Kovalam, Eden beaches bag ‘Blue Flag’ tag

Kovalam, Eden beaches bag ‘Blue Flag’ tag

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:22.09.2021

Two more Indian beaches — Kovalam in Kerala and Eden in Puducherry — have got the international ‘Blue Flag’ certification, an eco-level tag given to well-managed and clean beaches as per globally recognised standards. India now has 10 such beaches.

The ‘Blue Flag’ tag is one of the world’s most recognised awards for clean, safe and environment-friendly beaches, and marinas. The other eight Indian beaches, which had got this tag last year, are Shivrajpur (Dwarka, Gujarat), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden Beach (Puri, Odisha) and Radhanagar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands). Announcing certification for two new beaches on twitter, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said it was another milestone in the country’s journey towards a clean and green India, led by PM Narendra Modi.

Parents plan to visit students in US as travel ban relaxed

Parents plan to visit students in US as travel ban relaxed

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai:22.09.2021

November may be over a month away but for Avnika Sarkar whose daughter left for Cornell University, preparations for what must be bought and packed started as early as Tuesday.

With the United States relaxing the travel ban in November for air travelers from 33 countries including China, India, Brazil and most of Europe who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, parents are planning their maiden trip to campuses where their wards have recently started classes. The frenzy to fly out to the USA is higher among parents of freshmen who have gone for their undergraduate education.

“My daughter completed her first year online from home. She flew out in February and is now in the second year. But as soon as the travel ban is lifted, we are leaving for the US to be with her,” said Sarkar.

The White House on Monday said it was easing the tough pandemic-related restrictions that started early last year.

While a precise start date for the new rules is not out, the White House stated that they would be eased from “early November”; many details of the new policy are still being decided.

“The US consulate must resume B1 and B2 visa applications so that parents who want to visit their children can do so. Many students would be graduating in December and parents will definitely not want to miss being a part of their convocation. The pandemic has been difficult and many parents were very uncomfortable sending their children out during this time but yet they did so. It is only fair that they now want to fly out and see how their children are doing,” said international education counsellor Karan Gupta.

“There are some parents whose visas have expired and they will be looking at making fresh applications. The consulate should start accepting fresh applications as well,” added Gupta.

Many students would graduate in December and parents wouldn’t want to miss attending their convocation, said said Karan Gupta, an education counsellor

‘Don’t use word Dalit to identify anyone’

‘Don’t use word Dalit to identify anyone’

Punjab SC Commission Issues Guidelines

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chandigarh:22.09.2021

Taking note of the word ‘Dalit’ being used for newly appointed chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi in social media pages, print and electronic media, chairperson of the Punjab state scheduled castes commission Tejinder Kaur on Tuesday issued instructions to not use nomenclature ‘Dalit’ to mark identity of any person belonging to the scheduled castes .

The chairperson said the nomenclature ‘Dalit’ does not find mention in the Constitution of the country or any statute and moreover, the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment has already directed all chief secretaries of the state governments and Union territory administrations on this issue. She said the Madhya Pradesh high court bench in Gwalior had passed an order on January 15, 2018, in a public interst litigation ‘Dr Mohan Lal Mahor Vs Union of India & Ors’ and had directed that “the central government/ state government and its functionaries would refrain from using the nomenclature ‘Dalit’ for the members belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes as the same does not find mention in the Constitution of India or any statute”.

The chairperson said that the Union ministry had directed all the state governments and Union territory administrations to use the word “scheduled caste” instead of “Dalit” for the persons belonging to scheduled castes. The commission in a letter addressed to chief secretary Vini Mahajan on September 13 recommended renaming of villages, towns and other places named after castes and not use derogatory names such as Chamarheri etc.

The commission chairperson said that the nomenclature ‘Dalit’ does not find mention in the Constitution of the country

4 attempt suicide over jobs on compassionate grounds

4 attempt suicide over jobs on compassionate grounds

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Patiala:22.09.2021

Seeking jobs from Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on compassionate grounds, three protesters from the families of late employees on Tuesday poured petrol over themselves, while another consumed poison in four attempted suicides here.

Protesters Gagandeep Singh of Bathinda, Nishan Singh of Tarn Taran, and Veerpal Singh of Muktsar doused themselves with petrol, Mritak Aashrit Sangharsh Committee (PSPCL) union leader Charanjit Singh said: "Fellow protesters overpowered them before they could burn themselves. Enraged protesters tried to storm the PSPCL office and get to its seventh floor to join the 11 protesting there for the past five days."

When police didn’t let them in, one of the protesters, Dharminder Singh of Tarn Taran, consumed poison and was moved to Government Rajindra hospital in Patiala. About two years ago, six protesters, including an old woman, had climbed a water tank in Patiala after waiting two decades for job. The union’s Tuesday meeting with the PSPCL management was futile, and they will now meet the chairman and managing director on Wednesday in Chandigarh.

Charanjit said: "Our parents and loved ones died serving the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) that was, later, dissolved and transformed into PSPCL and PSTCL in 2010. These employees died between 2000 and 2010, when the government had stopped giving jobs on compassionate grounds. In 2010, when the board was dissolved, the government restored the job benefit to the kin of late employees but left us out. The department has a record of 6,141 job seekers but the actual figure is only 1,000, since the others have moved abroad, died, or found other jobs."

The death of an earning member and lack of timely compensation, accompanied by the pandemic-induced lockdown, have left many families in a desperate financial situation. Many linemen have been electrocuted because of somebody's negligence or lack of safety gear and equipment.

Many of their dependents were in school or college at the time of these accidents and they had to abandon their education for want of money..

No change in DoB at fag end of service: SC

No change in DoB at fag end of service: SC

New Delhi:22.09.2021

The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that a person cannot claim as a matter of right to get his or her date of birth changed if the application is made after inordinate delay and more particularly when it is made at the fag end of service or when the employee is about to retire on attaining age of superannuation.

A bench of Justices M R Shah and A S Bopanna said the plea for change in date of birth by an employee can be rejected in such cases even if there is “cogent evidence” as allowing such plea could result in a chain reaction and others below him, waiting for years for their promotion, would get affected. TNN

Students to be given degree after they plant sapling, says higher edu minister

TOI INTERVIEW

Students to be given degree after they plant sapling, says higher edu minister

Ramendra.Singh@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:22.09.2021

In an initiative for environmental cause, the higher education department has decided to give degree and marksheet to students after they plant a sapling. Higher education minister Mohan Yadav told TOI during an exclusive talk.

Higher education department has taken several new initiatives. What are they?

Students will be given a degree and marksheet after they plant a sapling. This will inculcate a habit of respecting and conserving the environment. Institutes should compulsorily get their entry on the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) portal. Its monitoring will be ensured at the directorate level. With this, changes can be brought in the GER of the state. Universities have been asked to adopt a village.

Colleges have been opened. What instructions have been given to colleges to follow Covid guidelines?

We have instructed the colleges to follow Covid guidelines in toto. We have started college with 50% attendance strength. As the students are of above 18 years of age they have been asked to submit certificate of at least first dose of vaccination.

Is it true that the state govt is planning to change the name of vice-chancellors?

It is completely true. Vice-chancellors will be known as Kul Guru. We will put it in the cabinet soon. We have got informal approval also. Kul Guru is a term which has been in use for the past several years in our tradition. We just want our students to continue that tradition. I think this will also help in generating higher respect for prestigious positions like VC.

Controversy erupted over adding topics like Ramcharitmanas or engineering of Ram Setu in academics?

I do not understand the logic of creating any controversy on these topics. First of all, this is not mandatory for students to study. It is optional and available for any student of any stream to study. Besides, even if it is added I do not think there is any harm for students to study such a great legacy of Indian culture.

There is a dearth of teachers in colleges. What steps has the department taken in this regard?

We have decided to recruit more teachers through PSC. We are working on it and the vacancies will be issued soon in the near future. We will be able to fill the majority of the posts in the colleges in the near future.

Change Of Date Of Birth In Service Records Cannot Be Claimed As Of Right; Can Be Rejected For Delay & Latches : Supreme Court

Change Of Date Of Birth In Service Records Cannot Be Claimed As Of Right; Can Be Rejected For Delay & Latches : Supreme Court

Ashok KM

21 Sep 2021 7:14 PM

The Supreme Court observed that change of date of birth in the service record cannot be claimed as of right, even if there is cogent evidence.

Such applications, the court said, can only be processed as per the relevant provisions/regulations applicable. They can be rejected on the ground of delay and latches also more particularly when it is made at the fag end of service and/or when the employee is about to retire on attaining the age of superannuation, the bench of Justices MR Shah and AS Bopanna observed.

In this case, an employee of the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited requested for change of date of birth. Thereafter, he filed a suit for declaration that his date of birth is 24.01.1961. The said suit was dismissed by the Trial Court. The High Court allowed appeal and decreed the suit.

In appeal before the Apex Court, the Corporation contended that no such alteration to the date of birth to the advantage of a State servant be made unless the employee has made an application for the purpose within three years from the date on which his age and date of birth is accepted and recorded in the service register or book or any other record of service or within one year from the date of commencement of the Karnataka State Servants (Determination of Age) Act, 1974 whichever is later. In this case, the corporation submitted, the employee made the application for the first time vide notice dated 23.06.2007 i.e. after the lapse of 24 years since he joined the service and nearly after the lapse of 16 years from the date of adoption of enactment (Act, 1974).

Referring to earlier judgments in this regard, the court observed:

(i) application for change of date of birth can only be as per the relevant provisions/regulations applicable;

(ii) even if there is cogent evidence, the same cannot be claimed as a matter of right;

(iii) application can be rejected on the ground of delay and latches also more particularly when it is made at the fag end of service and/or when the employee is about to retire on attaining the age of superannuation. (Para 10)

Thus, in this case, the court observed that the employee was not entitled to the decree of declaration. The court noted that the High Court judgment was implemented in this case and the employee had retired. So it clarified that this judgment will not affect him.

Citation: LL 2021 SC 485

Case name: Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited Vs. T.P. Natarajan

Case no.| Date: CA 5720 OF 2021 | 21 September 2021

Coram: Justices MR Shah and AS Bopanna