CA – MAR 16 : SNIPPETS
Reply to complaint should be filed in 45 days
The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 gives the party against whom a complaint is lodged 30 days to file its reply which may be extended to 45 days at the maximum. The Supreme Court has ruled that this must be strictly adhered to. This ruling will ensure that the opposite party does not deliberately delay filing its reply and harass the consumer.
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112 approved as India’s single emergency number
A single emergency number 112 will soon be a reality in India as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has approved the proposal of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in this regard. The existing emergency numbers, such as 100, 101, 102 and 108, will continue to be available for one year and be gradually phased out.
Larger pictorial warnings on tobacco products soon
Starting 1 April 2016, pictorial health warnings on packages of tobacco products will become bigger as per a notification issued by the Union Health Ministry which was to come into force on 1 April 2015. According to the notification, all tobacco products would carry warnings covering 85% of the package area, up from 40% at present.
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Public opinion forces companies to replace BPA
Consumer pressure has prompted several companies in US like General Mills and Campbell Soup Company to remove bisphenol A (BPA) from food packaging. BPA is linked to breast cancer, developmental and reproductive health problems and heart disease. Still, a survey of American canned food marketplace revealed that out of 252 brands, only 12% used BPA-free cans.
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Women feel temperature differently from men
A study by two Dutch scientists suggests that women are comfortable at a temperature 2.5oC higher than men. This could be because of different metabolic rates and body heat production. Generally, women have a lower metabolic rate than men. Also, many men wear suits and ties even in peak summer while women opt for lighter clothes which makes them feel colder.
