Govt. doctors on strike

Better pay and promotions among their major demands

26/10/2019, SERENA JOSEPHINE,M. CHENNAI

On warpath: Government doctors on indefinite strike at the RGGGH on Friday. B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM B_JOTHI RAMALINGAM

Doctors affiliated to the Federation of Government Doctors’ Association (FOGDA) boycotted out-patient services and in-patient care, as part of the indefinite strike starting Friday.

The federation said more than 60-70% of the total 18,000 doctors in the State were taking part in the strike to demand better pay and promotions.

Barring emergency care, the doctors’ association decided to boycott other work after the State government failed to fulfil some of their long-pending demands – implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression with pay band-4 at the end of 13 years of service instead of the present 20; maintenance of doctor posts as per the number of patients; 50% service quota in post-graduation admissions; and conduct of counselling for posting service post-graduates.

“Over 60-70% of government doctors across the State are part of the indefinite strike. In Chennai, we have started to gather at Tower Block – I of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. We had stated our demands very clearly during our earlier talks with the State government. We want the government to fulfil what they had assured us,” said A. Ramalingam, convenor of FOGDA.

Emergency services

He said emergency services would not be affected as doctors were on duty in the emergency units, intensive care units, coronary care units, deliveries, paediatric and neonatal intensive care units and fever wards.

R. Jayanthi, dean of RGGGH, said the strike had no impact on the outpatient services.

Another faction — the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association — has also decided to launch a 48-hour strike on October 30 and 31.

Heavy rush at railway stations

26/10/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

With just two days to go for Deepavali, commuters thronged railway stations and bus termini to get to their native places.

The two key railway stations, Central and Egmore, witnessed heavy rush, even as the five bus termini — Koyambedu, Madhavaram, Tambaram Sanatorium, K.K. Nagar and Poonamallee — saw a surge in passengers.

Though the Southern Railway announced three special trains from the city on October 25 and 26, including an unreserved train from Tambaram to Kochuveli to be operated on Saturday at 8 a.m., both railway terminals were packed.

T. Arun Pandian, from Kodambakkam, who was bound for Madurai, had a tough time boarding a train from Egmore. He rued the lack of support from security personnel in facilitating entry in an orderly way.

A senior GRP official said over 2,000 police personnel, along with RPF personnel, were deputed at Central, Egmore, Mambalam and Tambaram stations.

“We have made arrangements for adequate emergency medical facilities, drinking water and other basic amenities,” P. Mahesh, Divisional Railway Manager, Chennai Division, said.

Insurer told to pay ₹44L to kin of accident victim
Chennai:26.10.2019

An accident claims tribunal in the city has directed an insurance firm to pay ₹44.1 lakh to the family of a man who was killed in a road accident. The victim was a pillion rider on a motorcycle hit by a car in 2016 near Chengalpet.

Shabeer, a driver, was riding pillion on a motorcycle with a friend on April 23, 2016, when the datal accident occured. His wife Mubarak Begum moved the tribunal seeking a compensation of ₹50 lakh to care for her children aged 12 years and 5 years at the time, and herself. The firm with which the car was insured opposed the claim. Tribunal judge S Umamaheshwari held that the minor children are eligible for ₹15 lakh each, the wife ₹12.1lakh and Shabeer’s parents ₹2 lakh. TNN

If you’ve to take Park Town flyover to catch a train, run
Situation Worsens Ahead Of Festival
Aditi.R@timesgroup.com

Chennai:26.10.2019

At 3.20 pm on Friday, 30-year-old R Purushottamam got down from his hired autorickshaw on the Park Town flyover, picked up his luggage and made a dash to catch his train that was leaving MGR Chennai Central station in a few minutes.

The flyover on Pallavan Salai connecting Central station and Chintadripet is a preferred course for vehicles approaching the railway station. Almost every single day, traffic on the bridge comes to a standstill, sometimes for hours, according to commuters. On Friday, it was worse as several people were headed for Central on their way home for the Diwali weekend.

“I’ve been stuck here for the last 45 minutes and my train is leaving in 10 minutes,” Purushottaman told TOI before beginning his sprint towards the station.

Several people like him could be seen taking the narrow pavement towards the station, their baggage in tow, instead of waiting in their vehicles and praying they inch ahead.

Ritu B, a software professional and a regular on the stretch, recalled an incident when she missed her train a month ago due to prolonged traffic snarl on the flyover.

“It takes 45 minutes for me to reach the station, and that day, I left 20 minutes early. But traffic came to a halt and there was no way for any vehicle to move… I missed my train,” she said. She had to shell out extra money and take a flight.

Several other commuters told TOI that traffic congestion on the flyover is a daily routine.

“It is because Poonamallee High Road is a converging point of several suburban roads. Due to this, vehicles pile up causing delays,” said a traffic police officer manning the junction near Central. “It gets worse during festivals such as Diwali.” He said vehicle movement is high on the flyover because the road leads to north Chennai, a hub of several small firms. “If there was an alternate route, this congestion could be avoided,” the officer said. “We see maximum rush between 3pm and 7pm on the Park Town bridge,” said the officer.

To avoid getting stuck on the bridge, many take a detour via Muthuswamy Road and General Hospital Road to reach the railway station.

“But other routes are also jampacked during these hours. Authorities should create an alternate route or some shortcut for vehicles to pass freely,” said Lakshmi Narayanan, a retired government employee residing at Sowcarpet.

A Arun, additional commissioner of police, traffic, blamed pedestrian movement for endless traffic snarls on the flyover. “We are awaiting the subway construction to be completed… Once done, pedestrians will begin to use it instead of crossing the road,” he said.


TO A CRAWL: Traffic on the flyover was worse on Friday as many were headed for Central on their way home for the Diwali weekend

Metro rail employees are governed by state labour dept, says HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.10.2019

Settling the long-standing dispute as to whether the labour department of the central government or the state government is the appropriate authority to handle industrial disputes between the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and its employees, the Madras high court has clarified that the state is the ‘appropriate authority’.

“This court is inclined to declare that the Tamil Nadu labour department and its authorities are the appropriate government within the meaning of the Industrial Disputes Act,” Justice S M Subramaniam said. The judge passed the order on pleas moved by the CMRL Employees Union seeking the clarification.

The issue started when the union made a representation to the management of CMRL to sort out a grievance. Subsequently, seven office bearers of the union were terminated from service. When the union approached the state labour department about the termination, it was orally directed to approach the Union labour department, which in a letter said the state should take care of the matter. Challenging the letter, the union has moved the present petition.

DELAY IN HOUSE HANDOVER

Buyers can’t seek relief for home loan interests they pay: TNRERA
Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

Chennai:26.10.2019

That a homebuyer is eligible to claim compensation for delay in handing over of property, is known. But, can he/ she seek compensation for the interest paid on home loans and for appreciated value of an unfinished project? A recent order by The Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) says ‘no’.

The state’s real estate regulator has rejected a plea in this regard. The homebuyer was, however, awarded usual compensation as per the Real Estate Act provisions.

The case relates to a housing project executed by Canara Bank Officers Union to four homebuyers at Madukkarai, in the suburbs of Coimbatore. In a recent order, G Saravanan, adjudicating officer of TNRERA, said the complainants entered into agreements of sale and construction separately on August 1, 2013, with the developer for the project named ‘Grand Hills Apartments/CBOU Enclave’.

The developer had agreed to complete construction and handover the apartments within two years from the date of agreement. “Till date, the flats have not been handed over. Buyers have been put to loss and hardship as they have availed home loans,” the order said. Therefore, the complainants are entitled to get compensation for the delay, it added.

The realty regulator, however, refused to entertain a plea from the complainants seeking compensation for payment of interest for the home loans. “In view of appreciation of the value of the property, the complainants cannot claim compensation for payment of interest on home loans availed for purchase of flats. Hence, the claims for compensation on interest payment on home loans are rejected,” the order said.

Further, the authority refused to fix ₹12,500 as rental loss per month for a period of four years the homebuyers sought. “In the absence of evidence on rental rate, ₹10,000 per month is reasonable. The complainant is entitled for compensation of ₹4.80 lakh and ₹20,000 as litigation expenses,” the TNRERA said. The order added that the developer must pay the compensation within 60 days.

Regularise BArch student’s attendance, HC orders MEASI

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.10.2019

Coming to the rescue of a B.Arch student, G Niveditha, who had knocked at the doors of the Madras high court after being asked not to attend classes due to delay in ‘approval’ of her admission, the court has directed MEASI Academy of Architecture to regularise her attendance so she could appear for exams.

Justice T Raja, concurring with the submissions of senior counsel G Thilagavathi, issued the direction, two days after the court had asked the authorities to take a final decision on the issue. It had on October 23, refused to accept the contention of the college that she was not ‘formally admitted’ to the course but was allowed to attend the classes as an interim measure.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by Niveditha who said the authorities were yet to approve her admission though she had been duly admitted in a government seat under lapsed category, that too within the cut-off date of September 30.

As there was delay in permitting her to attend classes despite the court order, Thilagavathi brought the issue to the notice of Justice Raja on Friday. She also stated that even if the girl is allowed to continue the course now, she might not be able to appear for exams as she would lack the requisite attendance since she was not allowed to attended classes for a brief period by the college management.

Taking note of the difficulty, the judge then directed the authorities to regularise her attendance for the period she was not allowed to attend the classes.

The court has directed the institute to regularise Niveditha’s attendance so she could appear for exams