The Managing Trustee of - Ngo. Save Aam Admi, is Mr. Avishek Goenka !!
Currently all his energies are directed towards - citizen welfare and hence he is working as a - Citizen Cause Activist and takes up issues, which adversely affect the well being of citizens of India and in his endeavour to deliver public good, he not only writes to concerned government bodies about the miseries of ordinary citizens and suggests ways to correct them (http://www.saveaamadmi.com/LetterGallery.html) but also initiates Public Interest Litigations in the – Hon’ble Supreme Court and High Courts (when he finds that the Central or State – Government, is not acting on his representation). Note worthy is that, he without assistance of a lawyer, presents the cases all by himself (http://www.saveaamadmi.com/media.php) !!
Filing of petitions in - Public Interest, is an activity of continuity for him and details of petitions filed, can be availed by visiting the following link (http://www.saveaamadmi.com/pil-gallery.html).
The sincerity of his efforts, has led to the (03) Judges’ Bench headed by the Chief Justice of the Hon’ble Supreme Court – to term him as “Public Spirited Citizen” !!
#####Mandatory physical verification of prepaid mobile connections ((Writ Petition (Civil) 285/2010)).
#####Ban of black films on transparent glasses of vehicles ((Writ Petition (Civil) 265/2011)) - are PIL.S on which Hon’ble Supreme Court Bench – headed by the Chief Justice, has given favourable Judgements.
The Hon’ble High Court, at Calcutta (W.P.33290 (W) of 2013) on a petition #####to ensure protection of RTI. Applicants, by allowing queries through E.Mail & Post Box - ruled that, the applicant need not provide any personal details, if ‘Post Box’ number is extended. The Central Government thereafter acted in compliance with the order. The matter was moved in the Hon’ble High Court after, the Hon’ble Supreme Court had given him the liberty to pursue the matter, with any High Court ((Writ Petition (Civil) 427 of 2012)).
The Hon’ble Supreme Court has issued notices to - Ministry of Health & All India Institute of Medical Sciences, on his petition ((Writ Petition (Civil) 459 of 2012)) #####to ensure availability of all - [[medicines+surgical items+implants+orthotic inputs+prosthetic inputs]] at (56%) discount on Mrp. However, he has not asked for discounts by way of generic medicines, but suggested incorporation of discounts on – branded medicines, manufactured by reputed brands. The matter is still being heard.
In ((Writ Petition (Civil) 463 of 2013)) #####to ensure population control, by adopting the global best voluntary practices, the Hon’ble Supreme Court observed that the – Writ Petition, may be considered as a representation and the Ministry can take into consideration the suggestions made by the petitioner. The Central Government through – PMO. reference, has extended the matter to – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In ((Writ Petition (Civil) 606 of 2013)) #####to ensure ethical banking practices by, discontinuation of – Corporate Debt Restructuring and regulating discretionary power of – Public Sector Bank Chiefs, among other steps. The Kingfisher scam, was well highlighted in this petition. However, the Hon’ble Supreme Court, did not entertain this case.
Multiple other petitions in citizen interest, have been initiated or are in pipe line !! To know more about his work in field of Public Interest Litigation, please go to Google & search - Avishek Goenka!!
At times to make a non sensitive government machinery act and supplement government law enforcement task - either long drawn controversial campaigns have to be fought on public platform, with due media aid or legal recourse to PIL. has to be availed !!
The advantage with the latter is that - it is less controversial and creates less fuss and duly abided by governments. Most importantly – there is no remedial issue, before the nation, which cannot be addressed by the tool of PIL. Hence it can be concluded that – PILS. have universal application. (Be it an issue of - environment // food security // employment // religion // education // security // democratic tools // road-rail-air safety, among many others).
Governments having to face a more aware voter (in every new poll) have realised that, “to tap public support, they need to deliver good work and it is impossible for governments alone, to deliver universal good and hence the NGO.S have an indispensable role in governance” !! The same is validated from the fact that - in some of the cases, initiated by Mr. Avishek Goenka, the central government ministries, who were respondents in the matter, did not oppose the stand taken by him & neither went ahead with any Review Petition !! The opposition he faces is primarily from the – Private Stake Holders.
The primary reason for having indulged in the activity of social activism (by deploying the tool of Public Interest Litigation) is his intolerance towards the – very low quality of life being lived by the average citizen of the nation.
The quality of life in India can be measured by the following which are under mentioned –
A) In the World Economic Forum’s Annual Global Competitiveness Report (GCR.) (2010-2011) - India shows up poorly in institutions, ranking - (71) in diversion of public funds; (88) in the public’s trust of politicians; (83) in irregular payments and bribes; (72) in favouritism in decisions of government officials; (57) in wastefulness of government spending; (95) in burden of government regulation; (127) in business costs of terrorism; (67) in business costs of crime and violence; (73) in organized crime; (68) in reliability of public services; (70) In ethical behaviour of firms and (76) in efficacy of corporate boards.
B) As per Harvard School of Public Health - India has just (01) operation theatre per (01) lac people. Further the surgical facilities available, do not have basic equipment such as oxygen monitors, necessary for safe surgery.
C) As per National Sample Survey Office - India has (49) thousands slums of which more than (12) thousands are located along nullahs and drains.
D) As per AC. Nielsen - only (12%) of India’s (35+) crores menstruating women use sanitary napkins and other (88%) who cannot afford the cost of the same use – unsanitized cloth, ashes and husk sand.
E) As per International Multi Dimensional Poverty Index - (64.5) crores / (55%) of India’s population is poor.
F) As per UNDP. - (08) Indian states account for more poor people than (26) poorest African nations taken together.
G) As per Economist Intelligence Unit - care of people approaching death is worst in India.
H) As per UN. - India holds the record of being, home to the highest number of children, who die before their (5)th birthday.
I) As per FPRI. Global Hunger Index - India ranks (67) out of (84) developing nations, in having the number of hungry people among it’s citizens.
J) As per Planning Commission - (09) crores and (36) lacs people reside in slums in India.
K) As per FAO. - India has (23) crores undernourished people, which is (27%) of the world’s undernourished population.
L) As per UNICEF. - (43%) of India’s children are under weight, which is (42%) of the world’s underweight children.
M) As per Human Development Report - based on (health care + education + income) in a country, India ranks (119) among (169) countries.
N) As per the latest data of the ‘Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors’ study, published in British Medical Journal “The Lancet” - whereas average blood pressure declined globally, it increased among both men and women in India.
O) As per medical general “The Lancet” - (30%) rural India and (20%) urban India did not go for any treatment because of financial inability and (47%) of rural India along with (31%) of urban India financed hospital admission through loans and sale of assets.
P) As per Medical Council of India - India has (01) doctor for every (1700) citizens, whereas Germany has (01) doctor for every (296) citizens.
Q) As per Planning Commission - an urban Indian spending more than rupees (20) a day on his basic needs, cannot be termed as poor.
R) As per National Family & Health Survey - (23%) of married men + (52%) of married women + (72%) infants in India are anemic – hence leading to slow starvation.
S) As per Uno. - India’s population will stand at (170+) crores in (2060) and by (2030) will have the highest population share among nations of the globe.
T) As per National Sample Survey Organisation - over (03) crores Indian cannot find work despite being in labour force and another (2.5) crores Indian citizens are officially under employed as per most Conserveative estimates.
U) As per Transparency International Corruption Index - India dropped to (95)th position !! It reflects that how, in a reaffirmation of the general perception, India has dropped (11) places to be ranked (95)th in the Transparency International Corruption Index.
V) As per National Crime Records Bureau - (21) Indian citizens kill themselves every day for reasons such as bankruptcy, unemployment and poverty.
W) As per NCRB. - in (2010) there were (241986) instances of violent crimes + (134599) instances of suicides + (384649) instances of accidental deaths in India.
X) As per BPRD. Study - the reported instances of crime shoot up by (400%) once recording of FIR.S is made mandatory.
Y) As per NCRB. - sanctioned strength of police personnel in India for per lac of population is (173.5) whereas the actual strength is (131.4) for per lac of population and in fact some states have not more than (70) police personnel for every lac of it’s citizens.
Z) As per Global Peace Index (GPI.) (2011) - which ranks countries according to how peaceful they are. India now ranks (135) out of (153) countries. We are now amongst the (20) least peaceful nations in the world, along with countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The above deficiencies are not intended to indicate that everything is wrong with the nation, but intended/targeted to point out the areas needing correction, despite rapid strides made in multiple spheres !!
