Meat ban a basic rights issue, says U’khand HC

Meat ban a basic rights issue, says U’khand HC

Prashant.Jha@timesgroup.com

Nainital:24.07.2021

In a country where 70% of the population eats nonvegetarian food, the matter of banning meat is one that pertains to the fundamental rights of citizens and isn’t a majority versus minority issue, the Uttarakhand high court said on Friday while hearing two petitions against a ban on slaughterhouses in Haridwar.

The bench of Chief Justice R S Chauhan and justice Alok Kumar Verma said, “The issue is not minority versus majority. The issue is very simple. What are the fundamental rights of the citizens of India?”

The court has now asked the petitioners to amend their pleas in a week as none of them pleaded that such a ban violates the right to privacy of a citizen. The court remarked that the petitions have not been drafted with “whole-heartedness” that is required in challenging “seminal constitutional issues”.

The pleas filed by some residents of Haridwar had alleged that a ban on slaughterhouses in Haridwar discriminated against minorities as many areas in the district had a substantial Muslim population.

Bench cited surveys on food habits of Indians from 2018 and 2019

On Friday, the bench cited surveys on food habits of Indians from 2018 and 2019. “It’s very glaring data that in Uttarakhand 72.6% of the population is non-vegetarian. In totality, 70% of Indian population is non-vegetarian which busts the myth that the majority of the population is vegetarian,” the court said.

In its previous hearing, the bench had said that a ban like the one in Haridwar calls into question the extent to which the state can determine a citizen’s choices. “The issue is whether a citizen has the right to decide his own diet or will that be decided by the state,” it had said. The court had also said that a civilisation is judged only by how it treats its minorities. “Democracy does not only mean rule by majority but, most importantly, democracy means the protection of the minority,” it had said.

In March, Uttarakhand had declared all areas in Haridwar “slaughterhousefree” and cancelled no objection certificates issued to slaughterhouses. The two petitions in the high court challenged this on two grounds — a blanket ban on meat of any type is unconstitutional, as was the section the Uttarakhand government had inserted into the UP Municipalities Act, 237A, to give itself power to declare an area under a municipal corporation, council or nagar panchayat a “slaughterfree” zone. The court has also asked the petitioners to amend the plea to challenge the constitutional validity of the amendment made to the UP Municipal Corporation Act.

Boost for Chennai transport: MTC adds over 17 buses in 12 routes

Boost for Chennai transport: MTC adds over 17 buses in 12 routes

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation recently resumed and introduced over 17 buses in 12 routes in Porur, Nanganallur and suburban areas of the city.

Published: 23rd July 2021 03:51 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Metropolitan Transport Corporation recently resumed and introduced over 17 buses in 12 routes in Porur, Nanganallur and suburban areas of the city. The buses were recently flagged off by Transport Minister RS Raja Kannappan in presence of Rural Industries Minister TM Anbarasan.

Services on old routes, that had been stopped since last year, were resumed. The routes are 52K (Nanganallur-Broadway), 70N (Nanganallur-CMBT), M18C (Kilkattalai-T Nagar), 166 (Iyyapanthangal-Tambaram), 88C (Thandalam-Broadway), 188C (Kundrathur-Broadway) and 566 (Kundrathur-Thiruporur).

The newly introduced routes are 576 (Mount Metro-T Nagar), S40 (KavulBazar Indra Nagar-Pallavaram), S 165 ( Kovur EB-Pallavaram), S166 (Porur-Manimedu) and 188A (Kundrathur-T Nagar), said a statement from MTC.

Speaking to reporters, Kannappan said about 1.42 crore women travelled in women special ordinary buses between July 12 and 17 without paying ticket fare. “About 60 per cent of women travelled in ordinary services as against the projection of 40 per cent a day. As many as 1.1 lakh persons with disabilities and 17,500 transpersons also availed free travel.”

Govt seeks to tweak law on states’ OBC lists

Govt seeks to tweak law on states’ OBC lists

Subodh.Ghildiyal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:

The Centre has moved a proposal to amend the 102nd constitutional amendment Act to overturn the May 5 Supreme Court judgment and restore the rights of states to identify the OBCs for the “state list” of castes eligible for Mandal reservations in education and employment under state governments.

Well placed sources said the social justice ministry has moved the Cabinet note. The swift move implies that the bill can be brought in the ongoing monsoon session itself. If so, it could be part of a strategy to break the blockade of Parliament proceedings by the opposition over the Pegasus snooping scandal.

Given the sensitivity of the issue and the rights of states involved, neither Congress nor regional parties can afford to block the bill. It may thus restore normalcy in the Parliament. However, the larger political aim of the Centre is to assure OBCs that their rights, as under state lists, were not being undermined. The move comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed emphasis on the OBC representation in the recent Cabinet reshuffle along with women, SCs and STs.

It is learnt that the proposal has suggested specific changes to be made to the Act to clarify that state lists and central list of OBCs are separate and under the jurisdiction of respective governments — as had been the case before the SC judgment. The apex court also rejected a government appeal against the order earlier in July.

While upholding the said Act (102nd) in the Maratha reservation case, the SC held that its provisions implied that OBCs for states and Central lists both were to be identified by the President (Centre) on the recommendations of the national commission for backward classes.

ஓ.பி.சி., சான்றிதழை தாமதமின்றி வழங்க மாவட்ட கலெக்டர்களுக்கு அறிவுறுத்தல்

DINAMALAR

பொது செய்தி

தமிழ்நாடு

ஓ.பி.சி., சான்றிதழை தாமதமின்றி வழங்க மாவட்ட கலெக்டர்களுக்கு அறிவுறுத்தல்

Added : ஜூலை 21, 2021 22:22

சென்னை:இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட வகுப்பினருக்கான ஜாதி சான்றிதழை காலதாமதமின்றி வழங்க, அதிகாரிகளுக்கு அறிவுரை வழங்கும்படி மாவட்ட கலெக்டர்களுக்கு அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

தமிழ்நாடு பிற்படுத்தப்பட்டோர், மிக பிற்படுத்தப்பட்டோர் மற்றும் சிறுபான்மையினர் நலத்துறை முதன்மை செயலர் கார்த்திக், வருவாய் துறை கூடுதல் தலைமைச் செயலர் மற்றும் மாவட்ட கலெக்டர்களுக்கு அனுப்பி உள்ள கடிதம்:மத்திய அரசு பணி நியமனம்; மத்திய அரசு கல்வி நிறுவன மாணவர்கள் சேர்க்கையில், இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்டோருக்கு, 27 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

இதன்படி, தமிழகத்திற்கான இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட வகுப்பினர் பட்டியல், மத்திய அரசால் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.கடந்த, 1993ல் நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்ட பெற்றோரின் ஆண்டு வருமான வரம்பு, 1 லட்சம் ரூபாயில் இருந்து, படிப்படியாக அதிகரிக்கப்பட்டு, 2017ல் 8 லட்சம் ரூபாயாக நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டு நடைமுறையில் உள்ளது.

இவர்களுக்கான வருமான வரம்பை கணக்கிடும்போது, ஊதியம் மற்றும் வேளாண் வருமானத்தை சேர்க்கக் கூடாது என்ற வழிகாட்டு நெறிமுறைகளை பின்பற்றி, இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட வகுப்பினருக்கு, ஜாதி சான்றிதழ் வழங்க வேண்டும். இருப்பினும், இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட வகுப்பு ஜாதி சான்றிதழ் பெறுவதில் சிரமம் இருப்பதாக, அரசின் கவனத்திற்கு எடுத்து வரப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இதனால், மத்திய அரசின் 27 சதவீதம் இட ஒதுக்கீட்டின் கீழ் பயன்பெற இயலாத சூழ்நிலை ஏற்படுகிறது.எனவே, மத்திய அரசின் வழிமுறைகளை பின்பற்றி, இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட வகுப்பினர் ஜாதி சான்றுகளை, காலதாமதமின்றி வழங்கும்படி, ஜாதி சான்று வழங்கும் அலுவலர்களுக்கு, மாவட்ட கலெக்டர்கள் தகுந்த அறிவுரைகள் வழங்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு அதில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Madurai: Biriyani offer misfires, crowd gets out of hand

Madurai: Biriyani offer misfires, crowd gets out of hand

What was planned to encourage numismatics ended up in chaos as scores of biriyani lovers thronged a restaurant at Sellur, violating Covid protocols on Wednesday.

Published: 22nd July 2021 04:38 AM |

By Lalitha Ranjani

Express News Service

MADURAI: What was planned to encourage numismatics ended up in chaos as scores of biriyani lovers thronged a restaurant at Sellur, violating Covid protocols on Wednesday. As an inaugural offer, Akshaya Prabhu (25), the owner of Suganya’s Biryani, had announced to give biriyani packs to everyone in exchange for 5 paise coin.

Prabhu, a numismatic and a antique collector, herself and an antique collector, said that she zeroed in on the '5 paise biriyani offer’ for the launch of the restaurant’s second branch at Sellur to cheer up coin collectors, especially at the time when artifacts are being unearthed from Keezhadi and the like.

She told TNIE that she thought not too many would possess the old 5 paisa coin and that not many would be willing to part with their collection even if they had. “We expected only about 50 persons to turn up with the coins. But, much to our surprise, due to overwhelming response, 120 parcels of biryani were sold in just 10 minutes. And the crowd grew bigger during the peak lunch hours. We had to turn many away, despite they coming with the old coins,” she added.

Sources said that flouting Covid protocols and physical distancing norms, scores of the people thronged the shop. “As the crowd began to swell, police had to be deployed to disperse the crowd and the shop was shut soon after,” they said.

A police official from Sellur station said that the hotel management had informed them about the inauguration one day prior and a policeman was deployed on the spot. “The rest of the team was diverted to mosque premises on account of Bakrid. The shop owners had drawn circles for social distancing but the unexpected crowd went out of control,” he added.

Honorary fellowship for Hyd doctor

Honorary fellowship for Hyd doctor

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:22.07.2021

Dr P Raghu Ram, Padma Shri awardee and founding director, KIMSUshalashmi Centre for Breast Diseases was conferred with an honorary fellowship of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) this week. The ASGBI is an organisation that represents the surgical fraternity in United Kingdom and Ireland.

Mr Neil Welch, president of ASGBI bestowed the honour upon Dr Raghu Ram during the 100th centenary annual general body meeting of the association.

“Raghu Ram is the first surgeon of Indian origin to have this honour conferred on him and we are delighted to welcome him as honorary fellow of ASGBI,” he said announcing the honorary fellowship.

AICTE directs colleges not to insist on payment of full fees

AICTE directs colleges not to insist on payment of full fees

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:22.07.2021

After receiving several complaints from students concerning the collection of full payment of fees in one go, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has directed colleges to not insist on payment of full fees amid pandemic, and instead collect in three or four instalments.

The council also directed the colleges to display the fee payment schedule on the notice board and also communicate the same through email. “AICTE is in continuous receipt of grievances from students regarding insistence by institutes for paying the full year in one go. Upon considering the current state of the country during an ongoing national emergency due to the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak, guidelines are being reissued by the AICTE for strict compliance by all colleges/institutions,” read a release from AICTE.

The council also directed the colleges not to terminate any faculty without enough disciplinary ground and due process of redressal. “Salary and other dues to the faculty/staff members should be released monthly on time. The terminations made during the lockdown, if any, should be withdrawn,” the circular added.

The faculty working in technical colleges, meanwhile, said AICTE should ensure that guidelines are strictly followed by the colleges. “The council has been issuing circulars, but the same is not strictly implemented. During the pandemic, scores of them have been terminated and colleges are not paying salaries. Not many colleges are providing an option to pay fees in multiple instalments,” said A Santosh Kumar, president, Telangana School’s Technical Colleges’ Employees Association.

Chennai has vaccinated most people with both doses among top 5 metros

Chennai has vaccinated most people with both doses among top 5 metros

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  22.07.2021 

This southern metro has vaccinated the highest percentage of eligible population with two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, compared to other top metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad, an analysis done by the GCC based on data collected from Co-Win portal showed. As on July 20, 9.11 lakh people have received both doses of Covid vaccine in Chennai. This forms 15% of the eligible population

(59.45 lakh) and 12% of the total population (78.53 lakh).

In comparison, in Mumbai, the corresponding figures of eligible population and total population vaccinated with both doses are 11% and 8%, respectively.

Bengaluru is second best after Chennai, with 15% of eligible population and 10% of the total population vaccinated with both doses. The corresponding figures for Delhi are 10% and 7%, while Hyderabad vaccinated 8% and 6%, respectively.

A senior official from Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) said this was because of dedicated measures taken by the civic body. “Through our tele-counselling centres, we called up those who were due for their second dose. Fever survey workers also visited vulnerable citizens to inform them about their second dose. Special camps were held for those whose second dose was due,” the official said.

However, in Bengaluru, 60% of the eligible population has been vaccinated with a single dose, while in Chennai this figure stands at 45%.

Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, infectious disease expert, said this shows the level of awareness about vaccination in an urban centre like Chennai. He said the TN government must work harder to have similar success in rural parts of the state.

Dr Swaminathan said we are nowhere near where we need to be. “We must go faster. Moreover, there is a sharp drop in the number of people coming to vaccination centres in Chennai. Authorities must change their approach to vaccination awareness now,” he said.

Bengaluru comes second with 15% of eligible population and 10% of the total population vaccinated with both doses

New cashless med cover for govt staff

New cashless med cover for govt staff

BV.Shivashankar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:22.07.2021 

After the 11 per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA), the state government plans to provide a new cashless insurance scheme with broader coverage to its employees. The Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association said that the proposal for the new scheme, Arogya Siri, was in the advanced stage and might be approved during a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The health cover will benefit 24 lakh people, including the dependents of staffers. “The government has told us that the departments of law and finance have cleared the proposal. We expect that the scheme will be implemented shortly after the cabinet clears it on Thursday,” said the association’s secretary, JG Patil.

There are about 6 lakh government employees, 4.5 lakh pensioners and 3 lakh workers of boards and corporations. Arogya Siri will cover all severe and minor diseases, unlike the current Jyothi Sanjeevini scheme that includes only tertiary treatment and emergency care for broad specialities such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, renal diseases, neurological conditions, burns, polytrauma cases and neonatal cases.

“Currently, if employees or their family members have any condition apart from these, they have to pay from their pocket and claim reimbursement later under Jyothi Sanjeevini. At most, they get back 50 per cent of what they spend. There is no such burden in the new scheme, which makes the treatment of all diseases cashless without any financial cap. We welcome it,” said the association’s president, CS Shadakshari.

The present scheme allows employees and their dependents to seek treatment at around 500 empanelled hospitals.

The new one permits them to get treatment in any hospital, be it government or private.

According to a senior official in the finance department, the burden on the exchequer is estimated to increase by at least four times, and the government is getting quotations from various hospitals to work out the costs.

Employees, meanwhile, have urged the government to switch back to the old pension model from the National Pension Scheme (NSP). Association members say that NPS is not beneficial as it also requires employees to contribute a portion of the basic salary towards the pension fund. In the old scheme, only the employer was required to contribute.

“The government invests the pension fund in the share market and the amount a retired employee gets is marketlinked. There is a risk in this. There have been instances in which an employee entitled to get Rs 30,000 received only Rs 3,000. Also, the NPS does not have the provision for inclusion of the revised dearness allowance,” Patil said.

24 lakh  People scheme will benefit

Medicos protest over unpaid allowance

Medicos protest over unpaid allowance

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:22.07.2021 

Members of the Karnataka Resident Doctors’ Association (KRDA) sported black armbands at workplaces to protest non-payment of Covid-19 risk allowances. The protest has been going on since Monday.

During the second wave, the government had passed an order providing a sum of Rs 10,000 per month as Covid risk allowance. The order kicked in from April.

Dr Namratha C, president, KRDA, said when they ask medical colleges authorities, they pass the buck to the government saying they have no funds to pay. “It’s more than three months since the order was passed,” Dr Namratha said. “While the government says colleges have to pay the allowance from their stipend fund, colleges say it is the government’s responsibility.”

According to the state government’s order dated May 5, a total 5,427 medicos working in government medical colleges are eligible for the allowance. This includes 327 junior residents, 910 senior residents, 2307 post-graduates and 1730 interns.

Deans of government medical colleges TOI spoke to, said the government has not yet released funds, despite assurances. “This issue has been discussed with the finance department too. If we don’t pay these incentives for the medicos, we may not have their support in managing the third wave,” said a dean.

When contacted, TK Anil Kumar, principal secretary, medical education, said the matter will be looked into. “Medicos will get their Covid allowance from April onwards,” he said.

Calls to restore MTC’s daily passes get louder

Calls to restore MTC’s daily passes get louder

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 22.07.2021 

Three years after the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) had stopped issuing daily concessional passes, regular bus users have called upon the government to restore the passes. In 2017-18, citing ‘security reasons’, the state transport department had stopped distributing these passes worth ₹50 each, promising that it would be restored within months. However, till date there is no official word on resuming distribution of these passes. Back then, MTC's footfall was close to 35 lakh per day, and nearly onefourth travelled using these daily and monthly passes. But some of the commuters started taking photocopies of these passes and started selling duplicate copies in black. "We had planned to fix this issue by adding QR codes or barcode on these passes with photos of the passengers on it. But works were delayed due to the pandemic," said an MTC official, requesting anonymity.

Rama Rao from Traffic and Transportation Forum (TTF), Chennai in his letter to the government last week, reiterated the need to restore it soon as it would be of help to people who travel to four of five different locations in MTC buses for work.

Not all can afford to pay ₹15-₹20 per trip. Besides, it will also help passengers travelling to different religious places within city limit, he said. Even Chennai suburban residents demand immediate restoration of the scheme now. "Local train services are restricted to nonpeak hours. So, people residing in areas like Avadi, Tambaram, Kancheepuram and beyond depend largely on MTC buses for buying things, school/college admission and hospital visits," said T Sadagopan, a Pattabiram-based activist.

Also, with these passes there was no need to wait for conductors, who expect passengers to tender exact fare. Reintroducing these Rs 50 passes, the MTC can boost its patronage and revenue. They can even increase the rate by Rs 5 to 10 to meet their present expenses, he said. MTC is currently facing poor patronage, as less than 10 lakh people travel in 2,700 buses per day.

Professor jailed for ‘derogatory remarks’ against min Smriti Irani

Professor jailed for ‘derogatory remarks’ against min Smriti Irani

Deepak.Lavania@timesgroup.com

Agra:22.07.2021 

A senior professor at a UP college, who had allegedly made derogatory remarks against Union minister Smriti Irani in a Facebook post, has been sent to jail after he surrendered in a court in Firozabad district.

On a complaint filed by the BJP’s district vice-president and nominated municipal councillor Uday Pratap Singh, the Firozabad police had registered an FIR against Shaharyar Ali, head of the history department at SRK College, in March for an alleged “obscene” Facebook post against Irani.

Professor Ali was booked under IPC’s section 505 (2) (promoting enmity/hatred) and section 67A of the Information Technology (Amendment) act, 2008. On Tuesday, Ali had surrendered in the court of additional sessions judge Anurag Sharma and had also filed an interim bail plea.

The court, however, cancelled his bail plea and sent him to jail. Meanwhile, his college served him a suspension notice.

According to sources, the professor had posted a comment on Facebook denigrating Irani, which was later deleted.

Colleges in four TN districts to merge with Annamalai University

Colleges in four TN districts to merge with Annamalai University

He said measures will be taken to develop Annamalai University into an affiliated university soon.

Published: 21st July 2021 05:10 AM 

Annamalai UniversityAnnamalai UniversityBy Express News Service

CHENNAI: Colleges in the four districts of Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi and Mayiladuthurai, including Dr J Jayalalithaa University started during the AIADMK rule, will be merged with Annamalai University, which will be developed into an affiliated university, said Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi.

He said measures will be taken to develop Annamalai University into an affiliated university soon. And the decision of merging colleges in four districts and JJ University will ensure better functioning of the institutes economically as well as academically.

The move holds significance as earlier it was alleged by few AIADMK leaders that a concerted effort is being made by DMK to scuttle the formation of the J Jayalalithaa University in order to settle political scores.

However, Ponmudi said AIADMK had announced the university without creating necessary infrastructure for it. “Neither funds were allocated nor registrar or any officials were appointed. The university existed only for namesake,” said Ponmudi.

Unable to bear pain following sex reassignment surgery, Kerala transwoman ends life

Unable to bear pain following sex reassignment surgery, Kerala transwoman ends life

Ananya Kumari Alex, the first transgender radio jockey in Kerala, was found dead at an apartment near Edapally on Tuesday evening.

Published: 21st July 2021 06:33 AM 

Ananya Kumari Alex

By Express News Service

KOCHI: Ananya Kumari Alex, the first transgender radio jockey in Kerala, was found dead at an apartment near Edapally on Tuesday evening. Police said it is suspected to be a case of death by suicide. There were reports that she was suffering from severe physical discomfort for the last one year after undergoing sex reassignment surgery at a private hospital in the city.

Ananya, 28, was living in the apartment for the last few months. Police said the body was found hanging from the fan in the bedroom. A team from Kalamassery police station conducted the inquest and shifted the body to Kalamassery medical college for post-mortem.

Ananya, who underwent a sex reassignment surgery in June 2020, had recently come out against the hospital and the doctor complaining that she was under tremendous pain following the surgery and could not even do her routine job. She had blamed the doctor for the surgery failure. Ananya was the first transgender person to contest the Assembly elections when she became a candidate of Democratic Social Justice Party in Vengara in Malappuram district in 2021 polls. She was also a news presenter and a make-up artist.

Ananya, who hailed from Perumon in Kollam, rose to fame as a trans rights activist after facing bitter experiences from a young age. “Her death is really sad and shocking. She was in terrible pain for the last one year after undergoing sex reassignment surgery. She went for the surgery with much hope for living a life of her choice,” said Kerala State Transgender Justice Board member Anil A.

He said there was no rule to monitor sex reassignment surgeries in the state. “Many private hospitals claim to have expertise in conducting the surgery. But there are no rules to monitor it. The state needs to frame a protocol for conducting such surgeries and also put in place an ethics committee to monitor and evaluate sex reassignment surgery,” he added.

Madras Medical Mission doctors repair 91-year-old’s heart

Madras Medical Mission doctors repair 91-year-old’s heart

A reasonably healthy man, he was living alone in Puducherry till January 2021. He had no lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol levels.

Published: 21st July 2021 06:26 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A 91-year-old man was referred to the doctors at Madras Medical Mission recently with a serious heart problem called Ventricular Septal Rupture following a heart attack that disabled him from his previous independent life.

A reasonably healthy man, he was living alone in Puducherry till January 2021. He had no lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol levels. He had age-related hearing loss, but was able to live comfortably till one day when he experienced a heart attack.

He was given medications rather than aggressive treatment options such as angiography or surgery, considering his advanced age. He started developing heart failure with accumulation of fluid around his lungs, one litre of which was tapped once to make him comfortable. This illness necessitated a second admission one month later for breathlessness in another hospital and medications were adjusted.

A minor improvement in his health permitted him to travel to Delhi to visit his son, though in a wheelchair, but unfortunately a second heart attack there led to a cardiac arrest, that was revived with electrical shocks, chest compressions, aggressive resuscitation, support of ventilators and he was brought back to life without any neurological insult.

The second heart attack caused a further damage to the heart and he developed a large rupture of the weakened infarcted heart muscle leading to a large hole between the left and the right ventricles of the heart. This further worsened his breathlessness and was managed with modification in medication; he then was airlifted to Chennai for interventional closure in Madras Medical Mission hospital.

Dr K Sivakumar, head of Paediatric Cardiology and senior consultant, in Madras Medical Mission identified a large ruptured hole between the two lower chambers of the heart and realised that closure of the hole is the only way to help him recover. The absence of common lifestyle problems reduced his procedural risk and he was admitted for non-surgical closure through small pin-hole punctures in the groin blood vessels, rather than an open heart surgery.

The procedure was performed in a conscious state with local anaesthesia. In an operation that lasted around one hour, the large hole was closed successfully with a device resulting in immediate improvement of his heart function. After spending a couple of days in intensive care where the large amount of fluid around his lungs was removed, he was able to return to his son at the end of 48 hours.

ஆதார் 'மொபைல் எண்' தபால்காரர் புதுப்பிக்கலாம்

DINAMALAR

பொது செய்தி

இந்தியா

ஆதார் 'மொபைல் எண்' தபால்காரர் புதுப்பிக்கலாம்

Added : ஜூலை 20, 2021 21:52

புதுடில்லி:பொதுமக்கள் ஆதார் அட்டைக்கு வழங்கிய 'மொபைல் போன்' எண்ணை, தபால்காரர் வாயிலாக புதுப்பிக்கும் வசதி அமல்படுத்தப்பட்டு உள்ளது.

இந்திய தபால் மற்றும் பரிவர்த்தனை வங்கியின் நிர்வாக இயக்குனரும், தலைமை செயல் அதிகாரியுமான வெங்கட்ராமு வெளியிட்டு உள்ள அறிக்கை: இந்திய தனித்துவ அடையாள ஆணையம் சார்பில் அனைவருக்கும் தனிப்பட்ட எண் உடைய ஆதார் அடையாள அட்டை வழங்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.இதற்காக மக்கள் தங்கள் 'மொபைல் போன்' எண்ணை, ஆணையத்தில் பதிவு செய்துள்ளனர்.

இந்த எண்ணை எளிதாக புதுப்பிக்க, இந்திய தனித்துவ அடையாள ஆணையத்துடன் இணைந்து, இந்திய தபால் மற்றும் பரிவர்த்தனை வங்கி ஏற்பாடு செய்துள்ளது.இதன்படி ஆதார் அட்டைக்கான மொபைல் எண்ணை, மக்கள் வீடுகளில் இருந்தபடி தபால்காரர் வாயிலாக புதுப்பித்துக்கொள்ளலாம்.

நாட்டில் 650 இந்திய தபால் பரிவர்த்தனை வங்கிகள் வாயிலாக 1.46 லட்சம் தபால்காரர்கள் மற்றும் கிராம தபால் சேவகர்கள் இந்த சேவையை பொதுமக்களுக்கு வழங்குவர்.இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டு உள்ளது.

உங்களுக்கே தெரியாமல் போலி ஐ.டி.,க்களில் உங்கள் போட்டோக்கள்; இணையத்தில் தேடி 'அலர்ட்' ஆகுங்கள்

உங்களுக்கே தெரியாமல் போலி ஐ.டி.,க்களில் உங்கள் போட்டோக்கள்; இணையத்தில் தேடி 'அலர்ட்' ஆகுங்கள்

21.07.2021

மதுரை: 'போட்டோ என்னுடையது தான்; ஆனால் போஸ்ட் பண்ணினது நானில்லை'... இப்படி உங்களுக்கே தெரியாமல் உங்கள் போட்டோக்களை பயன்படுத்தி பேஸ்புக், இன்ஸ்டா, டிவிட்டர் உள்ளிட்ட சமூகவலைதளங்களில் 'போலி ஐ.டி.,க் களை உருவாக்கி உங்கள் நண்பர்களுக்கு 'பிரண்ட் ரிக்வஸ்ட்' கொடுத்து பணம் பறிக்கும் போலி ஆசாமிகள் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரித்து வருகிறது. எங்கெல்லாம் உங்கள் போட்டோக்களை பதிவேற்றினர் என இணையத்தில் தேடி'அலர்ட்'ஆவது அவசியம்.பிரபல நபர்களை குறிவைக்கும் போலி ஐ.டி., ஆசாமிகள் அவர்கள் போட்டோவை அவர்களின் சமூகவலைதளங்களில் இருந்து பதிவிறக்கி புதிய பேஸ்புக், இன்ஸ்டா, டிவிட்டர் என ஐ.டி.,க்களை உருவாக்குவர். பின் பிரபலங்களின் 'பிரண்ட் லிஸ்ட்'டில் உள்ளவர்களுக்கு போலி ஐ.டி., வைத்து 'பிரண்ட் ரிக்வஸ்ட்' கொடுப்பர். போட்டோவை பார்த்ததும் நம் நண்பர் தானே என 'ரிக்வஸ்ட் கன்பார்ம்' செய்துவிடுவர். சில நாளில் 'மெசேஞ்சர்' வழி சாட் செய்து பணம் பறிக்க வலை விரிப்பர். இந்த நேரம் நாம் நண்பருக்கு போன் செய்து 'பணம் கேட்பது உண்மையா என உறுதி செய்தால் தப்பித்தோம்.

இல்லை என்றால் பணம் 'அபேஸ்' தான்.ஏமாந்த பின் போலி ஐ.டி.,யை தேடினால் 'டி ஆக்டிவேட் செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கும். உங்கள் சமூகவலைதள ஐ.டி., தவிர வேறு சமூகவலை தள ஐ.டி.,க்கள், இணையத்தளங்களில் உங்கள் போட்டோ பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளதா என இணையத்தில் தேடி கண்டறியலாம். ஸ்மார்ட் போனில் கூகுள் டெக்ஸ்டாப் வெர்சன், கம்ப்யூட்டரில் 'கூகுள்' ஒப்பன் செய்து மேலே வலது ஓரம் 'இமேஜஸ்' தேர்வு செய்தால் வழக்கமான 'சர்ச் பாக்ஸ்' வரும். அதில் இடது ஓரம் கேமரா சிம்பல் - 'அப்லோட் அன் இமேஜ்' கிளிக் செய்து ஏதாவது ஒரு உங்கள் போட்டோ அல்லது போலி ஐ.டி.,யில் பயன்படுத்தியதாக தெரியவந்த உங்கள் போட்டோவை அப்லோட் செய்யவும்.அடுத்த நொடி உங்கள் ஒரிஜினல் சமூகவலைதளம் மற்றும் உங்களுக்கே தெரியாமல் பிற தளங்களில் பயன்படுத்தப்பட்ட உங்கள் போட்டோக்களை கூகுள் காட்டிவிடும்.இதன் மூலம் உங்கள் போட்டோக்கள் கொண்ட போலி ஐ.டி.,க்களை கண்டறிந்து 'அலர்ட்'டாகி நண்பர்களையும் 'அலர்ட்' ஆக்கலாம்.

உதாரணத்திற்கு 'சோட்டா பீம் கார்ட்டூன்' போட்டோவை கூகுள் 'இமேஜஸ்'ல் 'அப்லோட்' செய்தோம். அந்த போட்டோ 499 முறை பல தளத்தில் இருப்பதை கூகுள் காட்டுகிறது. www.tineye.com என்ற இணையத்தளத்திலும் இது போல் தேடலாம். ஆபாச 'வீடியோ ஸ்கேமர்' உஷார்பேஸ்புக், இன்ஸ்டாவில் புதிய நபர்களிடம் இருந்து 'பிரண்ட் ரிக்வஸ்ட்' வந்து, நீங்கள் கன்பார்ம் செய்ததும் 'சாட்' செய்து பணம் கேட்டால் நம்பாதீர்.

இது போன்ற போலி ஐ.டி., ஆசாமிகள் சாம்பிளுக்கு சில போட்டோக்கள் போஸ்ட் செய்திருப்பர். லைக், கமண்ட், மீச்சுவல் பிரண்ட்ஸ் பெரியளவில் இருக்காது.தற்போது பேஸ்புக்கில் அழகிய பெண் 'ஸ்கேமர்'கள் சிலர் ஆண்களுக்கு ரிக்வஸ்ட் கொடுக்கிறார்கள். அடுத்து சாட் செய்து என் 'வீடியோ'வை இலவசமாக பார்க்கலாம் என 'வாட்ஸ் அப்' எண் அனுப்பி வீடியோ கால் செய்ய சொல்கிறார்கள். சில 'சபலிஸ்ட்'கள் கால் செய்து வீடியோவை ரசிப்பர். பெண் ஸ்கேமர் போனில் காட்டும் சபலிஸ்ட்டின் முகத்தை 'ஸ்கிரீன் ஷார்ட்' எடுத்து இணையத்தில் பரப்புவேன் என மிரட்டி பணம் பறிக்கிறார்கள். ஆண்கள் உஷாராக இல்லை என்றால் 'மானம் கப்பலேறி' விடும்.

Dailyhunt

Disclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Dinamalar

National Exit Test for MBBS students to be held from 2023

National Exit Test for MBBS students to be held from 2023

Exam May Serve As Entrance Test For PG Programs

Bharat.Yagnik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:21.07.2021 

The National Medical Council (NMC) aims to conduct the National Exit Test (NeXT) exam for final year MBBS students from 2023, said top sources close to the development. The broad modalities of the exam have been finalized, sources added.

Sources said that a decision in this regard was taken at a meeting held by the Union ministry of health and family welfare held on June 10 to review the work being undertaken by the National Medical Commission, the country's medical education regulator.

The commission has passed a resolution to set up an examination cell and steps are being taken to expedite the approval process, said sources. A clear picture is expected to emerge in the next six months or so.

The exam will be a common eligibility and entrance test for awarding the licence for practising medicine and surgery to students who have cleared MBBS studies and are doing their medical internship programme.

Also, the exam is likely to serve as an entrance test for admission to PG medical degree programs, replacing National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (PG). About 1.40 lakh students took NEET PG exams last year. The qualifying criteria for NEET (PG) is a 50 percentile score.

“The decision is in line with the central government’s overall plan for one nation, one exam,” said sources.

NeXT will be an online exam and the question paper will be based on the syllabus of undergraduate medical programs. The NeXT question paper will consist only of MCQ -type questions.

‘Plan to implement NeXT from 2023’

A plan is being worked out to implement NeXT from 2023. A committee will be formed on how to take forward the implementation plan. Also, there is a plan to also conduct practical exams the possibility of which will be examined by this committee,” according to sources in NMC.

Conducting practical exams across the country will be a major challenge for NMC, said an expert in the medical education field. An NMC official, when contacted, refused to comment on the matter.

Sexual abuse case: Siva Sankar Baba denied bail

Sexual abuse case: Siva Sankar Baba denied bail

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.07.2021

A Chengalpattu special court has dismissed three bail applications of selfstyled godman and founder of Sushil Hari International Residential School Siva Sankar Baba who was arrested on charges of sexually abusing minor students.

Refusing any relief to Baba, special judge for cases under the Pocso Act P Velmurugan on Monday dismissed all the three bail applications moved by him.

The court concurred with the submission of the CB-CID police that the accused who is an influential person might tamper the evidence and threaten the witnesses if enlarged on bail.

According to the prosecution, the All Women Police Station, Mamallapuram has so far, registered three different FIRs against Baba for sexually abusing his students under the provisions of the Prevention of Children against Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and IPC.

The accused who was absconding since the issue came to light was traced down by the CB-CID near Delhi.

‘Govt thinking of relaxing norms for old age pension’

‘Govt thinking of relaxing norms for old age pension’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:21.07.2021

The possibilities of relaxing some of the norms of the old age pension scheme (OPA) in Tamil Nadu, to make more people eligible for the benefit of these schemes, were being explored and the drawbacks have been taken to the notice of the chief minister M K Stalin, minister for revenue and disaster management, K K S S R Ramachandran has said.

Speaking to reporters after a review meeting with revenue officials of Madurai, Theni and Dindigul district on Tuesday, Ramachandran said that the rules laid down by the former AIADMK government, for obtaining the pension, had made it difficult for many people to get the pension. “There are people who have children (sons), which makes them ineligible for the OAP, but in reality these children do not take care of the parents and they need some financial support. So, we are trying to find a solution to it,” he said. Sources from the revenue department said that there were already more than 5,000 petitions for old age pension pending in Madurai district alone, of which one-third are eligible, but till date the lack of funds forced them them to enroll new beneficiaries only after the death of an existing beneficiary. Earlier, it was specified that people applying for these benefits should come under the below poverty line (BPL) category, but this is no longer mandatory, as identifying BPL category people in villages was easy but not in the city.

HELPING HAND: Minister K K S S R Ramachandran distributes a sewing machine to a beneficiary in Madurai on Tuesday

Pvt hosps told to use CSR funds for free vaccination

Pvt hosps told to use CSR funds for free vaccination

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

21.07.2021

Health minister Ma Subramanian conducted a meeting with representatives of private hospitals in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode districts at the Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH) in Coimbatore on Tuesday to discuss the feasibility of using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to procure vaccines to inoculate the public free of cost.

The minister said they had collected ₹61 lakh from CSR funds of private hospitals so far and 7,878 people could be vaccinated free of cost with the same.

The meeting was attended by the representatives of 117 hospitals. The minister said the state government was encouraging all private companies to contribute their CSR funds to procure vaccines. The funds would be routed to private hospitals, which would use them to procure vaccines and inoculate the public free of cost.

“The Union government has allotted 75% of a state’s quota to the government and 25% to private hospitals, which are not fully utilizing the quota, as cost is involved in it. So, they are now encouraged to tie up with corporate firms to vaccinate the public for free,” Subramaniam said while speaking to the media at Walayar check post.

The representatives of the hospitals said six to seven private hospitals would launch the scheme initially. “The directorate of public health should provide the hospitals with facilities to store and transport the vaccines for rural camps,” a source said.

Pointing out that many corporate firms were donating oxygen concentrators, generators, and cylinders to the hospitals, he said the state had adequate number of them presently. “We want private hospitals to procure vaccines with the CSR funds and conduct camps in rural areas.” The source said they had received 180 petitions from people stating their villages weren’t allotted enough vaccines.

Earlier in the day, the minister inaugurated a vaccination camp for disabled people at Chinniyampalayam. He said Coimbatore was allotted the highest number of vaccines after Chennai. The district has vaccinated 10.97 lakh people so far. “The state has received 1.8 crore doses of vaccine so far and we need another 10 crore doses. We could achieve the target soon if private hospitals use their full quota.”

The minister said ₹61 lakh has been collected from CSR funds of private hospitals so far and 7,878 people could be vaccinated free of cost with the same

TN govt eases income norm for OBC certs

TN govt eases income norm for OBC certs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.07.2021

Candidates applying for Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates in Tamil Nadu need not worry about creamy layer criteria as the state government has directed revenue officials and collectors to issue the certificate without insisting on income details. OBC certificates are required for candidates from backward communities to apply for admissions to central educational institutions and jobs.

The July 5 order states that salary and agriculture income need not be taken into account while calculating annual income ceiling of ₹8 lakh for parents of non-creamy layer category. The order, however, does not cover six categories, including people occupying constitutional posts and service and professional categories identified by the Centre in 1993. The move comes amid complaints about some officials raising objections while issuing OBC certificates citing income criteria.

‘There were issues in giving OBC certificates’

The communique was issued by A Karthik, BC, MBC & Minorities Welfare Department secretary.

For instance, an applicant, whose parent earns an annual income of ₹10 lakh that includes ₹7 lakh through salary and agriculture income will still be eligible for OBC certificate as the ₹3 lakh income through other sources alone will be calculated as the annual income. Even if an applicant’s income is ₹25 lakh, so long as the income through sources other than salary and agriculture is under the ₹8-lakh ceiling, they will still be eligible for OBC certificate.

The secretary further said in the letter to district collectors and revenue administration department that it had been brought to the government’s notice that there were issues in giving OBC certificates, hampering benefits offered by the Union government under 27% reservation for OBCs.

So long as the income through sources other than salary and agriculture is under the ₹8-lakh ceiling, they will still be eligible for OBC certificate

Stipend for Uttrakhand MBBS interns increased to Rs 17000 per month

Stipend for Uttrakhand MBBS interns increased to Rs 17000 per month: Dehradun: After weeks of protest and agitation, 330 medical interns of the state medical colleges have finally got relief as the government has now raised their stipend from Rs 7,500 to Rs 17,000...

Central govt "attempt to not implement" OBC reservation in State-surrendered medical seats for 2021-22 appears to be contempt: Madras High Court

 Central govt "attempt to not implement" OBC reservation in State-surrendered medical seats for 2021-22 appears to be contempt: Madras High Court

The Court has given the respondent authorities a week's time to indicate how it proposes to implement the OBC reservation.

Madras High Court

Meera Emmanuel

Published on : 19 Jul, 2021 , 2:49 pm

The Madras High Court on Monday observed that the apparent attempts by the Central government not to implement Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation in State-surrendered medical seats for the All India Quota (AIQ) in non-central medical colleges in Tamil Nadu appeared to be prima facie contempt of Court and in the teeth of the High Court's earlier order of July 27, 2020.

Admissions into the medical colleges in the State can now be only upon implementing such reservation quota, the Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy noted in its interim order.

The Bench opined that the Union's stance to defer the implementation of the OBC reservation until the Saloni Kumari case before the Supreme Court is decided was, prima facie, unacceptable.

"The Union's attempt to not implement the OBC reservation quota in respect of AIQ seats in the academic year 2021-22 appears to be contumacious, in derogation of the order dated July 27, 2020 passed by this Court and contrary to the representation made before the Supreme Court as recorded in the order dated October 26, 2020," the Court said.

The Court has now given the alleged contemnors a week's time to "indicate their considered stand as to the mode and manner of the (implementation of the) OBC reservation quota in terms of the 1993 Act in respect of AIQ seats in the State pertaining to medical and dental colleges from the next academic year of 2021-22."

The Court has also noted that the State government has already indicated its proposal for OBC reservation implementation to the Committee by the middle of October.

By the July 27, 2020 order, the High Court had directed the constitution of a Committee to work out how the OBC reservation can be implemented from the academic year 2021-2022, with the participation of the Central government, the State government, the Medical Council of India and the Dental Council of India.

A contempt plea was filed earlier this year by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, which has raised concerns that the OBC reservation may not be implemented this academic year either.

Senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for the DMK, pointed out that while the Committee has been formed in terms of the High Court's order, the implementation of the OBC reservation is not being done citing an application pending before the Supreme Court.

He added that this pending application is not connected with or pose any impediment to the implementation of the OBC reservation in medical colleges in Tamil Nadu. He further pointed out that the Central government itself had earlier given a positive undertaking in the Supreme Court that the OBC reservation would be implemented from 2021-22 after the State government moved a plea in the Supreme Court urging for a shorter timeline for the reservation.

In arguments today, the counsel appearing for the Central government authorities countered that the All-India Quota is something that is being monitored by the Supreme Court. As such, some clarification is required before proceeding further, it was argued. There is no wilful disobedience of any order, it was asserted.

The Court, however, was unconvinced.

"We think this is in the teeth of the order of the court. You said that you would implement it this year. Long before, you said that the Saloni Kumar (case) has nothing to do with it," Chief Justice Banerjee orally observed.

Additional Solicitor General R Sankaranarayanan assured the Court that the Central government has not been against the implementation of the OBC quota, and that its only reservation was with respect to exceeding a 50% limit. The only question is the manner of implementation, the ASG said while seeking ten days' time to file an affidavit.

"It has to be implemented in the year 2021-22," Chief Justice Banerjee went on to emphasise, adding, "you make a statement, we’ll adjourn the matter, after a week you tell us how you will implement it. Not implementing is not a choice."

In its interim order, the Bench recorded that the matter was finally decided by the Madras High Court on July 27, 2020 after the Supreme Court clarified that the top Court is not dealing with any similar matter.

It also noted that in an October 26, 2020 order, the Supreme Court had recorded the Centre's submission that a committee was already in place to decide on how to implement the OBC reservations and further that the top Court had recorded that a final decision would be taken by the Committee for implementation from 2021-22.

"To repeat, the considered stand of the Union was that steps were being taken to implement the OBC reservation to AIQ seats in the State from the academic year 21-22," the Court noted.

The matter will be heard next on Monday.

மருத்துவ படிப்புகளில் 69% இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை இந்த கல்வியாண்டில் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும்: ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட் அறிவுறுத்தல்

மருத்துவ படிப்புகளில் 69% இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை இந்த கல்வியாண்டில் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும்: ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட் அறிவுறுத்தல்

2021-07-20@ 00:11:30

சென்னை: மருத்துவ படிப்புகளில் அகில இந்திய ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்களுக்கு 69 சதவீத இடஒதுக்கீட்டை 2021-22ம் கல்வியாண்டில் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட் அறிவுரை வழங்கியது. எம்பிபிஎஸ், பிடிஎஸ் மருத்துவ படிப்புகளில் அகில இந்திய ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்களில் இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட வகுப்பினருக்கு இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்க கோரி திமுக, உள்ளிட்ட கட்சிகளின் சார்பில் தொடரப்பட்ட வழக்கை விசாரித்த சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம், இந்த இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்குவது தொடர்பாக குழு அமைத்து ஆய்வு செய்து, 2021-22ம் கல்வியாண்டு முதல் அமல்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்று கடந்த ஆண்டு ஜூலை மாதம் உத்தரவிட்டது.

அதன் அடிப்படையில் அமைக்கப்பட்ட குழு தமிழகத்தில் அமலில் உள்ள 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை வழங்க வேண்டும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு பரிந்துரை அளித்தது.ஆனால், உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் நிலுவையில் உள்ள ஒரு வழக்கை காரணம் காட்டி சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்ற உத்தரவை ஒன்றிய அரசு அமல்படுத்தவில்லை எனக் கூறி திமுக தரப்பில் நீதிமன்ற அவமதிப்பு வழக்கு தொடரப்பட்டது.இந்த வழக்கு தலைமை நீதிபதி சஞ்சீப் பானர்ஜி மற்றும் நீதிபதி செந்தில்குமார் ராமமூர்த்தி அடங்கிய அமர்வில் நேற்று விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது.

அப்போது, திமுக தரப்பில் ஆஜரான மூத்த வக்கீல் பி.வில்சன், உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் நிலுவையில் உள்ள வழக்குக்கும் உயர் நீதிமன்றம் பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவுக்கும் எந்த தொடர்பும் இல்லை. தமிழகத்தில் மருத்துவ படிப்பில் 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை அமல்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்று உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டதை ஒன்றிய அரசு அமல்படுத்த மறுக்கிறது. நீதிமன்றத்தில் 2021-22ம் கல்வியாண்டில் இடஒதுக்கீடு உத்தரவு அமல்படுத்தப்படும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசு உறுதியளித்தும் அதை அமல்படுத்தவில்லை.

இது நீதிமன்ற அவமதிப்பு செயல் என்று வாதிட்டார்.ஒன்றிய அரசுத்தரப்பில் ஆஜரான கூடுதல் சொலிசிட்டர் ஜெனரல் சங்கரநாராயணன் மற்றும் ஒன்றிய அரசு வழக்கறிஞர் சந்திரசேகரன் ஆகியோர், 50 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீடு கேட்டு விட்டு தற்போது 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீடு கோருவதாகவும், இடஒதுக்கீடு வழங்க தயாராக இருக்கிறோம். எந்த நீதிமன்ற அவமதிப்பும் செய்யவில்லை. இந்த வழக்கு விசாரணைக்கு உகந்ததல்ல என்று வாதிட்டனர். தமிழக அரசு சார்பில் பி.முத்துக்குமார் ஆஜராகி, தமிழகத்தில் மருத்துவ படிப்பில் 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை அமல்படுத்துவதே அரசின் முடிவு என்று தெரிவித்தார். வழக்கை விசாரித்த நீதிபதிகள், உயர் நீதிமன்றம் 2020ம் ஆண்டு பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவை அமல்படுத்த வேண்டும். தமிழகத்தில் பின்பற்றப்படும் 69 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை 2021-22ம் கல்வியாண்டில் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட் அறிவுரை வழங்கியது.இதுகுறித்த நிலைபாட்டை ஒன்றிய அரசு அடுத்த வாரம் தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும் என்று உத்தரவிட்டு விசாரணையை ஜூலை 26ம் தேதிக்கு தள்ளிவைத்தனர்.

Current sentiment with regard to travel:

Current sentiment with regard to travel:

‘Enjoy a holiday before the third wave’

As videos of maskless tourists at overcrowded hill stations go viral, experts warn that this form of ‘revenge travel’ could lead to dire consequences as far as containing the pandemic goes

Niharika Lal

20.07.2021 

Indian sentiment right now – third wave aane se pehle ghoom aao,” read a tweet by comedian Amit Tandon recently, which summarises the revenge travel scenario at the moment. Recently, during a press conference, while referring to tourists’ COVID inappropriate behaviour, Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry said,“We act like we have come out of jail after two years. There’s a huge crowd, but we aren’t scared of COVID-19... The third wave may be caused because of this behaviour.”

Despite several overcrowded hill station videos going viral, tourists continue to throng popular destinations, often flouting COVID rules. In Manali hotels, for example, the occupancy is around 70-100%, while in the overflowing-with-tourists Uttarakhand, thousands had to be refused entry recently.

Tourists can be seen thronging marketplaces in these pictures taken in Dharamshala and Manali between June-July

Hotel bookings are up by 70-100% in destinations like Manali

Tourist footfall not the problem, COVID inappropriate behaviour is: Experts

‘PEOPLE WANT EARLIEST BOOKINGS POSSIBLE, BEFORE THIRD WAVE HITS’

Nitin, a Mussoorie-based hotelier, says, “Right now, you won’t get reservations in any luxurious or four-star hotels in Mussoorie or Nainital. In fact, on weekends, there is a 15-20 km traffic jam between Dehradun and Mussoorie on Dehradun Highway. Most of these tourists are from NCR and neighbouring states.”

Last month, a senior official of a travel company told us that they have seen a jump of nearly 200% in hotel bookings. Another Manali based hotelier said, “Most of the people visiting our hotels said that they wanted to visit the hills before the third wave hits, as once that happens, vacations will be out of the question for another couple of months.”

Not just hotels, but caravan companies also pointed out that they are fully booked for July. A Delhibased caravan service provider says, “It’s the same sentiment everywhere. Several said they wanted the earliest possible bookings because you don’t know when the third wave will hit, and they wanted to get the trip over with before that.”

A Bengaluru-based provider told us that they were booked out for July a month in advance. “People booked our caravans in June, when the restrictions were not even fully lifted in most of the states,” said one of the founders, adding, “The plan for many was to book in June, travel in July and return before August second week, before the third wave would presumably hit.”

STATES ISSUE NEW RULES AS PICTURES OF MASKLESS TOURISTS GO VIRAL

Officials and tourists say that massive footfall of tourists thronging hill stations isn’t cause of alarm, but COVID inappropriate behaviour is. Last week, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, said, “The virus will get an opportunity to spread again if people continue to move around in hill stations and markets without wearing masks and without maintaining physical distance.”

After photos of maskless tourists visiting hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand went viral, both states issued new COVID-related restrictions last week. Kullu police announced that those flouting norms would be fined ₹5,000 or sent to jail for eight days, while the Mussoorie administration said that those entering the town would have to register on the smart city portal, and would be required to show their COVID negative report with a valid hotel booking.

SEVERAL TOURISTS NOW SEEKING REMOTE DESTINATIONS

A staff member from a Delhi travel agency says that pictures of overcrowded hill stations have led some tourists to seek different destinations, and that they have received many queries regarding ‘other hill stations’ they could travel to.

Anukriti, a tourist, who recently visited the hills, says, “We went in the first week of July, and knew that it would be crowded, but we couldn’t find a room in five hotels in Manali! It felt like we are in Sarojini Nagar Market, not Manali. So, we decided to go to a remote location to avoid the crowd.”

Faisal, another tourist adds, “My colleague’s family runs a homestay in Nainital an,d we were planning to spend our weekend there. However, his family warned us not to visit if we wanted to avoid Delhi-like traffic jams in the hills. We thought they were exaggerating, but it turned out they were right. Most of my colleagues and friends are also exploring other options like Kashmir and Panchgani instead, for the same reason.”

TIMES VIEW

Those indulging in ‘revenge’ travel seem to have abandoned both common sense and self-preservation. Covid-appropriate behaviour in public places is mandatory even for those who are fully vaccinated. Hill station authorities must enforce the rules in the strictest possible way.

A picture taken at The Ridge in July

After tourists violated norms at Kempty Falls, the Uttarakhand Government announced that only 50 tourists would be allowed at the

HCL revenue up 12% in Q1, looks to hire 22k freshers

HCL revenue up 12% in Q1, looks to hire 22k freshers

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:20.07.2021

HCL Technologies reported 11.7% growth in revenue in constant currency in the first quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. On a reported basis, revenue was up 15.5% to $2.7 billion.

The growth rates are a little lower than for peers. But in the corresponding quarter last year, at the peak of the pandemic, HCL had positive growth rates, compared to most of its peers. So, this quarter's growth is on top of that relatively better base. The company, like others in the industry, benefited from broad-based growth across geographies and verticals. Net income rose 12.8% to $436 million.

The company said it will hire 20,000-22,000 freshers this fiscal. "I will not be surprised if we even cross that number,” said V V Apparao, chief human resources officer. Last year the company on-boarded 14,600 freshers globally.

The company took in 3.444 people in the first quarter and is targeting another 6,000 in this quarter. "The freshers don’t have anything to unlearn and it is easy to train them on new age skills,” Apparao said, adding that demand was high in digital engineering, cloud enablement, analytics, user experience and cybersecurity. HCL has paid increments to its employees starting this month, after a previous round in October, indicating it is getting back to the regular cycles.

70% of the company’s employees have been vaccinated and all are expected to get both the shots by the end of September. “Return to office will increase and we do not see any risk in people coming,” Apparao said. Currently, just 3%, or about 4,000, people, are working from offices. HCL’s attrition rose to 11.8% from 9.9%sequentially on a LTM (last 12 months) basis, a trend that is likely to remain in the industry for the next 2-3 quarters. It had 176,499 people at the end of June.

The company, like others in the industry, benefited from broad-based growth across geographies and verticals