Pushpa Girimaji

Mask it right to keep Covid away

The central government’s advisory on double masking to beat the highly virulent, contagious and unpredictable coronavirus variants is in keeping with the more stringent masking moves made in several other countries to deal with the rapidly mutating viruses

Time to make laws dealing with hoarding, black marketing more strict

Even though the second wave of Covid-19 seems to have peaked, the numbers are still high and the downward journey is expected to be long

Vaccinating entire country seems tough but is certainly achievable

Given the alarming rate at which the coronavirus is spreading and mutating, there is an urgent need to considerably scale up the vaccination programme in the country

Govt may enforce consumer laws to protect Covid victims in need of medicines, beds

Long queues are nothing new in India

Cut use of re-heated oil at home, it may cause ailments

Despite considerable research pointing to the toxic effects of re-using edible oil deployed for frying purposes, the practice continues – in food outlets and homes

Plastic waste menace: Time for consumers to re-think buying habits

Plastic pollution has reached such alarming proportions that as consumers, we now need to demand accountability from manufacturers who use plastic for packaging their goods but refuse to take responsibility for the waste that they generate

Check the oil your jalebis are being fried in

Have you ever watched samosas, puris, bhaturas, bread pakoras and jalebis being deep fried at a roadside eatery? The cooking oil often looks dark and murky from constant frying and repeated use of the same oil again and again

Centre must ensure one standard measure for all packed, non-packed goods

Last week, an online milk delivery start-up called to say that they are home delivering fresh vegetables and fruits too and as a promotional offer, their customers would be entitled to a 50 per cent discount on the original price ! Of course, there was a catch- the offer would be open for a month, but the discounts would apply only if I validated it with a purchase order for a hamper immediately

Consumer forums should take steps to expedite adjudication

Delays in the justice system inflict so much pain and misery on the victim that the oft quoted legal maxim ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ seems an understatement

Fleecing of consumers by authorized automobile centres needs to stop

The comparison may sound a little incongruous, but I must say that authorized automobile service centres are like private hospitals

No magic: Late night advertisements offering supernatural cure are illegal, must be curbed

If you surf television channels a little late in the night, you will come across advertisements that shock you for their brazen violation of the laws of the land, for the crude vulgarity of the messages, and most of all, for the blatant lies that they convey

Pressure cookers are safer now, thanks to mandatory ISI certification

The safety and quality of the ubiquitous pressure cooker has finally got the attention of the government- from February 1 , all manufacturers of this cooking gadget will have to mandatorily comply with the Indian Standard and also carry the standard mark, as a pre-condition for sale

Watch out: Tiny plastic toy freebies may be dangerous for your child

Offering ‘freebies’ to promote a product is an old marketing gimmick

Fixing liability for defective airbags will help improve automobile safety

Automobile safety got a fillip last week with the apex consumer court reiterating the car manufacturers’ liability for defective air bags

After new quality control rule, toy safety finally set to become a reality in India

Charging customer for carry bag without prior knowledge not fair

Banks must be more careful in preserving important document of their customers

Covid-19 still here, need to exercise caution in festive season

Incorporate glass safety norms in building by-laws

Need to check unfair terms of tour and travel industry

Need to check restaurants serving unhygienic food

Warnings on cleaning agents should be prominent enough

Covid essentials adding to plastic waste

Clean your refrigerator at least once a month

Face shields cannot be an alternative to masks

Stay alert, stay safe from online fraud

Use that sanitiser prudently and cautiously

New rights regulator should eliminate unfair consumer contracts

Tax charter: Answer in details, procedures and strict implementation

Kerala air mishap: Families should get adequate compensation