Want a healthy heart? Don’t skip breakfast, don’t snack after dinner

Want a healthy heart? Don’t skip breakfast, don’t snack after dinner

Bharat.Yagnik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:09.02.2021 

“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper,” says the old adage. A recent study by the students and faculty of NHL Municipal Medical College concurs with this wisdom as it found that missing breakfast and eating heavy meals close to bedtime at night could enhance the risk of a heart attack.

Snacking after dinner, which is widely prevalent in Gujarati homes where people finish dinner between 7 and 8 pm, can up the risk of heart attack by 29%, the research carried out in over 420 people found.

The profile of patients with cardiac issues underscored poor eating habits when all other factors like age, smoking/ tobacco consumption, BMI, etc were the same. The researchers suggested breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should have maximum calorie intake, while dinner should have least calories. It should be taken at least two hours before going to bed for a healthy heart life.

The study titled ‘A casecontrol study on food frequency and meal pattern distribution in coronary artery disease patients attending tertiary care teaching hospitals’ was recently published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine. The authors include Dr Siddharth Agrawal, Dr Dishant Upadhyay and Dr Aparajita Shukla from the Department of Community Medicine at NHL Medical College. P 6

Reduce the cut-off by10 percentile points to help fill 7k BDS seats: SC

Reduce the cut-off by10 percentile points to help fill 7k BDS seats: SC

Says Reducing Qualifying Marks Doesn’t Lower Edu Standard

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:09.02.2021 

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that reducing the cut-off marks for admissions to courses does not lower the standards of education and overruled the Union government by directing lowering of qualifying marks by 10% percentile points to help private colleges fill nearly 7,000 BDS seats for the academic year 2020-21 by February 18.

A bench of Justices L N Rao and Krishna Murari accepted senior advocate Maninder Singh’s argument that the government could not have refused to accept Dental Council of India’s recommendations for lowering the qualifying marks by 20% percentile points on the ground that lowering the cut-off mark could have adverse impact on education standards. Singh had said the Union government had earlier accepted similar recommendations for lowering cut-off for super speciality courses in medical sciences.

Writing the judgment, Justice Rao said, “If reducing minimum marks amounts to lowering the standards, the Union government would not do so for super speciality courses. We are in agreement with Singh, counsel for the petitioners, that lowering the minimum marks and reducing the percentile for admission to the first-year BDS course would not amount to lowering the standards of education.” It ordered admissions to BDS courses strictly on merit and said the process of admission be completed by February 18.

The bench also found force in additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati’s argument that fees charged by private dental colleges were a deterrent in filling up seats. “Only 265 out of 7,000 vacant seats are in government colleges. All the other unfilled seats are in private dental colleges. The managements of private dental colleges shall consider reducing the fee charged by them to encourage students to join the colleges,” the SC said.

“We direct that the vacant seats in first year BDS course for the year 2020-2021 shall be filled up from candidates who have participated in NEET (UG) for the year 2020-2021 after lowering the percentile mark by10 percentile points,” it added.

This means general category candidates with 40 percentile points, SC/ST/OBCs with 30 percentile points and physically challenged candidates with 35 percentile points would be eligible for admission to BDS courses in government and private colleges.

Singh had relied on proceedings relating to lowering of minimum marks for super speciality courses for the year 2019-2020 and for admission in Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) - UG courses for the year 2020-2021. He argued that 7,000 seats in BDS courses were vacant and the available infrastructure would be wasted.

Bhati submitted that 7.71 lakh candidates were found to be eligible for filling up 82,000 MBBS and 28,000 BDS seats, thus for each vacant seat seven candidates were available. She said the Centre decided against lowering the qualifying marks as there were sufficient dentists in India.

Full report on www.toi.in

This means general category candidates with 40 percentile points, SC/ST/OBCs with 30 percentile points and physically challenged candidates with 35 percentile points would be eligible for admission to BDS courses in government and private colleges

Anna univ to resume MTech courses, create more seats

Anna univ to resume MTech courses, create more seats

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:09.02.2021

Two weeks after making a controversial announcement that it was suspending admissions to two centrally sponsored MTech courses, Anna University told the Madras high court on Monday that it would recommence the academic programmes.

Nine supernumerary seats will be created in MTech Biotechnology and MTech Computational Biology, and those students will not be able to claim stipend of about ₹12,000 to ₹12,500 a month. The Centre, however, will offer the stipend to students admitted under its 49.5% quota of seats.

The courses were suspended due to disagreement between the Tamil Nadu government and the Union government over the state’s 69% reservation or the Centre’s 49.5% reservation in admissions.

HC asks AICTE to figure out way to add nine seats

When the state insisted on its quota policy, the Centre refused to fund the sponsored courses, leading to the university cancelling admissions to the courses.

A prospective student, Chitra, then moved the court seeking resumption of admissions to the reputed courses – M Tech Biotechnology and M Tech Computational Biology. Her counsel A Saravanan submitted that readmitting students was imperative as quantum of reservation could be argued separately. However, the compromise made by Anna University and Centre came not before Justice B Pugalendhi made a loaded query about whether the Centre funded reservation or the MTech courses.

Vijayakumar, counsel for the university, said the court must take an undertaking from students being accommodated in the supernumerary seats that they would not claim stipend during the course period. “Paying stipend of ₹12,000 a month for these nine students

Sasi boarded car with AIADMK flag at border

Sasi boarded car with AIADMK flag at border

Team TOI

09.02.2021

The return of V K Sasikala to Tamil Nadu from Bengaluru on Monday had its share of drama. She got out of her car before entering TN and boarded an AIADMK functionary’s vehicle that had the party flag. Later in the evening, the functionary, Sulur east union youth wing secretary S R Sambangi, was expelled from the party.

Krishnagiri DSP T Saravanan had ‘warned’ Sasikala not to use the AIADMK flag. He had mentioned it in a letter to the AMMK’s Krishnagiri district secretary K S Arivalagan.

Earlier, Hosur DSP Murali, tahsildar Senthil Kumar and Sipcot police inspector Balakrishnan handed over a notice asking Sasikala to remove the AIADMK party flag that was tied to the SUV. Her advocate Raja Senthoor Pandian, who received the letter, explained that a case was pending with the Madras high court.

“We will face the case in the court,” he said.

AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran said Sasikala was travelling in Sambangi’s SUV. “Sambangi is also travelling with her in the same vehicle,” he said, while asking police to show restraint. “Police officials should be non-partisan in their actions. We are observing their actions,” he told reporters.

“Chinnamma’s car developed a technical snag and on hearing this, I offered my car for her journey,” Sambangi told TOI.

In Chennai, fisheries minister D Jayakumar termed Sasikala and Dhinakaran as “DMK’s B-team” who have nothing to do with the AIADMK. “Sasikala has no right to use the AIADMK flag and she is in no way connected with the party,” he said.

Jayakumar said he was reflecting the party’s stand and not making any individual comment. “What I say is not my individual opinion. It is the stand of the party and I am reflecting it. The chief minister (Edappadi K Palaniswami) has made it clear,” said Jayakumar.

Chennai comes to a crawl, AMMK workers held for obstructing traffic

OUT OF GEAR

Chennai comes to a crawl, AMMK workers held for obstructing traffic

Selvaraj.A@timesgroup.com

09.02.2021 

Even several hours before expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala was to drive into the city, vehicles had to move at snail’s pace on many arterial roads of Chennai, and at least 30 Amma Makkal Katchi Kazhagam (AMMK) cadres were arrested for obstructing traffic. The cadres staged the flash protest at Nazarethpet, after police prevented them from erecting hoardings and pasting posters welcoming Sasikala.

Policemen were asked to stay as a group near AIADMK party headquarters near Royapettah, and MGR’s house at Ramapuram, besides other ‘strategic’ locations. Top officials, however, denied having issued any blanket orders to their ranks.

“We have not blocked any roads for vehicular movement in the city. We have instructed the field officers to take decision as per the need and requirements,” said additional traffic commissioner N Kannan.

Ever since Sasikala’s convoy started in Bengaluru on Monday morning, city police deployed its men at designated locations to monitor and streamline the gathering AMMK cadres. T Nagar, where Sasikala is slated to stay after arriving in the city, saw big crowd of AMMK and AIADMK cadres waiting in groups since morning. It was swelling by evening, impeding free flow of traffic.

The Chennai-Bengaluru national highway saw maximum trouble for pedestrians and vehicle-users. Scores of AMMK men, including two former MLAs Raja and Ezhumalai, arrested by police at Nazarethpet were housed at a marriage hall there.

The vicinity of former chief minister MGR’s residence at Ramapuram also saw a lot of action after news that Sasikala may spend an hour meditating there. Party cadres had parked their cars on the road side stretching for about a kilometre, leaving little space for vehicles on the four-lane road between Porur and Guindy. Police efforts to remove the parked vehicles met with resistance, as AMMK workers refused to leave the place.

A software engineer, Boobala, working with firm in Ramapuram, said, “on normal days it takes about 10 minutes for me to reach my office, but today it took 45 minutes for me.”

Elsewhere on Lloyds Road, where AIADMK party headquarters is located, police blocked all accesses with barricades on either side of the road. They, however, have to be removed later as local residents questioned it.

Anna univ to resume MTech courses, create more seats

Anna univ to resume MTech courses, create more seats

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:09.02.2021

Two weeks after making a controversial announcement that it was suspending admissions to two centrally sponsored MTech courses, Anna University told the Madras high court on Monday that it would recommence the academic programmes.

Nine supernumerary seats will be created in MTech Biotechnology and MTech Computational Biology, and those students will not be able to claim stipend of about ₹12,000 to ₹12,500 a month. The Centre, however, will offer the stipend to students admitted under its 49.5% quota of seats.

The courses were suspended due to disagreement between the Tamil Nadu government and the Union government over the state’s 69% reservation or the Centre’s 49.5% reservation in admissions.

HC asks AICTE to figure out way to add nine seats

When the state insisted on its quota policy, the Centre refused to fund the sponsored courses, leading to the university cancelling admissions to the courses.

A prospective student, Chitra, then moved the court seeking resumption of admissions to the reputed courses – M Tech Biotechnology and M Tech Computational Biology. Her counsel A Saravanan submitted that readmitting students was imperative as quantum of reservation could be argued separately. However, the compromise made by Anna University and Centre came not before Justice B Pugalendhi made a loaded query about whether the Centre funded reservation or the MTech courses.

Vijayakumar, counsel for the university, said the court must take an undertaking from students being accommodated in the supernumerary seats that they would not claim stipend during the course period. “Paying stipend of ₹12,000 a month for these nine students would be difficult as there are more than 2,000 postgraduate students studying without scholarship in the university,” he said. This apart, approval must be obtained from All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for creation of nine additional seats, he added.

Special government pleader E Manoharan, representing the TN government, pointed out that the University Grants Commission (UGC) had made it very clear to all universities, deemed universities and other grant-in-aid institutions to follow the reservation prescribed by the state governments, and added, “there is no difficulty for Anna University to comply with the rule of reservation.”

Recording the submissions, Justice Pugalendhi directed the counsel for AICTE to get instructions on obtaining approval for creating nine more seats, and whether there is any prescribed cutoff date for PG biotechnology courses at Anna University. He then adjourned the hearing to February12.

Back in action: Sasikala roars politics, chants unity mantra

Back in action: Sasikala roars politics, chants unity mantra

Says Won’t Let Common Enemy Divide AIADMK

Julie Mariappan & V Senthil Kumaran TNN

Tirupathur:  09.02.2021

V K Sasikala started a new political journey on Monday, standing up to her supporters-turned-detractors and warning them against letting “the common enemy” capture the government.

“I will be actively involved in politics,” Sasikala told reporters at Tirupathur.

She said the government had closed the Jayalalithaa memorial because it was scared of her visiting the place.

Never dropping her belligerent stance, she underscored the need for unity.

“Amma (J Jayalalithaa) felt we should not let our common enemies divide us. And it is our duty to protect her dream. The movement that is the AIADMK should not collapse because of few people’s likes and dislikes,” Sasikala said.

Starting from Bengaluru around 8am, Sasikala was on the highway till late night.

GRAND WELCOME: Supporters shower flowers on V K Sasikala’s vehicle after she entered Tamil Nadu on Monday

More assets of kin to be confiscated

The Chengalpet collector on Monday notified the confiscation of six properties owned by V N Sudhagaran and J Ilavarasi – nephew and sister-in-law of V K Sasikala – within the district limits. The extent of the properties, classified as agri lands, to be confiscated is more than14 acres.

Traffic hit in city ahead of arrival

Vehicular movement was affected in the city in anticipation of the arrival of V K Sasikala. AMMK workers gathered near MGR’s house at Ramapuram and parked their cars along the road. Due to this, vehicles moved on only one lane from Porur to Guindy. Traffic was regulated at Lloyd’s Road near AIADMK headquarters.

AIADMK is afraid, says Sasikala

Through the journey, AMMK cadres showered her car bearing an AIADMK flag with flowers and hailed her as ‘thyagathalaivi’ (the leader who sacrificed).

On AIADMK’s complaint against her using the party flag, she said, “It shows their fear.” She said people knew why the memorials of Jayalalithaa and MGR remain shut. To questions if she would visit the party office and if there was a possibility of an AIADMK-AMMK merger, she said she would soon talk to journalists in detail.

The return of Sasikala, who was officially released from the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru on January 27, was delayed after she tested positive for Covid-19 and underwent treatment in a Bengaluru hospital and spent a week in isolation in a farmhouse in Devanahalli.

“With the grace of the almighty and the blessings of my sister Puratchi Thalaivi Jayalalithaa, who lives in peoples’ hearts, I’ve recovered from Covid,” Sasikala said. Recalling the song ‘Anbukku naan adimai, Tamil panbukku naan adimai’ from a popular MGR film, Sasikala said she was a slave to the affection of the cadres and people of Tamil Nadu. “But I am not scared of oppressive actions,” she said.

Recalling Jayalalithaa’s statement that the AIADMK would continue to govern for 100 years, Sasikala said, “To achieve this, I will dedicate my life and soul for the development of the party. My family is the party and the party is my family.” The AIADMK had risen like a phoenix from the ashes whenever it faced problems. “The party will rise like a phoenix this time too,” she said. “We will win the election amid several problems with the blessings of Amma,” she said.

FULL COVERAGE: P2