சென்னையின் தற்போதைய அத்தியாவசியப் பொருள் இதுவாகவும் இருக்கலாம்!

எம்.குமரேசன்

சென்னையில் மழை கொட்டி தீர்க்கிறது. தொடர்ந்து 6 நாள்களாக கனமழை பெய்து வரும் நிலையில், வங்காள விரிகுடாவில் புதியதாக காற்றழுத்தத் தாழ்வு மண்டலம் உருவாகியுள்ளது என்றுக் கூறப்படுகிறது. இதனால், மழைப் பொழிவு அதிகரிக்கும் என்று எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது. கடந்த 24 மணி நேரத்தில் அதிகபட்சமாக நுங்கம்பாக்கதில் 65.8 மி.மீ மழை பெய்திருக்கிறது. மீனம்பாக்கத்தில் 62 மி.மீ மழை பொழிந்திருக்கிறது. வருங்காலத்தில் இதே போன்று சென்னையில் அதிகமாக மழை பொழிவு இருக்கும் என எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது.



அதனால், இனிமேல் மோட்டார் சைக்கிள், சைக்கிள் போல படகு ஒன்றும் வீட்டில் இருப்பது அவசியம் எனத் தோன்றலாம். இதற்காகவே ஆன்லைனில் தற்போது டியூப் படகுகள் விற்பனைக்கு வந்துள்ளன. ஆத்திர அவசரத்திற்கு இந்தப் படகை காற்றையடித்து இயக்கத் தொடங்கி விடலாம். குழைந்தைகளை அமர வைத்து இழுத்தாவது சென்றுவிடலாம்.

கடலூரில் கனமழை... பள்ளி மாணவ-மாணவிகள் கடும் அவதி!

க.பூபாலன் எஸ்.தேவராஜன்

கடலூர் மாவட்டத்தில் பெய்த கனமழையால் பள்ளிக்கு சென்ற மாணவ-மாணவிகள் கடும் அவதியுடன் வீட்டுக்கு திரும்பினர். குறித்த நேரத்தில் பிள்ளைகள் வீடு திரும்பாததால் பெற்றோர்களும் கவலையடைந்தனர்.



வடகிழக்கு பருவ மழையானது, கடலூர் மாவட்டத்தில் ஒரு வாரமாக விட்டுவிட்டு பெய்துகொண்டிருக்கிறது. கடலூர், சிதம்பரம், புவனகிரி, பண்ருட்டி, சேத்தியாதோப்பு, குறிஞ்சிப்பாடி என பல பகுதிகளில் நேற்றிரவு முதல் விடிய விடிய இடியுடன் கூடிய கனமழை கொட்டிதீர்த்தது. இருந்தபோதிலும், காலையில் மழை பெய்யவில்லை. வானம் மேகமூட்டத்துடன் காணப்பட்டது. அதனால் மாவட்ட நிர்வாகமானது பள்ளிகளுக்கு விடுமுறை அளிக்கவில்லை. இதனால் பள்ளி மாணவ-மாணவிகள் காலையில் வழக்கம்போல் பள்ளிக்குச் சென்றனர். பள்ளிக்குச் சென்ற மாணவ-மாணவிகள், காலையில் நிலவிய தட்வெப்ப சூழ்நிலையால் மழையிலிருந்து தன்னை பாதுகாத்துக்கொள்ளும் விதமாக குடை அல்லது ரெயின்கோட் போன்றவை கையில் எதுவும் எடுத்துச் செல்லவில்லை.




ஆனால், மதியம் 2 மணிக்குமேல் இடியுடன் கூடிய கனமழை பெய்யத் தொடங்கியது. வாகன ஓட்டிகளும் பெரும் சிரமத்துக்குள்ளாகி முகப்பு விளக்குகளை எரியவிட்டே வாகனத்தை ஓட்டிச் சென்றனர். பள்ளி விட்டதும் மாணவ-மாணவிகள் கடும் மழையில் நனைந்தபடியே வீட்டுக்குச் சென்றனர். இதனால் சைக்கிள், பேருந்து மற்றும் நடந்து செல்லும் மாணவ-மாணவிகள் குறித்த நேரத்தில் வீட்டுக்கு திரும்ப முடியவில்லை. சென்னையில் மழையில் அறுந்துகிடந்த மின்கம்பியால் இரண்டு சிறுமிகள் இறந்துபோன சம்பவம் பெற்றோர்கள் மத்தியில் கடும் பீதியை ஏற்ப்படுத்தியிருக்கிறது. இதனால் தங்கள் பிள்ளைகளுக்கு என்னாச்சோ, ஏதாச்சோ என்று பதறிதுடித்தனர். பள்ளிக்குச் சென்ற பிள்ளைகள் வீட்டுக்கு வந்த பிறகே அவர்கள் நிம்மதி மூச்சுவிட்டனர்.

Beware! Fake version of WhatsApp found on Google Play Store

A fake and possibly malicious version of Facebook-owned WhatsApp was found lurking on Google Play Store as "Update WhatsApp Messenger" with developer name as 'WhatsApp Inc*'.

By: IANS | London | Published:November 4, 2017 10:13 am

The original WhatsApp has 1 billion downloads.

WhatsApp is now back after brief global outage, was down in India too

A fake and possibly malicious version of Facebook-owned WhatsApp was found lurking on Google Play Store as “Update WhatsApp Messenger” with developer name as ‘WhatsApp Inc*’. When IANS checked it on the Play Store, we found the app has been downloaded up to 5,000 times. There is another version under the same name which has a million downloads. The original WhatsApp has 1 billion downloads.

The existence of the shady software was first highlighted by the popular WhatsApp change tracking website WABetaInfo, via Twitter user @MujtabaMHaq, IB Times reported late on Thursday.

According to the report, a version of popular mobile game Temple Run 2 can also be found which was uploaded in October. The software posing as WhatsApp Business already have several users complaining about it in comments section.

“DON’T DOWNLOAD THIS APP! IT’S FAKE! WhatsApp Business is not officially available yet for all,” the WABetaInfo social media account tweeted to its 30,000 followers. It added: “Check only official channels to download WhatsApp Business in future.” WhatsApp Business is yet to launch as a standalone service.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp was down for users worldwide for about an hour on Friday, with people complaining of issues with accessing its services. Some users took to Twitter to highlight problems with the messaging app. The Facebook-owned company later released a statement saying issue has been fixed, and apologised for any inconvenience.

According to downdetecor.com, 46 per cent users complained of problems with the connection while 41 per cent reported issues with sending or receiving messages. About 12 per cent WhatsApp had problems with ‘Last seen’ feature of the service.

With Tech Desk inputs

Railways to provide disposable, eco-friendly bedrolls in AC coaches

Ajith Athrady New Delhi, DH News Service, Nov 5 2017, 1:21 IST

It has begun providing disposable towels and pillow covers in the newly-introduced Bandra-Nizamuddin train and would replace blankets with

The Railway would distribute disposable and eco-friendly linen in the air-conditioned coaches, following complaints of dirty bedrolls and towel thefts.

It has begun providing disposable towels and pillow covers in the newly-introduced Bandra-Nizamuddin train and would replace blankets with cotton sheets.

Depending on the success of the experiment, the disposable linen will be provided in all other trains, said a railway official here, adding that the material used to make the sheets and towels is biodegradable and chemical-free cotton.

Following the Comptroller and Auditor General's rebuke over complaints of dirty bedrolls, the railways has been using innovative ideas to address the issue.

In some air-conditioned coaches, it has stopped distributing blankets and has started regulating the temperature to obviate the need for cover.

While the 'no blanket' rule has been in place in the AC coaches of the Jammu Mail, the railways is also gathering data from passengers on the viability of obviating blankets.

"Once we know how many of them ask for blankets and how many would like to go without one, we will decide on extending the distribution of disposable sheets," the official said. Attendants are reluctant to distribute towels to the passengers of the air-conditioned coaches as they are afraid of theft. "Railways always gets complaints that passengers take away the towels while alighting the train," the official said, adding that the cost of the stolen towel is recovered from the attendant's salary.

Disposable linens also save railways the cost of washing the bed covers and towels. While it spends Rs 55 on each bedroll, it charges the passengers only Rs 22, an official said.

Mudichur still a mess

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | P A JEBARAJ

PublishedNov 4, 2017, 7:56 am IST

Rs 600 crore flood alleviation project to protect South Chennai.

Motorists wade through flooded Mudichur road in Tambaram on Friday.

Chennai: An integrated flood alleviation project at a cost of Rs 600 crore will be taken up to prevent flooding in the southern part of Chennai and this project upon completion will prevent flooding in Mudichur, Perungalathur, Kovilambakkam, Pallikaranai, Velachery and Narayanapuram, higher education minister K.P. Anbhazhagan said on Friday.

The minister who was addressing the agitated Mudichur residents explained that the project will be taken up immediately and assured temporary flood mitigation measures on a war footing. Earlier in the day residents of Velachery Ram Nagar and Mudhichur vacated the ground floor of the buildings they were residing and took shelter on the first floor.

Youngsters of Bharathi Nagar Main Road in West Tambaram come out of their flooded house on Friday. (Photo: DC )

A few of them also vacated the houses and the parking lots remained vacant. “On Thursday night local youngster in these areas held discussions and we decided to move to the first floor after shifting TV, fridge and washing machines, but there were no alert or assistance from state authorities” rued Vijaya Kumari, a resident of Tambaram Krishna Nagar.

Infographic

“We have lost hope in the municipality and the government so I shifted all my belongings to the first floor and we have to help ourselves”, rued K. Shakila, who resides in Lakshmipuram. “The entire Mudichur road is overflowing with water and we fear the rerun of 2015 floods”, she added.

“Goodwill Nagar, Royappa Nagar, Bharathi Nagar and CTO colony suffered waterlogging and we are making efforts to divert the rainwater”, said a local revenue official, adding that there are problems only in the low lying areas which were either catchment or cultivable lands till 2000.

Despite downpour, reservoirs still below
20 per cent storage level

The heavy downpour saw flooding of city roads and there were also cases of water bodies like Naryanapuram lake, Kovilambakkam lake and Rettai Eri filling up, but reservoirs that meet the drinking water needs of Chennai recorded below 20 per cent storage level on Friday. All four reservoirs despite an inflow of 2,000 cusecs of water recorded a meagre 2,114 mcft water against the total storage capacity of 11,057 mcft. During same date last year, the storage was 1,276 mcft. Chembarambakkam, Red Hills, Cholavaram and Poondi received an inflow of 2,400 cusecs.

Why Foreshore estate, Madipakkam
Suffer waterlogging

It is due to poor planning and concrete roads. Under the mega city project, the local administration department mooted the concretisation of roadworks in Chennai. According to city corporation sources more than `300 crore has been spent on concrete roads in the past three years and this has now evolved as the major villain choking new interior roads in Madipakkam and Foreshore estate. “The recently laid concrete beach road between Seenivasapuram Nagar via Foreshore estate connecting Santhome flooded the fishing hamlets and the Foreshore estate. The road level was raised by half a foot and there is no drain. The concrete structure also flooded the EB sub-station resulting in a power outage,” said K. Arokiaraj, fishermen of Dumingkuppam.

Now, North Chennai is facing
Health hazard

Labour dominated North Chennai and its slums were choked with sewer overflow on Friday. The fresh rains added to the existing woes of the public. Visit by DC to Decastor and Demollows road in Pulianthope exposed poor drainage facilities and the only respite was that corporation authorities were conducting medical camps and distributing bleaching powder and paracetamol. “Otteri and Pulianthope, witnessing waterlogging for the last three days, are in a total mess and need more water pumps and super suckers to clear the drainage slush,” said social activist V. Sathiabalan.

No relief for attendance shortage, reiterates HC

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedNov 5, 2017, 4:21 am IST

The single judge had disallowed the students from appearing for second year PUC examination for want of required attendance.

After taking it into account, the court said that the does not provide for any relaxation of the minimum attendance to any extent under any circumstance.

Bengaluru: Those pursuing pre-university courses should keep tabs on their attendance and make sure they have the requisite 75% attendance, or they may not be allowed to appear for examination.

Recently, a division bench of the High Court refused to interfere with the order of single judge bench dismissing the plea of some PUC students seeking relaxation from attendance shortage. The single judge had disallowed the students from appearing for second year PUC examination for want of required attendance.

The advocates for the students had challenged the order of the single judge on the ground that it was contrary to a decision of this court in Prajwal Kumar Patil vs. Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences.

To examine as to whether the students were eligible to appear for the examination in the absence of the requisite attendance, the court felt that it is relevant to refer to Rule 12 of the Karnataka Pre-University Education (Academic, Registration, Administration and Grant-in-Aid etc) Rules, 2006, which reads as follows: “Rule 12 - Minimum days of attendance.—(1) A student shall have attendance of 75 per cent of the total number of periods in each subject during the academic year to become eligible to  appear for the annual examination. “

Further, the rules stated that the director shall notify the minimum number of hours of periods of teaching in respect of each subject and also the minimum number of hours of experiments to be conducted by the student in each science subject. “A student who fails to put in the minimum period of study and attendance in the class and also a science student who fails to conduct the minimum hours of experiments in the laboratories successfully, shall not be eligible to appear for the annual examination,” it stated.

After taking it into account, the court said that the does not provide for any relaxation of the minimum attendance to any extent under any circumstance.

“Therefore, compliance of Rule 12 is mandatory. In other words, unless a student has the minimum attendance as required under Rule 12 of the Rules during the academic year, he shall not be eligible to appear for the annual examination.”
The students who had filed the appeal had attendance between 26% and 58%.

Therefore, admittedly, they had not put in the minimum attendance as required under Rule 12 of the Rules, and hence, were ineligible to appear for the examination, the court ordered while dismissing the appeals of the students.

Closed schools and crèches: A reluctant holiday for parents

Rachel Chitra| TNN | Nov 4, 2017, 10:32 IST

In a double whammy for working parents, all schools and many daycare centres remained shut for the past three or four days as water logging and power shutdown prevented them from being operational.Most daycare centres also have a small play area or a garden patch with swings and seesaws, and during the monsoon these areas are dangerous."Kids run out and play in the mud and we have a 10:1 kids to caretaker ratio. With dengue, malaria and other vectorborne diseases it isn't safe to be near a playground till the water completely drains out," said S Nirmala, head, Chocolatekids playschool and daycare centre.

The past 24 hours, in particular, were difficult for professionals, as commuting became arduous. When Bindhya Narasimhan, 36, wanted to drop her two kids on Friday at the daycare in Foreshore Estate, she found the access road blocked. "I could see that the road ahead had water up to 2ft.And then I saw the message on my phone that the daycare was closed," says Bindhya, who had to take leave to manage the kids.

At Bamboola in Mandaveli, parents were alerted the previous night that the daycare would be shut on Friday ."We have large open spaces for play and the water has not drained out. Younger children also tend to fall sick if their clothes or socks get wet, so it's better for them to stay home," says Deepa, teacher, Bamboola. Parents like Sunita Narayanan had to take leave for the third day in a row. "The first two days I opted to work from home, but now there is no power at home and no daycare too," she says.

For the few daycare centres like Kanchana Patti and Happica that remained open, it was a tough, too. "The children felt cooped up due to the indoor activities, but we could not let them play outside," said Suri, co-founder, Kanchana Patti.