Editor,
Through your esteemed daily I would like to draw the attention of all the student unions of the North Eastern Region regarding the ongoing controversy at NEIGRIHMS in relation to mismanagement of patient care, bungling in the examination of cardiology course and recruitment of faculty and staff. NEIGRIHMS All the eight states are beneficiaries of the NEIGRIHMS as the number of patients from all sister states are coming there for treatment and we should stand in solidarity at a time when this Institute is facing a grave leadership crisis. Through our union members, patients and sources we have verified some of the allegations and counter allegations made in the media. We have found that there is simmering discontent among doctors and patients which is a matter of grave concern. There is a long waiting list (some almost one year) of patients coming from far flung and remote hilly terrains of North East region posted for various operations. The reason cited for such delay is shortage of qualified manpower and infrastructure. This is something incomprehensible to us since the administration of NEIGRIHMS is terminating the ad-hoc appointments while being unable to recruit the faculty on a regular basis.
It is also learnt that court cases against the authorities of the Institute are rising due to growing frustration and helplessness among the inmates of NEIGRIHMS. Our team has also come to know that there are gross injustices against the students of Cardiology department in relation to their examination and accommodation. The approach of the present Director appears to be dictatorial and with a purpose to drive away the students of North East from NEIGRIHMS. The article published by Dr Synrang Batngen Warjri in your daily (ST Sep 20, 2018) is a telling story of the declining state of affairs of the NEIGRIHMS administration. An important institute like NEIGRIHMS needs a leader with vision, moral, character and minimum of administrative skills and ability to understand and appreciate the tribal milieu. I urge all student unions of the North East India to come forward to save this institute vide public campaigns and representations to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India to take appropriate and timely action against the errant administration.
Yours etc.,
Kakyar Dulom
Advisor, Arunachal Students’ Union of Shillong (ASUS)
Via email
Violation of consumer rights
Editor,
Customers of Merin’s Royal Enfield have not been able to get their motorcycle even after 3 months of booking. Who is to blame here? After repeated enquiries from the dealer we are told that the Company is not supplying the required slot for Meghalaya. How can this happen when client have been promised delivery of the motorcycle after a period of 15 days before any booking is placed? This is a serious violation of consumer rights. It is high time for the Consumer Protection Forum to take suo-moto action in this and other cases of consumer harassment. Customers of Merin’s Royal Enfield like myself who had booked a motorcycle for about 3 months after paying Rs 5200 should not face the agony of harassment and non-refund of the booking amount.
Yours etc.,
Pynshai M Syiem,
Via email
What about ‘Consumer Protection Bill 2017’
Editor,
The Union Cabinet had given nod to new ‘Consumer Protection Bill 2017’ with stringent punishment and fines for misleading advertisements holding also celebrities promoting commodities accountable. But with the term of the present Lok Sabha ending soon the central government should take immediate necessary action to get the Bill passed by the two Houses of Parliament.
However some more features can and should be added in the Bill to safeguard interests of consumers. The Bill should include ban on levying service-charges in bills by hotels and restaurants. Promotional added quantities publicised free with original pack should be within the main pack only to avoid shopkeepers keeping free packs themselves without benefitting the customer.
The Bill should have provision to make it compulsory to pack all packaged commodities only in packs of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 gms-mltrs-kgs-ltrs only, to avoid gimmick packaging to befool consumers by manufacturers. Goods packed by numbers should be only in packs of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and similar multiples of 1000. Presently soap-manufacturers pack 75 gm soap-cakes to look like 100 gm packs and syrups in 750 litre packs to look alike 1 litre pack. Even medicines should be packed in similar system unless exemption is sought for units other than specified ones for dose-wise administration. It is ridiculous that even commonly advertised medicines like cough-lozenges are packed in strips of eight rather than normally ten because consumer judges the price per strip rather than lozenges.
Yours etc.,
Madhu Agrawal
(Guinness Record Holder for letters in newspapers)
Delhi – 6