MHA nod for CM’s visit to U.S., U.K.

MGR was the last T.N. CM to go to the West to woo investors

14/08/2019, T. RAMAKRISHNAN,CHENNAI

When Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami leaves later this month for a 10-day visit to the United Kingdom and the United States to attract industrial investments, he will be the first Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to go to the West in 40 years.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs formally gave its clearance for the CM’s visit. Now, the file will make its way to the Prime Minister’s Office for final approval from PM Narendra Modi.

Between late October and early December in 1978, M.G. Ramachandran, as Chief Minister, undertook a five-week-long trip to the US, Japan and Singapore for attracting investments to Tamil Nadu.

In January 1999, M. Karunanidhi made a three-day trip to Singapore and interacted with representatives of the business community. In July 1970, he went to Europe on a three-week-long visit for a similar purpose.

As per the present plan, Mr. Palaniswami will leave for London on August 28 and return to Chennai on September 7.

In the U.S., he will go to New York and California to hold interactions with representatives of business and industry. There will also be separate meetings with potential investors who hail from Tamil Nadu. In January last, the State government held the second edition of the Global Investors’ Meet.

The Chief Minister will be accompanied by Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar in the U.K. leg of the trip, while the Ministers for Industry, Information Technology and Dairy Development — M.C. Sampath, R.B. Udhayakumar and K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji — will accompany Mr. Palaniswami in the U.S. Besides, Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam, Secretaries to CM and secretaries of the departments concerned will be part of the contingent.

Expressing confidence that the visit would yield benefits for the State, senior government officials handling the visit point out that a high-profile trip is bound to generate greater visibility for the State, apart from those at the helm of affairs getting first-hand knowledge of the state of affairs of various sectors in a country like the U.S.

On the one-to-one relationship between such a visit and the fructification of projects, K. Venkatesan, former State Finance Secretary, who accompanied MGR to the U.S. in 1978, says it is not easy to establish that, and this holds good for any such visit. However, every government will, and has to, make efforts to attract foreign investment, even though it is well-known that investors consider a number of factors before taking their decisions.

K. R. Shanmugam, Director and Professor, Madras School of Economics, says that the move of the government is ‘essential’, given the prevailing “low investor sentiment” in the country.

Referring to a number of visits undertaken by former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu to many countries, Dr. Shanmugam says the impact of such visits is not known.

To a question whether the visit to the U.K. would be purposeful, given the impact of Brexit, a senior official in the Tamil Nadu governmentsays the situation provides an ‘opportunity’ which should be made use of.

Judge tells erring students to clean up their act — and Kamaraj Memorial House

They had attended class in an inebriated state earlier this year

14/08/2019, B. TILAK CHANDAR,MADURAI

Eight students of the Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai, Virudhunagar district, who attended a class in an inebriated state, have been asked by the Bench of the Madras High Court to clean the Kamaraj Memorial House in Virudhunagar and hold placards highlighting the ill effects of alcohol this Independence Day, with the objective of reforming them. The court was hearing a writ petition filed by the boys, who were issued Transfer Certificates by the college. They sought a direction to be permitted to continue their studies in the college.

Quoting a couplet from Tirukkural (Chapter 93 Kallunnamai), Justice R. Suresh Kumar observed that as a punishment to ensure that the students mend their ways in future, they were to face a different kind of reciprocal action.

The students were directed to visit the Kamaraj Memorial House, the birthplace of K. Kamaraj, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who advocated the prohibition of alcohol, on Independence day (August 15). They were asked to report to the caretaker of the memorial by 10 a.m.

In a day-long task, the students were directed to clean the memorial and assist visitors till 4 p.m. (with a lunch break). Then, the students shall, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., hold placards outside the premises on the ill effects of alcohol consumption. The college shall depute a teaching staff to monitor the students, the court said. The exercise shall be verified and overseen by the Inspector of Police, Virudhunagar Town Police Station, and a report on the same shall be submitted, the court said. The case was then posted for reporting compliance on August 19.

Earlier this year, the second-year students had attended class in a state of inebriation after taking part in a friend’s birthday party. The teacher in charge of the class brought this to the notice of the Head of the Department, who in turn informed the Principal of the college. Following a disciplinary inquiry, a transfer was recommended after the students completed the academic year.

Taking into account that the students had admitted their mistake and belonged to a humble background, the court observed that if their education was hindered, their career could get affected. If they were sent out abruptly pursuant to the disciplinary action, they might not get admission in other colleges, the court said.

Reformative punishment

“If a punishment is inflicted on a guilty person, such punishment must be in the nature of reforming the person who had been inflicted with the punishment”, the court observed.

The court said the students shall be permitted to continue their final year/third year in the college, after the payment of the course fees, following the completion of the exercise. However, if they fail to take up the task, the college can take disciplinary action against them, the court said.

SHRC seeks report on Collector pulling up police inspector
Commission wants to know whether his action violated human rights

14/08/2019, VIVEK NARAYANAN,CHENNAI

Rajinikanth at the Devarajaswamy Temple to worship Athi Varadar in the early hours of Wednesday.special arrangementB. Velankanni Raj

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), Tamil Nadu, has called for a detailed report from the Chief Secretary and others on Kancheepuram Collector P. Ponniah giving a public dressing down to an Inspector on duty at the Athi Varadar darshan queue.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a report published in The Hindu on August 11, the SHRC directed the Chief Secretary, the Director-General of Police and the Kancheepuram Collector to explain whether the Collector verbally abusing, threatening and reprimanding the Inspector of Police inside the temple in the presence of devotees and other police personnel amounted to violation of human rights.

The notice comes a day after Mr. Ponniah clarified in a television interview that his outburst was not intentional.

The video of the Collector reprimanding the Inspector went viral on social media drawing criticism from various quarters, including serving and retired police personnel. The allegation against the police official was that he allowed some common people to access the VIP entry.

The Commission also sought to know the action taken by the government against the Collector following the incident. If the report is not submitted within two weeks, the Commission would take such action as it deems fit and proper.

RTI query

Meanwhile, V. E. Shanmugayya, a police inspector from Tiruchi, has filed a petition under RTI to Kancheepuram Collectorate seeking the provision under which VVIP, VIP and general public categorisation was made for Athi Varadar darshan.

He sought a copy of the list VVIP/VIPs who had darshan since July 1, and also information on how the Collector issued VIP pass to Varichur Selvam of Madurai.

The Tamil Nadu chapter of the IPS Officers Association appreciated the police force for ensuring peaceful conduct of the festival and has asked all sections of society to respect policemen and cooperate with them to discharge their duties.

Residents complain

Meanwhile, residents of Kancheepuram claimed that the policemen were preventing them from moving freely inside the town.

“We are not even able to go to medical shops or markets. Business has been affected as vehicles of our clients, from other States, are not allowed to enter the town. Vehicles are stopped on the outskirts and diverted,” said a resident.

A senior police officer agreed that such incidents would have happened as there were security personnel from other districts who would not have been aware of local streets or the residents.

“Besides there are lot of outsiders trying to gain entry into town claiming to be local residents,” said a police officer.

Besides, he blamed poor planning as the reason for the chaos.

“People are bringing printouts of the passes, without proper signature or credentials to gain entry. The local administration and police should have held a meeting with residents before the festival began. Basic facilities were provided days after the event started,” he added.

The Collector could not be reached for his comments.

5.5-kg benign mass removed from woman

14/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

A benign mass weighing 5.5 kg was removed from a 50-year-old woman at Voluntary Health Services (VHS).

The woman approached the gynaecological department of VHS with complaints of abdominal distension.

A team of doctors from the Department of Obstetrics evaluated her for surgical procedure.

Vacancies in government colleges raise concerns

No full-time Principals in 41 instutions; guest lecturers’ allocation cut by 20%

14/08/2019, PON VASANTH B.A.,CHENNAI

Concerns have been raised over vacancies in government arts, science, and education colleges with 41 colleges not having full-time principals and the Higher Education Department recently reducing the allocation of guest lecturers by 20%.

Tamil Nadu has a total of 99 government arts, science, and education colleges. This is excluding the 14 constituent colleges of State-run universities that were recently converted as government colleges. Of these 99, sources from the Department confirmed that 41 did not have full-time principals with senior faculty members acting as “principals (in-charge)”.

Officials highlighted that similar vacancies were present in administrative positions at the Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE), for which senior principals are appointed. Of the 12 administrative posts, which included eight Regional Joint Directors (RJDs), three Joint Directors, and the Director, seven are being held by persons appointed as “(in-charge)”.

S. Suresh, a joint secretary with Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers’ Association, said non-filling of these vacancies not only resulted in administrative inefficiencies, but were also an additional financial burden.

“For instance, a senior faculty member acting as principal (in-charge) is paid around 20% of his salary as an incentive over and above his salary, every month. A person being promoted and appointed as a full-time principal will not cost as much,” he said.

Similarly, to manage the large number of vacancies among the teaching faculty, the Higher Education Department sanctions permission to temporarily engage Guest Lecturers (GL) on a consolidated pay of ₹15,000 per month.

This year, against the request of DCE to engage 2,653 GLs for Shift 1 in government colleges, the Department sanctioned only 2,120, which is roughly 20% less than the requirement. The approved strength is also lesser than the 2,423 GLs engaged during the last academic year.

A.R. Nagarajan, advisor, Tamil Nadu NET/SLET Association, said the cut was unreasonable since new vacancies must have arisen this year with the retirement of staff. “Importantly, the government has done this despite introducing 81 new courses this year,” he added.

K.P. Anbalagan, Higher Education Minister, said steps to fill vacancies of principals in colleges categorised as Grade I are almost over.

‘Solution on hand’

“We normally promote those from Grade II category and appoint them in Grade I. The vacancies in Grade II will be filled subsequently. Orders on that can be expected soon,” he said.

On GL shortage, he said that 81 new courses will not be affected as separate allocations have been earmarked. “For the remaining, we will be getting some surplus from the Annamalai University. We will ensure that required number of faculty are available for students,” he added.

Government of India

Air India flights to and from HK suspended until further info
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

14.08.2019

The ongoing unrest in Hong Kong forcing frequent closure of its international airport (HKIA) — first on Monday and then again from Tuesday evening — has affected several people, who were to travel between India and rest of the world via this major transit hub. Air India has suspended flights to and from Hong Kong till further information “in view of prevailing situation”.

On Tuesday evening, HKIA posted on their website, “Terminal operations at Hong Kong International Airport have been seriously disrupted, and all check-in processes have now been suspended.” This came after Cathay Pacific issued a travel advisory on their website saying travellers are “encouraged to postpone of non-essential travel” from HKIA till Wednesday.

There are about 75 weekly flights between Indian cities and Hong Kong operated by Cathay Pacific, Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet. While flights were expected to resume from Tuesday night, the closure of HKIA meant they have again been cancelled. Since it’s the start of the busy student travel season in the US and Australia, travel majors say many from India who were to go via Hong Kong are now alternate arrangements.

“This is the peak student travel period for both North America and Australia. We are getting requests from travellers to re-book their travel,” travel portal Yatra COO Sharat Dhall said, adding, “Airlines are giving full refunds for cancelled flights and are allowing rebooking at the same fare.”