Ramkrishan upadhyay

Tribune Information Service

Chandigarh, September 20

The National Consumer Dispute Resolution Commission ordered the Director General of the Haryana State Department of Transportation to deposit Rs 1.40 lakh into the Poor Patient Protection Fund run by PGIMER, Chandigarh, for the treatment of cancer patients.

The order was passed by the commission while partially allowing seven appeals filed by appellant Ashok Kumar Parjapat.

Prajapat had approached the commission after its complaints were dismissed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chandigarh.

In his complaint to the district forum, Prajapat alleged that while traveling on Haryana state transport buses, he found the drivers and conductors smoking. He claimed that the case had been taken to higher authorities, but to no avail. As such, he lodged the complaint for the payment of compensation and also to sanction the drivers and drivers, who were found smoking during working hours.

However, all complaints filed by Parjapat were dismissed by the district forum.

After reviewing the files, the state commission observed that the whistleblower could be considered one of the important pillars, which uncovers embezzlement and other illegal activities. As such, the appellant must be adequately compensated.

The commission also said that the Supreme Court, after considering the harmful effects of smoking on smokers and passive smokers, banned smoking in public places and ordered the Center, State and UTs to take measures. effective measures to ensure the ban.

“For the reasons stated above, seven appeals filed by the appellant / complainant are partially accepted and the Department of Transport in each case (seven appeals) is required to pay Rs 5,000 each, in a lump sum, as indemnity and procedural costs, to the appellant, ”said the commission.

The commission also ordered the Haryana transport department to pay 20,000 rupees each for an appeal to the Chandigarh PGIMER, which will then be deposited into the poor patient protection fund run by the hospital for the treatment of affected patients. cancer.

The commission also asked the Director General of Transport of the State of Haryana to confirm within 30 days, from the date of receipt of the certified copy of this decree, the measures taken to quit smoking in the public places, state buses and bus stations in Haryana, in accordance with the directive of the Supreme Court.

“Passive smoking is a serious health risk for those who smoke and those who don’t. Thus, in this point of view of the matter, it is held that the disputed ordinances, the district commission, in this regard should be set aside and accordingly are set aside, ”the ordinance reads.