The Times of India

CAG wrote to the Minister for Social Welfare, GoTN highlighting the need to ensure food under the Mid Day Meal Scheme continues to reach underpriveliged children even though schools are not functioning in person. Otherwise, considering the impact of the pandemic on livelihoods, children may be pressed to work for daily wages and this will have a huge impact on their education even after schools resume full functioning.

#Lockdown #TamilNadu #COVIDSecondWave #Pandemic #Poverty #JobLoss #StayHome #StaySafe

Electricity bill is a key tool for enabling consumers to interact with the utility and various stakeholders in a transparent manner. This study by CAG & CEEW brings out the need for a more informative, accessible, reader-friendly,  bilingual electricity bill in TN.

#electricitybill #TNEB #TANGEDCO 

A blanket ban on single-use plastics without creating an ecosystem to promote and support alternatives is not going to be successful. There should be a rethink on how we implement these bans and come up with innovative policy instruments.

Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG), in association with the Citizen’s Voice Club (CVC) conducted a seminar to create awareness among students on the need to avoid trans fats during the Children's Day week of 2019. The program was attended by the Coimbatore Food Safety Officials like the Designated Officer and Food Safety Officers, consumer club members and the school students and teachers.

Corporation and residents were unhappy with Ramky's performance managing waste from 2012-2019. Residents, CSOs, and experts working in the field of solid waste management are skeptical about this development. 

GCC has engaged contractors to maintain over 180 micro composting centres, which were earlier managed by officials from the solid waste management team. 

A survey conducted by CAG has revealed that 80% of consumers are not aware of the harmful effects of artificial trans fats and 81% use some form of trans fat such as vanaspathi, margarine or fat spread at home. 9 out of 10 do not read food labels. 

As we come out of lockdown, how will transport, mobility, and road safety be impacted? CAG has written to the Tamil Nadu CM with suggestions to ensure safe transit during and after lockdown such as putting in place protocols for government bus drivers, enforcing the road rules on speeding, drunk driving and wearing of seatbelts/helmets. #pandemic #roadcrashes #roadsafety #speeding #drunkdriving #seatbelt #helmet

An important article that talks about the urgent need to overhaul the functioning of consumer courts.

"If this gets TN Energy Regulatory Commission around 1,200 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will get affected."