Madurai sees single-day spike of 464 cases, 4 deaths

Madurai sees single-day spike of 464 cases, 4 deaths

Sukshma.R@timesgroup.com

Madurai: 14.07.2020

Covid-19 cases in Madurai reached a recordhigh single-day spike of 464 and four deaths on Monday, taking the total cases in the district to 6,539, including 3,803 active cases, and 120 deaths. However, district health officials said the trend of Covid-19 cases in Madurai district has been more or less steady, with an average of around 300 fresh cases per day since the end of June.

Speaking to TOI, special monitoring officer for Covid-19 for Madurai, Dr B Chandramohan, said the sudden spike was because samples sent to other districts return only on Monday. “Results of around 800 samples, which were sent to other districts, returned on Monday. So, this spike shouldn’t be seen as a singleday increase. We have done more than 4,000 tests on Monday alone,” he said. As Madurai Medical College is able to carry out tests on 2,500 samples per day, around 1,500 samples are being sent to labs in other districts, including Coimbatore.

The official said that the situation in Madurai was stable as of now. “The average trend of Covid-19 cases has been around 300 cases per day and there has been no exponential rise so far. The focus now is on stabilising the trend by making use of complete lockdown for targeted testing,” said Dr Chandramohan.

Two days ago, after a gradual rise in active cases for days, the number started to come down with more people getting discharged every day. As of Monday, 1,175 asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic Covid-19 patients were under monitored home isolation. “Active cases will come down if the situation remains stable since even now 85%-90% of cases are asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic. Only around 10% cases are moderate while 2% are severe,” said Dr Chandramohan.

Amid Covid crisis, parties sharpen swords for political battle in 2021 Politicos Focus On Energising Functionaries

Amid Covid crisis, parties sharpen swords for political battle in 2021

Politicos Focus On Energising Functionaries

Team TOI

Chennai:  14.07.2020

The ongoing battle against the Covid-19 pandemic notwithstanding, leading political parties in Tamil Nadu are gearing up for yet another fight.

With assembly polls just nine months away, provided the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic eases, both the ruling and opposition alliances are already in poll mode.

The ruling AIADMK, which recently revamped its moribund IT wing, has initiated a process to appoint 25,000 cadres at the grassroot level.

The party plans to appoint 70,000 people, including social media activists and influencers, for its digital fight against the DMK.

“Armed with mandates, we will go all out in our fight against rivals and ensure that all false propaganda made by the opposition is shot down immediately,” said Aspire K Swaminathan, AIADMK IT wing Chennai zone secretary.

Discussions are also on to increase the number of party districts from the present 56 to accommodate newly carved revenue districts in the state.

“The idea is to have a party district for 2-3 assembly seats in urban areas and 3-4 assembly segments in rural areas. This will lead to better administration, besides creating more posts for party cadres,” an AIADMK leader said.

For the DMK and its president M K Stalin, the lockdowns have virtually come as a boon to have prolonged interactive sessions with not just the district level office bearers, but also with the elected representatives of rural local bodies.

“Around 400 local body representatives of the party, from three districts at a time, participate in the interaction that goes on for more than three hours. At least 150 representatives get to speak, even as Stalin notes down the issues raised, at each meeting,” a DMK district secretary said.

As if sure about DMK emerging victorious in the next assembly polls, Stalin has extended his interactions to include doctors, industrialists and representatives from chambers of commerce.

“These interactions offer Stalin a hold on ground realities about the pandemic and its impact on the state’s economy,” said a party insider.

For its part, the BJP has so far held 1,170 virtual meetings with party functionaries in all 234 assembly segments.

Asking the functionaries to be election ready, BJP’s national general secretary B L Santhosh has directed them to take up people’s issues. What’s more, he has given them a free hand to be critical of the state government’s shortcomings.

The Congress too was not found wanting. TNCC president K S Alagiri has asked the state unit to celebrate the 117th birth anniversary of former CM K Kamaraj as ‘Retrieve Tamil Nadu’ day.

“Functionaries of the party’s district as well as zonal units will take an oath to retrieve Tamil Nadu from the clutches of the corrupt AIADMK,” Congress spokesman said.

The AIADMK plans to appoint 70,000 people, including social media activists and influencers, for its digital fight against the DMK DMK president M K Stalin holds interactive sessions with not just district-level officebearers, but also with representatives of rural local bodies

SC nod for Madras HC to hear all-India med quota OBC dispute

SC nod for Madras HC to hear all-India med quota OBC dispute

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 14.07.2020

Clearing ambiguity over jurisdiction of Madras high court in hearing a batchof pleas movedby the DMK, TN government and other political parties seeking 50% OBC reservation in medical admissions under All India Quota, the Supreme Courthassaidthehighcourtcan proceed with the hearing.

When the pleas were moved in the high court by political parties, including DMK, AIADMK, PMK and others, the Centre opposed the hearing saying the high court could not take up the cases, as the apex court was already seized of the issue in Saloni Kumari case which is still pending before the court.

The Centre said the petitionerparties could only implead themselves as parties in the Saloni Kumari case, and argue before the SC. Accepting the argument, the high court refused to grant any interim relief and decided to wait and watch.

Challenging the refusal, T G Babu, an aspiring PG medical student, moved the SC on appeal. When the petition came up for hearing on Monday, senior counsel for petitioner P Wilson submitted that Saloni kumari case is different from the writs pending before the high court. “Saloni Kumari wanted to apply 27% OBC reservation in AIQ on the basis of the Central Educational Institution Act. Whereas, the petitions before the high court are seeking 50% reservation on the basis of Tamil Nadu Reservation Act,” Wilson explained.

Concurring with the submissions, a division bench of Supreme Court comprising Justice Nageshwara Rao and Justice Ravindra Bhat said the cases were different and that the pendency of Saloni Kumari case was no bar for the Madras HC to hear the other pending cases. The court is likely to take up the pleas on July 17.

Doctors, nurses planning to work in the US can validate their English proficiency with OET

Doctors, nurses planning to work in the US can validate their English proficiency with OET

Chennai:  14.07.2020

Doctors and nurses applying for positions in the US can now validate their English language proficiency with OET (Occupational English Test), an international English language test specifically for healthcare professionals. The test has been recognised by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), the Florida Board of Nursing, and the Oregon State Board of Nursing. OET is now recognised in nine countries including the UK and Australia. Indian medical graduates can register to take OET (medicine) as early as August 2020. TNN

Flying home to Chennai from Middle East set to get easier

INT’L, PVT AIRLINES BEGIN OPERATIONS

Flying home to Chennai from Middle East set to get easier

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  14.07.2020

Flying home to Chennai is going to be easier for those stranded in the Middle East as foreign airlines and private carriers from India have started to operate flights to Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai and Delhi in addition to flights operated by Air India. The airlines are expected to release schedules to Chennai and Trichy soon after getting permission from the state government this week.

Emirates, Etihad, IndiGo and Vistara have announced more flights to India.

These flights have been scheduled from mid-July as the Union government has decided to allow them to take part in evacuation of stranded Indians in the Middle East following criticism from UAE and other countries that only Air India was being allowed under the Vande Bharat Mission.

Though there is a delay in scheduling of direct flights to Chennai, there are flights to other Indian cities and also to Trichy. This is expected to offer more choice of flights for people who want to return.

Basheer Ahmed of Metro Travels said that “People stranded in Dubai and other cities there can now travel because entry of Emirates will give them more options. The number of flights operated by Air India was not enough. Now, travellers can land in Kochi, Mumbai or Delhi and travel to Chennai till direct flights are introduced.” These airports allow international passengers who land there to continue onward trips by domestic flights.

“The state government was hesitating to give permission as almost two flights land at Chennai airport every day with stranded passengers from different countries,” he added.

A few flights by foreign carriers from the Middle East planned for July 14 and 156 had to be cancelled because the government did not give permission because they needed to arrange centres for institutional quarantine for passengers arriving from abroad. Additional flights will be of help as many were not able to secure seats on Air India flights.

Basheer Ahmed said, “Direct flights from Dubai and other cities in the Middle East to Chennai will also help people who have resident and permanent visa. There are more than 100people who are ready to travel to the UAE alone. They do not prefer to travel to Mumbai or Delhi to fly out because they are worried about tests and quarantine rules.”

Finding tickets on flights from the Middle East to India and on flights from India to the Middle East is now easy because the Union government has also allowed all travel agents to book tickets. Passengers could use only the Air India website to book tickets for Vande Bharat flights.

Will teachers take pay cuts, asks HC as PIL seeks no Covid duty

Will teachers take pay cuts, asks HC as PIL seeks no Covid duty

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 14.07.2020

Chiding a government teachers’ association that sought exemption from Covid-related work, the Madras high court wondered whether the teachers would accept pay cuts since schools are not functioning.

Observing that teachers should be role model for younger generations in serving the society during difficult times, a division bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice R Hemalatha said, “Teachers should rise to the occasion and stand out in helping the people rather than boycotting it.”

The court made the observations while dismissing a public interest writ petition filed by Tamil Nadu Elementary Teachers’ Association, on Monday. According to the petitioner-association, the state has so far engaged more than 200 teachers to provide counselling for Covid-19 patients. It said teachers are not trained to provide counselling, adding that a teacher had also contracted the infection.

The work assigned included collecting information of contacts of infected people, manning Covid-19 call centres operated by the corporation, and to carry out any other work assigned by the zonal team. “Despite efforts, teachers are put at high risk of infection, their health conditions are not considered before engaging them,” the petitioner said.

BDU to accept research only if paper published in journal with UGC nod

BDU to accept research only if paper published in journal with UGC nod

TNN | Jul 14, 2020, 04.52 AM IST

Trichy: PhD students of Bharathidasan University (BDU), from August, will be allowed to submit their research work only if they have their papers published in the list of journals approved by the University Grants commission (UGC). It is mandatory for a PhD student to submit at least two research papers in reputed journals before submission of their research work.

However, the decision has been criticized by a large section of faculty members and students, who fear that PhD work of many students would be delayed because of this.

“The UGC has been frequently changing the approved list of journals in recent years and also discontinuing many journals that were approved at an earlier stage. This is a matter of concern,” said state vice-president of Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers Association (TNGCTA), G Ramesh.

How can PhD students be made accountable for discontinuation of a research journal by UGC if the student had published a paper when the journal was in the approved list, he asked.

Speaking to TOI, BDU registrar, G Gopinath said they have seen cases where PhD students were found to have published research papers in journals after UGC removed them from the list of approved journals. The registrar further said the university is only asking the students to ensure that the journal is in the approved list of UGC at the time of publishing research papers.

The research section of BDU has the latest list of approved journals based on which the decision has been taken.

If students believe that the journal was in the approved list when they published their paper, synopsis will be accepted if they furnish supporting documents, said the registrar.

M Selvam, president, teachers’ association of Bharathidasan University, said the circular from registrar should have been clear about the students, who have already published papers when the journals were in the approved list.