Ordering probe against Surappa unfair, says guv in letter to TN

Ordering probe against Surappa unfair, says guv in letter to TN

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:08.12.2020

Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit has written a letter to chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami expressing displeasure over his government setting up a committee, headed by a retired judge, to probe the alleged “financial irregularities and abuse of power” by Anna University vice chancellor M K Surappa, multiple sources told TOI.

The governor had certified the good conduct of the vice-chancellor, who was appointed by him in April 2018, to run the premier institution. “In his letter to the chief minister last week, the governor said the inquiry is not correct and needs to be closed. The state government neither acknowledged nor has it replied yet,” sources said.

The government had appointed Madras high court retired judge justice Kalaiyarasan on November 11 to head the probe committee after it found prima-facie all the allegations against the vicechancellor, including the ₹200 crore corruption charges, were serious in nature. The higher education department issued the order for a committee after the chief minister gave the go-ahead.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit & Anna Univ VC M K Surappa

Guv upset that state govt formed committee without his knowledge

Chennai: “The governor, who is also chancellor of the universities, is upset because the state government constituted the committee without his knowledge,” said another source. Academicians say if the government could start an inquiry against the vice-chancellor based on anonymous petitions, the governor could grant sanction to prosecute the ministers based on complaints received from the public.

Incidentally, Purohit has still not cleared the bills to bifurcate Anna University, despite lapse of three months of its unanimous passage in the legislative assembly. He took more than a month to give assent to 7.5% NEET quota bill and not before the state government issued an order.

On a public interest litigation seeking to quash the government order on setting up the inquiry committee, the Madras high court on Friday added chancellor Banwarilal Purohit as a party in the case and adjourned it to December 9 for further hearing. The state government earlier objected to the vice-chancellor seeking to get impleaded in the case.

Three months since bill to bifurcate Anna University was passed in the state assembly, the governor is yet to clear it

No permission for medical colleges to reopen in Telangana

No permission for medical colleges to reopen in Telangana

To this effect, Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS), Warangal, has directed the medical colleges to reopen only after the government releases orders with specific guidelines.

AddThis Sharing Buttons

By TelanganaToday | Published: 3rd Dec 2020 8:28 pm

Hyderabad: In view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the State government on Thursday has decided not to allow medical colleges to reopen in Telangana.

To this effect, Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS), Warangal, has directed the medical colleges to reopen only after the government releases orders with specific guidelines.

On November 25, the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to Chief Secretary, Somesh Kumar urged the State government to take necessary measures and open medical colleges for undergraduate MBBS students of 2021-22 academic year in Telangana on or before December 1.

The MOHFW had permitted reopening of medical colleges following the recommendations by National Medical Commission (NMC) which also released academic schedule and advised that sufficient number of non-Covid beds be made available in teaching hospitals to facilitate undergraduate medical training.

However, certain Covid guidelines and conditions that were issued by the NMC made it difficult for medical colleges in the State to follow. Moreover, parents of MBBS students in the State had favoured sending their children to colleges after a vaccine was available. As a result, the State government decided not allow medical colleges to reopen.

STAND UP FOR ALL RIGHTS

 

Self Financing Colleges demand professiorship

 

Sasikala may not be eligible for early prison release

Sasikala may not be eligible for early prison release

“As per the guidelines, convicts in cases that are investigated by the CBI or NIA are not eligible for a premature release.

Published: 07th December 2020 05:16 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI/BENGALURU: Counsel for VK Sasikala, close aide of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, said on Sunday that the prison officials are yet to respond to the remission plea, seeking her early release, even as sources in the Karnataka Prison Department maintained that she is not eligible to avail that provision.

“As per the guidelines, convicts in cases that are investigated by the CBI or NIA are not eligible for a premature release. Also, the case in which she was involved in, was a disproportionat e assets case, and there is no provision for an early release in corruption cases as well,” said an official from the prison department. But there has not been any official rejection of the remission plea yet.

However, Sasikala’s lawyer, Raja Sendoor Pandian, told Express, “It was me, on behalf of her, that submitted a petition for her early release citing the 129-days remission period. I expect the jail authorities to respond within a week.” He added, there were many false reports doing the rounds around the issue.

Sasikala is currently serving a four-year sentence in a disproportionate assets case, and her term ends in January 2021. She has also reportedly deposited the Rs 10-crore fine, imposed by the court.

Teen girl mistakes rat posion for toothpaste, dies

Teen girl mistakes rat posion for toothpaste, dies

In a tragic incident, 17-year-old Swathi died after mistaking rat poison for toothpaste at Kariyamanikam in Puducherry.

Published: 07th December 2020 05:20 AM 

By Express News Service

PUDUCHERRY: In a tragic incident, 17-year-old Swathi died after mistaking rat poison for toothpaste at Kariyamanikam in Puducherry. The daughter of J Kalpanath, from Bihar, who works as a supervisor in a private steel factory in Eripakkam, was waiting to join college.

On December 1, there was a power cut in the area and as usual she went to brush her teeth before bed. Mistaking the rat poison in a tube similar to a toothpaste, the girl started brushing with it.

On realising her mistake, she immediately washed her mouth and brushed with the toothpaste. She went about her business that night without any problems. The next day she developed stomachache and began vomiting. She was rushed to a hospital in Madagadipattu.

As her condition worsened, Swathi was shifted to the Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai, where she died on Saturday night. Residents of Nettapakkam held a protest claiming that there are frequent power cuts in the area and now this has led to the death of a girl.

No end in sight for flood tales in Mudichur, Varadharajapuram

No end in sight for flood tales in Mudichur, Varadharajapuram

Mudichur and Varadharajapuram, which were among the most affected areas during the 2015 floods, have again been inundated by the recent rains.

Published: 07th December 2020 05:50 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Mudichur and Varadharajapuram, which were among the most affected areas during the 2015 floods, have again been inundated by the recent rains. Residents say the authorities learnt no lessons from the past, as this time too there was knee- deep water in their localities after cyclone Burevi brought more rains. “Knee-deep water is nothing uncommon in our area.

Whenever it rains, our areas get flooded, forcing us to move out,” says Stanley, a Varadharajapuram resident. According to him, the main reason for the flooding, especially when water is released from Chembarambakkam lake into Adyar river, is the unscientific construction of the bund there.

“The bund is very high in some places and very low in some. Due to this, Mahalakshmi Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Bhuvaneshwari Nagar and Shanti Niketan Nagar often get flooded,” he added.

Concurring, another resident said the bridge connecting Mahalakshmi Nagar and Rayappa Nagar was also built in an unscientific manner. The height of the bund is different on either side. They also suspect the bund was not built in some areas due to the construction of several illegal residential buildings near the lake. “Since this was agricultural land a few years ago and realtors illegally encroached it over the years, the areas often get flooded.

Amudan Nagar, Nemi Nathan Nagar and SK Avenue at Mudichur are the worst affected,” said K Padmini, a Mudichur resident. Responding to the allegations, an official said they implemented a lot of flood relief measures this year and ensured excess water was cleared within 48 hours. “We will also build a bund over there soon,” he added.