Lizard found in food at CP eatery, police register case of negligence

Lizard found in food at CP eatery, police register case of negligence

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:04.08.2020

A man who went to dine at a popular restaurant in Connaught Place on Saturday night was shocked to find a lizard in his food. He later filed a police complaint of negligence and endangering a person’s life.

The victim, identified as Pankaj Aggarwal, also uploaded a video on a friend’s Twitter handle where he is seen talking to staff members. “I have already eaten some of the food and half of the lizard is missing,” he told them.

Aggarwal reached the restaurant along with two friends around 9.30pm. “We had ordered two items. I was eating my food when I spotted a lizard in my sambhar. I immediately called staff members. They were more interested in removing the dish from the table than addressing our issue,” Aggarwal told TOI. “I had eaten half of my food and half of the lizard was also missing. I later uploaded the video as I wanted to make people aware about the incident.”

He added, “My family has been coming to this restaurant for long and we celebrate most of our occasions here. This was my first dineout experience after the lockdown and it disappointed me.”

Stressing that hygienic conditions at the restaurant should be looked into, Aggarwal said the same items were available at roadside eateries too, “but we come to restaurants for better facilities and good hygienic conditions in which the food is prepared”.

The restaurant didn’t charge them the bill of Rs 290 but, Aggarwal said, he is more worried about hygiene at such a popular restaurant. “With the pandemic still raging, everyone thinks all measures and precautions are being taken while serving customers and people are coming out to eat with that trust in mind.”

Following a call to the police control room, an officer came to the restaurant from Connaught Place police station. Police have recorded statements of staff members, including those on duty at the kitchen.

AGGARWAL SAYS

I immediately called staff members. They were more interested in removing the dish from the table than addressing our issue

GTU to hold e-exams for 25k undergrad students from today

GTU to hold e-exams for 25k undergrad students from today

Ahmedabad: 04.08.2020

Gujarat Technological University (GTU) will begin online examinations for final-semester undergraduate and diploma students from Tuesday. The exams will run through a week. About 25,000 students are expected to take the exams. The varsity has completed the exams for postgraduate programmes, which began a week ago.

Candidates can take the online MCQ (multiple-choice question) exams using laptops, desktops, tablets, or cellphones. A consistent internet speed of 512kbps is recommended.

If students do not have that facility, their institutes will have to provide connectivity with the necessary speed. Webcams are required for students taking the exams using laptops or desktops.Front-facing cameras are needed for those taking the exams using mobile phones or tablets.

Other testing options include the pen-and-paper exams to be held from August 17 and special exams to be conducted in September. TNN

Salem gets Siddha Covid care centre

REGION DIGEST

Salem gets Siddha Covid care centre

The Salem district administration opened an exclusive 60-bed Siddha Covid-19 care centre at Uthamacholapuram on Monday. Collector S A Raman said treatment will be given to Covid-19 patients who wish to try Siddha method. District siddha medical officer Dr K Selvamurthy said patients will be administered with all Siddha medicines prescribed under the Aarogyam scheme, launched to boost immunity of people by the government

File counter in cop’s bail plea, HC to CBI: Madras high court on Monday directed the CBI to file a counter on the bail plea moved by suspended head constable S Murugan, arrested in connection with the Sathankulam custodial deaths of P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks. After the assistant solicitor general V Kathirvelu appearing for the CBI sought time to file a counter, justice V Bharathidasan directed the CBI to file a counter and adjourned the case to August 17.

Sterlite firing victims’ kin seek govt jobs: Kin of those killed in the police firing at anti-Sterlite protesters and those who were badly injured in the police excess, on Monday petitioned the state government, seeking jobs that match their qualification. They termed the menial jobs given on compassionate grounds as an eyewash. They also alleged partiality in allotment of jobs.

Governor stable: Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who was tested positive for Covid-19, is stable, according to Raj Bhavan release. Purohit also decided not to host the “At Home Reception” at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of Independence Day in view of Covid-19 pandemic.

Rajiv case convicts: Why oppose parole if cabinet backs release, HC asks govt

Rajiv case convicts: Why oppose parole if cabinet backs release, HC asks govt

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 04.08.2020

While the state cabinet has recommended the release of all seven life convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination case, why does the state vehemently oppose the parole plea of A G Perarivalan, one of the convicts, asked the Madras high court on Monday.

“Your cabinet has recommended his release in toto, then why are you opposing his application for parole for one month? Do not oppose for the sake of opposing it,” a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice V M Velumani told state public prosecutor A Natarajan.

To this, Natarajan explained that he is not opposing for the sake of opposing but the applicant must have valid reasons to seek parole.

“Only last year he was out on leave. As per prison rules, a prisoner becomes eligible for next parole only after three years. Moreover, the prison doctor has made it very clear in his report that though the prisoner suffered a series of illnesses, he is currently under medication for the same and he is stable,” Natarajan said.

However, senior counsel R Shanmugasundaram pointed out that there is a provision in the prison rules under which the state can exempt a prisoner from such conditions and grant parole. To this, the prosecutor said, “there are such exemptions, but the same cannot be granted on medical grounds.”

Refusing to accept the contention, the bench said, “If rules prohibit leave on medical grounds then such rule has become redundant. It has to be updated. Do you mean to say illnesses are not extraordinary situations?”

The court then directed the state and the petitioner to file an affidavit on the current status of the multi-disciplinary monitoring agency (MDMA) probing the larger conspiracy behind the former PM’s assassination and the interim orders of the Supreme Court, if any, in connection with the matter. The bench then adjourned the hearing to August 12.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by T Arputhammal, mother of Perarivalan. She wanted the court to grant 90 days parole to her son who needs immediate medical attention in view of various ailments.

The court posed the question when a parole application for Perarivalan, a life convict in the case, came up for hearing

Lack of flights to UAE costs flyers dearly

Lack of flights to UAE costs flyers dearly

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  4.8.2020

The UAE may have begun allowing visitors and transit travelers, but the lack of scheduled flights from Chennai forces the stranded to spend more on Vande Bharat flights.

The UAE is issuing visas for people of all nationalities for travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, a popular transit hub for those from Chennai, but many who could have used Dubai to fly to Europe and the US by flights of their choice are forced to depend on special flights.

Emirates and Etihad Air can fly to Chennai to pick up passengers with resident visas in the UAE but Emirates discontinued flights because aircraft had to land in Chennai empty because of restrictions. From August 6 to 15, Etihad will fly five times a week to Chennai.

Basheer Ahmed of Travel Agents Federation of India said many were waiting to come to Chennai and to travel to UAE. “Scheduled flights at least in limited frequency will help them. The rescue flights are expensive and get cancelled if the airline cannot send in the number of arriving passengers in advance.”

The UAE is opening up, but traders and business travellers are not able to benefit because of the risk of getting stranded there.

Keep vulnerability in mind, care more, docs urge elderly

DIET, EXERCISE CRUCIAL

Keep vulnerability in mind, care more, docs urge elderly

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.08.2020

Until recently, most public health officials warned older adults to simply stay at home to beat Covid-19. Now, with the city slowly reopening, things are getting more complicated for senior citizens. Geriatricians say while following golden pandemic rules — social distance, mask and hygiene — the elderly must maintain a healthy diet and exercise.

“This can have mental and emotional benefits. Morning walks on the terrace, yoga and breathing exercises can help,” said senior geriatrician Dr V S Natarajan.

Doctors also insist that elders keep their blood sugars and hypertension under control. “Not skipping medicines is one way. It is also important for caregivers to keep doctors informed about symptoms the elderly experience,” he said.

Amidst the ongoing pandemic, one thing that is irrefutable is that the highest rate of fatalities is among the elderly. While there is no evidence that shows increased risk of Covid-19 for people above 60 years compared to younger adults, medical records across hospitals show that when people over 60 are infected, they are more likely to have severe and life-threatening symptoms. Health department statistics show that nearly 60% of the deaths were among the elderly.

“Older people with underlying medical conditions are at particularly high risk,” said senior liver transplant surgeon Dr Mohammed Rela, who heads Dr Rela Institute of Medical Sciences. “People above the age of 60 walking in with breathlessness invariably have complications and require intensive care,” he said.

Recently, a 70-year-old man, with chest congestion, and his 45-year-old daughter, with more severe symptoms, were admitted to Stanley Medical College Hospital. In a couple of days, the oxygen requirement for the woman dropped, but the father required high pressure (non-invasive) ventilation. While the woman has been discharged, the father is still in intensive care. Intensivists say seniors fare poorly in intensive care units. “Most of the time, they don’t eat well or co-operate much when they don’t see their kin. They also give up on the fight quickly,” said a senior intensivist at the Stanley Hospital.

Anna univ to hold sem exams for final year students online

Anna univ to hold sem exams for final year students online

Proctored Test To Have 30% Weightage, IA & Projects Rest

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:4.8.2020 

With more than 20,000 engineering students with job offers anxiously waiting to start their careers, Anna University has decided to conduct end-semester exams for final year students as online proctoring tests by the end of this month. Anna University is the first state university to decide to conduct online exams amid the Covid-19 crisis. Students without digital devices and internet connectivity will be given a choice to take offline exams later. The final exams are crucial as they would help validate degrees and aid in early on-boarding of recruited students.

The one-hour proctoring test will be conducting separately for each subject, will have multiple choice questions and candidates will be monitored by artificial intelligence tools, which records physical movements of students, computer screen usage and audio to prevent malpractice. The university has floated a tender inviting bids for conducting the test, estimated to cost ₹1.9 crore, for students from affiliated colleges and university departments.

“We decided to conduct the online exam to protect the future of students. It will make their degrees credible and facilitate their early on-boarding and higher studies,” said M K Surappa, vice-chancellor of the university.

Due to the loss of working days, some portions could not be taught and the university has decided to drop one of five units in each subject for the final exams. “We will give a 30% weightage for the online test and 70% weightage for internal assessment and project work,” Surappa added.

When inquired, autonomous colleges said they are also thinking of conducting an online test for final year students. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had instructed all universities to conduct exams online or offline for final year students, a move challenged in the Supreme Court. Academicians, however, said graduates of professional courses like BE, BTech need some form of assessment before graduation.

The state government promoted all except final year students to next year without exams and wrote to the ministry of human resource development to cancel exams for final year students as well, but it is yet to get a response.

Meanwhile, K M Karthik, president of Private Educational Institutions Employees Association, said the university collected fees for the cancelled exams and insisted that it must not collect fee for next sem exams. University officials, however, said the state government approved exam fee collection.