2.5 lakh students will be given water bottles!

These students are from 100 primary schools, run by MCD in Delhi,
which have no drinking water!

This is slated to cost the MCD, approximately 1.5 crores.

This truly harks back to the alleged quote by an insensitive member of the French royalty, which supposedly triggered the French Revolution: When a queen was told that her subjects were rising in protest because they had no bread to eat. Her solution : 'Oh if they don't have bread, give them cakes'! So if they don't have water, give them water bottles!

In any case why we are interested in the story is because our organization VOICE, carried out a comparative test story about these very water bottles that kids carry to schools, and published it in the May 2011 issue of 'Consumer VOICE'. We have several interesting findings to report.
 
Interested parties kindly contact : editor.online@consumer-voice.org for a full story.

Mass Migration to metro cities

The population boom over the years in India has seen its share of distress. The birth control policy scheme has also not been able to halt the rapid growth of population. Being under-developed nation, metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkatta, Chennai has witnessed a mass migration, as small cities are unable to offer a sky-rocketing growth. 
Under these circumstances, do you think the government shouldn't restrict the developmental plans, employment generation and infrastructure plans to metro cities alone ? 

Is hunger strike unconstitutional ?

The hunger strike has always been the hallmark of protests since the times immemorial. However, Anna Hazare's hunger strike is giving night mares to the Central government, many intellectuals believe that hunger strike is not a peaceful demonstration rather it is a way to blackmail the government along with the public support.

Do you think hunger strike is unconstitutional ?

Anna detained; what next?

Anna Hazare courted arrest after being detained by Delhi Police at his residence in Mayur Vihar ahead of his indefinite fast.Hazare had declared that he would go on fast Aug 16 for a strong Lokpal bill.

Junk Food

With children switching on to fast/junk foods at large scale and suffering from various health problems, do you think school authorities in school should ban the junk food in their school canteen?
A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression "going bananas" is from the effects of bananas on the brain.. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!

This is interesting.

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases.. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance.. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth.. Amazing fruit !!!

Traditional Khadi cloths

The consumption of fashion has seen scaling new heights in India over the years. People call it "borrowed" fashion, as clothes, trends, cosmetics are majorly borrowed from the Western world. Do you think, fashion designers need to revamp the traditional khadi into a fashion statement with innovative changes in manufacturing of khadi made clothes ?
"During the 'Slut Walk', yesterday, Delhi youth, both boys and girls, brought sexual harassment into central focus and used the Nukkad Natak to convey their message. With Delhi Police personnel standing by, the street play turned out to be the most powerful medium through which the participants drove their message across and attracted the loudest cheers.
Consumer VOICE has been using the street play to raise awareness amongst Delhi consumers during the Trade Fair at Delhi's Pragati Maidan in the last week of November. It is happening again!. We invite Delhi colleges to come forward and register themselves with VOICE, as soon as they can get a team of around 15 together. The theme : Consumer awareness within the 'Jago Grahak Jago' ambit.
Contact :
Sapna Saini: 9953429822, sapna@consumer-voice.org, sapnaa.saini@gmail.com
Roopa Vajpeyi: 9810026032, roopa.vajpeyi@gmail.com