DGCA provides IndiGo relief, extends deadline 

‘Engines to be replaced in 4 months’

14/01/2020 , special correspondent , NEW DELHI

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has provided relief to IndiGo and extended the deadline for replacing all snag-prone Pratt and Whitney (PW) engines in the airline’s fleet by four months, though the engine maker recently identified a new problem.

In November 2019, the DGCA instructed IndiGo to replace 120 engines on its PW-powered A320neo planes by the end of January 2020, following four instances of mid-air engine shutdowns in the span of a week. However, on December 16, 2019, PW notified a new cause for glitches in the low-pressure turbine in engines — “fracture of Mid Turbine Frame (MTF) Piston seal” — and advised boroscopic inspection of the engines. Following this, another 15 engines were identified for replacement. The watchdog has now said that the airline can replace all its engines by May 31, 2020.

In a statement, the DGCA said that IndiGo will be able to replace only 70% of these engines by the January 31 deadline. “The procurement of modified engines was adversely impacted due to holidays during Christmas and New Year at MRO [maintenance, repair and overhaul] facilities,” the DGCA reasoned.

Employ architecture college graduates as stapathis: HC
Judge concerned as committee is not meeting frequently

14/01/2020 , Legal Correspondent, CHENNAI

The Madras High Court on Monday directed the State government to implement within three months the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Engineering and Subordinate Service Rules. and to give priority to graduates from institutions such as the Government College of Architecture and Sculpture (GCAS) at Mamallapuram while making appointments to the posts of engineers, draftsman and stapathi.

Justice R. Mahadevan issued the direction after finding that the government continued to engage traditional stapathis despite the GCAS having been established in 1957 to create trained hands in designing, building, repairing and resurrecting temple structures as well as idols.

He said with pain that only a handful of graduates from the college had managed to set up studios while others had switched professions.

After recording the submission that a Government Order was issued on August 9, 2019 for setting up a renovation and conservation wing with 175 posts, including 90 posts of Engineer, Draftsman and Stapathy, the judge said that there should be at least one stapathi in each of the 28 blocks of HR&CE department.

All these posts should be filled strictly in accordance with the required qualification, knowledge and experience, he added.

Although Section 7 of the Hindu Religious and Charitable EndowmentsAct of 1959 read with the rules framed thereunder require the constitution of an Advisory Committee, chaired by the Chief Minister, and expect it to meet at least once in six months to take stock of maintenance of temples across the State, “no such meetings are being conducted and as a result, many temples have been left in a lurch,” the judge lamented in his verdict.

He directed the government to constitute the Advisory Committee and in absentia, permit another committee headed by the principal of the Government College of Architecture and Sculpture to give countersign and give opinions on renovation of temples and resurrection of idols, images, paintings, pillars, scriptures or any other matter of ancient or historical importance.

Such committee should invite suggestions from various experts before carrying out the renovation exercise, he said.

‘Reduce services’

Wondering how engineers from the Public Works Department and other allied departments could be used for temple restoration activities, which require deep knowledge of the agama sastra, the judge ordered:

“The services of staff from other departments is to be periodically reduced keeping in mind the period of deputation. In case of any need, their services should be used only for the limited purpose of estimation and civil works.”

Maritime institute in Cuddalore headed by Alagiri de-recognised
It did not have a principal and operated with one faculty

14/01/2020 , Special Correspondent, CHENNAI

The Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai, has ordered the withdrawal of approval and recognition to a maritime science and engineering college run by a Trust, of which Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.S. Alagiri is the chairman.

The MTI Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Maritime Shipping and Engineering, Cuddalore, is run by the Kamalam Sambandan Educational and Charitable Trust. The trustees of the institute are Mr. Alagiri, some of his family members and acquaintances. In its order, the DG Shipping said several complaints were received from students. The institute was given an opportunity to respond to the complaints. The DG found many discrepancies in the replies. It found that the institute did not have a principal and was operating with only one faculty member and two instructors. It also found that “MTI had no faculty members to conduct basic safety courses, clearly showing that the MTI had not conducted any classes and yet issued certificates for completion of course to the candidates. It is a major non-compliance”.

TTDC to organise boating contest on Thursday

14/01/2020 , Special Correspondent, CHENNAI

This Thiruvalluvar Day, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has planned to make your visit to its boating houses more exciting with various competitions. TTDC’s facilities at Ooty, Kodaikanal, Pykara, Muttukadu and Mudaliarpet will host competitions on rowing and pedalling boats from 11 a.m. on Thursday.

There won’t be any extra charge for participating in the competitions.

Those willing to take part can register on the spot, said a release.

The TTDC will also organise a hop-on, hop-off tour of Chennai city on Thursday.

The bus will take tourists to Island Grounds exhibition, Vivekananda House, Light House and Guindy Children's Park. Ticket fare will be ₹10 per person.

For details call 25333333, 25333444, 25333857, 25333850-54, 180042531111.

Woman student ends life in univ hostel, college mates seek fair probe

TNN | Jan 13, 2020, 04.32 AM IST

Coimbatore: A 23-year-old woman postgraduate student committed suicide at Periyar University’s students hostel in Salem on Friday. Students who found about the incident on Saturday night stopped police from taking her body to a hospital for postmortem. They demanded a fair investigation into the death.

Police identifed the deceased as T Niveditha, 23, of Gopalapuram near Pappireddipatti in Dharmapuri district. She was studying MSc botany. “Niveditha had been staying in her room alone for the past 10 days as her roommates were away on project work. Other students at the hostel last saw her around 7.30pm on Friday. When she did not come out of her room whole day, they checked on her and found her hanging from a ceiling fan on Saturday night,” a police officer said.

Police are yet to find the reason for the death. They found a letter and collection of poems in her room.

Meanwhile, students in the hostel besieged police personnel and stopped them from taking her body to the Salem government hospital for postmosterm. Students said another woman student in the botany department lodged a complaint with the university authorities against a professor in her department for trying to misbehave to her. But she later withdrawn the complaint. In this background, Niveditha, who was also from the same department, committed suicide. Students sought a fair investigation into the death and urged the university authorities and police to question the professor.

Later, the college authorities and police pacified the students. The body was sent to the hospital for postmortem.

Meanwhile, the state higher education minister K P Anbalagan said proper action would be taken after the police investigation.

BU’s physical education programme derecognised

TNN | Jan 14, 2020, 04.31 AM IST

Coimbatore: The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), a statutory body under the Centre that recognises physical education programmes in higher education institutions, has withdrawn recognition to the Bharathiar University’s department of Physical Education for conducting Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed) course from the next academic session.

The decision, NCTE said, was taken a meeting held from January 7 to 9 in New Delhi. The minutes of the meeting said the council had sent a show-cause notice in April last year and the final show-cause notice in October. “The institution did not submit its reply/representation in response to the final notice. Hence, NCTE decided to withdraw the recognition granted to Bharathiar University Department of Physical Education, for conducting B.P.Ed. course with effect from the next academic session.”

Sources pointed out to a NCTE communication in 2015 that said the department consented to come under NCTE’s new regulations and sought to intake 100 students in the programme. For this, it had sought the list of additional staff appointed and approved staff list. It had also directed the university to display all details of the department. Lapses in these could have led to the NCTE action.

Hosp opens network of advanced labs

TNN | Jan 14, 2020, 04.49 AM IST

Madurai: The Madurai-based Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre (MMHRC) has unveiled a network of advanced diagnostic labs in various parts of the state, especially in tier II and III towns and villages, to help more people get timely and accurate diagnosis.

Music director Yuvan Shankar Raja, chairman of Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre, Madurai, Dr S Gurushankar, and film director Ike Rathe unveiled the logo for the labs at a function held on January 8. The event also marked the inauguration of Meenakshi Labs in Karaikudi, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Mayiladuthurai, Rajapalayam, and Thanjavur.