PWD set to embark on State-wide project to build medical colleges

Work on six institutions, at a cost of ₹1,950 crore, will begin in December

07/11/2019, , K.LAKSHMI,CHENNAI

In early December, the Public Works Department will begin work on constructing six medical colleges across the State.

The institutions will come up in Ramanathapuram, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Tiruppur, Namakkal and the Nilgiris, at a cost of ₹325 crore each, and will be attached to the existing hospitals in the respective districts.

PWD officials said the department had received ‘in-principle approval’ for the projects. Tenders will be floated this month.

Recently, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare gave its nod for establishing six government medical colleges in the State at a total cost of ₹1,950 crore.

While the Centre’s share of the project cost will be ₹1,170 crore, the State government will provide the remaining ₹780 crore.

150 seats each

As per the policy note of the Health and Family Welfare Department (2019-2020), there are 24 government medical colleges with a total of 3,350 MBBS seats. Officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department said the new institutions will have 150 seats each. An official said, “We want the colleges to be ready as early as possible.”

According to the PWD, the new colleges will have three types of buildings — institution, hospital and residential. Most of them will have six-storeyed buildings and a 300 to 700-bedded hospital block attached to them.

PWD officials said each college will have 10 to 13 blocks, including hostel buildings, quarters, the administrative block and the faculty block. The hospitals, including the one in Ramanathapuram, will have separate blocks for a gymnasium, a bank, a post office and an auditorium.

The new colleges will also be equipped with a sewage treatment plant and a solar power plant. Disabled-friendly features will be incorporated into the constructions.

The college coming up in the Nilgiris alone will have single or two-storeyed buildings as it will be situated in a hilly area. The total plinth area of these colleges will vary between 3 lakh and 10 lakh sq.ft. The project is expected to be completed in 18 months.

On Wednesday, the Health and Family Welfare Department issued orders for the appointment of deans-cum-special officers for the new medical colleges in Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, the Nilgiris and Tiruppur.

Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said the State government was working on issuing the administrative sanction.

“About 60% of the funds will be allocated by the Central government. The process for allotting the remaining 40% of the project cost using the State government’s funds is under way,” he said.

(With inputs from Serena Josephine M.)

Those under 40 at risk of strokes too: doctors

‘Stress due to work, consumption of junk food and alcohol among the triggers’

07/11/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

A patient who underwent treatment at the Apollo Speciality Hospitals, OMR, with his doctors on Wednesday. M. Vedhan

Strokes and cardiac arrests can no longer be considered diseases of old age, say doctors.

At Apollo Speciality Hospitals, OMR, in the last two years, out of 400 patients, who suffered strokes, nearly 15% were aged below 40, according to S. Karthikeyan, interventional neurologist.

“We are seeing young persons suffering strokes and heart attacks. It is important to start checking blood pressure and sugar levels from 30 years of age. The risk factors include stress due to work, consumption of junk food, smoking and alcohol. Genetic factors too play a role,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

Preying on the young

In fact, Dr. Karthikeyan along with interventional cardiologist Arul E.D. recently treated two young patients, who suffered stroke and heart attacks at short intervals. Doctors said the two patients — aged 32 and 34 — were presented with acute weakness of left upper and lower limb along with chest pain. They were diagnosed with myocardial infarction and acute stroke that needed immediate intervention through thrombolysis. An angioplasty was later done to remove the blocks in their hearts.

As Devachandran J, consultant critical care, said he was seeing more and more persons aged 40 and below with either heart attack or stroke, heart attack after a stroke or stroke after a heart attack.

Lifestyle causes

“Prevention is better than cure. There are factors such as lack of exercise, smoking, working in shifts and improper diet. If you are leading a sedentary lifestyle, get a health check-up done,” he added.

Doctors emphasised that both conditions could be treated with prompt medical help. As separate conditions, stroke and myocardial infarctions have their own risks of morbidity and mortality. But what happens if a person has both simultaneously? Is the heart important or the brain?

Rare case

The doctors recently treated a 83-year-old man, who had acute stroke and acute myocardial infarction simultaneously. “He came in with right side weakness, and ECG showed that he had evidence of heart attack,” Dr. Karthikeyan said.

Doctors performed angioplasty to remove the clot in the blood vessel in his heart within 15 to 20 minutes and performed mechanical thrombectomy to remove the clot from his brain and stabilised him. Dr. Arul said that this was an extremely rare case that had an incidence of 0.009%.

They also treated a 64-year-old patient who had myocardial infarction and stroke in a short interval.

Over 18,000 BSNL staff opt for VRS

07/11/2019, YUTHIKA BHARGAVA,NEW DELHI

Within days of the state-run telecom operator BSNL opening its voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), 18,400 employees have opted for it. The loss-making PSU had rolled out the scheme for its employees, following the Union Cabinet nod to a nearly ₹70,000-crore revival package for BSNL and MTNL last month. This included ₹30,000 crore for VRS for the two firms.

For BSNL employees, the VRS option will remain open till December 4. The scheme was opened on November 3. “Till 7 p.m., over 18,400 BSNL employees, of the over 1 lakh eligible staff, have opted for VRS,” a source told The Hindu. BSNL has a staff strength of about 1.5 lakh people.

The company expects 70,000-80,000 people to opt for the scheme.

Drop that phone! Now, a device for the net-addicted

Jakarta:7.11.2019

From browsing social media to watching videos and chatting with friends, Indonesian university student Tyas Sisianindita spends about eight hours a day on her phone. “I realise that I am addicted,” the university student admitted, saying she checks her phone continuously from the time she wakes up, even when she is in classes. “At night, when I can’t sleep, I can use my phone for up to five hours.”

A group of fellow students at the University of Indonesia, led by inventor Irfan Budi Satria, has spent three months developing a wearable device that can help internet users like Sisianindita cut down on the time they spend flicking at their phones.

Called “Nettox”, from “internet detox”, the device is worn on the wrist and contains a pulse oximeter sensor that measures hemoglobin oxygen levels and heart rate variability (HRV). Studies have found that prolonged mobile phone usage has a specific lowering effect on HRV levels. The Nettox device emits a sound when HRV and blood oxygen levels fall within this range, which reminds the wearer to stop using their phone.

For people aged between 18 and 25, the HRV should ideally stay above 60, according to the American Psychological Association, Satria said. At a recent trial, Sisianindita’s HRV reading was 44.

Internet addiction is a growing social issue in Indonesia. In October, two teenagers were treated for their addiction to internet gaming, media reported.

“Children must be taught to be more active and take part in extracurricular activities,” said psychologist Kasandra Putranto. Satria’s team is working on personalising Nettox and improving its accuracy as HRV readings can vary depending on a person’s body shape, gender and health conditions. They aim to apply for a patent for their invention with the university by next year. Satria says, though, that Nettox is targeted at those already invested in changing their behaviour. REUTERS

‘Nettox’ device is worn on the wrist and contains a sensor that measures hemoglobin oxygen levels and heart rate variability (HRV). Studies have found that prolonged mobile phone usage has a lowering effect on HRV levels. The device emits a sound when HRV and blood oxygen levels fall within this range

Ensure WhatsApp msg is traceable: Govt

Rajeev.Deshpande@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:7.11.2019

The government is determined on insisting that social messaging platform WhatsApp must provide for ‘traceability’ of messages in order to assist a criminal investigation that seeks to track crimes ranging from incitement of violence to terrorism and child sexual abuse.

The recent breach of WhatsApp users, through the use of Pegasus spyware developed by an Israeli firm, has only served to deepen the conviction in government that the likely manipulation or misuse of end-to-end encryption platforms needs to be checked and, if necessary, investigated for origin sources.

The response of the messaging platform, owned by social media giant Facebook, to the government’s queries on the breach that came to light in late October, repeated WhatsApp’s previous submissions in May and September. No names of the 120-odd Indians understood to have been affected were provided.

There is concern in the government over what are seen as “selective” revelations about persons affected by the breach, which it is felt created the impression of anti-government voices being targeted. The focus on likely motives saw the government face accusations of snooping and seemed a bid to strengthen the case against traceability, officials said.

The issue of security and privacy relating to social media and messaging platforms is in the Supreme Court and the government has been asked to provide guidelines to address misuse of these ‘intermediaries’ as the current law terms them. Traceability will be an important aspect of the recommendations.

WhatsApp has not been keen to consider such tracking of users on the ground that it is not possible with its service being encrypted from end to end. Yet, officials said, the platform has proved vulnerable to being manipulated and underlined the need to ensure movement of messages that constitute a criminal act is traced.

For full report, www.toi.in

Govt will bring data protection bill in Parliament: Prasad

New Delhi:

Law and information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday that the government will bring a data protection bill in the forthcoming session of Parliament while emphasizing that India will not accept any attempt to create monopoly on data by few companies and countries.

“Data imperialism will not be acceptable,” the minister said, speaking at the Commonwealth law ministers conference in Colombo. He said data sovereignty of countries – big or small – must be respected. The minister’s comments assume significance in the backdrop of recent reports of surveillance by an Israeli company compromising WhatsApp video calls of some activists, politicians and journalists in India.

“In India we view privacy seriously, and informational privacy is also integral to that. It means a person must have control over his data and its commercial usage,” he said. The minister said while a large amount of data is being generated in developing and under-developed countries but the claim for processing is being emphasized only by big countries. India’s stand on equity in data management found support from other Commonwealth nations, including Singapore and Cameroon. Prasad said data economy both in terms of commercial use and employment will play a crucial role. TNN

Students who don’t clear Class XII exams not eligible to get free laptops

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:7.11.2019

At least 70,000 students are unlikely to get the TamilNadu government’s freelaptops this year, as the state has decided not to distribute laptops to those who have failed to clear Class XII board examinations. An order to this effect was issued by the state government on November 1.

The disqualification, however, has an exemption clause. If students who failed to clear Class XII have enrolled themselvesin a polytechnic course,they would be eligible to get the free laptops.

According to Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations (TNDGE), more than 1.2 lakh students had failed Class XII in the past two batches alone. But there is no data available on how many among them have enrolled in polytechnic colleges. “Close to 70,000 might be affected,” said a source from the education department.

The scheme to distribute cost-free laptops to students from government and aided schools, colleges and polytechnic institutes was launched in 2011by former chief minister M Karunanidhi.

Every year, morethan 8lakh students have been benefiting from the scheme as the government was sanctioning more than ₹1,000 crore for the scheme depending on the number ofstudents on roll that year. However, asthesubsidy wasburning a hole in the exchequer’s pocket, fund allocation has seen a gradual decline in the past three years. From ₹1,100 crore in 2015-16, allocation dropped to₹511crorethe next year.

The 2019-20 batch of Class XII and XI students are given top preference for free laptops, while those from 2018-19 and 2017-18 batches stand third and fourth in priority.

The order to disqualify Class XII fail students was issued following a suggestion from the state school education departmentthatthe very purpose of providing laptops was for students to use it to further their studies. The ineligible names will now be removed and a fresh indent will be submitted to Electronics Corporation of India (ELCOT), the state agency which procures these laptops.

'பிகில்' காட்சி ரத்து: தேவி திரையரங்க நிர்வாகம் விளக்கம் 





'பிகில்' காட்சி ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டது தொடர்பாக தேவி திரையரங்க நிர்வாகம் விளக்கமளித்துள்ளது.

அட்லி இயக்கத்தில், விஜய் நடிப்பில் வெளியாகியுள்ள படம் 'பிகில்'. 180 கோடி ரூபாய் பொருட்செலவில் மிகவும் பிரம்மாண்டமாகத் தயாரித்தது ஏஜிஎஸ் நிர்வாகம். பெரும் எதிர்பார்ப்புடன் வெளியான இந்தப் படம், கலவையான விமர்சனங்களைப் பெற்றது. ஆனால் படம் வெளியான ஒரே வாரத்தில் தமிழகத்தில் 100 கோடி வசூலைத் தாண்டி ஆச்சரியத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியது.

உலகளவில் 2019-ம் ஆண்டில் அதிக வசூல் செய்த தமிழ்ப் படம் என்ற மாபெரும் இலக்கையும் அடைந்துள்ளது. இதனால் பெரும் மகிழ்ச்சியில் இருக்கிறது படக்குழு. இதனிடையே தேவி பாரடைஸ் திரையரங்கில் கூட்டம் குறைவாக இருந்ததால் காட்சி ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டது. இந்த செய்தி வைரலாக பரவியது. மேலும், இந்தத் தகவல் விஜய் - அஜித் ரசிகர்களுக்கு இடையே சண்டையாகவும் உருவெடுத்தது.

இந்தச் சர்ச்சைத் தொடர்பாகத் தேவி திரையரங்கம், "இது உள்நோக்கத்துடன் பரப்பப்படும் தவறான செய்தி. நாங்கள் 'பிகில்' படத்தைத் தேவி மற்றும் தேவி பாரடைஸ் என்ற இரண்டு பெரிய திரைகளில் திரையிடுகிறோம். தேவி 900 இருக்கைகளும், தேவி பாரடைஸ் 1100 இருக்கைகளும் கொண்டவை.

பொதுவாக ஒரு மல்டிப்ளெக்ஸில் 200 முதல் 250 சீட்கள் வரை மட்டுமே இருக்கும். எங்களுடைய சீட் எண்ணிக்கையைக் கற்பனை செய்து பாருங்கள். ஒரு மல்டிப்ளெக்ஸின் ஒரு வாரத்துக்கான வசூல் எங்களுக்கு ஒரு நாளிலேயே கிடைத்து விடும். இப்படி தகவல்களை பரப்புபவர்களால் டிக்கெட் நியூ தளத்தை திறந்து தேவி மற்றும் தேவி பாரடைஸின் ரிசர்வேஷன்களை பார்க்க முடியாதா? டிக்கெட்டுகள் விற்றுக் கொண்டிருக்கின்றன.

இரண்டு பட தயாரிப்பாளர்களிடம் பேசி இரண்டாம் வாரத்தில் ’பிகில்’ படத்தைத் தேவியிலும் ’கைதி’ படத்தைத் தேவி பாரடைஸிலும் திரையிடுகிறோம். முதல் வாரத்தில் இரண்டு பெரிய திரைகளிலுமே ’பிகில்’ படத்தைத் திரையிட்டோம். இரண்டாம் வாரத்தில் ’கைதி’க்கு ஒரு பெரிய திரையை ஒதுக்கினோம். இரண்டாம் வாரத்தில் ’பிகில்’ திரைப்படம் தேவி மற்றும் தேவிகலாவில் திரையிடப்படும். மொத்தம் 8 காட்சிகள்” என்று தெரிவித்துள்ளது.