Sixth Chennai school summoned over sexual abuse claims

Sixth Chennai school summoned over sexual abuse claims

The summons have been issued to a religious guru associated with the school management and teachers who allegedly facilitated the abuse.

Published: 04th June 2021 06:42 AM 

Image for representational purpose only. ( Express Illustration)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: After receiving complains of sexual abuse, the Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNCPCR) has summoned representatives from Sushil Hari International Residential School, Kelambakkam.

The summons have been issued to a religious guru associated with the school management and teachers who allegedly facilitated the abuse. The TNCPCR inspected the school on Thursday. According to sources, the guru under inquiry was not found on the school campus. However, summons have been issued to him to appear before the commission later in June.

With this, the TNCPCR has summoned a total of six schools in the city including three private CBSE schools, one Central government school, one Anglo-Indian school and one international school, Saraswathi Rangasamy, the chairperson of the commission, told Express. However, the school management could not be reached for comments as calls went unanswered.

Some alumni of the Sushil Hari International Residential School, through social media posts, alleged that the guru associated with the school management sexually abused them. The allegations range from molestation, intoxicating minors with alcohol, showing pornography to minors and even rape.

An alumna said the guru manipulated girls and called them to his bungalow and sexually abused them. She added that young girls were told that “previous birth’s karma will forever fade away,” if they did what he asked them to do. Another alumni said he asked her to strip in front of him, saying he was “Lord Krishna” and she was his “Gopika.”

A Good Samaritan gone too soon due to Covid

A Good Samaritan gone too soon due to Covid

The death of Dr Shahul Hameed Mansoor came descended as a big tragedy for the people of his community and the town of Aruppukottai.

Published: 04th June 2021 05:24 AM 

Dr Shahul Hameed Mansoor

By Express News Service

VIRUDHUNAGAR: The death of Dr Shahul Hameed Mansoor came descended as a big tragedy for the people of his community and the town of Aruppukottai. The 52-year-old doctor died during the early hours on Wednesday after putting up a 21-day long battle against Covid-19. Mansoor was working as the Chief Medical Officer of Aruppukottai ESI hospital and also ran a private multi-specialty hospital.

His motto was to provide good treatment at low cost to the people who came to his hospital, say the people from his hospital, which started functioning in 2006. He was in service as a doctor for around four decades.

“He was a pious person and was deeply connected to his community. Being one of the board members of the Wisdom Educational Society, he provided a lot of help for the education of students. He also had a policy of feeding anybody who asks him for food and to those without a house or family. Every month he used to feed at least 300 people,” said Dr Sohail Rashid Meeran, his son, who has just finished his MBBS.

Being a genuine and kind figure in the town, people always turned to him in the times of need, be it financial or medical, and he offered treatment with minimal fee, added Sohail. Mansoor is survived by his wife Dr Vennila, and two children.

கரோனா நிவாரண நிதி வழங்க விருப்ப ஓய்வுபெறும் ஆசிரியர்: நாகை மாவட்ட ஆட்சியரிடம் கடிதம் அளித்தார்

கரோனா நிவாரண நிதி வழங்க விருப்ப ஓய்வுபெறும் ஆசிரியர்: நாகை மாவட்ட ஆட்சியரிடம் கடிதம் அளித்தார்

நாகை மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அலுவலகத்தில் ஆட்சியர் பிரவீன் பி.நாயரிடம் தனது விருப்ப ஓய்வு கடிதத்தை வழங்குகிறார் ஆசிரியர் புத்தநேசன். உடன், அவரது மனைவி, மகள் உள்ளனர்.

நாகப்பட்டினம்

கரோனா நிவாரண நிதி வழங்குவதற்காக நாகை மாவட்டத்தைச் சேர்ந்த அரசுப் பள்ளி உடற்கல்வி ஆசிரியர் விருப்ப ஓய்வு பெற விண்ணப்பித்துள்ளார்.

நாகப்பட்டினத்தை அடுத்துள்ள தெத்தி சமரசம் நகரைச் சேர்ந்தவர் புத்தநேசன்(55). இவர், திருவாரூர் மாவட்டம் நன்னிலத்தை அடுத்து உள்ள நெடுங்குளம் அரசு ஆதிதிராவிடர் நல மேல்நிலைப் பள்ளியில் உடற்கல்வி ஆசிரியராக உள்ளார். இவரது மனைவி கோமதி. இவர்களுக்கு 8-ம் வகுப்பு படிக்கும் சுவாதியா என்ற மகள் உள்ளார்.

இந்நிலையில், கரோனா தொற்றால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட மக்களுக்கு உதவுவதற்காக, ஆசிரியர் பணியிலிருந்து விருப்பு ஓய்வு பெற்று, அதன் மூலம் கிடைக்கும் பணப்பலன்களை முதல்வரின் கரோனா நிவாரண நிதிக்கு வழங்க முடிவு செய்து உள்ளார்.

இதையடுத்து, புத்தநேசன், தனது மனைவி, மகளுடன் நேற்று முன்தினம் நாகை மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அலுவலகத்துக்கு வந்து, ஆட்சியர் பிரவீன் பி. நாயரை சந்தித்து, ஆசிரியர் பணியிலிருந்து விருப்ப ஓய்வுபெறுவதற்கான கடிதத்தை வழங்கினார். அதைப் பெற்றுக் கொண்ட ஆட்சியர், கல்வித் துறைக்கு அனுப்பி உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுப்பதாக கூறி, ஆசிரியர் புத்தநேசன் மற்றும் அவர்களது குடும்பத்தினரை பாராட்டி, வாழ்த்து கூறினார்.

இதுகுறித்து ஆசிரியர் புத்தநேசன் ‘இந்து தமிழ்’ நாளிதழிடம் கூறியது: கரோனா தொற்றால் தினம் தினம் ஏராளமான மக்கள் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு பல்வேறு துயரங்களை அனுபவித்து வருகின்றனர். பலர் உயிரிழந்தும் வருவதால், அவர்களது குடும்பங்களும் பாதிக்கப்படுகின்றன.

எனவே, பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு நாமும் எந்த வகையிலாவது உதவ வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக பணியிலிருந்து விருப்பு ஓய்வு பெற்று, அதன் மூலம் கிடைக்கும் பணப்பலன்களை முதல்வரின் நிவாரண நிதிக்கு வழங்குவது என முடிவு செய்தேன். இதுகுறித்து நான் எனது மனைவி, மகளுடன் கலந்து ஆலோசித்தேன். அவர்களும் எனது முடிவை முழு மனதுடன் ஏற்றுக் கொண்டனர்.

சுமார் ரூ.10 லட்சம்

அதன்படி, மாவட்ட ஆட்சியரை சந்தித்து விருப்பு ஓய்வு பெறுவதற்கான கடிதத்தை வழங்கினேன். அதன் மூலம் வரும் பணப்பலன்கள் (சுமார் ரூ.10 லட்சம்) முழுவதையும் முதல்வரின் நிவாரண நிதிக்கு வழங்குவேன்.

கிடைக்கும் வருமானம் போதும்

நான் ஓய்வு பெறுவதற்கு இன்னும் சுமார் 5 வருடங்கள் உள்ளன. 2003-ம் ஆண்டுக்குப் பிறகு நான் பணியில் சேர்ந்ததால், ஓய்வூதியம் கிடைக்காது. ஏற்கெனவே நான் சரக்கு ஏற்றும் மினி வேன், வாடகை கார் வைத்துள்ளேன். போலீஸாருக்கு சீருடை துணிகளை விற்பனை செய்து வருகிறேன். மேலும் எனது சகோதரி மகன் மூலம் காய்கறி வியாபாரமும் செய்கிறேன். எனது மனைவி வீட்டிலிருந்தபடியே கவரிங் நகைகளை விற்பனை செய்து வருகிறார். இதன் மூலம் கிடைக்கும் வருமானம் குடும்பச் செலவுகளுக்கு போதுமானதாக இருக்கும். எங்களுக்கு வேறு பெரிய செலவுகள் எதுவும் இல்லை என்பதால், கிடைக்கும் வருமானத்தை வைத்து சமாளித்துக் கொள்வோம் என்றார்.

பசியால் வாடுவோருக்கு ஒருவேளை உணவு அளிக்கக்கூட யோசிப்பவர்களுக்கிடையே, கரோனாவால் வாடும் மக்களின் துயர்துடைக்க ஆசிரியர் புத்தநேசன் எடுத்துள்ள முடிவு ஆச்சரியத்தையும், நெகிழ்ச்சியையும் ஏற்படுத்தி உள்ளது என்றால் அது மிகையல்ல.

Relax curbs in parts of TN that have Covid under control, suggest experts

Relax curbs in parts of TN that have Covid under control, suggest experts

‘Lockdown Not The Only Way To Check Spread of Covid Pandemic’

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

04.06.2021

Public health experts say there are no epidemiological reasons to extend the lockdown uniformly across the state to control the Covid-19 pandemic. Vaccination, people’s behaviour and viral mutations need to be factored in while devising strategy, they say, stressing that lockdown isn’t the only solution.

Consider this: A week after fresh cases began to fall from a peak of 36,184 cases on May 21, active cases in the state began to drop (from May 28) for the first time since March 6. Besides, say experts, deaths, which are nearly plateauing at around 480 a day, are likely to fall within a day or two.

“These graphs should help the state make a policy decision on lockdown,” said Vellore-based senior virologist Dr T Jacob John. The growth rate of cases was at the peak at around 9% in April. After the fall in this “momentum peak”, the state touched the “numerical peak” of cases on May  21. On that day, the growth rate fell to 2%. By the time, active cases began to record a fall, the growth rate was almost negative at -0.1%.

Dr John said there were no epidemiological reasons for extending the lockdown across the state. Several other public health experts agree.

On Wednesday, National Institute of Epidemiology deputy director Dr Prabhdeep Kaur, who is also a member of the state medical expert committee, had said the government lockdown should be relaxed in certain parts of the state such as the Chennai region where cases have drastically fallen. “The second wave started and peaked in different parts of the state at different times. Bed availability is also different in different districts. So, the same rules of lockdown cannot be extended to all districts,” she said.

Activity is more inside hospitals, than in the community, said Dr John. “On an average there is a 12- to 14-day gap between fall in fresh cases and peaking of deaths. So, tier 2 cities and small towns must forecast mortality peaks, plan human resources, drugs and infrastructure,” he said.

While officials worry about a drop in seropositivity – number of people with antibodies against the infection –from 32% in October 2020 to 23% in April this year, experts say it is expected. “We do not maintain high antibody levels to every pathogen we have ever encountered. If the memory response has been set up, we will be able to respond quickly when re-infected and mitigate the severity of disease,” said Christian Medical College senior microbiologist Dr Gagandeep Kang.

Nevertheless, there is a large population that is still unprotected and hence the threat of a third wave remains. Factors such as vaccination, people’s behaviour and viral mutations may influence another wave. Scientists say a close watch on genomic changes is essential.

CBSE Certificates - 'Students May Fail To Notice Errors Due To Young Age & Inadvertence' : Supreme Court Calls For 'Different Approach' In Time-Limit For Changes/Corrections

CBSE Certificates - 'Students May Fail To Notice Errors Due To Young Age & Inadvertence' : Supreme Court Calls For 'Different Approach' In Time-Limit For Changes/Corrections: The Supreme Court has observed that there should be a 'different approach' by the Central Board o

25% doses allotted to pvt hospitals, but they account for only 7.5% of total jabs

25% doses allotted to pvt hospitals, but they account for only 7.5% of total jabs

95% Shots By Public Sector In Nearly 80% Dists

Rema Nagarajan & Atul Thakur TNN

04.06.2021

The government’s vaccination policy has reserved a 25% quota for the private sector, but analysis of actual inoculations till May 30 shows that private centres account for barely 7.5% of total doses administered. The proportion exceeds10% in only seven states/UTs and 80-odd of the 750 districts listed on CoWin. Even the little the private sector has done is concentrated in a few urban pockets, with just 25 districts in some of the country’s largest metropolises accounting for 54% of all private vaccinations.

In almost 80% of districts, the public sector has provided more than 95% of all vaccine doses so far. The private sector’s share is less than even 1% in half the districts, especially in predominantly rural areas and in the Northeast.

The highest share of private hospitals in vaccination is, not surprisingly, in urban mega sprawls like Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai with the Bengaluru municipal corporation (BBMP) area recording the highest share of 44% of the private sector.

TOI downloaded data from the CoWin portal for more than 1.6 lakh vaccination centres as of 7am on Sunday. The centres were then categorised into public and private and the data analysed to arrive at these numbers. The data is for all doses of vaccines administered from the start of the drive on January16, about 20.8 crore doses, of which the private sector administered about 1.6 crore. Of these 1.6 lakh centres, we were unable to clearly categorise a little more than 17,000.

Delhi has highest private sector share in vaccination

But these accounted for barely 0.4%, or 9 lakh, doses administered and so would not change the picture significantly.

The analysis raises questions about whether a 25% quota for the private sector is justified by actual performance. It also underlines that such a quota seems to be discriminating against semi-rural and rural populations since the private sector is almost entirely limited to urban settings and within them to the larger cities, one of the concerns flagged by the Supreme Court.

Among states and UTs, the highest private sector share in vaccination (21%) was in Delhi, followed by Chandigarh (15%), Telangana (14%), Maharashtra (13%), Tamil Nadu (12%) and Karnataka (12%). However, even in Delhi, there were districts like northeast where 99.85% of vaccinations have been done in government centres. Similarly, even in the most urbanised state of Tamil Nadu, there are districts like Kallakurichi, with a population of about14 lakh, where the private sector hardly exists in the vaccination landscape.

With rural India being home to over 65% of the country’s population, and hence being almost entirely dependent on the government for Covid vaccination, this raises the question of how giving the private sector such a big role is supposed to spur vaccination as argued by the Centre.

In many ways, vaccines are more necessary for rural populace which has little or no access to health infrastructure.

Times View

The analysis raises questions about whether a 25% quota for the private sector is justified by actual on-ground delivery. It discriminates against rural and semi-rural populations — that’s over two-thirds of India — since the private sector is almost entirely limited to urban settings and within those, to the larger cities, one of the concerns flagged by the Supreme Court. In many ways, vaccines, which are said to reduce hospitalisation and guard against death, are even more necessary for a rural populace that has little or no access to health infrastructure. Also, how does it serve the larger objective of spurring vaccination and achieving ‘herd immunity’? If the pandemic should have taught the world one lesson, it is that no woman or man, nation or region is an island – and for urban Indians to believe that what happens in our villages will stay in our villages would be a fatal fallacy.

Docs Advise Caution As Students Under Stress

No consensus on Class XII exams

Docs Advise Caution As Students Under Stress

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:04.06.2021

Parents and students want the state board Class XII exams cancelled in line with the CBSE, while teachers want to hold them.

The state government has asked around 7,000 higher secondary schools to find out what parents and teachers think. The schools compiled the feedback and sent it to the directorate of school education on Thursday. The school education department will hold an online meeting of health experts, educationists and officials on Friday. It will submit a report to chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday on the issue.

C Thenmozhi, a parent from Kolathur, said students were under pressure due to the postponement of exams. "Health experts are also saying the third wave will affect the children. So, it is better if the exams are cancelled," she said.

K P O Suresh, state president of Tamil Nadu Post-Graduate Teachers Association, said the board exams are necessary for admission to higher education courses. "A majority of students do not have access to online classes. The question paper pattern should be more liberal," he said.

"In a survey among parents and students, only 25% of parents wanted the board exams. Parents say the life of a child is more important than exams," said Agnes Rita, principal of GRT Mahalakshmi Vidhyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar.

"Due to uncertainty and long wait, a majority of parents and students were not in favour of board exams. The state government should have conducted some form of online assessment earlier," said B Purushothaman, senior principal of Everwin Group of Schools in Chennai.

Padmaja R, headmistress of Chennai Girls Higher Secondary School in Saidapet, said teachers and top rankers want exams. "But, a majority of students were not for exams citing mental exhaustion and tiredness. They were also not confident of writing the exams after facing just three months of offline classes. Some students only gave Covid-19 as a reason for not wanting exams," she said.

Parents from government schools also were not in favour of exams . "Of 600 students in our school, parents of above 400 students were not for exams," a headmaster of a government school in the city said.

"In our school 30% students and 100% teachers were in favour of conducting the exams. The state government should at least conduct an online assessment test to evaluate the students," said GJ Manohar, principal of MCC Higher Secondary School in Chetpet.

N Vijayan, senior principal of Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tambaram, said the state government should conduct the exams after the cases come down.

CATCH 22: One survey said only 1 in every 4 parents wanted the Class XII board exams to be conducted on schedule