Girl completes MD after losing both her legs in train accident

Girl completes MD after losing both her legs in train accident

Mateen.Hafeez@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:19.09.2021

Thirteen years ago, when Jogeshwari resident Roshan Jawwad lost both her legs in a train accident, she thought her life had come to a standstill and she would never fulfil her childhood dream of becoming a doctor. But the brave girl has showed she is made of sterner stuff, fighting against all odds to realise her desire.

Today, Roshan has completed her MD in pathology and has proved that where there is a will there is a way. Despite her handicap and bureaucracy’s difficult rules, the 29-year-old did not give up hope. In fact, the adversities strengthened her resolve.

“I am very happy to have passed MD. It has been difficult, but I had promised myself that I won’t give up,” Roshan told TOI. In October 2008, Roshan and her school friends were returning from Andheri to Jogeshwari by train when she fell onto the tracks and her legs came under a moving train.

Her lower limbs were severed at the ankle and thigh. Roshan, who scored 92.15% in her Class X exams in 2008, was returning home after writing her college exam papers at Bandra’s Anjuman-i-Islam girl’s college. Her father was a vegetable vendor when the accident took place.

Her journey to become a doctor has not been easy. She had to approach Bombay high court for admission in MBBS even after cracking the medical entrance exam. There was a rule that allowed only people with “up to 70% handicap” to study medicine but she was found to be 86% handicapped post-accident. She approached court for help to be able to study medicine. While facing financial problems, she had to make several rounds of the court during the legal battle for admission. Then Chief Justice of Bombay HC, Justice Mohit Shah, directed the college to give her admission. She never looked back since then.

Roshan passed MBBS with first class in 2016 from Seth GS Medical College (KEM hospital). She cracked the PG medical entrance exams in 2018 and got admission to the same college for MD (pathology). “Before admission in MD, I faced the same problem of 86% disability. The forms were to be applied online and I had only two days. Kirit Somaiya, then an MP, met the Union health minister with my documents and I learnt that the upper limit for disabled for admission was changed. I applied and got admission,” Roshan said.

During her second year in MD, she said, she was diagnosed with bone tumour. “I was operated upon and during this time our HoD, Dr Amita Joshi, my batchmates, teachers and friends helped me a lot,” said Roshan. In the MD results, declared on Wednesday, she secured fourth position at KEM pathology department with 65% marks.

She said she has a two-year bond service for MBBS and MD and will complete it first. “After this, if there is vacancy in any government hospital, I will apply. My plan is to start a laboratory and diagnostic centre in rural area where people have to travel long distance for medical tests. If I get financial help, I will start it or will wait till I am financially equipped to start a laboratory. My centre will have concessional testing and free testing for poor people,” added Roshan.

IIT campus can’t turn ‘dog park’, says court

IIT DID BEST FOR DOGS ON CAMPUS: REPORT

IIT campus can’t turn ‘dog park’, says court

HC Asks Govt, PFCI For Plan To Relocate Dogs

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:19.09.2021

Ensure that IITMadras does not become a dumping ground for abandoned dogs, the Madras high court told Tamil Nadu government on Friday.

“At the end of the day, IIT campus is not a dog park, nor a zoo, nor is it the IIT’s core business to devote its resources or energy towards maintaining dogs including pets that residents in the city may abandon at the IIT gates,” the court said.

The court then directed animal welfare organisation People for Cattle in India (PFCI), the state authorities and the Chennai corporation to decide on a course of action that may be followed both to ensure that IIT is rid of the menace of too many dogs on its campus and the ultimate treatment of the dogs taken from the campus.

The first bench of chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu passed the order on a PIL moved by PFCI alleging illtreatment of more than 100 dogs that are captured on IIT-M campus and lodged in three ‘dog parks’ in the premises. Pointing out the death of 49 dogs on the campus in a span of six months, the petitioner alleged that the IIT-M had failed to take care of the animals.

Refusing to accept the argument, the bench said the Animal Welfare Board had filed papers, including a report, pursuant to continual visits. According to such a report, IIT-M has done its best for the dogs within its campus. “According to IIT, every dog on its campus is microchipped and three separate enclosures have been provided since some of the dogs are aggressive and impede movement within the campus,” the bench said. It is also possible, as the joint committee report suggests, that sheer ennui may result in aggressive behaviour or the large number of dogs may also result in aggression, the court added.

Making it clear that the number of dogs on the campus must be reduced, the court said, “There could be a few dogs and, given the size of the campus and dogs being traditionally present, the number may be reduced closer to 50, since there are deer and black bucks also on the campus.”

As to the allegation of the PFCI that health of 14 dogs being delicate and requiring special attention, the judges said it would be open to PFCI, along with any appropriate state agency, to move the sick dogs needing immediate care to any state-run veterinary hospital or private facility.

In Tiruvallur, exp trains regularly missed

In Tiruvallur, exp trains regularly missed

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.09.2021

Several Tiruvallur residents struggle to board express trains from Arakkonam because connecting suburban trains have become unreliable. As trains like Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Express, Chennai-Bengaluru Lalbagh Express, Kovai Express, Brindavan Express, Intercity express and many others don’t have stops at Tiruvallur, people take suburban trains to Arakkonam.

In the last two weeks, the railways had to provide an unscheduled one-minute stop for one of these expresses twice at Tiruvallur after travellers got stranded because suburban trains were either delayed or cancelled. Most express trains from Chennai don’t stop at Tiruvallur.

On September 10, a public holiday for Vinayaka Chaturthi, the local train scheduled to arrive at 3.25pm at Tiruvallur, used by passengers to connect to Thiruvananthapuram express and Lalbagh express at Arakkonam, was not available as railways adopted Sunday pattern of services. The announcement came only a day before.

K Baskar, a frequent commuter, said that after a request, the station master arranged a quick stop for Thiruvananthapuram Express at Tiruvallur. “This has happened before too. It has become more or less a regular feature for people to miss express trains because Tiruvallur-Arakkonam suburban trains are delayed.”

Residents of Tiruvallur under the banner of Manavalanagar Residents Welfare Association have been demanding stops for nine popular trains and included it in a petition given to the Tiruvallur MP on Friday.

MORE STOPS NEEDED: Tiruvallur residents have been demanding stops for nine popular trains

Monkey rains money from tree after snatching advocate’s bag with ₹2L

Monkey rains money from tree after snatching advocate’s bag with ₹2L

Kanwardeep Singh TNN

Bareilly:19.09.2021

It was an altogether different kind of setting, with an advocate pleading before a monkey perched high on a tree. The simian had snatched a bag containing ₹2 lakh from unsuspecting Vinod Kumar Sharma, who was going to purchase stamp papers for a land registry in Rampur’s Shahabad town.

As a crowd of curious people gathered, hooted and clapped, the monkey threw the bag down but not before taking out ₹1 lakh.

After another round of cajoling, the monkey started throwing the notes in the air. Now it was Sharma’s turn to plead before the cheering crowd, which was trying to pocket the money. After a lot of convincing, people collected the money and gave it to Sharma, who was nervous and sweating by then.

After over 30 minutes of high-drama, the advocate was able to collect ₹95,000. There was no trace of the remaining ₹5,000, but Sharma was “happy”.

The video of the monkey was shot by a few people, who later shared it on social media platforms. In October 2019, a similar incident was reported from Budaun district where two monkeys snatched a bag from a woman and showered money on people.

Sharma said, “I got the shock of my life when the monkey snatched my bag and climbed on the neem tree. There was ₹2 lakh in the bag, which I had taken from a client for stamps. The monkey then took out two bundles of ₹50,000 each from the bag and threw the bag.

“When we tried to chase it, it climbed on the top branch of the tree and started showering money. I was helplessly watching and requesting people to return the money. I managed to get back ₹95,000 from people. I don’t blame anyone for the remaining ₹5,000 as most people were trying to help me. I haven not filed any complaint.”

Affan Ahmad, an eye witness, told TOI, “I shot videos while Sharma along with other advocates were putting efforts to get the money back from the monkey. Sharma even took a risk and tried to climb on the tree through tin roof. He even slipped twice as the surface was slippery because of the rain. After 30 minutes, Sharma managed to get most of his money back. Monkeys often snatch bags of people visiting the court premises in Shahabad.”

Now, vigilance clearance must for J&K staff to obtain passport

Now, vigilance clearance must for J&K staff to obtain passport

Srinagar:17.09.2021

Vigilance clearance will be mandatory for government employees to obtain a passport, the J&K government said in an order issued on Thursday.

A circular issued by the general administration department stated that passport to citizens, including government employees, is issued on the basis of verification carried out by the CID. “The current system does not contain any mechanism as would help denying the passport to such employees who are either under suspension or facing departmental inquiry or prosecution on account of serious charges,” it read. TNN

Vax catch-22: How can U-18 college-goers get vac cert?

Vax catch-22: How can U-18 college-goers get vac cert?

Ramendra.Singh@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:17.09.2021

Several first year students, who have not completed 18 years of age yet, are in trouble as vaccination certificate is mandatory to attend classes in college.

Students said they will have to wait till they get 18 to attend the college. First year classes will start from October 1. “I will be 18 in December, which means I can’t go for vaccination before that. As vaccination certificate is mandatory for attending college, I will have to miss my classes,” said Shlok Dubey.

He is worried that he may be in big trouble if online classes are also stopped. “I have heard that colleges may stop e-classes once offline classes resume. How to attend classes after that will be a big question before me,” said Dubey.

Even girl students are also facing same problem. “I can’t change my age. Even college has given me admission. Now, issue is that how to attend classes as I will complete 18 years in November. Despite being eligible I won’t be able to attend offline classes,” said a student Shruti Maheshwari.

Higher education department had recently issued guidelines for opening colleges and universities in the state from September 15. Students with 50% strength and at least first dose of vaccination can attend classes on the campuses. Students and college staff are asked to submit their certificates of first dose of vaccination.

Interestingly, hostel facility will be available for the students only after they submit consent letter of their parents and vaccination certificates.

Teachers wade through a flooded govt school in Bawadia Kala on Thursday

School fee: High court disposes of pleas by mgmts

School fee: High court disposes of pleas by mgmts

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:17.09.2021

The high court on Thursday disposed of petitions filed by private school managements against the state government’s 30% fee cut order, referring to a Supreme Court judgment in the matter on May 3. The apex court, in the Indian School Jodhpur vs State of Rajasthan case, allowed for a 15% cut in fees for the 2020-21 academic year and said the remaining amount should be paid in six equal monthly instalments.

Referring to the SC decision, Justice R Devdas told school managements not to debar any student from attending online or physical classes over non-payment of fees or arrears. They have also been asked to consider sympathetically the representations of students whose parents can’t afford to pay fees.

The Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), Karnataka State Minorities Educational Institutions Managements Federation and others had challenged the January 29, 2021 directive issued by the state government asking all the private schools to collect only 70% of the fees collected in 2019-20, without any other changes. They said the directive barring coercive action had resulted in parents not paying fees.

They further claimed that though the government allowed collection of 70% of tuition fees, it amounted to only 50% since no admission fees and other charges were collected by the member schools for 2020-21 and there was greater spending on infrastructure for conducting online classes. The minority schools contended that the directive of the state government affected their rights guaranteed under Article 30 of the Constitution.

Referring to the apex court decision, Justice R Devdas told school managements not to debar any student from attending online or physical classes over non-payment of fees or arrears