Indian Railways

A Bi-monthly newsletter of CUTS Safety Watch

BNo.3/2004 EWARE Indian Railways --- Safe Enough? ny technology, whether railway, power supply or In his budget speech, he promised to bring down the number of A aviation cannot attain 100 per cent safety. - reacted R N consequential train accidents per million train km. Malhotra, former Railway Board Chairman. This is regarding A Special Railway Safety Fund (SRSF) of Rs. 17000 cr was the accident that occurred when Mangalore-Kurla created in 2002-2003 to wipe out arrears in renewal of over Matsyagandha Express jumped off the rails killing 20 people aged assets viz: track, bridges, rolling stock and signalling and injuring several others due to loose boulders falling on to gear besides safety enhancement work, over a six year period. the track. The obvious question comes to one's mind is Though the minister claims that considerable progress has whether to keep our fingers crossed while taking train rides. been made in the execution of works sanctioned under this Incidentally last year the Mumbai - Karwar Express fund, no activity report has been made public. toppled off the track after hitting boulders on the same Incidentally Indian Railways have published a White Konkan Railway zone and claimed nearly 52 Paper on Safety (WPS) in 2003. The document lives. The route proves to be prone to frequent explains activities that are to be taken up by the landslides and a decision was taken to install authorities to maintain a high level of safety. A metal mesh net to avoid accidents due to falling host of technical upgradations have been done in boulders on to the tracks. The recent accident consonance with the above document, in the revealed that a long stretch in the Roha region Indian Railways including the Konkan route. was left, causing the derailment. However what is disconcerting is that in Many of us may recall some other major train spite of installing state-of-thaart safety services disasters in recent years: about 400 people were along the route, accidents continue to occur. feared killed when two express trains collided The lack of true accountability of the head-on at the Gaisal railway station in 1999. In Railways on the issue of safety needs to be 2002, 100 passengers were killed while the urgently addressed. More often than not the most prestigious Rajdhani Express plunged into the Dhave report of the Railway commission on the probes on accident River, resulting from the fragile condition of the bridges. cases gather dust. Even when 'small' rail accidents (e.g. None of these should be overlooked in any systemic attempt unmanned level crossings) possibly claim so many lives, a to enhance safety. serious introspection is required to explore the lacunae in the " Safety" or "Economy"--- The choice will obviously be the system and attempt should be made to prevent them at the former for all of us. Even our new railway minister Laloo Prasad earliest. As a safety measure, pilot engines could be run in the Yadav emphasises the need to strengthen the safety norms of vulnerable zones before any passenger or goods trains take Indian Railways and lack of funds should not come in the way. the route. Some Major Train Tragedies IN THIS ISSUE

Traffic Cops with a l February, 1975: 43 people died and 74 l March, 2001: A crowded commuter Healing Touch ...... 2 were hurt when a train hit the end of a cul- train has collided head on with an de-sac tunnel at Moorgate Underground empty train in central Belgium, leaving Prevention is Better station in central London, UK. at least eight people dead. Than Cure ...... 3 l January, 1977: Australia's worst-ever l September, 2001: A collision between Danger of Air railway disaster claimed. 83 lives when a a passenger train and a locomotive has Freshners ...... 3 commuter train derailed and crashed killed at least 31 people and injured into the pillars of a bridge bringing it dozens on the Indonesian Island of Java. down on top of the train in Granville, l April, 2004: At least 3,000 people were Sydney. killed or injured when two trains, l August, 1995: 400 people killed as carrying oil and liquefied petroleum Puroshottam Express, rams into Kalindi gas, collided and exploded in a North Consumer Unity & Trust Society Express near Firozabad railway station in Korean train station near the Chinese Email: [email protected] / [email protected] Uttar Pradesh. border. Website: www.cuts-international.org

Subscription Rs.50/ per annum New Tool for Road Safety of Surgeons. The Cosmetics to dye for? Prevention is Better than Cure condemning the tests as an apparent distraction is 30%. A study done in The Geographical Kerala treatment is divided into The US Food and Drug In Dubai a 12 year girl died for attempt to make tobacco more appealing Australia reveals that 58% of drivers Accident Management System five parts - control of Administration (FDA) does not using a SAFA mineral water bottle to young people, and labelled it as in the age group 17 to 29 read text (GeoKams), developed as part of the airway, stabilising the require safety data on ingredients for a protracted period of 16 'appalling'. A BAT spokesman however messages or SMS while driving, Road Safety Engineering Initiatives cervical spine, circulation used in beauty and personal-care months. The plastic expectedly dismissed the notion that the where obviously the distraction for the World Bank-funded Kerala and control of external products such. This weakness on the (polyethylene terephthalate company aimed to attract children with level is much higher. State Transport and Kerala Police haemorrhage, disability part of the government has allowed or PET) used in these bottles new flavourings. (ET, 16.05.04 & SMH, 10.06.04) Project by Technopark-based IBS and neurological the industry to market cosmetics and contains a potentially (ET, 03.06.04) Software Services, is to facilitate assessment, and the right environment to personal-care products with carcinogenic element - diethyl- Reliablity of Codex Standards! efficient recording and analysis of prevent hypothermia. ingredients whose safety is unclear hydroxylamine or DEHA. Using Mobile while Driving - Unsafe ! One big obsession of 'lazy' accident data in the coming days, (TOI, 17.05.04) says a report released by the The bottles are safe for one-time A huge controversy is raging across the Indian authorities responsible for the lack of which has been the bane Environmental Working Group, the use only. In case of bare necessity, it world, over whether the use of mobile regulating pesticides is to take refuge of traffic planners & safety experts in Strategy for Safe Singapore Roads Breast Cancer Fund and other could be used at the most for one phones while driving is an unsafe in standards set by the Codex India. In Singapore, police currently rely on public-interest groups. week. They must be kept away from practice. Though many Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The Geographical Information speed cameras at designated locations, Examination of 77 such products, heat as well. Repeated washing and countries across the But standards set by Codex are System (GIS)-enabled system will be hand-held radar guns and laser cameras, primarily hair dyes and shampoos, rinsing causes the plastic to break economic spectrum comparatively lenient than those set able to capture information about a mounted laser cameras on overpasses, revealed that every third product down causing carcinogens to leak (including India) have by some individual countries road accident occurring at any place etc. in their bid to stop speeding, but to no contains one or more ingredients into drinking water. So it is advisable banned such usage, the themselves. CAC admits that they and its impact. The accident data effect. The number of tickets issued for classified by the government as to invest into multiple use water controversy refuses to depend, entirely, on the data can be plotted on digital maps and speeding has risen sharply, from 35,361 possibly cancer-causing. bottles. die down. Proponents supplied by the manufacturers of the software has the capability for in- in 2002 to 48,667 last year. And in the Little research is available to (DTE, 31.05.04) of the cell-phone assert that it is a vital chemicals. More over, no one depth GIS-enabled analysis. Colour first three months of this year alone, more document the safety or health risks productivity tool in the modern day world bothers about adverse effects of coding has been provided to than 13,000 motorists were booked for of low-dose repeated exposures to Choco-'Puffs' and " being in touch", even during the chemicals, discovered after initial indicate the severity of accidents to speeding. chemical mixtures like those in If your children are fond of couple of hours of driving time each day, approval, and it is up to 'honest' enable the law enforcement All traffic police motorcycles will now be personal-care products, but the chicken puffs and vegetable puffs, is very important. They allege that manufacturers to withdraw the same agencies to redeploy personnel to fitted with radar guns that allow cops to absence of data should never be do go ahead and indulge them. But sufficient research has not been on their own. the priority areas and to monitor and nab speeding motorists almost instantly. mistaken for proof of safety. the moment you hear they are fond conducted to dub the mobile phone a In this era of industrially take corrective steps to curb This means speeding drivers will not have However, any safety testing and of chocolate 'puffs' or villain. If the 'hand-held' mobile is the processed packaged food, accidents. time to react - the most important change reporting by manufacturers to the vanilla 'puffs' let your bugbear, they aver, dashboard or two- transnational corporations are (TH, 04.06.04) of all, because it could motivate motorists FDA is completely voluntary. mental antennae work wheeler handle mounted instruments selling "unsafe" food and beverages to drive more carefully all the time, and (SHNS, 07.06.04) overtime to make sure could certainly be allowed. As per the happily, hiding behind the Traffic Cops with a Healing Touch not only when someone is watching these are also of the proponents, this practice would then be weakness of Codex. So the time has The first hour after an accident is them. Artificial Sweeteners in Soft Drinks baked variety. no more distracting than eating or come to forthwith formulate and called the "golden hour", which is (STS, 25.06.04) There's trouble brewing for soft- Tobacco giant drinking while driving. implement our own standards in extremely critical for the life or death drink giants Coca-cola and Pepsico, British American Tobacco (BAT) has However, police authorities and road India, taking our own diet habits into of a victim. A traffic department Cash Award to Boost Air Safety along with some other companies, been testing cigarettes flavoured safety experts are rather adamant about account. Waiting for a 'reformed' study shows that, out of an average Airborne collision avoidance systems over their use of the artificial with substances such as chocolate, the ban. They emphasise that in fact a lot Codex can turn out to be very of 400 accident deaths in a year, half can only see aircraft with transponders sweeteners, aspartame and vanilla, cherry juice, even wine and of research has gone into it and cite expensive in human terms. die due to the absence of a trauma that register their position. But the saccharin. Several lawsuits have sherry. Anti-tobacco campaigners statistics such as: hand-held phones cause (DTE, 31.05.04) care system and improper way of comparatively heavy weight of the battery been filed in different such as Action on Tobacco and as much as 50% distraction; even with handling a victim. National statistics needed to power the devices makes it US courts. Aspartame is Health (ASH), reacted with fury, dashboard mounted instruments the Danger of Air Freshners say, though Indian roads account for impossible to fit them in gliders and other said to be a neurotoxin; Researchers at the US only one percent of the vehicles in light aircrafts. So many light aircrafts are saccharin was banned Environmental Protection Agency the world, it accounts for six percent currently virtually "invisible" to safety in the US in 1981 and Products Recalled During May-June, 2004 in US in Cooperation with (UNEPA) say, a potentially harmful of accident-related deaths every devices used by jetliners and air-traffic was re-instated in 2000 after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) smog can form inside homes year. controllers and therefore banned from obtaining a clean chit against being a through reactions between air- To minimise the mortality rate, operating in many areas. suspected carcinogen. Coaster Co. of America, Santa Fe Springs, freshners and ozone. Ozone, a trauma care experts from Apollo A Balerno-based firm, Trig Avionics, is It is noteworthy that in India, the California, voluntarily recalled metal twin/twin and common urban pollutant, is Gleneagles Hospital have been working to create the electronic use of artificial sweeteners - most of twin/full bunk beds. A gap between the step of the produced when vehicle emissions training sergeants pre-hospital equivalent of "fluorescent jackets" which which contain aspartame - is built-in ladder and the top bunk allows enough room react with trauma care, a well defined model will allow small aircraft, microlights, permitted for many food items. for a child's body to slip through but will not allow for sunlight. The developed by the American College gliders and hot-air balloons to be spotted (DTE, 31.05.04) a child's head to pass through. This poses a serious reaction by radar and specialist systems that would strangulation risk. generates prevent mid-air collisions. National Safety Month-June 2004 formaldehyde, Fact Sheet GapKids, of San Francisco, California, voluntarily For this innovation Trig Avionics has National Safety Month (NSM), recalled Girls' Straw Cowboy Hat. The straw hat is classed as a Year Accidents Deaths Injury become one of 17 firms to receive a share sponsered by National Safety constructed using a thin wire within a seam. The tip of the wire can break free probable 1998 3,520 454 3,446 of ú850,000 in grants under the Scottish Council, is an annual observance of from the seam, posing a laceration hazard. GapKids has received two reports of carcinogen, 1998 3,219 458 3,019 Executive-backed SMART programme USA that promotes safety in homes, customers who received minor scratches from the exposed wire tip. A 7-year- and related compounds, that many 2000 3,165 452 3,316 which aims to stimulate the creation of at the work place, in communities old child received a scratch on the leg and a 12-year-old received a scratch on experts believe are responsible for 2001 2,620 440 2,490 new businesses and to help fledgling and on the roads. This year’s theme the forehead. respiratory problems. They studied for NSM is “Crash-free June”, which 2002 2,149 457 1766 firms employing fewer than 50 staff to 12 models of hand-held hair dryers are recalled. They are not equipped the reaction between ozone gas and improve their competitiveness by calls for a month-long effort to with a mandatory immersion protection device to prevent electrocution if fragrance molecules such as pinene * In 2003, 442 persons died Number developing new products and processes. change behaviours that causes the hair dryer falls into water. (Www.cpsc.gov) and limonene. of hit and run cases: 543. (EN, 25.05.04) crashes. (NMHIC, 01.06.04) (ET, 16.05.04)

2 BEWARE, No.3 / 2004 BEWARE, No.3 / 2004 3 New Tool for Road Safety of Surgeons. The Cosmetics to dye for? Prevention is Better than Cure condemning the tests as an apparent distraction is 30%. A study done in The Geographical Kerala treatment is divided into The US Food and Drug In Dubai a 12 year girl died for attempt to make tobacco more appealing Australia reveals that 58% of drivers Accident Management System five parts - control of Administration (FDA) does not using a SAFA mineral water bottle to young people, and labelled it as in the age group 17 to 29 read text (GeoKams), developed as part of the airway, stabilising the require safety data on ingredients for a protracted period of 16 'appalling'. A BAT spokesman however messages or SMS while driving, Road Safety Engineering Initiatives cervical spine, circulation used in beauty and personal-care months. The plastic expectedly dismissed the notion that the where obviously the distraction for the World Bank-funded Kerala and control of external products such. This weakness on the (polyethylene terephthalate company aimed to attract children with level is much higher. State Transport and Kerala Police haemorrhage, disability part of the government has allowed or PET) used in these bottles new flavourings. (ET, 16.05.04 & SMH, 10.06.04) Project by Technopark-based IBS and neurological the industry to market cosmetics and contains a potentially (ET, 03.06.04) Software Services, is to facilitate assessment, and the right environment to personal-care products with carcinogenic element - diethyl- Reliablity of Codex Standards! efficient recording and analysis of prevent hypothermia. ingredients whose safety is unclear hydroxylamine or DEHA. Using Mobile while Driving - Unsafe ! One big obsession of 'lazy' accident data in the coming days, (TOI, 17.05.04) says a report released by the The bottles are safe for one-time A huge controversy is raging across the Indian authorities responsible for the lack of which has been the bane Environmental Working Group, the use only. In case of bare necessity, it world, over whether the use of mobile regulating pesticides is to take refuge of traffic planners & safety experts in Strategy for Safe Singapore Roads Breast Cancer Fund and other could be used at the most for one phones while driving is an unsafe in standards set by the Codex India. In Singapore, police currently rely on public-interest groups. week. They must be kept away from practice. Though many Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The Geographical Information speed cameras at designated locations, Examination of 77 such products, heat as well. Repeated washing and countries across the But standards set by Codex are System (GIS)-enabled system will be hand-held radar guns and laser cameras, primarily hair dyes and shampoos, rinsing causes the plastic to break economic spectrum comparatively lenient than those set able to capture information about a mounted laser cameras on overpasses, revealed that every third product down causing carcinogens to leak (including India) have by some individual countries road accident occurring at any place etc. in their bid to stop speeding, but to no contains one or more ingredients into drinking water. So it is advisable banned such usage, the themselves. CAC admits that they and its impact. The accident data effect. The number of tickets issued for classified by the government as to invest into multiple use water controversy refuses to depend, entirely, on the data can be plotted on digital maps and speeding has risen sharply, from 35,361 possibly cancer-causing. bottles. die down. Proponents supplied by the manufacturers of the software has the capability for in- in 2002 to 48,667 last year. And in the Little research is available to (DTE, 31.05.04) of the cell-phone assert that it is a vital chemicals. More over, no one depth GIS-enabled analysis. Colour first three months of this year alone, more document the safety or health risks productivity tool in the modern day world bothers about adverse effects of coding has been provided to than 13,000 motorists were booked for of low-dose repeated exposures to Choco-'Puffs' and " being in touch", even during the chemicals, discovered after initial indicate the severity of accidents to speeding. chemical mixtures like those in If your children are fond of couple of hours of driving time each day, approval, and it is up to 'honest' enable the law enforcement All traffic police motorcycles will now be personal-care products, but the chicken puffs and vegetable puffs, is very important. They allege that manufacturers to withdraw the same agencies to redeploy personnel to fitted with radar guns that allow cops to absence of data should never be do go ahead and indulge them. But sufficient research has not been on their own. the priority areas and to monitor and nab speeding motorists almost instantly. mistaken for proof of safety. the moment you hear they are fond conducted to dub the mobile phone a In this era of industrially take corrective steps to curb This means speeding drivers will not have However, any safety testing and of chocolate 'puffs' or villain. If the 'hand-held' mobile is the processed packaged food, accidents. time to react - the most important change reporting by manufacturers to the vanilla 'puffs' let your bugbear, they aver, dashboard or two- transnational corporations are (TH, 04.06.04) of all, because it could motivate motorists FDA is completely voluntary. mental antennae work wheeler handle mounted instruments selling "unsafe" food and beverages to drive more carefully all the time, and (SHNS, 07.06.04) overtime to make sure could certainly be allowed. As per the happily, hiding behind the Traffic Cops with a Healing Touch not only when someone is watching these are also of the proponents, this practice would then be weakness of Codex. So the time has The first hour after an accident is them. Artificial Sweeteners in Soft Drinks baked variety. no more distracting than eating or come to forthwith formulate and called the "golden hour", which is (STS, 25.06.04) There's trouble brewing for soft- Tobacco giant drinking while driving. implement our own standards in extremely critical for the life or death drink giants Coca-cola and Pepsico, British American Tobacco (BAT) has However, police authorities and road India, taking our own diet habits into of a victim. A traffic department Cash Award to Boost Air Safety along with some other companies, been testing cigarettes flavoured safety experts are rather adamant about account. Waiting for a 'reformed' study shows that, out of an average Airborne collision avoidance systems over their use of the artificial with substances such as chocolate, the ban. They emphasise that in fact a lot Codex can turn out to be very of 400 accident deaths in a year, half can only see aircraft with transponders sweeteners, aspartame and vanilla, cherry juice, even wine and of research has gone into it and cite expensive in human terms. die due to the absence of a trauma that register their position. But the saccharin. Several lawsuits have sherry. Anti-tobacco campaigners statistics such as: hand-held phones cause (DTE, 31.05.04) care system and improper way of comparatively heavy weight of the battery been filed in different such as Action on Tobacco and as much as 50% distraction; even with handling a victim. National statistics needed to power the devices makes it US courts. Aspartame is Health (ASH), reacted with fury, dashboard mounted instruments the Danger of Air Freshners say, though Indian roads account for impossible to fit them in gliders and other said to be a neurotoxin; Researchers at the US only one percent of the vehicles in light aircrafts. So many light aircrafts are saccharin was banned Environmental Protection Agency the world, it accounts for six percent currently virtually "invisible" to safety in the US in 1981 and Products Recalled During May-June, 2004 in US in Cooperation with (UNEPA) say, a potentially harmful of accident-related deaths every devices used by jetliners and air-traffic was re-instated in 2000 after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) smog can form inside homes year. controllers and therefore banned from obtaining a clean chit against being a through reactions between air- To minimise the mortality rate, operating in many areas. suspected carcinogen. Coaster Co. of America, Santa Fe Springs, freshners and ozone. Ozone, a trauma care experts from Apollo A Balerno-based firm, Trig Avionics, is It is noteworthy that in India, the California, voluntarily recalled metal twin/twin and common urban pollutant, is Gleneagles Hospital have been working to create the electronic use of artificial sweeteners - most of twin/full bunk beds. A gap between the step of the produced when vehicle emissions training sergeants pre-hospital equivalent of "fluorescent jackets" which which contain aspartame - is built-in ladder and the top bunk allows enough room react with trauma care, a well defined model will allow small aircraft, microlights, permitted for many food items. for a child's body to slip through but will not allow for sunlight. The developed by the American College gliders and hot-air balloons to be spotted (DTE, 31.05.04) a child's head to pass through. This poses a serious reaction by radar and specialist systems that would strangulation risk. generates prevent mid-air collisions. National Safety Month-June 2004 formaldehyde, Fact Sheet GapKids, of San Francisco, California, voluntarily For this innovation Trig Avionics has National Safety Month (NSM), recalled Girls' Straw Cowboy Hat. The straw hat is classed as a Year Accidents Deaths Injury become one of 17 firms to receive a share sponsered by National Safety constructed using a thin wire within a seam. The tip of the wire can break free probable 1998 3,520 454 3,446 of ú850,000 in grants under the Scottish Council, is an annual observance of from the seam, posing a laceration hazard. GapKids has received two reports of carcinogen, 1998 3,219 458 3,019 Executive-backed SMART programme USA that promotes safety in homes, customers who received minor scratches from the exposed wire tip. A 7-year- and related compounds, that many 2000 3,165 452 3,316 which aims to stimulate the creation of at the work place, in communities old child received a scratch on the leg and a 12-year-old received a scratch on experts believe are responsible for 2001 2,620 440 2,490 new businesses and to help fledgling and on the roads. This year’s theme the forehead. respiratory problems. They studied for NSM is “Crash-free June”, which 2002 2,149 457 1766 firms employing fewer than 50 staff to 12 models of hand-held hair dryers are recalled. They are not equipped the reaction between ozone gas and improve their competitiveness by calls for a month-long effort to with a mandatory immersion protection device to prevent electrocution if fragrance molecules such as pinene * In 2003, 442 persons died Number developing new products and processes. change behaviours that causes the hair dryer falls into water. (Www.cpsc.gov) and limonene. of hit and run cases: 543. (EN, 25.05.04) crashes. (NMHIC, 01.06.04) (ET, 16.05.04)

2 BEWARE, No.3 / 2004 BEWARE, No.3 / 2004 3 Consumers Today: Where They Stand Request for information on toy related accidents Safety Watch unit of CUTS - Calcutta Resource Centre and Consumer Affairs Department, Govt. of West Bengal organised a presentation on the theme "Consumers Today: Where They Stand" at Rotary Sadan, Kolkata on June 21. Playing with toys is an essential part of every child's development. But unfortunately toys are not without their In session I, Pradeep S. Mehta, the main speaker made a presentation on a seminal CUTS' study "State of the Indian hazards. Each year, quite a few children get hurt while playing with toys. But such incidents are rarely reported in Consumer" where he compared a set of guidelines given by the UN to assist governments to frame consumer policies, newspapers. against the ground realities as experienced by the Indian consumers. In session II, Soumi Home Roy made a presentation on her book "Is It Really Safe?" where she Although the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has specific standards for toys, manufacturers are not obliged to informed the participants about various consumer safety aspects related goods and services. adhere to them, unless the toy is for export. Thus there is no guarantee of safe toys in the market and our children Distinguished personalities like Naren De, Minister-in-charge and Principal are at great risk. Our endeavour is to document cases from major cities of India, and prepare an advocacy tool to Secretary,Cooperation and Consumer Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal; N. Arif advocate with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to make the BIS safety standards mandatory for toys, whether Secretary General, ICC; P. Rohatgi, an eminent Consumer Activist; and Indira Chakravarty, domestic or imported. Director Professor and Dean, AIIHPH moderated and spoke on the occasion. By filling out the form below, you can report any injury or death involving unsafe toys to us, so that we can The event drew about 125 participants from different government departments, consumer document the same. We may contact you by mail, phone or email for further details. Please provide as much clubs in schools, chamber of commerce, academia, consumer organisations, different trade associations and media. information as possible. REVIEW - “IS IT REALLY SAFE?” Campaign on Section 134 Your name:...... It is axiomatic that many lives could be saved or many disabilities avoided, if victims of road accidents receive Your address:...... immediate medical attention. Unfortunately in India, the chance of a road accident victim getting prompt medical ...... care is very little, though it is very much covered under Your telephone (with STD code):...... law. In 1989, in Parmanand Katara vs. Union of India case, Your email address (if any):...... the Supreme Court passed an order that any Doctor (or clinic) can be approached for immediate treatment and Name of victim*:...... that is their duty to do so without fear of harassment. Victim's sex:...... Victim's age:...... Subsequently, in 1994, Section 134 of The Motor Vehicles' Act 1988 was amended to cover this exigency. Victim's address:...... CUTS has undertaken a campaign to aware the film/serial directors so that they can spread the right ...... message through their films/serials. CUTS has also Victims' telephone (with STD code): ...... requested the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and DG Police of all states to take appropriate actions to Describe the toy involved:...... popularise Section 134. Brand name/manufacturer:...... SOURCES: ST: The Straits Times, TOI: The Times of India, DTE: Down to Earth, TH: The Hindu, FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation, EN: Evening News, SHNS: Scripps Howard News Service, ET: The Economic Times, SMH: The Sydney Morning Herald. NMHIC: National Mental Health Information Centre. Place where manufactured:...... Feedback Advisory Board When was the toy purchased:......

Dinesh Mohan Please describe the incident or hazard, including description of injuries: Need of the Hour Comprehensive Information Base Coordinator, Transportation Research Received bi-monthly newsletter BEWARE, and Congratulations on the very useful publication & Injury Prevention Programme, the book “Is It Really Safe?”. These publications 'Is It Really Safe?'. I have received it this IIT, New Delhi are the need of the hour. Please accept our hearty afternoon and finished reading the night. It congratulations for the yeomen services would be one of the most comprehensive P. Bhattacharya rendered by CUTS to consumers. The contents information base for Consumer Rights. Hope Principal Secretary, Dept. Of Consumer are really enlightening and educative. We are CUTS would continue to offer such excellent Affairs, Govt. of West Bengal, Kolkata waiting for the next book “Deadly Profits”. and useful publication. R. Desikan T. Balachandran, President Asish Ghosh,Director Convenor, Consumers Association Kerala Consumer Service Society Centre for Environment and Development of India, Chennai Kerala, India Kolkata, India Swarn Kohli Keep It Up Useful Material for Research President, Consumer Education & We have received a copy of the book. Thank you for your magazine "BEWARE" and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad Congratulations both on the idea behind the also your book entitled 'Is It Really Safe?'. As Did victim's parents consult any doctor: Yes/No book and its contents. We had already published we have a club on Consumer Rights these Ravi Agarwal the article relating to Milk in one of our issues of materials are very useful for our children's Director, Toxics Link, New Delhi If yes, Doctor's name and qualification: Consumer Network Magazine, We are including research. We do hope you will continue to the article on toys in our June issue. Keep it up. send such material from now on. Udayan Namboodiri Did the parents take any step of complaining the incident: Yes/No S. Krishnan, Director S. M. Cyril, Principal Senior Editor, The Pioneer, New Delhi Consumer Coordination Council Loreto Day School Sealdah New Delhi, India Kolkata, India Pradeep S. Mehta Secretary General, CUTS-International, Jaipur If yes, details:...... Published by Consumer Unity & Trust Society, (CUTS), 3, Suren Tagore Road, Calcutta 700019, India, Ph: 91.33.2460 1424, Fax: 91.33.2440 7669, Email: [email protected], [email protected], Website: www.cuts-international.org, Printed by Aman Printers, Calcutta...... CUTS offices also at Jaipur, Chittorgarh and New Delhi (India); Lusaka (Zambia); Nairobi (Kenya); and London (UK).

The news/stories in this Newsletter are compressed from several newspapers. The sources given are to be used as a reference for further information and do not indicate the literal transcript of a particular news/story. * The term 'Victim' covers any child injured or exposed to a possible toy-related hazard.

4 BEWARE, No.3 / 2004 Consumers Today: Where They Stand Request for information on toy related accidents Safety Watch unit of CUTS - Calcutta Resource Centre and Consumer Affairs Department, Govt. of West Bengal organised a presentation on the theme "Consumers Today: Where They Stand" at Rotary Sadan, Kolkata on June 21. Playing with toys is an essential part of every child's development. But unfortunately toys are not without their In session I, Pradeep S. Mehta, the main speaker made a presentation on a seminal CUTS' study "State of the Indian hazards. Each year, quite a few children get hurt while playing with toys. But such incidents are rarely reported in Consumer" where he compared a set of guidelines given by the UN to assist governments to frame consumer policies, newspapers. against the ground realities as experienced by the Indian consumers. In session II, Soumi Home Roy made a presentation on her book "Is It Really Safe?" where she Although the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has specific standards for toys, manufacturers are not obliged to informed the participants about various consumer safety aspects related goods and services. adhere to them, unless the toy is for export. Thus there is no guarantee of safe toys in the market and our children Distinguished personalities like Naren De, Minister-in-charge and Principal are at great risk. Our endeavour is to document cases from major cities of India, and prepare an advocacy tool to Secretary,Cooperation and Consumer Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal; N. Arif advocate with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to make the BIS safety standards mandatory for toys, whether Secretary General, ICC; P. Rohatgi, an eminent Consumer Activist; and Indira Chakravarty, domestic or imported. Director Professor and Dean, AIIHPH moderated and spoke on the occasion. By filling out the form below, you can report any injury or death involving unsafe toys to us, so that we can The event drew about 125 participants from different government departments, consumer document the same. We may contact you by mail, phone or email for further details. Please provide as much clubs in schools, chamber of commerce, academia, consumer organisations, different trade associations and media. information as possible. REVIEW - “IS IT REALLY SAFE?” Campaign on Section 134 Your name:...... It is axiomatic that many lives could be saved or many disabilities avoided, if victims of road accidents receive Your address:...... immediate medical attention. Unfortunately in India, the chance of a road accident victim getting prompt medical ...... care is very little, though it is very much covered under Your telephone (with STD code):...... law. In 1989, in Parmanand Katara vs. Union of India case, Your email address (if any):...... the Supreme Court passed an order that any Doctor (or clinic) can be approached for immediate treatment and Name of victim*:...... that is their duty to do so without fear of harassment. Victim's sex:...... Victim's age:...... Subsequently, in 1994, Section 134 of The Motor Vehicles' Act 1988 was amended to cover this exigency. Victim's address:...... CUTS has undertaken a campaign to aware the film/serial directors so that they can spread the right ...... message through their films/serials. CUTS has also Victims' telephone (with STD code): ...... requested the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and DG Police of all states to take appropriate actions to Describe the toy involved:...... popularise Section 134. Brand name/manufacturer:...... SOURCES: ST: The Straits Times, TOI: The Times of India, DTE: Down to Earth, TH: The Hindu, FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation, EN: Evening News, SHNS: Scripps Howard News Service, ET: The Economic Times, SMH: The Sydney Morning Herald. NMHIC: National Mental Health Information Centre. Place where manufactured:...... Feedback Advisory Board When was the toy purchased:......

4 BEWARE, No.3 / 2004