3 நாள் தொடர் விடுமுறை எதிரொலி 'சரக்கு' வாங்கி குவிக்கும் கட்சியினர்

Added : ஏப் 13, 2019 23:05

லோக்சபா தேர்தலை முன்னிட்டு, டாஸ்மாக் கடைகளுக்கு மூன்று நாட்கள் தொடர் விடுமுறை அறிவிக்கப்பட்டதால், அரசியல் கட்சியினர், 'சரக்கு'களை வாங்கி பதுக்கி வருகின்றனர்.தமிழகத்தில், தினமும் சராசரியாக, 65 கோடி ரூபாய்க்கு மது விற்பனை நடக்கும். ஞாயிறு உள்ளிட்ட விடுமுறை நாட்களில், 100 கோடி; தீபாவளி, பொங்கல் பண்டிகையின்போது, 125 கோடி ரூபாய் வரை விற்பனை நடக்கும். 

விற்பனை அதிகம் : மார்ச், 15 முதல், அரசியல் கட்சியினர், தேர்தல் பிரசாரத்தை துவங்கியதால், மதுபான விற்பனை, படிப்படியாக அதிகரித்து வந்தது. ஓட்டுப்பதிவை முன்னிட்டு, 16, 17, 18ம் தேதிகளில், டாஸ்மாக் கடைகளுக்கு விடுமுறை அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால், இந்த மூன்று நாட்களும், தேர்தல் பணியில் ஈடுபடும் கட்சி நிர்வாகிகள், தொண்டர்களுக்கு வினியோகிக்க, 'சரக்கு'களை வாங்கி குவித்து வருகின்றனர். இதேபோல, கள்ள மார்க்கெட்டில் மது விற்போரும், ஒருபக்கம், சரக்குகளை வாங்கி குவிக்கின்றனர். அரசியல் கட்சினரின் பிரசாரம் சூடு பிடித்த நிலையில், ஏப்., 10 முதல், தமிழகத்தின் தினசரி மது விற்பனை, 105 கோடி ரூபாயாக உயர்ந்தது.நேற்று முன்தினம், 120 கோடியை தாண்டியுள்ளது. 'இதில், பீர், குவார்ட்டர் பாட்டில்களின் விற்பனையே அதிகம்' என, டாஸ்மாக் ஊழியர்கள் தெரிவித்தனர். 

ரூ.200 கோடிலோக்சபா பிரசாரம், மார்ச் மத்தியில் சூடு பிடித்தது. இதில் பங்கேற்பவர்களுக்கு, சாப்பாடு, 200 ரூபாய் கூலியுடன், சில வேட்பாளர்கள், சரக்கும் வினியோகித்தனர்.இதனால், மார்ச், 15 முதல், நேற்று வரை, டாஸ்மாக்கில், 1,000 கோடி ரூபாய்க்கு, கூடுதலாக சரக்கு விற்றுள்ளது.இன்றும், நாளையும், வழக்கமான விற்பனையை விட, 200 கோடி ரூபாய்க்கு, கூடுதலாக சரக்கு விற்க வாய்ப்புள்ளதாக, அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனர்.தேர்தல் ஆணையம் தரப்பில், நாளையும், மதுக் கடைகளுக்கு விடுமுறை அளிக்க, டாஸ்மாக் நிறுவனத்துக்கு பரிந்துரைக்கும் யோசனை உள்ளதாகத் தெரிகிறது.

இது குறித்து, இன்று முடிவு செய்து, அறிவிப்பு வெளியிட வாய்ப்புள்ளது.கூடுதல், 'டெலிவரி' டாஸ்மாக் நிறுவனத்திற்கு இன்று, தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு விடுமுறையாக இருப்பினும், டாஸ்மாக் கிடங்குகள் செயல்பட உள்ளன.மூன்று நாள் தொடர் விடுமுறை என்பதால், இன்று, அதிகளவில் டெலிவரிக்கு ஏற்பாடு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.

வார்த்தை போர் வாக்குகளாக மாறுமா?

Updated : ஏப் 13, 2019 16:03 | Added : ஏப் 13, 2019 15:21 |

சென்னை : தேர்தல் பிரசாரம் உச்சகட்டத்தை அடைந்துள்ள நிலையில், முதல்வர் எடப்பாடி பழனிச்சாமிக்கும், எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவர் ஸ்டாலினுக்குமான வார்த்தைப் போரும் வலுவடைந்துள்ளது. ஆனால், இதுபோன்ற வார்த்தைப் போர் வாக்குகளாக மாறுமா என்ற கேள்வி கட்சியினர் மத்தியில் எழுந்துள்ளது.

அரசியலில், 'லாவணிக் கச்சேரி' எப்போதும் புதிதில்லை. ஒரு காலத்தில் அவை வெறும் குழாயடிச் சண்டை போல இல்லாமல், அவரவர் அரசியல் அறிவுத்திறனை வெளிப்படுத்துவதாக அமைந்திருந்தன. ஆனால், ஒரு கட்டத்தில், குறிப்பாக எம்.ஜி.ஆர்., கருணாநிதி என்று தமிழக அரசியல் இருதுருவ அரசியல் ஆன பின்னர், கருத்து மோதல்கள் வார்த்தைப் போர்களாக வடிவெடுத்தன. இது மக்கள் பிரச்னைகளை, அரசியல், கொள்கை, கோட்பாடுகளைப் பற்றிப் பேசாமல், மக்களை திசைதிருப்பி வெறும் 'லாவணி'யாக, ஒரு கட்டத்தில் குழாயடிச் சண்டையாக மாற்றுவதாகும் என்கின்றனர் அரசியல் நோக்கர்கள்.

இந்த தேர்தல் பிரச்சார துவக்கத்திலேயே, எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவர் ஸ்டாலின் முதல்வர், துணை முதல்வர்களைப் பற்றிக்குறிப்பிடும்போது 'அடிமைகள்' என்றார். பின்னர், 'மண்புழு' என்று குறிப்பிட்டார்.

அதற்கு பதிலடியாக எடப்பாடி பழனிச்சாமி, ''மண்புழு விவசாயி நண்பன்'' என்று குறிப்பிட்டுவிட்டு, இப்படியே ஸ்டாலின் பேசிக்கொண்டே இருந்தால், நான் கிராமத்துக்காரன், நான் பதில் சொன்னால் 'காது ஜவ்வு கிழிந்துவிடும்,' என்றார். அதற்கு திருச்சி கூட்டத்தில் பேசிய ஸ்டாலின், ''ஆட்சி கவிழ்ந்து, வாழ்க்கையே கிழியப் போகிறது'' என்று பதிலடி கொடுத்துள்ளார்.

இப்படி எதிரும் புதிருமாக, முதல்வரும் எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவரும் வார்த்தைப்போர் நடத்துவது, அரசியல் நோக்கர்களை முகம் சுழிக்க வைத்துள்ளது. அவர்கள் கூறுகையில், '' ஆளும்கட்சி, தன் ஆட்சிக்காலத்தின் சாதனைகளை, பணிகளை, எதிர்கால இலக்குகளை சொல்லி மக்களிடம் பிரசாரம் நடத்தவேண்டும். எதிர்க்கட்சிகள், ஆட்சியின் குறைபாடுகளை சுட்டிக்காட்ட வேண்டும். மக்களின் பாதிப்புகளை எடுத்துக்காட்டி பிரசாரம் செய்யவேண்டும். மேலதிகமாக, அவரவர் கட்சிக்கொள்கையின் இலக்குகளை மக்களிடம் எடுத்து வைக்கவேண்டும்.
ஆனால், தமிழகத்தில் திராவிடக் கட்சிகளின் வளர்ச்சியில் ஆரம்ப கட்டத்தில், சில 'நாலாந்திர' பேச்சாளர்களின் மூலம், அநாகரிகமாக பிரசாரங்கள் நடந்தன. அதற்கு 'தீப்பொறி ஆறுமுகம், வெற்றிகொண்டான்' போல பல 'பிராண்டு' பேச்சாளர்களே இருந்தனர்.இப்போதோ அந்த 'பிராண்டு' பேச்சாளர்களின் இடத்தை கட்சித் தலைவர்களே கைப்பற்றிக்கொண்டனர். இது ஆரோக்கியமான அரசியல் அல்ல. இந்த வார்த்தைப் போர்களால், ஒருபோதும் ஓட்டுக்களைப் பெறமுடியாது. மக்களின் முகச்சுழிப்பிற்குத்தான் ஆளாகவேண்டியிருக்கும்,'' என்கின்றனர்.
தமிழக அரசியல் நாகரீகமான திசையில் பயணிக்கவேண்டும் என்பதே அனைவரின் விருப்பம்.

Madras high court comes to rescue of government service aspirant

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedApr 13, 2019, 3:37 am IST

The bench said in order to disclose the correct employment, there should be a specific column in the application form.

Madras high court

Chennai: Pointing out that though the RBI is a State within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution of India, its employees are all cannot be said to be regular government employees, the Madras high court had set aside an order of a single judge, which upheld the decision of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission disqualifying a candidate from RBI, for suppressing facts in the application, after he was successful in the written examination.

Since the applicant E.Manoj Kumar has answered ‘No” to a question in the application form viz., ‘Are you a government employee’, the TNPSC withheld his result on the ground of suppression of material facts in the application form regarding the employment in the Reserve Bank of India, even though he was successful in the Group-I Service examination. Aggrieved he filed a petition and based on an interim order, he was selected for appointment to the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police. But, ultimately, the single judge dismissed his petition. Challenging the same, he filed the present appeal.

Allowing the appeal, a division bench comprising Justices K.K.Sasidharan and P.D.Audikesavalu said, “It is true that RBI is a State within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution of India. Even then it cannot be said that its employees are all regular government employees”.

The bench directed the TNPSC to forward the name of the appellant to the government for taking further action to give him order of appointment within one week. The bench said clause 15 (g) of the Instructions to the candidates does not contain an indication with regard to the requirement to state the employment status in the application form. The said clause permits the applicant to apply directly to the TNPSC without routing it through the head of department. The only requirement was that he should inform the employer before submission of application and produce NOC while attending the certificate verification. The appellant satisfied this condition, as he obtained the NOC before submitting the application, after disclosing his intention to apply to the Group I post, the bench added.

The bench said in order to disclose the correct employment, there should be a specific column in the application form. Though 15 (g) and 19 (4) (ii) of the instructions contain not only government service but other services also, the fact remains that the relevant column in the application form contain only one service for disclosure viz., “Government Service”, it would not be possible for a Bank employee to record that he was a government employee. In cases such a declaration of service status was given by a bank employee indicating that he was a government servant, he would face the disqualification/debarment in view of Clause 19 of the instructions, the bench added.

The bench said the appellant very correctly indicated that he was not a government employee. However, his candidature was rejected. The other local body employees and bank employees who have recorded as if they belong to government service were not subjected to any such disqualification. “If we go by the tenor of the question, “Are you a government employee”, the bank employees who are claiming that they are government employees would suffer disqualification, as they have given a wrong statement. We therefore, reject the contention taken by the TNPSC on the basis of clause 19 of the instructions. The appellant has many first on his credit. Even the entry in question was correctly filled up by the appellant. He was not responsible for the preparation of an incorrect questionnaire by the TNPSC. We are therefore of the view that the appellant must succeed”, the bench added.

All vacancies in government departments will be filled by 2020, says Congress in Tamil Nadu

AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik said that 22 lakh posts will be filled if the party comes to power.

Published: 14th April 2019 05:11 AM 

AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik

By Express News Service

NAGERCOIL: Once Congress comes to power in Centre, the vacancies in all the State and Union government departments will be filled with nearly 22 lakh candidates by March 2020, said Mukul Wasnik, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary for Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, here on Saturday.

Addressing the media persons, Mukul Wasnik said, “The years 2014 to 2019 will be marked in bold letters in history as the greatest disaster of Modi and his government. During the 2014 election, Modi had made many promises for every section of the society, including farmers, women, and youth. Five years on, the dream merchant (Modi) has now become a bluff-master. All his promises - depositing Rs 15 lakh into the account of every citizen, retrieving black money from offshore, have not been kept.”

“While a girl (Anita) in Tamil Nadu died due to the imposition of NEET, a minister still says that the exam will persist. He was also never seen consoling the family members of farmers who had committed suicide. When Congress comes to power, NEET will not be imposed on Tamil Nadu, but the State government will decide regarding it,” he added.

Training his guns at Modi, Mukul said that the latter was viewed as the biggest challenge to the Indian constitution. “Before becoming a member of BJP, Modi was a pracharak of RSS. We will do everything so that no one touches the constitution of India.”


I-T raids out of fear of poll loss: TN Congress Committee

NAGERCOIL: Afraid of losing the election, the BJP was conducting raids at the properties of Congress Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha constituency candidate H Vasanthakumar’s relative, alleged TNCC spokesperson Anand Srinivasan on Saturday. His statement came following a raid conducted by the I-Tax sleuths at a hotel room, where AICC functionary Kamaraj had stayed in on Saturday.

According to Kamaraj, four I-T sleuths had entered into his hotel room and scrutinised the room. It is alleged that the I-T department had received a tip-off that money was being distributed to the public. Srinivasan said, “With a summon served, the I-T sleuths, without issuing any notification, had raided Kamaraj’s house too. Since he is the relative of Vasanthakumar, BJP has been conducting raids on his premises to threaten him.”

AICTE invites retired staff to mentor tech institutions
Highly experienced and superannuated faculty members are required for Margadarshak scheme to take a giant leap in the number of accredited technical institutions and to improve overall quality of educ

Published: 14th April 2019 02:09 AM 

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has invited retired faculty members of the IITs, the NITs and engineering colleges to act as mentors and help technical education institutions get accreditation.


This was part of AICTE’s vision of making 50 per cent of technical education programmes accredited by 2022. Presently, just 16 per cent programmes offered by technical educational institutions in India are accredited by National Board of Accreditation.

Highly experienced and superannuated faculty members are required for Margadarshak scheme to take a giant leap in the number of accredited technical institutions and to improve overall quality of education.

Staff of quasi-government organisations, banks not government employees: Madras High Court
E Manojkumar, working in RBI, had denied being a government employee when he was filling up for a post under the TNPSC's Group-I services.

Published: 13th April 2019 03:19 AM 

Madras High Court 

By Siva Sekaran

Express News Service

CHENNAI : Are employees of quasi-government organisations and banks, including RBI, employees of government? No, a division bench of the Madras High Court has held.The question was raised in the High Court and while a single judge held in the positive, a bench of two judges finally held in the negative.The TNPSC issued a notification on November 9, 2016 to fill up vacant posts falling under Group-I services. E Manojkumar, working in RBI, applied for the same. Against the column - Are you an employee of governmnent?, Manoj quoted in the negative.

Holding that he had suppressed the vital information, the PSC rejected his candidature. He moved the HC and following an interim direction, the commission allowed him to write the exam and he was provisionally selected to the post of DSP. However, while passing final orders a fortnight ago, the single judge had held that Manoj, being an employee of RBI, falls under government employee category and suppression of this fact will vitiate his candidature. The commission denied him the job. Hence, the present appeal from Manoj.

The appellant suffered disqualification due to the mistake committed by the outsourcing agency entrusted with the work of preparing application form as the agency omitted to include other services along with the government one in tune with clause 15(g) , a division bench of Justices KK Sasidharan and PD Audikesavalu said on April 10. Following a direction from judges, PSC Under Secretary appeared before the judge on April 4 and conducted a live demonstration. When the judges directed him to fill up the column in dispute - Are you a government employee?, the secretary typed ‘RBI employee’. Nothing came thereafter. The formation of the online questionnaire is in such a way that this question is a mandatory without answering which, the candidate cannot proceed.


He also told the judges that there is provision only to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. To a question as to who did mistake of non-inclusion of other services as indicated in clause 15(g) in the form, the Under Secretary without admitting it as a mistake, informed the judges that it was designed by a service provider Satvat Infosol (Pvt.) Ltd. So, the lacuna lies on the part of the outsourcing agency.

The fact that some other candidates declared the employment in RBI and banks as government service in the application form, would not be an answer to the question as to whether such employees are government employees. In case the employment under government service column is answered as “yes”, the next question “which department” would be asked.

This makes it very clear that the intention in the form was only to give a declaration relating to government employment and not other services, as indicated in clause 15(g). Manoj has not taken any undue advantage by not declaring his employment in RBI. “He failed to respond to the question with an answer “yes” only on account of his clear understanding, which according to us is right, that the service under the RBI is not actually a government service, the judges said and held that the appellant very correctly indicated that he is not a government employee.

He could not be held responsible for the preparation of an incorrect questionnaire by TNPSC. “We are therefore, of the view that the appellant must succeed,” the bench said, set aside the March 26 last rejection order and allowed the appeal. The bench directed the public service commission to forward the name of the appellant to the government for further action to give him an order of appointment, within a week.

HC accepts mistake, recalls judgment

Mohamed Imranullah S.

CHENNAI, APRIL 14, 2019 00:00 IST

Says aim is to secure ends of justice

In a welcome judgment, the Madras High Court on Friday held that courts of law should be magnanimous enough to accept mistakes committed by them and immediately recall judgments passed without following the principles of natural justice.

It also said that a court should never attempt “to shield itself by holding on to its judgment as if the verdict was so infallible.”

Justice V. Parthiban said: “The ultimate aim of a court is to secure the ends of justice, and in case the court finds that an order has been passed without following the principles of natural justice, affecting the life and liberty of the citizens of this country, the court has to live up to the expectation of the citizens than shield itself by holding on to its judgment as if the verdict was infallible even in the face of the mandatory and procedural violation and constitutional infraction.”

Judgment recalled

The observations were made while recalling a judgment passed by the court on January 7, sentencing two individuals to two years imprisonment without affording them an opportunity of a hearing.

The issue relates to a cheque bounce case lodged by P. Murali against BMD Hotels and Resorts Private Limited and Airmedia Technologies in 2010. It was lodged against the managing director Nirmala Devi and another individual S. Bhaskar.

The court has to live up to the expectation of the citizens than shield itself by holding on to its judgment

Justice V. Parthiban

High airfares no bummer, flights fast-filling due to five-day weekend

TNN | Apr 13, 2019, 05.49 AM IST

CHENNAI: Airfares have shot up on domestic and international routes for travel early next week before start of the five-day extended weekend. One-way fare to other metros is in the range of Rs 6,000 to Rs 15,000 while the fare to Port Blair between Rs 5,000 and Rs 32,000 hinting at the popularity of the routes.

Fares on flights to destinations in the Middle East and southeast Asia are also high. A one-way trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi will cost Rs 50,000 while that to Singapore would range from Rs 18,000 to Rs 21,000. The one-way fare is usually Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Travel agents say rates are expected to increase further as seats are getting filled fast. As most people are planning domestic getaways, Delhi, Mumbai are popular routes in addition to tourist locations like Goa and Port Blair.

Basheer Ahmed of Metro Travels said fares were already on the higher side because of summer holidays. “More demand because of the long weekend has led to a further increase,” he added. Fares on Chennai-Mumbai route is high because many people are traveling to the city to board cruises, he said. The city is also a gateway for international travel.

The fare is comparatively low for travel from Saturday (April 20).

Rajeev Kale, president & country head, holidays, MICE, Visas- Thomas Cook India, said, “Our holiday demand is up by more than 35% for the Easter weekend.” Thomas Cook has also introduced an election discount offer to encourage people to vote and travel for the holidays. “Several of our customers have planned to take the break post voting in Tamil Nadu, he added.

Daniel D’souza, president and country head, leisure, SOTC Travel, said, “Short-haul destinations like Singapore, Thailand and Maldives are popular. Destinations with visa-on-arrival facilities, and accommodation are also factors contributing to the growing demand for weekend travel”.

Basheer Ahmed said airlines and countries in the Middle East are giving offers like transit and other benefits to attract passengers which have also caused the fare hike. Though there is a DGCA instruction that fares should not cross Rs 10,000 for domestic travel, they are not able to control it during peak travel season.

Madras HC recalls own order, says has to hear both sides

TNN | Apr 13, 2019, 07.45 AM IST

CHENNAI: Setting a significant precedent, the Madras high court has recalled its earlier order passed in a criminal appeal under Negotiable Instruments Act, in spite of the prohibition under Section 362 of CrPC, restraining criminal courts from altering or reviewing a judgment once the case is disposed of.

Justice V Parthiban passed the order on Friday primarily on the ground on January 21 the court set aside the acquittal order of a sessions court was pronounced without hearing the accused.

The issue pertains to appeals moved by BMD Hotels and Resorts Pvt Ltd and Airmedia Technologies Chennai Pvt Ltd against the order passed by the V additional sessions judge, Chennai dated July 27, 2018 acquitting the accused P Murali and others in the cheque bounce cases. Leave to move the appeals were granted by the high court on September 3, 2018. However, during the entire hearing the accused failed to appear or represent him through a counsel. The court then reserved its order on the appeal and pronounced orders on January 21, 2019. Two months after the order was passed, the accused sought recall of the order saying it had been passed without hearing them. They also contended that they had no knowledge about the appeal, as notices were never served to them.

Allowing thier pleas, Justice Parthiban directed the registry to list the original appeal before the appropriate judge for fresh hearing.

Bank employees are not government servants, rules Madras high court

TNN | Apr 13, 2019, 07.30 AM IST

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has made it clear that employees of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and any other similarly-placed institutions cannot claim themselves as ‘government servants’.

“It is true that RBI is a state within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution. Even then it cannot be said its employees are all regular government employees,” a division bench of Justice KK Sasidharan and Justice PD Audikesavalu said.

The bench made the observation on an appeal moved by E Manoj Kumar, who was selected for the post of DSP by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) but subsequently his selection was withheld on the ground that he suppressed the fact that he is a government employee in the application. Manoj was employed with the RBI.

Challenging the decision he moved the high court. However, a single judge of the court dismissed his plea on the ground that the instruction to the candidates contain not only the government service but also all other services and as such, the non-disclosure of the bank service would amount to suppression of material information attracting disqualification.

Aggrieved, the petitioner had preferred the present appeal.

Allowing the appeal, the bench said, “The appellant very correctly indicated that he is not a government employee. However, his candidature was rejected. The other local body employees and bank employees who have recorded as if they belong to government service were not subjected to any such disqualification. If we go by the tenor of the question — Are you a government employee? — bank employees, who are claiming that they are government employees, would suffer disqualification, as they have given a wrong statement.”

This apart, the appellant has many first on his credit. Even the entry in question was correctly filled by the appellant.

He was not responsible for the preparation of an incorrect questionnaire by the TNPSC. “We are, therefore, of the view that the appellant must succeed,” the bench said.

The court then set aside the order passed by the single judge dated March 26 and directed the TNPSC to forward the name of the appellant to the government for taking further action to give him order of appointment.

Such exercise shall be completed within one week, the court said.

Chennai: MMC develops two potential anti-tuberculosis drugs, awaits patent

TNN | Apr 13, 2019, 08.01 AM IST

CHENNAI: Two drug formulations developed in Madras Medical College have shown promise to effectively control tuberculosis bacteria in petridishes in laboratory conditions. Patents have been filed for the two novel synthetic molecules developed by the College of Pharmacy, Madras Medical College principal A Jerad Suresh said.

India accounts for one fourth of the global TB incidence. In 2015, an estimated 28 lakh cases occurred and 4.8 lakh people died due to TB. “We hope the new formulations will be more effective than the existing combination. But it has to undergo several phases of trials, including ones on animal and humans, before it can be used on patients. If that happens, it may lead to solutions for drug resistant strains of TB,” he said, refusing to give more details about the molecules.

As a broader step, the college has decided to apply to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) seeking permission for mass production of drugs, particularly the antimicrobial solutions it has been producing on campus.

With an estimated saving of more than Rs 32.08 lakh per year for just one hospital, the college has convinced the state health department that it will be able to help all government hospitals to substantially cut down on cost of hand sanitizers. “We are strengthening our infrastructure and human resources for mass production. Eventually, we can also build capacity to manufacture drugs based on need,” said hospital dean Dr R Jayanthi.

So far, medical products – medicines, equipment and disposables – for government primary health centres, secondary and tertiary care medical college hospitals is sourced through the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation. The corporation purchases generic drugs from lowest bidder from across the country. The Amma Pharmacies sell quality medicines at “fair price” to people. With drug licences, the state can produce its own quality medicines to bring down the cost further.

In February, the college launched the antiseptic solution it had developed for use in hospital and college for Rs 82 for a 500ml bottle compared to the average cost of Rs 341 when purchased from the open market. The hospital, on an average uses at least 1,000 bottles of the solution every month. “We tested it in the labs and found the solution effective. We have asked doctors, nurses and paramedical staff to use them liberally. The feedback about its quality has been very good,” said Dr Jayanthi.

One the college has the licence, it will also be eligible to bid for tenders with the medical service corporation, he said.

Workers must get compensation for internal injuries too, rules Madras HC

TOI | Apr 14, 2019, 04.17 AM IST

TNN

Chennai: Noting that Employees State Insurance (ESI) Act speaks of only 11 external injuries eligible for compenstaion, Madras high court has asked the Centre to bring necessary amendments to include injuries to internal organs like kidneys, lungs, liver, etc., as scheduled injuries.

Justice N Kirubakaran was issuing the direction on a petition filed by a factory worker who in the year 2000 suffered injuries in a fall during work, but was denied compensation stating that loss of one kidney was not a disability.

S Senthil of Villupuram district had a fall while fitting pipes inside a factory in July 2000. Having suffered injuries on his abdomen region, he underwent surgery and his left kidney had to be removed. Contending that his earning capacity has been lost, he sought compensation under Workmen’s Compensation Act before the competent commissioner. It was, however rejected in 2009 on the ground that damages for injury could not be claimed before the workmen’s compensation authority.

Thereafter he approached regional director of ESI Corporation and applied for accident benefits for permanent disability suffered by him. Citing an hospital report that the disability suffered by the workman is nil, the official rejected the claim, prompting Senthil to move the ESI court. It awarded Rs 2 lakh as compensation towards loss of one kidney, mental agony and pain and sufferings. Assailing it, the ESIC filed the present appeal in the high court.

Justice Kirubakaran, rejecting the appeal, pointed out that the ESI court had awarded Rs 2 lakh on the grounds of equity, and added: “The sum of Rs 2 lakh awarded on equity is deleted, as this court awards Rs 2.15 lakh towards compensation, treating the loss of a kidney as “permanent partial disablement”.

Justice Kirubakaran cited ILO data that there were out of 405 million workers in India, of which 121 million were casual workers, and said: “When such is the number of workers employed in India, they are bound to suffer injuries both external and internal injuries in the course of employment. Therefore, the Government has to take into consideration the same and amend the Employees's State Insurance Act as well as the Employees's Compensation Act, 1923, to cover even internal injuries, as it has not been defined so far.”

‘Scientists in top institutions should become entrepreneurs’

TNN | Apr 14, 2019, 04.17 AM IST

Chennai: Calling for entrepreneurship among faculty members in top research and educational institutions, professor K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific adviser to government of India, said, “We need more entrepreneurs who are full-time scientists.” He made these while speaking at IIT-Madras on Saturday.

The final presentation of I-NCUBATE, a programme which helps commercialise technical ideas, was held on Saturday where nine student teams working on deep-tech ideas, including healthcare, environment, logistics and building materials, presented their experience in commercialising technology ideas. After witnessing their presentation, Vijay Raghavan said, “Though a large number of students are willing to risk everything to become entrepreneurs, people mentoring them are relatively small in number. The best scientists and Nobel Laureates world over own companies.” “We need to include entrepreneurship into the institutional structure,” he added. He added that the distinction between quality academic and entrepreneur has disappeared.

Stressing the need to come up with solutions for relevant issues, he said, “It is exciting to come up with new solutions to imaginative problems. In addition to imaginative solutions, we also need to come out with solutions to issues that are relevant.”

IIT-Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi and others spoke at the event.

Tamil New Year weekend marred after several trains are cancelled

TNN | Apr 14, 2019, 06.10 AM IST

CHENNAI: It’s going to be a bitter Tamil New Year for passengers who had planned their holidays this weekend, nearly four months in advance, to places like Jolarpet, Coimbatore, Kerala or Bengaluru because of work undertaken by the Southern Railway.

Around 16 mail and express trains and an equal number of passenger trains have been cancelled on April 13 and 14 alone.

The Southern Railway commenced commissioning of the Arakkonam-Takkolam detour line. This line will link Chengalpet to Arakkonam. However, to commission and link it to the Arakkonam-Jolarpet line, rail traffic has to be disrupted for four to five days. Since Arakkonam is an important junction with trains bound for Salem, Coimbatore, Bengaluru and Kerala from Chennai passing through it, those who travel weekly between Bangaluru and Chennai will also be affected. This disruption has also resulted in delays on the section.

Many who were due to travel on the Shatabdi Express to Bengaluru on Saturday and Sunday were unsure if the train was running. Two Shatabdi Express trains are operated from Chennai. Similarly, two in the return direction are also operated. Both trains from Bengaluru on April 14 have been cancelled . “I didn’t know if my train on Saturday evening was going to run. I had no option as I had an important family function to attend. Thankfully, the Shatabdi was operating,” said S Archana, who lives in Bengaluru and works in Chennai.

Apart from holidayers, the cancellations put several passengers in a spot. D Gautham, a senior citizen, who underwent a surgery in Nellore was caught in a quandary. He had booked a Shatabdi from Bengaluru to Chennai. Though the train to Nellore from Chennai was running, but the one to Bengaluru was cancelled. Despite complaining to the railways, he did not get a positive response.

Other passengers were informed that their trains would operate only till Katpadi. “I did not know how to reach Chennai. As the EMU and MEMU services were also cancelled, I had to take the costly bus service,” said K Mahesh, 47.

A senior railway official said regular announcements were made at all stations to inform passengers. SMSes were also sent out to reserved ticket holders a month ago. “We had also issued press releases,” the official said.

Monkeys too have noble feelings

times of india 14.04.2019

Is man the only animal capable of noble feelings like empathy and morality? Social scientists think so, but primatologist Frans de Waal, who wrote the book ‘Are We Smart Enough To Know How Smart Animals Are?’ disagrees.

He says we aren’t fundamentally different from other animals “because there is no part of the human brain that is not present in a monkey’s brain.” So, how did the idea of human exceptionalism arise?

De Waal says it’s a result of the Christian belief that humans have souls but animals don’t. And Christianity probably got that idea because it arose in a desert environment where humans lived with camels, goats, snakes and scorpions, but no primates. “Of course, you then conclude that we are totally different from the rest of the animal kingdom because we don’t have primates with whom to compare ourselves.”

As to why social scientists also cling to this belief, de Waal says the social sciences are strongly influenced by religion. “But the average biologist believes that everything is continuous. We know that plants have DNA and humans have DNA, so we see that all of us are totally connected.”

The belief that only humans have a sense of the past and the future is also a myth, says de Waal. In a Swiss zoo, orangutans showed the ability to plan for the future. Their cage had a skylight, which they slyly dismantled. “That way they could spend summer nights on the roof of their building. Then in the morning, before the caretakers came back, they would go back in the cage and put the skylight precisely back together.”

Chimps also care for others, it seems. In one experiment, they picked tokens that brought a reward to them as well as their partner, rather than a token that only rewarded them. In another case, younger chimps used to bring water to an arthritic female chimpanzee, and helped her up a climbing frame.

For more: Nautilus


APING THE APES: The human brain has more processing power, but it is basically the same as a primate brain

Here, women lose sleep over a bucket of water

Village women living in four parched hamlets of Nashik district have to make midnight treks to their only source of water. Sometimes, a few litres take all night

Aditya.Waikul@timesgroup.com

times of india 14.04.2019

Life has been a series of miserable summers for Paribai Waghmare. The 55-year-old hasn’t had a proper night’s sleep ever since she got married 30 years ago and moved to Mahismal, a hamlet in Maharashtra’s Nashik district. Every day is a punishing 2km trek through dirt and dry brush to a pit in which groundwater collects to form a pool. She fills about 10 litres in her steel vessels. After that, it’s an uphill haul home on foot. Sometimes, the expedition can take as much as five hours.

The waterhole Paribai frequents is called Karakalicha Nala — a remnant of what was once a stream. What’s visible today is a tiny pool of water hidden by tree canopies that prevent excess evaporation — it’s this natural feature that makes the nala special as compared to fast-drying manmade wells.

From late evening to well past midnight, dozens of women from villages as far as 5km away turn up at this tiny pool for a long and despairing wait to fill a single bucket of water. Once empty, the pool takes hours to recharge. Through April, the waiting time at the queue is two hours. By May, a few litres could take all night.

The wait for water at Karakalicha Nala is fraught with risk. A large bonfire starts as soon as groups of women begin to arrive at the tiny pool. It’s meant to keep wild animals at bay. “There was a leopard attack here a few years ago,” says one villager.

Conversations around the blaze are friendly, almost festive. The women discuss TV shows, local gossip and a recent wedding. But they don’t discuss the drought. “What’s there to talk about? This is a daily thing for us,” says one woman.

By midnight, the nala goes dry. The women, who’ve waited nearly two hours, balance the filled vessels on their heads before the long walk uphill. One slip, and the family goes without water that day. “We will tells the others that the nala is dry. Once it slowly fills up again, more women will come,” says Ambibai Warade from Ghalvad village, about two hours’ walk from here. This was her third visit to the waterhole that day.

Mahismal, where Paribai lives, is home to 495 people. A tight cluster of 65 homes, this hamlet is one of four within Nashik district’s Surgana taluka that have, for decades, suffered debilitating water shortages. A glassful of water here is almost always shared between two or more people. Each home has a toilet, but no running water.

The conditions are equally bad in neighbouring Ghalvad, Shirish pada and Moranda — all a few kilometres apart from each other. Topography is their immediate enemy. Mahismal, Galwad, Shirish pada and Moranda are located on parched hilltops. For decades, residents have been pleading with the government to bring supply up to their homes, but like their water, infrastructure has been coming in trickles. Much of the villagers’ ire is directed at J P Gavit, seven-term MLA from Kalwan assembly constituency under which Mahismal falls. Gavit, who is fighting this election as the CPM candidate from the Dindori Lok Sabha seat, says he had sent a proposal to the state government and irrigation ministry last year. “The proposal includes construction of a small dam or lake, from where water will be lifted to a tank to be built on the hill but it is pending.” The four hamlets are ironically part of the rain-rich Ronghane gram panchayat, a network of 11 villages. The other seven, which are in the plains, don’t have to go thirsty.

Chintaman Gumbade, 50, a local police patil (a person appointed to work with government agencies, including the police) says, “These four villages have been cursed. The good rains we receive run off to the plains, we’re left with dust to breathe.” Gumbade says the water scarcity starts around December. “From then on, we race from one waterhole to another.”

Villagers can’t always wait for Karakalicha Nala to recharge. Another source is an almost dry, 25ft-deep manmade well in which government tankers empty water for the thirsty villagers on alternate days. Gumbade’s son Yuvraj demonstrates how they get to the small pool at the bottom. Using jagged edges of rocks and a rope, he goes down. The women lower buckets into the well for him to fill, and another man then hauls them up.

But most young men of Yuvraj’s age have left for daily-wage jobs in the city or the region’s famous vineyards. In most homes, the women look after the children and elderly as well as fetch water for the household. “For 30 years, all I have done is lift water, carry water and cook for the family. Generations of women before me have wasted their lives like this and even my children will suffer,” laments Paribai.

At the edge of the well, a little girl aged eight or nine is handed a small vessel of water to carry as she joins her mother and other women on their walk back home.




The drought in my life started the day I got married and came to Mahismal. For 30 years, all I have done is lift water, carry water and cook for the family

—PARIBAI WAGHMARE | 55

Construction in city slows as migrant workers leave for voting

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

Chennai:14.04.2019

Construction activities in and around Chennai have slowed down as migrant labours are visiting their hometowns to cast their votes. While the labourers are travelling home depending on the different phases of the election which take place in their states, it has delayed the progress in completing housing projects in the city.

Ajith Chauhan hailing from Varanasi, who is employed as a skilled labourer at a construction site in Okkiyampet at Thoraipakkam on Rajiv Gandhi Salai (Old Mahabalipuram Road), said a group of workers are travelling on May 1. "About 40-50 people among our peer group would be visiting Varanasi. The aim of the travel is to exercise our franchise on the polling day in our Parliamentary constituency, which is also clubbed with other social events on the following days," he said. The group is residing at Pattaravakkam near Ambattur.

This has reflected on the ongoing projects to a certain extent as the construction sector in the city largely depends on the migrant labours belonging to Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. Developers said that issue has cast a shadow on the industry and it is feeling the pinch. The Chennai chapter of Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI) vice president S Sridharan said there was a partial impact. "We are already facing it after 20 per cent workers from Andhra Pradesh left to their state for voting in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls on April 11. Now, it is the turn of labourers from West Bengal," he said. Lok Sabha elections are scheduled in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh in seven phases till May 19.

Though the elections would end in a day’s time, the labourers usually take more than a week to return from their hometowns. "If it is a week's time for those from Andhra , labourers from West Bengal would take ten to return. This apart, workers from parts of Tamil Nadu will move to their native places for voting on April 18," Sridharan said. Meanwhile, Flat Promoters Association, Chennai South, members said there would be a delay of 10 days in completing the projects. "It will only have a marginal impact," association president Thamil Selvan said.

A building under construction at OMR in Chennai

Udan: Flying to towns remains a non-starter

Flights Between City, Salem Only Active Service

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai 14.04.2019

Though Airports Authority of India(AAI) has readied Neyveli and Vellore airstrips for flight operations, the ministry is yet to decide on giving the go-ahead to airlines to begin flight opearations. Under the Udan scheme, the state has only a Chennai-Salem service. Flights are yet to begin services to Neyveli, Vellore, Hosur and Thanjavur which should have begun by now.

The ministry is delaying the decision because of the upcoming elections while flying to small towns on non-Udan flights introduced by IndiGo and Spicejet to destinations in other states has become expensive with fares higher than the metro routes.

"The airports are almost ready as basic facilities are in place. The airlines need to take a decision to bring in their staff and start services. The airlines which have won the bids are not ready to start operations while low cost carriers who are looking at routes to small towns have also not shown interest," said an official of Airports Authority of India (AAI).

This has prevented flight services from taking off within the state. Barring Salem and Tuticorin, there are no flights connecting small towns. The ministry of civil aviation was looking at boosting air connectivity by opening Neyveli, Vellore, Thanjavur, Hosur but without success. Air Odisha which got the routes to Neyveli is yet to start flights.

Air travel to Tuticorin and Salem continue to be expensive. A Chennai-Tuticorin fligh costs ₹3,000 to ₹3,350 even when booked a month in advance while the Chennai-Salem flight when booked in a month in advance costs ₹2,070. “There is demand for flights to smaller towns because people who are into trade and small industries prefer to return the same day than take a train. This sort pf demand is also pushing the fare higher than the rates stipulated for regional flights,” he added. Meanwhile, low cost carriers have started flights connecting Chennai with far off small towns in other states. These non-Udan flights continue to be expensive. A Chennai – Lucknow IndiGo flight in May is already selling at ₹4,300 which is more expensive than a Chennai-Delhi flight.

கோடை விடுமுறையை...

By முனைவர் ச. சுப்புரெத்தினம் | Published on : 12th April 2019 02:09 AM

 தேர்வுகள் முடிந்துவிட்டன. கோடையின் தாக்கம் நாளுக்கு நாள் தீவிரமடைந்து வருகிறது. தேர்வுக்குப் பிந்தைய விடுமுறை நாள்களை எப்படி மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் கொண்டாட வேண்டும் என்பதை நண்பர்களுடன் செல்லிடப்பேசி உரையாடல் மூலம் மாணவர்கள் தீர்மானித்து விடுகின்றனர். இத்தகைய தீர்மானங்கள் எல்லாம் பெற்றோரின் கவனத்துக்கு வந்தும், வராமலும் அரங்கேறி வருகின்றன.

இந்தத் தீர்மானங்கள் குறித்துப் பெற்றோர் கவனம் செலுத்தவேண்டும்.
தமது குழந்தை ஆணோ பெண்ணோ என எவரானாலும் தத்தம் நண்பர்களுடன் என்ன பேசிக் கொள்கிறார்கள் என்பதைப் பெற்றோர் கவனிப்பதில் தவறேதும் இல்லை. அவர்களை நல்வழிப்படுத்த வேண்டியது பெற்றோரின் கடமை. கோடை விடுமுறையை தங்களது வாரிசுகள் மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் கழிக்க பெற்றோர் உதவுவது அவசியம். பள்ளியின் நீண்ட விடுமுறை என்பதே மாணவர்கள் புத்துணர்ச்சி பெறுவதற்கும், ஆசிரியர்கள் புத்தாக்கம் பெறுவதற்கும்தான்.

கோடை விடுமுறையை மாணவர்கள் பெரும்பாலும் தன் பெற்றோர்களுடன் கழிக்குமாறு திட்டமிட வேண்டும். அதேபோல, தமது நம்பிக்கைக்கும் நெருங்கிய உறவுக்கும் பாத்திரமானவர்களுடன்  விடுமுறையைக் கழிக்க அனுப்புவதிலும் தவறில்லை. அவ்வாறு சென்றுதிரும்பும் பிள்ளைகளின் நடவடிக்கை மாறுதல்களிலிருந்தே, அவர்கள் சென்றுவந்த இடம் நல்ல இடமா, கெட்ட இடமா என்பது பற்றிப் புரிந்துவிடும். அதற்கேற்ப, பின்னர் நல்ல நிலைக்கு அல்லது அதைவிட மேல்நிலைக்கு பிள்ளைகளை மாற்றி வடிவமைத்து விடலாம்.

எந்த நல்ல நோக்கமும் இல்லாமல், தொழில் கற்றுக்கொள்ளச் சொல்வதோ, ஊதியத்துக்கு வேலைக்கு அனுப்புவதோ தேவையற்றது. ஏனெனில், இவை பருவகால விடுமுறைக்குப் பிந்தைய கல்வித் தொடர்பினைத் திசை திருப்பும் அல்லது துண்டித்துவிடும். மேலும், கோடைக்கால சிறப்பு வகுப்புகளுக்கு மாணவர்களை அனுப்புவது அவர்களுக்குத் தேவையற்ற மனச் சோர்வை ஏற்படுத்தும். மாறாக, தங்களது வாரிசுகளை கோடை சுற்றுலாத் தலங்களுக்கோ அல்லது வழிபாட்டுத் தலங்களுக்கோ பெற்றோர் அழைத்துச் சென்று புதிய அனுபவங்களையும், மகிழ்ச்சியையும் ஏற்படுத்தலாம். சர்க்கஸ், பொருட்காட்சிகளுக்கும் அழைத்துச் செல்லலாம்.

தங்கள் மூதாதையர் பிறந்த ஊருக்கு வாரிசுகளை அழைத்துச் செல்வதற்கு இன்றைய நகர பெற்றோருக்கு தயக்கம் ஏன்? கிராமத்துக்குச் சென்று பழைய உறவுகளைப் புதுப்பித்துக் கொண்டால், எல்லா வசதிகளுடன் நகரத்தில் வாழும் நமக்கு ஏதேனும் அவ்வப்போது இடையூறு நேர்ந்திடுமோ என்ற கவலைதான்.

மணற் சாலைகளாய் இருந்த முற்காலத்தில், பிள்ளைகள் எல்லோரும் காலையிலும், மாலையிலும் தெருக்களில் விளையாடி மகிழ்வார்கள். தார்ச் சாலைகளும், சிமெண்ட் சாலைகளும் பெருகிவிட்ட இக்காலத்தில், எவரும் தெருவில் விளையாடுவதில்லை. தொலைக்காட்சி பார்ப்பதிலும், செல்லிடப்பேசியைக் கையாள்வதிலும் முயன்று, வீட்டிலேயே முடங்கிப் போய்விடுகின்றனர். காய்ந்த வயல்வெளிகளிலும், ஆறுகளிலும், நகரத் திடல்களிலும் விளையாடுவோர் இதற்கு விதிவிலக்கு.

பதின்பருவத்தினரை அன்பு என்ற அங்குசத்தால் அடக்க முயலவேண்டுமே தவிர, அடக்குமுறை என்ற ஆயுதத்தால் அடிமைப்படுத்திவிடக் கூடாது. அவர்களின் அன்புக்கு உரியவர்களாக பெற்றோர் தங்களை ஆக்கிக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். அந்த ஆக்கத்திற்காக ஆகும் செலவினங்களைப் பொருட்படுத்தக் கூடாது. பணியாளர்களாகவோ, ஊழியர்களாகவோ, அலுவலர்களாகவோ, சமூக சேவகர்களாகவோ இருப்பவர்கள், தங்களது சேவைகளுக்குச் சற்று இடைவெளி விட்டு தங்களது பிள்ளைகளுடன் விடுமுறையை மகிழ்ச்சியாகக் கொண்டாட வேண்டும்.

பெற்றோர்க்கு அடங்காமல் இருப்பதை திரைப்படம், தொலைக்காட்சி, சமூக வலைத்தளங்களிலிருந்து மாணவர்கள் எளிதில் கற்றுக் கொள்கின்றனர். இதனைத் தடுக்கும் முயற்சியில் ஈடுபட்டு வெற்றி காணக் கூடிய திறன் இருவருக்கு உண்டு. ஒன்று பெற்றோர், மற்றொன்று ஆசிரியர். கோடை விடுமுறையில் ஆசிரியர்களின் கட்டுப்பாட்டிலிருந்து தற்காலிகமாக விலகியிருக்கும் மாணவர்களை, தங்களது அன்பு என்ற அரணுக்குள் பெற்றோர் கொண்டுவந்துவிட வேண்டும். தேர்வெழுதிவிட்டுக் கோடைவிடுமுறையில் வீட்டிலிருக்கும் பிள்ளைகளை அரவணைத்துப் பேசும் பண்பு பெற்றோருக்கு வேண்டும். ஒரு தேர்வு சரியாகச் செய்யப்படவில்லையெனில், அதற்காகப் பல நாள்கள் பேசிப் புண்படுத்துவது அவர்களின் தன்னம்பிக்கையைச் சிதைத்து விடும். தவறு செய்திருந்தாலும், அவர்களைத் தேற்றித் தம் அன்பை வெளிப்படுத்தும் பெற்றோரிடம் பெட்டிப் பாம்பாய் அடங்கிவிடுவர் பிள்ளைகள். இதனால், தற்கொலை முயற்சிகள் தவிர்க்கப்படும். பெற்றோருக்குத் தெரியாமல் மாணவர்கள் செய்ய முற்படும் தவறான கேளிக்கை முயற்சிகளும் கைவிடப்படும்.

பெரும்பாலான கலை விழாக்களும், திருவிழாக்களும் கோடைக் காலங்களில்தான் நமது மண்ணில் நிகழ்கின்றன. அத்தகைய சிறப்புடைய கோடைக்காலத்தில் மாணவர்களுக்கு விடப்படும் கோடை விடுமுறையை அனைவரும் கோடைத் திருவிழாவாகக் கொண்டாட வேண்டும்.
கோடை விடுமுறைக்குப் பிந்தைய வரும் கல்வியாண்டு பெற்றோருக்கும், அவர்களது வாரிசுகளுக்கும் மகிழ்ச்சி மிக்கதாகவும் ஆக்கமுறையிலானதாகவும் இருக்கப் போவது உறுதி.

அரசு டாக்டர்கள் ஆதரவு யாருக்கு?

Added : ஏப் 11, 2019 22:05


'தமிழக அரசு தெரிவிக்கும் முடிவை பொறுத்தே, யாருக்கு ஆதரவு என, தீர்மானிப்போம்' என, தமிழக அரசு டாக்டர்கள் சங்கத்தினர் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர். தமிழகம் முழுவதும், அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில், 20 ஆயிரத்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட டாக்டர்கள் பணியாற்றி வருகின்றனர். இவர்கள், 'தகுதிக்கேற்ற ஊதியம் வேண்டும்' என்பது உட்பட, பல்வேறு கோரிக்கைகளை வலியுறுத்தி, போராட்டங்களில் ஈடுபட்டனர். இவர்களுடன் பேச்சு நடத்திய அரசு, விரைவில் கோரிக்கையை நிறைவேற்றுவ தாக உறுதி அளித்தது.காலங்கள் கடந்தும் பலன் கிடைக்காததால், அரசு டாக்டர்கள், நீதிமன்றம் சென்றனர்.
மதுரை உயர் நீதிமன்ற கிளையில், வழக்கு நடந்து வருகிறது. இவ்வழக்கு, வரும், 15ம் தேதி விசாரணைக்கு வருகிறது.இதுகுறித்து, அனைத்து அரசு மருத்துவர்கள் கூட்டமைப்பு நிர்வாகிகள் கூறியதாவது:'தேர்தல் நடத்தை விதிகள் அமலில் இருந்தாலும், அரசு டாக்டர்களின் கோரிக்கைகள் தொடர்பான நிலைப்பாட்டை, வரும், 15ம் தேதி, அரசு தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும்' என, நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

எங்களுக்கு சம்பள உயர்வு வழங்கினால், ஆண்டுக்கு கூடுதலாக, 200 கோடி ரூபாய் தான் செலவாகும். அரசு நல்ல முடிவை தெரிவிக்கும் என்று நம்புகிறோம். அரசு எடுக்கும் முடிவுக்கேற்ப, தேர்தலில் யாருக்கு ஆதரவு என்பதை தீர்மானிப்போம்.இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

TN law colleges have no ST professor

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

PublishedApr 11, 2019, 1:24 am IST

HC shocked as there has been no appointment in last 72 yrs.

Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar law university

Chennai: Appalled over the non-appointment of Scheduled Tribe candidate as law professor in Tamil Nadu law colleges and Dr.Ambedkar Law University across the state for the past 72 years under the Rule of Reservation, the Madras high court has said, “It is disheartening to record that the University authorities including the Syndicate failed to notice that not even a single Scheduled Tribe Candidate is appointed as Law Professor across the state after independence.

The attitudinal mindset explicitly portrays the insensitiveness on the part of the competent authorities. The Constitutional mandate of reaching the goal of social justice is undoubtedly lacking on account of the erroneous implementation of the Rule of Reservation”.

Justice S. M. Subramaniam further said the Law University in the State of Tamil Nadu is named as Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Law University, the Founder of Indian Constitution. But, unfortunately, the University as well as the Government of Tamil Nadu has not appointed one Scheduled Tribe candidate as Law Professor for the past 72 years, the judge added.

Allowing petitions from two aspiring Scheduled Tribe candidates to the post of Assistant Professors, the judge said the state authorities have improperly implemented the Rule of Reservation. The executives of the law departments and director of legal studies as well as the Minister have not noticed the crude fact that not even one Scheduled Tribe candidate was appointed in government law colleges and Law University in free India. The Law Minister of the State of Tamil Nadu has to take serious note of this and initiate appropriate action at the governmental level to ensure that the Rule of Reservation was followed by the authorities as per the statutes and the Constitutional mandates. “Political parties across the country claim that they are the Messiah for the poor, downtrodden and depressed class communities. Though 72 years lapsed after independence and several parties ruled the State of Tamil Nadu, not even one Scheduled Tribe candidate

is appointed as Law Professor, despite the fact that the elected government is interested in naming   the law university and other various institutions in the name of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar”, the judge added.

The judge said the government of Tamil Nadu was providing appointments in certain special cases. The decision at the administrative level was taken in this regard, considering certain extraordinary circumstances, warranting actions. Similarly, while implementing the subject wise Reservations in appointments of teaching faculty in law colleges, the government was duty bound to review the 200 point roster system and its workability, more specifically, during the implementation of 200 point roster system.

In other words, while following the subject wise appointments with reference to the rule of reservations, the workability of 200 point roster system and the hardship, if any caused and the implications in the rule of reservations, more specifically, to the oppressed class people were to be taken note of by the competent authorities. A workable solution was highly warranted, so as to ensure that adequate representations were provided to the oppressed and depressed class citizen, who all were aspiring to secure public employment as per the rule of reservation with reference to the statutes and the Constitution of India.

Sex on promise to marry is rape: Supreme Court

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J. VENKATESAN

Published

Apr 12, 2019, 12:35 am IST

Justice Shah said that such incidents are on the increase nowadays and that these are offences against society.

New Delhi: In a significant verdict the Supreme Court has held that a person having sex with a woman on the promise of marrying her will amount to rape and her consent will be of no consequence as it is obtained by fraud.

Giving this ruling, a Bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and M.R. Shah said this kind of consent obtained by the accused cannot be said to be any consent because she was under the misconception that the accused intends to marry her, therefore, she submitted to sexual intercourse with him. This kind of consent taken by the accused with clear intention not to fulfil the promise and persuading the girl to believe that he is going to marry her and obtained her consent for the sexual intercourse under total misconception cannot be treated as consent.

Writing the judgment, Justice Shah said that such incidents are on the increase nowadays and that these are offences against society.

“Rape is the most morally and physically reprehensible crime in a society, an assault on the body, mind and privacy of the victim. As observed by this court in a catena of decisions, while a murderer destroys the physical frame of the victim, a rapist degrades and defiles the soul of a helpless female,” the Supreme Court observed.

The Bench, slapping a seven-year imprisonment on the appellant doctor Anurag Soni, said rape reduces a woman to an animal as it shakes the very core of her life. “By no means can a rape victim be called an accomplice. Rape leaves a permanent scar on the life of the victim. Rape is a crime against the entire society and violates the human rights of the victim. Being the most hated crime, rape is tantamount to a serious blow to the supreme honour of a woman, and offends both her esteem and dignity,” the court said.

Pharmacist stabbed to death inside hospital in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga

S Tamil Selvan, who worked as a pharmacist, allegedely had an affair with the accused's mother.

Published: 11th April 2019 02:34 AM

By Express News Service

SIVAGANGA: A youth was arrested on Wednesday on the charge of stabbing a man to death inside Government Medical College in Sivaganga. The deceased, identified as S Tamil Selvan (40) was working as a temporary pharmacist there. Police said Tamil Selvan befriended the youth’s mother and their friendship developed into an affair. A month ago, the two reportedly went missing from their respective houses for some days.


When the youth phoned Tamil Selvan, he allegedly told the youth to look for her in other places “as she might have been eloped with someone else”. Irked over the reply, the youth went to hospital and stabbed Tamil Selvan with a knife on his chest and stomach multiple times. Tamil Selvam died on the spot.

Tamil Nadu: Ex-MP’s son who now lives on the street

65-year-old S Balu, son of former DMK MP SK Sambandan says that he regrets that his fathermade no money from politics.

Published: 12th April 2019 03:36 AM 

S Balu, son of former DMK MP SK Sambandan |

By Samuel Merigala & S Kumaresan

Express News Service

CHENNAI : Wearing a dirty pair of shorts and a shirt that has seen better days, 65-year-old S Balu sits at a bus stop in Adambakkam. Balu looks like one of the many impoverished destitute people we come across on roads everyday. There is just one difference. Balu’s father was an MP and a four-time Member of the Legislative Council.

SK Sambandhan, Balu’s father, won the 1967 parliamentary elections on a DMK ticket from Tiruttani. Before that he was a Congress MLC. “I have visited Delhi several times with my family, when my father was an MP,” says Balu. “Now, I live on the streets.

I eat from Amma Canteen nearby, with the little money my friends give me.” Balu used to work as a driver and live with his family till he suffered a paralytic attack. Now he has no job, no money or family. “They all left me when they realised I couldn’t support them anymore,”says Balu.


‘I regret my dad made no money from politics’

“I used to live in a private home till three years back. But after they shifted to a new place, which is not accessible for me due to my paralysis, I decided to stay on the streets.”Balu claims that his father, during his good days, was approached by several businessmen from across the country to strike deals. “My father never knew how to take bribes. He gave the little money he got as kickbacks to the party. I know this because I used to drive him around Chennai,”alleges Balu.

Balu claims his father’s political career came to an end following a dispute with the newly elected DMK president M Karunanidhi. In 1971 elections, the Tiruttani seat was given to Congress as it was in alliance with the DMK “My father said things he could not take back,” says Balu.

“Following this, probably as a consequence, our rice mills in Kurinchipadi were shut down. My father eventually left the party. He failed to make money in his political career. At least I should have been smart and established myself,” chuckles Balu.

“In fact, my father got a ‘second chance’ at politics through former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran.”

“He had quit from DMK and was forming his own party. But my father did not realise MGR’s potential and refused to join him, though he was promised a Cabinet post,” alleges Balu.“I don’t blame my father or hate him for my current situation. But if I could go back in time, I would have persuaded him to make money for ourselves,” says Balu, before walking away with his meagre worldly belongings to the Amma canteen for his first meal of the day.

Kilpauk Medical College Hospital to get laminar flow cabinet for better treatment of burn victims

With a total cost of Rs 2 crores, the work will begin post-elections.

Published: 12th April 2019 04:57 AM

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI : To increase the survival rate of patients with burn injuries due to infections, the Burns Department at Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH) here is to set up a laminar flow cabinet system at a total cost of Rs 2 crore. Laminar flow cabinet system is a hi-tech set up that filters all micro-organisms in the air including bacteria. The system is mainly used in operation theatres. However, KMCH is to set up such system in each of the beds in Burns Ward.

Burn injury patients are prone to septicemia, infection, which mainly spread through air, and spread from one patient to another thus proving fatal for a majority of patients. To increase the survival rate of these victims, the hospital proposed to set up the system, said P Vasanthamani, KMCH’s Dean.

“This system will have air coolers and air filters. There will be one patient in one cubicle. Air that will flow in each of these cubicles, will get filtered of contamination and will be released into the environment after purification. Since each patient will have separate cubicle, chances of infection spreading will be prevented,” said V Ramadevi, Head of Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery department.


“Of the total burns cases annually, five per cent die due to septicemia. These deaths can be prevented once the system is installed, “she added. It may be noted that the hospital’s Burns Department is the only centre in South India for specialised treatment of acid and burn injuries.

‘Dead’ widow in Chennai wants benefits from Railways

Her husband had declared her dead in his employment records and entered the name of another woman as his wife.

Published: 12th April 2019 05:01 AM |

By Harish Murali

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A 58-year-old widow of a railway employee is now running from pillar to post after she found that her husband had declared her dead in his employment records and entered the name of another woman as his wife. Jamila Beevi of Kodungaiyur has now knocked the doors of Chennai district legal services authority in the hope that she will get the benefits from the railways for her or employment in railways on compassionate grounds for her son.

Speaking to Express, she said said, “I married him in 1970 amidst stiff opposition from my family members. But after living with me for 22 years, he deserted me in 1992.” The reason for the opposition was the man she fell in love with was a Hindu, named L Babu and working as a gangman in railways.

But 22 years later, she said Babu deserted her and since then she was living with her son alone and managed from the income she earned doing odd jobs. When Babu died last year, after an accident in 2013, Jamila Beevi thought that at least she can avail the benefits due for the family of a deceased employee or get employment for her son Mohammed Ali in the railways.


Beevi was in a shock when railway officials informed her that Babu had submitted a death certificate of Beevi in 2003 and subsequently submitted that he had married another woman named Lalitha Devi.
Railway officials enquired with Devi and had withheld the benefits due to confusion caused. I Jayanthi, secretary of the district legal services authority, said the death certificate of Beevi was issued by Tiruvallur Revenue officials. “I have written to the revenue officials to look into the matter,” she told Express.

Lalitha Devi also accompanied Jamila Beevi to the legal aid office on Thursday and she said since she did not have a child she too wanted to help Mohammed Ali to get a job in railways on compassionate grounds.

Mohammed Ali said, “My father was bedridden for the past five years due to the accident that occurred in 2013 while he was inspecting the tracks. He lost his legs and eventually died in 2018 when he was still with her.” Ali said they were aware that his father Babu was living with Devi, but not the fact he had entered in the records that Jamila Beevi was dead and that he had remarried.

A teacher drives students to keep them in govt. school

S.P. Saravanan

ERODE, APRIL 11, 2019 00:00 IST

Students of Panchayat Union Primary School at Vellode Kuttapalayam in Erode being transported to school in the teacher’s vehicle.

M.GOVARTHANM_GOVARTHAN

He has been doing it for almost a year now

D. Ramasamy, a teacher at the Panchayat Union Primary School at Vellode Kuttapalayam in Chennimalai Union, has been driving 22 students to the school every day in his omni vehicle in two trips, for almost a year now. The fuel cost works out to Rs. 3,000 a month and this is borne by Mr. Ramasamy and the headmistress of the school P. Thilagavathi.

This is the first time a government school has offered transportation free of cost to its students. This move has helped the school get more students.

Located two kilometres outside Vellode, the school was started almost 90 years ago and the strength grew over the years. However, admissions started to drop after two private schools were started at Vellode in 2010. Currently, 25 students are studying in Classes I to V at the Government school and Mr. Ramasamy and Ms. Thilagavathi focus on identifying the individual skills in students, developing it.

They teach yoga and activity-based learning, apart from the regular curriculum. Yet, last year the school strength was very poor and the teachers decided to leave no stone unturned while seeking admissions.

Ms. Thilagavathi explains that most of the parents were labourers and they are ready to send their wards to private schools that offered free transportation and pick up at door step.

“The only available government bus reaches the village by 10.15 a.m. So, we had no option but to arrange transportation to get the students enrolled with us,” she said. Parents were convinced and 10 admissions were made, including four students from private school, last year when they offered free transport.

“I have to pick up the children and drop them in the evening after school hours. When I am on leave, I still drive them without arranging for alternative driver to ensure their protection,” says Mr. Ramasamy.

A villager Marimuthu (55) said that this is the first time that free transportation is offered by government school to improve the admission.

Students say they are trained in yoga, gardening, sports, reading both Tamil and English newspapers and on extra-curricular activities.

“Activities helps them to compete with other school students and enhance their skills,” said Ms. Thilagavathi.They plan to highlight the activities of students and get more admissions next academic year.

போதைப்பொருள் பயன்படுத்தியதாக 19 மாணவர்கள் சஸ்பெண்டு! - தஞ்சை மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி அதிர்ச்சி
கே.குணசீலன் Follow

ம.அரவிந்த் Follow

தஞ்சாவூர் மருத்துவக் கல்லூரியில் போதைப் பொருள்கள் பயன்படுத்தியதாகவும், வைத்திருந்ததாகவும் கூறி பயிற்சி டாக்டர்கள் மற்றும் மருத்துவ மாணவர்கள் உட்பட 19 பேரை சஸ்பெண்டு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது பெரும் அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.


தஞ்சாவூர் மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனை மிகவும் பழைமையான கல்லூரிகளில் ஒன்றாகும். இந்த மருத்துவக் கல்லூரியில் மருத்துவ படிப்பை பல்வேறு மாநிலங்களில் உள்ள ஏராளமான மாணவர்கள் இங்குள்ள விடுதியில் தங்கி படித்து வருகின்றனர். மேலும், தினமும் சுற்றுவட்டார மாவட்டங்களில் இருந்து ஏராளமான ஏழை நோயாளிகள் இங்கு சிகிச்சைக்காக வந்து செல்கின்றனர்.

மேலும், எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., முதுநிலைப் பட்டப்படிப்புகள் மற்றும் செவிலியப் படிப்புகளும் உள்ளன. பெரும்பாலும் இங்கு படிப்பவர்கள், பயிற்சி பெறுபவர்கள் வளாகத்தில் உள்ள சுமார் 8 விடுதிகளில் தங்கிதான் பணிகளை மேற்கொள்வர். இதில், சுமார் ஏறத்தாழ 900 மாணவ, மாணவிகள் படித்து வருவதாகவும் சொல்லப்படுகிறது.


இந்த நிலையில், இங்கு படிக்கும் மாணவர்கள் இடையே அடிக்கடி தகராறு ஏற்பட்டதாகத் தெரிகிறது. மேலும், அவர்கள் பல ஒழுங்கீன நடவடிக்கையில் ஈடுபடுவதாக கல்லூரி நிர்வாகத்துக்கு புகார் வந்தது. இதையடுத்து, கல்லூரி நிர்வாகம் இன்று திடீரென விடுதியில் சோதனை நடத்தியது. அப்போது மது, கஞ்சா போன்ற போதைப்பொருள்களை மாணவர்கள் வைத்திருந்தது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது.

பிறகு இதற்கு காரணமான இளநிலை மருத்துவம் நான்காம் ஆண்டு பயிலும் 4 மாணவர்கள், 5 பயிற்சி மருத்துவர்கள் உட்பட மொத்தம் 19 மாணவர்கள் சஸ்பெண்டு செய்யப்பட்டனர்.

`மருத்துவக் கல்லூரியில் ஒழுங்கான சிகிச்சை அளிக்கப்படுவதில்லை. பெரும்பாலும் பயிற்சி மருத்துவர்களே சிகிச்சை அளிக்கிறார்கள்' எனப் புகார் கூறப்பட்டு வந்தநிலையில் பயிற்சி டாக்டர்களே போதைப்பொருள் பயன்படுத்தியதாக சஸ்பெண்டு செய்யப்பட்டிருப்பது பெரும் அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி நிர்வாகத்தினர் கூறுகையில், ``விடுதியில் மாணவர்கள் சிலர் தொடர்ந்து ஒழுங்கீன நடவடிக்கையில் ஈடுபட்டு வந்தனர். தொடர்ச்சியாக மது அருந்தியதோடு தகராறிலும் ஈடுபட்டனர். அவர்களை 3 முறை எச்சரிக்கை செய்தும் கேட்காமல் தொடர்ந்து ஒழுங்கீன நடவடிக்கையில் ஈடுபட்டனர். இதுதொடர்பாக கல்லூரியில் ஆலோசனைக் குழுக் கூட்டம் நடைபெற்றது. இதில், எடுக்கப்பட்ட முடிவின்படி 19 பேரை 3 முதல் 6 மாதம் வரை சஸ்பெண்டு செய்ய முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டது. அவர்கள் கல்லூரிக்கும், விடுதிக்கும் இந்தக் காலகட்டத்தில் வரக்கூடாது'' என தெரிவித்தனர்.

19 Thanjavur medical college students placed under suspension

R. RajaramTiruchi

APRIL 10, 2019 21:14 IST

Nineteen male medical students of Thanjavur Medical College have been placed under suspension for six months for displaying indiscipline in the hostel under the influence of alcohol. The stern action was taken by the College Council comprising of the Dean, Professors, heads of various departments, Chief Warden and Deputy Warden besides Academic Officer.

The suspended students comprising II-year and final year students and House Surgeons had repeatedly been warned earlier. They were placed under suspension for having indulged in a group clash under the influence of alcohol, said the college authorities.

A group of 13 students had clashed under the influence of alcohol during the hostel day event a couple of months ago necessitating an inquiry. Thereafter, another group of six students were suspended for a similar act of indiscipline under the influence of alcohol, and indulging in vandalism. The students had damaged hostel properties, the authorities said.

Based on the inquiry report, a meeting of the College Council was convened on Tuesday and it was decided to place the 19 students under suspension for a period of six months. The students have been expelled from the hostel and suspended from attending classes for six months, said College Dean Dr. Kumudha Lingaraj.

The activities of the students had been watched for some time and repeated warnings were issued. The parents of the students were informed about the acts of indiscipline of their wards, Dr. Kumudha Lingaraj said. The action has been taken for the betterment of other students in the college, she said.

BIZARRE?

Chinese man throws coins at plane engine for good luck

12.04.2019

A 30-year-old man in Urumqi in north-western China has been arrested after he threw coins at a plane engine. The man, identified as Xia, was boarding a Hainan Airlines flight, and threw the coins as he believed that it was good luck and ensure a safe flight. Xia said it was the first time his fourmonth-old daughter was flying on a plane, so his mother-in-law advised he should throw some money at the aircraft for good fortune.

Couples are getting ‘sleep divorces’

12.04.2019  TOI

If you find a good night’s sleep always seems to escape you, there’s no shortage of underlying reasons — or possible solutions. Ditching caffeine after 3pm, giving up that night-cap, having a break from screen time — these are all changes which could improve the quality of our sleep. But if you’ve tried all of these — and more — and still wake up groggy, bloodshot and cranky, then the answer may be lying next to you. Yes, you and your partner may be completely sleep-incompatible.

This has become such a huge problem, that according to a psychology journal, 30 per cent of Americans would rather sleep separately from their other half. It’s becoming what’s known as a ‘sleep divorce’ and far from being a sign of a relationship in trouble, experts are saying it could be a good thing.

Perhaps one of you is a night owl, while the other is an early bird. If one partner often has disrupted sleep, then this can impact the sleep quality of the other. Other reasons that force couples to sleep apart, include different schedules, snoring, co-sleeping and even, the temperature of the room. The report states that “poor sleep also can have negative effects on relationships”.

“Lack of sleep may diminish the positive feelings we have for our partners. Researchers found people with lower quality sleep demonstrated lower levels of gratitude, and were more likely to have feelings of selfishness, than those who slept well. People who slept poorly showed less of a sense of appreciation for their partners. What’s more, poor sleep on the part of one person in the relationship had a negative effect on feelings of appreciation and gratitude for both partners.”

The report also shares a solution that may sound like something you could both benefit from: “Tell your partner that you really love them, but you’d be [less resentful of their sleeping habits] if you slept in separate beds. Suggest trying it for one or two nights a week and see how it goes.”

— Daily Mirror

A research states that 30 per cent of couples would rather sleep separately

Why one-fifth of postal votes end up in the bin
Chethan.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:12.04.2019

Postal ballots can make or mar the fortunes of a candidate in a closely fought contest. For instance, in the 2017 assembly polls in Gujarat’s Dhokla constituency, Ashwin Rathod lost by 327 votes while the returning officer had rejected 429 postal ballots — the matter is now in court.

An analysis of postal votes cast in the past three Lok Sabha elections shows that a large number of postal ballots get rejected. In fact, the rejection rate has been increasing with every passing election.

In 2004, for example, of the 6 lakh postal votes cast, 95,455 or 16% were rejected while in 2009, 19.5% of the 11.5 lakh postal votes got rejected, which went up to 21.5% of the 5.6 lakh votes cast in 2014. In the three elections between 2004 and 2014, a total of 23.2 lakh postal votes were cast of which 4.4 lakh votes were rejected.

From signatures or dates of birth not matching, to electors not filling their addresses accurately, a variety of reasons have seen a fifth of all postal votes get rejected cumulatively in the past three elections.

Among the common mistakes made by officials are: Not marking the candidate of choice in the space provided; providing wrong address; writing slogans such as ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, or their own names in the slot given to mark votes and so on.

Ironically, a large number of these votes are cast by people responsible for the smooth functioning of the overall elections apart from those in the armed forces.

“It is disappointing that so many votes get rejected despite many training sessions and clear instructions given in writing in local languages and English that they can read before casting the votes. We’ve taken additional care this time to organise better training,” an EC official deputed to take care of postal ballots, said.

EC officials say ignorance and irresponsible voting results in a lot of postal votes getting invalidated, and that efforts are being made to ensure that officials are trained properly for the 2019 elections—the first phase of voting is scheduled on April 11.

However, political scientist Muzaffar Assadi says the reasons found by EC aren’t serious enough to always reject such large number of votes. “What if there is a case like the one in Dhokla, Gujarat. This is of serious concern and the returning officers must follow all procedures correctly.”

Officials argue that ROs follow guidelines before rejecting such votes. “The voters are given three forms: First, the ballot where they need to cast their vote. Second, a form that needs to be filled with basic details and signed so that the RO can attest that the person claiming to be voting is the same as the one in the records, and three, a complete instructions form in the local language and English. If people do not read instructions carefully and cast invalid votes, the RO cannot accept it,” the official said.

Jamia Millia Islamia gets its first woman VC

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:12.04.2019

The government on Thursday appointed Professor Najma Akhtar as the vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia making her the first woman VC in the four decade old history of the central university in Delhi.

President Ram Nath Kovind, also gave his assent for appointment of professor Sanjiv Sharma as the new VC of Mahatma Gandhi Central University in Motihari, Bihar and Rajaneesh Kumar Shukla as VC of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya in Wardha, Maharashtra.

Full report on www.toi.in

Don’t appoint new teachers till surplus deployed: HC to govt

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:12.04.2019

Stunned by disclosure that the government has been spending ₹444 crore every year on salaries of 6,300-odd surplus teachers in government and private-aided schools in the state, the Madras high court has ordered a freeze on fresh appointment of teachers.

Neither new appointments be made in government as well as private aided schools, nor approvals be granted for any appointments till surplus teachers coming under same managements are deployed, ruled a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice S S Sundar.

Further, smelling a scam wherein aided schools might be making up records to show higher number of students than the actual strength in order to get more teacher vacancies approved, the bench ordered the government to implement bio-metric attendance for students as well as teachers in all aided schools.

The bench was hearing a batch of appeals against a single judge’s order in favour of teachers who had been seeking approval of their appointments to sanctioned vacancies in aided schools.

After it was brought to the notice of the court that as many as 116 teachers employed by a minority institution in Tuticorin were surplus, the court sought details of surplus teachers in both government and aided schools.

The government submitted that there were 1,079 surplus teachers in government schools and about 5,200 in aided schools.

“The monthly salary payable to the surplus teachers is about ₹37 crore a month, and it adds up to ₹444 crore per annum,” the court remarked.

Besides biometric attendance and freezing appointments, the court also directed that the government was not at liberty to reopen similar cases which had attained finality either before a single judge or a division bench.

“There is no prohibition for approval of teachers, where teachers or management concerned had obtained orders from this court and which reached finality for grant of approval,” the bench clarified.

Illegal food hub on OMR pulled down

Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com

Chennai:12.04.2019

Officials of Greater Chennai Corporation demolished OMR Food Street, an eatery complex in Thoraipakkam, which was constructed illegally, on Thursday morning.

Zonal officer T Sugumar said they acted based on a court order. “We demolished about 26 shops inside the building. The court had ordered us to demolish them as the entire construction was unauthorized. The court has also asked us to submit a report which we will send in few days,” Sugumar said. The complex that spread across an area of about 1,100sqm was built in 2014.

The residents of the area welcomed the move and said breaking of a law cannot be allowed. “It helped residents and was loved by people. But nothing is above law. We welcome the move and find it unfortunate that such organizations broke the law,” said Sathish Beret, a resident. Another resident Prashant Balakrishnan said it is finally the law that matters, though the benefit of the community should be considered.

Karthik N, a resident, said the civic body should take this as an example and take action against other unauthorized eateries. “There are many along GST Road, in Besant Nagar beach and other locations where the safety is at risk. Keeping a gas cylinder on the sand with people queuing up next to it, waiting for food, is dangerous. Nothing should be above the safety of customers irrespective of the popularity the eatery,” he said.

OMR Food Street has about seven branches in the city. When the organization was contacted, a representative said that they had some issues with traffic and parking at Thoraipakkam after which complaints were raised. “We will rectify them soon. Our other units have valid permissions and we have accommodated these shops that were demolished in our other outlets for the time being,” said a representative.

Meanwhile, senior GCC officials said the officials have been regularly monitoring eateries, and have taken action when irregularities were found.


DEMOLISHED: OMR Food Street, which was spread across 1,100sqm, was set up in 2014

Jet turbulence hits Paris-bound flyers from city

Ayyappan.V@timesgroup.com

Chennai:12.04.2019

Travellers from Chennai heading to Paris may now have to fly via one of the hubs in the Middle East as the trouble in Jet Airways has hit the Chennai-Paris direct flight service.

On Wednesday night, passengers to Paris were stranded at the city airport after Jet Airways cancelled its flight without advance information. Many had reached the airport but could not be accommodated on other flights via the Middle East because they were either full or were expensive.

Jet has not withdrawn services on the route. Its staff informed passengers that fares would be refunded. Saturday’s flight is on schedule.

Sources said passengers had an argument with Jet staff after they failed to offer an explanation for the cancellation. Many had to return or find accommodation in the city and figure out alternative plans.

“A few passengers who had booked through agents asked to reschedule the trips but that could not be done because airfare is in the range of ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh for 24-hour advance booking on the Chennai-Dubai route,” said an official.

Basheer Ahmed of Metro Travels said a few passengers were booked on an Air India flight. Last-minute cancellation leads to hassle for tourists as they have to reschedule hotel and tour bookings in Europe making their holidays expensive, he said. Travel agents are also getting requests for rescheduling holidays booked earlier on the direct flight.

Online ticket portals have stopped displaying most of Jet Airways’ schedule to prevent passengers from getting stranded and eliminate hassles of issuing refunds due to flight cancellations.

There is uncertainty over the schedule of Jet Airways after it hit a financial crisis. The airline has lost most pilots while the remaining ones have demanded pay arrears.

A lessor has also seized an aircraft for non payment of dues.

Jet scraps int’l flights, left with 14 domestic aircraft

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:12.04.2019

Cash-starved Jet Airways cancelled all international flights for Thursday night and Friday morning even as it operated just 14 aircraft in India during the day — the smallest fleet among scheduled domestic carriers. The aviation ministry had earlier said it would review Jet’s eligibility to fly abroad in case its fleet strength fell below 20 — the minimum number needed to be eligible to fly abroad.

Such is the state that the beleaguered carrier cannot even afford to refuel wide-body planes and meet other expenses of maintaining foreign flights in absence of the promised ₹1,500-crore emergency funding from its lenders.

Endgame: Entire fund and not just a trickle can keep Jet afloat

Unless the fund is infused quickly — the entire sum and not in a trickle — it is endgame for the private airline as it can shut down completely in a matter of days, according to Jet sources. “The number of flights we can resume from Friday afternoon will depend on the lenders meeting their promise,” a senior Jet official said.

The carrier informed BSE on Thursday evening that 10 aircraft had been grounded during the day. With international routes already suspended, it will operate only about a couple of B737s and ATRs each on some domestic routes from Thursday evening to Friday unless fund infusion makes it possible to mount expensive wide-body routes.

The Jet board reviewed the situation during the day and asked the management to “impress” on the lenders to make good their promise. “The stake sale process is on and even if the right bidder is found offering the right price, the process will take at least three to four months to reach its logical conclusion. There is no way the airline can run for that long and wait for the new owner to pump in funds,” said a person in the know of the developments. “We are in liquid oxygen — neither alive nor dead. The promise of emergency funds is the elusive oxygen as we drown in absolute cash crunch. The promised lending must come in one go and not in parts,” said Jet sources.

The airline had 14 operational aircraft on Thursday — 7 wide body (six Boeing 777 and one Airbus A330) and 7 Boeing 737s and turboprop ATRs. Banks, on their part, are learnt to be acting cautious about putting in public money in Jet. They are seeing if Jet has some serious player interested in it, then they will pump in funds to keep it alive during the transition period. Otherwise their exposure to Jet will only mount. Air India is already there with over ₹50,000-crore loan, they are unwilling to take another big hit and that too not on a PSU but a private company.

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