HC moved on Anna Univ exam rules

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.09.2019

Several engineering studentsfrom colleges affiliated to Anna University have approached the Madras high court seeking to recall the recent amendments made to the rules on arrears and re-exams. Admitting the plea, a division bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and N Seshasayee ordered notice to the university.

According to K M Moulee and nine others, who are pursuing engineering in a college in Namakkal, the changes to the choice-based credit system (CBCS) meant students who fail in the theory course can reappear only with regular students when that course is offered the next time/year. Earlier, students could reappear for the exam in the following semester.The number of arrears students could have was also limited, they said. “The structure of the examination and passing requirements can’t be changed in the middle of the academic session. The newly amended CBCS is discriminatory since the regulations applied to only self-financing institutions and not to other students under the university,” the petitioners said.

Primary Health Care doctor plays hide and seek with patients

Express visited the centre along with a resident who was suffering from toothache. She was given 2 tablets by the staff nurse, and asked to drink plenty of water.

Published: 20th September 2019 04:52 AM |

For representational purposes

By Nirupama Viswanathan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Beyond the walls of what looks like an untroubled island within Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board premises at Perumbakkam where a Primary Health Care centre is situated, all seems to be not well.

The only doctor on duty comes in at 9 am, but does not stay past 11 am on most days, lament local residents. The doctor is mandated to stay in the Centre till 4 pm, they point out. But, it does not happen.

Express visited the Centre twice, in a gap of three weeks. Both times, it was the single nurse on duty who doubled up as the doctor. There is just this nurse and a compounder in this PHC that is supposed to cater to a population of 13,000 families, most of them who have been evicted from central areas of the city and resttled in TNSCB tenements here.

Express visited the centre along with a resident who was suffering from toothache. She was given 2 tablets by the staff nurse, and asked to drink plenty of water. Till recently, the sanitary worker was writing the prescriptions, alleged the residents.

Worse still, residents said that until recently, the hospital worker (sanitary worker) on duty wrote prescriptions and supplied available medicines. On days when there was a staff shortage, this hospital worker took on an entire shift himself which meant that he was the only person in the entire hospital, handling any case- emergency, or otherwise, that came to him, endangering the lives of the average 160-180 patients that visited the PHC daily. In many cases, he is taken to be the doctor by residents who earnestly hang on to his every word.

"Such is the value for our lives. For a long time, we thought he was the doctor and locals here still ask him for medicines. It is not the hospital worker's fault. If the doctor had been on duty in the mandated hours, why would sanitary worker be forced to take up this work too," said Priyadharshini K, a resident of the tenements.

A few hospital staff Express spoke to, confirmed that this was indeed the case but now he has been asked to stay away from attending to patients. Now, the pharmacists and nurses take over the work of treating the patients after the doctor leaves.

No maternity care

Perumbakkam is one among the four of the 40 PHCs under the Chengalpattu health unit district that do not have maternity care. With its population of over 50,000, there would be around 80-100 EDDs (Estimated Date of Delivery) for a given day. All these cases are sent instead to other health centres- private and public.

According to official data, the Medavakkam health care centre presently handles most number of deliveries of the 40 PHCs, handling 38 deliveries in the last month. Express found the labour ward and the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) ward at Perumbakkam PHC to be locked.

When contacted, a senior health department official said the hospital worker was not authorised to treat patients and that he would personally inspect the PHC. As for maternity care, he said since the Perumbakkam PHC was new, maternity care services have not been initiated yet."We have the infrastructure in place and we will begin maternity care soon."

Family of medical student caught for NEET fraud missing
The family of the student, who was allegedly involved in impersonation and joined the Government Theni Medical College, was absconding on Thursday, according to the police.

Published: 20th September 2019 04:54 AM 

By Express News Service

THENI/CHENNAI: The family of the student, who was allegedly involved in impersonation and joined the Government Theni Medical College, was absconding on Thursday, according to the police.

“When we went to K V Udit Surya’s house at Tondiarpet, it was locked and we are trying to trace them. Father of Udit Surya is a doctor working in the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital,” police said.

Meanwhile, the Dean of the Government Theni Medical College Hospital and committee members, who inquired about the impersonation case, met the Director of Medical Education and submitted photos of two candidates who were alleged involved in malpractice on Thursday.

Speaking to Express, a senior Health official said, “One student wrote the NEET in Mumbai, attended counselling, got allotment order from the selection committee secretary and joined the medial college. After 20 days, that student disappeared and a new candidate began to attend classes. We collected three photographs – one that was on the NEET hall ticket and another two that were given to the department and the college hostel. The photographs given to the college department and the hostel were different from the one on the hall ticket”.

Meanwhile, the Director of Medical Education sent a circular to all government medical colleges and self-financing colleges, requesting them to constitute a special committee comprising the vice-principal and heads of the departments to verify immediately all MBBS students.

“If any student is on leave, the student should have to report back to college for verification. Photos attached to the NEET admit card and selection committee allotment order should be physically verified with the students admitted in their respective colleges,” the circular said.

Madras High Court expresses security concern

The two Lankans are suspected of being involved in several heinous crimes such as rape, murder and gang war in Sri Lanka and had entered into India through Tamil Nadu to escape punishment.

Published: 20th September 2019 05:17 AM |

Madras High Court (File Photo | D Sampath Kumar/EPS)

By Express News Service

MADURAI: Castigating the State government and the Intelligence Department after two Sri Lankan accused — lined up for deportation but ‘inadvertently’ released from the Puzhal Prison-II — escaped, the  Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court raised concerns about the security apparatus along India’s coast.
Hearing a Habeas Corpus Petition filed by two Sri Lankans — Sanga Srantha and his associate Mohamed Saffras — seeking direction for deportation, a bench comprising Justices S Vaidyanathan and N Anand

Venkatesh expressed doubt whether this serious lapse was a mistake.  The issue, if not addressed, would create an impression that terrorists or dangerous criminals could illegally enter and leave India seriously affecting India’s security apparatus along the coast, they added.

Explanation sought from the magistrate

The judges also criticised the Judicial Magistrate-II of Ramanathapuram that he, despite knowing that the proceedings against the accused in connection with their illegal entry into India was being withdrawn only to facilitate their deportation, had failed to mention that crucial aspect in his discharge order. Moreover, the discharge order had been communicated directly to the prison authorities, instead of going through the police officials concerned, they noted and sought an explanation from the magistrate, along with the original case records and dispatch register, at the next hearing on October 3.

The two Lankans are suspected of being involved in several heinous crimes such as rape, murder and gang war in Sri Lanka and had entered into India through Tamil Nadu to escape punishment.

Nursing with spirituality
Most of the physical illnesses have their roots in psychic causes or the psychic factors — especially one’s negative outlook, negative attitude, negative thinking and erroneous lifestyle.

Published: 19th September 2019 06:20 AM |

By Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Most of the physical illnesses have their roots in psychic causes or the psychic factors — especially one’s negative outlook, negative attitude, negative thinking and erroneous lifestyle. However, this truth still lies hidden from so-called modern human’s view that one’s outlook, attitudes and lifestyle are determined by the ethical and spiritual aspects of his personality. As a result of this lack of realisation, only a few steps have been taken by the health scientists to give a spiritual touch to the environment in hospitals and a moral and spiritual orientation to the doctors, surgeons and nurses.

There might be some hospitals and institutions that may be training nurses while keeping above-mentioned factors in view, but their numbers are indeed small. A nurse is a unique soul who will pass through our life for a minute and impact it for an eternity. Hence, it is very important for such a person who is responsible to look after a patient’s well being, to take care of her/his mental as well as spiritual health. Nowadays, many nurses are spiritually inclined and they have those qualities within them, but if the health authorities give this aspect due importance in training, then things would be much better at hospitals.

Each one of us react differently to a situation of stress depending on our values, belief system, weakness and spiritual strength. Therefore, the delicate job of nurses requires that their functioning must have spiritual qualities also. A patient must be free from mental stress and in order to achieve it, he/she must have his/her spirit also healed by receiving spiritual treatment along with medical treatment. By receiving spiritual treatment, he/she would become strong enough to face stress in his/her life without getting affected by tension, trauma or depression.

It should be understood in this context that if a patient gets cured, but does not change his attitude and outlook and gets emotionally disturbed again and again, he/she will then have to be treated again for the same or for a more complicated disease. So, in order to get a lasting cure, the psychological, social and mental aspects of his/her personality have to be attended to, and for that purpose, it is essential that he/she should get spiritual treatment also.

It is high time that health professionals across the globe realise that a comfortable bed and room does not enable a patient to have rest, nor do sedatives or pain killers remove his/her pain for a long period if there is a trauma or a conflict in the patient’s mind. It is necessary to provide spiritual wisdom that would give him/her peace and emotional stability. There is a power within each one of us, which helps us regain health. This inner power has to be re-awakened because anyone who has lost the will to be well or the will to live cannot survive for long.

Our strong and awakened will can work wonders in matters of health. Positive thinking, positive attitude, faith in the Almighty as well as spiritual meditation can repair what seems to be impossible for medical science. Medicines play their own role, but a person’s inner power along with harmony of mind, intellect and emotions enable nature to work its way to good health. Medication removes the barriers and meditation awakens the inner power and helps nature in process of cure. So, let us practise meditation along with medication to achieve fast recovery from all kinds of physical and mental ailments.

Power shutdown in parts of Chennai on September 20, here's the list

Power supply will be cut from 9 to 5 in areas like RA Puram to Madhavaram.

Published: 19th September 2019 01:05 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: For carrying out maintenance work, power supply will be suspended by Tangedco on Friday (September 20) from 9 am to 5 pm in the following areas. Power supply will be resumed before 5 pm if work is completed. Here is the list:

RA PURAM: RA Puram 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th Main Road, RA Puram 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Cross Street, RK Nagar 1st, 2nd Street, RK Nagar 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Cross Street, Greenways Road, Bishop Garden, Bishop Garden Extn, Bagyarathi Street, Vishwanathan Street, Kamarajar Salai, Chamiers Road, Co-operative Colony, Sri Ram Nagar North, South and West, Boat Club House Road, Sathya Narayana Avenue, Crescent Avenue, ABM Avenue, St Marys Road, Padavettamman Street, Turn Bulls Road, Prithivi Avenue, Thiruvenkadam Street, Auscin Nagar, Ganapathy Colony, Chamiers 1st Lane, Adyar club gate Road, Bughs Road, RK Puram, Shunmugapuram, Venkat Raman Street, Kesavaperumal Puram (North, Central, East), Annai Sathya Nagar 1st to 5th Street, Annai Teresa Nagar, Govinda Samy Nagar, Kattapomman Street, Elango Street, Sringeri Mutt Road and Vanniampathy Street.

CMBT AREA: Athinath Godown, V S Mani Nagar part, MRH Road, 200ft road, Natraj nagar, Guru Ragaventhira nagar, Srinivasa nagar, Ring road housing sector, Santhi colony, Mettuma nagar.

MADHAVARAM: Leather Estate, Jumbuli colony, KKR Town, KKR Garden, Ravi Garden, Alex Nagar, ABCD Colony, Metha Nagar, Padmavathy nagar, Logambal nagar, Chittinest Bhasahyam nagar, Subramani nagar, Telephone colony south, S RC Metha, Little Wings.

VELACHERY: Old Taramani, Mahatma Gandhi nagar, Anbazhagan nagar, Thiruvallur salai, Natarajan street, Seethapathy nagar, Jayanthi street, Gandhi salai, Thiruveethi amman koil st, Vellalar street.

PUZHAL: Nagappa Estate, MGR nagar, Puzhal, Cycle shop, Anna Ninaivu nagar.

Chennai electrocutions: Chitlapakkam has many electric poles waiting to collapse

Chitlapakkam, where the collpase of an electric pole recently killed a man, has too many poles that are rusted and dilapidated cables.

Published: 20th September 2019 06:22 AM |

Near MIT flyover towards Chitalapakkam, a electric pole is seen to be bent, almost on the verge of collapsing.

By Madhumitha Viswanath

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The recent death of Sethuraj who was electrocuted after a damaged electric pole fell on him, has shocked the suburban locality of Chitalapakkam in Chennai. A visit to the locality by Express revealed that this was an accident waiting to happen. Contrary to the electricity minister's statement, Chitlapakkam is filled with old, rusted, ill-maintained poles weighed down by a maze of cables.

Near Tambaram Sanatorium after crossing the MIT flyover, Express spotted an electric pole which was bent in the middle with the cables almost touching the ground. Near NSN school in Chitalapakkam, a
transformer and an electric pole next to it were both rusted. The cement coating on most of the poles had chipped off and the rusted rod was seen inside. Also each pole had many strings of heavy cables
hanging and clustered.

A few more areas in Chitalapakkam which have damaged electric poles are Ramanar Street, MMDA Nagar, Kalaivanar Street, Ragavendra Salai, Babu Street, Kalyanasundram Street, Nehru Street, Gandhi Street, Shankaranarayana Street, Kaveri Street, Gomathi Street and Pradeep Avenue.

Severe shortage of manpower

Cap Overhead electric cables lying dangerously low on Pamban Swamigal Street in Chitalapakkam as road was not milled.

Locals alleged that the main problem behind this issue was inadequate manpower with the Panchayat that has resulted in the shoddy maintenance of poles. They said that Sethu Raj's death could have been
prevented if Tangedco and Chitalapakkam Panchayat officials had carried out routine maintenance of poles, cables and transformers in the area.

"There are around 60,000 people living in Chitalapakkam alone which is divided into 18 wards. But there are only two workers employed by the Panchayat to maintain and repair electric poles. There are close to 100 poles which need to replaced immediately and this can only be done with more workers ," said Pallavi Kannadasan, a resident of Chitalapakkam.

P Viswanathan, a local activist, through an RTI reply found that there are just 11 officials taking care of electricity issues pertaining to Nehru Nagar in Chitalapakkam. "Nehru Nagar alone has 133 transformers, 54 poles and as many as 19,627 services connections. How can just 11 officials from Tangedco manage day to day maintenance? Also, there is a serious coordination problem between Tangedco and Panchayat officials," he said.

Dangers of low lying cables

Moreover, lack of milled roads has caused the cables to hang dangerously low. Six month ago, in Pamban Swamigal Street where almost all overhead cables lie very low, roof of a school bus touched the cables. After repeated complaints by residents it was raised higher after a month. But now they have come back to its previous state.

Poles erected by the Panchayat are 18 ft (low tension cables) and 24 ft tall (high tension cables). And for stability four to six ft of the pole is buried underground. But as roads are not milled in
Chitalapakkam before a new layer of tar is laid, height of the road keeps increasing. This inturn makes the gap between the cable and the road lesser and lesser.

Residents said that officials had temporarily fixed cement bases to some poles and the ones without the base sway dangerously even during light rains. Though the cement layer outside the entire length of the
pole is intact, the parts inside are rusted which makes the pole snap easily.

"For single poles that are located in dead ends, stay wires must be fixed on either side. These wires will give support and hold them in place. The pole which fell on Sethu Raj was a single one. If it was
stabilized with a stay wire it wouldn't have fallen on him," said Lakshmi Krishnakumar, a resident and a close friend to Sethu Raj's family.

As a permanent solution, residents demanded that all rusted electric poles be replaces with new ones before monsoons set in by October. "It is sad that only after a person's death officials take our complaints seriously. Another rusted pole on the street where Sethu Raj lived was hurriedly replaced on Thursday morning," said Lakshmi.

A Tangedco official said that a new batch of electric poles have been sent on Thursday to be replaced in the Tambaram division under which Chitalapakkam comes. " Assistant and additional engineers of each ward are inspecting the entire locality to spot out old poles and will replace them with the new ones. Minister also asked the public to inform their local Tangedco office if they spot poles in a bad  condition," he added.