NEWS TODAY 25.09.2024

 

Dean to file report on GRH buildings

Dean to file report on GRH buildings

The Hindu Bureau MADURAI 25.09.2024 

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday took suo motu cognisance of news reports about a portion of the ceiling of a building in Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) here coming off. The court directed the GRH Dean to file a report.

A Division Bench of Justices R. Subramanian and Sunder Mohan observed that the news reports said a portion of the building in GRH was in a dilapidated condition and a portion of the ceiling had come off.

The court directed the High Court Registry to issue notice to the Health Secretary, the Director of Medical and Rural Health Services and the GRH Dean.

The court sought response from the officials on the action to be taken to either renovate or reconstruct the buildings which were in a dilapidated condition.

The court also directed the GRH Dean to file a report in consultation with Public Works Department officials on the extent of damage and the buildings which were in a dilapidated condition.

The court posted the matter for hearing to October 15.

Former HC judge slams Governor Ravi’s remark on ‘secularism’

Former HC judge slams Governor Ravi’s remark on ‘secularism’

Making a point: Former Madras High Court Judge K. Chandru speaking about ‘Caste discrimination in educational institutions’ in Madurai on Tuesday. G. Moorthy

Recently Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi and Social Welfare Minister P. Geetha Jeevan had to dine with students at  a school to educate parents, who opposed the appointment of an SC cook, about equality, says Justice K. Chandru

The Hindu Bureau  MADURAI 25.09.2024 

Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi’s comment that the term ‘secularism’ was an European concept and an interpolation in the Indian Constitution was against the oath taken by him while assuming office that he would protect and defend the Constitution, said former Madras High Court Judge K. Chandru.

Speaking about ‘Caste discrimination in educational institutions’ at an event organised by Justice Bhagwati Foundation and Justice Shivraj V. Patil Foundation at Justice V. Krishna Iyer Community Hall here on Tuesday, Mr. Chandru said, “If Mr. Ravi thinks that he is above the Constitution by uttering such statements, he could very well step down from the position and shout against it.”

Even when the BJP which selected him for the post promised to respect the Constitution, he questioned its integrity, he noted.

Referring to the recommendations of the one-man committee headed by him, he said though there was no assurance that the State government would implement all the recommendations for eliminating casteist practices in educational institutions, the report should be taken to all sections of people, especially students, to relieve them of the casteist mentality.

“Some of the practices... in educational institutions were even more harsh when projects like mid-day meal scheme were launched. A school administration in Tirunelveli opposed appointment of a Scheduled Caste woman as cook and when the Collector threatened to seal the school, it went to the court,” he said.

“When a school administration which was to profess equality went all the way to defend caste-based discrimination, I passed an order for the school administration to be taken over by a third person,” he added.

Mr. Chandru said recently Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi and Social Welfare Minister P. Geetha Jeevan had to dine with students at a school to educate parents, who opposed the appointment of an SC cook, about equality.

Slamming the Tamil film ‘Kavundampalayam,’ Mr. Chandru said such films without any social responsibility reiterated blatant casteist remarks like ‘Nadaga Kadhal’ (fake love) targeting men of a particular community.

Police these days were very keen on enforcing moral policing by separating couples united by love, he added.

“The USA which introduced amendments against discriminations based on caste and religion seemed to be enforcing it more efficiently than India which has more vigorous Act and laws like the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” he said.

If the rules enshrined in the Constitution were followed rigorously by the rulers most of the caste atrocities could be avoided, but the caste-ridden Indian society could hardly experience such governance, he said.

Later, Mr. Chandru delivered a lecture condemning the recent Waqf Amendment Bill and three new criminal laws.

NEWS TODAY 25.09.2024

 

Madras univ convocation: Higher edu secy will sign certificates, says minister

Madras univ convocation: Higher edu secy will sign certificates, says minister

A RaguRaman@timesofindia.com 25.09.2024 

Chennai : In the absence of a vice-chancellor for Univesity of Madras, higher education secretary Pradeep Yadav, who is also convener of the three member syndicate committee that runs the university, will sign the degree certificates, higher education minister K Ponmudy said here on Monday. 

More than one lakh students are expected to be conferred their degrees at the 166th convocation of the university that is scheduled to be held on Tuesday. With a section of professors raising an issue over the official signing of the degree certificates, Ponmudy said the decision will not affect stu dents as it had been approved by the syndicate of the university. The convocation was delayed as the university established in 1857 has been functioning without a vice-chancellor for the last year.

Earlier, addressing the gathering after presenting the Tamil Nadu scientist awards, Ponmudy asked teachers and professors to help develop a research mindset among students. “Our state govt has allocated ₹63 crore to set up a research park at Anna University. Further, the govt is also awarding 120 research fellowships to scholars under which they would each receive ₹25,000 a month,” he said. As many as 44 professors who were selected for the Tamil Nadu scientist awards for the years from 2018 to 2021 received their awards. 

The minister said the department will take steps to announce scientist awards for 2022 and 2023 soon. Pradeep Yadav, directorate of technical education (DOTE) commissioner T Abraham, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology member secretary S Vincent and others participated in the event.

Employee transferred on request can’t claim seniority over new circle cadre: HC

Employee transferred on request can’t claim seniority over new circle cadre: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  24.09.2024 

Bengaluru : An employee transferred on his request to another circle and who has given consent and an undertaking for giving up the seniority in the circle where he is transferred, cannot march over the seniority positions in the transferred circle cadre, the high court ruled recently. A division bench made this observation while allowing a writ appeal filed by state-owned Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) and two other electricity distribution companies. The case pertains to five employees, three from Udupi circle and one each from Mandya and Hassan circles, who were transferred to Tumakuru circle during 2008-09 upon their requests. They are presently serving as mechanics. 

Aspiring to get promotion to the post of junior engineer under the 10% quota reserved for inservice candidates, they claimed that the length of their services should be counted (for the purpose of promotion) from the date of their entry in service, ever since they served in the previous circle, in terms of the earlier resolution of 2020. The single bench directed KPTCL to consider the case of petitioners for promotion reckoning their seniority from the date of their joining duty. 

The KPTCL challenged the same, arguing that clauses in the Karnataka Electricity Board Employees Seniority Regulations provide for foregoing of seniority by the transferred employee when the employee himself opts for another circle. The division bench noted that if the transferred employee is given seniority in the transferred circle on the basis of his date of entry in service in the previous circle, the entire circle-wise seniority will go topsy-turvy and chaos would ensue. The seniority for the purpose of promotion in two circle cadres cannot be mixed up. The single judge proceeded on a wrong footing to view that the stipulations in the transfer policy were in contradiction to regulations. 

The petitioners  who got themselves transferred upon their own request to another circle, in light of the regulations and the cadre position, cannot claim seniority over the employees in the transferred cadre for promotion, the bench observed

CMRL’s first driverless train ready.

CMRL’s first driverless train ready.

The train will likely arrive at the Poonamallee depot by mid-October, say CMRL officials. It will be operated between Poonamallee and Porur stretch on corridor 4 of the Phase II project. The operations are likely to begin next year

Sunitha Sekar CHENNAI 23.09.2024

Chennai Metro Rail’s first driverless train has been manufactured and it is likely to be transported from Sri City to the Poonamallee depot by mid-October.

For the ₹63,246-crore Phase II project, Chennai Metro Rail’s objective is to have driverless trains, unlike the Phase I project, which has a train operator on board.

The contract for this work was given at a cost of ₹1,125.92 crore.

Seven months ago, the manufacturing of the first train got under way at Sri City, with the delivery target set for the end of August. However, the date to deliver the train was put off.

According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL), though the manufacturing has been finished, there will be a testing process called ‘static testing’, which will be done at Sri City, and thetrainis likely to be brought to the depot only by the middle of October.

Sources said that the manufacturing process encountered a delay as it took time to procure a few components for thetrain.

The driverless train will be operated on the Poonamallee-Porur stretch, a part of corridor 4 of the Phase II project. The operations are likely to begin next year.

‘Minor setback’

“We don’t anticipate any more delays, and the train should arrive next month; we will subsequently start the testing process. This setback will not affect the Phase II work as we will complete the inspection and testing process within five months. The viaduct work between Poonamallee and Porur will be completed only by that time. Once it is ready, the trials will begin along the viaduct between Poonamallee and Porur,” an official said.

Since the coaches will arrive separately, they will be first linked, and then, the systems such as passenger information, pantograph, brakes, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and train control management system will be checked.

“Initially, we will test the train at 10 kmph, and then, increase the speed to the maximum of 90 kmph,” a source said.