Syndicate at war with higher education secy.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 04, 2017 00:00 IST



Sunil Paliwal
Seven members write to Governor

The tug-of-war for power at the Bharathidasan University has taken a vicious turn with members of the syndicate accusing the Higher Education Secretary of violating norms.

Seven syndicate members (past and present) have sent a letter to Governor-chancellor Banwarilal Purohit stating that the Secretary, Sunil Paliwal, had appointed himself the chairman of the convenor committee without the syndicate’s consent and overstepped his position by going ahead with the appointments for the statutory posts of Registrar, Controller of Examination and Director of Distance Education.

The letter further states that Mr. Paliwal had fixed December 12 as the date for interview for the post of Registrar. He had also convened a syndicate meeting on the same evening at 3.30 p.m. to approve the selection to enable the officials to join duty on the same day.

“The whole process – interview, selection and appointment for the three senior positions of the university – appears to be hasty, illegal and erroneous, especially when the vice-chancellor is to be appointed in a month,” the letter states.

Mr. Paliwal, however, said the appointment process was set in motion in May. “It was the first item in all the syndicate meetings of the universities. For Bharathidasan University, the applications were called for on July 20 and the last date to receive applications was August 18.

“The scrutiny was done on September 15. The interview is fixed for December 12, allowing them enough time to travel.”

He further said a selection committee comprising the vice-chancellors of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and the Tiruvalluvar University had been constituted. The others in the committee are a syndicate member and two members from the convenor committee. “Being the chairman, I am on the committee and the Director of College Education is also on it. Only academicians will conduct the proceedings,” he said.

“There were litigations in the case of Bharathiar and Tiruvalluvar varsities, which have been resolved now. Are they happy with registrar in-charge or a full-time registrar?” Mr. Paliwal asked.

Govt. to take back land from RGUHS

STAFF REPORTER

DECEMBER 05, 2017 00:00 IST

The State government has decided to take back the 50 acres of land near Bheemanakuppe in Kengeri hobli allotted to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS).

The file, approved by the tahsildar’s office, is now in the office of the Deputy Commissioner for Bengaluru Urban. Sources say this move was initiated as the university did not develop the land. A public health institute was supposed to be set up there. University authorities, shocked at the development, said the land was purchased by the mand they had the khata documents.

‘Virudhunagar, Ramnad backward’

T. Ramakrishnan

DECEMBER 05, 2017 00:00 IST

The Central government has identified Ramanathpuram and Virudhunagar as backward districts of Tamil Nadu.

The identification has been made on four broad parameters – poverty, health, education and infrastructure. All over the country, 115 districts have been chosen.

Ramanathapuram has been ranked 38th under the pararmeter of poverty; 111th both under health and education and 104 under infrastructure, while Virudhunagar has been placed 16th, 100th, 114th and 105th ranks under the four parameters respectively.

The Centre has also appointed Praveen Kumar and S. Gopalakrishnan, both IAS officers of the Tamil Nadu cadre and on Central deputation, ‘prabhari’ officers for Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram. They will coordinate the efforts of the Centre and State in "achieving rapid transformation" of the identified districts by addressing their specific developmental needs. The initiative is in consonance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision programme, New India by 2022, according to an order issued by the Union government's Department of Personnel and Training two weeks ago.

At present, Mr. Praveen Kumar is an Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Mr. Gopalakrishnan, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

On Tuesday, they will conduct their inaugural visit to the two districts and hold discussions with officials. The State government has posted IAS officers Santhosh Babu and P. Amudha as nodal officers, who will also be there along with those nominated by the Union government.

Register Digital Life Certificate in banks before December 31’

STAFF REPORTER

PUDUCHERRY, DECEMBER 05, 2017 00:00 IST

Aadhaar card original among the documents required

The digital submission of life certificate/non-remarriage certificate for 2018 by Employees Pension Scheme (1995) and Family Pension Scheme (197l) pensioners through Jeevan Pramaan Patra should be completed on or before December 31, to continue the payment of pension from January 2018.

Jeevan Pramaan

A press note from the office of the Regional PF Commissioner said that all eligible pensioners are requested to register their Digital Life Certificate through Jeevan Pramaan at their respective banks where pensioner's savings bank accounts were maintained or at their nearby Common Service Centres.

Designated branches

They were requested to carry the following documents for registration purpose — Aadhaar card (original/photocopy); bank pass book; mobile and pension payment order number.

The pensioners drawing pension through the State Bank of India, Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank may contact the following branches for registration of their respective Digital Life Certificate: State Bank of India (Gandhinagar branch and Puducherrv Main Branch), and the Indian Overseas Bank (J.N. Street Branch, 100 Feet Road Branch, Reddiyarpalayam Branch, Orleanpet Branch, Municipal Campus Branch, Karaikal Branch, and Nedungadu Branch).

5-year jail term for former V-C upheld in graft case

S Vijay Kumar R.Sivaraman

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 05, 2017 00:00 IST

DVAC registered a case in 2009

The Madras High Court on Monday upheld a trial court’s order convicting R Radhakrishnan, suspended Vice-Chancellor of the erstwhile Anna University of Technology (AUT-Coimbatore), to undergo five years imprisonment in a corruption case.

Radhakrishnan was the first Vice-Chancellor of a State university in Tamil Nadu to be suspended over seven years ago.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had in 2009 registered a case against Radhakrishnan and others on charges of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 40,000 from A. Senthilkumar, who was running Surya Industries in Erode, for supply of dual desk to the university. The agency said he had settled the bill due to supplier only after he paid the bribe amount.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Coimbatore (the special court for DVAC case), which examined witnesses, had in November last year, held Radhakrishnan guilty and sentenced him to undergo five years’ rigorous imprisonment under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

It also imposed a year’s imprisonment on another count but held that the sentences would run concurrently. Besides the trial judge had imposed a cumulatively penalty of Rs. 1.10 lakh on the accused.

Radhakrishnan moved the Madras High Court challenging his conviction .

Justice G Jayachandran dismissed Radhakrishnan’s plea and upheld the trial judge’s order awarding the five-year rigorous prison term and the penalty of Rs. 1.10 lakh.

Rape of minors to attract death in M.P.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

BHOPAL, DECEMBER 05, 2017 00:00 IST

All parties support Bill in Assembly

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a Bill awarding death to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 and below. With this, Madhya Pradesh becomes the first State where those convicted of such rapes will face the gallows.

Introduced in the House by Law and Legislative Affairs Minister Rampal Singh, the Bill was discussed in detail and then passed by all parties, including the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress. The Bill will now be sent to the President for his assent, after which it will become a law, Home Minister Bhupendra Singh told reporters outside the Assembly.

‘Historic day’

“It was a historic day for Madhya Pradesh as the Assembly, as per the wish of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, passed a Bill making a provision to award the capital punishment to those indulging in such crimes [raping girls aged 12 or younger],” Mr. Bhupendra Singh said.

Capital punishment would be awarded to convicts under Section 376 (A), which is related to rape, and Section 376 (D, A), pertaining to gang-rape.

Welcoming the Bill, Mr. Chouhan said: “There are people in society who can be set right only by severe punishments. It [the legislation] will deal with them. We will also raise awareness in society against such crimes.”

ஓரங்கட்டப்பட்ட தமிழ்... புதுக்கோட்டை ரயில் நிலையம் தமிழ்நாட்டில்தான் இருக்கிறதா?

பாலஜோதி.ரா
ம.அரவிந்த்
சே.அபினேஷ்

"புதுக்கோட்டை ரயில் நிலையம் தமிழ்நாட்டில்தான் இருக்கிறதா..? இல்லை, குஜராத், டெல்லியில் இருக்கிறதா?' என்று புலம்பியபடிதான் ரயிலை பிடிக்கவே விரைகிறார்கள் புதுக்கோட்டை நகர மக்கள். ஆம் இத்தனை ஆண்டுகளாக தமிழில் இருந்த புதுக்கோட்டை ரயில் நிலையத்தின் முகப்புப் பலகை இப்போது இந்திக்கு மாறியுள்ளது. தமிழ் பக்கவாட்டு பலகைக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளது.



நீண்ட கட்டடத்தின் முகப்பில், ஆங்கிலம், தமிழ், இந்தி என்ற வரிசையில் இருந்த ரயில்வே நிலைய பெயரில் மாற்றம் செய்யப்பட்டு இருக்கிறது. அதாவது, பிரதான நுழைவாயிலில் இருந்த தமிழ்ப் பெயர், இப்போது இந்திக்கு மாறியுள்ளது. இந்தி இருந்த இடத்துக்குத் தமிழைத் தள்ளிவிட்டார்கள். ‎

அந்தப் பகுதியில் ஆட்டோ ஓட்டும் செந்தில்குமார் நம்மிடம் "இந்தப் பெயரை ஆறு மாசத்துக்கு முன்னாடியே மாத்திட்டாங்க. ரயில் நிலையம் ஊருக்கு ஒதுக்குப்புறமாக இருப்பதால், அதிகமாக மக்களுக்குத் தெரியாமல் இருந்தது. ஆனாலும் கட்சிக்காரர்கள் கொஞ்சம் பேர் தகவல் தெரிந்து ரயில்வே அதிகாரிகளிடம் பேசிப் பார்த்தாங்க. 'இதோ பழையபடியே மாத்திடுறோம்'னு சொன்னாங்க ஆனா, இன்னிக்கு வரை மாற்றவே இல்லை"என்றார்.

இதற்காகப் போராட்டம் நடத்திய 'நாம்தமிழர்' கட்சியின் புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டத் தலைவர் இரா.கணேசனிடம் பேசினோம். பெயரை அவர்கள் இந்தியில் மாற்றிய மூன்றாவது நாளே நாங்கள் ஆர்ப்பாட்டம் நடத்தினோம். மறுநாளே அனைத்துக் கட்சிக் கூட்டத்தைக்கூட்டி அதிகாரிகளுடன் பேசினோம். 'டெல்லியிலிருந்து வந்த உத்தரவு அதை மாற்ற முடியாது' என்று கூறினார்கள். 'புதுக்கோட்டை ரயில் நிலையத்துக்கு மட்டும் பெயரை மாற்றுங்கள்?' என்று உத்தரவு வந்ததா என்று நாங்கள் கேட்டதற்கு அவர்கள் சரியான முறையில் பதிலளிக்கவில்லை.

அதன் பிறகு நாங்கள் விசாரித்தபோது, இங்கே பணிசெய்யும் வட இந்திய அதிகாரி ஒருவர் செய்த வேலைதான் இது என்பதைத் தெரிந்துகொண்டோம். வட இந்திய ஊழியர்களைத் தமிழக ரயில் நிலையங்களில் பணியமர்த்தி, தனது இந்தி மொழிதிணிப்பு வெறியைத் தீர்த்துக்கொள்கிறது மத்திய அரசு. இன்றைக்குப் புதுக்கோட்டை ரயில் நிலையத்துக்கு நடந்தது நாளைக்குத் தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள எல்லா ரயில் நிலையங்களுக்கும் நடக்கலாம்" என்றார். ‎இதுகுறித்து விளக்கம்பெற நிலைய அதிகாரியைத் தொடர்பு கொண்டோம். போனை எடுத்தவரிடம் பெயர் பலகை ஏன் தமிழிலிருந்து இந்திக்கு மாறியது என்று கேட்டதற்கு "க்யா..க்யா போல்" என்று எதிர்முனையில் பேசுகிறார். பெயர்பலகை மட்டுமல்ல அதிகாரிகளிடமும் தமிழ் ஓரங்கட்டப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.