Elderly should have dignity in death: Shanta 

Nandika B. Madhusmitha 
 
Chennai, May 25, 2018 00:00 IST

Highlights changing attitudes of society towards old people

“Elderly persons should receive respect in life and have dignity in death,” said V. Shanta of the Cancer Institute at an event held to mark the 20th anniversary of the Prasanthi Old Age Welfare Home here on Thursday.

As innovative and advanced medical technology increased life expectancy, changing social beliefs and attitudes pointed towards abandoning the old in society. Dr. Shanta said good habits could only reduce the ill-effects of old age up to a point, but could not prevent them altogether.

Website launched

Saidai S. Duraisamy, founder of Manithaneyam IAS Academy, launched the website of the old age home.

The home’s souvenir was released by O. S. Manian, Minister for Handloom and Textiles.

He lauded its founder Rajagopala Balaji for being considerate to the people staying there.

Nalli Kuppusamy Chetty, industrialist, and Latha Rajendran, relative of the late M.G. Ramachandran, were present.

The foundation also gave out cash prizes to three students who had passed their Plus Two exams.

Unsafe boat rides continue in Pulicat 

Vivek Narayanan 
 
CHENNAI, May 25, 2018 00:00 IST



No safety:Fishermen say they get a decent income during holidays and weekends.B. Jothi RamalingamB. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
A ban had been imposed after 22 people died in December 2011

Despite a ban on joy rides on the Pulicat lake by the Tiruvallur district administration, a section of fishermen continues to take tourists on their boats without any safety measures.

Boating in the lake was banned after 22 people died while taking a ride in December 2011. Every New Year, the Tiruvallur district administration warns fishermen against taking tourists on boat rides.

However, tourists at Pulicat approach fishermen for boat rides. “We will take tourists up to the estuary. They spend some time on the sands, bathe in the sea, have some snacks and return. The cost per head is around Rs. 200. When a group takes our boat, it pays around Rs. 1,500,” said Sikandar, a fisherman.

He said that they get a decent income during the summer holidays and weekends when tourists flock to Pulicat. “Some tourists consume alcohol sitting on the boat and on the sands near the estuary. They just come to enjoy,” he said.

Other fishermen said the rides are risky.

“The boats are built for fishing. They can handle 500 kg but can topple easily. This is the reason why boating was banned after the 2011 incident,” said Durai Mahendran, secretary, Tiruvallur Maavatta Paarambariya Aikiya Meenavar Sangam.

Extra money

He said the fishermen who take tourists on boat rides are not affected by the fishing ban like those who go to the sea. “They are doing this for some extra money,” he added.

The fishing community, therefore, wants the government to develop the place like Muttukadu. “The Tourism or Forest Department can introduce boat rides and employ the fishermen. They can specify conditions such as safety and distance to be travelled etc. This will not only provide an income for fishermen, but also check illegal boat rides,” Mr. Mahendran said.

A senior official from the Forest Department said if the Tourism Department submitted a detailed proposal about the boat rides, it would be discussed by senior officers and a decision would be taken.

“However, we cannot permit house boat type of rides as it would pollute the lake and affect the birds,” said an official.

UGC allows online degrees 

Vikas pathak 
 
NEW DELHI, May 25, 2018 00:00 IST

With the University Grants Commission approving the UGC (Online Courses) Regulations, 2018, in its meeting on Thursday, higher educational institutions can now offer certificate, diploma and degree programmes in full-fledged online mode in line with their regular programmes.

An official release said only those disciplines in which qualifying institutions have already been offering the same or similar programmes/ courses at the undergraduate level in the regular mode (of classroom teaching), or in open and distance learning mode, approved by the statutory councils as applicable, and from which at least one batch has graduated, are eligible. A minimum National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) score of 3.26 on the 4-point scale is required.

‘Forward messages on Nipah only after checking authenticity’
…say experts on the adverse impact of social media forwards

Anjana.George@timesgroup.com 25.05.2018

Panic is palpable, especially in the northern parts of Kerala. People have been abandoning fully ripe jackfruits and mangoes that they have been waiting to relish. Some who had consumed a few are having sleepless nights. As the toll because of the till-now-unheard-of Nipah virus reached double digits in Kozhikode and Malappuram, a kind of fear psychosis has set in among ordinary citizens.

While the health department and health professionals have been striving to contain the new disease from spreading to other areas, some who are ‘share happy’ have been doing a disservice by disseminating falsehoods and halftruths through the social media.

“If we go by the forwards and posts that are doing the rounds on Facebook and WhatsApp, we will simply die of fear,” says Sajina Rakesh from Kozhikode who lives near the medical college. Besides forwards and videos, even trolls are trying to cash in on the situation that seems straight out of a Hollywood movie like Contagion that revolves around the sudden spread of a virus, throwing society into extreme panic.

“It is a crucial time for us. Instead of spreading panic, this is the time to be alert and join the fight against Nipah,” says Dr Jineesh P S, a member of Info Clinic, a social media group started by 32 doctors to debunk fake health news.


‘Think of the social media implication before sharing Nipah forwards’

“We can use social media productively or to spread wrong information. It is unfortunate that those who are using it productively have less reach and those who are misusing it are receiving a lot of attention. Today, we found a video posted by a person named Mohanan Vaidyar which shows him consuming fruits that are supposedly eaten partially by bats, gaining thousands of shares within hours. In Kerala, there are a total of 56 species of bats where six of the species are fruit bats. Just because he is unharmed after eating a fruit partially consumed by bats, it doesn’t mean that there is no such virus. It is a precautionary measure to not eat fruits that are bitten by bats. So, isn’t it unfair to disseminate such false information when we are supposed to join the fight against the unexpected virus attack,” asks the doctor. “The government must take strong action against people who are creating and spreading similar misleading information at a crucial juncture like this,” he adds.

Jineesh, whose team has approached the authorities to stop people from circulating inaccurate information, goes on to add that it is equally wrong for anybody to start killing the bats, which feed on moths and mosquitoes. ‘“If bats are eliminated, these pests will thrive and more diseases will pop up next year. It is also wrong to blame migrant labourers for the spread of the virus.”

Another myth that Jineesh wants to debunk is the claim by some that modern medicine has no cure for Nipah virus. “This isn’t right at all. When we say that there is 70 per cent mortality rate, we should also know that it can be cured up to 40 to 60 per cent using the available technology and medicines. Some alternative medicine practitioners are trying to make a fast buck by claiming that they have remedies. People have to remember that only when they approach the hospitals can the professionals do the needful. All we could do right now is to maintain hygiene and support the rest,” he says.

Law academician Veena Rohan from Kochi agrees that it is high time authorities cracked down on those who misuse social media. “As we all know, it is not possible to lay down how much and what kind of information can be passed over the social media.”

However, as responsible citizens, we should have some ethics not to create unnecessary panic by sending unauthorised information via social media. The authenticity of the information should be checked before sharing or disseminating it. While we have right to information, there are reasonable restrictions also. The one who passes wrong information can be punished. Practitioners of fake cures can be punished under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. It regulates advertising of drugs in India. It prohibits advertisements of drugs and remedies that claim to have magical properties and makes doing so a cognisable offense. The penalty carries a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment with or without fine on first conviction. In case of any subsequent conviction, the term may be up to a year,” she says.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra has instructed the cyber police to file cases against people spreading false news about Nipah virus. P S Rajashekaran, Deputy Director, Police Information Centre, Thiruvanathapuram explains that the group admins of Whatsapp should scrutinise the information dispersed in their groups. Also, every individual has to take a personal responsibility to verify the authenticity and social implication of the messages before passing them on. “There was a social media post saying that there are travel restrictions in Kerala. This is completely false. There is no advisory to curb travel. Kerala is perfectly safe. All we have asked is to take precautions. Strict action will be taken against those sharing or posting such messages. Kerala Police has started the enquiry and cases will be filed under IT Act and IPC,” he says.

Dr Jineesh concludes: “Though Kerala boasts of a high literacy rate, this shows that we still lack a scientific outlook. With a lot of hard work, we had eradicated communicable diseases like malaria and diphtheria but thanks to the anti-MR vaccine campaign by certain sections through social media, we diagnosed a child recently as having diphtheria. If people work against the campaigns by the health departments, epidemics will return,” he says. 


Family members of the patients admitted at the Kozhikode Medical College

Flyers’ bugbears: Flight delays, refunds top list

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 25.05.2018

Flight delays are the biggest bugbears for air travellers in India, according to the grievance redressal forum of an online portal (Air-Sewa) launched by the aviation ministry in November 2016. In the almost 1.5 years since then, most complaints received about airlines are regarding flight delays and fare refunds.

The number of complaints received on AirSewa are, at best, a minuscule percentage of the actual number of flyers facing these problems but they show what issues trouble passengers the most. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data for January-December 2017 shows 13.8 lakh domestic passengers faced flights delays of over two hours.

The aviation ministry earlier this week released a draft set of passenger charter that, among other things, seeks to penalise airlines for delays. But airlines are quick to point that the major reason for delays is the failure to add airport infrastructure as air traffic exploded in the last few years.

“Mumbai is the most constrained airport in India where hovering for 30 minutes on an average is common on good days and gets much worse on bad weather days. Getting clearance to take off on time from Mumbai is very rare. Delhi is severely constrained and in peak arrival times, we have to hover for long time to get a chance to land,” said a senior commander.

Travel industry insiders say the government draft may lead to improvement in airfare refunds but issues related to airport infra that directly impact airlines — like on time performance of airlines or condition of overcrowded and choked terminals — cannot change much till India gets airports big enough to meet its requirements.

“Airlines are sought to be penalised for flight delays. The reason for majority of these delays is failure to augment airport infra as traffic grew,” said an airline official.

A senior aviation ministry official said the yawning gap in airport infra available and required was caused by the over 20% growth in air traffic in last 3-4 years. 



DISCOMFORTING DELAY

Doctors slam WhatsApp home remedies for Nipah

Chethan.Misquith@timesgroup.com

Mangaluru: 25.05.2018

Boil six leaves of night-blooming jasmine (parijatha) in 200ml of water and prepare a 100ml kashaya. Add black pepper powder and three drops of lime juice. Consume the mixture thrice or four times a day; consume honey with onion extract regularly. This is one of the ‘home remedies’ against the Nipah virus (NiV) doing the rounds on social media.

While researchers are yet to find a cure for the deadly virus, messages on the ‘power of Indian herbs’ has caught the attention of social media users, especially WhatsApp.

“These home remedies should be condemned outright,” said Dr Srinivas Kakkilaya, a consultant physician. “Nipah is a serious infection involving the brain and it causes encephalitis. Such patients need immediate hospitalisation and intensive care. Most patients require artificial ventilation until the virus subsides.”

Kakkilaya claimed only one antiviral drug has proven effective so far. According to newspaper reports, the Kerala government has procured 2,000 such tablets and has ordered for another 8,000 tablets.

Dr Edmond Fernandes, CEO, CHD Group, also rubbished the home remedies. “Let alone any home remedy, there is no treatment for NiV,” he said. He urged the public not to believe such messages and refrain from circulating them.

“The messages circulating on social media and also the promotion of alternative forms of medicine to cure NiV must be ignored,” Fernandes said. “Any development of illness during such times is best attended to by the medical community only.”

Ayurvedic doctors, too, said there is no treatment as yet for NiV. “Any medicine has to satisfy certain criteria to be released in the market. There is no treatment for NiV in Ayurveda as yet,” Dr Gautham Alva of Alva’s Ayur Care said.

Fake alumnus in IIT circle cons students and faculty

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: 25.05.2018

The IIT community has raised alarm bells against persons who pose as its alumni and fraudulently garner loans, never to be repaid. Niladri Sarkar’s happens to be one such case. Sarkar socially engineered his way into the IIT circuit by claiming to have been a student of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, IIT Bombay and IIT Madras at different points in time. Sarkar, who appears to be in his late 20s, even claimed to have pursued research at MIT .

“We have heard of an issue regarding some Mr Niladri Sarkar who appears to have made claims of doing MS under professor P K Das of mechanical engineering. Professor Das has confirmed that he has not supervised any such student by this name. We have accordingly intimated the police,” IIT Kgp director Partha Chakrabarti told TOI.

Before the fraud came to light, Sarkar had begun to add IITians as friends on Facebook and was extremely active on social platform Quora.

His answers on Quora about the “time” he had spent at IIT and his explanation on why James Bond liked his martini shaken and not stirred earned him 39,500 followers. Soon, he began to personally message first- and second-year IITians to seek financial help, and duped many who sympathised with him.

“A few months ago, when he was on the Kgp campus, he began to approach faculty members stating that he was an alumnus of IIT Kgp and willing to collaborate with alumni for his MIT project. However, when confronted by one of our alumni who suspected foul play, he took down most of these claims from social media,” noted the IIT Khg student body in its campus publication. When the concerned MIT professor was contacted, “it was also found out that his MIT claim was totally fake,” it added. When TOI contacted him, Sarkar said he was innocent and denied being an IIT Kgp alumnus.

“He would write to us saying that his mum’s funeral was taking place and he was short on funds or that his sister was applying to medical schools and she needed money for applications. Each time, he would promise to return the money next month,” said an IIT Kgp student who lent him ₹15,800.

IITians and former students have responded to IIT Kgp’s fraud alert. Students have also written to the dean of student affairs Somesh Kumar. When TOI contacted Kumar, he referred the publication to student vice-president Vishal Singh, who said, “We have received complaints from students on our campus and some people have contacted us from Bengaluru, too, about being conned. We are looking at collecting some additional documents and then filing a case.”

“I am among the many who have paid him money regarding his various emotional family issues, which have now been proved to be fraudulent. I have collected proof against him and contacted many people who are his victims. Money amounting to over INR 50,000 has been looted by him from one of our friends and many others have provided him amounts ranging from INR 1,000-30,000,” read a letter to the dean. “We helped him based on his interactions with us and the profile he had created for himself on social media platforms by masquerading as an IIT Kgp alumnus, which has been confirmed as false.”

“We now feel helpless and have therefore thought of requesting your attention in this matter. As a matter of fact, the image of IIT Kgp is at stake and a lot of money from different students has been fraudulently gathered in the name of trust,” the letter added.

Sarkar’s fraudulent claims included have three research papers, none of which are available online. He also claimed to have a Research Quality Index certificate showing a score of 100/100 in research and an All India Rank (AIR) 1, jointly issued by IIT Kanpur. According to him, this certificate is issued once in five years. However, there is no such index or program by any IIT or IISc. His Facebook profile displayed a mail from MIT dean expressing his willingness to participate in the Indian Research. Quality Index Conference to be organized by him at IIT Kgp. No such conference took place.