App & portal for OBC, EWS census in Chhattisgarh

App & portal for OBC, EWS census in Chhattisgarh

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Raipur:02.09.2021

Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday launched a mobile app and portal for the census of Other Backward Classes (OBC) and economically weaker sections of the society.

Baghel began the survey by registering his information on the app of Chhattisgarh Quantifiable Data Commission.

“The state government has taken several steps for the welfare of farmers, forest dwellers, labourers and landless people. OBC reservation was increased from 14% to 27% through an ordinance on September 4, 2019, and a provision of 10% reservation was made for economically weaker sections,” Baghel said.

The Quantifiable Data Commission was constituted when some people challenged this decision of state government in court and its implementation was stayed, said the CM.

UP cop who got gallantry medal caught taking bribe

UP cop who got gallantry medal caught taking bribe

Ishita.Mishr@timesgroup.com

Meerut: 02.09.2021

On Independence Day, inspector Vijenderpal Singh Rana turned up in his smartest uniform to receive UP police’s gallantry medal. Days later, on Wednesday, he was booked in his own thana, where he is posted as the SHO, for allegedly taking a bribe of ₹1 lakh to let off a man with a stolen truck.

A decorated officer, inspector Vijenderpal Rana was part of the police team — led by the then SP Ajay Sahni — that had shot dead Shiv Shakti Naidu, a dreaded gangster who had pulled off a sensational ₹8 crore heist in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar in 2014. Kingpin of the notorious Naidu gang, he was killed on February 18 last year during an encounter. Sahni and Vijenderpal Rana were awarded the Police Gallantry Medal for the encounter on August 15. Vijenderpal Rana’s downhill slide from being a celebrated cop to an “absconding accused” was quick; it took him just 15 days.

3-member expert panel to look into flyover accident

3-member expert panel to look into flyover accident

Chennai:02.09.2021

The National Highways Authority of India has set up a three-member committee comprising experts from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy, the National Transport Planning and Research Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, and an independent expert to analyse the reasons for the accident at an under-construction flyover in Madurai that claimed the life of a guest worker.

The state government on Wednesday announced a solatium of ₹5 lakh to the family of N Akash Singh of Uttar Pradesh, who was killed in the accident on Saturday.

Three girders, each 35m long, under construction as part of four-laning of Madurai-Chettikulam section of NH-785, collapsed on Saturday. As per preliminary report, the accident was due to jack failure while fixing the bearing. The NHAI has appointed Alok Bhoumik, its advisor (technical), to assist the committee, an order said.

Responding to a special calling attention motion on the accident, state highways minister E V Velu said the negligence of the contractor was responsible for the accident that caused the death and injured another worker. “The Tallakulam police registered a case against the contract firm under Sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC,” the minister said. TNN

Teachers welcome students back to schools with sweets

Teachers welcome students back to schools with sweets

Elaborate Covid Protocols On The Campuses

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:02.09.2021

P Hari Priya from Nungambakkam was so eager to return to school that she came 15 minutes early. Seeing her friends after a long gap, she said they looked different – some had grown their hair, others had lost weight. They pulled each other’s leg, but didn't hug or shake hands. At the end of the first day, she could not catch up with her friends, as her class was split into two, and had little time to speak to them.

City schools registered 85% to 100% attendance as schools reopened on Wednesday after 5 months. Colleges recorded 60% to 70% attendance and expect numbers to rise. Schools and colleges made elaborate arrangements to follow social distancing on campus. Students were not allowed to mingle and only 20 students were allowed in a classroom. Shivani K P from Adyar said even the classroom and school environment looked so different after prolonged online classes. “Even our teachers were so happy to see us and conduct classes. I find I relate to topics better in offline classes compared to online classes,” she said.

Some teachers welcomed loons and banners. “After seeing empty grounds and classrooms for the last few months, we were so happy to have students on campus. All classrooms were decorated with welcome banners and balloons,” said R S Shanthi, a phys-Most of the schools conducted orientation and counselling on Wednesday.

Schools such as Bala Vidyamandir Senior Secondary School in Adyar have decided to record the physical classes for those who opt for online classes. "It will help both students who opt for online classes and students who attend physical classes. Students can view the recorded videos again if they have any doubts," said principal R Srinivasa Raghavan. The school recorded 90% attendance among Class X, XI and XII students on Wednesday.

Vidyodaya Girls Higher Secondary School in T Nagar recorded nearly 100% attendance among Class XII students. "Except for one student who is in post-Covid care, all 121 attended physical classes," said headmistress V Shanthi. The schools will conduct classes in hybrid mode for other classes. "We have called 50% of students from Class IX and X for physical classes on alternate days. The remaining students can view live the classes from their houses," she added.

Some principals who spoke on condition of anonymity said conducting physical and online classes simultaneously will be tough.

Many city colleges started classes on campus only with final year science students. Colleges such as Loyola and College of Engineering, Guindy, have organised vaccination camps on campus.

"Of 6000 students who are eligible for Covid-19 vaccine in our college, 23% are yet to get the jab. Greater Chennai Corporation will vaccinate them on Monday and Tuesday," said S Santhosh Baboo, principal of DG Vaishnav College.

Bumper-to-bumper insurance order put on hold by high court

Bumper-to-bumper insurance order put on hold by high court

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:02.09.2021

A Madras high court order making the fiveyear bumper-to-bumper insurance mandatory for all new vehicles from September 1, was put on hold by the court on Wednesday.

Justice S Vaidyanathan, who passed the order last week, kept it in abeyance after insurance companies filed a memo saying they needed at least three months to design a new insurance product as per the directions of the court.

Meanwhile, the joint transport commissioner, A A Muthu, had directed all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across Tamil Nadu not to register any vehicles without bumper-to-bumper insurance coverage, as directed by the high court.

This uncertainty over the new insurance rule forced Tamil Nadu automobile dealers to put documentation works pertaining to vehicle registration on hold.

Automobile dealers and insurance companies wondered how the order could be implemented without consulting the Insurance Regulatory Authority of India (IRDAI), the government body which supervises the insurance sector.

"Since there was no clarity on how to finalise the insurance premium amount, we did not prepare any insurance certificates today (Wednesday). We will be meeting the state transport authorities and request them to reverse their earlier order" said S Rajvel, state chairperson of Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA).

"Usually, automobile dealers bring new vehicles to RTOs for registration only after preparing insurance certificates. It takes two or three days for them (from the date of invoice) to finish this insurance documentation. So, all new vehicles, which arrived today at RTOs, were sold to customers before the high court deadline of September 1. The new insurance rule was not applicable to any of these vehicles. Therefore, it was regular business at most city RTOs," said a Chennai RTO, requesting anonymity.

OPS’s wife passes away, Stalin, Sasikala express condolences

OPS’s wife passes away, Stalin, Sasikala express condolences

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai/Theni:  02.09.2021

P Vijayalakshmi, wife of AIADMK coordinator and former chief minister O Panneerselvam and mother of Theni MP O P Raveendranath Kumar, died at a hospital in Chennai on Wednesday morning. The 66-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest at the hospital ward and could not be revived, doctors said. She had been undergoing treatment at GEM Hospital for cardiac diseases.

“She was stable. She returned to her bed after relieving herself in the morning when she had an arrest,” said a senior doctor treating her. The mortal remains of Vijayalakshmi were brought to OPS’s house in Periyakulam in Theni district by road. The final rites will be performed on Thursday morning. Chief minister M K Stalin, ministers and DMK leaders were among those to visit the hospital and offer condolences.

Expelled AIADMK leader V K Sasikala caused a flutter when she arrived at the hospital to offer condolences, leaving behind their political rivalry that began in early 2017 when she wanted to become the CM by replacing him. It had resulted in OPS launching the ‘dharmayutham’ against her. OPS’s daughter K Kavitha Banu received her. Sasikala held Panneerselvam’s hands as he sobbed inconsolably.

GRIEVING: Chief minister M K Stalin offers his condolences to ex-CM O Panneerselvam

Grief unites political rivals

Sasikala spent nearly half an hour at the hospital in the presence of former AIADMK ministers and MLAs.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit, opposition leader and former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, TNCC president K S Alagiri, MDMK general secretary Vaiko and Tamil Maanila Congress (M) president G K Vasan were among others who condoled the death of Vijayalakshmi. A BA graduate, she was among the four daughters and a son of Alagupandi Thevan and Valliammal, a farmer couple. A soft-spoken woman who married OPS on November 14, 1977 when he was AIADMK’s Periyakulam town secretary, she played the role of a supportive wife. Sources close to the family recalled that Vijayalakshmi was instrumental in maintaining a closely knit joint family of OPS, comprising his three younger brothers and as many sisters.

She took up the responsibility of the joint family which helped Panneerselvam scale the party ranks and become CM, deputy CM, finance minister and take up various other responsibilities. Vijayalakshmi preferred to prepare the favourite dishes of her husband herself and he enjoyed being served by her. The couple has two sons and a daughter, P Raveendranath Kumar, V P Jayapradeep and K Kavitha Banu.

Sasikala consoles O Panneerselvam on Wednesday

NHAI hikes fee by 4% to 10% at 21 TN toll plazas

NHAI hikes fee by 4% to 10% at 21 TN toll plazas

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:02.09.2021

The hike in user fee rate at 21 toll plazas in Tamil Nadu starting Wednesday could lead to rise in prices of essential commodities, say transporters, who opposed the fee hike amid the sharp spike in diesel prices.

While tolls in Chennai are being removed, road travel along southern and western districts of Tamil Nadu is set to be costlier with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) increasing toll fee by 4% to10 %.

At the 21 booths — majority of which are located on Chennai-Madurai (NH 45) and Chennai-Salem (NH 79) highway stretches — cars and trucks will have to cough up between ₹5 to ₹50 extra per trip.

The hike will also be implemented along Trichy-Dindigul-Karur bypass roads, Madurai-Thoothukudi highway and plazas in Dharmapuri and Namakkal districts.

C Dhanraj, secretary of State Lorry Owners’ Federation said, “We requested the Union government to stop toll collection at least for the next six months because of the loss incurred during the lockdown. They have once again failed us. (A hike of) ₹5 to ₹15 per trip may seem like a small amount, but (it is an additional) ₹12,000 every month (for Chennai-Salem trips) and much more for interstate commute”.

The state government too let transporters down by failing to reduce diesel prices, he said. Only petrol prices were reduced. So, a toll fee hike coupled with the increase in fuel rates has reduced the profit margin of truckers. Beyond a point, truckers will be forced to increase operating rates and subsequently, the public will suffer, Dhanraj added.

Wholesale traders from Chennai say the increase in transportation cost has had a cascading effect on wholesale price of vegetables, fruits and flowers in the city and fear that the situation may worsen in the coming days. Chennai largely depends on Oddanchatram, Pollachi markets in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala for supply of tomato, onion, brinjal, drumstick and ladies finger. Besides essential commodities, toll fees can also affect transportation of raw materials and finished products to and from industries across the state.

(A hike of) ₹5 to ₹15 per trip may seem like a small amount, but it is an additional ₹12,000 every month (for Chennai-Salem trips)

C DHANRAJ

Secretary, State Lorry Owners’ Federation