BNU will offer Covid quota from next year

IN PG COURSES

BNU will offer Covid quota from next year

For Students Who Lost Breadwinner

SruthySusan.Ullas@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:31.05.2021 

Bengaluru North University (BNU) plans to reserve a seat each in all its postgraduate programmes for students who have lost the breadwinner of their family to Covid-19.

The Covid quota will be introduced from the next academic year in all its 26 PG programmes. The reservation will be open to undergraduate students from its own university. In case, there are no students from BNU-affiliated colleges for a course, candidates from other universities will be considered.

The proposal will be passed in the syndicate meeting next week. The syndicate will also discuss fee concession or scholarships for such students. “We have been discussing ways to help such students. We happened to hear about mutts that are willing to educate children, who have lost their parents. Since we are at the higher education level, we thought we could extend help in the PG programmes,” said BNU vicechancellor, TD Kemparaju.

The university, however, does not have statistics on how many students and their families have been affected by the pandemic.

“Some may not have enough marks to join the general merit list. Some others might not have the financial support. But nobody should lose a chance because of it. Finding a job is tough, even though they might have to start earning for their families. We do not know how many will be ready to pursue PG, but we are ready to support whoever is willing,” he added.

Regular intake varies with each course and ranges between 30-60. The programmes already have quotas for NSS, NCC, transgenders and single girl child, among others.

Long stay in jail not ground for bail in murder case, says court

Long stay in jail not ground for bail in murder case, says court

Bengaluru:31.05.2021

A two-and-a-half-year stay in jail cannot be a ground to grant bail in a murder case, considering the nature/gravity of the offence and its impact on the society, the high court has said.

The court made this observation while rejecting a bail petition filed by Syed Shabeer alias Shabbir from DJ Halli, who was arrested for allegedly stabbing Syed Wasim to death. Wasim, who refused to give him money to buy ganja, was killed on 9th Cross Road at 11.30am on November 6, 2019.

Shabbir approached the high court claiming that he’s been in judicial custody for some time and there are no eye-witnesses to the incident. However, Justice PN Desai pointed out the offence under section 302 of IPC is punishable with death or imprisonment for life. “The material indicates there are eye-witnesses and the medical evidence supports the allegation made by the prosecution. The incident took place in broad daylight which definitely had an impact on the society and public at large. The attack was for an illegal gain. The attack with a deadly weapon was on a very vital part of the body i.e., chest. All these acts show the intention to cause death or such bodily injury likely to cause death in all probabilities,” the judge noted. TNN

AICTE norms bind all institutions under its umbrella: HC

AICTE norms bind all institutions under its umbrella: HC

Vasantha.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:31,05.2021 

The regulations of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), including the prescriptions and standards, bind all those institutions governed by it, the high court has said.

The court made this observation while holding that a professor of a Tumakuru private engineering college is entitled to continue in service till he attains the age of 65 in terms of AICTE norms.

Justice M Nagaprasanna pointed out that in the JP Unnikrishnan Vs State of Andhra Pradesh case, a constitution bench of the Supreme Court has held that recognition/ approval of institutions cannot be unconditional and the top court has reiterated that what applies to the main activity applies equally to supplemental activity as well.

Allowing the petition filed by GR Bharath Sai Kumar, who is working as a professor at Siddaganga Institute of Technology, the judge noted that if uniformity is not adopted by affiliated institutions, arbitrariness will creep in and every institution will impose service conditions at their whim and fancy.

Quashing the December 3, 2019 communication/notice issued by the college management seeking to retire the petitioner at the age of 60, the judge has added he is entitled to all the consequential benefits. Born on December 18,1960, Bharath Sai Kumar was appointed as a lecturer on April 1,1985 in the department of mechanical engineering. At the relevant point of time, he was working as a professor. The institute issued a memo on December 3, 2019 declaring the staff who would retire in 2020. The petitioner was shown to retire on December 31, 2020.

Bharath challenged this memo. He claimed the institute being governed by AICTE and as per its norms, a professor like him is entitled to continue in service till 65 years. He contended that even a VTU professor is continued in service till 62. Bharath continued in service on the strength of an interim order passed by HC on December 30, 2020.

The institute claimed it is an unaided educational institution and the petition is not maintainable. Another contention raised was that determination of age of superannuation is a matter of policy of the institute and there can be no application of any order of the government or the AICTE. The government submitted that the age of retirement of employees of the institute is not being regulated by it. AICTE argued it has been issuing notifications from time to time making it applicable to all degree-level technical institutions and all service conditions including retirement.

Vaccination cert in dead man’s name in Upleta

Vaccination cert in dead man’s name in Upleta

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Rajkot:31.05.2021 

“Dear Hardas Karangia, you have successfully been vaccinated with your first dose with Covishield on May 29” — an innocuous message on Arvind Karangia’s mobile phone left this resident of Upleta town of Rajkot district and his entire clan shocked. Reason: Nearly three years ago, Hardas Karangia, 55, had died on August 22, 2018.

“When we received this message about vaccination for our late uncle, we were shocked. When we downloaded the certificate of vaccination, it was issued in the name of the late Hardas Karangia. How can this be possible? Something must be wrong and my late uncle’s Aadhaar card may have been misused. Government should investigate this matter thoroughly,” Arvind told media persons on Sunday.

According to Karangia, the particular vaccination was done at Samajwadi Health Centre in Upleta taluka of Rajkot district.

Arvind Karangia with the death certificate of uncle Hardas

Health officer orders probe

On the one hand, people are not getting vaccination slots and are having to stand in long queues for hours together, on the other hand vaccination certificates are being issued in the name of the dead!” Karangia added.

Nilesh Shah, chief district health officer (CDHO), Rajkot district, told TOI, “The matter has come to our notice and we have ordered an inquiry into it. If anyone is found indulging in any malpractices in the vaccination programme, a criminal case will be lodged.”

According to sources, till now 3.12 lakh doses of vaccination have been administered in Rajkot district, of which 2.63 lakh are first doses and over 76 lakh are second doses.

In Coimbatore, 91 kids have lost a parent or both

In Coimbatore, 91 kids have lost a parent or both

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Coimbatore:31.05.2021 

The office of the district child protection officer (DCPO) has identified 91 children aged below 18 years who have lost their parent(s) to Covid-19 as on Sunday. Of them, family members of 53 children have sought monetary assistance from the government for their survival.

On Saturday, chief minister MK Stalin announced that the state government will deposit Rs 5 lakh in the name of the children orphaned by Covid-19 and Rs 3 lakh to those who lost one parent. Children who have lost their parents to COVID-19 and staying with relatives or guardians will be given a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 till they turn18.

An official from the DPCO office said, “Based on the Covid-19 death record prepared by the health department, we are studying the family details of every deceased to identify whether they were parents of children aged below 18 years. Of the 1,104 Covid-19 deaths recorded, we have completed verifying the details of 850.”

“We have identified 91 children who had lost either one or both of parents and they belong to 61 families. Single parent, relatives or guardians of these children refused to send them to government homes. Family members of 51 children who had lost one of their parents to the virus and two children who lost both their parents have sought monetary support from the government,” he said.

As of now, groceries required for three to four months was provided to 20 such families by the members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), he added.

Recently, Viviyan Jayaraj, 15, and his brother Samuel Ebenezer, 8, lost their parents and maternal grandmother to Covid-19. Now, they are under the care of their paternal grandmother Saradha, 69.

Saradha said, “The children are crying and constantly speaking about their parents ever since their demise. For a change, I have brought them to my daughter’s house in Mettupalayam. We can stay at one of my three daughters’ place for a while, but we cannot do that permanently. So, I have decided to rent a house near my daughter’s house and raise the children on my own.”

Paediatric wards across TN gear up to shield kids from third wave

Paediatric wards across TN gear up to shield kids from third wave

Hospitals In Districts Ramp Up Infra

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:31.05.2021 

Paediatric wards at major Covid-19 care facilities in Tamil Nadu say they are prepared and have enough beds in case more children get infected in the coming months.

In Chennai, the Institute of Child Health (ICH) has 160 Covid beds in two different blocks. Since not many children require hospitalisation, only 15 are admitted and under treatment at present.

Around 100 beds have been handed over to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), which witnessed acute bed shortage last week, to treat adults, said a senior ICH doctor.

"If there is a population shift in the virus and we require more children's beds, we have made plans to convert adult beds to paediatric beds. Treatment and management protocols are ready," said Srinivasan, senior paediatrician and state nodal officer for neonatal care.

Jayanthi Vishwanathan, senior consultant - paediatrics, Gleneagles Global Health City hospital, said that they have an isolated cubicle ready but the challenge would be to allow only one parent with a child. Usually they take turns.

Even in other parts of the state such as Trichy, many hospitals have started adding oxygen-supported beds in paediatric wards anticipating a spike.

"Ideally a paediatric ward can accommodate 40-50 patients at major hospitals such as Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government hospital, Trichy and the capacity is going to double in a few days," said Dr K Senthil Kumar, nodal officer, special newborn care unit, Trichy district. Theintegrated child development services in the district were calling up parents of child below five to check on Covid infection.

In Madurai, the district administration has intensified screening by testing everyone in children's homes as 11 at a home in Samayanallur got infected. According to official data, all 37 districts have at least 25 neonatal beds and 100 paediatric beds each."We have already converted most of them as oxygen beds. In addition there are at least six paediatric resuscitation and emergency beds in all districts," said Srinivasan.

Dr Balasubramanian of Kanchi Kamakoti Child Trust Hospital said he was glad the government was finally adding more ICU facilities for children, which might be useful later. But panic is unwarranted because only one per cent of children would require hospitalization, he said.

"Because of lockdown and Covid-related fear, routine cases have dropped in paediatric hospitals. At our hospital, only 65 of the 205 beds are occupied. None of them Covid patients. This is the scenario in most hospitals. So there was no need to panic," he added.

As far as treatment is concerned, Dr Jayanthi Viswanathan said, "Unlike adults, we currently don't witness many children with bad lung involvement...," she added.

Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation says it has placed adequate orders for medicines, masks and disposables for paediatric care.

(With inputs from Sampath Kumar and V Devanathan)

‘Don’t test for Covid within 102 days of recovery’

‘Don’t test for Covid within 102 days of recovery’

Umesh.Isalkar@timesgroup.com

Pune:31.05.2021

Recovered Covid patients opting for non-urgent or elective surgeries are being asked by surgeons to go for repeat RT-PCR/ antigen tests as part of pre-operative protocols. However, experts from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the national task force for Covid-19 have advised against repeating Covid tests within102 days of recovery, citing presence of “nonviable dead-virus particles” that stay in the body for a while.

These virus remnants cannot transmit the illness but can cause a false positive test result. The experts said surgeons should consider performing a nonurgent surgery on a Covid-recovered patient only after six weeks of recovery to ensure faster healing and convalescence postsurgery.

“At present, Covid reinfection is confirmed only after 102 days of diagnosis. So, retesting within this time frame is not advisable,” said infectious diseases expert Sanjay Pujari, a member of the task force.

“Also, a minimum period of six weeks prior to non-urgent surgery is recommended for Covid-recovered patients who were symptomatic. As for emergency surgeries in recovering or recovered patients, these must be done immediately with due precautions,” Pujari said.