Chennai: Paperless tickets a big hit among rail passengers

To boost mobile payments, SR offering five per cent bonus for wallet recharges.



Published: 25th May 2018 03:28 AM

 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Following an overwhelming patronage among rail passengers for booking unreserved tickets through UTS mobile app, Southern Railway has decided to offer five per cent bonus for R wallet recharge value to promote the digital payment.The bonus offer which came into effect since Thursday will enable all mobile app users to book the tickets for more than the money they recharged in their account.

This means, when a passenger recharges his or her mobile app R-wallet for Rs 1,000, the wallet account will be credited with Rs 1,050 and the person can book tickets for value up to Rs 1,050.To reduce hassles to passengers in getting the tickets at station counters, paperless ticketing facility through UTS mobile app, which was available only in Chennai Suburban was extended across SR wallet rechargeouthern railway from April 14. The move enabled long distance passengers, who go from Chennai to Vijayawada, Ongole, Salem, Tirupati, Erode, Tiruchy and Madurai, to travel without paper tickets.

“Between April 14 and May 14, about 11.90 lakhs passengers travelled with 2.08 lakh unreserved tickets purchased through mobile app. As on May 23, on an average about 50,000 passengers patronised the app a day,” said Priyamvada Viswanathan, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Southern railway.During an interaction with reporters at railway headquarters in Chennai, she said railways is planning to increase the sale of unreserved tickets up to 10 per cent through mobile app. “Railways sells unreserved tickets for 20 lakh passengers a day. We are planning to increase the ticket sale to enable about two lakh more passengers to travel a day through mobile app,” she added.

Railway board decided to provide five percent bonus for R recharge value that is aimed at promoting the paperless ticket travel among general class passengers. Though the mobile app is well received among short-distance travellers, many long-distance passengers are reluctant to travel with paperless e-ticket fearing that if their mobiles get drained, they will be treated as ticketless passengers.

“In case passengers are unable to show their e-tickets in their mobile phone for various reasons, TTEs have been provided with gadgets to authenticate the ticket details with the help of passenger’s mobile number. In such incidents, passengers will not be treated as ticketless travellers,” added Viswanathan.
A press release said users can recharge their R wallet either at any unreserved counter at stations or by using their credit and debit cards in the app itself. “Recharge can also be done through the website www.utsonmobile.indianrail.gov.in. When recharge of R wallet is done through UTS counters, no extra service charges are levied and the entire amount is credited to the R wallet account,” the release said.

Travel made easy

To reduce hassles, paperless ticketing facility through UTS mobile app, which was available only in Chennai Suburban, was extended across Southern Railway from April 14

Railways is planning to increase the sale of unreserved tickets by up to 10 per cent through UTS mobile app

Southern Railway is offering a five per cent bonus for R wallet recharge value to promote digital payment. This means, when a passenger recharges for Rs 1,000, her wallet account will be credited with Rs 1,050

Chennai: Students’ shift to CBSE shows up in exam halls

10 per cent fall in number of students indicates rising preference for central board syllabus with eye on competitive exams



Published: 24th May 2018 02:45 AM |  



Schoolgirls checking their Class X public examination results at Nirmala School in Madurai on Wednesday | k k sundar

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The number of students,who took Class 10 State Board exams, has declined by 10 per cent from 11.19 lakh students in 2013 to 10.01 lakh this year. This hints that there is a prominent migration of students to CBSE. The Central government data reveals that the number of students, who wrote the CBSE Class 10 exams, tripled between 2010 and 2016.

The rate of decline has increased rapidly over the last couple of years because of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). This also means that a lesser number of CBSE students migrate to the State Board after completing Class 10.Ever since the introduction of the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act, 2010 or ‘Samacheer Kalvi’, many private matriculation schools have turned into CBSE schools, observed the principal of a private CBSE school in Chennai.

“Schools had the option of either adopting the State Board syllabus or moving to CBSE standard. This was the time when the number of CBSE schools in Chennai increased,” the principal said.This migration has created a perception that students have to study hard to crack competitive exams, opines Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System. “Since NEET came into the picture, students are studying only to crack these Central competitive exams. Which good educational system will motivate students to study only to crack exams?” he asked.

The School Education department too has revamped both syllabus and question paper pattern to ensure that students can crack these competitive exams. “We want even State Board students to have an equal capacity to crack competitive exams. We’ve been planning this revamp since 2011,” said Vasundradevi, Director of Government Examinations.

Refreshment seller shines among his peers
Tiruchy: Fourteen-year-old K Chandru (pic), who once sold refreshments near playgrounds to generate extra money for his family, has now emerged first in school. He scored 374 out of 500 among 17 others rescued by the Child Labour Elimination and Effective Rehabilitation Society (CHEERS) in the district. The boy, the eldest of five children, had to bear the family’s financial burden. “My family was in debt and I had no better option than to discontinue my studies and work,” Chandru said.

His father, A Kumar (37), is a painter who gets jobs off and on. Chandru’s mother, K Fathima (35), is a sanitation worker in a city-based college. “Due to my poverty, my parents did not force me to go to school,” Chandru said. CHEERS officials spotted the boy working during a survey in the locality. Soon, he was admitted to a special training centre (STC) near Khajapettai and then to R C Boys Higher Secondary School near here. He said that his parents were striving hard to make ends meet after he was sent to school.

Financier, relative kidnapped; released after paying Rs 33 lakh in Chennai
Accused befriended victim on pretext of securing biz loan.



Published: 26th May 2018 03:13 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A city-based financier and his relative were allegedly abducted by a four-member gang and were released after they paid the abductors Rs 33 lakh on Thursday.Police said C Mohan of West Mambalam runs a finance company along with four others at Vadapalani. On April 23, one Saravana Kumar approached him on the pretext of seeking a loan of Rs 20 lakh for a medical equipment manufacturing unit on OMR.

Saravana Kumar kept meeting Mohan often. “On Thursday, Mohan and his relative Manickam decided to visit the unit before granting the loan. Saravana Kumar offered to drive the duo in his car. He drove towards Tambaram claiming there was heavy traffic on OMR road. As the car reached Mappedu near Selaiyur, three unidentified men, who were said to be associates of Saravana Kumar, were waiting in another car,” said the investigation officer quoting Mohan.

Mohan, said in his complaint that the men asked the trio to shift cars and all of them were driven towards Tambaram. “A few minutes later, the four men threatened Mohan at knife-point and later demanded `1 crore and allegedly starting attacking him. After a while, the men settled for `33 lakh,” the officer said. Later, Mohan, was forced to call his staff at the company and asked them to bring `33 lakh and give it to another person who was waiting at Koyambedu.

“After the money was handed over, the gang took away around 28 sovereigns of gold jewellery and two mobile phones from the financier and his relative, blindfolded them and dropped them at Tambaram,” the officer said. The two reached home in an autorickshaw. On Friday, they filed a complaint with Vadapalani police. A special team has been formed to nab the culprits.

Early in May, a 23-year-old man Rajesh, was allegedly kidnapped by a five-member gang at Uthiramerur owing to previous enmity for a ransom of `15 lakh. However, the kidnappers abandoned Rajesh near a forest in Tiruvannamalai after withdrawing `15,000 using his debit card. Later, two men were arrested. In December 2017, M Ribaiudin (29) who owns a shop for manufacturing jewel bags and wholesale leather supply in MKB Nagar was kidnapped after he failed to return the money he had borrowed from one Abdul. However, police rescued him and arrested three men. In September 2017, a six-member gang was arrested for abducting a 60-year-old businessman Peer Mohammed from Tondiarpet and demanding a ransom of `80 lakh. They let the man off after getting `3 lak

Chennai: 68-year-old chasing thief killed in accident

Sexagenarian, riding without helmet, loses control of bike after jumping over a speed breaker; hunt on for suspect.



Published: 27th May 2018 04:40 AM | 



By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A 68-year-old man died after he tried to catch a man who snatched his bag, a few metres from the city police Commissioner’s office on Friday night.Initially, the Anna Square traffic investigation police registered an accident case against the victim, identified as M Rangarajan, a native of Tiruchy. “Rangarajan was riding a two-wheeler without a helmet and did not notice the speed breaker installed in front of the Commissioner’s office while chasing the snatcher. He lost control of the vehicle and fell down. Since, he was not wearing a helmet, he sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot,” said a police source.

An investigation revealed that Rangarajan’s bag was snatched by a person and while trying to chase the suspect he fell off the bike and died. The victim had come to the city on Friday morning by train.
“He would usually purchase gold bars from Sowcarpet and take them to Tiruchy to make ornaments and deliver them back to the shops in Chennai. On Friday, he had come to Chennai to collect the gold bars from Sowcarpet. While returning to Tiruchy, he was driving a two-wheeler to reach Egmore. He was to have handed over the bike to a person waiting at the station. As he was nearing his destination, an unidentified man snatched his bag and escaped,”said the officer. Rangarajan chased him on his bike, but failed to notice the speed breaker and fell over it.

Police posted at the Commissioner’s office rescued him and rushed him to a private hospital where they declared him ‘brought dead’. His body was later moved to the government hospital for autopsy.
Police have launched a search for the suspect. They have also collected CCTV camera footage from the nearby buildings to trace the suspect. Police said Rangarajan is survived by his wife and son.
This is not the first crime being reported near the Commissioner’s office. In March, a tea stall owner Tamil Selvan, was robbed at knife-point by a duo. However, they were nabbed by policemen who were on patrol duty.

In August last year, a three-member gang took away a motorbike from an MTC bus driver on EVR Periyar Salai (Poonamallee High Road), near the police commissioner’s office. The victim Krishnamoorthy, was on his way to work, when a gang escaped with his bike in a case of attention diversion.
In November 2016, a 17-year-old boy along with two friends snatched a handbag from a woman on the same street. A police constable who was on his way to work caught the boy after a brief chase.

Now, you can take direct metro from Airport to Chennai Central

Travelling in the city has just got easier. Now, you can board a metro from Airport, zip through the city and reach Chennai Central on the same air conditioned coach.



Published: 26th May 2018 03:14 AM 
 

CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Pon Radhakrishnan and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam taking a metro ride on Friday | D sampathkumar

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Travelling in the city has just got easier. Now, you can board a metro from Airport, zip through the city and reach Chennai Central on the same air conditioned coach. It will halt at some of the busiest transport hubs of the city – Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus, Egmore railway station and Central, where one can link with suburban trains. The metro that was not running to its capacity is expected to see a surge in footfall.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Housing And Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri flagged off the services in the 2.7km stretch between Nehru Park and Central and 4.5km from Saidapet to AG — DMS on Friday. They also inaugurated Egmore, Central, Saidapet, Nandanam, Teynampet and AG — DMS metro stations.

The most convenient and hassle free metro train connectivity to Central and Egmore - two busiest train stations, is expected to reduce congestion on roads. The Egmore and Central stations handle about 1.20 lakh passengers a day. The two stations have daily trains to all major cities across the country.

The chief minister also announced that metro line between Light House and Poonamallee via Vadapalani and Porur is being considered under the Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase II.He said the government has granted in principle approval to develop three stretches at an estimated cost of `76, 961 crore for about 107.77km under Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase II.

Alliance only in Vidhana Soudha, not in election, says JD(S) chief Deve Gowda

Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Saturday gave some anxious moments to the new coalition government in Karnataka.



Published: 27th May 2018 01:45 AM  


Former PM Deve Gowda (File | EPS)

 By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Saturday gave some anxious moments to the new coalition government in Karnataka when he said his party’s alliance with the Congress is limited to the Vidhana Soudha and he will do all he can to ensure JD(S) victory in an election.

“Yes, we are in a coalition government, but my party is not for sale. I have to ensure the survival of JD(S),” Gowda said while campaigning for the party candidate in Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency, where polling will be held on Monday.

“Alliance is only within Vidhana Soudha. It is my responsibility to ensure my party’s victory,” Gowda told supporters during a road show in Jalahalli locality. The election in the constituency was deferred after thousands of voter ID cards were found hoarded in an apartment.

After joining hands to form a government in the state, JD(S) and Congress had held negotiations to avoid a contest between the two in the constituency but had failed to reach an understanding.

On the last day of campaigning for the coveted seat, Gowda went all out to seek votes for JD(S) candidate Ramachandrappa. The 85-year-old, who began his roadshow from Chowdeshwari Nagar in an open vehicle, sought votes in his son and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s name. Incidentally, Congress candidate Munirathna also sought votes in Kumaraswamy’s name. “The Congress made Kumaraswamy the Chief Minister. Those supporting JD(S) should vote for Congress,” Munirathna said.

The fight is between Congress and JD(S) in the constituency despite B S Yeddyurappa campaigning for BJP’s Muniraju Gowda.

With a significant Vokkaliga population, Rajarajeshwari Nagar is JD(S)’s best chance to add to its tally of city seats (it has 2 seats while the Congress has 13 and BJP 11).

While the JD(S) is undecided on whether it will fight the election in Jayanagar constituency, where the polling will be held on June 11, Rajarajeshwari Nagar is a grudge fight for the party.

“Munirathna had assaulted some JD(S) corporators when he was MLA and that is why this contest is important for the party,” a JD(S) leader told TNIE.

Meanwhile, a city court on Saturday directed the police to include Sections 420, 465, 468, 471, 171F, 171F of the IPC in the case related to the seizure of voter ID cards in which Munirathna is an accused.

The complainant, Rakesh, had moved court after police had booked Munirathna under bailable sections. The court, on May 11, had directed the police to include additional sections in the FIR but the Jalahalli police had written to the court seeking permission to add sections. On Saturday, the court reiterated its directive

HC says no to blanket order on FIRs under IPC 

Special correspondent 
 
May 27, 2018 00:00 IST

Plea relates to provisions for obstructing public servant from discharging duty

The Madras High Court has refused to pass a blanket order directing the Tamil Nadu government and the police not to register a First Information Report (FIR) or a chargesheet for offences such as obstructing public servants from discharging their duties.

The First Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose recently disposed of a PIL filed by a lawyer called Balaji, seeking a direction to the police not to register an FIR or a chargesheet under Sections 172 to 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

In its order, the Bench said such blanket orders could not be issued and “certainly not in a public interest litigation”.

Any individual, however, had the alternative of filing a criminal revision application for quashing the proceedings on the ground of breach of the mandatory provisions of law, it added.

IPC Sections 172 to 188 deal with offences such as obstructing a public servant in discharging his public functions and disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant, among others.

The petitioner also sought a direction to the police not to register an FIR on the contention that the offences under the specific sections were non-cognisable.

Samayapuram jumbo taken to Mahalikudi 

C. Jaisankar 
 
TIRUCHI, May 27, 2018 00:00 IST


Elephant Masini with Gajendran, whom it trampled to death.
Pachyderm taken off temple duty, kept under observation

The Forest department has asked the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple authorities to keep elephant Masini, which trampled its mahout G. Gajendran to death on Friday, away from temple activities for three months.

The decision was taken after the visit of the Chief Conservator of Forest, Yogesh Singh, and senior officials of Forest, Animal Husbandry and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) departments to Mahalikudi, where the agitated elephant has keen kept under observation after being shifted from the temple on Friday evening.

Under stress

A team of veterinarians, led by N.S. Manoharan, forest veterinary surgeon, who inspected Masini, desisted from conducting physical tests considering the high level of stress that the jumbo was under. However, the vets conducted a behavioural observance test to study its aggressiveness.

District Forest Officer D. Sujatha told The Hindu that Masini was taken to Mahalikudi with the help of a few mahouts of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam and Sri Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari temple in Tiruvanaikoil. The elephant had started taking routine diet and it was obeying instructions of a retired mahout, whose services had been roped in.

A few additional steps have been taken to create a green ambience in the shelter. The elephant would be kept in the open space.

“We are closely watching Masini. It is found normal. However, there are reasons to believe that it is in a state of confusion after the loss of its instructor,” Ms. Sujatha said.

Since it required a few more weeks for the animal to calm down, it could not be involved in routine temple duties and festivals for three months. “The need of the hour is to keep Masini in a tranquil environment. It is not advisable to subject it to any physical examination immediately as it may increase its stress level,” said a senior veterinarian.

Meanwhile, after cleansing rituals and special pujas, the Sri Mariamman Temple was reopened to devotees on Saturday morning.

How copper came a cropper 
 
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 
 
CHENNAI, May 27, 2018 00:00 IST



Massive agitation:Anti-Sterlite protesters laying siege to the Collectorate, demanding the closure of the copper manufacturing unit in Thoothukudi on May 22.N. Rajesh 

An industrial unit becomes the focal point of agitations in Thoothukudi against pollution. The May 22 agitation and firing on anti-Sterlite protesters will go down in Tamil Nadu’s history as one of the most violent incidents of people-government interface

On May 22, 2018, the anger of locals over the pollution that industries in Thoothukudi were spewing reached a flashpoint. In the six days following the protest and police firing, the town remained on the boil. The district authorities are still trying to build confidence among the people. Twice shot, literally, the locals, who are mourning the death of 13 of their own, have begun to see the administration as adversaries.

The problem, though, goes back to the arrival of the Sipcot Industrial Estate over an area of 1,083 acres in 1994. It marked the beginning of a saga of struggle by the locals as the air over Thoothukudi was no more clean. Pollution levels started to go up and fishing, the mainstay of the town, was threatened.

A research paper published in the journal of the Geological Society of India’s July 2017 issue said numerous large- and small-scale industries in Thoothukudi had affected water quality by dumping effluents. It pointed out that the concentration of certain elements in groundwater exceeded the standard values prescribed by the WHO. It even named the polluting units, including Sterlite, Heavy Water Plant and Nila Sea Foods.

The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute reports of 1998, 1999, 2003 and 2005 on Sterlite Copper, the factory in the eye of the current storm, showed that the plant was polluting the environment through emissions that did not conform to the standards laid down by the TNPCB under the Air Act and Water Act. The Supreme Court, in its April 2013 order, slapped a fine of Rs. 100 crore on Sterlite, applying the polluter pays principle. On a couple of occasions, allegations of gas leak from Sterlite could not be confirmed as there were other industrial units in the vicinity that had the potential to cause pollution.

Fear and anger

In the last few months, the slogan, “Copper for Sterlite, cancer for people” has been heard in villages around the Sipcot complex in Thoothukudi. On the face of it, there seems to be no immediate provocation for the revival of the anti-Sterlite agitation, which began in 1994, in A. Kumareddiyapuram. There was, activists allege, much pent-up anger and frustration of the people over their inability to stop the opening of new units or expansion of existing ones (Sterlite Copper, in this instance) that, in their perception, would pollute the environment further. The agitation slowly attracted people from South Veerapandiapuram, Pandarampatti, Silverpuram, Madathur, Meelavittan, Ayyanadaippu, Sankaraperi and Mappillaiyoorani.

J. Veerapandi, a postgraduate in chemistry, and a local, claims: “These villages situated close to Sterlite Copper have been witnessing deaths caused by cancer and respiratory diseases, birth of children with congenital disorders and increased instances of miscarriage. The villagers suspect that these are caused by liquid and gaseous effluents discharged from the copper-manufacturing unit. And this anxiety, fear and anger brought the people together against the mega project.”

The earliest of the notable protests happened on March 20, 1996, when about 500 fishermen laid siege to cargo shipMV Reesathat was carrying raw materials for Sterlite. The ship had to be rerouted to Kochi from where copper ore was transported to Thoothukudi via road. The fishermen had their own fears. Having witnessed the effects of fly ash, the effluent discharged by the Tuticorin Thermal Power Station (TTPS) into the sea initially, they too opposed Sterlite Copper. “Our country boat fishermen used to harvest the delicious ‘kooni iraal’ (baby prawn) in areas where the fly ash was dumped by TTPS initially. As the dumping of the hot and polluting waste continued over a decade, the breeding ground of ‘kooni iraal’ at this point vanished. Apart from this, a few more tasty, small-fish varieties too disappeared from this area,” recalls S. Manoharan, a mechanised boat driver from Tharuvaikulam, a coastal hamlet near Thoothukudi.

Though the fishermen of Thoothukudi and nearby coastal hamlets had directly experienced the ill-effects of TTPS, the first coal-based power plant to come up in the region, they did not intensify their protest. But they had to pay a hefty price for it as they lost the revenue they could get by harvesting ‘kooni iraal’ and other varieties of fish. Though fly ash is now used for a range of purposes to give additional income to the project proponents, the damage already caused to the environment is immeasurable, they add.

When a fertilizer unit near Thoothukudi recently released inadequately treated water with huge content of ammonia into the sea, it killed several tonnes of fish that were washed ashore. Though the TNPCB, with the help of the Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi, could prove that the ammonia present in the effluent at the hazardous level had killed thousands of fish, the fertilizer unit was let off with a warning.

“Industrial heavy weights, for augmenting their revenue, are wiping out our livelihood with their improperly-treated effluents. All this cannot be tolerated anymore. That is why the anti-Sterlite protest has united everyone here; they see it as a voice against pollution in their area,” says S. James, a fish trader from Poobalarayarpuram.

Salt manufacturers also have a tough time with the effluents. “The suspended particulate matter coming down from the thick black smoke billowing from the nearby private coal-based thermal power plant seriously affects the quality of salt produced in my pan. As the black particles settle down on salt, its quality is compromised and, consequently, I get a lower price for my product, ” says A. Antony Dhanaraj, a salt producer near Tharuvaikulam. “Now, the circle is complete with industrial pollution becoming a common thread to link people from various sections of an otherwise divided society. When the dots are connected, it became a full-fledged protest against ‘one’ of the polluters,” observes A. Joseph Prem Anand of Manickapuram, who now lives in North Carolina. He coordinates the anti-Sterlite protests in the U.S.

Welcome worn out

Mr. Prem says that for more than two decades, Sterlite Copper has been a major polluter — a description acknowledged by the Supreme Court. Over the years, the toxic waste from the industry has polluted the air, water and land of Thoothukudi and its surroundings. A document authored in 2010 by Mark Chernaik of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide1 categorically states that “..copper smelting facilities have adverse environmental impacts that can extend for several tens of kilometres.”

The document demonstrates how the smelting complex in Thoothukudi “is endangering human health and the environment and contaminating water supplies.”

It also found toxic quantities of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and sulphates in soil samples from villages adjoining Sterlite Copper. These poisonous substances were found to have caused the death of livestock and adverse effects on the health of local villagers, even at that time, he argues.

When the copper smelter came into existence in 1996, local people thought the industrial development would provide job opportunities for local youth. But the cost of development has been disproportionate to any benefit it had for the local community, they say.

K. Kanagaraj of the CPI (M) says the initial euphoria of having a factory nearby wore off pretty quickly. On July 5, 1997, about 100 women workers of a nearby artificial flower plant fainted and were hospitalised. The cause could not be attributed to Sterlite since there were other units in the area with polluting potential.

On August 20, 1997, some employees of the TNEB, who were working in a nearby sub-station, were affected by continuous emission of concentrated sulphur dioxide. A blast that occurred at the unit on August 30, 1997, killed two contract workers and caused damage to an adjacent building and equipment, he recounts.

Incidence of cancer increased in Thoothukudi in 2009, 2010 and 2011, he claims and goes on to charge hospitals with not maintaining proper reports. The gas leak from the plant on March 23, 2013, sparked public outrage and fears that Thoothukudi would turn into the Bhopal of the south.

Fueling protests

More than the proliferation of chemical units in the SIPCOT industrial complex, what worries residents is the manner in which they get environmental clearance or resume operations after mandatory suspension. Sterlite Copper had to be shut down at least five times in the past on charges of violations or gas leak. But what added new vigour to the current agitation is the Centre’s approval for expansion of the copper smelter.

Fatima Babu of Thoothukudi, an environment activist, contends in a public interest litigation petition filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that Sterlite Copper obtained the sanction for expansion "by availing exemption from public consultation by misrepresenting location as being within a 'notified industrial estate/complex'." She claims that the location of the second copper smelter is within the Sipcot Thoothukudi Industrial Park, which is still at the planning stage and awaiting necessary environment clearances.

Documents obtained by her under the RTI Act reveal that the survey numbers of land needed for copper smelter expansion fell within the land earmarked for the proposed industrial park, she claims.

The expansion plan also fuelled the current bout of protests. There are many people who question the rationale behind allowing an industrial estate of chemical units at a distance of 14 km from the ecologically sensitive Gulf of Mannar Bioreserve, against the mandatory 25 km. The complex is also in close proximity to habitations of the coastal town.

In this context, they point out that the industrial complexes in Manali/Ennore, Ranipet, Cuddalore, Mettur and Thoothukudi have become “environmental hotspots.”

( With inputs from S. Annamalai in Madurai, and P. Sudhakar and J. Praveen Paul Joseph in Thoothukudi )

Villages close to Sterlite Copper have been witnessing deaths caused by cancer

J. Veerapandi

Thoothukudi resident

Industrial heavy- weights are wiping out our livelihood with improperly treated effluents

S. James

Fish trader
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Pilot’s timely intervention saves baby

Vikram.Vinod@timesgroup.com

Kochi: 27.05.2018
Timely intervention by a pilot on board a Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru flight last week saved the life of a fourmonth-old baby. Captain Nishanth Nair, commander of the Air Asia flight, diverted the flight to Hyderabad to save the baby of a biscuit factory worker.

On May 23, Odisha native Singari Singh boarded the aircraft with his daughter, wife Pulasi Singh and friend Subal Sahu to take the baby to Narayana Hrudayalaya hospital in Bengaluru to get her treated for her heart problem.

About 40 minutes ahead of the flight’s landing, the baby became breathless after being breastfed. When senior cabin crew member Priyanka Pradhan informed the pilots that a doctor onboard has advised that child must be deplaned and provided immediate medical care, they decided to divert the flight to Hyderabad.

“We contacted Hyderabad ATC and informed them of the situation. Within 25 minutes we landed and all preparations were in place to receive the child,” said Nishanth Nair, a pilot based in Bengaluru with 16-years of aviation experience under his belt. 

Guruvayur Devaswom’s 40-yr-old elephant dies

Thrissur: 27.05.2018

Vineeth Krishnan, a 40-year-old tusker belonging to Guruvayur Devaswom, died at Aanakotta, the elephant yard of the Devaswom.

Devaswom veterinarian Dr Muraleedharan said that the elephant was not keeping well for the past couple of years. The elephant was not being paraded in the festival for the past two-and-a-half years considering its ailing condition, he said.

The elephant was not taking proper food for the past one year, and it had developed edema in the lower portion of the stomach. It was not able to walk properly.

The veterinarian said that the elephant fell down about five days ago, and it was lifted up using a crane. There was a slight improvement in its conditions for about three days after that, following the treatment. However, it fell down and died on Saturday morning. TNN 



TRAGIC END: The elephant was not being paraded in the festival for the past two-and-ahalf years considering its condition

‘Govt can’t do much if monkey attacks a person in his house’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Varanasi: 27.05.2018

Reacting to recent incidents of dogs and monkeys attacking people across the state, UP urban development minister Suresh Khanna said if a monkey attacked a person in his house, there was not much that ‘satta’ (power) could do.

Khanna was in Varanasi on Saturday to attend an event to mark the completion of four years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.

The minister was answering a question about what the state government was doing to crack down on feral dogs killing children in Sitapur and increasing incidents of bulls and monkeys attacking residents in Varanasi.

Earlier during the event, Khanna, who is also the minister in charge of Varanasi, gave an account of ₹29,527-crore corpus sanctioned by the Centre for over 400 development projects gifted by Modi to Varanasi — which is his parliamentary constituency — in the last four years.

Lauding the achievements of the Modi government, he said, “As many as 271 projects worth ₹966.11 crore have been completed so far, while 69 others worth ₹8,513.59 crore are in progress. The completion of these projects will improve basic infrastructure as well as facilities in education, health and tourism in Varanasi.”

Didn’t take tuitions, says CBSE topper

Shikha.Salaria@timesgroup.com

Noida: 27.05.2018

Meghna Srivastava, a student of Step By Step School, Sector 132, Noida, has emerged as the all-India topper this year in CBSE Class XII examinations by scoring 499 marks or 99.8%. She is the second girl from the city to achieve the feat consecutively for two years.

A humanities student, Meghna says she is thrilled at the achievement and is trying hard to deal with the sudden media attention.

In fact, the attention is here to stay for a while as she scored 100/100 marks in four subjects — psychology, geography, history and economics — and 99 in English.

Most of the CBSE officials TOI spoke to said this might be the highest score a student has got so far in the Class XII board exams.

While Meghna had been a diligent and a consistent student throughout, the CBSE economics paper leak controversy did upset her, she admitted. “It was really upsetting because I had studied really hard for the economics paper. It was very frustrating when I got to know that there was going to be a re-test. But it was good that it turned out to be as good as my first paper,” she told media persons.

Meghna said she wants to pursue psychology as her major and hopes to get admission in University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

A singer, a voracious reader and an active volunteer of an NGO at her school Step By Step in Sector 132, the 17-yearold says she can’t remember the number of hours she had been devoting to her studies every day.


DELIGHTED: Meghna Srivastava, a student of Step By Step School, Noida, has emerged as the all-India topper this year in CBSE Class XII exams

Separatist’s daughter is topper in J&K

Srinagar: Sama Shabir, daughter of separatist leader Shabir Shah, has topped in Jammu and Kashmir in the CBSE Class XII results . A student of Delhi Public School Athwajan here, Sama Shabir secured 97.8% marks, an official of the school said.

She is the daughter of Jammu Kashmir democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) chief Shabir Shah who is currently lodged in Tihar jail. Shah was arrested in September by the Enforcement Directorate in a case of alleged terror funding in the valley to fuel unrest. Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti congratulated Sama on her success and said she was “truly an inspiration for the youth of our state”. PTI

NATURE’S FURY: Vehicular movement has been banned after a major portion of the road running parallel to the Sanghumugham beach in Thiruvananthapuram caved in under the onslaught of waves during heavy rain

toi   27.05.2018
 

BIKE GANGS ON THE PROWL ON CHENNAI STREETS

Woman nabs biker who threatened her with knife after chase

TIMES NEWS NETWORK   27.05.2018

Chennai:

A 31-year-old woman suffered injuries after she chased and nabbed a man who was following her car and, when confronted, threatened her with a knife at Pallavaram on Friday. The man was tailgating the car on a bike with another man riding pillion.

The police identified the man as Hariharan, 22, of Chromepet. The Pallavaram police arrested and remanded him in prison for threatening and harassing Sridevi alias Radha, of Pallavaram.

Sridevi and her husband Chandrasekar, who runs a travel office in Pallavaram, were heading to their office when the incident took place. Sridevi in her complaint claimed that she saw two men following her car for more than 2km.

As they came close to her car she sped fast it. The police said Sridevi got tensed as the bikers again came close to her car and pulled out a foot-long knife and banged it against the car’s window. While she tried to push them away she suffered injury on her hand. As she screamed for help a policeman on a patrolling bike saw this and followed the two on bike.

Sridevi also followed the two and cornered the bike after a brief chase. By the time, the policeman on bike also arrived at the spot. On seeing this, Hariharan’s friend Purushothaman, also hailing from Chromepet, fled the scene. The policeman and other passersby nabbed Hariharan. They seized the knife from him.

Later, Hariharan was taken to Pallavaram police station. The police registered a case and arrested Hariharan. During questioning, Hariharan told the police the woman was driving very fast and he escaped narrowly from being hit by the car. He claimed to have chased the car to stop it. But as she kept driving on he threatened her with a knife.

Sridevi was treated at a private hospital.

Arts and science seats open, promise colleges

Vinayashree.J@timesgroup.com 
 
27.05.2018

Year on year, one of the biggest concerns for CBSE students is losing out seats in arts and science colleges to state board peers who usually end up getting results earlier. This year, however, there is good news for CBSE students with some colleges in the city still in the process of putting out the first selection list and strengthening their belief the have a fair chance of getting into the institution of their choice.

“This time, CBSE students have a greater advantage when compared to last year. The first list will be out on May 29 for our college and this gives enough time for both CBSE and state board students to be considered on the basis of merit,” said Anthony Samy, faculty member at Loyola College. The fact that the result dates between the two boards were closer this time had also helped matters, he added.

This year, the CBSE results were out within 10 days of the state board Class XII results compared to the previous year when there was a gap of nearly 18 days, making more seats available for a larger section of students from both boards.

New College too is putting out its first selection list on May 29. “Since we were expecting the CBSE results to be declared on May 28, we were waiting to give students from state board and CBSE a fair shot. Now that the results are out earlier than expected, we will be putting out a combined list on Tuesday,” said principal Major Zahid Hussain. While MOP Vaishnav and Stella Maris have released first selection lists, faculty members said there were enough seats for CBSE students to apply.

Experts say top arts and science colleges in the city earmark nearly 10% of the seats for CBSE and other board students but students appear to be thinking two steps ahead, with many applying to colleges outside the city. Gautami Potulwar of Chettinad Vidyashram who scored 84% said the 10-day gap gave them less time to apply for colleges and therefore was a disadvantage. “I would feel comfortable if colleges could give provisional admissions provided a certain score is secured, failing which the admission could be rejected,” said Potulwar, who has applied to Christ University in Bengaluru as she felt it had an easier admission process. Vinaya Ramaswamy, who scored 82%, has applied to colleges in Bengaluru and Pune.

“I’ve applied to colleges in other cities as well, although my preference is Chennai since there is pressure for courses which are in demand. Students had rushed to apply to colleges such as MOP, Stella, Women’s Christian College and Madras Christian College as soon as the results came out since the admissions for these courses are fast moving,” she added.

(With inputs by Aarthi Kirushnan)


SOUGHT-AFTER: Popular courses across colleges like BCom, BSc computer science and maths, BBA, BA English are in demand among students

HELP AT HAND

After the results were declared on Saturday, CBSE opened a counseling helpline for students and parents struggling to cope with poor marks and to answer any result related queries. The toll-free number is being handled by trained counsellors from 8am to 10pm on all days till June 9. Expert volunteers like principals, special educators and psychologists are available for counselling. Students can call 1800 11 8004 from any part of the country. They can also click the helpline tab on the website cbse. nic.in for techniques to cope up with resultrelated anxiety. TNN

CBSE STUDENTS END ON A HIGH NOTE AFTER A YEAR OF TRIALS 

Question Leak. Anxious Wait. Re-Exam. And Then 10% Score Above 90%

TIMES NEWS NETWORK   27.05.2018

Rumours of paper leaks did the rounds soon after students stepped out of the exam halls and debates raged about whether re-tests would have to be conducted for various papers. This season for CBSE students was full of pressures but in the end, the students seem to have emerged victorious with more than 10% of those who appeared for the exam securing above 90%. Though the idea of rewriting the economics paper was daunting one, many managed to score high in the subject.

Nitin, a Class XII student who was worried about the leak said it turned out to be a pleasant surprise and the reexam was not as bad an ordeal as he had imagined. “While the idea of writing one more exam was annoying at first, all that was forgotten when we saw our marks.”

The taint of a leak was somewhat forgotten when the students realised the evaluation seemed fair. “The correction was fair in my opinion. Though we wrote the paper for a second time, it turned out to be easy. I got the marks I expected; just one or two marks differed for me,” said Shruthi, a student. Another student said that though the physics paper was slightly difficult and some questions were out of syllabus, the correction was lenient.

Several schools reported that many candidates had been able to secure scores in the 490 range with some managing 493 and 492. This seems to be in contrast with the evaluation pattern of the state board which this time did not give in to the craze for centums and clamour for toppers, leaning toward a more practical correction method.

Vasanthi, correspondent of Sishya School in Hosur, said that the management was happy with the results and that the students had managed to score well across the board. “We felt the performance has been upped this year,” she said.

When it came to the overall performance of the Chennai region which saw a slight dip last year when compared to the previous year, this time, the pass percentage has improved from 92.6 to 93.87.

Yet again, it was the girls who outperformed the boys with 95.63% over 92.46%. The Chennai region that comprises nine states including Tamil Nadu came in second after Trivandrum region (95.62) and is followed by the Delhi region at 88.37%.

Although the schools in the state reported good performances, no student from Tamil Nadu or other southern states was able to make it to the list of nine toppers that was released by the CBSE on Saturday. The list had the top three scores secured in the country of 499, 498 and 497.

(With inputs by Parinita Venkat) 

RETURN OF THE RETIREES 

Many seniors who are mentally agile and physically fit, are rolling up their sleeves to get back to work in companies that are looking for experienced hands

Priya.Menon@timesgroup.com 27.05.2018

Narayanan has worked close to 40 years as a mechanical engineer. But when the 63-year-old came across an initiative that helps retired senior citizens find a second career, he was quick to respond. The former deputy general manager is willing to shift from Bengaluru, where he is based, to wherever work takes him.

“I am healthy, have worked hard all my life and find sitting idle at home difficult,” says Narayanan. “I am financially sound and doing a small-time job with a partner but am looking for a fulltime job. I love meeting people and keeping myself busy.”

As life expectancy increases with better healthcare, India is seeing the rise of a new unemployed class – senior citizens who are mentally agile, physically fit and seeking to start a new career along with a new phase of their lives. Equipped with a lifetime of skills and a treasure trove of experiences, it is an aspiring workforce that is waiting to join the ranks. And a few startups and companies are looking at harnessing the untapped potential and make their silver innings golden.

An all-India survey by HUM Communities, an online community-based job platform dedicated to finding and creating job opportunities for the elderly showed that of the 2,943 people interviewed, 80% of the men and 55% women, who had worked at some point in their lives, were open to new ventures.

Greying populations are a challenge for several countries, and many have upped the age of retirement. Japan has approved plans for raising the optional age for drawing public pension to 71 or older as the country is facing labour shortage, increasing welfare cost and an aging population. Japan will also consider raising the mandatory retirement age to 65 from 60 for some 3.4 million civil servants.

In India, the age of retirement for central government employees is 60 while it is 58 in the private sector. “There is a large pool of retired Central government employees, who have vast experience and their skills are not being utilised,” says Chennai-based Commodore (retd) D Seshagiri Rao.

Rao, a mechanical engineer, spent 21 years in the Indian Navy, then joined the merchant navy and later worked for multiple companies abroad. “When I retired at 63, I had no contacts in India as I had spent many years working abroad and wasn’t able to find work here,” says the 71-year-old.

While working after retirement has its financial benefits, many are also looking at the psychological pluses and are not particular about pay or post, and some of them don’t mind part-time work. J Ranganadham, 69, a chartered accountant, says he wants to continue working on an assignment basis. “I retired six months ago but have the skill and energy to work for some more years,” he says. “Now, 60 is considered young, and often people are fit enough to work till 65. But maybe because some industries want to provide opportunities to the younger generation, they are making older people retire soon.”

A few companies have discovered the latent market. P R Manikantan, chief HR and training officer, Tevel Cyber Corps Private Limited, a city-based cyber security startup, says they are in need of technical people who can work as consultants. “We do have multiple opportunities for seniors, we employ them as they have skill and experience and it is also a cost-effective means to tap talent,” he says.

V Muthuswamy, executive, who looks after marketing and HR at Ultramax Hydrojet Pvt Ltd, is on his second innings at work. “I retired as an administrative officer and joined this company,” he says. “I am now 70, hale and hearty and still working.”

His company prefers hiring seniors. “The management prefers retired people as they are free of personal encumbrances, are focussed on work, and won’t spend most of their time on cellphones like younger people do,” says Muthuswamy, who handles both the HR and marketing divisions.


Now, 60 is considered young and often people are fit enough to work till 65

J Ranganadham | RETIRED CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 



NEW WORKFORCE: R Manikantan, chief HR and training officer, Tevel Cyber Corps Private Limited, says they hire seniors as they have skill and experience

TN CBSE students may have upper hand in engg this year
7,500 Register For Anna Univ Counselling 
 
Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai 27.05.2018

: Students of CBSE schools in Tamil Nadu, whose performance in this year’s Class XII boards has been high, may stand a better chance than their state board counterparts

of securing admissions to top engineering colleges. A tough Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced, for entry to IITs and NITs, and National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET), for medical admissions, have meant that many CBSE students are flocking to Anna University counselling this year, say academicians.

Official data shows that the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) portal received nearly 7,500 registrations from CBSE students across the state, against 5,500 last year and close to 3,000 in 2012.

While more than 10% of CBSE science students scored 90% or above in the Class XII exams, whose results were announced on Saturday, a mere 3 % of TN state board science students bagged similar scores, indicating that more number of CBSE students could find themselves on top of the TNEA rank list, prepared on board exam scores, say experts.

Official data suggests that CBSE students normally consider TNEA counselling an option that they would choose only if they do not perform well in JEE, NEET or entrance tests conducted by top deemed universities. Many of them usually do not mind paying the token advance (nearly ₹5,000) at the TNEA counselling venue if they get an admission in any of the top engineering colleges. Several don’t report to the colleges concerned before the deadline, leaving seats vacant, said educational consultant Moorthy Selvakumar. “As a result, a deserving candidate from TN state board is denied admission to these top colleges and the seats are either allotted to undeserving candidates through management quota in case of self-financing colleges or to lateral entry students in case of government colleges,” he said. 



Topper just 1 short of perfect score

A Noida girl has stopped just short of hitting the ceiling in CBSE’s Class XII board exams, becoming, in the process, the all-India topper, reports Manash Gohain. Meghna Srivastava, a humanities student, scored one mark more than last year’s topper, Raksha Gopal, getting the highest-ever CBSE score of 499 of 500. P 14

‘Drop in state board results due to toppers migrating to CBSE’

The government, Selvakumar suggested, could come up with a separate quota for other board students depending on the number of applications received to create a level playing field.

On the other hand, Ashok Shankar of the Tamil Nadu CBSE Schools Management Association, said that all these years, state board students had the upper hand with regard to Anna University counselling as CBSE evaluation was comparatively very strict.

This year Tamil Nadu CBSE students performed better as the evaluation was slightly liberal due to controversies around economics paper leak. “Also, many bright students from state board schools migrated to CBSE schools after Class X. That is why there is a drop in performance of state board schools,” he added.

ஜியோ வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு மற்றுமொரு மகிழ்ச்சியான செய்தி! 8 ஜிபி டேட்டா இலவசம்!

By ராக்கி | Published on : 26th May 2018 04:32 PM |



டிஜிட்டல் உலக ஜீவிகளாக மாறிவிட்ட பலருக்கு ஜியோ தனது வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு தரும் சலுகைகளைப் போல வேறெந்த நிறுவனமும் அளித்ததில்லை எனலாம். அந்தளவுக்கு வாடிக்கையாளர்களை கவரும் வகையில் பல புதிய சலுகைகளை அறிவித்த வண்ணம் இருக்கும் ஜியோ நிறுவனம் தற்போது 8-ஜிபி டேட்டா இலவசமாக வழங்குவதாக அறிவித்துள்ளது.



ஐபிஎல் போட்டிகள் துவங்கியதும், ஜியோ நிறுவனம் இந்தப் புதிய சலுகைகளை அறிவிக்க தொடங்கியது. அதிலும் குறிப்பாக ரூ. 251 ரீசார்ஜ் திட்டத்தில் தினமும் 4ஜிபி டேட்டா வழங்கப்படும் என்று தெரிவித்திருந்தது. 51 நாட்கள் செயல்படும் இந்த திட்டத்தில் தினமும் 4-ஜிபி டேட்டா வழங்கப்படும் என்ற செய்தி வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு கொண்டாட்டமாகிவிட்டது. மேலும் ரூ. 251 திட்டத்தில் கிரிக்கெட் டீஸர் என்னும் திட்டத்தை அறிவித்து அதில் கூடுதலாக 8-ஜிபி டேட்டாவை வழங்கியது.



இதற்கெல்லாம் டாப்பாக தற்போதும் மீண்டும் ஒரு புதிய ஆஃபரை ஜியோ நிறுவனம் வழங்கியுள்ளது. அதன்படி, ரூ. 101 ரீசார்ஜ் திட்டத்தில் கூடுதலாக 8-ஜிபி டேட்டா வழங்குவதாக தெரிவித்துள்ளது. அதாவது, நாளுக்கு 2 ஜிபி டேட்டா வீதம் மே 25 முதல் மே 29 வரை 5 நாட்களுக்கு 8 ஜிபி இலவச டேட்டா வழங்கப்படுகிறது. மேலும் ஜியோவின் மற்றொரு அறிவிப்பு என்னவென்றால் Add on Offer சலுகையொன்றினை தமது வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு இலவசமாக வழங்குகிறது. அதன்படி வாடிக்கையாள்ரகள் பேசவோ அல்லது மெசேஜ் அனுப்பவோ முடியாது, ஆனால் டேட்டாவை பயன்படித்தி விடியோ மற்றும் இணைய சேவைகளுக்கு பயன்படுத்தலாம்.

நன்மையும் தீமையும் நம்மால்தான்

By எஸ்ஏ. முத்துபாரதி  |   Published on : 26th May 2018 01:15 AM 

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நம் நாட்டில் நடக்கும் லஞ்சம், ஊழல் உட்பட அனைத்துக் குற்றங்களுக்கும் காரணம் பொதுமக்களாகிய நாம்தான். இது சற்று அதிர்ச்சியாக இருக்கலாம். ஆனால், அதுதான் உண்மை. நமக்கானஆட்சியாளர்கள் குறித்து நாம் பெருமைப்படுவது, குற்றம் சொல்வது எல்லாவற்றையும் நமது மனநிலைதான் நிர்ணயம் செய்கிறது.

பொதுவாக நமக்கு இது தெரிந்ததுதான். ஆனால் நாம் எப்போது மிகவும் கவனமாகச் செயல்பட வேண்டுமோ, அப்போது ஏதோ ஒரு மயக்கத்தில் தவறான முடிவை எடுத்து விடுகிறோம். ஒரு நேரத்தில், ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட சதவிகித மக்கள் எடுக்கும் முடிவே நாட்டின் ஒட்டுமொத்த மக்களுக்கும் பலன் தருவதாகவோ அல்லது பாதிப்படைவதாகவோ அமைந்து விடுகிறது.
ஒரு நாட்டைப் பொருத்தவரைஅல்லது ஒரு மாநிலத்தைப் பொருத்தவரைஅரசு அலுவலகங்களில் நடைபெறும் செயல்பாடுகள் அனைத்தும் பொதுமக்களின் நலனுக்காகத்தான். ஆனால், மக்களின் வரிப்பணத்தில் சம்பளம் பெறும் அரசு ஊழியர்கள் எப்போதும் அதை மறந்து விடுகிறார்கள்.

அரசு அலுவலகங்களில் எந்த ஒரு செயலுக்கும் ஏதாவது ஒரு கூடுதல் பலனை எதிர்பார்க்கும் ஓர் அநாகரிக நிலைமை இன்று ஏற்பட்டுவிட்டது. இதற்கு மிக முக்கிய காரணம் திருவாளர் பொதுஜனம்தான்.
பொதுமக்களில் யாராவது ஒருவர் ஏதாவது ஓர் அலுவலுக்காக அரசு அலுவலகத்தை அணுகினால், அவருடைய வேலை முடிவடைவதற்கு குறிப்பிட்ட கால அவகாசம் ஆகக்கூடும் என்று அங்குள்ள ஊழியர் கூறினால் அதுவரை பொதுஜனம் பொறுத்திருக்க வேண்டும்.
ஆனால், மாண்புமிகு பொதுஜனம் தனது அவசரத்திற்கு ஏற்றபடி அரசு ஊழியருக்கு ஏதாவது ஒரு பலன் கிடைக்கும்படிச் செய்து, தனது சொந்த வேலையைக் குறிப்பிட்ட காலத்திற்கு முன்பாகவே முடித்து வாங்கிச் சென்று விடுவார். இங்குதான் லஞ்சம் ஆரம்பமாகிறது.

இப்படி ஒருவரிடம் வாங்கிய பின்னர், அந்த ஊழியருக்கு இயல்பாகவே மற்றவர்களிடமும் எதையாவது எதிர்பார்க்கத் தோன்றும். அப்படிக் கிடைக்காதபோது, அவர்களின் வேலையை முடித்துத் தராமல் வேண்டுமென்றே காலம் தாழ்த்துவது நடக்கும். பிறகு, வேறு வழியின்றிஅவரைஅணுகி விவரம் கேட்டால்,கையூட்டுக்கான சமிக்ஞையை வெளிப்படுத்துவார். பிறகு நமது பொதுஜனம் மேலும் காத்திருக்கப் பொறுமையின்றி தன்னால் இயன்றதைக் கொடுத்து வேலை முடித்துக் கொண்டு விடுவார்.

சாதாரண பிறப்பு சான்றிதழ் வாங்குவதில் ஆரம்பித்து, சொத்துகள் வாங்கும் பத்திரப்பதிவு வரை - நூறு ரூபாயிலிருந்து லட்சக்கணக்கான ரூபாய் வரை - வேலைக்குத் தகுந்தபடியும் வேலையின் மதிப்பிற்குத் தகுந்தபடியும், இடத்திற்கு ஏற்றபடியும், அவசரத்திற்கு ஏற்றபடியும் தொகை மாறிக்கொண்டே இருக்கும். நிலைமை இப்படியிருக்க, நாம் இந்தச் சமூகத்தில் யாரைக் குற்றம் சொல்வது?

அடுத்ததாக ஊழல். அதைப் பற்றி சொல்லவே வேண்டாம். அங்கிங்கெனாதபடி எங்கும் நீக்கமற நிறைந்திருக்கும் இந்த ஊழல், உலகில் அனைத்து நாடுகளிலும் ஏதோ ஓர் அளவில் இருந்துகொண்டுதான் இருக்கிறது. சில இடங்களில் நூற்றுக்கு ஐந்து சதவீதமாகவும் பல இடங்களில் நூற்றுக்கு தொண்ணூறு சதவீதமாகவும் இருக்கிறது. இதுபோன்ற முறையற்ற வழிகளில் சென்றால்தான் வேலை முடியும் என்ற நிலையே எங்கும் உள்ளது. நாட்டுக்கு நாடு பணமதிப்பும், பணத்தின் பெயரும் மாறியிருந்தாலும் முறையற்ற செயல்கள் என்பது சர்வதேச அளவில் எங்கும் பொதுவாகத்தான் இருக்கிறது.

இப்படிப்பட்ட லஞ்சம், ஊழல் போன்ற முறையற்ற செயல்களை நாம் பட்டியலிட்டாலும், அத்தனைக்கும் அடிப்படையாக இருப்பது, மனிதனின் மனதில் எழும் பேராசைதான். எதையும் முறையான வழியில் செய்வோம்; குறிப்பிட்ட வேலைக்காக விண்ணப்பித்திருந்தால் முறைப்படி நமக்கான முறை வரும்போது நமது வேலையை முடித்துக் கொள்ளலாம் என்று காத்திருப்பதே முறையானது. நமது முறை வரும் முன் அவசரப்படுவதும், அதற்காக ஏதாவது குறுக்கு வழியைக் கையாள்வதும்தான் அனைத்துக் குற்றங்களுக்கும் காரணமாக அமைந்து விடுகின்றன. எதையும் நேர்மையான வழியில் சென்று செய்து முடிக்க வேண்டும் என்கிற உணர்வு நமக்கு எப்போதும் இருக்க வேண்டும்.

ஏதோ ஒரு பலன் கிடைக்கிறது என்பதற்காக நாமும் முறையற்ற வழியில் பிறருக்கு வேலை செய்து கொடுக்கவும் கூடாது. பிறர் நேர்மையாக இருக்க வேண்டும் என்று நாம் எண்ணும்போது நமக்கும் அது பொருந்துமல்லவா?
கையூட்டு எனும் லஞ்சம் வாங்குபவர்கள் மற்றும் பல்வேறு விதமான ஊழலுக்கு உடந்தையாக இருப்பவர்கள் சொல்லும் ஒரே காரணம் - 'இந்தப் பலன் எனக்கு மட்டும் அல்ல, மேலதிகாரிகள் வரை பலருக்கும் சேர்த்துதான்' என்பதுதான்.

முறையற்ற செயலுக்கு எத்தனை பேர் கூட்டாளிகள்? அரசு ஊழியர்கள், அதிகாரிகள், அரசியல்வாதிகள் ஆகியோர் வேற்று கிரகத்திலிருந்தா வருகிறார்கள்? அவர்கள் நம்மிலிருந்து சென்றவர்கள்தானே. நாம்தான் நமக்கான பிரதிநிதிகளைத் தேர்வு செய்கிறோம். எனவே, அவர்கள் பதவியில் இருந்து கொண்டு முறையற்ற வழியில் சம்பாதிப்பதும் நமக்குத் தவறாகவே தெரிவதில்லை.

சமூகத்தில் முறையற்ற வழியில் பணம் சம்பாதித்து பெரிய மனிதர்களாக வலம் வருபவர்களைப் பற்றிப் பலரும் பெருமையாக பேசும்போது, தவறான வழியில் பொருள் ஈட்டுவது தவறில்லை என்கிற மனநிலை மற்றவர்களுக்கும் உருவாக்கி விடும். ஆகவே, பொதுமக்களாகிய நாம்தான் சரியான மக்கள் பிரதிநிதிகளை அடையாளம் கண்டு ஆதரிக்க வேண்டும்; அவர்கள் தவறு செய்யும்போது அவர்களை நிராகரிக்கவும் வேண்டும்!

ஜெயலலிதா பேசிய ஆடியோ வெளியீடு: சிகிச்சை பெற்றபோது பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டதாக தகவல்

By சென்னை, | Published on : 27th May 2018 02:01 AM


சென்னை அப்பல்லோ மருத்துவமனையில் சிகிச்சை பெற்ற தனக்கு ஏற்பட்ட மூச்சுத் திணறலைப் பதிவு செய்யக் கூறும் போது ஜெயலலிதா பேசிய சிறு உரையாடலில் வெளியாகியுள்ளது. ஜெயலலிதா மரணம் தொடர்பாக விசாரணை நடத்தி வரும் நீதிபதி ஆறுமுகசாமி ஆணையத்தில் இந்த உரையாடல் சனிக்கிழமை தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டது.

இந்த உரையாடலை சசிகலாவின் உறவினரும், மருத்துவருமான சிவக்குமார் தாக்கல் செய்தார்.

கடந்த 2016 செப்.22-ஆம் தேதி, சென்னை அப்பல்லோ மருத்துவமனையில் ஜெயலலிதா சிகிச்சைக்காக அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டார். அவருக்கு மூச்சுத் திணறல் அடிக்கடி ஏற்படவே அதுகுறித்து மருத்துவருக்குத் தெரிவிக்க அதனைப் பதிவு செய்யும்படி, சசிகலாவின் உறவினரும் மருத்துவருமான சிவக்குமாரிடம் ஜெயலலிதா கோருகிறார்.

ஒரு நிமிடம் ஏழு விநாடிகள்: ஆடியோ உரையாடல் ஒரு நிமிடம் ஏழு விநாடிகள் வரை நீள்கிறது. இந்த உரையாடலுடன் ஜெயலலிதா தனது உணவு வகைகள் குறித்த பட்டியலையும் அவரே கைப்பட எழுதித் தந்ததாக மருத்துவர் சிவக்குமார் ஆணையத்தில் விவரங்களைத் தாக்கல் செய்தார்.
அதன்படி, கடந்த 2016 ஆக.2-ஆம் தேதி உடல் எடை 106.9 கிலோவாகவும், காலை உணவாக ஒன்றரை இட்லி, நான்கு துண்டு ரொட்டி, காபி 400 மி.லி, மதியம் ஒன்றரை கப் சாதம், கொழுப்பு இல்லாத தயிர் ஆகியனவும், இரவு உணவாக அரை கப் உலர் பழங்களும், இட்லி உப்புமா ஒரு கப், தோசை 1, ரொட்டி 2 துண்டுகள் ஆகியவற்றைப் பட்டியலிட்டு அவற்றைத் தான் உண்டு வந்ததாகக் கூறி ஜெயலலிதா எழுதித் தந்ததாக சிவக்குமார் தாக்கல் செய்த ஆவணத்தில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

2016 செப்.27-ஆம் தேதி பதிவு செய்யப்பட்ட உரையாடல் விவரம்...
ஜெயலலிதா: மூச்சுத் திணறல் கேட்கிறதா?
சிவக்குமார்: பெரிசா இல்லை.
ஜெயலலிதா: அப்போ இருந்த போது கூப்பிட்டேன். அப்போது எடுக்க முடியவில்லை என்றீர்கள்.
சிவக்குமார்: விஎல்சி (பதிவு செய்வதற்கான மென்பொருள்) அப்ளிகேஷன் டவுன்லோடு பண்ணிக் கொண்டிருந்தேன்.
ஜெயலலிதா: என்ன ஒண்ணு கிடக்க, ஒண்ணு.
சிவக்குமார்: சரி. சரி.
ஜெயலலிதா: நீங்களும் சரி. எடுக்க முடியலன்னா விடுங்க.
(இதைத் தொடர்ந்து, பேச முடியாமல் இருமுகிறார்.....ஜெயலலிதா)
ஜெயலலிதா: நல்லா வருதே....வீல் வீல்-னு...தியேட்டரில் பிரண்ட் சீட்டில் விசில் அடிக்கிற மாதிரி.
இதனிடையே, ஜெயலலிதாவுக்கு ரத்த அழுத்தத்தின் அளவை வேறொரு மருத்துவர் பரிசோதிக்கிறார். அப்போது அவரிடம்...
ஜெயலலிதா: எவ்வளவு
மருத்துவர்: 140-80 இருக்கு. கொஞ்சம் உயர்வா இருக்கு.
ஜெயலலிதா: எனக்கு இது ஓ.கே. நார்மல் தான்.

சி.பி.எஸ்.இ., தேர்வில் மாணவர்கள் சாதனை

Added : மே 27, 2018 00:21

காரைக்குடி:சி.பி.எஸ்.இ., பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வு முடிவுகள் நேற்று வெளியிடப்பட்டன.காரைக்குடி செட்டிநாடு பப்ளிக் பள்ளி 100 சதவீத தேர்ச்சி பெற்றது. அனைத்து மாணவர்களும் 60 சதவீதத்துக்கும் மேல் மதிப்பெண் பெற்றனர்.வணிகவியல் பிரிவை சேர்ந்த ஜவகர் ஸ்ரீராம் 500-க்கு 469 மதிப்பெண் பெற்று பள்ளியில் முதலிடம் பிடித்தார். அறிவியல் பிரிவில் ராகவ் 452 மதிப்பெண்ணும், ராஜூ விக்னேஷ் 437 மதிப்பெண் பெற்று இரண்டாம் மற்றும் மூன்றாம் இடமும் பெற்றார். வெற்றி பெற்ற மாணவர்களை பள்ளி தாளாளர் குமரேசன், முதல்வர் ரமேஷ் மற்றும் ஆசிரியர்கள் பாராட்டினர்.* காரைக்குடி செல்லப்பன் வித்யாமந்திர் பள்ளி 100 சதவீத தேர்ச்சி பெற்றது. ஸ்ரீபிரகாதம்பாள் 475, சரவணன் 473, பத்ரிநாத் 466 மதிப்பெண் பெற்று முதல் மூன்று இடங்களை பெற்றனர். 450-க்கு மேல் 4 மாணவர்களும், 400-க்கு மேல் 6 மாணவர்களும் பெற்றனர். வெற்றி பெற்ற மாணவர்களை பள்ளி தாளாளர் சத்தியன், முதல்வர் சிவக்குமார், முதன்மை நிர்வாக அதிகாரி ஷீலா இம்மாகுலேட், துணை முதல்வர்கள் வெங்கடரமணன், ரீட்டா ஜார்ஜ், கல்வி ஆலோசகர் குழந்தைராஜ் மற்றும் ஆசிரியர்கள் பாராட்டினர்.* காரைக்குடி கேந்திரிய வித்யாலயா பள்ளி 94.3 சதவீதம் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றது. அப்பள்ளியை சேர்ந்த எஸ்.காயத்திரி 449 மதிப்பெண்ணும், எம்.சகாஹ்மகாராஜன் 441, கார்த்திக் ஸ்ரீராம் 427 மதிப்பெண் பெற்று முதல் மூன்று இடங்களை பெற்றனர்.இவர்களை சிக்ரி இயக்குனர் விஜயமோகனன் பிள்ளை, முதல்வர் (பொ) நேரு மற்றும் ஆசிரியர்கள் பாராட்டினர்.* சிவகங்கை கேந்திரிய வித்யாலயா பள்ளியில் பயிலும் 31 மாணவ, மாணவிகள் தேர்வெழுதினர்.அனைவரும் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றுள்ளனர். மாணவி சசிப்பிரியா, மாணவர் வீர அருண் ராஜ் ஆகியோர் 500 க்கு 468 மதிப்பெண் பெற்று முதலிடத்தையும், மாணவர் கார்த்திக் 461 மதிப்பெண் பெற்று இரண்டாமிடத்தையும், மாணவி சிரஞ்சினி 435 மதிப்பெண் பெற்று மூன்றாமிடத்தையும் பெற்றனர்.இத்தகவலை பள்ளி முதல்வர் முத்தையா தெரிவித்துள்ளார்

முதுநிலை மருத்துவ இடம் கிடைக்காதவர்களுக்கு கட்டணம்

Added : மே 26, 2018 22:50

சென்னை, 'முதுநிலை மருத்துவ படிப்பில், அகில இந்திய ஒதுக்கீட்டு இடங்கள் கிடைக்காதவர்களுக்கு, அவர்கள் செலுத்திய கல்வி கட்டணம் திரும்ப அளிக்கப்படும்' என, மத்திய சுகாதார சேவைகள் இயக்ககம் அறிவித்துள்ளது.இதுகுறித்து, மத்திய சுகாதார சேவை இயக்ககம் வெளியிட்ட அறிவிப்பு:முதுநிலை மருத்துவ படிப்புகளுக்கான, முதற்கட்ட மற்றும் இரண்டாம் கட்ட, அகில இந்திய கவுன்சிலிங்கில், அரசு மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகளில் இடங்கள் கிடைக்கப் பெறாதவர்களுக்கு, அவர்கள் செலுத்திய கல்வி கட்டணத்தை திரும்ப தரும் நடைமுறைகள் துவக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. மாணவர்கள் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ள, வங்கி கணக்கிலேயே பணம் செலுத்தப்பட்டு வருகிறது.புனே ராணுவ மருத்துவ கல்லுாரி, மத்திய மருத்துவ பல்கலை, தனியார் மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகளில் இடம் கிடைக்காத மாணவர்களுக்கும், கூடிய விரைவில், கல்வி கட்டணம் திரும்ப அளிக்கப்படும். இதில், சந்தேகம் இருந்தால், financemcc1@gmail.com என்ற, மின்னஞ்சல் முகவரியில் தெரிவிக்கலாம்.இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மாவட்ட செய்திகள்

சேலையூர் அருகே ஓய்வுபெற்ற அரசு அதிகாரி வீட்டில் 40 பவுன் நகை-பணம் திருட்டு




சேலையூர் அருகே ஓய்வுபெற்ற அரசு அதிகாரி வீட்டின் பின்பக்க கதவை உடைத்து உள்ளே புகுந்த மர்மநபர்கள், 40 பவுன் நகைகள், ரூ.70 ஆயிரம் மற்றும் 1 கிலோ வெள்ளி பொருட்களை திருடிச்சென்று விட்டனர்.

மே 27, 2018, 05:17 AM
தாம்பரம்,

சென்னையை அடுத்த சேலையூர் அருகே உள்ள கவுரிவாக்கம், சந்தனாம்மாள் நகர், 2-வது தெருவைச் சேர்ந்தவர் சீனிவாசன்(வயது 60). ஓய்வுபெற்ற அரசு அதிகாரி. இவர், நேற்று முன்தினம் மாலை வீட்டை பூட்டி விட்டு தனது மனைவியுடன் ஆதம்பாக்கத்தில் உள்ள உறவினர் வீட்டுக்கு சென்று விட்டார்.

பின்னர் இரவு வீட்டுக்கு திரும்பி வந்தார். அப்போது வீட்டின் பின்பக்க கதவு உடைக்கப்பட்டு இருந்ததை கண்டு அதிர்ச்சி அடைந்தார். வீட்டின் உள்ளே சென்று பார்த்தபோது, பீரோ உடைக்கப்பட்டு அதில் இருந்த பொருட்கள் கீழே சிதறி கிடந்தது.

பீரோவில் சோதனை செய்தபோது அதில் வைத்து இருந்த 40 பவுன் தங்க நகைகள், ரூ.70 ஆயிரம் மற்றும் 1 கிலோ வெள்ளி பொருட்கள் ஆகியவற்றை மர்மநபர்கள் திருடிச்சென்று இருப்பது தெரிந்தது.

சீனிவாசன், தனது மனைவியுடன் உறவினர் வீட்டுக்கு சென்று இருப்பதை அறிந்து கொண்ட மர்மநபர்கள், வீட்டின் பின்பக்க கதவை உடைத்து உள்ளே புகுந்து நகை, பணம், வெள்ளி பொருட்களை திருடிச்சென்று உள்ளனர்.

இதுபற்றி சீனிவாசன் அளித்த புகாரின்பேரில் சேலையூர் போலீசார் வழக்குப்பதிவு செய்து, மர்மநபர்களை தேடி வருகின்றனர்.

மாநில செய்திகள்

திருவாரூரில் தியாகராஜர் சுவாமி கோவிலில் ஆழித்தேரோட்டம் தொடங்கியது




திருவாரூரில் தியாகராஜர் சுவாமி கோவிலில் ஆழித்தேரோட்டம் இன்று தொடங்கியது.

மே 27, 2018, 07:17 AM

திருவாரூர்,

தமிழகத்தின் திருவாரூரில் மிக பழமையான தியாகராஜர் கோயில் அமைந்துள்ளது. சைவ தலங்களில் நாயன்மார்களால் பாடல் பெற்ற மற்றும் பஞ்சபூத தலங்களில் மண் தலமாகவும் உள்ளது.

ஆசியாவிலேயே மிக பெரியது என்ற பெருமை பெற்ற ஆழித்தேர் இக்கோயிலின் தேராகும். இந்நிலையில், திருவாரூர் தியாகராஜர் கோயிலின் ஆழித்தேரோட்டம் இன்று தொடங்கியுள்ளது.

இந்த நிகழ்ச்சியில் அமைச்சர் காமராஜ், ஆட்சியர் நிர்மல்ராஜ் தேரை வடம் பிடித்து இழுத்து தொடங்கி வைத்தனர். தொடர்ந்து ஆழித்தேரை பல்லாயிரக்கணக்கான பக்தர்கள் வடம் பிடித்து இழுத்து சாமி தரிசனம் செய்தனர்.

இத்திருவிழாவில்கலந்துகொள்ளும்பக்தர்கள் மற்றும்பொதுமக்கள்தேரினைகோயிலைசுற்றிஉள்ளவீதிகளின் வழியே பக்தி பரவசத்துடன்இழுத்துவருவார்கள்.

மாநில செய்திகள் இலவச பயணம்: மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் அலைமோதிய பயணிகள் கூட்டம்

 

  மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் நேற்று இலவச பயணம் மேற்கொள்ள அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டதால் பயணிகள் கூட்டம் அலைமோதியது.

மே 27, 2018, 05:30 AM

சென்னை,

சென்னையில் மெட்ரோ ரெயில் சேவை கடந்த 2013-ம் ஆண்டில் இருந்து படிப்படியாக இயக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது.

அந்தவகையில் நேரு பூங்கா-சென்டிரல், ஏ.ஜி.டி.எம்.எஸ்.-சின்னமலை இடையே மெட்ரோ ரெயில் சேவை நேற்று முன்தினம் தொடங்கப்பட்டது. இதையொட்டி, சோதனை அடிப்படையில் நேற்று முன்தினமும், நேற்றும் இலவச பயணம் செய்ய மெட்ரோ ரெயில் நிர்வாகம் அனுமதித்தது.

இதனால் நேற்று மெட்ரோ ரெயில் நிலையங்களில் மக்கள் கூட்டம் அலைமோதியது. தற்போது கோடை விடுமுறையாக இருப்பதால், பலர் ஆர்வமுடன் மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் பயணம் செய்தனர். ஒவ்வொரு ரெயில் நிலையத்திலும் நீண்ட வரிசையில் நின்று பயணிகள் மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் ஏறி பயணம் செய்தனர்.

அதேபோல், சில ரெயில் நிலையங்களில் ஏறி, இறங்குவதில் பயணிகள் திக்குமுக்காடினார்கள். அந்த அளவுக்கு பயணிகள் கூட்டம் அதிகமாக இருந்தது. பெற்றோருடன் வந்திருந்த குழந்தைகள், சிறுவர் மற்றும் சிறுமிகள் குதூகலத்துடன் மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் பயணம் செய்ததை பார்க்க முடிந்தது.

இலவச பயணம் என்பதால், பலரும் ஒரு முறைக்கு பல முறை மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் பயணம் செய்தனர். சென்டிரலில் இருந்து விமானநிலையம், பரங்கிமலைக்கும், ஏ.ஜி.டி.எம்.எஸ்.-ல் இருந்து விமான நிலையத்துக்கும் பயணிகள் மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் பயணத்தை மேற்கொண்டனர்.

சிறுவர்கள் முதல் பெரியவர்கள் வரை அனைவரும் வந்து செல்வதற்கு ஏதுவான வசதிகளுடன் மெட்ரோ ரெயில் சேவை செயல்படுத்தப்பட்டு இருக்கிறது. சுரங்கப்பாதை ரெயில் நிலையங்களில் இருப்பது, வெளிநாடுகளில் இருப்பது போன்ற அனுபவத்தை தருவதாக பலரும் தெரிவித்தனர்.

இதுகுறித்து மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் பயணம் செய்த பயணிகள் சிலர் கூறியதாவது:

தேனாம்பேட்டையை சேர்ந்த அக்ரிதி:-

மெட்ரோ ரெயில் சேவை அனைத்து தரப்பு மக்களுக்கும் மிகவும் பயனுள்ளதாக இருக்கும் என்பதில் எந்த சந்தேகமும் இல்லை. நான் எதிர்பார்த்ததை விட ரொம்ப அழகாய் வடிவமைத்து இருக்கிறார்கள். சுரங்கப்பாதையில் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள ரெயில் நிலையங்கள் ஒவ்வொன்றும் விமான நிலைய தோற்றத்தை போலவே இருக்கிறது.

இதில் பயணம் செய்வதால் நேரம் மிச்சமாகிறது. நாங்கள் அடிக்கடி விமானத்தில் பயணம் செய்வது வழக்கம். அந்தவகையில் தேனாம்பேட்டையில் இருந்து விமானநிலையத்துக்கு காரில் செல்வோம். போக்குவரத்து நெரிசலில் சிக்கி தவிப்போம். அது இனிமேல் எங்களுக்கு தேவை இருக்காது. போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் இல்லாமல், ‘குளு குளு’ வசதியுடன் விமானநிலையத்துக்கு செல்ல அருமையான வழியை மெட்ரோ ரெயில் நிர்வாகம் ஏற்படுத்தி தந்து இருக்கிறது.

இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

சவுகார்பேட்டையை சேர்ந்த மகாலட்சுமி:-

என் அப்பாவுடன் வந்தேன். முதல் முறையாக மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் பயணிக்கிறேன். இந்த பயணம் வியப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியது. நான் இப்படி இருக்கும் என்று கனவிலும் நினைத்து பார்க்கவில்லை. சாதாரணமான மின்சார ரெயில் போல தான் இருக்கும் என்று நினைத்தேன். ஆனால் அப்படி இல்லை. எல்லையில்லா மகிழ்ச்சியில் திளைத்துவிட்டேன்.

இதில் பயணம் செய்தால், சென்னையையே ஒரு முறை சுற்றி வந்தது போல் இருக்கிறது. சுரங்கப்பாதையில் ரெயில் செல்லும்போது ரொம்ப திரில்லாக இருந்தது. கட்டணத்தை கொஞ்சம் குறைத்தால் நன்றாக இருக்கும்.

இவ்வாறு அவர் தெரிவித்தார்.

வேளச்சேரியை சேர்ந்த நாராயணன்:-

மெட்ரோ ரெயில் பயணம் சூப்பராக இருந்தது. நான் தினமும் வேளச்சேரியில் இருந்து தேனாம்பேட்டைக்கு வேலைக்காக வருவேன். இனி கிண்டி வரை வந்து, அங்கிருந்து மெட்ரோ ரெயிலில் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் இல்லாமல் ஏ.ஜி.டி.எம்.எஸ் ரெயில் நிலையத்தில் இறங்கி பணிக்கு செல்வேன்.

சிறியவர்கள் முதல் பெரியவர்கள் வரை அனைவரும் பயணிக்க ஏதுவான சேவையை மெட்ரோ ரெயில் நிர்வாகம் அளித்து இருக்கிறது. கட்டணம் அதிகமாக இருக்கிறது. அனைத்து தரப்பு மக்களும் பயணிக்க வேண்டும் என்பதால் அதை கொஞ்சம் குறைக்கலாம். மற்றபடி இதில் குறை சொல்வதற்கு வேறு எதுவும் இல்லை.

இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

After getting new management, Gian Sagar medical college approaches government for revival 

Sanjeev Verma | TNN | Updated: May 25, 2018, 11:22 IST


 

Gian Sagar Hospital 

CHANDIGARH: The financially-ailing Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust, managing the Gian Sagar Medical College at Banur in Mohali district, has been taken over by the JSB Group along with its over Rs 200 crore liabilities to revive the institute.
Medical classes at the college, earlier owned by the family members of Nirmal Singh Bhangoo—main accused in Rs 45,000-crore Pearls group chit fund scam—were suspended in February last year after the trust faced serious financial crunch.

The NCR-based JSB group has now approached the Punjab government for re-issuance of the essentiality certificate that is required for setting up a medical college. The state government had, in May last year, withdrawn the earlier essentiality certificate.

Punjab medical education and research minister Brahm Mohindra told the TOI, “We are looking into the representation submitted by the new medical college management. We will issue the essentiality certificate only after being satisfied with fulfillment of all laid down criteria.” Before getting the government permission again to start its classes, the medical college will also have to undergo an inspection from the Medical Council of India (MCI), said the minister.

Speaking to the TOI, one of the new Trust members, Harnam Singh, said, “In the Trust deed signed on April 11, the JSB group—which is into automobile business—has taken over Rs 200 crore liabilities from the Bhangoo family.” He said the total pending salaries of about 500 teaching staff members, doctors, paramedical and other staff would be less than Rs 10 crore, and the new group is in the process of clearing those by June end. “We have till date disbursed around Rs 85 lakh pending salaries of four months to the other staff through demand draft, except for doctors,” he said, adding, Rs 1.15 crore had been deposited in the Punjab National Bank as a security deposit.

If the Punjab medical education and research department grants essentiality certificate to the new Trust, its earlier affiliations will remain intact. In case the management gets the required permissions from the MCI and other authorities in time, medical courses could be revived from the next academic session, said Harnam.

Dr A S Sekhon, dean of the institute, is among the old staff who has agreed to continue with the medical college after being taken over by the new group. He told TOI, “The new Trust members approached some of the old staff members, including me, and we said we are interested in revival of the medical institute.” He said the new management had also recently cleared the pending power bill amounting to Rs 98 lakh and has also applied for a new power connection.

Out of the total loss suffered by the medical college, around Rs 50 crore is on account of vandalization of the hospital building and theft of medical equipment, told Dr Sekhon.

Before the medical college closed its operations, it was imparting medical education to 500 MBBS students and 1,000 students of the dental, nursing and physiotherapy streams. The medical council of India (MCI) had in June last year permitted to shift medical students to other medical colleges in Punjab. The medical college also has around 600-bedded hospital with 10 super-specialty departments. Faculty members and other staff of the medical college, including the security, had intensified their protests in April last year over their wages, pending since October 2016.

Heavy rain in Salem 

Special Correspondent 
 
SALEM/NAMAKKAL, May 26, 2018 00:00 IST

Heavy rain accompanied by thunder and winds lashed variuos parts of Salem and Namakkal districts for more than an hour on Friday evening. The sky remained overcast for a major part of the evening session.

The low lying areas of Kichipalayam and Pachapatti in the city were totally flooded. Low lying areas of Narayana nagar, Kurinji nagar, Collectorate, Hasthampatti, and Suramangalam too were inundated affecting the free flow of traffic.

Mettur and Mecheri too experienced heavy rain.

Tiruchengode town and its surrounding areas in Namakkal district experienced sharp showers accompanied by heavy winds. The taluk office road, and Sankagiri road in Tiruchengode town were flooded.

Salem city experienced a maximum rainfall of 73.8 mm in the last 24 hours that ended at 8 a.m. on Friday. The following is the rainfall recorded in other areas: Aanaimaduvu 37 mm; Vazhappadi 32.4; P. N. Palayam 28.8; Mettur 14.2; Kaadayampatti 13.4; Sankagiri 12.3; Yercaud 11.4; Omalour 9.4; Kariyakovil 5; Attur 4.6 and Edappadi 2.4 mm.

In Namakkal district, Rasipuram experienced a maximum rainfall of 47 mm followed by Paramathivelur 45.1; Puduchathiram 12; Tiruchengode 9; Mohanur 6; Mangalapuram and Sendhamangalam 5 mm each.