Surgeon transferred due to charges of sexual harassment

Surgeon transferred due to charges of sexual harassment

15 PG Medicos File Complaints

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:19.03.2021 

An assistant professor of general surgery facing complaints of sexual harassment by at least 15 post-graduate medical students has been transferred out of Stanley Medical College and Hospital. The directorate of medical education, which has issued the transfer order and issued showcause notice against the professor, however, is yet to file a police complaint.

It was in February that Stanley Medical College dean Dr P Balaji received a letter from the chief minister’s cell asking him to inquire into complaints of harassment filed by at least 15 post-graduate medical students against Dr G Chandrasekar working in the department of surgery.

When contacted, Dr G Chandrasekar told TOI that he received an order stating he was transferred to Royapettah Government Hospital on “administrative grounds.” He was then asked to join duty at the Anna Nagar Peripheral Hospital. “I joined duty. I have not received any show-cause notice. When they conducted an inquiry, I denied all charges. I came to know about the allegation against me from the news in the media,” he said.

A 10-member inquiry committee comprising department heads and senior professors conducted a detailed inquiry, speaking to students and the professor. “The committee was convinced that students did face harassment. The women in the group complained to the members about inappropriate behaviour in ward and inside the operation theatre. They also showed some text messages they received from the professor,” said Stanley resident medical officer Dr Ramesh M. The committee’s report was sent to the directorate of medical education by Dr Balaji.

Based on the recommendations of the committee, director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu transferred the assistant professor to Royapettah Government Hospital on March11. “He has been asked to show-cause why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him for the complaints. It is the normal procedure followed in government service. If the reply is not satisfactory, we will initiate further action which may include suspension,” he said.

Now, some post-graduate students have urged the health department to file a police complaint under the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. However, Dr Narayanababu said any action will be initiated only after giving him time to explain his stand.

Few flights to Malaysia, Singapore; tickets cost double pre-Covid rates

Few flights to Malaysia, Singapore; tickets cost double pre-Covid rates

Air India’s Vande Bharat Flights With Fixed Fares Are Only Option

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.03.2021 

Travel between Chennai and southeast Asian countries continues to be a hassle as only Air India’s Vande Bharat flights are allowed with fixed fare, which is double the pre-Covid-19 rate.

Air India will fly six flights from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai and 13 flights from Kuala Lumpur to Trichy on different days till April-end. However, the tickets are priced at ₹16,000 and ₹17,000, and people are not allowed to book online and agents are not allowed to book tickets unlike to the Middle East. Travel and tour operators have been urging the Union government to allow airlines to resume flights to southeast Asian countries — Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand — and also to Hong Kong and Philippines.

“Air India is scheduling flights from Chennai and Trichy but these flights may not be enough. It will be hassle-free if passengers are allowed to book online and agents are allowed to book on different airlines. People hesitate to travel because of the curbs. People are worried if they will be able to return on time after reaching Chennai,” said Basheer Ahmed of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI).

People are stuck in Malaysia and Singapore because they do not have the confidence to travel for fear of losing their jobs there if they do not return on time. There is no guarantee when the next set of flights will be and whether seats will be available. People awaiting to travel are posting messages in social media forums looking for flights to return. Those who want to return have to take a circuitous route. Those who work in Malaysia and have come to Chennai on emergencies are forced to travel via Dubai. “They have to take a UAE visa, stay in Dubai for a day or two and board another flight to Kuala Lumpur. This costs them a lot of money. This is the way people travel to Singapore, Hong Kong and Philippines as there are no direct flights from Chennai and other cities. Transit is not allowed at Dubai airport,” said an airport official.

“The gateway airports in Southeast Asia – Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok --need to be opened for travellers with precautions. Singapore is still hesitating because of high number of Covid-19 cases but Malaysia has been hinting that it will open for leisure travellers,” said Ahmed.

HIKE IN PRICES: The airline fares are double the pre-Covid-19 rates

Words said in anger can’t be abetment to suicide: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal/Jabalpur:18.03.2021 

A singlejudge bench of Madhya Pradesh high court has ruled that words spoken in anger can’t be treated as abetment to suicide and ordered dismissal of a case against a woman. The petitioner, Kamrunisha, had challenged a case registered against her under IPC 306 (abetment to suicide) after the person with whom she had an alleged extra-marital affair killed himself.

According to police, she was forcing her paramour to marry her. On January 17, 2020, she went to stay with him in his house and allegedly threatened to lodge an FIR against him and his family if he refused to marry her. She left after his family members intervened, but went back to his house on January 26 that year and allegedly repeated the threat. The man killed himself on January 28, 2020, and police registered an FIR against her. Kamrunisha moved high court. The man committed suicide because of his circumstances and not because of her, the judge said, while ordering dismissal of the case against her pending in district court.

Baby born on IndiGo flight with help of doc on board

Baby born on IndiGo flight with help of doc on board

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:18.03.2021 

A baby girl was delivered onboard IndiGo’s Bengaluru-Jaipur flight (6E 469) on Wednesday. A doctor passenger on board this flight, assisted by the cabin crew, helped the woman who went in labour during the journey deliver the baby.

“Jaipur airport was immediately informed to arrange for a doctor and an ambulance on arrival. Both the baby and mother are stable,” said the airline in a statement.

“Dr Subahana Nazir, who helped deliver the baby, was welcomed into the arrival hall and a thank you card was handed over by our Jaipur staff. Great teamwork by all our staff concerned,” the airline added.

Last October, a baby was delivered on IndiGo’s Delhi-Bengaluru flight with the help of a doctor who happened to be on board, ably assisted by the cabin crew.

Some airlines abroad have in the past given a lifetime of free travel for babies born on their flight. It remains to be seen if Indian carriers do the same.

BABY AND MOM STABLE

Indore flights to Pune & Chandigarh from Mar 28

Indore flights to Pune & Chandigarh from Mar 28

Indore: 17.03.2021 

Indoreans travelling to Pune and Chandigarh are all set to have regular flight connectivity options from March 28. IndiGo airline has announced plans to start daily flight on Indore-Pune and Indore-Chandigarh routes.

The flight between Indore and Pune will start from Pune and reach Indore at 11.55am. In return, the flight will depart from Indore at 12.25pm, and reach Pune at 01.35pm. Similarly, the flight from Chandigarh will reach Indore at 08.35am. In return, the flight will depart from Indore at 12.05pm and reach there at 01.55pm.

“These two flights would be an addition to the regular flight operations to and from Indore. Both Pune and Chandigarh sectors are in demand since a large number of people travel on these two routes for business, studies and other purposes,” Hemendra Singh Jadon, chairman of Travel Agents Association of India (MP&CG Chapter) told TOI. TNN

Bank strike goes digital amid Covid curbs

Bank strike goes digital amid Covid curbs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:17.03.2021 

As the bank strike entered the second day on March 16, the agitating employees and officials were active on social media following new Covid curbs announced by the state government.

There were standalone agitations by the bank personnel as they stood in one corner of a public place with placards.

Banking business worth over Rs3 crore was affected in Bhopal alone following the two-day strike called byemployees and officials of 12 public sector banks in protest against the privatisation of public sector banks (PSBs) and retrograde banking reforms. All the 500 bank branches were shut down completely after 5000 bank employees participated in the strike on the second day. In all, the banks had been closed for four days — Saturday and Sunday included.

Senior bank employees and officials’ leaders like VK Sharma, Sanjeev Sablok, Madan Jain, Arun Bhagoliwal, Deepak Sharma, Nazeer Qureshi and Naleen Sharma among others were active during the day coordinating with the agitating personnel to ensure that the Covid SOPs are followed during the strike, said a member of the coordinating committee of United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions which called for the two-day nationwide strike on March 15 and 16.

The UFBU claimed that over Rs8 lakh crore money of banks was stuck as non-performing assets (NPAs) when a large number of business houses failed to return loans. “Those who failed to pay the loans may become the bank owners also after privatisation,” a bank personnel feared.

Services such as deposits and withdrawal at branches, cheque clearance and loan approvals were affected completely due to the strike. There were complaints of cash exhaustion in many ATMs of the state capital.

FIGHT FOR RIGHT

Govt orders to pay remaining arrears of 7th pay scale to staff

Govt orders to pay remaining arrears of 7th pay scale to staff

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:17.03.2021 

The state government on Tuesday issued orders for the payment of remaining 75% arrears of the seventh pay scale to the government employees.

The government orders stated that due to Covid-19 crises, the payment of the final installment due on May 1, 2020 was postponed.

Later, to improve the financial status, 25% of the arrears of seventh pay scale were given to the government employees, while the decision on remaining payout was put on hold.

Now, the government has decided to pay the remaining 75% arrears of third and final installment of seventh pay scale to the employees after the due deductions as per rule.

The subscribers of the national pension scheme would also get their dues after the due contribution of the government, the order stated. Finance minister Jagdish Devda made an announcement in this regard in his budget speech earlier this month.

Sudhir Nayak, president of the Mantralayin Karmachari Sangh said, due to escalating prices of essentials government employees are finding it tough to meet the monthly expenses. Government should consider giving salary increment or dearness allowance. Like farmers and traders, the government should also take care of its employees, he added.

On March 3, the government employees protested for ignoring them in the state Budget. Employees union took out a rally outside the secretariat.

Employees union stated that in the state Budget for 2021-2022 presented on March 2 there was no provision for clearing pending dearness allowance or salary increments for the government employees. It led to government employees getting disheartened.

The government employees have not got promotions for the past five years and the future, too, looks bleak. Several other issues of the government employees were left unaddressed, the employees union stated.