Rain to ease from Tuesday onwards

Rain to ease from Tuesday onwards

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.11.2021

The city will experience heavy rain for one more day before it subsides to light spells of rain for the rest of the week.

A met department forecast for the city and the suburbs said that thunderstorms with heavy rain are likely to occur for the next 24 hours.

After this, the rain will reduce into light to moderate showers in some areas. It may remain so till Wednesday after which there is a possibility of a dry spell till a new system is formed in the Bay of Bengal.

The met department has said that a low pressure area is likely to form over south Andaman Sea around November 30. "It is likely to become more marked and move west-northwestwards during subsequent 48 hours," the forecast said. However, the system is not likely to bring rain to Chennai as per the current forecast. The met department says that it may bring rain over north coastal Andhra and Odisha from December 3.

There was intermittent heavy rain throughout the day on Sunday. The southern suburbs received the maximum rain causing inundation in many neighbourhoods. and Meenambakkam 61mm, West Tambaram received 42.5mm, Chennai received 11mm rain. Nungambakkam 9.8 mm Anna University 20mm, MRC Nagar 21mm, Taramani 22 and Nandanam 17mm.

Private weather bloggers said that there will be intermittent rain till Wednesday but there will not be intense spells. The heavy rain is shifting to the southern districts.

The city is receiving rain due to the impact of a cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area and Sri Lanka.

Parts of OMR flooded, Thazhambur cut off

Parts of OMR flooded, Thazhambur cut off

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.11.2021

Traffic was disrupted in some parts of OMR and Thazhambur, off the IT corridor, was cut off on Sunday after excess rainwater from water bodies spilled on to roads. While at least four locations between Semmencherry and Kalavakkam were flooded, roads in Thazhambur were under almost six ft of water.

Water bodies breached. Water from the Padur lake ran over OMR from west to east, slowing down traffic, while Semmencherry was waterlogged and motorists took the service road. The stretch near Kelambakkam came under a thick sheet of water. Social media platforms were flooded with videos of OMR turning into a stream and part of the bridge near Kelambakkam developing cracks.

S Vasudevan, councillor of Muttukadu panchayat, said the road from Padur to Kelambakkam was inundated, inconveniencing motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders. “A street at Padur has been dug to facilitate the movement of water from a lake that had entered the area and which is flowing on OMR,” he said.

At Thazhambur, about 7km north of Padur, the entire area was under a thick sheet of water. C R Raghunathan, a resident, said the area which is homes to about 10,000 people was cut off from the rest of the city. “There is no boat service available to ferry the locals," he said.

Chengalpet administration officials said buses and tractors are available to ferry people. Pointing out that there is a missing link of 300 metres of water channel, an official said steps are being taken to construct a culvert to avert flooding.

NO RESPITE: A flooded stretch on OMR near Sathyabama University in Chennai on Sunday

₹17L bribe for AE job: EPS’s PA arrested

₹17L bribe for AE job: EPS’s PA arrested

Senthil.Kumaran@timesgroup.com

Salem:28.11.2021

The Salem district crime branch police on Sunday arrested G Mani alias Nadupatty Mani, 50, the political personal assistant of former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, for allegedly taking ₹17 lakh as bribe from a man by promising him government job.

According to police, the accused, who has been EPS’s assistant for more than 10 years, was arrested based on a complaint lodged on October 24 by G Tamilselvan, 29, of Neyveli.

Tamilselvan in his complaint said he handed over ₹17 lakh to Mani and K Selvakumar, 45, an AIADMK functionary from Kadayampatty, after they promised him assistant engineer job with the Tamil Nadu transport corporation. But they reneged on their promise.

Search on for AIADMK cadre Selvakumar

When Tamilselvan wanted his money back, they paid him just ₹4 lakh and also threatened him, the complaint said. “Based on Tamilselvan’s complaint, the district crime branch police registered a case under sections 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of IPC and initiated an inquiry,” DCB DSP A V Elamurugan said. “We arrested Mani at his house near Deevattipatti on Sunday morning,” the DSP said, adding that they are searching for Selvakumar. A few days ago, the Salem district court dismissed an bail moved by Mani. Meanwhile, state secretary of CPI R Mutharasan on Sunday urged the state government to initiate an inquiry with the former chief minister. “These irregularities wouldn’t have happened without his knowledge,” he said.

Amid rapid Omicron spread, India ups travel surveillance

Amid rapid Omicron spread, India ups travel surveillance

Flyers From ‘At Risk’ Nations Must Quarantine

29.11.2021

With the proposed resumption of international flights on December 15 under review, the government issued fresh guidelines on Sunday, mandating RT-PCR test on arrival for all passengers from Covid at-risk countries. While those testing positive will be isolated and their samples sent for genomic testing, those testing negative will have to home-quarantine for a week and test on the eighth day.

As of November 26, the list of at-risk countries include European nations, the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel. Flyers also have to declare their travel details for the past 14 days.

The Centre has asked states and UTs to focus on containment, surveillance and increased vaccination.

The new norms came on a day when the new variant surfaced in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Australia and more countries tightened travel restrictions. Israel barred entry to foreigners and approved controversial phone-tracking of contacts. Indonesia and Saudi Arabia too imposed curbs. While South Africa questioned the “act first, ask questions later” approach of the global community, calling it a blow to its economy, the European Union said it needed to buy time. AGENCIES

6x more transmissible than Delta: Experts

Based on preliminary analysis, experts suggest Omicron has six times higher potential to spread (R value) than the Delta variant. The 32 spike mutations suggest it could evade tests and be more transmissible, said Dr Vinod Scaria of the Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology. Experts fear it may not respond to monoclonal antibody therapy.

'நீட்' கலந்தாய்வு தாமதத்துக்கு கண்டனம் டாக்டர்கள் இன்று முதல் வேலைநிறுத்தம்

'நீட்' கலந்தாய்வு தாமதத்துக்கு கண்டனம் டாக்டர்கள் இன்று முதல் வேலைநிறுத்தம்

Added : நவ 26, 2021 22:17

புதுடில்லி:முதுநிலை மருத்துவப் பட்டப் படிப்பில் ஓ.பி.சி., எனப்படும் இதர பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட பிரிவினருக்கு 27 சதவீதமும், பொருளாதாரத்தில் பின்தங்கியோருக்கு 10 சதவீதமும் இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்க அரசாணை பிறப்பிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

பொருளாதாரத்தில் பின்தங்கியோருக்கான இட ஒதுக்கீடு பெறுவதற்கான வரு வாய் உச்ச வரம்பு, ஆண்டுக்கு 8 லட்சம் ரூபாயாக நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இது தொடர்பான வழக்கை விசாரித்த உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் 'எந்த அடிப்படையில் இந்த உச்ச வரம்பு நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது' என, ஏற்கனவே கேள்வி எழுப்பி இருந்தது.

இந்த வழக்கு நீதிபதிகள் டி.ஒய்.சந்திரசூட், சூர்யகாந்த், விக்ரம் நாத் அமர்வில் விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. அப்போது மத்திய அரசு சார்பில் ஆஜரான சொலிசிட்டர் ஜெனரல் துஷார் மேத்தா கூறியதாவது:வருவாய் உச்ச வரம்பு நிர்ணயம் தொடர்பாக மறு ஆய்வு செய்ய புதிய குழு அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. பதிலளிக்க நான்கு வாரங்கள் அவகாசம் அளிக்க வேண்டும். அதுவரை முதுகலை மருத்துவ மாணவர் சேர்க்கைக்கான கலந்தாய்வை ஒத்தி வைக்க அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.இதை ஏற்ற நீதிபதிகள், வழக்கு விசாரணையை ஜனவரிக்கு ஒத்தி வைத்தனர்.

இது டாக்டர்கள் மத்தியில் சலசலப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியது.முதுநிலை மருத்துவப் படிப்புக்கான கலந்தாய்வு மற்றும் சேர்க்கை நடைமுறைகளை விரைவாக நடத்தி முடிக்கும்படி மத்திய அரசு மற்றும் உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்திடம், இந்திய டாக்டர்கள் சங்க கூட்டமைப்பு கோரிக்கை விடுத்து உள்ளது.

இது குறித்து இந்திய டாக்டர்கள் சங்க கூட்டமைப்பு வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிக்கை:கொரோனா தொற்று பரவல் துவங்கியதில் இருந்து டாக்டர்கள் கடுமையான பணிச்சுமைக்கு ஆளாகி உள்ளனர். இது அவர்களை உடல் மற்றும் மன அளவில் ஏற்கனவே சோர்வுஅடைய செய்து உள்ளது.முதுநிலை மருத்துவப் படிப்புக்கான, 'நீட்' தேர்வில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்ற எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., டாக்டர்கள், உயர் படிப்பில் சேர காத்திருக்கின்றனர்.

உச்ச நீதிமன்ற விசாரணை ஒத்திவைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதால், அவர்கள் மன உளைச்சலுக்கு ஆளாகி உள்ளனர். கலந்தாய்வு உடனடியாக நடத்தப்பட வேண்டும்.இதற்கு தீர்வு கிடைக்கும் வரை நாடு முழுதும் உள்ள புற நோயாளிகள் பிரிவில் பணியாற்றும் டாக்டர்கள், இன்று முதல் வேலை நிறுத்தத்தில் ஈடுபட முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டு உள்ளது. இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

‘No work, no pay’, but 80k ST staff defy ultimatum

‘No work, no pay’, but 80k ST staff defy ultimatum

Somit Sen & Bhavika Jain TNN

Mumbai: 27.11.2021

More than 80,000 Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers refused to heed the two-day ultimatum given by government to resume duties by Friday. While this crippled the road lifeline of the state, the government has warned of withdrawing its decision on ‘huge salary hikes’ if the strike continued indefinitely.

The MSRTC management warned that if drivers, conductors and other staff do not return to depots by the weekend, they may lose their one month’s (November) salary.

As many as 11,589 workers have heeded the call of transport minister and MSRTC chairman Anil Parab and joined duties, so the bus corporation could restart operations at 37 depots across the state. The remaining 213 depots continue to be shut, inconveniencing lakhs of commuters.

On Friday night, more employees were suspended, taking the total to 3,215, while 1,226 daily wage workers were dismissed.

Close to 81,000 workers are still protesting and are unwilling to accept the huge salary hikes (upto 41% hike on basic) announced by Parab this week. They are firm on their demand of MSRTC being merged with the state government.

“A Supreme Court order says ‘No work, no pay’. Employees should return to work and not force the government to take coercive steps against them,” Parab said.

He met union representatives on Friday and made it clear to them that while their demands will be considered, indiscipline by workers will not be tolerated.

“We have been told that after the pay hike some anomaly in the grade system has been created, All these issues will be sorted out, but first employees should return to work,” said Parab. The unions have demanded the Seventh Pay Commission for employees and the agreement with state government should be for 10 years, instead of four years.

He said nearly 500 daily wage workers have been terminated on Friday for not showing up. “Despite taking the financial burden of the salary hike, if the employees will continue with the strike, why should the government take the burden-,”said Parab.

Several students were inconvenienced due to unavailability of buses when many schools are reopening across the state.

“Even if there is threat of suspension or dismissal, we will not join duties till we are declared as state government employees,” said a driver from Mumbai. He refused to comment on hardships of commuters.

Flyers look forward to eased int’l travel as bars are lifted

Flyers look forward to eased int’l travel as bars are lifted

Subhro.Niyogi@timesgroup.com

Kolkata:27.11.2021

An increase in frequency of flights to Dubai, Bangkok and Dhaka; resumption of flights to Abu Dhabi, Kathmandu and Paro; improved connectivity in flights to Europe and the US and a slash in international fares that have gone through the roof: these are among the offers that flyers from Kolkata can look forward to following the aviation ministry’s decision to allow scheduled international flights from December 15.

Scheduled international flights were suspended on March 22, 2020. The only international flights that have been operating to and from India are those under air bubble agreements signed between India and 31 countries. But these flights had severe capacity constraints as frequency was less than that before Covid times. Also, these flights did not allow passengers to undertake onward travel.

Though some capacity restriction has been announced on flights to countries that have been categorised as “risky”, like the UK and Bangladesh, Kolkata airport director C Pattabhi expects several carriers that are currently operating bubble flights to increase frequency from January and a few others, which had stayed away, to again link Kolkata. “We now have three-four international flights a day. That number should go up to 10-12 in January and then, steadily improve as the situation normalizes across the globe. It will be great to see the international wing of the terminal abuzz again,” he said.

The travel trade community feels Emirates, FlyDubai and Qatar to be among the first airlines to increase frequency from three times-a-week to Dubai and two times-a-week to Doha at present to a daily service some time in January. Travel agents also expect IndiGo to hike its frequency to Dubai and reintroduce flights to Bangkok, and Air India to increase frequency to Bangkok and reintroduce flights to Dubai. Both Dubai and Bangkok are high-demand sectors from Kolkata that were constrained due to the limitations on flight.

“There are indications of SpiceJet restarting flights to Bangkok,” said an industry source.

Etihad is expected to return to Kolkata and connect the city to Abu Dhabi.

The big difference though will be in the long-haul routes, such as Europe and the US, where economy fares have touched business class rates. “As scheduled operations resume, frequencies will increase and airlines can carry onward traffic, like before. This will bring down fares drastically,” said travel agent Anil Punjabi.

Though Dhaka figures on the list of countries with Covid risk, and therefore, has a limitation on flights to operate at 75% capacity, travel agents feel that will not prevent several carriers from adding frequencies or resuming operations. Kathmandu and Paro, two other airports in south Asia that had flight connections from Kolkata, could also get reconnected.

However, Singapore Airlines, which is scheduled to start daily flights to the city state from November 29, may be in jeopardy as the 75% capacity limitation could affect the flight’s viability. Ditto with the once-a-week Air India flight to London that operates on Sundays. “Since safety is paramount, there will be such restrictions along the way as international travel opens up,” an aviation industry official said.