Kamal Haasan, Lyca Productions announce compensation
Actor stresses on need for safe working conditions, protection for technicians

21/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

Film actor Kamal Haasan at the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in Chennai on Thursday. B. Velankanniraj

Actor Kamal Haasan announced ₹1 crore compensation for families of the technicians who died, as well as for those injured in the accident on the sets of Indian 2 on Wednesday night.

Speaking to mediapersons at KMC Hospital on Thursday, Mr. Haasan said that he was not there as a representative of a film production but as a concerned family member. “I have been in this profession since I was a child. This is yet another incident which proves that this industry does not have the level of safety which is expected of it,” he said.

Stating that the compensation he offered should be viewed only as a first-aid, Mr. Haasan said that the industry should come together and take steps to ensure protection and insurance for technicians. “We boast about big budget films but it is shameful that we are not able to protect our technicians,” he said. He stressed on the responsibility of any profession including the cinema industry to ensure that technicians are protected and insured. “This is not an appeal I am making to the film industry. It is our responsibility and duty, and I am merely reiterating it,” he said.

Mr. Haasan said that it had been a narrow escape for him as well, as he was under the same canopy with the actress of the film, sometime before the crane collapsed. “The director and the cameraman had a narrow escape as they moved from there just about four seconds before the accident,” he added. Speaking about Mr. Krishna, the assistant director who was killed in the mishap, the actor said that the youngster used to work with him as an assistant. “It was only day before yesterday that he came and told me that he had joined the sets of Indian 2,” he said. Mr. Krishna is the son-in-law of cartoonist and film critic Madhan.

Director Shankar and Lyca Productions founder Subaskaran Allirajah also met the families of the deceased at KMC. Tamil Kumaran, CEO of Lyca Productions, said that they were giving ₹2 crore to the families of the deceased and those who were injured. “We will take care of all the medical expenses,” he added. Reacting to questions about safety on set, Mr. Kumaran said that they had taken adequate precautions and that the accident had been “sudden and unfortunate”.

75 free bone marrow transplants in six years in Odisha hospital
Major milestone for SCB Medical College and Hospital
21/02/2020, SATYASUNDAR BARIK,BHUBANESWAR

Dr. R.K. Jena, the man behind the unique endeavour.Special arrangement

The SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on Thursday achieved a major milestone by performing its 75th bone marrow transplant – the highest in any State government-run hospital in the country.

The Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit of the hospital extends the treatment free of cost – a pioneering effort in the country. Of the 75 cancer patients who have undergone the complex transplant procedure, 70 have been found to be healthy while five have passed away.

“The bone marrow transplant, which a poor patient cannot dream of availing, is extended free of cost in our facility. The Health and Family Welfare Department of Odisha bears the cost of the treatment. Probably no government-run hospital in eastern India has performed so many BMTs,” said R.K. Jena, head of Clinical Haematology Department in S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital and the man behind this unique endeavour.

A BMT unit started functioning in the hospital on February 26, 2014. In the last six years, Dr. Jena and his team have been conscientiously trying make life better for cancer patients.

Expensive procedure

BMT is a procedure to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. In private sector hospitals, a patient has to cough up about ₹10 lakh for a BMT. In the SCB facility, the cost incurred on each BMT ranges between ₹70,000 and ₹1 lakh. Of the 75 patients, 65 belong to below poverty line. Now, around 30 patients are waiting to avail of BMT at SCB.

Dr. Jena, who was also former president of Indian Society of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, said only private hospital Tata Medical Center, Kolkata, had done higher number of BMTs than SCB Medical College.

All BMTs have been carried out through Stem Cell Apheresis procedure. “In all cases we have successfully mobilised and collected adequate stem cells by a single procedure, unlike other centres needing one to three procedures. Restricting to one procedure reduces cost,” he observed.

Of the 75 cancer patients, five were above 65 years and conducting BMT on them was no mean achievement. As per Indian Journal of Cancer, very few hospitals in the country have attempted BMT involving elderly persons. Dr. Jena said, “We conducted BMT on one patient who was 74 years old.”

Swiggy workers stage protest in city, demand restoration of old wages

Rate per delivery has been reduced from ₹40 to ₹35

21/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER ,NEW DELHI

Workers of online food delivery platform, Swiggy, have been staging a protest in south Delhi’s Madangir area demanding that their old wages be restored.

A worker who did not wish to be identified said that hundreds of them have been gathering outside the Pushp Vihar office for the last two days. Explaining the problem, they said, earlier, they used to get ₹40 per delivery which was subsequently reduced to ₹35.

“However, the company is hiring new people who are paid ₹15 per order. Most of the orders now directly go to them and not us. They have also reduced our extra night charges from ₹20 to ₹10,” he said.

Another worker complained that they have no grievance redressal mechanism in the company. “Who should we speak to in case if there is a problem? If we meet with an accident or we are robbed, there is no one we can contact because everything is online,” he said.

The protesters demanded that the older rates (₹35) be restored for every worker.

When contacted, Swiggy did not comment on the matter.

Government’s think tank gets new V-C

21/02/2020, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA,NEW DELHI

Jasmine Shah has been re-appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the Dialogue and Development Commission, a think-tank of the Delhi government.

After his appointment, Mr. Shah met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here. “Honoured to be appointed by the Cabinet as the Vice Chairperson of @DDC_Delhi for the next term of AAP govt. Met CM @ArvindKejriwal and discussed with him various ways in which DDC can assist in his vision to transform Delhi into a 21st century city [sic],” he tweeted.

NEET applies to UG courses too, says SC

21/02/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the validity of applying the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to under-graduate courses under the Union Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).

The Court agreed with the government that admissions to BAMS, BUMS, BSMS and BHMS would require candidates to score minimum qualifying marks for NEET.

The court declared this in a judgment challenging notifications issued by the Central Council of Indian Medicine and Central Council of Homoeopathy prescribing an-all India NEET for admission to the under-graduate courses (BAMS, BUMS, BSMS and BHMS) and minimum qualifying marks in the examination from the academic year 2019-2020.

However, as one-time measure and in view of the admission of a large number of students to the AYUSH, the court has permitted them to continue provided they were admitted prior to the last date of admission, i.e., October 15, 2019. The same direction is applicable to students admitted to the post-graduate courses before October 31, 2019.

Survivors of Kerala RTC bus accident left in a state of shock
They say local people came to their rescue

21/02/2020, G. KRISHNAKUMAR,KOCHI

Mangled remains: The KSRTC bus that met with an accident on the outskirts of Tiruppur on Thursday. M. PERIASAMY

Charishma K. woke up on hearing a loud thud and found that the right side of the bus in which she was travelling was completely open.

A passenger in the Garuda Volvo bus of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation that met with a major tragedy at Avinashi on the Coimbatore-Salem highway early on Thursday, Ms. Charishma boarded the bus from Bengaluru and was on the way to her cousin’s house in Ernakulam. “My seat number was 3 and it was on the left side of the bus. I found that the right side of the bus was completely damaged when I suddenly woke up. It was all over in flash. I am still in a state of shock.” she told The Hindu over the phone.

“We could not get out through the main exit door as it got jammed. Locals, who rushed to the spot immediately, broke the glasspanes of windows and rescued us,” she said.

Ms. Charishma, a bank employee in Bengaluru and a resident of Kannur, said she was not injured.

The images of bodies lying on the road refuse to leave Sreelakshmi Menon, who was seated in the first row of the bus on the left side.

“I was asleep and woke up after experiencing a huge jerk. I still do not know how I got out as the exit door was stuck. It was only after watching the news later that I realised that a trailer had rammed our bus as I could not spot it after coming out,” she said. An employee with an e-commerce company in Bengaluru, Sreelakshmi was en route to her residence near Thrissur. “I was taken in an ambulance along with a few others to Revathi Medical Centre in Tiruppur, where I was administered first aid. An X-ray was also taken and doctors advised that I could leave,” she said.

Rajiv case convicts: T.N. Cabinet advice has ‘zero’ value, says Centre

‘Home Ministry had decided not to release any of them and informed Governor’

21/02/2020, MOHAMED IMRANULLAH S.,CHENNAI

The Union Home Ministry on Thursday asserted before the Madras High Court that its approval was absolutely essential for releasing the seven life convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and since it had already decided not to grant remission to any of them, the effect of a recommendation made by the State Cabinet to the Governor on September 9, 2018 to set them free was nothing but “zero.”

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) G. Rajagopalan told a bench of Justices R. Subbiah and R. Pongiappan that the Centre had also communicated to Governor Banwarilal Purohit a decision taken by it in April 2018 against releasing the seven convicts. On his part, State Public Prosecutor (SPP) A. Natarajan told the court that the Council of Ministers had only made a recommendation and it was up to the Governor to take a call.

Expressing shock over such a stand taken by the Centre and the State, M. Radhakrishnan, counsel for one of the convicts S. Nalini who had filed a habeas corpus petition seeking her immediate release, said, “There is a difference between an executive power and a sovereign power. The Union of India cannot even be allowed to speak in this matter because it relates to advice given by the council of ministers in the State to the Governor.

“It is unfortunate that such submissions are being made by the Additional Solicitor General. The State Public Prosecutor too is wrong in submitting that the Governor is the final authority. Ours is a quasi federal country where the Governors act as per the aid and advice of the council of ministers in every State but the submissions made now probably show the State government here is being run on the aid and advice of the Union Home Ministry.”

After hearing all of them, the judges reserved their verdict on the petition filed by Nalini who had sought her release on the ground of long delay on the part of the Governor in taking a decision on the Cabinet’s recommendation. Stating that the advice given by the council of ministers was binding upon the Governor and he would have no option but to accept it, the petitioner said, her detention since the date of recommendation should be considered illegal. Petitioner’s counsel cited a 1980 Supreme Court verdict in the famous Maru Ramu case and contended that the Governor’s signature was not mandatory for her release.

The SPP said the petitioner’s detention since September 2018 could not be termed illegal since she had been lodged in prison as per orders passed judicial forums. Stating that the Council of Ministers had only made a recommendation to the Governor for releasing the seven convicts, he said: “The government’s duty ends with making a recommendation. Unless the Governor passes an order on the recommendation, there is no question of illegal detention.”

SBI launches ‘combo card’ for students in university

An ATM/ ID card, it can be used to enter restricted areas

21/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

One card will do: State Bank of India’s ‘combo card’ being launched in Madurai Kamaraj University on Thursday.G. Moorthy

State Bank of India’s (SBI) ‘combo card’ for students, a multi-purpose card, was launched at Madurai Kamaraj University here on Thursday. This card can be used to withdraw money from automatic teller machines, as an identity card, to access the library and for inter-departmental access for students.

SBI Deputy Managing Director (Strategy) J. Swaminathan, Vice-Chancellor M. Krishnan, SBI Chief Manager (Payments and Special Project) Pankaj Kumar and Chief General Manager (Chennai Circle) Vinay M. Tonse were present during the launch of the ‘combo card.’ A memorandum of understanding was also signed between MKU and SBI.

These ‘combo cards’ will be initially given to about 1,400 postgraduate students. Research scholars will get them next.

Mr. Swaminathan said that the card will benefit the students, the university, the bank and the nation. “This is a step towards digitisation. It will also help in reducing carbon footprint and contribute towards ecological conservation,” he said.

The VC said that it was a student-centric initiative which will also help the university to document every activity digitally. “The university is in the process of applying for the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) ranking. Currently, documentation of records is poor. These combo cards, for instance, will help in documenting data about the students who used the library,” he said. He also added that the card can be used for all financial transactions inside the university.

‘Ajinomoto safe for consumption’

21/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Stressing the nutritional benefits of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Dietician Dharini Krishnan said that MSG was safe for human consumption, at a press meet organised by the Japanese food and biotechnology corporation, Ajinomoto, here at Courtyard by Marriott on Thursday.

“Monosodium Glutamate is safe for human consumption. Glutamic acid is found in breast milk also and is very safe. It is prepared from natural ingredients”, she said.

Managing Director of Ajinomoto India Atsushi Mishuku said that Ajinomoto (MSG) was extracted from natural products like sugarcane, corn and tapioca.

Ajinomoto was the first company to produce MSG on a commercial scale, Mr. Atsushi Mishuku said.

Regarding the negative perception that the MSG had garnered, he said that, “only imitation products that come from China without regulatory approval are harmful”.

Manager-Marketing of Ajinomoto India Govinda Biswas said, “We have successfully been countering the misconception regarding Ajinomoto.”

He added that due to their regular efforts in this regard there was an increase in the sale and consumption of the product.

Driver-conductor pair had a commendable track record

21/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,KOCHI

V.R. Baiju

V.D. Gireesh

The driver-cum-conductor pair, who lost their lives in the accident, had a commendable track record, with their humanitarian ways winning them accolades from within the organisation and from passengers.

In July 2018, the KSRTC’s then Chairman and Managing Director Tomin Thachankery issued a special commendation letter to V.D. Gireesh from Perumbavoor and V.R. Baiju from Piravom after they pro-actively intervened to save the life of a woman passenger. Kavitha Warrier, a passenger, had seizures while the KSRTC Garuda Volvo bus was passing through Hosur. The driver took a U-turn and drove 3 km to the nearest hospital. With the hospital insisting that there had to be a bystander, they contacted the KSRTC officials, who suggested that Baiju stay back at the hospital, till her relatives arrived.

Aliyar, an office-bearer of Kerala State Transport Workers Union, spoke of how the duo also helped rush a child, who suffered from epileptic fit while travelling to Bengaluru, to a hospital.

Six Nepal pilgrims killed in van-bus collision in Salem

TNN | Feb 21, 2020, 04.40 AM IST

SALEM: Six pilgrims from Nepal, two of them women, were killed and 25 others injured after an omnibus rammed a minibus near Omalur here in the early hours of Thursday.

District superintendent of police (SP) Deepa Ganigar said they had alerted the kin of the deceased through Nepal embassy in Chennai and they were expected to reach the city on Friday morning to receive the bodies.

According to the officer, the accident took place when the minibus, with a total of 34 Nepalese on board, was heading to Rajasthan via Salem after visiting Kanyakumari. “They had come down to the country to visit Hindu temples.”

When the minibus reached Naripallam on Salem-Bengaluru National Highway around 1am on Thursday, the officer said, passengers asked the driver to stop the vehicle for them to refresh.

Beemla Chowdry, 40, one of the passengers said, “We were travelling continuously for more than 10 hours and we wanted to take rest for a while. So, we asked the driver to park the vehicle near a stone mandapam belonging to a Kalilamman temple on the highway.”

Driver Gowlram Chowdhari subsequently parked the minibus on roadside and a few of them approached the night security at the temple, seeking permission to stay there for a few hours.

The SP said, “After obtaining permission from the security guard, they asked the driver to come to the stone mandapam. Chowdhari moved the minibus without noticing the omnibus that was coming in from the opposite direction. While the omnibus driver tried his best to avoid collision with the minibus, he didn’t succeed and hit the bus carrying the pilgrims at the centre, killing four of them on the spot and injuring others.”

She said the omnibus was heading to Kerala from Bengaluru and the passengers in that vehicle escaped unhurt.


When alerted by other motorists on the stretch, the Omalur police took the injured to the Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital. The SP also reached the accident spot and oversaw the investigation.

“While Ber Bathur Rai, 46, Tikaram, 50, Gopal Taman, 53 and Bodhini, 50 died on the spot, Bulkari Cowdhri, 50, and Vishnu Thangal, 55, died in the hospital without responding to the treatment. The remaining passengers are out of danger,” the officer said.

Collector S A Raman, meanwhile, visited the injured at the government hospital and consoled them.

The Omalur police have registered a case under Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 304 (a) (causing death by negligence) of Indian Penal Code and further inquiry is on. They are, however, yet to make any arrest.

Nirbhaya convict is back in court, this time with mental illness plea

TNN | Feb 21, 2020, 04.04 AM IST

New Delhi: A court on Thursday sought a reply from the Tihar Jail authorities on a plea by Vinay Sharma, a death-row convict in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, that he be given better treatment due to his mental condition, including schizophrenia, and head and arm injuries. Additional sessions judge Dharmender Rana directed the authorities to file its reply on Saturday.

According to prison officials, Sharma injured himself by banging his head on his solitary cell wall in jail number 3 on Sunday afternoon. He suffered minor injuries and was treated on the Tihar premises, they said.

Advocate A P Singh, appearing for Sharma, told the court that “it was a serious matter” that the convict couldn’t recognise people, including his mother and lawyer. The lawyer claimed that while visiting his client on the family’s request, he had found Sharma had sustained a grievous head injury, had a plaster in his right arm due to a fracture, and was suffering from “insanity, mental illness and schizophrenia”.

Singh also claimed that the jail records would prove that Sharma had attempted suicide thrice in Tihar and was treated for depression.

The prosecution, however, opposed the plea arguing it was not maintainable. It termed the plea as a delaying tactic.

Meanwhile, according to an IANS report, Sharma’s counsel also moved the Election Commission of India challenging the rejection of his mercy petition. The rejection was suggested by Delhi government and signed by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia when the model code of conduct for the assembly elections was in force. The code made him “ineligible” to do so, Singh said, adding that a WhatsApp screenshot was sent instead of Sisodia’s digital signature while forwarding the plea to the lieutenant governor of Delhi.

After the LG sent it to the Union home ministry, it went to the President of India, who rejected the plea after considering the MHA’s suggestion.

Thursday’s petitions were filed after the court, on February 17, for the third time, issued death warrants for March 3 to execute the four convicts. Besides Sharma, the other convicts are Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta and Akshay Thakur.

Any further delay in their execution will be “sacrilegious” to the rights of the victim and for justice, the court had noted while fixing the new date.

MKU-SBI smart card enables students to mark attendance, withdraw money

TNN | Feb 21, 2020, 04.16 AM IST

Madurai: Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) and State Bank of India (SBI) on Thursday launched a multi-purpose identity card which will enable students to get access to various department buildings, mark attendance and be used as a regular debit card.

“Ever since noticing that many rural families are still far from digitalisation, I wanted to introduce this card at our university which mainly caters to students in rural and remote areas. This card has been issued free of cost to the students. We would also be able to collect and document data of students and the university’s activities more easily,” said MKU vice-chancellor Dr M Krishnan. The university is currently in the process of achieving complete automation of its academic and administrative activities. It had recently introduced MKU-Mobile app / Web app as a platform for digital learning management system.

The MKU VC and the deputy managing director, SBI, J Swaminathan, launched the smart combo ID card and distributed it to students. About 1,500 PG students will first be making use of the cards. An MoU was signed for five years between the university and the bank to implement the project with SBI investing a total of Rs 20 lakh initially. “We are trying to promote electronic system of recording and reduce cash. We don’t see it as expenditure but rather an investment whenever we are working with educational institutions,” Swaminathan told the students. MKU is the fourth educational institution in the country to collaborate with SBI for issuing such combo cards.

Surat women clerks forced to stand naked for med test

Yagnesh.Mehta@timesgroup.com

Surat:21.02.2020

Barely a week after 68 students of a Bhuj girls’ college were lined up and forced to strip to prove they weren’t menstruating, female trainee clerks of the Surat municipal corporation were on Thursday allegedly made to stand naked at a state-run hospital for a long time while lady doctors subjected them to a gynaecological finger test and asked personal questions.

According to a complaint lodged by the SMC Employees Union with the municipal commissioner, around 100 employees got a rude shock when they reached the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research for their mandatory fitness test.

“Female employees were forced to stand naked together in groups of around 10 in a room where they did not have any privacy. The door was not properly closed and the only thing blocking the view from outside was a curtain,” said a senior SMC employee in whom one of the women confided.

Besides being subjected to the controversial finger test, even unmarried women were allegedly asked if they had ever been pregnant. Some of the women accused the lady doctors who conducted the gynaecological tests of also behaving rudely with them.

Male trainees had to undergo a general fitness assessment that included eye, ENT, heart and lung tests, besides an overall check-up. The fitness test is mandatory for confirmation of an employee’s service on completion of the three-year probation.

Ashwin Vachhani, head of the gynaecology department at the hospital, said, “We have to examine women physically since it is mandatory as per the guidelines. I don’t know if such tests are done on men, but in case of women we follow rules to find out if they have any specific illness.”

Full report on www.toi.in

Centre tells HC TN resolution to free Rajiv convict has no effect without guv order

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.02.2020

The central government on Thursday told the Madras high court that the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu government to release Rajiv Gandhi assassination life convict Nalini Sriharan has zero effect without the governor's order.

Additional solicitor general G Rajagopal made the submission when the habeas corpus plea filed by Nalini came up for hearing.

Behind the bars for more than 27 years, Nalini is the longest serving woman prisoner in the country.

In her plea, Nalini sought to declare her detention illegal since the governor failed to order her release based on the recommendation of the state cabinet dated September 9, 2018.

The central government submitted that it informed the Tamil Nadu governor that it is not inclined to release of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination convicts.

When the petition came up on Thursday, Nalini’s counsel argued that the council of ministers had advised the Governor as early as September 2018 to release Nalini under Article 161 of the Constitution, by which the governor can issue clemency.

The additional solicitor general argued that the resolution passed by the council of ministers was sent to the governor and only the governor has the powers to pass it as an order, until when the resolution will hold ‘zero effect’ Recording the submissions, a division bench of Justice R Subbiah and Justice R Pongiappan reserved orders on the plea after hearing submissions from the state government and the centre.

Last week, the state government had clarified to the Madras high court that it had only recommended the release of all seven life convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination as it lacks power to order such release.

“The state cabinet has only made a recommendation to the governor.

The governor has to take a decision. He cannot be questioned by the state for not acting on its recommendation,” public prosecutor A Natarajan had said.

AICTE asks univs to hire faculty in 2 yrs
Move Follows 1:15 Faculty Student Order

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:21.02.2020

After fixing a 1:15 faculty-student ratio for deemed universities and autonomous colleges, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has given the institutions two years to recruit faculty members and create infrastructure.

While engineering colleges welcomed the move, faculty members say recruitments may not be made due to the relaxation in time.

“Institutions deemed to be universities, institutions having accreditation/autonomous status shall have a faculty-student ration of 1:15 in UG level in engineering and technology and maintain a better cadre ratio in order to achieve excellence in technical education,” the AICTE had said in its approval process handbook for 2020-21that was released on February 5.

On Wednesday, in a corrigendum, it said, “Considering the time required to complete the procedure for recruitment of faculty, receive block grants from state governments, all such institutions shall have to create the necessary faculty, infrastructure and other facilities within two years to fulfil the norms and an affidavit for the same shall have to be submitted to AICTE.”

A principal from autonomous engineering college near Chennai said at least one year would be needed to recruit more faculty members. “We need to recruit 30% more members to achieve 1:15 ratio. It is not possible within a such short span. AICTE now has made a right move by issuing a corrigendum,” he said. A few colleges said the new move would also increase expenditure by 30% per year.

But, faculty members said the AICTE had diluted its order by giving more time. K M Karthik, founder of All India Private Colleges Employees Union (AIPCEU), said, “Once again AICTE has yielded to the pressure from engineering colleges and deemed universities.” The council did not care about the faculty members when it brought down the faculty-student ratio from 1:15 to 1:20 and now it is heeding to pleas of managements of engineering colleges, he added.

Former vice-chancellor of Anna University E Balagurusamy said colleges needed time to recruit faculty but that two years was too long. “AICTE should have given a year. Unlike affiliated colleges, deemed universities and autonomous colleges need to focus on conducting exams and research. They can only do it by having a 1:15 ratio,” he said.

Faculty members said AICTE had diluted its order by giving time

Ex-VC of MKU elected to Madras University VC search panel

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.02.2020

P Maruthamuthu, former vice-chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University, was elected senate nominee to the Madras University’s vice-chancellor search panel on Thursday.

With his nomination, now the search panel has two former VCs. The governor-chancellor has to appoint his nominee to complete the search panel for selecting the new vice-chancellor.

Last week, the Madras University syndicate had nominated P Ramasamy, former vice chancellor of Alagappa University, to the search panel.

During the special senate meeting convened to elect a nominee to the search panel, the two associations in Madras University — professors forum of Madras University and Madras University teachers association (MUTA) — nominated Maruthamuthu and M Anandakrishnan, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, to the search panel. Following the two proposals, the senate conducted voting to choose its nominee. “Out of the 87 votes polled on Thursday, Maruthamuthu got 65 votes and Anandkrishnan got 21. One vote was not valid,” a senate member said.The three-year tenure of vice-chancellor P Duraisamy is coming to an end in May.

In 2016, following the disappearance and non-cooperation of R Surendira Prasad, former member of the Madras University VC search panel, the state government had brought an amendment fixing minimum qualification for search panel members and time limit to shortlist VC candidates.

SCAM IN TNUSRB HIRING PROCESS

High court stays recruitment for 8,888 firemen posts

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.02.2020

The Madras high court on Thursday ordered an interim stay in the recruitment of more than 8,000 posts in Tamil Nadu fire and rescue services in response to a petition that sought a CBI probe into alleged malpractices in the recruitment by Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB).

Expressing displeasure, Justice N Anand Venkatesh, before whom the petition came up, observed that people will lose confidence in the state if there is fraud in every public service examination.

As many as 15 people had moved the court seeking probe by the central agency even as ripples created by the TNPSC recruitment scam are yet to settle down in the state.

“About 1,019 candidates have been selected from Vellore district and another 763 were chosen from exam centres in Villupuram. All of these candidates were declared to have secured more than 72 marks in the exam. Most of those selected from Vellore are from Sigaram Tuition Centre,” according to the petition.

A notification was issued by TNUSRB in 2019 for filling 8,888 vacant posts of grade-II constables, firemen and jail wardens. Written exams were conducted on August 25 last year and physical examination and endurance tests were held in November 2019.

According to the petitioners, the board published a provisional selection list on February 4 in which their names did not feature, though they had cleared the written exam and physical test. The petitioners contended that most of the candidates selected had secured 69 marks and the highest seems to be 88 marks by a candidate for the post of fireman. Expressing shock that cut-off marks were not published for any category, the petitioners sought the court’s intervention in the matter.

Besides irregularities in the selection process, 20% reservation for people who studied in Tamil medium has

not been provided in the recruitment, the petitioners said.

The petitioners had wanted the court to call for the records of the provisional list and quash the same besides ordering a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities.

As an interim relief, the 15 petitioners had requested the court to direct the board to produce their OMR answer sheets.

On Thursday, when the petition came up for hearing, Justice N Anand Venkatesh ordered that the entire selection shall be kept in abeyance for a period of one week considering the allegations made. Directing the recruiting body to respond on the matter, the court adjourned the petition to March 5.

Platform ticket price at Central to be ₹15

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.02.2020

The cost of a platform ticket at Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Chennai Central is set to be increased from ₹10 to ₹15 for period of 3 months, starting from April 1. An official release said this was done keeping in view the peak summer traffic expected to begin from April 1 and with the objective of decongesting platforms and facilitating movement of originating and terminating passengers.

In March 2015, the Railway Board had increased the price of a platform ticket from ₹5 to ₹10 and empowered the various divisions to increase the price beyond ₹10 in order to regulate rush during any specific requirement. The latest price increase is done in accordance with power delegated by the board.

Southern Railway said platform tickets are available for passengers at booking office at Moore Market Complex, at the end of platform 1 (on Walltax Road side) and at an exclusive platform ticket counter near gate 5 at Central.

The increase will be effective till June 30.

19 killed, 25 injured after truck jumps median, rams bus in TN
‘Driver Dozed Off At Wheel, Lost Control’
Subburaj.A@timesgroup.com

Coimbatore:21.02.2020

Nineteen people, including a bus driver and five women, were killed and 25 other injured when a container truck rammed a Kerala Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus near Tirupur in Tamil Nadu early on Thursday.

Police said the bus with 48 passengers collided with the truck at 3.40am near Avinashi in Tirupur district on Avinashi-Salem bypass road. The Garuda Volvo bus was on its way to Ernakulam from Bengaluru. The container truck carrying 25 tonnes of floor tiles was going to Bengaluru from Kochi. According to police, truck driver K A Hemaraj, 37, from Kollathumkundil at Ottapalam near Palakkad, dozed off and lost control of the vehicle. The truck hit the 30-cm-high median and crossed over to the other side of the lane. In the impact the container got detached and tore down the right side of the bus, killing most people seated on the side.

Survivors were trapped as the front portion of the bus was completely mangled in the collision. Passing motorists informed the Tirupur city police who rushed to the spot. Fire and rescue services personnel started rescue work with the public joining them in breaking open the glass panes of the bus and helping passengers come out.


DEADLY CRASH: The container got detached after the truck hit the median, crossed to the other lane and ripped the right side of the bus | P 7

Kerala to give ₹10 lakh each to families of dead

Tirupur collector K Vijayakarthikeyan said a regional transport officer inquiry has been ordered as two reasons were given for the accident — the driver was asleep and burst of truck tyres. The Kerala government, meanwhile, has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each to the bereaved families, and ₹30 lakh each to KSRTC employees under staff insurance scheme. Condition of 25 injured passengers admitted to various hospitals is set to be stable. P7

Truck driver lost control of vehicle after dozing off

The bodies were sent to the Avinashi Government Hospital and then to the Tirupur Government Hospital for postmortem. Rescue work was completed around 8.30 am. Police had blocked the stretch on the Avinashi-Salem NHAI road and diverted vehicles.

With the help of two earth movers, the bus was taken to a spot and 3 km away. The public were seen at the spot clicking photographs.

Tirupur city police commissioner Sanjay Kumar said the truck driver who was arrested by the Tamil Nadu police said he had dozed off and lost control of the vehicle. The rear tyres were damaged after they hit the centre median.

The container truck driver was booked under Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code.

V K Sreekandan, Palakkad MP, D Balamurali, Palakkad collector, G Shiva Vikaram, Palakkad superintendent of police, and other police officials were at the accident spot coordinating the rescue work.

Kerala transport minister A K Saseendran and agriculture minister V S Sunilkumar visited the spot and consoled relatives of the deceased. The transport minister announced a solatium of ₹10 lakh to the family of each passenger and ₹30 lakh each to the drivers.

Officials from the regional transport office visited the accident spot and checked the KSRTC bus and the container truck.

Following the postmortem, the bodies were handed over to the family members.

In major change, govt may include salary to decide OBC ‘creamy layer’

Subodh.Ghildiyal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:21.02.2020

Proposing a major change in the concept of ‘creamy layer’ for OBCs, the government may rule that ‘salary’ be considered a part of ‘gross income’ to decide if a backward class individual is eligible to avail of Mandal reservations in public employment and education.

Top sources in the ministry of social justice and empowerment said inclusion of salary in calculating the creamy layer for OBCs was decided as per the recommendations of an expert committee. A proposal to this effect is likely to be moved for the government’s consideration.

If the move goes through, it will significantly raise the bar to qualify for the 27% quota benefits as more are likely to be excluded as ‘creamy layer’ — the cut-off that rules an OBC as affluent.

As per the guiding 1993 Office Memorandum on creamy layer, ‘salary’ and ‘agricultural income’ are not included in ‘gross income’ which only comprises ‘income from other sources’. In contrast, factoring in salary would make it much easier to qualify an OBC as affluent. Observers believe the decision will be controversial with the backward castes.

While the 1993 OM is clear on the subject, confusion arose after the Centre, over the last six years, started including salary in case of OBCs from PSU backgrounds while continuing to exclude it for those working in state and Union governments.

Social justice min to review income ceiling for creamy layer

It lowered the bar for disqualification from quota in case of the first category and triggered court battles. Madras and Delhi high courts termed the practice “discriminatory” and asked the Centre to remedy the situation in favour of OBCs from PSU backgrounds.

An expert committee was appointed in March 2019 to resolve the situation. As reported by TOI, the panel suggested that the Income Tax Act be made the benchmark to calculate the creamy layer cut-off for all OBCs across the board. The I-T Act includes ‘salary’ and ‘other sources’ but leaves out ‘agri income’.

According to sources, the social justice ministry has also decided to review the income ceiling for creamy layer, as is mandatorily done every three years and was last effected in 2017.

The expert panel is learned to have recommended that income ceiling should be ‘indexed’ to a fixed parameter to decide the quantum of raise, as against the subjective revision done till now.

Sources said the income ceiling could be increased from the present ₹8 lakh per annum to above ₹11lakh.

NEXT After BDS For License To Practice, PG Dental Admissions Proposed By Govt
By Meghna A Singhania  Published On 30 Jan 2020 2:27 PM | Updated On 30 Jan 2020 2:27 PM

After MCI takeover, Govt moves to set up National Dental commission,invites comments on Bill

New Delhi: After successfully moving to replace the scam-tainted Medical Council of India (MCI), with the proposed more transparent body of National Medical Commission (NMC), the government is now moving to do the same thing for the dentistry profession, by abolishing the Dental Council of India (DCI) and setting up a National Dental commission (NDC).

For the same, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has put in the public domain and invited comments on the draft National Dental commission Bill that calls for setting up a National Dental commission and repealing the Dentists Act, 1948. Comments by stakeholders and public may be furnished via e-mail at v.ihal972@gov.in on or before 20.02.2020

The bill seeks to replace the existing Dental Council of India with a body National Dental commission that would regulate dental education as well as the dentistry profession throughout India. Salient features of the bill include

1) The Bill envisages the National Dental Commission that would contain both ex-officio and elected members and would be the apex regulatory body for the dentistry profession and education

2) The bill calls for setting up of a Dental Advisory Council that would advise the commission, help in shaping the overall agenda, policy and action relating to dental education and training in India

3) NEET- The Bill calls for uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to the undergraduate and postgraduate dental education in all Dental institution. The bill, however, adds the uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to the postgraduate dental education shall continue till the National Exit Test comes into force

4) NEXT- The bill envisages a common final year undergraduate dental examination to be known as the National Exit Test (Dental) shall be held for granting licence to practice dentistry as dentists and for enrolment in the State Register or the National Register, as the case may be. The bill states that NEXT would be brought in within three years of the commencement of the bill. The National Exit Test (Dental) shall be the basis for to the postgraduate dental education in dental institutions

5) Four Boards- The Bill envisages, setting up of 4 autonomous boards constituted to perform various functions under the Act

a) the Under- Graduate Dental Education Board- The said board would be responsible for UG dental education determine standards of dental education at the undergraduate level and oversee all aspects relating thereto. It functions would range from setting up the curriculum, framing guidelines for dental institutions imparting education, determine the minimum requirements and standards for conducting courses and examinations for undergraduates in dental institutions, determine standards and norms for infrastructure. faculty and quality of education in dental institutions providing undergraduate dental education, grant recognition Io a dental qualification at the undergraduate course and much more

(b) the Post-Graduate Dental Education Board- Similar to the UG Dental Education Board, this board would be responsible for PG dental education and determine the standards of dental education at the postgraduate level, develop competency-based dynamic curriculum at postgraduate level, frame guidelines for setting up of dental institutions for imparting postgraduate courses, determine the minimum requirements and standards for conducting postgraduate courses and examinations in dental institution, ) determine standards and norms for infrastructure, faculty and quality of education and much more

(c) the Dental Assessment and Rating Board- The bill envisages a Dental Assessment and Rating Board that would determine the Procedure for assessing and rating the dental institutions for their compliance to the standards laid down by Under-Graduate Dental Education Board or the Post-Graduate Dental Education Board. This is the board that would grant permission for the establishment or to start any postgraduate course or to increase seats and would carry out the necessary inspections for the same.

(d) the Ethics and Dental Registration Board- This board would be in charge of governing the standards of the dental profession, maintain the National Register National Register of all licensed dentists and regulate professional conduct accordance and promote dental ethics as per the regulations of the act

The bill also lays the down the setup and functions of the state dental councils and the coordination of the state units with the National Dental Commission

The bill has now been laid down in the public domain for comments.

Comments by stakeholders and public may be furnished via e-mail at v.ihal972@gov.in on or before 20.02.2020

You can check out the full bill by clicking on the following link

Draft National Dental Commission Bill

Individual Scorecard Of NEET PG 2020, NEET MDS All India 50% Quota Seats; NBE Issues Notice

Garima By Garima Published On 19 Feb 2020 1:18 PM | Updated On 19 Feb 2020 1:18 PM

Individual scorecard of NEET PG 2020, NEET MDS All India 50% Quota Seats; NBE issues notice

Individual score card All India 50% quota seats for both the PG entrance exams NEET PG 2020 and NEET MDS 2020 will be available for download at NBE website by 20th and 21st February 2020 respectively.

New Delhi: With the results of All India 50% Quota Seats announced for NEET PG 2020 and NEET MDS 2020, the National Board of Examinations (NBE) has notified about the release of individual Result cum scorecard for the candidates to download.

The result of NEET MDS 2020 and NEET PG 2020 were declared on 15th and 30th January respectively and the results for All India 50% Quota Seats were announced recently.

Individual score card All India 50% quota seats for both the PG entrance exams NEET PG 2020 and NEET MDS 2020 will be available for download at NBE website by 20th and 21st February 2020 respectively.

Candidates who have studied/passed MBBS, BDS from Jammu & Kashmir are not eligible for All India 50% quota seats. However, the candidates who were nominated by the Government of India (under central pool seats) to do MBBS and BDS from Medical and dental Colleges in erstwhile state Jammu & Kashmir are eligible for admission to All India 50% quota MD/MS/Post Graduate Diploma, MDS Courses

Cut-off scores for All India 50% quota MD/MS/Post Graduate Diploma Courses (2020 admission session) is as follows:

UR / EWS (50th percentile): 366

OBC/SC/ST (Including PWD) (40th percentile): 319

UR-PWD (45th percentile): 342

Cut-off scores (out of 960) for All India 50% quota Post Graduate MDS Courses (2020 admission session) is as follows:

UR / EWS (50th Percentile): 286

OBC/SC/ST (40th Percentile): 250

UR-PWD (45th Percentile): 268

NEET-PG and NEET MDS 2020 candidates with scores at or above cut-off scores mentioned above in their respective categories are eligible for participating in the counseling for All India 50% quota MD/MS/PG Diploma/ MDS seats to be conducted by DGHS, MoHFW.

The All India 50% Quota Score card of candidates who are eligible for online counseling for All India 50% quota seats can be seen and downloaded from NEET-PG website https://nbe.edu.in.

Copy of score card will not to be sent to individual candidates. Candidature is purely provisional subject to fulfilment of eligibility criteria as mentioned in the Information Bulletin for the entrance exams.

The All India 50% Quota Score card mentions:

a) All India 50% quota rank: This is the overall merit position of the candidate amongst all the candidates who have appeared in NEET-PG 2020 and NEET MDS 2020 after applying tie-breaker criteria and are eligible for All India 50% quota seats, and is valid for All India 50% quota MD/MS/Post Graduate Diploma/ MDS Courses of 2020 admission session only.

b) All India 50% quota category rank: This is the overall merit position of the candidate in the category (OBC/SC/ST) as opted by the candidate in NEET-PG 2020 and NEET MDS 2020 for All India 50% quota seats, and is valid for All India 50% quota MD/MS/Post Graduate Diploma/ MDS Courses of 2020 admission session only.

Please visit website of Medical Counseling Committee www.mcc.nic.in for details of seats available and schedule of counseling.

Qualification to participate in online counseling for All India 50% quota seats does not confer any automatic rights upon the candidates for admission to All India 50% quota MD/MS/Post Graduate Diploma/MDS Courses.

All qualified candidates are advised to remain in touch with MCC website (www.mcc.nic.in) and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare website (www.mohfw.nic.in) for information regarding Post Graduate admission process, counseling schedule, instructions etc.

The selected candidates are advised to send their queries regarding counseling, if any, to email id: aiqpg-mcc@nic.in

For more details about the results as well as the NEET PG 2020, check out the official websites of NBE https://nbe.edu.in / https://natboard.edu.in

NEET PG 2020 Results For 50 Per Cent All India Quota Seats OUT

 By Garima  Published On 18 Feb 2020 12:07 PM | Updated On 18 Feb 2020 12:07 PM

NEET PG 2020 results for 50 per cent All India Quota seats OUT;

New Delhi: With the counselling for this year's PG medical admissions to start soon, the National Board of Examinations has released the NEET PG 2020 results for 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats as per Minimum qualifying criteria.

The result of only those candidates who will be eligible to participate in the All India PG counseling 2020 based on eligibility criteria provided by Medical Counseling Committee and Directorate General of Health Services / MoHFW has been declared under the All India 50% Quota list.

NEET PG result 2020 for 50% AIQ seats includes roll number, All India Rank (AIR), category rank, 50% AIR and category rank along with PwD status. Candidates who have appeared for the examination under quota can check their result and rank here

All India 50% quota rank: This is the overall merit position of the candidate amongst all the candidates who have appeared in the NEET- PG 2020 for All India 50% quota and is valid only for All India 50% quota MD/MS/Post Graduate Diploma Courses (2020 admission session).

All India 50% quota Category Rank: This is the overall merit position of the candidate in the category (OBC/SC/ST) as opted by the candidate in the NEET–PG 2020 for All India 50% quota and is valid only for All India 50% quota MD/MS/Post Graduate Diploma Courses (2020 admission session).

A candidate may be eligible for admission to PG Medical Courses as per criteria mentioned below but is not in the list of candidates eligible for counseling for All India 50% quota seats based on eligibility criteria provided by MCC/DGHS/MoHFW. Such candidate is however eligible to be considered for counseling for State quota seats in accordance with applicable regulations, qualifying criteria, applicable guidelines and state reservation policies.

Category

Minimum Eligibility
Criteria

Cut-off score
(out of 1200)

General Category (UR/EWS)

50th Percentile

366

SC/ST/OBC (Including PWD of
SC/ST/OBC)

40th Percentile

319

UR-PWD

45th Percentile

342

For more details about the results as well as the NEET PG 2020, check out the official websites of NBE https://nbe.edu.in / https://natboard.edu.in

NEET PG 2020 results for 50 per cent All India Quota seats OUT; View here

NEET PG 2020 results for 50 per cent All India Quota seats OUT; View here: New Delhi: With the counselling for this year's PG medical admissions to start soon, the National Board of Examinations has released the NEET PG 2020 results for 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats as per...

எஸ்பிஐ-யின் 'சம்பள பேக்கேஜ்' திட்டம் தெரியுமா?- அரசு ஊழியர்கள் போல் கார்ப்ரேட் நிறுவன ஊழியர்களும் பயன்பெறலாம்

மதுரை 19.02.2020

பாரத ஸ்டேட் வங்கியின் 'சம்பள பேக்கேஜ்' திட்டத்தால் அரசு ஊழியர்கள் பெருமளவில் பயன்பெறுவதாகவும் அதேபோல் இத்திட்டம் கார்ப்ரேட் நிறுவனங்களுக்கும் பொருந்தும் என வங்கித் துறையினர் தெரிவிக்கின்றனர்.

பாரத ஸ்டேட் வங்கி உட்பட பிற தேசிய வங்கிகளில் சம்பளக் கணக்கு வைத்துள்ள அரசுத் துறையினர், ஆசிரியர்கள் எதிர்பாராதவிதமாக விபத்தில் சிக்கி உயிரிழந்தால் அவர்களின் குடும்பத்தினருக்கு பல லட்ச ரூபாய் கிடைக்க, சம்பள ‘பேக்கேஜ்’ திட்டம் உதவிகரமாக இருக்கிறது.

பொதுவாக அரசு ஊழியர்கள், அதிகாரிகள், ஆசிரியர்கள், சீருடைப் பணியாளர்களான காவல்துறை, தீயணைப்பு, வனத்துறை ராணுவத்தினர் எனப் பெரும்பாலான அரசுத்துறைகளில் பணிபுரிவோரின் சம்பளக் கணக்கு பாரத ஸ்டேட் வங்கியில் தான் பராமரிக்கப்படுகிறது.

இது தவிர, பிற தேசிய வங்கிகளிலும் அரசு சார்ந்த பொதுத் துறை நிறுவனங்களின் ஊழியர்கள் சம்பளக் கணக்கு உள்ளது. இவற்றின் வழியாகவே மாதந் தோறும் சம்பளம் வரவு வைக்கப்படுகிறது.

கார்ப்பரேட் நிறுவன ஊழியர்களின் சம்பளக் கணக்கு எச்டிஎப்சி போன்ற தனியார் வங்கிகளில் பராமரிக்கப்படுகிறது.

இந்நிலையில், தேசிய வங்கிகளில் சம்பளக் கணக்கு வைத்து இருக்கும் அரசுத்துறை, சீருடைப் பணியாளர்களுக்கு சம்பளக் ‘பேக்கேஜ் ’ என்ற திட்டம் சில ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு அறிமுகப்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இத்திட்டத்தின் கீழ், பணியின்போது, எதிர்பாராத விதமாக விபத்து, இயற்கைச் சீற்றம், போர் நிகழ்வு போன்ற சம்பவங்களில் உயிரிழக்க நேரிடும் அரசுத் துறையினர், சீருடை பணியாளர்களின் சம்பள விகிதாச்சார அடிப்படையில் வழக்கமான தொகையைவிட கூடுதல் தொகை பாதிக்கப்படும் குடும்ப வாரிசுகளுக்கு கிடைக்க , சம்பந்தப்பட்ட வங்கி நிர்வாகங்கள் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கின்றன.

காவல்துறை உட்பட பாதுகாப்பு துறையினருக்கு மட்டும் எவ்வளவு சம்பள விகிதமாக இருந்தாலும் ரூ.30 லட்சம் வரை வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இது பயனாளிகளின் மத்தியில் மிகுந்த வரவேற்பை பெற்றுள்ளது.

சம்பந்தப்பட்ட துறை ரீதியாக பணப்பலன் கிடைக்க, தாமதம் ஏற்பட்டாலும், சம்பள ‘பேக்கேஜ்’ திட்டம் மூலம் குறிப்பிட்ட தொகைக்கான பணப்பலன் உடனடியாக வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

இது குறித்து எஸ்பிஐ வங்கி அதிகாரி ஒருவர், "இத்திட்டம் சில ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு இருந்தே நடைமுறையில் இருந்தாலும், பலருக்கும் தெரியவில்லை. சம்பள ‘பேக்கேஜ்’ திட்டம் பிற தேசிய வங்கியிலும், ஆக்சிஸ் உள்ளிட்ட சில தனியார் வங்கிகளிலும் உள்ளன. அந்தந்த வங்கி வலைதளத்தில் விவரம் அறியலாம்.

குறிப்பாக எஸ்பிஐயில் அரசுத்துறை, நிறுவனம் அடிப்படையில் கார்ப்பரேட் நிறுவனம், மத்திய, மாநில அரசு, பாதுகாப்பு துறை, ரயில்வே, நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர்கள், காவல்துறை, இந்திய கடற்கரை மற்றும் பாதுகாப்புத்துறை பென்ஷனர்களுக்கான சம்பள ‘பேக்கேஜ்’ திட்டங்கள் வகைப்படுத்தப்பட்டு நடைமுறையில் உள்ளது.

பாதுகாப்பு, காவல், தீயணைப்பு உள்ளிட்ட சீருடைய பணியாளர்கள் எவ்வளவு சம்பளம் வாங்கினாலும், விபத்து, போர் , துப்பாக்கிச் சூட்டு போன்ற சம்பவங்களில் உயிரிழந்தால் ரூ.30 லட்சம் வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

பிற அரசுத் துறையில் ரூ.25 ஆயிரம் வரை சம்பளம் வாங்கினால் ரூ.1 லட்சமும், ரூ. 50 ஆயிரம் சம்பளத்திற்கு ரூ.5 லட்சமும், ரூ. 50 ஆயிரம் முதல் 1 லட்சம் சமபளம் பெற்றால் ரூ. 15 லட்சமும் ரூ.1 லட்சத்திற்கு மேல் சம்பளம் பெற்றவர்களுக்கு ரூ. 20 லட்சமும் ‘பேக்கேஜ்’ திட்டத்தில் பணப்பலன் கிடைக்கும்.

வாரிசுதாரர்களுக்கு உடனடியாகக் கிடைக்கும். வாரிசுதாரர்கள் இல்லாத சூழலில் தாமதம் ஏற்படலாம். எங்களை பொறுத்தவரை துரிதமாக வழங்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கிறோம்" என்றார்.

93 வயதில் முதுகலைப் பட்டம்: அமைச்சர் பாராட்டிய தமிழரின் வெற்றிக் 

கதை!  20.02.2022

மனைவி படுத்த படுக்கையாக இருந்த நிலையில், மகன், மகள்கள், பேரக் குழந்தைகள் உள்ள சூழலில் 87 வயதில் தனது பட்டப் படிப்பைத் தொடங்கிய இளைஞர் சிவசுப்பிரமணியம் தனது 93-வது வயதில் மத்திய அமைச்சர் கையால் முதுகலைப் பட்டத்தைப் பெற்றுள்ளார்.

மத்திய மனிதவள மேம்பாட்டுத் துறை அமைச்சர் ரமேஷ் பொக்ரியால், 90 வயது இளைஞர் என்று சிவசுப்பிரமணியத்தைப் பாராட்டியுள்ளார்.

யார் இந்த முன்னுதாரண இளைஞர்?

தமிழகத்தைச் சேர்ந்த சிவசுப்பிரமணியம் 1940களில் தன்னுடைய பள்ளிப் படிப்பை முடித்தார். தொடர்ந்து படிக்க ஆசைப்பட்டவருக்கு திருச்சி அல்லது சென்னை செல்ல வேண்டிய நிலை. தாய், தந்தையரின் உடல்நிலை மோசமானதால், அவர்களைக் கவனித்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டிய பொறுப்பு சிவசுப்பிரமணியத்துக்கு வந்தது. சொந்த ஊரிலேயே வேலைக்குப் போக ஆரம்பித்தவர், அங்கிருந்தே பெற்றோரைக் கவனித்துக் கொண்டார்.

சில வருடங்களில், டெல்லிக்குக் குடிபெயர்ந்தார் சிவசுப்பிரமணியம். மத்திய அரசின் வர்த்தகத் துறையில் குமாஸ்தா பணி கிடைத்தது. அமெரிக்கா செல்ல வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்தும் பட்டதாரியாக இல்லாததால், போக முடியாத நிலையை வருத்தத்துடன் நினைவுகூர்கிறார் சிவசுப்பிரமணியம்.

தொலைதூரக் கல்வி படிக்க ஒருமுறை வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்தும் பணியிட மாற்றத்தால் அவரால் படிக்க முடியாமல் போனது. தொடர்ந்து துறைத் தேர்வுகளை எழுதிக் கொண்டே வந்த சிவசுப்பிரமணியம் ஓய்வு பெறும்போது துறையின் இயக்குநர்களில் ஒருவராக உயர்ந்திருந்தார். என்றாலும் பட்டதாரியாக வேண்டும் என்ற அவரின் ஆசை மட்டும் நிறைவேறவே இல்லை.

பணி ஓய்வுக்குப் பிறகும் குடும்பச் சூழல் காரணமாகப் படிக்க முடியவில்லை. சிவசுப்பிரமணியத்தின் 87-வது வயதில், அவரின் மனைவி படுத்த படுக்கையானார். அவரைத் தினசரி பொறுப்பாகக் கவனித்துக் கொண்டார் சிவசுப்பிரமணியம். அவரின் மனைவிக்கு பிஸியோதெரபிஸ்ட் ஒருவர் தினசரி பயிற்சிகள் அளித்து வந்தார். இந்திரா காந்தி திறந்த நிலைப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் ஒரு படிப்புக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க சற்று முன்னதாகக் கிளம்ப வேண்டும் என்றுகூறி பிஸியோதெரபிஸ்ட் அனுமதி கேட்டார். அப்போது தானும் அங்கு படிக்க முடியுமா என்று சிவசுப்பிரமணியம் கேட்டார்.

இக்னோவில் படிக்க வயது ஒரு தடையில்லை என்று தெரிந்தவுடன் பொது நிர்வாகவியல் படிப்புக்காக விண்ணப்பித்தார். படித்து முடிக்கும் வரை உயிருடன் இருப்பேனா என்று தெரியாது என்று தனது குழந்தைகளிடம் சொன்ன சிவசுப்பிரமணியம் வெற்றிகரமாக இளங்கலை முடித்து முதுகலைப் படிப்புக்கும் விண்ணப்பித்தார்.

கடந்த 6 ஆண்டுகளாக தினசரி 5 மணிக்கு எழும் அவர், படிப்பில் ஆழ்ந்துவிடுகிறார். வயது காரணமாக கையெழுத்து மாறிவிட்டதால், அவரின் மகள் அசைன்மென்ட் எழுதிக் கொடுக்கிறார். தேர்வுகளின்போது உடன் சென்று தேர்வையும் எழுதிக் கொடுக்கிறார்.

நெகிழ்ச்சியில் ஆழ்த்திய சம்பவம்

சிவசுப்பிரமணியம் இளங்கலைப் பட்டம் பெற்றபோது மனைவி தனது கடைசிக் காலகட்டத்தில் இருந்தார். மனைவியிடம் கொண்டுபோய் பட்டத்தைக் கொடுத்தவர், ''கடைசியாக, உன் கணவன் பட்டதாரி ஆகிவிட்டேன்!'' என்று கூறியுள்ளார். அடுத்த இரண்டு நாட்களில் மனைவி காலமானார்.

தனது வருங்காலத் திட்டங்கள் குறித்து உற்சாகத்துடன் பேசும் அவர், ''எனக்கு எம்.பில். படிக்க ஆசை. ஆனால் என் மகள், நீங்கள் விண்ணப்பித்தால் உடனே இடம் கிடைத்துவிடும். அதனால், இன்னொருவரின் வாய்ப்பைப் பறிக்க வேண்டாமே என்று கேட்டுக்கொண்டார்.

அதனால் வேறு ஏதாவது முதுகலைப் பட்டத்தைப் படிக்கலாம் என்று யோசித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறேன்'' என்கிறார் இந்த 93 வயது இளைஞர்.

முயற்சிக்கும் வெற்றிக்கும் வயது ஒரு தடையே இல்லை என்று இளைஞர்களுக்கும் சேர்த்து உரக்கச் சொல்கிறார் சிவசுப்பிரமணியம்.

வார்த்தைகள் நம்மை ‘சிவப்பழகு’ ஆக்குவதில்லை

20.02.2020

ஏதேனும் ஒரு இடத்தில் நின்றுகொண்டு, பரபரப்பான சாலையில் சென்றுகொண்டிருப்பவர்களின் முகங்களைப் பார்ப்போம். எத்தனை முகங்கள்! எத்தனை நிறங்கள்! ஒவ்வொரு முகமும் அதற்கெனத் தனித்த அடையாளங்களைக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது. அந்த முகங்களுக்கெல்லாம் ஒரே முகமூடியை அணிவிப்பது என்பது எப்படி ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளக்கூடியதாய் இருக்கும்? ஆனால், இத்தனை வருடங்களும் கேள்வி கேட்காமல் அதற்கு ஒப்புக்கொள்வதுபோல்தான் இருந்திருக்கிறோம்.

ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் ‘சிவப்பழகு’ கிரீம்களைப் பயன்படுத்துமாறு விளம்பரங்கள் சொல்லும்போதெல்லாம் நாம் அதை ஏற்றுக்கொண்டிருந்தோம், பின்பற்றவும் செய்தோம். எல்லோரையும் அவர்களின் சுயமான நிறத்திலிருந்தும் தோற்றத்திலிருந்தும் மாறிவிடுமாறு அறிவுறுத்தும் விளம்பரங்கள் அவை. அந்த விளம்பரங்கள் காட்டியவையும் சொன்னவையும் நம்மை ஈர்த்திருந்தன. அதிலும் குறிப்பிட்ட கிரீம்களைப் பூசியவுடன் அதிலிருந்து கருப்பு நிறம் பொடிப்பொடியாய் உதிர்வதுபோலவும், சிவப்பாக மாறுவதுபோலவும் காட்டியதெல்லாம் எத்தனை பெரிய அராஜகம்?

நிற அரசியல்

தோலின் நிறம் என்பது நம்முடைய அடையாளம். நமது மரபும் மண்ணும் சார்ந்தது. நமது முன்னோர்கள் வழிவந்தது. நம் பெற்றோர் அவர்களின் பெற்றோரைக் கண்டடைவது நமது முகத்தோற்றம் வழியாகவும்தான். இதை மாற்ற வேண்டும் என்று அழகுசாதன கிரீம் விற்பனையாளர்கள் காலம்காலமாகச் சொல்லிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள்.

கருப்பு என்பது ஒரு நிறம். ஆனால், அது தாழ்வுக்குண்டானது என்பதைப் பல நூற்றாண்டு களாக மனதில் பதிய வைத்தது இன்றும் ‘விளம்பர’மாய்த் தொடர்கிறது. நிறத்தை வைத்து இனம் பிரித்து, அடக்கி வைத்த கொடுமைகளை இந்த உலகம் பார்த்திருக்கிறது. கருப்பாகப் பிறந்த ஒரே காரணத்துக்காகக் கொல்லப்பட்டு உயிரை விட்டவர்களும், உரிமையை இழந்தவர்களும் வரலாறு முழுவதும் நமக்குக் கிடைக்கிறார்கள். ‘சிவப்பழகு’ கிரீம் விற்பனையாளர்களும் அதற்கு இரையாகுபவர்களும் இந்த வரலாறு தெரியாதவர்கள் அல்ல. ஆனாலும், ‘சிவப்பழகு’ என்ற வார்த்தையைப் பயன்படுத்தி விளம்பரங்களை வெற்றிகரமாகச் செய்ய முடிந்திருக்கிறது. பெண்கள் மட்டுமல்ல, ஆண்களையும் எங்கள் வலைகளில் வீழ்த்த முடியும் என்று ஆண்களுக்கான ‘சிவப்பழகு’ கிரீம்களையும் சந்தைக்குக் கொண்டுவந்து அதற்கென விளம்பரங்களும் தந்தார்கள். இப்படி இவர்கள் செய்வதன் மூலம் ஒட்டுமொத்த சமூகத்தையும் பகடிசெய்திருக்கிறார்கள்.

விபரீதமான விளம்பரங்கள்

இவற்றையெல்லாம் எதிர்த்து சமூக ஆர்வலர்களும் பொதுமக்களும் குரல் எழுப்பியதன் விளைவாக, இப்போது இதுபோன்ற விளம்பரங்களுக்கு அரசு தடை கொண்டுவரவிருக்கிறது. இதுபோன்ற அழகு சாதனப் பொருட்கள் மட்டுமல்ல; போலியான வாக்குறுதிகள் தரும் அத்தனை விளம்பரங்களுக்கும் தடை கொண்டுவர முடிவெடுத்திருக்கிறது அரசாங்கம். அதன்படி தொடர்ந்து இப்படிப் போலி விளம்பரங்கள் செய்தால் ஐந்து வருட சிறைத் தண்டனையும், ஐம்பது லட்சம் அபராதமும் நிச்சயம் என்கிறது அரசாங்கம். இதைச் சட்டமாக்கும் முயற்சியும் நடந்துவருகிறது.

போலி விளம்பரங்களுக்கான தடையை உலக நாடுகள் பலவும் கொண்டுவந்துள்ளன. ஏனெனில், அந்த நாடுகள் இதனால் கடும் பாதிப்படைந்திருந்தன. ஆப்பிரிக்காவின் நிறம் கருப்பு. அங்கும் சருமத்தை வெள்ளையாக்கும் முயற்சியில் விளம்பரங்கள் இறங்கியதன் விளைவு, பலருக்கும் கடுமையான தோல் பாதிப்புகள் ஏற்பட்டன. புற்றுநோய் வரை சென்ற பிறகு ஆப்பிரிக்காவின் சில பகுதிகளில் உடனடி தடையைக் கொண்டுவந்தார்கள்.

புற்றுநோய் போன்ற சரும நோய்களின் அபாயம் காரணமாகவே இதுபோன்ற விளம்பரங்களுக்குத் தடை என்று அரசாங்கக் குறிப்பு தெரிவிக்கிறது. ஆனால், அதைவிட மோசமானது இந்த விளம்பரங்கள் ஏற்படுத்தும் உளவியல்ரீதியான தாக்கம். இந்தியா போன்ற நாட்டில் நிறம் சார்ந்த தாழ்வுணர்வு என்பது எல்லா மட்டத்திலும் நிறைந்திருக்கிறது. திருமணம், பிள்ளைப் பேறு என எல்லாவற்றிலும் நிறம் சார்ந்த விமர்சனத்தை ஒரு பெண் எதிர்கொள்ளத்தான் வேண்டியிருக்கிறது. அதனாலேயே இந்தியாவில் அழகு சாதனப் பொருட்களின் விற்பனை லட்சக்கணக்கான கோடிகளில் உயர்ந்திருக்கிறது.

போலி வாக்குறுதிகள்

‘மணமகன் தேவை’ விளம்பரங்களில் ‘பெண் சிவப்பு நிறம்’ என்பதை ஒரு தகுதியாகக் குறிப்பிட்டுச் சொல்லும் அளவுக்குத்தான் நாம் இருக்கிறோம். 2010-ம் ஆண்டு அமெரிக்காவின் ‘எல்’ (Elle) பத்திரிகை ஐஸ்வர்யா ராயின் புகைப்படத்தைத் தனது அட்டையில் வெளியிட்டது. அப்போது ஐஸ்வர்யா ராய்க்கு வயது 37. உலக அழகிப் பட்டம் வென்றதோடு மட்டுமல்லாமல், நல்ல நடிகையாகவும் இந்தியாவின் முகம் என்றும் அறியப்பட்டவர். ஆனாலும், அட்டைப்படத்தில் தோலின் நிறத்தைப் பளிச்சென வெள்ளை நிறத்தில் அமையுமாறு மாற்றியிருந்தார்கள். இதற்குக் கடுமையான விமர்சனங்கள் எழுந்தன. ஏற்கெனவே, அதே பத்திரிகை வேறு சில ஆப்பிரிக்க நடிகைகளின் புகைப்படத்தையும் இப்படி ‘வெள்ளையாய்’ மாற்றி வெளியிட்டது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

இதுவும் ஒருவகையில் நிறத்தின் மீதான சமகாலத் தாக்குதல்தான். பெண்களுக்குத் தோல் மீதான தாக்குதல் என்றால், குழந்தைகளுக்குத் தாழ்வு மனப்பான்மையை ஏற்படுத்தின சில ‘ஆரோக்கிய’ பானங்கள். ‘எங்களுடைய ஆரோக்கிய பானத்தில் நாங்கள் சத்துள்ளவற்றைச் சேர்த்திருக்கிறோம்’ என்று அம்மாக்களுக்குப் போலி வாக்குறுதி தந்தது போக, நேரடியாகக் குழந்தைகளிடம் ஆபத்தான உரையாடலைத் தொடங்கின இந்த விளம்பரங்கள். எங்கள் பானத்தை அருந்தினால் விரைவில் உயரமாக வளர்ந்துவிடலாம் என்கிற உத்தியுடன் வரத் தொடங்கின விளம்பரங்கள். ஒருவரின் உயரம் என்பது இயற்கையானது. நம்முடைய மரபு சார்ந்தது. ஆனால், உயரம் குறைவாக இருப்பதென்பது மிகத் தாழ்வான ஒன்று என்று குழந்தைகள் மனதில் இவர்கள் விதைத்ததெல்லாம் சகித்துக்கொள்ள முடியாத தவறான பிரச்சாரம்.

‘எங்களது ஆரோக்கிய பானம் உங்களை ஆக்குமே பலசாலியாகவும் புத்திசாலியாகவும்’ என்று சொல்லும் விளம்பரங்கள் அப்படி எத்தனை பேரை மாற்றியிருக்கின்றன என்பதை நாம் கேள்வி கேட்பதுமில்லை; அவர்கள் அதைப் பற்றிக் கவலைப்படுவதும் இல்லை. வெறும் சொற்களுக்கு மட்டுமே மயங்கி, இந்த விற்பனையாளர்களின் வர்த்தகத்தை சமூகம் உயர்த்திக்கொண்டிருக்கிறது. ருசி கண்ட பூனைகளும் தங்களது மாயாஜால வார்த்தைகளை விதவிதமாகச் சொல்லத் தொடங்கின. அதிலும் நடிக, நடிகையர், விளையாட்டு வீரர், வீராங்கனைகள் சொல்லும்போது நம்புவோம் என்பது விற்பனையாளர்களுக்குத் தெரியும்.

விளம்பரங்கள் உண்மை பேசட்டும்

மக்களின் தாழ்வுணர்வும் பலவீனமும் எதில் என்பதைப் புரிந்துகொண்டு, அது மாதிரியான பொருட்களுக்கே போலியான விளம்பரங்கள் செய்யப்படுகின்றன. அழகு, ஆரோக்கியம், ஆன்மிகம், (இந்த அனுமன் டாலரை அணிந்துகொண்டீர்கள் என்றால், ரயில் மோதினால்கூட பிழைத்துக்கொள்வீர்கள்!) ஆண்மைக் குறைபாடு என மக்கள் எதற்கு முக்கியத்துவம் கொடுக்கிறார்களோ, எதில் தங்களின் பலவீனத்தை வெளிக்காட்டாமல் இருக்க முயல்கிறார்களோ அதை மையப்படுத்தியே விளம்பரங்கள் தயாரிக்கப்படுகின்றன.

அரசாங்கம் இது போன்ற விளம்பரங்களுக்குத் தடை கொண்டுவரும் பட்சத்தில், விற்பனை யாளர்களால் எப்படி உண்மையைச் சொல்லி விளம்பரம் செய்ய முடியும்? விற்பனையாளர்கள் அதற்கும் ஏதாவது ஒரு வழி வைத்திருப்பார்கள். சொல்வதையெல்லாம் சொல்லி ஆசை காட்டிவிட்டு, கண்ணுக்குத் தெரியாத அளவில் சிறு நட்சத்திரக் குறியிட்டுவிடுவார்கள். அந்த நட்சத்திரக் குறிக்குப் பின்னால்தான் அந்தப் பொருளின் ஆபத்து நிறைந்திருக்கும். அப்படியான விஷயங்களுக்கு இடம்தராமல், தடை உத்தரவு இருக்கும்படி அரசாங்கம் பார்த்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். அரசாங்கம் தடை கொண்டுவருவது வரவேற்கப்பட வேண்டியது. அதேநேரம், ‘இது என்னுடைய உடல், முகம். இதுதான் என் மரபு’ என்று நாம்தான் உரத்துச் சொல்ல வேண்டியிருக்கிறது. இது இன்றைய தேவையும்கூட.

- ஜா.தீபா, ‘நீலம் பூக்கும் திருமடம்’ உள்ளிட்ட நூல்களின் ஆசிரியர்.

தொடர்புக்கு: deepaj82@gmail.com

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By ஆசிரியர் | Published on : 20th February 2020 02:33 AM

தமிழகத்தின் துணை முதல்வரும் நிதியமைச்சருமான ஓ. பன்னீர்செல்வம் தாக்கல் செய்திருக்கும் 2020-21-க்கான நிதிநிலை அறிக்கையில் முதியவர் நலனுக்கும் முன்னுரிமை அளித்திருப்பது வரவேற்புக்குரியது.

தமிழகத்திலுள்ள 37 மாவட்டங்களிலும் தலா 2 வட்டாரங்களில் முதியோர் ஆதரவு மையங்களைத் தொடங்குவதற்கு நிதிநிலை அறிக்கையில் நிதி ஒதுக்கீடு செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. ரூ.37 லட்சம் செலவில் இப்போது அமைக்க இருக்கும் முதியோர் ஆதரவு மையங்கள் ஏற்கெனவே மேற்கொண்டுவரும் முயற்சியின் நீட்சிதான் என்றாலும்கூட, மாவட்ட அளவில் முதியோர் நலன் குறித்து அக்கறை செலுத்தப்படுவது தொலைநோக்குப் பார்வையின் வெளிப்பாடு.

மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சகத்தின் புள்ளிவிவரப்படி, சராசரி இந்தியரின் ஆயுட்காலம் இப்போது 67 வயது என்று கணிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. ஆண்களைவிடப் பெண்கள் சற்று அதிகமாக உயிர் வாழ்கிறார்கள் என்பதையும் அந்தப் புள்ளிவிவரம் குறிப்பிடுகிறது.

மத்திய அரசின் நிதிநிலை அறிக்கையிலும் முதியோர் நலனுக்காக ஒதுக்கீடு செய்யப்படுவது மட்டுமல்லாமல், அவர்களுக்கு ஓய்வூதியம் வழங்கவும் வேறுபல சலுகைகள் வழங்கவும் வழிகோலப்பட்டுள்ளன.
துணை முதல்வர் நிதிநிலை அறிக்கையில் குறிப்பிட்டிருப்பதுபோல முதியோரை அக்கறையுடன் கவனிப்பது தமிழ்ச் சமுதாயத்தின் மரபு. கல்வி மற்றும் பணிச் சேவையின் காரணமாக அடுத்த தலைமுறையினர் மாநிலத்துக்குள்ளேயும், வெளியேயும், வெளிநாட்டிலும் இடம்பெயர்வது அதிகரித்து வருவதால் தனிக் குடும்பங்களின் எண்ணிக்கையும் உயர்ந்து வருகிறது. கிராமங்களிலும் நகரங்களிலும் வயது முதிர்ந்த பெற்றோர் தனித்து விடப்படுவது தவிர்க்க முடியாத நிலைமையாக மாறிவிட்டிருப்பதில் வியப்பில்லை.

2007-இல் பெற்றோர், முதியோர் நலச்சட்டம் (மெயின்டனன்ஸ் அண்ட் வெல்ஃபேர் ஆஃப் பேரன்ட்ஸ் அண்ட் சீனியர் சிட்டிஸன்ஸ் ஆக்ட்) தமிழக அரசால் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டது. அதன் அடிப்படையில், சட்டபூர்வ வாரிசுகள் பெற்றோருக்கும், சட்டபூர்வ காப்பாளருக்கும் அவர்களது பராமரிப்புச் செலவுக்கான பணம் வழங்க வேண்டும். சட்டபூர்வ வாரிசுகளால் பெற்றோர் புறக்கணிக்கப்பட்டால் அல்லது தங்களது சொந்த வருமானத்தில் வாழ முடியாத நிலைமை காணப்பட்டால், பராமரிப்புச் செலவை சட்டபூர்வமாகக் கோரிப் பெற அந்தச் சட்டம் வழிகோலுகிறது.

பெற்றோர் கைவிடப்படும்போதோ, புறக்கணிக்கப்படும்போதோ அவர்கள் தங்களது வாரிசுகளால் இழைக்கப்பட்ட அநீதி குறித்துப் புகார் தெரிவித்தால், 2007 சட்டப்படி 90 நாள்களுக்குள் அவர்களது புகார் விசாரிக்கப்பட்டு நீதி வழங்கப்பட வேண்டும். பெற்றோரை குழந்தைகள் பராமரிக்காமல் கைவிட்டால், அவர்களின் புகாரின் அடிப்படையில் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்பட்டு ரூ.5,000 அபராதம் அல்லது மூன்று மாத சிறைத்தண்டனை அல்லது இரண்டுமே வழங்கும் அதிகாரம் நீதித் துறைக்கு வழங்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.

2016-இல் தமிழக அரசு பிறப்பித்த அரசு உத்தரவின் கீழ் தன்னார்வத் தொண்டு நிறுவனங்களால் நடத்தப்படும் முதியோர் இல்லங்களில் உள்ளவர்களுக்கு சத்துணவு வழங்குவது உறுதிப்படுத்தப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. இதுபோல பல சட்டங்களும் அரசு உதவிகளும் இருந்தாலும்கூட, அவற்றை நடைமுறைப்படுத்துவதில் அதிகார வர்க்கத்துக்கு முனைப்பில்லாத நிலை காணப்படுகிறது. முதியோர் தேவையில்லாதவர்கள் என்கிற மனோபாவத்துடன், முதியோர் ஆகப்போகும் தலைமுறையினர் அவர்களை நடத்தும் நகைமுரணை நினைத்தால் சிரிப்பு வருகிறது.

ஆயுள்காலத்தை நீட்டிப்பதில் மருத்துவ அறிவியல் மிகப் பெரிய வெற்றியை அடைந்திருக்கிறது. கோரமான விபத்திலிருந்தும், கடுமையான பாதிப்புகளிலிருந்தும், உயிர்க்கொல்லி நோய்த்தொற்றுகளிலிருந்தும் நோயாளிகளைக் காப்பாற்றும் திறமையை மனித இனம் வளர்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது. அதனால், 60 வயதைக் கடந்தும் ஆரோக்கியமாகச் செயல்படுபவர்கள், 80 வயதைக் கடந்தும் மருத்துவ உதவியுடன் உயிர் வாழ்பவர்கள் ஆகியோரின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரித்திருக்கிறது. இது வரமா, சாபமா என்பது அவரவர் அந்த நிலையை எதிர்கொள்ளும் மனோபாவத்தைப் பொருத்து அமையும்.

சமுதாயம் முதியோரை எப்படி மதிக்கிறது, அவர்களின் அனுபவத்தை எந்த அளவுக்குப் பயன்படுத்திக் கொள்கிறது என்பதைப் பொருத்துத்தான் அந்த இனத்தின் வருங்காலம் உறுதிப்படுத்தப்படும் என்பதை இன்றைய தலைமுறையினரில் ஒருசிலர் மட்டுமே உணர்ந்திருக்கிறார்கள். முதியோரின் உடல் ரீதியிலான இயலாமையை பலவீனமாகக் கருதிவிடும் போக்கு அதிகரித்து வருவது மிகப் பெரிய சோகம்.

இந்திய ரயில்வே மூத்த குடிமக்களுக்கு கட்டணச் சலுகை வழங்குகிறது. ஆனால், அந்த மூத்த குடிமக்கள் பெறும் பயணச்சீட்டில் காணப்படும் வாசகம் அதிர்ச்சி அளிக்கிறது. "உங்களது கட்டணத்தில் 43%, இந்திய குடிமக்களின் வரிப்பணத்திலிருந்து வழங்கப்படுகிறது என்பதை நீங்கள் அறிவீர்களா?' என்கிற வாசகம், மூத்த குடிமக்களின் மனதை எந்த அளவுக்கு புண்படுத்தும் என்பதை அரசும் அதிகாரிகளும் நினைத்துப் பார்த்தார்களா? நாடாளுமன்ற உணவு விடுதியிலும், அரசு அதிகாரிகளின் இலவசப் பயணத்தின்போதும் இதேபோல அவர்கள் அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டிருந்தால் மூத்த குடிமக்களின் பயணச்சீட்டில் காணப்படும் வாசகங்களை ஓரளவுக்கு ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியும்.

2050-இல் இந்திய மக்கள்தொகையில் 5-இல் ஒரு பகுதியினர் முதியோராக இருக்கப் போகிறார்கள். முதியோர் ஆதரவு மையங்கள் மட்டுமே இந்தப் பிரச்னைக்குத் தீர்வாகி விடாது. சமுதாயத்தில் முதியோர் குறித்த புரிதலையும் மனமாற்றத்தையும் ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டிய கடமை அனைவருக்கும் உண்டு.

PAN card, land papers aren’t proof of citizenship: Gauhati High Court

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | MANOJ ANAND

PublishedFeb 20, 2020, 12:17 am IST

Assam woman fails to win case with 15 documents.

The bench of Justice Manojit Bhuyan and Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia dismissed the petition of Jabeda Begum claiming that she “failed to prove her linkage with her projected parents and her projected brother”.

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed by a 50-year-old woman, seeking restoration of her citizenship on the basis of 15 documents, including her PAN Card and voter lists having the names of her parents, produced by her.

The bench of Justice Manojit Bhuyan and Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia dismissed the petition of Jabeda Begum claiming that she “failed to prove her linkage with her projected parents and her projected brother”.

The 15 documents, which the petitioner submitted to the foreign tribunal, include PAN card and ration card, two bank passbooks, the NRC details of her father Jabed Ali, voter lists where the names of her grandparents, parents and her along with her husband were published and several land revenue receipts.

To prove citizenship and for the inclusion in the the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, applicants are supposed to submit any one of the 14 documents issued before March 1971.

Though Jabeda Begum had submitted some documents of her father dating back to 1966, the foreigners tribunal in 2018 declared the woman to be a foreigner as she failed to prove her linkage with her father. The court too concurred with the tribunal’s ruling on Wednesday.

In the absence of a birth certificate, the woman had submitted a certificate from her village headman that named her parents and place of birth. It was not accepted by the tribunal as well as the High Court.

Woman’s family fails to get listed in NRC
The family had also failed to get their name in the National Register of Citizens which was published in 2019. They could not vote also as both husband and wife were marked “doubtful voters” in the voters list.

The Doubtful Voters (D-voters) are a special category in Assam whose citizenship credentials were questioned during the identification and deportation of foreigners earlier. The D-voters were asked to prove their citizenship before the foreigners tribunal.

Jabeda Begum, disappointed with the Gauhati High Court, said, “I spent whatever money I had. Now I am left with no more resources to continue my legal battle.”

She is the only earning member of her family and her husband Rejak Ali has been ailing for long. The couple had three daughters, one of whom died in an accident and another one went missing. The youngest, Asmina, is a student of Class 5.

The biggest concern of the family now is their daughter. If Jabeda Begum fails to prove her citizenship, she will be sent to a detention centre where process of her deportation will start.

After a five-year long exercise supervised by the Supreme Court to identify foreigners in Assam, the updated NRC of Assam excluded the names of 19 lakh applicants when it was published in August 2019.

Medical care unavailable in the mornings at Karur railway station

Karur is one of the busiest stations in the Salem railway division, but it lacks a medical centre even as several amenities were inaugurated recently.

Published: 19th February 2020 09:29 AM 

By Aravind Raj

Express News Service

KARUR: Karur is one of the busiest stations in the Salem railway division, but it lacks a medical centre even as several amenities were inaugurated recently. The lack of medical care nearly cost the life of a 50-year-old woman who suffered a heart attack inside the station had to be taken to the GH.

Seethalakshmi of Kulithalai was travelling on the Tiruchy-Erode passenger train (No. 56841) on Monday morning. As the train crossed Veerarakiyam railway station, she fainted. Fellow passengers pulled the emergency chain and stopped the train. She was then administered first-aid, after which the train departed.

Officials informed Karur railway station of the incident and asked them to arrange for medical assistance as soon as the train arrived at the station. But the station lacked medical facilities, and an 108 ambulance was called. As soon as the train arrived, she was taken to the GH.

Mahalingam, an activist, said “Though there is a 24x7 medical assistance booth at the entrance of the station, it is always closed. Had there been a doctor or even a nurse at the booth, they could have easily performed CPR and provided first-aid to the patient. Fortunately, the ambulance was quick to arrive at the station and the woman was taken to hospital in the nick of time.What if there was no ambulance available at that moment or some other passenger needed immediate medical attention? Railways management must look into these things first.”

A Railway official said, “The medical assistance booth is owned and operated by a private hospital. Usually staff comes at night to the booth. Most emergency cases appear to happen at night. We have brought the matter to the notice of the management.”

In a similar incident in April 2014, Rajalakshmi, a 60 year-old-woman, died at the station from a heart attack as there was no medical assistance available at the junction. People staged a protest condemning the Railway Board and demanded a medical assistance booth at the station.

Anna University withholds results of private college students

The isssue came to light when the university did not release their results in January.

Published: 20th February 2020 05:40 AM

By S Mannar Mannan

Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Anna University has withheld the results of second-year students of a private engineering college near Thiruvarur over alleged malpractice in the semester exam held in November, last year. Sources said a complaint was made by second year students of Anjalai Ammal Mahalingam Engineering College in Kovil Venni alleging that the principal SN Ramasamy, had involved in malpractice.

The isssue came to light when the university did not release their results in January. According to sources, second year students of the college alleged that SN Ramasamy, who teaches Fluid Mechanics, opened the question paper half an hour before the exam and shared with a few students. He also allowed them to enter the exam hall late, they added. Sources state the principal did that to ensure students get good results in his subject.

Students said when complained, officials from University College, Pattukottai visited the next day and conducted an inquiry. Due to the alleged malpractice by principal and a few students, those not connected are also affected, they said. Anna University has published results of students who did not opt for fluid mechanics and for those who failed to turn up to write their arrears.When contacted, SN Ramasamy said, “Since it is under investigation, I do not want to comment now.”

Phone inside women’s toilet, IIT Madras professor held

The issue came to light when a 30-year-old PhD student went to rest room. She noticed the mobile placed near the window facing her.

Published: 20th February 2020 06:38 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In a shocking case, an Assistant Professor at the IIT-Madras was allegedly caught red-handed while trying to place his mobile phone secretly inside the women’s restroom in the campus, on Wednesday evening. Police sources identified the faculty member as Subham Bannerji of aerospace engineering department.

The issue came to light when a 30-year-old PhD student went to restroom. She noticed the mobile placed near the window facing her. “She took the phone and found the camera was on. Immediately, she rushed outside, locked the men’s bathroom from outside and called the security guard,” said a police official.
When the guard opened the bathroom, they found Subham inside. Police registered a case.

Three killed as crane falls on film crew at Shankar and Kamal's 'Indian 2' shooting spot

The police confirmed that three persons died on the spot and nine others sustained serious injuries, actor Kamal Haasan escaped unhurt and tweet his condolences.

Published: 20th February 2020 12:24 AM 

(L to R) The 'Indian 2' film set; Kamal Hassan in Indian 2 poster.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Three persons were killed and nine others suffered serious injuries after a crane allegedly fell on them in a shooting spot at EVP film city on Wednesday night.

According to police, the men were preparing to set up the place for shooting of director Shankar's 'Indian 2'.

The police confirmed that three persons died on the spot and nine others sustained serious injuries while actor Kamal Haasan escaped unhurt.

Haasan tweeted his condolences: "Today's accident is the most horrific I have seen in my film career. I have lost three colleagues but my pain pales in comparison to the grief of those who have lost their loved ones. My deepest sympathies to them."


Kamal Haasan
✔@ikamalhaasan

மருத்துவமனையில் விபத்தில் சிக்கியவர்களை பார்த்து மருத்துவர்களிடம் பேசியுள்ளேன்.

முதலுதவி வழங்கப்பட்டு உரிய சிகிச்சைக்கான வேலைகள் நடக்கிறது.

இவர்கள் விரைவாக உடல் நலம் பெற்றிடுவார்கள் என்ற நம்பிக்கையுடனே இந்த இரவு விடியட்டும்.

Many on social media claimed that director Shankar was injured, however, our sources confirmed that he was not injured.

The deceased have been identified as Madhu (29) food provider, Chandran (60) food provider, and Krishna (34), assistant director.

The injured have been identified as Manchang (37), Vasu (35), Ramzan (43), Arunprasath (24), Kumar (52), Kalaichithra, Gunabalan, Thirunavukkarasu (45) and Murugadoss (40).

The injured have been rushed to the hospital for treatment and firefighters were deployed to clear the debris.

Senior police officers rushed to the spot and an inquiry is underway. A case has been registered and investigations are on.

The much-hyped sequel of Shankar's 1996 hit film was officially launched a year ago but the shooting wasn't taking place in a brisk manner. After much delay, the crew started work on the project this month.

BDU organises numismatics, philatelic & antiquity exhibition

TNN | Feb 20, 2020, 04.03 AM IST

Trichy: The two-day numismatic, philatelic, notaphily and antique exhibition began with the display of some rare coins, currency notes and stamps in the main campus of Bharathidasan university on Wednesday.

Organised by the history department of BDU along with the Tiruchirappalli Numismatics Society (TNS), the event had a display of archaeological artefacts starting from pre-historic period to the present.

P Vijay Kumar, president of TNS, said Chera Chola, Pandya, Pallava and Nayak era coins were on showcased, apart from coins from British India and over 200 global countries.

He said that world’s biggest currency note from Manaysia of 600 ringgits was displayed along with the smallest from Russia which attracted interest among university students. Currency notes with highest denomination of Zimbabwe and Czechoslovakia were also displayed in the exhibition.

Numismatics section has displayed coins of micro size to the currency notes of the biggest and smallest size in the world. While metal coins made of gold, silver, bronze, Aluminium, nickel and bimetal coin, plastic coins introduced by Transnistria country were also in display.

Every day technology section has interesting artefacts such as pre-electric lighting systems, iron boxes, prayer tools, hair dressing instruments, locks and keys of pre-colonial times, weights and measures.

“Items which reflected the rural arts and culture that were interesting part of the exhibition,” said S Ganesh a student from university. “Early radios, cameras, and projects are displayed in the electronic section,” he said.

Railways to run tourist train from March 28

People can go on a 16-night-17-day tour

20/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The Indian Railways will begin commercial run of its Ramayana-themed special tourist train, Shri Ramayana Express, from March 28.

The train will commence its journey from Delhi on March 28, and tourists can board the train from Delhi Safdarjung, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareily and Lucknow.

In a 16-night-17-day tour, people will be visiting the places associated with Lord Ram, including Ram Janmbhoomi and Hanuman Garhi at Ayodhya; Bharat Mandir at Nandigram; Sita Mata Mandir at Sitamarhi in Bihar; Janakpur in Nepal, Tulsi Manas Mandir and Sankat Mochan Mandir at Varanasi; Sita Samahit Sthal at Sitamarhi in U.P.; Triveni Sangam, Hanuman Mandir and Bharadwaj Ashram at Prayag; Shringi Rishi Mandir at Shringverpur; Ramghat and Sati Anusuiya Mandir at Chitrakoot; Panchvati at Nasik; Anjanadri Hill and Hanuman Janm Sthal at Hampi and Jyotirlinga Shiva Mandir at Rameshwaram.

Tourists will be offered pure vegetarian meals, accommodation and wash and change facilities in dharmashalas or hotels. In addition, considering that the train will begin operations during the Navratras festival, food served to the travelers will be cooked without onion and garlic. “Fasting food will also be available for the tourists that will include sabudana khichdi, fruits, curd, potato chat etc.,” the Railways said.

Sleeper class package has been priced at ₹16,065 per person, while AC class package is priced at ₹26,775 per person.

The train, which will be run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), will have ten coaches — five sleeper class non-AC coaches and five AC three-tier coaches. The bookings for the train will be on a first-come, first-take basis, the statement said.

“A similar tourism train on this circuit was introduced last year with only sleeper class coaches which was a huge success... [hence] IRCTC has decided to launch this unique product with some AC three-tier coaches as well,” it added.

Srilanka tour

An option of add-on tour to Srilanka is also available with limited 40 seats, that will allow tourists to visit places related to Ramayana in Srilanka. This will cost additional ₹37,800 per person.

Passenger tries to open aircraft door, offloaded

He wanted 2 persons taken on board

20/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, NEW DELHI

IndiGo’s Delhi-Jeddah flight was forced to turn back just before takeoff after a passenger attempted to open one of the doors, according to a DGCA official.

The incident happened on Tuesday when the flight was taxiing for take-off. The passenger tried to open the door demanding that two of his co-passengers denied boarding for not possessing the boarding pass be allowed on the plane, according to the official.

“The captain of the flight decided to return to bay and offload the passenger and his accomplice for their unruly behaviour,” according to the source.

“A group of 110 passengers of the connecting flight from Srinagar were travelling on this flight. Two of them were offloaded at the boarding gate as they had lost their boarding pass,” he said.

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official, however, said the two passengers had failed to show up at the boarding gate on time. Thereafter, three more women passengers accompanying these men were allowed to deboard.

An anti-sabotage drill was also performed before allowing the flight to take off.