Dates manipulated to favour few?
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 3 — Consumers seeking redress in the local consumer courts are feeling harassed due to confusion in dates of hearing, if allegations of a few of them are to be believed.

The allegations mostly pertain to the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I. It is being generally alleged that hearings are held on dates other than those which are announced in the court or on holidays. This results in non-attendance of parties and unnecessary adjournment which further delays the matter.

At least two of such complainants have come on record to air their grievances. One of the complainants, Mr L.H. Naqvi, pointed out that March 30 was announced in the court as a date of hearing in his case, but when he went there for the case, he was told that the hearing had already taken place on March 13. Interestingly, the case was not even taken up that day as it happened to be a Saturday, a close day. It was subsequently listed for March 15, the next working day, in accordance with the judicial procedure, but without any intimation to the complainant. The next date of hearing was fixed two months later on May 21.

In the Mr R.P. Raghwan versus Gati Cargo case, the court gave March 13 as the date, which was a holiday. A perusal of the records shows that a couple of cases were listed for April 14 and May 1, which were again holidays. So much so, that cases have also been listed for Sundays, such as May 9 and 30.

In the Deepak Mittal versus Spice Telecom case, the complainant has given several instances of their cases being taken on dates other than those announced in the court and the subsequent harassment. On one such occasion, the complainant alleged that court announced a date of November 25, 1998, for hearing, but subsequently they were told that since the opposite party was likely to file the reply by October 25, the case would be taken up that day. However, when they appeared for the hearing, they were informed that parties have sought more time to file their reply and the case will come up on January 25, 1999. But to their dismay when they appeared on January 25, they were told that the case had already been taken up on November 25.

The records show the parties absent on that day. Similarly, while the case was slated for February 13, it was taken up on February 11. On another occasion, the court announced a date of May 27 but it was taken up on May 25.

The complainant, Mr Deepak Mittal, said that the Consumer Protection Act was enacted for the protection of consumers but such bungling in dates only defeats the purpose of it as it leaves the consumer more harassed by the end of it. He further alleged that whenever a case is filed against a multinational company, since the amount of compensation demanded is huge, the representatives of the company make all possible efforts to manipulate the dates in such a way that the party concerned does not appear and the judge can dismiss the case on grounds of the party being disinterested. The dismissal of cases on frivolous grounds do not benefit the consumers who approach these courts for redress of grievances.

The president of the forum, Dr H.C. Modi, contacted said that none of the complainants had brought this to his notice. However, if any party faces any problem with regard to dates, it can approach him and necessary action would be taken. In certain cases, the court may have inadvertently given a date, which happens to be a holiday, but the case is then taken up on the very next working day as per the existing judicial practice, he added. He denied allegations about the nexus between companies and his staff.

Much will depend on Sachin
By Sushil Kapoor

The first phase of the World Cup got over early this week with six teams falling by the wayside, making way for the other six to reach the Super Six. The contests has far accounted for the winners of the last World Cup, Sri Lanka, and the once fearsome West Indies. It also brought into focus various dubious means adopted by some teams to try and baulk the entry of the teams whose presence in the Super Six could make them uncomfortable. The direct fallout of this attitude was the shock defeat of South Africa at the hands of Zimbabwe, the slow crawl of the Australians against the West Indies and finally the shock defeat of Pakistan at the hands of Bangladesh who were quoted at 100-1 odds against their formidable opponents.

The competition in the first phase was so fierce that apart from the group leaders of either group — South Africa and Pakistan — the other teams had to inch in on net run rate basis and clinch the other four spots in the Super Six.

India are pitted against three in-form teams, Australia, Pakistan and New Zealand, in that order and they must win against each one of them for a safe passage into the semi-finals and get one step nearer for having a go at the coveted World Cup. Out of the three opponents Pakistan and New Zealand have an edge because they are carrying four and two points, respectively from Phase 1 but India on their part are capable of upsetting the applecart of all of them. Australia, like India, are going into the first match of the Super Six without any point. Both teams are evenly matched but India do hold a psychological edge over the Aussies because of their better showing though it was on home grounds and in front of home crowds. As far as crowd support is concerned India will have the same supportive crowd in England as was evident in India’s hour of glory.

Analysing the strength and weakness of both teams it can be said with a fair amount of certainty that the mainstay of the Indian batting — Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid — have all come good and all of them have scored centuries during the tournament, the only centuries scored in the competition so far. The only source of worry is the batting form of skipper Azharuddin. If he also clicks them the Australian bowlers have a battle on their hands. On the Australian side one could look towards Steve and Mark Waugh, Michel Bevan and Adam Ghilcrist. The brilliance of Ricky Ponting as a punishing bat and an agile fielder will be matched by the ever smiling Ajay Jadeja. In bowling India will be well served by the ever reliable Kumble who remains an anigma for most of the batsmen of the world and has a nagging length and direction which forces the batsman to always play him.

Shane Warne, the awesome Australian leg-spinner who happens to be the greatest turner of the ball, has yet to come to terms with himself, with the ghost of Sachin Tendulkar still haunting him which could make the task of the Indian batsmen easier in the middle overs. In the pace attack Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad hold the key for early breakthrough and later swing of Mohanty and the gentle pace of Saurav Ganguly and Robin Singh should come handy. One thing which Srinath and Mohanty have to watch is that they should not go over bound after tasting early success and should not become wayward in a bid to generate much pace and lose direction. Australia on their part will depend heavily on the in-form reliable Glenn Macgrath with Brendon Julian, Adam Dale, and Tom Moody in the supporting role.

If the weather holds good and the Indian thinktank plays Sachin Tendulkar in the opening slot. India will be in a better position to call the shots and eventually come out winners. The Indian team has the requisite potential but the need of the hour is the will to perfom and fulfil the expectations of millions of fans all over the world.

Non-conventional airconditioner
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, June 3 — A local resident, Mr J.N.Sindhwani, today demonstrated to mediapersons a working model of a non-conventional Air Conditioner, which he claimed would consume much less power and could be built at half the price of a conventional air conditioner.

Mr Sindhwani, who has retired as a Engineer-in-Chief from Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN), erstwhile HSEB, said that the apparatus designed by him worked on the principal of sucking hot air from a room and throwing it back in to the room after cooling, unlike the conventional cooler in which atmospheric air is sucked and thrown in to a room.

Explaining the principal of the working of the apparatus, which has been prepared with the cooperation of Mr K.D.Sharma, a retired Superintendent Engineer of HVPN, he said the hot air was filtered and then made to pass through heat exchangers — one heat exchanger was dipped in water and the other operated with the help of siphon action — which are constantly cooled through the process of vaporization.

The heat of the room was dissipated in the process of water vaporization and was not released in the atmosphere as in the case with the conventional air conditioner. The total electric load requirement for operating the system was around 250 watts against 250 watt consumed by conventional air conditioner. The apparatus consists of exhaust fans, water lifting pumps, connecting pipes, cooling pads and steel sheet body.

Mr Sindhwani said he had filed an application with the Controller of Patent and a separate application had been filed with the Design Controller for patent of design.