Bouchra adds twist to Gaja’s tale

Second Cyclone Hampers Force, Route Prediction

U.Tejonmayam@timesgroup.com

Chennai:14.11.2018

Good news: Cyclone Gaja has spared Chennai. Bad news: We aren’t very sure about its behaviour.

Uncertainty over sea surface temperature, erratic movement of winds and presence of another cyclone in the southern hemisphere have led to models finding it tricky to predict the trajectory and intensity of cyclone Gaja, weather experts say. After lying stationary for 24 hours in a region between two opposing winds, Gaja has shifted course further down south.

Prof Sridhar Balasubramanian, climate expert from IITBombay, said the presence of cyclone Bouchra may have led to the difficulty in models predicting the trajectory of cyclone Gaja. The two storms did not interact, he said, but may have influenced each other and they got pushed away at the equator, where winds swirling in opposite directions converge.

“When two cyclones form within a certain distance — which is not very common — they either merge or move away from each other. In this case, they didn’t merge; they got pushed away,” he said. “But not everyone agrees with this theory.”

IMD DDG S Balachandran said Bouchra had no effect on Gaja, as they were far away. “Gaja was lying stationary for 24 hours in between two opposing wind regions. Because of the opposing winds, the cyclone shifted it course down south. Usually when a system is far away, it is difficult to predict the exact location of its landfall,” he said.


Chennai to get rain from today

The city and coastal areas of TN may get rain from Wednesday evening as cyclone Gaja, which is edging closer at a speed of 12kmph, is expected to make landfall on Thursday afternoon between Pamban and Cuddalore. Squally winds may hit north TN from Wednesday morning. P 2

‘No clear results over intensity of Gaja’

Bouchra is more than 2400km from Bay of Bengal. Gaja originated more than 1500km away from Tamil Nadu coast near Andamans.

Models show contradicting results over the intensity of Gaja during its landfall. An advisory by the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre-Tropical Cyclones of IMD said different models predict different intensity at the time of landfall. “While models like EC ECMWF, IMD GFS and NCEP models indicate the system to be a depression at the time of landfall, NCUM and HWRF models indicate the system will cross coast as a cyclonic storm,” it said.

Experts observed that Gaja exhibited unusual behaviour as it moved south and executed a looping. “Storms in the Bay of Bengal usually move towards the north and the west. In this case, it was rare for it to move south towards the equator. There could be various reasons for the behaviour, and interaction with another cyclone is one. In this case, however, there was no such interaction,” said weather expert YEA Raj. “Different models project different pictures, but in this case most of them have predicted southerly movement.”

Models also find it hard to accurately predict sea surface temperature of the Bay of Bengal as there is very little understanding among researchers over the causes. “The Bay of Bengal is a basin full of mystery, unlike other seas and oceans. Sea surface temperature (SST) is an important parameter in tracking the intensity of any cyclone. Ocean mixing is a process that influences SST. Since ocean mixing is not clearly understood, models cannot predict SST accurately. Now, that leads to trouble because we are going to use that data to forecast further,” said Subramanian. He said that models cannot accurately predict the winds along the equator that push and pull the cyclone increasing the uncertainty.

He also pointed out that with low resolution, models are unable to predict smallscale processes that can change ocean dynamics rapidly. “Unlike above the Arabian Sea, where prediction is robust, models specific to Bay of Bengal have to be improved,” Subramanian said.

Models also find it hard to accurately predict sea surface temperature of the Bay of Bengal as there is very little understanding among researchers over the causes

Digital certificates to be issued to students: Alagappa V-C 

Special Correspondent 
 
Ramanathapuram, November 13, 2018 00:00 IST

Says Alagappa University V-C

Alagappa University has initiated steps to make degree certificates digitally available to students with the help of University Grants Commission’s National Academic Depository (NAD), Vice-Chancellor N. Rajendran said on Monday.

Inaugurating a one-day workshop on NAD here on Monday, he said once the digital certificates were uploaded and confirmed by NAD, it would immensely benefit the students, especially when they lose certificates during natural calamities.

When the certificates were lost irretrievably in floods and fire, the students could get the certificates from the NAD portal easily, he said.

The genuineness of certificates could be obtained within seconds just by a touch of a button.

The workshop had been organised by the digital education cell of the university for teachers and students of the University and its affiliated colleges.

“The university needs to move ahead and incorporate all needed technological reforms in the issue of certificates with the help of NAD,” Mr. Rajendran said.

Prasanth, Assistant Manager, National Security Depository Limited (NSDL), in his address, said the stakeholders - students, their institutions and NSDL - would have joint responsibilities in digitizing the certificates of students.

The Vice-Chancellor appreciated Alagappa University for being ahead in this endeavour.

As the NAD portal would assign a unique identity number to every individual student, they need not worry about the security of their certificates, Mr. Rajendran added.

K Uthayasuriyan, Controller of Examinations (in-charge), C. Baskaran, coordinator, digital education cell, and deputy Coordinators, R. Ramnath and N. Ramalingam, were among others present at the workshop.

Temporary shelters ready in Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur districts 

Special Correspondent 
 
Nagapattinam, November 13, 2018 00:00 IST

Officials get ready in the wake of cyclone ‘Gaja’ warning

About 625 public buildings, including schools and colleges, community centres and marriage halls, have been kept in a state of readiness in Nagapattinam district to serve as temporary shelters for people, in the wake of the cyclone warning, Collector S. Suresh Kumar said here on Monday.

Chairing a coordination meeting to discuss the precautionary measures to be taken in view of the alert sounded over cyclone ‘Gaja,’ Mr. Suresh Kumar said nine multi-purpose disaster relief centres and 22 cyclone shelters have also been kept ready. Zonal officers and tahsildars have been instructed to make all necessary arrangements to accommodate people in case of emergency situations and organise food and drinking water supply to the relief shelters.

Over 200 shelters have been identified to accommodate cattle.

The administration has identified 4,454 first responders have been identified across the district and they would in coordination with the officials join the rescue and relief measures in case of exigencies. Fourteen static and 19 mobile medical teams have been formed in the district.

Separate teams of trained personnel have been formed by the police and Fire and Rescue Service to attend to exigencies.

About 6,000 electric poles were available with the Tangedco. The Fisheries Department has mobilised 54 boats. Over 1.19 lakh sand bags, electric saws and 84 earth movers have been kept on stand by.

Chairing a similar meeting in Tiruvarur, Collector L. Nirmal Raj said nearly 250 relief centres have been kept in a state of readiness in the district. If necessary, more relief centres would be opened. About 212 low lying areas have been identified in the district. Commodities required for two months have been stocked in the ration shops in these areas.

Mr. Raj also disclosed that 135 teams comprising 633 officers have been formed in the district to monitor various aspects of preventive, precautionary and relief measures. These apart, 62 trained swimmers from the police department, 12 from the home guards and 22 from Fire and Rescue Service would be deployed in case of emergency situations.

The Public Works Department has stocked up 1.02 lakh sand bags, adequate quantity of gunny bags and casuarina poles at 16 places across the district so that they could be moved in quickly in case of breaches on water courses. The Tangedco has 200 electric poles, cables to cover 250 km and five transformers as stand by to attend to emergency situations.

The Revenue and Disaster Management office at the Collector’s office would be manned round the clock. Public can pass on information by dialling 1,077, Mr. Raj said.

Dean submits status report on PET-CT scanner installation 

Staff Reporter 
 
Madurai, November 13, 2018 00:00 IST

Government Rajaji Hospital Dean D.Maruthupandian, in a status report filed before the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on a contempt plea which sought the installation of Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scanners to treat cancer patients at the hospital, submitted that the process was under way.

The commissioning process could be initiated only after the approval of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Mumbai. Given the nature of the equipment, a special building had to be constructed to house the equipment. As the PET-CT scanner was a heavy radiant equipment, AERB had stringent rules and regulations for installation.

The PWD authorities had submitted a total estimate of Rs. 35 lakh towards construction which had been forwarded to the Director of Medical Education for fund allocation, the report said. The GRH had entered into an agreement with Aravind Krishna Hospital in Virudhunagar for equipment services.

Taking cognisance of the report, a Division Bench of Justices K.K. Sasidharan and P.D. Audikesavalu adjourned the case. The court also sought the agreement copy entered upon by GRH and the private hospital. The case was adjourned to November 16 for further hearing.

University puts off convocation 

Special Correspondent 
 
CUDDALORE, November 13, 2018 00:00 IST

The 82nd convocation of Annamalai University has been postponed according to Registrar (in charge) K. Arumugam.

In a release, Mr. Arumugam said the convocation, which was scheduled to be held on Thursday had been postponed to November 25.

Chennai GH starts clean-up after viral video reveals lack of proper drainage 

Special Correspondent 
 
CHENNAI, November 13, 2018 00:00 IST


Late action:Workers closing an open drain at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.B. Jothi Ramalingam
Stagnant sewage mixed with rainwater was seen in an area inside Bradfield Block

The Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital is on a clean-up drive after a video of sewage water lying stagnant in one of the blocks was shared on mobile messaging platforms from Saturday evening.

The two-minute video shows stagnant sewage-mixed rainwater in an open area in the middle of Bradfield Block.

Threat to hygiene

The building has three floors and houses the hepatology ward, neurology surgery and stroke wards, general surgery septic ward, radiation therapy ward, neurosurgery annexe, a modern kitchen and other wards.

The man who shot the video is heard questioning why the hospital is not kept clean at a time when dengue and swine flu cases were reported across the State.

Meanwhile, patients and some staff at the hospital said that the smell was unbearable and the mosquito menace also increased due to the stagnant water. “The cleaning work started only a few days ago,” said S. Jyoti, an attendant for a patient.

Meanwhile, many employees complained that even the attendants dumped waste in open areas.

Old structures

However, hospital authorities said the water was there only for a day before Deepavali and it was cleaned immediately.

“We are closing the open drains and will be converting the 1,500 square feet space into a waiting area and beautifying it. It is a big challenge to maintain the old structure,” said a hospital official.

Guest lecturers wait for govt. to take over colleges 

R. Sujatha 
 
CHENNAI, November 13, 2018 00:00 IST


CM had promised that they would be given permanent jobs

Nearly 1,000 guest lecturers are waiting for the government to take over the constituent colleges as promised by the Chief Minister in the Assembly during the budget session.

There are 41 constituent colleges run by the respective State universities. Around 1,000 guest lecturers work on a temporary basis and many have put in around 10-15 years of service without any corresponding benefits. In some cases, these lecturers are paid just a fifth of the UGC-mandated salary.

“Manonmaniam Sundaranar University has four constituent colleges with 140 faculty and six university colleges with 180 faculty. Some of the institutions were started in rented buildings. Later with the District Collector’s help, land was acquired,” said S. Subburaju, president of the Madurai Kamaraj, Manonmaniam Sundaranar, Mother Teresa and Alagappa University Teachers’ Association (MUTA).

The MS University issued an order six months ago and now teachers are being paid Rs. 20,000 as salary, he said adding that earlier they were getting less.

“Bharathidasan University, with 10 constituent colleges, has three categories of guest lecturers — those paid on hourly basis; teachers who are permanent guest faculty and Parent-Teacher Association funded teachers. These teachers are paid only Rs. 5,000 a month, whereas the UGC has stipulated Rs. 25,000,” said G. Ramesh, State vice-president of Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers Association.

“The CM’s 110 announcement directed the Universities to retain the permanent teachers and bring the guest lecturers under the government’s purview. They are an exploited lot, suffering in the hands of the government and the universities,” points out K. Pandiyan of the Association of University Teachers.

“The University has 31 eligible regular teachers who are waiting endlessly for the revised pay scale. These teachers are not eligible for M.Phil or Ph.D guideship despite being qualified,” he adds.

Teachers associations say they have been repeatedly taking up the issue with Mangat Ram Sharma, the Higher Education secretary, but in vain. Though talks were held by the earlier Higher Education Secretary Sunil Paliwal to hike the salary of the permanent qualified guest faculty to Rs. 25,000, no headway was made.

The TNGCTA office-bearers say they have sought appointment with the present secretary. But without a GO on the takeover, nothing can be achieved, they point out. This would also affect the quality of education imparted, they caution.