The Public Newsense

Chennai receives the majority of its annual rainfall during the monsoon season, from October to December. While the monsoon brings relief from the heat, it also poses various challenges for motorists. 

Hazardous factors affecting motorists during monsoon

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 is the primary document of reference concerning any and all cases related to consumer disputes and conflicts. The Act describes a consumer as  anyone who buys goods or avails services for a consideration (ie, a price). The Act also describes who is not a consumer, even though there has been a transaction, as anyone  who buys goods or avails services for further commercial use or profit making purposes.

We all keep hearing that the world is drowning in plastic. Some of us know that it stands true even in the literal sense where our air, land and water are severely polluted and contaminated with macro, micro and nano-plastics.

Over the years, the number of schools, especially private ones, has burgeoned and so have mobility options for the school commute.  This has provided families with the flexibility to choose schools located farther from their homes. However, this also means there are more road safety risks for their children if precautions aren't taken.

Lifestyle changes and the manufacture of super-efficient

Consumers are all too familiar with the frequent power cuts - both from personal experience and from the many newspaper reports on this.

More than a decade ago, I was living in the nation’s capital. Navigating New Delhi’s traffic, dredging up my high school Hindi and coping with work and managing my own place was quite a juggling feat. In the middle of this, I got a call from my landlord gently chiding me for not paying the previous month’s rent. But I distinctly remembered writing the cheque and depositing it and so couldn’t fathom what had gone wrong. Anyhow, I promised him I would look into it and if needed pay double with the next cheque. My landlord, being a lovely person, was content with that promise. 

In the previous edition of this article, we explored the concept of greenwashing, looking at  consumer impact in particular. This will  explore some of the tangible steps like formulating frameworks to protect consumers from greenwashing strategies, and how countries can tackle  this issue at a global level. We will also look at how Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) is evolving to meet these new found challenges. 

Recently, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) announced they were in the process of introducing several technological upgrades, including the installation of cameras with ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) and speed detection systems. Such automated systems are common across the world but have just started coming into the picture in India.