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Members of Kohima Law College pose for a photograph during the launch of their campaign ‘Citizen Rights & Duties Awareness’ at the college on July 14.[/caption]
According to the press release, Professor Kezhokhoto Savi himself launched the event. Final year LL.B students of Kohima Law College have been divided into seven groups consisting of eight members in each group. They will be conducting an awareness campaign on ‘Citizen Rights & Duties’ in churches targeting the youth departments, Savi stated.
Launching the programme, Savi declared that several topics such as Consumer Rights, Human Rights, National Food Security (NFSA 2013), Environment, Public Services Delivery, Lokayukta, Medical negligence, Food Safety and Standard(FSSA 2006), Clean Election and the RTI.
In his “enlightening speech”, Savi stated in the press release he issued, he ‘touched all the nine topics as to how and why it has become very necessary to educate the general public in a form of their rights and duties stating that education may the best means to wake up the public in realising their duties and rights as a citizen in the society.’
“Mr. Savi said that many deserving citizens in the state are not getting their due shares as either in the category of Priority HouseHold (PPH) or AAY under the National Food Security Act 2013 where the citizens are entitled to get rice at the rate of Rs.3/- per kg and wheat at the rate of Rs.2/- per kg and not to charge above the mentioned rate,” the press release explained.
The Nagaland government is yet to frame rules, constitute Food Commission, designate district level officer to entertain the grievances of the citizens, etc as per the Act, it stated.
According to the updates, despite implementing the Food Safety & Standard Act 2006 in Nagaland, the Food Commissioner is yet to be designated as per the Act in order to ensure effective implementation of the Act in the state.
“The duplicate egg which was detected recently in the state capital has alarmed the Analysis Wing i.e., Food Testing Laboratory under a Public Analyst and the Enforcement Wing i.e., the Food Safety Officer to do their duty and to be equipped in ensuring safety to the consumers,” the press release stated.
“This is the Act to curb the widely spread evil of adulteration endangering national health and human life for monetary gain which aims to provide confidence to consumers that the food they buy and eat will do no harm to them and they are protected from adulteration and fraud.”
The speaker also talked about the Lokayukta. The Lokayukta is to be established in Nagaland at the earliest mainly to curb corruption in the state. The present government is ‘just buying time in order not introduce’ Lokayukta which is to check the corrupt public servants and politicians, the press release stated.
“The NPF led DAN government continue with their internal crisis not at all for the cause of public welfare but just fighting among themselves to grab power and money,” the press release.
Another matter that the press release stated was that Nagaland was one state that was yet to constitute State Human Rights Commission. “Article 371A of the Constitution of India is a special gift to the citizens especially in protecting the rights of the indigenous people in the state,” the press release stated.
‘The citizens are to learn about Right to Information Act, 2005 in order to promote transparency and accountability in public offices. Every citizen is responsible to protect our environment so as not as to contribute towards climate change or global warming. To discourage stone quarry, deforestation, to keep surrounding clean, to keep our town clean, etc are the duties of every citizen,’ the press release stated.
Further, the speaker stated that the need to educate the citizens of the state ‘as to how to learn and practice ‘Clean Election’ mainly for the forth coming State General Assembly Election’ was the need of the hour.
“The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation had launched the Public Services Delivery Campaign during the 2016 Vigilance Awareness Week with an appeal to the state government to introduce similar legislation for effective public service delivery to its citizens in the state and would also curb corruption in the state government functionaries.”
“And the best part of this legislation to ensure delivery of time bound services to the public,” the speaker remarked. ‘Medical negligence is coming under the provision of the Consumer Protection Act 1986 where it is compensatory in nature.’