பூமிக்கு "சாபம்' வேண்டாம்!

By எம்.பி. கோமதி | Published on : 22nd April 2019 04:00 AM |

உலகிலுள்ள கோடிக்கணக்கான மனிதர்களுக்கும் கணக்கிட முடியாத உயிர்களுக்கும் உணவு, உறைவிடத்தை அளித்து பேணிக் காத்து வருகிறது பூமி. நம்மைத் தாங்கிப் பிடித்து வாழவைக்கும் பூமியை பாதுகாக்க வேண்டுமென்ற நோக்கில் ஆண்டுதோறும் ஏப்ரல் 22-ஆம் நாள் "உலக பூமி விழிப்புணர்வு தினமாக'க் கடைப்பிடிக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது.

அதாவது, மனித இனம் மட்டுமின்றி பல்லாயிரக்கணக்கான உயிரினங்கள் வாழ்வதற்கேற்ப நிலப் பகுதி, உயிர் வாழ உணவுக்கான ஆதாரம், நீர், சுவாசிக்க காற்று என அனைத்தும் கொண்ட வரமாக பூமி அமைந்துள்ளது. ஆனால், வளர்ச்சி என்ற பெயரில் நிலத்தைச் சிதைத்து, தண்ணீரைப் பாழ்படுத்தி, காற்று மண்டலத்தை மாசுபடுத்தி, சுற்றுச்சூழல் சீர்கேடு என்ற "சாபத்தை' பூமிக்கு அளித்து வருகிறது மனித இனம்.
மனித இனத்தின் சுயநலத்துக்காக பூமி அழிக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது. தாதுப் பொருள்கள் ஏராளமாக பூமியிலிருந்து வெட்டியெடுக்கப்படுவதாலும் கனிம வளங்கள் கண்டறிந்து வெட்டியெடுக்கப்படுவதாலும் நிலப்பரப்பின் தன்மை தலைகீழ் நிலையை அடைந்து வருகிறது. அதாவது, நிலத்தின் தன்மை பாதிக்கப்பட்டு பயனற்றதாகி விடுகிறது. நிலப்பகுதிகள் தோண்டப்படுவதால் தாவரங்கள் அழிக்கப்படுகின்றன. குறிப்பாக, வனப்பகுதியில் சுரங்கப் பணிகள் மேற்கொள்ளப்படுவதால் அங்குள்ள மரங்கள் அழிக்கப்படுகின்றன. 

மேலும், அந்தப் பகுதியில் உயிரினங்கள் அழிவது, அவை இடம்பெயரும் நிலை ஆகியவை ஏற்படுகிறது.

மக்கள்தொகைப் பெருக்கம், அதிகரித்து வரும் நகரமயமாதல், தொழில்மயமாதல் போன்ற காரணங்களால் மாசுபட்ட நீர்நிலைகள், வறண்ட நீர்நிலைகள் என இயற்கை ஆதாரங்கள் அழிந்து வருகின்றன.
சூரிய குடும்பத்தில் உள்ள எந்த கோள்களுக்கும் இல்லாத சிறப்பு, பூமிக்கு மட்டுமே உள்ளது. பூமியில் மட்டுமே நீடித்த ஆயுளுடன் உயிரினங்கள் வாழக்கூடிய சாத்தியக்கூறுகள் இருப்பதாக விஞ்ஞானிகள் கூறுகின்றனர்.
பூமியின் இயற்கை வளங்கள் மிக அதிகளவில் சுரண்டப்படுவதால், இன்று உலகை அச்சுறுத்திவரும் பிரச்னைகளில் முக்கியமானதாகப் பேசப்பட்டு வருவது "புவி வெப்பமயமாதல்' ஆகும். அதாவது, பூமியில் அதிகரித்து வரும் வெப்பம் காரணமாக ஏற்படும் பல்வேறு எதிர்மறையான விளைவுகள் மற்றும் அவற்றால் ஏற்படப் போகும் பாதிப்புகள் குறித்து தொடர்ந்து எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது.

புவி வெப்பமயமாதல் பாதிப்பைக் குறைப்பதற்கு உரிய நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுத்து சுற்றுச்சூழலைக் காக்க ஆண்டுதோறும் சர்வதேச மாநாடு நடத்தப்படுகிறது. இதில் உலக நாடுகள் ஆலோசித்து சில தீர்மானங்கள் நிறைவேற்றப்படுகின்றன; எனினும், அதற்கான தீர்வு முழுமை பெறாமலேயே உள்ளது.

சுற்றுச்சூழல் பாதுகாப்பு நிராகரிக்கப்பட்டு அறிவியல் வளர்ச்சிக்கு மட்டுமே முக்கியத்துவம் அளிக்கப்படுவதால் இயற்கையான செயல்பாடுகளில் மாற்றம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இதன் காரணமாக பூமியின் இயற்கைத் தன்மை பாதிக்கப்பட்டு பருவநிலை மாற்றம் உள்ளிட்ட எதிர்மறை விளைவுகள் அதிகரித்து வருகின்றன.

சுற்றுச்சூழல் மாசடைவதால் பொருளாதார பாதிப்பு மற்றும் சுகாதாரக் கேடு ஆகியவற்றின் அடிப்படையில் பல நிலைகளில் பிரச்னைகள் ஏற்படுகின்றன. இயற்கையும் எதிர்காலமும் ஒன்றுக்கொன்று தொடர்புடையவை. இயற்கையை படிப்படியாகச் சிதைத்தால் நமது எதிர்காலமும் மிகப் பெரிய பாதிப்பைச் சந்திக்கும் என்பதை உணராமல் மனித இனம் செயல்பட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது. இயற்கையின் சமநிலையைப் பாதுகாப்பதில் போதிய அக்கறை செலுத்தாததே இதற்குக் காரணம் ஆகும்.

பூமியின் மேற்பரப்பில் மெல்லிய போர்வைபோல் படர்ந்திருக்கும் வளி மண்டலம் (காற்று மண்டலம்), 78 சதவீதம் நைட்ரஜன் வாயு, 20 சதவீதம் ஆக்ஸிஜன், 2 சதவீதம் பசுமையில்ல வாயுக்கள் ஆகியவற்றை உள்ளடக்கியது. இவற்றில் நைட்ரஜன் மற்றும் ஆக்ஸிஜன் வாயுக்களுக்கு வெப்பத்தை ஈர்க்கும் தன்மை இல்லை. பசுமையில்ல வாயுக்களுக்கு மட்டுமே வெப்பத்தை ஈர்க்கும் தன்மை உள்ளது. பூமியின் பரப்பில் வெப்பம் நிலவுவதற்கு இந்தப் பசுமையில்ல வாயுக்களே காரணமாகும்.
இயற்கை முறையில் விவசாயம் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வந்த நிலையில், தற்போது ரசாயன பூச்சிக்கொல்லி மருந்துகளும் உரங்களும் பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டு வருவதால் விவசாய நிலங்கள் நஞ்சாக மாறி வருகின்றன. 

தண்ணீரை முறையற்ற வகையில் பயன்படுத்தியதாலும் நீர் நிலைகளை மாசுபடுத்தியதாலும் வறட்சி, நிலத்தடி நீர் மாசு, குடிநீர்ப் பற்றாக்குறை சுகாதாரமற்ற குடிநீர் உள்ளிட்ட பிரச்னைகளை எதிர்கொள்ள வேண்டியுள்ளது.

சாலைகள், தொழிற்சாலைகள் போன்ற வளர்ச்சிப் பணிகளுக்காக ஆக்ஸிஜன் எனும் பிராண வாயுவை அளிக்கும் எண்ணற்ற மரங்கள் அழிக்கப்பட்டு, கரியமில வாயுவை வெளியேற்றும் தொழிற்சாலைகள் பன்மடங்கு அதிகரித்து விட்டன. இதனால் காற்று மாசு அதிகரித்து விட்டது.
மின்சாரம், வாகனப் பயன்பாடுகளைக் குறைப்பது, தொழிற்சாலைகளில் இருந்து வெளியேற்றப்படும் ரசாயனம் மற்றும் சுற்றுச்சூழலுக்கு எதிராக அமையும் கழிவுகளை முறையாக அப்புறப்படுத்துவது, செயற்கை நாட்டங்களை விடுத்து முடிந்தவரை இயற்கை சார்ந்த பயன்பாடுகளை ஒவ்வொருவரும் பயன்படுத்த முனைந்தால் சுற்றுச்சூழல் மாசை கணிசமாகக் குறைக்கலாம்.

மேலும், மரங்களை வளர்ப்பதன் அவசியத்தை உணர்ந்து அதைச் செயல்படுத்த வேண்டும். பூமி வெப்பமாயமாதலுக்கு முக்கியக் காரணமாக அமையும் கரியமில வாயுக்களின் அளவைக் குறைக்க வேண்டுமானால் அதற்கு மரங்களின் எண்ணிக்கையை பன்மடங்கு அதிகரிக்க வேண்டும். மரங்களால் மட்டுமே கரியமில வாயுவை உறிஞ்சி சுத்தமான பிராண வாயுவை அளிக்க முடியும்.

தனது வீட்டைச் சுத்தமாகவும், பாதுகாப்பாகவும் வைத்துக் கொள்ளும் ஒவ்வொரு தனிமனிதனுக்கும் தான் வாழும் பூமியைப் பாதுகாப்பதிலும் பொறுப்புள்ளது என்பதை உணர்ந்து செயல்பட வேண்டும். நாம் வாழ்ந்தால் மட்டும் போதும் என்று இல்லாமல், வரும் தலைமுறையினரும் வாழும் வகையில் பூமியைப் பாதுகாப்பது நம் ஒவ்வொருவரின் கடமையாகும்.

Madurai medical college still awaiting MCI nod to increase seats at medical college

Sources in Madurai Medical College said replies to the questions pertaining to infrastructural deficiencies raised by the MCI team in January were sent to the council on March 23.

Published: 22nd April 2019 05:09 AM |

By Express News Service

MADURAI: More than a year after Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare told the Parliament that the number of MBBS seats in Madurai Medical College would be increased to 250 from August 2018, the college is yet to get the approval from Medical Council of India (MCI).

In February last, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Chaubey, in a written reply, told the Parliament that in Tamil Nadu, the number of MBBS seats in government medical colleges in Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and Coimbatore would be increased by 345.

According to the announcement, the number of MBBS seats in Madurai Medical College will be increased from 155 to 250. However, the announcement by the Centre was not effected as approval from Medical Council of India (MCI) was pending until the time of admissions in August last year.

Speaking to Express in June last, Director of Medical Education Dr A Edwin Joe had said that of the four medical colleges, the proposals for Tirunelveli and Madurai medical colleges were being given priority. In the later months, MCI teams conducted a series of inspections.


Sources in Madurai Medical College said replies to the questions pertaining to infrastructural deficiencies raised by the MCI team in January were sent to the council on March 23. The construction of hostel for postgraduate students and the seven-storey academic block and the proposal to build a new library with the mandated space of 40,000 square feet were mentioned in the reply. The letter also sought MCI’s approval to effect the increase of seats starting this academic year. “Based on the reply, MCI may give its approval or conduct inspection again,” they added.

The academic block which is under construction since December 2018 will house faculty rooms, examination halls and demonstration rooms of six departments (pathology, forensic medicine, physiology, bio-chemistry, pharmacology, community medicine), a multi-purpose hall and canteen, all of which are to be built at a cost of `37.25 crore.

With the NEET examination set to be held on May 5 and the medical counselling to begin after the publication of results in June, uncertainity over the increased intake still prevails. However, the college officials expressed their optimism over effecting the increased student intake this year itself. They cited instances of medical colleges in the State getting MCI approval even while medical counselling is underway.

Sri Lanka attacks: Air India waives cancellation charges for Colombo flight tickets

The airline has also requested passengers to report well in advance to clear security at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.

Published: 21st April 2019 07:44 PM

By PTI

NEW DELHI: Air India has waived all charges for rescheduling and cancellation of tickets to and from Colombo till April 24 in the wake of terror attacks in Sri Lanka that has killed more than 160 people.


Besides, the airline has requested passengers to report well in advance to clear security at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.


Air India
✔@airindiain


#FlyAI: In view of the situation in #Srilanka #AirIndia has waived off all charges for rescheduling/cancellation of bookings on its flts to/from Colombo for travel till April 24, 2019.Passengers are requested to report well in advance to clear security at Bandaranaike Int'l Apt.
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4:53 PM - Apr 21, 2019
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Air India operates two daily flights to Colombo from the national capital while Air India Express flies a daily Chennai-Colombo flight, according to an official. Over 160 people have died and more than 450 injured in a series of bomb blasts in Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Address goof-up forces many aspirants miss APPSC exam

STAFF REPORTER

VISAKHAPATNAM, APRIL 22, 2019 00:00 IST

Seeking justice:APPSC candidates staging a protest with their hall-tickets near the Collector’s camp office in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

Two places with the same name create confusion; toll-free number did not work, say candidates

The candidates appearing for the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) examination for the recruitment of Panchayat Secretary (Grade IV) posts were at their wits’ end on Sunday after they found that there was no examination centre when they reached the spot mentioned in their hall-tickets on Sunday.

This made many aspirants miss the test. Around 70 candidates reportedly reached at Timmapuram Junction near Rushikonda as it was mentioned on their hall-tickets that the examination would be held at Sri Adarsha Junior College nearby the junction. But, they were shocked when they found that there was no such college in that area.

Many candidates reached there from far-off places, including the interior areas in Visakhapatnam Agency. Even the police personnel who were assigned duty at the exam centre were a baffled lot.

“We received the hall-tickets about a week ago. I checked in Google which suggested that the college was very much in the area. The Internet search also showed several images of the college building, logo and etc. But after reaching the place, we were shocked,” Killo Jeevan, an aspirant who came all the way from Araku Valley said.

Many candidates blamed it on the negligence of officials, saying that the goof-up had costed them two years of hard work.

They alleged that even though they tried to contact the authorities through the toll-free number, it did not work.

Then irked aspirants then went to the Collector’s camp office near Andhra University.

Some APPSC officials approached them and promised help. The candidates were asked to write a letter mentioning their names and hall-ticket numbers.

Panel to be formed

Meanwhile, the officials said that the examination centre in question was at Thimmapuram in S. Ravaram mandal and an area near Rushikonda by the same name caused the goof-up.

However, they admitted that had the S. Rayavaram mandal been printed on the hall-tickets, the confusion could have been avoided.

“Had the aspirants checked the examination centre with the pin code, they would have got the address right. The aspirants have submitted a representation to the APPSC and a committee will be formed to look into the issue and then a decision will be taken,” DRO R. Gunnayya said.

60% attendance

As many as 36,730 candidates (60.56%) of the total 60,641 who had applied for the posts appeared for the examination in district on Sunday.

The officials said that as many as 160 examination centres were set up for the examination.

Heavy rain in Salem

STAFF REPORTER

SALEM, APRIL 22, 2019 00:00 IST

Heavy rain lashed various parts of Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts on Saturday.

In Salem district, Omalur experienced the highest rainfall of 66 mm, officials sources said. Rain was also reported in Mettur, Edappadi, Sankari, Kadiyampatti, Aanaimadavu and Yercaud regions. Average rainfall of 20.3 mm was recorded in the district.

Water level in Stanley Reservoir at Mettur stood at 54.29 ft on Sunday and the dam witnessed an inflow of 42 cusecs. The water level in Aanaimaduvu dam was 13.05 ft and Kariyakovil dam 3.74 ft.

In Namakkal district, Kumarapalayam received the maximum rainfall of 41.40 mm. Mohanur and Pudhuchatram received the lowest rainfall of 2 mm. Average rainfall of 15.36 mm was recorded in Namakkal.

In Dharmapuri district, Pappiredipatti experienced the highest rainfall of 40.2mm and Hogenakkal received 3.20 mm. Average rainfall of 15.36 mm was recorded in Dharmapuri.

While Hosur experienced the maximum rainfall of 68.8 mm, Krishnagiri received 23.2 mm rainfall and Rayakottai 2 mm.

Retired IIT, NIT professors to mentor AICTE colleges

c-Sheetal.Banchariya@timesgroup.com

22.04.2019

After trying different ways to improve the quality of technical education, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is now inviting retired and serving professors from IITs, NITs to mentor the faculty of various institutes that do not have accreditation from National Board of Accreditation (NBA). This decision has been taken to prevent the shutting down of institutes that may not get accredited by NBA.

“Despite launching Margdarshan, an institutionto-institution mentorship programme in 2017, we were unable to create a huge impact. We expected premier institutes to come forward to offer help, but saw the participation of only 13 institutes,” says Anil Sahasrabudhe, chairman, AICTE.

“In order to utilise intellectual resources across the nation, we have devised individual-to-institution mentorship programme under Margdarshak,” he adds.

Last year, AICTE had decided to shut down technical colleges failing to receive NBA accreditation in the next four years. The retired professors will mentor these institutes, helping them to improve the quality parameters required for NBA accreditation,” says Sahasrabudhe. At present, 85% of the technical institutes stand unaccredited.

Full report on www.educationtimes.com

Official who entered room containing poll docus suspended

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:22.04.2019

A woman tahsildar, who entered the storage room where election related documents were kept without prior approval, was placed under suspension by collector S Natarajan on Sunday.

Natarajan has also sent a report to chief electoral officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo on the incident and the action taken against the tahsildar, identified as Sampoornam. A tahsildar in the excise department, she was the personal assistant to the assistant returning officer (ARO).

According to sources, three more employees accompanied the tahsildar into the storage room, where election documents including the polling station presiding officer’s diary were kept.

The collector conducted an inquiry with Sampoornam early on Sunday.

The inquiry, which started around 3.30am lasted 30 minutes.

Asked if the other three employees will face suspension, Natarajan did not give a direct reply, but said the same action applies to all those who accompanied her.

Asked about the charges against the tahsildar, he said that suspension is only based on prima facie evidence while a detailed investigation is still underway. “The tahsildar did not have any wrong intentions. However, she should have obtained a written permission from the ARO,” he said.

The incident, which took place between 3pm and 5pm on Saturday, came to light after CPM cadres alerted their candidate Su Venkatesan, who rushed to the spot and demanded to see the CCTV footage.

Online engineering counselling for 1.75L seats to start on July 3
Registration Opens On May 2, Last Date May 31

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:22.04.2019

Online counselling for more than 1.75 lakh BE and B Tech seats will commence on July 3, the tentative schedule released by the Directorate of Technical Education (DOTE) said on Sunday. The rank list for engineering admissions will be released on June 17. The announcement brought to an end the confusion surrounding engineering counselling over the past few weeks.

As per the schedule, online registration would commence from May 2, with the last date for registration being May 31. Certificate verification will be held from June 6 to 11at facilitation centres to be set up by the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) committee.

Following certificate verification, the rank list would be published, officials said. Counselling for special categories including the differentl-abled will be held from June 20 to 22. Online counselling will be conducted from July 3 to 28 and supplement counselling on July 29.

“Like last time, this year too online counselling will be held in five rounds. But, this would be finalised after seeing the total number of applications [received],” a source said.

The resignation of Anna University vice-chancellor M K Surappa from the TNEA committee lad to doubts over the participation of the varsity in engineering counselling. The university’s faculty who are part of the TNEA panel skipped the first coordination committee meeting, which added more confusion about the technical university’s participation in the process.

However, after the intervention of the government, Anna University may help DOTE officials in conducting online engineering counselling this year.

“It is a great relief for engineering aspirants. Hopefully, DOTE will start the online counselling process on war footing to make it secure and transparent,” career consultant Jayaprakash A Gandhi said.

VELS Convocation

MTC fined after nail on bus rips through commuter’s trousers

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:22.04.2019

Broken seats, damaged window panes and protruding nails are not uncommon in Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses. Most passengers tend to ignore them or end up blaming themselves for not being careful if they get injured.

But one Chennaiite has gone against the MTC for not addressing these issues and filed a case with the local consumer forum after a protruding nail damaged his new trousers.

On hearing his plea, the forum penalised MTC for negligence in service.

The incident happened a few years ago when S P Chockalingam from East Tambaram was travelling to Guindy by an MTC bus on route 21G.

As the bus neared his destination, Chockalingam left his seat for the exit door. While disembarking from the bus, a nail protruding from a seat caught his trousers and ripped through. The man said this caused him mental agony and a loss of ₹2,000. Chockalingam issued a legal notice to the MTC for not maintaining the buses properly and not carrying our repair work. Poor condition of buses could injure passengers and damage their clothes, he said.

In response, MTC denied these allegations and said the seat was damaged because a passenger had stashed his luggage inappropriately below it. The conductor of the bus had informed Chockalingam and requested him to take another seat as many were empty at that point of time. But he refused and deliberately sat on the damaged seat. MTC said it was ready to pay for the damaged trouser but the complainant approached the forum despite that.

After hearing out both sides, the District Consumer Redressal Forum, Chennai (South) directed MTC to pay ₹7,000 as compensation for damage.

But Chockalingam’s is not an isolated case. Most buses run by state-owned transport corporations are in bad shape and inconvenience passengers, this despite the government spending more than ₹300 crore a year on maintenance. So far, the state transport department has replaced 2,300 buses.

The consumer forum directed the MTC to pay ₹7,000 to the commuter whose trouser was ripped by a nail protruding out of a damaged seat

Seven killed in stampede at Trichy temple, priest arrested

Vincent.Arockiaraj@timesgroup.com

Trichy:22/04/2019

Four women were among seven people killed in a stampede at a private temple near Thuraiyur in Trichy on Sunday. Twelve people who were injured have been admitted to the government hospital in Thuraiyur.

The incident occurred when devotees rushed to enter a narrow passage leading to the Muthaiyampalayam Karuppusamy temple. Police have registered a case and arrested the priest who was conducting the ‘Padi Kasu’ ritual (distribution of coins to devotees) in view of Chitra Pournami (full moon).

On the second day of the festival, the priest usually distributes coins from the hundi. Devotees believe they will become wealthy if they keep the coins at home. On hearing that the priest had begun distributing the coins, devotees rushed towards the narrow entry passage. In the melee, some of them fell down and were trampled upon by others, police said.

Trichy temple stampede: Cops check for lapses in security

Trichy superintendent of police Zia-ul-Haq along with Thuraiyur police rushed to the spot and sent the injured to the Thuraiyur hospital.

T Dhanapal, 54, priest of the temple and native of Mannachanallur in Trichy, was booked under Section 174 CrPC altered to 304(II) IPC and arrested.

Further investigations are on, police said. After inspecting the spot, collector S Sivarasu said the temple was run by an individual.

Police were investigating if there were any lapses in the security arrangements.

The deceased have been identified as R Lakshmikanthan, 60, of Nanniyur Manmangalam in Karur, K Rajavel, 55, of Thittakudi in Cuddalore district, S Kandhayi, 38, a native of Thirumanur in Salem district, Ramar, 50, of Veppanthattai in Perambalur district, A Shanthi, 50, of Senthamangalam in Namakkal, R Valli, 35, of Villupuram district and V Poongavanam, 50, of Cuddalore district.

Police officers have identified the injured people as P Vinitha, 18, Villupuram, V Balachandran, Athur, A Jothi, 32, Viluppuram, P Raman, Salem, P Valarmathi, 60, Ulunthurpettai, P Sarasu, Salem, K Periyasamy, Cuddalore, R Chellammal, Namakkal, K Chinnapillai, 70, of Viluppuram district, M Tamilarasi, Salem, P Latha, Trichy and K Usha of Villupuram.

Among them, Usha was referred to a private hospital in Trichy and Chinnapillai was sent to the government hospital in Trichy.

T Dhanapal, 54, priest of the temple and native of Mannachanallur in Trichy, was booked under Section 174 CrPC altered to 304(II) IPC and arrested

3 Indians, woman with Kerala roots killed in Colombo

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:22.04.2019

Three Indian nationals were killed in the coordinated terrorist bombings of churches and luxury hotels in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Sunday.

Also killed was a Sri Lankan woman whose roots lay in Kerala’s Kasaragod district but had been born and brought up in Sri Lanka before moving to Mangaluru after getting married. She held a Sri Lankan passport and was to check out of Colombo’s Shangri-La Hotel when the bomb went off.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed the identities of the Indian nationals as Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh. “Indian high commission in Colombo has conveyed that National Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indian nationals,” Swaraj said in a tweet, adding, “We are ascertaining further details.”

The woman from Kasaragod, P S Raseena (61), had been holidaying with her husband, Abdul Khader Kukkady, in Sri Lanka for the past 10 days and had planned to stay on with her brother, Basheer, who lives there, for a few days while her husband flew back to Dubai where he worked as a chemical engineer, her nephew, K C Irshad, said. Her brother had gone to drop her husband to the airport and was to return to pick her up and take her to his home. Basheer identified her body in a hospital. Khader’s brother, Usman, however told TOI in Mangaluru that she had been supposed to fly to Bengaluru in the afternoon.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has promised the distraught family all help in bringing the woman’s body back.

Many Indians stuck in Colombo reached out on social media to the Indian government for help. A man from Kerala, Dilip K S, said he was at Colombo’s Hotel Nelly and was worried about being able to return to India on Monday as planned. “Please provide us necessary help for our safety,” he tweeted to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. In response to another Indian, Anand Srivastava, a management professional from Benguluru who sought advice on whether he could travel to Sri Lanka on Monday, Dilip replied on Twitter: “It is not safe. Embassy says bombs are planted in other areas, including near airports.” Srivastava cancelled his trip.

The Indian high commission in Sri Lanka was flooded with requests for help. Some Indians in Sri Lanka tweeted that the helpline telephone numbers tweeted by Swaraj and the Indian high commission in Sri Lanka were unresponsive.

He lined up at hotel buffet, then blew self up

Colombo:22.04.2019

The suicide bomber waited patiently in a queue for the Easter Sunday breakfast buffet at Sri Lanka’s Cinnamon Grand hotel before setting off explosives strapped to his back.

Carrying a plate, the man, who had registered at the hotel the night before as Mohamed Azzam Mohamed, was just about to be served when he set off his devastating strike in the packed restaurant, a manager at the Sri Lankan hotel said.

“There was utter chaos,” said the manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Taprobane restaurant at the hotel was having one of its busiest days of the year for the Easter holiday weekend. “It was 8:30am and it was busy. It was families,” the manager said.

“He came up to the top of the queue and set off the blast. One of our managers who was welcoming guests was among those killed instantly.” The bomber also died. Parts of his body were found intact by police and taken away.

Other hotel officials told how the bomber, a Sri Lankan, checked in giving an address that turned out to be false, saying he was in the city for business. Two other hotels, the Shangri-La and the Kingsbury, were hit at about the same time, along with three churches packed with worshippers attending Easter Sunday services.

The blast at St Anthony’s Shrine was so powerful that it blew out the roof, leaving roof tiles, glass and splintered wood littering the floor that was strewn with bodies.

Authorities have not said who staged the attacks. Many of the 35 foreigners killed in the blasts were at the hotels, officials said.

“There was utter chaos, but we rushed all the injured to hospital in a very short time,” the Cinnamon Grand manager said. The hotel is close to the Sri Lankan PM’s official residence.

At the Shangri-La, witnesses said they heard two loud blasts and that staff reported some people had been killed. But details of the toll were not immediately given. The Kingsbury toll was not known. AFP

‘Blood, Body Parts Were Strewn All Over’
Pastor Confronted Bomber Moments Before Attack

Jaya.Menon@timesgroup.com

22.04.2019

Fr Kumaran, pastor of the Zion Church in Batticaloa, was quick to spot the stranger at his doorstep. Carrying a bag and dressed casually, the man did not look familiar. It was 8.30am and the church was packed with members of the Easter congregation, all local residents. “I asked him who he was and his name. He said he was a Muslim and wanted to visit the church,” Fr Kumaran told TOI from Batticaloa.

As he argued with the man, the suspected suicide bomber, some priests ushered Fr Kumaran into the church as it was getting late for the Mass. As he walked towards the podium, he heard an ear-shattering explosion. As he turned, what he saw shook him. Blood was splattered all over the walls and bodies lay on the floor, many of them children, who had just finished their Sunday classes on the first floor of the church. “Twenty-eight people were killed, among them 12 children. Two are critical,” said Fr Kumaran, sounding distressed.

Batticaloa, capital of the Eastern Province, is in a state of shock. “I have never heard the sound of a bomb explosion before. We initially thought it was the burst of a tyre,” said S Vikash, 21, a medical representative who lived in Kallady, 3km from the church. “When we realised it was an explosion, we followed the sound of fire engines and ambulances. The scene was terrifying. There was blood and body parts strewn all over. It was heart-rending to see the bodies of children,” he said.

Arasaratnam Verl, 41, sounded calm as he spoke of his 13-year-old son V Jackson, a Grade 8 student. Jackson had been standing near the church entrance after attending the Sunday class when the blast took place. He was killed instantly. “My elder sister was killed too. My two younger sisters and my brother-in-law are critical,” said Verl, a taxi driver. Jackson was his only child. He lost his friend Ramesh too. “Ramesh had questioned the bomber, asking his name, address and then pushed the man outside the church door,” said Verl. Shortly thereafter, the man blew himself up.

S Ramya, 32, recuperating in the Batticaloa hospital, had stepped out of the church to drink water when the explosion occurred. She was injured and later taken to hospital.

Tamil actor Radhika had returned to Chennai on Saturday after a vacation in Colombo with her brother Raju Radha. On Sunday morning, the businessman had decided to attend the 11am Mass at the St Antony’s Church instead of the 9am prayers for Easter. The decision saved him and his family.

Ponnaiah Medical College

TN gets to take a call on accommodating students of Defunct Ponnaiyah medical college

Apr 20, 2019, 3:31 am IST

Deccan Chronicle.

Nation, Current Affairs

In compliance with the order of the court, the MCI has made the present recommendation.

Madras high court

Chennai: The Madras high court has granted time till April 24 to the state government to respond to the communication sent by the Central government informing the recommendation of the Board of Governors in Supersession of Medical Council of India, to accommodate the 108 students of defunct Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Institute of Medical Sciences admitted during the academic year 2016-2017 in all the Government medical colleges of Tamil Nadu.

A division bench comprising Justices M.Sathyanarayanan and P.Rajamanickam posted to April 24, further hearing of the review petition filed by the state government.

Originally, on a batch of petitions from the students of PRIMS, a single judge had directed the state government to send a proposal to the MCI to accommodate the students in government medical colleges. Aggrieved, the state government filed an appeal and the bench had on February 1, directed the state government to submit a fresh proposal to the Board of Governors in Supersession of Medical Council of India for accommodating 108 students in 22 government medical colleges in the state. As against this order, the state government filed the present review petition and the bench had on February 13, directed the state government to send necessary proposal for accommodating 108 students both in 22 government medical colleges as well as 10 private medical colleges. The bench also directed the MCI and the Union government to act on the proposal and take a decision. In compliance with the order of the court, the MCI has made the present recommendation.

When the case came up for hearing on April 15, additional advocate general Narmada Sampath informed the court that the state government wants to take a call on the recommendation of the Board of Governors and sought one week time.

Opposing the same, senior counsel P.Wilson, appearing for the students submitted that even after the order of the single judge, the students has not attended the classes and they have less attendance. Originally, this bench had directed the state government to accommodate the students in government medical colleges. But, the state government failed to comply with the order and stated that it would accommodate the students only in private colleges. Thereafter, this court had directed the state government to send proposal to accommodate the students in 22 government colleges and 10 private colleges. Now MCI has submitted its recommendation to accommodate them in government medical colleges. How can the state government defy the present order, Wilson asked. The HC, after some more arguments, gave the State time till April 24 to reply, when it is likely to dispose of the petition.

Jet planes to fly again, courtesy SpiceJet, AI

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:21.04.2019

Some of Jet Airways’ grounded planes will start flying by next week, possibly as early as Tuesday itself.

Highly placed sources say SpiceJet will take anywhere between 30 and 40 of Jet’s Boeing 737s while Air India will take five of the wide body Boeing 777s. The Maharaja may take some B737s for its AI Express. “Almost 40 to 45 planes will be operational within the next10 days. This will help provide gainful employment with pay to some employees of Jet as the aircraft will be wet leased (meaning hired with crew to operate them).

“The additionalflightswill mean the runaway fares will hopefully stabilise, at least on domestic routes. Once AI starts using the B777s on international routes like London, Dubai and Singapore, fares to those places should return to sane levels,” said a source.

Depending on whether Jet’s ongoing bidding process is successful, the aircraft may return to the airline.Aviation secretary P S Kharola had earlier this week said 75 planes used on domestic routes have goneoutof thesystem (mainly due to Jet grounding) while other Indian carriers have bought in 58 planes in last five months. If 30 to 45 Jet planes start flying with AI and Spice-Jet, at least the gap on domestic and nearby international front could be filled and help bring down fares.

Full report on www.toi.in

Centre mulls a bridge course to allow dentists to practise as doctors

Rema.Nagarajan@timesgroup.com

21.04.2019

Niti Aayog along with the health ministry is examining a proposal to create a cadre of mid-level health providers by allowing dentists to practise “family medicine/mainstream medicine” after a bridge course.

A meeting on this proposal is to be held at Niti Aayog on Monday. Referring to the minutes of a meeting held in the PMO on April 9 regarding “scaling up of medical education in India”, the notice issued on Wednesday for Monday’s meeting stated that in the PMO meeting it was “decided to explore the option of allowing dentists to practice family medicine/mainstream medicine following bridge course”.

The proposed meeting in Niti Aayog is “to discuss issues on leveraging dentists to provide primary health case thereby reducing the gaps in current shortfall of doctors.” The meeting will include the secretary general of the Dental Council of India (DCI) and the director general of dental services in the Armed Forces.

The proposal to allow dentists to practice as doctors after a bridge course had been floated over a year ago by the DCI with the Medical Council of India. It had argued that this was a feasible move that could benefit dentists and address the doctor shortage since the BDS and MBBS courses have a similar curriculum for the first three years. The Indian Medical Association had, however, opposed the idea.

Earlier, the Niti Aayog had proposed a bridge course for Ayush (ayurvedic, homeopathic, Siddha and Unani) doctors in the National Medical Commission Bill meant to replace the Indian Medical Council Act.

Dog bites 50 in Salem, irate locals beat it to death

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Coimbatore:21.04.2019

About 50 people were bitten by a dog and admitted to Mohan Kumaramangalam Government General Hospital in Salem on Friday. The dog was later beaten to death by members of the public near Pattaikovil in the city.

According to locals, the dog started biting passers by all of a sudden. Sources said it first attacked a 75-year-old man at Kitcaipalayam around 5am. “Then it started to move to other areas including Kalarampatti, Gandhi Mahan Street, Narayanan Nagar and Pachapatti, and bit whoever tried to shoo it away. Within a few hours, the number of people bitten by the dog crossed 50,” sources said.

An official at the hospital said the victims were given anti-rabies vaccine. “While most of them were treated as outpatients, a few of them who suffered serious injuries were admitted as in-patients,” the official said.

Meanwhile, agitated people beat the dog to death near Pattaikovil.

Poomozhi of Kichipalayam, said, “Everyday one or the other gets bitten by stray dogs in our area. The corporation has failed to carry out sterilization programmes. If the corporation does not take up such programmes, the situation will only turn worse.”

CANINE TERROR: Some of those bitten by the dog

Abolition of rank robs 5,000 students of scholarships

A Ragu Raman TNN

Chennai:21.04.2019

The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to abolish rankings in board exams in 2016-17 has deprived more than 5,000 top rankers of scholarships and financial aid every year, sources in the school education department said.

The government used to bear the higher education cost of top three rank holders of Class X and Class XII exams. District-wise toppers would get scholarships from government agencies, private companies, trusts and individuals.

However, now, the school education department is selecting 15 students from each district based on their overall performance, including sports and extra-curricular activities.

The selected candidates would receive a one-time financial aid of ₹20,000. For Class X students, it would be ₹10,000. But, it is no way nearer what students used to get when rankings were followed. “The state government used to take care of the entire higher education expenses for the top three rank holders in Class XII board exams. Many educational institutions would offer free education for district toppers. After the abolition of rankings, they have been stopped,” a source said.

More than 100 students from Class X and Class XII used to get the top three ranks at the state level, while hundreds used to score district ranks.

Big corporates approach the department for sponsoring the education of meritorious students. But, due to the policy decision, the government is not giving them any list of students.

Some teachers have questioned the logic of abolishing ranks when the entry into prestigious IITs and civil services are decided by ranks. “Top rankers in joint entrance examination (JEE) and civil services are still being announced and publicized. It is unfair to deny attention to state board students who hail from rural and poor background,” a headmaster said, adding that, “Students should be trained for competition at a young age.”

“There is no need to give undue publicity to top rankers. However, state-level and district-level toppers should be identified and provided free higher education,” educationist Prince Gajendrababu said.

“It would be motivation for both students and teachers. There are many deserving students without means to pursue higher education,” he added.

At the same time, the move has reduced the hype surrounding the declaration of Class XII results. “There was literally no publicity given by private schools this year. It has restricted schools from trumpeting their achievements. I welcome the move to abolish the rankings,” said P Swaminathan, secretary, SRV schools in Namakkal and Trichy.

There is no need to give undue publicity to top rankers. However, state-level and district-level toppers should be identified and provided with free higher education

Prince Gajendrababu |

EDUCATIONIST

State seeks to hike medical seats by 150

Nod For New Med College Also Awaited

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.04.2019

The Directorate of medical education, which is awaiting permission to start a new medical college in Karur and increase UG seats in Madurai and Tirunelveli government medical colleges for the academic year, is now making fresh applications for increasing MBBS seats in Coimbatore and Kanyakumari government medical colleges by 150 for 2020 academic year.

In February, the directorate had submitted its final compliance report after MCI inspections and is expecting the letter of permission to add 345 additional seats, including 95 more in Madurai government medical college and 100 more at Tirunelveli medical college. “MCI team that inspected the campus had pointed out minor deficiencies. We have rectified them and sent them the final report. They may inspect again or may give us permission based on the letter,” said director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe.

If the government gets permission to start a medical collegein Karur,itwilltakethetotal number of government medical colleges in the state to 23. “Our focus is to increase seats in existing colleges to at least 250 andopen newcollegesin all districts. For the next academic year,we are planning toincrease MBBS seats in Coimbatore to 250 and Kanyakumari to150,” he said. At least14 more districtsin thestate need medical colleges and proposals for converting district headquarters hospitals in Perambalur, Ooty and Kancheepuram are pending. At least two private institutions, including Kovai Medical Centre, have been given essentiality certificates by the government for starting medicalcolleges. BharathUniversity and St Peters group of institutions had also applied for essentiality certificates.

As per MCI mandate, the state is also applying for permission to increase PGseatsin government medical colleges. “If we have post-graduate courses,we willbe able to convert public hospitals into tertiary carecentres. So,we willbe able to make quality healthcare accessible to all,” Dr Joe said.

Call for single window system of admission to arts & science

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

21.04.2019

Demanding that the state government streamline the admission process in arts and science colleges through a single window system, members of the MDMK filed an online petition to higher education minister K Anbalagan on Saturday.

In a reply to one of the petitions filed by the members in 2007, officials from the directorate of higher education have said that they had sent letters to the colleges in the state and were taking steps to implement the single window system.

Explaining that lakhs of students have been applying for arts and science group, V Eswaran from the MDMK said that students were forced to visit from one college to the other until they got admission.

“Upon streamlining the admission process, students would be able to identify the colleges in which they are eligible based on their cut-off marks. Now, as they do not know the cut-off marks for admission to a college, they are forced to visit multiple colleges,” he explained.

Usually, they are forced to pay the admission fee at the first college which offers them the seat as they are afraid of losing it. So, when the college of their first preference offers them a seat later, they are left without a choice but to give up the admission fee that they paid at the first college.

If a single window system is followed, students need not pay the application fee at multiple colleges or visit multiple colleges, he said, adding that the students could be confident of getting admissions.

Hinting that single window system is already in place in neighbouring states including Telangana and Kerala, he said that though in 2018 the state government had assured to implement the system this year, it was not implemented this year.

TNUSRB report: Jailed psychologist seeks bail

‘Board Trying To Hide Its Mistake’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.04.2019

Psychologist G V Kumar, who was arrested by the Chennai central crime branch (CCB) on April 1 in connection with the bogus ‘expert opinion’ filed by Tamil Nadu Uniformed Service Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) before the Madras high court, has approached the court seeking bail.

Kumar, who is currently lodged in the Puzhal central prison, claimed that he had nothing to do with the crime and that the authorities of the board are implicating him in the case to hide the mistake committed on their part.

Admitting the plea, Justice N Anand Venkatesh has directed the CCB to file their response by April 22 and adjourned the application.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by an eligible inservice candidate who was denied appointment as subinspector of police by the board. He alleged that answer key to a mathematical question in the exam was wrong and that he was denied half mark for the question though he answered correctly.

Based on an ‘expert opinion’ produced by the board, his plea was dismissed by the Madras high court. Later, the petitioner approached the court again claiming that the ‘expert opinion’ produced by the board was bogus as the expert who gave the opinion was a non-existent person.

Taking a serious view of the submission, the court reopened the case and censured the board for filing such a bogus report. The court also directed the board to probe the matter and book all the persons responsible for the crime.

In view of the court order, the board filed a formal complaint with CCB alleging Kumar, an independent consultant to the board, and D Murthy, a retired maths teacher, responsible for the offence.

Based on the complaint, CCB arrested Kumar and remanded him to judicial custody. Now, since the jurisdictional magistrate has dismissed his bail application, Kumar has approached the Madras high court.

Kumar has been practising as a psychologist, psychometrician, marital counsellor, behavioural and soft skills trainer since 1983 and has contributed to providing psychology questions for the TNUSRB examinations recently. Kumar worked as a psychologist at Chennai Port Trust and has been serving many leading organizations as an official counsellor for the past three decades.

Kumar, who is currently lodged in the Puzhal Central prison, has claimed that he had nothing to do with the crime and that the authorities are implicating him to hide the mistake committed on their part

NEWS DIGEST

Ramachandra Medical Centre to hold free camp

21`.04.2019

Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre will organize a free infertility camp on Wednesday from 8am to 1pm . Consultation and some investigations will be done free of cost by the department of reproductive medicine. Charges will be reduced for those registering on that date for further tests and treatment. A hospital release said couples with difficulty in conception can meet doctors. They can bring medical records if any. For details call 45928544.

Leaders extend Easter greetings: Governor Banwarilal Purohit, CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, DMK leader MK Stalin and other leaders from several political parties extended Easter greetings to the people. In his message, Purohit said, “Let us all on this festival day resolve to uphold the virtues of love, compassion, hope, morality and faith in our lives so as to create a better future for all of mankind.”

Graduation ceremony: The 19th graduation ceremony for Easwari Engineering College — a unit of SRM group of educational institutions — will be held on Sunday at the college campus. The institution, located in Ramapuram, is affiliated to Anna University. MK Surappa, Vice Chancellor, Anna University, has consented to deliver the graduation day address and present the degrees and awards to students, a release from the college said.

Buses for summer vacation: MTC has announced that 100 special buses will be operated between April 19 and May 30 to accommodate additional crowd during summer vacation. These buses will cover important tourist destinations in Chennai including Anna Square, Vandalur zoo, Mahabalipuram and Kovalam.

Buses will be operated to temples in Periyapalayam, Thiruverkadu and Siruvapuri, according to an official release. Additional buses will be operated along prominent routes like 21G, 45B, 102, 500 and 547.

NEWS DIGEST

Ramachandra Medical Centre to hold free camp

21`.04.2019

Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre will organize a free infertility camp on Wednesday from 8am to 1pm . Consultation and some investigations will be done free of cost by the department of reproductive medicine. Charges will be reduced for those registering on that date for further tests and treatment. A hospital release said couples with difficulty in conception can meet doctors. They can bring medical records if any. For details call 45928544.

Leaders extend Easter greetings: Governor Banwarilal Purohit, CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, DMK leader MK Stalin and other leaders from several political parties extended Easter greetings to the people. In his message, Purohit said, “Let us all on this festival day resolve to uphold the virtues of love, compassion, hope, morality and faith in our lives so as to create a better future for all of mankind.”

Graduation ceremony: The 19th graduation ceremony for Easwari Engineering College — a unit of SRM group of educational institutions — will be held on Sunday at the college campus. The institution, located in Ramapuram, is affiliated to Anna University. MK Surappa, Vice Chancellor, Anna University, has consented to deliver the graduation day address and present the degrees and awards to students, a release from the college said.

Buses for summer vacation: MTC has announced that 100 special buses will be operated between April 19 and May 30 to accommodate additional crowd during summer vacation. These buses will cover important tourist destinations in Chennai including Anna Square, Vandalur zoo, Mahabalipuram and Kovalam.

Buses will be operated to temples in Periyapalayam, Thiruverkadu and Siruvapuri, according to an official release. Additional buses will be operated along prominent routes like 21G, 45B, 102, 500 and 547.

Goods worth lakhs gutted in 3 fire accidents
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.04.2019

Three incidents of fire were reported in Nungambakkam, Madhavaram and Kelambakkam on Friday night and Saturday.

In Kelambakkam, a fire at a private hospital gutted medicines and medical equipment at 4.15am on Saturday morning. Fire was spotted at the first floor of a pharmacy and the security guard informed police and fire and rescue services personnel.

“The fire started at the first floor of the building where the hospital is located and spread to the second floor. Three fire tenders from Siruseri, Maraimalai Nagar and Thirukazhukundram were pressed into service,” said a fire officer.

Firefighters struggled for more than two hours to douse the fire, said a police officer. The private hospital has four different buildings.

Preliminary investigations revealed that staff spotted smoke emanating from an air conditioner at the pharmacy and alerted the security personnel, but soon the blaze erupted.

“Around 25 patients from the second and the first floor adjacent to the pharmacy were shifted immediately to safety by the hospital management,” said the police officer.

The fire was put out by 6am with the help of more than 10 fire fighters, sources said. Kelambakkam police registered a case and are estimating the loss of goods in the accident.

In another fire accident at Nungambakkam on Friday, two doll-making units and sales showroom went up in flames around 11pm. At least five fire tenders were pressed into the service. No one was injured in the accident.

In yet another accident, imported sports goods worth ₹2 crore kept at a godown in Madhavaram were gutted on Saturday morning.

Five fire tenders took about three hours to douse the fire. No one was injured in the accident.

In Kelambakkam, a fire at a private hospital gutted medicines and medical equipment at 4.15am on Saturday morning. No casualty was reported

Singapore celebrates Tamil

Artists, orators and writers from Chennai participate in the month-long festival to promote the language

Saranya.Chakrapani@timesgroup.com

21.04.2019

Last week, actor Rohini packed her bags and headed to Singapore. She took along verses of poets Sa Vijayalakshmi, Ilampirai, and Tamil translations of Maya Angelou, and had a performance planned around them. To her, these native language works carry enough essence to incite the right amount of curiosity and awe in Singapore’s 1,89,000-strong Tamil diaspora and act as a guide to their roots.

Rohini is among the artists, writers, poets and orators from Chennai contributing to the month-long Tamil language festival hosted by Singapore’s Tamil Language Council and the Education Ministry from March 30 to April 28. “These works talk about suppression, the fight for gender equality, and are powerful tools to engage with the younger generation while giving them an insight into the language itself,” says Rohini. “It’s not practical to expect this generation to be seeped into Tamil culture when they have very little connect with it in their everyday lives.”

Although Tamil is one of the official languages of Singapore, in the everyday lives of children, it has taken a backseat, says Abhi Krish, author and founder of Eli Puli, an initiative that delivers Tamil language resources to children under eight, through fun and innovative techniques. “Tamil is rarely a part of everyday exchanges, especially within local family units,” she says.

This means schools end up shouldering the responsibility of taking Tamil to children, who learn it as a second language only when they enter first grade, by when it is more of a new subject they struggle with than a mother tongue they should be familiar with.

Among the works from Chennai, which are being promoted by Eli Puli to mark Singapore’s Tamil language festival is the ‘Gajapati Kulapati’ series by Tulika Books, penned and illustrated by children’s book author Ashok Rajagopalan. While Ashok created the first book of the series in Tamil, the next two were translated from English to Tamil by popular storyteller Jeeva Ragunath.

“At a time when the language is scrambling for space colloquially, a good way to have children warm up to it is to turn it into a source of entertainment. All my stories are funny and made for ‘read aloud’ sessions. They don’t carry lofty messages and incorporate funny sounds to keep kids engaged,” says Ashok, whose books ‘Gajapati Kulapati Dhobukkadeer’ and ‘Bondapalliyil Bondattam’ are being promoted in Singapore. As part of the celebrations, Abhi has started an illustrator design challenge showcasing 21 interpretations of the alphabets ‘tha’, ‘mi’, ‘zh’ (in Tamil) by 21 artists, including Chennai-based Vasudevan Ananthakrishnan, Lavanya Karthik and Nancy Raj.

Using the festival as a platform for cultural exchange, the council has invited from Tamil Nadu orators such as Suki Sivam and Abdul Kader, a troupe doing Bharatiyar plays and a puppetry group from Kumbakonam, to proliferate ideas of unity and brotherhood contained in the language.

“The intention of the festival is to create greater awareness of the language and ensure that its usage extends beyond the school,” says R Rajaram, chairman of Tamil language Council. “Getting arts people and groups from Singapore and around the world is one of the cornerstones of this festival, as that is how we enable community empowerment.”

SPEAKING VOLUMES: (Top) Ashok Rajagopalan’s book is being promoted in Singapore; actor Rohini at the festival

Is it easy to be a single mother in India?

By -
Soumya Vajpayee
Updated: Mar 28, 2019, 11:03 ISTfacebooktwitterincom

"When my husband passed away, life seemed difficult. But once you decide to manage things on your own, nothing is impossible. I never cared about society, because I had twins to take care of. During my children’s growing up years, I would tell them about the hardships I faced in bringing them up without a father. Since my son and daughter were sensitive towards me and became my friends, I could manage everything alone. People around me would always give unsolicited advice, but I realised that society can never change. So, being confident and having strong willpower was my mantra to sail through,” says Ranjana Mallan, who has been a single mother for over seven years.

It’s hard to fathom the magnitude of challenges that single mothers (widows, divorcees, separated or single parent by choice) face every day in India. So much so, that they often seek help from mental health professionals. Changing times and the exposure that kids get these days due to the Internet and smartphones make life harder for single mothers. “They are often tensed about the right way of bringing up their kids. They tend to over-compensate for the absent parent and overdo in terms of material things and discipline. Catering to kids these days is difficult, because the demand for electronic gadgets has soared, the education system has changed and kids are exposed to outside influences. So, single mothers are overwhelmed and feel the responsibility a bit too much,” says Dr Nirmala Rao, psychiatrist.

Here are some of the challenges that single mothers in the country face every day.

Lack of safety net

Lack of a safety net affects most single mothers. Women who don’t have a support system, left home after being abused or those who were abandoned find themselves working hard to make ends meet. Financial independence is the biggest challenge. Besides being the sole breadwinners, they have to take care of their children and manage a home single-handedly. Other than the financial challenges, being a single mother is also emotionally draining and stressful. As a single mom living independently, you can’t afford to fall sick, take off on your own or take a night off from being a parent. The sense of loneliness is enhanced when the workplace environment is unpleasant and not accommodating. “Being a single mother, I’m the one always carrying the grocery bag, taking kids to school, doctor check-ups and dance classes. I’m always in the driver’s seat and there is no respite. There is no companion to share the load with,” says Mumbai-based Maya Sharma (name changed), a single mom and teacher.

High vulnerability and being judged

In India, where patriarchy is quite prevalent, a single mother is treated differently from someone who has a husband. Single moms often face illicit approaches by other men, ranging from mild flirtations, to subtle hints to sexual harassment. It becomes particularly disturbing for those women who have been victims of harassment, abuse and domestic violence. This adds to their stress and they often don’t share their grievances with anyone, fearing being judged. “Being single doesn’t mean that we are available. It’s important that the way single mothers are perceived in society should change. Rather than considering a single mother weak, it’s high time society starts looking at our strengths. Even today, single mothers find it difficult to accept their status in an open forum, because people tend to judge. A divorcee is often judged for her character, because in a patriarchal set-up, women are expected to accept men the way they are. It doesn’t matter if the husbands are drunkards, gamblers or womanisers,” says Mumbai-based Kasturi Deo, who parted ways with her husband many years ago. “I am happy being single, rather than being cheated on,” she adds.

Another single mother, Srobona Das, says, "Women in India and everywhere, are constantly judged. I have been called strong, willful, headstrong, weak, unsteady, and been pitied. In turn, people have also assumed that I cannot sustain relationships, I am fast/ have a loose character etc. I have been cautioned not to post too many pictures on Facebook that show me 'partying' or having a good time - lest people think I am neglecting my child. Patriarchy is age-old and deeply entrenched in most of us, else would we even get married or utter vows to love, honour and obey? Despite many examples of strong single mothers, women ably and single-handedly raising their children in India today, she is still expected to be 'sanskaari', waiting for the next man/ marriage, and made the butt of jokes and snide remarks."

City-based media professional, Riya Agnihotri (name changed), shares, “I often face this (being approached by men), but since I have been a single mom for a while, I know how to overcome such situations. I chose the path (single motherhood) for a reason and I have proven to the world that I’m a confident woman, who can fight all the challenges with a smile on my face.”

Dearth of time

Juggling household chores, looking after kids and work barely leaves single mothers with the much-deserved ‘me’ time. In fact, they often find it challenging to adjust their schedule and be completely involved with their kids’ school activities. Their parenting skills, patience and understanding are constantly put to test and to instil discipline in them while they spend most of their hours outdoors becomes challenging.

Financial concerns

Single moms often have to brave through the storms of economic turmoil alone. Being a single parent, she is the only one who earns in the family, and has responsibilities of the household and her kids to fulfil. You cannot be a stay-at-home mom, as you need to think of the expenses. So, even though you know that staying with your children throughout their growing-up years is important, you cannot spend all your time rearing them. The situation for those single mothers, who are not well off gets even worse. It is a tough job to plan your expenses and yet have savings through a single paycheck.

Social pressures of getting married

Many single mothers have experienced that in India, there’s always a pressure of getting married. “Society conveniently ignores the complex family bond that might get created if a single mother remarries. It’s (remarriage) a risk, which may work or may fail miserably. But as a single parent, unsolicited advice is bound to come your way,” says Dr Rao.

Tackling difficult questions

Single mothers often tackle difficult questions from their children, who want to know about the family dynamics, which are perhaps different from their friends’. It becomes challenging for single moms to explain the situation to them so that they know how to respond to the awkward and inevitable questions that come their way about their father. For that, amidst juggling work and household chores, single moms need to spend time with their kids and understand their needs and problems, which becomes challenging. “A lot of single mothers visit me. They suffer from anxiety and depression. They become over-protective about their children. At times, they over-compensate for the missing parent and tend to get harsh on themselves. They feel hurt when the child doesn’t reciprocate or respond to their feelings appropriately,” says Dr Rohann Bokdawala, psychiatrist.

Single mother affected by polio motivates daughter to dream

TNN | Apr 20, 2019, 11.56 AM IST

Single mother and affected by polio, Satheeswari P, has just one dream — to see her daughter Om Sneha become an IAS officer. And Sneha, from the government girls high school in Ashok Nagar, took first steps towards that journey on Thursday. She topped the Class XII exams at her school and scored a centum in accountancy.

“My mother faced a lot of difficulties and I have always wanted to fulfil her dream. I want to become the youngest IAS officer and serve the country,” said Sneha who scored 577 out of 600.

Satheeswari was affected by polio when she was just a year old. Her father abandoned her even before she was born and her mother raised her alone.

“My family supported me till I got a job. I came to Chennai alone when I was 36 and did many odd jobs. Now I am an assistant section officer at Dr MGR Medical University. I have always taught her to be independent,” said Satheeswari.

Sneha said she was aware of the difficulties her mother aced and that motivated her the most. “I want to be the best daughter,” she said.

The girl said her teachers encouraged her to perform better.

“Though I topped, I feel that I let them down as I did not score a centum in commerce,” she said.

Right to travel abroad is an important basic human right, Supreme Court 

Shruti Mahajan April 19 2019

https://barandbench.com/right-to-travel-abroad-is-an-important-basic-human-right-supreme-court/

The right to travel abroad is an important basic human right and also extends to private life, the Supreme Court held in its recent order.

While hearing an appeal filed by IPS Officer Satish Chandra Verma, who was denied permission to travel abroad on account of a pending departmental inquiry against him, the Supreme Court Bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and MR Shah held,

“The right to travel abroad is an important basic human right for it nourishes independent and self-determining creative character of the individual, not only by extending his freedoms of action, but also by extending the scope of his experience. The right also extends to private life; marriage, family and friendship are humanities which can be rarely affected through refusal of freedom to go abroad and clearly show that this freedom is a genuine human right. ”

The appellant is an Inspector General of Police/Principal, Central Training College, Central Reserve Police Force at Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Admittedly, there is a departmental inquiry pending against the appellant, on account of which the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) denied him permission to take a private trip abroad. This decision of the CAT was upheld by the Madras High Court.

The appellant, represented by Senior Counsel Indira Jaising, had apprised the Court that there were no criminal cases against him, and that the initiation of the departmental inquiry against him was under challenge. The Bench was also informed about the previous instance in 2017 when the appellant was granted permission to travel abroad by the Supreme Court.

The Court directed Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee to take instructions from the Centre as to whether it had any serious objection to the appellant travelling abroad.

After placing reliance on its judgment in the case of Maneka Gandhi vs Union of India, wherein the right to travel was upheld, the Bench set aside the order of the High Court.

Thus, it was held that a pending departmental inquiry cannot be a ground to keep the appellant from travelling abroad. The Court found no reason for the Government of India to deny permission to the appellant, and directed the Centre to permit the appellant to travel abroad.

மனநல பாதிப்பா: துாக்கிலிருந்து தப்பலாம்

Added : ஏப் 19, 2019 21:55

புதுடில்லி, 'துாக்கு தண்டனையை எதிர்நோக்கியுள்ள கைதிக்கு, மனநல பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டால், அவரது தண்டனையை ஆயுள் தண்டனையாக குறைக்கலாம்' என, உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.மஹாராஷ்டிர மாநிலத்தை சேர்ந்த ஒருவனுக்கு, இரண்டு பெண்களை பாலியல் பலாத்காரம் செய்து, கொலை செய்த வழக்கில், 2001ல், விசாரணை கோர்ட், துாக்கு தண்டனை விதித்தது. இந்த தண்டனையை, மும்பை உயர் நீதிமன்றமும், உச்ச நீதிமன்றமும் உறுதி செய்தன.அந்த நபர் தாக்கல் செய்த, சீராய்வு மனுவும் தள்ளுபடி செய்யப்பட்டது. இதையடுத்து, அவனுக்கு, துாக்கு தண்டனையை நிறைவேற்ற உத்தரவிடப்பட்டது.

இந்நிலையில், துாக்கு தண்டனைக்கு ஆளான நபர் தரப்பில், உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில், ஒரு மனு தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டது. அதில், அந்த நபருக்கு, மனநல பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டுஉள்ளதாகவும், அதனால், தண்டனையை குறைக்கும்படியும், உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் மனு தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டது.இந்த மனு, நீதிபதிகள், ரமணா தலைமையிலான அமர்வு முன், நேற்று விசாரணைக்கு வந்ததது. அப்போது, நீதிபதிகள் உத்தரவிட்டதாவது:மனநிலை பாதிப்புக்கு ஆளான நபருக்கு, துாக்கு தண்டனையை நிறைவேற்றுவது, அரசியல் சட்டத்தின், 21வது பிரிவை மீறுவதாக அமையும். இப்படிப்பட்ட நபருக்கு விதிக்கப்பட்ட துாக்கு தண்டனையை, ஆயுள் தண்டனையாக குறைக்கலாம்.

மனநிலை பாதிக்கப்பட்ட நபருக்கு, கொடூரமான அல்லது வழக்கத்துக்கு மாறான தண்டனையை நிறைவேற்றுவது இல்லை என, சர்வதேச சட்ட அமைப்பில், இந்தியா, உறுதி அளித்துள்ளது.அதே நேரத்தில், துாக்கு தண்டனைக்கு ஆளானவர்கள், மனநிலை பாதிக்கப்பட்டதாக பொய் கூறி, தண்டனையிலிருந்து தப்பித்து விடக் கூடாது. சட்டத்தை தவறாக பயன்படுத்தி விடக்கூடாது.இது தொடர்பாக, தண்டனை விதிக்கப்பட்ட நபருக்கு, மருத்துவ நிபுணர்கள் குழு, உரிய சோதனை நடத்தி, உண்மையிலேயே, அந்த நபருக்கு மனநிலை பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதா என்பதை உறுதி செய்ய வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, நீதிபதிகள் உத்தரவிட்டனர்.

தேர்தல் நடத்தை விதிகள் தொடரும் 

தமிழக தலைமை தேர்தல் அதிகாரி தகவல் 20.04.2019

சென்னை:''நான்கு சட்டசபை தொகுதிகளில், இடைத்தேர்தல் நடக்க உள்ளதால், தேர்தல் நடத்தை விதிகள் தொடர்ந்து அமலில் உள்ளன. தேர்தல் நடக்கும் மாவட்டங்கள் தவிர்த்து, பிற மாவட்டங்களில், நடத்தை விதிகளை தளர்த்து வதாக இருந்தால், முறைப்படி அறிவிக்கப் படும்,'' என, தமிழகத் தலைமை தேர்தல் அதிகாரி, சத்யபிரதா சாஹு தெரிவித்தார்.

தமிழகத்தில், 38 லோக்சபா தொகுதிகளுக்கும், 18 சட்டசபை தொகுதிகளுக்கும், நேற்று முன் தினம் தேர்தல் நடந்தது. வேலுார் லோக்சபா தொகுதிக்கு, தேர்தல் ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டதால், மீண்டும் எப்போது தேர்தல் நடத்தப்படும் என, அறிவிக்கப்படவில்லை.

மேலும், காலியாக உள்ள, துாத்துக்குடி மாவட்டம், ஒட்டப்பிடாரம்; மதுரை மாவட்டம், திருப்பரங்குன்றம்; கரூர் மாவட்டம்,

அரவக்குறிச்சி; கோவை மாவட்டம், சூலுார் சட்டசபை தொகுதிகளுக்கு, மே, 19ல் தேர்தல் நடக்க உள்ளது.எனவே, தமிழகம் முழுவதும், ஓட்டு எண்ணிக்கை முடியும் வரை, தேர்தல் நடத்தை விதிகள் அமலில் இருக்கும்.

ஏப்.,18ல் தேர்தல் முடிந்ததும், தேர்தல் நடத்தை விதிகள் தளர்த்தப்படும் என, எதிர்பார்க்கப் பட்டது. ஆனால், இடைத்தேர்தல் காரணமாக, விதிகள் தளர்த்தப்படவில்லை.கோடை காலம் என்பதால், குடிநீர் தட்டுப்பாடு அபாயம் உள்ளது. குடிநீர் பிரச்னைக்கு தீர்வு காண, பல்வேறு பணிகளை, அரசு மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டி உள்ளது.

தற்போது தேர்தல் நடத்தை விதிகள் அமலில் உள்ளதால், அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வுக் கூட்டம் கூட நடத்த முடியாத நிலை உள்ளது.நடத்தை விதிகள் தளர்த்தப்பட்டால், அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வுக்கூட்டம் நடத்தவும், குடிநீர் திட்டப் பணிகளை துவக்கவும் வசதியாக இருக்கும்.

இது குறித்து, தமிழக தலைமை தேர்தல்அதிகாரி, சத்யபிரதா சாஹு கூறியதாவது:இடைத்தேர்தல் நடக்கும் நான்கு தொகுதிகள் அமைந்துள்ள, துாத்துக்குடி, மதுரை, கரூர், கோவை ஆகிய நான்கு மாவட்டங்களில், பறக்கும் படை வாகன சோதனை தொடரும்.அதேபோல, மாநிலம் முழுவதும் உள்ள

பறக்கும் படைகள் தொடர்கின்றன.நான்கு மாவட்டங்கள் தவிர, மற்ற பகுதிகளில், தேர்தல் நடத்தை விதிகளை தளர்த்துவது குறித்து, தேர்தல் ஆணையத்திலிருந்து தகவல் வரவில்லை; வந்தால் தெரிவிக்கப்படும். அதேபோல, முறைப்படி அறிவிப்பு வரும் வரை, பறக்கும் படைகள் பணிகளை தொடரும்.

தேர்தலையொட்டி, பறக்கும் படையினர், நிலை கண்காணிப்பு குழுவினர் பறிமுதல் செய்த, பணம் மற்றும் பொருளுக்குரியோர், அதற்கான ஆதாரங்களை காண்பித்து, பெற்று செல்லலாம். வருமான வரித்துறை சோதனையில் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்ட பணம் மற்றும் பொருட்கள் தொடர்பாக, அவர்கள் உரிய விசாரணை மேற்கொள்வர்.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

பிளஸ் 2 முடித்த மாணவர்களே... மதிப்பெண் குறைவாக இருக்கிறது என, கவலை வேண்டாம். வெறும் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றாலே, ஏராளமான படிப்புகள் உள்ளன. 'பெயில்' ஆனாலும் பிரச்னையே இல்லை. ஜூனில் நடக்கும் சிறப்பு தேர்வில் பங்கேற்று, எளிதாக தேர்ச்சி பெறலாம். வெறும் மதிப்பெண் மட்டுமே வாழ்க்கை என நினைக்கவேண்டாம்; ஏராளமான படிப்புகள் உள்ளன; சுய தொழிலும் செய்யலாம். எனவே, குறைந்த மதிப்பெண் எடுத்த மாணவர்களையோ, 'பெயில்' ஆன மாணவர்களையோ பெற்றோர் கடிந்து கொள்ளாமல், அவர்கள் மனதைத் தேற்றி, எதிர்காலம் சிறப்பாக அமைய வழி செய்ய வேண்டியது அவசியம்.பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வு முடிவுகள், நேற்று வெளியான நிலையில், அதிக மதிப்பெண் பெற்ற மாணவர்கள், இன்ஜினியரிங், மருத்துவம் படிப்புகளில் சேர்வர். அதே நேரம், குறைவான மதிப்பெண்களில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றவர்களுக்கு, என்ன வாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன என்பதை, மாணவர்களும், பெற்றோரும் தெரிந்து கொள்வது அவசியம்.

35 மதிப்பெண்ணே போதும்

சென்னை பல்கலையின், தேர்வு கட்டுப்பாட்டு முன்னாள் அதிகாரியும், ஹிந்துஸ்தான் கலை, அறிவியல் கல்லுாரி முதல்வருமான திருமகன் கூறியதாவது:பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வில், எவ்வளவு மதிப்பெண் பெற்றிருந்தாலும், மாணவர்களும், பெற்றோரும் கவலையே பட வேண்டாம். அனைத்து கலை, அறிவியல் பட்டப் படிப்புகளுக்கும், பிளஸ் 2 தேர்ச்சி மட்டுமே போதும்.
அரசு மற்றும் உதவி பெறும் கல்லுாரிகளில், 'சீட்' கிடைக்கா விட்டால், தனியார் கல்லுாரிகளில், நிச்சயம் இடம் கிடைக்கும்.எவ்வளவு மதிப்பெண் உள்ளதோ, அதற்கேற்ற பட்டப்படிப்பில் சேரலாம். அந்த படிப்பின் வழியே, அரசு துறை வேலைவாய்ப்பு தேர்வுகள் எழுதி, அரசு அதிகாரி ஆகலாம்.மொழி சார்ந்த படிப்புகளுக்கு, எல்லா மாணவர்களுக்கும், கல்லுாரிகளில் இடம் கிடைக்கும்.

தமிழ், ஆங்கிலம் என, மொழியியல் முடித்தவர்களுக்கு, அதிக வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன. இதற்கு, பிளஸ் 2 மதிப்பெண், ஒரு தடையாக இருக்காது.ஊடகங்கள், நாளிதழ் கள், விளம்பர துறைகளில், மாணவர்களுக்கு அதிக வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன. அந்த பாடங்களையும் தேர்வு செய்யலாம்.
பட்டப் படிப்புக்கு, கட்டணம் செலுத்த முடியாதவர்கள், எளிய முறையில், வங்கிகளில், கல்வி கடன் பெறலாம்.ஒரு மாணவருக்கு, ஆண்டுக்கு, 2,000 ரூபாய் வரை தான் வட்டி வரும். படிப்பு முடித்து, வேலைக்கு சென்ற பின், கடனை, மாத தவணையாக செலுத்தலாம்.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.
40 - 45 போதுமே!

அண்ணா பல்கலையின், இணைப்பில் உள்ள, இன்ஜினியரிங் கல்லுாரிகளில் சேர்வதற்கு, பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வில், பொது பிரிவு மாணவர்கள், 45 சதவீதம் மதிப்பெண் பெற்றால் போதும். மற்ற பிரிவு மாணவர்கள், 40 சதவீதம் மட்டும் பெற்றாலே போதுமானது.அவர்கள், ஏதாவது ஒரு, இன்ஜி., கல்லுாரியில், பி.இ., அல்லது, பி.டெக்., இன்ஜினியரிங் படிப்பில் சேரலாம். தமிழக அரசின், கவுன்சிலிங் வழியாக இட ஒதுக்கீடு அடிப்படையில், இந்த இடங் பெறலாம்.
கலைக்கு, 35 போதும்

பிளஸ் 2வில், வெறும் தேர்ச்சி மதிப்பெண்ணான, 35 மதிப்பெண் மட்டும் எடுத்தால் கூட, ஏதாவது, ஒரு பட்டப்படிப்பில்சேரலாம். ஒவ்வொரு படிப்புக்கும், அதற்கேற்ற வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன.
பி.ஏ., - பி.எஸ்சி., - பி.பி.ஏ., உள்ளிட்ட, இளநிலை அறிவியல் மற்றும் கலை படிப்புகளில் சேர முடியும்.அனைத்து அரசு மற்றும் அரசு உதவி பெறும் கல்லுாரிகள், தனியார் கலை கல்லுாரிகளில், விண்ணப்ப





  பதிவு துவங்கியுள்ளது. மதிப்பெண்ணை தர வரிசைப்படுத்தி, மாணவர்களுக்கு, பட்டப்படிப்பு சேர்க்கை வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

பிளஸ் 2 தேர்ச்சி மட்டும் பெற்றவர்கள், ஏதாவது, ஒரு பல்கலையில்,பட்டப்படிப்பு மட்டும் முடித்த பின், குரூப், 1, 2, 3 என, அரசு பணிகளுக்கான, டி.என்.பி.எஸ்.சி., தேர்வுகள் எழுதி, அரசு பணியில் சேரலாம்.
சட்டம், சி.ஏ.,வுக்கு, 45 போதும்

அதேபோல், அம்பேத்கர் சட்ட பல்கலையின், இணைப்பில் உள்ள, சட்ட கல்லுாரிகளில், எல்.எல்.பி., - எல்.எல்.பி., ஹானர்ஸ், பி.ஏ., - பி.பி.ஏ., - எல்.எல்.பி., போன்ற படிப்புகளில் சேரலாம். இதற்கு, பொது பிரிவினர், பிளஸ் 2வில், 45 சதவீதமும், மற்ற பிரிவினர், 40 சதவீதமும் மதிப்பெண் பெற்றால் போதும். வணிகவியல் மற்றும் கணக்கு பதிவியல் படித்தவர்கள், பிளஸ் 2 தேர்ச்சி மட்டும் பெற்றால் போதும். தொலைநிலையில், சி.ஏ., படிப்பும், கல்லுாரியில், பி.காம்., படிப்பும் படிக்கலாம்.
'டிப்ளமா'வுக்கு, தேர்ச்சி போதும்

மூன்றாண்டு பட்டப்படிப்பு சேராதவர்கள், பிளஸ் 2 தேர்ச்சி மட்டும் பெற்றிருந்தால், 'டிப்ளமா' இன்ஜினியரிங் படிப்புகளில், நேரடியாக, இரண்டாம் ஆண்டில் சேரலாம். இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளில் படிப்பை முடித்து, பி.இ., - பி.டெக்., போன்ற, இன்ஜினியரிங் படிப்புகளில், நேரடி இரண்டாம் ஆண்டு சேர்க்கையில் சேரலாம். இதன்படி, நேரடி இன்ஜினியரிங் கல்லுாரிகளில் சேர்ந்தவர்களுக்கு இணையான பட்டத்தையும், வேலைவாய்ப்பையும் பெறலாம்.மருத்துவமும், துணை படிப்புகளும்  மருத்துவ படிப்பில் சேர்வதற்கு, பிளஸ் 2வில் குறைந்தபட்சம், ஆங்கிலம், இயற்பியல், வேதியியல், உயிரியல் அல்லது விலங்கியல், தாவரவியல் அல்லது உயிரி தொழில்நுட்பம் ஆகிய படிப்புகளில், பொது பிரிவினர், 50 சதவீதம் மதிப்பெண்கள் பெற்றால் போதும்.பொது பிரிவில் உள்ள மாற்று திறனாளி மாணவர்கள், 45 சதவீதம் மதிப்பெண் பெற வேண்டும்.

மற்ற அனைவரும், 40 சதவீதம் பெற்றிருந்தால் போதும். 'நீட்' நுழைவுத் தேர்வு அடிப்படையில், தரவரிசையில் இடம்பெற்று, மருத்துவ படிப்பில் சேரலாம்.'நீட்' தேர்வு மதிப்பெண் குறைவு காரணமாக, எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., மற்றும் பி.டி.எஸ்., படிப்புகளில் சேர முடியாவிட்டால், மருத்துவம் சார்ந்த, பி.பார்ம்., கண் மருத்துவத்துக்கான, 'ஆப்தால்மாலஜி' உள்ளிட்ட பட்டப் படிப்புகளில் சேரலாம். மாணவியர், 'நர்சிங்' படிப்புகளில் சேர்வதன் வழியே, அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் கார்ப்பரேட் மருத்துவமனைகளில், நல்ல சம்பளத்தில், பணி வாய்ப்பை பெற முடியும்.

தோல்வியே வெற்றியின் முதல் படி!

சேலத்தை சேர்ந்த, உளவியல் ஆலோசகர், கதிரவன் கூறியதாவது:பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வில், அதிக மதிப்பெண் பெற்ற மாணவர்களுக்கும், வரும் தேர்வில் தேர்ச்சி பெற உள்ள மாணவர்களுக்கும் வாழ்த்துகள்.இந்த தேர்வில், அதிக மதிப்பெண் பெறாமல் அல்லது தேர்ச்சி பெறாத மாணவர்கள், வரும் துணை தேர்வில், சிறந்த மதிப்பெண் எடுக்க முடியும்.

இப்போதைய சிறிய தோல்வி, அடுத்த இமாலய வெற்றிக்கு படிக்கல்.விஞ்ஞானி தாமஸ் ஆல்வா எடிசன், பள்ளி படிப்பு கூட முடிக்காதவர். அவரது தாய் அளித்த ஊக்கத்தால், உலகம் போற்றும் விஞ்ஞானியானார். இன்னும் எத்தனையோ, அரசியல் தலைவர்கள், அரசு அதிகாரிகள், பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வில், தேர்ச்சியே பெறாமல், இரண்டாவது முயற்சியில், பெரும் வெற்றி பெற்றுள்ளனர்.

வெறும் மதிப்பெண் மட்டுமே வாழ்க்கை அல்ல. அதேபோல், இன்ஜினியரிங்கும், மருத்துவமும் மட்டும், உயர்ந்த படிப்புகள் அல்ல. ஆசிரியர்கள், பேராசிரியர்கள், கல்வி நிறுவன அதிபர்கள் போன்ற பலர், பிளஸ் 2வில், அதிக மதிப்பெண் பெற்றவர்கள் அல்ல.எல்லா படிப்புக்கும் வேலைவாய்ப்பும், அந்தஸ்தும் உள்ளது. இந்த படிப்பில், மதிப்பெண் வரவில்லையா; வேறு எந்த படிப்பிற்கான திறமை, நம்மிடம் இருக்கிறது என தெரிந்து கொண்டால், அதிக மதிப்பெண் எடுத்தவர்களை விட, வாழ்க்கையில், உயர்ந்த நிலைக்கு செல்ல முடியும்.

வாழ்க்கையில் இத்தனை வழிகள் இருப்பதைப் பற்றித் துளியும் சிந்திக்காமல், தற்கொலை செய்து கொள்வது, வாழ்க்கையே அஸ்தமித்து விட்டதாக நினைப்பது, மற்றவர்கள் கிண்டலடிப்பரே என, தாழ்வு மனம் கொள்வது ஆகியவை, வாழ்வில் முன்னேற, எந்த வகையிலும் உதவாது. மாணவர்கள், நம்பிக்கையுடன், நல்ல, நேர்மறையான முடிவு வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

துணை தேர்வு எப்போது?

பிளஸ் 2வில், தேர்ச்சி பெறாதவர்களுக்கு, ஜூன் மாதம், துணை தேர்வு நடத்தப்பட உள்ளது. அரசு தேர்வு துறை சார்பில், ஜூன், 6 முதல், 13ம் தேதி வரை, இந்த தேர்வு நடக்கும். அதற்கு விண்ணப்பிக்கும் தேதி, விரைவில் அறிவிக்கப்படும். இந்த தேர்வில் தேர்ச்சி பெறும் வகையில், மாணவர்கள், இப்போதிருந்தே பாடங்களை படித்து, தயாராக வேண்டும்.
ஜூனில் நடக்க உள்ள துணை தேர்வுக்கு, இந்த வழிமுறைகளை பின்பற்றுங்கள்; எளிதில் தேர்ச்சி பெறலாம். தேர்ச்சி மட்டும் பெற்றால் போதும். ஏதாவது ஒருபடிப்பில், உங்களுக்கு நிச்சயம் வாய்ப்புள்ளது.பிளஸ் 2வில், மதிப்பெண் குறைந்தாலும், கல்லுாரி படிப்பில், உங்கள் கவனத்தை செலுத்தி,


முதல் வகுப்பில் தேர்ச்சி பெறுங்கள். கல்லுாரியிலேயே, 'கேம்பஸ்' வழியாக வேலைவாய்ப்பு கிடைக்கும்.

'படி படி' என, அழுத்தம் தராதீர்!

பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வில், 80 சதவீதத்துக்கு மேல், மதிப்பெண் பெற்ற மாணவ - மாணவியரின், பெற்றோர் மற்றும் ஆசிரியர்கள் கூறியதாவது:பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வில், எங்கள் பிள்ளைகள், அதிக மதிப்பெண் பெறுவதற்கு, அவர்களின் தன்னம்பிக்கையும், கடின உழைப்பும் காரணம். இவ்வளவு மதிப்பெண் வாங்க வேண்டும் என, நாங்கள் வற்புறுத்தவில்லை.

மாறாக, 'நேரத்தை வீணடிக்காமல், பாடங்களை புரிந்து படித்து விட வேண்டும்' என அறிவுறுத்தினோம்.தினமும், பள்ளியில் நடத்தும் பாடங்களை, வீட்டில் படித்து, அதே நாளில், தேர்வு எழுதி, பார்த்து விட வேண்டும். அந்த பாடங்களுக்கு சந்தேகங்கள் இருந்தால், அதை குறிப்பெடுத்து, மறுநாள் பள்ளிக்கு சென்றதும், பாட ஆசிரியர்களிடம் விளக்கம் பெற வேண்டும் என, வழிகாட்டினோம்.

சரியான நேரத்தில் உணவு, துாக்கம் என்பதும், மாணவர்களுக்கு முக்கியமானது. எனவே, மதிப்பெண் குறைந்த மாணவர்கள், கவலைப்பட வேண்டாம். பிள்ளைகளுக்கு, எந்த விதத்திலும், படிப்பின் காரணமாகவோ, மதிப்பெண் காரணமாகவோ, அழுத்தம் தரவில்லை; தரவும் கூடாது. உரிய நேரத்தில், உணவு, துாக்கம், விளையாட்டு என, திட்டமிட்டால் போதும். இதன்பிறகும், மதிப்பெண் குறைந்தால், அதற்கேற்ற படிப்பில் சேர்ந்து சாதிக்கலாம் என, நினைக்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.
திறந்தநிலை பள்ளியும் இருக்கு!

பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வில் தேர்ச்சி பெறாமலோ, மதிப்பெண் குறைவாகவோ உள்ளவர்கள், தொலைநிலை பள்ளியிலும் படிக்கலாம். மத்திய அரசின், தேசிய திறந்தநிலை பள்ளியான, என்.ஐ.ஓ.எஸ்., நிறுவனத்தில் சேர்ந்து, வீட்டில் இருந்தவாறே படிக்கலாம்.இதில், சி.பி.எஸ்.இ., பாட திட்டம் பின்பற்றப்படும். இதில் படிப்பவர்கள், 'நீட்' தேர்வில் கூட பங்கேற்க வாய்ப்பு அளிக்கப்படுகிறது.
என்.ஐ.ஓ.எஸ்., பள்ளி படிப்பில் சேர்பவர்கள்,www.nios.ac.inஎன்ற இணையதளத்தில் விபரங்களை தெரிந்து கொள்ளலாம். பள்ளி படிப்பை பாதியில் விட்டவர்கள் கூட, என்.ஐ.ஓ.எஸ்., கல்வி முறையில், பிளஸ் 2 வகுப்பில் சேரலாம்.நேரடி பள்ளியில் படித்ததற்கு நிகரான சான்றிதழ், மத்திய அரசால் வழங்கப்படும். இந்த சான்றிதழை பயன்படுத்தி, கல்லுாரிகளில் நேரடியாக, பட்டப் படிப்புகளில் சேரலாம்.இதன், தமிழகம் மற்றும் புதுச்சேரிக்கான மண்டல அலுவலகம், சென்னை, ராணிமேரி கல்லுாரி அருகில், லேடி வெலிங்டன் பள்ளி வளாகத்தில் உள்ளது. அங்கு சென்று விபரங்களை தெரிந்து கொள்ளலாம்.

கைகொடுக்கும் தொலைநிலை பல்கலை!

பிளஸ் 2 தேர்ச்சி பெறா விட்டால், கல்லுாரியில் சேர முடியாதே என நினைப்பவர்களுக்கு, அடைக்கலம் தரும் வகையில், மத்திய அரசின், இந்திராகாந்தி திறந்தநிலை பல்கலையும், தமிழக அரசின், திறந்த நிலை பல்கலையும் உள்ளன.இங்கு, பிளஸ் 2 முடிக்காதவர் களுக்கு, ஆறு மாதம் தகுதி தேர்வு பயிற்சியும், தேர்வும் நடத்தப்படும்.
இதில், மாணவர்கள் எளிதாக தேர்வாகலாம்.அதன்பின், மூன்று ஆண்டுகள் பட்டப்படிப்பை, அதே பல்கலையில் தொலைநிலையில் படிக்கலாம். இந்த படிப்புக்கு வழங்கப்படும் சான்றிதழ்கள், அரசு வேலைக்கும், போட்டி தேர்வுக்கும் தகுதியானதாகும். இதற்கான விபரங்களை, rcchennai.ignou .ac.in மற்றும் www.tnou.ac.inஎன்ற இணைய தளங்களில் தெரிந்து கொள்ளலாம்.
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'கஜா புயல் பாதித்த 15 பள்ளிகள், 'சென்டம்'

Updated : ஏப் 20, 2019 06:39 | Added : ஏப் 20, 2019 01:12


தஞ்சாவூர்: தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டத்தில், ப்ளஸ் 2 தேர்வில், 91.05 சதவீத மாணவ - மாணவியர் தேர்ச்சி, கஜாவால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட பகுதிகளில், 15 அரசு பள்ளிகள், 100 சதவீத தேர்ச்சியை பெற்று சாதனை படைத்துள்ளன.

கடந்த மார்ச் மாதம் நடைபெற்ற, பிளஸ் 2 பொதுத் தேர்வில், தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள, 217 பள்ளிகளைச் சேர்ந்த, 12,661 மாணவர்களும், 16,203 மாணவியரும் என, மொத்தம், 28,864 மாணவ, மாணவியர் தேர்வு எழுதினர். தேர்வு முடிவுகள் நேற்று வெளியானது. இதில், 11,083 மாணவர்களும், 15,199 மாணவியரும் என, 26,282 மாணவ - மாணவியர் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றுள்ளனர். மாநில அளவில் தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டம் தேர்ச்சி விழுக்காட்டில் 91.05 சதவீதம் பெற்று, 17வது இடத்தில் உள்ளது. இதில், 16 அரசு பள்ளிகள் 100 சதவீத தேர்ச்சியை பெற்றுள்ளது.

கஜா புயல்: இதில் கஜா புயலால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட, ஒரத்தநாடு கல்வி வட்டாரத்தில் உள்ள, 30 அரசு பள்ளிகளில், ஒன்பது பள்ளிகளும், பட்டுக்கோட்டை கல்வி வட்டாரத்தில், 26 பள்ளிகளில், நாண்கு பள்ளிகளும், பேராவூரணியில், ஏழு பள்ளிகளில், இரண்டு பள்ளிகளும் என, 15 பள்ளி, 100 சதவீதம் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றுள்ளன.

The Reporting for Round 2 of NEET PG Counseling 2019 is going on and will end on 22nd April. 2019 at 5:00 pm (as per server time). 

 https://mcc.nic.in/PGCounselling/home/homepage

Homeopaths with stocks of allopathy medicines: FDA seeks reply

TNN | Apr 18, 2019, 08.00 AM IST

MUMBAI: The state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent letters to around 25 homeopaths from Dombivli, asking them to explain their large stocks of allopathic drugs. Though homeopaths cannot store or dispense allopathic drugs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the practice is mostly overlooked due to factors ranging from shortage of MBBS practitioners to state's empathic stance towards crosspathy.

The drug regulator is believed to have come across several "big" purchases made by homeopaths from wholesalers that was revealed during auditing of bills in March. The FDA's Thane branch has sought answers from the practitioners of alternative medicine as to whether the drugs were indeed purchased by them, how they were stored and dispensed. 

Senior FDA officials have said that the exercise is unlikely to be extended beyond Dombivli, for now.

"We were surprised to find homeopaths storing allopathy drugs in such huge quantities. There was anything between four and 10 bills for each doctor. Dombivli is not a village. There are 400 chemists, so what is the need to store medicines?" said an FDA official, adding that in the past, practitioners have been found handing out loose medicines. "Some also store injectables and steroids without following storage conditions," the official said. He added that the exercise was also meant to check if wholesalers were fudging records.

Bank unions urge govt to take over Jet Airways

Mumbai:20.04.2019

Bank unions on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take over grounded Jet Airways to secure the future of the 22,000-odd employees of the carrier.

In a letter to Modi, the All-India Bank Employees Association also said government must ensure that banks are not forced to lend to the crippled airline.

After flying for 25 years, Jet Airways on Wednesday announced grounding of operations after its lenders declined an interim funding of ₹400-crore. “We learn that banks have invited bids of possible investors to take over the airline. If it does not happen, we urge you to take over the airline so that the jobs of these 22,000 employees are safe,” the association said.

At the same time the unions opposed any move to force banks to lend more money to the airline.

“Everyone is looking at the banks to bail out the airline as though lenders are the owners,” the unions said, demanding an enquiry into the affairs of Jet.

The attempts to sidetrack the whole issue by building pressure on the banks to extend further loan and save the company is only with a view to keep Naresh Goyal out of the picture whereas he is the real man who is answerable for the whole crisis, the unions claimed.

“We seek the immediate intervention of the government so that banks are not pressurised to dole out more money,” the letter said.

The airline owes more than ₹8,500 crore to banks and around ₹4,000 crore to its vendors and aircraft lessors and months of salaries to the employees apart from thousands of crores of rupees in ticket refunds to passengers.

That apart, it has an accumulated loss of over ₹13,000 crore. A consortium of banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) had said they were hopeful of a successful bidding process for stake sale in the airline. AGENCIES

EVMs face a rat risk in Ghazipur

Rajeev.Dikshit@timesgroup.com

Varanasi:20.04.2019

Poll officials are facing a challenge from unexpected quarters in Ghazipur, where BSP candidate Afzal Ansari (elder brother of jailed don-turned-MLA Mukhtar Ansari) is hoping to overthrow Union minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha.

A rodent invasion has been detected at Navin Mandi Sthal that will house EVMs after the polling in the constituency on May  19. The counting is scheduled for May 23. “I summoned PWD officials and directed immediate damage control. The holes are now being plugged with cementconcrete,” said district election officer K Balaji.