Villagers protest against Salem-Chennai road project

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Tiruvannamalai: 02.05.2018

Villagers in Tiruvannamalai district are up in arms against the ₹1,100 crore greenfield access control road project between Salem and Chennai. To register their protest, they have passed a resolution in a special grama sabha meeting against the project.

A day after staging protest and submitting a petition to collector K S Kandasamy, the members of Pasumai Vazhi Salai Ethiruppu Kuzhu said that the residents of nearly 40 villagers have decided to press the village administration to pass a resolution against the eightlane road, which would be executed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). “We have asked the villagers to pass a resolution in the grama sabha meetings held today. It was done in several villagers,” said CPM worker Abhiraman, who is one of the members of the forum formed to protest against the project.

“We have communicated to the government about the public agitation against the project. But the project is in a primitive stage and there will be a public hearing before it is taken up. We will talk to the villagers and also discuss with the officials involved in the project and take further steps,” collector Kandasamy told TOI.

The 277-km-long highway between Salem and Chennai cuts through reserve forest areas and several villages in Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram districts.

“It is insensible to design a project that devours several hectares of forest land. The road would range from 400 feet to 1,000 feet. It will destroy a vast track of green cover in the reserve forest area and have an adverse impact on the environment,” said an official in the forest department and added that the department has yet to receive any official communication from the NHAI.

The official, however, said that they have to follow the standard procedure once the executing agency of the project uploaded the data in the website of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change for clearance. “We will conduct a study and look into to various aspects as per Forest Conservation Act to issue the clearance,” said an official.

Girls disappear, show up as brides
Run Away To Avoid Being Married To Elderly Grooms

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:
02.05.2018

Withchild marriages still prevalent in parts of Tiruvallur district where girls are forced to marry much older men against their will, many of them arechoosing to elope with a partner of their choice. At least 40 teenaged girls have gone missing from their houses this year alone in the district, say police.

Senior counsel and social activist V Kannadasan said child marriages are common on the outskirts of Tiruvallur district along the border with Andhra Pradesh. Girls are usually asked to enter wedlock with an older man or become the second wife of a relative to avoid cutting them off from the family, said S Jebaraj, who runs an NGO and works closely for these young school dropouts.

Kannadasan said he has visited several schools in Tiruvallur and north Chennai where many girls get married by the age of 16, during their schooling.

“The girls don’t get any support from their families to complete their education. Many families are coolies and decide to marry off the girls when they are still studying, just to avoid feeding one more member in the family,” said Kannadasan.

These girls stop going to school after marriage asthey are forced to take care of their newly married husband and his family too. “Many girls choose a partner of their own age from the neighbourhood and elope with them to avoid being forced into wedlock by their family members,” he added.

The girls’ families sometimes choose to swallow their pride and give their blessings to the union.

“In several cases, the family members have agreed to the marriage of the young couple if they are from the same community,” said Kannadasan.

The lawyer said that such incidents have also been witnessed in parts of north Chennai like Vyasarpadi, Thiruvottiyur and Ernavur. However, child marriages have been curtailed in these neighbourhoods after repeated counselling for young girls at government-run schools here, he added.

Spl team to find missing Tiruvallur girls

Chennai: Tiruvallur district superintendent of police Sibi Chakaravarthy has assigned a deputy superintendent of police to trace girls who have gone missing in the district. A phone number has been issued for the public to give any information relating to the girls. The district police have registered at least 40 missing girl cases from January 1to April 30, a press release said. Of these 40 cases, the police have rescued about 34 girls and are yet to trace six others. The district police have assigned the district crime record bureau officer in the rank of deputy superintendent of police to monitor such cases. Apart from this special team, there exists another police team headed by a sub-inspector which will work closely with the state crime record bureau to trace the children under ‘Operation Smile’. The public can either give information or enquire of their missing kin by calling 044-27663555. TNN

Results of SRMJEEE out, counselling from May 7

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 02.05.2018

The resultsof the SRMJoint Engineering Entrance Examination (SRMJEEE) for admission to B.Tech degree programmes, that was held from April 16 to 30 across the country, were declared on Tuesday. Counselling for students will begin from May 7 and admissions will be done based on the ranks in entrance. Students from 7 different states featured in the top 10 of all India ranks and scholarships worth ₹30 crore will be given to deserving students, said a statement.

Counseling for admission toB.Tech has been scheduled for SRM University-Haryana, SRMUniversity-AP,Amaravati from May 7-10 at their respective campuses. SRM Institute of Science and Technology has scheduled counseling from 11May to 20 May, at its NCR campus and Kattankulathur campus. Candidates can download their rank card, counseling call letter by logging in to their dashboard on www.srmuniv.ac.in. Founder’s Scholarships will be awarded based on the rank obtained in SRMJEEE2018on thefirstdayof counseling. Top 100 ranks in SRMJEEE will receive100%waiver of tuition andhostel fees.

Atotalof 1.72lakhcandidates registered across the country of which 76,000 are being called for counseling. The test was conducted across 123 centers in India and in 5 centers across Middle East for NRI Candidates. The top states from where students applied are UP, Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Haryana and Tamil Nadu.

Air Mauritius flight delayed by 13 hours, passengers hit

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 02.05.2018
More than 200 passengers who booked an Air Mauritius (MK-747) flight to Port Louis were forced to negotiate with their tour operators and hotels in Mauritius after their flight got delayed by 13 hours on Tuesday. The flight left at 8.30pm which was scheduledtodepart at7.45am.

As hotels do not accept flight delays as an excuse for late check ins, international flights delays often take a toll on the tourists and derail their travelbudget Karthik Lakshmanan, a passenger, said, “I have informed the hotel in Mauritius thatIwillbe reaching late.But they seemed irritated that they have to send a cab to the airport to pick me up at around 2am. I have not discussed about thes additional payment yet. But I have lost a day of the four days holiday that was planned.”

The delay was conveyed to them 15minutes before departure,thusthe passengers picked up an argument with airline ground staff. People who were waiting for the boarding came to know about the delay when the reviseddeparturetimeflashedon information board. Karthik Lakshmanan said “The airlinestaff gavedifferent reasons for the delay. Firstthey said pilotdid not report for duty and then they said that the pilot had some issuewithhislicence.”

After three hours airline staff managed to solve the issue.Basheer Ahmedof Metro Travelssaidthatdelaysof more than two hours would have an impact on the travel schedule of passengers. “If the delay is more, people may have to reschedule their hotel bookings, tour bookings. Passengers will lose out on their travel plans. They may not be able to stay an extra day because flights will be full and ticketswillbeexpensive.” 


HASSLED CROWD

Soon, use broadband to call landline, mobile numbers

Pankaj.Doval@timesgroup.com 02.05.2018

New Delhi: Stuck in a bad signal area, or getting the dreaded sign that there is no mobile network at all? Soon you'll be able to latch on to your home or office wi-fi broadband to make calls to mobile phones as well as landlines, with the government on Tuesday approving a proposal to allow internet telephony in the country.

Telecom operators, and other companies who obtain a telephony licence, will be able to offer you a new mobile number that will not require a SIM, but can be activated by downloading an internet telephony app.

Regulator Trai had recommended the proposal last October, with the aim of giving new connectivity options to consumers plagued by call drops.

The inter-ministerial Telecom Commission approved the proposal, which will now enable the rollout of internet telephony services by companies such as Reliance Jio, BSNL, Airtel and other operators.

Arvind Kumar, advisor at Trai, said the measure would benefit consumers by offering new connectivity choices. “This will give more options to consumers, especially in areas where quality of service is an issue. These include places such as buildings and even homes where conventional telecom signals are weak while wifi availability is strong.”

Explaining the process, an official said that to avail internet telephony, a consumer would need to download the app that an operator may offer.

Flyers may be able to use mobiles in planes

In just a few months, you can browse the internet, or make calls, while flying in Indian skies. The government gave the go-ahead on Tuesday to the proposal that will allow in-flight connectivity and enable fliers to use their mobile phones while in the air. Airline companies, telecom operators and others now have to work out solutions and customer packages. P 11

Internet calling may address issue of dropped calls

“Following this, one will get a 10-digit number which is like any other mobile telephone number. For example, you may be using an Airtel SIM for your existing telecom needs, but may later download a Jio internet telephony app for which you will get a new and different number. This app can be used to make calls using broadband.” However, in case you download the app of the same service provider that you are currently using, then you can have the same number, the official — who did not wish to be identified — said.

Trai has pitched internet calling as a useful and cost-effective alternative for making voice calls. “This will increase the call success rate, particularly in indoor poor coverage areas where public internet may be available but signal of a particular telecom company is not available,” it said. Companies will, however, need to take care of security and encryption aspects related to such calls. Mobile companies have often failed to provide adequate network coverage across many towns and cities, causing a lot of hardship for customers due to recurring call drops. Internet telephony may be an effective tool to manage such poor services.

Aadhaar not must for mobile SIM, says govt
Operators Told To Accept Other Documents

Pankaj.Doval@timesgroup.com 02.05.2018

New Delhi: Here’s some good news for consumers struggling to get a mobile phone SIM without an Aadhaar card. The government has issued instructions to operators to accept alternative identification documents such as driving licence, passport and voter ID card.

Mobile companies have been asked to follow the instructions “immediately” so that consumers are not inconvenienced, said telecom secretary Aruna Sundararajan. The move follows a TOI report on April 27, which highlighted instances of people being denied a SIM card if they did not have an Aadhaar card. The Supreme Court has already clarified that Aadhaar is not mandatory for getting SIM cards until it takes afinal view on the matter.

“The ministry has issued instructions to all telecom companies, asking them not to deny a SIM card to any individual who does not have an Aadhaar number. We have asked them to accept other forms of KYC (know your customer) documents, and continue to issue SIM cards,” Sundararajan told TOI.

Mobile companies had been insisting on verification through Aadhaar, based on earlier instructions given by the telecom department to confirm all the numbers with the government’s digital directory.


Aadhaar-PAN linking helps I-T detect ₹33k cr

Linking Aadhaar and PAN has helped the tax department track high-value transactions of ₹33,000 crore, which were sought to be suppressed by individuals who face the risk of action if there’s evidence that the transactions don’t match the disclosed income. P 11

Soon, ombudsman for telecom complaints

You will soon have a telecom ombudsman to rely on when your mobile operator refuses to pay heed to your complaints on deficient services with the government clearing a three-tier mechanism on Tuesday. The ombudsman will be formed under the aegis of Trai. P 16

NRIs, foreigners too denied SIM cards

Mobile companies had been insisting on verification through Aadhaar, based on earlier instructions given by the telecom department to confirm all the numbers with the government’s digital directory. While the telecom ministry insisted that it had given such instructions only after observations of the Supreme Court in the Lokniti Foundation case, the top court recently clarified that it had not given any such orders.

The Aadhaar issue had not only impacted local residents, but even NRIs and foreigners visiting the country. Since the majority of such individuals did not have an Aadhaar card, retailers of mobile companies had started denying them SIM cards.

Mobile operators have so far refused to comment on the matter. However, official sources said the government has taken it very seriously. “This kind of a denial by retailers is completely uncalled for when there is no legal basis to enforce it. Such practices will not be tolerated,” a senior official said.

It is also understood that the government has asked mobile companies to “take it easy” on the issue of re-verification of mobile numbers with Aadhaar. With the Supreme Court extending the deadline for this indefinitely (until its final decision), the government feels that there is no merit for mobile operators to “unnecessarily push” their subscribers on the matter.

Until last week, mobile companies had been bombarding customers with calls, messages and other such unsolicited communication, asking them to link their phone number with Aadhaar. They had said that they were “simply complying” with the government’s previous directive on the matter.

‘கேரளாவில்தான் இப்படி நடக்கும்’: மே தினத்தில் நடத்துநராக மாறிய போக்குவரத்துக் கழக இயக்குநர்

Published : 01 May 2018 18:02 IST

ஐஏஎன்எஸ் திருவனந்தபுரம்




கேரள போக்குவரத்துக்கழகத்தின் இயக்குநர் தச்சங்காரி பேருந்தில் நடத்துனராக பணியாற்றிய காட்சி - படம் உதவி: ட்விட்டர்

கேரள போக்குவரத்துக் கழகம் நஷ்டத்தில் இயங்குவதற்கான காரணத்தை கண்டுபிடிக்கும் முயற்சியில் மாநில போக்குவரத்துக் கழகத்தின் இயக்குநர் நீண்ட தொலைவு செல்லும் அரசுப் பேருந்தில் இன்று நடத்துநராகப் பணியாற்றினார்.

கோட், சூட் என்று மிகவும் மிடுக்கான தோற்றத்தில் இருக்கும் போக்குவரத்து இயக்குநர் தோமின் தசங்காரி திடீரென நடத்துநருக்கான சீருடையை அணிந்து பேருந்து நிலையத்துக்கு வந்ததும் அனைத்து ஊழியர்களும் அதிர்ச்சி அடைந்துவிட்டனர். ஐஏஎஸ் அந்தஸ்தில் இருக்கும் அதிகாரி நடத்துநராக வந்ததும் மக்களும் பதற்றமடைந்தனர்.

அதன்பின் திருவனந்தபுரத்தில் இருந்து திருவல்லா செல்லும் அரசுப் பேருந்தில் டிக்கெட்டுகளுடன் ஏறிய தஞ்சங்காரி நடத்துநராக தனது பணியைத் தொடங்கினார். உதவிக்கு அலுவலர்கள் வந்தபோதும் யாரும் தன்னுடன் வரத்தேவையில்லை நானே பார்த்துக்கொள்கிறேன் என்று கூறிவிட்டார்.

தன் கையில் இருந்த விசிலை ஊதி, 'ரைட் போய்க்கோ' என்று சொல்லிக் கிளப்பினார்.

கேரள போக்குவரத்துத் துறை நீண்ட ஆண்டுகளாக நஷ்டத்தில் இயங்கி வருகிறது. இந்த நிறுவனத்தை இழப்பில் இருந்து மீட்க முடியாமல் அரசு ஆண்டுதோறும் மானியம் வழங்கி வருகிறது. இந்நிலையில், இயக்குநராக கடந்த மாதம் தஞ்சங்காரி நியமிக்கப்பட்டார்.

அரசு போக்குவரத்துக்கழகத்தின் நஷ்டத்துக்கான காரணத்தை அலுவலகத்தில் இருந்து கவனித்தால் தெரியாது என்பதை உணர்ந்த இயக்குநர், நடத்துநராக, ஓட்டுநராக இருந்தால் என்னவிதமான சிரமங்கள் இருக்கின்றன பேருந்துகள் ஓடக்கூடிய தகுதியில் இருக்கிறதா என்பதை அறிய முடிவு செய்தார். இதையடுத்து, மே தினமான இன்று நடத்துநராக தனது பணியைத் தொடங்கினார்.

இது குறித்து போக்குவரத்துக் கழக இயக்குநர் தோமின் தச்சங்காரி நிருபர்களிடம் கூறியதாவது:

''போக்குவரத்துக் கழகத்தின் இயக்குநரான நான் நடத்துநராக இன்று பணி செய்வதைப் பார்த்து சிலர் சிரிக்கலாம். ஆனால், உண்மையில் நான் போக்குவரத்துக் கழகத்தை லாபத்தில் கொண்டு வர இதை செய்துவருகிறேன். முறைப்படி நடத்துநர் உரிமம்பெற்று இப்போது நடத்தநராக இன்று ஒரு நாள் பணியாற்றுகிறேன், அடுத்து ஓட்டுநர் உரிமத்துக்கு விண்ணப்பித்து இருக்கிறேன். கிடைத்தவுடன் ஓட்டுநராகவும் ஒருநாள் பணியாற்றுவேன்.

கேரள போக்குவரத்துக் கழகத்தில் 32 ஆயிரம் ஓட்டுநர்கள், நடத்துநர்கள் பணியாற்றுகிறார்கள். அவர்களின் சிரமம் என்ன என்பதை தெரிந்துகொள்ள வேண்டும். பேருந்துகளின் தரத்தை உயர்த்தி, பழுதுகள் நீக்கப்படும். தனியார் பேருந்துகளின் தரத்துக்கு இணையாக கேரள அரசு பேருந்துகளும் விரைவில் சீரடையும். ஊழியர்களுக்கு ஊதியம், போனஸ், பிஎஃப் போன்றவற்றை கொடுப்பதில் சிரமமாக இருக்கும் சூழலை விரைவில் மாற்றி, லாபத்தில் கொண்டுவருவேன்.''

இவ்வாறு தோமின் தச்சங்காரி தெரிவித்தார்.