Exam fraud: Anna University cancels affiliation of college

TNN | Nov 13, 2018, 06.32 AM IST

CHENNAI: As part of its crackdown on fraud in the conduct of examinations, Anna University has cancelled the affiliation of Chendhuran College of Engineering and Technology in Pudukottai.

A senior official from the university said, "The college owner's son used a proxy candidate to write his semester exams. The university syndicate (top most decision making body) withdrew affiliation in its previous meeting".

Three other colleges were also pulled up for mass malpractice in the semester exams held last November-December. These colleges had allowed students to copy from textbooks, bits of paper with information and from other students' answer scripts.

Multiple sources confirmed that the Controller of Examinations had recommended action against these colleges and an internal enquiry committee was preparing its final report. "One among them is likely to lose affiliation as the violation seems to be gross," said another official, requesting anonymity.

Soon after the malpractices came to light, teachers working in these colleges were not allowed to act as exam hall supervisors.

It was made mandatory for colleges to involve at least of 50% of teaching faculty from other colleges in the exam hall invigilation process. As many as 1,400 students had been caught for malpractice in university semester exams in the last one year, according to an affidavit filed by Anna University in the Madras High Court last month.

Besides this, a slew of examination reforms were introduced by the varsity in the aftermath of the re-evaluation scam, which hit the headlines a few months ago.

Answer keys were provided for all the subject question papers and students were instructed to strike out blank pages so that they could not be manipulated at the evaluation centres, the affidavit added.

62-yr-old hammered to death, son suspect

Retired Govt Auditor Attacked With Pressure Cooker And Screwdriver

George Mendonca

Navi Mumbai:13.11.2018

A 62-year-old retired officer of the government’s audit section was found murdered at his fifth-floor flat in Koparkhairne on Monday afternoon. His son was lying injured outside their flat in New Krishna Society in Sector 14.

The police said that the deceased may have been hit on the head with a pressure cooker, a hammer and a screwdriver. Vijay Kumar Dahotre, who retired a couple of years ago, was almost bedridden after he fractured his limbs in an accident five months ago.

His son, Nikhil (31), a mechanical engineer, has sustained a minor injury to the finger. Nikhil, who has schizophrenia, had been taking medication until about eight months ago.

In his statement to the police, Nikhil has claimed that two unknown men had barged into their flat and assaulted him and his father, said an officer. Accordingly, a case of murder has been registered against two unidentified persons.

The police said they will examine footage from cameras installed in the building to corroborate Nikhil’s claim.

“Seeing the many gashes on his face, it appears he was slashed several times. Also, a blood-stained screwdriver has been found in the flat,” said the officer. “The pressure cooker and hammer had been washed in the basin, but strands of the victim’s hair were stuck to the base of the cooker.”

However, senior inspector of Koparkhairne police station, Shivaji Awate, said, “The son is the prime suspect, as he is also injured.” To bolster his suspicion about Nikhil’s involvement, senior inspector Awate said that the son was the only person in the house with the father around 1.30 pm on Monday afternoon when he was killed. Nikhil was being interrogated at Koparkhairne police station till the time of going to press.

But Nikhil’s mother, Meenal, and a neighbour had a different version about the young man. Meenal, who works for a bank, said that her husband did not have any enemies. “I don't think my son might have killed my husband,” said Meenal. “He never turned violent, though he sometimes argued with his father. But that is normal in every family.”

She said that some strangers had banged on the door of their flat at an odd hour two months ago. “My husband was scared as he had been bedridden after the limb injury,” said Meenal.

She added that her son had been under medication for schizophrenia for about seven months and he had discontinued the medication against the doctor’s advice.

“Nikhil used to work for a company for five years, but was jobless for the last two years. He started losing his temper after his father met with the accident. He was diagnosed as having schizophrenia and had been put under medication,” she said.

A neighbour of the family, Devendra Mehra, said that Nikhil was a “calm” person. “He kept to himself and we never saw him turn violent,” said Mehra.

Watchman of the society, Sukhdev Jagdale, said he has given the police a register with names and phone numbers of visitors.


Vijay Kumar Dahotre was killed in his fifth-floor flat in Koparkhairne

‘Drunk’ AI director loses licence for 3 yrs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai:13.11.2018

A day after Air India director (operations) Captain Arvind Kathpalia failed the breathalyser test before he was to operate a Delhi-London flight, the civil aviation regulator on Monday suspended his pilot licence for three years.

A top Directorate General of Civil Aviation official said since Capt Kathpalia tested positive for BA (blood alcohol) on November 11, the privileges of his licence had been suspended for three years from that day. The 56-year old Capt Kathpalia is among ten directors on the board of Air India.

The aviation ministry is “contemplating appropriate action in view of his testing positive”, a top official said, adding that the ministry was considering whether it would be appropriate for Capt Kathpalia to continue on the AI board as director of operations. A final decision is expected soon.

Being the director (operations), Capt Kathpalia is in charge of overall management of Air India’s flight operations. He is in charge of ensuring safe and efficient flight operations. He was promoted to the post in March last year, while only a month before that, in February, the DGCA had suspended his pilot licence for 3 months for skipping pre-and post-flight breathalyser tests and tampering with medical records.

Alcohol in pilots’ blood is not a criminal offence in India

In India, the relevant DGCA air safety norm states that “the level of blood alcohol compatible with safe flying is ‘zero’, which is also recommended by International Civil Aviation Organization’’. But reporting for duty with alcohol in blood isn’t a criminal offence under Indian aviation norms. The enforcement action is suspension of licence for 3 months for a first-time offender and suspension of licence for 3 years for a second-time offender. Pilot licence is cancelled after the third offence.

Capt Kathpalia came under the scanner on January 19 last year when he operated an AI Delhi-Bengaluru flight. Neither did he undergo the mandatory preflight breathalyser test in Delhi nor did he agree to a post-flight breathalyser test in Bengaluru, according to Air India pilots union, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association. Following an investigation, on February 15, 2017, the DGCA suspended Capt Kathpalia’s licence and he was removed for 3 months. March 31, the Appointments Committee of Cabinet approved his appointment as director (operations) . The ICPA moved the Delhi high court and a few months ago, filed an FIR against him and Lalit Gupta, former joint director, DGCA, as ordered by the court.

Wash your hands to beat the flu, but where’s the soap and water?

TNN | Nov 10, 2018, 08.57 AM IST

CHENNAI: The state public health department campaigns that washing your hands properly is one of the most effective ways of preventing viral infections including H1N1. Yet most public places such as schools, theatres, hospitals and workplaces, including government offices, do not have soap in washrooms.

“It may seem extremely simple, but hand wash saves lives. Dispensers with soap should be made mandatory in all public places,” said former director of public health Dr S Elango.


“We must have soap dispensers and posters on how to wash using soap in all washrooms, particularly schools. Children are more vulnerable to flu compared to adults. Teachers should spend time teaching children the right way to wash hands and the importance of hand hygiene,” he said.

Public health experts, who have been touring the state, say most people affected with viral infections such as H1N1 were the elderly or persons with co-morbid conditions who had gone on pilgrimages or to crowded public places.

“Sometimes, they bathe in common water sources, share toiletries and rooms. When they don’t wash their hands or scrub themselves with sanitisers they can fall ill and spread the illness,” said director of public health Dr K Kolandaswamy.

In most fever wards of public hospitals, doctors have left bottles of disinfectants for patients, relatives and visitors.

A poster on how to wash and scrub the hands has also been put up in most hospitals. “Most people, including adults, tend to rush through the hand wash. If they do not follow the right method, we teach them how to do it,” said Institute of Child Health director Dr A T Arasar Seeralar.

Police seize 6.5 tonnes of gutka in Chennai

TNN | Nov 10, 2018, 11.14 AM IST

CHENNAI: Five people were arrested and 6.5 tonnes of gutka seized by police from a godown in Poonamallee during a raid on Friday morning.

Police said the five were involved in running the business which transported tobacco items to various places in South India. Police had been keeping a close watch on the activities at the godown located at Steel City Bypass Road, Poonamallee.

Deputy commissioner of Adyar, Shashank Sai, along with a five-member team, conducted a raid in which they seized over six tonnes of gutka, ₹5.37 lakh and five vehicles from the spot.

Among the five, Senthil, 39, a buyer from Vellore who was at the godown, was held. Four others were identified as Muthulingam, 32, from Nazarethpet, Jabastin, 19, from Thirunelveli, Kumar, 19, and Issac, 20, from Tirunelveli. Police sources said that more such raids will be conducted.

CWC official escapes jail as Supreme Court sets aside HC order

TNN | Nov 11, 2018, 08.59 AM IST

CHENNAI: Eleven months after the Madras high court sentenced the chairman of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Chengalpet, to two months imprisonment for contempt of court, the Supreme Court has set aside the order.

Allowing an appeal moved by CWC chairman R N Manikandan, a division bench of Justice S A Bobde and Justice L Nageswara Rao said: “Having gone through the record of the case, we find that in the facts and circumstances of the case the sentence of two months imposed was not warranted, particularly in view of the apology tendered by the appellant who was exercising the powers of quasi-judicial authority.”

The bench, however, made it clear that the order should not have any bearing on the merits of a connected writ petition pending before the high court.

On December 14, 2017 a single judge of the high court passed the contempt order after finding Manikandan guilty of wilfully disobeying an interim order passed by the court on June 7, 2017 to hand over the custody of five destitute children to the Franciscan Sisters of St Joseph who run two homes named after St Assisi, for destitute children at St Thomas Mount.

The five children, aged between nine and 12 years, were taken care of by the home since their birth and were being educated at Montford Matriculation Higher Secondary School at St Thomas Mount. Alleging that the home was not registered under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, Manikandan forcibly shifted the children to other private home at Tambaram.

Court stays order demanding student intake details from minority institutes

TNN | Nov 11, 2018, 09.03 AM IST

CHENNAI: In a reprieve to minority educational institutions across the state, including top city institutions like the Loyola, Madras Christian College and Stella Maris, the Madras high court has stayed the State Minority Commission order asking them to show records to prove that 50% of the seats were filled only with students from minority communities.

Justice S S Sundar granted the interim relief based on the undertaking provided by the institutions that admission would not be denied to any eligible minority candidate.

These institutions said, though they were minority educational institutions, admission was never denied to anyone on the ground of religion, caste or creed. Denial of admission to any candidate on the ground that such candidate does not belong to minority community would violate the right of the students to get admission.

On October 16, the minority commission issued a notice stating that the prime intention of minority educational institutions was to uplift the educationally backward minority people and sprinkling of non-minority students in the minority educational institution was to be only peripheral, either for generating additional financial source or for cultural courtesy.

It further added that it had been brought to its notice that the admission of non-minority students was not peripheral but large in number in some of the educational institutions and thus reservation of seats for minority communities was not followed in deference to the guidelines prescribed in the 1998 government order.

The commission further directed the principals of such institutions to appear before it with the details of students admitted for the past three academic years. On inquiry made by the institutions, the authorities informed that the commission was insisting upon the minority colleges to admit minimum 50% seats only with minority candidates, the petitioner said.

Claiming that the commission lacked authority to fix any such criteria in the matter of admission of students in minority institutions, the petitioners refused to provide the admission details and, instead, approached the high court saying the proceedings were arbitrary, illegal, unconstitutional and without jurisdiction.

“The Tamil Nadu Private Colleges (Regulation) Act and Rules do not empower the commission with any such power to direct the private minority educational institution to prescribe any percentage of admission in minority educational institutions,” the petitioners said.

Red alert issued as ‘Gaja’ may batter Chennai on Wednesday, Thursday

TNN | Nov 12, 2018, 05.52 AM IST

CHENNAI: The Met department on Sunday issued a red alert to coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, for Thursday as the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, which intensified into cyclonic storm Gaja, may turn into a severe cyclone in the next 24 hours. The cyclone, which may move towards north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast, is likely to make landfall between Chennai and Nagapattinam on November 15.

The cyclonic storm Gaja, named by Thailand, was currently located 840km off Chennai coast and 980km away from Sriharikota.

According to IMD deputy director S Balachandran, the system may bring “heavy rain to Chennai and coastal areas.” However, it may weaken as it nears the coast and makes landfall on Thursday afternoon, said the forecast.


The storm had moved west northwest at 13km speed over the past six hours.

“While heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over north coastal TN and Puducherry on Wednesday, heavy to very heavy rain with isolated extremely heavy rain is likely at a few places over north TN and Puducherry on Thursday,” said the forecast issued by the IMD.

City likely to remain cloudy on Mon, Tues

The city, meanwhile, may not get rain on Monday and Tuesday. “The sky condition is likely to be cloudy with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 32°C and 24°C,” says the forecast.

Private weather forecaster Skymet says the distance across the Bay of Bengal, warm sea surface temperature and low vertical wind shear may provide more strength to the system.

5 days after rape, tribal girl dies of injuries, culprits still at large
TNN | Nov 11, 2018, 09.12 AM IST

DHARMAPURI: Five days after she was raped by two men, a 17-year-old girl died of injuries, triggering protests from her family members who faulted doctors at Dharmapuri Government Medical College & Hospital for poor treatment, and police for failure to arrest the suspects.

The Scheduled Tribe (ST) girl, a Class XII student, was staying in a government hostel far away from her home, as her tribal village near Hasur did not have adequate academic facilities. She was on a visit to her village, when she was assaulted by Sathish, 24 and Ramesh, 23.

According to police, the men sexually assaulted her when she stepped out to relieve herself on Monday evening.

Immediately after the incident, the girl informed her parents who lodged a complaint with the Kottapatti police. She was then taken to the hospital for treatment.

The girl’s health condition had been deteriorating since Tuesday, and she died of injuries on Saturday. The victim’s distraught father said doctors at the government hospital did not give proper treatment to his daughter. He also alleged that police did not take any step to arrest the accused even five days after the incident. “Parents of one of the accused sell illicit liquor and were close to local police,” he told TOI. He also alleged that the parents gave bribe to policemen for not arresting the accused in the rape case.

Rape of minor: Separate team to look out for suspects

Meanwhile, the kin of the deceased and other villagers protested in Harur town demanding action against the rapists. They also demanded that police invoke appropriate provisions and to ascertain the real cause of the girl’s death.

Harur DSP Sellapandian and other revenue officials held peace talks with the protesters until Saturday late evening. When contacted, Salem range DIG T Senthil Kumar told TOI that a separate team had been formed to nab the suspects. “We also assured the protesters that a highly qualified team of doctors will be deputed to perform autopsy and the entire process will be videographed,” he said.

In addition to the Pocso Act provisions, police registered a case Section 174 of CrPC as the death had occurred under suspicious circumstances.

Sarkar vs Tamil Nadu govt - Now showing: A political drama outside theatres

TNN | Nov 12, 2018, 11.50 AM IST

CHENNAI: I haven’t watched ‘Sarkar’. And, from what I’ve heard about the movie, I am not going to. The political drama that surrounded the Vijay-starrer past week, anyway, was more entertaining than the movie. The government threatened to charge the filmmakers with sedition. The reason: The film shows people setting fire to freebies given by the government, and the antagonist is called Komalavalli, the name of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in her early years.

Politics, especially of the Tamil Nadu kind, has much in common with cinema, and that’s not just because of the umbilical cord some of our leaders had with the tinsel world. In both the fields, many people come in with the ambition of becoming heroes, play the villain and end up being comedians.

In the Sarkar Vs Government thriller, the hero and villain remained in the backroom, leaving all the action to the comedians. He may not be able to emote to save his life, but Vijay so far remains the hero in real-life drama. And that’s because he has not shown his face, not tried any punch dialogue.

Edappadi Palaniswami played the villain with gusto, letting his more-than-eager-to-talk ministers make all the noise. And the chief minister scored a brownie point here: If someone looks like more loyal than the king, it also looks like there is a king. EPS, however, made an entry after the filmmakers agreed for four cuts, trying to punch below A R Murugadoss’s belt, saying the director’s relatives were beneficiaries of government freebies.

The ministers did a commendable job as sidekicks and comedians, while cadres performed well as stuntmen. There was tough competition among some ministers to be the villain’s deputy, while AIADMK cadres went on a rampage across the state tearing down ‘Sarkar’ posters and abusing the film’s makers.

C Ve Shanmugham, ironically the law minister, said some scenes in the movie “incited violence” and warned of “action”. Food minister R Kamaraj expressed anger over a scene in which people are shown throwing the state government’s doles into fire. “It is not for a film to decide if people want such things,” he proclaimed. Revenue minister R B Udhayakumar did the honours of thanking the filmmakers for deleting the ‘controversial’ scenes.

Raju said the antagonist being named Komalavalli hurt the sentiments of everyone from the party cadre to the chief minister, “who sees Jayalalithaa as God”. At the end of the row, he was happy that the “Komala’ part of the name was edited out (hope no Valli in Tamil Nadu is politically influential). When sections of the media said the government has no business interfering with a movie that has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification, Raju had this gem of a suggestion: The censor board should include a representative from the state government to avoid such problems in future.

The whole sordid drama was but the latest episode in institutionalizing intolerance. And thereby hangs a tale of an accidental government trying to claim the legacy of a leader who aspired to be an authoritarian — and with considerable success. Despite having been at the receiving end of half-a-dozen defamation cases between 2001 and 2006 – or because of them — I can say that Jayalalithaa played the role of an authoritarian leader with élan. The self-appointed successors just don’t measure up.

The politician as villain is not new in Tamil movies. Sayaji Shinde as minister Kaalaipandi in ‘Dhool’ and Raghuvaran as chief minister Aranganathar in ‘Mudhalvan’ were notable. But to have Narayan (Vivek) play Kaalaipandi or Palavesham (Vadivelu) do an Aranganathar would’ve been not even comic. It would’ve been tragic.

Stalin demands action against those responsible for adding Periyar’s caste name in TNPSC question paper

TNN | Nov 12, 2018, 04.07 PM IST

CHENNAI: DMK president M K Stalin on Monday demanded action against people involved in setting question paper for the TNPSC Group 2 exam in which the caste name of Dravida Kazhagam founder Periyar E V Ramasamy was mentioned.

In a statement, Stalin said, "I was shocked to know that the question paper had Periyar's caste name. I have doubt whether the person who prepared the question paper and who checked it before it was released know either English or anything about Tamil Nadu," asked Stalin.

Periyar used to be called EVR which means Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy and even the word E was not mentioned correctly, he said.

"Periyar was against adding caste names to people’s names. In 1928, he removed the caste from his name. He spoke in several caste group meetings against having caste names in each person's name," said Stalin.

Cyclone Gaja: Chennai, other parts of north TN likely to start getting rain from Tuesday

Nov 12, 2018, 04.59 PM IST

CHENNAI: Cyclone Gaja, which was situated 730km away from Chennai coast around noon on Monday and is expected to make landfall between Nagapattinam and Chennai on Thursday, is likely to bring light to moderate rain to north Tamil Nadu on Tuesday and will cause light to moderate rain or thunder showers at many places in the area on Wednesday. 

As the cyclone will cause wind of 35kmph to 50kmph, the India Meteorological Department has advised fishermen not to venture into the Andaman Sea in next 12 hours. The IMD also advised fishermen in deep sea to return to the coast by Tuesday.

The warning also said fisherman should not venture out to central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal from November 11 to 13 and over southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal from November 12 onwards.

The Tamil Nadu and Puducherry governments are taking all necessary measures to face the onslaught of the cyclone.

State disaster management officials held a meeting to firm up steps to be taken to brace the cyclone.

The Cuddalore district administration has formed a team of 26 members from the Coast Guard and home guards to take up cyclone relief and rehabilitation measures.

Puducherry revenue minister M O H F Shahjahan on Monday told reporters that the government would seek the assistance of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu if necessary.

He said the Puducherry state emergency operation centres functioning under the revenue and disaster management department had begun monitoring the movement of the cyclone.

The government directed all the territorial officials to make all precautionary measures to face the onslaught of the cyclone. It directed the fishermen not to venture into the sea and insisted those fishing presently to return to the shore at the earliest. Ten Puducherry fishermen were yet to return to the shore. They would reach the shore soon, said Shahjahan.

The Puducherry government set up a control room (toll-free 1070 or 1077) (0413 2253407 ) to enable the people to seek assistance in case of eventualities. People seeking assistance can reach the police department (100), fire and rescue services personnel (101), emergency services (108), electricity department (1912), transport department (1073) and coast guard (1554).

Shahjahan said the government had adequate stock of diesel to drain water from inundated regions and essential provisions to prepare food for the displaced people in case of eventualities. “We will use the central kitchen if required,” he said.

He said the government would initiate action against officials if they failed to respond to the emergency calls made by the people.

Helpline: 1913

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University gets new vice-chancellor

TNN | Nov 12, 2018, 07.52 PM IST

COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu governor and the chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) Banwarilal Purohit on Monday appointed N Kumar as the vice-chancellor of TNAU. He would assume charge on November 16 and be in office for a period of three years.

According to a release from Raj Bhavan, Kumar has a strong academic record. He was the dean of the faculty of horticulture at TNAU and has served for 30 years. He has been a professor for 22 years.

Kumar told TOI that his would aim at getting complete ICAR accreditation for TNAU. This would pave way for more funds from the Centre and the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

“Also, along with the professors and other faculty members, we would work to make the results of our research more useful to farmers,” he said.

Kumar, who has authored eight books and 18 research papers, has also been the editor of the International Society for Horticultural Science journal.

Kumar succeeds K Ramasamy as TNAU VC.

Cyclone Gaja changes course, likely to make landfall between Cuddalore and Pamban in TN

TNN | Nov 12, 2018, 04.40 PM IST

CHENNAI: Cyclone Gaja has changed its course and might make landfall between Cuddalore and Pamban in Tamil Nadu on November 15. This is expected to trigger very heavy rain in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Karaikkal, Cuddalore, Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram districts on November 14 and 15, said an India Meteorological Department forecast.

There will be rain in Chennai and other parts of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, as well.

The cyclone will gain a speed of 80kmph to 90kmph on November 14 night.

Fishermen have been advised not to go for fishing.

Poisonous snake found in handbag of flyer in Kochi

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:12.11.2018

Snake on a plane could have become a frightening reality on an international flight out of India had an alert security personnel not spotted the poisonous reptile while screening the handbag of a passenger. This startling find was made by a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) screener at Kochi airport on Sunday while running the XRay on the bag of an Abu Dhabi-bound passenger who was then handed over to the police.

“Sub inspector P K Mourya was watching over the screen where contents of hand bags being x-rayed was being shown. At about 4 pm he detected some suspicious item which seemed like a snake in the hand baggage of a passenger flying to Abu Dhabi on Air India express flight 419,” said a senior CISF official.

Mourya asked for physical check of the bag. “Constable Hirdesh Kumar carefully checked the bag and found a live young one of a snake inside the bag which looked like Indian Krait / Blue Krait, which is among the four most venomous snakes found in India. Snakes, reptiles and wildlife are prohibited in flight and carriage of such reptiles is also dangerous for civil aviation security with even the young ones being venomous, the passenger was not allowed to proceed for his 4.55 pm flight and handed over to local police,” said the official. The passenger is a 40-year-old resident of Kattakalam in Palakkad of Kerala.

Sunday proved to be an eventful day for CISF as it made a few other finds too, however not as startling as the venomous snake.

A Dubai-bound passenger at Bangalore airport was found to be carrying 29 antique idols in his bag. “A passenger flying to Dubai was identified for random check based on profiling. Physical check of this Bangalore-resident’s hand bag led to discovery of 29 antiques. He neither had the bill for them, nor could he say why he was taking so many antiques out of India. Customs officials detained the passenger and the antiques,” said the officer.

MISHAP AVERTED: The snake was found in a passenger’s handbag at Kochi airport

In Pune, those who spit in public have to clean up their act

Vijay.Chavan @timesgroup.com 12.11.2018

Less than a week after an anti-spitting drive was started by the Bibvewadi ward office, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) solid waste management department has decided to replicate it across all 15 wards in the city. Under the drive — which began on November 3 — anyone found spitting in areas under its jurisdiction are not only being charged a fine but also be made to clean up evidence of their expectoration from roads, footpaths, medians and walls.

Impressed with the aim of the Bibvewadi drive, head of the department, Dnyaneshwar Molak, on Wednesday instructed all his sanitary inspectors to keep vigil at every major chowk and junction in the city and impose a fine of ₹100 of people found spitting.

They will also be asked to clean up their act and this will be captured via videos and photographs. Speaking to Mirror, Avinash Sakpal, assistant commissioner of the Bibvewadi ward, who first initiated this drive, said, “The drive has been much appreciated by citizens as well as from municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao. We are happy that our model is being executed all over the city and hope this will help to maintain the city’s clean and hygiene. Also, we hope it will instil discipline among errant citizens.”

Elaborating further, Molak said, “Replication of the Bibvewadi model will be started across all 15 wards. On Wednesday, we started it in areas under the Ghole Road ward office. Several errant citizens were made to clean up their spit at Balgandharva Chowk, Jangali Maharaj Road, the PMC main building and bus stand area.”

“Initially, we ask them to pay a fine of ₹100. If they fail to do so, then we compel them to clean the dirt. We provide mops and water,” he added.

Baba Inamdar, senior sanitary inspector in charge of this anti-spitting drive, said, “On the very first day, we managed to catch over 20 citizens spitting in public places. This drive will continue indefinitely.”

Cobra gets into bizman’s car, rescued

Tirupur: 12.11.2018

A knitwear industry businessman from Kangeyam and his friend, who were on the way to Madurai in a car on Thursday night, got the shock of their lives seeing a six-foot cobra in the moving car. The panicked duo called a snake handler from Coimbatore, who rescued the snake.

They were headed towards Madurai to attend a wedding. They noticed a cobra on the road while crossing Varattukarai village near Muthur and, thinking they had run over the reptile, they got out of the vehicle and inspected the road. After failing to find it, they carried on their journey. But soon after the car started the snake made an appearance on the bonnet.

They got down from the car and called the fire and rescue department. But as the rescue personnel could not find the snake, the duo then approached a snake charmer. TNN

HC rejects cop’s appeal against graft conviction

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:12.11.2018

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court refused to set aside a 2008 order by a CBI court, convicting a Delhi police official on graft charges after he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe from a manpower agent in Madurai and dismissed the appeal petition by the policeman.

In 2005, sub-inspector Mandeep Singh had come from Delhi to Madurai after a passenger, Manthakaruppan was detained at Delhi airport with a fake Malaysian visa.

Manthakaruppan led the police to a manpower agent, Manoharan in Madurai and Mandeep Singh along with a constable rushed to Madurai to investigate and round up others involved in the case. During the course of investigation, Mandeep Singh pressurised Manoharan to pay ₹2 lakh to not array him as an accused. He eventually settled for ₹50,000.

However, Manoharan had complained to the CBI and a trap was laid and Mandeep Singh was caught redhanded with chemical smeared currency notes when he took the cash.

Doc off the hook for death due to wrong anaesthesia

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:12.11.2018

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court directed the authorities to discharge a government doctor from criminal prosecution in a case of medical negligency.

In 2011, a woman — Rukmani,34, a tailor — was admitted to the Kanyakumari Government Hospital for a birth control operation. She was administered laughing gas (nitrous oxide) instead of oxygen. She died an year later.

The court held that Dr Muthu Shenbagam, assistant surgeon at the Kanyakumari GH, who was in charge of the hospital stores when the incident happened cannot be held guilty for wilful negligence as he cannot be aware of the change of gas by the firm supplying it.

The doctor moved the high court against a trial court order last year which named him one of the accused in a criminal case.

In the petition, the doctor said the woman was administered anaesthesia for the operation, but during the operation her health deteriorated. Following this the anaesthesia was withdrawn. Later, it was found that the cylinder meant to supply oxygen was filled with nitrous oxide (N2O). So, instead of administering a mixture of oxygen and N2O in a specific proportion, the patient was administered N2O alone.

The woman went into a vegetative state and died in May 2012. Subsequent investigations revealed that the gas company had mistakenly filled N20 in a cylinder which was supposed to carry oxygen.

The Asaripallam police, who registered an FIR, included the doctor as one of the accused, as he was in charge of the stores when the incident happened.

The doctor argued that he was off duty on the day of the incident and he was in no way connected with the accident. “Some of the entries found in the indent form were made by the store keeper without my knowledge and I am not responsible for them,” the doctor said. The doctor also submitted that a departmental enquiry exonerated him of the charges.

The court set aside the trial court order and discharged the doctor from criminal proceedings.

Anna Univ brings in examination reforms
Seeks To Refine Process After Evaluation Scam

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com 12.11.2018

Chennai:

In the aftermath of the revaluation scam, Anna University has introduced a slew of examination reforms, including distribution of answer keys, striking down of blank pages and cross-checking 30% of evaluated answer scripts, the university told the Madras high court recently.

G V Uma, former Controller of Examinations, and other faculty members were suspended for their alleged role in the said scam. Besides an ongoing Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Vigilance (DVAC) probe, an internal committee formed to probe the scam found that answer scripts of students were manipulated at evaluation centres. Answer scripts provided to students contain 44 pages. Students, involved in the scam, left the last few pages of the scripts blank and scamsters filled these pages with relevant answers during evaluation.

According to the new assessment schedule introduced by the varsity, students must strike out all unwritten pages of the answer scripts and exam hall supervisors have been told not to collect answer scripts with blank pages.

Also, a proposal has been made to remove the front page of answer scripts before they are handed over to the evaluating faculties. The front page contains students’ register number and number of pages answered, said a senior official from Anna University. “By doing this, the evaluator will not know the students’ identity and cannot fill additional answers,” the official added.

In its affidavit submitted to the court, Anna University said answer keys for all the subject question papers were provided to faculty so that the number of students applying for revaluation comes down.

Besides this, the chairman of the evaluation centre should cross-check at least 30% of answer scripts evaluated by examiners and the number of examiners under a chairman has been reduced from 17 to 10 now, the university submitted.

Further, answer scripts with a difference in the original and re-evaluated score of more than 15 will be scrutinized, the affidavit said.

A 40-day deadline has been set for the Controller of Examinations to finish the re-evaluation process and release the results via website and text messages. Earlier, action was taken against 1,070 faculty members who awarded illogical marks during evaluation.

20% less on Madurai Duronto tickets if 60% seats stay unsold

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 12.11.2018

Chennai: Passengers on the Chennai-Madurai Duronto Express will now get a discount of 20% of the fare if less than 60%of the seats are unsold four days prior to the scheduled departure of the train.

The discount will on for seats sold up till 70% occupancy is registered. Between 70-80% occupancy, the discount would be 10% on the last fare. There would be no discount above that.

This will be applicable for both 22205 Chennai-Madurai and 22206 Madurai-Chennai Duronto Express.

These changes would come into effect from March 15, 2019 for an experimental basis of six months, the Railway Board said in an order on November 6.

For instance, when ticket availability for the Chennai-Madurai Duronto on November 14 was checked on Saturday, the total fare was ₹1135 at a ticket availability of 432 in the third AC class.

This was around 66% occupancy; which means that passengers booking the ticket yesterday for the November 14 train would have gotten the tickets at a fare of around ₹850-950. This brings the fare almost onpar with that of a third AC seat on the Pandian Express, which is the most popular train on the Chennai-Madurai route. A similar seat on Pandian costs ₹815.

Railway sources said the extra fare of around ₹200-300 was the sole reason why Duronto Express ran virtually empty despite taking almost the same travel time on the section. It was operated from Chennai Central and had a stoppage at Salem.

Sources said the average occupancy was only around 30-40% which never picked up. It is a bi-weekly train. The passenger feedback has been that an omni bus ticket would be cheaper than a ticket on Duronto.

However, what is also inexplicable is that a section of passengers are still paying higher fares for Suvidha special trains on the Chennai-Madurai section, which is buttressed by the 80-90% occupancy registered by Southern Railway.

Southern Railway officials are hopeful that the train’s occupancy will pick up once the discount factor is brought in.

A similar scheme has also been announced for the Chennai-Coimbatore Shatabdi, which has a low occupancy during pre-defined lean period (February, March and August), as directed by Railway Board. During the non-lean periods, the maximum flexi fare would be 1.4 times in all classes, the Board said.

BOOST TO TRAVEL

Air India director who was to pilot Delhi-London flight fails alcohol test

Manju.V@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:12.11.2018

About an hour before he was to operate a flight to London, Air India director (operations) Capt Arvind Kathpalia tested positive for alcohol during the mandatory pre-flight breath-analyser test in Delhi on Sunday. This is the second time in less than two years that Capt Kathpalia has been under the scanner for an alcohol-related safety violation.

The 56-year old Capt Kathpalia, who is also on AI’s board of directors, was to command the Delhi-London Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight AI-111, scheduled for a 2.45pm departure. “At 1.29 pm, the Air India medical service department in Delhi airport terminal 3 took the first breathalyser reading and it showed positive for blood alcohol,” said a source. Documents with TOI show the second test was taken after the mandatory 15-20 minutes wait, at 1.50pm. It too showed positive for alcohol. Keeping with the norm, two witnesses took the test on the same breathalyzer instrument and the printouts of their readings, which showed negative for alcohol, were recorded along with their signatures. Meanwhile, AI-111 departed at 4pm with another commander at the controls.

Being the director (operations), Capt Kathpalia is in charge of overall management of AI’s flight operations. He is in charge of ensuring safe and efficient flight operations. He was promoted to this post in March last year, while only a month before that, in February, the India aviation regulator had suspended his pilot licence for three months for skipping a breathalyzer test and tampering with medical records. Air India did not respond despite repeated requests.

Co-pilot skips test, flight called back

About 10 minutes after taking off, an Air India Delhi-Bangkok flight was asked to return to Delhi after it was found that the first officer hadn't undergone the mandatory pre-flight breathalyser test. The officer was grounded on return. The flight finally took off seven hours behind schedule late on Sunday morning. AI spokesperson did not comment on the issue.

Capt Kathpalia’s brush with alcohol began a year ago

Reporting for flying duties with alcohol in blood is considered a criminal offence in several countries. Early this month, on November 1, Japan Airlines issued a public apology after one of its co-pilots failed the alcohol test minutes before operating a London-Tokyo flight. The co-pilot was placed under arrest by the London metropolitan police under the British aviation law.

Every year, about 20 flight crew fail the breathalyzer test in India. While drunk driving is a criminal offence in India under the Motor Vehicles Act, reporting for flying duty with alcohol in blood isn’t a criminal offence under the Indian Aircraft Act.

In India, the relevant Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) air safety norm states that “the level of blood alcohol compatible with safe flying is ‘Zero’, which is also recommended by International Civil Aviation Organization.”

“Even 12 hours after a bout of drink, when blood alcohol level remains zero, there is decrement in task performance. Alcohol present in body even in small quantities jeopardises flight safety,” the DGCA norm states. But the enforcement action is suspension of licence for three months for a firsttime offender and suspension of licence for three years for a second-time offender. Pilot licence is cancelled after the third time.

Capt Kathpalia’s brush with alcohol cases began over a year ago. On August 24, 2017, on the directions of additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Delhi, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), an Air India pilots’ union, had filed an FIR with the IGI police against Capt Kathpalia and former joint director general, DGCA, Lalit Gupta, for allegedly helping Capt Kathpalia.

The matter pertained to the Delhi-Bengaluru flight AI-174 that Capt Kathpalia operated on January 19, 2017. Neither did he undergo the mandatory preflight breathalyser test in Delhi nor did he agree to a post-flight breathalyzer test in Bengaluru, the ICPA alleged in a letter sent last year to then civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.

When he landed in Delhi later in the day, he went to the AI pre-flight medical examination room and made a false entry in the pre-flight breath-analyzer examination register for the flight he had operated, the ICPA letter alleged, adding it had gathered CCTV footage as evidence of the act.

Full story in www.toi.in

Anna’s play, a critique of Hindu epics, taken off TN univ textbook

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:12.11.2018

The state-run Alagappa University on Friday removed from the textbooks a play penned by late chief minister C N Annadurai. The play titled ‘Neethi Devan Mayakkam’, which has been in the curriculum for MA Tamil in all the 40 affiliated and constituent colleges, is a critique of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

It has now been replaced with another play by Aru Ramanathan on Raja Raja Chozhan, said a circular sent to all the colleges under the university. S Rajamohan, dean, College Development Council, Alagappa University, said the decision was taken on a recommendation made by the board of studies.

“The board thought that students were unable to find enough guides explaining the play. They had to shell out extra money to buy them,” Rajamohan told TOI, when asked for the reason behind the decision.

Tamil scholars and Dravidian ideologues have called this explanation ridiculous.

K Ramakrishnan, a Tamil scholar from Coimbatore, said, “Neethi Devan Mayakkam, set in the 1940s debates the values demonstrated by Ramayana and Mahabaratha in front of a judge. There is no need for a separate guide explaining the content since Annadurai had adopted a straightforward and simple narrative throughout the play staged for common people across the state.”

Identify person behind univ’s decision, says K Veeramani

Condemning the move, Dravidar Kazhgam leader K Veeramani said there is an ulterior motive behind this. “The state should identify who was behind this decision taken by the university,” he said.

Seconding him, Ramakrishnan suspected the role of right-wing ideologues as a part of their nation-wide efforts to saffronize education. “An easy way to do it in Tamil Nadu is by eliminating content by Dravidian leaders like E V R Periyar and Annadurai,” he said.

Responding to the university’s claim of shortage of guides, Veeramani said, “We are taking about a university syllabus and not a high school content.” He warned of state-wide protests if the play is not reinstated immediately.

Dean Rajamohan said they were willing to stick to the old syllabus if there was opposition, and the circular sent on Friday will be declared null and void. Annadurai's plays like Or Iravu (One Night) and Velaikkari (The Maid) played a key role in communicating Dravidian ideologies to the masses and helped Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) to win its first election in 1967.

Alagappa University, which is headquartered in Karaikudi, has most of its constituent and affiliated colleges in Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram.

This Christmas, flying to Kuala Lumpur costs more than to NYC
Maximum Fare To Singapore Touches ₹1.4L

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:

High demand has pushed up air fares to Southeast Asian countries for Christmas and New Year.

The fares have touched ₹1.2 lakh for a round trip to Malaysia and ₹1.4 lakh to Singapore, the most popular destinations for Chennaiites. The two cities are also transit hubs for people travelling to Indonesia, Vietnam and other emerging destinations. In comparison, a round trip to London costs ₹80,000 to ₹1 lakh, and to New York ₹75,000 to ₹1 lakh.

Travel operators hope that airlines might offer discounts to make travel affordable and to attract last-minute travellers. A two-way ticket to Bangkok is in the range of ₹20,000 to ₹34,000, to Kuala Lumpur is ₹13,000 to ₹1.2lakh, to Singapore is ₹23,000 to ₹1.4 lakh and to Dubai ₹27,000 to ₹37,000 for travel on Christmas week.

“It has doubled on most of the routes,” said Basheer Ahmed of Metro Travel. People who travel beyond Southeast Asia to destinations in Australia and the Far East are forced to spend more because of this, he noted.

Airlines have closed their lower economy seats and opened only premium seats for sale. This is considered to be a reason for the peak in air fare. “Fares out of Chennai are higher than other cities in the south. All flights to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand go full. This has reduced availability of seats. Hotels in these countries too have increased their tariff,” said Ahmed.

Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox & Kings Ltd isn’t surprised. “Christmas and New Year are peak travel time for people across the world. This leads to a spike in air fares and hotel rates. It is always better to book at least one month in advance as reasonable deals would be available,” he said.

Indians travelling abroad during the year-end also prefer Australia, New Zealand, Turkey and Egypt. “We see demand for these routes picking up and expect fares to go up by at least 20%,” said Anand. Ahmed said air fares to Australia had increased by ₹25,000, compared to last month.

Anand said it is the best time to travel to the Middle East, as the weather is pleasant and places such as Bahrain and Qatar are opening up for tourism.

Denied entry into house, man burns father alive

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.11.2018

A day after a 56-year-old man succumbed to burn injuries at the Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) hospital on Saturday, police arrested his son for setting him afire at Zam Bazaar on Sunday.

According to police, hours before the murder, E Shankar, a resident of Tamil Nadu Housing Board Colony in Royapettah, had a fight with one of his three sons and refused to let him sleep inside the home.

Police said Shankar had three sons - Ramachandran, 29; Ramakrishnan, 28 and Vijay, 26. “Vijay and Shankar picked up quarrel with Ramakrishnan on Friday. Ramakrishnan was staying on the pavement as his father refused to let him enter the home due to bad habits. After neighbours alerted the control room, police personnel from the Zam Bazaar police station picked up Shankar and Ramakrishnan and questioned them on Friday night,” a police officer said.

After questioning, police let them go back home as they were fully drunk, and asked them to appear before the investigation officer on Saturday morning. “That night, Shankar’s youngest son Vijay slept in the first floor of the house while Shankar slept in his room on the ground floor. Ramakrishnan slept in front of their house,” the officer said.

At around 1.30am, Vijay heard his father’s cries and rushed downstairs to find his father afire, police said. Shankar, who sustained 95% burns, died without responding to the treatment on Saturday.

Based on Vijay’s complaint, police picked up Ramakrishnan suspecting his hand in the murder. During questioning, Ramakrishnan confessed to killing his father after buying petrol from a fuel outlet nearby. He poured the petrol through the window and set him afire, police said.

31% dip in sale of post cards, Speed Post bookings up

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

Chennai:12.11.2018

When was the last time you wrote a letter on a post card or an inland letter?

With the humble mode of written communication almost obsolete, sale of post cards, inland letter cards and envelopes has dropped by 31% in the past one year in Chennai.

These days, post cards are used by firms to connect with their clientele, which sustains the sale. While 47.25 lakh post cards, inland letter cards and envelopes were sold by 200 post offices in Chennai and suburbs of Tambaram during 2016-17, it shrunk to 32.56 lakh in the next fiscal of 2017-18. This has hit the revenue of the postal department by almost 50%.

According to sources, the significant drop in post cards, inland letter cards and envelopes indicate that personal communication through posts is coming down.

“The three are used in bulk by educational institutions, non banking finance companies and government agencies to communicate with masses. Individuals writing to their relatives or friends are almost negligible,” an official said. While a post card is priced at 50 paise, the cost of an inland letter is Rs 2.50.

Contrastingly, there has been an increase in the number of articles posted by unregistered and Speed Post, the latter recording an 18% jump in parcels in the past one year.

R Anand, post master general, Chennai City Region, said several business firms prefer the postal department to send official communication to their customers. “Around 55% of Speed Post customers are business firms,” he said.

Articles posted by unregistered post and Speed Post are up, with the latter recording an 18% jump in the past one year

Red alert issued as ‘Gaja’ may batter city on Wed, Thursday

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.11.2018

The Met department on Sunday issued a red alert to coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, for Thursday as the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, which intensified into cyclonic storm Gaja, may turn into a severe cyclone in the next 24 hours. The cyclone, which may move towards north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast, is likely to make landfall between Chennai and Nagapattinam on November 15.

The cyclonic storm Gaja, named by Thailand, was currently located 840km off Chennai coast and 980km away from Sriharikota.

According to IMD deputy director S Balachandran, the system may bring “heavy rain to Chennai and coastal areas.” However, it may weaken as it nears the coast and makes landfall on Thursday afternoon, said the forecast.

The storm had moved west northwest at 13km speed over the past six hours.

“While heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over north coastal TN and Puducherry on Wednesday, heavy to very heavy rain with isolated extremely heavy rain is likely at a few places over north TN and Puducherry on Thursday,” said the forecast issued by the IMD.

GAJA IS COMING: May make landfall between Chennai and Nagapattinam on Thursday

City likely to remain cloudy on Mon, Tues

The city, meanwhile, may not get rain on Monday and Tuesday. “The sky condition is likely to be cloudy with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 32°C and 24°C,” says the forecast.

Private weather forecaster Skymet says the distance across the Bay of Bengal, warm sea surface temperature and low vertical wind shear may provide more strength to the system.

Flight cancelled after 10-hour delay

Pon Vasanth B.A

MADURAI, NOVEMBER 10, 2018 00:00 IST



Around 70 passengers got stranded in the boarding area of Madurai airport on Friday. 

Meanwhile, Madurai airport gets bomb threat

An international flight from Madurai to Colombo, operated by SpiceJet, was cancelled after 10 hours of delay, leaving passengers stranded in the boarding area on Friday. According to the passengers, as the flight was scheduled to depart from Madurai at 12.50 p.m. they had started to check in at the immigration counter.

While SpiceJet staff initially announced that the flight would be slightly delayed, there was no proper communication from them subsequently, the passengers claimed.

“At 7.50 p.m., we were informed that the flight has been cancelled due to technical problems,” a passenger, who was travelling with her family, said, adding there were around 70 passengers waiting to board the flight. The passengers included at least one who had to rush for a funeral of a close relative and another who had a connecting flight to Qatar on Friday night.

Airport sources said the flight, which operated as a domestic flight from Hyderabad to Madurai and then as an international flight from Madurai to Colombo, developed a technical glitch while landing at Madurai airport.

“Attempts to rectify the issue failed,” a SpiceJet executive, speaking on anonymity, said. The executive added that an alternative flight would be arranged on Saturday morning. Agitated passengers attempted to gherao SpiceJet staff.

Bomb threat

Meanwhile, around 7.15 p.m., Madurai City Police control room received a bomb threat to a flight in Madurai airport.

According to a senior police official, the caller, who identified himself as Ramasamy, claimed that he overheard two persons discussing that a bomb was to explode in a flight departing Madurai on Saturday morning.

Madurai SP N. Manivannan said airport authorities, including Central Industrial Security Force, had been alerted. “We will provide all assistance to them as required. Meanwhile, we are also trying to track the caller. The phone remains switched off,” he added.

Digital learning will have a big impact in education process: VC

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

KARAIKUDI, NOVEMBER 10, 2018 00:00 IST

‘ Enrolment in ‘Swayam’ has touched 2.750’


The word ‘digital’ is used in all spheres of human activity. It has become inseparable and inevitable in daily life, playing a pivotal role in the learning for students now, said N. Rajendran, Vice-Chancellor, Alagappa University.

Presiding over an one-day workshop on ‘Design and development of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)’ for the faculty members of the university and affiliated college here on Thursday, he said the digital initiatives would have a far-reaching impact in the education process. The Central government had exclusively dedicated the portal, ‘Swayam,’ for online learning and within a short span of its launching in 2014, it was offering more than 800 free courses in many disciplines, he said.

The online courses helped the students acquire knowledge and develop communication and other skills in an easy and interesting manner, he said. Thanks to online learning, a student could listen to a lecture of an eminent IIT professor while sitting at home.

Mr. Rajendran said when he assumed office as Vice-Chancellor in June this year, the enrolment in ‘Swayam’ in the úniversity was 1,000 and the number had increased to 2,750 now. The University was following the guidelines of University Grants Commission (UGC) in terms of activities of ‘Swayam, he said and asked the teachers to develop MOOC courses in regional language.

S. Gowri, Director, Education Multi Media Research Centre (EMMRC), Anna University, Chennai, who inaugurated the workshop, said that though many countries offered MOOC courses, India alone offered them free of cost to the students.

Referring to apprehensions that the technology would replace teachers in future, he said the technology, in fact, would support the teachers and make learning easy. “The technology reduces the burden of teachers,” he said.

He said 30 EMMRCs were functioning across the country, including two in Tamil Nadu. “EMMRC plays a key role in helping students learn at their own pace and at the place of their convenience,” he said.

Varsity gets a new exam controller

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, NOVEMBER 10, 2018 00:00 IST

The Syndicate of the University of Madras on Friday, appointed K. Pandian, professor of Inorganic Chemistry, as the Controller of Examinations. The present Controller K. Ravichandran has been appointed as the Director of the Institute of Distance Education (IDE). The Syndicate has also approved the fee for qualification approval of teachers in aided and self-financing colleges. For each faculty to be approved a college will have to pay Rs. 2,000.

“The qualification approval for 1,500 teachers in self-financing institutions, shifting of teachers will be taken up through special selection committees, as per UGC norms and the meetings will be held at the university,” said a member.

Several members raised objection to the fees but a senior university official said they would cover the travel allowances of the experts and other incidentals. The Syndicate also approved the appointment of 14 faculty to the IDE.

Courts cannot compel insurance companies to pay compensation to unauthorised passengers

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOVEMBER 10, 2018 00:00 IST

Holds that insurance companies cannot be compelled to pay compensation to unauthorised passengers

The Madras High Court has refused to consider as a precedent a judgment passed by the Supreme Court on September 5 and gone ahead to hold that courts cannot compel insurance companies to pay compensation to unauthorised or gratuitous passengers of goods vehicles and then recover the money from the owner of the vehicles. A Division Bench of Justices K.K. Sasidharan and R. Subramanian held that the September 5 judgment of the then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar in the Shivaraj versus Rajendra case could not be taken as a precedent because it was not in consonance with the previous verdicts pronounced by the court’s larger Benches.

The decision was taken while allowing a batch of appeals preferred by a private insurance company which had challenged an award passed by a motor accident claims tribunal in Dharmapuri on September 23, 2014 for payment of compensation to 18 people who met with an accident while travelling in a goods vehicle to attend a marriage.

HC directs trial court to frame charges afresh against Maran brothers, others

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOVEMBER 10, 2018 00:00 IST



It was made clear that the prosecution could also assist the trial court.File Photo 

Counsel of Dayanidhi Maran says basic premise on which CBI rested case was false

The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed petitions filed by former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and three others to quash all charges framed against them by a special court for CBI cases here, in the alleged illegal BSNL telephone exchange case.

Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira, however, remanded the matter to the special court for framing the charges afresh, since it was brought to his notice that the lower court had framed common charges against all the seven accused in the case, without any material to substantiate individual involvement in the alleged offences.

“The trial court is directed to carefully look into all the materials and frame proper and necessary charges in respect of each and every accused (A1 to A7) in accordance with procedures contemplated in the Code of Criminal Procedure, particularly Chapter XVII, based on the materials available,” he ordered.

It was made clear that the prosecution could also assist the trial court by filing draft charges. Apart from the Maran brothers, those who wanted the charges quashed were SUN TV electrician K.S. Ravi, the former Minister’s personal secretary V. Gowthaman and the television network’s Chief Technical Officer S. Kannan.

The two other accused in the case — K.B. Brahmadathan and M.P. Velusamy — both former Chief General Managers of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), had not approached the High Court challenging the charges framed against them.

False premise

During the course of the arguments, it was submitted on behalf of Mr. Dayanidhi Maran that the basic premise on which the CBI had rested its case itself was false.

His counsel claimed that the charge of his client having obtained more than 760 telephone connections at his residence, during his ministership, was completely wrong. He asserted that Mr. Maran had obtained only 10 connections at his residence in Chennai and around 12 to 13 connections in Delhi. These parent connections had several “child numbers” attached to them.

Even otherwise, there was no bar under law for a Minister to obtain multiple telephone connections, given the nature of work that he/she performs, he argued. It was also contended that the CBI had proceeded on the basis of an erroneous assumption that a cap of three telephone connections imposed on the Members of Parliament would apply to the Ministers.

According to him, there was no shred of evidence to prove that the telephone connections were illegally used by Sun TV Network, owned by his elder brother.

Though the Supreme Court had refused to interfere with the High Court’s July 25 order which reversed discharge of all seven accused from the case by the special court on March 14, the senior counsel said it would not preclude the court from examining the charges framed pursuant to those orders and quash them if they were found to be untenacious.

Mr. Kalanithi Maran’s lawyer had also contended that there were absolutely no materials on record to implicate him in the case.

Kalinga institute of Industrial Technology convocation 2018

Academicians bat for retd teachers as PhD guides

Yogita.Rao@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:10.11.2018

Not recognizing retired teachers as PhD guides could lead to a further drop in the number of PhDs from Mumbai University, say academicians.

TOI, on Thursday, reported a 35% drop in the number of PhDs passing out from the university this year as compared to the previous year. Students have claimed shortage of guides is forcing many aspirants to drop out.

Data shows Mumbai University has not once crossed the 400-mark in PhDs, while the neighbouring Savitribai Phule Pune University produced 685 PhDs in 2018 alone. While most attributed the drop in numbers to the lack of recognised PhD guides, others said ad hoc constitution of research review committees, responsible for approving research proposals, could be a factor too.

Batting for retired teachers to be taken on as guides, V I Katchi, additional director at Bhavan’s College in Andheri, said, “Their expertise is intact. Not allowing them to guide students would mean underutilisation of resources. If lawyers and surgeons are allowed to practice even post retirement age, then why can teachers not guide students? It is not even a financial burden on the government and the university can have a pool of supervisors too.”

Katchi said teachers who are willing to pursue research should be allowed to do so.

While commerce and management remain the most popular subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate level, few opt for PhD in these streams. The number of PhDs in law, too, has remained in single digits over the past four years, explaining why the university faces a serious shortage of approved law teachers. Data over the last four years shows most aspirants in Mumbai University pursue PhD in science and humanities.

Former dean of commerce, MU, Madhu Nair, said there could be two reasons for the shrinking numbers of PhDs. “Retired teachers and those on the verge of retirement are not allowed to guide students, leading to a serious shortage of guides in commerce faculty. Secondly, research review committees have not been properly constituted. RRCs meetings were delayed and proposals kept on hold for long around 2015,” said Nair.

ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு பணப்பலன் தாமதம் கல்வி அலுவலர் இருவர், 'சஸ்பெண்ட்'

Added : நவ 09, 2018 04:27

குளித்தலை:ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு, பணப்பலன்களை பெற்று தராமல், காலதாமதம் செய்ததால், இரு வட்டார கல்வி அலுவலர்கள், 'சஸ்பெண்ட்' செய்யப்பட்டனர்.

கரூர் மாவட்டம், குளித்தலை அடுத்த கிருஷ்ணராயபுரம் பகுதியில் இரு வட்டார கல்வி அலுவலகங்கள், மகாதானபுரம் அக்ரஹாரத்தில் செயல்படுகிறது. இங்குள்ள ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு கிடைக்க வேண்டிய பணப்பலன் மற்றும் அவர்கள் கடன் வேண்டி மனு அளித்திருந்தனர். மனுக்கள் மீது, உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுக்காதால், பணப்பலன்களை பெற முடியாமல் ஆசிரியர்கள் தவித்தனர். 

இதையடுத்து, கல்வித்துறை அதிகாரிகள் மற்றும் கலெக்டரிடம் ஆசிரியர்கள் கோரிக்கை மனு அளித்தனர். மேலும், அனைத்து ஆசிரியர்கள் சார்பில், கல்வி அலுவலரை கண்டித்து கண்டன நோட்டீஸ் ஒட்டப்பட்டது.கடந்த மாதம் மாவட்ட முதன்மை கல்வி அலுவலர், தங்கவேல், குளித்தலை கல்வி மாவட்ட அலுவலர், கபீர் ஆகியோர், ஆசிரியர்களிடம், 'சட்டபடி நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும். பணப்பலன் உட்பட அனைத்து சலுகைகளும் பெற்று தரப்படும்' என, உறுதியளித்தனர்.
இந்நிலையில் ஆசிரியர்கள் கொடுத்த புகார்படி, ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு வழங்க வேண்டிய பணப்பலன் மற்றும் கடன் வசதி பெற்று தராமல் தாமதம் செய்ததாக, கிருஷ்ணராயபுரம் வட்டார கல்வி அலுவலர் சேகர், குமுதா ஆகியோர் சஸ்பெண்ட் செய்யப்பட்டனர்.இதுகுறித்து, முதன்மை கல்வி அலுவலர் தங்கவேல் கூறியதாவது:

கிருஷ்ணராயபுரம் தாலுகா வட்டார கல்வி அலுவலர் சேகர் மற்றும் குமுதா ஆகியோர், ஆசிரியர் களுக்கு பெற்று தர வேண்டிய பணப்பலன் மற்றும் கடன் வசதி செய்து தராமல், ஓராண்டுக்கு மேலாக இழுத்தடிக்கப்பட்டு வந்தது தெரிய வந்தது. ஆசிரியர்கள் கொடுத்த புகார்படி, இரு அலுவலர்களும் சஸ்பெண்ட் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

ஓய்வூதியர் வாழ்நாள் சான்று கருவூல ஆணையர் அறிவிப்பு

Added : நவ 09, 2018 03:35

சென்னை:'ஓய்வூதியர்கள், தங்கள் வாழ்நாள் சான்றை, அடுத்த ஆண்டு சமர்ப் பிக்க வேண்டும்' என, கருவூல கணக்கு ஆணையர், ஜவகர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

அவரது அறிக்கை:தமிழக அரசின் ஓய்வூதியர்களில் சிலர், கடந்த ஆண்டு வரை, வங்கிகளில் நேரடியாக ஓய்வூதியம் பெற்று வந்தனர். அவர்களுடைய சிரமங்களை குறைக்க, பொதுத்துறை வங்கி திட்டத்தின் வழியே, ஓய்வூதியம் பெற்ற, 70 ஆயிரம் பேர், இந்த ஆண்டு முதல், கருவூலத்துறை திட்டத்திற்கு மாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

அவர்கள், தற்போது, மாவட்ட கருவூலங்கள், சார் கருவூலங்கள், ஓய்வூதியம் வழங்கும் அலுவலகம் ஆகியவற்றின் வழியே, ஓய்வூதியம் பெறுகின்றனர். பொதுத்துறை வங்கி திட்டத்தில் உள்ள, தமிழக அரசு ஓய்வூதியர்கள், கடந்த ஆண்டு, நவம்பர், டிசம்பர், ஜனவரி மாதங்களில், தங்கள் வாழ்நாள் சான்றை, வங்கிகளில் அளித்து வந்தனர்.தற்போது, அவர்களுடைய அனைத்து பதிவேடுகளும், ஓய்வூதியம் வழங்கும் அலுவலகம் மற்றும் கருவூலங்களுக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளன. 

எனவே, அடுத்த ஆண்டுக்கான, தங்கள் வாழ்நாள் சான்றை, தங்களது ஓய்வூதிய அலுவலகம், மாவட்ட கருவூலங்கள், சார் கருவூலங்கள் ஆகியவற்றில், 2019 ஏப்., 1 முதல், ஜூன், 30க்குள் சமர்ப்பிக்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, அவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு 'ஐ.டி., கார்டு' கட்டாயம்

Added : நவ 09, 2018 03:37

சென்னை:தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள அரசு அலுவலகங்கள், பள்ளி மற்றும் கல்லுாரி அலுவலகங்களில் பணியாற்றும் ஊழியர்கள், பெரும்பாலும், தங்கள் அடையாள அட்டையை அணிந்திருப்பதில்லை. இதனால், ஊழியர்கள் யார், பொதுமக்கள் யார் என, பிரித்து பார்க்க முடியவில்லை.
இந்நிலையில், அனைத்து அரசு அலுவலகங்களிலும், ஊழியர்கள் அடையாள அட்டை அணிந்தே பணியாற்ற வேண்டும் என, இந்த ஆண்டு, ஜூலையில், சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தர விட்டது. இந்த உத்தரவை பின்பற்றி, அனைத்து பள்ளி, கல்லுாரி அலுவலகங்கள் மற்றும் அரசின் பிற துறை அலுவலகங்களில், புகைப்படத்துடன் கூடிய அடையாள அட்டை அணிந்து, பணியாற்ற வேண்டும் என, அரசு சார்பில், சுற்றறிக்கை அனுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மாநில செய்திகள்

மதுரையில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைக்க எடுத்த நடவடிக்கை என்ன? அறிக்கை தாக்கல் செய்ய மத்திய அரசுக்கு ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவு


மதுரையில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைக்க எடுத்த நடவடிக்கை குறித்து அறிக்கை தாக்கல் செய்யுமாறு மத்திய அரசுக்கு மதுரை ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

பதிவு: நவம்பர் 09, 2018 04:45 AM
மதுரை,

மதுரையை சேர்ந்த கே.கே.ரமேஷ், மதுரை ஐகோர்ட்டில் தாக்கல் செய்த மனுவில் கூறியிருந்ததாவது:-

தமிழகத்தில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமையும் என்று கடந்த 2015-ம் ஆண்டு பிப்ரவரி மாதம் மத்திய அரசு அறிவித்தது. ஆனால் அந்த அறிவிப்பு உறுதிபடுத்தப்படாமலேயே இருந்து வந்தது. தமிழகத்தில் எங்கு எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைக்கப்படுகிறது? என்பது குழப்பமாக இருந்து வந்தது. அதை உறுதிபடுத்த வேண்டும் என்று தொடர்ந்து பல்வேறு தரப்பினர் வலியுறுத்தினர். அதன்பேரில், மதுரை தோப்பூரில் தான் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைகிறது என்று கடந்த ஜூன் 20-ந் தேதி அரசு அறிவித்தது.

தமிழகத்துடன் சேர்ந்து மற்ற மாநிலங்களில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை பணிகள் குறித்து அறிவிப்பு வெளியிடப்பட்ட உடன், அதற்கான பணிகளும் தொடங்கப்பட்டு விட்டன. ஆனால் இங்கு மருத்துவமனை கட்டுவதற்கான எந்த பணிகளும் நடந்ததாக தெரியவில்லை. ஏற்கனவே பல வருடங்கள் இழுத்தடிக்கப்பட்டு விட்டது.

நிதி ஒதுக்க வேண்டும்

எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை கட்டுமானப்பணிகள் தொடங்குவதில் தாமதம் கூடாது. எனவே மதுரை தோப்பூரில் தான் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைகிறது என அரசிதழில் வெளியிட மத்திய அரசுக்கு உத்தரவிட வேண்டும். இதற்காக மத்திய அரசு மந்திரிசபையை கூட்டி, தீர்மானம் நிறைவேற்றி ஒப்புதல் பெற வேண்டும். கட்டுமான பணிகளுக்கான ஒப்பந்தத்தை விரைவுபடுத்தவும், எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனைக்கு தேவையான நிதியை ஒதுக்கவும் மத்திய அரசுக்கு உத்தரவிட வேண்டும்.

இவ்வாறு மனுவில் கூறியிருந்தார்.

இந்த வழக்கு நீதிபதிகள் சசிதரன், ஆதிகேசவலு ஆகியோர் கொண்ட அமர்வு முன்பு நேற்று விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது.

அப்போது மத்திய அரசு தரப்பில் ஆஜரான வக்கீல், “மதுரை தோப்பூரில் தான் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமையும். அதில் எந்த மாற்றமும் இருக்காது” என தெரிவித்தார்.

எப்போது தொடங்கும்?

இதை பதிவு செய்து கொண்ட நீதிபதிகள், “மதுரை தோப்பூரில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமையும் என்று அறிவிக்கப்பட்ட பின்னர், அடுத்தகட்டமாக எடுக்கப்பட்ட நடவடிக்கைகள் என்ன?. மேலும், எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை கட்டுமானப்பணிகள் தொடங்குவது எப்போது? இந்த பணிகள் எவ்வளவு காலத்திற்குள் முடிக்கப்படும் என்பது குறித்து மத்திய சுகாதாரத்துறை செயலாளர் டிசம்பர் 6-ந் தேதி அறிக்கை தாக்கல் செய்ய வேண்டும்’ என்று உத்தரவிட்டனர்.

பின்னர் வழக்கு விசாரணையை டிசம்பர் 6-ந் தேதிக்கு ஒத்தி வைத்தனர்.

மாநில செய்திகள்

‘சர்கார்’ படத்தில் ‘சர்ச்சை’ காட்சிகள் என்ன?


‘சர்கார்’ படத்தில் சர்ச்சை காட்சிகள் என்ன என்பது தொடர்பான தகவல் வெளியாகி உள்ளது.

பதிவு: நவம்பர் 09, 2018 05:15 AM

சர்கார் படத்தில் பழ.கருப்பையா முதல்-அமைச்சராகவும், ராதாரவி அமைச்சராகவும் வருகிறார்கள். பழ.கருப்பையாவின் மகளாக வரும் வரலட்சுமி சரத்குமாரின் பெயர் கோமளவள்ளி என்று உள்ளது. இது மறைந்த முதல்-அமைச்சர் ஜெயலலிதா பெயர் என்று கூறுகின்றனர்.

அரசின் மின்சார துறை, போக்குவரத்து துறை உள்ளிட்ட அனைத்து துறைகளும் மெத்தனமாக செயல்படுவதாக விஜய் சாடும் வசனம் உள்ளது. டெங்கு காய்ச்சலை ஒழிப்பதில் சரியாக செயல்படவில்லை என்று விமர்சிக்கும் வசனமும் உள்ளது.

நியூட்ரினோ திட்டம், ஹைட்ரோ கார்பன் திட்டம் உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு பிரச்சினைகளை வைத்துத்தான் பணம் பார்க்கிறோம். அந்த பிரச்சினைகளை தீர்க்க முடியாது என்று முதல்-அமைச்சர் சொல்வதுபோல் வசனம் உள்ளன.

கந்து வட்டியால் கலெக்டர் அலுவலகத்தில் குடும்பத்துடன் தீக்குளித்த உண்மை சம்பவம், கன்டெய்னரில் பணம் பதுக்கும் காட்சிகளும் உள்ளன. அரசு வழங்கிய இலவச பொருட்களை ஏ.ஆர்.முருகதாஸ் தீயில் அள்ளிப்போட்டு கொளுத்துவது போன்றும் காட்சிகள் இருக்கிறது. கள்ள ஓட்டு போட்டு ஆட்சிக்கு வர துடிக்கும் அரசியல் கட்சி அந்த கட்சிக்கு எதிராக அனைத்து தொகுதிகளிலும் சமூக சேவைகளில் ஈடுபடுவோரை சுயேச்சைகளாக வெவ்வேறு சின்னங்களில் நிறுத்தி ஜெயிக்க வைத்து ஆட்சியை பிடிப்பது போன்ற காட்சிகளும் உள்ளன.

இதன் காரணமாகவே அமைச்சர்களும், அ.தி.மு.க தொண்டர்களும் படத்துக்கு எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்து உள்ளனர்.

மாவட்ட செய்திகள்

தீபாவளி பண்டிகை முடிந்து சொந்த ஊருக்கு சென்றவர்கள் சென்னை திரும்பினர் விடிய, விடிய போக்குவரத்தை சீரமைத்த போலீசார்



தீபாவளி பண்டிகை முடிந்து சொந்த ஊர்களுக்கு சென்று இருந்த பொதுமக்கள், சென்னை திரும்பி வந்தனர். பெருங்களத்தூரில் விடிய, விடிய போக்குவரத்தை சீரமைக்கும் பணியில் போலீசார் ஈடுபட்டதால் அதிகளவில் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்படவில்லை.

பதிவு: நவம்பர் 09, 2018 05:30 AM

தாம்பரம்,


சென்னையில் வசிக்கும் தென் மாவட்டத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர்கள், தீபாவளி பண்டிகைக்காக தங்கள் சொந்த ஊர்களுக்கு சென்று இருந்தனர். இந்த ஆண்டு தீபாவளி பண்டிகைக்கு சென்னையில் இருந்து அதிக அளவிலான பொதுமக்கள், கார்களிலேயே சொந்த ஊர்களுக்கு சென்று இருந்தனர்.


தீபாவளி விடுமுறை முடிந்து, கார்களில் சென்றவர்கள் நேற்று முன்தினம் மாலை முதலே சென்னை திரும்பி வரத்தொடங்கினர். வழக்கமாக பண்டிகை முடிந்து சென்னை திரும்பும் வாகனங்களால் பெருங்களத்தூர், வண்டலூர் பகுதிகளில் கடுமையான போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்படுவது வழக்கம்.

இந்த ஆண்டு அதேபோல போக்குவரத்து பாதிப்பு ஏற்படாமல் தடுக்க தகுந்த நடவடிக்கைகள் எடுக்கும்படி சென்னை மாநகர போலீஸ் கமிஷனர் ஏ.கே.விஸ்வநாதன் உத்தரவிட்டார். அதன்பேரில் போக்குவரத்து போலீஸ் கூடுதல் கமிஷனர் ஏ.அருண் மேற்பார்வையில் தகுந்த முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகள் எடுக்கப்பட்டது.

போக்குவரத்து சீரமைப்பு

அதன்படி தாம்பரம், பெருங்களத்தூர் பகுதிகளில் 6 போக்குவரத்து போலீஸ் இன்ஸ்பெக்டர்கள், 25 சப்-இன்ஸ்பெக்டர்கள், 150-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட போலீசார் போக்குவரத்தை சீரமைக் கும் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டனர்.

நேற்றுமுன்தினம் மாலையில் தொடங்கி விடிய, விடிய போக்குவரத்தை சீரமைக்கும் பணியில் போலீசார் ஈடுபட்டனர். அதிகாலை 4 மணி முதல் அதிக அளவு கார், ஆம்னி பஸ்கள், அரசு விரைவு பஸ்கள் தென் மாவட்டங்களில் இருந்து சென்னைக்கு அணிவகுத்து வந்தன.

தாம்பரத்தில் இருந்து வண்டலூர் வரை சுமார் 12 கிலோ மீட்டர் தூரத்துக்கு போலீசார் போக்குவரத்தை சீர்செய்யும் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டனர். கார் போன்ற வாகனங்களை சாலையின் வலது புறத்திலும், பயணிகளை ஏற்றிவரும் ஆம்னி பஸ்கள், அரசு பஸ்களை இடது புறத்திலும் வருமாறு போக்குவரத்தை மாற்றி அமைத்தனர்.

நெரிசல் இல்லை

பயணிகளை இறக்கி செல்லும் பஸ்களை தவிர மற்ற வாகனங்களை சாலையில் நிறுத்தக்கூடாது எனக்கூறி போக்குவரத்தை மாற்றியதால் போக்குவரத்து சீராக சென்றது. எந்த இடத்திலும் வாகனங்கள் நிற்காததால் அதிக அளவு போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற் படவில்லை.

வாகனங்கள் அனைத்தும் ஒன்றன்பின் ஒன்றாக எங்கும் நிற்காமல் நகர்ந்தபடியே இருந்தது. கனரக வாகனங்கள், வண்டலூர் மேம்பாலத்தில் இருந்து வண்டலூர்-மீஞ்சூர் வெளிவட்ட சாலை வழியாக திருப்பி விடப்பட்டது. இதனால் பொதுமக்கள் எந்த இடையூறும் இன்றி எளிதாக சென்றனர்.




இது குறித்து போக்குவரத்து போலீசார் கூறியதாவது:-

முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கை

வழக்கமாக பண்டிகை நாட்கள், அரசு விடுமுறை நாட்களில் சென்னையில் உள்ள பொதுமக்கள் தென் மாவட்டங்களில் உள்ள அவர்களது சொந்த ஊர்களுக்கு சென்று வருவது வழக்கம். அவ்வாறு செல்லும்போதும், விடுமுறைக்குப்பின் சென்னை திரும்பி வரும்போதும் பெருங்களத்தூர் பகுதியில் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் அதிகமாக இருக்கும்.

ஆனால் இதுபோல நடக்காமல் இருக்க அனைத்துவிதமான முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகளும் எடுக்கப்பட்டு அதிக அளவில் போக்குவரத்து போலீசாரை பணியில் அமர்த்தி, நெரிசல் ஏற்படாமல் இருக்க நடவடிக்கைகள் எடுக்கப்பட்டது. இதனால் வாகனங்களை எங்கும் நிற்கவிடாமல் தொடர்ந்து நகர்த்திக்கொண்டே இருந்ததால் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் குறைவாக இருந்தது.

ஆனால் வழக்கத்துக்கு மாறாக வாகனங்கள் அதிகமாக வந்ததால் சீரான வாகன போக்குவரத்து பாதிப்படைந்தது. இருப்பினும் போக்குவரத்து எங்கள் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் முழுமையாக இருந்ததால் பொதுமக்களுக்கு எந்த இடையூறும் இல்லாமல் சென்றனர்.

இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

இது குறித்து பொதுமக்கள் கூறியதாவது:-

இடையூறு இல்லை

வழக்கமாக ஒவ்வொரு வருடமும் விடுமுறை நாட்கள் மற்றும் பண்டிகை நாட்களில் சென்னையில் இருந்து தென் மாவட்டங்களில் உள்ள சொந்த ஊர்களுக்கு குடும்பத்துடன் சென்று வருவது வழக்கம். பின்னர் விடுமுறை முடிந்து சென்னை திரும்பும்போது செங்கல்பட்டில் இருந்து கடுமையான போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்படும்.

அவ்வாறு போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்படும்போது பொதுமக்கள் அதில் சிக்கி பெருங்களத்தூர் பகுதியை கடந்து செல்லவே பல மணி நேரம் ஆகும். இதனால் அனைவரும் அவதிப்பட்டு வந்தோம். ஆனால் தீபாவளி விடுமுறைக்காக சொந்த ஊர்களுக்கு சென்று சென்னை திரும்பியபோது எங்கும் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்படாமல் வாகனங்கள் அனைத்தும் நகர்ந்தபடியே இருந்தது. இதனால் எந்த இடையூறும் இன்றி எளிதாக உரியநேரத்துக்கு எங்களால் வந்துசேர முடிந்தது.

இவ்வாறு பொதுமக்கள் தெரிவித்தனர்.

தலையங்கம்

பா.ஜ.க.வுக்கு எதிராக மெகா கூட்டணி


பழைய திரைப்பட பாடல் ஒன்றில், ‘நேற்று வரை நீ யாரோ? நான் யாரோ?, இன்று முதல் நீ வேறோ? நான் வேறோ?’ என்று வரிகள் வரும். இது இப்போது புதிதாக உருவெடுத்துள்ள காங்கிரஸ்– தெலுங்குதேசம் கட்சி உறவில் நிரூபிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

நவம்பர் 09 2018, 04:00

பழைய திரைப்பட பாடல் ஒன்றில், ‘நேற்று வரை நீ யாரோ? நான் யாரோ?, இன்று முதல் நீ வேறோ? நான் வேறோ?’ என்று வரிகள் வரும். இது இப்போது புதிதாக உருவெடுத்துள்ள காங்கிரஸ்– தெலுங்குதேசம் கட்சி உறவில் நிரூபிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. நடிகர் என்.டி.ராமராவ் 35 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு ஒருங்கிணைந்த ஆந்திராவில் தன்னிகரற்று ஆட்சி செய்துகொண்டிருந்த காங்கிரஸ் கட்சியை தோற்கடிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற நோக்கத்தில்தான், தெலுங்குதேசம் கட்சியை தொடங்கினார். 1983–ம் ஆண்டு நடைபெற்ற தேர்தலில் தெலுங்குதேசம் கட்சி வெற்றிபெற்று, என்.டி.ராமராவ் முதல்–மந்திரி ஆனார். அதன்பிறகு காங்கிரஸ் கட்சிக்கும், தெலுங்குதேசம் கட்சிக்கும் ஒட்டுமில்லை, உறவுமில்லை என்றநிலை இருந்தது.

இத்தகைய சூழ்நிலையில், பா.ஜ.க.வுடன் நெருக்கமாக இருந்த ஆந்திர முதல்–மந்திரி சந்திரபாபு நாயுடு, ஆந்திராவுக்கு சிறப்பு அந்தஸ்து கொடுக்க வில்லை, சிறப்பு நிதி உதவிகள் அளிக்கவில்லை என்பதற்காக பா.ஜ.க. கூட்டணியிலிருந்து விலகினார். 2019 பாராளுமன்ற தேர்தல் நெருங்கிவரும் சூழ்நிலையில், பா.ஜ.க. அல்லாத அனைத்து எதிர்க்கட்சி களையும் ஒருங்கிணைத்து இந்த தேர்தலில் போட்டியிடவேண்டும் என்ற எண்ணம் காங்கிரசுக்கும், தெலுங்குதேசம் கட்சிக்கும் மற்றும் பல எதிர்க்கட்சி களுக்கும் இருக்கிறது. இந்தநிலையில், எதிரிக்கு எதிரி நண்பன் என்றமுறையில் காங்கிரஸ் கட்சியோடு சந்திரபாபு நாயுடு உறவுகொள்ள நினைத்து, சோனியா காந்தியையும், ராகுல் காந்தியையும் சந்தித்து பேசினார். இது ஒரு ஜனநாயக நிர்ப்பந்தம் என்று இந்த சந்திப்பு குறித்து ராகுல்காந்தி கருத்து தெரிவித்தார். நம் நாட்டை காப்பாற்றி ஜனநாயகத்தை காப்பாற்றவேண்டும். ஜனநாயக நிர்ப்பந்தத்தால் நாட்டை பாதுகாக்க நாங்கள் ஒன்று சேர்ந்துள்ளோம் என்று சந்திரபாபு நாயுடு இந்த அபூர்வ சந்திப்பு பற்றி கூறினார். இந்த பின்னணியில் சந்திரபாபு நாயுடு அனைத்து எதிர்க்கட்சிகளையும் சந்தித்து ஒரே அணியில் திரட்ட முயற்சி எடுத்து வருகிறார். ஏற்கனவே தேசியவாத காங்கிரஸ் தலைவர் சரத்பவார், தேசிய மாநாட்டு கட்சித்தலைவர் பரூக் அப்துல்லா, டெல்லி முதல்–மந்திரி அரவிந்த் கெஜ்ரிவால், பகுஜன் சமாஜ் கட்சித்தலைவர் மாயாவதி, மேற்கு வங்காள முதல்–மந்திரி மம்தா பானர்ஜி, கர்நாடக முதல்–மந்திரி எச்.டி.குமாரசாமி என்று பல தலைவர் களோடு இதுகுறித்து பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்தினார்.

தமிழ்நாட்டிலும் தி.மு.க. தலைவர் மு.க.ஸ்டாலினை, சந்திரபாபு நாயுடு சென்னைக்கு வந்து இன்று மாலையில் சந்தித்து பேச இருக்கிறார். பா.ஜ.க. அல்லாத அனைத்து எதிர்க்கட்சிகளையும் தி.மு.க. தலைமையில் தமிழ் நாட்டிலும் ஒன்றிணைக்க முயற்சி நடக்கிறது. அப்படி யொரு கூட்டணி அமைந்துவிட்டால் 2019 பாராளுமன்ற தேர்தலில் மட்டுமல்லாமல், 20 தொகுதிகளுக்கான சட்டமன்ற இடைத்தேர்தலிலும் போட்டியிட இந்த கூட்டணி உருவாகிவிடும். இந்த புதிய கூட்டணிக்கு யார் தலைவர்? என்பதில்தான் கண்டிப்பாக சிக்கல் ஏற்படும். ஏனெனில், இந்தப்படையில் எல்லோருமே தலைவர்கள் தான். சந்திரபாபு நாயுடு, ராகுல்காந்தி, சரத்பவார், மாயாவதி, மம்தா பானர்ஜி என எல்லோருமே தலைமை பொறுப்புக்குவர ஆசைப்படுவார்கள் என்பதில் ஐயமில்லை. ஆனால் இந்த ஒரு பிரச்சினையில் எதிர்க்கட்சிகளுக்கு இடையே சுமுகமான தீர்வு ஏற்படுமா? என்பது போகபோகத்தான் தெரியும். இன்றைய சூழ்நிலையில் எதிர்க்கட்சிகளை ஒன்றிணைக்கும் முயற்சி சந்திரபாபு நாயுடு தலைமையில் வேகமாக தொடங்கிவிட்டது என்பதுதான் நிதர்சனமான உண்மை.