தெரிஞ்சுக்கோங்க வேலுமணி... பள்ளிக்கு விடுமுறை

Added : ஜூன் 17, 2019 23:45

சென்னை:குடிநீர் தட்டுப்பாடால், கிழக்கு தாம்பரத்தில் உள்ள, தனியார் மகளிர் பள்ளிக்கு, சமாளிப்பு நடவடிக்கையாக, இரண்டு நாட்களுக்கு விடுமுறை அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

தமிழகம் முழுவதும் தண்ணீர் தட்டுப்பாடு தலைவிரித்தாடுகிறது. குடிப்பதற்கு கூட தண்ணீர் கிடைக்காமல், பொதுமக்கள் தவித்து வருகின்றனர்.மருத்துவமனை, ஓட்டல், தங்கும் விடுதிகளில் தண்ணீர் இன்றி பொதுமக்கள் தவிக்கின்றனர். கிழக்கு தாம்பரம் -- வேளச்சேரி பிரதான சாலையில் உள்ள, கிரைஸ்ட் கிங் தனியார் மகளிர் பள்ளியில், 6 முதல் பிளஸ் 2 வரை, 4,000 மாணவியர் பயின்று வருகின்றனர்.இப்பள்ளியில், குடிநீருக்காக அமைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த, ஆழ்துளை கிணறு, நீரின்றி வறண்டது. இதனால், அடிப்படை தேவைக்கு கூட நீர் இன்றி, பள்ளி நிர்வாகம் தவித்து வருகிறது.குடிநீர் தட்டுப்பாட்டை சமாளிக்க முடியாத நிலையில், பள்ளி நிர்வாகம், சமாளிப்பு நடவடிக்கையாக, 5 முதல், 8ம் வகுப்பு வரை பயிலும் மாணவியருக்கு, இரண்டு நாட்கள் விடுமுறை அளித்துள்ளது. சென்னையில் குடிநீர் தட்டுப்பாடு இல்லை என, அமைச்சர் வேலுமணி பேட்டி அளித்த நாளில், தண்ணீர் இன்றி, பள்ளிக்கு விடுமுறை விடப்பட்ட சம்பவம் நடந்துள்ளது.

தமிழகத்தில் தண்ணீர் பிரச்னை இல்லையாம்!

Added : ஜூன் 17, 2019 23:35

சென்னை:''தமிழகத்தில் குடிநீர் பிரச்னை இல்லை. குடிநீர் தட்டுப்பாடு இருப்பதாக, வீண் வதந்திகளை பரப்புகின்றனர்,'' என, உள்ளாட்சி துறை அமைச்சர், வேலுமணி கூறினார். 

தமிழகம், குறிப்பாக தலைநகர் சென்னையில், 'நெ.௨' உந்துதல் முடித்த பிறகு, கழுவக் கூட தண்ணீர் இல்லாத நிலையில், அமைச்சரின், 'தமாஷ்' பேச்சைக் கேட்ட மக்கள், கொந்தளித்துப் போயுள்ளனர்.குடிநீர் வினியோக பணிகள் குறித்து, ஆய்வு கூட்டம், உள்ளாட்சி துறை அமைச்சர், வேலுமணி தலைமையில், சென்னை மாநகராட்சியில், நேற்று நடந்தது.இதில், அமைச்சர் வேலுமணி பேசியதாவது:தமிழகத்தில், சென்னை மாநகராட்சி நீங்கலாக, கோடை கால குடிநீர் தேவையை சமாளிக்க, 675 கோடி ரூபாய் மதிப்பில், ஆழ்துளை கிணறுகள் அமைத்தல், பழைய ஆழ்துளை கிணறுகளை புதுப்பித்தல், லாரிகள் வாயிலாக, குடிநீர் வழங்குதல் உள்ளிட்ட பணிகள் நடைபெறுகின்றன.

.'அம்ரூத்'

மேலும், சென்னை குடிநீர் வாரியத்தில், 2,638 கோடி ரூபாய் செலவில், 4,098 பணிகளும், தமிழ்நாடு குடிநீர் வாரியம் மற்றும் மாநகராட்சிகள், ஊராட்சிகள், பேரூராட்சி சார்பில், 16 ஆயிரத்து, 109 கோடி ரூபாய் செலவில், 11 ஆயிரத்து, 519 குடிநீர் பணிகளும் நடைபெறுகின்றன.மத்திய அரசின், 'அம்ரூத்' திட்டத்தில், மாநகராட்சிகள், நகராட்சிகள் ஆகியவற்றில், 18 பெரிய குடிநீர் திட்டப் பணிகள், 6,496 கோடி ரூபாய் செலவில் நடைபெறுகின்றன.தமிழகம் முழுவதும், 730 கோடி லிட்டர் குடிநீர் வழங்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது. சென்னை மாநகராட்சியில், தினமும், மீஞ்சூர், கடல்நீரை குடிநீராக்கும் திட்டம் வாயிலாக, 18 கோடி லிட்டர்; வீராணம் ஏரியிலிருந்து, ஒன்பது கோடி லிட்டர்; நெய்வேலி சுரங்கத்திலிருந்து, ஆறு கோடி லிட்டர்; நெய்வேலி ஆழ்துளை கிணறுகளில் இருந்து, மூன்று கோடி லிட்டர் கொடுக்கப்படுகிறது. திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள, ஆழ்துளை கிணறுகளில் இருந்து, 16.5 கோடி லிட்டர் என, 52.5 கோடி லிட்டர் தண்ணீர் வழங்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது.நகர்ப்புறம் மற்றும் ஊரக உள்ளாட்சி அமைப்புகளால், குடிநீர் வினியோகம் தொய்வின்றி நடக்கிறது. பொது மக்கள், வீண் வதந்திகளை நம்பி, செயற்கையான, குடிநீர் தட்டுப்பாட்டை உருவாக்க வேண்டாம்.

கண்காணிப்பாளர்

எதிர்க்கட்சிகள், இந்த சூழ்நிலையை பயன்படுத்தி, வீண் வதந்திகளை பரப்பக் கூடாது. சென்னையில், மழை இல்லாவிட்டாலும், தண்ணீரை வழங்கி வருகிறோம். தண்ணீர் பிரச்னையால், ஓட்டல்கள், தகவல் தொழில்நுட்ப துறையை சேர்ந்த, ஐ.டி., நிறுவனங்கள் மூடப்படவில்லை. தண்ணீர் பிரச்னையால், ஓட்டல்களில், வாழை இலை, பாக்கு மட்டை பயன்படுத்த அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஐ.டி., நிறுவன பணியாளர்கள், வீட்டில் இருந்து பணிபுரிவது வழக்கமானது.கோடை கால குடிநீர் பற்றாக்குறையை சமாளிக்க, பொதுமக்கள் அனைவரும், குடிநீரை வீணாக்காமல், சிக்கனமாக பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, அவர் பேசினார்.

இக்கூட்டத்தில், நகராட்சி நிர்வாகம் மற்றும் குடிநீர் வழங்கல் துறை செயலர் ஹர்மந்தர் சிங், நகராட்சி நிர்வாக கமிஷனர் கார்த்திகேயன், சென்னை மாநகராட்சி கமிஷனர் பிரகாஷ் உள்ளிட்டோர் பங்கேற்றனர்.அமைச்சர் வேலுமணியின் பேட்டியைக் கேட்ட பொதுமக்கள், கொந்தளித்துப் போயுள்ளனர். 'நெ.௨க்கு கழுவக் கூட இங்கே தண்ணி இல்லே... இவரு, 'தமாஷ்' பண்றதா நினைச்சு, இப்படி பேசுகிறாரே...' என, சென்னை மக்கள் ஆத்திரம் கொள்ளத் துவங்கி உள்ளனர்.

'சென்னை பக்கம் வந்துடாதீங்க...' 'சென்னை பக்கம் வந்துவிடாதீங்க...' உறவுகளிடம் கெஞ்சும் மக்கள்!

Added : ஜூன் 17, 2019 23:04 |

'தயவு செய்து சென்னை பக்கம் வந்துடாதீங்க...' என, வெளியூர்களில் வசிக்கும் உறவுகளுக்கு, சென்னைவாசிகள் வேண்டுகோள் விடுத்துள்ளனர்.
'வந்தாரை வாழ வைக்கும் சென்னை' என்று அழைக்கப்பட்ட, சென்னை மாநகரம், 'யாரும் வராதீர்கள்' எனக் கூறும் நிலைக்கு தள்ளப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஏனெனில், பருவ மழை பொய்த்ததன் காரணமாக, சென்னை மாநகரில், இதுவரை இல்லாத அளவிற்கு, குடிநீர் தட்டுப்பாடு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.சென்னை மற்றும் சுற்றியுள்ள மாவட்டங்களில், நீர் நிலைகள் அனைத்தும், வறண்டு கிடக்கின்றன. வெயிலின் வேகம், நாளுக்கு நாள் அதிகரித்தபடி உள்ளது. நிலத்தடி நீர் மட்டம், அதல பாதாளத்திற்கு சென்று விட்டது. குறிப்பிட்ட ஆழத்திற்கு மேல், ஆழ்துளை கிணறு அமைத்தால், உப்பு நீர் உட்புகுந்து விடுகிறது. இதனால், ஆழ்துளை கிணறு அமைக்க முடியாத நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.நிலத்தடி நீரை நம்பியிருந்தோரும், மாநகராட்சி மற்றும் குடிநீர் வாரியத்தை நம்ப வேண்டிய நிலைக்கு தள்ளப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.ஏற்கனவே, மக்களுக்கு வழங்கி வந்த குடிநீரை வழங்க முடியாமல், குடிநீர் வாரியம் தடுமாறி வருகிறது. லாரிகளில் மக்களுக்கு குடிநீர் வழங்கி வந்த, தனியார் நிறுவனங்களும், குடிநீர் கிடைக்காமல் திண்டாடுகின்றன. இதனால், பணம் கொடுத்தாலும், தண்ணீர் கிடைக்காத நிலை உள்ளது. இதனால், பல்வேறு வாழ்வியல் சிக்கல்கள் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளன.சென்னையில், பெரும்பாலானோர் வாடகைக்கு வசித்து வருகின்றனர். தண்ணீர் தட்டுப்பாடு காரணமாக, வீட்டின் உரிமையாளர், தண்ணீருக்கு தனியே பணம் வசூலிக்க துவங்கி உள்ளதால், வாடகையுடன் கூடுதல் தொகை வழங்க வேண்டிய கட்டாயம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.அத்துடன், விருந்தினர்களை அழைத்து வராதீர்கள் என, வீட்டின் உரிமையாளர்கள் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளனர். 

இதனால், பெரும்பாலானோர், வெளியூர்களில் வசிக்கும் உறவினர்களிடம், 'தயவு செய்து, கொஞ்ச நாளைக்கு, சென்னை பக்கம் வர வேண்டாம்' எனக்கூறி உள்ளனர். 'விருந்தினர் உபசரிப்பு'க்கு பெயர் பெற்ற தமிழர்கள், விருந்தினர்களை வர வேண்டாம் எனக்கூறும் அவல நிலைக்கு, அரசு தள்ளி உள்ளது.பெரும்பாலான பகுதிகளில், தண்ணீர் இல்லாததால், வாடகைக்கு குடியிருப்போர், வீடுகளை காலி செய்து வருகின்றனர்.தற்போது வாடகைக்கு வீடு பார்த்து சென்றால், அங்கு தண்ணீர் இருக்காதோ என்ற அச்சத்தில், வாடகைக்கு வீடு பார்ப்போரும், இப்போதைக்கு இடம் மாற வேண்டாம் என்ற முடிவுக்கு வந்துள்ளனர்.இதனால், வீட்டின் உரிமையாளர்களுக்கு, வாடகை வருவாய் இல்லாத நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இதே நிலை நீடித்தால், மக்களின் இயல்பு வாழ்க்கை முற்றிலும் ஸ்தம்பிக்கும் சூழல் உருவாகும். இதைத் தடுக்க, அரசு உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்.
-நமது நிருபர் -

சென்னையின் நிலை இது தான்!

Updated : ஜூன் 18, 2019 06:57 | Added : ஜூன் 18, 2019 06:54 |

சென்னை: 'தண்ணீர் பஞ்சம் இல்லை; வேண்டுமென்றே மிகைப்படுத்துகின்றனர்' என, அமைச்சர், வேலுமணி கூறியுள்ளது, சர்ச்சையை ஏற்படுத்தி உள்ளது.



தவிப்பு:

* சென்னையில், குடிநீர் வாரியம், 83 கோடி லிட்டர் தண்ணீரை வினியோகம் செய்து வந்தது. நிலத்தடி நீர் இயல்பாக கிடைத்தவரை, இது போதுமானதாக இருந்தது. தற்போது, நிலத்தடி நீரும், அதலபாதாளத்திற்கு சென்று விட்டது. நீர்நிலைகளும் வறண்டதால், குடிநீர் வாரியம், வினியோகத்தை, 52 கோடி லிட்டராக குறைத்துள்ளது. வாரிய கணக்குப்படி, 32 சதவீதம் குறைந்துள்ளது. அத்துடன் நிலத்தடிநீரும் இல்லாத நிலையில், 50 சதவீதத்திற்கு மேல் தண்ணீர் பற்றாக்குறையால், மக்கள் தவித்து வருகின்றனர்




* சென்னையில் உள்ள ஓட்டல்களில், தண்ணீர் தட்டுப்பாடால், மதிய உணவை நிறுத்தும் நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. 'தண்ணீர் தட்டுப்பாடால் மதிய உணவை நிறுத்தும் நிலை ஏற்படலாம்; அதற்காக மன்னிக்க வேண்டுகிறோம்' என, ஓட்டல் நிர்வாகங்கள் விளம்பர பலகை வைத்துள்ளன. பல இடங்களிலும், சிறு ஓட்டல்கள் தண்ணீரின்றி மூடப்பட்டுள்ளன.




* தண்ணீர் பிரச்னை காரணமாக, ஐ.டி., எனப்படும் தகவல் தொழில்நுட்ப நிறுவனங்கள், ஒரு பகுதி ஊழியர்களை வீடுகளில் இருந்து பணியாற்ற அறிவுறுத்தி உள்ளது. அலுவலகம் வருவோர், தண்ணீரை சிக்கனமாக பயன்படுத்தும் வகையில், ஒருமுறை பயன்படுத்தும் சாப்பாட்டு தட்டுகளை பயன்படுத்த அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.



இப்படி, தண்ணீரால், சென்னை மக்கள் தவித்து வருவதோடு, அன்றாட செயல்பாடுகளும் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள நிலையில், 'தண்ணீர் பஞ்சம் இல்லை; வேண்டுமென்றே மிகைப்படுத்துகின்றனர்' என, அமைச்சர், வேலுமணி கூறியுள்ளது, சர்ச்சையை ஏற்படுத்தி உள்ளது.

Medical, dental students can now edit their option

STAFF REPORTER

BENGALURU, JUNE 18, 2019 00:00 IST

Medical and dental seat aspirants, who wrote Common Entrance Test (CET) and are getting their documents verified, can now make changes in their application and get reservation under various categories for medical and dental counselling.

The decision was taken at a meeting on Monday. Several candidates had approached Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) saying they were unable to avail reservation as they could not not edit their applications. Once document verification is complete for a candidate under CET, the application is considered for the NEET ranking.

A medical seat aspirant said: “I wrote CET for practice and was not serious about getting a seat. I had not paid attention to my reservation column then. But now, through my NEET ranking, I want to get a caste-based reservation as it will help me get a government-quota seat in a private college.” A KEA official pointed out that the move is likely to benefit close to hundred candidates.

Seat matrix

The KEA has published seat matrix for UG engineering courses for admissions to 2019-20. Total seats available are 45,956, while 6,407 seats are under Hyderabad-Karnataka reservation in government quota.

Convict on parole ends life along with wife

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUVARUR, JUNE 18, 2019 00:00 IST

A convict on parole and his wife on Monday reportedly ended their lives leaving behind their children.

Swaminathan, 38, of Vadachery, near Nannilam, was undergoing life sentence in connection with a molestation case in 2005 and was lodged in Central Prison, Tiruchi.

Swaminathan came out on parole for three days on June 14 and was expected to return to the prison on Monday. However, he and his wife, Saraswathi, were found hanging from the ceiling fans in their house by their children on Monday morning. Nannilam police seized the bodies and sent them for postmortem.

Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.

Girl dies of kidney failure, kin accuse Siddha practitioner of wrong treatment

STAFF REPORTER

COIMBATORE, JUNE 18, 2019 00:00 IST

Relatives of the girl staging a road blockade in front of Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on Monday.M. Periasamy

The kin of a 20-year-old college student from Coimbatore alleged that she died due to wrong treatment by a Siddha practitioner.

G. Sathyapriya of Kulathupalayam in Coimbatore died at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in the early hours of Monday due to renal failure and other complications after she underwent treatment provided by the Siddha practitioner, they alleged.

R. Ganesan, father of Sathyapriya, said that he had taken her to Siddha practitioner Gurunathan of Manonmani Siddha Vaidya Salai at Selvapuram on January 24 as she had irregular menstrual cycle.

“My daughter underwent treatment under the Siddha practitioner till April 19. She was given various drugs in powder form during the period. She was admitted to CMCH on April 22 after she complained of pain in renal area. Doctors at CMCH said both her kidneys were not functioning. We strongly believe that her kidneys failed due to wrong treatment given by the Siddha practitioner,” alleged Mr. Ganesan, a daily wage worker.

Mr. Ganesan also alleged that the Selvapuram Police did not register a case or investigate the matter though a petition was submitted on May 1.

Another petition was given to the City Police Commissioner on May 31. “A case was registered only on Monday after we staged a road blockade in front of the CMCH,” he said

Tamil Kumaran of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi said that the deceased girl, who was doing her third year BA at Government Arts College in Coimbatore, belonged to a Dalit community. “A petition will be submitted to the SC/ST Commission seeking an inquiry into the death,” he said.

When contacted, District Siddha Medical Officer C. Dhanam said that Gurunathan was a registered practitioner of Siddha.

“He was one of the traditional practitioners of Siddha who were categorised under Class “B”. We have lifted samples of drugs from his facility and sent these to a laboratory in Chennai for examination,” she said.

City temperature likely to remain above 40 degrees Celsius for a few more days

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JUNE 18, 2019 00:00 IST

Safety first:Residents are advised not to expose themselves to direct sunlight from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.B. Jothi Ramalingam

Respite from heat only after Thursday, says Meteorological Department

Chennai may have a respite from heat after Thursday as the peaking day temperature may begin to decrease.

On Monday, the weather stations in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded 40.6 degrees Celsius and 41.1 degrees Celsius respectively.

The mercury level has remained above the 40-degree mark in city and suburbs for nearly 10 days now, worsening the daily life of residents who are reeling under acute water crisis.

Officials of the Meteorological Department said that some parts of north Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Vellore, Tiruvallur and Tiruvannamalai, would continue to experience heatwave conditions till Wednesday.

Residents are advised not to expose themselves to direct sunlight between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to avoid sunstroke.

N. Puviarasan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai, said wind pattern has changed and westerly and northwesterly wind was dominating in the region after Cyclone Vayu.

Once the cyclone crosses the Gujarat coast, there may be a change in wind pattern and the temperature over north Tamil Nadu is expected to dip in two days.

The cyclone landfall was delayed by nearly a week and it has prolonged the dry weather.

Strong westerly winds delayed the onset of sea breeze, leading to a rise in the mercury level by noon in coastal stations. Days are more uncomfortable in interior areas.

On the cloud cover on Monday afternoon, he said easterly winds in the higher level of atmosphere pushed the semi-transparent clouds towards the coast.

But, this would not bring rain. This was influenced by the weather system over the Bay of Bengal, he said.

Internal probe into ‘sexual harassment’ at Thoothukudi Medical College over

A.R. Hariprasad

UPDATED: JUNE 18, 2019 06:24 IST

Two student bodies distance themselves from complaint

The internal inquiry on a sexual harassment complaint against an assistant professor at Government Thoothukudi Medical College had been completed and the report sent to the Directorate of Medical Education, said Dean S. Balasubramanian.

Speaking to The Hindu , Dr. Balasubramanian said that the inquiry was conducted by a three-member committee of women doctors with the entire batch of students and the assistant professor concerned. Specific inquiry with the victims could not be conducted as the complaint was anonymous. “The response from the DME is awaited,” he said.

After the anonymous complaint was dropped in the complaint box, the inquiry was started against N. Kandasamy, assistant professor in Orthopaedics department.

In the complaint, the students said that they had suffered sexual abuse and threats from him. They had chosen to remain anonymous fearing repercussions, the complaint said. Over the last few days, members of two student bodies – Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) Council and Students Council of GTKMC – have distanced themselves from the complaint.

In two separate but near-identical letters addressed to the Dean, the student bodies said that they came to know that an anonymous ‘false complaint’ was dropped in the complaint box and that they were in no way connected to it.

Meanwhile, People’s Empowerment Organisation, run by advocate E. Athisaya Kumar, in a petition sent to the Dean, demanded expansion of the internal complaints committee to have nine members, including the Medical Superintendent, Resident Medical Officer, two more women faculty members, a social worker and a lawyer, in accordance with the Visaka guidelines.

Further, the assistant professor should be transferred until the investigation was over to prevent any possible influencing of complainants, the petition said.

Forum orders two doctors to pay Rs. 6 lakh to patient

STAFF REPORTER

SHIVAMOGGA, JUNE 18, 2019 00:00 IST

Woman developed complications after hysterectomy

The Shivamogga District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered two doctors to pay Rs. 6 lakh as compensation to a person for the alleged negligence they displayed during a hysterectomy procedure.

Dr. M. Muralidhara Rao and Dr. Vijayalakshmi Raveesh, with Raghavendra Nursing Home in Shivamogga city, performed hysterectomy on K.A. Geetha on October 5, 2012. Following this, the patient developed hydronephrosis and urinary retention problems. During the medical tests conducted at another hospital, it emerged that the damage done to the ureter portion while performing hysterectomy had resulted in these complications.

The victim had to undergo another surgery in Bengaluru later to get the post-hysterectomy complications resolved. Ms. Geetha approached the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, alleging that she had to suffer physical as well as mental agony owing to the medical negligence during hysterectomy. After examining the documents related to the medical treatment that Ms. Geetha had taken, the forum held the doctors guilty of medical negligence.

In a press release, the Assistant Administrative Officer of the forum said it had ordered payment of Rs. 6 lakh as compensation to the victim towards medical expenses she had incurred for the treatment of the complications that emerged after the ureter was damaged during hysterectomy and to compensate the mental agony she had undergone. The forum also ordered payment of Rs. 30,000 to the victim towards litigation expenses. The payment should be made by six weeks failing which 10 per cent annual interest would be charged on the compensation amount, the forum said.

Tampering of answer sheets crime against society, says Madras high court

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

Published  Jun 17, 2019, 1:21 am IST

Updated Jun 17, 2019, 1:21 am IST

The judge directed the authorities to proceed with the departmental disciplinary enquiry proceedings as expeditiously as possible.

Madras high court

Chennai: The Madras high court has held that any tampering of the answer sheets or erroneous award of marks amounts to crime against the society at large. At the same time, it would result in frustration in the minds of the young students, who are all the future of our great nation.

Justice S. M. Subramaniam gave the ruling while disposing of the petitions from P.Nirmala Devi and 9 others, who are working as lecturers and senior lecturers in the District Institute of Education and Training, Dindigul district, challenging the charge memo issued against them for the alleged irregularities and illegalities in evaluation of answer scripts and award of marks.

The judge directed the authorities to proceed with the departmental disciplinary enquiry proceedings as expeditiously as possible. The judge also directed the petitioners to submit their explanations/objections in respect of the charges within two weeks and defend their case in the manner known to law.

The judge said in the era of transparency, identification of irregularities and illegalities were possible and the evaluations can be tested by all concerned with reference to the answer sheets. For example, if the award of marks were not in consonance with the key answers and the materials provided to the examiners, there was a possibility of doubt regarding the award of marks on various reasons. There was a possibility of extraneous consideration, malpractices, corrupt activities etc.

The principles of reasonableness and the accuracy adopted by the examiners with reference to the guidelines issued by the competent authorities as well as the key answers can be verified. Once, the competent authority or the persons concerned identified the discrepancy or illegalities in award of marks then suitable actions were bound to be initiated against all concerned. However, all these aspects cannot be gone into by the high court in the present batch of petitions as the notice of pending action on hand was nothing but challenge made against the charge memo. Thus, appreciation of merits at this stage was inappropriate and impermissible. Factual findings cannot be arrived in a petition, more specifically when the charge memo itself was under challenge, the judge added.

The judge said undoubtedly, the allegations against the petitioners were serious in nature and affecting the institutional integrity and honesty. The institutional integrity can be maintained only by developing the transparent procedure in the matter of evaluation of answer sheets. Confidence and trust in the minds of the students as well as the public were unfettered elements and the authorities competent must ensure the correctness of evaluations. The high court cannot interfere with these intricacies with regard to the allegations as well as the truthfulness at this stage. Such interference would hamper the enquiry proceedings to be conducted by the competent authorities in respect of the allegations set out in the charge memorandum issued to the petitioners, the judge added.

The judge said lakhs and lakhs of young students of this great nation were participating in the process of examination with the fond hope that their answer sheets were being evaluated properly and promptly and the award of marks were given in accordance with the key answers, reference books. Procedural transparency and the trustworthiness in the educational system lies on various aspects including the correct evaluation of answer sheets.

No student should feel that their answer sheets were improperly evaluated and marks were not awarded in accordance with the key answers as well as the reference books. “This court is of an undoubted opinion that the allegations are in the public domain and the students are also awaiting for complete enquiry in respect of these examiners. In these circumstances, a full-fledged enquiry to cull out the truth behind the allegations is imminent and warranted”, the judge added.

The judge said such allegations were nowadays common in various universities and investigations were also going on in respect of such allegations which were all in the public domain. The state must take action in respect of all these allegations and ensure a full proof system so as to avoid such allegations and ensure proper evaluation of answer sheets by the examiners for the purpose of awarding of marks etc.

The offence as well as the misconduct of all these nature would affect very foundation of the educational system across the nation and thus, the state as well as the education department must be double-cautious in maintaining the system of preparation of question papers, evaluation of answer sheets, publication of results etc, If any loopholes were identified, the authorities must immediately review the entire system and correct the same for the purpose of developing the transparency and to curtail the possibility of discrepancy, corrupt activities, errors etc.

It was the constitutional mandate on the part of the state to provide the best educational system by formulating the guidelines and rules. In the era of right to education Act, development in the field of education was of paramount importance. Under these circumstances, the state must ensure transparency and efficiency in the system enabling the students to develop confidence in their minds for the purpose of nation building. “Undoubtedly, the students are the 'Nation Builders' and in the event of untrustworthiness in the system of education the same will hamper the very idea of achieving the Constitutional philosophy and ethos”, the judge added.

'Don't compare air strikes and cricket match': Pakistan on Shah's congratulatory message to Team India
Shah was referring to the February 26 strikes carried out by India on terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Published: 17th June 2019 10:35 PM 

Pakistan's army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor .

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's military spokesperson on Monday asked Home Minister Amit Shahnot to compare Pakistan cricket team's defeat to India in the World Cup game to the air strikes, warning him to "stay surprised", according to media reports.

Remarks by Major Gen Asif Ghafoor, who is the director general of the Army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), came after Shah congratulated the Indian cricket team after their win over Pakistan in the World Cup clash and tweeted: "Another strike on Pakistan by Team India and the result is same."

"Congratulations to the entire team for this superb performance. Every Indian is feeling proud and celebrating this impressive win," Shah tweeted.

Shah was referring to the February 26 strikes carried out by India on terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.


Pakistan has denied that there was any damage or casualties in the IAF air strikes.

Ghafoor, through his personal account, on Monday responded to Shah, saying: "Dear Amit Shah, yes your team won a match. Well played."

Ghafoor pointed out that "two things with different denominators can't be compared, so are strikes and match".

"If in doubt please see results of our Nowshera counter strikes and response to IAF [Indian Air Force] violation on 27 Feb 19 downing two Indian jets," he said, ending his tweet with: "Stay Surprised."

India has maintained that it had lost only one of its fighter jets in the air combat on February 27.

UGC asks academics to avoid predatory journals & conferences

The UGC also said that academics should not get associated as editors, advisors or in any other capacity, with journals, conferences involved in fraudulent practices.

Published: 17th June 2019 05:36 AM

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Taking strong note on ensuring academic integrity, University Grants Commission (UGC) has said that any publication in predatory or dubious journals or presentations in such conferences should not be considered for giving academic degrees.

Research publication only from journals indexed in UGC-CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics) list should be used for all academic purposes, with immediate effect, the UGC said.
The commission said that such publication or presentation should not be considered for academic credit for selection, confirmation, promotion, performance appraisal, the award of scholarship or academic degrees.

In a public notice, UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain on Friday advised Vice-Chancellors, selection committees, research supervisors and other experts involved in the academic evaluation to ensure that their decisions were primarily based on the quality of research work and not merely on the number of publications.
Rajnish said that increased incidence of compromised publication ethics and deteriorating academic integrity was a growing problem contaminating all domains of research. It has been observed that unethical/deceptive practices in publishing were leading to an increased number of dubious journals worldwide, he said.

It has been reported that in India, the percentage of research articles published in predatory journals was high. Unethical practices leading to pay and publish trash culture needs to be thwarted immediately, he added.


The UGC also said that academics should not get associated as editors, advisors or in any other capacity, with journals, conferences involved in fraudulent practices.

Constitute panel to find if NEET fulfilled objectives: PMK

Chennai: While reiterating its demand to scrap NEET, the PMK has said the Centre should constitute a committee comprising experts who are interested in social justice, to find whether the objectives of holding the test had been fulfilled in the last three years. In a statement, Anbumani Ramadoss, said data have once again proved that the claim that NEET will enhance quality and prevent commercialisation of medical education, is fallacious. Enrolment of candidates who were not able to score the required marks in NEET in medical colleges has exposed failure of NEET implementation. A media report has said 50 students who have scored only single-digit marks and minus marks in NEET have been enrolled in private deemed universities in Punjab, he said.

Chennai engineering college teachers turn enrolment agents to save jobs

With the threat of losing jobs or facing a huge pay-cut hovering over their head, faculty are asked by managements to use all means to get students enrolled

Published: 17th June 2019 06:32 AM

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Ranjith stares at a spreadsheet on his computer which has names of school students, their addresses, mobile numbers and their subject stream in Class 12, among other details. He pulls out his phone, judging which of the hundred contacts assigned to him for the morning session, would potentially join the private engineering college in Namakkal, where he works as a faculty.

He is among thousands of faculty from private engineering colleges, who are being forced by their respective managements, to double as marketing agents, enrolling more students into their institutions.
With the threat of losing their jobs or facing a huge pay-cut hovering over their head, the faculty are deprived of their annual vacation and instead, coerced into canvassing door-to-door for admissions, calling hundreds of students from common databases, sent bulk SMSs, distribute pamphlets and even personally accompany students for certificate verification process for engineering counselling. Some managements have asked faculty members to commonly pay an agent, to whom they can outsource the admission duty.

The management Ranjith works for, has asked all faculty from his college to enroll at least five students, failing which he or she will receive only half the salary for three months. Even as Ranjith, along with his colleagues, have been asked to do “admission duty” since May, he has been able to only enroll 2 students.



“The management has given me only half the salary for the last two months. They will hold back June’s salary as well, if I do not meet the target,” he rued.

He added that his management has already asked nearly 40 faculty members to leave their jobs after they refused to engage in admission duty. Ranjith said that the remaining faculty members who were grappling to enroll more students, were asked to write a letter explaining the reason for not meeting their target.

“When we are on admission duty, we are given the contact details of 100 students in the morning and 100 in the noon. We have to call them and find out if they are interested in joining engineering programme and convince them to join our college,” he said.
Kumaran, a faculty from a private engineering college, that runs both, engineering and arts and science courses, said that he has been asked to enroll five students. This target, however, comes with a catch: each enrollment into the engineering courses will be counted as one point, and each into the arts or sciences, will be counted as half point. This means that, if he only finds students interested in arts and science courses, he must make 10 admissions.

A private engineering college in the outskirts of Chennai, has asked faculty members to provide proof of personally visiting homes of potential students. “It gets very awkward most times. Especially when a male faculty calls a female candidate and asks if he can visit her at her home to talk about admissions, or when a female faculty has to speak to a male parent to ask if she can visit their home,” said Sudha, a faculty member from that college.

The “business” of finding admissions has gone too far in some institutions, said Raman, a faculty from a private engineering college in Madurai. His college, even as it threatens a pay-cut if a faculty does not meet the enrollment target, offers incentives for each student they enroll. This has complicated things lot more in their college.

His college pays him Rs 14,000 as incentive for one enrollment, he claimed, adding that the management pays an outside agent Rs 20,000.

The private institutions have take the gambit so far, that they have instructed faculty to accompany students to the certificate verification process for counselling. “As soon as we convince a student to join our college, the management takes in their class 10 and 12 academic records and certificates, along with a fee of `5,000 of advance fees. On the day of certificate verification, we have to accompany the student with the certificates,” said a faculty member, who did not want to be identified.

Thousands of teachers lost their jobs after AICTE revised the student-teacher ratio from 1:15 to 1:20. Many more had to take a pay cut to remain employed.

MK Surappa, Vice Chancellor of Anna University, said he has received a few complaints about this rampant problem. “I have passed on these letters to the affiliations director of the varsity. If it is proven that colleges harass teachers, we may even cancel their affiliation,” he said.

State Higher Education Minister KP Anbalagan, speaking to Express recently claimed that he was unaware of this problem.”However, if such complaints come to our notice...If I get to know that a certain private college is forcing teachers to get admission, I will strongly consider closing the institution down,” he asserted. (All names have been changed on request)

‘Admission duty’

Even faculty, who have years of experience, are forced to actively participate in the ‘admission duty’. A private engineering college in the outskirts of Chennai, has asked faculty members to provide proof of personally visiting homes of potential students

Anna University refuses to disclose 92 colleges told to reduce intake
Karthik had also sought the university to disclose the names of members who were part of the inspection team.

Published: 18th June 2019 05:52 AM

Anna University 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI : The Anna University has refused to disclose names of the 92 private engineering colleges which have been asked to reduce their seats after the university inspection team found lacunae in faculty and infrastructure.Replying to an RTI query filed by KM Karthik, president of Private Educational Institutions Employees Association, who wanted names of the colleges be made public, the university has said that they cannot disclose the names as some of them have approached the High Court.

Karthik had also sought the university to disclose the names of members who were part of the inspection team. The university said that disclosure of the names would endanger their lives or physical safety and also cause an unwarranted invasion on the privacy of the individuals.

Notably, Karthik filed a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on June 7 alleging that the university officials had intentionally concealed names of 92 colleges to ensure that they get students. He also alleged the university-college nexus will affect students.

The High Court should take suo moto cognizance of the issue, said Karthik.

After 9-month wait, special teachers seek appointment
Chennai: Special teachers, who teach courses like arts and tailoring, staged a protest on Monday, asking the Teachers’ Recruitment Board (TRB) to appoint candidates who qualified in the board’s eligibility exam conducted in 2017. Even though it has been two years since the candidates wrote the exam, no appointment has been made yet, the teachers charged.



The special teachers test was conducted by the board in September 2017 and the final list of selected candidates was released nine months ago. In a letter to the board, the selected candidates appealed that the appointments should be made immediately. “We did no fault except clearing the exam. We are hesitant to find other opportunities as we are awaiting government appointment,” said an arts teacher, who was selected in the final list. He did not want to be identified fearing that it may affect his appointment. Express could not reach TRB officials for comments

Engg counselling for spl category students from June 25
Chennai: Counselling for Tamil Nadu Engineering Admission (TNEA) for special category students will be held from June 25, and not June 20 (as previously declared), said a statement issued by the State government on Monday. Counselling for differently-abled candidates will be held on June 25, for ex-servicemen on June 26 and for sports quota beneficiaries on June 27. Counselling for the vocational group will take place from June 26 to June 28. The counselling will take place in the auditorium of Central Polytechnic College Taramani.

Students invited to apply for enrolment in hostels
Chennai: Inviting eligible students to apply for enrolment in hostels, A Shanmuga Sundaram, district collector of Chennai, said in a release, “A total of 14 hostels function across Chennai city for students belonging to Backward Classes (BC), Most Backward Classes (MBC) and minorities. Of them, nine hostels are for boys while five others for girls. Students of ITIs and colleges are eligible to get enrolled in the hostels. The eligible students can get free accommodation and food. Interested students should submit their applications with respective hostel wardens or office of the district BC and minorities welfare department within July 15.”

Parents demand option to buy train seats for children below 5

...say they often fudge age during reservations to be eligible for a separate seat as railways still does not provide the option, despite rule revision in 2016

Published: 18th June 2019 05:57 AM

For representational purposes (File | EPS)

By B Anbuselvan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Indian Railways not allowing customers to book a separate seat or berth for children below the age of five is causing hardship for a section of travellers. The railway rules, which are over a hundred years old, say children under five can travel free of cost without seats.

In March 2016, the rules were revised and commuters were allowed to book separate berths and seats for children between 5 and 12 upon payment of the full fare. Even then, it did not provide an option of booking tickets for children below five. Airlines and buses, on the other hand, allow booking of separate seats for children of any age.

Many parents who travel frequently with children are demanding a revision of this policy. “Though my daughter is just two years old, I book tickets stating her age as five, so that I can get her a separate seat,” says S Brinda, a software professional who shuttles often between Chennai and Bengaluru.



“Giving incorrect age for availing a service can be considered illegal. In case of untoward incidents, I am worried of the consequences of fudging my child’s age,” says Brinda, adding that railways must consider providing separate seats to children, at least for those customers who are willing to pay.

“The last few times, when travelling by second sitting and chair car of Kovai Express, I am standing in the aisle for the most part of the journey so that my two-year-old daughter can take my seat,” says S Karthikeyan of Vadapalani. “These days, I have switched to second AC sleeper because berths are much wider than in other classes.”

“Railway policies are changed periodically based on patronage. If more passengers are found opting for separate berths for children between 5 and 12, the policy may get extended for kids below five as well,” says a senior railway official. “If there is a change in policy, it’s likely to be introduced first in premier trains.”

Decide on compassionate appointments soon: Madras HC

The judge also said that as a matter of right the applicant cannot demand appointment based on his higher qualifications.

Published: 18th June 2019 03:17 AM |

Madras High Court 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Appointment on compassionate grounds is substantial litigation in this court and the government should ensure that it takes an unbiased decision within six months so that the applicant will know where he stands. Justice S Vaidyanathan made the observation on June 10 while rejecting a plea from K Selvakumar praying for a direction to the Villupuram Collector to provide him the appointment following his father’s death in harness.

The judge also said that as a matter of right the applicant cannot demand appointment based on his higher qualifications. He shall be appointed in Class-IV posts as the Class-III posts are meant either for promotion or for direct recruitment and shall not be taken on compassionate appointment. In addition, the court expects the State to take into account the following suggestions and issue a GO immediately so that it can be given effect to from January 1 this year, the judge said.

The compassionate appointment shall be made within one year from the date of death of the government employee. The qualification for Class-IV staff can be completely relaxed for giving compassionate appointment. As held by the Supreme Court in 2011, the purpose of compassionate appointment is to meet the sudden crisis and there is no need to keep a post to claim after 18 years.

Therefore, it is clear that the request for appointment on compassionate ground for the child in the womb by seeking reservation of one post till it attains majority cannot be entertained. Whenever an application is made, it should be decided within three months. The officer concerned, who fails to keep up the schedule, should be removed and transferred to a non-sensitive post, the judge said.



The documents sought by the authorities should be uploaded by the application so that there would be no quarrel over non-consideration of vital documents while scrutinising. The applicant shall also furnish his/her cell number, email address, etc. to enable the authorities to communicate the order. In case compassionate appointment is considered other than for the spouse, then 25 per cent of the gross monthly income shall be directly paid to the spouse by way of NEFT or RTGS and the said gross income is subject to IT deductions.

Compassionate appointment shall not be considered as a back-door entry and it is based on rules, regulations, guidelines and Government Orders. However, it should be remembered that compassionate appointment is not an usual recruitment process and the candidates seeking such appointment will have to satisfy all requirements contemplated under the rules. However, it is subject to relaxation depending upon the circumstances of each case, the judge added.

Parents beware: Chennai dist has 331 unrecognized schools
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.06.2019

The Chennai district collectorate on Monday released the list of 331 schools functioning without government recognition. Collector A Shanmuga Sundaram advised parents not to admit their children in any of these unrecognized schools.

The list includes Kidzee Play School in Ashok Nagar, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir in West Mambalam and American Kidz International Montessori Education in Velachery.

Many other schools admitted students claiming they were affiliated to the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) or were recognised by the state directorate for elementary education.

Earlier, a list of 25 unrecognised schools in Tiruvallur district was released.

These 350 schools are among the 760 schools across the state that are facing closure for not obtaining recognition.

A school must obtain building stability certificate from the local bodies, fire safety certificate and no objection certificate (NOC) from the health department to be eligible for recognition. Along with this, it should meet the minimum land requirements — 33 cents in Greater Chennai Corporation limit — set by the government to apply for recognition.

Recently, students from a private school that claimed to have CBSE affiliation were not able to take up their annual exams. Authorities came to know about violations only in the last minute. No school is allowed to operate without obtaining recognition from the respective state governments. It should be renewed every three years, according to the RTE Act, 2009.

To avoid this, the state school education department had in April formed district-level committees to inspect schools and update the recognition process. During the process, the committee based in Chennai found that these 331 schools didn’t meet the eligibility criteria and recommended that they be shut before the start of the academic year.

Will give marks for faulty questions, TNPSC tells court

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.06.2019

The Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission (TNPSC) on Monday informed the Madras high court that the allegations of wrong answer keys released for the preliminary examination conducted for recruitment to Group-I services had been resolved and appropriate additional marks were allotted to the deserving candidates.

In view of receipt of 4,390 representations from the candidates on 96 such wrong answers and incorrect questions, the commission constituted an expert committee, which thoroughly analysed the representations and due marks have been allotted to candidates who attended such questions, R Thara Bai, deputy secretary, TNPSC, said in an affidavit.

“The committee in its analysis found that for 12 questions all options were either wrong or ambiguous. For five questions, two or more options were correct and for seven other questions tentative answer keys alone were wrong,” the report said.

As a matter of fact, pursuant to the above exercise, candidates including the petitioner have been allotted marks for 6 of 10 questions pointed out by him in his representation, the deputy secretary added.

The submissions were made on the plea moved by S Vignesh of West Mambalam, an unsuccessful candidate of the preliminary exam conducted on March 3. The petitioner alleged that 18 of 200 answers released by TNPSC for the preliminary examinations for Group-I services were wrong.

Recording the submissions made by the TNPSC, Justice V Parthiban adjourned the plea to June 19 for further hearing.

According to the petitioner, the commission released the answer key on March 4 on its website with a note that if any of the answers in the key is incorrect, candidates were invited to challenge the respective questions with correct answers by uploading proper source of reference material to the website within seven days.

Though the petitioner and others found 17 answers and one question wrong and challenged them with appropriate reference materials, the commission, without considering the same, released the list of selected candidates and main examination was conducted on April 3.

Claiming that the entire recruitment process is not transparent, the petitioner submitted that if appropriate marks were given for the wrong answer keys, he would get 195 marks instead of the current 175.5.

The petitioner wanted the court to quash the final answer key published on March 4 and the list of selected candidates provisionally admitted for main written examination in respect of posts included in the combined civil service and public exam (Group-I services). He wanted the court to direct the commission to revise the answer key and the list of selected candidates.

The committee in its analysis found all choices wrong or ambiguous for 12 questions, two or more options correct for five questions, and tentative answer keys wrong for seven other questions

TN Doctors Wear Black Badges, Helmets As Mark Of Protest
Emergency rooms fill up as docs cancel appointments

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  18.06.2019


Doctors in most private hospitals in Tamil Nadu cancelled “non-essential” appointments starting 6am on Monday as part of a national protest called by the Indian Medical Association to condemn the assault on intern doctors in Kolkata. Patients, including those from other states, were asked to return on Tuesday if they didn’t have pain or “emergency” needs.

Doctors — including those in Apollo Hospitals, SIMS Hospitals, Gleneagles Global and Fortis Malar — cut appointments and sent text messages and e-mails to patients with support from hospital managements. Apollo Hospitals, for instance, told doctors they will not run OPD services but consultants can treat important cases. Inpatient services, operation theatres (including elective surgeries), lab services and emergency rooms in most hospitals were functioning in the city. However, in districts such as Coimbatore, elective surgeries were cancelled in most private hospitals.

Neighbourhood hospitals and clinics were closed. Doctors at government hospitals across the state worked wearing black badges. Some of them wore helmets at out-patients clinics to show they were at risk. “Doctors held dharna on campus. We also skipped private practice after duty hours,” said Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association president Dr K Senthil.

Some physicians in the private sector took the day off while surgeons postponed consultation including post-operative care. As a result, emergency and trauma wards were overcrowded through the day.

“I have fever and cough since last night. I need only a consultation, but I had to go to the emergency ward because I got no appointments,” said 60-year-old Ramesh Kumar S, who retired from government service recently.

Doctors at the Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital said old patients who came from other districts for follow-ups and check-ups were treated by doctors at the emergency room. “No patient who is sick was turned away,” a doctor said.

The strike would continue till 6am on Tuesday, said IMA state president Dr S Kanagasabapathy. “There is a lot of anger among doctors because they often come under attack here too. Since the Tamil Nadu Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2008, came into force, the state has registered about 33 cases and 13 people have been convicted. “We are now asking for a central Act that will be more stringent,” said IMA former national vice-president Dr T N Ravishankar.

Doctors want 10 years of imprisonment with a fine that is nearly three times the cost of damage to the hospital. “We need not be paid all the money. Let the additional money go to government coffers, but it will instil some fear,” said Dr Kanagasabapathy.

Health minister C Vijaya Baskar, however, told reporters that doctors in Tamil Nadu were given proper security.


SHOW OF SUPPORT: A doctor wearing a helmet as a mark of protest checks a patient at Institute of Child Health, Egmore. Doctors protest wearing black ribbons on Madras Medical College premises


I have fever and cough since last night. I need only a consultation, but I had to go to the emergency ward because I got no appointments

Ramesh Kumar S | 60-YEAR-OLD PATIENT

Counselling for 5-yr law course begins

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.06.2019

First round of counselling for five-year integrated honours law degree at the School of Excellence in Law (SOEL), Chennai, began on Monday.

State law minister C Ve Shanmugam distributed allotment letters to the top three candidates during the inaugural session.

Rank list and cut-off scores for various communities have been uploaded on the university’s official website (tndalu.ac.in/Admission.php). Applications for BA LLB, BBA LLB, BCom LLB and BCA LLB were issued from the third week of May. Cut-off scores to make Open Category (OC) candidates eligible is from 86.7 to 94.5. It varied from 60 to 91for reserved category candidates. More than 3,100 applications were received for 780 seats at SEOL in Taramani, Chennai. This is a premier institute affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University (TNDALU).

‘Hike jail time for death due to reckless driving’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.06.2019

To deter reckless driving, an amicus curiae appointed by the Madras high court on Monday suggested enhancement of imprisonment for death caused through such offences from 2 to 10 years by amending the IPC.

The amicus has also suggested that the state establish a 24/7 CCTV control room to track and monitor such offenders and directly alert traffic police.

The suggestions were made on the suo motu plea initiated by the high court. Justice N Anand Venkatesh initiated the proceeding a day after one such accident caused by a reckless driver in Selaiyur on June 8 injuring 4 victims.

When the plea came up for hesring, the amicus also highlighted that there is very lethargic prosecution by police under the Motor Vehicles Act for licence less driving, speeding, reckless traffic violations, helmet-less riding, minors at the wheel, uninsured vehicles, drunken driving and many more such violations.

There must be strict enforcement by police/ transport authorities and prosecution must be in place under all provisions and not be ignored, he added.

Recording the submissions, the judge directed the government to take note of the submissions/suggestions and submit their response.

The judge then adjourned the hearing to July 1for the state to files its reply.

No water

OUT OF ORDER

FINALLY, AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: With no water, Chennai metro rail shut its toilet at the St Thomas Mount station. After reports appeared, it reopened the washroom. Ever since the water crisis hit Chennai, metro rail has been turning off cooling systems, which primarily run on water, at its underground stations

பவுர்ணமி கிரிவலம் செல்ல உகந்த நேரம்

Added : ஜூன் 16, 2019 04:29

திருவண்ணாமலை:திருவண்ணாமலையில், பவுர்ணமிதோறும், லட்சக்கணக்கான பக்தர்கள், கிரிவலம் சென்று, அருணாசலேஸ்வரர், உண்ணாமுலையம்மனை தரிசனம் செய்கின்றனர்.ஆனி மாத பவுர்ணமி, இன்று மதியம், 2:57 மணிக்கு துவங்கி, நாளை மதியம், 2:49 மணி வரை, திதி உள்ளது. இது, கிரிவலம் செல்ல உகந்த நேரம் என, கோவில் நிர்வாகம் அறிவித்துள்ளது.

வேண்டாமல் தரும் தெய்வம் நீதானே!

Added : ஜூன் 16, 2019 02:56





தாயின் அன்புக்கு சிறிதும் குறைந்தது இல்லை தந்தையின் தியாகம். பிள்ளைகளை தன் தோளில் சுமந்து, சிறகடித்து பறக்க கற்றுக்கொடுப்பவர் தந்தை. பிள்ளைகள் வாழ்க்கையில் உயர்ந்த நிலைக்கு வருவதற்காக, தன்னலமற்ற தியாகத்துடன் ஆயுள் முழுவதும் உழைப்பவர். தந்தையின் உழைப்புக்கு குழந்தைகள் மரியாதை செலுத்தும் விதமாக ஆண்டுதோறும் ஜூன் மூன்றாவது ஞாயிறு (ஜூன் 16) உலக தந்தையர் தினம் கடைபிடிக்கப்படுகிறது.

எப்படி வந்தது

அமெரிக்காவில் 1909ல் வாஷிங்டனைச் சேர்ந்த 'சொனாரா லுாயிஸ் ஸ்மார்ட் டாட்' என்ற இளம் பெண் தான், முதன்முதலில் தந்தையர் தினம் கொண்டாடும் யோசனையை முன்வைத்தார். அன்னையர் தினம் கொண்டாடும் போது, தந்தையர் தினம் ஏன் கொண்டாடக்கூடாது என வலியுறுத்தினார். இவரது தாய், தனது ஆறாவது பிரசவத்தின் போது மரணம் அடைந்தார். தாயின் மறைவுக்கு பிறகு தந்தை வில்லியம், ஆறு குழந்தைகள் கொண்ட குடும்பத்தை கடுமையான சிரமங்களுக்கிடையே பராமரிப்பதை கண்டார். இது தான் தந்தையர் தினம் கொண்டாட வேண்டும் என்ற எண்ணத்தை அவருக்கு துாண்டியது.

தமிழகத்தில் டாக்டர்கள் நாளை வேலைநிறுத்தம் : அவசர சிகிச்சை பிரிவு மட்டுமே செயல்படும்

இந்திய மருத்துவ சங்கம் (தமிழ்நாடு) மாநிலத்தலைவர் சு.கனகசபாபதி, மாநில செயலாளர் பா.ஸ்ரீதர் ஆகியோர் கூட்டாக வெளியிட்டுள்ள செய்திக்குறிப்பில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:-

பதிவு: ஜூன் 16, 2019 05:17 AM

சென்னை,

மேற்கு வங்காள தலைநகர் கொல்கத்தாவில் உள்ள அரசு மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனையில் 2 பயிற்சி டாக்டர்கள் கொடூரமாக தாக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளனர். இது மருத்துவர்கள் மற்றும் மருத்துவ ஊழியர்களின் பாதுகாப்பு கேள்விக்குறியாகி வருவதை உணர்த்துகிறது.

இதை கண்டித்து 17-ந்தேதி (நாளை) காலை 6 மணி முதல் 18-ந்தேதி காலை 6 மணி வரையிலான 24 மணி நேரம் தமிழகம் முழுவதும் மருத்துவ சேவைகளை நிறுத்தி வைப்பது என முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டு உள்ளது. மக்கள் நலன் கருதி அத்தியாவசிய மருத்துவ சேவைகள் (எமர்ஜென்சி) தொடரும். வெளி நோயாளிகள் பிரிவுகள் மட்டுமே இயங்காது. அனைத்து சிறப்பு மருத்துவ சங்கங்களும் எங்களுடன் இணைந்து போராடுவார்கள்.

அதேவேளை இந்திய அளவில் மருத்துவ அமைப்புகளுக்கான பாதுகாப்பு முறைமைகள் வகுக்கப்பட வேண்டும். மருத்துவ மையங்களையும், மருத்துவ ஊழியர்களையும் பாதுகாக்க தேசிய அளவில் கடுமையான சட்டம் இயற்றப்பட வேண்டும். போக்சோ சட்ட விதிமுறைகள் இந்த சட்டத்திலும் இணைக்கப்பட வேண்டும்.

இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டு உள்ளது.

Subba Rao comes down on ticket touting in Salem

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | ZAKEER HUSSAIN

Published  Jun 15, 2019, 2:18 am IST

The total value of those illegally manipulated tickets was given as Rs 1,30,125.40.

An official release quoting Sri Subba Rao, said here on Friday that five persons have been arrested in connection with offences under section 143 of the Railways Act and 128 number e-tickets seized from them.

SALEM: In a major crackdown, Salem divisional railway manager (DRM), U. Subba Rao, came down on ‘ticket touting’, to curb ‘unscrupulous elements’ issuing unauthorized tickets including e-tickets, taking advantage of summer rush.

Codenamed ‘Operation Thunder’, on a single day on Friday, eight special teams of RPF under Salem division raided at least 30 persons including some browsing centres in Salem, Erode and Coimbatore, who were suspected to be indulging in procuring and selling of e-tickets unauthorized through the IRCTC ticketing portal.

An official release quoting Sri Subba Rao, said here on Friday that five persons have been arrested in connection with offences under section 143 of the Railways Act and 128 number e-tickets seized from them. The total value of those illegally manipulated tickets was given as Rs 1,30,125.40.

Stating that a list of authorized agents can be found in the Railway time table as well as online, he said, all others who claim to book tickets for a charge are actually touts. As touts do not use valid mobile numbers of customers, victims do not receive messages of tickets getting cancelled, as all tickets “booked through fraudulent numbers” get cancelled.

Urging the people not to buy tickets from touts posing as agents, Mr Subba Rao said such agents use “bogus IRCTC personal IDs’ to book tickets”. These tickets were then sold at a premium of Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 extra per ticket. Sri Subba Rao and other officials congratulated work done by the security and commercial team of Salem division.

'India far better than Pakistan as a team', says Kapil Dev

ANI

PublishedJun 15, 2019, 10:05 am IST

The 1983 World Cup-winning captain also expressed his views on the recent incident relating to MS Dhoni's gloves.

India will face Pakistan in the much-awaited World Cup clash on June 16. (Photo: File)

Chennai: The "far better" Indian team has a much higher probability of winning against Pakistan in their forthcoming Cricket World Cup clash, said former India captain Kapil Dev on Friday.

"The Indian team is definitely far better. I am not saying because I am Indian. But I feel when I was playing the Pakistan team was much better than us. Today I can say that if they play 10 matches, India will win seven. What will happen that day God knows. I hope the players play to the best of their potential," Dev told reporters.

Dev praised current India skipper Virat Kohli.

"I do not think so that I can compare myself with him, he is really good, he is number one player in the world and we are proud of our captain," he said.
Eulogising pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who is in impeccable form, Dev said he hopes that the 25-year-old remains fit for another five years.

"When I saw him (Bumrah) for the first time, I did not expect him to have such an ability. I changed my word and I say, God, he is really fantastic. From such a short run-up he can produce, with an awkward action, such pace. It is not easy. I just want him to be fit for the next five years," Dev said.

The 1983 World Cup-winning captain also expressed his views on the recent incident relating to MS Dhoni's gloves and said that Dhoni just showed his passion and love for his country.

"It is not a controversy, he showed a feeling within him, he put a logo there and we have to go with the system. I don't think he realised that it is going to be such a big thing. You have to go through the system or the law, whatever law ICC had made. Next day he said 'if you do not like, I will remove it'. I respect Dhoni and he showed passion and love for his country and Army people and that is nothing wrong," he said.

India will face Pakistan in the much-awaited World Cup clash on June 16.

Chennai: Woman sweeper gets HC reprieve after 34 years

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

PublishedJun 16, 2019, 6:22 am IST

The judge said admittedly, as on the date of issuance of the said G.O, the petitioner was in service.

Madras high court

Chennai: Nearly after 34 years, a woman who is working as a Sweeper in Panchyat Union Dispensary, Chakkarapalli Union Panchayat, Papanasam in Thanjavur district and whose service is not regularized from 1985 got reprieve with the Madras high court directing the authorities to regularize her service from the date of her appointment and consequently to grant the monetary benefits derived out of such regularisation.

Allowing a petition filed by Sarasu, Justice K. Ravichandrabaabu said such exercise shall be done by the authorities within 12 weeks.

The grievance of the petitioner was that though she was appointed as Sweeper at Panchayat Union Dispensary as early as on August 24, 1985, and she is continuously working in the said post all these years, the authorities have not chosen to regularize her service so far. The Commissioner of Papanasam Panchayat Union has also made recommendation through his proceedings dated June 15, 2001 and November 13, 2006 to the District Collector for regularizing her service. However, as she was not regularized, she filed the present petition, she added.

The authorities submitted that though it was admitted that the petitioner was sponsored by the Employment Exchange and appointed as Sweeper in the Panchayat Union, Papanasam on August 24, 1985, she could not be appointed to the permanent post, since she was not having the minimum educational qualification prescribed for the post of Junior Assistant/Tax Collector to which a pass in the 10th standard was required.

The judge said there was no dispute to the fact that the petitioner was sponsored by the District Employment Exchange and appointed as Sweeper in the Panchayat Union, Papanasam and she joined the duty on September 11, 1985. There was also no dispute to the fact that she was continuously rendering her service all these years. The authorities have admitted in their counter affidavit that as per G.O dated May 7, 2013, the petitioner has been brought the special scale of pay with effect from May 7, 2013.

Perusal of the G.O dated February 28, 2006 shows that the government directed the services of the daily wages employees working in all government departments who have rendered 10 years of service as on January 1, 2006 be regularized by appointing them in the time scale of pay of the post in accordance with the service conditions prescribed for the post concerned, subject to their being qualified for the post, the judge added. The judge said admittedly, as on the date of issuance of the said G.O, the petitioner was in service. “Therefore, the petitioner is entitled to get the regularization of her service.

Madras high court won’t interfere with regularisation of drivers

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published  Jun 16, 2019, 6:31 am IST

In the proceedings, it was made clear that they were appointed as drivers purely on temporary basis by the Corporation.

In the proceedings, it was made clear that they were appointed as drivers purely on temporary basis by the Corporation.

Chennai: The Madras high court has declined to interfere with the orders of the Commissioner of Madurai Corporation, refusing to regularize the services of drivers, appointed after the introduction of Solid Waste Management scheme on daily wage basis five years ago.

However, after the counsel for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners were originally appointed to maintain the vehicles purchased under JNNURM scheme for Solid Waste Management System, on daily wage basis and the said scheme was extended up to March 31, 2017 and the working pattern, nature and other ancillary assistance required therefor would be known well to the petitioners and there would always be regular and continuous work, Justice R.Mahadevan said, “Considering the theory of legitimate expectation and considering the fact that the petitioners are working for more than 5 years, this court is of the view that a duty is cast upon the authorities to review their orders impugned herein by considering the plight of the petitioners, if they are otherwise found eligible”.

Disposing of the petitions from L.Jesuraja and 37 others, the judge directed the petitioners to prefer representations along with supportive documents to the authorities, who in turn, consider the same and pass appropriate orders.

The judge said the petitioners and other drivers, who were appointed on March 26, 2013, were specifically recruited to maintain the new vehicles purchased under Solid Waste Management Scheme.

In the proceedings, it was made clear that they were appointed as drivers purely on temporary basis by the Corporation.

Prior to issuance of the appointment orders also, while corporation invited the petitioners for interview, through letter, it was specifically mentioned that the ‘call for’ was on daily wage basis.

Hence, the contention of the petitioners that they were appointed in the regular vacancy becomes nullity, since they were fully aware of the scope and appointment to the post of drivers during appointment itself, the judge added.

The judge said under the Municipal Corporation Service Rules, no provision was available to regularize daily wage employees and hence the request of the petitioner was far-fetched. This court was of the view that if the claim of the petitioners was entertained,

it will act against the statutory rules and also affects the right of Class IV employees to get due promotion, since it was stated in the counter that employees with required qualifications were available and demanding promotion to the post of drivers, the judge added.

The judge said the appointment orders of the petitioners clearly indicate that the petitioners were appointed temporarily against the vacancy. The appointment of petitioners on the basis of the list made by the employment exchange cannot be held as in accordance with constitutional scheme of employment.

Low Neet mark: Salem youth commits suicide

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | ZAKEER HUSSAIN

PublishedJun 16, 2019, 7:48 am IST

The boy’s parents on returning from work knocked at the door for a long time and there was no response.

The youth’s father Settu advised his son that as it would not be possible for him to join a government medical college this year.

Salem: A medical college aspirant committed suicide by hanging in his house at Vellandivalasu area in Edappadi near Salem, after having scored low marks in the recent Neet, despite scoring high marks in his Plus-2 Board exam.

Police said on Saturday that the youth Barathipriyan, son of one Settu, tailor by profession, was saddened over his inability to join a government medical college this academic year as his ‘Neet score’ was just 111, while he totaled 425 in Plus-2.

Barathipriyan had tried to enquire whether admission in a private medical college here was possible, but was allegedly told he would need to pay Rs 30 lakh for getting admission.

The youth’s father Settu advised his son that as it would not be possible for him to join a government medical college this year, where there would no demand for capitation fee or having to pay high tuition fees, Barathipriyan should pursue some other course for a year, retake Neet the next year to join a medical college.

But disheartened by this delaying prospect, Barathipriyan after his parents had gone out for work, locked the house door from inside and hung himself to death, police said.

The boy’s parents on returning from work knocked at the door for a long time and there was no response. Then with help of relatives when they broke open the door, they were shocked to find Barathipriyan hanging. The mortal remains of the poor boy was later buried in a local cemetery.

Inquiries with the boy’s parents and elder sister revealed that he was feeling very depressed over not being able to join medical college this year, which pushed him to take this extreme step.

TNPSC question irks Madras HC judge

Holding that such irregularities and anomalies could not be allowed to be crept in such an important exam, the judge posted the matter to June 17.

Published: 14th June 2019 04:26 AM | Last Updated: 14th June 2019 04:26 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: What is judicial activism? This is one of the questions raised in the objective type test conducted recently by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) for selection of candidates for Group-I posts.

Wondering as to how a candidate appearing for the exam can answer the question in a short form, along with many other such questions, an irked Justice V Parthiban of the Madras High Court directed the TNPSC to submit its reply by Monday (June 17).

The judge was hearing a writ petition from S Vignesh of West Mambalam, who wrote the preliminary exam, but was not selected for the next exam, alleging utter confusion in setting the questions raised by the Commission. Holding that such irregularities and anomalies could not be allowed to have crept in such an important exam, the judge posted the matter to June 17.

Madras High Court tells Tamil Nadu to regularise service of women sweepers within three months

Extending a helping hand, the Madras High Court has directed the State government to regularise the services of a woman, who had put in 34 years of service as a sweeper, within three months.

Published: 16th June 2019 03:47 AM

Madras High Court 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Extending a helping hand, the Madras High Court has directed the State government to regularise the services of a woman, who had put in 34 years of service as a sweeper, within three months.

Justice K Ravichandra Baabu, who gave the directive while allowing a writ petition from Sarasu, had also directed the authorities concerned, to grant all the monetary benefits derived out of such regularisation, to the woman.

According to the petitioner, she was appointed through the employment exchange in Thanjavur as a sweeper in the Panchayat union dispensary at Chakkarapatti in Papanasam on August 24, 1985. But her services were not regularised despite putting in 34 years of continuous service, she contended.

Granting the prayer, the judge referred to a GO dated February 28, 2006, of the Personnel and Administrative Reforms department, which had held that the services of the daily wage employees working in all government departments, who had rendered 10 years of service as on January 1, 2006, should be regularised by appointing them in the time scale of pay of the post.

AP health workers give diabetes tabs instead of Paracetamol to infants; four in ICU
Though the medicine was given to five infants, one of them luckily vomited soon after she was given the tablet.

Published: 15th June 2019 10:23 PM

By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Exposing the gross negligence of health workers, five infants aged around two months were given wrong medication by an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and an AASHA worker in Chirala town in Prakasam district on Saturday. Of the five, four developed complications and were shifted to a private hospital where they are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit due to wrong medication.

The two health workers gave medicines that are used to control diabetes instead of Paracetamol to bring down fever leading to complications to the infants. Though the medicine was given to five infants, one of them luckily vomited soon after she was given the tablet.

According to information reaching here, a medical camp was set up in the Vijayanagar Colony of Chirala town where vaccinations were given to children. Five infants were brought to the camp and the health workers admitted the vaccinations they were supposed to take.

"The health workers were supposed to give Paracetamol tablets for the parents to administer them to the infants who develop fever due to the vaccination. The infants should be given a dosage of 1/4 of the tablet mixed with water,'' officials said.



However, the health workers gave tablets that are used to control diabetes to the parents. After going home, the infants were administered the dosage by their parents. After an hour or so, the infants started complications such as excess sweating and almost lost their consciousness.

Meanwhile, the health workers ANM Aruna and Aasha worker M Krupamma noticed that the count of Paracetamol tablets was as it is while the number of tablets to be given to diabetic patients have come down. They sensed trouble and called up the parents on their mobile phones, which they took while administering the vaccine, and informed about the lapse.

As the infants started to lose consciousness, they were immediately shifted to nearby private hospital where they are given treatment in ICU.

"The infants -- one male and three female -- are kept under observation. Their condition is improving,'' officials said.

When contacted, District Medical and Health Officer Dr S Rajyalakshmi told TNIE that there was a clear lapse and negligence of the health workers.

"We have asked the Deputy DM&Ho to visit Chirala and enquire into the matter. Action will be initiated one we get the report,' she said.

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How to train your brain

Times of India 16.06.2019

A tech millionaire shares 10 ways to turbocharge energy, focus and fitness

Are you feeling grumpy, forgetful and struggling to concentrate at work?

It could be that your health and lifestyle are acting like kryptonite to your brain, impairing it from working to the best of its ability and preventing the generation of new cells.

Tech millionaire Dave Asprey, 45, started researching the problem when he was struggling with these common complaints. Following that, he developed Head Strong, a twoweek programme of simple lifestyle, diet and exercise tweaks to boost your brain — and your energy, focus and health with it.

Give these 10 tips a go and see the difference it makes to you

1 Do some meaningful movement three to five times a week, for 20 to 40 minutes. Walking, a bike ride, even yoga. Do it at moderate intensity (so you could continue a conversation at the same time) and ideally outdoors. Swimming is particularly good as it raises blood flow to your brain. Going underwater is even better thanks to the increased pressure.

2 Once a week, go outside and run 400 metres like a tiger is chasing you. Rest on your back for 20 seconds, then do it again. But don’t do any high intensity exercise like this two hours before bed.

3 Go out in the sunlight for a few minutes each morning and again at lunchtime. Expose your skin where you can and take off your sunglasses. It will let you experience the full range of light and this helps your body’s natural waking and sleep cycles, known as the circadian rhythm. It will also ensure you produce enough vitamin D — as many of us are deficient.

4 Caffeine boosts brain power and studies show it can stop dementia. Drink one to five cups of coffee a day or take a supplement. But not after 2 pm as it will inhibit good sleep. Coffee is also rich in polyphenols, which protect against free radicals.

5 Avoid sugar. It slows the production of brain cells. But have a tablespoon of raw honey on an empty stomach before bed. Your liver uses stored carbs at night and this will replenish it, stabilising your glucose levels and resulting in better sleep.

6 At the end of a morning shower, turn the dial to cold and stand under the water for 20 seconds. It will reduce any inflammation in the body and kickstart your metabolism. Do it before bed too, as reducing your body temperature aids sleep.

7 Have more sex. But if you are a man, don’t go all the way every day as it wastes hormones that are hard for your body to make.

8 Cover all white, blue and green LED lights in the house with black tape (red ones are okay). Dim the light on your phone, tablet and computer and reduce the blue light levels in the settings. You can download software to help with this. Two hours before bed, dim the lights and turn off as many as you can. Even better, use candles.

9 Magnesium can reverse the effects of stress and a deficiency is linked to many ailments. Take a daily supplement of 600-800 mg, most of it in the morning and a little before bed.

10 Make your bedroom dark to aid production of sleep hormone melatonin. Get blackout blinds or curtains, hide the alarm clock and stick your phone on airplane mode. Use low wattage halogen bulbs or opt for a lamp with a red or amber bulb.

-DAILY MIRROR

Centre seeks report on violence, doctors’ protest from Bengal govt
Governor Again Urges Mamata To Break Impasse With Doctors
TIMES NEWS NETWORK  16.06.2019

New Delhi/Kolkata:

The Centre on Saturday issued two separate advisories to West Bengal — first on rising incidents of political violence that have claimed 26 lives so far this year and the second on the ongoing strike by doctors in West Bengal — and sought a report from the state on correctives on both counts.

Quoting reports received by it, the home ministry said the number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018 while 773 incidents have already occurred in 2019 till date. Correspondingly, the death toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in 2018 while 26 deaths have already taken place so far this year.

The Centre’s advisory coincided with governor Keshari Nath Tripathi writing to chief minister Mamata Banerjee a second time, urging her to talk to striking doctors and provide adequate security.

Stating that the “unabated violence (in West Bengal) over the years is evidently a matter of deep concern,” the advisory said “the continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019, as evident from the above figures, is indicative of the failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state to maintain the rule of law and to inspire a sense of security among the people”

The advisory — which came close on the heels of a similar advisory sent to the state on June 9 —sought a report from West Bengal government on measures taken to contain political violence, investigate such incidents and bring culprits to book.

Banerjee reacted strongly to the advisory. “Ask those who sent the advisory to look after the country. Law and order is a state subject. How many people have been killed in Yogi’s Uttar Pradesh or in Gujarat? Let them first send advisories to UP and Gujarat,” she said.

Meanwhile a second advisory from MHA to West Bengal state government on Saturday raised the ongoing strike by doctors and sought a report urgently. It stated: “This ministry is in receipt of a number of representations from doctors, health care professionals and medical associations from different parts of country for their safety and security in view of the ongoing strike by doctors in West Bengal. It is requested that a detailed report be sent urgently on the representations and ongoing strike by the doctors.”

Tripathi had tried to get in touch with Banerjee on Friday to discuss how to break the stalemate but the meeting did not occur because the latter was in Bijpur on Friday afternoon. “I have spoken to the governor over the steps the government has taken. He is convinced,” the CM said on Saturday, indicating that the governor was on the same page with her on the issue.


BEARS BRUNT OF STRIKE: A man carries an ailing relative on a rickshaw for treatment to NRS government hospital in Kolkata on Saturday during the strike by junior doctors