சைக்கிளிள் வந்து பொறுப்பேற்றார் மத்திய சுகாதார துறை அமைச்சர்

Added : ஜூன் 03, 2019 23:01




புதுடில்லி : மத்திய சுகாதார துறை அமைச்சராக நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள, பா.ஜ.,வைச் சேர்ந்த, ஹர்ஷ்வர்தன், நேற்று, தன் அலுவலகத்துக்கு, சைக்கிளில் வந்து பொறுப்பேற்றார்.

சமீபத்தில் நடந்த லோக்சபா தேர்தலில், டில்லி, சாந்தினி சவுக் தொகுதியில், பா.ஜ., சார்பில் போட்டியிட்டு வெற்றி பெற்றவர், ஹர்ஷ்வர்தன், 64. இவர், முந்தைய ஆட்சியில், அறிவியல் தொழில்நுட்பம் மற்றும் நில அறிவியல் துறை அமைச்சராக பதவி வகித்தார்.

இந்நிலையில், ஹர்ஷ்வர்தனுக்கு, இந்த முறை, சுகாதாரம் மற்றும் குடும்ப நலத்துறை வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அறிவியல் தொழில்நுட்பம் மற்றும் நில அறிவியல் துறையும், இவருக்கு கூடுதலாக வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதையடுத்து, சுகாதார துறை அமைச்சராக, ஹர்ஷ்வர்தன், நேற்று பொறுப்பேற்றார். இதற்காக, டில்லியில் உள்ள அலுவலகத்துக்கு, அவர் சைக்கிளில் வந்தார். இதைப் பார்த்த பலரும் ஆச்சரியம் அடைந்தனர்.

இது குறித்து, அமைச்சர் ஹர்ஷ்வர்தன் கூறியதாவது: ஜூன், 3ம் தேதியை, உலக சைக்கிள் தினமாக, ஐ.நா., அறிவித்துள்ளது. சுற்றுச்சூழலுக்கு தீங்கு இழைக்காத, உடலுக்கு ஆரோக்கியத்தை தரும், சிக்கனமான சிறந்த பயணம் என்றால், அது சைக்கிள் பயணம் மட்டும் தான். சைக்கிள் ஓட்டுவது, எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடிக்கும். இனி அடிக்கடி அலுவலகத்துக்கு சைக்கிளில் வர முடிவு செய்துள்ளேன். இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார்.

Delhi University Teachers’ Association HRD ministry clarification on OBC quota for teaching cadre
In a letter to UGC, the Ministry of Human Resource Development clarified that there will be reservations for SC, ST, and OBC in direct recruitment of teachers in central universities.

Published: 03rd June 2019 10:59 AM

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) welcomed the MHRD’s clarification regarding OBC reservation in direct recruitment to teaching positions in central universities.


In a letter to the University Grants Commission, the Ministry of Human Resource Development clarified that there will be reservations for SC, ST, and OBC in direct recruitment of teachers in central universities.

“This meets the long-standing demand that, in consonance with SC/ST reservations, OBC too must be included in the reservation roster for direct recruitment at all levels, including positions of associate professor and professor. This clarification was also necessary because, even after a MHRD notification, several central universities did not including reservation for OBCs at the associate professor- and professor-level in their advertisements,” it said.

The Association drew the MHRD’s notice that while the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Ordinance has no provision for EWS quota, various universities were introducing it despite there being no such provision. It urged the Ministry to intervene immediately as thousands of ad hoc teachers could end up losing jobs.

Chennai: Clinic for transgenders in RGGGH

The clinic, situated in the tower 1 block at the RGGGH, is open on Fridays from 9 am to 1 pm.

Published: 04th June 2019 06:06 AM |

The clinic will be open on Fridays

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the state, health minister C Vijaya Baskar inaugurated an exclusive multi-speciality clinic for transgenders at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), on Monday. Last year, the government had announced that an exclusive multi-speciality clinic for transgenders would be set up at the cost of Rs 15 lakh at RGGGH and Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.

The clinic, situated in the tower 1 block at the RGGGH, is open on Fridays from 9 am to 1 pm. Plastic surgeons, endocrinologists, venereologists and psychiatrists will be available. Medical services from sex reassignment surgery to follow-up treatment will be provided here.

Dr R Jayanthi, dean, RGGGH told Express, “The clinic will cater to the needs of transgenders. It is a composite care centre under one roof. All specialists will be available. More sophisticated equipment for clinical and surgical care will be added to the facility in the coming days. There is a proposal worth `1.34 crore for procurement of the equipment.”

Meanwhile, Neaya Joseph, a transgender and Grade-II laboratory technician, RGGGH said, “Many transgenders don’t know where to go and whom to approach in the initial stages of feeling like a woman trapped in a male’s body. So, a psychiatrist is the first specialist they go to confirm it. After thorough counselling, the psychiatrist will give an opinion certificate to the endocrinologist saying that the person is mentally a male, so they can be physically converted to female.


Then the endocrinologist will put the person on hormones therapy to suppress male hormones for at least one year. Then they are referred to a plastic surgeon, who does the reassignment surgery. So, the entire process is expensive and many transgenders from poor background cannot afford it. So, this clinic will be a great help for them.”

Air India introduces direct flight between Chennai and Varanasi

National Carrier Air India will be introducing a direct flight from Chennai to Varanasi from Thursday.

Published: 04th June 2019 06:26 AM

Image for representational purpose only (File Photo)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: National Carrier Air India will be introducing a direct flight from Chennai to Varanasi from Thursday.The flights AI-595/596 on Chennai/Varanasi/Chennai sector will be operated four days a week. AI-595 will leave Chennai at 4.50 pm and reach Varanasi at 7.05 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Similarly, the flight will depart at 10.20 am on Sunday and reach Varanasi at 12.35 pm.

In the return direction, AI-596 will leave Varanasi at 7.35 pm and will arrive at Chennai at 9.35 pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. On Sunday, it will leave Varanasi at 1.10pm and arrive at Chennai at 3.30pm. The fares are available from `3,565.

Similarly, additional flights on Chennai-Bengaluru, Chennai-Ahmedabad and Chennai-Kolkata sectors will be launched from Wednesday. New flights AI 591/592 will operate daily on Chennai-Bengaluru-Chennai sector. AI- 591 will leave Chennai at 7 am and reach Bengaluru at 8 am. In the return direction, AI-592 will leave Bengaluru at 8.35 am and arrive at Chennai at 9.35 am.

The starting fares are available from `1,228. The Chennai-Ahmedabad flights will operate on all days of the week except Sundays. AI-593 will leave Chennai at 10.20 am and reach Ahmedabad at 12.50 pm. In the return direction, AI-594 will leave Ahmedabad at 1.40 pm and arrive at Chennai at 4.05pm. The starting fares are available from `3,880. The Chennai-Kolkata sector flights will operate four days a week – Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. AI-597 will leave Chennai at 4.50pm and reach Kolkata at 7.25pm.

Madras University to revamp courses on start-ups

At a time when startups are ruling the roost, the University of Madras is also inclined to promote startups in its campus.

Published: 04th June 2019 06:24 AM |

Madras University - (P Jawahar|EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The University of Madras plans to revamp the syllabus of the entrepreneurship courses offered by it and strengthen its incubation centre, to create a perfect ambience to promote startups, said vice-chancellor, Dr P Duraisamy.The university offers undergraduate courses in entrepreneurship and the authorities have plans to revise its curriculum, to make it more industry-friendly. Officials said that in the last few years, there has been a vast change in the entrepreneurship scenario in the country but the curriculum of the course has not been updated accordingly.

At a time when startups are ruling the roost, the University of Madras is also inclined to promote startups in its campus. Varsity officials said that along with creating employment opportunities for students, the move will also help in generating revenue for the institution. Officials said if successful startups emerge out from the university then they will pay a royalty to it.

“To meet the demands of today’s entrepreneurship market needs and to prepare our students to become good entrepreneurs, we need to revise and update our syllabus. The move will also make the entrepreneurship course more attractive among students,” said an official of the varsity.

The vice-chancellor said that he is in talks with Madras Chamber of Commerce experts to get an insight about the market needs and what needs to be included in the syllabus.“We will reframe the entrepreneurship syllabus and train our teachers to promote entrepreneurship skills among the students. We have received Rs 7.5 crore from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, which will be utilized in the project,” said Duraisamy.A Technology Business Incubator cell functions at the university along with an Innovation centre. The university aims to strengthen the centres.

Rajinikanth sticker on autorickshaw helps cops crack murder case

Superintendent of Police, Nellore, Aishwarya Rastogi told mediapersons that Bondili Nirmala Bhai, 45, living at 1st street in Ramalingapuram in Nellore had been murdered on May 28.

Published: 03rd June 2019 07:24 PM |

The auto with Superstar Rajinikanth's poster on it. (CCTV footage)
By Express News Service

NELLORE: The flexi sticker of actor Rajinikanth on an autorickshaw has helped the Nellore sub-division police crack a murder case.

The sticker assisted the cops in nabbing the autorickshaw driver for the murder of a 45-year-old woman. The accused was identified as Ramaswamy alias Vemasani Srikanth alias Rajinikanth, 22.

The deceased, Bondili Nirmala Bhai (45) was residing in Ramalingapuram of Nellore and working as a clerk in a private school nearby.

After the death of her husband Ramesh Singh three years ago and with her son working in Bengaluru and daughter studying in Tirupati, she was residing alone in a rented house in the city.


"She was killed after being stabbed in the neck more than 10 times with a button knife. After this, her body had been set on fire. Local residents saw flames coming out from her house and tried to douse it. They informed the Balaji Nagar police, who later began an investigation after forming three teams,' Superintendent of Police, Nellore, Aishwarya Rastogi said. 

Nellore district superintendent of police Aishwarya Rastogi and other officers with the accused Ramaswamy alias Vemasani Srikanth. (Photo | EPS)

CCTV camera footage from near the house of Nirmala Bhai showed an autorickshaw that had actor Rajinikanth's sticker on it arriving before the murder and leaving after it. This led to the cops running checks on 10000 autorickshaws in the city and also in rural area limits.

On June 3, they finally found the autorickshaw they were looking for at the Apollo hospital junction at Muthukur road in Nellore city. The auto driver, Ramaswamy, on interrogation admitted that he had carried out the murder to steal valuables from the victim.

He said he had picked up a gold chain, bangles, earrings and Rs 2000 from her wallet.

Ramaswamy said he had collected old newspapers from the house and used that to burn Nirmala Bhai's body to divert attention. He had also left the gas valve open to make it seem like an accidental death.

SP Aishwarya Rastogi rewarded Nellore city DSP NBM Murali Krishna, the Balaji Nagar Circle Inspector and Sub-Inspectors for their efforts in cracking the case.

Submit status report on probe against two former KSOU V-Cs: High Court

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

BENGALURU, JUNE 04, 2019 00:00 IST

The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the State government to submit a status report by June 24 on the investigation based on the FIR registered against two former vice-chancellors of the Mysuru-based Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) on alleged illegalities in recruitments and financial transactions.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar passed the interim order on a PIL petition filed by the Karnataka State Universities and Colleges Backward Classes and Minority Teachers’ Association, Mysuru.

The petitioner sought a direction to the State government to initiate a proper and decisive criminal prosecution of K.S. Rangappa and M.G. Krishna, former KSOU vice-chancellors, and four professors based on an inquiry report in 2015 by a retired High Court judge, which was accepted by the Chancellor with the remark that criminal prosecution is required to be initiated under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC.

Also, the association questioned the act of the Additional Chief Secretary of the Higher Education Department, who had given an endorsement to the association’s representation in June 2017 stating that no further action is required against the persons as a complaint was already lodged with Jayalakshmipuram police in Mysuru in August 2016.

It was claimed in the petition that the Chancellor and the State government failed to initiate action against the former vice-chancellors despite the inquiry report clearly stating the illegalities. The association said the pleas filed by Mr. Rangappa and six others, questioning the criminal case against them in August 2016, was dismissed by the High Court in November 2016.

UGC pay: AUT appreciates ‘swift’ action

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUCHI, JUNE 04, 2019 00:00 IST

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) on Monday thanked the Principal Secretary for Higher Education for ‘swift’ intervention on the issue of new UGC pay for 31 regular teachers of the erstwhile constituent colleges of Bharathidasan University (BDU).

According to a communication from AUT, the Principal Secretary has agreed to initially award the benefits under Career Advancement Scheme and subsequently implement the new UGC pay scales. Blaming the BDU for the delay in providing the benefits to the 31 teachers, S. Gandhi, AUT, Tiruchi, Zonal Secretary, said the organisation was constrained to send SMS en masse to the Principal Secretary of Higher Education in pursuit of swift action on the issue, and regretted for the inconvenience caused. According to BDU sources, the government had, while deciding to convert the constituent units into Government Arts and Science Colleges, instructed the university to treat the status of these teachers as staff under deputation.

MMC to admit 250 students

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, JUNE 04, 2019 00:00 IST

The increase in student intake at Madurai Medical College comes after several inspections by the MCI in the last four years.File photo

Approval for 100 additional seats to be renewed next year

Madurai Medical College (MMC) will admit 250 students from academic year 2019-20 upon receiving approval from the Medical Council of India (MCI).

The approval would be renewed for the next academic year with the enhancement of infrastructure and expansion of hospital facilities, said a Letter of Permission from the Board of Governors of the MCI.

The medical college had been admitting 150 students till this academic year. The increase of 100 seats comes after several inspections by the MCI in the last four years. A source at the MMC said doctors and students actively began seeking more seats in 2014 and the demand gained momentum in 2015. MMC Dean K. Vanitha said the State government, Health Secretary, doctors and some other bodies worked towards effecting the increase in number of seats. However, permission from the MCI comes with several undertakings.

A senior doctor, seeking anonymity, said the MMC had only one large lecture hall to accommodate 250 students. “Several classrooms and at least one additional lecture hall must be built to accommodate all students by 2020,” he said.

The Dean said they were in the process of constructing classrooms, libraries, laboratories and more lecture halls.

Stanley lone govt. facility for liver transplants

Serena Josephine M.

CHENNAI, JUNE 04, 2019 00:00 IST

Majority of the cadaveric organs go to patients in private hospitals every yearExcept the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, no other government hospital in the State is performing liver transplants. The majority of cadaveric livers therefore goes to patients in private hospitals every year.

The city’s largest government hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), is yet to perform liver transplants. In fact, liver transplants are yet to take off at the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai that had obtained license to perform the transplants under the deceased donor programme, officials of the Health Department said.

Data available on the website of the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu is proof of this. In 2016, out of the 178 liver transplants performed in the State, 168 were in private hospitals. The following year, the government sector accounted only for nine transplants of the total of 144. In 2018, only five were performed in the government sector as against 112 in the private sector.

In 2014, a government order was issued giving the nod for establishing a liver transplant unit at RGGGH under the departments of Hepatology and Surgical Gastroenterology. This came after considering the huge inflow of patients coming with chronic liver diseases and requiring liver transplantation. An outpatient liver transplant unit was started soon but transplants did not materialise. “RGGGH has infrastructure and team in place, and there is no dearth of patients requiring liver transplants. But liver transplants have not taken off due to administrative reasons,” a senior doctor said.

Only the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital has been performing liver transplants under the deceased donor programme since 2009. “Liver transplants need dedicated team work. We need a hepatologist, surgeon, intensivist and pathologist. Training is a key component to take liver transplants forward,” a senior surgeon in the government sector said. He added that both RGGGH and Stanley Hospital do not perform living donor liver transplants.

According to data, Stanley Hospital has performed one liver transplant since the beginning of this year, while it performed five last year. As of now, 21 patients are on the waiting list for liver transplant. Until recently, it had an agreement with a private hospital to perform liver transplants. But that no longer exists and the team at Stanley has decided to perform surgeries on their own, official sources said.

The Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, obtained license for liver transplants in 2018 but has not done a single case till now, a Health Department official said.

Engg. colleges in course correction mode: Minister

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JUNE 04, 2019 00:00 IST

Students have shown a preference for arts and science courses

Yet again, engineering admissions, through single- window counselling, will begin with nearly 40,000 seats going vacant.

For the 1,72,148 seats available in the State, the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admission Committee has received only 1,33,116 applications. On Monday, random numbers were assigned to all the applicants.

Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbalagan attributed the fall in applications to issuing them after the release of Plus Two results instead of the usual practice of issuing them prior to results.

Students had shown a marked preference for arts and science courses, he said, adding that colleges were now on course correction as they had accumulated seats earlier, anticipating a rush for engineering.

According to the Directorate of Technical Education officials, as many as 45,000 seats have been reduced, including 60 in government aided engineering colleges. A total of 15 colleges have decided not to admit students in the first year.

Mr. Anbalagan said the State would have 45 TNEA facilitation centres (TFCs), including three in Chennai, besides 42 in the districts. The three additional TFCs are in Chennai, including one each in Anna Centenary Library, B.M. Birla Planetarium campus in Kotturpuram and another one in Central Polytechnic College in Taramani. The additional centres were necessitated as more candidates had applied from Chennai, the Minister said.

Certificate verification

Candidates may approach the facilitation centres from June 7 to 12 on days assigned to them for certificate verification. The random numbers assigned to all applicants will help them in case of a tie.

If two candidates have the same marks in all the three core subjects — maths, physics, chemistry and the additional fourth subject, and if they also have the same date of birth then the random number helps to rank such candidates, said T. Purusothaman, a professor at the Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, who is handling the TNEA 2019 admission process.

Last year, the random numbers helped to break the tie in 21 instances, he added. The 10-digit random number was arrived at with the Minister, Higher Education Secretary, DTE Commissioner, TNEA officials and two reporters, each coming up with two numbers.

These were fed into the computer using which random numbers were generated for all applicants.

CBI to return to A.P. as Jagan revokes Naidu’s decision

K. Venkateshwarlu

AMARAVATI, JUNE 04, 2019 00:00 IST

Jagan Mohan Reddy

TDP govt. had withdrawn ‘general consent’ in Nov. 2018

Reversing his predecessor, N. Chandrababu Naidu’s orders, Andhra Prdesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to go ahead with investigations and raids in the State without prior permission of the State government.

YSRCP Rajya Sabha member V. Vijaya Sai Reddy tweeted on Monday announcing that the government had issued the necessary orders. “Chandrababu banned the CBI, he prevented IT raids, he questioned how ED comes in the State. Now Jagan has issued orders allowing the CBI into the State. CM made it clear that thieves will not be spared. Look out Chandrababu,” Mr. Reddy said.

It effectively means the CBI can now enter the State without obtaining permission from the Andhra Pradesh government.

The TDP government through an order issued in November 2018, withdrew the ‘general consent,’ virtually curtailing the Central agency’s powers to conduct investigations in the State.

The general consent is routinely given by State governments for periods ranging from six months to a year to the CBI and all agencies under the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946.

The consent is necessary as the jurisdiction of these agencies is confined to Delhi and Union Territories under this Act.

Poll issue

Mr. Naidu’s decision came after he and the other Opposition parties alleged that the BJP-led NDA government was misusing Central agencies to target Opposition leaders and their governments.

However, the YSRCP had made the issue a campaign plank, saying Mr. Naidu’s decision was meant to prevent the CBI from probing allegations of corruption against him and his government.

The controversial step triggered a chain reaction with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also withdrawing ‘the general consent’ within hours of Mr. Naidu’s decision.

Corrupt univ staff should be pulled up: Higher edu secy

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.06.2019

Tamil Nadu higher education secretary Mangat Ram Sharma on Monday said Anna University faculty members who were involved in a revaluation scam would be terminated from service.

Sharma said the higher education department would take exemplary action against faculty members involved in malpractices to send out a strong message against corruption.

He was addressing a press meet to highlight the arrangements made for online engineering counselling by the Directorate of Technical Education.

Anna University has suspended four faculty members, including former additional controller of examinations S Srinivasalu, as they were involved in malpractices in revaluation.

Last year, former controller of examinations G V Uma was suspended after a major revaluation racket was busted by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.

When media representatives asked why there was no serious punishment against the corrupt officials, higher education minister K P Anbalagan said, “The university suspended the professors after finding prima facie evidence against them in the preliminary inquiry. Strong action will be taken after completing the inquiry.”

He also denied influencing the Anna University in taking action against the corrupt officials.

Mangat Ram Sharma said the government would insist on strong action against the erring faculty members at the syndicate meeting of Anna University.

Kejriwal offers free travel for women using public transport

Jatin Anand

NEW DELHI, JUNE 04, 2019 00:00 IST

Opposition decries the move as ‘misleading’, ‘poll plank’

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that the Delhi government intended to subsidise travel in public transport for women commuters in the Capital.

While the modalities of the scheme were still being worked out, the government intended to allow them free travel on metro trains and State-run buses “by August-September,” Mr. Kejriwal said.

The CM claimed the scheme was in line with his government’s intent to encourage the use of public transport, make it “safer” and to promote the participation of more women in the city’s workforce.

The Opposition decried the move as “misleading” and a “poll plank” inspired by Mr. Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party’s defeat in the recent Lok Sabha election.

It also questioned why no such efforts had been made over the last four-and-a-half years that the AAP government had been in power.

“It will be up to [women] commuters to purchase tickets or not; government departments have been asked to work on the proposal and present it for consideration within a week,” the Chief Minister said.

Schools reopen amidst water woes, heat, pray for better days
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.06.2019

Braving mercury that hovered around 36 degrees Celsius, nearly a million students in and around Chennai city returned to schools on Monday after the summer vacation.

The rush, though expected, of students and their parentsled to long traffic snarls on many roads in Santhome, Adyar, Kilpauk and Gopalapuram in the morning hours and when the classes ended in the afternoon.

Citing the first day and the heat conditions, managements of many schools let students go home around noon. For students of higher classes, some schools scheduled the classes from 6am to noon.

Though most schools managed the first day without water shortage, managements are concerned about how the situation will develop.

“We now get water from borewells in our school. But it won’t be enough to supply water to the entire school in the coming days. We hope it rains,” said V Shanthi, headmistress of Vidyodaya Girls Higher Secondary School in T Nagar. Monday was tough, she said. “We need more than 2,000 litres of water to keep our toilets clean,” she said.

Many principals said it was a test for them on the first day. Teachers and other staff in Chennai Corporation schools complained of severe water scarcity. “Metrowater supplied 9,000 litres of water on Monday, but this may not last for more than three days. And we don’t have groundwater in our area,” said a headmaster of a corporation school.

Students of corporation and government schools received free books and notebooks on the first day of classes.


Citing the first day and heat conditions, many schools let students go home around noon



HOLIDAY HANGOVER: A girl pleads with her mother not to leave her at school

Rajiv case: TN govt to update status in 4 wks

Chennai:04.06.2019

The fate of the recommendation made by the Tamil Nadu government to the governor's office for release of seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case will be known soon, as the government has assured the Madras high court that it will update the status of the recommendation in four weeks.

A public prosecutor of the state made a submission to this effect on Monday on a plea moved by life convict S Nalini -- India's longest serving woman prisoner – seeking a direction to the governor’s office to take immediate steps to release all seven life convicts in the case, as per the advice of the state government dated September 9, 2018. Granting the time sought, a division bench headed by Justice R Subbiah adjourned the plea to four weeks.

According to Nalini, as per the government order dated November 10, 1994, life convicts who had completed 20 years of actual imprisonment were eligible for premature release on humanitarian grounds. Nalini said she was eligible to be considered for release as per the government order. However, even after repeated requests, no decision had been made on it. TNN

No quota for EWS in engg counselling, this yr, says minister

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.06.2019

Due to the lack of official communication from the central government, the Tamil Nadu government will not follow the 10% reservation for economically weaker sections among general category candidates in engineering admissions this year, higher education minister K P Anbalagan has said.

The Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions committee on Monday assigned random numbers to 1.33 lakh candidates who applied for online engineering counselling this year.

Interacting with media representatives after assigning the random numbers, the minister said the state government would introduce the quota from next year after receiving the official order from the central government.

“For government quota, we have 1.42 lakh seats. Engineering colleges have surrendered 29,393 seats under management quota to the counselling. So, this year counselling will be conducted for 1.72 lakh seats,” he said.

The number of applications have come down from 1.59 lakh last year to 1.33 lakh this year.

The minister said 494 engineering colleges are participating in this year’s counselling while 15 engineering colleges have opted out due to falling admissions.

The 10-digit random numbers would be used to break the tie when many candidates score the same marks during the ranking process. Certificate verification would be conducted from June 7 to 12 across 42 TNEA facilitation centres in the state. “Initially, we announced that the certificate verification would take place from June 6 to 11. But, due to uncertainty over Ramzan holiday we have now moved it to June 7,” Anbalagan said.

The minister also released a booklet containing information about 494 engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. R Vivekanandan, commissioner, Directorate of Technical Education, said efforts have been made for smooth conduct of online engineering counselling this year. “The counselling is being conducted with the help of professors from Annamalai University, Bharathidasan University and those from government colleges,” he said.

NEWS DIGEST

Birth, death certificates to now carry esignatures  05.06.2019

The birth and death certificates issued by Greater Chennai corporation that earlier carried the signature of the city health officer will now have esignatures of the respective sanitary inspectors of the zones. This change will be in effect for births and deaths registered and corrections made after June 1.

In a press release, the corporation has stated that since 1930, they have been registering birth and death registry which was made available online in 2007.

SC stays HC order to demolish 5 floors of Chennai hospital

04.06.2019

The Supreme Court Monday stayed the Madras high court judgement ordering demolition of the top five floors of an eight-storey block of a private city hospital for construction allegedly in violation of the approved building plan.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Indu Malhotra and M R Shah, however, directed Billroth Hospitals Ltd not to use these top five floors for any activity.

The bench, which sought response from the state government on the plea filed by the hospital challenging the HC verdict, granted 10 days to the hospital to vacate the five floors. The high court had ordered the demolition to commence from June 16.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the hospital, told the apex court it had applied under the 2017 TN building regularisation scheme. He said the matter related to the scheme is pending but while hearing a separate contempt case, the high court had quashed the scheme.

The bench observed, “It is without any authorised plan. Three floors were allowed but beyond that, construction was not permitted.” Singhvi told the bench the hospital, having 250 beds, was operational since 2005-2006 and the authorities can decide on the application for regularisation within a month.

“We are issuing notice only because in a contempt case, the high court has set aside a scheme,” the bench said.

When Singhvi sought a stay of the high court's verdict, the bench said, “For the time being we will grant stay but you will not use these floors (fourth to eighth). You had build it till eighth floor in 2009 with impunity.”

The bench said the matter would come up for hearing after the summer vacation. PTI

TET candidates complain of errors in exam hall tickets

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.06.2019

Complaints of missing names, signatures and wrong entry of names have begun pouring into offices even before the Tamil Nadu Teachers Eligibility Test is held on June 8 and 9. More than 6 lakh candidates have applied for the exam.

After the board uploaded hall tickets on May 26, several hundred candidates complained that the tickets contained errors. This has prompted the Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board to advise candidates appearing for the test, whose hall tickets have errors, to carry an identification proof to examination halls.

Many complained that hall tickets contained many errors like wrong entries of names and missing photos. In order to avoid last minute confusions at examination halls the board has announced that the candidates with hall ticket errors have to take two photographs and one of them has to be attested by a gazetted officer.

“The other photo should be submitted to the hall superintendent to paste it on the attendance sheet,” a release from TRB said. The release further advised all candidates with wrong entries to carry ID proof to the exam hall. Following a major scam in polytechnic lecturers’ recruitment and TET examinations, the government has selected NSEIT, a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, to conduct exam, including TET.

“It is the first examination for NSEIT. So, are were some teething issues. But, we are confident that such errors would be avoided in future,” sources said. The board has made all the arrangements for TET exam. More than 30,000 teachers would be involved in the examination work.

1.68kg gold, fitted to jars and concealed in rectum, seized

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.06.20195

Customs officials at Chennai International Airport on Monday detected three cases of gold smuggling. They seized 1.68kg of gold worth ₹56 lakh. One passenger was arrested.

In the first case, gold was discovered hidden inside steel mixer grinder jars being carried by a man named Jabid. The 33-year-old from Rajampet in Andhra Pradesh had arrived from Kuwait on a Kuwait Air flight. He was intercepted by officials and during a search, three steel jars were found in his luggage. On dismantling them, gold discs were found fitted at the bottom. The 24K discs weighed 810 grams and have been valued at Rs 27 lakh. They were seized under provisions of Customs Act, 1962. Jabid was also arrested.

In another case, two passengers, Manaf, 31, and Shamsu, 39, both hailing from Kozhikode in Kerala, arrived from Bangkok on an Indigo flight. During a search, gold in rubbery form was found concealed in their rectum. On extraction, 870g gold of 24K purity and valued at Rs 29 lakh was recovered from them. The same was seized under Customs Act 1962.

Gold discs fitted to jars of mixer grinders seized at the airport

Despite order, law univ denies answer sheets to student

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:04.06.2019

Can a college student access her answer scripts by filing an RTI application that costs only ₹10 or does she have to pay the exorbitant fee set by the university?

The Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (TNSIC) settled the matter with an order that TN Dr Ambedkar Law University must give the answer scripts to the student under RTI. Only that the university has refused to do so. The order, delivered while hearing a second appeal filed by student Pavan Gandhi, quoted the Supreme Court judgement in the CBSE vs Aditya Bandopadhyay case. The order copy was delivered to the university and Gandhi in March 2019. Three months later, however, Gandhi is yet to get copies of his answer scripts. He had filed the original RTI with the university in December 2017. The university’s public information officer refused to oblige, asking him to submit an application form for obtaining a photocopy of the answer sheets and pay ₹500 per paper.

Gandhi challenged it before the commission and got an order in his favour, but the university could not care less. When contacted, university vicechancellor T S N Sastry told TOI that the section officer concerned had dispatched the answer scripts to the student on Monday evening.

Vadivelu clueless about Neasamani storm, says happy to have made people laugh

When informed of the internet circus around his character Neasamani, Vadivelu breaks into amused laughter, barely able to contain himself. 

 

 Priyanka Thirumurthy

• Thursday, May 30, 2019 - 12:06

For over 12 hours, a Twitter storm has been blowing as netizens have come together to pray for Contractor Neasamani, a character played by comedian Vadivelu in the 2001 Tamil movie Friends. But fast asleep through this hilarious social media exchange in Theni district was the actor himself, who was flabbergasted when told about how this scene from two decades ago has become the subject of India's number one Twitter trend.

Speaking to TNM on Thursday morning, a surprised Vadivelu says, "I have no idea what is happening. I haven't seen anything yet."

When informed of the internet circus around his character Neasamani, Vadivelu breaks into amused laughter, barely able to contain himself.

"What? It has become famous across the world? Oh god. It has gone to America and everywhere? Thank you," he says, addressing his fans now. "Yes, the movie was with Vijay and Suriya. I have acted in a lot of movies and made the whole world laugh. But I didn't know about this," he adds.

"This entire trend is a victory given by God, a victory for the movie's director Siddique and the victory for the people who enjoy my comedy," Vadivelu tells TNM.

The actor further told Tamil channel Puthiya Thalaimurai that characters like Neasmani were a god-given gift to his career.

#Pray_for_Neasamani trended after a Pakistan-based meme page Civil Engineering Learners posed a question, “What is the name of the tool in your country?” by posting a photo of a hammer.

A Vadivelu fan was quick to connect the hammer with a scene from Friends, in which Contractor Neasamani ends up with an injury because one of his inept assistants (Ramesh Kanna) drops a hammer on his head after failing to follow the simplest of instructions. The humour in the scene is accentuated by the poker-faced expressions of Vijay and Suriya, who play second fiddle to Vadivelu.

After the user connected the hammer to Neasamani, another Tamil Facebook user, mockingly wrote, “Is he ok?” Now these two decided to rib the entire Facebook culture of praying for someone with #Pray_for_Neasamani which later snowballed into a major Twitter trend with memes and funny responses.

Following this, even journalists and politicians joined the joke and began to add more satirical tweets to the growing trend. Brands too joined in, making Neasamani ads, the latest being Sony Music which has released a special collection of songs for 'Pray for Neasamani'.

Even Manushyaputhiran, a poet and DMK supporter joined the trend, penning a poem for the contractor, who he says, passed away after being in a coma. Linking the Twitter trend to the ongoing political scenario, Manushiyaputiran pointed out that on a day that the PM was being sworn in, the death of Neasamani was seen as a sign of misfortune. Taking a dig at the BJP, the poet adds that nobody is really bothered because bad things happened even when people were promised that 'Good days will come'.

Several social media users pointed out that the entire phenomenon was actually a tribute to actor Vadivelu's evergreen comedy scenes. He has acted in over 100 films in Tamil cinema and received several awards for his comic timing and ability to make members of all age groups laugh. From 2012 however, he slowly began to reduce the number of film he acted in and was last seen in the Tamil movie Mersal in 2017.

But today, as #Pray_for_Neasamani evokes mirth across the world, Vadivelu wants to join the laughter.

"Send me the memes on Whatsapp," he says, before signing off.

Forget kothu parotta or chilly parotta, if you’re in Madurai try the bun parotta
Anjana Shekar 

 
Saturday, June 01, 2019 - 14:39 

This Madurai special traces its origin to a roadside eatery that was started in the early ‘90s.

You might be familiar with the south Indian parotta (pronounced barotta/prota) in its many forms - kothu parotta, chilly parotta, parotta salna, to name a few - but have you tasted or heard of bun parotta?

If you are from Madurai, you might know of its fame but if you aren't, this cross between a bun and a parotta is a must try! Served with the choicest of sides like mutton chukka or quail (kaada) gravy, this puffed up parotta makes for a scrumptious meal.



Crispy and golden brown on the outside, chewy, flaky and soft on the inside, this Madurai special traces its origin to a roadside eatery that was started in the early ‘90s. You can head towards Madurai’s KK Nagar locality and ask anyone on the road to direct you to the roadside stall that makes and sells bun parotta.

The making of the dough in itself is a spectacle worth watching, a show that begins at 2.00 pm every day, right when Madurai’s gears reach a slow grind at mid-afternoon. If you’re stopping at the traffic signal at this junction around this time, an interesting sight awaits you.

A group of five men headed by Durai Pandi, the parotta master, scratch clean and wipe a long stainless steel table with short slabs on its three sides. This is the work table where the parotta dough will be mixed.

Several sacks of maida are emptied onto this work table. A very thin layer of the flour is blown away from the mountain, coating the pavement floor and the vehicles parked nearby with fine white dust.





The mountain’s peak is then flattened and evenly heaped to its sides to form a well in the centre where several ingredients will be mixed in quick succession. Into this well, 65-70 eggs are cracked open, six to seven litres of milk is poured and the mix is beaten well to form a smooth yellow liquid. Half a kilogram of sugar and the required amounts of salt are swiftly blended into this mix that will soon have to be buried with maida.

The dough drinks close to 75 litres of water to take its shape, and from this moment on is a carefully choreographed dance with just the hands: fingers clawing and scrunching, forearms pushing, pulling and tearing the dough apart.

In the beginning, the maida is scooped from the sides and dropped into the centre where it melts first and then starts getting thicker until it becomes an ivory mass of tough looking dough.

The men slowly move around the table, repeating their movements without a pause. It is stretched and pressed until its texture turns smooth and taut. The dough is covered in wet plastic sheets and a moist towel and allowed to rest for about 20 minutes.

The men flex their arms briefly before getting to it once again, but this time cutting it into portions and shaping them separately.

These portions, heaped one on top of the other in smooth cylindrical rolls, are made into small balls, greased with oil, ready to be rolled using the veechu method. Around 5.00 pm the first batch of bun parotta is made for the day.

For the uninitiated, the veechu can be compared to the Rumali roti from North India - thin and multi-layered parotta. In Tamil, Veechu means ‘to throw’. Here, the dough is spread thin, flipped and stretched multiple times in the air and with deft hand movements, the slim dough is twisted and rolled into a small bun sized piece. This is patted down and shallow fried on a wide pan mounted atop a coal-fired stove. Cooking oil in small amounts is poured on top of it and the smooth dough fluffs up and crisps before it is turned to its other side.







Heaping the oily bun parottas on a plate, one member from the team roughs them up, clapping the parottas in between his palms, an action that gives the veechu layers more definition.

Served with some of the spiciest meat sides, Madurai’s bun parotta is considered a treat not just by the locals but by everyone who visits the city.

The street joint Madurai Bun Parotta Kada, was started together by Karupanna and his wife Vijayam in 1991. The couple claim that it was here that the bun parotta was envisioned for the first time by their first parotta master. “We get customers from Singapore, Malaysia who come here asking for parcels. Chennai people, especially, love it. We didn’t think it would become so famous back then. Now it has become a Madurai special,” laughs Karupanna.



Karupanna

One plate of bun parotta is priced between Rs 90 and Rs 100. While the stall remained open until 2.00 am in the ‘90s, when Madurai was more vibrantly the ‘Thoonga Nagaram’, today it closes by 12.00 midnight. For indoor ambience, Madurai Bun Parotta Kadai has also opened its doors on Madurai-Kallal Road.

இசை கொண்டாடும் இசை விழா துளிகள்...

By DIN | Published on : 03rd June 2019 02:42 AM



*"இசை கொண்டாடும் இசை' நிகழ்ச்சி, ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை இரவு 7.45-க்கு தொடங்கியது. நிகழ்ச்சியின் தொடக்கத்தில் மாம்பலம் என்.கே.எஸ். நடராஜன் தலைமையில் 76 பேர் கலந்து கொண்ட மங்கல இசை கச்சேரி நடைபெற்றது. சுமார் 10 நிமிடங்கள் வரை இந்தக் கச்சேரி நடந்தது.
*நிகழ்ச்சியின் தொடக்கத்தில் தன் ஊரான பண்ணைபுரம் கிராமம், தந்தை ராமசாமி, தாய் சின்னத்தாய், சகோதரர்கள் பாவலர், பாஸ்கர், சகோதரி கமலம், இசை குருமார்கள் தன்ராஜ் மாஸ்டர், ஜி.கே.வெங்கடேஷ், டி.வி.கோபாலகிருஷ்ணன், தெட்சிணாமூர்த்தி சுவாமி, திரை இசையில் அறிமுகப்படுத்திய பஞ்சு அருணாசலம், தான் வணங்கி வரும் ரமண மகரிஷி ஆகியோரை காட்சிப் படமாக அறிமுகப்படுத்தி பெருமைப்படுத்தினார். 

*எப்போதும் நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் முதலாவதாகப் பாடும் "ஜனனி ஜனனி'... பாடலையே இங்கும் பாடி நிகழ்ச்சியைத் தொடங்கி வைத்தார் இளையராஜா. இரண்டாவது பாடலாக "நான் கடவுள்' படத்தில் இடம்பெற்ற "ஹர ஹர மகாதேவ்...' பாடல் பாடப்பட்டது.





*"மடை திறந்து'.... பாடலைப் பாட வந்த எஸ்.பி.பாலசுப்பிரமணியனை பார்த்ததும், ரசிகர்கள் ஆர்ப்பரித்தனர். நீண்ட இடைவெளிக்குப் பின் இருவரும் இணையும் நிகழ்ச்சி என்பதால் அவ்வளவு கைதட்டல். இளையராஜாவுக்கு அவர் வணங்கும் ரமண மகரிஷியின் படத்தை பரிசாக வழங்கி கட்டித் தழுவினார் எஸ்.பி.பி.

* "அம்மா என்றழைக்காத உயிரில்லையே....' பாடலை முதல் பாடலாக பாடினார் கே.ஜே.ஜேசுதாஸ். அடுத்து "கண்ணே கலைமானே....', "என் இனிய பொன் நிலாவே...', "காட்டுக்குயிலு மனசுக்குள்ளே...' என இருவரின் எவர்கிரீன் ஹிட் பாடல்கள் ரசிகர்களின் செவிகளுக்கு விருந்து படைத்தன. ""என் இசை வாழ்க்கையில் மறக்க முடியாத தம்பிகள். பிறந்த நாள் கொண்டாடும் இளையராஜா தம்பிக்கு என் வாழ்த்துகள்'' என்றார் கே.ஜே.ஜேசுதாஸ். குறுக்கிட்ட எஸ்.பி.பி., "நாளை மறுநாள் எனக்கும் பிறந்தநாள்'' என்று சொல்ல, அவருக்கும் வாழ்த்துச் சொல்லி நெகிழ்ந்தார் கே.ஜே.ஜேசுதாஸ்.



*எஸ்.பி.பி. பாட வரும் போதெல்லாம் இளையராஜாவிடம் அவ்வளவு குறும்பாக நடந்து கொண்டார். "ஓ பட்டர் ப்ளை....' பாடல் பாடும்போது "எனக்காய் திறந்தாய் மனக் கதவை...' என்ற வரி வரும் போது இளையராஜாவிடம் அன்பாக கை நீட்டி வம்பிழுத்தார். இதுபோன்று ஒவ்வொரு பாடலிலும் எஸ்.பி.பி.யின் குறும்புகள் தொடர்ந்தன. நீண்ட இடைவெளிக்குப் பின் மேடையில் இணைந்த தருணம் என்பதால், ராயல்டி உரிமை விவகாரத்தை ரசிகர்கள் புரிந்து கொண்டார்கள்.



*விழாவுக்கு வந்திருந்த கமல்ஹாசன், "நான் இவரோடு மட்டுமே வேலை செய்து கொண்டிருந்த காலம் அது. வித்தியாசத்துக்காக இன்னொரு இசையமைப்பாளரிடம் சென்று விட்டேன். அவரை நம்பி பாடல்களையும் படமாக்கி விட்டேன். வர்த்தகக் காரணங்களால் அவரோடு சேர முடியவில்லை. கடைசியில் நான் போய் நின்ற இடம் இளையராஜா வீடு. "என்னிடம் பொம்மைதான் இருக்கு. டப்பிங் பிக்சர்ஸ்தான் இருக்கு' என்று சரணடைந்தேன். "சொன்னால் வேறு எடுத்து விடலாம்' என்றேன். "அந்த பொம்மையே போதும்' என்று அதற்கு உயிர் கொடுத்தார். பாடலே யோசிக்காத இடத்திலும் பாட்டு போட்டுக் கொடுத்தார். அதுதான் "ஹேராம்'. காட்சிகளுக்கு இடையே போட்டுக் கொடுத்த பாட்டுதான் "இசையில் தொடங்குதம்மா....'' என நெகிழ்ந்த கமல்ஹாசன், "விருமாண்டி' படத்தில் வரும் "உன்னை விட...' பாடலை பாடி ரசிகர்களுக்கு உற்சாகமூட்டினார்.

மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளில் 400 பணியிடங்களை நீக்க முயற்சி: அரசு மருத்துவர்கள் புகார்

By DIN | Published on : 03rd June 2019 02:55 AM |

அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனைகளில் பணியாற்றும் 900 மருத்துவர்களை பணியிட மாற்றம் செய்வதற்கான கலந்தாய்வு நடைபெற்று வரும் நிலையில், அதற்கு அரசு மருத்துவர்கள் கடும் ஆட்சேபம் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

காலியிடங்களை அறிவிக்காமலேயே கலந்தாய்வு நடத்தப்படுவதாகவும், ஏறத்தாழ 400 பணியிடங்களை நீக்குவதற்கான முயற்சி இது என்றும் அவர்கள் குற்றம்சாட்டியுள்ளனர்.

மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி உதவிப் பேராசிரியர்கள், முதுநிலை நிலைய மருத்துவர்கள் என 830 பேருக்கு பணியிட மாறுதல் கலந்தாய்வில் பங்கேற்குமாறு மருத்துவக் கல்வி இயக்குநரகம் சார்பில் அண்மையில் அழைப்பு விடுக்கப்பட்டது. கடந்த 30-ஆம் தேதி முதல் இந்தக் கலந்தாய்வு நடைபெற்று வருகிறது.

இந்நிலையில், மருத்துவக் கல்வி இயக்குநரகத்தின் இந்த நடவடிக்கைக்கு அரசு மருத்துவர்கள் கடும் அதிருப்தி தெரிவித்துள்ளனர். இதுதொடர்பாக சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சர், செயலர், மருத்துவக் கல்வி இயக்குநரை அரசு மருத்துவர்கள் சந்தித்து பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்தினர். அதில் எந்த உடன்பாடும் எட்டப்படவில்லை எனத் தெரிகிறது.

இதுகுறித்து அரசு மருத்துவர் சங்க நிர்வாகிகள் கூறியதாவது: மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனைகளில் எம்பிபிஎஸ் மற்றும் முதுநிலை பட்டயப் படிப்புகள் நிறைவு செய்த மருத்துவர்கள் ஆயிரக்கணக்கானோர் உள்ளனர்.
அவர்களுக்குப் பதிலாக பட்ட மேற்படிப்பு முடித்தவர்களை பணியமர்த்த தற்போது திட்டமிடப்பட்டு வருகிறது. இது ஏற்கத்தக்கது அல்ல. தற்போது பணியிட மாற்றம் என்ற பெயரில் அவர்களை அங்கிருந்து நீக்கும் நடவடிக்கைகள் முன்னெடுக்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றன.

இதனால் 400 பணியிடங்கள் நீக்கப்பட வாய்ப்புள்ளது. தற்போது எத்தனை காலிப் பணியிடங்களுக்காக கலந்தாய்வு நடத்தப்படுகிறது என்றே அறிவிக்கப்படவில்லை. ஆனாலும், 830 பேரை தேவையில்லாமல் கலந்தாய்வுக்கு அழைப்பது ஏன் என்று அவர்கள் கேள்வி எழுப்பியுள்ளனர்.

பாப்பா... எழுந்திரு! பள்ளிகள் இன்று திறப்பு; மாணவர்கள் உற்சாகம்

Updated : ஜூன் 03, 2019 03:38 | Added : ஜூன் 03, 2019 01:21

திருப்பூர்:கோடை விடுமுறை முடிந்து இன்று பள்ளிகள் திறக்கப்படுகின்றன. சீருடை, ஸ்கூல் பேக், எழுது பொருட்கள் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்களை வாங்க, திருப்பூர் கடை வீதிகளில் நேற்று பெற்றோருடன் குட்டீஸ் குவிந்தனர்.கோடை விடுமுறை முடிந்து, அனைத்து பள்ளிகளும் இன்று திறக்கப்படுகின்றன. 

இந்தக் கல்வியாண்டில் மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டிய பணி குறித்து தலைமை ஆசிரியர், ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு கல்வித்துறை ஏற்கனவே அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளது. முதல் நாளிலேயே, அரசுப்பள்ளிகளில் மாணவர்களுக்கு முதல் பருவப்புத்தகம் வழங்க, திருப்பூர் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள ஒவ்வொரு பள்ளிக்கும் புத்தகங்கள் ஏற்கனவே அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.
காலை இறை வணக்கக் கூட்டம் முடிந்ததும், மாணவருக்கு புத்தகம் வழங்கப்படும். பள்ளி செல்லும் குழந்தைகளுக்கு தேவையான நோட்டு, பேனா, பென்சில், பேக் வாங்க கடை வீதிகளில் வழக்கத்தை விட கூட்டம் அதிகமாக காணப்பட்டது. வெளியூர் சென்றவர்கள் திருப்பூர் திரும்பியதால், பழைய பஸ் ஸ்டாண்டில் பெற்றோர், குழந்தைகள் சகிதமாக கூட்டத்தை காண முடிந்தது. ரயில்களில் எதிர்பார்த்த கூட்டமில்லை.

குழந்தைகளை கவர்ந்த, மிக்கி மவுஸ், டோரா, சோட்டாபீன், பென்டென், பவர்ரேஞ்சர், மிஸ்டர் பீன் பொம்மைகள் அச்சிட்ட ஸ்கூல் பேக் கடைகளில் விற்கப்படுகின்றன. இத்தகைய பேக்குகளை சிறுவர்கள் விரும்புவதால், அதிகளவில் விற்பனையாயின. ஸ்கூல் பேக்குகளின் விலை சராசரியாக 450 ரூபாய் முதல் 500 வரை இருந்தது.

பிராண்டட் ஸ்கூல் பேக்குகளின் விலை ஆயிரம் ரூபாயைக் கடந்திருந்தாலும், அவற்றின் விற்பனையும் அதிகரித்திருந்தது. லோக்கல் மற்றும் பிராண்டட் தயாரிப்பு ஷூ விற்பனையும் ஜோராக நடந்தது. கடந்தாண்டை காட்டிலும் 10 சதவீதத்திற்கு மேல் விலை அதிகரித்திருந்தது.சிறுவர்கள் பலர், பள்ளிகளில் தண்ணீர் குடிப்பதையே மறந்துவிடுகின்றனர். தண்ணீர் குடிக்கத் துாண்டும் வகையில் விதவிதமான 'ஹாட் அண்ட் கோல்டு' கார்பன் பாட்டில், 'ஐஸ் கியூப்' பாட்டில்கள் போன்றவை விற்பனைக்கு வந்தன.

இவற்றை வாங்கவும் கூட்டம் அலைமோதியது. பேனா, பென்சில், ரப்பர், நோட்டுகள் உட்பட எழுதுபொருட்களின் விற்பனையும் களைகட்டியது. வண்ண வண்ண லஞ்ச் பாக்ஸ்கள், குழந்தைகள் கவனத்தை ஈர்த்தன.அதேசமயம், தனியார் பள்ளியில் படிக்கும் மாணவர்களுக்கு சீருடை துணி மற்றும் ரெடிமேடாக விற்கப்படும் சீருடைகளை வாங்க புதுமார்க்ெகட் வீதி, திருப்பூர் பெரிய கடை வீதியில் உள்ள ஜவுளிக் கடைகளில் கூட்டம் குவிந்தது.

அரசு பள்ளி மாணவர்களுக்காக, ஜவுளிக்கடையில் விற்கப்பட்ட சீருடைகளை வாங்கவும் ஏராளமானோர் ஆர்வம் காட்டினர்.முதன்மை கல்வி அலுவலர் சாந்தி கூறுகையில், 'கல்வியாண்டு துவக்கத்தில் ஒவ்வொரு தலைமை ஆசிரியர், ஆசிரியர் பின்பற்ற வேண்டிய நடவடிக்கை, வழிமுறை குறித்து விரிவாக எடுத்துக் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

அதனை தவறாமல் பின்பற்ற வேண்டும். மாணவர்கள் துவக்கம் முதலே படிப்பின் மீது கவனம் செலுத்த வேண்டும்.படிப்பை காட்டிலும் ஒழுக்கமுடையவராக ஒவ்வொரு மாணவரும், மாணவியரும் உருவாக வேண்டும். தனிநபர், பள்ளி பெயரை காப்பதில் ஒவ்வொருவரும் அக்கறையுடன் இருக்க வேண்டும்,' என்றார்.

'வாட்ஸ்ஆப் குரூப்' ஆரம்பித்து குச்சி கேட்ச்சிங்!.கெத்து காட்டுறாங்க நம்ம யூத்து!

Added : ஜூன் 03, 2019 01:10

கோவை:இரவு 11:00 மணி... இருசக்கர வாகனத்தில், 'ஹெல்மெட்' அணியாமல் எதிரே வேகமாக வந்த ஒரு வாலிபர், 'குச்சி கேட்ச்சிங்' என்ற ஒரு சொல்லை கத்தி விட்டு பறந்தார்...!ஒன்றும் புரியாமல், சிறிது துாரம் சென்று பார்த்த போது, போலீசார் வாகன சோதனையில் ஈடுபட்டிருந்தனர்.

இந்த சோதனையில் இருந்து நம்மை காக்க, பறந்த வாலிபர் உதிர்த்து விட்டுப் போன அந்த வார்த்தைகளின் அர்த்தம், 'போலீசார் வாகன சோதனை செய்கின்றனர்; கவனமா போ' என்பதுதான்.கோவை மாநகரில், நாளுக்கு நாள் வாகன எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரித்து வருகிறது. வாகன அடர்த்தி காரணமாக போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல், விபத்துக்கள் தினசரி நிகழ்வாகி விட்டன.
போக்குவரத்து விதிமீறல்களை கண்டறிந்து, முற்றிலும் கட்டுப்படுத்த போலீசார் பல்வேறு நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுத்து வருகின்றனர்.பைக்கில் எடுத்தாலே 'பறக்கும்' நம்மூர் இளைஞர்களுக்கு இது பிடிக்குமா...? கையில் உள்ள மொபைல் போனை வைத்து, என்னென்னவோ செய்யும் அவர்கள், போலீசாரிடம் இருந்து தப்பவும், அதே போனில் 'வாட்ஸ் ஆப்' குழுவே உருவாக்கி, உலா விட்டுள்ளனர். 

அந்த குழுவின் பெயர்தான், 'குச்சி கேட்ச்சிங்!'இந்த பிரத்யேக 'குரூப்'பில், பெரும்பாலும் இளைஞர்கள் மற்றும் கல்லுாரி மாணவர்கள்தான் உள்ளனர். இவர்கள் தாங்கள் பயணிக்கும் பகுதியில், எங்காவது போலீசார் வாகன சோதனை, ஹெல்மெட், அதிவேகம் போன்ற சோதனை நடத்துவதை பார்த்தால், உடனடியாக குறிப்பிட்ட குரூப்பில் 'அப்டேட்' செய்கின்றனர். 

போலீஸ் சோதனை நடக்குமிடத்தை பதிவு செய்கின்றனர். இது போதாதா! இளைஞர்கள் உஷார் ஆகி, அந்த பாதையை தவிர்த்து விடுகின்றனர்.
அதோடு விடுகிறார்களா... அதே குரூப்பில் உள்ள பிறருக்கு மட்டுமில்லாமல், தங்களுக்கு தெரிந்த நண்பர்களுக்கும், இந்த 'பயனுள்ள' தகவலை 'பார்வேர்டு' செய்கின்றனர். இந்த 'நெட்வொர்க்' மூலம் மேலும் பல, புது 'வாட்ஸ்அப்' குரூப்கள் உருவாகி வருகின்றன.இது குறித்து அறிந்து அதிர்ச்சி அடைந்த போலீசார், 'என்னய்யா...இப்படியெல்லாமா வாட்ஸ் ஆப்பை யூஸ் பண்ணுவாங்க... இதுக்கு பதிலா சட்டத்தை மதிச்சு நடந்துக்கிட்டா, உயிரையாவது பத்திரமா வச்சுக்கலாமே' என்று கூறி ஆதங்கப்படுகின்றனர்

.பெற்றோருக்கு நீங்கதான் சொத்து! ெஹல்மெட் அணியாமல் பயணிப்பதை ஒரு 'கெத்து' ஆகவும், அந்த கெத்தை ஒரு பெரிய சொத்து ஆகவும் கருதி, பைக்கை முறுக்குகின்றனர் நம் இளைஞர்கள். பைக்கில் 'ரியர்வியூ மிர்ரர்' பொருத்துவதையும், பெரிய அவமானமாக நினைக்கின்றனர்

 - ஒருமுறை விழுந்து எழுவது வரை!

சட்டத்தை மதித்து பத்திரமாக பயணிப்பதுதான், உண்மையான கெத்து என்பதையும், வீட்டில் காத்திருக்கும் பெற்றோருக்கு, நீங்கள்தான் உண்மையான சொத்து என்பதையும்...இளைஞர்களே இனியாவது உணருங்கள்.ஏனென்றால், வாழ்க்கையில் நீங்கள் பயணிக்க வேண்டிய துாரம், இன்னும் நிறைய இருக்கிறது!இந்த பிரத்யேக 'குரூப்'பில், பெரும்பாலும் இளைஞர்கள் மற்றும் கல்லுாரி மாணவர்கள்தான் உள்ளனர். இவர்கள் தாங்கள் பயணிக்கும் பகுதியில், எங்காவது போலீசார் வாகன சோதனை, ஹெல்மெட், அதிவேகம் போன்ற சோதனை நடத்துவதை பார்த்தால், உடனடியாக குறிப்பிட்ட குரூப்பில் 'அப்டேட்' செய்கின்றனர்.

பழைய பஸ் பாஸ் போதும் மாணவர்களுக்கு அறிவிப்பு

Added : ஜூன் 03, 2019 00:30

கோவை : பள்ளி மாணவர்கள் பழைய பஸ் பாஸ் மூலம் ஜூலை, 31ம் தேதி வரை அரசு பஸ்களில் இலவசமாக பயணிக்கலாம் என, அரசு போக்குவரத்துக்கழகம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

கோடை விடுமுறைக்குப் பிறகு, இன்று பள்ளிகள் திறக்கப்படுகின்றன. கோவை மாவட்டத்தை சேர்ந்த ஆயிரக்கணக்கான மாணவர்கள், இலவச பஸ் பாஸ் மூலம் அரசு பஸ்களில் பயணித்து வருகின்றனர். மாணவர்களிடம் இருந்து பூர்த்தி செய்த விண்ணப்பங்கள் பெறும் பள்ளிகள், ஜூன், ஜூலை மாதங்களில், அரசு போக்குவரத்துக்கழகத்திடம் சமர்ப்பித்து, பஸ் பாஸ் பெற்று தருகின்றன.இந்நிலையில், போக்குவரத்து செலவை தவிர்க்கும் விதமாக மாணவர்கள், பழைய பஸ் பாஸ் கொண்டு ஜூலை, 31ம் தேதி வரை அரசு பஸ்களில் பயணிக்கலாம். பழைய பஸ் பாஸ் இல்லாத மாணவர்கள், பள்ளி சீருடையில் இருந்தால் போதுமானது என, கோவை கோட்ட அரசு போக்குவரத்துக்கழகம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

பிளஸ் 2 மாணவர்களுக்கு இன்று அசல் சான்றிதழ்

Added : ஜூன் 02, 2019 23:04

சென்னை:பிளஸ் 2 முடித்த மாணவர்களுக்கு, இன்று அசல் மதிப்பெண் சான்றிதழ் தரப்படுகிறது. பள்ளிகளிலேயே, அரசின் வேலைவாய்ப்பு துறைக்கான பதிவும் மேற்கொள்ளப்படும்.

மார்ச்சில் நடந்த, பிளஸ் 2 பொது தேர்வில், தேர்ச்சி பெற்ற மாணவர்களுக்கு, இன்று பள்ளிகளில், அசல் மதிப்பெண் சான்றிதழ் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இந்த மாணவர்கள், பிளஸ் 1 பொது தேர்வில், அனைத்து பாடங்களிலும் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றிருந்தால் மட்டுமே, அசல் மதிப்பெண் சான்றிதழ் வழங்கப்படும்.பிளஸ் 1 மற்றும் பிளஸ் 2 தேர்ச்சிக்கு, தனித்தனியே சான்றிதழ் வழங்கப்படும் என, தேர்வுத்துறை அறிவித்துள்ளது.பிளஸ் 1ல், ஏதாவது ஒரு பாடத்தில் தேர்ச்சி பெறாமல் இருந்தால், அவர்களுக்கு, மதிப்பெண் அடங்கிய பட்டியல் மட்டுமே தரப்படும்.

அனைத்து பாடங்களிலும் தேர்ச்சி பெற்ற பிறகே, அசல் மதிப்பெண் சான்றிதழ் வழங்கப்படும். மாணவர்கள் தாங்கள் படித்த பள்ளிகளிலும், தனி தேர்வர்கள், தேர்வு மையங்களிலும் சான்றிதழ் பெறலாம். மேலும், தங்கள் சான்றிதழ் வாயிலாக, தமிழக அரசின் வேலைவாய்ப்பு துறைக்கான பதிவையும், பள்ளிகளில் மேற்கொள்ளலாம் என, தேர்வுத்துறை அறிவித்துள்ளது

நாளை மறுநாள் 'நீட்' தேர்வு, 'ரிசல்ட்'

Added : ஜூன் 02, 2019 23:03

சென்னை: நாடு முழுவதும், 14 லட்சம் பேர் எழுதிய, 'நீட்' தேர்வு முடிவுகள், நாளை மறுநாள் வெளியாகின்றன.

பிளஸ் 2 முடிக்கும் மாணவர்கள், எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., - பி.டி.எஸ்., மற்றும் ஆயுஷ் படிப்புகளில் சேர, மத்திய அரசின், 'நீட்' நுழைவு தேர்வில், தேர்ச்சி பெற வேண்டும்.இந்த கல்வி ஆண்டு மாணவர் சேர்க்கைக்கு, மே, 5ல், நீட் தேர்வு நடத்தப்பட்டது. நாடு முழுவதும், 2,000க்கும் மேற்பட்ட மையங்களில் தேர்வு நடந்தது.இந்த தேர்வில், 14 லட்சம் பேர் பங்கேற்றனர். அவர்களின் கணினி வழி விடைத்தாளுக்கான மதிப்பீடு முடிந்துள்ளது. விடை குறிப்பு மற்றும் மாணவர்களின் விடைத்தாள் நகல்கள், மே, 23ல் வெளியிடப்பட்டன. இது தொடர்பான ஆட்சேபனைகள் தெரிவிக்க, நேற்று வரை அவகாசம் அளிக்கப்பட்டது.

இந்த கருத்துகளின் அடிப்படையில், விடை திருத்த பட்டியல் இறுதி செய்யப்படுகிறது.தேர்வை நடத்திய தேசிய தேர்வு முகமை, நாளை மறுநாள், நீட் தேர்வு முடிவுகளை வெளியிட உள்ளது. மறுநாள் முதல், தமிழகத்தில் மருத்துவ படிப்புகளுக்கான விண்ணப்பங்கள் வழங்கப்பட உள்ளன.இம்மாதம் இறுதி வாரத்தில், மருத்துவ படிப்புக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை கவுன்சிலிங் துவங்க உள்ளது.

Manufacturer told to pay Rs 35,999 for defective handset
Despite several notices, the company failed to file their written arguments and were set ex-parte from the forum.

Published: 03rd June 2019 05:35 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A consumer forum directed the manufacturer Lenovo India to provide a compensation of Rs 35,999 for failing to replace a damaged smartphone in 2016. C Vadivel, a resident of Perambur, submitted at the forum that there was a defect in the motherboard, resulting in the phone going dead.


C Vadivel purchased a Lenovo brand X3 mobile online on March 2, 2016, by paying a sum of Rs 20,999. However, on the next day, the phone began to develop problems with the screen going blank. Unable to attend calls with the fingerprint scanner also failing, Vadivel sought the help of a service centre and found that the motherboard was faulty. With no reply from the mobile company, he issued legal notices to the company and also submitted a petition at the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chennai (North), seeking compensation of Rs 5 lakh.

Despite several notices, the company failed to file their written arguments and were set ex-parte from the forum. The forum presided by K Lakshmikantham and member PV Jeyanthi observed that it was found that the software installed at the time of purchase was changed from Android Lollipop 5.1 to Marshmallow 6.0.1, utilising most of the space in the phone, thus causing problems.

With 32 Grads, 36 Post Grads, 4 doctorates 16th Odisha Assembly is House of professionals
101 MLAs in the 147-member House are graduates or more qualified

Published: 02nd June 2019 10:58 AM |

Pro-tem Speaker Amar Prasad Satpathy waiting for newly-elected MLAs to administer oath at Odisha Assembly in Bhubaneswar on Friday | irfana

By Hemant Kumar Rout

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Politics is no longer a murky world for professionals in Odisha. Contrary to the common belief that the white-collared men have a disdain for politics, 2019 elections witnessed a record participation of professionals in the State. According to the statistics released by Odisha Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), as many as 29 graduate professionals, including one IITian and an NITian have been elected to the 16th Legislative Assembly.

This apart, 32 graduates, 36 postgraduates and four with doctorate degree have become lawmakers. This is for the first time that 101 legislators in the 147-member House are graduates or have more academic qualification. IIT-Kharagpur alumnus Tusharkanti Behera, who won from Kakatpur Assembly segment to become the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology as well as Sports and Youth Services, said it is a healthy indication that more professionals or qualified persons are joining politics.

“More professionals with skills and qualifications must come into politics even if they lack political background. If you are concerned about the future of the State, get involved in politics and serve people,” he said. This time, several political parties had roped in professionals from different backgrounds for campaign strategy and data analytics, a trend which was hardly seen before. Some professionals were also made spokespersons of parties for their debating skills and distinct narration.


Retired political science professor Santosh Sarangi said the educated taxpaying professionals are normally the ones who can bring values and convictions to politics. They have the most direct stake in questioning the power. “2019 polls prove that the professionals are no more staying aloof from the political process. The times are changing and it is for the good,” opined Sarangi.

The 16th Assembly is a blend of both the old hands and new faces. Two MLAs are aged between 25 and 30 years while 13 are between 31 and 40 years of age. There are 123 MLAs who have declared their age in the bracket of 41 to 70 years and eight are above 70.

While BJD MLA from Choudwar-Cuttack Souvic Biswal is the youngest MLA at 27, Congress MLA from Balangir Narasingha Mishra and BJD MLA from Bhograi Ananta Das are the most experienced at 78. 

Meanwhile, as many as 60 MLAs have been re-elected in this election and their average assets have doubled. While the average asset of re-elected MLAs in 2014 was Rs 2.20 crore, it was Rs 4.90 crore this time.

The average assets of MLAs have witnessed a rise over the last two elections. While the average of assets per MLA was Rs 1.71 crore in 2009 and Rs 3.22 crore in 2014, it was Rs 4.41 crore in 2019 elections.

While 28 MLAs own assets worth Rs 5 crore and above, 50 have property in a range between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2 crore and 37 legislators have assets between Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore.The average asset of Congress MLAs was more than that of BJD and BJP legisltors. While the average asset per MLA for nine Congress legislators was Rs 5.67 crore, it was Rs 5.08 crore for 112 BJD MLAs and Rs 1.01 crore for 23 BJP MLAs. Of 146 MLAs this time, 13 are women. The number of women lawmakers was 11 in 2014.

Casuals out of Tamil Nadu Secretariat staff wardrobes
Male employees told to wear formal trousers or veshti to office; saree or salwar kameez with dupatta for women

Published: 02nd June 2019 06:17 AM
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The State government has instructed its employees at the Secretariat to avoid “casual attire” while in office and asked them to wear “neat, clean, formal attire that is appropriate to the workplace setting so as to maintain the decorum of the office”. The dress code issued to the employees also said male employees should come in formal trousers or veshti (dhoti) reflecting Tamil culture or any Indian traditional dress while female staff should wear saree or salwar kameez or churidhar with dupatta.

In an order, Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, brought amendments to the Dress Code prescribed in Tamil Nadu Secretariat Office Manual. Hitherto, the relevant portion of the dress code in office manual said: “Government servants are not bound by any restrictions in the matter of dress and are at perfect liberty to wear, while on duty, whatever dress they like, provided it is in conformity with the ideas of decency current in society.”

This was replaced with the following directive on May 28: “Government servants are required to wear neat, clean, formal attire that is appropriate to the workplace setting so as to maintain the decorum of the office, while on duty, like saree or salwar kameez or churidhar with dupatta of sober colour in the case of female government servants and formal shirts with formal pants in the case of male servants. Casual attire shall be avoided.” However, on Saturday, the chief secretary issued another order further amending the above directive by including the words : “...formal pants or veshti (dhoti) reflecting Tamil culture or any Indian traditional dress.”

The order also said : “In case of appearance before a court of tribunal or any other judicial forums, a male officer should wear a short buttoned-up coat with full sleeves worn with trousers and if the officer prefers an open coat, he should invariably put on a tie as well as that the dress should be sober and subdued in colour and design. As for a female officer, she should wear a saree or salwar kameez or churidhar with dupatta of a sober colour.”

Ilaiyaraaja enthralls fans at live concert

Isai Kondaadum Isai, held in Chennai to mark Ilaiyaraaja’s 76th birthday on Sunday, was a true celebration of the maestro’s genius and eccentricities.

Published: 03rd June 2019 06:40 AM 

Ilaiyaraaja and KJ Yesudas performing at concert to mark Ilaiyaraaja’s 76th birthday, in the city on Sunday 

R SATISH BABU

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Isai Kondaadum Isai, held in Chennai to mark Ilaiyaraaja’s 76th birthday on Sunday, was a true celebration of the maestro’s genius and eccentricities. The live-in concert, held in association with Mercuri and print partner The New Indian Express, kept the eager audience on its toes as the composer mixed it up with popular hits alongside some of his less-known compositions.

Raja, as the musician is fondly referred to by fans, was greeted by loud cheers and started the concert with devotional songs such as Janani Janani (Thaai Moogambigai) and Om Shivoham (Naan Kadavul). Singer Mano sang the first Mani Ratnam song of the evening, Oh Priya Priya, till Raja stopped the performance owing to some disturbance from a security guard. “You’re all living with my music,” he said. “Why then do you disturb when it’s being played?” The song then resumed from where it had stopped.

The reunion of Ilayaraaja and singer S P Balasubrahmanyam was a major talking point ahead of the concert and their performance was a highlight of the evening. The duo broke into an impromptu song Enge Pirandhaai Isaye. The arrival of Yesudas was another major highlight, the three legends sharing a stage after a decade. SPB and Yesudas’ rendition of Kaatu Kuyilu (Thalapathy) was an unforgettable moment for fans. Amongst the less-known numbers, were Oru Ooru (Jhansi) rendered by an energetic Usha Uthup who said it was a song Raja himself had forgotten.

An interesting moment that captured the genius of Raja was when visuals of films such Hey Ram, Mouna Raagam and Sethu were played with and without his music to show the difference made by the score.

While the audience thought the concert was ending when Raja announced proceeds would go towards construction of a building for the Cine Musicians’ Union, the show went on for another hour – reminding all of Raja’s earlier challenge that he could stand for at least five hours. Having given fans more than what they’d hoped for, Raja, ever the eccentric, walked away before the concert’s end without a public farewell. As actor Vivek said at the concert, “The moon has dark spots too.”

Rs. 25 lakh damages for medical negligence

Soibam Rocky Singh

NEW DELHI, JUNE 03, 2019 00:00 IST

Woman with TB wrongly advised to plan pregnancy

The Delhi State Consumer Forum has awarded a sum of Rs. 25 lakh to a woman, who lost her unborn baby, after a local hospital wrongly advised her to plan their first baby simultaneously with tuberculosis medicines.

The 28-year-old Swapnil Mishra’s ordeal did not end at the first hospital, as another hospital in Delhi left a portion of the dead foetus in the womb, following an operation, forcing her to undergo re-surgery resulting in further medical complications.

Initial stage

It all began at Pushpanjali Healthcare in Vaishali, Ghaziabad in November 2011 when the woman went for a medical check-up after she suffered heavy pain during her menstrual cycles.

She was referred to Dr. Sharda Jain in the hospital, who advised her to undergo a battery of tests including Pathogen Assisted Molecular Pattern (PAMP).

The result of the tests shocked her as Dr. Jain declared her to be suffering from edometrium TB.

Dr. Jain further advised her to immediately plan their first baby, even while taking medication for TB, as otherwise it would be “too late” for them.

After becoming pregnant, the woman ran some tests with other doctors and found that the growth of her baby was not proper.

She then went to Fortis Le Femme Centre for Women at Greater Kailash, where she was referred to Dr. Neena Singh.

Dr. Singh advised her to wait for 15 days.After 15 days, the ultrasound report declared the baby was lost. The doctor advised her to go for D&C (Dilation and curettage). On April 10, 2012 Dr. Singh did the procedure, leading to the further complications. The woman then moved the consumer forum for compensation. The consumer court held the hospitals and doctors “guilty of medical negligence and deficiency in service” and awarded compensation. However, it declined the plea to initiate penal action against them.

MORE RECHARGE WELLS NEEDED

Don’t close old open wells, borewells, says hydrogeologist

Oppili.P@timesgroup.com   03.06.2019

Chennai:

Don’t fill in your old open wells and borewells that have run dry is the advice a hydrogeologist has for people in the city. A spell of rain is all it takes to recharge the city’s shallow aquifer, which is what these wells tap into.

Water consultant J Saravanan says that in many parts of the city, old open wells have gone dry as have borewells with a depth of up to 100ft after the last monsoon failed. He also blames it on poor maintenance and improper implementation of rainwater harvesting. One solution was to dig more recharge wells to trap rainwater. These wells should be 3 to 4 feet across and 10 to 15 feet deep. They should be kept empty, covered with a cement lid that has holes to allow the water to flow in.

Another point to remember is that the pipes in the bore wells should be slotted (they must have openings) for the first 100 feet so that water from the shallow aquifer can percolate into them after the rains.

Citing the example of Nungambakkam, Saravanan said in this area the soil was alluvial for the first 90 feet. Below that deeper aquifers were located in rocky patches. In this area people were drilling up to 300ft to tap water from the deeper aquifers. While sinking the pipes, they used plain casing in the first 100ft, which was a mistake.

Similarly, places south of Alandur are a hard rock region. The borewells companies provide plain casing from 0ft to 40ft. Whereas, the plain casing has to be given for the first 20ft and the remaining 20ft slotted casing has to be done. Only then the water from the shallow aquifer can be tapped, Saravanan added.

Father of deceased teen seeks justice

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:03.06.2019

“I will never be the same. He was my pride. I cannot believe he is gone,” said KR Ravi as he left the morgue at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital in Omandurar Estate where the body of his 19-yearold son was kept.

Ravi’s son, R Shanthakumar, died in an accident on Sunday. According to police, an MTC bus was involved in the accident. “We have to check the CCTV camera footage to find out who is at fault, the MTC bus driver or the biker,“ said a senior police officer.

Ravi blamed the police for not catching the bus driver. “My son was being blamed for bike racing, but that’s untrue. He goes to the Marina Beach every Sunday morning to play cricket with his friends. He did the same thing today. Police needs to probe further,” he alleged.

Shanthakumar was the second of three sons of Ravi, a conservancy worker with the Greater Chennai Corporation and Kondamma, a domestic worker. The family lives in Thattankulam, Choolai. Shanthakumar was studying B.Com at Sir Theagaraya College in Old Washermenpet, and wanted to become a chartered accountant. He had scored 72% in his first year and was quite popular in his group. “He was also very good at sports. He used to love cricket and football, if not a CA, he wanted to become a cricketer,” said his mother Kondamma, holding back her tears.

“But we need justice. The bus driver involved must be detained. The police did not even bother stopping him and he fled. If the police don’t help us, I will go to court,” said Ravi.

After 2 hot days, thunderclouds may bring respite

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:03.06.2019

After two days of scorching heat, the city may experience a pleasant day on Monday. The meteorological department forecast say that “the sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy. Development of thunderclouds is possible towards evening.”

The city recorded 40°C on Saturday and 39°C on Sunday. The suburbs were hotter than the core areas of the city. Meenambakkam recorded 41°C on Sunday. The heat conditions in the southern and western suburbs caused convective heavy rain on Sunday in areas like Vellore. The rain, which extended close to the far suburbs of the city, is expected to cool down the day temperature in the coming days, said a met official. The maximum temperature which was hovering in the range of 36°C to 38°C for most part of last month has started to climb above 39°C this month.

However, the city may not get an immediate respite from the heat as the met department has hinted that the “maximum temperature is expected to be around be around 39°C and minimum temperature is likely to be 30°C respectively”

As the heat is trapped with less sea breeze, nights are expected to be warmer in the coming days. The forecast for the first time says that minimum temperature in the core areas of the city will be 30°C on Monday.

A met in an advisory applicable across the state said that “public are advised not to expose themselves to direct sunlight between 11am and 4pm to avoid sunstroke.”

A look at the day’s temperature variation shows that it was at its peak between 11.15am and 1pm. It dipped below 36°C after 2.30pm. However, the radiation and humidity level kept the inconvenience level high.

Online live weather tracking sites show that there was dense cloud in areas surrounding Chennai but the sky was clear over the city on Sunday.

Met officials said conditions for the onset of southwest monsoon are becoming favourable and the rains in Kerala will help in reducing the day temperature in Chennai in the coming weeks. However, many parts of the state are expected to get rain on Monday, as met department forecast says that “thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds reaching 30kmph to 40kmph and lightning is likely to occur at Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Virudhunagar, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Tiruvannamalai districts.”

Met officials said conditions for the onset of southwest monsoon are becoming favourable and the rains in Kerala will help in reducing the day temperature in Chennai in the coming weeks

RPF man saves 10-yr-old girl who fell trying to board moving train

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:03.06.2019

The presence of mind and timely action of a Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable at Chennai Egmore railway station saved the life of a young girl who had fallen into the space between the train and the platform.

The 10-year-old girl and her father had tickets in a ‘third AC’ compartment of Chennai- Tiruchirapalli Uzhavan Express. They reached station late, around 10.40pm, as the train was leaving. The train had not gathered speed, and the girl and her father ran towards the coach.

RPF constable S V Jose, who was on platform number 4, sensed danger and ran towards the girl. The girl tried to jump into the coach, missed her step and fell, with her legs between the platform and the moving train. By now the constable, holding a torch in his left hand, leaped towards the girl and, using his right hand, caught the girl and pulled her out of harm’s way.

A CCTV camera on the platform caught the gripping visuals that soon went viral online. “The train had not picked up speed, but it was moving,” said an eyewitness. Had the train gathered speed, it would’ve been tragic.” Police identified the girl as Anmol Sharma and her father Aswani Kumar. They had tickets in a third AC coach.

The train was stopped for a few minutes after the guard noticed the commotion. Later, after ensuring that the girl was fine, the duo boarded the train. RPF officials reviewed the CCTV footage and appreciated Jose’s action. He may be recommended for an award, an official said.

RPF has asked its personnel to be always on the watch for such incidents. “Such accidents happen more often when passengers try to get into overcrowded unreserved compartments,” said an official. “Some others do it as a stunt.” Railway officials have advised passengers to reach the platform and board the train well in advance to avoid such accidents.

RPF constable S V Jose, who was on platform number 4, sensed danger and ran towards the girl who tried to jump into the coach, missed her step and fell, with her legs between the platform and the moving train