Secretariat staff want five-day work schedule

Secretariat staff want five-day work schedule

Chennai:25.09.2020

Citing surge in Covid positive cases among government staff, the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association has requested chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to reinstate five-day work schedule. The state government has allowed 100% strength in government offices from September 1, however, not scrapped the six-day schedule that has been in vogue even since May.

“Due to inadequate space in offices like Secretariat, the staff could not follow social distancing norms and it has become routine to contract the virus. At least 80 staff members in 15 departments turned Covid positive in a fortnight,”

TNSA president S Peter Antonysamy. TNN

Petition seeks salary hike for Indian medicine practitioners

Petition seeks salary hike for Indian medicine practitioners

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:25.09.2020

The Madras high court directed the state government to pass final orders in a proposal sent by the commissioner of municipal administration seeking time-bound promotion with salary hike to Indian medicine practitioners on a par with the allopathy medical practitioners. The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by 15 medical practitioners of Indian medicine such as siddha, ayurveda, unani and homeopathy, who are working under the municipal administration department.

Taking into consideration the request of the petitioners, the commissioner of municipal administration had sent a detailed request-cum-recommendation to the secretary of municipal administration and water supply department to consider the said plea and provide those benefits .

Since the proposal, which was sent in the year 2016 was not considered yet, the petitioners moved HC Madurai bench.

Pvt colleges want TN to clear pending SC/ST scholarship funds - The Times Of India

Pvt colleges want TN to clear pending SC/ST scholarship funds - The Times Of India

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.09.2020 

An association of private colleges has moved the Madras high court seeking direction to the Tamil Nadu government to release scholarship funds meant for students from SC and ST communities which are pending since 2017.

Disposing of the plea, Justice K Ravichandra Baabu directed the state to consider the representation of the association and dispose of the same in eight weeks.

According to the petitioner-association, represented by Palaniswamy, scholarships have been provided to students of SC and ST communities studying in private colleges under a central government scheme.

Such funds would be released by the state government at the end of every academic year directly to the college concerned. However, the funds meant to be released for the academic years 2017 to 2019 are still pending for disbursal, the petitioner said.

Claiming that such funds are vital to ensure higher education to SC and ST students, the petitioner wanted the court to direct the state to release the funds immediately.

When the plea came up for hearing, the petitioner submitted that the pending funds which runs to crores of rupees has not been released to private colleges concerned since 2017.

The government has also not responded to various representations made by the institutions in this regard prompting the association to approach the court, he added.

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The petitioner submitted that the pending funds which run into crores of rupees have not been released to the private colleges concerned since 2017

HC upholds action against doctor who discussed postmortem on TV - The Times Of India

HC upholds action against doctor who discussed postmortem on TV - The Times Of India

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25 09.2020

Can a doctor discuss a postmortem report in a public forum like television debate? No, says the Tamil Nadu Medical Council, which has placed under suspension the practice licence of ace forensic medical expert V Dekal for a month.

When Dekal moved the Madras high court, Justice V Parthiban refused any interim relief to the doctor and said he should stay away from his practice for a month. The court directed the medical council to file a detailed counter by October 29.

It was medical council’s stand that a postmortem report is a confidential document and, therefore, accessing it unofficially and discussing the content in public forums is intrusion of privacy.

Representing the medical council, advocate G Shankaran submitted that Dekal, while participating in a programme in a private Tamil news channel, discussed the suspicious death of a woman near Chennai and said the postmortem certificate issued by the government hospital concerned was substandard with a lot of flaws.

He raised doubts on the postmortem certificate, without actually being part of the postmortem team or knowing the facts first hand, he added. The case discussed in the show is still under investigation and the postmortem report alleged to be flawed by him is a confidential document.

Accessing such confidential documents unofficially and discussing the content in public forums is an intrusion of privacy and is likely to affect the investigation and trial of the case, the council said.

“Blatant accusations of post-mortem report can cause unwarranted pressure on the affected family and all those involved. When the police investigations are on and the case is under the purview of our reputed judicial system, Dekal’s behaviour is an act uncalled for by a registered medical practitioner,” the council added.

Denying the allegations, Dekal submitted that he did not criticize the post-mortem certificate issued by the government doctor but just expressed his opinion that when so many qualified forensic experts are available in the nearby government Chengalpet Medical College, it should have been conducted there instead of the government hospital in Madurantakam

However, refusing to accept his explanation, the council passed an order suspending his licence to practise for one month.

When Dekal moved the Madras high court, Justice V Parthiban refused any interim relief to the doctor and said he should stay away from his practice for a month. The court has directed the medical council to file a detailed counter by October 29

Docs, staff at hosp treasure SPB’s handwritten notes thanking them

Docs, staff at hosp treasure SPB’s handwritten notes thanking them

The Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, were but two of the numerous awards that came to the effortless singer who found life’s rhythm in humility. He wasn’t just a singer; he composed music for more than 45 films in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Hindi; he acted in more than 40 Tamil, Telugu and Kannada movies.

SPB spent 51 days in hospital, battling Covid-19 with the same grace with which he did everything. Doctors and staff at the hospital treasure his handwritten notes thanking them for looking after him. He was put on life support for severe pneumonia on August 14. He tested negative for the viral infection on September 4, but by then his lungs were affected, doctors said. On Thursday, the singer suffered a serious setback, and by Friday, the doctors could do no more.

As word of his demise spread, people from all walks of life started queuing up at his residence at Kamdhar Nagar in the heart of the city to pay their respects. Many sang his songs – some smiling, some sobbing.

FULL COVERAGE: P 2 & 3 SPB composed music for more than 45 films in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Hindi and acted in more than 40 Tamil, Telu-gu and Kannada

SPB fought valiantly over 51 days - The Times Of India

SPB fought valiantly over 51 days - The Times Of India

He Was Very Cooperative, Say Doctors

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.09.2020

August 5, minutes after he walked into the hospital with “mild” symptoms of Covid-19, S P Balasubrahmanyam in a video asked his fans not to worry. During his 51-day stay in MGM Healthcare, SPB fought a fervid battle with the infection and other ailments, until a brain haemorrhage.

Initially, he seemed normal, but his lungs quickly deteriorated. On August 13, he was placed on life support. “We first put him on a ventilator and when his oxygen saturation did not improve we added the ECMO,” said a senior doctor.

A team of nurses was posted to care for him. “They were surprised with the care he showed them,” said Dr Sabanayagam who treated him. He couldn’t speak much but gestured. His first note to the nurses was a “love you all” message.

Lalitha sahasranamam were played daily in the room. When the IPL season began, he asked for a TV and sometimes watched a game.

The lethal virus, however, made it difficult for doctors to wean him off life support. “SPB was patient and co-operative. He was kind. Even when he had a complaint or discomfort he put it across gently,” said a senior nurse. He would write a note to nurses when he wanted to eat soup or when they had to increase or decrease oxygen flow from the ventilator.

Earlier this month, doctors decided to do a tracheotomy. “I was a little anxious because I did not want anything to happen to his voice,” said Dr Suresh Rao, co-director for Institute of Heart & Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support. After the procedure, SPB cleared his throat and said he was fine. “That’s the voice of the man I can never forget,” Dr Rao said.

His condition was improving and the amount of air (tidal volume) that moved in or out of the lungs with each respiratory cycle increased giving hope. But on Thursday, there was a cerebral haemorrhage. “We had to stop the medication that thins blood. But his blood has to be thin to flow freely in and out of ECMO,” Dr Rao said. At 1.04pm, after a cardio respiratory arrest doctors declared him dead.

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HEART-BROKEN: People pay last respects to the legendary singer on Friday evening

Condolences pour in from film industry figures

Condolences pour in from film industry figures

They remember his ageless voice and humility

26/09/2020

Staff ReporterCHENNAI

“In any small corner of the world, it is possible to find an SPB fan,” said actor and comedian Vivekh. Condolences poured in from several members of the Tamil film industry who remembered their association with singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and his contribution to cinema.

His ageless voice — he has sung for several senior actors as well as the younger actors in the industry spanning five decades — and his humility were remembered by actors, directors, musicians and technicians who have been influenced by his work.

“We’ve sung over 3,000 duets across six languages,” reminisced veteran playback singer P. Susheela. She said Balasubrahmanyam’s death was like the loss of a family member. “He was always ready to help anyone. One of the most memorable songs we’ve sung together is Aayiram nilave vaa,” she said.

Sharing a few lines from the song Engo pogudhu vaanam that Balasubrahmanyam had sung in the Rajinikanth film Kochadaiiyaan, composer A.R. Rahman wrote on Twitter that the singer’s voice was “the Voice of Victory, Love, Devotion and Joy”.

“He has sung over 40,000 songs and performed at numerous stage shows. Despite this fame, we have all learnt humility from him. He always stood grounded,” composer Harris Jayaraj said. The singer had left a legacy and his work and life would be an institution for generations to come, he said.

Actor and politician T. Rajendar said Balasubrahmanyam had given life to several songs he had composed. “Not just for the Tamil film industry, it is a huge loss for the country,” he said. Poet Vairamuthu said Balasubrahmanyam’s voice had been a companion to his writing for over 40 years.

“I had the honour of lip-syncing the songs that you have sung, on screen. We will all never forget your voice,” actor Sathyaraj said.

The South Indian Artists Association or Nadigar Sangam said his death was an irreplaceable loss to the film industry and he was an accomplished actor, besides being a singer. Music composer D. Imman said that for actor Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Annathey, SPB had already recorded a song. “I feel blessed that I had the opportunity to work with him and record one of his last songs. He was such a loving and wonderful person,” he said. Director Bharathiraja, with whom the singer shared a close friendship, said SPB did not belong to a single State but to the entire country.