Vaccine as excuse, people crowd roads, police at sea

Vaccine as excuse, people crowd roads, police at sea

Poonamallee, Anna Salai Choked With Vehicles: Cops

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.06.2021

The complete lockdown has been extended till June 7, but motorists continue to hit the streets armed with excuses of going to a vaccination centre or hospital. With no clear instructions given, many field level police personnel are at loss too. The sector-wise checks at 348 places are not being carried out.

On Monday, places like Poonamallee, Anna Salai and Broadway were choked with vehicles, police said. Barricades have been erected at check points, but motorists simply fish out identity cards and are allowed to go. Even the e-registration procedure introduced to curb movement does not appear to be working. “With no mechanism to check if the reason is genuine or not, anyone can do e-registration and proceed. All one has to do is to give a mobile number and enter the OTP. He system accepts whatever documents are submitted,” said advocate V S Suresh.

Everyone has the provision to get e-registration and move anywhere in the city. “Police just let them go once the paper is shown, leading to people not taking lockdown seriously.”

After the government extended the lockdown to June 7, dos and don’ts, as per a May 29 order, were sent to all police personnel in the city. They were forwarded on all police WhatsApp groups.

“Most people travelling in the city either show their official identity card or an e-pass. This can be streamlined only if the institutions get e-passes on behalf of their staff through the Tamil Nadu eregistration website,” said police commissioner Shankar Jiwal.

He said that he had suggested to the Tamil Nadu disaster management authority to direct people in places such as banks, telecom firms, petrol bunks, newspaper offices, private firms as well as state and central government offices to get the e-pass through their HR officials or managers. “This would restrict more people from hitting the road,” he said.

Moreover, the penalty amount levied on violators by the traffic police and the law and order wing differs. While those in the first wing collect ₹100 from the bikers for not wearing masks and ₹500 for venturing out, the law and order wing books people coming out without valid reasons and collects ₹200 from anyone not wearing masks.

NO ESCAPE: Police check motorists if they are carrying valid documents for travel during the lockdown on Poonamalee High Road near Pulla Avenue junction on Monday

22 ex-KV students lodge sexual abuse plaint against teacher

22 ex-KV students lodge sexual abuse plaint against teacher

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.06.2021

A total of 22 former students from Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), CLRI campus, in Chennai have filed a complaint against a teacher for his sexually abusive and inappropriate behaviour. These instances span a timeframe of close to18 years.

Now, Kendriya Vidyalaya-CLRI has constituted a threemember committee to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the complaints against the teacher, who is yet to be suspended or face any other action.

Principal Y Rama Prasad said he was not the competent authority to act on the suspension of the accused teacher. An internal complains committee, which has two teachers and one external member (J Raghava Rao -- chief scientist at CLRI and KV CLRI management committee member), will submit a report after inquiry.

The second stage of inquiry will be conducted by the regional office and they will take a call on what action should be taken against the teacher and whether or not to send it to the commissioner for action, he added.

One of the complainants, a 28-year-old woman now, said he touched her inappropriately on several occasions and once in the middle of the class when she was distributing chocolates to her classmates on her birthday.

“In the light of several instances of sexual harassment, assault and abuse coming out from schools in Chennai, I decided to post my experience on social media – following which several students have reached out to me and my friends (also KV-CLRI alumni) about their own experiences of sexual abuse by the teacher," she said.

In the present complaint to the school principal, the former student said that on more than one instance, the teacher made her sit next to him during tuition classes and touched her on various parts of her body. He grabbed a student's waist while correcting her notebook. The student concerned was made to feel so uncomfortable that she decided to switch over to an alternative language subject, the complaint said.

Another complainant said: “As a young girl, I did not know what to do when this happened to me. I was not sure how my parents would react to this. But the traumatic events continue to haunt till date".

A survivor told TOI that she and others were concerned that he is still working there. “He might continue to misbehave with current students, who may be scared to speak out,” she said.

The complainants want the teacher to be booked and put to trial for committing offences punishable under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012.

Vax shortage sends suburban youth to city to get jabs

Vax shortage sends suburban youth to city to get jabs

Vaccinations Come To Halt In Avadi On Monday

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.06.2021

As suburban areas in Chennai are facing a huge vaccine shortage, people in the age group 18-45 flock to private hospitals in the city to get their jabs.

T Sadagopan, a residentactivist from Pattabiram, said, "My son, who was not able to find a single vaccination slot in and around Avadi, ended up travelling all the way to a private hospital in Anna Nagar to get his first shot. He spent ₹850 for the vaccine, another ₹1,000 for travelling all the way to the city".

Until last week, four to five vaccine centres in Avadi were vaccinating a small group of youngsters, who were keen on getting vaccinated. But it came to a halt from Monday at all centres including government Primary Health Centres (PHCs). Even the Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) Hospital has started to restrict vaccines only to its employees and their families, he said.

In response, a senior official from Avadi Corporation said that everyday, they are provided with roughly 2,500 vaccines and all of them were put to use at the end of the day.

"Just like Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), we too collaborate with residents' welfare associations to deliver vaccines at doorsteps of apartments. We are ready to continue vaccination at the same phase if the state provides more doses," he said, requesting anonymity.

Similarly at Tambaram, Chitlapakkam and Selaiyur, people are asked to return home due to shortage. "It was put on hold for four days last week. But now it has resumed. After vaccinating 50 to 60 people, tokens are given to those in queue to get vaccinated the next day," said V Santhanam, Chrompet chapter of People's Awareness Association.

In Poonamallee and Porur, there was no update after online registration. Shankar Anand, a residentactivist from Maangadu said, "Even two days after registering at CoWIN portal with necessary details, there was no reply on slots available at nearby centres".

These localities in adjoining districts of Chennai — Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram — together report more new cases compared to Chennai itself. However, the vaccination rate here is very low compared to Chennai.

While Chennai has received 20.4 lakh vaccinations so far, the three districts together have got only 7.02 lakh vaccination so far.

Thanjavur: Family of patient booked

Thanjavur: Family of patient booked

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:01.06.2021

Around 200 people who attended the funeral of a 69-year-old man in Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district were tested for Covid-19 on Saturday.

The deceased was found to have died of Covid-19 related complications later. Kumbakonam police booked the family members under Epidemic Act for hiding the Covid status of the patient and allowing a large gathering to participate in the funeral.

Ramasamy, 69 a retired Cooptex manager from Kapisthalam Vadakku Muthaliyar Street in Kumbakonam, was taken to a hospital in Thanjavur by his wife Pichaiammal, 61, for treatment a few days ago.

They both tested positive for Covid-19 and were undergoing treatment at the hospital. Ramasamy died last Friday due to Covid related complications. According to police, his wife Pichaiammal who was undergoing treatment took the body of her husband with the help of his son in an ambulance to their home.

Pichaiammal hid their Covid status from the relatives who attended the funeral, police said. Later, the relatives came to know about this from village administrative officer Sivaprakasam. After this, the family also disclosed their Covid status before the relatives.

A mass Covid-19 test was conducted and the results are expected to be out on Tuesday. The street has been declared out of bound for outsiders by the municipality after the incident.

The wife of the deceased patient hid the family’s Covid-positive status from their relatives who attended the funeral, police said

HC: Govt staff cannot seek legal refuge in DA cases

HC: Govt staff cannot seek legal refuge in DA cases

Kaushik.Kannan@timesgroup.com

Madurai:01.06.2021

The legal protection to a public servant, against prosecution for a deed done as part of his official duty, will not be available if he faces a case of disproportionate assets, the Madras high court has said.

Declining to come to the rescue of Dhandapani, who faced a case while working as assistant director in the rural development department in Trichy district and with an investigation pending against him, a division bench of Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice S Ananthi upheld a single judge’s order in this regard.

The judges held that the complaint is not with regard to discharge of Dhandapani’s official duties, but related to his disproportionate assets.

Govt permission not needed to prosecute in Dhandapani’s case

The judges said: “Therefore, Section 17(A) of Prevention of Corruption Act is not applicable to the appellant. The single judge has rightly observed this point. The appellant has to face the criminal case.”

Section 17 A of the Prevention of the Corruption Act insulates a public servant against prosecution, and says: “No police officer shall conduct any enquiry or inquiry or investigation into any offence alleged to have been committed by a public servant under this Act, where the alleged offence is relatable to any recommendation made or decision taken by such public servant in discharge of his official functions or duties, without the previous approval…”

It was Dhandapani’s case that he and his brother Kandasamy had a property dispute, due to which the latter’s friend P Karthik kept filing complaints against him before various authorities. Karthik had also moved the high court in 2019 seeking DVAC to probe into his complaints. While dismissing his petition, the court directed Karthik to submit a complaint before the director of rural development and panchayat raj at Chennai.

On receipt of the complaint, it was forwarded to district collector who appointed an inquiry officer. Subsequently, the DVAC also issued proceedings on March 9, 2020, directing Dhandapani to furnish certain particulars. Challenging the proceedings, Dhandapani filed a petition before the Madurai bench of the high court. The single judge had dismissed his petition. Challenging the order of the single judge, the appellant had filed this present writ appeal.

Class 12 boards aren’t worth the public health risks. Focus instead on college admissions

Examination Hazard

Class 12 boards aren’t worth the public health risks. Focus instead on college admissions

31.05.2021

The ball is in the Centre’s court with a decision on conducting CBSE Class 12 examinations keenly awaited following deliberations with state governments. Union education ministry must firmly decide against scheduling these exams. In the best of times, the utility of obsessing over Class 12 marks has faced vigorous scrutiny amid college admission cutoffs overshooting all credible limits. Now, when public safety has forced the costly shutting down of workplaces, factories, schools, markets and non-essential services, conducting exams without commensurate benefits is mindless.

Exposing unvaccinated students to the virus in indoor settings over a prolonged period risks setting off too many disease clusters. Over 1.2 crore students are enrolled nationally in Class 12 every year: A scattered congregation of this big number is enough to recall the damage done by political and religious gatherings this summer. States demanding inclusion of 17-year-olds in the vaccination drive lack enough doses even for the 18-plus age group in the foreseeable future. Class 12 students have grappled with the uncertainties since January, by when exam schedules are usually announced. The indecision isn’t helping preparations or in easing their turmoil.

CBSE is also considering prior inter nal evaluations to grade students. Obviously, this can skew the field if grading yardsticks differ greatly between schools, or if schools pass on inflated marklists to CBSE. Using these results to evaluate higher education prospects of students would be unfair. Public universities like DU must move fast to replicate the rigorous assessments like online admission tests and interviews devised by private universities. Kicking the can down the road on such capacity expansion could lead to a situation akin to the current vaccine impasse where demand is high and supply is riddled with shortages and confusion.

Students have struggled in pre-pandemic times with preferred colleges making late admission decisions forcing them to weigh the inferior options. The situation could be aggravated manifold this year unless admission procedures are streamlined in advance. Alternatively, students unprepared for higher education this year deserve the flexibility to take board exams next year. Centre’s decision will have a ripple effect on the ISC and state boards. All these students deserve a level playing field. Entering the portals of higher education is a testing phase for students. Centre and state governments are on test too: Can they ensure a just, safe, glitch-free promotion of students to college education?

Doc treats Covid patients in home isolation for ₹10

A SHOT OF HOPE

Doc treats Covid patients in home isolation for ₹10

IN THESE GLOOMY TIMES, STORIES THAT GIVE US A SHOT OF HOPE

Mungara.Sunil@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:31.05.2021 

A 65-year-old woman, Kamalamma, a resident of Boduppal, who recovered from Covid-19 in home isolation, is all praise for Dr Victor Emmanuel. Many recognise the doctor as a lifesaver for Covid-19 patients when several hospitals are struggling due to shortage of beds and oxygen cylinders.

“To me, doctor saab is like a God and my wife recovered from Covid-19 within a week with his medication. I have had to spend only 40,000, which is quite affordable for the treatment,” Kamalamma’s husband K Yadagari told TOI.

An employee of Centre for Good Governance (CGG), P Janaki Ram, whose seven family members recuperated after testing positive for Covid-19, spent only10,000 for the treatment. All the seven members were treated in home isolation under the doctor’s supervision. “If I had admitted my seven family members to a private hospital, the bill would have crossed 25 lakh,” said Janaki Ram.

Hundreds of families have recovered from the disease during the first wave and current wave under the doctor’s guidance. Dr Emmanuel, a general physician, runs Prajwala Clinics at Boduppal. His clinic is always packed with Covid-19 patients as the consultation fee is just

10. “I treated nearly 20,000 to 25,000 people having Covid-19 symptoms at an affordable rate. Another 500 patients were treated in the Covid-19 Isolation Centre. An old Medipally police station was converted into a 30-bed isolation centre,” said Dr Emmanuel.

Dr Emmanuel said that so far, all his patients have recovered from Covid-19. “The Almighty has given me an opportunity to serve the needy. Most of them are struggling financially due to the lockdown. My consultation fee has been fixed at 10 for a few families and is free for many poor families,” he said. On an average, 70 to 100 people visit the clinic every day.

Dr Victor Emmanuel