T.N. seeks Centre’s nod for 4 more medical colleges
Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi and Kancheepuram have been identified as the sites for institutes

03/12/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Edappadi K. Palaniswami

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday said the State government sought permission from the Centre to establish four more medical colleges in Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi and Kancheepuram.

Shortly after handing over appointment orders to newly-recruited staff nurses, village health nurses and medical officers and launching the Tamil Nadu Tele-Ophthalmology Network, he said this year the State government obtained the Centre’s nod to establish nine government medical colleges.

This would add another 900 medical seats in the coming years, he added.

The Chief Minister said officials had been instructed to expedite work for the nine colleges, including for infrastructure, purchase of medical equipment and appointment of employees.

Tenders would be floated to take up infrastructure development work as soon as the Centre gave clearance for the colleges.

8,000 posts

Through the nine colleges, the government would create around 8,000 posts, thereby creating employment opportunities, he said.

As per the government policy to start medical colleges in districts that do not have one in a phased manner, colleges were started in Sivagangai, Tiruvannamalai, Omandurar Estate in Chennai, Coimbatore Employees State Insurance Corporation Hospital, Pudukottai and Karur with 700 medical seats.

Besides, the number of medical seats was increased by 650 in 10 existing colleges.

“In the last eight years, we have created an additional 1,350 medical seats,” the Chief Minister said.

Over 27,400 recruited

On the Medical Services Recruitment Board, the Chief Minister said till now a total of 27,436 persons, including 12,823 doctors and 10,085 nurses, had been recruited.

On Monday, a total of 2,721 staff nurses, 1,782 village health nurses, 96 medical officers, 524 laboratory technicians, 77 physiotherapists and 24 junior assistants were appointed.

A Metro ride for special children

Travel, movie planned ahead of International Day for People with Disabilities

03/12/2019, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

All smiles: Children from special schools were taken on a Metro ride from Egmore to Airport.B. Jothi RamalingamB. Jothi Ramalingam

With eyes glued to the windows and excitement writ large on their faces, around 260 children took a Metro ride from Egmore to Airport and back on Monday evening.

The experience for differently-abled children from across the State was facilitated by the Chennai Metro Rail Limited in association with the Commissionerate for the Welfare of the Differently-abled, ahead of the International Day for People with Disabilities.

For Dharshini, a student of the Anbalayam Special School in Karur, this was the first time she travelled on the Metro.

As the train went closer to the airport station, Santhosh and Bharath, students of the St. Louis School in Chennai, excitedly pointed to the runways and aeroplanes.

Several children even broke into an applause in sign language.

Children from special schools in Chennai, Karur, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari and Theni, who are in the city to participate in a series of cultural programmes held by the Social Welfare department, went on the Metro ride and later, got to watch the film Frozen 2 at Sathyam Cinemas.

Students from the Government Middle School for the hearing impaired also got an opportunity to visit the Air Force Station in Tambaram.

‘Future is accessible’

Johny Tom Varghese, Director for the Welfare of Differently-abled, said that the theme this year for the International Day of People with Disabilities was ‘The future is accessible’. “The children today were able to enjoy experiences in places which were accessible and we continue to work towards creating better accessibility in both government and private facilities,” he added.

Rain to continue till Wednesday

Deficit for the season wiped out

03/12/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Though the city did not experience heavy showers on Monday, the sky remained overcast. B. Jothi Ramalingam

While rain is likely to ease in the northern parts of the State, southern T.N. will continue to receive rainfall for two more days, the Meteorological Department has said.

Heavy rain over the weekend has wiped out the deficit for the season. Tamil Nadu has received about 40 cm of rainfall so far, against its seasonal share of 36 cm — a 11% excess. It needs just 4 cm more to reach its average for the season, officials said.

During the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Monday, Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district received very heavy rainfall of 18 cm, the highest in the State for the day. Coonoor in the Nilgiris and Palaviduthi in Karur district each recorded 13 cm of rainfall.

Trough the reason

A trough that runs from the southwest Bay of Bengal, off Sri Lanka’s coast, to the south Tamil Nadu coast will influence rain for the next few days.

S. Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Chennai, said a low pressure area over the Lakshadweep area and the adjoining southeast Arabian Sea also influenced good easterly flow, which was favourable for wet weather in Tamil Nadu.

“The present rain spell will continue. While south Tamil Nadu will receive scattered rainfall, the intensity and spatial coverage of rain will be less in the northern parts of the State,” he said. There are chances of heavy rain in one or two places on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The weather stations in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded 4 cm and 6 cm respectively. Chennai will experience light to moderate showers till Wednesday.

Nearly 107 minor and major tanks in Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts have reached their capacity in the past three days.

Rainwater inundates Chromepet GH

Dialysis unit shut, OPD ward shifted to first floor of hospital

03/12/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Flirting with danger: Despite a warning, children play in floodwaters at Vempakkam in Kancheepuram on Monday. B. Velankanni Raj

Sunday’s heavy rains caused flooding at the Chromepet Government Hospital, forcing the hospital authorities to shift some of the wards to the first floor and also shut down the dialysis unit.

The government hospital, located on GST Road, was flooded after a small stretch of the road was inundated near the MIT flyover.

The inundation of a portion of the ground floor of the hospital caused severe inconvenience to patients. The flooding occurred despite a stormwater drain on GST Road, hospital officials said.

“Water entered the outpatient ward, forcing us to shift it to the first floor. The dialysis unit functioning in the ground floor had to be closed and the equipment was shifted to the first floor,” said a senior doctor at the hospital.

V. Santhanam, whose house abuts the compound of the Chromepet GH, said that whenever there is heavy rain, the hospital faces inundation and this has been happening for more than a decade.

Lake encroachment

He said that the encroachment of the Veeraghavan Eri located nearby was the reason for the flooding of the hospital as it was on a low level.

He urged the government to construct additional floors to accommodate the various wards located in the ground floor and convert the ground floor into a parking area.

The hospital authorities said the Public Works Department had deputed an assistant engineer to take necessary steps to drain out the rainwater.

Steps on to close channel

Pallavaram Municipality officials said that steps had been taken to close the channel near the railway track in Chromepet through which water overflowed on to the GST Road. The blockages had been identified in three places in the drain network on GST Road, including the one near the government hospital, the officials added.

T.N. rural local body polls on Dec. 27, 30

Elections to urban local bodies to be announced ‘later’

03/12/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

R. PalaniswamyS. SIVA SARAVANAN

Rural local bodies across Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in two phases on December 27 and 30, Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) Commissioner R. Palaniswamy announced on Monday. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on January 2.

Citing “administrative reasons”, Mr. Palaniswamy told a press conference that the election schedule for urban local bodies would be announced “later, but definitely”.

With the announcement of the dates for rural local body elections, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force across the State. A total of 1,18,974 posts in rural local bodies across Tamil Nadu are to be filled up through this election.

The filing of nominations for the elections to rural local bodies will commence on December 6 and the last date for submitting nominations is December 13.

The nominations will be scrutinised on December 16 and the last date for withdrawing them is December 18, he said. The results will be declared on January 2, when counting of votes will take place. The newly elected representatives will officially take over on January 6. Indirect polling to pick the heads of these rural local bodies is scheduled on January 11, Mr. Palaniswamy added.

MIDAIR DRAMA

Woman fakes illness to get bigger seat on flight

Helen Coffey 3.12.2019

A woman who pretended to have health issues during a flight in order to get a bigger seat caused the pilot to make an emergency diversion. The unidentified passenger was flying from Pensacola, Florida, to Miami on American Eagle flight 3508 when she claimed to have trouble breathing, Pensacola police told NBC News.

However, the plan quickly backfired, as the pilot decided to turn the flight back around. All flyers had to evacuate after the woman refused to get off, but eventually authorities convinced her to deplane.

She later admitted she had made up the medical problem to get a bigger seat, Pensacola police public information officer Mike Wood said. “The passenger was subsequently removed by law enforcement and medical personnel,”American Airlines said. It said the plane took off after almost an hour.

The woman is currently being held in custody under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows people with mental illnesses to be held involuntarily for up to 72 hours if it’s believed they’re at risk of suffering from neglect or of harming themselves or others. No charges have yet been filed. THE INDEPENDENT

NIRBHAYA CASE

Execution nears, but Tihar has no hangman

Rajshekhar.Jha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:3.12.2019

With options running out for the Nirbhaya convicts, their execution seems imminent. However, Tihar officials are a worried lot as the jail doesn’t have a hangman.

A source told TOI that senior jail officials are weighing their options as the execution may be conducted in one

month. The convicts could be hanged any day after the court issues a “Black Warrant” sanctioning their execution. The warrant would be issued after rejection of their mercy petition by the President.

During the last hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, the Tihar administration was caught off-guard as the developments unfolded overnight.

In most likelihood, Tihar will not appoint a hangman even this time and hire someone on a one-time contract. “Executions don’t happen often in our system as the death penalty is given in rarest of rare cases. So, having a full-time hangman is not viable. Also, it’s difficult to find a full-time employee for this job description,” a jail official explained. This time, only one of the convicts, Vinay Sharma, filed the mercy petition. The Tihar administration forwarded it to Delhi government, which sent it to the lieutenant governor recommending that the petition be rejected given the severity of the crime. “The LG will send the file to Union ministry of home affairs, which will present it before the President. The President’s decision will be conveyed to Tihar Jail, which will move court requesting a Black Warrant if the petition is rejected,” a government official said.

The other convicts — Mukesh, Pawan and Akshay — didn’t file the mercy petition despite the Tihar administration giving them a week’s time.

Why are PM, WCD minister silent on Hyd rape, asks Congress

New Delhi:Congress on Monday asked why the Prime Minister and the women and child development minister had not yet spoken on the gruesome Hyderabad rape-cum-murder, saying the Centre was expected to do more than issue perfunctory statements on women’s security.

“We speak of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’. Our daughters step out after studying, they become empowered and then when this happens to them, the people in power, the government, are just silent bystanders. We want to ask if the government has forgotten about women,” Congress MPs Amee Yajnik and S Jothimani told a press conference.

They said PM Narendra Modi and WCD minister Smriti Irani should break their silence and show political will to draw up an emergency plan on the issue.

Jothimani referred to other incidents of rape across the country, including the Unnao case, and said that according to data, there were 984 rapes every day. TNN