NEET PG Round 1 Counselling 2020: MCC To Freeze Portal To Prepare Seat Matrix On 2nd March 

By Meghna A SinghaniaPublished On 28 Feb 2020 12:01 PM

Updated On 28 Feb 2020 12:01 PM 

New Delhi: Informing about the upcoming NEET PG 2020 Round 1 counselling, the Medical Counselling Committee has informed that is going to freeze the intramcc portal to prepare for the seat matrix on 2nd March 2020. 

As per Supreme Court judgement, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has been entrusted with the responsibility to hold on-line counselling for 50% All India Quota Post-Graduate Medical and Dental seats and also as per the notification issued by the MCI for common counselling. With this MCC will conduct counselling for the following Institutions/Universities:- 

a) 50 % All India Quota seats for all State Govt. medical/dental colleges/institutes, except state of Jammu and Kashmir as per merit of PG NEET 2018. 

b) For all PG seats of the Deemed Universities as per merit of PG NEET 2018. 

c) 50 % institutional quota seats for Central Universities of Delhi University, Aligarh Muslim University, and Banaras Hindu University. 

d) PG counseling for institutes of Armed Forces Medical Services. 

e) The state Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are participating in online counselling of All India Quota from the academic year 2018-19 onwards. 

For deciding the seat matrix for the Round 1, MCC had asked for contribution of seats by the participating colleges of All India Quota/ Deemed & Central Universities/ ESIC for the PG Counselling 2020 for MD/ MS/ Diploma/ MDS courses. 

The earlier deadline for submission for the same was 19th Feb, 2020. In the meanwhile, the apex medical council, Medical Council of India Board Of Governors has issued new Letter of permission for various courses to medical college. Keeping this in mind, MCC has now extended its deadline to allow these medical colleges to participate in round 1 of the pg medical counselling. MCC in its notice, hence stated In view of the new LOP's being issued by the BOG, MCI, the intramcc portal has been kept open by MCC which was to close earlier by 19th Feb, 2020 for contribution of seats. It is for the information to all participating colleges that the intramcc portal will freeze at 06:00 PM of 2nd March, 2020 for preparation of Seat Matrix. Any new seats for which LOP's are received after 2nd March, 2020 will be taken up in Round-II of counselling only.

https://education.medicaldialogues.in/medical-education/neet-pg-round-1-counselling-2020-mcc-to-freeze-portal-to-prepare-seat-matrix-on-2nd-march-63501

2 புதிய அரசு மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி நாளை அடிக்கல் நாட்டுகிறார்

சென்னை

ராமநாதபுரம், விருதுநகரில் அமைய உள்ள அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி நாளை அடிக்கல் நாட்டுகிறார்.

தமிழகத்தில் ராமநாதபுரம், விருதுநகர், திண்டுக்கல், நாமக்கல், திருப்பூர், ஊட்டி, திருவள்ளூர், கிருஷ்ணகிரி, நாகப்பட்டினம், அரியலூர், கள்ளக்குறிச்சி ஆகிய 11 இடங்களில் புதிய மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகள் அமைக்க மத்திய அரசு ஒப்புதல் வழங்கி உள்ளது. மத்திய அரசின் 60 சதவீத நிதி மற்றும் மாநில அரசின் 40 சதவீத நிதியில் இந்த கல்லூரிகள் தலா ரூ.325 கோடியில் கட்டப்பட உள்ளன.

இந்நிலையில், ராமநாதபுரம், விருதுநகர் ஆகிய மாவட்டங்களில் அமையவுள்ள புதிய அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர் பழனிசாமி நாளை (மார்ச் 1) அடிக்கல் நாட்டுகிறார். இதைத் தொடர்ந்து அம் மாவட்டங்களில் தொடங்கப்பட உள்ள புதிய திட்டப் பணிகளுக்கு அடிக்கல் நாட்டுவதோடு, முடிவுற்ற பணிகளையும் முதல்வர் தொடங்கி வைக்கிறார்.

ராமநாதபுரம் ஒருங்கிணைந்த மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அலுவலக வளாகத்தில் காலை 10 மணிக்கும், விருதுநகர் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் பெருந்திட்ட வளாகத்தில், மாலை 3 மணிக்கும் விழா நடக்கிறது. விழாவுக்கு மத்திய சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சர் ஹர்ஷ் வர்தன் தலைமை தாங்குகிறார். துணை முதல்வர் ஓபன்னீர்செல்வம் முன்னிலை வகிக்கிறார்.

விதையுள் விருட்சம்!

By வெ. இன்சுவை | Published on : 28th February 2020 03:06 AM

கல்லூரி வாழ்க்கை என்பது தகப்பனின் தோள் மீது அமர்ந்திருப்பதைப் போல சிலருக்கு சுகமாக அமைந்து விடுகிறது. எந்தக் கவலையும், பொறுப்பும் இல்லாமல் கேலி, கிண்டல், ஆட்டம், பாட்டம், கொண்டாட்டம் என்று இருக்கும் வாலிபப் பருவம். அந்த வயதுக்கே உரிய ஆர்ப்பாட்டமும், குறும்பும், துள்ளலும், துடிப்பும் இருக்கத்தானே செய்யும்? அதற்கான ஒரு வடிகால் வேண்டாமா? சுழன்றடிக்கும் சூறாவளியை ஒரு புட்டியில் அடைக்க முடியுமா?

அப்படித்தான் மாணவர்களையும் வெறுமனே படிப்பு, தேர்வுகள் என ஒரு சின்ன வட்டத்துக்குள் அடைக்க முடியாது. அப்படி இருந்தால் கல்லூரி வாழ்க்கை என்பது மணமில்லா காகிதப் பூக்களைப் போல ஆகிவிடும். வயதான காலத்தில்கூட ஒருவருக்குத் தன் கல்லூரிக் காலத்தை நினைத்துப் பார்த்தால் மனதில் பட்டாம்பூச்சி பறக்க வேண்டும். தன் பேராசிரியர்கள், நண்பர்கள், வகுப்பறை அலப்பறைகள், ஆண்டு விழாக்கள், விளையாட்டு விழாக்கள், கலை விழாக்கள் என அனைத்தும் ஒரு திரைக் காவியம் போல மனதில் ஓட வேண்டும். அதுவே பரவசம் ஆகும்.

பள்ளி, கல்லூரிகளில் பாடங்களுக்கு மட்டுமே முக்கியத்துவம் தராமல் பாடத்திட்டம் சாரா செயல்களுக்கும் முக்கியத்துவம் தரப்படுகின்றன. சில மாணவர்கள் படிப்பில் சற்று மந்தமாக இருப்பார்கள். பேராசிரியர்கள் அவர்களை ஓரம் கட்டி வைத்திருப்பார்கள். ஆனால், அத்தகைய மாணவர்களிடம் ஏதாவது ஓர் அபூர்வத் திறமை இருக்கும்.

ஆண்டு விழாவின்போதோ, கலை நிகழ்ச்சிகளின்போதோ ஒரு மாணவன் தன் தனித்திறமையை வெளிப்படுத்தி விட்டால் அந்த மாணவன் குறித்த கண்ணோட்டம் மாறிவிடும். அந்த மாணவன் குறித்து மற்றவர்கள் கொண்டிருந்த பிம்பமும் மாறிப் போகும்; ஓர் அடையாளம் கிட்டும், அங்கீகாரம் கிட்டும், அந்த மாணவனுக்கிருந்த தாழ்வு மனப்பான்மை நீங்கி, நம்பிக்கை துளிர் விடும். குறிக்கோளை நோக்கி அந்த மாணவன் பயணப்பட அந்தப் பாராட்டு மழை பேருதவி செய்யும்; அது பெரும் உந்து சக்தியாக விளங்கும்.

வேலையில் சேர்ந்த பின்னர் எல்லோருமே செக்கு மாடுகளே; பணிச் சுமை, குடும்பச் சூழல் என அல்லாடும்போது கலையெல்லாம் மாயமாகும். தங்களின் திறமைகளை வெளிக்காட்ட எத்தனை பேருக்கு வாய்ப்பு கிட்டும்? "அது ஓர் அழகிய கனாக்காலம்' என்று ஏக்கப் பெருமூச்சு மட்டும்தான் விட முடியும். 

எனவேதான், அனைத்துக் கல்லூரிகளும் மூன்று அல்லது நான்கு நாள்கள் கோலாகலமாக கலை விழா எடுக்கிறார்கள். மாணவர்களும் பாடத்தை மூட்டை கட்டி வைத்துவிட்டு வேறு அவதாரம் எடுக்கிறார்கள்; கல்லூரி வளாகமே விழாக்கோலம் பூண்டிருக்க, பிற கல்லூரிகளில் இருந்துவரும் போட்டியாளர்கள், சிறப்பு விருந்தினர்கள், பிரபலங்கள் என அந்தச் சங்கமம் மகிழ்ச்சி விதைகளை அனைத்து மனங்களிலும் தூவும்.

மிகவும் பிரபலமான கல்லூரிகளின் நிர்வாகிகள் தாங்களே இத்தகைய கலை விழாக்களை நடத்துகிறார்கள். மாணவர்களுக்கு ஒரு சிரமும் கொடுப்பதில்லை. பிரபலங்களை வரவழைப்பது, விருந்து, உபசரிப்பு, பரிசு என எல்லாவற்றையும் அதிக பொருட்செலவில் ஏற்பாடு செய்து விடுகிறார்கள். தங்களுடைய செல்வாக்கைப் பறைசாற்றவும் இந்த விழாவைப் பயன்படுத்திக் கொள்கிறார்கள்.

சில தனியார் கல்லூரிகளும் அதிக ஆடம்பரம் இன்றி கலை விழாவை நடத்துகிறார்கள். ஆனால், அரசு பொறியியல் கல்லூரிகள், அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகள், அரசு கலைக் கல்லூரிகள் ஆகியவற்றின் நிலைமை வேறு. இக்கல்லூரிகளிலும் தமிழ் மன்றம், மாணவர் பேரவை, நுண்கலை மன்றம் ஆகியவை சிறப்பாகச் செயல்படுகின்றன. இதில் உள்ள சிக்கல் என்னவென்றால், கலை விழாக்களை நடத்த நன்கொடையாளர்கள் மற்றும் விளம்பரதாரர்களைத் தேடி அலைகிறார்கள். பொறுப்பில் இருக்கும் மாணவர்கள் விழாவை நடத்த வெகுவாக சிரமப்படுகிறார்கள்.

இதுபோன்ற கலை நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் ஆர்வமுள்ள பேராசிரியர்களுக்கு பொறுப்பு தரப்பட்டால் அவர்கள் மாணவர்களுக்கு உதவுகிறார்கள். ஆனால், விருப்பமில்லாத பேராசிரியர்களுக்கு பொறுப்பு தரப்பட்டால் மாணவர்களுக்குத் திண்டாட்டம். எல்லா ஏற்பாடுகளையும் மாணவர்களே செய்தாக வேண்டும். கலை விழா என்பதால், திரைக் கலைஞர்களையே சிறப்பு விருந்தினராக அழைக்க ஆசைப்படுகிறார்கள். அதே சமயம், யார் மூலம் அந்தப் பிரபலங்களைப் பிடிப்பது என்பது தெரியாமல் அல்லாடுகிறார்கள். நேரிலும், அவர்களைப் பார்க்க முடியாமல், செல்லிடப்பேசியிலும் பிடிக்க முடியாமல் நொந்து போகிறார்கள்.

ஒரு நகைக்கடை, துணிக்கடை திறப்பு விழாவுக்கு வருவதற்கு பல ஆயிரங்களை வாங்கும் அவர்கள், மாணவர் விழாவுக்கு வர இசைவதில்லை.

அவர்களுக்குப் பெரும் தொகை கொடுக்கவும் மாணவர்களால் இயலாது. விழா நடத்த நிறைய செலவாகும். மேடை, அலங்காரம், உணவு, உபசரிப்பு, சிறப்பு விருந்தினர், சன்மானம், போக்குவரத்து, பரிசுகள் எனப் பட்டியல் நீளும். எனவே தான் பிள்ளைகள் நன்கொடையாளர்களைத் தேடி அலைகிறார்கள். ஒரு வருடம் நன்கொடை அளிப்பவர், ஒவ்வொரு வருடமும் தருவாரா?

எடுத்துக்காட்டுக்கு ஒன்று. ஒரு மாவட்டத்தில் ஓர் அரசு மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி உள்ளது என்றால், அந்த மாணவர்கள் நன்கொடைக்காக சிறிய, பெரிய மருத்துவமனைகள் என அனைத்தையும் நாடுகிறார்கள். பெரிய மருத்துவமனையாகவே இருந்தாலுமே வருடா வருடம் இவர்கள் சென்று கேட்கும்போது தருபவர்களுக்குச் சங்கடம் ஏற்படுகிறது. பலரும் கேட்ட உடனே பணம் தராமல், "நாளை', "அடுத்த வாரம்' என இழுத்தடிக்கிறார்கள். மாணவர்களும் சளைக்காமல் நடக்கிறார்கள். சிறிய கிளினிக் வைத்திருப்பவர்கள் ரூ.500 கொடுக்கவே யோசிப்பர்.

பொதுவாகவே எதையும், எவரிடமும் கேட்க நமக்குத் தயக்கமாக இருக்கும்; "விழாவுக்காக நன்கொடை தாருங்கள்' என மென்று முழுங்கித்தான் கேட்கிறார்கள். ஒரு மாத காலம் இதே வேலையாக அலைகிறார்கள். இவ்வளவு செலவாகும் என்று போட்டு வைத்த கணக்கு எப்போதும் தவறாகிப் போய் செலவு எகிறி விடுகிறது. சமாளிக்க முடியாமல் மாணவர்களுக்கு விழி பிதுங்கிப் போய் விடுகிறது. ஆயிரத்துக்கும், ஐநூறுக்கும் மருத்துவர்களிடம் காத்துக் கிடக்கும் மருத்துவ மாணவர், பின்னாளில் தான் மருத்துவராகப் பணி செய்யும்போது தாராளமாகப் பணம் தருவாரா என்பது சந்தேகமே.

இப்போதெல்லாம் வங்கிகள் இந்த வகையில் மாணவர்களுக்கு உதவ முன் வருகின்றன. ஒரு சமூகக் கடமையாக எண்ணி விளம்பரம் தருகின்றன. இதை அறிந்த மாணவர்கள் வங்கிகளை அணுகுகிறார்கள். ஆண்டு மலருக்கு விளம்பரம் தேடுவதும் ஒரு பெரிய தலைவலி. பலரும் விளம்பரத்தை நம்பித்தான் மலரை வெளியிடுகிறார்கள். 

வகுப்புகளைப் புறக்கணித்து விட்டு விழா ஏற்பாடுகளைச் செய்யவும், நன்கொடை பெறவும் அலைகிறார்கள். இதைப் பல பேராசிரியர்கள் விரும்புவதில்லை. குதிரைக்குக் கடிவாளம் இடுவதைப் போல பல பேராசிரியர்களுக்குப் பாடத்தைத் தவிர வேறு எதுவும் பிடிக்காது. அதுவும் ஆட்டம், பாட்டம் என்றால் வேம்பாய்க் கசக்கும். அதற்காக அலையும் மாணவர்களின் வருகைப் பதிவேட்டில் கை வைத்து விடுகிறார்கள். செய்முறை வகுப்புகள் தவறிப் போனால் மாணவர்களை மீண்டும் செய்ய அனுமதிக்க மாட்டார்கள்.

பண விஷயம் என்பதால் வேறு பல சிக்கல்களும் வருகின்றன. அவர்களிடையே கருத்து வேறுபாடு வருகிறது. புகைச்சல் பகையாக மாறுகிறது. உட்பூசல் ஏற்படுகிறது. வரவு, செலவுக்குத் தணிக்கை இருந்தாலும் முன் நிற்பவர்கள் மீது அவச்சொல் உண்டாவது உண்டு. நிகழ்ச்சிக்கு வர முதலில் இசைவு தந்த பிரபலம், கடைசி நேரத்தில் தவிர்க்க முடியாத காரணத்தால் வர இயலவில்லை என்று கூறி விட்டால், வேறு நபரை ஏற்பாடு செய்ய தவித்துப் போகிறார்கள். கடைசி நேரத்தில் ஒருவரும் வர மாட்டார்கள். நிறைய வலிகளும், மன உளைச்சலும் இருந்தே தீரும். தான் பொறுப்பில் இருக்கும்போது சிறப்பாகச் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்ற அவா உந்தித்தள்ள அவர்கள் நிறையவே மெனக்கெடுகிறார்கள்.

விழா இனிதே நடந்து முடிந்த பின் கிடைக்கும் பாராட்டு, அவர்களுக்கு வலி நிவாரணி. வீட்டிலோ, ஊரிலோ எந்த நிகழ்ச்சியையும் எடுத்து நடத்தாதவர்கள் கல்லூரி விழாவை நன்கு திட்டமிட்டு அருமையாக நடத்தும் அளவுக்கு திறமைசாலிகள் என்று பார்க்கும்போது வியப்பு மேலிடுகிறது. அலைச்சல், பயம், ஏமாற்றம், எதிர்மறை விமர்சனம் என எல்லாம் சேர்ந்த கவலையான மனநிலையில்கூட அவர்கள் வாகை சூடுகிறார்கள்.

கோழிக் குஞ்சுகளாகத் தங்களை நினைத்துக் கொண்டிருந்தவர்கள், இந்த வாய்ப்பால் வல்லூறுகளாக மாறுகிறார்கள். "சில காயங்கள் நம்மை நேர்த்தி செய்யும்; சில வலிகள் நம்மைச் செதுக்கும்' என்ற வாழ்க்கைப் பாடத்தைப் புரிந்து கொள்கிறார்கள். பட்ட வலிகள் மறந்து போகும். ஆனால், நல்ல சுவையான, இனிமையான நினைவுகள் மட்டும் அழியாது, அவர்கள் மனதில் ஆசனம் போட்டு அமர்ந்து கொள்ளும். அவற்றை அவர்கள் பின்னாளில் மெதுவாக மனதில் அசை போட்டுக் கொண்டிருப்பார்கள்.

கட்டுரையாளர்:

பேராசிரியர் (ஓய்வு)

'இன்டர்நெட்' வேகம் எங்கு அதிகம்

Added : பிப் 29, 2020 01:03

உலகளவில் சராசரி இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் அதிகமுள்ள நாடுகளின் பட்டியலில் தைவான் முதலிடத்தை பெற்றுள்ளது.

உள்ளங்கையில் உலகம் என்பது 'இன்டர்நெட்' வளர்ச்சியால் சாத்தியமானது. ஸ்பெயினின் 'வெப்சைட் டூல் டெஸ்டர்' அமைப்பை சேர்ந்த விஞ்ஞானிகள் உலக நாடுகளில் 2017 -2019ம் ஆண்டுகளில் 'பிராட்பேண்ட்' இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் குறித்து ஆய்வு நடத்தினர். ஆன்லைனில் பயனாளர்களிடம் தகவல்களை சேகரித்து இந்த ஆய்வு நடத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதில் முதலிடத்தை தைவான் பெற்றுள்ளது.

தைவானில் மின்னணு நிறுவனங்கள் அதிகம் உள்ளது. இவை அந்நாட்டின் மொத்த ஜி.டி.பி., யில் 18 சதவீத பங்களிப்பை அளிக்கிறது.இப்பட்டியலில் உள்ள 'டாப் - 25' நாடுகளில் 18 நாடுகள் ஐரோப்பா கண்டத்தை சேர்ந்தவை. முதலிடத்தில் உள்ள தைவானில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 85 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., என்ற அளவில் உள்ளது. இதன் மூலம் 5 ஜி.பி., அளவிலான வீடியோவை, 8 விநாடிகளில் டவுண்லோடு செய்ய முடியும்.

முந்திய குட்டி தீவு

பிரிட்டன் மற்றும் பிரான்ஸ் இடையே உள்ள ஜெர்சி தீவில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 67 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., ஆக உள்ளது. இங்கு வீடுகள் மற்றும் அலுவலகங்களுக்கு 'பைபர்' கேபிள் மூலம் இன்டர்நெட் சேவை வழங்கப்படுகிறது. அமெரிக்காவில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 32 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., மற்றும் வீடியோ டவுண்லோடு செய்ய 20 வினாடிகளும், பிரிட்டனில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 22 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., மற்றும் வீடியோ டவுண்லோடு செய்ய 30 விநாடிகளும் ஆகிறது.

11

உலகின் சராசரி இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 2017ம் ஆண்டு 9 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., ஆக இருந்தது. இது 2019ல் 11 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., ஆக அதிகரித்துள்ளது.

30

உலகில் இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் குறைவாக உள்ள நாடு ஏமன். இது 207வது இடத்தில் உள்ளது. இங்கு 300 கே.பி.பி.எஸ்., என்ற அளவில் உள்ளது. வீடியோவை டவுண்லோடு செய்ய 30 நிமிடங்கள் தேவைப்படும்.

8.66

இப்பட்டியலில் 74வது இடத்தில் உள்ள இந்தியாவில், இன்டர்நெட் வேகம் 8.66 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., ஆக உள்ளது.

'டாப் - 10' நாடுகள்

'பிராட்பேண்ட்' இன்டர்நெட் வேகத்தில் அமெரிக்கா (14வது இடம்), பிரான்ஸ் (22), ஜெர்மனி (27), பிரிட்டன் (33), ஆஸ்திரேலியா (50), ரஷ்யா (54) பின்தங்கி உள்ளன. இப்பட்டியலில் 'டாப்-10' நாடுகள்.

1. தைவான்
2. சிங்கப்பூர்
3. ஜெர்சி
4. சுவீடன்
5. டென்மார்க்
6. ஜப்பான்
7. லக்சம்பர்க்
8. நெதர்லாந்து
9. சுவிட்சர்லாந்து
10. சான் மரீனோ

சாப்ட்வேர் பிரச்னையால் அரசு ஊழியர் சம்பளம் தாமதம்

Added : பிப் 28, 2020 23:36

மதுரை :சாப்ட்வேர் பிரச்னையால் இந்த மாதம் அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு சம்பளம் கிடைப்பது தாமதமாகும் சூழல் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.2017ல் அரசு ஊழியர்களின் சம்பள பட்டியலை புதிய சாப்ட்வேர் மூலமாக தயாரித்து, அதன் மூலம் மட்டுமே சம்பளம் பெற வேண்டும் என தமிழக அரசு அறிவித்தது. இதற்கான புதிய சாப்ட்வேர் தயாரிக்கும் பணியை விப்ரோ மேற்கொண்டது. ஒருங்கிணைந்த மனிதவள மேம்பாட்டுத் திட்டம் (ஐ.எப்.எச்.ஆர்.எம்.எஸ்) எனும் சாப்ட்வேர் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டது.முதற்கட்டமாக மதுரை, தேனி, ஈரோடு, சென்னை, கன்னியாகுமரி, புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டங்களில் இந்த மாதம் முதல் நடைமுறைபடுத்தப்படுகிறது. மே 31 ற்குள் தமிழகம் முழுவதும் நடைமுறைபடுத்த திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.ஆனால் சாப்ட்வேர் பிரச்னையால் சம்பளம் வழங்குவது தாமதமாகும் நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.தாமதமின்றி ஊதியம் வழங்ககோரி தமிழ்நாடு அரசு ஊழியர் சங்கத்தினர் மதுரையில் சம்பள கணக்கு அலுவலகம் முன்பு தொடர் போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டு வருகின்றனர். சம்பள பட்டியல் தயாரிப்பதில் ஏற்படுகின்ற சிக்கல்கள் குறித்து தமிழ்நாடு அரசு ஊழியர் சங்கத்தின் மதுரை மாவட்ட செயலாளர் நீதிராஜா கூறியது: ஏற்கனவே இருந்த சாப்ட்வேரில் உள்ள ஊழியர்களின் தகவல்களை புதிய சாப்ட்வேரில் பதிவேற்றம் செய்ய முடிவதில்லை, தற்போது உள்ள கணினிகள் புதிய சாப்ட்வேர்க்கு ஏற்றாற்போல் இல்லை. இணையதள வசதியும் இல்லை. எனவே, சம்பள பட்டியல் தயாரிப்பதில் சிரமம் எற்படுகின்றது.சந்தேகங்களுக்கு விப்ரோ ஊழியர்கள் மழுப்பலான பதில்களையே அளிக்கின்றனர். முன்பு இருந்த நடைமுறைப்படி சம்பளம் வழங்க வேண்டும்' என்றார்.பொருளாளர் ராம்தாஸ் கூறுகையில், 'புதிய சாப்ட்வேரில் உள்ள பிரச்னைகளை சரிசெய்து, காலதாமதமாகாமல் சம்பளம் கிடைக்க அரசு வழி செய்ய வேண்டும். அதுவரை போராட்டம் தொடரும்' என்றார்.

'ஆதார்' எடுக்க முடியாதோருக்கு இனி தனி ரேஷன் கார்டு

Added : பிப் 28, 2020 20:52

'ஆதார்' கார்டு எடுக்க முடியாத அளவுக்கு, உடல் நலம் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட நபர்களுக்கு மட்டும், தனி ரேஷன் கார்டுகளை வழங்க, உணவு துறை முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.தமிழக ரேஷன் கடைகளில், மானிய விலையில், உணவு பொருட்கள் வழங்கப்படுகின்றன.

இவற்றை வாங்க, ரேஷன் கார்டு அவசியம். மத்திய அரசின், 'ஆதார்' எண் விபரங்கள் அடிப்படையில், உணவு வழங்கல் துறை சார்பில்,கையடக்க வடிவில், 'ஸ்மார்ட்' ரேஷன் கார்டுகள் வழங்கப்படுகின்றன.இதனால், ஒரே நபர், பல முகவரிகளில் கார்டுகள் வாங்குவது தடுக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. பிறக்கும் போது, கைகள் செயல்படாதவர்கள்; விபத்துக்களால், உடல் உறுப்புகளை இழந்தவர்கள், மனநலம் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களால், 'ஆதார்' கார்டு எடுக்க முடியவில்லை. ஆதார் இல்லாததால், அவர்களுக்கு, ஸ்மார்ட் ரேஷன் கார்டு வழங்க முடிவதில்லை. இதனால், ரேஷன் பொருட்கள் வாங்க முடியாமல், அவர்கள் சிரமப்படுகின்றனர்.

இதையடுத்து, ஆதார் கார்டு எடுக்க முடியாத அளவுக்கு, உடல் நலம் குன்றியவர்களுக்கு, ஆதார் இல்லாமல், ரேஷன் கார்டு வழங்குமாறு, உணவு வழங்கல் துறைக்கு, மாநில உணவு ஆணையம் பரிந்துரை செய்தது. ஆனால், ஆதார் எண் பதிவு செய்யாமல், ரேஷன் கார்டு வழங்க முடியாத அளவுக்கு, மென்பொருள் உருவாக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.எனவே, ஆதார் எடுக்க முடியாத நபர்களுக்கு மட்டும், ஸ்மார்ட் கார்டுக்கு மாற்றாக, காகித வடிவில், தனி ரேஷன் கார்டுகளை வழங்க, உணவு துறை முடிவு செய்துள்ளது. - நமது நிருபர் -

மார்ச் முதல் மே வரை வெயில் கொளுத்தும்

Updated : பிப் 29, 2020 02:00 | Added : பிப் 29, 2020 01:59

புதுடில்லி, :இந்தியாவில், வரும் மார்ச் முதல், மே வரை, வெப்பம் வழக்கத்தை விட அதிகமாக இருக்கும் என, வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

இந்திய வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம், நேற்று அளித்த தகவலின் அடிப்படையில், இந்தியாவின் மேற்கு, வடமேற்கு, மத்திய மற்றும் தென் பகுதிகளில் மார்ச் முதல், மே வரை, வழக்கத்திற்கு மாறாக வெப்பநிலை அதிகமாக பதிவாகும். பஞ்சாப், ஹிமாச்சல பிரதேசம், டில்லி, உத்தரகண்ட், ஹரியானா, ராஜஸ்தான், உத்தர பிரதேசம், குஜராத், மத்திய பிரதேசம், பீஹார், சத்தீஸ்கர், ஜார்கண்ட், மேற்கு வங்கம், ஒடிசா, தெலுங்கானா, மஹாராஷ்டிரா மற்றும் கடலோர ஆந்திராவின் சில பகுதிகளிலும், வழக்கத்தை விட வெப்பம் கூடுதலாக இருக்கும்.

இந்தியாவின் மற்ற பகுதிகளுடன் ஒப்பிடும் போது, தமிழகத்தில் குறைந்த அளவு மட்டுமே வெப்பம் அதிகரிக்கும். வடமேற்கு, மேற்கு மற்றும் மத்திய இந்தியாவில், கடும் அனல் காற்று வீசுவதற்கும் வாய்ப்புள்ளது.

Doctors strike is illegal, says Madras HC, but quashes Tamil Nadu government's charge memos
As a model employer, the government ought to have followed up and come out with solutions for the doctors.

Published: 28th February 2020 10:30 PM

Madras HC

By PTI

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday ruled strike by doctors was illegal but quashed charge memos and transfer orders issued to over 100 Tamil Nadu government doctors who spearheaded a stir in October last year, holding the action against them was clearly tainted with malafides.

Referring to various judgements of the Supreme Court, Justice Anand Venkatesh said a conspectus of them would exposit the unanimity in judicial opinion that strikes by doctors is, ex-facie, illegal and without any justification.

"In the absence of a legal or even a moral or equitable right to go on a strike, the logical corollary is that any form of strike is necessarily illegal and without any legal or moral justification. The harm that befalls patients on account of strikes (by doctors) is unfathomable," he said.

He passed a detailed order on a batch of petitions by 118 doctors, who are office-bearers of government doctors associations, challenging the charge memos and the transfer and posting orders issued after the state-wide strike.

The agitation was launched after failure of their repeated efforts to settle amicably their demands, including pay revision, 50 per cent service quota in post-graduate and super specialties courses and time bound promotions.

Justice Venkatesh, who went into several issues, including whether the doctors have the right to go on strike and if the impasse could have been avoided through effective steps by the government, stressed they cannot resort to such agitations at the cost of patients.

By using strikes to resolve issues doctors, like lawyers, forget the moral worth and dignity of patients and leave them in the lurch unmindful of the humanitarian consequences that ensue from their actions.

"Patients cannot be a means to an end. They cannot be mere playthings whose lives can be put on the line to achieve other ends through the medium of strikes," he said.

He noted that over 18,000 doctors went on strike and the action of the government in picking and choosing sections among them was to warn that anyone who leads such agitations will be dealt with iron hands.

The doctors had called off their six-day long strike, pressing various long-pending demands, and resumed duties on November 1, 2019 in response to appeals by the state Chief Minister and the Health Minister, the Judge said.

As a model employer, the government ought to have followed up and come out with solutions for the doctors.

Instead of resorting to such a positive step, it decided to show its might against the office-bearers, who are in the ranks of Assistant Professors and Senior Resident Doctors, the Judge said.

Tracing the genesis of the issue, he said even the high court had taken into consideration the seriousness and directed the government to come up with a final decision by February 16, 2019.

This did not happen and there was no progress.

Subsequently a representation was given by the doctors' apex body drawing the government's attention and it was indicated they will go on a one-day two-hour boycott without affecting the emergency service.

Thereafter, the Health Minister convened a meeting on August 27, and some assurances were given.

But, there was no movement forward, they resorted to the strike from October 25.

The Judge said the government ought to have given top priority for certain demands made by the doctors and some final solution must have been reached.

Quashing the charge memos and transfer orders, he said the doctors who spearheaded the agitation were not instigating or conspiring or inciting an unlawful act.

"They are merely the representatives of the entire body of the government doctors. They should not be assigned the role of a villain and singled out and dealt with in such a harsh manner," he said in the order.

The action was clearly tainted with malafides and if any measure had to be necessarily taken for the strike, it should have been taken against all doctors who participated in it.

Advising the government that it should not act like a king but to show motherly affection on the doctors who work for the welfare of the patients, the Judge directed it to address their demands at the earliest.

Five months after Subhasri's death, illegal banners are back in Chennai

The city corporation has filed only 15 complaints of illegal banners since October.

Published: 27th February 2020 06:42 AM |

By KV Navya

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Five months since 23-year-old Subhasri died after an illegally erected banner fell on her, officials and the public seem to have forgotten the issue. Since October 2019, only 15 complaints have been filed regarding illegal banners, and no fines have been collected so far. This is in sharp contrast to the 206 complaints filed in September, in the immediate weeks after Subhasri's death that caused widespread uproar.

While the officials argue that there are not much illegal banners in the city anymore, in reality, banners and flagpoles for birthdays, weddings and political events have once again started to crop up in large numbers in the city.

On Wednesday, Express witnessed a number of flagpoles erected on roads in a locality at Vadapalani where a political leader's family function was taking place. People living in different parts of the city also said the banners and flagpoles are frequently being erected in their area. When queried by Express, the corporation officials said they have not given permission to anyone to erect banners or flagposts since Subhasri's death. Hence all the banners and flagposts found in the city are illegal.

"Almost every week, either banners or flagpoles are erected on the Tiruvottiyur High Road. The iron rods are rusted and post a major risk of accidents on the busy stretch. Political flagpoles increased in the last three months with the civic body turning a blind eye to it," said A Venkatesh, a resident of Old Washermenpet.

T Vidhya, a resident of Iyyappanthangal, said, "Banners are also common near Sri Ramachandra Nagar in Porur and the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) road in Ambattur. It seems like the ban on banners was only for a few months as they are now back in full swing."

The punishment for illegal banners could range from a fine of Rs 5,000 to imprisonment, or both.

Concurring, V Gopalakrishnan, a civic rights activist added that the plastic wreaths by political parties put up on either sides of the roads too are illegal. "Apart from this, so many permanent hoardings are put up near Valasaravakkam and KK Nagar. Repeated complaints to the civic authorities went in vain."

Responding to the issue, a senior corporation official said, "We have taken note of the issue. All the major political parties have filed affidavits in the court saying they will not be erecting political banners and flagpoles. If found violating, it will be taken into cognizance and report henceforth shall be filed by the GCC to the Madras high court. The ban also applies to other public who erect banners for birthdays and weddings."

Juvenile held for circulating rumour about COVID-19

28/02/2020, S. PRASAD,CUDDALORE

Irked over a meat stall owner seeking the return of his money, a juvenile who posted a damaging message on WhatsApp against the stall was arrested by the Neyveli Thermal police on Wednesday night.

The minor posted that a resident of Block 21 in Neyveli, who had purchased chicken from the stall had fallen ill and tested positive for COVID-19.

The message vent viral and resulted in a dip in sales over the past few days.

On Wednesday, A. Fakrudin Ali Ahamed, owner of a chicken stall, lodged a complaint with the Neyveli Thermal Police alleging that the minor had been spreading rumours through WhatsApp against his stall.

Based on the complaint, the police arrested the juvenile and a case was booked against him under Sections 505 (2) of IPC. ndian

Retired judge to dispose of properties of mentally challenged man adopted by HC
28/02/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The Madras High Court has appointed its former judge K. Chandru as a Commissioner to sell vast properties belonging to 40-year-old mentally challenged Manoj Rajan whom the court had adopted in August 2016 by invoking the doctrine of loco parentis (in the place of a parent) since many had tried to cheat him after the death of his parents.

Justice P.N. Prakash, who had been following up the case of Mr. Rajan for the last four years by keeping him under foster care at Madurai-based MS Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation run by reputed psychiatrist C. Ramasubramanian, had appointed Justice K. Chandru to dispose of the properties and use the money to take care of him.

It was during the hearing of a petition alleging abduction of Mr. Rajan that Justice Prakash learnt about the mentally challenged man who had lost his mother at the age of 14. His wealthy father had got him married at the age of 29 but the wedlock did not last long as the woman decided to part ways and obtained divorce on mutual consent after citing his illness.

However, after Mr. Rajan’s father death in 2013, his former wife abducted him with the assistance of her associates and got remarried solely with the intention of grabbing the properties. However, a family friend rescued him and filed a case in court leading to Justice Prakash ordering a CB-CID inquiry.

Finding that a huge gang was waiting for an opportunity to usurp the properties of the hapless individual whose life could be at risk if the court does not step in to safeguard him, the judge ensured his safety handing him over to the trust in Madurai where he had developed a lot of skills over the last four years through the intervention of trained personnel.

HC orders departmental inquiry into medical negligence case

The case pertains to the death of a 22-year-old pregnant woman in Madurai

28/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Taking a serious view of dereliction of duty on the part of a health official and an Inspector of Police in a case of medical negligence, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed departmental action against them.

The court was hearing the petition filed by S. Manimuthu of K. Pudur in Madurai, seeking compensation for the death of his 22-year-old pregnant wife M. Sakthikali in September last year due to medical negligence.

With the authorities concerned pointing fingers at each other for serious lapses, Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, who had earlier asked why the reasons for the woman’s death were not informed to the petitioner, observed that the officials were liable for the lapses.

The court directed the Deputy Director of Health Services, Madurai, to initiate departmental inquiry against the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) Multipurpose Health Supervisor/ Birth and Death Registrar. Similarly, the Madurai Commissioner of Police should initiate departmental inquiry against the Inspector of Police, K. Pudur, the court said.

The court directed the Madurai Commissioner of Police to hand over the investigation in the case to another Inspector, who should conduct the investigation as expeditiously as possible.

Taking cognisance of a government order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department in 2018 on the rules prescribed for the minimum facilities of clinical establishments, which included staff and equipment, the court directed strict compliance of the rules.

If the required facilities were not available in any hospital, the officials concerned should not wait for the patient to reach a critical condition and then refer her to the District Headquarters Hospital or other hospitals where facilities were available.

After administration of first-aid, such patients should be referred to hospitals where necessary facilities were available with necessary caution, the court said, and directed the State to issue circulars in this regard.

In his petition, Mr. Manimuthu had said that his wife was admitted to K. Pudur Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) for her first delivery. After a check-up, the duty doctor assured him of a normal delivery and left the clinic. Within minutes, his wife experienced labour pain, he said. There was no one to attend to her for hours except a nurse. Also, there was a delay in referring her to the GRH. A commotion ensued at the UPHC with the staff unable to deal with the situation. Later, his wife lying in a pool of blood, breathed her last, he said.

It was only after the intervention of the court that the death certificate was handed over to the family of the deceased. The court adjourned the case till the first week of June for hearing the progress of the departmental action against the two officials.

TASMAC employees seek regularisation of job

28/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Up in arms: Members of Tamil Nadu Government TASMAC Employees Union staging a demonstration in Madurai on Thursday. R. Ashok R_ASHOK

Members of Tamil Nadu Government TASMAC Employees Union staged a demonstration here on Thursday, demanding regularisation of their service.

The protesters, led by Union State general secretary R. Gopinath, said that the employees were working for a consolidated pay for the past 17 years. They also demanded that the practice of District Managers undertaking inspection of units in other districts must be stopped. “This has resulted in corruption and harassment of employees,” said Mr. Gopinath.

“In Chennai, banks deploy vehicles every day to collect money from TASMAC units. This practice has to be followed in other districts too to ensure the safety of the employees,” he said.

The protesters also said that they wanted a transparent system that would be free from corruption.

Governor appoints convenor for search panel

28/02/2020,CHENNAI

Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Madras, appointed Jagadeesh Kumar, V-C of Jawaharlal Nehru University, as the convenor of the V-C search panel of Madras University.

DME directs medical colleges to verify students’ documents
Papers of 2nd-year UG, PG students to come under scanner

28/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Documents of first-year MBBS students have already been scrutinised, following the NEET impersonation scam last year.

With yet another case of impersonation in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), involving a second-year MBBS student of the Madras Medical College (MMC), the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) has directed all government and private medical colleges in the State to take up verification of documents submitted by the present batch of second-year undergraduates, and postgraduate medical students — batches that had appeared for UG and PG NEET.

Two arrested

After MMC’s dean lodged a police complaint, seeking investigation into the suspected impersonation involving the second-year MBBS student last October, the CB-CID police, investigating the NEET impersonation scam, arrested the student and his father.

“As a precautionary measure, the Directorate has told all medical colleges to verify documents submitted by second-year MBBS students as well as postgraduates. This is to be sure on our side that the documents submitted to the DME are genuine,” said an official. Documents of first-year MBBS students have already been scrutinised, following the NEET impersonation scam last year.

He added that verification of documents were completed in a few colleges, while it was under way in a number of institutions.

“However, we have not come across any suspicious documents. Invariably, these are valid certificates. What has happened is impersonation during NEET, and this can be checked only by the Central Board of Secondary Education, that initially conducted the exam, and later, the National Testing Agency,” he said.

Visa on arrival for Japanese, Koreans suspended

28/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

Bureau of Immigration at Anna International Airport has issued a communication stating that the visa-on-arrival facility for Japanese and South Koreans has been suspended in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak with immediate effect and shall remain in force till further notice.

“All concerned airlines are hereby directed to only accept those passengers from these countries who have a regular visa on their passports,” the communication added. The Bureau of Immigration website had a mention of the temporary suspension.

Egmore railway station to get AC lounge

Amenities will be on a par with airport facilities; can be accessed for nominal fee

28/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

A modern retiring room fitted with air-conditioning, wi-fi, changing room and restaurant facilities is being proposed.

Passengers arriving at Egmore railway station will soon be able to access a lounge, with amenities on a par with facilities at some airports.

An executive lounge is also on the cards at the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. MGR Central station, railway officials said.

A senior Railway official said that a modern retiring room fitted with air-conditioning, cushioned chairs, wi-fi, changing room, lockers and restaurant facilities is being proposed.

To be run by IRCTC

The facility, to be constructed and maintained by IRCTC, could be used by paying a nominal cost.

The IRCTC, having successfully commissioned modern rest rooms at Madurai and Tiruchi railway junctions, is giving a complete makeover to passenger amenities at Chennai Egmore station. At present, renovation work is in on.

The Railway official said commuters in Madurai and Tiruchi by paying an entry fee of ₹60 can avail free wi-fi, a clean toilet, newspapers and a shoe shiner at the air-conditioned executive lounge. The lounge also has a separate recliner room, cloak room, shower and changing room, which can be used at extra cost. There is also a business centre, he added.

Commuters can order breakfast, lunch and dinner while waiting at the lounge.

However, many passengers bound for Madurai and Tiruchi rue the lack of awareness about such a facility and want IRCTC to promote the lounge.

Egmore railway station is being renovated under the ‘one station, one division’ plan at a cost of ₹16 crore.

Unemployed engineers queue up for parking attendant jobs

Over 70% of the applicants are graduates; qualification needed for post is SSLC

28/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Chennai Corporation will inaugurate the parking management system in over 2,000 parking slots in Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam and Purasawalkam on Monday. File Photo

Starting Monday, many qualified engineers will start manning parking spaces in various parts of the city, along with parking attendants with just an SSLC.

So far, all of the parking attendants in the city have been retired armed forces personnel, who had completed high school.

More than 1,400 candidates have applied for jobs of parking attendants. More than 70% of the applicants have completed graduation. Over 50% are engineers, indicating the level of unemployment among engineers in the city.

Chennai Corporation will inaugurate the parking management system in more than 2,000 parking slots in areas such as Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam and Purasawalkam on Monday.

For instance, Anna Nagar Second Avenue will get 550 parking slots where motorists will have qualified engineers requesting them to download the app for parking management.

Currently, 222 parking slots have been offered for motorists. But, the digital mode has not been promoted properly by the civic body so far.

“Many of the applicants for the parking attendants posts have also completed their master’s in engineering. These people may be ideal candidates for promoting the digital mode of parking management. The actual qualification for parking attendants is an SSLC,” said an official of the private vendor who is implementing the parking management system.

As many as 1,000 persons have been hired by the vendor for the posts of parking attendants. They will start work on Monday. Many of the engineers who visited Ripon Buildings on Thursday said they were applying for the parking attendants jobs because they were unemployed.

Tough times

“I have completed civil engineering. I do not have a job because of the market condition in the real estate industry,” said an applicant.

As many as 18,000 persons have downloaded the app for parking management in the city.

“Each of the engineers will have to educate the motorists. It is purely a digital mode. The number of downloads of the app has to increase for successful implementation of the system,” said an official.

Air India Express to operate flights to Thiruvananthapuram
New services from March 3
29/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER ,COIMBATORE

Air India Express will launch flight services to Thiruvananthapuram from Coimbatore from March 3.

Flight no. IX 014 will depart from Coimbatore at 10.50 p.m. and reach Thiruvananthapuram at 11.50 p.m. These services will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Similarly, flight no. IX 013 will leave Thiruvananthapuram at 11.55 a.m. and arrive at Coimbatore airport at 12.55 p.m.

These services from Thiruvananthapuram will be available on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The flight services between Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram will be available till March 30, according to officials.

Low-cost carrier

Air India Express is a low-cost carrier and a subsidiary of Air India.

Flyover work not to affect vehicle movement on Trichy Road

The ₹ 250-crore project is scheduled to be completed by end of March next year

29/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,COIMBATORE

Traffic will be regulated on Trichy Road in the city where a flyover, passing through Sungam and Ramanathapuram junctions, is being constructed. M. PeriasamyM_PERIASAMY

The State Highways Department is taking efforts to ensure that traffic flow is not affected as it continues the flyover work on Trichy Road at Sungam junction and Ramanathapuram junction.

An official of the Department said that construction of the flyover, which started last March, was scheduled to be completed by end of March next year. The ₹ 250-crore project was to have a four-lane flyover for 3.15 km on Trichy Road till Stock Exchange building, covering Sungam and Ramanathapuram junctions. It would have 121 pillars in total, including nine pillars for the down ramp, and 120 spans. Nearly 40 % of the work was over, the official said.

The Department had also written to the Coimbatore Corporation to remove the encroachments on Ukkadam bypass road so that the down ramp works could start.

“We have marked the encroachments. These need to be removed,” the official said.

On regulating traffic on Trichy Road, the official added that vehicle movement would not be stopped at the Sungam junction. When the span work would be on at the junction, traffic would be regulated to use the road where the work was over.

When works were taken up at the Ramanathapuram junction, vehicle movement would have to be blocked for a couple of days. But it would be done only later.

A couple of road users said the motorable space had shrunk because of the flyover work. The waste on the roadsides should be cleared and parking should not be permitted so that moving vehicles would get a little more space to use.

‘₹3.76 cr.-worth gold seized at Madurai airport till Feb.28’

29/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,MADURAI

Air Intelligence Unit, Department of Customs, on February 22 seized gold worth ₹ 39.85 lakh from a woman passenger at Madurai Airport . In a statement, its Deputy Commissioner L. Jaison Praveen Kumar said that officials intercepted the female passenger when she attempted to exit the airport through the green channel in a suspicious manner upon arriving at Madurai airport from Singapore.

Personal search conducted on her resulted in recovery of gold weighing 932 grams of gold.

The gold was seized and the passenger from Ramanathapuram, who is currently working in Singapore, was arrested.

Subsequently, she was released on bail. The Deputy Commissioner said that 9,933.880 grams of smuggled gold, valued at ₹ 3.76 crore, had been seized in 26 cases at Madurai airport till February 28 in the current financial year.

Graduates ready to work as night watchman and office assistant

Need for promoting vocational education for them stressed

29/02/2020, P.A. NARAYANI,MADURAI

K. Muthumalai*, an MBA graduate who has been on a job hunt since 2014, recently attended an interview at the Collectorate held for the post of an office assistant.

“Though I am overqualified for the post, I hope that I get this job so as to meet the financial needs of my family,” he says.

Mr. Muthumalai is among 199 graduates who attended the interview for the post of an office assistant, which requires a minimum qualification of Class 8 pass.

Out of the 657 candidates, who were called for the interview, nearly 50% of them were graduates.

A total of 487 candidates attended the interview, and around 43% of them were graduates.

Similarly, 338 candidates were called for the interview for three posts of night watchman, which does not require any educational qualification.

Among those candidates, more than 30% were graduates.

A total of 278 candidates attended the interview, and around 19% of them were graduates.

In these interviews, which were conducted by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, a large number of graduates, including those who had completed M.Sc., M. Com., and M.A. had participated, indicating the level of unemployment among graduates in the district.

Mr. Muthumalai says that there are fewer jobs available in the market which pays them a good salary in accordance with their educational qualification.

“Many private companies offer roles which pay a monthly sum of only around ₹ 8,000. With the increasing competition, it is very difficult to get a job that offers a position in relation to the education qualification,” he says.

V. Mahesh*, an M. Sc. graduate, who attended the interview for the post of a night watchman, says that there is no job security available in the private sector.

“Many private organisations hire us only on a temporary basis for a lower salary. There is always this constant fear that we might be asked to resign from our jobs at any time,” he says.

Another candidate, N. Vignesh*, a B.E. graduate, says that the pressure of repayment of education loan is building.

“This forced me to attend the interview,” he says. The main problem is that there is a major mismatch between the number of jobs available in the market and the number of students who graduate every year, says G. Kalyanasundaram, Chair of Madurai Chapter of Young Indians, a wing of the Confederation of Indian Industries.

Adding to these problems, the employability skills of the graduates are also poor, he adds.

One of the ways to tackle this issue would be to promote vocational education among graduates and focus on developing their skill sets, says Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association President B. Muruganantham.

“The skill development agency of the government and its policies must be promoted. Developing the skill sets of graduates will help to create more entrepreneurs, which, in turn, will create more job opportunities,” he says.

(Names of candidates have been changed on request)

Probe ordered into Kerala medical college scam

29/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,KOCHI

The Kerala High Court has ordered a Crime Branch probe into complaints that the management of the Dr. Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College, Karakkonam, cheated several people and collected huge sums by offering admissions.

It was on a batch of petitions from the parents of some students that the court ordered the probe.

Though the police had registered cases against college director Bennett Abraham and CSI moderator Bishop A. Dharmmaraj Rasalam in three police stations, the investigation did not progress as the accused were very influential people, according to the petitioners.

‘Huge amounts taken’

They submitted that the accused, who are the college authorities, took huge amounts from them and others promising to give MBBS admission to their wards in the medical college and cheated them.

When the college authorities failed to give admission, the petitioners demanded their money back. However, it was not returned, they submitted.

The court directed that the cases registered in different police stations be transferred to the agency.

Plus Two results on April 24, says Minister

29/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER

Minister for School Education K.A. Sengottaiyan said on Friday that 3,012 examination centres will be set up across the State for Class X, XI and XII public examinations.

Speaking to mediapersons, he said that the number of centres are more than the previous academic year.

A total of 8,16,359 Class XII students, 9,45,006 Class X students and 8,26,119 Class XI students will appear for the public examinations this year, Mr. Sengottaiyan said.

The results of Class XII public examinations will be announced on April 24, Class X examination results on May 4 and Class XI results on May 14, the Minister said.

Class XII State board exams are scheduled from March 2 to 21, Class XI from March 4 to 26 and Class X examinations from March 27 to April 13.

Mr. Sengottaiyan along with Animal Husbandry Minister Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan inaugurated new facilities in two schools here.

Coimbatore-Trivandrum flight from March 3

29/02/2020,COIMBATORE

Air India Express will launch flight services to  Thiruvananthapuram from Coimbatore from March 3. Flight no. IX 014 will depart from Coimbatore at 10.50 p.m. and reach Thiruvananthapuram at 11.50 p.m. These services will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Software glitch delays salaries for several government employees

Finance Department official says the problem will be resolved soon

29/02/2020, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN, CHENNAI

Several employees working for the Tamil Nadu government were in for a rude shock on Friday, as their salaries were not credited on the last working day of the month due to glitches in migration to a new software.

According to informed sources, glitches in migrating to Integrated Financial and Human Resource Management System (IFHRMS) were the primary reason behind the non-payment of salaries to several hundred employees across the State.

Many of them turned anxious and kept checking their balance in their salary accounts through the day.

Some claimed that the server located in Tiruchi was not capable of handling the load and that the migration to new software was problematic in several districts, except Karur.

But, one source claimed that the delay could also be due to non-submission of documents following investment declaration.

A source indicated that the delay in payment might last at least four days for Secretariat staff in Chennai.

“We have EMIs and house rent to pay. This hasn’t happened in so many years, except during the end of a fiscal year due to closing of accounts.

“This could have been avoided if the government planned well,” a government servant rued.

Threat of penalty

Another employee pointed out that the delay in payment of salaries would only lead to paying penalty for not paying EMIs on time.

“The government has paid a huge sum to a private software company and this is what we get to witness,” he said. Salaries of State government employees are paid on the last working day of the month.

When contacted, a senior official in the Finance Department said the delay was only due to the migration to the new software and it would be “resolved soon.” However, he didn’t commit himself to a date.

High Court quashes transfer of government doctors

Judge also rules that doctors do not have the right to go on strike

29/02/2020, MOHAMED IMRANULLAH S.,CHENNAI

The Madras High Court on Friday made it clear that doctors have no right whatsoever to go on strike. Yet, it quashed charge memos and transfer orders issued to select government doctors who had spearheaded a strike last year and held that the government’s action smacked of mala fide intention of exhibiting its might over the employees.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh said that out of 18,000-odd government doctors, the Health Department had chosen to issue charge memos and transfer orders only to 135.

Squarely blaming the government for not having handled the issue properly, the judge said the government should have given top priority to some of the demands, which included pay hike and taken a firm decision.

Pointing out that the doctors were on strike between October 25 and November 1, the judge said Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar on October 30 requested the doctors to resume work with a promise that their demands would be considered and an appropriate decision would be taken.

“Immediately, the agitation was called off and the doctors resumed duty on November 1.

“As a model employer, the government ought to have followed up and come out with solutions for the demands made by the government doctors. Instead of resorting to such a positive step, the government decided to show its might against the office-bearers,” he added.

Agreeing with the submissions of advocates C. Kanagaraj, M.R. Jothimanian, K.C. Karl Marx and C.S.K. Satish, who represented a huge batch of government doctors who had challenged their charge memos and transfer orders, Mr. Justice Venkatesh said: “There are not many government servants who will willingly spearhead any agitation.

“They are merely the representatives of the entire body of the government doctors.

They should not be assigned the role of a villain and singled out and dealt with in such a harsh manner,” the judge said and quashed all the charge memos and transfer orders. He directed to post the doctors in their original place of work during the next transfer counselling.

‘Settled issue’

In the same breath, the judge reminded the doctors that no government employee had a right to strike and that the law had been settled well by the Supreme Court in T.K. Rangarajan versus Government of Tamil Nadu (2003) case.

The Supreme Court had gone a step further and held that a strike could not be justified even on moral and equitable grounds.

‘Health must not take a back seat during exams’

Students can be a little anxious, not stressed: expert

29/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The board examinations are here. At a time when academics gain top priority, food and sleep should not take the back seat. Healthy eating and adequate sleep are must to sail through the board exams, say doctors and nutritionists.

Exam time could be strenuous for many, but it is important to be stress-free. If a student or parent needs help, the State Health Department’s round-the-clock helpline — 104 — can be contacted. Counsellors will help with information on how to prepare for exams, manage fear and anxiety, and parental support, officials said.

“Students should realise that examinations are only a step in one’s life and not the entire life. You can be a little anxious but do not be stressed,” said Lakshmi Vijayakumar, psychiatrist and founder of Sneha. Ensure sleep for six to seven hours, and do not try to study anything new at the last moment.

Parents, she said, should understand that children are already anxious.

Eating healthy is crucial. “The brain needs fuel. So, never skip breakfast or go to the exam hall in an empty stomach,” said Meenakshi Bajaj, dietician, Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital.

With viral infectious causing fever, cold and cough this season, she said that students could choose anti-oxidants and immunonutrients, food rich in vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids and zinc to build immunity during exams.

Eating out is also a complete no during exams.

Another Nirbhaya convict moves apex court for relief

TNN | Feb 29, 2020, 04.59 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Less than five days before the scheduled hanging of the Nirbhaya convicts, Pawan Gupta, the sole death-row inmate yet to exhaust all legal remedies, filed a curative plea in the Supreme Court on Friday seeking commutation of his capital punishment to a life imprisonment.

Gupta, against whom a fresh death warrant has already been issued for his execution along with the three other convicts, filed the curative plea through lawyer A P Singh seeking setting aside of the apex court’s earlier verdicts on the appeals and review petitions in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. After the curative plea, he is entitled to file a mercy plea to the President though the Delhi high court-fixed deadline to avail these options has expired on February 11.

In the past two months, the Supreme Court and subsequently the President of India have rejected the curative and mercy petitions of the three other convicts — Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur.

The trial court on February 17 fixed March 3, 6am as the fresh date and time for the execution of the death warrants after it had to be postponed twice as the convicts — after a delay of more than two years — began availing curative and mercy plea options one by one.

The prison rules lay down that in cases of multiple death-row convicts, all have to be executed together and that too after giving a convict a window of 14 days following the rejection of a mercy plea. This forced the Tihar Jail authorities, where the convicts are lodged, to approach the trial court to postpone the hanging date and give a fresh one.

In his plea, Gupta has argued that his age on the day of offence was 16 years and two months as per the records of the school last attended by him and “the age has not been determined in accordance with the procedures laid down under the Juvenile Justice Act”. This information was suppressed by the state throughout the proceedings, he has alleged, seeking an immediate stay on the execution of the black warrant issued by the trial court.

“The birth certificate from the school shows that the petitioner was a juvenile on the date of the incident. Such a procedure for age determination was also present under JJ Act, 2000 and the petitioner was entitled to the appreciation of his juvenility under the earlier Act,” the plea further argued.

Two other convicts, Singh and Sharma, had challenged the rejection of their mercy petitions by the President, but both have been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Dismissing their pleas, the apex court said there was no illegality in the decision of the President. The court also rejected their contention that the President was not supplied with all relevant documents pertaining to the case and that their mercy plea was decided with a “pre-determined mind” and without any application of mind.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

Guest faculty protest removal from service

TNN | Feb 27, 2020, 04.52 AM IST

Trichy: Redeployment of excess teachers from Annamalai University, Chidambaram to three government colleges in Trichy and Pudukottai has created a ruckus as the guest faculty members working in the colleges have been asked to leave the institutions.
Guest faculty members in the recently-converted government arts and science colleges in Lalgudi, Orthanadu and Aranthangi staged a protest seeking reinstatement of the guest staff members who have been asked to leave the colleges.

The director of collegiate education, Chennai has ordered for the redeployment of 39 excess teaching staff from Annamalai University on Tuesday. These teachers have been redeployed in place of vacant posts in colleges, which have been presently being managed by ad hoc teachers for years together.

With the redeployment of the staff, four guest faculty members from Lalgudi college and three each from Orthanadu and Aranthangi colleges have been asked to leave.

One of the guest faculty from Orthanadu college said that she is working as a guest faculty for the last nine years and now suddenly she has been asked to leave the college despite being a qualified teacher.

UGC has mandated that not more than 20% staff members in an institution should be hired on ad hoc, but most of the constituent colleges under Bharathidasan University are run with more than 80% guest faculty members. While we have worked for the development of the college all these years we have been asked to leave all of a sudden, she said. There are more than 200 guest faculty members working in 10 constituent colleges working under Bharathidasan University, among which four have been converted into govenrment colleges recently. TNN

Students, public can visit BDU research centres today

TNN | Feb 28, 2020, 04.10 AM IST

Trichy: The research centres and laboratories of 22 science departments at Bharathidasan University here will remain open for college and school students and the public on Friday in view of National Science Day. The university will conduct the annual National Science Day programmes on Friday and Saturday.

The ‘open day’ is observed to display the university’s research infrastructure and activities happening there.

The university has equipment worth several crores of rupees for research. They include Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope worth Rs 2 crore and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy worth Rs 1 crore.

“Women in Science is the theme of the National Science Day this year. We have invited 150 colleges and many schools asking them to encourage girl students to visit the university,” said S Rajasekar, dean, faculty of science, engineering and technology, BDU.

The visit would motivate the students to take up a career in science in future, he added.

BDU launches exclusive website for entrepreneurs

TNN | Feb 28, 2020, 04.12 AM IST

Trichy: Bharathidasan University (BDU) has launched an exclusive website (www.bechrusa.in) for its entrepreneurship, innovation and career hub, which was started last year, with an objective to develop innovative ideas by students into business models. Students from BDU and its affiliated colleges can apply for theme-based projects, post-doctoral fellowships and seed money for start-up ideas through the portal.

BDU is among seven universities in the state which was allotted Rs 15 crore under the Rashtrya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA 2.0) to establish entrepreneurship and innovation career hub.

The hub, registered as Bharathidasan University Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Career Hub (Bech), under Section 8 of Companies Act, 2013, will inculcate entrepreneurial skills in the academic curriculum and research at the higher education level.

“Bech will promote students to become innovative entrepreneurs on completion of graduate studies. It is ready with a roadmap in preparing students right from the basics of entrepreneurship, project proposal, research and training and seed money till they come out with a prototype to become a full-fledged entrepreneur,” said BDU vice-chancellor P Manisankar

Bech has been organizing a series of awareness programmes towards sensitizing students on entrepreneurship, innovation in a systematic and scientific manner.

“Bech has plans to collaborate with a global partner to give shape to entrepreneurship and innovation career hub and plan further development,” said N Prasanna, Bech co-coordinator. “We are looking forward to nurture ideas from students that can be developed into a successful business model,” he said.

Officials take bribe through touts, farmers tell collector

TNN | Feb 29, 2020, 04.18 AM IST

Trichy: Collector S Sivarasu has warned government officials who demand bribe for discharging their official duties of strict action. Farmers at the grievance meet alleged that government officials have invented news ways to take bribe from people through touts, even as services can be availed online bypassing touts. Responding to a complaint, the collector said that he would order the police to conduct searches at the government offices where bribery complaints are rampant.

The collector made the statement after Puratchi Thalaivar MGR social workers association president V Ganesan from Musiri raised allegation of interference by touts at all the government offices, particularly in getting certificates for income, nativity, community etc. After listening to the complaint, the collector denied it stating that people can apply for certificates and other services online where touts and bribery is not possible.

Accepting the collector’s reply, Ganesan said that the online system has failed to serve its purpose because touts persuade applicants as they are able get files quickly processed with the connivance of officers concerned and fleece them.

“Though the online system is in place, touts are taking the call in many of the offices because the officers keep the touts to indirectly take bribe from applicants. Having no other option, the applicant also shell out their hard earned money to get the work done at the earliest. Or, they will have to wait for a long time and made to run from pillar to post,” said Ganesan.

A farmers’ association leader who was also part of the grievance day meeting also echoed the same view that many of the government officials were inventing novel ways to fleece the general public to clear their files.

Ganesan also complained to the collector about missing boards at the offices of village administrative officers (VAO) which has the working hours. “None of the VAO offices has the board mentioning the working hours. It should be in place so that the people can meet them conveniently,” he said. The collector has assured to look into the matter.

Health worker gets 3 yrs jail for taking Rs 300 bribe

TNN | Feb 29, 2020, 04.20 AM IST

Trichy: The special court for prevention of corruption act (PCA) cases in Trichy on Friday convicted a woman multipurpose health worker of taking a bribe of Rs 300 from a pregnant woman for issuing her the government’s maternity assistance.

The judge handed out simple imprisonment for one and two years to T Kalaiselvi, 39, of Ponnagar for accepting gratification and criminal misconduct respectively. The judge also ordered her to pay Rs 1,000 each as fine for the two offences. The judge however released the woman on bail considering the quantum of punishment, which is below three years.

It was a 12-year-old case that came to an end on Friday. Kalaiselvi was a multipurpose health worker at the urban primary health centre (UPHC) in Periya Milaguparai. S Elizabeth Rani, 28, a pregnant woman from Edamalaipattipudhur, enlisted her help for getting financial assistance of Rs 6,000 under the Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy maternity assistance scheme, and got the first instalment of Rs 3000 before her delivery.

After the child was born, Kalaiselvi waited for the second instalment of Rs 3,000. However, instead of giving the cheque addressed to Elizabeth Rani, she demanded Rs 300 as bribe to hand it over. Unwilling to bribe her, the woman lodged a complaint with the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) in Trichy on May 27, 2008. The team laid a trap the next day and caught Kalaiselvi red-handed at the PHC when she was accepting the money from Elizhabeth Rani.

Tamil Nadu: GRH new burns ward ready, yet to be opened

TNN | Feb 27, 2020, 04.40 AM IST

MADURAI: A new state-of-the-art burns ward, which was proposed to be built at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai at a cost of Rs 6 crore, is yet to be inaugurated.

According to sources, construction of the building is complete but it is yet to be equipped and opened for use.

Dean of the GRH, Dr Sangumani J asserted that the new ward would be fully ready within the next two weeks.

The proposal for the new ward had come in 2018 after the current 20-bedded burns ward was found to have flaws and was found insufficient to handle victims with burn injuries in the aftermath of the forest fire at Kurangini in Theni, which left 23 dead.

“The building is fully complete. However, the necessary equipment is yet to be acquired. Within two weeks, we are hoping to get it. Soon after it is done, we want to equip and open the ward as soon as possible,” said Sangumani, speaking to TOI.

However, hospital sources said the building was completed almost two months ago but was just kept locked up.

“We were expecting it to be equipped soon and opened but it did not happen. We suspected administrative delays,” said a source.

The building of the new burns ward is located close to the ophthalmology section and old nephrology department near the hospital’s compound wall.

The ward, as proposed, is set to be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to provide specialized care for patients with burn injuries. The unit is set to have water beds and kept fully-sterile fitted with hepa filters.

The facility would be centrally air-conditioned and there would also be an upgraded laboratory to treat patients better.

In a similar case, a new separate clinic for transgender people has been built and kept ready but is yet to be officially inaugurated.

Act on bogus institutes offering unrecognized med courses: HC

TNN | Feb 28, 2020, 04.32 AM IST

Madurai: Madras high court has dismissed a batch of petitions filed by electropathy practitioners taking cognizance of the fact that they obtained unrecognized medical diploma degrees from unrecognized institutions. The court directed the central and state governments to take immediate action against bogus institutes offering such courses putting at stake the lives of youngsters.

The petitioners had sought to forbear the registrar of Tamil Nadu Homeopathy Medical Council from interfering with their practice by asking them not to practise without registering their diploma certificates in their council. They said the police were carrying out inspections in their clinics. When they approached the council seeking recognition, it was not granted. On perusal of the submissions, Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana observed that most of the certificates produced by the petitioners of their diploma degree were issued by private institutions without affiliation to any statutory body or university recognised by Acts of Parliament. Having joined such courses, they were stopped from claiming any right to register themselves in the statutory council or practise.

Taking cognizance of the fact that Electro Homeopathy System of Medicine (Recognition) Bill has not been passed in Parliament, the judge dismissed the petitions. The judge noted that this was a classic example of students taking up an unrecognized course and being forced to linger around the court even after completing the course successfully, wasting time, money and risk for which they are not responsible. “The right of every Indian citizen to health and the right to receive proper medical care by qualified medical personnel is violated not only by the existence of quacks, but also by the practitioners with unrecognized medical degree. Eventually, the life of the patient is at risk,” the court said adding the quality and faith in the medical education would come down significantly if such unrecognized medical certificates are permitted to be issued.

The judge observed that the union ministry of health and family welfare had issued an order in 2003 directing the state governments and union territories to ensure that no institutions offer any degree or diploma in the stream of medicine which have not been recommended for recognition. Despite this, the institutes in which the petitioners studied were able to offer such course. The issue cannot be weighed lightly and the authorities concerned should be held accountable. The judge directed the central and state governments to take immediate action against such institutes and have a serious check on these issues without any delay. The judge also asked the students to be cautious before choosing a course and institutions.

HC directs disciplinary action against 2 govt officials

TNN | Feb 28, 2020, 04.31 AM IST

Madurai: Taking serious note of the dereliction of duty by a multipurpose health supervisor at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) and an inspector of police of the K Pudur police station in handing over the death certificate and postmortem report to the family of a woman who died due to medical negligence, the Madras high court has directed disciplinary action against them.
S Manimuthu, the husband of Sakthikali, filed a petition seeking Rs 10 lakh compensation for his wife’s death. The petitioner also sought to issue the death certificate and postmortem report. Sakthikali was admitted for delivery at the K Pudur urban primary health centre on September 14, 2019. The duty doctor stated that the delivery would be normal and there is no complication. After the doctor left the hospital, his wife went into labour and the doctor did not return till 11pm.

Few minutes later when the nurse called him inside the UPHC, he noticed that his wife was lying in a pool of blood and immediately he took his wife to the GRH in an ambulance where the doctors declared her brought dead. Based on his complaint, the K Pudur police have registered a case under Section 174 CrPC.

Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana observed that the court had directed the authorities to file an affidavit explaining as to why the reasons for the death of woman was not informed to the petitioner. Refusing to accept the reasons cited by the officials for the delay, the judge observed that officials are pointing fingers at each other without performing their duties. “When it comes to uniformed services and health service, it is round-the-clock service and they have more rigid duty cast upon them than the other public servants,” observed the judge. The judge noted that only after the intervention of this court, the death certificate was handed over to the petitioner. The judge observed that it is abundantly clear that multipurpose supervisor Theenathayalan and inspector of police Muthukumar are prima facie liable for the lapses committed by them in the discharge of their duties. Hence, the judge directed the Madurai deputy director of health services and Madurai city commissioner of police to initiate appropriate departmental action against Theenathayalan and Muthukumar respectively within a period of four weeks.

The judge further directed the commissioner of police to hand over the investigation to some other inspector of police who should file a final report before the jurisdictional magistrate not later than three months.

Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana also took cognizance of a government order (GO) passed by the health and family welfare department notifying the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments (Regulation) Rules, 2018, which prescribed minimum facilities of a clinical establishment including the number of staff and equipment. The judge directed the state government to ensure that all hospitals strictly comply with the rules and directed the health secretary to issue circulars to refer the patients to the district headquarters hospitals or other hospitals if the required facilities are not available at any hospitals rather than waiting for the patient to reach a critical condition.

Schools peeved at misspelt Tamil names on hall tickets

TNN | Feb 29, 2020, 04.18 AM IST

Madurai: The Tamil names of class X and XII students at many of the city schools, both government and private, who are writing their board exams next month, are getting mis spelt on their hall tickets. While there is a provision to get it corrected, the issue has inconvenienced teachers and parents.

Nowadays the candidates’ names appear in both English and Tamil on hall tickets and mark sheets. The school is responsible for providing hall tickets, which are downloaded by uploading the students’ information online. “We had many cases where Tamil names were getting misspelt. Even when we type correctly, due to some technical error, the font end up changing at different spots thereby leading to a misspelt name. Sometimes, we also had the candidates’ date of birth going wrong,” said the principal of a private school. Several students and parents said they had to repeatedly ask to make corrections.

“Hall tickets for class XII students were first printed early because of practical examinations. We found that many students had mis spelt names at that time and corrected them temporarily with red ink. However, later in the final nominal roll, all corrections were made and it was resolved. But, it was definitely a troublesome work,” said a teacher at a corporation school. Schools also said they were being blamed for an issue that is not in their control. “Parents think we are the ones making the mistake and many of them get easily annoyed. The students are inconvenienced when they have to repeatedly check such basic things,” added the teacher.

Meanwhile, education officials maintained that it was a matter for the heads of schools to handle and they had no part in it. “Even if it is an issue now, there is ample time to correct and processes are in place to ensure least disturbance. What matters is what appears on the final mark sheets. Till then, there is plenty of scope for making corrections,” said a senior district education official.

Tamil Nadu: Mount-Poonamallee Road could turn into OMR 2.0 for IT firms

TNN | Feb 27, 2020, 05.53 AM IST

Poonamallee, the western gateway to Chennai, could soon emerge as the city’s second IT highway. The arterial road is attracting several realtors interested in developing IT parks.

Interestingly, a new trend of housing projects being transformed into office spaces for IT firms is shaping up, with metro rail connectivity being the key driver to spark interest in real estate along the Mount-Poonamallee Road.

At least two residential projects on land parcels at Porur and Poonamallee, which had applied for planning permission with the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) for housing projects, were withdrawn to build multi-storeyed buildings to accommodate IT companies.

R Murugesan, MD of ARAM Realty, said plans are afoot to convert a 15-acre plot at Poonamallee into an IT special economic zone. “We are developing an IT SEZ spread over 1.3 million square feet on the land parcel, which was earmarked for a residential- cum-mall complex three years ago,” he said.

In fact, the developer had applied for planning approval to construct apartments, but changed his plans in the wake of the state government announcing a metro rail corridor linking Poonamallee with the rest of the city. “This has transformed the dynamics of utilising it for office space to house IT companies,” he said.

A study conducted to explore the commercial potential of Mount-Poonamallee Road said that the metro rail line has made Poonamallee accessible for city residents as the travel time will be reduced. “Even rentals would be 50% lesser than IT parks on OMR and the core city that could attract mid-level multinational companies, BPOs, IT and ITES firms,” Murugesan, former CEO of Shriram IT SEZ said.

The 15km stretch between St Thomas Mount and Poonamallee is witnessing an expansion of office space, with three IT parks offering 3.5 million square foot office space under construction at Porur.

While the Mount-Poonamallee stretch has better groundwater availability as compared to OMR that depends on tankers for water supply, the proposed bus mofussil terminus for west-bound buses at Thirumazhisai

and the second airport at Parandur off Chennai - Bengaluru highway could prove to be the icing on the cake.

Aslam Mohamed, joint managing director of Allied Investments and Housing Pvt Limited, who is executing a joint venture IT park project at Porur, said that their facility will be coming up in an area of 7,00,000 sq ft.

“We sought planning permission from CMDA to construct an apartment complex in 2017. We switched over to building an IT park after the declaration of metro rail link to Porur,” he said. The development comes against the backdrop of the city recording high absorptions of commercial space in recent years -- more than 60 lakh square feet in 2019. Sanjay Chugh, city head, ANAROCK Property Consultants, said the rental yield at Poonamallee was 3.15% last year.

“As long as connectivity via metro rail improves, there are higher chances of more projects coming up beyond Poonamallee,” he said.

Another real estate consultant, Savills, said that there has also been a rising interest from co-living operators for this micro market given the sheer size of the workforce in the locality.

“We are witnessing upcoming residential developments around these large IT parks, primarily to cater to the workforce, extending beyond Porur junction,” said Anup Vasanth, the firm’s Chennai managing director.

With realtors showing preference for setting up IT parks in the suburbs, software companies could soon have a new address – OMR 2.0

Madras high court heat on colleges renting out campus for commercial gains

TNN | Feb 27, 2020, 08.42 AM IST

CHENNAI: Educational institutions renting out their auditoriums for commercial purposes could land in trouble.

Taking note of complaints that campus facilities of private educational institutions are being rented out for commercial purposes, despite these institutions availing themselves of concession in electricity tariff and exemption from property tax, Madras high court has initiated a suo motu proceeding based on a PIL.

When the plea came up for hearing on Wednesday, special government pleader E Manoharan submitted that on February 20 the Supreme Court had held that there was nothing wrong in governments fixing higher tariff for self-financing educational institutions categorising them as a commercial entity and that no undue preference was being given to state-run and state-aided institutions.

The pleader then sought some more time to file a counter affidavit with supporting documents.

Recording the same A division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice R Hemalatha adjourned the plea to April 9 for further hearing.

The issue pertains to an order passed by Justice N Kirubakaran dated November 24, 2016 pointing out the issue of educational institutions renting out their premises for commercial purposes despite availing exemption or subsidy from various authorities including TANGEDCO and local bodies for running the institution.

The single judge forwarded a note to the Chief Justice of the court suggesting the need to suo motu initiate a PIL to deal the issue.

Based on the note, the division bench has initiated the proceeding. "When such a subsidy is given for educational institutions by electricity board and other government authorities, the concession should be strictly used only for educational purposes and conducting functions in connection with education or for development of education," the single judge said in his note.

The judge made the observation on the plea seeking the court to restrain South India Artistes Association (SIAA) from conducting a meeting at the premises of Loyola College, Chennai.

Alliance Air to introduce business class in Chennai – Jaffna flight

TNN | Feb 28, 2020, 08.51 PM IST

CHENNAI: After introducing daily direct flights to Jaffna, Alliance Air has announced that it will introduce a business class on its flights from Chennai to Jaffna starting March 7.

The first row of seats in ATR plane will be marked as business class. And this is the first time the airline with an all economy configuration across its fleet is introducing business class.

The business class segment will offer enhanced meal options, hot and cold beverages, separate check in, cold or hot wet towels, comfort cushions, extra check-in baggage, newspapers and magazines, extra leg room in the dedicated first row for the business class & lounge access for passengers.

One-way business class fares from Chennai to Jaffna will start at Rs 16,000, plus taxes and levies. Jaffna- Chennai fares will start at $200 plus applicable taxes and levies.

MTC reduces frequencies of AC buses during weekends

TNN | Feb 29, 2020, 04.18 AM IST

Chennai: The Metropolitan Transport Corporation has reduced frequencies of new air-conditioned buses during weekends.
Nearly 29 out of the 48 new AC buses will not be operated on Sundays so that that they can serviced at depots as a part of weekly maintenance drives. The other 19 buses will not run on Saturdays.

This includes buses operated along routes 102 (Kelambakkam-Broadway), 570 (Kelambakkam-Koyambedu), 21G (Tambaram-Brodway) and 91 (Thiruvanmiyur-Tambaram).

Orders were issued to all depot managers regarding this on February 20. TOI has a copy of the order that came into effect from February 22.

A senior MTC official clarified that that there were no intentions to cut down frequencies but maintenance works were unavoidable.

“Weekends will be the best time to service the buses as crowd is less compared to regular working days,” the official said.

The 48 buses had hit city roads in January this year. Ticket cost on these buses is higher compared to regular MTC buses.

Passengers are charged Rs 15 to Rs 60 per head for travelling in AC buses. On an average, an AC bus collects Rs 14,000 per day, according to official data.

Besides cost, confusion over bus colours has deterred many from opting for AC buses, said G Venkatraman, a resident of Tambaram.

While all new buses were painted red, grey colour was chosen for AC buses.

ARRESTED AFTER MAHA GIRL DIES

Teacher gives girl pesticide to help her skip board exam

Vivek.Waghmode@timesgroup.com

Kolhapur:29.02.2020

A teacher has been arrested after a Class X girl student from a private school in Shirti village of Shirol taluka died due to poisoning at a hospital here on Tuesday. Police said the teacher, Nilesh Balu Pradhane, of Bhairewadi in Kurundwadallegedly gave the student, Sanika Mali, a pesticide which she mixed with water and drank in an attempt to fall ill and escape the SSC exams as she was not prepared for it.

“The suspect, who was arrested on Thursday, has admitted to have given the poisonous liquid to the girl student,” said police.

Besides IPC Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Pradhane has been charged under IPC Sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc. with intent to commit an offence).

A JMFC court on Friday remanded Pradhane in police custody till March 6. Kishor Kale, deputy superintendent of police, Ichalkaranji division, said, “On February 20, Sanika had gone to school to appear for the practical exam and complained of uneasiness. She was immediately admitted to a private hospital in Kolhapur. On February 25, she died during treatment.”

“The hospital authorities have stated that she had consumed poisonous liquid. Based on her parents’ complaint, we launched an investigation. After enquiring with teachers, staff and girl students, we detained Pradhane, who confessed to have provided a pesticide to Sanika on her demand,” said the officer.