detergent powders - consumer voice...a letter with ‘road safety’ as subject consumer voice, as a...

Vol. XIX, Issue 8 August 2018 Rs 50

www.consumer-voice.org

No getting wishy-washy about them 12 brands compared

Detergent Powders

For Non-Inclusion of Necessary Parties in Your ComplaintYou May Be Deprived of Any Relief

Product SurveySmart Televisions

Service Charges by Cooperative Banks

10 Banks Compared

tOP PERFORMERs

COMPARATIVE TESTDetergent PowdersNo getting wishy-washy about them

IN THE NEWS

8

5

CoNteNts

17

23

26

FOOD & STUFFRancidity in Your Food and OilsAll the way off

DECODING FOOD LABELSButtermilkButtressing your energy and protein needs

PRODUCT SURVEYSmart Televisions smart choice too?

32 BFSIService Charges by Cooperative Banksthese go from none to more

40

42

LEGAL MATTERSDelhi High Court Asks Railways to Create a Mediation Policy

You May Be Deprived of Any Relief for Non-Inclusion of Necessary Parties

4 •

Editor's Voice

Chief EditorProf PK Ghosh

Mg EditorProf sri Ram Khanna

COOAshim sanyal

Director OutreachAnand Pandeya

GM, Operationsshalini Goyal Bhalla

Editor Padma Pegu

Sales & DistributionNiraj Kumar singh

Hindi EditorialRashmi Khati

Online TeamNilanjana BoseAnuradha Gakhar Divya Patwal

Food DeskAshok Kanchan

BFSIGopal Ravi Kumarsubas tiwari

AccountsMonender singh

IT DeskHemant Upadhyay

TechnicalBhaskar Kr MukhopadhyayMAU Khan H Wadhwa KC Choudharysheeba Parveen

LegalAnkur saha

Projects and CSRRinki sharmaAmarjeet singhekta PurohitNaresh PrasadAmrit sindhu

MarketingPranay shethsnehanshu singhAshutosh Massey

SubscriptionFaraz Ahmed

AdminRamanjeet KaurGovind singh

Real Estatesajjan Jindal

Editor’s note: Consumer Voice does not accept any corporate advertisements or advertorials for the magazine. This has been the magazine’s policy since the first issue was published in 1997 and it keeps our reportage unbiased and non-partisan. Consumer Voice regularly publishes laboratory results of product tests. These products are purchased from the retail market before being sent to an independent NABL-accredited laboratory for testing.

We are thankful to Dept. of Consumer Affairs for supporting the initiative of consumer education and empowerment..

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PadmaEditor

Time to take them to task

For all the consumer-specific cases that we hear about, whether or not compensation is granted or upheld, or status quo prevails, there are an equal number of cases that could have been. Because not all of us are willing or eager to get into what we see as a legal imbroglio. We take the peaceful way out. Nothing wrong with that attitude, except that every time we let injustice happen or accept an unfair deal or deficiency in service that we have paid for, we are encouraging the crime to go on. And being cheated out of a fair deal is a crime committed by someone handing out the deal.

In recent times, I have seen friends going to town (read social media) about how so-and-so telecom service provider was going on sending bills despite repeated requests for terminating the landline and broadband connection, about luggage getting lost in transit during a flight and the concerned airline doing nothing more than handing out the perfunctory assurances that they will do their best in the matter, about being cheated by online travel companies (you will know if you have ever made an online payment for a ticket and the transaction does not get through and you get in touch with their customer care for requesting refund, and subsequently attempt to purchase the same ticket – just that by the time of the second transaction the ticket cost has shot up), and so on and on.

The more, the merrier, you will think. We have so many kinds of complaints, each narrative interesting (and weird and fascinating) in its own way, and we all have been at the receiving end one way or the other, whether or not we see it that way, that to let things go on in the same way would make us complicit in the ‘crime’ (there, I use this word again). Yet, apparently just about five per cent of unhappy customers ever bother to complain, according to some studies.

Why are we wary? Even those who are relatively more educated, conscious, conscientious, etc., develop cold feet at the thought of doing the rounds of a court. Is it simply a matter of thinking that something’s not worth the trouble? Or is it that it’s okay to accept the aberration that came our way because we have other things to do? Or perhaps it is the thought of fighting what we see as a losing battle against a corporate behemoth’s battery of lawyers? There is the own lawyer’s fee to consider as well. In the absence of a lawyer, one will have to represent oneself at the court – a daunting prospect for many and understandably so, because the procedures are not only time-consuming but also technical for the layperson.

Should we bury our heads in the sand then? Or should we meet the devil head-on instead? After all, every time we fight and win, we win it for all consumers. Look at it this way. When the consumer court orders so-and-so bank to pay up for charging interest on a settled loan, or when it directs a builder to pay compensation to a petitioner for not handing over an apartment on time, it’s a wake-up call to that bank or that builder.

And take heart. Not all cases have to reach the consumer court. As a first step, you can and should take your grievance directly to the service provider or the company whose product is defective. A resolution could be just that mail or phone call away. Certain documents are required to be submitted in this regard – online resources will yield that information easily enough. In any case, before taking a company to court, you need to have proof that you have corresponded with it to correct the deficiency. Seeking out the guidance of an association/voluntary organisation working on consumer issues is a good idea.

Last but not the least, know that social media is a powerful tool. Companies may not be intimidated by courts, but rest assured that a Facebook or a Twitter post going viral is the stuff of nightmare for their public relations team.

CONSUMER VOICE AUGUST 2018 • 5

In the News

Delhi consumer court fines government department for deficiency in service

The consumer forum, New Delhi district, headed by President Arun Kumar Arya, has held the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) guilty of ‘deficiency in service’ for not providing garbage bins in a government residential colony. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on the CPWD, a central government authority in charge of public sector works, while directing it to immediately provide three dustbins to the complainant.

“Bare perusal of the complaint addressed to opposite party (OP) (CPWD) makes it clear that there is no garbage bin in the colony of the complainant. Non-providing of the garbage bin by OP amounts to deficiency in service. We therefore hold OP guilty of deficiency in service and direct them as under. Immediately provide three garbage bins to the complainant. Pay to the complainant a sum of Rs 5,000 on account of pain and mental agony suffered by him, which will also include cost of litigation,” the forum said.

The order came on a complaint lodged by Arjun Singh, who lives in a government accommodation in Nehru Nagar, New Delhi, alleging that no garbage bin was provided in his colony since possession of the houses was given in 2013. He said that he had lodged a complaint in the form of a letter to the director of CPWD on 30 January 2013, for providing proper garbage bins. However, when his complaint was not acted upon, he approached the district consumer forum.

The complaint alleged that he and other allottees of the flats in the society were being forced to pay Rs 300 per month for garbage disposal, which was otherwise the duty of the CPWD, due to which he suffered financial loss and mental agony. The forum, while deciding the complaint, noted that the CPWD had not taken any defence and did not file any written reply rebutting the allegations.

Retailer ordered to compensate for selling cake post expiry date

A consumer court in Bengaluru has awarded a consumer Rs 10,090 as compensation after he was sold cakes worth Rs 90 at a Reliance Fresh outlet post the expiry date.

R Jayachandran, the litigant, said that he was sold a packet of cakes at the outlet on 18 April 2016, although it was past its expiry date. Upon seeing his son fall ill and noticing the expiry date on the product’s box, he wrote a letter to the outlet manager but received no response. He then decided to take the help of the consumer court and filed a case against Reliance Retail. Meanwhile, he had to spend a few thousand rupees on the treatment of his son.

The consumer court saw this as a case of ‘unfair trade practice’ as the retailer had put the expired product on its shelves and sold it to customers. From the retailer’s end, it was argued that the litigant had not given concrete medical records to show that the cakes sold by Reliance had caused the food poisoning. However, the court said that despite the medical records not being produced, it was still a major lapse on the part of the seller, and awarded the consumer Rs 10,090 as compensation – Rs 90 as the refund of the faulty product, Rs 5,000 he incurred towards litigation expenses, and Rs 5,000 as compensation for the inconvenience caused to him.

6 •

In the NewsIn the News

Voice OutreachA letter with ‘road safety’ as subject

Consumer Voice, as a leading organization of the Road Safety network, a national coalition of road safety organizations promoting safer roads in India, has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making road safety a national priority and to ensure the passage of Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017, in the upcoming monsoon session of parliament. This bill has been languishing in the parliament for almost two years. The letter reminds the prime minister that over 1.5 lakh road-traffic fatalities occur year after year and more than 5 lakh people are injured, with many of them getting disabled for life. Road safety shows no sign of improvement despite the matter being closely monitored by the Supreme Court.

The signatories to the letter are 71 influential personalities including Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan awardees, artists, economists, scientists, sportspersons, members of parliament and judiciary, ex-bureaucrats and authors, along with road-crash victims.

Seeking a ban on e-cigarettes

Consumer Voice along with various state partners have been engaged in tobacco intervention throughout India. In recent times, the team’s joint efforts with their advocacy partner in Tamil Nadu towards sensitizing relevant government officials with regard to e-cigarettes seem to be bringing about affirmative action. As per the latest developments, a ban on e-cigarette has been announced by Tamil Nadu’s Health Minister C Vijayabaskar.

Apart from taking the cause to the Delhi Government, state partners are engaged in sensitizing important stakeholders in the states of Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Tripura and Maharashtra, for bringing about the much-needed ban on e-cigarettes.

E-Cigarettes: Ban is the only way outWhat is an e-cigarette?

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette, e-cig) is a battery-powered vaporizer that simulates the feeling of smoking, but without burning tobacco. Using an e-cigarette is called vaping. The user puffs on the mouthpiece of a cartridge. This causes a vaporizer to heat the liquid inside the cartridge. This liquid contains nicotine, flavourings and other chemicals. The heated liquid turns into the vapour (aerosol) that is inhaled.

There are different types of e-cigarettes. The primary types are disposable and reusable e-cigarettes. Disposable e-cigarettes look like traditional cigarettes and contain liquid, battery and heating device. Reusable e-cigarettes also consist of similar elements, except that the battery is rechargeable and liquid can be refilled.

In India, a number of online retailers sell e-cigarette devices, accessories and liquids. These are purchased without any restriction, including in states where e-cigarettes are banned. The offline market seems to be less evolved; these products are not easily available in traditional stores selling tobacco products.

Why are e-cigarettes harmful?There are various health hazards of nicotine in addition to being highly addictive. It has adverse

effects on heart, lung, kidney and the reproductive system.

Important laws

• TheDrugsandCosmeticsAct,1940,doesnotprovideanyclearclassificationontheusageof


In the NewsIn the News

Certificate of Recognition being handed over by Pranay Sheth, head – marketing, Consumer Voice, to Alok Mishra, vice president and executive director – legal and corporate affairs, Bunge India Pvt. Ltd, on Gagan being ranked No. 1 in the comparative product testing of rice bran oil. The report was published in the July 2018 issue of Consumer Voice.

Certificate of Recognition being handed over by Pranay Sheth to Manish Thakur, vice president – product & strategy, Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Co. Ltd, on Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance being ranked as ‘best buy’ in the comparative evaluation of retirement pension plans (unit-linked and non-participating), published in the July 2018 issue of Consumer Voice.

nicotine, especially in regard to e-cigarettes. Currently, there is no central legislation concerning e-cigarettes.

• Nicotinegum(2mgand4mg)andlozengesareregulatedunderChapterIVoftheDrugsandCosmetics Act. Rule 122 (E) of the Act states that any change in the form of the same substance will establish it as a new drug. That makes liquid nicotine, which is used in e-cigarettes, technically a new drug, requiring approval of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) before it can be launched in Indian markets. The product continues to be imported, distributed, marketed and sold without license or registration.

• AsperRule122(E)oftheDrugsandCosmeticsAct,1940,andRule1945,everynewdrugshould be sold in the country with the prior approval of the Drugs Controller General of India. Permission to sell lozenges or gums containing less than 2 mg nicotine is already given by the said authority. However, nicotine products above 2 mg are supposed to be sold only when prescribed by a registered medical practitioner.

• Ane-cigarettevial contains about10mgofnicotine.At sufficientlyhighdoses,nicotine isassociated with poisonings and is potentially lethal.

• Nicotine has been declared to be a lethal and hazardous substance under the Environment(Protection) Act and the Insecticides Act. Its only permitted use for human consumption is up to the level of 2 mg in the form of chewing gum or lozenges under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

• Sincee-cigarettesarebeingsoldinthemarketwithoutpermission,thisisincontraventionofsections 18 (b) and 18 (c) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

• Importing,manufacturingandsellinganddistributingofdrugswithoutpermissionfromDCGIand without license from the department is illegal, and may attract imprisonment of 3 to 5 years.

• Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation ofTrade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Amendment Bill, 2015, has been withdrawn and a new Bill will be introduced by incorporating provisions to counter the illicit trade in tobacco products.

Present scenarioThe states of Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram,

Bihar and Maharashtra, as well as Chandigarh (union territory), have banned e-cigarettes under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and Food Safety & Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011.

8 •

Does buying a high-priced detergent powder guarantee cleaner clothes? What makes the grade, and literally so? For there are grades specified in the national standard for detergent powders, based on active-ingredients composition, quality and performance. sure, they are all supposed to clean our clothes and if they do that effectively enough, what else are we supposed to know that should matter to us? Is it their chemical composition, their quality aspects, their implications for personal health, or their environment-friendliness? All of these perhaps. the test report that follows will tell you how 12 regular-selling brands in the Indian market compare against each other. Is it all the same irrespective of price and positioning? Knowing that the most expensive detergent brands cost up to Rs 215 for a kilogram, do they also deliver superior performance?

A Consumer Voice Report

Detergent PowdersNo getting wishy-washy about them

Comparative Test

We tested the brands on a range of quality, safety, performance, environment-friendliness and acceptability parameters. These included detergency, active

ingredients, active alkalinity, total phosphates, sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), ash built-up,

foam generation and moisture. The ‘detergency’ test establishes how well detergents can remove dirt from soiled fabrics. Interestingly, our test findings reveal that the costliest detergent powders are the better cleaners. The brands have been categorized into four groups to make comparison within a particular price range; recommended applications have also been


Detergent Powders

BRANDS TESTED

considered while categorizing. The price of these detergent brands varies from Rs 43 per kg to Rs 215 per kg.

The Indian Standard defines three grades of laundry detergent powders – specifically 1, 2 and 3 – on the basis of active-ingredients composition, quality and performance. However, none of the brands have claimed/declared their grade as per the Standard. It may be noted that the declaration of grade is voluntary here since these brands do not carry the ISI certification mark.

The skin irritation and sensitization tests prescribed in the Standard are to be ascertained by the

The samples were tested as per requirements specified in IS 4955:2001 and reaffirmed in 2014 (specifications for household laundry detergent powders). Currently the same are under revision. It may be noted that the requirement for total phosphate and STPP has been modified to2.5 per cent maximum. The tests were conducted at an NABL-accredited laboratory.

manufacturers, who are expected to test the safety of their formulation before releasing it into the market.

Rank Total Score out of 100

(rounded off)

Brand Net Weight (gm)

MRP (Rs) Price per kg (Rs)

Manufactured by

Premium – Top Load (High Price Range) (Rs 192–Rs 215)

1 95 Surf Excel Matic 2 kg 405 202.5 HUL Ltd

2 89 Henko Matic LINTelligent

1 kg 192 (Rs 222, Rs 30 off)

192 Jyothy Laboratories Ltd

3 88 Ariel Matic 2 kg 430 215 P&G HomeProducts Ltd

Sub-Premium (Medium-to-High Price Range) (Rs 112–Rs 190)

1 89 Surf Excel Quick Wash 500 gm 95 190 HUL Ltd

2 84 Henko Stain Champion Oxygen Power

1kg 112 (Rs 26 off)

112 Jyothy Laboratories Ltd

Regular (Medium Price Range) (Rs 70–Rs 94)

1 79 Tide Plus Jasmine & Rose

500gm 47 94 P&G

2 76 Rin 500 35 70 HUL Ltd

3 74 Mr White

2X Active Power

1 kg 75 (Rs 10 off) 75 Jyothy Laboratories Ltd

Economy (Lower Price Range) (Rs 43–Rs 60)

1 74 Active Wheel 2 in 1 500 25 50 HUL Ltd

2 71 Fena Superwash Rose & Chandan

500 30 (free Fena cake worth

Rs 5)

60 Fena (P) Ltd

3 67 Ghari 500 27 54 RSPL Ltd

4 60 Nirma 1kg 43 43 Nirma Ltd

Score Rating: >90: excellent*****, 71–90: very good****, 51–70: good***, 31–50: average**, up to 30: poor*

10 •

Key Findings• Basedontheoverallscore,thetopperformersareSurfExcelMaticinpremium(topload)category,Surf

Excel Quick Wash in sub-premium category, Tide in regular category, and Active Wheel in economy category.

• Indetergency(washingperformance),activeingredientsandashbuilt-uptests,SurfExcelMatic,SurfExcel Quick Wash, Tide and Active Wheel scored highest in their respective categories.

• Thetestfindingsrevealthatthecostliestdetergentsarethebettercleaners.

• TheIndianStandardhasdefinedthreequalitygrades fordetergentpowders.However,noneof thetested brands declared their grade on the label. Declaration of grade is voluntary here since none of them are covered under the BIS certification mark.

• From the consumer’s perspective, the most important factors include stain cleaning, mildness onhands, suitability for coloured clothes, fragrance, affordability, biodegradability and usability in washing machine.

CV RECOMMENDATION | TOP PERFORMER

Premium – Top Load (High Price Range)

Surf Excel Matic

Sub-Premium (Medium-to-High Price Range)

Surf Excel Quick Wash

Regular (Medium Price Range)

Tide Plus Jasmine & Rose

Economy (Lower Price Range)

Active Wheel

Comparative Test


Machine Wash or Hand Wash?

Three brands – Ariel Matic, Henko Matic and Surf Excel Matic – are recommended for use in top-load washing machines. Five brands – Surf Excel Quick Wash, Henko Stain Champion, Rin, Fena and Mr White – claim to be suitable for both machine wash and bucket wash. The remaining brands do not mention any specific wash.

The laundry soap that has traditionally been used for washing of cloths/fabrics has limitations in terms of performing in highly alkaline or acidic water. In alkaline water, part of the soap is consumed to first soften the water and in the process its cleaning property gets reduced. In acidic water the soap gets split into fatty acids and caustic solution, and this retards its cleaning property. These limitations of soaps have led to the development of synthetic detergents that are superior in performance.

Detergent Powders

TEST RESULTSFOR PHYSICOCHEMICAL

PARAMETERS

Detergency | Active ingredients | Ash built-up | Active alkalinity | Total phosphates | STPP |

Foaming Power | Moisture

Detergency (Washing Performance)

Detergency is the ability to clean or remove soil, generally associated with the action of a cleaning agent such as soap, detergent, or alkaline salt. As per Indian Standard, the detergency percentage specified for detergent powders is: 65 per cent minimum for Grade 1, 55 per cent for Grade 2, and 45 per cent for Grade 3.

• All brands except Nirma performed well. Nirma, which was also the cheapest among the 12 brands, had the lowest detergency at 38.6 per cent.

• Surf Excel Matic, Surf Excel Quick Wash, Tide and Active Wheel scored highest in their respective categories.

• The three brands in the premium category (high price, top load) – namely Surf Excel Matic (77.93 per cent), Henko Matic (75.42 per cent) and Ariel Matic (72.29 per cent) – had the highest detergency.

Sl No. Brand Detergency (%)

1 Surf Excel Matic 77.93

2 Henko Matic 75.42

3 Ariel Matic 72.29

4 Surf Excel Quick Wash 67.54

5 Henko Stain Champion 65.83

6 Tide Plus Jasmine & Rose 57.98

7 Rin 54.01

8 Active Wheel 52.43

9 Fena Superwash 51.48

10 Mr White 51.05

11 Ghari 46.67

12 Nirma 38.60

Active ingredients

Detergents have certain ingredients (known as ‘active ingredients’) that comprise one or more of the surface-active agents and are responsible for ensuring their cleaning performance. The national standards

12 •

have specified different minimum active ingredient levels for the three grades of detergents: 19 per cent for Grade 1, 16 per cent for Grade 2, and 10 per cent for Grade 3.

• All the brands fall in either Grade1 or Grade 3 based on their active ingredients. None of the brands fall in Grade 2.

• As mentioned earlier, none of the brands claimed the relevant grade as specified in Indian Standard.

• Surf Excel Matic, Surf Excel Quick Wash, Tide and Active Wheel scored highest in their respective categories.

• In the ‘lowest price’ category, Nirma was found to have a lower level of active ingredients at 9.11 per cent (against 10 per cent minimum).

• Overall, the highest percentage of active ingredients were found in Surf Excel Matic (23.70 per cent), Surf Excel Quick Wash (23.36 per cent), and Henko Matic (20.96 per cent).

• The brands that performed best were the top-load detergent powders Surf Excel Matic (0.24 per cent), Henko Matic (0.28 per cent), and Ariel Matic (0.32 per cent).

• Nirma (7.12 per cent) had the highest percentage of ash built-up.

Active alkalinity

Alkalinity is added to many detergents in order to improve their cleaning efficacy. Since most dirt is acid, the alkalinity in the detergent makes it a good cleaner for common dirt. As per Indian Standard, the active alkalinity of detergent powder of grades 1, 2 and 3 should be a maximum 15 per cent, 20 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.

Since none of the brands have declared their respective grades, we considered lower active alkalinity as better.

• Tide, Rin, Active Wheel and Ariel Matic had lower active alkalinity.

Total phosphates

As per Indian Standard, detergent powder shall contain a specified quantity of phosphates as an ingredient. Alongside, as per the Ecomark criteria for detergent powders in the Indian Standard, any substitute used for phosphate shall be environment-friendly but should be of sufficient quantity to ensure similar performance of the product as compared to a detergent with phosphate.

As observed in international practices, the level/quantity of phosphate has been drastically reduced and alternate substitutes have been found for satisfactory performance. In the Indian Standard currently under revision, the requirement for phosphate for all three grades has been modified as 2.5 per cent maximum. Accordingly, we have considered a lower amount as better.

• The tested samples were found to contain total phosphate in various proportions. Henko Matic, Henko Stain Champion, and Ariel Matic had considerable amounts of phosphate.

• Phosphate in the other nine brands ranged from nil to 0.68 per cent.

Comparative Test

Sl No. BrandActive

Ingredients (%) 1 Surf Excel Matic 23.72 Surf Excel Quick Wash 23.363 Henko Matic 20.96

Henko Stain Champion 19.514 Ariel Matic 19.27

5 Tide Plus Jasmine & Rose 15.736 Rin 15.197 Active Wheel 14.88 Mr White 14.669 Fena Superwash 13.0710 Ghari 12.1611 Nirma 9.11

The less the ash built-up/deposited on the washed fabric, the better the detergent powder is.

Ash built-up

This test determines the built-up of ash on a fabric. The Indian Standard has set the requirement as: 1 per cent maximum for Grade 1, 5 per cent for Grade 2, and 10 per cent for Grade 3.

The less the ash built-up/deposited on the washed fabric, the better the detergent powder is.


An environmentally superior detergent is one that uses fewer chemical ingredients. Synthetic surfactants may be replaced by non-petrochemical surfactants or vegetable oil soaps; builders like phosphates can be replaced by sodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate; sodium aluminosilicate (zeolite) dyes and fragrances can be eliminated or minimised. Environment-friendly packaging can reduce harm to the environment substantially.

STPP

Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) is used in detergents as a ‘builder’ to soften the water. It prevents dirt particles from adhering to the garment. However, the use of STPP is also associated with environmental hazards. We have considered a lower amount as better.

• STPP content was found in five brands that fell in the premium and sub-premium categories. All the brands except one were found well within the proposed limit (2.5 per cent maximum).

• The brands in the regular and economy categories had no STPP.

Foaming Power

There is no specified requirement for lather in the national standard, but foam generation should be high and at a faster rate.

Detergent Powders

• Foaming power was highest in Surf Excel Matic, Surf Excel Quick Wash, Tide and Active Wheel in their respective categories. It was lowest in Nirma.

Moisture

The national standards have not prescribed a maximum limit for moisture content in detergents, but it is known that the presence of high moisture leads to the detergent powder turning lumpy.

• The brands with higher moisture content were Ghari (5.75 per cent), Nirma (5.34 per cent), Surf Excel Matic (4.5 per cent), and Fena Superwash (4.16 per cent).

• At 1.56 per cent, Tide had the lowest moisture content.

14 •

Physical ObservationsAppearance and colouring matter

Colour of 2% detergent-powder solution was checked. All the samples were free-flowing and had colouring matter.

Odour

It was acceptable in all brands.

Property of washed fabric

This was checked 10 minutes after washing. None of the samples spoiled the fabric.

Microbeads/synthetic abrasive material

These were absent in all the brands.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL SCORES

Comparative Test

Premium (High Price Range) (Rs 192–Rs 215)




Parameter ↓ Weightage (%)

Surf Excel Matic

Henko Matic

Ariel Matic


Henko Stain Champion

Tide Plus Rin Mr White Active Wheel Fena Superwash Ghari Nirma

Detergency 35 34.13 32.72 31.76 29.76 29.05 25.75 24.08 22.84 23.42 23.02 21.00 17.61

Active ingredients 20 18.96 16.77 15.42 18.96 15.61 12.58 12.15 11.73 11.84 10.46 9.73 7.29

Ash built-up 10 9.98 9.86 9.84 9.82 9.79 8.21 8.08 7.96 8.03 7.12 6.71 6.44

Active alkalinity 6 4.95 5.20 5.32 5.14 4.96 5.89 5.72 5.10 5.36 5.14 5.10 4.36

Total phosphates 5 4.75 3.39 4.54 4.73 3.82 4.93 5.00 4.89 4.96 4.97 4.96 4.98

STPP 5 4.89 3.55 4.61 4.83 4.09 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00

Foaming power 5 4.80 4.60 4.50 4.80 4.50 4.00 4.00 3.80 3.90 3.80 3.70 3.20

Moisture 4 2.88 3.28 3.10 3.06 3.60 3.82 3.72 3.68 3.63 2.99 2.48 2.61


Rice Bran Oil

PHYSICOCHEMICAL SCORES

Detergent Powders

Premium (High Price Range) (Rs 192–Rs 215)




Parameter ↓ Weightage (%)

Surf Excel Matic

Henko Matic

Ariel Matic


Henko Stain Champion

Tide Plus Rin Mr White Active Wheel Fena Superwash Ghari Nirma

Detergency 35 34.13 32.72 31.76 29.76 29.05 25.75 24.08 22.84 23.42 23.02 21.00 17.61

Active ingredients 20 18.96 16.77 15.42 18.96 15.61 12.58 12.15 11.73 11.84 10.46 9.73 7.29

Ash built-up 10 9.98 9.86 9.84 9.82 9.79 8.21 8.08 7.96 8.03 7.12 6.71 6.44

Active alkalinity 6 4.95 5.20 5.32 5.14 4.96 5.89 5.72 5.10 5.36 5.14 5.10 4.36

Total phosphates 5 4.75 3.39 4.54 4.73 3.82 4.93 5.00 4.89 4.96 4.97 4.96 4.98

STPP 5 4.89 3.55 4.61 4.83 4.09 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00

Foaming power 5 4.80 4.60 4.50 4.80 4.50 4.00 4.00 3.80 3.90 3.80 3.70 3.20

Moisture 4 2.88 3.28 3.10 3.06 3.60 3.82 3.72 3.68 3.63 2.99 2.48 2.61

Packing, Marking and Net Weight

Three brands – Ariel Matic, Henko Matic and Surf Excel Matic – had double packing and also supplied a scoop (measuring container), making it easy for users to take only as much as is required.

The rest of the brands were in polypack.

Each packet of detergent powder should be marked/labelled with these particulars: a) name and grade of the material; b) indication of the source of manufacture; c) net mass of the material when packed; d) batch number or lot number in code or otherwise; e) month and year of manufacture; f) maximum retail price (MRP); g) standard mark, if any; h) critical ingredients in descending order of quantity (active ingredients, builders, soda ash, fillers and enzymes); and i) instructions for use.

According to the labelling requirements laid down by the national standard, each packet of detergent powder should also carry a cautionary statement that reads: Detergent solutions can be skin irritants. Avoid prolonged contact. Rinse garments and hands thoroughly.

• None of the tested brands carried the prescribed cautionarystatement or mentioned the critical ingredients in descending order.

• ActiveWheel,Fena,Ghari,Nirma,RinandSurfExcelQuickWash did not provide instructions for users.

• Netweightofallbrandswasasdeclaredonthepack.

16 •

Tips Are Good

How much laundry detergent should I use?

Depending on which laundry detergent you choose, you may be able to use half (yes, half!) the recommended dose and still get a great wash, saving yourself money and giving the environment a bit of a break.

What is better – powder or liquid laundry detergent?

This really depends on the type of stain you’re dealing with, the characteristics of your washing machine, and personal preference. In general, though, powders are the best for general soil and stain-removal performance.

Should I wash my clothes in warm or hot water?

Generally, there’s an overall benefit to washing in warm water, but only by a couple of percent, and it really depends on the type of stains you’re trying to remove. Some detergents are also designed for and perform better in cold water.

Washing in cold water is a great way to reduce your energy consumption and save yourself some cash. But it can also lead to a waxy film building up inside your washing machine – especially if you use a fabric softener. If you normally use cold wash, then regularly running a full hot-wash cycle without clothes (or a cleaning cycle if your machine has one), using a good detergent, will help keep the build-up at bay. Alternatively, periodically selecting a warm or hot wash instead of cold can help keep your machine’s internals at their clean and shiny best.

Can I use top-loader detergent in a front loader or high-efficiency top loader?

It’s best not to use top-loader detergent in a front-loading machine.

Front-loading machines generally use less water and more mechanical action (turning) than top loaders, so front-loading detergents contain anti-foaming ingredients to stop too many suds from developing. Using top-loading detergents in your front loader can cause too many suds to build up in the machine, which can overflow and fill your laundry with foam. It can also cause ‘suds lock’ – a condition where foam builds up between the inner and outer drums of your washer, creating suction issues that can cause the motor to burn out. The combination of excess suds and low water usage also means your rinse performance (how well the detergent is washed away) will plummet, leaving detergent residue on your clothes.

Source: https://www.choice.com.au

Comparative Test


Decoding Food Labels

Buttermilk (chhach) is favoured by many of us for its soothing qualities and nutritional benefits (calcium, protein, etc.). It is especially useful during the summers because it keeps the body hydrated. It is also an excellent digestive. the following report analyses information pertaining to the essential nutrients given on the label of seven brands. We have also rated the sugar (added), salt and fat quantities as per traffic light colours to enable consumers to quickly decide if the product they are picking up meets their expectations.

ButtermilkButtressing your energy and protein needs

We chose seven popular brands of buttermilk to interpret the nutritional information given on their labels.

Sl No.

Brand Type (Spiced/Plain)

Packaging Shelf Life Manufactured/Marketed by

1 Amul Masti

Spiced Tetra Pak 180 days (without refrigeration)

Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd

2 Mother Dairy

Spiced Plastic bottle

15 days (refrigeration below 8 degrees centigrade)

Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd

3 Nilgiris Spiced Tetra Pak 180 days (without refrigeration)

The Nilgiri Dairy Farms Pvt. Ltd

4 Amul Plain Plastic pouch

Less than 7 days (refrigeration below 8 degrees centigrade)

Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd

5 Ananda Plain Plastic pouch


Gopal Jee Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd

6 Mother Dairy

Plain Plastic pouch


Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd

7 Namaste India

Plain Plastic pouch


NIF Pvt. Ltd

18 •


Energy and Protein

Key Findings

• EnergyvalueishighestinNilgiris(32kcalper100ml) and lowest in Mother Dairy (18 kcal per 100 ml, in both plastic bottle and plastic pouch).

• Drinking100mlofMotherDairybuttermilk(bottleor pouch) by a man engaged in sedentary work means only 0.78 per cent of his daily requirement of energy has been met.

• ProteinishighestinNilgiris,AnandaandNamasteIndia (2.1 gm in 100 ml), and lowest in Mother Dairy (1.0 gm in 100 ml, both bottle and pouch).

• Drinking100mlofNilgiris,AnandaorNamasteIndia buttermilk means only 3.50 per cent of a man’s daily requirement of protein has been met.

Sl No.

Brand Energy Protein

In 100 ml (kcal)

% of RDAfor man doing sedentary work

In 100 ml (gm)

% RDA for man

1 Amul Masti (Tetra Pak) 29.9 1.29 1.7 2.83

2 Mother Dairy (plastic bottle) 18.0 0.78 1.0 1.66

3 Nilgiris (Tetra Pak) 32.0 1.38 2.1 3.50

4 Amul (plastic pouch) 28.2 1.22 1.9 3.17

5 Ananda (plastic pouch) 26.0 1.12 2.1 3.50

6 Mother Dairy (plastic pouch) 18.0 0.78 1.0 1.66

7 Namaste India (plastic pouch) 26.0 1.12 2.1 3.50

Nutritional labelling of packaged food products refers to the disclosure of the main nutrients, such as energy, fat, protein, carbohydrate, sugar and salt content, on the label. As per India’s Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations, 2011, mandatory nutritional information or nutritional facts per 100 grams or 100 millilitres or per serving of the product shall be given on the label. Such information shall contain the following:

a) energy value in kilocalories (kcal)

b) the amounts of protein, carbohydrate (specify quantity of sugar) and fat in gram (gm) or ml

c) the amount of any other nutrient for which a nutrition or health claim is made

Note that declaration of salt/sodium and calcium is not mandatory.


Buttermilk

Per-Day Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Indians

This is as per the manual of Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2011, prepared by National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad. RDA refers to the average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all healthy people.

Traffic Light Labelling

In year 2007, Food Standards Agency (FSA) of the United Kingdom developed traffic light labelling guidelines with these objectives:

• toallowconsumerstocorrectlyidentifyhealthier food products

• toassistconsumerstomakecomparisonsbetween products easily

• toallowconsumerstomakethesecomparisons at a glance

The traffic light labelling system uses three colours – green, amber and red – to show at a glance if a particular food has low, medium or high amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt are linked with obesity and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure. As yet, the UK labelling system is not followed in India.

Buttermilk is typically produced by lactic-acid fermentation of low-fat milk with a mixture of mesophilic lactic-acid bacteria used as a starter/culture. It has a mild acidic taste and a smooth viscous texture. The increased acidity is primarily due to lactic acid, a by-product naturally produced while fermenting lactose, the primary sugar found in milk.

Heat treatment of buttermilk is done to increase the shelf life. In fact, no refrigeration is required after heat treatment. Examples are Amul Masti and Nilgiris in Tetra Pak.

20 •


Ingredient Green (low content)

Amber (medium content)

Red (high content)

Fatless than or equal to 1.5 gm

more than 1.5 gm and not more than or equal to 8.75 gm

more than 8.75 gm

Sugarless than or equal to 2.5 gm


more than 11.25 gm

Saltless than or equal to 0.3 gm


more than 0.75 gm

Results can be interpreted as follows:Green: drink often (desirable); amber: occasionally (neutral); red: sparingly (undesirable)

This is how the criteria for fat and sugar in drinks (per 100 ml) are set out in the traffic light labelling system:

Traffic Light Rating of Buttermilk Brands

Sl No.

Brand Fat Sugar (Added) Salt

In 100 ml (gm)

Traffic Light

In 100 ml (gm)

Traffic Light

In 100 ml (gm)

Traffic Light

1 Amul Masti (Tetra Pak) 1.5 Green 0.0 Green NM* _

2 Mother Dairy (plastic bottle) 1.1 Green 0.0 Green NM* _

3 Nilgiris (Tetra Pak) 1.2 Green 0.0 Green NM* _

4 Amul (plastic pouch) 1.0 Green 0.0 Green NM* _

5 Ananda (plastic pouch) 1.0 Green 0.0 Green NM* _

6 Mother Dairy (plastic pouch) 1.1 Green 0.0 Green NM* _

7 Namaste India (plastic pouch) 1.0 Green NM* _ 0.076** Green

•*NM: Not mentioned •**Sodium multiplied by 2.54


Key Findings

• Traffic light for fat is green for all brands – this means one may consume these often.• Fat is lowest in Amul, Ananda and Namaste India, and highest in Amul Masti.• Namaste India has not mentioned added sugar in the nutrition information on its pack – this is a legal

violation. There is no added sugar in the other brands.• Declaration of sodium/salt on food products label is not mandatory as per Indian law. Only Namaste India

has declared it and the traffic light for the same is green.• From the point of view of fat, sugar and salt, overall all brands may be consumed often.

Buttermilk

22 •

Buttermilk in plastic pouch

Key Finding

• Amul, Mother Dairy and Namaste India are cheaper than Ananda.


Sl No. Brand Maximum Retail Price (MRP) (Rs)

Declared NetContent (ml)

Unit Price (price per 100 ml) (Rs)

1 Amul 10.00 500 2.00

2 Ananda 10.00 400 2.50

3 Mother Dairy 10.00 500 2.00

4 Namaste India 10.00 500 2.00

Unit Price

The unit price gives a fair idea about the cheapest and costliest brands.

Buttermilk in Tetra Pak and plastic bottle

Key Finding

• As per unit price, Amul Masti and Mother Dairy are cheaper than Nilgiris.

Sl No.

Brand Maximum Retail Price (MRP) (Rs)

Declared NetContent (ml)

Unit Price (price per 100 ml) (Rs)

1 Amul Masti(Tetra Pak)

10.00 200 5.00

2 Mother Dairy(plastic bottle)

10.00 200 5.00

3 Nilgiris(Tetra Pak)

15.00 200 7.50


Food & Stuff

two quick questions. one, why do the walnuts taste bitter only a few days after you have bought them? two, why does the bag of potato chips have more air than the amount of chips in it? Well, the answer to both is rancidity. Read on to get the lowdown on this thing that can leave more than a bad taste in the mouth, and what products are prone to rancidity.

So, while the bitter taste in the walnuts is due to a biochemical process called rancidity, the potato chips are packed with nitrogen air to prevent rancidity. What exactly is

rancidity?

In the most basic sense, rancidity is the development of an undesirable odour and flavour in a food item due to deterioration (breakdown) of the fats or oils present in it. This can occur due to the food

coming in contact with air, moisture or microbes. Such spoilage/breakdown can happen in three ways:

a) When fat compounds in the food particles react with the oxygen in the air, it leads to oxidization of the fat molecules present in the food item. This is known as oxidative rancidity and is usually seen in meat products, walnuts and flaxseeds. The rate of such deterioration increases in the presence of heat and light.

Rancidity in Your Food and oilsAll the way off

24 •

b) When fat molecules come in contact with moisture, it leads to the breakdown of fatty compounds due to addition of water. This is known as hydrolytic rancidity. The off-flavour in the butter is due to hydrolytic rancidity.

c) When microorganisms such as bacteria, moulds and yeast use their enzymes to break down chemical structures in the oil, it produces unwanted odours and flavours. This is known as microbial rancidity and can be observed in butter, among other items.

Health Connections

Rancid products have an altered taste and odour. This makes them less palatable and unacceptable. Consuming them wouldn’t cause a disease in the short run. Nevertheless, eating rancid products has been associated with accelerated ageing, tissue damage and development of cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease in the long run. This is because of the free radicals present in rancid oils. Rancidity also reduces the nutritional value of the food product. It can reduce the availability of vitamins A and E present in the food product.

Vulnerable to Rancidity

Almost all food products containing fat or oil are prone to rancidity. This means all cooking oils such as olive oil, mustard oil and sunflower oil, meat products, nuts, and snacks containing fat are prone to going rancid. It is important to note that polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) are more susceptible to rancidity compared to other types of fats. Nuts such as walnuts and seeds such as flaxseeds and chia seeds and their oils are more susceptible to rancidity as they have a high amount of PUFA fats. Also, heat-pressed oils and seed powders are more prone to rancidity than the cold-pressed ones.

Cold-pressed technique involves pressing the seeds in a manner that requires minimal heat application. The oils and seeds produced via this technique are less prone to rancidity. This is because of the reduced heat application. In the presence of heat, the natural antioxidants present in the seeds are destroyed. As heat is controlled in this technique, the antioxidants remain intact and for this reason cold-pressed oils are less prone to rancidity.

Food & Stuff


To prevent rancidity in food products, food business operators add antioxidants in them. This extends the shelf life of the food item since antioxidants slow down the process of rancidity. Natural antioxidants include flavonoids, polyphenols, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and tocopherols (vitamin E). Some of the synthetic antioxidants commonly used in the food industry are butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and tertiary-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ). The naturally occurring antioxidants are sensitive to heat or light and hence they have a short life. Synthetic antioxidants are used commonly for long-term stability although they are often criticized for causing adverse health effects in human beings if taken in high amounts.

There is another common practice that manufacturers adopt to prevent rancidity, and that is packing a food item in nitrogen gas. Products like walnut kernels and potato chips are packed in nitrogen gas. This is done to prevent any contact between food and oxygen.

The Tell-Tale Signs

• If you reuse and reheat the same oil or fat over and over, the heat will trigger a rancidity reaction, creating off-flavours in your frying oil that then affect the taste of your food.

• Cookies can go rancid—as can basically any food that contains fat and tends to sit around for a few weeks in your pantry.

• The best way to tell if your food has gone rancid: give it a sniff. If your food has bitter, metallic, or soapy aromas, or just smells off, you’re probably dealing with rancidity.

Handling Tips for Consumers

• Store food items containing fats in a cool and dark place. Light can break down the oil molecules, causing deterioration in flavour. Also, keep these items in an airtight container that in not transparent in nature.

• Buy small quantities of oil, butter, nuts and other food items containing fats.

• Reheating oil and fats again and again can lead to composition changes of oil and fats. It can also cause rancidity. Thus, cooking oil and other fats should not be heated again and again, nor should they be added to fresh oil.

• Nuts like walnuts and seeds like flax seeds can be kept in the refrigerator till they are consumed. This will delay the rancidity process by a few days.

• To prevent hydrolytic rancidity in butter, it must be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

• Opt for cold-pressed oils where possible.

– Compiled by Richa Pande

Rancidity in Your Food and Oils

26 •

Product Survey

the huge array of brands/models out there – claiming different features and offering varied panel sizes within the same price range – is a blessing and a bother, depending on your state of mind, how much you know your mind, and how flexible your preferences and monies are. there are LCD tVs, LeD tVs, oLeD tVs and smart tVs to consider and choose from. the first thing you need to choose is the type of tV and you may want to be especially circumspect while choosing a smart tV, which is loaded with additional useful features and convenience. A smart tV comes preloaded with an operating system (os) that functions similar to a smartphone os and you can connect to the internet to view content, install additional apps and even games. smart tV delivers a much better overall user experience. the good news is that smart tV prices are falling with the entry of more players in the market – you can easily get one for less than Rs 50,000. However, keep in mind that smart tV is expensive compared to the normal tV. You can get a 42-inch normal tV at the price of a 32-inch smart tV. And for all the smart features, are there cons that you should be aware of, including privacy-protection issues? the following guide will help you sort out the various parameters that you may want to assess and also does a quick comparison of brands on some helpful parameters.

smart televisionssmart choice too?


Smart Televisions

A smart TV is an internet-connected television that offers a range of online features, such as on-demand content from apps like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub and All 4. It has access to streaming

video services like Amazon Prime and Netflix, and the ability to connect to other wireless devices like smartphones. These internet-connected smart features help you get much more out of your television. Many smart TVs also let you go to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and several support casual games as well. A growing number of smart TVs have full web browsers that let you go almost anywhere on the internet. Penetration of smart TVs will achieve relative parity with streaming media players as platforms delivering apps to TVs. Many smart TVs come with point-and-click remote controls that can manage onscreen interactions using hand motions or by responding to your voice commands.

Your Checklist

• Warranty offered and service network

Most of us tend to stick to known, market-leading, brands. But these may not be the best choice always. There are various factors to consider, other than the brand name. Does the brand have a network of service centres in your area? Is the installation included in the price, and what kind of warranty does it come with?

• Installation/Placement – wall-mounted or on a stand?

Before purchasing the TV, decide where you want it to be placed – on a table stand or mounted on a wall. Most manufacturers today ship TV sets with a stand in the box, though the wall-mount brackets have to be purchased separately. (The universal wall-mounting kit costs around Rs 500.) Keep in mind that if you decide to mount the TV on a wall, you will need to find a way to hide the dangling cables. It is recommended that you keep the TV in a location where the other devices – set-top box, game consoles, portable storage devices, DVD players – can easily be connected.

• HD-ready, full HD, ultra high-definition (UHD), or 4K

These are terms used to denote the resolution of the TV screen. HD-ready offers 1,366 x 768 pixels resolution, full HD 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, and 4K 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. The higher the resolution, the better the image quality. We recommend that if you have the budget, get a 4K TV. If not, then go for a full HD screen at least. HD-ready TVs are cheaper and while they are good enough for watching SD (standard definition) content, you can notice the marked differences in sharpness and clarity compared to a full HD TV.

28 •

You’ll need an internet connection to get your smart TV online. Most smart TVs are now wi-fi-enabled, meaning you can wirelessly connect them to your internet router and other devices like smartphones. Some older models require a brand-specific wi-fi adaptor, which usually slots into one of the USB ports. You can also connect your TV using an Ethernet cable, but if it's not close to your router then you’ll need a long lead or a power line adapter.

Of course a decent broadband speed is essential if you want to stream video, and a super-fast speed is preferable. For example, if you want to stream 4K ultra HD content on Netflix, you’ll need at least 25Mbps to get the best experience. Also, go for an unlimited broadband package so you can avoid any extra changes for exceeding your data limit while streaming.

• TV size

The common TV panel sizes available today are 32, 40, 42, 46/49 and 55 inch. To determine the ideal screen size for best viewing experience, measure the distance between where the TV will be placed and your bed/couch/chair.

Perhaps the most important choice you are going to make with a new TV is the size of the screen. You could consider an even bigger set for spacious family rooms, or you will be sitting very far from the TV. Consider how many people in your family typically watch at once and where you are going to put your new set. Then pick the largest screen size that will fit comfortably into that space—and your budget.

Check the Viewing AngleDespite many improvements, most LCDs still have the shortcoming of limited viewing angles. (OLED TVs have virtually unlimited viewing angles, just like plasma TVs did.) This means the picture looks its best only from a fairly narrow sweet spot right in front of the screen.

Check the viewing angle by watching a TV from off to the side, and also from above and below the main part of the image. As you move away from the centre of the screen, the image can dim, lose contrast and colour accuracy, or look blurred. The degree of picture degradation varies from model to model.

• Connection and ports

Go for a TV that offers you maximum number of connectivity ports including USB, HDMI, audio/video and VGA. Generally, TVs come with two HDMI and two USB ports along with a few other ports. Go for one that is offering more. For a TV

supporting USB drives, ensure that it can play videos from hard-disk drives or pen drives. Nowadays, TVs can also be connected to CCTVs for remote monitoring of overall security.

The majority of the devices today use an HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) port for connecting to the TV for best-quality video and audio output. However, they can also be connected via a composite/component port, if required. If you plan to primarily connect high-definition sources, look for a TV with at least four HDMI ports – this will be helpful as you won’t have to change wires when switching devices.

• Connectivity, processing and other smart features

A smart TV should have a high-speed processor so that it can run online videos smoothly on the screen while maintaining the resolution. The TV should also be equipped with relevant apps and adequate connectivity options along with HDMI and LAN ports. Ensure that the smart TV has wi-fi support or an Ethernet port so that it can be connected to the internet. As already mentioned, more than one port would be an advantage. Look for pre-installed browsers and applications. A smart TV having at least 1GB random-access memory (RAM) and 4GB read-only memory (ROM) will give you seamless performance.

Product Survey


What Are the Security Risks?

This is where the pros and cons of keeping a smart TV connected become a little harder to answer. Once a device goes online, it’s vulnerable – and your TV is no exception. However, you need to consider whether or not nefarious types would even be interested in cracking into your TV.

Things have improved over the years. Some brands make a point of highlighting security features in their TVs, for example. As of now, protections like third-party anti-virus software that you can get for your PC isn’t really available for smart TVs.

So, yes, TVs can be compromised, and they are full of personal information that may be tempting to cyber-criminals. Whether they’ll actually want to bother, however, is another story. At the other end, what we as consumers can do is practise constant vigilance and stay updated.

You Can Make Your TV Smart

If you don’t want to splurge on a smart TV, there are more affordable ways to get internet services on your current television. These include streaming boxes, which are a wide range of plug-in devices that allow you to transform your standard TV into a smart TV at a fraction of the cost. Well-known streaming devices include the Amazon FireTV stick, Google Chromecast, Apple TV and Roku, and all can access video on-demand, catch-up TV and other internet apps when connected to your television and home wi-fi network. The most important thing to check is which streaming services come with your box. If your favourites are not there, maybe think twice.

Some manufacturers have developed their own smart-TV platforms, while others may use a licensed system, such as Android TV from Google. A TV with built-in smarts can make accessing content easy—there’s only a single remote control—but a separate streaming media player may have more content options, or use an interface that makes finding and accessing content easier.

If you connect your PC to your TV, you can use it as a large computer monitor. For this, you’ll need an analogue VGA input. Some TVs can be connected via a digital input, either a DVI socket, or more commonly via an HDMI input configured for PC screen resolutions (check your TV manual for instructions on this). If your PC only has a DVI output, HDMI to DVI cables are available to buy in shops and online.

Smart Televisions

30 •

COMPARISON AT A GLANCE: OF 80 CM–81 CM (32 INCHES) SMART TELEVISIONS (PRICE RANGE RS 20,000–RS 40,000)

Sl No.

Brand Model Size (inches)

Display Display Resolution No. of USB Ports

No. of HDMI ports

Power Consumption,On Mode/Standby

Mode (W)

Annual Energy Consumption (units/year)

Star Rating

Price (Rs)

1 LG 32LJ616D 32 LED 720p HD-ready 2 2 30/0.19 84 1 26,990

2 Panasonic Viera TH-W32ES48DX 32 LED 720p HD-ready 2 2 32/0.31 76 2 21,990

3 Sony Bravia KLV-W512D 32 LED 720p HD-ready 2 2 31.5/0.44 76 2 27,900

4 LG 32LH604T 32 LED 1080p Full HD 2 2 25/0.29 62 4 38,500

5 Panasonic TH 32ES480DX 32 LED Full HD 2 2 32/0.31 76 2 25,325

6 LG 32LH602D 32 LED 720p HD-ready 2 2 25/0.29 61 4 31,257

7 LG 32LH576D 32 LED HD-ready 1 2 22/0.35 54 5 25,500

8 Samsung 32M5100 32 LED Full HD 1 2 30/0.31 66 3 25,000

9 Sony KLV-32W562D 32 LED Full HD 2 2 32/0.47 83 1 35,890

10 Samsung 32K5300 32 LED Full HD 2 2 37/0.31 83 1 32,000

11 Sony KLV-32W622E 32 LED HD-ready 2 2 29/0.31 68 3 26,500

12 Samsung 32K5570 32 LED Full HD 2 3 37/0.23 83 1 35,000–40,000

13 Micromax CANVAS-S 32 LED HD-ready 3 3 28/0.31 63 4 22,500–24,500

14 LG 32LH604T 32 LED Full HD 2 2 25/0.29 62 4 35,555

15 LG 32LB582B 32 LED Full HD 3 3 35,900

16 Samsung 32J4300 32 LED HD-ready 2 2 70/0.5 35,000

17 Onida LEO32HIB/32HIB 32 LED HD-ready 3 3 29/0.34 64 3 22,500

18 Sony BRAVIA KLV-32R562C 32 LED Full HD 2 2 58/0.5 39,900

19 Videocon VJU32HH08CAM 32 LED HD-ready 2 2 55 27,277

20 Intex LED SH3204 32 LED Full HD 2 2 28/0.31 71 2 25,000

Source: BEE website, commercial websites and retailers

Note: Price may vary from retailer to retailer. Before buying please check detailed specification on the company’s website and compare the models.

Product Survey

LG 32LJ616D Micromax CANVAS-S Onida LEO32HIB


COMPARISON AT A GLANCE: OF 80 CM–81 CM (32 INCHES) SMART TELEVISIONS (PRICE RANGE RS 20,000–RS 40,000)

Sl No.

Brand Model Size (inches)

Display Display Resolution No. of USB Ports

No. of HDMI ports

Power Consumption,On Mode/Standby

Mode (W)

Annual Energy Consumption (units/year)

Star Rating

Price (Rs)

1 LG 32LJ616D 32 LED 720p HD-ready 2 2 30/0.19 84 1 26,990

2 Panasonic Viera TH-W32ES48DX 32 LED 720p HD-ready 2 2 32/0.31 76 2 21,990

3 Sony Bravia KLV-W512D 32 LED 720p HD-ready 2 2 31.5/0.44 76 2 27,900

4 LG 32LH604T 32 LED 1080p Full HD 2 2 25/0.29 62 4 38,500

5 Panasonic TH 32ES480DX 32 LED Full HD 2 2 32/0.31 76 2 25,325

6 LG 32LH602D 32 LED 720p HD-ready 2 2 25/0.29 61 4 31,257

7 LG 32LH576D 32 LED HD-ready 1 2 22/0.35 54 5 25,500

8 Samsung 32M5100 32 LED Full HD 1 2 30/0.31 66 3 25,000

9 Sony KLV-32W562D 32 LED Full HD 2 2 32/0.47 83 1 35,890

10 Samsung 32K5300 32 LED Full HD 2 2 37/0.31 83 1 32,000

11 Sony KLV-32W622E 32 LED HD-ready 2 2 29/0.31 68 3 26,500

12 Samsung 32K5570 32 LED Full HD 2 3 37/0.23 83 1 35,000–40,000

13 Micromax CANVAS-S 32 LED HD-ready 3 3 28/0.31 63 4 22,500–24,500

14 LG 32LH604T 32 LED Full HD 2 2 25/0.29 62 4 35,555

15 LG 32LB582B 32 LED Full HD 3 3 35,900

16 Samsung 32J4300 32 LED HD-ready 2 2 70/0.5 35,000

17 Onida LEO32HIB/32HIB 32 LED HD-ready 3 3 29/0.34 64 3 22,500

18 Sony BRAVIA KLV-32R562C 32 LED Full HD 2 2 58/0.5 39,900

19 Videocon VJU32HH08CAM 32 LED HD-ready 2 2 55 27,277

20 Intex LED SH3204 32 LED Full HD 2 2 28/0.31 71 2 25,000

In India, Samsung, LG and Sony dominate with a combined market share of 73 per cent. Other aggressive brands continue to be Panasonic, Intex, Micromax, Onida, and Haier. Brands, which could be seen jostling for space at the retail, counters included VU, Daiwa, Wybor, Akai, Truvison, Mitashi, Daenyx, Skyworth, and T-Series. The unorganized and grey market has a steady one million sets market share.Source: tvj.co.in

Smart Televisions

Panasonic Viera TH-W32ES48DX Samsung 32K5300 Sony BRAVIA KLV-32R562C

32 •

today, co-operative banks operate across the country alongside commercial banks and play a crucial role in providing need-based finance, especially to people engaged in agricultural and agriculture-based operations including those related to farming, cattle and milk, as well as to some small industries and self-employment-driven activities. Cooperative banks are small-sized units and are traditionally centred on communities, localities and workplace groups, and they essentially lend to small borrowers and businesses. this article assesses the service-charge component by comparing 10 Delhi/NCR-based cooperative banks on essential parameters. What do cooperative banks charge for basic banking services? While at it, we also look at the basic banking services that cooperative banks provide in the first place.

subas tiwari & Gopal Ravi Kumar

service Charges by Cooperative Banks these go from none to more

In the NewsBFSI


In the NewsService Charges by Cooperative Banks

For our comparative study on the charges they levy for various services, we have chosen 10 cooperative banks in Delhi and NCR that provide detailed information on their websites. We have chosen these banks

based on product offer (gathered from their websites) and services rendered (feedback from consumers).

The parameters on which we have compared them include availability of ATM service, SMS alerts, outward cheque deposited returned, inward cheque issued returned, ‘stop payment’ of cheque, number of free cheque leaves and issue of additional cheques, charges for not maintaining minimum balance, charges for account closure before one year, and signature/photo/verification/attestation charges. We gave the highest weightage (15 points) to consumer feedback, which also helped in determining the most important and beneficial variables. These variables have a direct bearing on the product structure.

CV RECOMMENDATIONS

Best Buy

Kangra Cooperative Bank

Good Buy

Punjab & Maharashtra Coop Bank (PMC Bank)

Fair Buys

Janata Cooperative BankSaraswat Cooperative Bank

Jamia Cooperative Bank

34 •

Notes:

a) NS: Not specified

b) Information given here has been sourced from websites.

c) Charges for services described differently in nomenclature are grouped under major heads.

d) Charges are taken for individual SB accounts of cooperative banks based in Delhi.

e) In many banks, GST is included/excluded in the service charges and is therefore not specified here.

A cooperative bank is a financial entity that belongs to its members, who are at the same time the owners and the customers of their bank. Cooperative banks are often created by persons belonging to the same local or professional community or sharing a common interest. These banks generally provide their members with a wide range of banking and financial services (loans, deposits, banking accounts).

SERVICE CHARGES IN COOPERATIVE BANKS: A COMPARATIVE CHART

CV Weightage Points (100)

Service Charges in Cooperative Banks in Delhi/NCR (for ordinary aavings A/C holders)

Kangra PMC Janata Saraswat JamiaBombay

MercantileShivalik

MercantileSVC

Vaish Adarsh

Jain

For General Information

Established 1972 1984 1987 1918 1993 1941 1990 1906 1936 1996

Total branches in India 12 135 5 280 8 52 33 193 11 5

No. of branches in Delhi/NCR 12 6 5 2 8 1 5 1 11 5

10 Free cheque leaves available (number) 15 (3) 30 (7) 40 (10) 20 (7) 40 (10) 20 (7) 15 (3) 60 (10) 60 (10) 25 (7)

5 Issue of additional cheques (Rs per leaf) 2 (5) 3 (5) 3 (5) 5 (5) 10 (2) 5 (5) 5 (5) 5 (5) 3 (5) 4 (5)

5 Account statement/balance certificate/duplicate passbook (Rs) 20 (5) 100 (1) 50 (3) 50 (3) 100 (1) 100 (1) 50 (3) 75 (3) 100 (1) 100 (1)

5 Stop payment of cheque (Rs) 40 (5) 50 (5) 50 (5) 25 (5) 50 (5) 60 (3) 100 (1) 100 (1) 50 (5) 100 (1)

10 Account closure before 1 year (Rs) 150 (4) 75 (10) 100 (7) 150 (4) 50 (10) 200 (1) 250 (1) 100 (7) NS (0) 154 (1)

8 Outward cheque deposited returned (Rs) 20 (8) 50 (8) 100 (5) 50 (8) 250 (1) 100 (5) 75 (8) 125 (3) 200 (1) 100 (5)

7 Inward cheque issued returned (Rs) 50 (7) 250 (1) 150 (4) 100 (7) 150 (4) 50 (7) 350 (1) 150 (4) 200 (1) 150 (4)

5 Signature/Photo/Verification/Attestation charges (Rs) 50 (5) 100 (3) 100 (3) 50 (5) 100 (3) 50 (5) 100 (3) 75 (5) 100 (3) 200 (1)

10 Not maintaining minimum balance (Rs, quarterly) 20 (10) 50 (10) 150 (6) 50 (10) 150 (6) 50 (10) 50 (10) 200 (2) 60 (10) 180 (2)

5 ECS returned outward (debit to your account) (Rs) 50 (5) 50 (5) 100 (3) 100 (3) 150 (1) NS (0) NS (0) 150 (1) NS (0) NS (0)

5 SMS alerts (half-yearly) (Rs) NS (0) NS (0) 30 (2) NS (0) Nil (5) 30 (2) Nil (5) NS (0) NS (0) Nil (5)

5 ATM service availability Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) No (0) No (0)

5 Debit card issuance charges (Rs) 115 (3) 100 (3) 300 (2) NS (0) 200 (2) 100 (3) Nil (5) 200 (2) NS (0) NS (0)

15 Consumer feedback 11 5 6 4 10 5 9 3 7 8

Total 100 76 68 66 66 65 59 59 51 43 40

In the NewsBFSI


SERVICE CHARGES IN COOPERATIVE BANKS: A COMPARATIVE CHART

CV Weightage Points (100)

Service Charges in Cooperative Banks in Delhi/NCR (for ordinary aavings A/C holders)

Kangra PMC Janata Saraswat JamiaBombay

MercantileShivalik

MercantileSVC

Vaish Adarsh

Jain

For General Information

Established 1972 1984 1987 1918 1993 1941 1990 1906 1936 1996

Total branches in India 12 135 5 280 8 52 33 193 11 5

No. of branches in Delhi/NCR 12 6 5 2 8 1 5 1 11 5

10 Free cheque leaves available (number) 15 (3) 30 (7) 40 (10) 20 (7) 40 (10) 20 (7) 15 (3) 60 (10) 60 (10) 25 (7)

5 Issue of additional cheques (Rs per leaf) 2 (5) 3 (5) 3 (5) 5 (5) 10 (2) 5 (5) 5 (5) 5 (5) 3 (5) 4 (5)

5 Account statement/balance certificate/duplicate passbook (Rs) 20 (5) 100 (1) 50 (3) 50 (3) 100 (1) 100 (1) 50 (3) 75 (3) 100 (1) 100 (1)

5 Stop payment of cheque (Rs) 40 (5) 50 (5) 50 (5) 25 (5) 50 (5) 60 (3) 100 (1) 100 (1) 50 (5) 100 (1)

10 Account closure before 1 year (Rs) 150 (4) 75 (10) 100 (7) 150 (4) 50 (10) 200 (1) 250 (1) 100 (7) NS (0) 154 (1)

8 Outward cheque deposited returned (Rs) 20 (8) 50 (8) 100 (5) 50 (8) 250 (1) 100 (5) 75 (8) 125 (3) 200 (1) 100 (5)

7 Inward cheque issued returned (Rs) 50 (7) 250 (1) 150 (4) 100 (7) 150 (4) 50 (7) 350 (1) 150 (4) 200 (1) 150 (4)

5 Signature/Photo/Verification/Attestation charges (Rs) 50 (5) 100 (3) 100 (3) 50 (5) 100 (3) 50 (5) 100 (3) 75 (5) 100 (3) 200 (1)

10 Not maintaining minimum balance (Rs, quarterly) 20 (10) 50 (10) 150 (6) 50 (10) 150 (6) 50 (10) 50 (10) 200 (2) 60 (10) 180 (2)

5 ECS returned outward (debit to your account) (Rs) 50 (5) 50 (5) 100 (3) 100 (3) 150 (1) NS (0) NS (0) 150 (1) NS (0) NS (0)

5 SMS alerts (half-yearly) (Rs) NS (0) NS (0) 30 (2) NS (0) Nil (5) 30 (2) Nil (5) NS (0) NS (0) Nil (5)

5 ATM service availability Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) Yes (5) No (0) No (0)

5 Debit card issuance charges (Rs) 115 (3) 100 (3) 300 (2) NS (0) 200 (2) 100 (3) Nil (5) 200 (2) NS (0) NS (0)

15 Consumer feedback 11 5 6 4 10 5 9 3 7 8

Total 100 76 68 66 66 65 59 59 51 43 40


36 •

THE COOPERATIVE STRUCTURE IN INDIA

COOPERATIVE CREDIT SOCIETIES

PRIMARY AGRICULTURAL PRIMARY URBAN

(These are small societies (Employees’ credit societiescatering to agricultural and credit societies comeneeds in villages) under this. These are small societies that cater to credit needs of city dwellers)

(Regulator: State government/NABARD) (Regulator: State government)

Cooperative banking institutions take deposits and lend money in most parts of the world. They have been vital in serving sections of society – farmers and low- or middle-income people – who have limited or no access to institutional finance. These banks are known to offer easier loan and deposit products.

Here are the basic features that define cooperative banks:

These banks are registered under state laws.

They are governed by Banking Regulation Act.

They primarily cater to rural poor and agriculturists.

They provide term credit to the agriculture sector and obtain refinance/concessional interest from RBI.

They have limited scope in branch expansion; they cannot operate overseas.

They require specific permission from state government/ RBI for opening branches outside the state.

Cooperative banks are mostly concentrated in the state where they were originally established by a group of farmers or socially-committed Samaritans after obtaining a license from the RBI. These are basically community-based and rural/semi-urban entities in nature. This also explains why many of these banks have fewer branches in metro areas.

In the NewsBFSI


Overview of the Cooperative Banking Structure

State cooperative banks (first tier)

Regulator: State government/NABARD/RBI (limited control)

• They obtain ‘license to operate’ from RBI under Banking Regulation Act.

• They operate as the apex bank for all the cooperative societies in the state.

• They can seek permission from state government/RBI to open branches outside the state.

• RBI provides credit to cooperative societies through them at concessional rate (below what is provided to commercial banks).

District central cooperative banks (second tier)

Regulator: State government/NABARD and RBI (partial control)

• They operate as the apex bank for all cooperative societies in the district.

• Main activity is to fund (lend money to) affiliated primary societies.

• They accept deposit from the public and lend for different purposes.

Primary/Urban cooperative banks (third tier)

Regulator: State government/RBI (partial control)

• They are non-agricultural credit societies.

• They operate mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.

• They provide trade/housing finance as well as finance for other purposes.

• They accept deposits from the public, but they also work on borrowed capital.

Urban cooperative banks

• Their banking services are neighbourhood-friendly.

Cooperative Banks versus Commercial Banks

Cooperative banks differ from commercial banks in the following respects:

a) Commercial banks are joint-stock companies under the Companies Act of 1956, or public sector banks registered under a separate Act of parliament, whereas cooperative banks are established under the Cooperative Societies Acts of different states.

b) Commercial bank structure is a branch banking system whereas cooperative banks have a three-tier setup, with state cooperative banks at apex level,


38 •

district central cooperative banks at district level, and primary cooperative societies at rural level.

c) Only some of the sections of Banking Regulation Act of 1949 (fully applicable to commercial banks) are applicable to cooperative banks, resulting in only partial control by RBI of cooperative banks.

d) Cooperative banks function on the principle of cooperation and not entirely on commercial parameters.

Cooperative banking has been a game changer in India’s banking sector – they have contributed to improving banking and finance access for more sections of the overall population, and what’s more, they are competing with the banks operating in the

The cooperative movement in India started with the enactment of Cooperative Credit Societies Act in 1904. The first urban cooperative credit society was registered in Canjeevaram (Kanjivaram) in the erstwhile Madras province in that year. It was set up to cater to the needs of small businessmen as an alternative to moneylenders.

A banking crisis in 1913–14, which saw the collapse of 57 joint-stock banks, led to a flight of deposits from joint-stock banks to urban cooperative banks. With effect from 1 March 1966, large cooperative banks with paid-up share capital and reserves of Rs 1 lakh were brought under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and within the ambit of the Reserve Bank’s supervision. In 1966, there were about 1,100 urban cooperative banks with deposits and advances of Rs 167 crore and Rs 153 crore, respectively.

commercial sector, with more ‘presence’ in the rural and semi-urban belt than in the urban/metro areas. However, much of their success will also depend on their adopting modern methods of professional management and embracing advanced and consumer-friendly computer technologies, coupled with stricter control on their operational losses and bad debts. The overlapping of regulatory authority should be minimised so that the management control is vested with professionals rather than elected politicians as governing members. Only with certain reforms will India’s cooperative banks hope to be like the ‘single banking’ concept of the Western countries with limited branch network or nil branch network but enjoying unlimited access to people and resources.

In the NewsBFSI

BFSI Guide

Readers are aware that the Consumer Voice BFSI Desk has been bringing out articles on banking, financial services and insurance matters every month. We are now extending this domain to cover advice, guidance and assistance to consumers on financial matters.

You may approach us with any financial grievance that you have or if you need advice on investment options/financial planning.

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40 •

the Delhi High Court, vide order dated 01.06.2018, has suggested the forming of a ‘litigation policy’ by the Railways to address tortuous claims of compensation filed against it. In the Court’s view, the whole purpose of granting compensation to the victim is defeated if the amount does not become available immediately. Due to lengthy court processes and transferring of a case from one court to another, justice is inevitably delayed. Here we revisit the case that put the wheels in motion.

Delhi High Court Asks Railways to Create a Mediation Policy

The plaintiff (victim), Tilak Raj Singh, was travelling from Meerut to Ludhiana when an unfortunate incident occurred on the way at the Muzaffarnagar station, on 20 October

1987. The plaintiff suffered injuries but no first aid was administered. Instead he was sent to the civil hospital in Muzaffarnagar on a rickshaw. Due to loss of blood and inadequate facilities there, he developed an infection and was shifted to another hospital. The

infection persisted, though, and finally his leg had to be amputated at a nursing home in Meerut.

The plaintiff approached the District Court at Meerut on 3 September 1990 seeking damages/compensation. However, his suit was returned on 14 January 2002, after 12 years, for want of jurisdiction by the Meerut District Court. Thereafter he approached the Railways Claims Tribunal (RCT), but the RCT also dismissed his petition on the grounds that the incident had taken place after the enactment of the

Legal Matters


Legal Matters

Railways Act, 1989, and therefore the case did not fall within the purview of RCT – instead, the same had to be tried by a civil court of competent jurisdiction.

The suit was then shuttled back to the District Judge, Meerut, who declined to accept the case saying that the RCT was not competent to transfer the case to it. Frustrated with the same, the victim filed a suit before the Delhi High Court on 1 October 2008. On 20 September 2010, a single judge rejected his case stating that the suit was barred by limitation. Thereafter, the victim challenged this in appeal before the Division Bench of the High Court of Delhi and they held that the period during which the suit remained pending before the Civil Judge, Meerut, and RCT should be excluded. The suit then proceeded to trial.

In 2016, due to the increase in the pecuniary jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court, the suit was transferred to the District and Sessions Judge, Patiala House Court, where the victim was finally decreed a sum of Rs 6.6 lakh. This was challenged by the Centre before the Delhi High Court.

Findings of the Court

After perusing the documents on record, the Court said that there was no doubt that the Railways were liable for breach of duty for not providing the standard of care required. The immediate first aid was not provided to the victim and it led to loss of blood and an injury that was life-threatening, as was clear from the report of the doctor who saw the victim at the Muzzafarnagar District Hospital.

The Court observed that as the incident took place prior to the enactment of the Railways Act, and the RCT had already rejected the petition of the victim for compensation, the determination of damages/compensation would be governed by the general law of torts and damages and not by the Railways Act. The Court further analysed the case and observing that the victim had been deprived of any compensation for over 30 years, it enhanced the compensation amount to Rs 9 lakh along with simple interest @ 8% for the entire period from filing of the suit before the District Judge, Meerut, till date of decree.

Conclusion

While concluding, the Court observed that the victim was entangled for want of jurisdiction both before the Civil Judge, Meerut, and the RCT. An organisation such as the Railways which is located across the length and breadth of the country should not delay cases of compensation in this manner. The whole purpose of granting compensation is defeated if the amount does not become available to the victim immediately.

The Court suggested that the Railways adopt a ‘litigation policy’ to deal with cases involving tortuous claims for compensation. In such cases, compulsory pre-litigation mediation can also be explored to bring about an early settlement. Such a step will reduce the costs for the Railways, reduce the number of cases filed, and ensure timely and efficient payment of compensation.

Consumer Voice’s advice to consumers

Train-related accidents may happen due to lack of caution and sometimes also due to negligence. Passengers should know about their rights and where to claim for compensation, etc., to avoid delays. Had the victim in the above case taken the claim to competent jurisdiction, there would not have been undue delays in seeking and getting compensation. The Consumer Voice Help Desk helps aggrieved consumers and assists them in resolution of their disputes. Consumer Voice is also actively looking after the implementation of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA).

If you have any complaint, we can help you. Please note our contact details:

phone: 011-47331000; email ID: [email protected]

For details, you can visit the link: https://www.consumer-voice.org/legal-helpdesk/

42 •

Legal Matters

Before filing their case at the consumer court, consumers should get the facts very clear and include all necessary/proper parties in the complaint to avoid dismissal of the same. Non-inclusion of necessary/proper parties can turn out be grounds for dismissal of the complaint even if all others facts are proven. It is absolutely necessary for a complainant to implead any party that is responsible for the cause of action.

You May Be Deprived of Any Relief for Non-Inclusion of Necessary Parties

A necessary party is a person in whose absence no effective decree can be passed by the court. If a necessary party is not impleaded, the suit itself is liable to be dismissed.

The National Commission in the matter of Jet Airways (India) Limited versus Ethelwad O. Mendes (First Appeal No. 432 of 2012), vide its order dated 12.02.2018, allowed the appeal against the order of the State Commission filed by the

respondent/complainant at the State Commission under Complaint No. 06/2010 against the appellant/opposite party Jet Airways (India) Limited.

Let’s retrace the case.

The respondent/complainant had purchased air tickets from an agent, M/s Trade Wings Limited, for himself and his family (four persons) to travel to Toronto, Canada, from Mumbai via London-Heathrow. The tickets were for a Jet Airways flight,


Legal Matters

having arrangements for code-sharing with Air Canada. The journeys were to be happen between 10.05.2008 and 15.06.2008.

On reaching Toronto by Air Canada, the said family discovered that their baggage had not yet arrived. This caused much inconvenience and they also had to incur costs in purchasing toiletries, etc. The airline agreed to give them a mere US$ 100 and that too would be handed over only at the address in India. The respondent/complainant alleged that during the three days it took for the baggage to be delivered to them, they were unable to go anywhere and enjoy their holidays because they did not have any change of clothes.

On the return journey on 31.05.2008, as stated by the respondent/complainant, the Air Canada flight was to depart at 0800 hours from Toronto for London. They were given boarding passes without seat numbers at Toronto Airport. When they reached the embarkment gate after going through the security checks, they were told that the said flight of Air Canada was overbooked and they could not be accommodated in the same. They were made to travel by a Lufthansa flight to Heathrow, London, via Frankfurt on the next date, 01.06.2008, and that too in the evening at 18:00 hours. They were given some vouchers for refreshments, etc., but the same was found to be inadequate.

As the flight was changed, they could not reach London according to schedule, disturbing the arrangements made for pick-up. They had to hire two taxis to reach Nottingham. In addition, when their flight reached Heathrow Airport at London, they found that two pieces of their luggage had not arrived. The said luggage was delivered to them at Nottingham after a delay of 36 hours, causing great harassment/inconvenience to them.

On reaching India, the respondent/complainant filed a complaint before the State Commission against Jet Airways, from whom the air ticket had been purchased. The appellant/opposite party stated that the complaint was barred by limitation under Section 24A of Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The complainant was debarred under Section 30 (1) of Chapter III, Liability of the Carrier, IInd Schedule of Carriage, by Air Act, 1972, to make any claim for damages after two years from the date of travel.

The State Commission, by its order dated 14.06.2012, allowed the complaint partly. The respondent/complainant was held entitled to a sum of 635.47 Canadian dollars (to be paid in equivalent Indian rupees as on the date of payment), as well as Rs 3,000 by way of pecuniary losses and Rs 2 lakh by way of non-pecuniary losses, in terms of Section (14) (1) (d) of Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The respondent/complainant was also held entitled to a

44 •

sum of Rs 5,000 by way of cost of the complaint. The State Commission further directed that the amount shall be paid to the respondent/complainant within a period of four weeks and in case it was not paid, the same shall carry interest at the rate of 7% until it was paid. Aggrieved by the order of the State Commission, Jet Airways (India) Limited filed an appeal before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

The main issue to consider before the National Commission was this: whether under the code-sharing arrangement Jet Airways could be held accountable for any deficiency in service on the part of the participating airlines, which in this case were Air Canada and Lufthansa. In this regard, the National Commission referred to a document titled ‘Worldwide Slot Guidelines’, 8th Edition, English Version, effective from 1 January 2017, published

by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In clause 8.14, titled ‘Shared Operations’, this is stated: ‘The operating airline is responsible for all usage and performance requirements.’

From the above provision, an impression was gathered that the operating airlines – Air Canada and Lufthansa – where the alleged deficiency in service took place were responsible for the usage and performance requirements. In any case, for taking a just decision with regard to the consumer complaint at hand, it was absolutely necessary that the versions of the operating airlines should be on record, so that a rational assessment about their deficiency in service, if any, could be made.

So it was that the National Commission held that Air Canada and Lufthansa were necessary parties in the case and it was necessary to obtain their versions before taking any decision. The consumer complaint

in its present form was dismissed. At the same time, liberty was given to the respondent/complainant to file a fresh complaint, if he desired to do so, by impleading the other airlines as necessary parties. There was no order as to costs.

Had the complainant known, it would have been easy for him to implead Air Canada and Lufthansa as opposite parties in the original complaint. Of course he still has the option to file a fresh case but that will take considerable time and it may turn out to be an indefinite wait for a verdict.

In its order dated 02.02.2018 (WP [0C] 12006/2015 & CM No. 31848/2015 WP [C] 12006/2015 & CM No. 31848/2015), the High Court of Delhi has confirmed that the Civil Aviation Rules provide an immediate relief as compensation to domestic passengers who are denied boarding. DGCA 2010 Rules does not put a cap on the compensation that can be demanded from the airline in cases of overbooking. A passenger has full right to approach civil and consumer courts for relief. Domestic as well as international airlines are responsible for deficiency in service and can be sued in Indian consumer courts.

Earlier, in the case of Air France versus O.P. Srivastava & Others (First Appeal No. 310 of 2008), NCDRC held that not permitting a passenger holding a confirmed ticket to board a flight amounted to deficiency in service on the part of the airline. It directed the premier French national carrier to pay a compensation of Rs 400,000 each to three officials of the Sahara Group on the grounds of causing them inconvenience and harassment by denying boarding on a Paris–Delhi flight in 2002.

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