₹35L compensation for family of man mowed down by bike

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:09.11.2019

An accident claims tribunal in the city has directed an insurance firm to pay ₹35.9lakh to the family of a man who was fatally knocked down by a two-wheeler near Kandhan Chavadi in 2016.

The family moved the tribunal seeking a compensation of ₹1crore.

The petitioner, D Anjugam, said in her petition that her husband Dakshinamurthy was crossing the road near the Kandhan Chavadi bus stop when a rashlydriven motorcycle hit him. He was taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital where he died three days later.

The two-wheeler owner submitted before the tribunal that Dakshinamuthy was crossing the road negligent of road traffic rules and was responsible for the accident. The bike owner further contended that his vehicle had a valid insurance at the time of the accident and hence the insurance firm was liable to pay compensation, if any.

Counsel for the insurance firm contested the age, income and other particulars of the victim.

“The victim suddenly crossed the carriageway unmindful of the oncoming vehicle. Further, the motorcycle owner was not in possession of a valid driving licence at the time of the accident and had violated provisions of motor vehicles act,” the counsel submitted.

After examining the submissions and documents, the tribunal held that the accident happened only due to the negligence of the motorist.

Noting that the deceased was aged 40 at the time of the accident and was a contractor earning a monthly income of around ₹25,000, the tribunal computed other factors such as loss of future income for the family and medical expenses and held that they are eligible to receive a compensation of ₹35.9lakh.

After examining the submissions and documents, the accident claims tribunal held that the accident happened only due to the negligence of the motorist.

VIT entrance application sale begins

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:09.11.2019

The sale of printed application forms for VIT Engineering Entrance Examination (VITEEE-2020) for BTech programmes was launched at the Vellore Head Post Office on Friday by chancellor G Viswanathan. VITEEE will be held from April 13 to April19, 2020, as a computer-based test in 120 cities in India as well in Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat and Qatar.

The application forms can be obtained by providing a demand draft for ₹1,250 drawn in favour of VIT, payable at the respective campus or by cash payment at 22 select post offices across the country. The last date for applying is February

29. For further details go to www.vit.ac.in.

Quack held for third time in 4 years

Chennai:09.11.2019

Police have arrested a quack for the third time in four years at Siva Kanchi in Kancheepuram.

Thirumalai, 40, of Periya Kancheepuram had been operating his ‘clinic’ a few streets from his house for more than six years. Even after his arrest in 2016 and 2018, Thirumalai, who was allegedly proficient in siddha and acupuncture, continued to practise allopathy, said a police officer.

He had been operating his new clinic a few streets from his previous facility after coming out of prison, police said. Residents alerted qualified doctors in the area, who tipped off the joint director of medical services in Kancheepuram.

On Friday, a team of doctors along with senior officials and police personnel from the Siva Kanchi police station carried out a search at his clinic and found allopathic medicines which he was prescribing to patients.

Based on a complaint, the Siva Kanchi police registered a case under Section 15 and 15 (3)

(a) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. They arrested and remanded Thirumalai in prison after producing him before a magistrate’s court on Friday.

Thirumalai was arrested twice in 2018 and jailed. TNN

NEWS DIGEST

9.11.2019

Man found murdered near Mamallapuram

A 53-year-old man was found murdered at Echur Erikkarai near Mamallapuram on Thursday. Manjunathan was employed as a supervisor at a construction firm at Anupuram in Kalpakkam. Preliminary inquiries revealed that Manjunathan left his house after he received a call on his mobile and didn’t return. Based on his wife Poonkothai’s complaint, a case has been registered. He is survived by Poonkothai, a school teacher, daughter and son.

23-yr-old barges into house, tries to sexually assault widow: A 23-year-old man has been arrested for barging into the house of a widow in Muttukadu and attempting to sexually assault her when she was sleeping with her two daughters. The arrested, identified as Shreeban, a resident of Muttukadu, was nabbed after the woman revealed his identity. Based on her complaint, the Kanathur police arrested Shreeban, member of the housekeeping staff at a private firm.

Tasmac outlets to remain closed on Sunday: Tasmac shops, bars and clubs serving liquor in the city will remain closed on Sunday on account of Milad un-Nabi. There shall be no sale of liquor at any other related commercial establishments as well, said a press release issued on Friday by Chennai collector R Seethalakshmi.

TNPSC asks candidates to upload scanned documents: Candidates who have been admitted provisionally for second phase of certificate verification or counselling for assistant agricultural officer posts, should upload their scanned original certificates through listed e-Seva centres from November 18 to November 22. The counselling will be held on December 3, according to a Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) release. Those, who fail to upload documents, will not be considered for the next stage of selection process.

Pay bribe and pray for a water connection here
In Spite Of Arrest Of Official, Graft Rampant

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:09.11.2019

Residents of areas added to Greater Chennai Corporation in 2011 struggle to get water and sewage connections eight years down the line. While red tape is rampant, residents say authorities refuse to process filled-in applications unless a bribe is paid.

While officials dismiss this as a wild allegation, an FIR filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) last week shows officials employing delaying tactics to extract money from applicants. The FIR came following the arrest of a superintending engineer of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metrowater). According to the FIR, Metrowater senior engineer R Vijayakumari allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹1lakh for processing an application from a gated community of 93 residentsin Nolambur for water andsewer connections.The residents’ group had paid a fee of ₹37.42lakh towards infrastructure development and connection charges. They had also bought meter chambers for water connections, rain water harvesting system and water meters. Metrowater officials inspected the place and issued a ‘job completed’ certificate, but the department did no ground work to provide water and sewage connections. Residents said the engineer asked for ₹1lakh bribe, half of it as advance. DVAC laid a trap and caught the official red-handed taking ₹50,000 from the residents.

Residents of peripheral areas of the city have similar complaints of officials demanding bribe,either directly or by delaying the work. D Sundarraman, 76, general secretary of Venkatapuram Residents’ Welfare Association in Ambattur, said it is difficult to prove bribery in the government departments, but many knew it happens. “Some files are processedquickly,while others gather dust,” he said.

Banu Vishwanath, president of Piruthipakkam Residents’ Welfare Association in Ambattur, said officials exploit the desperation and ignorance of residents to demand bribe. Ramalingam, another resident of Ambattur,said60 residentsin WestBalajiNagar gotwater connection without bribe as they were supported by a non-governmental organisation that took up civic issues. “When residents approach individually, huge amounts have to be paid as bribe,” he said. Residents said they chose to settle in these neighbourhoods by buying a homewiththeir lifetimesavings as they could not afford houses in the city. But even after these areas were added to the city, the benefits of being part of the corporation are yet to reach them.

A Metrowater official said many residents had not got connections asthey wereopposedto the corporation’s property tax rates. He, however, declined to comment on complaints of corruption in the department.


STRUGGLE FOR WATER

Bulbul leaves city warm, rain may return next week

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:9,11,2019

Tropical cyclone Bulbul moving towards West Bengal-Bangladesh has left Chennai warm and dry with daytime temperature peaking at a record 35.1°C. But all is not lost, as weathermen said monsoon rain might be back to Chennai by mid next week due to a low atmospheric pressure after the cyclone makes a landfall.

“We can expect some rainfall in the city from November 15 or 16 due to an easterly trough. Till then, the weather will be dry,” said N Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD. Easterly trough is an elongated area of relatively low atmospheric pressure.

He said Bulbul might make landfall after weakening and was unlikely to influence the rainfall that might begin along the southeast coast including Chennai later next week.

IMD has forecast that the sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 33°C and 26°C for the next 48 hours in the city.

As Cyclone Bulbul is gathering strength over the bay pulling away all northeasterly winds, the city has been witnessing a change in wind direction with north-northwesterly winds or dry land breeze blowing towards the east coast leading to warmer day.

On Friday, the Nungambakkam station recorded 35.1°C and Meenambakkam registered 34.7°C, 5.4°C and 4.8°C above normal. The city’s temperature has never touched 35°C in November in the last10 years. The maximum daytime temperature for this month was 34.7°C recorded on November 5, 2016.

Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist at Skymet Weather, said after the cyclone made a landfall, there would be a change in wind direction once again as southeast coast of India including Chennai would get back the northeasterly winds resulting in rainfall. “But it may be only scattered rainfall, not heavy rain,” he said.

Bulbul is expected to make a landfall near the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast after weakening into a severe cyclonic storm from very severe cyclonic storm.

SC to rule on 70-year-old Ayodhya land case today

Verdict To Be Pronounced At 10.30am

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:9.11.2019

In dramatic fashion, the Supreme Court notified at 9pm on Friday that Saturday will be judgment day for the 70-year-old Ayodhya dispute involving ownership claims by Hindu and Muslim parties over an area of 1,487sq yards in the UP town.

A bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer decided to deliver the verdict on a court holiday, hours after the CJI and Justices Bobde and Bhushan met the UP chief secretary and the DGP to take stock of security arrangements in Ayodhya and the state. The Delhi police too beefed up security at the judges’ houses.

The announcement sharpened the suspense on the verdict, keenly awaited by both sides. The Ayodhya dispute has been central to national politics, marking an ideological cleavage between BJP and its “secular” opponents. Several Hindu and Muslim organisations have called for calm ahead of the ruling while the Centre and states are on alert.

Security personnel stand guard on a street in Ayodhya ahead of the temple verdict

Maintain harmony after verdict: PM

PM Narendra Modi on Friday said the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya would not be a victory or defeat for anyone, and appealed to all citizens to maintain harmony after the judgment. P2

There will be more than one judgment in the case: Sources

The notification merely said the five-judge constitution bench would deliver judgment at 10.30am on Saturday in two cases, Shia Central Board of Waqf, UP vs Sunni Central Board of Waqf, UP; and the Ayodhya land dispute case involving four suits — filed by Gopal Singh Visharad in 1950, by Nirmohi Akhara in 1959, Sunni Waqf Board in 1961 and deity Ram Lalla Virajman through next friend in 1989. The deity and Sunni Waqf Board are locked in litigation over complete ownership over the disputed land, while Nirmohi Akhara seeks priestly rights.

The claim of Gopal Singh Visharad is to continue worshipping the deity at the place where it sits at present.

The SC notification did not indicate if the judgment will be unanimous, or by three to two, or four to one majority. However, sources told TOIthat there will be more than one judgment in the case. The centre stage on Saturday will be taken by the SC’s decision on the four suits, which were decided by the Allahabad High Court on September 30, 2010.

An interesting facet will be whether the SC takes into account the mediation panel’s October 16 report informing the court about a settlement reached between parties through negotiation.

The settlement’s main point was that the Sunni Waqf Board had agreed to give up its claim over the disputed site if certain other conditions, including restoration of two dozen mosques in Ayodhya and opening up of several other mosques under ASI control for offering of prayers.

The HC had divided the 1,487 square yards of disputed land into three equal parts, allotting the area under the central dome of the now demolished Babri Masjid to Ram Lalla, the Kaushalya (Sita) Rasoi and Bhandara area in the outer courtyard of the demolished mosque to Nirmohi Akhara and the rest to Sunni Waqf Board.