‘Avoid travelling from Dhaula Kuan to AIIMS’

25/09/2019,NEW DELHI

Commuters travelling from Dhaula Kuan to AIIMS are likely to face congestion on the route for the next couple of days due to repair work on the flyover, said traffic policemen on Tuesday. PWD will carry-out the repair work on Hyatt Regency Flyover from September 25 to October 6 from Dhaula Kuan to AIIMS, said an advisory, which also asked commuters to take alternate routes.

26 dead, 300 injured as quake jolts Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
Temblor of 5.8 intensity strikes at a depth of 10 km; tremors felt in India
25/09/2019, MEHMAL SARFRAZ ,LAHORE

A road in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir that was damaged in the earthquake. PTIPTI

A powerful 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and several cities in the northeastern parts of the country on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 26 people and wounding over 300 others.

Pakistan Meteorological Department’s Chief Meteorologist Muhammad Riaz, told The Hindu that the worst-hit area was Mirpur, where houses had collapsed and roads were ripped apart.

Tremors were felt across several north Indian States, including Jammu & Kashmir, the Delhi-National Capital Region, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said.

Some houses and parts of a mosque collapsed in Mirpur following the earthquake, Deputy Commissioner Raja Qaiser said.

Emergency has been declared in hospitals across PoK. TV channels showed the footage of heavily damaged roads in Mirpur, with many vehicles overturned. Several cars fell into the deep cracks on the roads. The building of the state-run Broadcasting House in Mirpur was badly damaged.

The tremors were felt in several cities across Pakistan including Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Multan.

Director Operations State Disaster Management Authority in PoK Saeed-Ur-Rehman Qureshi said the authorities were waiting for confirmation on death toll.

HC takes serious view of impersonation by student

Court asks Udit Surya if he is willing to surrender for inquiry

25/09/2019, STAFF REPORTER, ,MADURAI

Hearing the anticipatory bail petition of Udit Surya, a first year MBBS student of Theni Government Medical College facing charges of impersonation in NEET, the Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday observed that the issue was serious in nature.

The charge against him was that another boy had written the NEET and appeared for counselling.

With the CB-CID set to probe the impersonation case, the court asked if the student was willing to surrender before the investigating officer for an inquiry. The anticipatory bail petition could be taken up for further hearing subsequently, the court said.

However, with the counsel’s petitioner not able to ascertain the same, the case was adjourned to October 1.

Udit Surya was booked under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code following a complaint from the Dean of the Government Theni Medical College.

Health issues

In his petition, Udit Surya, who has now withdrawn from the medical course, denied the charges levelled against him. He claimed that he had secured the seat after successfully clearing the NEET and his documents were verified and scrutinised during the admission process.

He cited mental health issues and depression as reason for withdrawing from the medical course. He said he suffered from severe psychiatric health issues and depression.

Bigil event in college draws govt. ire

Higher Education Dept. to issue notice to Sairam Group of institutions

25/09/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Mangat Ram Sharma, Higher Education Secretary, has said that a show-cause notice would be issued to Sairam group of institutions for permitting political events on its campus.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at Presidency College on Tuesday, Mr. Sharma said: “We will issue a show-cause notice to the college for permitting political speeches on its campus. They should not conduct such programmes. They can hold social activities. Their affiliation could be in doubt if they conduct such events. We will give them notice and conduct an enquiry and then whatever action is deemed fit we will take,” he said.

At the audio launch of his film Bigil at Sairam Engineering College in Tambaram on September 19, actor Vijay, the main protagonist in the film, took several questions, including about banners and posters with his photos being destroyed by irate fans.

Mr. Vijay condoled the death of Subasri who died after a banner placed by a political party fell on her while she was riding a scooter.

He urged his fans to avoid placing banners and cutouts.

To a question from the emcee at the five-hour programme, he said: “Don’t attack my fans. You can tear up my photos and banners. They [fans] must have struggled to do this for their small pleasure. Please avoid it.”

Promoting his film, he advised his fans to play politics but not allow politics into sport.

He quoted a couplet from Tirukkural and said an incompetent person should be shunned in favour of the one qualified for the job. “A deserving person should be seated in the place worthy for him,” he said.

‘Permission obtained’

An official of Sairam Engineering College said the police had given permission to conduct the event.

According to him, the college maintained the details of payments received too.

Since the traffic was heavy because of the crowd, the college had rescheduled the afternoon classes for the day.

The college had suggested holding the event on a “non-working” day but since the special invitees had other engagements, the event had to be rescheduled. The college had not received any letter yet from the department, he said.

Last year, the Directorate of College Education had issued a circular after two incidents where political leaders participated in college events and spoke on politics.

Makkal Needhi Maiam founder and actor Kamal Haasan had, at a function in Coimbatore, last year complained of not being permitted to meet students through a government order.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Stella Maris College in Chennai last year became an issue as he visited the campus while the model code of conduct was in force in the wake of elections.

HC dismisses medical aspirants’ plea

25/09/2019, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

The Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petitions filed by four medical aspirants who sought the conduct of fresh NEET counselling.

Justice M. Sundar dismissed the petitions filed by G. Somnath, K. Neya, V.C Ajithvass and A.M. Srilaya. The court observed that the argument that nativity quota was not being implemented in private medical colleges does hold good as the government was implementing the 85% nativity rule in private medical colleges.

Case registered based on professor’s complaint
She alleged that some staff abused and harassed her

25/09/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The Thazhambur police have registered a case under various sections of the IPC, including the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Woman Harassment Act and punishment for sexual harassment based on a complaint by a 28-year-old teacher at Tagore Dental College on Monday.

According to the police, she lodged a complaint against some college staff, including the general manager. In her complaint, she claimed that some of the staff members verbally abused her and the general manager took her video on his cellphone when she was changing in her room. She also alleged that one of the sweepers stole her cellphone.

A few days ago, the assistant professor uploaded a video on social media, alleging harassment by college authorities.

The police have registered a case under various sections of the IPC, including punishment for sexual harassment, assault or criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe, punishment for theft and Tamil Nadu the Prohibition of Woman Harassment Act, among others.

The college authorities alleged that she was depressed and her actions were a result of that.

Centre’s permission sought to establish six medical colleges

Health Department submits project reports with details of lands identified

25/09/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

C. Vijayabaskar

The Health Department has submitted detailed project reports along with details of lands identified to the Union Health Ministry seeking its nod to establish six medical colleges at Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, the Nilgiris, Dindigul, Namakkal and Tirupur.

Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar met Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan in New Delhi and submitted the request for establishing the colleges on Tuesday. “We have not only handed over our representations to the Union Health Ministry, but have also identified lands for all six places and have submitted detailed project reports,” he told The Hindu. Tamil Nadu has 23 medical colleges, the latest addition being at Karur.

He said the government sought nod to establish medical colleges under the aspirational districts programme at Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar and for hill stations at the Nilgiris, apart from Dindigul, Namakkal and Tirupur. He added that the Chief Minister had stressed the need to sanction medical colleges for the aspirational districts.

Health centres

Dr. Vijayabaskar added that they also sought the establishment of primary health centres.

“We are a developed State and have good health indicators. So, we have sought new PHCs,” he said.

Health Secretary Beela Rajesh and Director of Medical Education in-charge R. Narayana Babu were present.