திசை மாறியதால் கடலூர்-பாம்பன் இடையே கரையை கடக்கும் 7 மாவட்டங்களுக்கு புயல் ஆபத்து சென்னைக்கு பாதிப்பு இல்லை



புயல் திசை மாறியதால் கடலூர்- பாம்பன் இடையே கரையை கடக்கிறது. விழுப்புரம், தஞ்சை, திருவாரூர் உள்பட 7 மாவட்டங்களுக்கு புயல் எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. சென்னைக்கு பாதிப்பு இல்லை என்று வானிலை மையம் தெரிவித்து உள்ளது.

பதிவு: நவம்பர் 13, 2018 05:45 AM
சென்னை,

தென் கிழக்கு வங்கக் கடல் பகுதியில் உருவான காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு நிலை, வலுப்பெற்று புயலாக மாறியது. இந்த புயலுக்கு ‘கஜா’ என்று பெயரிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

நேற்றுமுன்தினம் சென்னைக்கு வட கிழக்கே 860 கிலோ மீட்டர் தூரத்தில் மையம் கொண்ட, இந்த புயல் சென்னை-நாகை இடையே கரையை கடக்கும் என்று தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது. இப்போது திசை மாறியுள்ள இந்த புயல் நாகப்பட்டினத்திற்கு வட கிழக்கே 800 கிலோ மீட்டர் தொலையில் நிலைகொண்டுள்ளது.


இந்த புயலானது மணிக்கு 25 கிலோ மீட்டர் வேகத்தில் மேற்கு மற்றும் தென்மேற்கு திசையில் வட தமிழகத்தை நோக்கி நகர்ந்து வருகிறது. மேலும் அது தற்போது தீவிர புயலாக மாறியுள்ளது. இந்த புயல் 15-ந்தேதி கடலூருக்கும், பாம்பனுக்கும் இடையே கரையை கடக்கும் என்று சென்னை வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்து இருக்கிறது.

இது குறித்து சென்னை வானிலை ஆய்வு மைய இயக்குனர் எஸ்.பாலச்சந்திரன் நிருபர்களிடம் கூறியதாவது:-

தென் கிழக்கு வங்க கடலில் உருவான கஜா புயல் நாகப்பட்டினத்திற்கு வட கிழக்கே சுமார் 800 கிலோ மீட்டர் தொலைவில் தற்போது நிலை கொண்டுள்ளது. இந்த புயல் 15-ந்தேதி முற்பகலில் கடலூர்-பாம்பன் இடையே கரையை கடக்கும். தற்போது நிலவரப்படி 14-ந்தேதி (நாளை) இரவு முதல் புயல் கரையை கடக்கும் வரையில், தஞ்சாவூர், திருவாரூர், நாகப்பட்டினம், கடலூர், விழுப்புரம், புதுச்சேரி, காரைக்கால், புதுக்கோட்டை, ராமநாதபுரம் மாவட்டங்களில் மழை பெய்யும். புயல் கடக்கும் நேரத்தில் பலத்த காற்று மணிக்கு 80 முதல் 90 கிலோ மீட்டர் வேகத்தில் வீசக்கூடும். சில சமயம் 100 கிலோ மீட்டர் வேகத்திலும் பலத்த காற்று வீசும்.

புயல் கரையை கடக்கும் நேரத்தில் கடல் கொந்தளிப்புடன் காணப்படும். 16-ந்தேதி வரை மீனவர்கள் கடலுக்கு மீன்பிடிக்க செல்ல வேண்டாம் என்று கேட்டுக்கொண்டு இருக்கிறோம். நாகப்பட்டினம், கடலூர், காரைக்காலில் இயல்பை விட ஒரு மீட்டர் அளவுக்கு கடல் நீர் மட்டம் உயரும். மிக கனமழை பெய்யக்கூடும். கனமழையை பொறுத்தவரையில் தஞ்சாவூர், காரைக்கால், திருவாரூர், நாகப்பட்டினம், கடலூர், புதுச்சேரி, விழுப்புரம், புதுக்கோட்டை ஆகிய இடங்களில் கன முதல் மிக கனமழை பெய்யக்கூடும். ஓரிரு இடங்களில் மிகவும் பலத்த மழை பெய்யக்கூடும்.

சென்னையை பொறுத்தவரையில், மழை பெய்யக்கூடும். புயல் பாதிப்பு இல்லை. இயல்பான அளவில் காற்று வீசக் கூடும். பொதுவாக கனமழைக் கான அறிவிப்பை ரெட் அலர்ட்டாக குறிப்பிட்டு இருக்கிறோம். இது நிர்வாக நடவடிக்கைக்காக எடுத்துக்கொள்ளப்பட்டுள்ளது. பொது மக்களுக்கானது அல்ல. மக்கள் பீதி அடைய வேண்டியதில்லை. இது குறித்த விளக் கத்தை எங்களது இணைய தளத்தில் வெளியிட்டு இருக்கிறோம்.

20 செ.மீ. மழை பெய்யுமா? என்று கேட்கிறார்கள். புயல் கடக்கும் நேரத்தில் ஈரப்பதத்தை பொறுத்து மழை அளவு வேறுபடும். கரையை கடக்கும்போது தீவிர புயல் மீண்டும் புயலாக மாறும் வாய்ப்பு இருக்கிறது. இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

தற்போது தீவிர புயலாக மாறிய ‘கஜா புயல்’ மேலும் தீவிரம் அடைந்து அதி தீவிர புயலாக மாறவும் வாய்ப்பு உள்ளது. புயல் கரையை நெருங்க, நெருங்கத்தான் அதன் வேகத்தை கணிக்க முடியும் என்றும் இப்போதைக்கு புயல் தாக்கும் அபாயம் நீடிப்பதாகவே வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்தது. 15-ந்தேதி தமிழகத்தின் பெரும்பாலான மாவட்டங்களிலும், தென் மாவட்டங்களிலும் பலத்த மழையை எதிர்பார்க்கலாம் என்றும் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.

15-ந்தேதி அதிகாலையில் இருந்தே புயல் கரையை நெருங்க தொடங்கும். பகல் 12 மணி அளவில் கடலூர்-பாம்பன் இடையே புயல் கரையை கடக்கும். இந்த புயலின் தாக்கத்தால் சென்னைக்கு பெரிய ஆபத்து இல்லை என்றாலும், சென்னை, திருவள்ளூர், காஞ்சீபுரம் மாவட்டங்களில் பலத்த மழை பெய்யக் கூடும் என்று தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

கஜா புயலை எதிர்கொள்ள தேவையான முன் எச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகளை தமிழக அரசு மேற்கொண்டுள்ளது.

இது குறித்து வருவாய் நிர்வாக ஆணையர் கே.சத்யகோபால் கூறும்போது, ‘மழை பாதிப்பு குறித்து விரைந்து அறிந்து கொள்ள டி.என்.ஸ்மார்ட் என்ற புதிய மொபைல் ஆப் ஏற்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. தற்போதையை சூழ்நிலையில் 4,400 இடங்களில் வெள்ளப்பாதிப்பு ஏற்படலாம் என்று தெரியவந்துள்ளது. அந்த பகுதிகளில் எல்லாம் அதிகாரிகள் கொண்ட குழு அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. பேரிடர் மீட்பு குழுவினரும் தயார் நிலையில் உள்ளனர். சம்பந்தப்பட்ட மாவட்ட கலெக்டர்கள் முன் எச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ள உத்தரவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது’ என்றார்.

இதற்கிடையே, கஜா புயலை எதிர்கொள்வது குறித்தும், புயலால் ஏற்படும் பாதிப்புகளை எவ்வாறு சரி செய்வது என்பது குறித்தும் முதல்-அமைச்சர் எடப்பாடி பழனிசாமி தலைமையில் தலைமை செயலகத்தில் அவசர ஆலோசனை கூட்டம் நடந்தது.

இந்த கூட்டத்தில் அமைச்சர்கள், தலைமை செயலாளர் கிரிஜா வைத்தியநாதன், பேரிடர் மேலாண்மை மீட்பு குழு அதிகாரிகள், வருவாய்த்துறை அதிகாரிகள் உள்பட பல்வேறு துறை அதிகாரிகள் கலந்து கொண்டனர்.

கூட்டத்தில் கஜா புயலை எதிர்கொள்வது குறித்த ஆலோசனைகளை முதல்- அமைச்சர் எடப்பாடி பழனிசாமி அதிகாரிகளுக்கு வழங்கினார். புயல் மற்றும் மழை வெள்ளத்தில் சிக்கும் மக்களை உடனடியாக மீட்பது, தற்காலிக தங்கும் இடங்களை உருவாக்குவது, தீயணைப்பு வாகனங்களை தகுந்த இடங்களில் நிறுத்துவது, முக்கியமான இடங்களில் மருத்துவ முகாம் அமைப்பது, பாதிப்பு மிகுந்த பகுதிகளில் பேரிடர் மீட்பு குழுவினரை அதிகமாக நிறுத்துவது என்பது குறித்து ஆலோசிக்கப்பட்டதாக தெரிகிறது.

இதற்கிடையே, நேற்று மாலை தலைமை செயலகத்தில், மாவட்ட கலெக்டர்களுடன் காணொலி காட்சி மூலம் முன் எச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கையை தீவிரப்படுத்துவது குறித்து தலைமை செயலாளர் கிரிஜா வைத்தியநாதன் கலந்துரையாடினார். அப்போது அவர் கஜா புயல் தடுப்பு நடவடிக்கைகளை விரைந்து எடுக்க கலெக்டர்களுக்கு அறிவுரைகள் வழங்கினார்.

Tamil Nadu government seeks list of unfit teachers, non-teaching staff

If anyone should be asked to retire compulsorily, this too should be mentioned in the letter, the order said.

Published: 12th November 2018 02:07 AM |


Image used for representational purpose only.

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The Directorate of School Education has ordered chief educational officers (CEOs) of all districts to submit to it by Thursday (November 15) lists of ‘unfit’ teachers and non-teaching staff - i.e., those who do not do their work properly.

A list of teachers with sexual harassment complaints against them is also to be made.

“Some teachers do not come to school in time and do not take classes. A few of them do only trade union work,” said an Education Department official here.

“The Director has also asked us to create a list of teachers who have complaints of sexual harassment against them.”



Names of those who have taken long leave to live or work in foreign countries is also to be sent to the directorate.

“These problems are affecting education of students and development of schools. Though some such staff have been suspended for their actions, the government might be creating a list of names so that they might be might asked to retire compulsorily,” the official said.

The order said CEOs concerned should review the work of teachers and non-teaching staff through heads of schools.

The school heads should make a list of teachers who show carelessness in teaching or are otherwise unfit for the job.

Block educational officers (BEOs) should similarly create the list of non-teaching staff who are not fit for their work, Director of School Education V C Rameswara Murugan said in the order.

Heads of schools and BEOs, respectively, should also prepare lists of teachers and non-teaching staff who have been working for over 25 years and are more than 50 years of age.

They should review the work of these staff and sent the details, also by November 15, to the directorate. If anyone should be asked to retire compulsorily, this too should be mentioned in the letter, the order said.

‘Review of work’

The order said CEOs concerned should review the work of teachers and non-teaching staff through heads of schools.

The heads should make a list of teachers who show carelessness in teaching or are otherwise unfit for the job.

Block educational officers should similarly create the list of non-teaching staff who are not fit for their works

Not possible to use Aadhaar biometrics to identify the dead, UIDAI tells Delhi HC

The court was hearing a petition filed by social activist Amit Sahni seeking a direction to the Centre and UIDAI to utilise Aadhaar biometrics to identify the unidentified dead bodies.

Published: 12th November 2018 06:20 PM 

Image used for representational purpose only. (Photo | File/PTI)
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) told the Delhi High Court on Monday that it was technically not possible to match the fingerprints of an unidentified body with the biometrics of 120 crore people stored in its database.

UIDAI submitted before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao that matching of biometrics, including fingerprints and iris, is done on 1:1 basis and Aadhaar number is required for it.

The court was hearing a petition filed by social activist Amit Sahni seeking a direction to the Centre and UIDAI to utilise Aadhaar biometrics to identify the unidentified dead bodies.

The bench asked the UIDAI to bring on record the details and file its response to the plea, explaining the system as to why it was not possible to match the fingerprints in such cases with the Aadhaar database.


It also sought the reply of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on the plea and listed the matter for further hearing on February 5 next year.

The petition has sought a direction to the Centre, UIDAI, NCRB and all the states to scan biometrics of unidentified bodies and process them with Aadhaar portal to trace any pre-existing biometric details.

Noting the submissions of UIDAI's counsel Zoheb Hussain, the bench said if it was technically not possible, how can it direct authorities to do it.

Sahni, also an advocate, submitted before the bench that it was possible to use Aadhaar biometrics to identify the dead, and even missing persons were traced through Aadhaar.

The UIDAI counsel said that for matching biometrics, it required prints of all the fingers, iris scan and if they go by only one thumb print scanning, there are chances that it would match with multiple persons.

"It is not possible. There are 120 crore persons on Aadhaar. It is always done 1:1," he said.

He also referred to the October 12 order of an Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court where the investigating officer had moved the court seeking permission to compare fingerprints of a dead woman in Aadhaar database to establish her identity.

The UIDAI had told the high court that it was not at all possible to compare the fingerprints with the information stored.

Noting this, the high court had dismissed the investigating officer's plea.

Sahni, in his plea, has sought directions to the Centre and UIDAI to share pre-existing Aadhaar details, if already there, without any delay, with the NCRB and states for identification of dead bodies.

In case the biometrics of the "dead body pre-exist on Aadhaar portal then directions be issued to share" them with the respondents immediately for handing over the body to the family or relatives "so that respectable and dignified exit could be ensured by performing last rites by affected persons (family)", the plea said.

He has sought directions to constitute special courts for speedy disposal of cases pertaining to unidentified dead bodies under Aadhaar Act on the same day or the next day, irrespective of holiday.

A similar plea was earlier filed by the petitioner before the Supreme Court which asked him to approach the Delhi High Court where he has already filed a petition for using Aadhaar biometrics for the purpose of tracing and re-uniting missing and mentally challenged persons with their families.

Thereafter, he withdrew the plea from the top court. The plea said despite registering biometrics and scanning more than 1. 22 billion citizens at the Aadhaar Portal, the database was not being utilised for the identifying bodies.

It added that thousands of unidentified bodies are recovered in the country every year.

The petition sought directions to the authorities, saying usage of Aadhaar information would not only reduce manpower, expenditure and burden on the state in disposing the unidentified bodies but could also be handed over to the families in a short span of time.

A five-judge Constitution bench of the apex court had on September 26 declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid but had struck down some of its provisions, including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions clause.

The bench had held that while Aadhaar would remain mandatory for filing of Income Tax returns and allotment of Permanent Account Number (PAN), it would not be compulsory to link Aadhaar to bank accounts and telecom service providers cannot seek its linking for mobile connections.

Madras HC wants details from MCI on Trigger Point Therapy

Impressed over the 'miraculous' recovery of a nine-year-old boy, a bench headed by Justice N Kirubakaran gave the directive on November 8 last. 

Published: 11th November 2018 01:18 AM 

Madras HC (File | EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Centre and Medical Council of India (MCI) to answer whether there is any super-specialty diploma or super-specialty course available in Trigger Point Therapy and Musculo-Skeletal Therapy and how many experts in the said techniques are available in the country.

Impressed over the 'miraculous' recovery of a nine-year-old boy, who was till recently in the Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) and whose father had moved the High Court for his mercy killing, a bench headed by Justice N Kirubakaran gave the directive on November 8 last.

Passing further interim orders on the petition from R Thirumeni, father of the boy, the bench said in case no such diploma or course is offered, MCI should consider introducing such a course. Also, if any expertise is needed, the council can get the same from foreign countries by inviting experts for giving

training to Indian students or physiotherapists. The central government and MCI have to come out with their response on the next date of hearing on November 29, the bench added.

"Trigger Point Therapy, which has worked wonders on the child, who was in a PVS, is said to be part of the syllabus prescribed for Physiotherapy course. If most of the physiotherapists are unable to make use of the said therapy for betterment of patients, it can only be said that either they are unaware of the said  therapy or they lack specialisation in the same," the bench said.


The bench noted that after reading newspaper reports, many parents of similarly placed children were approaching Anirudha Medical Organisation Private Limited, where the boy is undergoing treatment, for providing same treatment to their children. But, most of them are living below poverty line and could not
afford. The pressure is so much that the hospital is unable to give treatment to all patients, free of cost.

When the hospital is able to show that the treatment given by it has proved to be a magical one for brain damaged children, its services could be utilised in a proper manner by the Central and State governments. They can provide sponsorships, so that more children can be benefited, the judges said.

The Secretaries of the Union and State Health departments would be summoned, if they fail to respond by November 29 to the queries raised by the court, the bench warned.

Retired government nurse held after Tamil Nadu woman’s death due to post-abortion complexities
Health officials tracked down Saroja after one Uma died on October 27 at a private hospital in Salem.

Published: 12th November 2018 01:59 AM 

Image used for representational purpose.

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A former government hospital nurse alleged to have been running a clinic in a village in Salem district was arrested on Saturday after a pregnant woman died of complications days after she allegedly underwent an abortion at the clinic last month.

Directorate of Medical Services officials raided the clinic run by Saroja (69) at Vembadithalam and seized large quantities of pills used to induce medical termination of pregnancy. She is suspected of performing sex-selective abortions.

Salem police arrested Saroja for quackery. Health officials said Saroja had run the clinic for over 35 years. “She worked at Government Medical College Hospital, Salem. She took voluntary retirement in the late 1980s and has run the clinic since,” said Dr M Valarmathi, Deputy Director of Medical Rural Health and Family Welfare, Salem.


Health officials tracked down Saroja after one Uma died on October 27 at a private hospital in Salem.

“We received complaints she had undergone an abortion at Saroja’s clinic,” said Dr Valarmathi. The clinic was raided on October 29.

“But she was absconding. When we again went on Saturday, she was attending to a patient. We found abortion pills and equipment (to perform abortion),” she said. Kondalampatty police are investigating

Did not know Uma: Saroja

Saroja told officials she did not know Uma. The private hospital said Uma was referred by an Edappadi hospital which Express could not reach.

Spreading fake information is an organised crime: Prakash Raj

The project titled 'beyond fake news' kickstarted with actor Prakash Raj releasing findings from original research into how and why disinformation is shared.

Published: 12th November 2018 06:43 PM 

Actor Prakash Raj takes part in a panel discussion organised by BBC on challenges posed by fake news in the country.

(Photo|Nakshatra Krishnamoorthy /EPS)

By Sindhu Chandrasekaran

Online Desk

In an attempt to combat the menace of fake news, the BBC on Monday launched a project, titled "beyond fake news" in Chennai.

The project kickstarted with actor Prakash Raj releasing findings from original research into how and why disinformation is shared.

Blaming the ruling BJP, the actor said, "The country has witnessed a rise in crimes such as lynching and other violence triggered by fake news, in the last five years, after the BJP came into power. They have organized teams to "cook up" and spread fake news. Without our knowledge, they are misusing our love for a particular religion, caste, etc," he added.


"Spreading fake information is an organized crime....The biggest problem today is that the government, media houses and various other organisations are a part of this practise," he insisted. 

BBC on Monday launched an event in Chennai titled 'beyond fake news' to combat the menace of disinformation. (Photo | EPS)

When asked how to curb the circulation of fake news, the Gilli actor said as long as there are people who believe everything they hear, without verifying and realizing that it's an effort to distract them from the reality, there is no way this trend can be stopped. People need to understand that they are being tricked into believing something which is not true.

"I won't blame only those who spread false information. Also, those who are ready to believe it without verifying it also deserve to be blamed," he concluded.

Emphasizing on making a clear distinction between fake news and one's bias, he said, "It is a human tendency to believe in fake news. When they hear about something that they like or they know, they obviously tend to believe it."

WhatsApp to delete all chats not saved, updated via Google Drive

Android users can update their copy and configure its update frequency as long as they have a personal account on Google.

Published: 13th November 2018 06:52 AM |

For representational purposes (File | Reuters)

By IANS

MADRID: The world's most popular freeware instant messaging app confirmed its prior announcement that, as of Monday, any users who have not backed up their stored data and chats on Google Drive will lose their chat histories.

WhatsApp, which is owned by tech giant Facebook, had reached an agreement with Google last August to store user content on the Google Drive cloud storage service without said data affecting the user's maximum memory limit, Efe reported.

Furthermore, WhatsApp warned that any backups that hadn't been updated in over a year would also be automatically removed from the Google Drive storage.

This will also allow users to easily reload their data on different or new Android smartphones.


Android users can update their copy and configure its update frequency as long as they have a personal account on Google.

Earlier this year, WhatsApp's CEO and co-founder, Jan Koum, announced he was leaving Facebook

MTC cut down on 40 routes affects last-mile connectivity in Chennai

Many parts of Chennai and outskirts have lost bus connectivity in the last few years with no buses or skeletal services.

Published: 12th November 2018 02:14 AM 

Image for representational purpose for MTC buses. (EPS file photo)

By B Anbuselvan 

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Many parts of Chennai and outskirts have lost bus connectivity in the last few years with no buses or skeletal services. Data collected by Express from regular commuters and bus enthusiasts reveal that Metropolitan Transport Corporation abolished over 40 routes across the city in the last few years.

Buses on select routes which were patronised by regular commuters got slowly reduced and were abolished in the next few months.

The worst affected areas are Pattabiram, Thoraipakam, Kolathur Lakshmi Nagar, KK Nagar, Kodungaiyur, Perambur, Ayanavaram, G K M Colony, Broadway, Poonamallee and T Nagar. Besides, many new developed areas also have lost bus connectivity.


“The Perambur - Thoraipakkam (no 129) which was introduced a few years ago was patronised well among locals. It provided direct connectivity to SRP tools, Tidel park and Kanthachavadi. The buses vanished in the last few months and now we have to board two buses to reach Thoraipakkam,” said K Krishnan of Kumaran Nagar.

The ordeal of commuters who regularly travel between Poonamallee and Sholinganallur is no different. Buses on route number 66 S Sholinganallur - Poonmallee, which provided direct connectivity between two destinations on the city’s outskirts were also withdrawn.

“Areas on southern outskirts of Chennai including Sholiganallur and Pallikaranai fully depend on bus services to reach Porur and beyond. The bus which was operated to full capacity was suddenly withdrawn without any alternative service,” rued another commuter S Rajesh, a bus enthusiast from Karaiyanchavadi.

The MTC claims that it operates over 3600 buses on 833 routes catering for about 38 lakh commuters a day. The corporation which has over 70 per cent of over-aged buses is unable to expand its services to the newly developed areas.

When contacted, Renganathan, General Manager (operations) MTC said the buses which were withdrawn may be put on new routes or existing routes that have a huge transportation demand.

Prakash Raj says fake news is spread by organised criminals

TNN | Nov 12, 2018, 09.22 PM IST

CHENNAI: Speakers at a seminar on 'Fake news' raised concern over spreading fake news having an adverse impact on the society.

Participating in a panel discussion on Beyond 'fake news' organised by BBC Tamil here on Monday, actor Prakash Raj said fake news is spread by organised criminals. "It is used as a weapon, which is terrific," he said adding that fake news is aimed at diversion. Noting that 'fake news' spreads like a wildfire, he said, masses fall prey for it.

Later, taking part in another discussion on solutions for fake news Congress National spokesperson Khushbu Sundar said that fake news was the result of individuals curiosity to break a news at a spur of moment to make it sensational.

"People do not understand the adverse impact of forwards as it does not concern them. Will they forward any negative message about their family members?" she asked.

Speaking on the occasion, BJP state spokesperson Narayanan said fake news has political overtones and obscene messages. "We are of the view that stringent action must be taken against those spreading fake news. But, when action is being initiated against the violators, there is a hue and cry over curtailing freedom of speech and expression," he said.

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.