| Congratulations! |
At the
outset, my wife Sheroo and I would like to congratulate
you and your full team along with the volunteers
on the very successful conduction of the Annual
Award and the launch of the Senior Citizens Newspaper,
Voice of Dignity on the World Elders Day function.
We were very impressed by the dedication of all
involved in improving the quality of life of Senior
Citizens by attending to their varied needs. May
the Good Lord give all of you a long life, happiness
and lots of strength to continue the fabulous
work you are doing through Dignity Foundation! |
The Autumnal Aerobics,
the Suraksha Bandhan and the 'Harmonium Rediscovered'
by Dr Vidyadhar Oke and his troup were just
fantastically entertaining and refreshing. Even
the address by the chief guest, Narayan Vaghul,
was very enlightening.
|
Madam,
I have one request. The awards ceremony should
be a little shorter and better co-coordinated.
If the people who have to receive the awards can
be first checked for their presence at the venue,
arranged in chronological order in which they
will be called, and kept ready in sequential rows,
it would be faster and I am sure it would also
be more convenient and easy for the volunteers
as well as the awardees. |
Please accept our heartfelt
good wishes and also convey the same to your
fantastic team and wonderful volunteers.
|
| |
| Aspi A Davierwalla,
Mumbai |
| |
| Editor's Note: |
We have noted your excellent
suggestion. While we are also aware that it
is a time consuming activity, what is of paramount
importance to us the sense of self esteem it
will bestow on the recipient for the services
rendered by him and greatly appreciated by Dignity
Foundation on behalf of senior citizens of the
country!
|
| |
| Thoughtful inclusion |
I was
glad to receive an invitation card for this year's
world elders' day celebrations. These gestures
make us feel as if we really belong to a family
called Dignity Foundation. We do feel the lack
when for a long time, there is no communication
between your authorities and ourselves. I was
pleased to see that our Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister
and the Minister for Home Chhagan Bhujbal and
the Sheriff Kiran Shantaram were present at the
function and briefed on our pressing needs. |
| |
A.G.Shaik,
Mumbai |
Food
for old age inmates |
I have
the pleasure of introducing myself as one of the
readers of your valuable magazine. I am a resident
of Kottur Gardens in Chennai where your subscriber
resides. She has written for your pages under
"Musings." Your magazine is popular
at Vishranthi old age home for destitute women
at Palavakkam, Chennai. This home is run by the
members of the Monday Charity Club. As a past
committee member, I have been visiting old age
homes (paid and unpaid) interviewing men and women
and discussing their problems. Your magazine is
appreciated for giving a voice to many who are
unheard otherwise. |
| |
Mala
Mukundan, Chennai |
| Appeal to Civil Aviation
Ministry |
We sent
a letter to the Union Minister for Civil Aviation.
Here's a copy of the same. |
6th September
2003
Mr. Shahnawaz Hussein
Union Minister for Civil Aviation
Government of India, Ministry of Civil aviation
Lalbahadur Shastri Marg
NEW DELHI |
| |
Dear
Sir, |
The Women
Graduates Union's Consumer & Civic Affairs
committee, objects to unreasonable conditions
for IA Travel of Senior Citizens such as: |
| 1. |
One-way journey not permitted; |
| 2. |
Minimum seven days stay at destination; |
| 3. |
Confirmed ticket purchased at least 7 days
before departure. |
|
The conditions,
especially the one related to minimum seven days
at destination, make the revised scheme unpractical
WGU added. The revised scheme in effect will be
available for leisure travelers which, WGU pointed
out, must not have been the objective while the
scheme was framed for the senior citizens. The
revised scheme will not also cover exigencies
as medical needs, death of a family member/relatives
which may require senior citizens to travel for
a shorter period or at short notice, the representation. |
Women
Graduates Union regretted that when the Central
Government has been consistently following a policy
for the welfare of citizens, the imposition of
such terms and conditions is a retrograde step.
Such terms and conditions are also in consonance
with the scheme of discount followed by Government
undertakings like the railways. |
WGU urges
the Minister on behalf of the country's citizens
to reconsider their problems and order to withdraw
these terms and conditions so that all senior
citizens can avail themselves of the benefit of
the discount in its true spirit. |
| |
Yours
sincerely, |
Mrs.Kunda
Nadkar
President, Women Graduates Union
Mrs. Swarn Kohli
Chairperson, Consumer and Civic Affairs Committee,
Women Graduates Union
Women Graduates Union, Mumbai
|
| Adopt a grandparent
for your child |
I am
very sorry to learn that the behaviour of some
senior citizens demoralises your young team at
times. Please assure your team that for every
such senior citizen who causes you anguish, there
are hundreds of us who consider you angels of
mercy and pray for your well-being and prosperity. |
Age is
not the only factor that makes us crotchety. We
are so sad and lonely that our impaired vision
and loss of hearing irritates the ones whom we
brought up with loving care. Our inability to
satisfy monetary expectations provokes division
and contempt. What could be more painful than
to feel unwanted by our own offsprings. How can
they forget that we, "gave our yesterday
for their today." These are bitter and hard
realities. |
I know
it sounds fantastic or perhaps absurd, but I wish
that as childless couples adopt children, working
couples should adopt an elderly male or female
so that their children can have surrogate grand
parents and are not left to the mercy of servants.
There may be many who would function without any
remuneration if only we got consideration, a kind
word and a little sympathy even from strangers
who would not deride us for lapses of memory and
say we are pretending. |
I fully
realise that there are constraints which prevent
Dignity Foundation from being more proactive.
All I can do is to pray to the Allmighty to grant
you greater strength, courage and patience to
carry on with your noble endeavour. |
May God
bless you and your team of volunteers. |
| |
S.
Madgaonkar, Pune |
| The Last Word on Longevity |
The First
Word of the month of January 2004 issue of the
magazine regarding longevity was really worthwhile
reading. I read it twice with heart. I also desire
to live up to the age of 100 or more, but only
if God wishes. Without His will, nothing can happen.
God also helps those who help themselves.I am
also sure that God will not go against my wishes. |
| |
| H.P.Nathan, Ghatkopar |
| Grandparents Day at
Fatima |
I would
like to bring to you notice that the first grandparents'
day was gaily celebrated at Fatima High School
garden complex at Vidya Vihar, Ghatkopar in Mumbai
on Saturday January 25, 2004. The celebration
commenced with a welcome song by pre-KG students.
A large gathering of grandparents, young parents,
grandchildren, students, teachers and staff packed
the open air Fatima grounds. |
The brief
exciting and selected songs, dances and music
brought back the past memories for grandparents.
Fr. Philip Gonsalves, Principal, Fr.Prakash Tuscano,
Vice Principal, and Fr. Benjamin talked about
model parenting and grandparenting. ho they presented
before people a model of ideal parents and grandparents.
The programme was highly appreciated by the grandparents
and everybody else. The evening programme concluded
with the national anthem, a get-together and a
vegetarian dinner. |
| |
| Wilfred Pereira,
Mumbai |
| Will BSNL please go
the MTNL way? |
The elders
of today are the founders of the world we have
inherited and are living in. In their moment of
need, it becomes our religious duty to help them
live noble and honorable lives. By and large,
in sync with our age-old perceptions, culture
and civilisation, our elders generally do not
demand or beg even from their children, in times
of financial needs. However they may accept any
such sums given by children to them, only if the
same is given gladly, with grace and respect. |
Our own
government should realise that senior citizens
of this country ought to be respected and looked
after well and that they should voluntarily and
with grace, accord concessions in different services
to them. |
MTNL
has gracefully allowed senior citizens to avail
concessions of 25% in rental tariff rates for
one telephone belonging to any senior citizen
above the age of 65. I myself have applied for
the concession. The Performa form is available
at Quick Customer Service Centre in all MTNL exchange
offices. It is to the credit of MTNL that they
are giving this concession to senior citizens
without making them follow a cumbersome procedure.
In fact they give this concession gladly and with
grace. |
But MTNL
generally has its wings spread only in metropolitan
cities. Bharatiya Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) which
is spread throughout the country has still to
make up its mind about granting such relief. Many
requests on behalf of different senior citizens'
organisations have been sent to BSNL authorities,
but BSNL is not relenting. BSNL and MTNL to my
mind are both governed by the TRAI act and yet
there is such disparity in grant of concession
between them. |
It is
hoped that the minister of telecommunications
will immediately intervene and take interest in
the matter and initiate steps to direct BSNL to
gracefully allow concessions of 25% in rental
tariff of one telephone belonging to a senior
citizen. This would enable all the senior citizens
of this country to avail of this concession, which
is otherwise exclusively enjoyed by subscribers
of MTNL phones. |
| When our Finance Minister
can propose Dada-Dadi Bonds with higher returns
especially for senior citizens, then why should
BSNL lag behind? Hope better sense will prevail
with the powers-that-be. |
| |
| Basant Otwani,
Mumbai |
| Forum Slaps Rs 3,46,349
Compensation on Insurance Co. |
Vipin
Pujara, with his family, was going in his car
on a pilgrimage. When the car was passing through
Satna area in Madhya Pradesh, robbers stopped
his car and took away all his belongings including
cash, jewellery and the car. The registration
book and insurance policy of the car were also
taken away by the robbers. The incident was reported
in local newspapers on 7 December 1998. Pujara
informed the New India Assurance Co office in
Satna of the matter. |
Pujara
pursued the matter with the New India Assurance
Company and claimed insurance. The insurance co
informed Pujara that his car was recovered by
Kothi police station, Satna. The car was recorded
as a stolen property by Madhya Pradesh police
on 14 July 2000. Vinod Shukla, a friend of Pujara
took possession of the car on a Rs 5 lakh bond. |
As advised
by New India Assurance company, the car was taken
to Aden Auto Centre, Mumbai on 29 July 2000. Aden
Auto sent a statement of expenses to Pujara for
Rs 74,349 on 27 January 2001. As many as six surveyers
were appointed one by one by the insurance company
to inspect and evaluate the vehicle, which was
further prolonging the matter. Finally the insurance
company advised Pujara to remove the vehicle from
the auto centre on 2 March 2001. Aden Auto Centre
slapped another bill of Rs 20,000 on Pujara as
parking charges as the vehicle was lying in the
garage for 214 days. |
Pujara
appointed M/s B N Mehta to fix the salvage value
or value of the rescued car. M/s B N Mehta valued
the salvage at Rs 60,000. Pujara found a buyer
for his car and sold it for Rs 65,000. The insurance
company offered to settle his claim at Rs 93,650.
|
Pujara
sent a legal notice to the insurance company on
2 July 2002. The insured value of the car was
Rs 3,08,000. Aden Auto charged a sum of Rs 94,349
as repairing and parking charges from Pujara.
And thus, Pujara claimed an amount of Rs 4,02,349.
After deducting Rs 65,000 (the sale value of his
car), Pujara finally claimed Rs 3,37,349. |
Consumer
Education and Research Society (CERS), Ahmedabad
and Vipin Pujara started legal proceedings in
the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum in Ahmedabad
city. The insurance company appeared before the
Forum and asked for time to submit written submission.
As the company submitted the written submission
after the expiry of stipulated 45 days, the Forum
decided the case ex-parte on 16 September 2003
and directed the insurance company to Rs 3,37,349
with 10 % interest from the date of repudiation
of the claim from 6 December 1998 till the date
of actual payment to Pujara. |
The Forum
also directed the insurance company to pay Rs
2000 to Pujara as cost and another Rs 2000 as
compensation for the mental agony caused to Pujara.
The insurance company was further directed to
pay Rs 5000 to CERS as cost of the case. |
| |
| Pritee Shah, Editor,
Editor, INSIGHT - The Consumer Magazine, Ahmedabadi |
| Complaint against
Skyline NEPC Ltd. |
I think
the SEBI cannot disown its moral responsiblities
by debarring the acquirers and their group company
from assessing the capital market for a period
of five years. We, gullible investors, tendered
our shares because of SEBI clearance of the offer,
hence the SEBI is legally and morally under obligation
to pay us consideration out of the huge funds
SEBI maintains by way of charging fees and deposit
which SEBI collects from acquirers and others.
Otherwise, if SEBI tries to encourage this type
of activities, it will not only completely shake
the investor confidence in SEBI, but it will also
have adverse implications and the very purpose
of SEBI clearance will be of no value. |
As regards
SEBI launching of prosecution proceedings pending
in court, we feel that it is already about a couple
of years and unless SEBI takes it seriously, it
will never end and just go on. Actually the SEBI
should issue public notification in all newspapers
informing SEBI debarring the acquirers and group
company as well as intimate all government authorities/banks/state
governments not to deal with this company who
have cheated investors, only then something will
come out. Hope SEBI will not take this casually
now; if the company is pressurised and strong
steps initiated, the acquirer will have no choice
but to submit to SEBI and comply with its order.
|
| |
| Hiradevi Choudhary,
Kolkata |
| Interesting And Useful
Articles |
I must
say that I was simply fascinated by the article
on health called 'Prevent Osteoporosis.' The exercise
mentioned in the article are helping me a lot
to combat my vertigo problem that I have for the
last eight years. |
Equally
interesting were many articles in the past issues
like 'Amplified Physical Exercises', 'Three Commandments'
and '99 Steps to Live 100.' |
I am
happy to note about the start of a Lions-Juhu
Dignity Enrichment Centre which I am unable to
join due to my immobility. (I have crosses 91
years last November) But I wish this joyful community
all success. I thank and wish you well in all
the enterprises you are gradually introducing
from time to time for the welfare of senior citizens. |
| |
| T.M. Fonseca,
Mumbai |
