Don’t fall prey to motivated propaganda: Tamil Nadu CM to teachers on strike

The government, Palaniswami said, has fulfilled many demands made by employees and teachers.

Published: 26th January 2019 03:07 AM 

Image of teachers protesting. (Photo | S Dinesh/ EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami sent a strong message to protesting government teachers and employees on Friday. Citing the financial constraints being faced by the State because of the ongoing rehabilitation works in districts affected by Cyclone Gaja and the drought-like situation due to the failure of monsoon in some other parts, the Chief Minister said: “The strike by government employees and teachers in this difficult situation is unfortunate and painful. I appeal to them to end the agitation and return to duty.”

Addressing a public meeting to mark the ‘Language Martyrs Day’, the Chief Minister alleged the employees had fallen prey to “false propaganda” of the opposition parties. “In fact, they are being instigated by Opposition parties, which have been making a false claim that the State government is refusing to meet the demands despite having sufficient funds. In reality, the government is facing financial constraints due to a cyclone on one hand and drought on the other.”

He said the government had to do justice to these people by extending assistance. While pointing out that 75 per cent of the revenue earned by the government is spent on salaries and pensions, and only the rest is used for developmental and welfare schemes, Palaniswami said his government “will not remain a mute spectator to the problems faced by the people.”

The government, Palaniswami said, has fulfilled many demands made by employees and teachers.
“Teachers who are protesting must think about the quantum of salary being drawn by their counterparts in the private sector. I am not finding faults... I am just presenting the facts... I request the teachers to extend cooperation to the government,” he added. “They are engaged in strike despite receiving a good hike in salary.”

50th year reunion for College of Engineering alumni this weekend

The Alumni Association of the College of Engineering, Guindy will inaugurate an integrated rainwater harvesting unit at the new ladies hostel on the campus.

Published: 26th January 2019 01:58 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The batch of 1969 of the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG) will celebrate their 50th year reunion at the college premises on January 26 and January 27. At the two-day meet, 120 alumni will reminisce their college days.

The Alumni Association of the College of Engineering, Guindy (AACEG) will inaugurate an integrated rainwater harvesting unit at the new ladies hostel on the campus. This 60,000-litre unit will be able to support the needs of 3,000 students, said D Parthiban, secretary, AACEG. They will also donate a `10-lakh corpus fund towards the hostel fees of economically backward students.

The batch of 1969 will also honour their teachers with a memento on the day. The chief guest for the event is vice chancellor of Anna University, MK Surappa, and the guest speaker for the day will be dean of CEG, TS Geetha.

On the second day, the alumni and their families will stay at a resort in Thiruvanmiyur, where several games, performances by their peers, and a stand-up comedy routine has been organised. A member of the batch of 1969 himself, Parthiban said, “This is a chance to meet old friends from all over the world. We had our last meet-up during the 40th year reunion in 2009. This is a bigger event, and many people are coming for the first time.”

GIVING BACK

The Alumni Association of the College of Engineering, Guindy will inaugurate an integrated rainwater harvesting unit at the new ladies hostel on the campus. They will also donate a 10-lakh corpus fund towards the hostel fees of economically backward students.

Turn up for Republic Day, no action will be taken: Striking Chennai teachers told

However, they will still not be given salaries for the days they were absent under the ‘no-work-no-pay’ policy, the circular added.

Published: 26th January 2019 03:08 AM 

Image of teachers protesting. (Photo | S Dinesh/ EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Teachers who participated in the indefinite strike organised by Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisations, can avert disciplinary action against them, if they present themselves at their schools for Republic Day celebrations on Saturday, said a circular issued by the Chennai Chief Education Officer.

READ |​ Despite show cause notice to 14,000 teachers in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, protesters continue to spill on to roads

The circular, which has come four days after members of the Council started their indefinite strike on Tuesday, said that if the teachers participated in the Republic Day celebrations in their schools and continued to work thereafter, disciplinary action would not be taken against them as per law. However, they will still not be given salaries for the days they were absent under the ‘no-work-no-pay’ policy, the circular added.

“This is a chance for teachers to avert action against them. However, if they do not show up on Saturday, we will replace them with temporary staff on Monday,” said Chief Education Officer R Thiruvalar Selvi. She added that the Department was serious about taking action as Board practical exams for class 12 will begin on Feb 4.

READ | TN teachers' strike: Detained Pudukottai teacher gives students lessons from behind gates

Notices given to teachers

While thousands of notices were issued in several districts, only 407 notices were issued to teachers in Chennai, owing to limited participation by teachers working in the city’s government schools.

Now, fly to Tirupati from Hubballi

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

HUBBALLI, JANUARY 26, 2019 00:00 IST



Revenue Minister R.V. Deshpande handing over an aircraft prototype to mark the launch of Star Air flight services from Hubballi to Bengaluru and Tirupati on Friday.Kiran Bakale

Star Air begins flight services

Air passengers from Hubballi and surrounding areas will now be able to fly more frequently to Bengaluru and Tirupati as Star Air has announced direct flights connecting Bengaluru, Hubballi, Tirupati and Belagavi on Friday.

In addition, Star Air has also announced an introductory promotional fare at Rs. 1,299 on Bengaluru-Hubballi routes and Rs. 2,099 on Hubballi-Tirupati and Rs. 2.599 on the Belagavi-Bengaluru route.

The new flight services were formally launched at a function here on Friday in the presence of Revenue Minister R.V. Deshpande, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, former MP and Chairman of VRL Group Vijay Sankeshwar and Chairman of Sanjay Ghodawat Group, Sanjay Ghodawat, Shrenik Ghodawat and others.

Briefing the media about the group’s new venture Star Air, Mr. Sanjay Ghodawat said initially the focus would be on increasing flight connectivity between Maharashtra and Karnataka. Subsequently, they planned to connect Hubballi to the world. He said best in class aircraft had been introduced by the company to ensure the best experience at affordable fares.

Minister R.V. Deshpande said such initiatives would go a long way in improving infrastructure which in turn would boost economic activity. Acknowledging that the Central scheme UDAN had helped improve air connectivity in the State, Mr. Deshpande said very soon Kalaburagi too would figure in the air map of the country as it was expected to get bids in the next round of auctions for routes under the scheme.

Mr. Shettar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of making air transport affordable had benefited Hubballi and in the coming days, air connectivity would further improve in North Karnataka.

Mr. Sankeshwar said that Hubballi was chosen by the British for setting up an airport even before Independence, but due to various developments post-Independence, the proposal did not get enough of a boost. He said the DGCA should make its regulations more stringent to ensure only genuine companies remained in the field.

RGUHS plans startup melas with engineering colleges

STAFF REPORTER

BENGALURU, JANUARY 26, 2019 00:00 IST

It also plans to introduce the Meta University concept with VTU

In any vibrant ecosystem, innovation is often synonymous with young entrepreneurs. With this in mind, the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) is looking to tap its talent pool and encourage students to share their startup ideas.

Not limiting the initiative to its medical students, the university will organise startup melas even at engineering and other technical institutions. “We have learnt that engineering students come up with innovative ideas, such as an ambulance with sensors to ensure a traffic-free corridor. Besides, there are many innovations on how biomedical waste can be disposed effectively without harming the environment and health,” said S. Sachidananda, RGUHS Vice-Chancellor. The hope is that the initiative will help students innovate and integrate technology in medical practice. “We will collate the list of ideas and set up a committee of experts who will scrutinise them, and projects that we can fund,” he added.

The varsity has also decided to join hands with the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) to introduce the Meta University concept from the next academic year. “This concept will help both universities work together for common outcomes,” said Mr. Sachidananda. “We are in the health sciences sector, we want to tell students what we need and we want them to respond to it,” he said.

Soon, direct trains from Tambaram to Arakkonam

STAFF REPORTER

VELLORE, JANUARY 26, 2019 00:00 IST

A speed trial in progresson the new track on Friday.Special Arrangement

The stretch has been completed after a long delay

K.A. Manoharan, Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluru, and Naveen Gulati, Southern Railway Divisional, Railway Manager along with a team of officials conducted an inspection on the newly-laid broad gauge railway line between Arakkonam and Thakkolam on Friday.

Trial runs

The team conducted an endurance test of the tracks and a high speed trial run between the end points. Speaking to the press, Mr. Manoharan said the laying of 9.5 km line between Thakkolam and Arakkonam was completed at a cost of Rs. 55 crore.

The decision to run trains on the newly electrified line is expected soon. “After the track work is completed, a few suburban train services from Tambaram are likely to get extended up to Arakkonam, which is the long pending demand of railway commuters,” Mr. Gulati said.

The completion of the new line will enable trains to operate in the 235.5-km circular route starting from the Chennai Beach Station and going through Tambaram, Chengalpet, Kancheepuram, Thirumalpur, Arakkonam, Tiruvallur and Perambur.

Naval airbase

The line’s progress had been delayed by more than 10 years after INS Rajali naval airbase near Arakkonam opposed it for security reasons.

However, the Defence Ministry later accepted to bear the cost of a detour alignment between Arakkonam and Thakkolam, which is 2 km longer than the actual route.

In 2016, after an inordinate delay, the work commenced after the Defence Ministry deposited Rs. 54.57 crore for the project.

Periyar bus stand demolition deferred

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, JANUARY 26, 2019 00:00 IST

The Periyar bus stand is to remain closed for 18 months.G_Moorthy

It has been put on hold till Prime Minister’s visit

The demolition of Periyar bus Stand, one of the city’s landmarks, and the adjacent shopping complex, was set to begin on Monday, this week. However, the plan has been deferred, say Madurai Corporation sources.

A senior officer in the local body said that the process of demolition and use of five alternative arrangements would be on hold till Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.

The PM is scheduled to visit Madurai on January 27 to lay the foundation stone for the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Thoppur.

In order to begin work on the Smart City project to construct an integrated smart bus stand, the Commissioner announced that the Periyar bus stand would remain closed for 18 months. Instead, buses would be routed through Tirupparankundram Main road near KPS Hotel, Mahaboobpalayam, western entrance of Madurai Railway Junction, Ellis Nagar depot and Palanganatham’s Nataraj theatre.

“However, this may cause congestion and unnecessary delays during the visit of the PM. It will not aid smooth flow of traffic,” said a corporation engineer. Rigid security measures too will be put in place to ensure that there is smooth flow of vehicles.

“When we asked for one extra week to clear our shops, we were denied permission. But now they are delaying the process in view of the PM’s visit, ” said A. Sadayandi, who owned a juice shop at the bus stand.

JACTO-GEO protest: over 5,000 employees removed

STAFF REPORTER

ERODE, JANUARY 26, 2019 00:00 IST

Members of JACTO-JEO staging a road roko at Sampath Nagar in Erode on  Friday.

M.GOVARTHAN

Protesters raise slogans seeking fulfilment of their demands

The police on Friday removed over 5,000 Government employees and teachers for staging road rokos in Erode, Salem and Namakkal districts.

In Erode, the members of the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisation (JACTO-GEO) staged a road roko at Sampath Nagar and raised slogans seeking fulfilment of their nine demands. Teachers said that under the Contributory Pension Scheme, a percentage of their salary was deducted every month and an equal share had to be contributed by the Government. But the Government had not contributed anything so far, they said.

Over 2,100 members, who blocked the road, were removed by the police and lodged in marriage halls here.

In Salem district, a protest was staged near the Collectorate and the police removed 2,001 protesters, including 1,281 women. In Namakkal district, protest was held on Park Road and the police removed 1,460 people .

Nephrologists honoured by TANKER Foundation

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JANUARY 26, 2019 00:00 IST

Two get liftime achievement award

Two renowned nephrologists were presented with the lifetime achievement award for their contribution to the field of nephrology at the 26th ‘TANKER Annual Charity and Awards Nite’, held in the city on Friday.

Kumud P. Mehta, consultant paediatric nephrologist, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre and founder member of Kidney Foundation for Children, and Ghulam Hassan Malik, senior consultant nephrologist, Wellcare Medical Centre, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, were presented with The La Renon TANKER Foundation lifetime achievement award.

While Ms. Mehta was appreciated for her contributions to the treatment of underprivileged children with chronic kidney disease, Mr. Malik won the award for his pioneering research work. He is one among the few nephrologists in Kashmir.

The La Renon TANKER Foundation for the Sake of Honour Award went to Lourd Vijay, an international Salsa dancer for his fight against kidney disease and for spreading awareness on organ donation.

The Renny Abraham TANKER Foundation Love for Service Award was given to T.S. Chandrasekar, founding chairman, MedIndia Hospitals, Chennai. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000 and a gold medallion.

Researchers felicitated

D.V.S. Sudhakar of Hyderabad was presented with K.V. George Kottukulam Memorial TANKER and Kerala Kidney Foundation Young Investigator Award for research in genetic studies on Uddanam Nephropathy. The K. Venkatanaryana TANKER Foundation Awareness Award went to A.V.Srinivasan, neurologist and emeritus professor, The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, for creating awareness on diseases through his books and free clinics.

G.R. Ananthapadmanbhan, MD, GRT Group, gave away the awards. Three patients were provided with 30 free dialysis sessions this year through the Ashok Sankaralingam TANKER Foundation Patient Endowment. Georgi Abraham, founder trustee of TANKER foundation, and Latha A. Kumaraswami, managing trustee of the foundation, spoke.

Stalin says those behind Jaya’s death will be jailed

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JANUARY 26, 2019 00:00 IST

‘If this can happen to a CM what will happen to ordinary citizens?’

DMK president M.K. Stalin on Friday said even though his party had a lot of differences with late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the DMK on returning to power would find those responsible for her death and send them to jail.

“The DMK will certainly come to power. Though we had differences with her [former AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa] she was the Chief Minister of the State. If this happen to a Chief Minister what will happen to ordinary citizens? None can prevent me from sending to jail those who were responsible for her death,” he said, addressing a meeting organised to commemorate the Tamil linguistic martyrs.

Mr. Stalin said the AIADMK government led by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami should be removed from office since the latter was facing allegations of involvement in the Kodanad estate heist and murder/death cases.

“Though he had denied the allegations, the Chief Minister has not explained how the murder (of the security guard) after ‘murder’ (deaths in road accidents) happened. If he proves the allegations wrong and assumed office I will garland him,” he said.

‘Unfulfilled promises’

Training his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Stalin said he had not fulfilled any of the promises he made to the people of Tamil Nadu in the last five years.

“He promised to set up AIIMS in Madurai in 2015 and is going to lay the foundation stone only now. It has taken four years to fulfil the promise. He also promised to create 11 smart cities in Tamil Nadu and it is for the people of these towns to tell whether anything has moved in that direction,” he said.

Recalling Mr.Modi’s argument that attacks on Tamil fishermen would not happen if India had a strong Prime Minister like him,Mr Stalin said the attacks in fact had increased over the years.

He accused Mr. Modi of uttering lies, calling his promise to recover black money and money stashed away in foreign banks the greatest lie. “He said every one would get Rs. 15 lakh deposited in their bank accounts. Has he deposited at least Rs. 15,” Mr. Stalin asked.

Recalling his speech at the Opposition rally in Kolkata that the coming Lok Sabha poll was the second freedom movement to remove the BJP government, Mr. Stalin said the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu also should be removed from power.

Emirates to cut check-in limit of baggage by 50%

Manju.V@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:26.01.2019

Dubai-based Emirates is set to introduce farebased check-in baggage allowance, solely for its economy class.

The new regime, which applies to tickets bought on or after February 4, is expected to hit bargain hunters, especially those on the India-US route, as baggage allowance for cheaper classes of fare has been cut by as much as 50%.

Currently, the most popular route out of India to the US is via Dubai with Emirates being the top carrier in terms of passenger traffic.

Under the new baggage allowance structure, the free check-in baggage allowance for a passenger who buys a cheap economy class ticket on, say, the Mumbai-Dubai-New York flight will be one piece of bag, not weighing more than 23 kg. Currently, all Emirates economy class passengers on the India-US route can checkin two bags for free, each not weighing more than 23 kg.

Emirates divides its economy class into four different fare categories: Special, Saver, Flex, and Flex Plus. Special is the lowest category with the cheapest fare, while Flex Plus is the one with the most expensive economy class tickets. The reduction in baggage allowances applies only to Special and Saver category of fares.

TOI sourced information from travel agents to get an idea of what constitutes a cheap economy class fare on Emirates.

For travel in the last week of February on the Mumbai-Dubai-New York route, the cheapest one-way economy class fare was around ₹34,500 (“Special” category of fare). For bookings done from February 4 onwards on this fare, a passenger will be allowed only one 23 kg check-in bag for free. The fare that allows a passenger to carry two 23 kg check-in bags for free is the “Flex” fare, which began at around ₹51,400 for this route. The highest fare, the “Flex Plus”, was around ₹84,400.

Emirates uses “piece concept” for check-in baggage for flights to and from the Americas and flights originating in Africa (except flights within the Americas and between US and Europe).

The change in this will be that special level of economy fares will be allowed one piece of up to 23 kg from February 4, instead of the current two pieces of up to 23 kg each. Emirates will apply the same change is for special fares on flights within the Americas and between Europe and US.

(With inputs from New Delhi)

TO HIT BARGAIN HUNTERS: Currently, all economy class passengers on the India-US route can check in two bags for free, each not weighing more than 23kg

SC refuses to stay 10% quota, agrees to examine its validity

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:26.01.2019

Nearly 27 years quelling a storm by validating 27% OBC quota in government jobs, the Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the constitutional validity of 10% quota in jobs and educational institutions for economically weaker sections while not staying its implementation.

Entertaining a bunch of public interest litigations, a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna took less than 10 seconds to say, “we will examine the issue”, signalling commencement of a mammoth exercise of judicial scrutiny of the various grounds on which the petitioners question the validity of 10% EWS quota for sections outside OBC and Scheduled Caste and Tribe reservation.

In a short order, the bench said, “Issue notice, returnable in four weeks. No stay for the present. The matters will be heard after pleadings are complete.” The decision not to stay the legislation means the Centre and states are free to implement the 10% EWS quota subject to the final verdict on its constitutional validity.

Some states, including Gujarat and Telangana, have already started implementation of the 10% quota. The important issue at hand is validity of economic criteria for reservation in addition to social and educational backwardness that has been the rationale for quota policies in the Constitution.

In November 1992, the SC in Indra Sawhney case, which challenged the Centre’s decision to implement Mandal Commission recommendation to grant 27% quota to other backward classes in government jobs, had to hear legal stalwarts for days before validating the quota but putting a ceiling of 50% on the quantum of quota in government jobs.

At present, Scheduled Castes get 15% reservation, Scheduled Tribes 7.5% and OBCs 27%, taking the total to 49.5%. Most of the petitioners challenged the 10% EWS quota, which would be granted to poor persons irrespective of religion, on the ground that it will take the total reservation to 59.5%, which is in excess of the 50% ceiling fixed by the SC.

In addition, the SC in Indra Sawhney judgment categorically rejected a move by the then Congress government to grant quota to those who suffer backwardness because of poverty and said the Constitution had conceived only social and educational backwardness as grounds for reservation. This has also been cited as a reason by the petitioners to challenge the constitutional amendment, through which Parliament introduced economic backwardness as a ground in Article 16 of the Constitution for providing quota to poor.

In Indra Sawhney and subsequent judgments, including Asoka Thakur that in 2008 upheld 27% OBC reservation in admissions to government-run or governmentaided educational institutions, the court had consistently insisted that while caste could be the starting point for identification of backwardness, but sooner or later this needs to be done through quantifiable data on numbers and status. No government has till date taken up any survey or empirical study to identify backwardness on grounds other caste.

Since the SC mooted identification of backwardness through a proper survey more than 26 years ago, the Centre could face questions during the adjudication of constitutional validity of 10% quota as to how it came to peg the EWS quota at 10% and what empirical surveys it had carried out to collect quantifiable data for the purpose of carrying out the constitutional amendment.

For full report, www.toi.in

Issue notice, returnable in four weeks. No stay for the present. The matters will be heard after pleadings are complete

SC BENCH

College student, 21, dies of itch mite bites

Trichy:26.01.2019

A college student hailing from Alangudi of Pudukottai district reportedly died due to scrub typhus – a flu that develops after bites from itch mites found predominantly near forest areas. The deceased, identified as M Amudha, 21, hailing from Aranmanai thoppu of Keeramangalam in Pudukottai, was pursuing her post-graduation in Alagappa University.

Amudha was admitted to a private hospital in Keeramangalam with high fever. Since there was no progress in her health condition, she was referred to a private hospital in Trichy. According to officials from the office of the deputy director of health services, Pudukottai, doctors in the private hospital identified itch mite bites on Amudha’s body. But before they could treat her she died due to multiple organ failure. Doctors said she could have been saved if her parents had informed doctors about the itch mite bites instead of taking normal treatment for fever. TNN

‘FOCUS ON LAUNCH OF AIIMS’

TEJAS Express will have to wait; PM not likely to launch it

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:

The much-awaited launch of Chennai-Madurai day-time TEJAS Express, which was expected to be inaugurated by Prime minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state on Sunday, will have to wait for a few more weeks.

A senior official in Southern Railway said, “We have been told that the focus has to remain only on the new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) that he will inaugurate.”

Sources said the train was ready to run and had been stationed at the Basin bridge train care centre near Chennai Central.

On December 31, RK Kulshrestha, general manager, SR, said Modi would flag off the train but did not specify any dates. Following this, senior officials said it was likely to be launched on January 27 when the PM was scheduled to visit Madurai.

The train is likely to be started by either the Prime minister or the union railway minister, Piyush Goyal, in the second week of February after the budget session of the Parliament gets over. Apart from the TEJAS express, a few other trains and schemes will also be flagged off by the ministers, sources added.

The TEJAS express would run at an average speed exceeding 70 kmph and would have a run time of six hours and 30 minutes, sources said.

It includes amenities such as on-board wifi, CCTV system, modular toilets and better seats. It will be the first premiere train linking Chennai-Egmore with southern districts.

J Mahendran, a frequent traveller from Chennai to Madurai, said many passengers had been eagerly waiting for the launch of the train for more than a month.

“We thought it would be launched during Pongal holidays. It is a high demand route and will surely be a success,” he said.

393 PG medical diplomas may become degrees
Health Secy Writes To Centre
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.01.2019

At least 393 post-graduate diploma seats in gynaecology, dermatology and orthopaedics in TN may be converted into degree courses for the 2019-20 academic year if the Union health ministry gives its nod.

Health secretary J Radhakrishnan wrote to the Centre regarding conversion of all diploma courses in 14 specialties across six state-run medical colleges. The Medical Council of India had asked all medical colleges to surrender diploma seats for conversion to degree seats. In July 2018, the Centre issued notices seeking applications along with an undertaking from medical colleges for increasing PG degree seats.

On January 25, Tamil Nadu sent applications to the Union health secretary for conversion of 214 diploma seats in Madras Medical College, 52 in Stanley Medical College, 14 in Kilpauk Medical College, 79 in Madurai medical College, 23 in Thanjavur Medical College and 11 in Coimbatore Medical College in 2019-20. “Our aim is to double the number of PG seats in the next 2-3 years. Upcoming multispecialty hospitals in cities like Madurai will also fetch us more PG seats,” said Radhakrishnan.

This year, Tamil Nadu has been allowed to add 56 PG degrees in eight colleges taking the total number of seats in 2019 to at least 1,306. The directorate of medical education is expecting at least 100 more seats within a week that would take the total number to at least 1,800. The first round of counselling for the All India quota is expected to begin in March before which the MCI will announce the number of seats approved. The state has announced that by 2020 all colleges with at least one batch of MBBS students will start PG. By May 2019, the state expects at least 240 more seats in super specialty courses .

High court seeks details from GIM 2015

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.01.2019

A day after the Tamil Nadu government concluded its Global Investors Meet (GIM) 2019, the Madras high court demanded a virtual white paper on GIM 2015, and the investment and job creation targets it had achieved.

“It is necessary on the part of the state to file a status report as to how many projects came into being on account of GIM 2015, present stage of such projects, as well the MOUs reached, and the agreements signed in pursuant to GIM 2019 and generation of employment,” said a division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice P Rajamanicakam on Friday.

Dismissing pleas by a Singapore-based company to stall conduct of GIM-2019 until Tamil Nadu government framed guidelines for participating companies, the bench said: “A perusal of the material placed in the form of typed set of documents as well as the submission made by the advocate-general would disclose that proper mechanism has been put in place, but at the same time, it is to be noted that the state government is also spending considerable amount in making GIM 2019 a grand success and the said effort should necessarily be transformed into good and proper investments, so as to develop industrialisation and generate employment especially for the local people for their wellbeing.”

The pleas were moved by Cascade Energy Pte Limited, a Singapore-based company, alleging that it suffered loss to the tune of ₹30 crore invested in Chennai-based Zynergy Solar Products & Services Private Limited through GIM 2015. It alleged that the Chennai firm misappropriated the investment and utilised the funds for other purposes. Therefore, to prevent such incidents, Cascade wanted the court to direct the state to frame guidelines through which companies participating in the meet would be scrutinised.

Refusing to entertain the plea, the bench said the issue does not have any public interest as the dispute is between two private parties. “Initially, the concept of PIL came into being as poor and downtrodden were not aware of the legal rights, rules and lack necessary resources to approach the court and involve themselves in costly litigations and oflate, it became a tool for misuse,” the bench said and dismissed the pleas.

The court demanded a virtual white paper on GIM’s 2015 version, and investment and job creation targets it had achieved

Japan signs 16 MoUs with Tamil Nadu government

It will focus on tourism and setting up of Japanese language training centres to enhance the skills of youngsters so they can be employable in Japanese companies.

Published: 24th January 2019 03:07 PM


For representational purposes (File | Reuters)

By C Shivakumar

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Sixteen memorandums of understanding (MoUs) have been signed between Japanese companies and the Tamil Nadu government as Japan plans to diversify its business interest in the South Indian state. It will focus on tourism and setting up of Japanese language training centres to enhance the skills of youngsters so they can be employable in Japanese companies.

Tatsushi Tamoto, director general of Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), told Express that 14 memorandums of understanding, worth Rs 1180 crore, had been signed by Japanese companies. The Yanmar Engine Manufacturing Company, which is opening a plant in Chennai, and Yamaha Music India, which is tapping the music market in India by starting commercial operations next month, have also signed MoUs.

However, the value of these deals could not be ascertained. Yanmar was targeting Chennai as the city had developed component supply chain and could be helpful in supply of engine components, said Hajime Hirai, director of Yanmar Engine Manufacturing India. The plant, which will be set up in Gummidipoondi at Mahindra Industrial Park, will not only cater to India but also to global markets, said Hirai, while refusing to provide details of the investment.

"We will be starting production by 2020 and rolling out 80,000 units," said Hirai, who is also planning to tap the skilled labour force of Chennai. Katsunobu Suzuki, general manager of Yamaha Music India, said that after opening their first factory in Gurgaon, Yamaha had planned to open a plant in Chennai at One Hub.

Under the Chennai factory project, musical instruments will be manufactured in India and sold in India. "By 2022, we have committed an investment of Rs 500 crore which will generate jobs to 800 people," said Suzuki, thanking the state government for helping in starting the project on schedule.

Under phase I the company will be manufacturing acoustic guitars and portable keyboards. From 2020, the company will diversify to producing to portable audio speakers. The contribution of Japanese companies to Tamil Nadu’s economy has been huge. According to Hiroshi Shibasaki, president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japanese companies contribute about 9.22 per cent of foreign direct investment in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India, said that Japan was planning to diversify its business interest in Tamil Nadu and said that it was one of the prime reasons to have a direct flight from Chennai to Tokyo. Starting from cotton business to automobiles and spare parts, Japan is planning to diversify into food services, textiles, Information Technology and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

It is learnt that Japan is trying to lure its small and medium enterprises to invest in Tamil Nadu as there is a huge potential here with the state government creating a better atmosphere for SME investment. Interestingly, through SMEs, Japan is not only trying to tap the domestic market but also looking at exports to Africa and South East Asia, he said.

Madras High Court comes to rescue of 84-year-old woman fighting to prove she is alive

The woman alleged that she was misled by her son, who forged the signatures of her three daughters in the settlement.

Published: 24th January 2019 04:32 PM |

Madras High Court (File | EPS)
By PTI

MADURAI: The Madras High Court has come to the rescue of an 84-year old woman, who had been running from pillar to post to prove she is alive after her daughter-in-law obtained a death certificate in a bid to grab her property.

The High Court bench here took up the issue on its own after a media report on the octogenarian's plight and directed cancellation of the death certificate of A Thottiyamal, hailing from Ramanathapuram district.

A division bench comprising Justices K K Sasidharan and P D Audikesavalu Wednesday impleaded the woman's daughter-in-law and grandson in the case and also directed the authorities to cancel the death certificate issued in her name on September 27, 2016 and an enquiry into the matter.

The bench also directed the Ramanathapuram municipal Commissioner and district registrar to file their replies and cancelled the inam settlement by obtaining the woman's signature by giving false information and transferring the land to her grandson Praveen Kumar's name.

According to the report, Thottiyammal had been living with her son A Doss, who was a sheristadar in the district court, and had 12 cents of land. She also had three daughters. Her son died in an accident in 2016.

Earlier, he had transferred the land to his son Praveen Kumar by an inam settlement without informing Thottiyamal, who was 81 then.

She alleged that she was misled by her son, who forged the signatures of her three daughters in the settlement.

After Doss's death, his wife Meenakshi, a school teacher, produced a legal heir certificate to claim benefits though Thottiyammal was alive.

The report said the elderly woman realised she was defrauded and lodged a police complaint, but no action was taken.

Even after a directive from a local court in Ramanathapuram to take action against Meenakshi, nothing was done, it added.

South east Asia’s first proton therapy centre in Chennai

Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, told reporters on Thursday that APCC was a monumental milestone for oncology in South East Asia.

Published: 25th January 2019 02:23 AM 

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Chennai has become home for South-East Asia’s first proton therapy centre. Established by Apollo Hospitals at a cost of 1,300 crore, the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) promises to offer the best in class cancer treatment with increased precision and minimum side effects. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, told reporters on Thursday that APCC was a monumental milestone for oncology in South East Asia.

Conventional radiotherapy uses high energy beams of radiation to destroy cancerous cells, at the cost of varying damage to surrounding normal tissues. In contrast, proton therapy uses high energy proton beams (sub-atomic particles) to achieve the same impact but without the collateral damage. A ‘particle accelerator’ is used to generate the stream of protons which are beamed into the tumour.



The most advanced positioning and delivery systems ensure that proton therapy is delivered with sub millimetre accuracy which makes this the most powerful tool in radiation oncology.

“At Apollo, we have been steadfast in our mission to not just battle cancer, but to conquer it. The APCC is the answer. It took us over two years to get the approval of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB),” the Apollo chief said.

Apollo doctors said proton therapy is effective against many kinds of cancers, but is particularly effective in challenging cancer sites including tumours affecting the eye and brain, tumours close to the brain stem, spinal cord or other vital organs.

In terms of cost, T Raja, who is the heading 25-year-old Apollo Cancer Centre at Teynampet, told Express that for an Indian patient to get treated with proton therapy in United States, it would easy cost over 1 crore, but here it would be done at a cost of 20 lakh (approx).

Global Investors Meet: Chennai hits fast lane to woo big investors, auto parts makers

With the appropriate eco-system available in the State, Chennai has reached the installed capacity to produce three cars in one minute and one commercial vehicle in every 90 seconds.

Published: 23rd January 2019 02:41 AM 

Representational Image (File Photo)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chennai has earned fame as ‘Detroit of Asia’ but it seems the state government wants to strengthen its position in the sector by attracting more investments from automobile companies during the Global Investors Meet set to kick-off on Wednesday.

The state government claims in its TNGIM website that it is one of the top 10 global auto hubs with an annual installed capacity of 1.46 million units and it accounts for about 33 per cent of India’s auto parts production.

With the appropriate eco-system available in the State, Chennai has reached the installed capacity to produce three cars in one minute and one commercial vehicle in every 90 seconds. The overwhelming figures have boosted the state government’s confidence that they will manage to attract more investments in the sector during the GIM. Along with automobiles, the government is also striving to attract the auto components industries.

“Chennai’s auto component sector is likely to grow by 20 per cent annually and exports are likely to grow by over 30 per cent in the next five years. The state government wants to encash the opportunity. More investments will strengthen economy of the state and will help us generate more jobs for youths,” said an official associated with the GIM.

Tamil Nadu has the presence of over 100 major auto component manufacturers with an investment of 553.85 million dollar. The industry has an output worth 1.2 billion dollar and it directly employs about 45,000 people.

Besides, the government feels that availability of skilled manpower, reliable infrastructure like power, road, communication, water availability and waste disposal system, attractive incentive packages, strong auto-component base, good testing and certification centres will help them to bag more investments in the sector.

The state Cabinet has recently cleared the Hyundai Motors’ `7,000-crore proposed project to increase its production capacity in the state and develop electric vehicles also. Along with it, major auto manufacturers like Ford are all set to inaugurate their global research centre in Chennai. Experts feel all these factors will definitely help the state in bagging more investment in the sector.

“Tamil Nadu is already known as a hub of automobile sector and the players here are performing well. The success of the existing companies and the initiatives of the state government will surely attract pretty good investments during the second edition of GIM,” said M Ponnuswami, Chairman, CII Tamil Nadu state council.

Bengaluru doctor offers free angioplasty to poor patients

Angioplasty, which involves insertion of a tube or a stent to widen blocked arteries, costs Rs 1-2 lakh at private hospitals.

Published: 24th January 2019 02:54 PM |


For representational purposes (File | EPS)
By IANS

BENGALURU: At a time when only the rich can afford and have access to quality healthcare in India, a doctor in a private hospital in this tech hub is offering free angioplasty to the poor, who are no less deserving for it.

"I have been wanting to treat the poor free as they can't afford the prohibitive cost of quality treatment," Kiron Varghese, head of cardiology at St John's Medical College & Hospital, told IANS.

With funds raised from friends and well-wishers, Varghese, 59, will perform about 30 angioplasty surgeries on the heart patients of the economically weaker sections over a month, till February 19.

Angioplasty, which involves insertion of a tube or a stent to widen blocked arteries, costs Rs 1-2 lakh at private hospitals.

"As only a limited number of surgeries can be performed with the funds raised, younger patients and breadwinners of their families will get preference for the surgery," said Varghese.

One arterial block of each patient will be cleared through angioplasty so as to benefit the maximum numbers.

Patients requiring immediate surgery will be selected through a screening process.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Indians suffer most from cardiovascular diseases globally, with a fifth of deaths due to heart ailments in the Indian subcontinent.

Awareness of the dreaded disease, however, is low, especially in rural areas, a study commissioned by global medical technology trade association Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), found.

Though the cost of an angioplasty at state-run hospitals is less than in private hospitals, shortage of catheterisation laboratories (an examination room with imaging equipment to visualise heart's arteries) and dearth of skilled cardiologists, make them unable to meet the demand and risk a heart patient's life, said the AdvaMed study released last year.

"The arterial blocks are more common among men in the 40-60 age group," added Varghese.

Japan Airlines announces service to Bengaluru

BENGALURU, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST

Japan Airlines (JAL) announced on Wednesday that it will launch a new non-stop service between Tokyo-Narita and Bengaluru, India, during the summer of 2020.

Ilaiyaraaja feted at Annamalai University

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

PUDUCHERRY, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST

Ilaiyaraaja with Annamalai University Vice Chancellor V. Murugesan.

Celebrates 75th birthday among college students

Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja along with a group of 90 musicians will perform at the Annamalai University to mark the 90th anniversary celebrations of the university later in this year.

The maestro, who celebrated his 75th birthday amidst students at the Sastri Hall of Annamalai University, agreed to a concert in response to a request made by the University Vice Chancellor V. Murugesan for an concert to raise funds to create a Chair in the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Later, addressing the students and faculty, he dwelt on the process of making music.

To the maestro, Kannadasan was the greatest poet of the world. He also said that he cherished the Honorary Doctorate (D.Litt.) awarded to him by the University in 1994.

The programme began with Mangala Isai by students of the Department of Music.

K. Muthuraman, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, participated. The Vice Chancellor said that the birthday celebration of the maestro was the first grand function of the year-long celebration of the 90th birth anniversary of Annamalai University in 2019.

Sanction TA to police for official work: HC

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the State to consider sanctioning transport allowance (TA) to police personnel in the range of Rs. 1500 to Rs. 2,000 per month, to carry out their official duty. The court had initiated suo motu proceedings in the case to know if policemen were paid TA.

A Division Bench of Justices K. K. Sasidharan and P. D. Audikesavalu observed, “It is a common practice to criticise the police force for anything and everything. Many a time we accuse them for not taking action for prevention of crime. However, we have not made any attempt to verify whether they are having the required facilities for undertaking night patrolling, collection of intelligence and crime detection.”

The court said that if TA was not paid, the policemen would have to spend from their own pocket and may even hesitate to undertake night patrolling, particularly in rural areas. This might have a cascading effect on crime prevention and vigilance.

The police personnel would have to visit the crime scene, serve summons, meet sources and keep themselves updated on developments. Therefore, it was necessary for the State to consider the plight of police personnel and implement the order within a period of two months, the court said. It added that it was open to the State to categorise areas into city and rural to pay accordingly.

During the course of the hearing, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Law and Order, submitted that a total of 7,265 two-wheelers and 6,187 four-wheelers were allotted to 31 districts and seven key cities across the State. Each vehicle was allotted with fuel, based on the jurisdiction of the police station. Also, the police personnel were given bus and railway warrants, the counter affidavit said.

Quest for new knowledge should be hallmark of researchers: V-C

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

KARAIKUDI, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST



N. Rajendran, Vice-Chancellor, Alagappa University, second from left, releasing the abstract manual at the international conference held in Karaikudi on Thursday.handout_e_mail

Alagappa University Vice-Chancellor Prof. N. Rajendran said that passion for innovation and quest for new knowledge should be the hallmarks of researchers.

“Useful knowledge has to be disseminated to the society through effective research and research should be done “not as a fashion but as a passion”, he said presiding over the two-day international conference on “recent trends in microbiology”, organised by the Department of Microbiology at the university here on Thursday.

“Outcome of all research should ultimately reach people and help the industry,” he said and asked the researchers in all disciplines to give importance to quality research rather than the quantity of publications.

Pointing out that India has not produced Nobel laureates after Sir. C. V. Raman, he exhorted the researchers to toil with dedication and get global recognition for the country.

M. Sudhakar, Senior Scientist, CSIR-MSM Unit, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in his inaugural address, said tons of non-degradable plastic had accumulated posing serious environmental hazards to the society and making of bio-plastics should be the thrust area for researchers.

Research on bio-plastics and eco-friendly degradable plastics would open up new applications and new avenues for plastic usage, he said.

The Vice-Chancellor released the conference abstract manual in digital format and the CD was received by Mr. Sudhakar. About 150 participants from various universities and institutions from across the country and a few delegates from abroad attended the conference.

Members of the syndicate, faculty members, research scholars and students from various departments of Alagappa University were present on the occasion. Arun, convenor and head (in-charge) Department of Microbiology presented the thematic address.

Move to allow engg. colleges to offer arts, science courses opposed

STAFF REPORTER

ERODE, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST

The Association of University Teachers (AUT), Zone IV, has opposed the decision of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to allow the engineering colleges to offer arts and science courses.

The executive committee of the association under the chairmanship of P. Kamalakannan was held recently in which the following resolutions were passed unanimously. The AICTE had earlier opposed the move to allow arts and science courses in engineering colleges. But reversing the decision would affect the students. The AUT welcomed the decision of the State Government to extend the period of government takeover of Chikkaiah Naicker College for two more years under the Tamil Nadu Private Colleges (Regulation), Act, 1976. But it urged the government to declare the college as government college as demanded by the people in and around Erode district. A resolution strongly condemned the ‘anti-employees’ attitude of the Vice-Chancellor of Periyar University, Salem, in imposing compulsory retirement to Ms. Sivagami, office assistant, without observing the rules and regulations of the Statute of the university. The resolution said that the action of the syndicate exposed the deliberate intention in victimising and punishing a member associate with employees union.

The AUT urged the Vice-Chancellor to reconsider the decision and withdraw the order served on her. It also decided to support the indefinite strike by members of JACTO-JEO.

Can’t order CBI probe in RK Nagar bypoll bribery case: HC

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST



Only SC can intervene in the issue, say judges

A Division Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday wondered how it could order a CBI probe into the 2017 RK Nagar bypoll bribery case when a single judge of the court had, on March 13, quashed a first information report that had been booked by the city police on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Returning Officer.

The Bench comprising Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam said it cannot invoke its writ jurisdiction to pass such an order since an appeal against an order passed by a single judge under Section 482 of Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C.) would lie only before the Supreme Court and not before a Division Bench.

When senior counsel P. Wilson, representing DMK candidate N. Maruthu Ganesh who had sought for CBI probe, said his client might lack locus standi to approach Supreme Court, the senior judge wanted to know how did DMK general secretary K. Anbalagan got a disproportionate wealth case against AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa transferred from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka.

However, Mr. Wilson persisted on his demand for the Division Bench itself ordering a CBI probe considering the seriousness of the issue.

He pointed out that the Election Commission of India had rescinded the bypoll notification in April 2017 after the Income Tax department seized certain crucial documents from Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar’s residence. The documents related to huge amounts of cash having been distributed to incumbent Chief Minister Mr. Palaniswami and other ministers.

The ministers, in turn, were expected to distribute the money to voters in RK Nagar constituency. “It is an injustice caused to people and democracy. No one will have faith in democracy if the court stands on hyper technicalities and refuses to entertain our plea. Your Lordships can order an CBI inquiry under Article 226 (writ jurisdiction) of the Constitution.

After failing to convince both of them, Justice Sathyanarayanan said: “When FIR itself has been quashed, how can we order registration of a second FIR by CBI? Understand our predicament. What we are pointing out is that we are not the right forum.” Later, the judges adjourned further hearing on the case to February 12 to enable the Election Commission of India to file its affidavit on the issue.

Despite HC directive, govt. workers stick to their guns

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST



Sea of anger:Government workers staging an agitation in Krishnagiri.N. Bashkaran

Various govt. departments issue notices to striking workers over the ‘illegal’ stir

Despite the Madras High Court’s direction to return to work by January 25 and the State government’s warning of disciplinary action, the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations and Government Employees’ Organisations (Jactto-Geo) on Thursday decided to continue its indefinite strike.

On Thursday, various government departments, including those of school and higher education, issued notices to the staff involved in the indefinite strike, asking them to return to work immediately. The striking teachers were told they won’t be paid for the period of agitation and will face disciplinary action as their strike was ‘illegal’.

The School Education Director, in his communication to Chief Educational Officers (CEOs), directed them to issue show cause notices to the striking staff, asking them to resume duty immediately, failing which disciplinary action would be initiated against them.

In its notice, the government said the strike, affecting its normal functioning, amounted to a violation of Rules 20, 22 and 22A of the T.N. Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1973. It was also against the spirit of the Supreme Court judgement in T.K. Rangarajan Vs Government of Tamil Nadu and others, in which the court held that there was no fundamental or legal/statutory right to go on strike. The Madras High Court had also issued an interim order on January 23, directing teachers to resume work.

In such a situation, resorting to an indefinite strike was considered illegal, the notice said.

The School Education Director, in his communication to CEOs, said the period of absence had to be considered an unauthorised one, and as such, the protesting staff were not entitled to pay and allowances, on the basis of the principle of ‘no work, no pay’.

The Additional Secretary of the Higher Education Department sent a communication to the Commissioner of Technical Education and the Director of Collegiate Education, asking them to issue a similar notice directing the staff to return to work or face disciplinary action.

Likewise, the striking government servants from various departments had been issued notices through the respective district administrations and heads of departments, officials said.

However, Jactto-Geo leaders told reporters following a meeting in Chennai that they will go ahead with protests at the district level on Friday to press their nine-point charter of demands. On January 26, a State-level meeting would be held in Chennai. From January 28 onwards, they will intensify their stir.

“The strike will continue. In 1988, we fought for 31 days. During Jayalalithaa’s rule in 2003, many of us were dismissed. The government will issue show cause notices. It is their job. We have got our salaries only because of our struggles. We have to fight for our rights,” said a leader of the organisation.

Protests intensify

The High Court’s directive did not seem to have any impact in the districts.

Thousands of Jactto-Geo members were arrested for staging road-rokos on the third day of their indefinite strike in Tiruchi and other districts in the central region.

In Tiruchi city, over 2,000 teachers and government employees were arrested after they staged a road blockade near the Collectorate. They were released in the evening. The participation of elementary school teachers in the district was substantial, leading to the closure of the institutions for the third consecutive day, said K. Uduman Ali, one of the Tiruchi district coordinators of Jactto-Geo.

A large number of women employees and teaching staff joined the agitation. The police had a tough time removing them from the roads in Ramanathapuram. For almost an hour, traffic movement on the Rameswaram-Ramanathapuram National Highway came to a grinding halt.

Similarly, ministerial staff from the Police Department joined the agitation in large numbers in Virudhunagar district. In Tirunelveli district, many women courted arrest at S.N. High Road. Elementary schools wore a deserted look in Dindigul, Madurai and Sivaganga districts as teachers joined the stir.

Over 2,000 protesters courted arrest in Coimbatore. They were released later. Panchayat union elementary and middle schools remained shut due to the protests. The participation of teachers had swelled despite the HC directive asking them to return to work.

Denial of sex: man’s divorce plea rejected

Mohamed Imranullah S.

CHENNAI, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST



No relief:The judgment was passed while dismissing an appeal from a resident of Erode challenging a family court’s ruling in 2014. Picture used for representational purpose only.

Refusal to have conjugal relations amounts to mental cruelty only if marriage is recent, says HC

In a significant judgment, the Madras High Court has ruled that a woman’s refusal to have a conjugal relationship could be termed as mental cruelty and cited as a ground for divorce only if the marriage between a couple was recent and not in cases where they had been married for as long as 16 years.

Justices R. Subbiah and C. Saravanan ruled that a woman’s hesitation to have sexual relationship due to ageing, ill-health or other similar reasons would not amount to subjecting her husband to cruelty and therefore such a ground could not be applied universally, irrespective of the duration of the marriage. The judgment was passed while dismissing an appeal preferred by the owner of a computer service in Erode district challenging the refusal of a family court in 2014 to grant him divorce on the ground that he had been subjected to cruelty by his wife, now mother of a 19-year-old girl, by denying him conjugal bliss.

‘Not cruelty’

“Alleged lack of cooperation of the respondent to reciprocate and yield to the physical desire of the appellant long after 16 years of marriage cannot amount to cruelty by the respondent. It may be due to factors such as age, physical inability, commitment towards the children or family, aversion or lassitude or lack of libido to get physical intimacy.” the Division Bench said.

“This is a natural phenomenon on account of several reasons including ageing and no one can be blamed for it. The appellant has refused to gracefully acknowledge the changes associated with ageing and the challenges to which life exposes one to. There is a lack of acceptance on the part of the appellant,” they added.

Authoring the judgment, Justice Subbiah pointed out that the appellant had fell in love with the respondent and got a document registered with a Sub-Registrar’s office stating that their marriage got solemnised on June 11, 1997 though no such marriage took place. Subsequently, they got married in a temple on August 24, 1998.

Since their relatives did not attend the marriage in the temple, the couple got married once again on September 4, 1998 at the Marudhamalai Murugan temple in the presence of their relatives and friends. The couple gave birth to a female child on June 9, 1999 before their relationship soured due to various factors.

Extramarital affair

The appellant’s wife suspected him of having an extramarital affair with his aunt’s daughter and so he filed a divorce petition accusing his wife of subjecting him to cruelty.

The family court disbelieved his claim and dismissed the petition after holding him guilty of having had an affair with another woman as proven by his wife and hence the present appeal.

Not finding any infirmity in the trial court verdict, the Division Bench said: “For having committed such a blameworthy conduct, the appellant is not entitled to raise his little finger towards the respondent alleging that she subjected him to matrimonial cruelty.”

Fried chicken and fish up risk of early death

Washington:25.01.2019

Regularly eating fried chicken or fish is associated with a higher risk of death from any cause, specifically heart-related mortality, according to a study on postmenopausal women in the US.

The study, published in the ‘British Medical Journal’, suggests that reducing consumption of fried foods, especially fried chicken and fried fish/shellfish, could have a positive public health impact.

Up to a third of North American adults have fastfood every day, and previous studies have suggested that a greater intake of fried food is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, researchers said.

US researchers investigated the association of eating fried food with death from any cause, and in particular heart and cancer-related death.

They used questionnaire data to assess the diets of 106,966 women, aged 50 to 79.

During this time, 31,588 deaths occurred, including 9,320 heart-related deaths 8,358 cancer deaths and 13,880 from other causes. Researchers looked at the women’s total and specific consumption of different fried foods. After taking account of lifestyle, overall diet quality, they found that regularly eating fried foods was associated with a heightened risk of death from any cause and, specifically, heart-related death. PTI

STAY AWAY FROM OILY STUFF:

Women who ate fried foods often had a 7% increased risk of mortality and a 12% increased risk of cardiovascular death compared with those who ate none, showed research

Soon online dashboard to provide train status details
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:25.01.2019

In the next two weeks, you will be able to see the detailed status of all running trains at the click of a button. The railways will unveil a dashboard for public, which will have information that is of use to them as passengers and also to business entities which transport goods through the railway network.

Though currently people can see the running status of trains, the new dashboard will be one-point destination to get several live updates. The trains on dashboard will be in three colours – green for those running on time or late by not more than five minutes, blue for trains late between five and 15 minutes, while those running late beyond 15 minutes will be indicated in red.

Sources said the trial of the online dashboard that collates huge data from different sources has been successful. “Rail minister and top officials have got access to the dashboard, which displays information under different heads, including the daily earnings, passenger travelled and goods transported. They can see what’s exactly happening at base kitchens. They can also see the types of grievances the passengers and other users have for taking corrective action,” said a rail ministry official.

“It will serve purpose of different users. Officials can get the updated details of projects and their status. So, monitoring will be more effective. This is for the first time, any government organization went to this level in an effort to bring transparency and putting everything in public domain,” said another official.

Electrician on leave, 9 deliveries under candlelight in Doon hosp

Shivani.Azad@timesgroup.com

Dehradun  25.01.2019

: As many as nine deliveries were conducted under candlelight and torches in Government Doon Medical College Hospital, the largest government hospital in Garhwal division which caters to people from several hilly districts, after power supply was disrupted for several hours on Tuesday night.

Hospital officials claimed that the electricity could not be resumed due to a technical glitch in the generator. The lone electrician who looks after the hospital was on leave. The power supply was disrupted at 8 o’clock on Tuesday night following heavy rain and only resumed on Wednesday morning at10.30.

“At midnight I was told to take my wife to a private hospital as there was no electricity but she was already in labour. So we let them conduct the delivery in candlelight,” said Ravindra Singh, whose wife gave birth to a son on Wednesday morning.

Mamta, a resident of Rishikesh, who accompanied her sister, Manisha, to the delivery room, told TOI, “My sister had to undergo stitches after her delivery and this was done using light from a mobile phone.”

Manisha said that she was fortunate to have given birth to a healthy girl but anything could have gone wrong. “I came all the way from Ghansali in Tehri hoping for better care at this hospital. I did not expect this,” she said.

Wife of 16yrs denying sex not cruelty: HC

Srikkanth.D@timesgroup.com

Madurai:25.01.2019

Refusal of conjugal rights (sexual intercourse) by wife after 16 years of marriage cannot be construed as cruelty, said the Madras high court, dismissing a petition by a man from Erode who moved the court seeking divorce, alleging cruelty by his wife. The court also chided the man for refusing to gracefully acknowledge the changes associated with ageing and challenges which life exposes.

The man, who fell in love with the woman and married her in 1998, moved a family court in Erode in 2014 seeking divorce, alleging that she constantly suspected his fidelity and refused conjugal rights. The family court, however, refused to grant divorce.

A division bench of justice R Subbiah and justice C Saravanan was hearing an appeal against the family court order. When the man’s counsel cited an earlier order by a division bench which held that wilful refusal to have sexual intercourse by wife amounts to cruelty, the bench pointed out that decision will not be applicable in this case as the couple were married in 1998 and have a girl child out of the marriage.

“Alleged lack of co-operation to reciprocate and yield to the physical desire after 16 years of marriage cannot amount to cruelty,” the court said. “This is a natural phenomenon on account of several reasons including ageing and no one can be blamed for it.”

This is a natural phenomenon on account of several reasons including ageing and no one can be blamed for it

Madurai bench

₹12L worth gold chains snatched from women

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.01.2019

Two women lost their gold chains to bikeborne snatchers in the city on Wednesday and Thursday. At least 33 sovereigns of gold jewellery, worth ₹9 lakh, were robbed. Police have registered separate cases and are on the lookout for the suspects.

Police said R Roopa, 48, of Shanthi Nagar in Kolathur, was walking near SRP Colony on Wednesday around 8pm, when two men on a motorbike snatched her 8-sovereign chain in an isolated spot. Police said Roopa was not able to register the identity of the accused as they were wearing helmets. The Peravallur police have registered a case and are skimming through CCTV camera footage for leads.

In the second incident, Akila, of Thiru Nagar in Villivakkam, was walking to a neighbourhood shop on Thursday when two men on a motorbike snatched at least 15 sovereigns of gold chains, worth ₹7 lakh. “Akila sustained injuries on her neck trying to resist the attack,” he added.

Police said Akila remembered the assailants’ bike registration number partly. The Villivakkam police registered a case and are investigating further.

₹3.5L mangalsutra goes missing

Chennai:

A 15-sovereign mangalsutra, worth more than ₹3.5 lakh, was reported stolen from the house of a dancer in Virugambakkam on Thursday morning.

Police said Savitha Nagaraj, 38, of Vivekananda Street in Gandhi Nagar, Saligramam, usually removed her mangalsutra before going to bed, police said. On Thursday, she couldn’t find it when she woke up and realised that it was kept close to a window and might have been stolen. The Virugambakkam police are investigating. TNN

Arputhammal launches drive for son’s release

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Coimbatore:25.01.2019

Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Perarivalan’s mother Arputhammal launched a state-wide campaign called ‘#28 Years Enough Governor’ from Coimbatore on Thursday, demanding the release of her son and six others, who were undergoing life imprisonment in the case. Arputhammal would be travelling across the state in the coming days. She requested that her son’s name not be used for votebank politics.

She plans to meet various political outfits, general public and students and to conduct discussions. Addressing media persons, Arputhammal said she has been fighting for the release of her son for last 28 years. Based on the Supreme Court’s order, TN passed a cabinet resolution and sent it for approval of the governor. But he has not approved it for the past four and a half months.

STRIKE ENTERS DAY 4

Teachers’ protest: Govt to engage temporary staff

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.01.2019

In spite of the Madras high court directing them to resume work by Friday, teachers from the Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organization-Government Employees Organisation (JACTOGEO) have decided to continue their agitation.

The strike will enter day four on Friday, and the government has decided to engage retired and temporary staff to handle primary grade classes if the teachers don’t return. Chennai was among the few districts where functioning wasn’t affected much, with less than 20% boycotting work. Padma Priya, principal of a T Nagar government school, said they expressed solidarity with the protesters, but their primary duty was to teach.

School education secretary Pradeep Yadav has directed all district-level officials and Parents Teacher Associations of schools to engage retired staff or qualified temporary staff and pay them a consolidated ₹7,500 a month. Schools have been instructed to approach police in case of obstruction from protesting teachers. The strike has affect higher secondary students preparing for their board exams. The protesting teachers are pressing for implementation of nine demands, including scrapping of new pension scheme, pay on a par with central government teachers and payment of arrears for 21months.

Jaya probe panel asks ‘why health secy in the same post since 2012’

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 25.01.2019

In a 26-page order rejecting Apollo Hospitals’ plea for a 21 member medical board, the Justice (retd) A Arumughaswamy commission has also delved into bureaucratic appointments and questioned how health secretary, J Radhakrishnan, had been occupying the same post since 2012‘without interruption’.

The commission in paragraph 49 of the order said even the portfolio of judges in the Madras high court were being changed once every three months. Arumughaswamy quoted his own experience of being a judge in the Madurai bench, where his portfolio was changed once every nine months.

In context to his deposition about not taking Jayalalithaa abroad for treatment stating a combination of factors including Jayalalithaa’s own wish and the opinion of doctors treating her, the commission in paragraph 48 of the order accused Radhakrishnan of ‘glooming about the treatment of politicians in a foreign country’.

It is not unusual for judges to make such comments, said Justice (retd) K Chandru. However, such observations should be pertinent and proper; in this case the portfolio shift of high court judges and government secretaries cannot be compared, Chandru said.

GIM ends with promises of ₹3lakh cr and a million jobs

D.Govardan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25.01.2019

The acolyte has bettered his amma’s record. The second edition of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet (GIM) 2019 ended on Thursday with ₹3 lakh crore of investment and more than a million jobs promised. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s show has exceeded expectations; the challenge now is to convert promise into reality.

GIM 2015, orchestrated by J Jayalalithaa as chief minister, saw promises of ₹2.42 lakh crore in investments and employment to 4.7 lakh people. But the promises were spiked big time by non-delivery of power projects, which accounted for more than 40% of the investments planned.

This time around, the investments are spread widely across sectors. Overall, 304 MoUs have been signed to attract ₹3,00,431 crore of investments, including ₹32,206 crore from MSMEs, for which segment alone an additional 12,360 MoUs were signed. Manufacturing dominated followed by MSMEs, housing, tourism, agriculture, higher education as well as school education, besides energy and IT.


Emmanuel Delay of Groupe PSA with TN CM Edappadi K Palaniswami at GIM 2019 in Chennai on Thursday

GIM 2019 is a grand success: EPS

A beaming Palaniswami told the audience on Thursday evening tht, “GIM 2019 is a grand success and it has opened a new chapter in the annals of India. This is an endorsement of policies of Amma’s (Jayalalithaa) government.” Behind his humble persona was the big smile of having pulled off a grand show.

“We were able to attract investments from both foreign and Indian companies and from countries including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Germany, USA and China,” Palaniswami said.

Industry captains were effusive in their praise for the government. “Tamil Nadu has the highest conversion rate in terms of MoUs into real investments. Besides the educated and dedicated talent pool and a committed bureaucracy, the state has a strong government headed by the chief minister, who succeeded a tall leader (Jayalalithaa), pushing bureaucrats to convert half chances into full opportunities. When you invest in Tamil Nadu, you invest in this holy trinity,” said R Santhanam, MD of Saint-Gobain India Pvt Limited.

Santhanam’s words soon found support from vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu. “Tamil Nadu is the only state in India that offers every connectivity from road, rail and ports in plenty and with easy access to all parts of the state. If you invest in the state, you can harvest also, if you follow the rules of the game,” Naidu told the gathered investors.

The vice-president said that he was happy to hear that a petroleum major was investing more than ₹27,000 crore in Nagapattinam. “Development should reach everywhere. It should reach every pattanam (town) and not merely be restricted to the major cities like Chennai and Coimbatore,” he said.

Naidu also advised the state government to appoint a liaison officer to coordinate with investors to sort out issues that may arise. Tamil Nadu Industries minister M C Sampath had already promised that. “Our government will monitor implementation of all projects to ensure jobs are created for our youths,” Sampath said.

“The next GIM will take place in 2021,” Palaniswami said. That will also be the year Tamil Nadu would normally gear up for the next assembly elections.

Jaya’s Veda Nilayam attached since 2007 for unpaid I-T arrears

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25.01.2019

For about 10 years preceding her death, former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, it turns out, had been living in a house that had been attached by the income tax department due to non-payment of tax dues of ₹16.74 crore.

The fact tumbled out in the Madras high court on Thursday, when the I-T department said Veda Nilayam, Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa, had been attached since 2007.

A few other properties of Jayalalithaa — 18, Ground Floor, Parsn Manor, Anna Salai, Chennai; 213/B, St Marys Road, Chennai, and 8-3-1099, Plot No 36, Sri Nagar Colony, Ella Reddy Guda, Hyderabad — were also attached, said senior standing counsel for the department A P Srinivas.

The counsel made the submissions during the hearing of a PIL filed by social activist K R ‘Traffic’ Ramaswamy seeking to restrain the Tamil Nadu government from converting the Poes Garden residence into a memorial.

In a recent hearing, a division bench of Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Anita Sumanth had directed the income tax department to inform the court whether it had any objection to converting the house property into a memorial.

In response, the department made the above submission and informed the court that it was concerned with assessment and recovery of taxes only under direct tax laws and that it did not have any view on the decision of the government and the prayer sought for by the petitioner.

I-T KEEPS IT UNDER WRAPS:

The TN government plans to convert J Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence into a memorial

Jaya memorial plea adjourned to Feb 7

Srinivas further sought two weeks to file another affidavit giving the position of assessments, appeals, if any, and recovery of outstanding arrears of tax assessed and the steps taken for recovery of the same and also the stand of the department in the matter of recovery of such arrears of tax and whether for those reasons, it had any objection to the relief claimed in the present writ petition for creating a memorial to Jayalalithaa in such property under attachment of the department.

To this, advocate general Vijay Narayan submitted that such tax dues could be cleared with the compensation the state would be providing for acquiring the property. Narayan also submitted that it would be proper to implead the estate of the latechief minister in the present writ petition. “Regarding the demands of the income tax department asindicatedin thesaid affidavit the state may be permitted to file a memo to place on record who should be impleaded on behalf of the estateof thelatechief minister,” Narayan said. Recording the submissions, the bench adjourned the plea to February 7 for further hearing.