Can Ramajayam med students study in govt colleges, Madras HC asks government

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedDec 7, 2018, 5:46 am IST

These students belong to the same 2016-2017 batch as that of Annai Medical college students.

Madras HIgh Court

Chennai: The Madras high court on Thursday asked the state government to inform the court as to whether it could accommodate the second year students of defunct Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Medical Sciences in Manamai Nallar in Kancheepuram district, in the Junior Batch of second year students studying in government medical colleges.

After Additional advocate general Narmada Sampath sought time to get instructions on this, Justice T.Raja adjourned to December 12 further hearing of a batch of petitions from SU Archana and 107 other students.

Earlier, AAG Narmada Sampath submitted that since the government medical colleges were overloaded as the students of Annai Medical Colleges were already accommodated in government medical colleges as per the earlier direction of this court, the second year students of Ponnaiyah medical colleges could be accommodated only in 10 self financing medical colleges.

In reply, senior counsels Silambannan, P.Wilson and S.Prabakaran, appearing for the students, relying upon the essentiality certificate issued by the state government, submitted that if anything happens to the self financing medical college, the state government has to take the responsibility and accommodate the students only in government colleges and not in other self financing medical colleges since there was an apprehension that some of the self financing medical colleges may also face the same problem like Ponnaiyah medical college in future and the students will be in trouble again. These students belong to the same 2016-2017 batch as that of Annai Medical college students. But, what these students wish is that they be accommodated in 2017-2018 batch of students in government medical colleges, they added.

When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, after the judge allowed the request of senior counsel Wilson to permit a student to explain the exact position, a girl student appeared before the judge and explained that there were two batch of students in the second year. One batch was a senior batch and they had already started doing their second year. The second batch was a junior batch and they started doing their second year only from October 2018 onwards. Though they belong to the same 2016-2017 batch as that of Annai Medical College students, who were already accommodated in the senior batch of second year students in government medical colleges, they may be permitted to join the junior batch of second year students, she added.

Question paper leak: Anna University re-exams on December 12

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedDec 8, 2018, 1:04 am IST

The maths-2 arrear examination was conducted on December 3. Over 80,000 students appeared for the exam.

Anna University

Chennai: After cancelling the maths 2 exam due to question paper leak, Anna University has announced that re-exam for affiliated colleges will be conducted on December 12.

The maths-2 arrear examination was conducted on December 3. Over 80,000 students appeared for the exam.

But, during the exam, Anna University was alerted by anonymous students that the question paper for one of the most difficult papers in engineering stream was already leaked.

After an initial inquiry, the university was shocked to learn that the question paper was indeed leaked before the exam.

On the same day, M.K. Surappa, vice-chancellor of the university has cancelled the exam.

"The re-examination for maths-2 will be conducted on December 12.

B.E/B.Tech students from all branches (except marine engineering) can appear for the exam. The hall tickets already sent for semester examinations may be used by the students," Anna University said in an announcement on Friday.

The university has conducted an in-house enquiry about the question paper leak.

"The inquiry was inconclusive as to how the question paper was leaked. In all likelihood, the case will be handed over to the police to nab the culprits," sources in the university said.

In a separate notification, the controller of examinations office also released the rescheduled exam dates for cyclone-affected Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai districts.

The exams scheduled on November 22, 23 and 24 were cancelled after the cyclone wreaked havoc in the delta districts. As per the rescheduled date, the exam will be held on December 18, 19 and 20.

Tamil Nadu: Honour killing survivor Gowsalya remarries in self-respect wedding ceremony

At the self-respect marriage ceremony, the couple took an oath to continue to fight against caste killings and to annihilate caste in society.

Published: 09th December 2018 11:59 AM 

Social activist and crusader against caste killings, Gowsalya married Parai musician Sakthi at the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam head office in Coimbatore's Gandhipuram on 9 December 2018. (Photo | EPS)

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Caste killing survivor and anti-caste activist Gowsalya Shankar married Parai artiste Sakthi at the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam office in Gandhipuram on Sunday. At the self-respect marriage ceremony, the couple took an oath to continue to fight against caste killings and to annihilate caste in society.

They also said the doors to their house would remain open to provide refuge for inter-caste couples and those who married for love. “Periyarist, Ambedkerist and Marxist people working for the welfare of the society can always come to our house to work for the people,” they vowed.

Gowsalya, who belongs to the socially dominant Thevar community, had married Shankar, a Dalit youth of Udumalpet in Tirupur district, in 2015. On March 13, 2016, the couple was brutally attacked by a three-member gang near Udumalpet town bus stand. Shankar, only 22 at the time, succumbed to his injuries while 19-year-old Gowsalya survived. On December 12, 2017, a Tirupur court convicted her father Chinnasamy and sentenced him to death for masterminding the attack against the couple.


Gowsalya, by then an anti-caste crusader had started the Shankar Social Justice Trust and was living with Shankar’s family. She testified against him at court.

Gowsalya wed Sakthi, who runs the Nimirvu Kazhaiyagam, in the presence of Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam founder Kolathur Mani, Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam’s K Ramakrishnan, VCK’s Vanniyarasu and ‘Evidence’ Kathir. Shankar’s family attended the wedding. The couple vowed not to become a part of each other’s organisations. Sakthi, an MBA graduate from Vellalore, has been teaching Parai for eight years.

He trained Gowsalya too. Gowsalya gives Parai lessons in Shankar’s village. “I would never interrupt her political career and would guide her as a father at a crisis,” Sakthi vowed. Gowsalya said she would support his dream to make Parai globally known. She later told media she would continue to fight for a separate law against ‘honour’ killings. Sakthi belongs to the same community as Gowsalya but his parents objected to wedding and did not attend.

“Shankar wanted to build a house in his village and wanted his brothers to pursue higher studies. Gowsalya built the house and still works for the development of the village,” Kathir said.

69-year-old Mysuru doctor saves patient's life on Air France flight

This selfless deed, which occurred on incident November 13, earned him appreciation from Air France, with the company writing to him to express their gratitude.

Published: 08th December 2018 08:17 PM |

An Air France plane for representational purpose (File | AP)

By K Shiva Kumar

Express News Service

MYSURU: Prabhulingaswamy Sanganalmath, a 69-year-old physician from Mysuru, saved a life recently on board an Air France flight with his timely intervention and treatment of a cardiac patient.

Prabhulingaswamy along with a European nurse were on their toes during the eight-hour journey closely monitoring the patient who had no pulse due to low blood pressure.

This selfless deed, which occurred on incident November 13, earned him appreciation from Air France, with the company writing to him to express their gratitude.


For the doctor, however, who travels abroad frequently to visit his children, a hug given by the patient after recovering from the cardiac episode was the best part of the incident.

Recounting his travel, Prabhulingaswamy said that he was travelling from New York to Bengaluru. Two hours after the Air France flight took off from Paris a European co-passenger who was more than 6 ft tall, collapsed when he went to drink water. As his pulse was weak, the flight cabin crew tried their best to help him recover.

"When the Pilot announced a medical emergency and sought the help of a doctor or nurses among the passengers, I walked up and saw the passenger lying on the floor. As there was no pulse I gave him cardiac massage for four minutes. When he responded, I instructed a nurse who had also joined me nurse to put him on oxygen, and on fluids," he said.

"As the patients BP was low we saw to it that fluids were given for the next six hours of the journey and we put him on the emergency bed. When the patient fully recovered, he was given coffee and juice and was taken for further investigation on a wheelchair ."

The doctor added that after treating the patient, he was surprised when he was asked for his contact details. "The pilot and crew asked for my ID, mail ID, phone number and other details. I thought it would be another medico-legal case. However, the pilot clarified that the airline would like to get in touch with a letter of appreciation by the management. " I would have done the same to any patient and anywhere in case of emergency," he said.

Students told to take competitive examinations

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, DECEMBER 10, 2018 00:00 IST

Graduation Day under way at Sethu Institute of Technology at Pulloor near Kariapatti i on Saturday.G. MoorthyG_Moorthy

Students should take competitive exams, join government service and contribute to the economic growth of the country, said B. Anand, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Earth Sciences and Development of Science and Technology.

Speaking at the 19th convocation of Sethu Institute of Technology at Pulloor near Kariapatti in Virudhunagar district on Saturday, he said there was a huge disparity between number of students appearing for competitive exams from south Indian states and north Indian ones. More representation must be made from the South as students here were equally competent.

As engineers could find their niche in all spheres and help create a functional environment, they must become entrepreneurs, Mr. Anand said and elaborated how the present technological boom would provide engineers several opportunities to begin successful businesses.

H. Devaraj, former vice-chairman, University Grants Commission, encouraged students cultivate the virtue of patience to go a long way in life. Students must also focus on improving skills, he said.

College founder and chairman S. Mohamed Jaleel, Principal A.Senthil Kumar, Chief Executive Officer S. M Seeni Mohaideen, Joint Chief Executive Officer S.M Seeni Mohamed Aliar and heads of departments participated in the function.

A total of 503 students from various streams received their degree certificates.

TOI EXCLUSIVE

I didn’t steal, instead infused ₹4K cr of my money to save airline: Mallya

Times of India 10.12.2018

Naomi Canton talks to fugitive Indian businessman Vijay Mallya whose extradition case in the UK is to be decided in the high court today

Do you believe the UK will extradite you to India?
• I cannot predict nor comment before the extradition judgment tomorrow (today, Monday).
If you lose, then what? Do you want to sit down with the government of India and sort this out?
• Extradition is a legal process that is not subject to bilateral negotiation. Whatever the judgment, my legal team will study it in detail and then decide on any future course of action.
If you win then what, is the offer still on the table? Can you summarise what your settlement is at Karnataka high court and what the status of the offer is? Are the banks willing to accept it? Where is the money for your offer of full settlement of your creditors’ dues coming from?
• As I have repeatedly said, I have been making settlement offers since 2016. These settlement offers have absolutely nothing to do with my extradition case. I have placed assets worth in excess of Rs 14,000 crore before the Karnataka high court with a request that these be sold under judicial supervision and the court can then decide on payment to all creditors and employees. There is more than enough on the table.
Why have you suddenly now offered to pay the entire principal amount you owe to banks in India?
• Nothing sudden about it. My assets are largely in the form of quoted shares which have increased in value over time since 2016. The same banks filed a complaint before the CBI and ED who attached the assets. Effectively the ED and banks are fighting over the same assets. The PMLA tribunal have ruled that they will pass final orders on merit if the Karnataka high court decides to proceed with my settlement offer.
Has this offer not already been turned down by the government?
• It is obvious that the government have told the banks not to accept any offer and on the other hand have told the ED to attach and/or confiscate my assets. That is why I approached the Karnataka high court in June this year. I want to finally correct the narrative that I stole public money and ran away. I did not steal and, on the contrary, infused Rs 4,000 crore of my money to save the airline.
Are you awaiting the elections to determine whether you want to return to India? Do you want to go back and settle in India and restart a business in India?
• As I said in 2016, I have semiretired and publicly stated my intention to spend more time with my kids all of whom are overseas.
Your lawyer has spoken consistently about the poor track record of the CBI. If exonerated, do you feel your brand and business have been permanently damaged? Are you concerned your legal troubles have dented your brand and business?
• The witch-hunt by the government and the manner in which I have become a poster boy and political football has (sic) certainly damaged by reputation beyond repair. Even so, I want to settle with banks, employees and other creditors.
Do you believe that you became a target once you sold off your businesses and therefore politicians and the system had nothing more to get out of you? Did you become the victim of a vendetta?
• It’s blindingly obvious. All of them were my friends over the past 30 years when I ran my alcohol businesses.
How have the last couple of years been for you whilst facing attempts to extradite you?
• Stressful and at great damage to my reputation.
What is your biggest fear about returning to India?
• Politically motivated lack of fair trial and the ability of the politicians to create numerous new allegations which provide for pre-trial detention.
Do you not trust the Indian legal system?
• I trust the legal system.
Have you been in touch with banks or politicians since you last left the country? If yes, what have you talked to them about?
• Settle, settle, settle.
You have often spoken about feeling targeted. Why is that? Do you feel you are a victim of a political witch-hunt?
• Very obvious that because of my image and media presence I became a poster boy for bank default.
Do you think prison conditions in India are fine, and what do you think of the recent decision that the Tihar prison complex poses no bar to Sanjeev Chawla’s extradition?
• Cannot comment.
Are you satisfied with the conditions of Arthur Road jail, and would you be willing to go to prison?
• This is for courts to decide in due course.
Might the infighting between top CBI officers in recent weeks help your case? Do you plan to use the CBI mudslinging in your appeal?
• My view of the CBI has already been stated.
What has led to your flurry of tweets in the last few days?
• My settlement application hearing is coming up. I want people to know that I am keen to settle and that such offers have nothing to do with my extradition case.
Will you pay the outstanding salaries owed to Kingfisher Airlines staff?
• Of course. What people do not talk about is that we applied to courts in 2014 and 2015 to withdraw deposits in courts specifically to pay employees and have not got a decision. I am very happy to pay employees first if the high court takes my settlement offer further. Between the ED on one side and the banks on the other, I am stuck in the middle, which only a court of law can resolve.
Do you feel you would have been better off staying in India and negotiating a settlement rather than leaving when the investigations ramped up?
• It would have made no difference. But I would not put it past the CBI and ED, to whom the banks complained, to put me in prison and throw away the keys till I accepted all their demands without a fair trial.
Why did you not leave India earlier than you did?
• I have lived in the UK and travelled to India and other countries — not the other way around. I have been an NRI since 1988 and have been travelling in and out ever since.
There are bigger loan defaulters than you, but do you think your opulent lifestyle, withholding Kingfisher salaries and PFs, and splashing out on cricketers in the Royal Challengers has spoiled your case?
• Maybe, but it only proves my point — that I am a poster boy who is begging to pay back. I ran other very successful large businesses and no Kingfisher Airlines money was used.

Have been making settlement offers since 2016, says Vijay Mallya

Extradition judgment likely today

Naomi Canton | TNN

London:The judgment as to whether Vijay Mallya — who stands accused by the CBI and ED of fraudulently obtaining Rs 10,000 crore in loans from Indian banks for his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines and of money laundering — should be extradited to India will be delivered by a UK court on Monday.

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot has trawled through thousands of pages of evidence in the high-profile trial in which Mallya’s barrister, Clare Montgomery QC, launched attacks on the prosecution evidence, the CBI and India’s Supreme Court.

Her job is to make a decision on whether Mallya’s conduct amounts to an extradition offence. The extradition treaty between the UK and India that a suspect can be extradited from one country to stand trial for breaking a second country’s laws only if a similar law exists in the extraditing country.

Arbuthnot also has to consider if none of the bars to extradition apply, that there is prima facie evidence of guilt and whether extradition would breach the person’s human rights.

The judgment expected at Westminster magistrates’ court on Monday afternoon comes nearly two years after the Indian government first handed over the extradition request to the British high commission in New Delhi in February 2017. The trial took place in December 2017.

CBI joint director leaves for UK to attend hearing: A team of officials led by the CBI’s Joint Director, S Sai Manohar, left for London on Sunday to attend a crucial hearing in the extradition case of embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Monday, sources said.

அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில் சோதனை தொடர்கிறது

Added : டிச 09, 2018 01:01

சென்னை அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில், லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசாரின் அதிரடி சோதனை, நேற்றும் சில இடங்களில் தொடர்ந்தது.தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள, அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில், எதற்கெடுத்தாலும் லஞ்சம் கேட்கப்படுகிறது. உள்நோயாளிகளை பார்க்க வரும் உறவினர்களிடமும், ஊழியர்கள் வசூல் வேட்டை நடத்துகின்றனர்.மேலும், கர்ப்பிணிகள் பதிவு செய்வது முதல், அவர்களுக்கு வரும் மகப்பேறு நிதியுதவி திட்டங்கள் உட்பட, அனைத்திற்கும், 500 முதல், 5,000 ரூபாய் வரை, சுகாதாரத் துறை ஊழியர்கள் லஞ்சம் வாங்குகின்றனர். இது போன்று, ஏழை மக்கள் பயன் பெறும் அனைத்து திட்டங்களிலும், தங்களுக்கும் ஒரு பங்கை, அதிகாரிகளும், ஊழியர்களும் பிடுங்கிக் கொள்கின்றனர்.தொடர் புகார்களை தொடர்ந்து, லஞ்ச ஒழிப்புத் துறை போலீசார், சென்னை, காஞ்சிபுரம், திருவள்ளூர் உள்ளிட்ட, 10க்கும் மேற்பட்ட மாவட்டங்களில், நேற்று முன்தினம் காலை முதல், இரவு வரை சோதனை நடத்தினர். இதில், சென்னை, ராஜிவ் காந்தி அரசு மருத்துவமனையில், 'ஸ்கேன்' எடுக்கும் பெண் ஊழியரிடம், 3,200 ரூபாய் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.அதேபோல, ஸ்டான்லி, ஓமந்துாரார் உள்ளிட்ட அனைத்து அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளிலும், கணக்கில் வராத பணம், மருத்துவமனை ஊழியர்களிடம் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசாரின் சோதனை, திண்டுக்கல் மாவட்ட அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில், நேற்று நடந்தது. 'பொது மக்களின் புகார்களின் அடிப்படையில், மருத்துவமனைகளில் சோதனை தொடரும்' என, லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

எதற்கெல்லாம் லஞ்சம்?யாருக்கு - எவ்வளவு ரூபாய்'லிப்ட்' இயக்குபவருக்கு - 10'ஸ்கேன்' எடுப்பவருக்கு - 20குப்பை அள்ள மற்றும் படுக்கை சுத்தப்படுத்துபவருக்கு - 30பார்வை நேரங்களை தவிர்த்து, நோயாளியை பார்க்க - 30குளுக்கோஸ் ஏற்றுவதற்கு - 50'ஸ்ட்ரெக்சர்' தள்ளுபவருக்கு - 50 - 100முடி திருத்துபவருக்கு - 100'எக்ஸ் - ரே' மற்றும் ரத்த பரிசோதனை உடனுக்குடன் பெற - 100நோயாளிக்கு சிறந்த சிகிச்சை அளிக்க - 100 முதல், 500பெண் குழந்தை பிறந்தால் - 500ஆண் குழந்தை பிறந்தால் - 1,000சடலத்தை பிணவறைக்கு கொண்டு வர - 100பிரேத பரிசோதனை செய்ய - 500 முதல் 1,000டாக்டர் சான்றிதழ் பெற - 500 முதல் 1,000அரசின் காப்பீட்டு திட்டம் மற்றும் நிதியுதவி திட்டங்களுக்கு - 1,000 முதல் 5,000'108' ஆம்புலன்ஸ் மற்றும் அமரர் ஊர்தி ஓட்டுனர்களுக்கு - 100 முதல் 1,000 வரை

அம்பானி இல்ல திருமணம்

Added : டிச 09, 2018 01:36




புதுடில்லி ராஜஸ்தான் மாநிலம், உதய்பூரில், நடக்கும், முகேஷ் அம்பானி மகள் இஷா - ஆனந்த் திருமணத்துக்கு முந்தைய நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் பங்கேற்க வந்த, அமெரிக்க முன்னாள் அதிபர் பில் கிளின்டனின் மனைவி ஹிலாரியை, முகேஷும், அவரது மனைவியும் வரவேற்றனர்.நாட்டின் பணக்காரர்களில் ஒருவரான முகேஷ் அம்பானியின் மகள் இஷாவுக்கும், ரியல் எஸ்டேட் நிறுவனர் அஜய் பிரமலின் மகன் ஆனந்துக்கும், 12ல், மும்பையில் திருமணம் நடக்கவுள்ளது.சங்கீதம், நாட்டியம் மற்றும் மெஹந்தி உள்ளிட்ட, திருமணத்துக்கு முந்தைய நிகழ்ச்சிகள், ராஜஸ்தான் மாநிலம், உதய்பூரில், 10ம் தேதி வரை நடக்கின்றன.

திருமணத்துக்கு முந்தைய நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் பங்கேற்க, அம்பானி குடும்பத்தினர் மற்றும் பிரமல் குடும்பத்தினர் உதய்பூர் வந்துள்ளனர்.இந்த நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் பங்கேற்க, நெருங்கிய உறவினர்கள், நண்பர்கள், திரையுலக பிரபலங்கள், கிரிக்கெட் விளையாட்டு வீரர்கள், உள்நாடு மற்றும் வெளிநாட்டு தொழிலதிபர்கள் மட்டுமல்லாமல், அமெரிக்க அதிபர் வேட்பாளரும், முன்னாள் அதிபர் பில் கிளிண்டனின் மனைவியுமான ஹிலாரி உள்ளிட்டோர் அழைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.விருந்தினர்களை, உதய்பூருக்கு அழைத்து வர, மும்பை மற்றும் டில்லியில் இருந்து, 50 தனியார் விமானங்கள் இயக்கப்படுகின்றன. அவர்கள் தங்குவதற்கு, உதய்பூரில் உள்ள அனைத்து நட்சத்திர ஓட்டல்களும் முன்பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளன.

இதற்கிடையே, மகள் திருமண நிகழ்ச்சியில் பங்கேற்க வந்த ஹிலாரியை, முகேஷ் அம்பானி - நிதா வரவேற்றனர்.முதல் நிகழ்ச்சியாக, நேற்று முன்தினம் இரவு, உதய்பூரில், மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகள், வீடற்றோர், காப்பக குழந்தைகள், முதியோர் என, 5,100 பேருக்கு இனிப்புடன் உணவு வழங்கும், 'அன்ன சேவா' நிகழ்ச்சி நடந்தது.நேற்று, ஹிலாரி, லஷ்மி மிட்டல், சச்சின் டெண்டுல்கர் குடும்பத்தினர், அமிதாப் பச்சன் குடும்பத்தினர், கிரிக்கெட் வீரர் தோனியின் மனைவி சாக் ஷி, மஹாராஷ்டிரா முதல்வர் தேவேந்திர பட்னவிஸ், உ.பி., முன்னாள் முதல்வரும், சமாஜ்வாதி கட்சி தலைவருமான அகிலேஷ் யாதவ் ஆகியோர் உதய்பூர் வந்தனர்.இஷா திருமண நிகழ்ச்சிகளில், பிரதமர் நரேந்திர மோடியும் பங்கேற்பார் என எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது.

டாக்டர்களுக்கு விடுமுறை இல்லை மருத்துவ கல்வி இயக்குனர் உத்தரவு

Added : டிச 09, 2018 06:22


கோவை, ''போராட்டத்தை காரணமாக தெரிவித்து, டாக்டர்கள் விடுமுறை எடுக்கக் கூடாது,'' என, மருத்துவக் கல்வி இயக்குனர், எட்வின்ஜோ உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளார்.மத்திய அரசு டாக்டர்களுக்கு இணையான ஊதிய உயர்வு உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு கோரிக்கைகளை வலியுறுத்தி, தமிழகம் முழுவதும் உள்ள அரசு டாக்டர்கள், 4ம் தேதி, புறநோயாளிகள் சிகிச்சை புறக்கணிப்பு போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டனர்.நேற்று முதல், தொடர் போராட்டங்களில் ஈடுபடவும் திட்டமிட்டிருந்தனர். இந்நிலையில், உயர் நீதிமன்ற மதுரைக் கிளையில், டாக்டர்கள் போராட்டம் குறித்த பொதுநல வழக்கு விசாரணையில், வரும், 17ம் தேதி வரை போராட்டங்களை ஒத்தி வைப்பதாக, அரசு டாக்டர்கள் சங்கம் அறிவித்துள்ளது.ஆயினும், டாக்டர்கள் சங்கம், நிர்வாகத்துக்கு எதிரான ஒத்துழையாமை இயக்கத்தை தொடர்ந்து நடத்தி வருகிறது. இதன் காரணமாக, பல்வேறு நிர்வாகப் பணிகள் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.மருத்துவக் கல்வி இயக்குனர் எட்வின்ஜோ கூறுகையில், ''டாக்டர்களின் ஒத்துழையாமை இயக்கத்தால், நோயாளிகள் பாதிக்கப்படுகின்றனர். போராட்டத்தை காரணமாக தெரிவித்து, டாக்டர்கள் விடுமுறை எடுக்கக் கூடாது,'' என்றார்.

ராகிங் தடுப்பு குழு கூட்டம்

Added : டிச 09, 2018 01:12

சென்னை, ராகிங் தடுப்பு மற்றும் கண்காணிப்பு குழு கூட்டம், கவர்னர் மாளிகையில் நேற்று நடந்தது.கூட்டத்திற்கு, பன்வாரிலால் புரோஹித் தலைமை வகித்தார். உயர்கல்வித்துறை அமைச்சர் அன்பழகன், தலைமை செயலர் கிரிஜா வைத்தியநாதன், கவர்னர் செயலர் ராஜகோபால், தமிழக உள்துறை செயலர் நிரஞ்சன்மார்டி, டி.ஜி.பி., - டி.கே.ராஜேந்திரன், ஆகியோர் பங்கேற்றனர்.கூட்டத்தில், கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில், ராகிங்கை முற்றிலுமாக ஒழிக்க எடுக்கப்பட்ட மற்றும் எடுக்க வேண்டிய நடவடிக்கைகள் குறித்து ஆலோசிக்கப்பட்டது.

கட்டி முடிக்கப்பட்ட வீடுகளுக்கு ஜிஎஸ்டி இல்லை

Added : டிச 09, 2018 08:25 |

புதுடில்லி : கட்டுமான பணிகள் நிறைவு பெற்றதற்கான சான்று பெறப்பட்ட அடுக்குமாடி குடியிருப்பு வீடுகளுக்கு ஜிஎஸ்டி விதிக்கப்படாது என மத்திய நிதி அமைச்சகம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

வீடுகளுக்கு விதிக்கப்படும் ஜிஎஸ்டி தொடர்பான தகவல்களை மத்திய நிதியமைச்சகம் வெளியிட்டுள்ளது. இதில், கட்டுமான பணிகள் நிறைவுபெற்றதற்கான சான்று பெறப்பட்ட அடுக்குமாடி குடியிருப்பு வீடுகளுக்கு ஜிஎஸ்டி விதிக்கப்படாது. இருப்பினும் கட்டுமான பணி தொடங்கும் போதோ அல்லது கட்டுமானம் முடிந்து நிறைவு சான்று பெறப்படாமலோ உள்ள வீடுகளை வாங்கினால் ஜிஎஸ்டி விதிகள் பொருந்தும் என தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

அதே சமயம் ஜவகர்லால் நேரு தேசிய நகர்புற புனரமைப்பு வீடு திட்டம், ராஜிவ் ஆவாஸ் யோஜனா, பிரதமரின் வீடு கட்டும் திட்டம் ஆகியவற்றின் கீழ் கட்டப்படும் குறைந்த விலை வீடுகளுக்கான 8 சதவீதம் ஜிஎஸ்டியை கட்டுமான நிறுவனங்கள் தங்களது வரி வரவில் இருந்து கழித்துக் கொள்ளலாம் என தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மாவட்ட செய்திகள்

ஓமலூர் அரசு ஆஸ்பத்திரியில் முக்கிய பதிவேடுகளை கைப்பற்றி லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் விசாரணை


ஓமலூர் அரசு ஆஸ்பத்திரியில் சோதனை நடத்திய லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் முக்கிய பதிவேடுகளை கைப்பற்றி விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர்.
பதிவு: டிசம்பர் 09, 2018 03:45 AM மாற்றம்: டிசம்பர் 09, 2018 04:18 AM
ஓமலூர்,

ஓமலூர் அரசு ஆஸ்பத்திரியில் நோயாளிகளிடம் பணம் வசூலிப்பதாகவும், டாக்டர்கள், செவிலியர்கள் முறைகேடுகளில் ஈடுபடுவதாகவும் புகார் எழுந்தது. இதைத்தொடர்ந்து சேலம் மாவட்ட லஞ்ச ஒழிப்புத்துறை கூடுதல் கண்காணிப்பாளர் சந்திரமவுலி, இன்ஸ்பெக்டர்கள் தங்கமணி, பூபதிராஜன், கோமதி, தாசில்தார் சாந்தி உள்பட மாவட்ட ஆய்வுக்குழு அலுவலர்கள், லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் ஓமலூர் அரசு ஆஸ்பத்திரியில் அதிரடி சோதனை நடத்தினர்.

அங்குள்ள டாக்டர்கள், நோயாளிகள், செவிலியர்களிடம் விசாரணை நடத்தினர். அப்போது ஒரு டாக்டர், சில புரோக்கர்களை வைத்துக் கொண்டு அவசர சிகிச்சை பெற வரும் நோயாளிகளிடம் பணம் வசூல் செய்தது, கட்ட பஞ்சாயத்து செய்ததும், அரசு ஆஸ்பத்திரியில் இருந்து மருந்து, மாத்திரைகளை எடுத்து சென்று, அருகில் தனது கிளினிக்கிற்கு வரும் நோயாளிகளுக்கு வழங்கியதும் தெரியவந்தது.

மேலும் ஒரு செவிலியர் தனது வீட்டு வேலைக்கு மருத்துவமனை ஊழியர்களை பயன்படுத்தி வந்ததும் தெரியவந்தது. அவர்கள் 2 பேர் மீதும் ஆஸ்பத்திரிக்கு வந்திருந்த நோயாளிகள் சரமாரி புகார்களை தெரிவித்தனர். இதனிடையே முதல்-அமைச்சரின் மருத்துவ காப்பீட்டு திட்டத்திலும், ஆஸ்பத்திரிக்கு வழங்கப்பட்ட நிதியிலும் முறைகேடு நடந்து இருக்கலாம் என்று லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசாருக்கு சந்தேகம் ஏற்பட்டது.

இதைத்தொடர்ந்து லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் ஆஸ்பத்திரியில் பராமரிக்கப்பட்டு வந்த மருத்துவ காப்பீட்டு திட்ட பதிவேடு, மருத்துவ நிதி ஒதுக்கீடு பதிவேடு போன்ற முக்கிய பதிவேடுகளை கைப்பற்றி விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர். அந்த பதிவேடுகளை ஆய்வு நடத்திய பின்னர் அதில் முறைகேடுகள் இருப்பது தெரியவந்தால், சம்பந்தப்பட்டவர்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் தெரிவித்தனர். நேற்று முன்தினம் மதியம் 12.30 மணிக்கு தொடங்கிய லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசாரின் நடத்திய சோதனை இரவு 8 மணி வரை நீடித்தது. லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் சோதனை அங்கு பரபரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியது.

மாநில செய்திகள்

வங்கக்கடலில் மேலும் ஒரு காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு பகுதி தமிழகத்தில் ஓரிரு இடங்களில் இன்று மழை பெய்யும்



வங்கக்கடலில் மேலும் ஒரு காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு பகுதி உருவாகிறது என்றும், இதன் காரணமாக தமிழகத்தில் ஓரிரு இடங்களில் இன்று மழை பெய்யும் என்றும் வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

பதிவு: டிசம்பர் 09, 2018 05:30 AM
சென்னை,

வடகிழக்கு பருவமழை தமிழகத்தில் பெய்து வருகிறது. கடந்த மாதம் வங்கக்கடலில் உருவான கஜா புயல், டெல்டா மாவட்டங்களை உருக்குலைத்தது. அதன் தொடர்ச்சியாக வங்கக்கடலில் உருவான வலுவான காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வுநிலை காரணமாக வட தமிழகத்தில் பரவலாக மழை பெய்தது.

இந்த நிலையில் கடந்த மாதம் 25-ந் தேதிக்கு மேல் பல நாட்கள் தமிழகத்தில் வறண்ட வானிலையே நிலவியது. கடந்த 3-ந் தேதி முதல் 2 நாட்கள் தமிழகத்தில் அனேக இடங்களில் மழை பெய்தது. நேற்று முன்தினம் அந்தமான் கடல் பகுதியில் உருவான காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு பகுதி வலுவிழந்து மேலடுக்கு சுழற்சியாக இருக்கிறது.

இப்போது அதே வங்கக் கடல் பகுதியில் மேலும் ஒரு காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு பகுதி இன்று (ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை) உருவாக இருக்கிறது என்று வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் தெரிவித்து இருக்கிறது.

புயல் சின்னமாக மாற வாய்ப்பு

இதுகுறித்து சென்னை வானிலை ஆய்வு மைய அதிகாரிகள் கூறியதாவது:-

அந்தமான் கடல் பகுதியில் நிலவி வந்த காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு பகுதி வலுவிழந்து மேலடுக்கு சுழற்சியாக இருக்கிறது. அடுத்து வரும் 24 மணி நேரத்தில் தென் கிழக்கு வங்கக்கடலில் மேலும் ஒரு காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு பகுதி உருவாகிறது. இதன் காரணமாக தமிழகத்தில் ஓரிரு இடங்களில் மழை பெய்யும்.

இந்த காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு பகுதி அடுத்து வரும் நாட்களை பொறுத்து தான் கணிக்க முடியும். தற்போதுள்ள நிலவரப்படி தமிழகத்தில் அடுத்து வரும் 2 நாட்களுக்கு ஓரிரு இடங்களில் மழை பெய்யும். தாழ்வு பகுதி வலுப்பெறும் பட்சத்தில் புயல் சின்னமாக மாறுவதற்கு வாய்ப்பு இருக்கிறது. ஆனால் இப்போது எதையும் உறுதியாக கூற முடியாது.

 இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் தெரிவித்தனர்.

மழை அளவு

நேற்று காலை 8.30 மணியுடன் முடிவடைந்த 24 மணி நேரத்தில் தமிழகத்தில், ‘செங்கோட்டையில் 3 செ.மீ, ஆரணி, ஆய்க்குடியில் தலா ஒரு செ.மீ.’ மழை பெய்துள்ளது.

Tamil Nadu governor seeks report from Bharathiar University on Madras High Court summons

Based on that, the HC had prohibited the university authorities from running study centres outside Tamil Nadu.

Published: 07th December 2018 04:10 AM |

By S Mannar Mannan

Express News Service

COIMBATORE: After the Madras High Court summoned Higher Education secretary Mangat Ram Sharma, Bharathiar University registrar (in charge) B Vanitha and eight other syndicate members in a contempt of court proceedings, Governor-Chancellor Banwarilal Purohit has sought a report from the university. When a case filed by Association of Self Financing Arts, Science and Management Colleges came up for hearing at the Madras HC on December 8, last year, Bharathiar University Registrar (in charge) filed an affidavit stating that it will not operate distance education study centres and will not grant affiliation and recognition relating to distance education to be conducted outside Tamil Nadu from 2018-19 academic year.


Based on that, the HC had prohibited the university authorities from running study centres outside Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, the university —after a meeting in Chennai on November 28 — passed a resolution allowing study centres to function for 2018-19 academic year. Challenging this move, private colleges association filed a contempt petition in the HC. When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, Justice N Kirubakaran who stayed the operation of the university’s recent resolution asked, ‘Are the court orders so ineffective to be violated or are they paper orders to be ignored?”

He also summoned Higher Education secretary Mangat Ram Sharma, who was also the convenor of University’s V-C committee, registrar (in charge) B Vanitha and syndicate members who approved the resolution to appear in court on January 7. Following the Madras High Court’s strong observation, Governor Banwarilal Purohit sought a report from the university. As instructed, a history of the decision has been sent to the governor’s office, said Vanitha.

Association of University Teachers (AUT) former general secretary C Pichandy pointed out that the Bharathiar University did not have any right to run distance education courses under franchise mode; not only outside Tamil Nadu but within too. UGC secretary Rajnish Jain in a letter to the then Higher Education secretary Sunil Paliwal (dated June 20) had said that a UGC circular (dated August 9, 2001) had asked all universities to stop franchising their degree education through private agencies or establishments with immediate effect. He also mentioned erstwhile Distance Education Council notification dated January 31, 2012, which also prohibited franchising of study centres by any institution or university.

Retired Tamil Nadu doctor robbed of Rs 5 lakh at gunpoint

A gang of masked criminals struck the house of a retired government doctor in Melur on Thursday and robbed `5 lakh and a mobile phone at gunpoint.

Published: 07th December 2018 04:13 AM 

By Express News Service

MADURAI: A gang of masked criminals struck the house of a retired government doctor in Melur on Thursday and robbed `5 lakh and a mobile phone at gunpoint. The house belonged one Baskaran, a retired government doctor from Melur.


The gang of six entered the house when Baskaran went for a walk on Thursday morning. The gang took the watchman hostage and gained entry. Once inside, the gang threatened to kill the watchman and obtained keys. They tied up the doctor’s wife, maid and the watchman. They were rescued by the neighbours.

‘Temporary qualification approval’ of Bharathiar University flayed

The Bharathiar University seems to be moving from one controversy to another.

Published: 08th December 2018 05:32 AM |


Bharathiar University (File | EPS)

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE : The Bharathiar University seems to be moving from one controversy to another. Recently, the Madras HC summoned its officials, as well as Higher Education Secretary Mangat Ram Sharma, over the decision to allow franchise centres to offer distance education programmes for one more year. Now, another of its decisions has been pointed out to be a violation of UGC regulations and orders of the HC and the Supreme Court.

The latter is a decision of its syndicate to give ‘temporary qualification approval’ for three years to teachers of affiliated colleges who do not possess the qualifications specified by UGC.On October 10, the syndicate favourably considered a resolution that the earlier practice of granting conditional qualification to such teachers be continued. Its justification was that the teachers and their institutions would face a lot of difficulties if this is not allowed.

This, according to Association of University Teachers vice president N Pasupathy, is a serious violation of UGC regulations and orders of the Madras HC and the SC. Also, this practice of giving conditional or temporary approval to unqualified teachers does not exist in any State university in Tamil Nadu, except Bharathiar University.

Why should the university approve, conditionally or temporarily, unqualified teachers recruited by private colleges when there are hundreds of eligible candidates who apply for teachers’ posts, he asked. Pasupathy appealed to Governor Chancellor Banwarilal Purohit to correct this gross violation before it attracts contempt petitions.


“For a long time, the AUT has been pointing out the grave and gross violations of rules by the Bharathiar Varsity School of Distance Education. The distance education programme was plagued by corrupt middlemen with connivance of successive vice-chancellors. The AUT’s untiring efforts, along with UGC regulations, ended this menace,” he said.

Lightning speed

Pasupathy also found intriguing the ‘lightning speed’ with which the university issued a directive to the franchise centres to send the lists of students they have admitted for further processing. This was done even before the minutes of the syndicate meeting which took the decision to use their services for another year were approved. After a syndicate meeting, the minutes are sent to all members for their approval, which is obtained within about 15 days

Breather for private education institutes in Tamil Nadu
The Madras High Court on Friday granted an interim stay to a recent amendment that imposed property tax on private educational institutions.

Published: 08th December 2018 05:43 AM |

Madras HC building (Photo | EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday granted an interim stay to a recent amendment that imposed property tax on private educational institutions. The division bench of Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad, were hearing a petition by the All India Private Educational Institutions Association that challenged the amendment made to the municipal laws in January.


The bench granted interim stay and directed the court registry to club the petition along with similar petitions pending in the high court over the same matter. The private schools contended that imposing property tax on private educational institutions was illegal since they were only offering a right that is guaranteed in the Constitution.

“In a common level playing field, there cannot be any discrimination between government schools and private schools, as the ultimate goal of the Constitution is free and fair education,” argued E Vijay Anand, counsel of the private schools association. The association also argued that education was a “charitable occupation”, and the private schools were run with “non-profit” purpose.

Madras High Court orders Centre to disburse funds for SC/ST students

Though the Department of Finance, Government of India, is not a party to this litigation, allocation of funds have to be made as per

Published: 09th December 2018 04:19 AM


Madras High Court (File photo | EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI : The High Court, in a 157-page order, directed the Central Department of Finance to allocate funds of arrears of Rs 822.91 crore, up to 2016-17, enabling the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi, to disburse the fund meant for SC, ST Students under the Post-Matric Scholarship, within two months.

The PIL plea was filed by one D Ashok Kumar, seeking directions to the authorities of the State and Centre, to continue to support Post Matric Scholarship to students hailing from SC/ST communities, to pursue their higher education, as there has been paucity of funds, due to non-release of funds by the Government of India, as a result of which, Government of Tamil Nadu, decided to restrict the benefits of the scheme.

The Division Bench, comprising Justice S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad, which heard the petition, sought for a direction to the Director, Social Justice and Empowerment, Union of India, New Delhi, to immediately release the funds of Rs 1765.62 crore, to Scheduled Caste students and Rs 31.2 crore to the Scheduled Tribe students, enabling them to pursue their higher education.

The judges said, “The Central Government under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi, has not released the arrears of scholarship to Scheduled Caste students up to 2016-17. A request was made on August 13 to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, to release additional funds under the Post Matric Scholarship share to scheme on priority, so as to enable Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi, to release the funds to states.


However, the Social Justice department has said that in anticipation of funds from the Ministry of Finance, administrative approval of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has been granted on August 16, for the balance arrears up to 2016-17 to Tamil Nadu. From the above, it is clear that the Central Government has not disbursed the arrears of their shares of Rs 822.91 crore up to 2016-2017.

Though the Department of Finance, Government of India, is not a party to this litigation, allocation of funds have to be made as per the scheme, promptly. The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi, represented by its Director, is directed to disburse the arrears of Rs 822.91 crore, representing the Post-Matric Scholarship to SC students up to 2016-17, within two months, from the date of receipt of a copy of this order and also an amount of Rs 162 crore for the year 2017-18,” said the order.

The social justice department, in its counter, submitted that the Centre has been releasing funds to the government of Tamil Nadu, on regular basis. Further, during the year 2018-19, an amount of ` 584.47 crore has been released and balance arrears up to 2016-2017 are Rs 822.91 crore only.

Man acquitted in murder case

Chennai: Overturning an order of the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Erode that sentenced a person to seven years RI in a murder case a year ago, the Madras High Court acquitted him on the ground that the entire evidence placed was self-contradictory in nature. Chithode police had registered the case in 2015 against one Thangavel of Mamarathupalayam. It was alleged that Thangavel used a sharp object to kill his son-in-law who was in an inebriated condition. Based on the statements provided by the mother of the deceased, a complaint was registered.

Seized vehicle released on conditions

Chennai: The High Court released a vehicle that carried M-sand, seized by the Virudhachalam police two months ago, with certain conditions. A Division Bench comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and P Rajamanickam, disposed of the writ petition from Senthilmurugan, the owner of the lorry, seeking a direction to release his vehicle. The court said it was for the probing authority to find out whether the transported sand was M-sand or river sand. The petitioner was asked to deposit a sum of `50,000 to the Deputy Director of Geology and Mining, Tirunelveli.

Tamil Nadu bank manager held as man gets Rs 18 crore loan on forged documents
Taken in by his promise, Nataraj, Ramasamy and Harun Rasheed gave him the documents required for processing the loan.

Published: 09th December 2018 04:36 AM |

Image used for representational purpose only

By Express News Service

TIRUPUR : The Central Crime Branch police on Saturday arrested a senior bank manager for allegedly helping a man get `18 crore loan by furnishing bogus documents. Police said that the debtor, his wife, friend and another bank officer, suspected to be a part of the scam, were on the run.


According to police, Shankar (52), a senior manager with the Foreign Exchange Division of the Corporation Bank, allegedly helped Selvakumar (37), a native of Tiruvannamalai, wife Priya (30) and friend Rajesh Kanna (39) get loan from the bank. Selvakumar was reportedly working at a knitwear unit worker in the district, According to sources, Selvakumar obtained a loan of `10 crore from the Corporation Bank by submitting forged documents. As his loan had been sanctioned, he told his friends Nataraj, Ramasamy and Harun Rasheed that he could get their credit approved as well.

Taken in by his promise, Nataraj, Ramasamy and Harun Rasheed gave him the documents required for processing the loan. However, once the loan of `8 crore was sanctioned through the offices of Corporation Bank’s senior manager Shankar and manager Somaiyajulu, Selvakumar scooted.

AirAsia offers 20 per cent fare discount to Vizagites

The AirAsia international flight will be operated four days a week and it will reach Vizag on Friday, Wednesday, Monday and Sunday.

Published: 08th December 2018 09:05 AM |

For representational purposes (File | Reuters)

By Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: Here is good news for AirAsia travellers from the city. The airline is offering 20 per cent fare discount for all its flights, both domestic and international, exclusively to Vizagites for three days at AirAsia Travel Fair, which began at CMR Central in the city on Friday.

The discount offer will be valid for those who book their tickets in advance for journey from January to December 2019. According to an AirAsia official, the offer is available for even the connecting flights of the airline on international route.

K Vijay Mohan, president of Tours and Travels Association of Andhra, who inaugurated the fair, said AirAsia’s inaugural flight from Bangkok was scheduled to land at Visakhapatnam International Airport at 11.45 pm on Friday and take off at 12.15 am.


The AirAsia international flight will be operated four days a week and it will reach Vizag on Friday, Wednesday, Monday and Sunday. In the return direction, the flight will leave Vizag on Saturday, Thursday, Tuesday and Monday.

AirAsia’s Bangkok flight is the fourth international flight from the city. The other three are flights to Malaysia, Singapore and Dubai.

AirAsia is operating a flight service to Kuala Lumpur, SilkAir to Singapore and Air India to Dubai. All the three international flights are having good occupancy ratio. Based on a survey conducted by Tours and Travels Association of Andhra and Air Travellers Association, a couple of years ago, AirAsia launched its service to Bangkok. The inaugural flight is almost full with 172 of 176 seats having booked, he said. 

Vijay Mohan hoped that the international flights from Vizag would sustain as the Port City has huge potential.

About 30 per cent of air passengers going to Thailand from Kolkata are from AP. The flight from Vizag will have more patronage as it takes only two and a half hours to reach Bangkok and the cost of the return trip from the Port City will be between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000. Besides, people from Vijayawada are now boarding Bangkok flight either in Hyderabad or Chennai. Henceforth, they may prefer Vizag to go to Bangkok and this will ensure a healthy occupancy in the international flight. In all likelihood, there will be fifth international flight from Vizag as Nok Air, a low-cost airline, is planning to operate a service to Bangkok from next month, he said.

Referring to suspension of Colombo flight by SriLankan Airlines, Vijay Mohan said they were clueless about its withdrawal though the service was doing extremely good with about 70 per cent occupancy.

Tamil Nadu government hospitals raided after bribery complaints

The officials also conducted raids at Government Chengalpet Medical College Hospital a few days ago.

Published: 08th December 2018 05:36 AM |

A photo of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital
By Express News Service

CHENNAI : The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption officials conducted raids at government hospitals across the State, allegedly following complaints of hospital workers demanding bribes from patients, on Friday. In Chennai, the raids were conducted at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children.


According to sources at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, the officials entered the hospital around 10. 30 am and searched the premises including the hospital kitchen and provisions storeroom. 

At Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children, the officials inspected wards, kitchen, storerooms, scan centre and searched the premises.

The officials also conducted raids at Government Chengalpet Medical College Hospital a few days ago. “We have given a strict warning to workers not to take bribe from the patients and are monitoring them. We also alerted our hospital staff following the raid at Government Chengalpet Medical College Hospital recently. However, the officials did not come to our hospital on Friday,” said a hospital official.

Female students bear brunt of unchecked moral policing on Chennai campuses

Arts and science colleges across Chennai have women’s hostel curfew at 7 pm, with a few colleges even capping it at 3 pm.

Published: 09th December 2018 05:05 AM |

Image for representational purpose only

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Two weeks ago, an hostel warden in the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras put up in the notice board, among other things, the number of ‘used condoms’ they found in a dustbin in the hostel room of a student. The incident caused much outrage among the student community over what they see as moral policing of the students. When Express spoke to students of many other colleges in the city, the stories students shared were far more regressive. Often, mundane everyday activities of students, particularly female students, comes under scrutiny and starts defining their character.

The students are questioned for speaking to students from the other gender and sometimes sent out of the classrooms when the teacher thinks the dress of a female student is too revealing. Swarna*, a student in a women’s arts college in the heart of the city, says she was reprimanded by her hostel warden once for accidentally dropping a cover with sanitary napkins in front of her hostel room.

“She said that I need to start acting like an adult woman now. How can I be so shameless? The warden said that my character was questionable,” she recalled. Swarna said that day, she saw her roommate carrying a suitcase she had brought from home after holidays, and rushed to help her way through the staircase. “I dropped the cover with the pad outside my room and went to help my friend, when the warden walked through the corridor,” she said. The warden had asked Swarna to enlist the possible outcomes, if a gardener or a another male casual worker in the hostel saw it instead.

It was an all girls college with men doing only small clerical jobs. “The Head of my Department used to go around the campus during the inter-collegiate cultural events we hosted, and take pictures of girls, if they were seen casually chatting with boys,” said Rupal* from the English Literature department of another all-women college in the city. The teacher would allegedly call these girls later and ask them if these boys were their boyfriends and threaten to inform their parents.

One day Samir* was talking to a few female friends on college, when a teacher stopped and allegedly commented, “He’s a Muslim. He can have four wives. That’s why he talks to women.” In Anna University for example, there are no strict restrictions on what girls wear within the hostel, but when they go to the mess for dinner, they should wear full pants as boys would be there. “When hostel girls wear leggings to classes, some teachers ask the girls to go back and change,” said Kavya*, a second-year student from the varsity. MK Surappa, the Vice-Chancellor of the university said that there should be no regulatory mechanism to prevent students from wearing what they want. “Different people have different tastes. It will be retrograde to control them,” he said.

A student from another college in Coimbatore said that her teacher had lined up all the girls who wore leggings to stand out of the class and asked other students what they looked like with such skimpy clothing. In another women’s college in the city, the hostel warden asked a student to explain why she was wearing laced underwear, pointing to her clothes hanging on the laundry line. “I didn’t think any explanation I gave would make sense to her,” said Sneha*.

Discriminatory hostel curfews is another issue. Arts and science colleges across Chennai has women’s hostel curfew at 7 pm, with a few colleges even capping it at 3 pm. However, men do not have any such restriction. Even though colleges have a curfew for men’s hostel on paper, most do not enforce it.

“There were no restrictions on when boys moved in and out of college. But girls were not allowed to go out after 6:30 pm. Let alone leaving the campus, we weren’t even allowed outside the hostel” said Madhu* , a recent political science graduate in an arts and science college in the outskirts of the city. “The warden asks “How will I know what all you do outside?”

“The safety of these students are in our hands. The girls may be bold, but if somebody does something to them outside the college, we are responsible for it. Which is why we have different curfews for girls and boys,” said the warden of one of the girls’ hostel blocks in the college.However, in the same college, a student from the chemistry department was slapped by a male classmate in broad daylight, said Madhu adding that the victim had fallen down injuring her head. “When students asked the college to take action on the boy, the dean of women students had allegedly asked the girl to not only consider his future,” she rued.

While these are only a few examples, girls who wear shorts or sleeveless clothing, hug boys, go out with boys, go for weekend trips, stay on the phone for long or behave friendly with male workers on campus are often treated differently, say students. (Names of all students changed)

Former V-C appears before suicide probe team

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SALEM, DECEMBER 09, 2018 00:00 IST

C. Swaminathan, former Vice-Chancellor, Periyar University, appeared for an inquiry before the Salem City Central Crime Branch police in connection with the death of K. Angamuthu, former Registrar, who committed suicide.

Angamuthu was the Registrar of Periyar University from 2012-15 and later after relinquishing office continued as Physical Education Director of the university, till he committed suicide in his native Perundurai in Erode district in December last year.

The Perundurai Police, based on the details found in the suicide note, registered a case against a few persons, including Dr. Swaminathan, for abetting his suicide.

Later, the case was transferred to the Salem City Central Crime Branch police.

The Central Crime Branch police issued summons to 15 persons to appear for an inquiry in connection with the suicide of Angamuthu. Dr. Swaminathan appeared before the Central Crime Branch police on Saturday, sources said.

MKU professor faces harassment charge

Pon Vasanth B.A

MADURAI, DECEMBER 09, 2018 00:00 IST

Ph. D scholar files plaint against guide

A full-time research scholar at Madurai Kamaraj University’s Centre for Film and Electronic Media Studies has filed a harassment complaint against her research guide and Head of the centre K. Karnamaharajan. But he has denied the charges.

In the complaint submitted to the Registrar of MKU, the scholar, a native of Kerala, has accused the professor of abusing her and demanding that she do everything he suggested, including sexual favours, if she wanted to obtain her Ph. D degree.

The scholar accused him of taking Rs. 2 lakh to admit her as a full-time scholar.

According to the complainant, he checked her daily schedule and attendance in the hostel. Recently, he issued a memo for being absent and threatened to cancel her Ph. D registration.

Refuting her allegations, Mr. Karnamaharajan said the research scholar, who completed her M. Phil in MKU and joined as a full-time scholar a year before, regularly absented herself without prior information and failed to complete her research-related tasks.

“I have messages, email communications and other records that will prove my innocence,” he said. The research scholar also submitted a complaint with the Convenor’s Committee of MKU that met at the campus on Saturday. While MKU Registrar V. Chinniah could not be reached for a comment, university officials said that the scholar had been asked to appear before a committee set up to enquire into the issue on Wednesday.

TNPSC Group I exam results delayed again

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 09, 2018 00:00 IST

Morale dipping after two-year wait: candidates

The declaration of results of the Group I examination by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has been delayed. While the Combined Civil Services I examination was notified on November 25, 2016, the results of the main examination are yet to be released, over two years on.

Candidates have requested the TNPSC to declare the results, alleging that the delay was causing a dip in the morale of thousands of candidates who have been working hard for the competitive examination.

The TNPSC notified the Combined Civil Services I examination (Group I) for filling up 29 vacancies in the post of Deputy Collector, 34 vacancies of Deputy Superintendent of Police, eight posts of Assistant Commissioner in Commercial Taxes Department, one post of District Registrar, five posts of District Employment Officer and eight posts of District Officer in Fire & Rescue Services.

Preliminary exam

The preliminary examination was held on February 19, 2017. A total of 1.37 lakh candidates appeared for the examination.

The number of applicants admitted to the Main written examination held on October 13, 14 and 15 in 2017 was more than 50 times the number of applicants to be recruited. Most of the 4,602 candidates who were shortlisted for the main examination have requested the TNPSC to quicken the process of declaration of results.

Hidden cameras found in women’s hostel bathrooms in Chennai, owner arrested

TNN | Dec 4, 2018, 01.42 PM IST

CHENNAI: The Adambakkam police on Tuesday arrested a man who runs a women’s hostel in Thillai Ganga Nagar after inmates found hidden cameras in bathrooms, halls and other places. The cameras were hidden in electrical sockets, bulbs, rods and other places.

The police said seven young IT professionals were staying in the hostel run by Sampath Raj, 48, in Thillai Ganga Nagar first street.

The women grew suspicious about the activities of Sampath after he had made frequent visits to the hostel claiming to check the rooms. He allegedly placed the cameras in the name of carrying out renovation work in the rooms.

The women checked the rooms and the bathrooms thoroughly and found hidden cameras.

Hidden cameras were found in electrical sockets and other places.

A police officer said Sampath had kept changing the position of the hidden cameras until he “got a proper view.”

The police seized the hidden cameras and footages. Further investigations were on.

Tiruvannamalai govt schoolteacher sentenced to rigorous 

imprisonment for sexual assault of orphan girl

TNN | Dec 4, 2018, 07.25 PM IST

TIRUVANNAMALAI: A fast track mahila court in Tiruvannamalai on Monday sentenced a 38-year-old government schoolteacher to seven years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old orphan girl.

The victim was a Class VIII student at Adi Annamalai Panchayat Union Middle School in Tiruvannamalai in 2013. Her English teacher, N Soundararajan, who was married and has two children, sexually assaulted her several times.

The victim was an inmate of a children’s home on the Girivalam path. She was admitted to the home by her elder brother and elder sister when she was three years old after their parents had died.

Special public prosecutor G Archana said, “The accused, who was initially molesting the girl in the staff room while he was alone, later started taking her to his home when his wife and children were away. The sexual assault came to light on February 20, 2013 after Soundararajan, who was 33 then, forcibly took her home the previous night by threatening to fail her in English paper in the annual examination.”

“He sexually assaulted the girl the whole night and dropped her near the children’s home situated on the Girivalam path in Tiruvannamalai in the early hours of February 20,” Archana said.

The in-charge of the children’s home questioned the girl and came to know about the sexual assault she had suffered. The in-charge alerted the girl’s sister who was married and living about one kilometre away from the home.

The sister filed a complaint with the Tiruvannamalai all-woman police. The police booked him under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences ( POCSO) Act and the IPC. Police sources said Soundararajan was the first person to be booked under the POCSO Act in Tiruvannamalai district after the law came into force in November 2012.

On Monday, magistrate S Natarajan sentenced him to seven years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of 10,000 on him. The magistrate also directed the district legal service authority to assist the girl in getting a victim compensation of Rs 4 lakh under the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) scheme.

Government moves SC against extension for Pon Manickavel

TNN | Dec 5, 2018, 05.42 AM IST

CHENNAI: Four days after the Madras high court quashed a Tamil Nadu government order transferring all idol theft cases to the CBI while appointing inspector general of police Pon Manickavel as special officer for a year from the date of his retirement on November 30, the Tamil Nadu government has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.

The state assailed the high court verdict on the quashing of the GO as well as the extension granted to Manickavel. Government sources told TOI that the special leave petition was yet to be numbered by the apex court.

Interestingly, the state appointed Abhay Kumar Singh, an additional director-general of police as idol wing chief on Manickavel's superannuation. The HC, however, made it clear that Pon Manickavel would head the force.

Eight Bharathiyar varsity syndicate members face contempt in HC

TNN | Dec 5, 2018, 12.16 AM IST

CHENNAI: The entire syndicate of Bharathiyar University, including the director of collegiate education and directors of medical education and technical education, are staring at contempt for deliberate violation of a high court ruling that prohibited the university from permitting distance education study centres.
Justice N Kirubakaran, slamming all the eight syndicate members for having adopted a resolution violating his order, said: “Are the court orders so ineffective to be violated or are they paper orders to be ignored? If this case is understood properly, one gets the impression that officials are not scrupulously following the orders of the court. On the other hand, they are going against the order or violating the orders.”

He then summoned R Sarumathi, director of collegiate education, Dr A Edwin Joe, director of medical education, represented by Dr Rajasekar, Vivekanandan, director of technical education, G Singaravelu, head of the department of education technology, Bharathiyar University, N Jeyakumar, head of the department of bioinformatics, Bharathiyar University, Ravichandran, head of the department of social science, Annamalai University, M Saravana Kumar, dean, Anna University, Coimbatore, and Chinnadurai, principal, Kamban College of Arts and Science, Tiruppur.

On December 8, 2017, the university gave an undertaking to the court that it would not operate distance education study centres and would not grant affiliation and recognition relating to distance education outside Tamil Nadu from the academic year 2018-19. Recording it, Justice Kirubakaran had prohibited the university from running study centres.

However, on November 28, 2018, the university syndicate adopted a resolution permitting spot admission cum learning centres for the academic year 2018-2019 as a special case. It also allowed them to submit examination applications along with second and third year candidates.

A livid Justice Kirubakaran stayed the resolution and wondered how could candidates admitted in the middle of an academic year be allowed to write examination along with second and third year candidates.

Treating all the eight syndicate members are contemnors, Justice Kirubakaran said, “the syndicate members, who voted in favour of granting of permission are also prima facie liable for violation of the court order.” He directed all of them to be present in court on January 7, 2019.

Electronic version of driving licence enough, Centre tells HC

TNN | Dec 6, 2018, 12.35 AM IST

CHENNAI: It is official. Drivers of motor vehicles need not carry the hard copy of the original driving licence all the time, and that it is alright if they show the electronic version of the driving licence.

The Centre has brought about an amendment to this effect by a notification dated November 2, 2018, Madras high court was informed on Wednesday.

It all began with a memorandum issued by additional director-general of police, state traffic planning cell dated August 24, 2017 stating that drivers found not carrying the original driving license would be prosecuted under Sections 130 and 171 of Motor Vehicle Act.

Assailing this, a batch of PILs, including the one filed by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy and All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Association, were filed.

When the cases came up for further hearing before a division bench comprising Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Anitha Sumanth on Monday, a copy of the central government notification dated November 19, 2018 addressed to the DGPs and secretaries of all states and union territories were furnished. The notification amended Rule 139 of Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 with regard to production of license and certificate of registration of vehicles.

The bench, disposing of the case, said: “In view of the amendment brought by union of India on November 2, 2018, the writ petitions have become infructuous.”

Recruitment lapse: DVAC starts probe against Manonmaniam Sundaranar University VC

TNN | Dec 6, 2018, 07.31 AM IST

CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption has begun investigation into allegations of irregularities in recruitment during the tenure of K Baskar, the vice-chancellor of Tirunelveli-based Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU).

Sources told TOI that the DVAC sent a letter to the university registrar in the first week of November asking for 30 documents pertaining to the recruitment conducted in 2016 immediately after Baskar took charge. The agency has started its preliminary inquiry, sources said.

The probe concerns irregularities in recruitment of 35 professors in August 2016. A copy of the notice is with TOI. Baskar’s term will end in February 2019. The DVAC had asked for details including a copy of the advertisement indicating the vacancies, documents pertaining to the scrutiny committee, various syndicate resolutions approving the advertisement and the final selected candidates, permissions from the government, finance committee and approval for filling the posts.

Sources said the DVAC had also asked for details such as which candidates were interviewed, the panel members who vetted them, the selection criteria and other criteria that the selection process should adhere to.

When contacted, Baskar told TOI that due process was followed while conducting the recruitment and all records for the same were available. MSU registrar professor Santosh Babu said all the details as demanded by the DVAC have been furnished to them. “We sent the reply 10 days ago. There is no violation of procedures,” he said.

IIT-Madras professor eats poisonous seeds, dies

TNN | Dec 6, 2018, 07.42 AM IST

CHENNAI: A woman assistant professor of IIT Madras who on Tuesday consumed seeds of a poisonous plant in a suicide bid, died in a private hospital early on Wednesday. Police said Aditi was battling depression.

Police said Aditi Simha, 45, an assistant professor in the department of physics, was a PhD holder from IISc, Bengaluru. Aditi lived on the IIT-M campus and visited her mother Neelima in Bengaluru often, police said.

Neelima told police that she had spoken to Aditi at 11 am on Tuesday, when she said she’d be visiting in a few days. Her calls to Aditi after that went unanswered, Neelima told police, adding that she had asked Aditi’s colleague to check on her.

Around 8pm, the assistant professor was found in an unconscious state and was rushed to Apollo Hospitals on Greams Road, where she died at 4am on Wednesday. Doctors said Aditi had consumed seeds of a poisonous plant, which she might have picked from IIT-M’s campus.

Police said Aditi suffered from depression since separating from her husband two years ago. If anyone is in mental distress or have suicidal thoughts, call 104 for the State health departments helpline or call Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre at 2464 0050.

Chennai collector fixes December 31 deadline for hostels to register

TNN | Dec 6, 2018, 07.45 AM IST

CHENNAI: Setting December 31 as the deadline to register hostels in the city, Chennai collector A Shanmuga Sundram has warned the owners of such unregistered facilities of criminal action. The warning comes a day after a women’s hostel in Adambakkam was found bugged with nine hidden cameras by a 48-year-old man who ran it.

A WhatsApp number has also been dedicated for memebrs of the public to lodge complaints on any discrepancies over hostels after the deadline ends. TOI on Wednesday reported that the state government does not have any data on hostels in the city. Though the social welfare department had directed the Chennai district collectorate to enumerate the list of hostels, the latter is yet to begin the process.

In a press release, Shanmuga Sundram said owners of unregistered hostels could be sentenced up to two years of imprisonment. “All hostels for children and women in Chennai should be registered with the district collector by December 31, 2018,” the release said. It said complaints could be filed against erring hostels through WhatsApp (number 9444841072) after the December 31 deadline. So far, only eight hostels have sent their applications seeking registration with the district collector, he added.

“Children and women are advised not to stay in unregistered hostels,” Shanmuga Sundram added. He further said hidden camera detector mobile apps could be used for locating spy cameras in hostels, based on which complaints could be filed.

Tamilisai's husband among 41 eyeing Tamil Nadu medical University VC post

TNN | Dec 6, 2018, 09.19 AM IST

CHENNAI: At least 41 people including BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan's husband, nephrologist Dr P Soundrarajan, former and present directors of medical education, deans and vice-chancellors have applied for the post of vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University.

The search committee convenor Dr Sithyathiya Munavarah published names of 41 applicants on the university web page on November 30, last day for the submission of application form. Candidates have filled up a 10-page form with personal details, academic qualification, administrative and research experience, along with 100-word description about their strengths and 500-word statement on the vision for the university.

Several senior doctors in government service, retired professors, deans and directors of medical education below 70 have applied. Names of former vice-chancellor Dr Mayil Vahanan Natarajan, former registrars Dr Sudha Seshayyan and Dr Balasubramanian T, director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe, his predecessor Dr Vimala and joint director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam were in the list.

There were three outstation candidates - Dr Bharat Mansukhlal Mody (Vadodara, Gujarat), Dr Kameshwara Rao A S (Kakinada, AP) and Dr Venkatakrishna Murali R (Bangalore). The search committee is now scrutinising the application forms to ensure they meet the criteria of the government order that defined the qualification of the vice-chancellor.

A two-page order on October 23, "prescription of educational qualification experience for the post of the vice chancellor of the Tamil Dr MGR Medical University," under the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, Chennai (Amendment) Act 2018 said every person recommended by the search committee should have a post-graduate degree in the field of medical sciences, should have published at least five research papers in indexed or national journals. And also have at least 20 years of experience as medical practitioner and 10 years teaching experience as professor.

One more ticket booking office opened at Avadi station

Dec 6, 2018, 07.45 PM IST

CHENNAI: Member of Parliament P Venugopal on Thursday inaugurated the second entry passenger ticketing centre (booking office) at Avadi railway station here.

Built at a cost of Rs 20 lakh, the second entry passenger ticketing centre will have three counters to cater to the increasing passenger footfalls at the station.

Avadi station is being developed as an Adarsh Station now. Apart from serving more than 20 villages around, the station also serves the Armed Vehicle and Ammunition Depot of India, Tube Products of India, Avadi Railway Car Shed and other industrial establishments.

Tamil Nadu minister K Pandiarajan, Chennai divisional railway manager Naveen Gulati and others were present during the inauguration.

Panel on more marks for government doctors in interiors meets

TNN | Dec 7, 2018, 06.19 AM IST

CHENNAI: The seven-member state committee headed by retired judge Justice A Selvam formed to decide on the remote, difficult and rural areas of Tamil Nadu for which in-service candidates would be given incentive marks for PG medical admissions met for the first time on Thursday.

The committee, framed as per court directive, will seek information from all districts collectors before their second meeting which is likely to be scheduled within a week. The committee members include Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation chairman P Umanath, directors of medical services, public health and medical education, selection committee secretary and a demographer from the University of Madras. “We are planning to come out with a comprehensive report before the prospectus is issued,” said a senior official.

In 2018, a six-member committee under Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation chairman P Umanath used “hybrid” methods to work out difficult and remote areas based on terrain, doctor-patient ratio and vacancies in the government hospitals. Postings were divided into three categories of which two groups received benefits. Category A will receive 100% of the maximum permissible incentive marks – 10% of marks over and above their NEET score for every year, not exceeding 30%. The second group, category B, will receive 40% of the maximum permissible incentive marks – 4% of marks over and above their NEET score for every year, not exceeding 30%.

However, several in-service doctors and government doctors’ associations moved court against the implementation of the recommendation. The court later directed the state to set up a committee under a retired judge and release the recommendations before 2018 admissions.

This year, students will appear for PG 2019, NEET examination on January 6 and results are expected on January 31. Counselling for admission under the state quota will begin after at least one round of counselling by the directorate general of health services under the all-India quota. “We have adequate time to publish recommendations before the prospectus is published,” said one of the members.

Death probe panel to soon quiz OPS, minister , health secretary

TNN | Dec 8, 2018, 08.49 AM IST

CHENNAI: Inquiry by the Justice (retd) A Arumughaswamy commission may have reached the final stage as it is prepared to examine state health secretary J Radhakrishnan, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, health minister C Vijayabaskar, deputy speaker of Lok Sabha M Thambidurai and senior AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan, pertaining to the circumstances surrounding former CM J Jayalalithaa’s death.

Sources said the commission has initiated the process to summon the five important personalities and check their availability. Tentative dates have been sought from V K Sasikala’s legal team, which would be cross-examining the witnesses. The commission plans to submit the final report on Jayalalithaa’s 71st birthday on February 24, 2019, sources said.

Radhakrishnan has been asked to appear next week, but since he is busy with the rehabilitation work of Cyclone Gaja-ravaged Nagapattinam district, he is unlikely to appear, sources said. “I’ll be appearing before the commission as and when I’m called,” Radhakrishnan told TOI, adding that it was an eventuality as he played a key role in co-ordinating Jayalalithaa’s treatment from the government side.

Among the politicians OPS, Vijayabaskar and Ponnaiyan are likely to be summoned in the third week of December, sources said. Thambidurai would also be called around the same time, but sources said permission from the Lok Sabha would be needed. The commission is also likely to examine Dr Richard Beale, the expert from UK who attended to Jayalalithaa, via video-conferencing, sources said.

The commission also plans to visit the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru to question V K Sasikala, which is likely to occur around January 15, sources said.

On Friday, senior doctor and cardiologist Dr Girinath was quizzed for around three hours. The deposition of two other senior cardiologists Y V C Reddy and Sridhar could not take place. Sources said Dr Girinath was asked questions about the fee paid for his consultation made on September 27, 2016 when he saw Jayalalithaa’s health records. He also said the vegetation on her heart valve did not need surgery.