

BPA and Plastic codes

BPA and Plastic codes

BPA and Plastic codes:

Usage of plastic containers to carry food and water, or consuming tea or coffee in plastic cups is hazardous for health. Medical studies have found that those persons who regularly used plastics containers or bottles were found to contain Bisphenol A (BPA) in their blood.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical that is used to make certain plastics and resin since the 1960s. BPA causes health problems like hair fall, high cholesterol, variations in HDL levels, high fasting blood sugar, poly-cystic ovarian disease (PCOD), hypothyroidism and high blood pressure.

Avoid using plastics in any form; instead use steel, glass, porcelain or earthen wares.

If you still want to use plastics then always look for plastic recycling codes to be on the safer side of using plastics.

Plastic codes are indicated with a number between 1 and 7 enclosed in a triangle of arrows at the bottom of the plastic containers or on it. The code indicates the type of plastic you are using and gives you important clues about safety. Plastics with codes 1, 2, 4 and 5 are considered to be the safest.

Try to avoid using plastics with codes 3 or 6, as these plastics contain chemicals that may be harmful. Plastics with code 7 are very hazardous as these plastics are BPA-containing plastics called polycarbonates. These plastics have the letters PC printed underneath 7 and these are the plastics which you should completely avoid using them.