Women docs save 9 patients from fire in Covid ward

Women docs save 9 patients from fire in Covid ward

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:22.11.2020

Two women doctors led a courageous rescue mission to save nine Covid patients after a fire broke out in the ICU of a super speciality centre in Jayarogya Hospital in Gwalior on Saturday.

With lives depending on split-second decisions, doctors Nilima Singh and Nilima Tandon didn’t bother to pull on PPE suits and dashed in unprotected, shouting to their colleagues and other staff to join the rescue effort. In the end, those seconds mattered. A patient suffered minor burns before he could be rescued, but he is lucky to be alive. A doctor fainted, possibly from smoke inhalation, and has been hospitalised.

“The fire broke out in the fourth floor of the hospital, due to which nine patients were shifted to another ward on the second floor,” said collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh. One of the rescued patients died during treatment a few hours later, not from the fire but Covid complications, said sources.

“Dr Nilima Singh and Dr Nilima Tandon rushed into the danger zone to save lives without a thought for their own. They didn’t even put on PPE kits,” said a senior administrative officer of the hospital.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia lauded the doctors’ bravery. “I salute them. They are real heroes,” he tweeted.

The fire brigade put out the blaze, Singh said, adding that a short circuit might have triggered it.

AIADMK says alliance with BJP will continue in ’21 polls Amit Shah Inaugurates Projects Worth ₹67,000 Crore

AIADMK says alliance with BJP will continue in ’21 polls Amit Shah Inaugurates Projects Worth ₹67,000 Crore

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:22.11.2020 

The ruling AIADMK on Saturday made it clear that its alliance with the BJP would continue for the forthcoming assembly elections. In the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami vowed to continue the “victorious AIADMK-BJP alliance” in the coming polls. They were speaking at a government function organised to lay foundation stones and inaugurate projects worth more than Rs 67,000 crore in the city.

The two leaders later called on Shah at a hotel in MRC Nagar, where he is staying overnight. The AIADMK leadership dubbed it as a courtesy visit and said no political discussion took place.

Amit Shah, on his part, lauded the AIADMK government and its initiatives, especially in managing Covid-19, and assured the Central government’s support to the state government and to the people of Tamil Nadu. Both the chief minister and deputy chief minister were providing good governance, said Shah.

Extending a grand welcome at the airport and all along the route as Shah travelled into the city, the AIADMK leadership showered encomiums on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and his trusted-aide. Panneerselvam said the state government would be able to ensure peace, progress and prosperity with the support of the Union home minister.

Palaniswami said the AIADMK government had provided best governance in the last ten years and had been receiving several awards for various departments. “I wish to state that our alliance will win majority of the seats in 2021 polls and the AIADMK will form the government,” the CM said. He congratulated the Central government for kick starting the national economic recovery through multiple stimulus packages. Tamil Nadu benefitted immensely from the steps taken by the Centre for post-Covid economic recovery, he said. BJP general secretary C T Ravi, state BJP president L Murugan, L K Sudheesh (DMDK) were special invitees at the event.

Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami felicitates Union home minister Amit Shah in Chennai on Saturday

Court: Pension is not charity but indefeasible right of employees

Court: Pension is not charity but indefeasible right of employees

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:  22.11.2020 

Pension is neither a bounty, charity or a gratuitous payment, but an indefeasible right of an employee. The high court made this observation while coming to the rescue of a retired employee of state-owned Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL ), who was denied terminal benefits even 21 years after retirement.

“Terminal benefits will enable a retired employee to live a life free from want, with decency, independence and self-respect. Depriving such a right to livelihood will leave a pensioner to fall on the thorns of life and bleed,” Justice M Nagaprasanna said.

Reminding the corporation that pension payable to its employees on superannuation is a property under Article 300-A as well as a fundamental right to livelihood under Article 21 the Constitution, the judge said deprivation of even part of it cannot be accepted, except in accordance with law.

Theft allegation and litigation

Thimmaiah, who was working as a storekeeper, was accused of theft and a police complaint lodged. KPTCL, without holding any inquiry, terminated his service which he challenged in 1999. On January 20, 2000, the high court set aside the termination and reserved liberty to KPTCL to hold a fresh inquiry in terms of their regulations. During the pendency of the petition, Thimmaiah retired on June 30, 1999.

Thereafter, Thimmaiah had to approach the court several times as KPTCL firstly withheld his pension and terminal benefits and thereafter sought recovery of the entire amount vis-a-vis alleged theft. In April 2013, the court imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on KPTCL and directed initiation of proceedings in terms of pension regulations. After this, the corporation through an order on May 2, 2015, dropped disciplinary proceedings but did not release terminal benefits.

Though Thimmaiah submitted a representation in July 2017 to the company contending that he is already 77 years old and due to adverse health conditions, he is struggling to maintain his expenses with not a paise of terminal benefit granted. As it was not considered, he moved the high court again.

KPTCL has to settle in two weeks the terminal benefits of KT Thimmaiah, from June 30, 1999, the date of his retirement, along with interest at 9 per cent per annum from the date it was due. This apart, Rs 50,000 has to be paid as cost to the petitioner

100 law students protest over exams, demand alternative

100 law students protest over exams, demand alternative

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:22.11.2020

More than 100 law students on Saturday staged a protest against the Karnataka State Law University’s decision to conduct in-classroom exams for intermediate semesters.

Citing the Covid-19 crisis, a section of students has demanded that the university should conduct online exams or promote them based on an aggregate of continuous internal assessments and past performance. The university, which had planned an exam schedule starting November 23, didn’t agree with the demand and instead decided to defer the papers.

“All of this because the university is stubborn and wants to conduct exams in an offline format,” said a student protesting at Congress Bhavan, Race Course Road. Students have clarified that they don’t want exams to be cancelled; they only want an alternative form.

Members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) supported the demonstration and cited examples of other varsities that have promoted students without calling them to exam halls. Manish G Raj, state general secretary, NSUI, said that the state law university should provide clarity and assurance of safety. He added that exams might be held in January along with other semester papers.

ANGRY VOICES: The protest on Saturday

Man beats up wife for objecting to his sex trips to Thailand

Man beats up wife for objecting to his sex trips to Thailand

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:22.11.2020

A 41-yearold woman from Isanpur, Neepa Dubey, lodged a police at the Women’s police station (East) on Friday stating that her husband Harsh Dubey, a resident of Ramol, does not have sex with her and instead frequents Thailand.

She stated in the FIR that she heard her husband talking to his friends over the phone about having sex with women in Thailand. Police lodged a complaint of domestic violence against the husband.

According to the FIR, the complainant married Dubey in January 2003 in court and in February 2003 they had a wedding ceremony.

She stated that though her husband is a manager at a private company, he does not give her money for household expenses and has not had sex with her for ten years.

She alleged he that he goes to Bangkok instead and has sex with women there.

“The complainant claimed that when she confronted her husband about this, he got angry and beat her up. She alleged that her husband would abuse their 16-year-old son when he tried to save her from the beatings,” said a police official.

According to FIR, in January 2020, when she sent her son to buy flowers from the marketfor pooja, her husband got angry and threw her out of the house. She has been living with her parents since then.

She stated that as the efforts of elders of their community to broker a compromise between the couple failed, she decided to lodge a complaint.

She stated in the FIR that her husband has not slept with her in 10 years, and instead goes to Bangkok to have sex there

3 panels to oversee Covid-19 vaccination

3 panels to oversee Covid-19 vaccination

1,663 New Covid Cases, 18 More Dead

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:22.11.2020

As active cases dropped to 12,916 on Saturday, Tamil Nadu set up three committees to oversee preparations for Covid-19 vaccination such as identifying frontline workers and assessing cold chain space. The state reported 1,663 new cases and 18 deaths, taking the case tally to 7,68,340 and cumulative toll to 11,586.

A state steering committee chaired by chief secretary will meet every month, a state task force headed by the health secretary will meet every 15 days and district task forces headed by district magistrates will meet every week. “Initially,the meetings may take up review of cold chain preparedness and status of database on health workers, while plan for other activities such as site micro planning, IEC plan, capacity building will be added later,” health secretary J Radhakrishnan said.

On Saturday, the northern districts had 7,573 people still seeking treatment followed by 3,115 people in the eight western districts. Active cases in the central zone and south zone were 1,182 and 1,033 respectively.

The number of people who underwent RTPCR tests marginally increased to 68,479 from 67,309 on Friday. Fresh cases in the 11 northern districts dropped below the 1,000 mark, while cases in the three other zones were below 500 on Saturday. The 11 northern districts together reported 58% of fresh cases and 55% of deaths. Together, the eleven districts reported 978 cases and 10 deaths. After the north, new cases were highest in the western districts (404) followed by the 10 southern districts (145 ) and central districts (135).

All districts, barring Perambalur continued to report fresh cases, and hot spot Chennai continued to be on top of the table with 486 cases.

Active cases in Pondy decrease

Puducherry:

The number of active Covid-19 cases, which came down to 602 on Saturday, continued to decline in the Union territory of Puducherry. The territory reported 65 fresh cases even as 82 patients recovered as of 10am on Saturday. The positivity rate of the samples (3,537) tested on Saturday stood at 1.8%. The territory did not report any death due to Covid-19 infection on Saturday. TNN

Stalin: DMK is functioning as ruling party

Stalin: DMK is functioning as ruling party

Coimbatore:22.11.2020

DMK president M K Stalin on Saturday said CM Edappadi K Palaniswami cannot stop his party from winning the coming assembly election. He also took a dig at the latter for not implementing the projects that he promised for Salem.

Addressing party functionaries in Salem via video conferencing, Stalin said while the DMK was an opposition party, it was working as a ruling party. The DMK chief said Palaniswami had earlier accused his party of playing politics by coming forward to bear the educational expenses of government school students who secured medical seats in private medical colleges . “If we hadn’t made such an announcement, he wouldn’t have done anything to help the poor students,” Stalin said. TNN