Saturday, October 3, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
Stop Delhi Govt. to delete one fourth of the topics covered in NCERT textbooks prescribed in Delhi’s schools - Parents body appeals to the President of India
To,
Hon’ble Shri Pranab Mukherjee
President of India
Rashtrapati
Bhavan
New Delhi - 110 004
New Delhi - 110 004
25.09.2015
Sub:
Appeal to stop Delhi Govt. to delete
one fourth of the topics covered in NCERT textbooks prescribed in Delhi’s
schools
Respected
President,
It
is a matter of great concern that the Government of Delhi has decided to delete
one fourth of the topics covered in NCERT textbooks prescribed in Delhi’s
schools. This move will damage equality of opportunity for the children
belonging to the poorer sections of society. As it is, there is a vast gap
between the infrastructure and standards of teaching in different types of
schools. However, all schools in Delhi are affiliated to the CBSE. This creates
a certain degree of parity among state-run schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas and
English-medium public schools. Under the CBSE pattern, all these schools teach
NCERT textbooks. The Delhi Government’s decision to delete 25 per cent of
lessons will destroy this limited parity. Instead of creating a level playing
field for children from different socio-economic backgrounds, the AAP
government wants to widen the gap between different kinds of schools.
We
appeal to you Sir, to intervene and immediately stop the deletion exercise
unilaterally initiated by the Delhi Government.
With
regards
Ashok
Agarwal, Advocate
National
President, All India Parents Association (AIPA)
M.
9811101923
Tel.
011-23070026
Saturday, September 5, 2015
withdraw illegal guidelines putting upper limit of medical expenses of Rs.10 lac per year per beneficiary and allow Blood Caner Patient Smt. Ayesha to continue her treatment at Action Cancer Hospital -SJ writes to ESIC
To,
The Director,
Employees State
Insurance Corporation,
ESIC Headquarters,
Panchdeep Bhawan,
Kotla Road,
New Delhi- 110002
05.09.2015
Subject:
- withdraw illegal guidelines
putting upper limit of medical expenses of Rs.10 lac per year per beneficiary
and allow Blood Caner Patient Smt. Ayesha to continue her treatment at Action
Cancer Hospital
Dear
sir,
This
is another case out of several cases coming to our notice where the ESI has
failed to fulfil its constitutional and statutory duty to provide free and
continuous treatment to the workers and their dependents by resorting to
illegal and unconstitutional guidelines framed by the administrative
authorities defeating the entire object of the ESI Act.
Sh. Azad Ali r/o C 67, Prem Nagar-3, New
Delhi-110086 is employed in a factory since the year 1991 and is presently
working on the salary of Rs. 10,000/- per month. He with his family is an ESI
beneficiary under I.P. No. 2204342514.
Smt.
Ayesha wife of the Sh. Azad Ali is suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
(Blood Cancer). She being a beneficiary
under the said I.P. number for being the wife of the workman, has been
undergoing treatment at the ESI Hospital, Rohini. She was ultimately, referred
by the ESI Hospital to its empanelled hospital, namely, Action Caner Hospital
for the super speciality treatment.
Smt.
Ayesha was given treatment at the Action Cancer Hospital from 27.07.2015
pursuant to the ESI reference. However, after the 25 days of treatment, the
bill of the hospital crossed Rs. 9, 12, 817/- . The moment the bill of the said
hospital crossed Rs. 10/- lacs, the ESI stopped giving approval for treatment.
The Action Cancer Hospital discharged the said patient in absence of further
sanction of treatment by the ESI. The ESI authorities’ relying upon the clause
5 of the ESI guidelines dated 29.08.2014, refused to sanction further treatment
of the patient. The said guideline is reproduced as under:-
“5.1 Upper limit on the expenditure for procedures
not covered under CGHS package rates would be Rs. 10 Lakh per beneficiaries per
year.”
The
ESI has stopped approval of the treatment of Smt. Ayesha as the expenditure has
nearly crossed the limit of Rs. 10 lacs. Smt. Ayesha is in urgent need of
treatment. Any delay at this stage could be fatal to her life. At present, Smt.
Ayesha has been admitted in the Delhi State Cancer Institute run by the Delhi
Government. However, it does absolve you from your legal obligations towards
her. She wants to continue her treatment at Action Cancer Hospital.
The
said provision of your guidelines is illegal, unjustified, unconstitutional,
hit by Art. 21 of the Constitution and is contrary to the provisions of the ESI
Act. The ESI has no authority or power to issue such guidelines under the
provisions of the ESI Act. It is pertinent to mention herein that the said guidelines
have already been challenged in W.P. (C) No. 8445/2014 titled “Mohd. Kalim V ESIC”. The Hon’ble Delhi
High Court in the said writ petition has passed some interim orders against
you. However, the matter is pending for decision.
You
are therefore called upon by this notice to approve the treatment of Smt.
Ayesha w/o Sh. Azad Ali irrespective of the cost of treatment crossing the said
limit and continue the same unabated in future. You are also called upon to
withdraw the said illegal and unjustified guidelines and not to deny treatment
to any patient on the basis thereof. In case, you fail to provide treatment to
Smt. Ayesha as demanded above, she shall be constrained to move the Hon’ble
Delhi High Court for relief.
With
regards
Ashok
Agarwal, Advocate
Advisor,
Social Jurist
M.
9811101923
Tel.
011-23070026
Lakhs of workers in Delhi denied statutory minimum wages - Social Jurists writes to Delhi CM
To
Shri Arvind Kejriwal
Chief Minister
Government of NCT of Delhi
Secretariat, IP Estate
New Delhi -110002
04.09.2015
Subject: Lakhs of workers in Delhi denied
statutory minimum wages
Dear Arvind ji,
Trade Unions have gone for all India strike on
September 02 demanding minimum wage of Rs.15000/- per month. Presently, minimum
wages for unskilled worker in Delhi is 9048/- pm. However, on average, male
worker is paid Rs.6000/- pm and female worker is paid Rs.5000/- pm. It is a
crude exploitation of the lakhs of workers in Delhi affecting their standard of
living. Labour Laws like ESI Act & Provident Fund Act etc. are also not
implemented.
It would be relevant to reproduce here under
article 43 of the Constitution of India:-
“Article 43 – Living wage, etc., for workers:
The State shall endeavour to secure, by suitable legislation or economic
organisation or in any other way, to all workers, agricultural, industrial, or
otherwise, work, a living wage, conditions of work ensuring a decent standard
of life and full enjoyment of leisure and social and cultural opportunities
and, in particular, the State shall endeavour to promote cottage industries on
an individual or co-operative basis in rural areas.”
Forget Living Wage. Forget Fair Wage. Here is a
case where State has failed even to ensure minimum wages to the workers.
Resultantly, workers are forced to live and work in inhuman conditions. The
Hon’ble Supreme Court way back in 1983 in Asiad case held that payment of wages
less than the statutory minimum wages attracts article 23 of Constitution of
India that prohibits traffic in human beings and forced labour. If we go by
this law, over 30% of the working population of Delhi could be easily termed as
‘Begar’. Our leaders talk of making
Capital City of Delhi a Smart City. However, without making any endeavour to
ameliorate the plight of this exploited lot, this idea of Smart City shall
remain eluded.
Needless to remind you your promise made to the
workers on the May-Day that AAP Government shall ensure payment of minimum
wages to them and those found not paying the same would be sent to jail. To my
knowledge, till date, no employer has been sent to jail for failure to pay
minimum wages to its workers. Why Delhi Govt is silent?
With regards,
Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
Advisor, Social Jurist
M. 9811101923
Tel. 011-23070026
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Make available note-books to 4 lakh primary school students of NDMC before Teachers Day - AIPA writes to Delhi CM and NDMC Commissioner
1. The Chief Minister of Delhi
Secretariat, I.P. Estate
New Delhi- 110002
2. The
Commissioner,
North Delhi Municipal
Corporation
Dr. S.P.M. Civic Centre,
Minto Road
New Delhi-110002
31.08.2015
Sub: 5 months gone, 4 lakh students of NDMC run 746
primary schools still waiting for copies
Dear Sir,
That each student studying in 746
primary schools run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) is entitled
to 5 subject copies + 1 drawing copy free of cost at the commencement of
academic year i.e. April 01st. It is really shocking that 5 months have already
passed, yet 4 lakh students studying in these primary schools have not received
any copy. The funny reason appears to be that the tender has not been
finalized.
It is a matter of great national shame
that the authorities running these schools are totally callous towards the
education of the children of the masses. The inaction on your part is in utter
violation of the right to education guaranteed to these students under
Articles 21 and 21-A of the Constitution of India read with the provisions of
RTE Act, 2009. Needless to say that time has come to implement the recent
judgment of 18.08.2015 of Allahabad High Court ensuring that yours and
other Govt employees’ children are compelled to attend these primary
schools.
It may also be mentioned here that
failure on your part to provide copies to these 4 lakh students amounts to
contempt of Hon’ble Delhi High Court as much as the High Court has directed you
in the PIL to provide books and copies to the students in time. It may further
be mentioned that under the provisions of RTE Act, 2009, it is the
responsibility of the State Govt to implement the provisions of the said Act,
but to great surprise, the Delhi Chief Minister, Shri Arvind Kejriwal does not
at all talk about the plight of the 10 lakh students studying in primary
schools run by the three Muncipal Corporations.
I hope and expect that before you take
the Hon’ble President of India on ‘Teachers Day’ to a Delhi Sarkari School, you
would make available copies to these 4 lakh unfortunate primary school students
of North MCD.
With regards,
Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
National President, AIPA
M-09811101923
Tel. 011-23070026
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)