Microsoft gives 25 offers to IIT-M students on day 1 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Dec 2, 2018, 3:07 am IST


Apple and Goldman Sachs are other major recruiters with eight and seven offers respectively on the first session. 


IIT Madras

Chennai: Software giant Microsoft has offered as many as 25 offers to students from IIT Madras on day 1 of the placement season.

Apple and Goldman Sachs are other major recruiters with eight and seven offers respectively on the first session.

The placement season at IITs began on Saturday. During the first session, 19 top companies including Apple and Google gave 85 offers including 6 international offers to the students from top engineering institute in the country.

The top three global consulting majors McKinsey, The Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Co. have participated in the first session and accounted for 13 offers.

Isro and ONGC have already recruited 7 candidates from IIT Madras taking the total offers to 92 in the first session which was held from 7 am to 2 pm on Saturday.

Professor Manu Santhanam, advisor, Training and Placement, IIT Madras said that finance and analytics sector also gave a high number of offers on the first session with 29 offers received from these companies.

More than 1,300 students are registered for placement this year from IIT Madras and over 326 companies have expressed interest to recruit the students.

Alekhya Reddy from Computer Science and Engineering Department got selected for Redmond campus of Microsoft in the US. She expressed a sense of satisfaction after attending interviews of software giants and answering nerve-wracking coding questions.

Health cover from Tamil Nadu government raised from Rs 2 Lakh to Rs 5 Lakh

The new insurance cover will come into effect from December 1, he said in an official release.
 
Published: 01st December 2018 01:27 AM |

 
Image for representational purpose only.

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has hiked the health insurance cover, under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced on Friday.

The new insurance cover will come into effect from December 1, he said in an official release.

Under the CMCHIS, 1.58 crore families are covered for 1,027 procedures for Rs 1 lakh per annum and for 154 procedures for up to Rs 2 lakh per annum, P Uma Maheswari, Project Director, Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project, explained.

However, under the Pradhan Mandri Jan Arogya Yojana Scheme, which the TN scheme is linked from September, beneficiaries selected based on level of deprivation in rural regions and on occupation in urban regions get a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per annum.


“People who don’t fall into those categories are not eligible for the central scheme,” she said.

“The State decided to raise the cover under CMCHIS to Rs 5 lakh to ensure that all benefit equally, regardless of whether they are covered under the central health insurance scheme or not,” she added.

Families covered under the scheme can utilise it without paying any fee, the CM said.

I-T dept asked to keep mum on noon meal scheme probe

Justice T Raja granted the injunction while passing interim orders on a petition from Christy Friedgram industry, by its proprietor T S Kumaraswamy in Andypalayam in Namakkal district on Tuesday.

  Published: 30th November 2018 02:16 AM 

 
Madras High Court (File photo | EPS)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Income-Tax officials at various levels, including its Director-General at Nungambakkam, have been restrained by the Madras High Court from divulging anything to the print and visual media on the ongoing investigation into the allegations against a private firm in Namakkal district, which supplied food materials for the State government’s noon meal scheme.

Justice T Raja granted the injunction while passing interim orders on a petition from Christy Friedgram industry, by its proprietor T S Kumaraswamy in Andypalayam in Namakkal district on Tuesday.

“In the light of the observations of the Supreme Court, as well as Rule 11 of the Central Civil Service (Conduct) Rules, since the IT department cannot directly or indirectly communicate and provide any information on the pending inquiry of any government servant or any person, more particularly any sub judice matters, the respondents (IT officials) are directed not to divulge any information or undertake media trial with regard to the investigation of the inquiry being conducted against the petitioner company till further orders,” the judge said and posted the main petition for further hearing after three weeks. Petitioner alleged that IT officials had purposely leaked out incorrect information with regard to his company’s dealings with the government.

Tamil Nadu government offices in villages to have free WiFi in a year

The wifi will be protected by an emergency response team that will prevent hackers from stealing data, said Santhosh Babu, State Information Technology Secretary.
 
Published: 01st December 2018 05:44 AM 

 
For representational purposes (File | PTI)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: All government establishments in villages will be enabled with free Wi-Fi within a year with around 50,000 km of cable being laid across the State. The wifi will be protected by an emergency response team that will prevent hackers from stealing data, said Santhosh Babu, State Information Technology Secretary, on Friday.

Speaking at the International Computer Security Day conference, he said “While our nation has a Computer Emergency Response Team India (CERT-In), a national nodal agency to resolve computer security problems, we are striving to build a Computer Emergency Response Team- Tamil Nadu( CERT-TN). At a cost of Rs 29.39 crore, we are also creating a Cyber Security Architecture, that will detect unwanted intrusion and stop stealing of information, he said.

Warning about information being sold he said, “Information is a commodity that is bought and sold in the grey market. Most of us do not understand the seriousness of our identity being stolen. Citizens should be aware about cyber crimes and should take necessary steps to secure the data at our level.”

Any information shared on the internet reaches the servers in the United States of America before it reaches us, he said. With the upcoming Cyber Security Architecture, any information that is shared will be scanned and prevented, if the content is of high value, before it reaches the open space in the server.


“Cable wires will be laid over 50,000 km of landscape across Tamil Nadu to provide high speed internet connectivity through free wifi at village level. The wi fi will be provided at all government establishments like hospitals and police stations,” he said.

He also said the office of the Director-General of Police here is being transformed into a ‘paperless e-office’ towards which many officers are striving.

Applauding the work of the State cyber crime police officers, Santhosh Babu said the officers are managing to resolve any intrusion in CCTNS website which is vulnerable and anyone can place an FIR inside.

He said it is a must to warn people about the bitcoin transactions and any other usage that goes through the dark web. “Security on the cyberspace is not a necessity, it’s a national security issue,” he said.

City police commissioner A K Viswanathan said about 10,254 complaints were lodged in the cyber crime cell in the last five years and 399 cases were solved.

Tamil Nadu officials asked to produce list of teachers transferred in 2018

While teachers working away from their home district for more than 10 years were not given transfer to their districts, transfer orders were issued to juniors within a few months of their joining.

Published: 01st December 2018 01:41 AM 

 
Madras High Court. (File Photo | Express Photo Service)

By Express News Service

MADURAI: Admitting a PIL seeking inquiry into corruption in the transfer counselling conducted for teachers, the Madurai Bench directed the Secretary and Director of School Education Department to produce the list of teachers transferred this year and mention the reasons.

KK Ramesh of Madurai submitted in his litigation that the authorities issued transfer orders to a lot of teachers, citing administrative grounds by collecting bribe from them during the general transfer counselling in 2018.

While teachers working away from their home district for more than 10 years were not given transfer to their districts, transfer orders were issued to juniors within a few months of their joining, stated the litigant, questioning the transparency of the method.

These practices result in an imbalance in vacancies. This is evident from the statement made by the government during the counselling that teachers should not be transferred from southern to northern districts, Ramesh stated and prayed the Court to direct an inquiry into such irregularities.


Hearing the plea, a bench comprising K K Sasidharan and P D Audikesavalu issued a notice to the department with specific directions to its Secretary and Director to submit a report on the list of teachers transferred during this year’s counselling.

The report should contain relevant details with regard to the earlier period of service of the teachers and reason for their transfer, the judges added and adjourned the case to December 11.

8000 students graduate from SRM Institute of Science and Technology More than 50 students received gold medals and 53 received PhD degrees which were given away by the chief guest for the event, V K Saraswat, member of NITI Aayog.

  Published: 02nd December 2018 07:43 AM 

 
Image used for representational purpose only. 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Around 8,000 students of SRM Institute of Science and Technology got their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees during its 14th convocation day, on Saturday at Kattankalathur campus.


More than 50 students received gold medals and 53 received PhD degrees which were given away by the chief guest for the event, V K Saraswat, member of NITI Aayog. He said that for India to climb higher in the global innovation index science and technology innovation, eco-system must be altered.

“In the present approach, engineers wrap up the process after a design is seen on the computer, using imported design and simulation tools. This is not good for innovation. The process must involve design, simulation, building, testing, evaluation and validation till the product goes to the market,” he added.

Maharashtra farmer gets Rs 1,064 for 750 kg of onion; sends money to PM Modi in mark of protest

The money order was sent on November 29 from the Niphad office of India Post. It was addressed to "Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India".
 
Published: 02nd December 2018 07:27 PM |

 

PM Modi (File Photo)

By PTI

MUMBAI: An onion-grower from Maharashtra who had to sell his produce for little over Rs 1 per kg has sent his earnings to the Prime Minister to mark his protest.

Sanjay Sathe, a resident of Niphad tehsil in Nashik district, was among the handful of `progressive farmers' selected by the Union agriculture ministry for an interaction with then US president Barack Obama when he visited India in 2010.

Speaking to PTI on Sunday, Sathe said, "I produced 750 kg of onion in this season but was offered a rate of Rs 1 per kg at Niphad wholesale market last week.

"Finally I could negotiate a deal for Rs 1. 40 per kg and received Rs 1,064 for 750 kg," he said.


"It was painful to see such paltry returns on four months of toil. Hence I have donated Rs 1,064 to the Disaster Relief Fund of the PMO as a protest. I had to pay additional Rs 54 for sending it by money order," he said.

"I do not represent any political party. But I am angry because of the government's apathy towards our woes," he added.

The money order was sent on November 29 from the Niphad office of India Post.

It was addressed to "Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India".

Nashik district in north Maharashtra accounts for 50 per cent of onion production in India.

Asked about his meeting with Obama eight years ago, he said, "I have been using a voice-based advisory service (run by a telecom operator) for farmers for a long time. I used to call them and get information about weather changes, and thus succeeded in increasing my production."

"I had also been invited to speak about my experiments in agriculture on local radio stations of AIR. So the agriculture ministry selected me to set up a stall at St Xavier's College in Mumbai when Obama visited it. I could speak to him for a couple of minutes through an interpreter."

Cyclone Gaja: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to give 12 lakh coconut seedlings to delta districts by October 2019

If they are left without proper care, future yield would be affected. Our team is concentrating on the problem,” said the vice-chancellor.

Published: 02nd December 2018 07:24 AM 

 
A family checking the remains of their coconut trees that were entirely levelled by cyclone Gaja at Ambalapattu in Thanjavur. (Photo |EPS) 

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has informed the government that it can provide up to 12 lakh coconuts seedlings for the delta districts, where Cyclone Gaja uprooted 31 lakh coconut trees, according to government estimates. However, it will need time till October 2019 to produce them.

“After assessing the sources, we wrote to the government that TNAU can produce up to 12 lakh seedlings by October 2019. If the government wants us to do it, we will proceed with the plan to produce them,” Vice Chancellor N Kumar told Express. Meanwhile, using satellite technology and drones, the TNAU Department of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System is making an accurate count of the number of coconut trees uprooted in Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Pudukkottai districts. When the work is completed, a report will be submitted to the Agriculture Department, he added.

As there is also the risk of the palms being affected by diseases, the TNAU has sent a team from its Pathology Department to make a study and suggest preventive steps needed immediately. “Partially affected trees just 3-5 years old are very vulnerable. The cyclone would have loosened and damaged their roots and affected their steadiness. If they are left without proper care, the future yield would be affected. Our team is concentrating on the problem,” said the vice-chancellor.

Give Tamil medium certificate, Madras HC tells State Board of Technical Education and Training

Preference was given to those who had completed the Polytechnic course through Tamil medium. 

  Published: 02nd December 2018 08:14 AM |

 
Madras HC (File | EPS)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has directed the State Board of Technical Education and Training to consider representation from a candidate, who sought issue of a certificate that he has studied Diploma in Civil Engineering in Tamil medium, to allow him to apply for the post of Draughtsman.


The petitioner, A Gopalakrishnan, said he completed Diploma in Civil Engineering in Tamil medium. TNPSC has issued a notification dated October 30, 2018, calling applications for the post of Draughtsman, Gr.III in the Town and Country Planning Department. Preference was given to those who had completed the Polytechnic course through Tamil medium.

While State Board of Technical Education and Training didn’t issue a certificate to that effect to enable him to apply for the post, Justice T Raja said there was no impediment for the State Board of Technical Education and Training to consider the case of the petitioner.

Treated as servants by accused, say sex abuse victims in Tiruvannamalai According to the investigation officer, there were 49 children at the orphanage. Only two children were boys while all of them were between the age group of 6 and 17 years.

  Published: 01st December 2018 01:39 AM
Image used for representational purpose only 

By Express News Service

TIRUVANNAMALAI: With the arrest of four people in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of orphan children at Merci Children’s Home at Thiruvalluvar Nagar on Thindivanam road here, the victims have revealed that they were made to work as servants at the orphanage and the accused people had treated them very badly.

The owners of the orphanage -- Luban Kumar (65) and his wife Merci Rani (57) -- were arrested along with the third accused, Justin Manavaalan (60), on November 26 under the Juvenile Justice Act and section 6 and 8 of the POCSO Act after a case was registered at the All Women Police Station here. Following an inquiry, the fourth person, Jhansi Rani (60), was arrested on Wednesday.

According to the investigation officer, there were 49 children at the orphanage. Only two children were boys while all of them were between the age group of 6 and 17 years. When the children were questioned, it was revealed that four girl children were sexually abused by Luban Kumar and Justin Manavaalan. The third accused, Justin Manavaalan, had allegedly made the children clean the houses, and wash dishes and clothes. They were also forced to cook food for themselves. The officer said that the children had been treated badly and made to do menial tasks.

Corporation chided by Madras HC for vague submissions in Vadapalani building mishap

The corporation had filed a status report in June 2017 stating that action had been initiated against the officials and the owner of the building and that they were asked to pay the demolition cost.

  Published: 30th November 2018 02:05 AM 

 

Madras High Court. (File Photo | Express Photo Service)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has indicted Greater Chennai Corporation for filing a vague affidavit with regard to the unauthorised multi-storey building at Vadapalani in which four persons died due to a major fire accident two years ago and similar buildings at other places in the State.

After perusing the affidavit filed by the civic body, a bench of Justices Vineet Kothari and Anita Sumant said that the affidavit was very vague and bereft of facts.

Earlier, the corporation had filed a status report in June 2017 stating that action had been initiated against the officials and the owner of the building and that they were asked to pay the demolition cost. Now, the corporation says the violated portions were demolished in September last.

What happened in the interregnum, is not mentioned in the affidavit. Besides this, the prosecution launched, if any, against the officials, who had erred, and the result has not been mentioned. Moreover, with regard to compensation, the corporation had earlier stated that it was not liable to pay. But it had paid Rs 1 lakh as an ex-gratia from CM’s Relief Fund.


“Is it a charity?” the bench asked.

Additional Advocate-General Rajagopal said disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against the officials.

When the bench asked what the result of the inquiry was, the AAG said he did not have the details.

Chennai has highest number of new HIV cases reported in Tamil Nadu

Chennai tops the list with the highest number of new cases, shows data shared by the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society. 

Published: 30th November 2018 05:12 AM 

 
For representational purposes (File | PTI) 

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The number of new HIV positive cases detected in the State decreased from 11,775 in 2016-2017, to 10,527 in 2017-2018. However, Chennai tops the list with the highest number of new cases, shows data shared by the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society.

Next to Chennai, Salem and Tiruchy reported a high number of cases. Those reported from Salem are 751, and Tiruchy 623. Experts say the reason for these districts having reported more cases could be because of a higher floating population. However, activists urge for segregated data collection to know the actual reasons.

“Chennai is a big city where almost 20 per cent of the State’s population lives. Moreover, being an urban area, it receives floating population like migrant workers and others. They get tested here, so the numbers indicate the population. Similarly, Salem and Tiruchy are bigger districts with more area to cover,” Dr K Senthilraj, Project Director, State AIDS Control Society told Express.


Asked about cities like Coimbatore and Madurai reporting lesser number of cases when compared to the above mentioned districts, Senthilraj said, Salem and Tiruchy have a greater area to cover than Coimbatore and Madurai. However, a source in the department said, “The number of cases reported from areas like Tiruchy and Salem, have been higher for the last two decades. It could be because of people from other districts coming to the tertiary care centres here and getting tested. But, again, we don’t know the actual reason why these districts continue to report more number of cases. To know so, every individual case record should be tracked,” he added.

Collecting mere data is not enough, the officials should analyse the reason for the increase for better programme planning. “The increase in numbers could also be attributed to better data collection in these districts and better reporting. But, we really don’t know the actual reason. Complete detail of the cases and also the reasons for the person coming to the particular centre for screening and their background, should be collected.

Officials should plan their control and prevention programme based on the same for better results,” said P Kousalya, President, Positive Women Network.

Child prodigy allowed to apply for BAMS course

Justice T Raja gave the directive while disposing a petition from the girl student, Yazhesy Tha, who recited all 1,330 'thirukkurals' while studying in LKG itself. 

Published: 02nd December 2018 07:14 AM 


Image used for representational purpose only
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy  to permit a 16-year-old meritorious girl student to take part in the counseling for the BAMS course and to  be admitted in Maria Ayurveda Medical College in Kanyakumari, if she is found eligible.

Justice T Raja gave the directive while disposing a petition from the girl student, Yazhesy Tha, who recited all 1,330 'thirukkurals' while studying in LKG itself, and was not considered for selection on grounds that she had not completed 17 years as on December 31, 2018, as per clause 45 of the prospectus issued by the Director, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy Department.

Pointing out the eligibility criteria as per the amended notification, the judge said when the petitioner has  admittedly complied with the admission qualifications, as per the amended notification dated November 7, 2016, the authorities cannot rely upon the old notification dated October 13, 2006, issued for Siddha by citing the age factor that she has not completed 17 years of age as on December 31. "This court finds no impediment on the basis of the latest amended notification to allow the petitioner to take part in the counselling," the judge said.

Need strong medical research in India: Dr Fiona Godlee

Though India provides some of the best in the world medical care, research in India needs development.
 
Published: 01st December 2018 01:31 AM |
       
 
Representational Image. ( Photo| EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Dr Fiona Godlee, Editor-In-Chief, the British Medical Journal, who is in the City for the 5th Edition of the British Medical Journal South Asia Awards 2018 to be held on Saturday here, spoke to reporters on Friday, about the medical research in India.

How to you see India coming up in the research sector?

Though India provides some of the best in the world medical care, research in India needs development. It has a long way to go probably because it has not been introduced to strong culture of research and also may be funding is not there.

Support and training of young researchers is also lacking.


There are so many good people working in India, and BMJ hopes to keep in touch with them, so we can support Indian researchers to do very good and relevant research.

We need strong research in India because it has a huge population and many health challenges, unique to the region. So, it needs relevant, region-specific clinical research.

BMJ would like to contribute to help India built great capacity for research. It has the potential to do research and is a good home for clinical research.

Do pharma industries have influence over most of the researches?

Though there are no figures on funded studies by the pharmas available at the moment, yes, pharma industries influence in clinical research and others and the influence is enormous globally. Most of the time, the result of the research would be the outcome of the sponsors.

They favour the sponsor’s products. The right focus of any studies should be on the prevention and teaching of health. Prevention should not be medicalised. Medical journals have a responsibility to ask for scientific based proof for the results. Researches should help bring in policy changes and make the government bring in guidelines on the food habits of the people or so.

Most of the studies in India are focussed on diabetes. Do you think the researchers are exaggerating the figures?

Not exaggerating, but diabetes is an epidemic. In UK, 6 per cent of the population is diabetic, and the figures are expected to go to 20 per cent by 2030. I am sure, India, considering the population, would have more percentage of people with diabetes. But, this should be tackled with educating the people about nutritious food habits and lifestyle changes, rather than looking for medication.

Again, any organisation funded for these studies would promote their products like Insulin and their food and other products.

Tax on sugar, better guidelines on food policies, government policies and carbohydrates intake would help to change these figures.

MTC flash strike in Chennai leaves passengers in the lurch

A section of MTC bus drivers went on a flash strike on Friday demanding reimbursement of the amount that was deliberately deducted from their salaries.
 
Published: 01st December 2018 01:31 AM 

|
 
Image of MTC buses used for representational purpose. (File photo | EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A section of MTC bus drivers went on a flash strike on Friday demanding reimbursement of the amount that was deliberately deducted from their salaries.

On Friday, at 11.30, a section of drivers stopped their buses at many depots, staging a protest.

Their pay day being November 31, the drivers saw their salary slips and found money deducted. A few of them found that Rs 5,000 to Rs 8000 was being deducted from their salary.

“When questions were raised, the officials claimed that a few days before Deepavali, a sit-in-protest was held at the depot for which the drivers were marked absent. Also, salary of one day was deducted towards Gaja Relief funds,” pointed a member.


As the protest intensified, the passengers were affected as most of them were stranded at the depots.
MTC managing director Anbu Abraham visited Tiruvanmiyur depot and spoke with drivers.

He explained about the deduction but said that the protest day would be considered as leave.

It’s a risky ride for motorists on Mount-Medavakkam Road

TNN | Dec 3, 2018, 12.15 AM IST

CHENNAI: Driving on Mount-Medavakkam Road has become a risky affair for motorists as several pockets of the arterial road are filled with potholes leaving them vulnerable to accidents. Uneven surface on a chunk of the 9-km long road stretching from the vehicular subway at Railway Station Road near Alandur to Medavakkam Cross Road is hindering a smooth ride in one of the important roads on the southern suburbs.

Elumalai, an autorickshaw driver, who was plying passengers on Medavakkam Cross Road, said the road had not witnessed any facelift in the recent years. “This road continues to be in the same condition. Only patch works are being done to fix the damaged portions and I have not seen officials relaying the entire road in the last eight years,” he said. With the monsoon having set in, the road has become riskier for motorists, he added.

Several developed residential areas are located on the stretch. Several densely populated residential localities including Puzhuthivakkam, Keelkatalai, Kovilambakkam, Nanmangalam, and Medavakkam, which fall under the purview of Greater Chennai Corporation, municipalities and village panchayats, are located on the either sides of the arterial road. The road maintained by the state highways department has an estimated traffic volume of 40,000 passenger car units everyday.

However, the road, particularly the stretch from Vanuvampet and Echankadu junction is chocked due to the construction of a stormwater drain at snail’s pace on the road. Selvaraj, a resident of Keelkatalai, said the road expansion has been going on for more than a decade, and yet remains incomplete. “Initially, when layouts were carved out about 40 years ago, this road was planned as a 100-feet-road. The encroachments by shopkeepers on both sides of the road has shrunk its space by 50% causing traffic snarls,” he said.

Motorists experience bumpy rides as several sections of the road have been severely damaged with potholes and the ongoing stormwater works has left vehicles to move from bumper-to-bumper even as the major road has transformed into a dust bowl. “Transportation is a herculean task due to acute traffic jams,” said Michel, a two-wheeler rider.

Official sources with the state highways department said the construction of stormwater drains was a major bottleneck in relaying the road, which has been hit due to delay in land acquisition in two spots on the road. “The government has sanctioned Rs 14 crore for widening the stretch from Vanuvampet and Echankadu junction, but it cannot take shape unless the stormwater drain works are completed. The width of the road would be doubled from the existing 7-9 metres to 14-18 metres,” the official added.

Parcel mafia control business at Central, Egmore, pocket Rs 3 lakh a day

TNN | Dec 3, 2018, 05.20 AM IST

CHENNAI: As a passenger, you can book a reserved ticket at any counter in Chennai Central without help from a tout or an agent. But this is almost impossible if you want to book a parcel or luggage. The business, which handles around 11,000 tonnes every month and earns Southern Railway Rs 60 crore yearly from Chennai division itself, is controlled by a section of railway employees and unauthorized agents with basic technology being made inoperable right under the nose of officials sitting in the headquarters next door.

Touts decide how much material is loaded on the trains in violation of rules, which parcel is dispatched, what bribes are to be paid and which employees should be posted in the office. Even if irregularities are found, the system slows the investigation down to ensure that the guilty go scot free.


In light of the parcel scam uncovered at Central a fortnight ago, TOI spoke to several serving and retired officials, railway employees and their union members and uncovered at least two different modus operandi of scams in parcel booking at Chennai Central and Egmore. The parcel mafia make at least Rs 3 lakh every day from bribes, a top union leader said.

“It’s scam-riddled, it’s in a huge mess,” said another top union leader, who started off as a parcel porter at Central a few decades ago.


The Chennai Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Naveen Gulati said a detailed probe was underway in the various irregularities at the parcel office.

Apart from parcels going missing or not being delivered on time, there has been evidence of contraband like gutka being transported. A fortnight ago, meat mis-declared as fish landed at Egmore. Forest department officials suspect illegal produce from forests is also being smuggled out as the railway parcel system is considered safe as compared to road and air which have better checks. At Central and Egmore, parcel offices are dingy with narrow entry and exits, without CCTV coverage and non-functioning gadgets to check overloading.

Railway has a provision to lease 30% of parcel coaches to private agencies, but tenders for many trains get no bids. “It is an organised cartel to ensure the business remains with railway system so that the mafia control it,” said a senior official.

Former chief operations manager (COM) of Southern Railway, Abraham Jacob, said systems were in place to ensure a foolproof system. “But they are not implemented properly. Most commercial department heads are not aware of the business. Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) rules the parcel offices,” he said.

R Elangovan, vice-president of Dakshin Railway Employees Union (DREU), who retired after 33 years in the commercial department, said periodic transfers of staff at parcel offices, a sensitive post, were not being carried out. “There are people who have worked in the office for 20 to 25 years. Officers who tried to transfer them were transferred out,” he said.

ஜெ., மரண விசாரணை: அரசு மருத்துவமனை டீன் விளக்கம்

Added : டிச 01, 2018 00:58

சென்னை, ஜெயலலிதாவுக்கு அளிக்கப்பட்ட சிகிச்சை தொடர்பாக, அப்பல்லோ டாக்டர்கள் அளித்த முரண்பட்ட வாக்குமூலம் தொடர்பாக சென்னை, அரசு ராஜிவ் காந்தி மருத்துவமனை முதல்வரிடம் நேற்று விசாரணை நடத்தப்பட்டது.ஜெ., மரணம் குறித்து, நீதிபதி ஆறுமுகசாமி கமிஷன் விசாரித்து வருகிறது. இதுவரை, 120க்கும் மேற்பட்டோரிடம் விசாரணை நடத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஜெ.,க்கு, 2016 டிச., 4ம் தேதி மாரடைப்பு ஏற்பட்ட பின், அவருக்கு இதய அறுவை சிகிச்சை மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு, 'எக்மோ' கருவி பொருத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.இதுதொடர்பாக, அப்பல்லோ மருத்துவமனை டாக்டர்கள், முரண்பட்ட வாக்குமூலம் அளித்துள்ளனர். இது, பல்வேறு சந்தேகங்களை ஏற்படுத்தியது.இந்நிலையில், சென்னை, அரசு ராஜிவ் காந்தி மருத்துவமனையில், 2016ல், இருந்த வசதிகள் குறித்த விபரங்களை, நீதிமன்றத்தில் தாக்கல் செய்யும்படி, மருத்துவமனை முதல்வர் ஜெயந்திக்கு, விசாரணை கமிஷன் உத்தரவிட்டிருந்தது.அதை ஏற்று, மருத்துவமனையில் உள்ள வசதிகள் குறித்த விபரங்கள் அடங்கிய ஆவணங்களை, மருத்துவமனை முதல்வர் ஜெயந்தி, நேற்று விசாரணை கமிஷனில், தாக்கல் செய்தார். அப்போது அவரிடம், 'எக்மோ' கருவி பொருத்தும் போது, என்ன செய்வர் என்ற விபரத்தை, நீதிபதி கேட்டார்.அதற்கு பதில் அளித்த ஜெயந்தி, அரசு மருத்துவமனையில், இதுபோன்ற சிகிச்சை அளித்ததில்லை. 'நான் படித்ததன் அடிப்படையில், எவ்வாறு செய்வர் என்பதை கூறுகிறேன்' எனக்கூறி, விளக்கம் அளித்துள்ளார்.அரசு மருத்துவமனையில், ஜெ.,வை அனுமதிக்காமல், அப்பல்லோ மருத்துவமனையில் சேர்த்தது ஏன் என்பதை அறியவே, அரசு மருத்துவமனை வசதிகள் குறித்த விபரங்களை, விசாரணை கமிஷன் கேட்டுள்ளது.இது தவிர, அப்பல்லோ டாக்டர் சாந்தி, இ.இ.ஜி., டெக்னிஷியன் புனிதா ஆகியோரிடமும், நேற்று விசாரணை நடத்தப்பட்டது.

சசி உறவு டாக்டருக்குஐந்தாவது 'சம்மன்'

சசிகலாவின் உறவினரான, டாக்டர் சிவகுமாரிடம், ஏற்கனவே நான்கு முறை, விசாரணை நடத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஐந்தாவது முறையாக, நாளை மறுதினம், விசாரணை கமிஷனில் ஆஜராகும்படி, அவருக்கு, 'சம்மன்' அனுப்பப்பட்டுஉள்ளது.டிச., 4ல், அப்பல்லோ மருத்துவமனை தோல் சிகிச்சை நிபுணர் முரளிதர் ராஜகோபால், தனியார் மருத்துவமனை டாக்டர் பார்வதி பத்மநாபன்; டிச., 5ல், அப்பல்லோ மருத்துவமனை தோல் சிகிச்சை நிபுணர் ரவிச்சந்திரன், நரம்பியல் நிபுணர் மீனாட்சிசுந்தரம்; டிச., 6ல், சுரப்பிகள்நிபுணர் சிவஞானசுந்தரம்; டிச., 7ல், இதய சிகிச்சை நிபுணர்கள் கிரிநாத், விஜயசந்திர ரெட்டி, ஸ்ரீதர் ஆகியோர் ஆஜராக, சம்மன் அனுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது.

 துணைவேந்தர்கள் நியமனத்திற்கு தடை 

Added : நவ 30, 2018 23:19

ஐந்து பல்கலைகளின் துணைவேந்தர் பணியிடங்கள் காலியாக உள்ள நிலையில், புதிய நியமனங்கள் செய்ய தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள, அரசு பல்கலைகளின் நிர்வாகத்தை, துணை வேந்தர்கள் கவனிக்கின்றனர். இதில், பல்கலை நிர்வாகம், பாடத் திட்டம், வளர்ச்சி திட்டங்கள் குறித்து, பல்கலைகளின் சிண்டிகேட் மற்றும் அகாடமி கவுன்சில் கூடி முடிவு எடுக்கும்.சிண்டிகேட் முடிவின்படி, பேராசிரியர் மற்றும் ஊழியர்கள் பணி நியமனங்கள், தேர்வுகளில் சீர்திருத்தம், பாடத் திட்டம் மாற்றம் உள்ளிட்ட முக்கிய முடிவுகளை, துணைவேந்தர் மேற்கொள்வார்.

ஆனால், ஒவ்வொரு துணைவேந்தரும், தங்களின் பதவி காலம் முடிவதற்கு, மூன்று மாதங்களுக்கு முன்பிருந்து, எந்த வித பணி நியமனங்களையும் மேற்கொள்ளக் கூடாது என்ற, விதி பின்பற்றப்படுகிறது.இதன்படி, திருநெல்வேலி மனோன்மணியம் சுந்தரனார், திருவள்ளுவர் பல்கலை, தெரசா பல்கலை, ஆசிரியர் கல்வியியல் பல்கலை, தமிழ்நாடு திறந்தநிலை பல்கலை ஆகிய, ஐந்து பல்கலைகளில் துணைவேந்தர்களின் பதவி காலம், மார்ச்சுக்குள் முடிகிறது.எனவே, பதவி காலம் முடியும் நிலையில், அவசர கதியில் நியமனங்கள் செய்து விடக் கூடாது என்பதால், நியமனங்கள் எதுவும் செய்ய வேண்டாம் என, உயர்கல்வித் துறை அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளது. - நமது நிருபர் -

செட்டில்மென்ட்' பத்திரம் இனி ரத்து செய்யலாம்!

Added : நவ 30, 2018 22:17


சொத்து பரிமாற்றத்தில் எழுதி கொடுக்கப்படும், 'செட்டில்மென்ட்' பத்திரங்களை, அதில் கூறப்பட்ட நிபந்தனைகள் நிறைவேறாத நிலையில், ரத்து செய்ய அனுமதிக்கலாம் என, பதிவுத் துறை உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.பொதுவாக, குடும்ப தலைவர் பெயரில் உள்ள சொத்தை, உயில் வாயிலாக, வாரிசுகளுக்கு வழங்கலாம். இல்லையெனில், 'செட்டில்மென்ட்' எனப்படும், தானமாக எழுதி தரப்படும் பத்திரங்கள் வாயிலாகவும் கொடுக்கலாம்.

இவ்வகையில், திருவண்ணாமலையைச் சேர்ந்த, கண்ணன் என்ற விவசாயி, 'செட்டில்மென்ட்' வாயிலாக, மகன்களுக்கு நிலத்தை பங்கிட்டு கொடுத்துஉள்ளார். அதன்பின், மகன்கள், அவரை முறையாக பராமரிக்கவில்லை என, கூறப்படுகிறது.இது தொடர்பான புகாரை விசாரித்த, திருவண்ணாமலை கலெக்டர், சம்பந்தப்பட்ட நபர் எழுதி கொடுத்த, 'செட்டில்மென்ட்' பத்திரத்தின் பதிவையும், பட்டா மாறுதலையும் ரத்து செய்து, கண்ணன் பெயருக்கே, அந்த சொத்து திரும்ப கிடைக்க ஏற்பாடு செய்தார்.இந்த சம்பவம், சமூக வலைதளங்களில் பரவி வருகிறது. தற்போது, செட்டில்மென்ட் பத்திரங்களை எழுதி கொடுத்தவர், ரத்து செய்ய அணுகினால், அந்த கோரிக்கையை, எப்படி அணுக வேண்டும் என்பதில், குழப்பம் ஏற்பட்டு உள்ளது.

இது தொடர்பாக, பதிவுத்துறை தலைவர், குமரகுருபரன் பிறப்பித்துள்ள உத்தரவு: எவ்வித நிபந்தனைகளும் இல்லாத, செட்டில்மென்ட் பத்திரங்களை எழுதி கொடுத்தவர் மட்டும், ரத்து செய்வதற்கான ஆவணத்தை தாக்கல் செய்தால், அதை ஏற்காமல், மறுப்பு சீட்டு வழங்கலாம் எழுதி கொடுத்தவர், பெற்றவர் இருவரும் நேரில் ஆஜராகி, ரத்து ஆவணம் அளித்தால், அதை ஏற்று, செட்டில்மென்ட் பத்திரத்தை ரத்து செய்யலாம் செட்டில்மென்ட் பெற்றவர், அதில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ள நிபந்தனைகளை நிறைவேற்றவில்லை என்று, ரத்து ஆவணம் தாக்கல் செய்தால், அதில் நிபந்தனைகளை ஆராய்ந்து, சார் -- பதிவாளர் முடிவு எடுக்கலாம் நிபந்தனைகள் நிறைவேற்றப்படாதது உறுதியாக தெரியும் நிலையில், ரத்து ஆவணத்தை, சார் - பதிவாளர்கள் ஏற்கலாம்.இவ்வாறு அதில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. - நமது நிருபர் -

திருப்பதி லட்டு இனி அட்டைப்பெட்டியில்

Added : டிச 01, 2018 04:40 |



 
திருப்பதி : திருமலை, திருப்பதி தேவஸ்தானம், லட்டு பிரசாதம் எடுத்துச் செல்ல, பிளாஸ்டிக் கவர்களுக்கு பதிலாக, அட்டை பெட்டிகளை தயாரித்துள்ளது.

ஆந்திர மாநிலம் திருமலையில், கடந்த மாதம் முதல், பிளாஸ்டிக் கவர்கள், பொருட்கள் பயன்படுத்த, தேவஸ்தானம் தடை விதித்தது. ஆனால், லட்டு பிரசாதம் எடுத்துச் செல்லும் லட்டு கவருக்கு மாற்றுத் தீர்வு காணும் வரை, பிளாஸ்டிக் கவர்களையே பயன்படுத்த தேவஸ்தானம் முடிவு செய்தது. தினமும், திருமலையில், ஐந்து லட்சம் லட்டு பிரசாதம் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகின்றன. அதை எடுத்துச் செல்ல, ஒரு லட்சம் கவர்களை தேவஸ்தானம் விற்று வருகிறது.

தற்போது, லட்டு கவருக்கு மாற்றாக அட்டை பெட்டிகள் தயார் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளன. இந்த அட்டை பெட்டிகள், ஏழுமலையான் உருவப்படங்கள், தேவஸ்தான முத்திரையுடன் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இதில், லட்டு பிரசாதத்தை, 10 நாட்களுக்கு மேலாக வைத்து, தேவஸ்தான தர பரிசோதனை நிலையத்தில் சோதிக்கப் பட்டது. அதில், லட்டு பிரசாதத்தின் தரமும், சுவையும் மாறாததால், அவற்றை பயன்பாட்டிற்கு கொண்டு வர, தேவஸ்தானம் முடிவு செய்துள்ளது. இதன் மூலம், பிளாஸ்டிக் கவர்களின் பயன்பாட்டிற்கு முற்றுப்புள்ளி வைக்க, தேவஸ்தானம் முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

கதையின் அடிப்படையே கோளாறு: ‘2.0’ படம் குறித்து சாரு நிவேதிதா

Published : 30 Nov 2018 14:46 IST

 


ரஜினி நடிப்பில் நேற்று (நவம்பர் 29) ரிலீஸான படம் ‘2.0’. ஷங்கர் இயக்கியுள்ள இந்தப் படம், ‘எந்திரன்’ படத்தின் இரண்டாம் பாகமாகும். ஹீரோயினாக எமி ஜாக்சன் நடிக்க, வில்லனாக அக்‌ஷய் குமார் நடித்துள்ளார். ஏ.ஆர்.ரஹ்மான் இசையமைத்துள்ள இந்தப் படத்தை, லைகா புரொடக்‌ஷன்ஸ் தயாரித்துள்ளது.

இந்தப் படத்தைப் பார்த்த பெரும்பாலானவர்கள் பாராட்டி வருகிறார்கள். தொழில்நுட்பத்தில் மிகச்சிறந்த தமிழ்ப்படமாக இது இருக்கிறது என ஆச்சரியப்படுகின்றனர். ஆனால், எழுத்தாளர் சாரு நிவேதிதாவோ இந்தப் படத்தைக் கடுமையாகத் தாக்கி விமர்சனம் செய்திருக்கிறார்.

  இதுகுறித்து தனது முகநூலில், “சிலரைப் பார்த்து, ‘இவர் தப்பான ஆள்’ என்று சொல்வோம் இல்லையா... அதுபோல் ‘2.0’ ஒரு தப்பான படம். பொதுவாகவே ஷங்கரின் படங்கள் ஆரம்பத்திலிருந்தே தப்பான கருத்துகளை மக்கள் நலனைப் பேணும் கோட்பாடுகளாக முன்வைக்கப்படுகின்றன. 5000 கோடி ஊழல் பண்ணினவன் பற்றிப் பேச்சே இருக்காது; ஆனால், அம்பது ரூபாய் லஞ்சம் வாங்கும் ட்ராபிக் போலீஸை ஷங்கரின் ஹீரோ சுட்டுப் பொசுக்குவான். இதுதான் ஷங்கரின் சமூகவியல் அறிவு.

அதே அறிவுதான் இந்தப் படத்திலும் வெளிப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. அதிலும் கொஞ்சம்கூட சுவாரசியமே இல்லாமல், படு அலுப்பைத் தரும் விதத்தில். செல்போன் டவர்களால் பறவை இனங்கள் அழிகின்றதாம்; அதனால் மனித இனத்துக்குக் கேடு விளைகிறதாம். ஆரம்பக் காட்சியில் செல்போன் டவர்களையும், அதன் பக்கத்தில் சிட்டுக்குருவிகளையும் பார்த்த கணத்திலேயே, ‘ஐய்யய்யோ... மோசம் போனோமே... முடிஞ்சுது கதை’ என்று தலையில் கையை வைத்துவிட்டேன். ஏனென்றால், இதுபோன்ற போலி விஞ்ஞானக் கோட்பாடுகளை நாம் தொடர்ந்து கேட்டுக்கொண்டே தானே இருக்கிறோம்? ‘ராக்கெட் விடாதீங்க... போய் விவசாயம் பாருங்க...’ என்று கூச்சல் போடும் தலைவர்களை நாம் பார்க்கிறோம் இல்லையா? அதேதான் ‘2.0’. இப்படியே இவர்கள் சட்டை வேட்டி கூடப் போட வேண்டாம் என்று சொல்லி, நம்மையெல்லாம் காட்டுமிராண்டி காலத்துக்கு அழைத்துப்போய் விடுவார்கள். இதுபோன்ற கலாச்சாரப் புரட்சிவாதிகளை நாம் சீனாவில் மா சே துங் ஆட்சியில் பார்த்திருக்கிறோம். தாலிபான்களின் ஆட்சியிலும் சமீபத்தில் பார்த்தோம். இப்படிச் சொல்பவர்கள் எல்லாம் அடிப்படையில் தாலிபான்கள். ஆனால், தாலிபான்களுக்கும் ஷங்கருக்கும் என்ன வித்தியாசம் என்றால், தாலிபான்களிடம் இருக்கும் அடிப்படை நேர்மை கூட ஷங்கரிடம் இருக்காது. உதாரணம், செல்போன் டவர்களால் பறவையினங்கள் அழிந்து மனித குலத்துக்குக் கேடு என்று சொல்லும் ‘2.0’வை 600 கோடி ரூபாயில் எடுத்த லைகா நிறுவனமே செல்போன் விற்பனை செய்யும் நிறுவனம்தான். அதிலும் ஐரோப்பாவில். எப்படி இருக்கிறது பாருங்கள்... ஊருக்கு உபதேசம் செய்பவன்தான் ஊரைக் கெடுப்பதில் முதல் ஆளாக நிற்பான்.

படத்தில் சுவாரசியம் என்பது துளிகூட இல்லை. முதல் காட்சியில் செல்போன் டவர்களையும் சிட்டுக்குருவிகளையும் பார்த்ததுமே ரஜினி என்ன செய்யப் போகிறார், அக்‌ஷய் குமார் என்ன செய்யப் போகிறார், ரஜினி கடைசிக் காட்சியில் என்னென்ன வசனம் பேசப் போகிறார் என்ற விபரத்தையெல்லாம் நான் என் அருகில் அமர்ந்திருந்த நண்பரிடம் சொல்லிவிட்டேன். இப்படித் தெரிந்துபோனால் அப்புறம் என்னத்தைப் பார்ப்பது?

பறவையியலாளர் சலீம் அலியை வேறு நாற அடித்திருக்கிறார்கள். ஒரு காட்சியில் படத்தில் வரும் ஆர்னிதாலஜிஸ்ட் பக்ஷிராஜன், பறவைகளைச் சாப்பிடுவதைக் கண்டிப்பது போல் வருகிறது. அதாவது பறவையியலாளர்கள் பறவைகளைச் சாப்பிடக்கூடாது. இதுபோன்ற அறிவுகெட்டத்தனமான romanticization-ஐ சலீம் அலி கடுமையாகக் கண்டித்திருக்கிறார். அவருக்குப் பிடித்த உணவு, பறவை. இதுபற்றிப் பலரும் அவ்வப்போது அவரிடம் ஆச்சரியத்தை வெளிப்படுத்தும்போது, “அட மூடர்களே, நான் பிறந்ததிலிருந்தே பறவைக்கறிப் பிரியன். எங்கள் வீட்டு டைனிங் டேபிளில் இல்லாத பறவைகளே கிடையாது. பறவை ஆய்வுக்கும், சைவ உணவுக்கும் என்னய்யா சம்பந்தம்?” என்று சொல்லியிருக்கிறார். அதேசமயம், அழிந்து வரும் விலங்கினங்களை அடிக்கக் கூடாது என்பது வேறு விஷயம் என்றும் கூறுகிறார்.

ஆனால், இந்தப் படத்தில் அநியாயத்துக்கு அதையும் romanticise செய்திருக்கிறார்கள். மேலும், இந்தப் படத்தின் இன்னொரு முக்கியமான பலவீனம், பறவைகள் காப்பாற்றப்பட வேண்டும் என்று கவலைப்படும் ஒருவன், எப்படி மனிதர்களைக் கொல்லும் அரக்கனாக இருக்கிறான் என்பது. காந்தியைக் கொலைகார வில்லனாகப் பார்ப்பது போல் இருக்கிறது. கதையின் அடிப்படையே கோளாறு என்பதால் எல்லாமே கோளாறு.

டெக்னாலஜி விஷயங்களுக்காக சின்னப் புள்ளைங்க பார்க்கலாம்.

ஜெயமோகனுக்கு ஒரு வேண்டுகோள்... அடுத்த படத்தில் ஏதாவது வில்லனுக்கு சாரு நிவேதிதா என்று பெயர் வைத்து விடாதீர்கள்” எனத் தெரிவித்துள்ளார் சாரு நிவேதிதா.

டிச., 4 முதல் மீண்டும் கன மழை!

பத்து நாட்கள் இடைவெளிக்கு பின், வரும், 4ம் தேதி முதல்,
சென்னை உள்ளிட்ட வடகடலோர மாவட்டங்களில், கன மழை பெய்யும் வாய்ப்பு உள்ளதாக, வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்து உள்ளது.

தமிழகத்தில், வடகிழக்கு பருவ மழை, நவ., 1ல் துவங்கியது.
முதலில், சென்னை உள்ளிட்ட வடக்கு கடலோர மாவட்டங்களிலும், பின், டெல்டா மாவட்டங்களிலும், தொடர்ந்து, தென் மாவட்டங்களிலும் மழை கொட்டியது.இதையடுத்து, 'கஜா' புயல் உருவாகி, நவ., 16ல், நாகை மாவட்டத்தில் கரையை கடந்தது. இந்த புயல், தமிழக டெல்டா மாவட்டங்களுக்கு, மிகப்பெரிய சேதத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியது. புயல் தாக்கிய பகுதிகளில், மீட்பு மற்றும் நிவாரண பணிகள் நடந்து வருகின்றன.அதேநேரம், வடகிழக்கு பருவ மழையின் தீவிரமும் குறைந்தது. நவ., 23 முதல், பெரும்பாலான இடங்களில் மழை இல்லை. நேற்று முன்தினம் முதல், தமிழகத்தின் பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில், மீண்டும் மழை துவங்கியது. நேற்று காலை, 8:30 மணி நிலவரப்படி, 24 மணி நேரத்தில், தமிழகத்தில் அதிகபட்சமாக, கும்ப கோணத்தில், 8 செ.மீ., மழை பெய்துள்ளது.

இதற்கிடையில், வடக்கு கடலோர மாவட்டத்தினர், மழையை பெரிதும் எதிர்பார்த்துள்ளனர். வரும் கோடை காலத்தை சமாளிக்க, நீர்நிலைகளில் பருவமழை வாயிலாகவே, நீரை சேகரிக்க வேண்டிய கட்டாயம் உள்ளது. அதனால், மழையை எதிர்பார்த்து, மக்கள் காத்துள்ளனர்.இந்நிலையில், சென்னை வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிவிப்பு:கிழக்கு திசையில் இருந்து வீசும் காற்று, வரும், 3ம் தேதி முதல், மீண்டும் வலுப்பெறும் என, இந்திய வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது. அதனால், 4ம் தேதி முதல், தமிழகத்தின் பெரும்பாலான மாவட்டங்களில், பரவலாக மழை பெய்ய வாய்ப்பு உள்ளது.சென்னை, திருவள்ளூர், காஞ்சிபுரம், புதுச்சேரி, காரைக்கால் உள்ளிட்ட வடக்கு கடலோர மாவட்டங்களில், கனமழை பெய்யலாம். எனவே, தமிழகம் மற்றும் ஆந்திர கடல் பகுதிக்கு, டிச., 4ம் தேதியில், 11 செ.மீ., வரை மழை பெய்வதற்கான, 'மஞ்சள் அலர்ட்' விடப்பட்டுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அறிவிப்பில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

NEET: TN seeks extension of application deadline

Posted on November 29, 2018 by NT Bureau


 

Following Cyclone Gaja affecting the delta districts of the State, the Tamilnadu government has requested the NTA to extend the deadline for applying for NEET (UG) – 2019 medical entrance examination.

With just a day left for the deadline to apply for the test, students in the delta districts are in trouble as they do not have access to Internet to apply for the competitive examination, it said.

Medical aspirants of eight districts in central Tamilnadu became victims of Cyclone Gaja and most of them have lost their house, properties and their families, their livelihood. The last date to apply for NEET (UG) – 2019 is 30 November 2018.

HDFC unveils next-gen mobile banking app 

Posted on November 30, 2018 by NT Bureau

 

Chennai: HDFC Bank unveiled its next-gen mobile banking app that it claims offers users effortless access to their bank account on the go.

HDFC says the app has simple, intuitive navigation and incorporates features such as biometric log in for enhanced security and access. It also eliminates all financial and technical jargon for users by grouping transactions into three easy to understand categories – pay, save, and invest, the bank says.

The over 120 transactions available on the app have been selected based on an intensive study of existing navigation and usage patterns coupled with customer research and feedback, the bank stated in a release.

Country head – Digital Banking, HDFC Bank, Nitin Chugh, said, “The next-gen mobile banking app is effortless and intuitive, allowing you to #BankTheWayYouLive. Today, the way that people use the mobile is constantly evolving and our next-gen app reflects this evolution. The next gen app is one more step by the bank in its on-going journey to become a constant part of customers’ life, understand their needs and give products and services that offer a real time experience.”

Sister of unmarried man entitled to damages: Madras HC 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Dec 1, 2018, 3:36 am IST

The judge directed the United Insurance Company to pay Rs 2 lakh as compensation to Malliga. 


 
Madras high court

Chennai: The Madras high court has held that the sister of an unmarried man, who died in a road accident, is also entitled to compensation.

Partly allowing an appeal from Malliga, sister of deceased Ganapathy, Justice M.V.Muralidaran set aside an order of the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Vellore, declining the entitlement of compensation by the appellant.

The judge directed the United Insurance Company to pay Rs 2 lakh as compensation to Malliga.

According to Malliga, even though the tribunal had held that the accident had occurred due to rash and negligent driving of the lorry driver and that the owner and the insurance company were liable to pay compensation, it refused to pass any order on October 29, 2014, since she had failed to prove that she was the legal heir of the deceased. Hence, she filed the present appeal, she added.

Citing judgments of the Supreme Court and high courts, the judge said as regards dependency compensation was concerned, there was no hard and fast rule that brothers and  sisters cannot maintain a claim petition for compensation under the said head. Each case has to be considered on its own merits. In the case on hand, the appellant was the sister of the deceased and she has produced the  relationship certificate to that effect.

“This court is of the view that the appellant is the dependent of the deceased and she is entitled to maintain the claim petition for the death of her deceased brother, as no class I heir available,” the judge added.

Chennai: Courier firm to pay man Rs 10,000 damages 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Dec 1, 2018, 3:51 am IST

Tendering an apology, a customer relation representative stated that the consignment was not sent as a result of an operational error. 


 
The firm had not committed any deficiency in service and FedEx was not liable for damages.

Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Tiruvallur, directed an American based multinational courier firm to pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 to a person for failure to deliver a package to his son in the US three years ago. He had planned to send an Apple mobile phone in a parcel.

In the petition, Z.Ashok Zachariah of Korattur submitted that he planned to send an Apple mobile phone in a parcel to his son residing in the United States of America. When he contacted customer care staff of M/s.FedEx Express, they informed him that the parcel would be delivered in three days. On April 20, 2015, the pickup man from FedEx Express, Padi came to his residence and collected the parcel. He paid freight charges of Rs 3,693. He also submitted a copy of the mobile bill, ID proof and a letter declaring the contents of the parcel and its value.

On April 22, when he tracked the movement of the parcel on the internet he found that the parcel was in Bengaluru, and on April 25 it returned to Chennai. Later, a staffer informed him that the parcel could not be sent to the US. It was returned to him five days after he booked it.

Tendering an apology, a customer relation representative stated that the consignment was not sent as a result of an operational error. However, the firm did not refund the freight charges. He said that act of the firm caused him mental agony and hardship and sought a compensation of Rs 1 lakh along with refund.

In its reply M/s.FedEx represented by its manager, Andheri East, Mumba, submitted that the complaint was false. The consignment could not be delivered due to customs and regulatory related clearances. Consequently the  consignment had to be returned to the sender. The firm had not committed any deficiency in service and FedEx was not liable for damages.

The bench comprising president S.Pandian and member R. Baskarkumaravel said that it was crystal clear that FedEx had committed deficiency in service. The bench directed FedEx to refund Rs 3,693 along with 9 per cent interest per annum and also pay him Rs 5,000 for causing mental agony and hardships and a cost of `2,000.

Madras HC sets aside transfer order to differently-abled headmistress 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Nov 30, 2018, 6:18 am IST

The judge directed the authorities to post the petitioner within a week, as headmistress in the Thazhancheri HC, which is situated near her residence. 


Madras High Court

Chennai: The Madras high court has set aside an order of the authorities transferring a differently-abled headmistress to a far away school.

“When the law is so concerned for the disabled persons and makes provision, it is the obligation of the law executing authorities to ensure implementation in quite promptitude”, said Justice S. Vimala while disposing of a petition from R.Thamaraiselvi, a differently-abled woman.

The judge directed the authorities to post the petitioner within a week, as headmistress in the Thazhancheri high court, which is situated near her residence.

According to Thamaraiselvi, she was appointed as a teacher and posted in a high school in Korkai in 1997. Subsequent to her promotion as headmistress in 2018, despite her 50 percent disability and request to post her in a high school in Thazhancheri, which was just 10 km away from her residence, she was offered the high school in Periathumbur, which was 104 km away, during counseling. Therefore, she filed the present petition, she added. The judge said the transport system and the population using it were alarming and accidents were escalating each day. The population traveling over the top of the bus cannot be forgotten while considering the transfer request of a disabled person. Normally, place of posting was left to the discretion of the administrators, but in this case, this court did not have the hope that the administrators would take care of the interest of the differently abled person namely the petitioner, the judge added and gave the above directive.

US proposes changes to H1B visas, to target most skilled, top paid workers 

PTI

Published Dec 1, 2018, 8:55 am IST

Under proposed rule, firms hiring foreign workers would have to electronically register with USCIS during designated period. 


The H1-B visa has an annual numerical limit cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year as mandated by the Congress. (Photo: File)

Washington: The Trump administration on Friday proposed major changes to the H-1B application process with the aim of awarding the visa to the most skilled and highest paid foreign workers.

Under a new proposed merit-based rule, a notice for which was issued on Friday, companies employing foreign workers on the H-1B visa – under the Congressional mandated annual caps -- would have to electronically register with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) during a designated registration period.

The H1-B visa has an annual numerical limit cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year as mandated by the Congress.

The first 20,000 petitions filed on behalf of beneficiaries with a US master's degree or higher are exempt from the cap.

The USCIS would also reverse the order allowing it to select H-1B petitions under the H-1B cap and the advanced degree exemption. This is likely to increase the number of foreign workers with a master's or higher degree from a US institution of higher education to be selected for an H-1B cap number. As such the proposed rule will be introducing a more meritorious selection of beneficiaries, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement. The DHS said public comments on the proposed rule can be submitted from December 3 to January 2.

"Currently, in years when the H-1B cap and the advanced degree exemption are both reached within the first five days that H-1B cap petitions may be filed, the advanced degree exemption is selected prior to the H-1B cap. The proposed rule would reverse the selection order and count all registrations or petitions towards the number projected as needed to reach the H-1B cap first," the DHS said.

Once a sufficient number of registrations or petitions have been selected for the H-1B cap, the USCIS would then select registrations or petitions towards the advanced degree exemption.

“This proposed change would increase the chances that beneficiaries with a master's or higher degree from a US institution of higher education would be selected under the H-1B cap and that H-1B visas would be awarded to the most-skilled and highest-paid beneficiaries,” it said.

The proposed process would result in an estimated increase of up to 16 per cent (or 5,340 workers) in the number of selected H-1B beneficiaries with a master's degree or higher from a US institution of higher education, the DHS said.

The USCIS said it expects that shifting to electronic registration would reduce overall costs for petitioners and create a more efficient and cost-effective H-1B cap petition process for the agency.

The proposed rule would help alleviate massive administrative burdens on USCIS since the agency would no longer need to physically receive and handle hundreds of thousands of H-1B petitions and supporting documentation before conducting the cap selection process, it said.

“This would help reduce wait times for cap selection notifications. The proposed rule also limits the filing of H-1B cap-subject petitions to the beneficiary named on the original selected registration, which would protect the integrity of this registration system,” USCIS said.

Chennai: Government notifies Lokayukta rules, inquiries to be held ‘in-camera’ 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Dec 1, 2018, 3:29 am IST

DMK president M.K. Stalin has demanded in a tweet that the secrecy provision be rescinded. 


 
Even when the TN Assembly passed the Lokayukta Bill in July, the opposition had dubbed it as "toothless".

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has notified rules under the Lokayukta Act providing for inquiries to be held in-camera and precluding disclosure of the identities of the complainant as well as the public functionary under scrutiny. Predictably, opposition parties and leaders have slammed these provisions and demanded they be scrapped.

Throwing a thick blanket of secrecy over the Lokayukta proceedings, the government said these cannot be disclosed to the media or to the general public. Reacting sharply, the main opposition party DMK alleged that the TN rules for Lokayukta would only end up facilitating corruption rather than curtail it. The rules must be struck down, the DMK said.

Even when the TN Assembly passed the Lokayukta Bill in July, the opposition had dubbed it as "toothless". "Every inquiry shall be conducted in private and in particular the identity of the complainant and of the public functionary affected by the inquiry shall not be disclosed to the public or the press or published in any manner whether before, during or after the inquiry," Section 26 of the rules says.

The rules notified in a state government's gazette recently, however, make it clear that the norm of in-camera proceedings will be "subject to the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005". The RTI Act promotes transparency and access to information under public authorities and it is not clear which aspects of the Lokayukta inquiry or proceedings will be covered under the transparency law.

Justifiably, DMK president M.K. Stalin has demanded in a tweet that the secrecy provision be rescinded. The institution of Lokayukta envisaged by the government is "without power", he said.

Madras High Court refuses to stall SIT probe into Madurai Kamaraj University sex scandal

The bench also directed the university to file a report on the proper implementation of the Act in its institutions.

  Published: 30th November 2018 01:08 PM |

 

 By PTI

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has made it clear that it cannot stall the probe by the Special Investigation Team appointed by the Tamil Nadu Governor into the alleged sex scandal at Madurai Kamaraj University in the state.

A division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice P Rajamanickam said Thursday, "We cannot stay the probe by SIT, all we can do is only ask the university whether it has implemented the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act."

The bench also directed the university to file a report on the proper implementation of the Act in its institutions.

The direction came on a plea by Revolutionary Students Youth Front seeking to stall the probe conducted by the SIT and constitute a new team headed by a woman official to investigate the scandal in which assistant professor Nirmala Devi allegedly tried to lure college girls to offer sexual favours to higher officials.

When the plea came up for hearing, the Advocate General filed a status report, which said the professor "voluntarily" confessed during custodial interrogation that she tried to lure girl students of her college only to offer sexual favours to other two accused in the case Murugan and Karuppasamy.

It was further submitted that with the assistance of cyber crime cell the call data records (CDR) of Nirmala Devi, Karuppasamy and Murugan were obtained from Mobile Service Providers (MSPs). The report said the records were analysed and relevant evidence of conspiracy was established.

"The calls made and received by the accused were analysed, and the concerned were summoned, examined and statements recorded. The calls among the three were corroborated based on the voluntary confession and the facts were verified," it was submitted.

The seizure of all digital evidences was done after following due legal procedure, the report added. Nirmala Devi, assistant professor at Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai, was arrested on April 16, a day after an audio clip went viral on the social media, in which she purportedly sought to persuade girls to consider extending sexual favours to senior officials of MKU, to which the college is affiliated.

Madurai Kamaraj University scandal: Copy of CB-CID report sought 

She sought for a stay of all further proceedings on the final report and sought a direction to transfer the case to CBI for fresh investigation under a special investigation team. 

  Published: 29th November 2018 08:56 AM 

 

Madurai Kamaraj University

By Express News Service

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench directed the Srivilliputhur Mahila Court to produce the copy of the final report filed by the CB-CID in the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) sex scandal case in a sealed cover before December 3.

The direction came in response to a petition filed by the General Secretary of All India Democratic Women’s Association P Suganthi seeking transfer of the investigation of the case to CBI. Suganthi submitted that the entire final report in the said case is totally flawed and stands on inadmissible confessions without any independent witnesses to corroborate the averments.

Though the audio conversation, which is the prime evidence in the case that had set the law in motion, included soliciting sexual favours from girl students and sexual gratification for higher officials of MKU, the latter part has been completely abandoned during the investigation, Suganthi stated. Even the statement of the Vice Chancellor of MKU has not recorded been recorded by CB-CID, she added.

Suganthi further pointed out CB-CID had added two higher officials of MKU namely Distance Education Director Viajayadurai and Director of Human Resource Development Centre Kalaiselvan, as witnesses in the case instead of accused, even though the officials, according to the prime accused Professor Nirmala Devi’s confession and their own statements, seem to have aided her in the crime directly and indirectly.

She sought for a stay of all further proceedings on the final report and sought a direction to transfer the case to CBI for fresh investigation under a special investigation team.

Quality, credible journals to get UGC's CARE

Based on special cells’ reports, CARE will maintain a dynamic ‘Reference List of Quality Journals’. 

  Published: 30th November 2018 05:31 AM 

 

UGC head office. (PTI)

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: With the aim of promoting credible and quality academic journals in India in all academic disciples, the University Grants Commission has decided to establish the Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (CARE).

CARE, to be chaired by the UGC vice chairman, will include representatives of the Association of Indian Universities, relevant statutory councils and government bodies concerning the sciences, medicine, agriculture and engineering, as well as the social science, humanities, arts and fine arts.

The UGC’s INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network) Centre, which will also be a CARE member, will act as a supporting agency, according to a public notice from UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain. CARE members will prepare a list of quality journals in their respective disciplines and these will be critically   analysed using ‘defined criteria’ by special cells at certain ‘entrusted institutions’ with proven track record in journal analysis and publication ethics. The cells will be guided by an empowered UGC-appointed committee.

Based on special cells’ reports, CARE will maintain a dynamic ‘Reference List of Quality Journals’. In the science and technology disciplines, it will also consider journals indexed by globally accepted databases like Scopus and Web of Science.

The number of research articles published in reputed journals is a globally accepted indicator for matters like institutional ranking, appointment and promotion of faculty members and award of research degrees, Jain pointed out. Credibility of research publications is extremely important as it reflects individual, institutional and national image. Publications in dubious, substandard journals, besides bringing a poor image, cause long-term academic damage.

These have, in fact, become a matter of concern all over the world. The percentage of research articles published in such journals is reported to be high In India, adversely affecting the country’s image. High quality, reputable journals and research papers are thus necessary to achieve higher global rankings   for our institutions and improve our quality of education, he said.

Doctors over 70 will have to update credentials by January 31

TNN | Nov 30, 2018, 08.16 AM IST


 

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Medical Council has asked doctors over the age of 70 to update their credentials by January 31. If they don’t, they will be termed “dormant and inaccessible” practioners and barred from practising.

The move was as a part of efforts to revise the state medical registry, the council said. The state has more than 15,000 senior doctors – those 70 or older as of June 1, 2018.

A notification from the council published in the Tamil Nadu Gazette said these doctors must send in their registration certificates, aadhaar cards and proof of practice as prescribed on the council website before January 31, 2019. Those who don’t would be moved to the category of “dormant and inaccessible practitioners” from February 1, 2019. “With this they will delisted from the active registry and will not be able to practise medicine. To get back to the registry, they will have to furnish details. Unless we do this, we will not be able to keep an active and functional registry of doctors,” said council president Dr K Senthil. “To make it convenient for the seniors, we have asked them to send the details by post,” Dr Senthil said.

The council has more than 1.4 lakh medical practitioners as members. “Some of them are in their nineties and we don’t know if they are still actively practising medicine,” he said. The council has urged the relatives of doctors who are dead to intimate it through email or post along with a copy of the registration certificate and the death certificate.

An active registry, Dr Senthil said, would give the council and the state an idea about the doctor-patient ratio. They would also get details of doctors in particular geographical locations that can be put to use during emergencies, he said.

Seniors, however, have been exempted from the mandatory 90-hour attendance at continuing medical education programmes. Younger doctors, who don’t have a 90-hour attendance at continuing medical education programmes for the last five years, will have to pay a fine and complete the deficit hours in 2019, the Council said.

Another cazette notification, published on Wednesday, said all doctors in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands must comply with the code of ethics of the council that mandated 30 credit hours – 90 absolute hours – of attending medical education programmes conducted by recognised or accredited organisations. The council, on September 30, resolved to implement the clause strictly, the notification said.

Doctors have been asked to update their credit hours accrued from June 1, 2012, to May 31, 2017, and also periodically update their credit hours post June 1, 2017. “Doctors have to pay Rs50 for each participant for carrying forward deficit credit hours for the ne-xt year,” said Dr Senthil. “If the hours are not completed in the next year too, the fine has to paid once again. We kept the fine amount low because our intention is not to punish but to encourage doctors to complete courses and update them,” Dr Senthil said.

Block health officer arrested for taking Rs 25,000 bribe from Tuticorin college

TNN | Nov 30, 2018, 03.58 PM IST MADURAI:

Sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) arrested a block health supervisor in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu on Friday after he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a private college to issue a sanitary certificate. 

The arrested officer has been identified as Alvarappan, 55, who is the block health supervisor at Eral.

Sources said in September, G U Pope College of Education at Sawyerpuram in Tuticorin applied for the sanitary certificate. As the process of issuing the certificate had got delayed, college authorities approached the health department officials, who in turn told them that it would be issued after inspection and certification by the block health supervisor.

On behalf of the college, staff member Jayakumar met Alvarappan, who demanded Rs 65,000 as bribe to issue the certificate. Later, he reduced the bribe amount to Rs 25,000 when the college refused to pay the amount.

The college management decided to deal the issue legally. Jayakumar lodged a complaint with the DVAC on Thursday evening.

As directed by DVAC deputy superintendent of police Dharmaraj, chemical coated currencies were given to Jayakumar so that he could hand them over to the official.

On Friday morning, Alvarappan came to the entrance of the private college where a team of six DVAC sleuths, led by inspector A Annamalai, caught him red-handed when he received the chemical coated currencies.

Alvarappan was booked under Section 7(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Southern Railway to run Tejas train between Chennai Egmore and Madurai

TNN | Nov 30, 2018, 06.03 PM IST

 
CHENNAI: Southern Railway will operate a swanky Tejas train between Chennai Egmore and Madurai five days a week. The train will run at an average speed of 70kmph during the day-time, official sources said. 

The train, which will be started within a week, will have features like infotainment, luxurious seats, WiFi and modular toilets.

It will start from Chennai Egmore around 6am and reach Madurai in six and a half hours. It would return to Chennai in the night, official sources said.


The Tejas rake was churned out of the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai on Friday. It will reach Southern Railway's Villivakkam yard on Friday night. Initially, it would be run as a special and then regularised, said official sources.

Man cheats senior citizen at ATM in Chennai, escapes with Rs 20,000

TNN | Nov 30, 2018, 06.21 PM IST

 

CHENNAI: An unidentified man escaped with Rs 20,000 from a senior citizen after diverting his attention at an ATM in Virugambakkam here on Friday.

Thiruvengadam, 65, was at an SBI ATM when an unidentified man approached him stating that the ATM was not working properly and that he would help him withdraw money.

Thiruvengadam handed over his debit card to the man and revealed the PIN number. The man inserted the card in the ATM and entered the PIN number. After sometime, he told Thiruvengadam that he could withdraw cash.

Thiruvengadam withdraw Rs 10,000 cash. When he reached home, Thiruvengadam saw an SMS on his cellphone which suggested that he had withdrawn Rs 20,000 using the card just before withdrawing Rs 10,000.

Thiruvengadam lodged a complaint with the Virugambakkam police, who launched a hunt for the miscreant.

HC grants two week parole to lifer for conjugal visit

TNN | Dec 1, 2018, 12.12 AM IST

Chennai: The Madras high court has permitted a life convict to go on two weeks’ parole on a plea by his wife saying it was her right to have conjugal relations.

“Conjugal visit leads to strong family bonds and keeps the family functional rather than the family becoming dysfunctional due to prolonged isolation and lack of sexual contact,” a division bench of Justice C T Selvam and Justice P Ramathilagam quoted from a recent Madurai bench order while granting parole to Perumal, 28, of Tirunelveli, who married Muthumari, 23, on May 2 this year while out on parole.

Perumal was arrested for murder in 2008 by the Manoor police, Tirunelveli. In 2010, an additional sessions court convicted him and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Initially lodged in Palayamkottai prison Perumal was later transferred to Vellore Central Prison and then to Cuddalore Central prison.

An appeal moved by Perumal challenging the conviction was dismissed by the high court and a second appeal is pending before the Supreme Court.

Muthumari recently approached the court claiming that her husband was eligible for emergency leave under the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules for a conjugal visit.

Further quoting from the Madurai bench order, the judges added that man was a social animal and he needed a family as well as a society to live in. Man needs both to share his emotions and feelings. Being human beings, prisoners also would like to share their problems with their life partner as well as with society. Just because they are termed prisoners, their right to dignity cannot be deprived.

Out of four theories of punishment, India had accepted the theory of reformation also. If that is to be done, prisons have to be transformed as homes for the purpose of giving training morally as well as intellectually, so that the prisoners are denuded of the qualities of a criminal, the order added.

“Psychologists and psychiatrists believe that the frustration, tension, ill-feelings and heart burnings can be reduced and a human being can be better constructed if allowed conjugal relationship even rarely,” the court said. Therefore, while considering the merits and demerits of allowing conjugal visits or permitting leave for the purpose of artificial insemination, the advantages are more than the disadvantages, it added.

Dependent siblings of accident victims too are eligible for compensation, says HC

TNN | Dec 1, 2018, 12.13 AM IST

Chennai: Noting that every legal representative who suffers because of the death of a person due to a motor vehicle accident should have a remedy of compensation, Madras high court has said even brothers and sisters of such person are eligible for compensation if their dependency on the deceased is proved.
It is settled principle that the liberal view must be taken to legal heirs of the deceased who died intestate. If the heirs are mother, married and unmarried sisters, married sister will not be considered as dependent. When there are dependents and non-dependents, only dependents are entitled to compensation, Justice M V Muralidaran said.

In the case on hand, the appellant in her evidence deposed that before the accident the deceased was residing with her and there were no other legal heirs. No contra evidence was adduced by the insurance company to disprove the version of the appellant.

Since the appellant has filed relationship certificate to show that she is the sister of the deceased and in the absence of any other legal heirs, it is to be presumed that the appellant is the only dependent of the deceased. The appellant claimed as living together with the support of deceased being the only legal representative is entitled under personal law to compensation to the extent of loss of estate and to the extent of loss of dependency, the judge added.

Doctor declines to sign part of testimony

TNN | Dec 1, 2018, 06.09 AM IST



 

CHENNAI: For probably the first time in the proceedings of the Justice (retd) A Arumughaswamy commission, a doctor has declined to sign a part of the testimony recorded during Thursday’s deposition, sources said.

Dr K Madan Kumar, a cardio-thoracic surgeon wi-th Apollo hospital, who was with former chief minister J Jayalalithaa throughout her Extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) procedure from December 4, 2016 till her death the next day, did not sign page three of his testimony recorded, a source said.

This was because he disagreed with how his deposition regarding the time-frame of the sternotomy procedure leading up to the ECMO after her cardiac arrest on December 4 was recorded, sources said. The commission had raised doubts regarding how Jayalalithaa’s brain could have survived the time taken by the medical team to set up ECMO, as the brain would not survive without oxygenated blood for more than three minutes and the set-up would take 25 minutes. A source said the commission’s line of questioning was to ask whether the lung was functional, without which even artificial pumping of blood would not yield oxygenated blood to the brain.

Kumar told the commission that the pumping of blood was never stopped as the incision made during sternotomy was done in a ‘synchronised manner’, Badsha said.

Madan Kumar had also told the commission that at around 3:30am on December 5, 2016, around 11 hours after Jayalalithaa suffered cardiac arrest, she showed intrinsic heart rhythm for 30 minutes, counsel for Apollo Maimoona Badsha quoted the doctor as saying.

On Friday, the commission sprung a surprise by summoning Dr R Jayanthi, dean of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH). She was asked whether the hospital had performed sternotomy procedure or had the equipment for ECMO, sources said. She deposed saying the hospital did not have the equipment and that they had not performed the sternotomy procedure.

Based on her academic knowledge, Jayanthi also gave a deposition regarding the sternotomy procedure being synchronised procedure in stages where the pumping of blood is not stopped, in effect concurring with Dr Madan’s deposition, multiple sources said.

The doctor also said they do not perform the CPR procedure in the Critical Care Unit (CCU), a source quoted her as saying.