After being arrested for accident, IAS officer Sriram Venkataraman now handed suspension too
The suspension comes after Sriram was sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the death of Kerala-based journalist KM Basheer in a road accident.

Published: 05th August 2019 04:55 PM |

IAS officer Sriram Venkataraman being taken in an ambulance from KIMS Hospital to the District Jail in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday | B P Deepu

By Express News Service

THIRUVANTHAPURAM: IAS officer Sriram Venkataraman has been placed under suspension by Chief Secretary Tom Jose on Monday.

The suspension comes after Sriram was sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the death of Kerala-based journalist KM Basheer in a late-night road accident. The officer, who was alleged to be driving the car involved in the accident, was initially said to be under the influence of alcohol.

In the chemical examiner's report handed over to the police, though, it has been mentioned that no alcohol was found in the blood sample. This was expected as, in a glaring lapse on the part of investigators, the blood samples were taken only nine hours after the accident.

It is under the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 that the Venkataraman has been suspended. As per the Rules, if the period of detention of an officer exceeds 48 hours, and unless he is already under suspension, he will be deemed to be under suspension from the date of detention until further orders.


Sriram, who was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital from KIMS Hospital, is currently admitted to the multidisciplinary ICU.

The medical board that convened on Monday concluded that though the officer had no grave injuries he is suffering from mental trauma.

Health dept, TNPCB to inspect bio-medical waste management: HC
The bench of Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad gave the direction on Monday.

Published: 06th August 2019 04:47 AM

Madras High Court 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court has directed the secretaries of the State Health department and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to make periodical inspections once in two months, of all the medical institutions to check the implementation of bio-medical waste management Rules, 1989, as amended in 2016.


The bench of Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad gave the direction on Monday, when a PIL petition from Dr J Umarani, who worked as a professor in Madras Medical College and Kilpauk Medical College, came up for hearing on Monday.

Railway ticket counter clerks may soon work as TTEs too

Ticket-selling clerks will be appointed at TTE to overcome staff shortage.

Published: 05th August 2019 05:21 AM |

By Anbuselvan B

Express News Service

To overcome the shortage of Travel Ticket Examiners (TTEs), the railway will soon engage the ticket-selling clerks for the duties of the TTEs. The move comes as e-booking has become very popular in recent years that the requirement of the ticket counters has come down much.

Around 65 per cent of the railway tickets are now booked through Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). Official sources said the booking of the paper tickets has dropped by 50 percent in the last few years and hence the requirement of the clerks in the ticket counters too. On the other hand, there is a shortage of TTEs who man the running trains. To address this, the
Ministry of Railways last December approved engaging commercial clerks for ticket checking duties.

The railway board has now started the works for creating unified cadre merging Travel Ticket Examiners, Commercial Clerks and Enquiry-cum-Reservation Clerks (ECRC) posts. The apex body of the national transporter directed the zonal railways to suggest training module for the unified cadre in each zone. Nearly 25,000 employees are expected to be brought under the unified cadre in Southern railways.


“The move eliminates the work burden of TTEs and also ensure that all the night trains are manned by railways staff,” explained a senior official.

Besides this, railways have also taken slew of measures to shut the ticket counters. To encourage the usage of automatic ticket vending machines (ATVM), the railway decided to engage facilitators to support the travellers.

“So far, retired railway staffs had been engaged as facilitators for selling unreserved tickets at ATVM’s. Now the retired railway staffs family members also to be engaged as a facilitator. One person from every retired railway employee’s will be engaged on a commission basis. Intensive campaign for promoting UTS mobile application also being taken up” added the official sources

According to official records of railways, 15.35 lakhs berth/seats available for booking per day, out of which 3.32 lakhs tickets earmarked for tatkal and premium tatkal quota.

Madurai govt hospital generates Rs 10 lakh water bill for May

Hosp officials say it is the first such bill in seven-eight years, civic body commissioner says the move is aimed at revenue generation

Published: 06th August 2019 04:59 AM |

By Lalitha Ranjani

Express News Service

MADURAI: Tapping fresher resources to augment its shrinking revenue, the city Corporation recently sent a missive to the authorities of the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), directing them to pay Rs 9.77 lakh ‘water charges’ for the supply made using tankers in May last.

What baffled the officials at the GRH was the fact that this was the first such bill presented by the Corporation in seven-eight years they have been sourcing water through tankers from the civic body. While Corporation Commissioner S Visakan said the move was aimed at revenue generation, a hospital staff, on condition of anonymity, said charging a premium for the basic need of a hospital, which caters to around 8,000 patients a day, could cripple the public healthcare system. The staff questioned the rationale behind the sudden imposition of charge when such a practice is not followed in other government hospitals in the State.

In the letter dated July 22, the City Engineer of Madurai Corporation wrote to the hospital management, urging it to pay Rs 9,77,600 as ‘water charges’ for the supply of 1,222 loads (priced at ‘800 per load) between May 1 and May 31. The hospital authorities after receiving the letter last week wondered why the fresh imposition was being made for May alone and why were they billed for 1,222 loads when the hospital received 1,240 loads in May.


As things stood till before the receipt of the missive, sources said that the GRH had been paying Rs 1-Rs 1.5 lakh annually to the Corporation (March every year) from the annual funds amounting to Rs 4.5 lakh allocated by the Directorate of Medical Education. The payments had been made under the head ‘water tax’ and not ‘water charges’.

This water tax had been for the pipeline supply. “At this rate, the government hospital would have to pay Rs 1.17 crore a year as ‘water charges’ when even the sophisticated equipment cost only lakhs” a source said.

However, the Corporation Commissioner’s rationale was: “While all other departments pay for the water supplied in tankers by the Corporation, which suffers from fund crunch, the GRH and the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court receive for free. As a first step, charges have been imposed on the hospital to generate revenue and hold it accountable for water leakage and wastage on the premises.”

Power shutdown to hit parts of South and West Chennai on August 7

Power supply will be temporarily suspended at a few localities in South and West Chennai for routine maintenance work. Here's the full list of areas.

Published: 05th August 2019 05:13 PM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Power supply will be suspended by Tangedco on Wednesday (August 7) from 9 am to 4 pm in the following areas to carry out maintenance work. According to a statement from Tangedco, power supply will be resumed before 4 pm if the work is completed.

AVADI: C.T.H Road, Gandhi Nagar, Gandhi Nagar West, Kavarapalayam, Dhanalakshmi Nagar, MRF Nagar, Sindhu Nagar.

ADYAR SASTHIRI NAGAR: East Mada st, Anna st, Pillaiyar koil st, 1 st seaward road, South Mada st, Mettu st, West Tank st, North Mada st, Valmiki st, Sannathi st, Chithirai Kulam, Kuppam Beach road, Bharathidhasan 1 st to 6 th streets).

GUMMIDIPOONDI SIPCOT I and IV AREA : Gummidipoondi Sipcot SS.I and IV Industrial Complex area, Kayalarmedu, Elavoor, Pethikuppam village, Periya Obalapuram, Sunnambukulam, Chinaobalapuram, Gummidipoondi Housing Board complex, Gummidipoondi Bazaar, New Gummidipoondi, Bypass road, Ma Po Si nagar, SR Kandigai, Thambureddy palayam, Rettembedu, Rajapalayam, Perianatham, Mangavaram, Appavaram, Choliampakkam, Ayanallur, Enathimelpakkam.


NEELANKARAI : Blue Beach road, Maraikayar nagar 1 st to 7 th street, Kabaleeswarar Nagar 4 th Main road, Sea view avenue, Murugambal Avenue, Periya neelankarai kuppam, Casuarina drive.

PALAVAKKAM: Kandasamy nagar 1 to 7 th st, Kareem Nagar, Mahatma Gandhi st, Kamaraj salai, Sangam colony 1 st and 2 nd street, ECR Road, Vembuli amman koil st, Ma.Po.Ce st., Narayanasamy st, V.O.C st., Kayeethe millath st, mosque st, Anbalagan st, Periyar salai, Panchayat st and Bharathiyar st.

Centre's Article 370 revocation: Slow burn thriller that kept everyone guessing

Panic started in the Valley, where more security force, mostly CRPF personnel, was deployed later at vulnerable spots in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir.

Published: 06th August 2019 01:14 AM

Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Photo | Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Modi government's revocation of Article 370 unfolded in the manner of a slow burn thriller movie that kept watchers guessing right up till Home Minister Amit Shah made the announcement in Parliament on Monday.

It had all the makings of a blockbuster --deployment of security, suggestions of terror threats, house arrest of political leaders from the Kashmir Valley, and snapping of key communication modes, including internet, at the stroke of midnight.

All this began in the last week of July when the Centre ordered deployment of about 10,000 central forces personnel (100 companies) in Kashmir on grounds that it was to strengthen counter-insurgency operations and law and order duties.

However, the move was questioned by the state and opposition parties that raised concerns over the 'intentions' of the Union government and claimed that the Centre was planning "something big".


Panic started in the Valley, where more security force, mostly CRPF personnel, was deployed later at vulnerable spots in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir.

This was in addition to the 100 companies.

READ HERE | Scrapping of Article 370: Here's how Amit Shah and co executed the 'top secret' task

The drama heightened on Friday when the Army said that Pakistan-based terrorists are planning to target the ongoing Amarnath Yatra followed by the Jammu and Kashmir administration issuing an advisory, asking the yatris and tourists to "curtail" their stay in the Valley and leave immediately.

Speculation ruled the roost with many pointing to the terror threats for the developments in Kashmir, while others sensing a big announcement over Articles 35A and 370 providing special status to the state.

Tourists and Amarnath Yatra pilgrims started leaving the Kashmir Valley on Saturday following the state government's advisory.

To add to the drama, airlines were advised by the government to keep surging airfares in check on flights coming out of Jammu and Kashmir while railways also announced that it will not charge any cancellation fee from passengers coming or going from Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the state Governor asked political leaders in the state to tell their supporters to maintain calm and not to believe "exaggerated rumours" that were being circulated in the Valley.

READ HERE | What was Article 370 of the Constitution? Why was it revoked?

With tensions escalating and strong rumours over revocation of Aticle 35A and 370, regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday unanimously resolved to fight any attempt to abrogate the constitutional provisions that guarantee it special status or any move to trifurcate the state.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, reading out a resolution adopted at the meeting, said the parties have decided to send delegations to meet the president, the prime minister and leaders of various political parties to apprise them about the consequences of any attempt to abrogate Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution or carry out delimitation of constituencies or trifurcating the state.

Soon after the meeting, the unravelling of the suspense began with fast-paced developments in the Valley as authorities stepped up security at vital installations and in sensitive areas, suspended mobile internet services and either "arrested" or "detained" several leaders on Sunday night.

Both former chief ministers --Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti-- said they were placed under house arrests, while Congress leader Usman Majid and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami claimed to have been arrested around midnight.

Following a night of suspense, the Union Cabinet met.

READ HERE | Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah formally detained, taken to guest house in Srinagar

However, details of the discussion held during the meeting under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi were not divulged.

The meeting was immediately followed by a message from the Union Home Ministry that minister Shah will make a statement in Parliament, fuelling reports that a big announcement on Kashmir was in the offing.

Soon after the Rajya Sabha met, Shah announced the revocation of Article 370, capping days of speculation, anxiety and suspense.

More than 1 in 10 elderly in US are binge drinkers

Emily S Rueb

06.08.2019

Excessive alcohol consumption is not safe for a person at any age, but it is particularly dangerous for older adults. And according to a study published this week, about 1 in 10 older adults are considered binge drinkers.

“Binge drinking, even episodically, may negatively affect other health conditions by exacerbating disease, interacting with prescribed medications and complicating disease management,” said Benjamin Han, lead author of the study that was published in the ‘Journal of the American Geriatrics Society’.

Alcohol is also a risk factor for injury, but the consequences and recovery from a fall are much more serious for an 81-year-old than a 21-year-old.

The study defined binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks in a sitting for men, and four or more drinks in a sitting for women. And a drink equaled a can or bottle of beer or a glass of wine. Han’s group analysed data between 2015-17. In all, the findings included 10,927 adults aged 65 or older who reported their drinking habits in the previous 30 days. While the drinking habits of teenagers and younger people has been a focus for clinicians and researchers, more attention should be paid to older adults, Han said. Timothy S Naimi, an alcohol epidemiologist, said the 1 in 10 figure “is an impressive number and it’s concerning.” The number is “undoubtedly an underestimate,” he added, as people tend to miscalculate how much they drink. NYT

WHY AGE IS A FACTOR