TIMES AT THE WORLD CUP

LORD, WHAT A FINAL!

Heart-Stopping End As England Win On Boundaries After Both Match, Super Over Are Tied

Shashank.Shekhar@timesgroup.com

London:15.07.2019

It was the mother of all thrillers, a heartstopping drama so intense that you could feel the hallowed pavilions at the Lord’s tremor in agitation. England won the World Cup by the faintest possible margin — the number of boundaries hit by the two teams. England had 26 against 17 by New Zealand. The drama which unfolded here on Sunday has no parallels in cricket, and surely very few in any other sport too.

The match ended on a tie after both teams had batted their 50 overs – New Zealand getting 241/8 and England responding with 241. The Super Over, in operation for the first time in a World Cup final, also finished on a tie, both teams scoring 15 each, which led to the count of boundaries.

New Zealand needed two off the last ball of the Super Over being bowled by Jofra Archer. Martin Guptill pushed the ball towards midwicket and took off for two. But the throw from Jason Roy was good and Jos Buttler broke the stumps with Guptill well short to ignite unprecedented frenzy at the Lord’s.

It was a stroke of luck which helped England tie the score. Needing 15 in the final over, Stokes smote a six off the third ball to make it nine off three. On the next ball, Stokes sent it deep into the midwicket region where Guptill fielded and threw it towards the wicketkeeper’s end. The throw hit the toe of Stokes’ outstretched bat and scooted towards the boundary for four overthrows.

For most of the last hour or so, Lord’s was on the edge of the seat. It was such unbelievable stuff. England’s hero was Stokes whose knock of 84 and his 110-run fifth-wicket stand with Jos Buttler (59 off 60 balls) brought England back into the game. The two crisis men have pulled the team out of a morass on numerous occasion and did it again on the big stage on Sunday.

England captain Eoin Morgan had on Saturday predicted that the final at Lord’s was going to be a scrappy battle. It turned out to be much more than that. After New Zealand had fought their way to a challenging total on a tricky pitch, the underdogs had England in big trouble before Stokes and Buttler did the rescue act.

The Kiwis did not give anything away and were a worthy rivals. It was heartbreaking for them to lose a match like that but they made many more fans with their gritty display.

New Zealand, very competent at making the best of their resources, had to fight tooth and nail to put up some kind of a total on the board. What they managed was thanks to small, perky contributions from several of their batsmen who had to weather an accomplished bowling and fielding performance from the hosts.

Henry Nicholls (55), Kane Williamson (30) and Tom Latham (47) put their hands up for the team. But the Kiwis kept losing wickets every now and then. The biggest partnership of the innings was worth 74, between Nicholls and Williamson for the second wicket. Beyond that, there were several promising stands but nothing more. The combination of a tricky wicket and quality bowling meant the batsmen never felt settled.

Kane Williamson’s astonishing luck with the toss continued as he won his eighth in 10 games in this Cup. He promptly chose to bat.

LAST THROW: Jos Buttler whips off the bails as Martin Guptill falls short of the crease off the final ball of the super over

MOTHER OF ALL DRAMATIC FINISHES!

50TH OVER: England need 15 to win49.1 BOULT TO STOKES: no run, digs out an yorker to extra cover
49.2 Boult to Stokes, no run, digs out yet another yorker to covers
49.3 Boult to Stokes, 6 runs, slogs over midwicket
49.4 Boult to Stokes, 6 runs, slaps a full toss to midwicket, runs two but deflects Guptill throw off his bat for a boundary
49.5 Boult to Stokes, 1 run, run out, hits a yorker to longoff but Santner’s throw takes out his partner Adil Rashid
49.6 Boult to Stokes, 1 run, run out, hits a yorker to longon but Neesham’s throw runs out Mark Wood.
MATCH TIED
SUPER OVER
England innings: 15 runs
0.1 Boult to Stokes, 3 runs, smashes a slower one to backward point, runs three
0.2 Boult to Buttler, 1 run, hits one to deep square leg
0.3 Boult to Stokes, 4 runs, sweeps one for a boundary
0.4 Boult to Stokes, 1 run, slices towards point
0.5 Boult to Buttler, 2 runs, digs one out of blockhole towards cover
0.6 Boult to Buttler, 4 runs, slams a low full-toss to deep square leg
NEW ZEALAND INNINGS: 15 runs
1 wide
0.1 Archer to Neesham, 2 runs, digs it out of the blockhole towards long-off
0.2 Archer to Neesham, 6 runs, slogs one to deep midwicket for six
0.3 Archer to Neesham, 2 runs, hits one to deep midwicket
0.4 Archer to Neesham, 2 runs, to deep midwicket
0.5 Archer to Neesham, 1 run, fails to properly connect a short delivery
0.6 Archer to Guptill, 1 run, plays to deep midwicket but fails to complete the second as Buttler dives to knocks the bails off
SUPER OVER TIED.
RESULT: ENGLAND WIN BECAUSE THEY HIT MORE BOUNDARIES IN THE MATCH

2 Ross Taylor (1002 at 37.11 in 33 matches) has become the second NZ batsman after Stephen Fleming (1075 at 35.83 in

33) to complete 1,000 or more World Cup runs.

—Rajesh Kumar

STORYBOARD

The postman always rings twice – first in Hindi, then English

ARUN RAM  15.07.2019

India Post has decided to conduct exams for the recruitment of postmen in only Hindi and English. No more exams in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada or any of the 15 languages in which candidates took the test till last year. Call it temerity. Or stupidity.

Emails have pushed the post to the verge of extinction in our cities, but they continue to play the amiable messenger in our villages. The Madras high court has stayed the results of the postman test, but if India Post manages to push the envelope, Tamil Nadu may have postmen who don’t speak Tamil. That will be sacrilege.

The postman has been much more than a courier. Not for nothing he has played important characters in literature, films and all that’s art and culture. Urban millennials may not know him — and I feel sad for them for that — but those who have received letters from the khaki-clad man on the bicycle know how integral the postman had been to our lives, delivering love letters, interview calls, appointment orders and, well, regret notes. To the illiterate, he read out letters (husbands living away from home had a tough time expressing their love) and wrote (wives replying had a tougher time) them.

My last of handwritten letters were in the mid-1990s when I was a rookie journalist in Hyderabad. I wrote to my sister in Kerala. I would make sketches of things I saw, on the margins of the ‘inland’ letter and in between paragraphs that detailed my utterly uninteresting life.

When she asked where I lived, I drew a picture of the three-storey house of my landlady, not mentioning that I occupied the garage at the left bottom of the sketch. No email could’ve done that. My sister made friends with her postman as they spoke the same language. I didn’t speak my postman’s language well (not his mistake) and my relationship with him remained transactional.

If excluding regional languages from the medium of the postman test is not a conspiracy, it is a dumb idea. In fact, it should mandatorily be in the local language to ensure that the postman is well-versed in it. The exam does have a section to test the candidates’ proficiency in Tamil (or the respective regional language), but the postman recruitment test of November 2016 smacked of fraud. In a 25-mark section in Tamil, 25 people who scored more than 70 of 100 turned out to be from Maharashtra and Haryana.

Conspiracy theorists aren’t without reason when they say the new system of taking the test only in Hindi and English could result in people who are not proficient in Tamil landing the postman job. I don’t support regional quota in education or jobs. All Indians should get equal opportunities to take up any job anywhere in the country, provided that he/ she is capable of doing it. Someone who can’t speak the local language just cannot be a postman.

If that’s not enough, here are more Tamil bragging rights: Madras was among the first three cities — the others being Bombay and Calcutta — where the East India Company opened the first post offices in India in the mid-1760s, and none of them was a Hindi-speaking city. Jaishankar played the postman in 1966 (‘Gowri Kalyanam’) 11 years before Rajesh Khanna played the role in ‘Palkon ki Chhaon Mein’. The universally lovable Malgudi days came in 1987.

“Dakiya daak laya” is a lovely song, alright, but while in Tamil Nadu I prefer my postman humming “oruvar manadhai oruvar ariya udhavum thevai idhu… vaazhvai inaikkum paalam idhu”.

arun.ram@timesgroup.com

LOST CONNECT: Jaishankar in ‘Gowri Kalyanam’ and Rajesh Khanna in ‘Palkon ki Chhaon Mein’

Beware, different inks could render a cheque invalid

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:15.07.2019

Take due care while writing your cheque next time, for using two different inks will make render cheques and promissory notes invalid.

Two distinct inks on the negotiable instrument will amount to material alteration, held Madras high court.

Justice CV Karthikeyan passed an order to this effect, on a second appeal filed by one Mallika, whose promissory note containing two different inks for the sum, was held as invalid by two subordinate courts. In the figure ₹35,000, the first digit (3) alone was in blue, whereas the remaining figures (5,000) were in green.

“The material alteration is visible to the naked eye and the very fact that the amount, which is the basis for the claim been written in two different inks, raises a strong suspicion regarding the circumstances surrounding the execution of the promissory note. It also gives rise to a doubt whether the digit 3 had been subsequently appended after the defendant had signed the promissory note. This would render the document void as per Section 87 of the Negotiable Instrument Act," Justice Karthikeyan added.

Faced with a demand by M Mallika for repayment of ₹35,000 as mentioned in a promissory note, Kasi Pillai said the sum stated in the note was false and that the note itself had been fraudulently created by her. As against a sum of ₹5,000 mentioned in green ink, another figure ‘3’ in blue ink had been added in the front, it was contended.

While a district munsif court, which compared the handwriting, concluded that it had been validly executed, a sub court ruled in favour of Kasi Pillai saying the different ink was indeed a material alteration and hence the promissory note was void.

Confirming the sub court order, Justice Karthikeyan cited Section 87 of the Negotiable Instrument Act and said the change of ink colour was the root of the case, and added: “No explanation had been given by Mallika as to why the promissory note had been filled in two separate inks and why particularly the amount ₹35,000 had been filled in two different inks, with the digit ‘3’ in blue and the amount ₹5,000 immediately succeeding the digit ‘3’ in green ink.”

He then decreed that the promissory note, as furnished by Mallika, was void.

Justice CV Karthikeyan passed an order to this effect where the figure ₹35,000 appeared in a cheque with the first digit (3) alone in blue, whereas the remaining figures (5,000) were in green

1.64 lakh apply for PG teacher post, test to be held in phases

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:15.07.2019

After opting for online tests for all recruitments, the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) faces a tough task as more than 1.64 lakh candidates have so far applied for the post of PG teachers.

The board has to conduct the exam in several phases besides ironing out the technical glitches that affected the test to recruit computer instructors on June 23. Candidates at many centres across the state had complained about poor network connection.

“The board will first iron out the issues that were identified in the previous exam. Only around 30,000 candidates had applied for that exam whereas more than 1.64 lakh have applied for the PG teachers test. It is not possible to conduct the exam for all candidates in one day. So, the TRB may conduct exams in a phased manner,” sources said.

The candidates are likely to be divided based on their subjects. “Candidates would appear in as many as 13 different subjects. Not a single subject will have more than 30,000 candidates. So, the exam will be conducted in phased manner for candidates applying for different subjects,” sources added.

Officials pointed out that there are many advantages in the online exam. “On the screen, only one question will appear at a time. They will appear in ascending order. If they candidates want jump the order they can also do it. They can also edit the answer till they submit the paper,” they said.

“Unlike the recruitment test for computer instructors, a majority of candidates appearing for the exam may not have the computer knowledge. So, while ensuring the smooth conduct of the exam, the TRB should also simultaneously prepare the candidates for computer-based tests through mock tests,” teachers said.

When asked, the TRB officials said the board will give links to mock tests to prepare the candidates. “The mock tests will be based on general topics to familiarise the candidates with the process,” they said.

Depending on the logistics and availability of dates, the exam date to recruit 2,144 PG assistants and physical education directors will be announced soon, offficials added. The last date for applying the test is on Monday.

Candidates would appear in as many as 13 different subjects. Not a single subject will have more than 30,000 candidates

15 CMC med seats ‘missing’

Chennai:15.07.2019

At least 15 MBBS seats of the Christian Medical College are missing from the seat matrix of Monday's schedule of medical counselling conducted by the state selection committee. Admission to the Vellore-based medical college is based on a different set of rules. The college doesn't surrender 35%of its seats to the state government. All the 100 MBBS seats are considered management quota. CMC says it has exercised its right as a minority institution as per the constitution.

Counselling for admission to Christian Medical College began on Sunday with 85 seats along with special category admission for IRT Perundurai Medical college.

The students were admitted based on recommendations from the network of churches associated with the medical college. TNN

15 CMC med seats ‘missing’

Chennai:15.07.2019

At least 15 MBBS seats of the Christian Medical College are missing from the seat matrix of Monday's schedule of medical counselling conducted by the state selection committee. Admission to the Vellore-based medical college is based on a different set of rules. The college doesn't surrender 35%of its seats to the state government. All the 100 MBBS seats are considered management quota. CMC says it has exercised its right as a minority institution as per the constitution.

Counselling for admission to Christian Medical College began on Sunday with 85 seats along with special category admission for IRT Perundurai Medical college.

The students were admitted based on recommendations from the network of churches associated with the medical college. TNN

Student’s plea for date of birth change allowed in Tamil Nadu

Hardly a fortnight ago, the Madras High Court held that the date of birth (DoB) of a student cannot be altered at a later stage, as the change would nullify her admission in the first standard and nul

Published: 09th August 2018 02:57 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Hardly a fortnight ago, the Madras High Court held that the date of birth (DoB) of a student cannot be altered at a later stage, as the change would nullify her admission in the first standard and nullify her entire qualification.However, passing orders on a similar petition the same Justice S Vaidyanathan held on the contrary and directed the school education authorities to change the DoB.The judge was disposing of a writ petition from P Poomesh praying for a direction to the respondents to change his DoB in his SSLC and Transfer Certificate from July 5, 2001 to March 5, 1999 as per the birth certificate and Aadhaar card.



The judge said that normally, the court would not grant the relief, that is, changing the DoB from a particular date to another date immediately after admission. Only when a child completes the age of five, he/she may be entitled to admission into the school. The parents, for the purpose of admitting their child into a school, may alter the birth date, that is, by advancing it and admit the child to school.

Later, they approach the authorities and then the court to correct the birth date based on the birth certificate. If such an alteration is going to create a situation where the child could not have entered into school at the age of five, the entire school education is void/nullity.However, in the present case, the petitioner is a physically-disabled person and he is not seeking the postponement of the DoB, but advancing it as per the birth certificate. If the birth date is advanced, it certainly cannot be disadvantageous to him.In any event, advancing the DoB is not going to cause any hindrance to anyone except the petitioner/student. Hence, the DoB may be corrected, the judge said.

HC permits only advancement of DoB on school certificates

TNN | Aug 9, 2018, 01.03 PM IST

CHENNAI: A week after holding that a person's date of birth (DoB) cannot be altered on school certificates after completion of school education, the Madras high court on Wednesday clarified that the restriction would apply only to postponement requests and not for advancement of the date. Justice S Vaidyanathan made the clarification while allowing a plea moved by P Poomesh seeking direction to change his DoB in his SSLC and transfer certificates from July 5, 2001 to March 5, 1999 as per the birth certificate and Aadhar card. 

In the earlier instance, while ruling that date of birth cannot be postponed, the court observed that it would amount to nullifying all the educational qualifications possessed by the person.

When the present plea came up for hearing, the judge said: "Normally, the court will not grant the relief. The corporation records may show a different DoB. Only when a child completes the age of five, he/she may be entitled to admission into the school. The parents, for admitting their child into a school, may alter the birth date by advancing it.

"At the time of completion of school education or thereafter, they approach the authorities and then the court to correct the date based on the birth certificate. If such an alteration creates a situation where the child could not have entered school at the age of five, the entire school education is void."

However, in this case, the petitioner is handicapped and he is not seeking the postponement of the DoB but advancing. If the birth date is advanced, it certainly cannot be advantageous to him for employment.

No prejudice is going to be caused if the records are going to be changed to the detriment of the candidate, the court said.

Hence, judge said, the DoB may be corrected and advanced as prayed for by the petitioner, the judge directed the authorities concerned.

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அத்தி வரதரைக் காண ஆன்லைனில் முன்பதிவு செய்யலாம்..!

Published on : 13th July 2019 01:00 PM |

அத்திவரதர் பெருவிழாவையொட்டி சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனைக்கான ஆன்லைன் முன்பதிவு செவ்வாய்க்கிழமையான நேற்று தொடங்கியது.



வரதராஜப் பெருமாள் கோயிலில் நடைபெறும் இவ்விழாவில் பக்தர்கள் அத்திவரதருக்கு சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனை செய்துகொள்ள மாவட்ட நிர்வாகமும், அறநிலையத் துறையும் ஏற்பாடு செய்துள்ளன. அதன்படி, வரும் 4-ஆம் தேதி முதல் சிறப்பு தரிசனம் வழங்கப்படுவதோடு, சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனையும் செய்து கொள்ளலாம். இதற்கான முன்பதிவு செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை பிற்பகல் 2 மணியளவில் தொடங்கியது.

நாளொன்றுக்கு காலையில் 250 பேர், மாலையில் 250 பேர் வீதம் 500 பேர் மட்டுமே அனுமதிக்கப்படுவர். காலை 11 முதல் 12 மணி வரையும், மாலை 5 முதல் 6 மணி வரையும் சிறப்பு தரிசனத்துக்கு அனுமதிக்கப்படுவர். முன்பதிவு தொடங்கிய சில மணிநேரங்களிலேயே ரூ.500 மதிப்பிலான டிக்கெட்டுகள் விற்றுத் தீர்ந்தன.

சகஸ்ரநாம தரிசனத்துக்கு முன்பதிவு செய்தவர்கள் மேற்கு கோபுரம் வழியாக முக்கியஸ்தர்கள் செல்லும் தனிவரிசையில் அனுமதிக்கப்படுவர். மேலும், இதற்கான விதிமுறைகள் அனைத்தும் முன்பதிவு செய்யப்பட்ட நகலில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.

www.tnhrce.gov.in என்ற இணையதளத்தில் முன்பதிவு செய்யலாம்.

நாடு முழுமைக்கும் எத்தனை எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். இடங்கள் தேவை? ஆய்வு செய்ய மத்திய அரசு முடிவு

By DIN | Published on : 14th July 2019 03:34 AM

நாடு முழுமைக்கும் எத்தனை எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். மற்றும் எம்.டி., எம்.எஸ். இடங்கள் தேவைப்படுகின்றன என்பது குறித்து ஆய்வு செய்ய மத்திய அரசு முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

நாடு முழுவதும் 535 மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகள் உள்ளன. இக்கல்லூரிகளில் 79,500 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். இடங்களும், 28,295 எம்.டி., எம்.எஸ். இடங்களும் உள்ளன. இந்நிலையில், நாட்டில் மருத்துவர்கள் எண்ணிக்கையில் நிலவும் பற்றாக்குறையை போக்குவதற்கு, எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். மற்றும் எம்.டி., எம்.எஸ். இடங்களின் எண்ணிக்கையை அதிகரிக்க வேண்டிய சூழ்நிலைக்கு மத்திய அரசை தள்ளியுள்ளது.

இதனால் அடுத்த 5 ஆண்டுகளில் எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். இடங்களின் எண்ணிக்கையை 1 லட்சமாகவும், எம்.டி., எம்.எஸ். இடங்களின் எண்ணிக்கையை 60 ஆயிரமாகவும் உயர்த்துவதற்கு மத்திய அரசு இலக்கு நிர்ணயித்துள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து மத்திய சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சக மூத்த அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது:

நாட்டில் முன்பு பொறியாளர்கள் எண்ணிக்கையில் நிலவிய பற்றாக்குறையை போக்குவதற்கு, அதிக அளவு இடங்களை ஏற்படுத்த அரசு ஒப்புதல் கொடுத்தது. இதனால், அளவுக்கு அதிகமான பேர் பொறியியல் படிப்பில் சேர்ந்தனர். இதன்விளைவாக, நாட்டில் தற்போது லட்சக்கணக்கான பொறியாளர்கள் வேலையில்லாமல் இருக்கும் நிலை நேரிட்டுள்ளது. அதுபோன்ற நிலை, மருத்துவர்கள் விவகாரத்தில் ஏற்படுவதை தவிர்க்கும் வகையில், புதிய மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகள் தொடங்குவதற்கும், ஏற்கெனவே இருக்கும் மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளில் இடங்களின் எண்ணிக்கையை அதிகரிப்பதற்கும் ஒப்புதல் கொடுக்கும் முன்பு, நாடு முழுமைக்கும் எத்தனை எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., எம்.டி., எம்.எஸ். இடங்கள் தேவைப்படுகின்றன என்பது குறித்து ஆய்வு செய்ய மத்திய அரசு முடிவு செய்துள்ளது. இந்திய மருத்துவ கவுன்சில் நிர்வாகக் குழுவால் நியமிக்கப்பட இருக்கும் சுதந்திரமான அமைப்பு, இந்த ஆய்வை மேற்கொள்ள உள்ளது என்றார் அவர்.

முன்னதாக, நாடாளுமன்றத்தில் மத்திய சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சர் ஹர்ஷ்வர்தன் கடந்த வெள்ளிக்கிழமை பேசியபோது, உலக சுகாதார நிறுவனம் நிர்ணயித்த சராசரி அளவைக் காட்டிலும், இந்தியாவில் மருத்துவர்கள்-நோயாளிகள் இடையேயான விகிதம் மிகவும் குறைவாக இருப்பதாக குறிப்பிட்டிருந்தார்.

மகளிரும் குழந்தை பராமரிப்பும்

By ரமாமணி சுந்தர் | Published on : 13th July 2019 01:44 AM

உலக நாடுகளுடன் ஒப்பிடுகையில் நமது நாட்டில் பணிக்குச் செல்லும் மகளிரின் விகிதம் மிகக் குறைவாகவே உள்ளது. பணிக்குச் செல்லும் வயதுடையவர்களில் 28.5 சதவீத மகளிர் மட்டுமே பொருள் ஈட்டும் பணிகளில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளனர். ஆண்களில் இந்த விகிதம் 82 சதவீதமாக உள்ளது. உலக வங்கி அளிக்கும் புள்ளிவிவரத்தின்படி பணிக்குச் செல்லும் மகளிரின் விகிதத்தில், 131 நாடுகளில் 121-ஆவது இடத்தில் இந்தியா உள்ளது.

குடும்பப் பொறுப்புகள், குடும்பத்தினரின் ஒத்துழையாமை, மகப்பேறு, குழந்தை வளர்ப்பு, முதியோர்களை கவனித்துக் கொள்ளும் பொறுப்பு, உள்ளூரில் தகுந்த வேலை கிடைக்காமை முதலிய பல்வேறு காரணங்கள் மகளிர் பணிக்குச் செல்வதற்கு தடையாக உள்ளன; எனினும், பெரும்பாலான மகளிர் பணிக்குச் செல்லாததற்கு தாய்மைப் பொறுப்பே முக்கியக் காரணம். தாய்மைப் பேறு அடைந்த பிறகு கணிசமான சதவீத பெண்கள் தாங்கள் செய்து கொண்டிருந்த பணியை விட்டு விடுவதாக ஆய்வுகள் கூறுகின்றன.

அசோசேம்' எனும் கூட்டமைப்பு நடத்திய ஆய்விலிருந்து, குழந்தை பிறந்தவுடன் 25 -30 சதவீத மகளிர் தங்கள் வேலையை விட்டு விடுவதாகத் தெரிய வருகிறது. மகப்பேறு விடுப்பிற்குப் பிறகு பல பெண்கள் வேலைக்குத் திரும்புவதில்லை என்றும், அப்படியே திரும்பினாலும் ஒரு சில மாதங்களில் வேலையை விட்டு விடுகிறார்கள் என்றும் அசோகா' பல்கலைக்கழகம் சமீபத்தில் நடத்திய ஆய்விலிருந்து தெரிய வருகிறது. தாய்மை பேற்றுக்குப் பிறகு பணியில் தொடர்ந்தாலும், குழந்தைகளின் பராமரிப்பு போன்ற பொறுப்புகளின் காரணமாக மிகக் குறைந்த சதவீத மகளிரால் மட்டுமே உயர் பதவிகளை எட்ட முடிகிறது என்றும் இந்த ஆய்வு எடுத்துரைக்கிறது. 

வீட்டின் தினசரி வேலைகளைச் செய்வது, குடும்பத்தை நிர்வகிப்பது, குழந்தைகளை வளர்ப்பது, வீட்டிலுள்ள முதியோர்களை கவனித்துக் கொள்வது போன்ற எல்லா பொறுப்புகளையும் பெண்களேதான் ஏற்க வேண்டும் என்பது காலம் காலமாக நமது சமூகத்தினால் வரையறுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள நியதி. அதனால், ஒரு குழந்தைக்குத் தாயான பிறகு பணிக்குச் செல்லும் பெரும்பாலான பெண்கள் குற்ற உணர்வுடனேயேதான் தினமும் பணிக்குச் செல்கிறார்கள்.
பெண்ணின் முதல் கடமை அவள் குடும்பமே என்று இந்தச் சமூகம் நம்புவதால், வீட்டில் சிறு பிரச்னை என்றாலும், அந்தத் தாய்தான் அன்று விடுப்பு எடுக்க வேண்டும். இப்படி அடிக்கடி விடுப்பு எடுப்பதால், சில அலுவலகங்களில் பொறுப்பான பணிகளை பெண்களிடம் ஒப்படைக்க தயக்கம் காட்டப்படுகிறது. மேலும், பணி நிமித்தம் வெளி ஊர்களுக்குச் செல்வது, அலுவலக நேரத்துக்குப் பிறகும் வேலை முடியும் வரையில் பணியிடத்திலேயே தங்குவது போன்றவற்றுக்குப் பல பெண்களுக்கு குடும்பத்தினரின் அனுமதி மறுக்கப்படுகிறது. 

இரண்டாண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு அமலுக்கு வந்த திருத்தியமைக்கப்பட்ட மகப்பேறு நலச் சட்டம், அமைப்பு சார்ந்த பணிகளில் உள்ள மகளிரிடையே நல்ல வரவேற்பைப் பெற்றுள்ளது. அதுவரையில் 12 வாரங்களாக இருந்த பேறுகால விடுப்பு, இந்தச் சட்டத்தின்படி 26 வாரங்களாக அதிகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஆனால், இப்படி மகளிரின் நலனுக்காகச் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ள ஒரு சட்டத் திருத்தம் மகளிருக்கு எதிராகவும் செயல்படுகிறது என்பதுதான் வருந்தத்தக்க விஷயம்.
பேறுகாலத்தில் ஆறு மாதங்களுக்கு விடுப்பு அளிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற காரணத்திற்காகவே சில தொழிலகங்கள் மகளிருக்குப் பதிலாக ஆண்களையே பணியில் அமர்த்திக்கொள்ள விருப்பப்படுகின்றன. குறிப்பாக, 26 வாரங்கள் ஊதியத்துடன் கூடிய விடுப்பு வழங்குவதை பொருளாதார ரீதியாக பெரிய சுமையாக சிறு நிறுவனங்கள் கருதுகின்றன. மகப்பேறு நல (திருத்த) சட்டத்தின் காரணமாக 2018-19-ஆம் நிதியாண்டில் 10 லட்சம் முதல் 20 லட்சம் மகளிர் வேலைவாய்ப்புகளை இழந்திருக்கலாம் என்று டீம் லீஸ் சர்வீசஸ்' எனும் நிறுவனம் நடத்திய ஆய்வு கணித்துள்ளது. 

இந்தச் சட்டம் காரணமாக குழந்தையின் தந்தைக்கும் விடுப்பு அளிப்பதற்கான வழி வகுக்கப்படும் என்று எதிர்பார்க்கப்பட்டது. குழந்தை பிறந்தது முதல் மூன்று மாதங்கள் வரையில் அதன் தாய் இரவெல்லாம் கண் விழிக்க வேண்டியிருக்கிறது. மேலும், தந்தையும் குழந்தை வளர்ப்பில் பங்கு கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்பதே குழந்தை பிறக்கும் சமயத்தில் தந்தைக்கும் விடுப்பு வழங்குவதன் நோக்கம்.
ஆறு மாதங்கள் வரையில் தந்தைக்கும் ஊதியத்துடன் கூடிய விடுப்பு வழங்கும் ஜப்பான் நாடு, இந்த விஷயத்தில் முன்னிலை வைக்கிறது. 2017-ஆம் ஆண்டு மகாராஷ்டிரத்தைச் சேர்ந்த மக்களவை உறுப்பினர் ராஜீவ் சங்கர்ராவ் சாதவ், தந்தையர் நல மசோதா' ஒன்றைக் கொண்டுவர முயற்சி செய்தார்; பலன் கிடைக்கவில்லை. தற்போது தந்தைகளுக்கு 15 நாள்கள் வரையில் மத்திய அரசு விடுப்பு வழங்குகிறது. அப்படியே விடுப்பு வழங்கப்பட்டாலும், பல ஆண்கள் நீண்ட நாள்கள் விடுப்பில் இருக்க விரும்புவதில்லை. 

போட்டிகள் நிறைந்த இன்றைய பணிச் சூழலில் அதிக நாள்கள் விடுப்பு எடுத்தால் பதவி உயர்வில் பின்னடைவைச் சந்திக்கக் கூடும் என்பதே இதற்கு முக்கிய காரணம். பேறுகால விடுப்பின் காரணமாக மகளிரும் கூட தங்களது பணியில் பின்னடைவைச் சந்திக்கிறார்கள். பணி வாழ்வையும், குழந்தை பராமரிப்பையும் சமாளிக்கத் திணறும் மகளிர் பலர், ஒரு குழந்தைக்கு மேல் பெற்றுக் கொள்வதில்லை என்பது இன்றைய நிதர்சனம்.

இந்தச் சட்டத்தின்படி, 50 பேருக்கு மேல் பணியாற்றும் நிறுவனங்களில் குழந்தை கள் காப்பக வசதிகளை பணியிடத்திலோ அல்லது அருகிலோ கட்டாயம் அமைத்துக் கொடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று ஆணை பிறப்பிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. கனடா, நார்வே போன்ற வளர்ச்சியடைந்த நாடுகளுக்கு அடுத்தபடியாக, நமது நாட்டில் இப்படி ஒரு முற்போக்கான சட்டத்தைக் கொண்டு வந்திருப்பது பாராட்டுதலுக்குரியது. பணியிடத்தில் காப்பகம் நடத்தப்பட்டால் மகளிர் தங்கள் குழந்தையைப் பற்றிய கவலையின்றி பணியில் கவனம் செலுத்த முடியும். பன்னாட்டு மற்றும் பெரு நிறுவனங்கள் பல தங்கள் ஊழியர்களுக்காக காப்பகங்களை நடத்தி வருகின்றன.

2018-ஆம் ஆண்டு நாஸ்காம்' எனும் மென்பொருள் மற்றும் தகவல் தொழில்நுட்ப நிறுவனங்களின் சங்கம் தில்லி, மும்பை, பெங்களூரில் நடத்திய கணக்கெடுப்பிலிருந்து, 49 சதவீத நிறுவனங்கள் ஏற்கெனவே காப்பகங்களை நடத்தத் தொடங்கிவிட்டன என்றும், மேலும் 22 சதவீத நிறுவனங்கள் அதற்கான ஆயத்த வேலைகளைத் தொடங்கி விட்டன என்றும் தெரிகிறது. நமது நாட்டில் வரும் காலத்தில் காப்பகங்கள் நடத்துவது ஒரு பெரிய தொழிலாகத் தலையெடுக்கலாம் என்று எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது. 

என்னதான் காப்பகங்கள் வசதி இருந்தாலும், வீட்டில் தாத்தா-பாட்டியின் கவனிப்பில் பெயரக் குழந்தைகள் வளர்வதற்கு ஈடில்லை. மகளிர் பணிக்குச் செல்லும் இல்லங்களில் கூட்டுக் குடும்பங்கள் தொடர்ந்து கொண்டிருப்பதற்கு இது ஒரு முக்கியக் காரணம். தாத்தா-பாட்டியின் அரவணைப்பில் வளரும் பெயரக் குழந்தைகள், அவர்களின் அளவற்ற பாசத்தைப் பெறுகிறார்கள். இந்த ஏற்பாடு அவர்களிடையே நல்ல பிணைப்பை உண்டாக்குகிறது. குடும்பத்துக்கும், சமூகத்துக்கும் பயனுள்ளவர்களாக இருக்கிறோம் என்பதில் முதியோரும் திருப்தி அடைகிறார்கள். 

பணிக்குச் செல்லும் தாய்மார்களுக்கு அரசு அளிக்கும் சலுகைகள் அமைப்பு சார்ந்த பணிகளில் உள்ளவர்களுக்கே கிடைக்கின்றன. நமது நாட்டில் சுமார் 90 சதவீத மகளிர், அமைப்பு சாரா நிறுவனங்களில்தான் வேலை செய்கின்றனர். வேளாண்மைக்கு அடுத்தபடியாக அதிக எண்ணிக்கை தொழிலாளிகள் வேலை செய்வது கட்டுமானத் துறையே. தில்லி, மும்பை, சென்னை போன்ற பெரு நகரங்களில் அடுக்குமாடி குடியிருப்புகள், வணிக வளாகங்கள் கட்டப்படும்போது ஆண்களும் பெண்களும் மாதக் கணக்கில், ஏன், ஆண்டுக் கணக்கில் பணியில் அமர்த்தப்படுகின்றனர். பெண் தொழிலாளிகள் வேலை செய்யும்போது அவர்களின் குழந்தைகள் மண்ணிலும், கல்லிலும், வெயிலிலும், மழையிலும் கவனிப்பாரின்றி திரிந்து கொண்டிருப்பார்கள். இந்தக் குழந்தைகள் பல்வேறு நோய்களுக்கும், விபத்துகளுக்கும் உள்ளாகிறார்கள்.

இப்படி கட்டடம் கட்டப்படும் இடங்களில் கவனிப்பாரற்று தவிக்கும் குழந்தைகளுக்கென்று மொபைல் கிரெச்சஸ்' எனும் தொண்டு நிறுவனம் காப்பகங்களை நடத்துகிறது. 1969-ஆம் ஆண்டு தில்லியில் தொடங்கப்பட்ட இந்தத் தொண்டு நிறுவனம், தற்போது தில்லியில் சுமார் 50 இடங்களில் நடமாடும் காப்பகங்களை நடத்துகிறது.
மும்பை, புணே போன்ற நகரங்களிலும் இப்படிப்பட்ட நடமாடும் குழந்தை காப்பகங்கள் கட்டடம் கட்டும் இடங்களில் இயங்குகின்றன. தாய்மார்கள் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டிருக்கும்போது அவர்களின் குழந்தைகளுக்கு பாதுகாப்பு அளிப்பதோடு, குழந்தைகளின் சுகாதாரம், சத்துணவு போன்ற விஷயங்களிலும் கவனம் செலுத்தப்படுகிறது.
பள்ளிக்குச் செல்லாத குழந்தைகளுக்கு முறை சாரா கல்வியும் அளிக்கப்படுகிறது. ஆனால், இது போன்ற முயற்சிகள் மிகவும் அபூர்வமானவை, தற்காலிகமானவை என்பதை நாம் நினைவில் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

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சமூக ஆர்வலர்

பதிவாளர் பதவிக்கு  24 பேர் போட்டி

Added : ஜூலை 14, 2019 03:46

மதுரை:மதுரை காமராஜ் பல்கலை பதிவாளர் பதவிக்கு விண்ணப்பித்துள்ள, 24 பேரில், குற்ற பின்னணி உடையவர்களின், விண்ணப்பத்தை நிராகரிக்க வேண்டும் என, கோரிக்கை எழுந்துள்ளது.

மதுரை காமராஜ் பல்கலை, ரெகுலர் பதிவாளர் பணியிடம் காலியாக உள்ளது.புதிய பதிவாளர் தேர்வு செய்வதற்கான அறிவிப்பு வெளியிடப்பட்டு, விண்ணப்பிக்க கடைசி நாளான, ஜூன், 27 வரை, 24 பேர் விண்ணப்பித்தனர். அவர்களின் விபரம், தற்போது பல்கலை இணையதளத்தில் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

விண்ணப்பித்த நபர்களில், ஒருவர் மீது, போலீஸ் வழக்கு நிலுவையில் உள்ளதாகவும், ஒருவர், பாலியல் புகாருக்கு ஆளாகி, விசாரணை நிலுவையில் உள்ளதாகவும், சர்ச்சை கிளம்பியுள்ளது. இதனால், மனுக்கள் மீதான பரிசீலனையில், இதுபோன்ற புகார்கள் உள்ளவர்களை, தேர்வுக்குழு நீக்கி, நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என, கல்வியாளர்கள் வலியுறுத்துகின்றனர்.

3,968 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். இடங்கள் நிரம்பின

Added : ஜூலை 14, 2019 05:37

சென்னை:அரசு ஒதுக்கீட்டில் உள்ள 3968 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். இடங்களும் நிரம்பின.

தமிழகத்தில் அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகளில் அரசு ஒதுக்கீட்டுக்கு எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். - 3968; பி.டி.எஸ். - 1070 இடங்கள் உள்ளன. நிர்வாக ஒதுக்கீட்டுக்கு எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். - 852; பி.டி.எஸ். - 690 இடங்கள் உள்ளன.இதற்கு 'நீட்' நுழைவுத்தேர்வில் தகுதி பெற்ற மாணவர்கள் விண்ணப்பித்தனர்.

இதில் அரசு ஒதுக்கீட்டுக்கு 31 ஆயிரத்து 353 பேரும் நிர்வாக ஒதுக்கீட்டுக்கு 25 ஆயிரத்து 651 பேரும் தகுதி பெற்றனர். அவர்களுக்கான கவுன்சிலிங் சென்னை ஓமந்துாரார் அரசு பல்நோக்கு மருத்துவமனை வளாகத்தில் 8ம் தேதி துவங்கி நேற்று வரை நடந்தது.

இதில் 3968 எம்.பி.பி.எஸ். இடங்களும் நிரம்பியுள்ளன. நிர்வாக ஒதுக்கீட்டுக்கான கவுன்சிலிங் நாளை மற்றும் நாளை மறுநாள் நடைபெறும் என அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

அத்திவரதரை காண காஞ்சியில் குவியுது கூட்டம் அடிப்படை வசதிகள் இல்லாததால் திண்டாட்டம்

Added : ஜூலை 14, 2019 03:02





அத்திவரதரை தரிசனம் செய்ய, நேற்று லட்சக்கணக்கான பக்தர்கள் குவிந்ததால், காஞ்சிபுரம் நகரம் ஸ்தம்பித்தது. ஏற்பாடுகள் போதுமானதாக இல்லாததால், பக்தர்கள் கடும் அவதிக்குள்ளாகினர்.

நாளுக்கு நாள் கூட்டம் அதிகரிப்பதால், அசம்பாவிதம் ஏற்படாமல் இருக்க, நெருக்கடி இல்லாமல், பக்தர்கள் தரிசனம் செய்வதற்கான ஏற்பாடுகளை, அரசு செய்ய வேண்டும். காஞ்சிபுரம், வரதராஜ பெருமாள் கோவிலில், நீருக்கு அடியில், சயன கோலத்தில் இருக்கும் அத்திவரதர், 40 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு ஒரு முறை, பக்தர்கள் தரிசனத்திற்காக, வெளியில் அவதரிப்பது வழக்கம். கடைசியாக, 1979ல், அத்திவரதர் பக்தர்களுக்கு காட்சி அளித்தார்.
இந்த ஆண்டு, ஜூலை, 1 முதல், அத்திவரதர் பக்தர்களுக்கு காட்சி அளித்து வருகிறார். அவரை தரிசிக்க, நாடு முழுவதுமிருந்து பக்தர்கள் குவிந்தபடி உள்ளனர்.தினமும் லட்சக்கணக்கான பக்தர்கள், தரிசனம் செய்து வருகின்றனர். நேற்று முன்தினம், ஜனாதிபதி ராம்நாத் கோவிந்த், தன் மனைவியுடன், கோவிலுக்கு வந்து, அத்திவரதரை தரிசனம் செய்தார்.

தினமும், அமைச்சர்கள், உச்ச நீதிமன்ற, உயர் நீதிமன்ற நீதிபதிகள், எம்.பி.,க்கள், எம்.எல்.ஏ.,க்கள் என, வி.ஐ.பி.,கள் வருகையும் அதிகமாக உள்ளது.பக்தர்கள் அதிகம் வருவர் என்பதை உணர்ந்து, மாவட்ட நிர்வாகம், பல்வேறு முன்னேற்பாடுகளை செய்தது. நகருக்குள் வாகனங்கள் வருவதை தடுக்க, நகரின் நான்கு திசைகளிலும், தற்காலிக பஸ் நிலையங்களை உருவாக்கியது. அங்கிருந்து, பக்தர்கள் கோவிலுக்கு செல்ல, மினி பஸ்கள் இயக்கப்பட்டன.

நகராட்சி நிர்வாகம் சார்பில், ஆங்காங்கே, தொட்டிகளில் குடிநீர் வழங்க ஏற்பாடு செய்யப்பட்டது. ஆயிரக்கணக்கான போலீசாரும், பாதுகாப்பு பணியில் ஈடுபடுத்தப்பட்டனர். இவை எதுவுமே போதுமானதாக இல்லை. சனி மற்றும் ஞாயிற்றுக் கிழமைகளில், போலீசாரால் கூட்டத்தை கட்டுப்படுத்த முடியவில்லை.போதிய வசதிகள் இல்லாமல், பக்தர்கள் கடும் அவதிக்கு உள்ளாகின்றனர். பக்தி பரவசத்துடன், அத்திவரதரை காண வந்த பக்தர்கள், எதற்கு வந்தோம் என்று நொந்தபடி செல்லும் நிலை உள்ளது. 

பெரும்பாலானோர், அத்திவரதரை காணாமலே ஊர் திரும்பியுள்ளனர்.கோவிலுக்கு வரும் பக்தர்கள், கிழக்கு கோபுரம் வழியே, உள்ளே அனுமதிக்கப்படுகின்றனர். அவர்கள், அத்திவரதரை தரிசித்துவிட்டு, மேற்கு கோபுரம் வழியே, வௌியில் செல்கின்றனர். அதே வாயில் வழியே, வி.ஐ.பி.,க்கள் உள்ளே அனுமதிக்கப்படுகின்றனர்.பொது தரிசனத்திற்கு வரும் பக்தர்கள், வடக்கு மாட வீதி, தெற்கு மாட வீதி, கிழக்கு மாட வீதி வழியே, கிழக்கு கோபுரம் செல்ல அனுமதிக்கப் படுகின்றனர்.
கோவில் உட்புறம் மற்றும் கிழக்கு மாட வீதியில் பந்தல் போடப்பட்டுள்ளது; மற்ற பகுதிகளில், பந்தல் எதுவும் இல்லை. எனவே, பக்தர்கள் அனைவரும் வெயிலில், பல மணி நேரம் நெரிசலில் காத்திருக்க வேண்டி உள்ளது.கோவிலின் உட்புறம் கழிப்பிடம், குடிநீர் வசதி இல்லை. இருவர் அல்லது மூவர் என வரிசையாக, பக்தர்கள் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டால், காற்றோட்டம் இருக்கும்; பிரச்னை இருக்காது. ஆனால், கட்டுப்பாடின்றி பக்தர்கள் அனுமதிக்கப்படுவதால், காற்றோட்டம் இல்லாமல், தினமும் ஏராளமானோர் மயங்கி விழுகின்றனர். தவறுகளை திருத்தி, போதிய ஏற்பாடுகளை, அரசு செய்ய வேண்டும் என்பதே, அனைவருடைய விருப்பமாக உள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து, பக்தர்கள் கூறியதாவது:இருவர் அல்லது மூன்று பேர் என்ற அடிப்படையில், வரிசையில் நிற்க வைத்தால், எத்தனை மணி நேரம் நின்றாலும் தெரியாது. ஆனால், கட்டுப் பாடின்றி, கும்பலாக நிற்பதால், தள்ளுமுள்ளு ஏற்படுகிறது. போதிய காற்றோட்டம் இல்லை. கோவில் உள்ளே குடிக்க தண்ணீர் இல்லை. கழிப்பிடம் இல்லை. வெயிலில் நிற்பதால், வயதானவர்கள் மயங்கி விழுகின்றனர். அவர்களை கவனிக்க, ஆட்கள் இல்லை.

வெளியூர்களில் இருந்து வரும் வாகனங்களுக்கு, 50 ரூபாய் கட்டணம் வசூலிக்கப்படுகிறது. வாகனத்தை எங்கே நிறுத்த வேண்டும் என்று கூறுவதற்கு, போதிய ஆட்கள் இல்லை. சென்னையில் இருந்து, சிறப்பு ரயில்கள் இயக்கப்படுகின்றன. அதில் வரும் பக்தர்கள், பழைய ரயில் நிலையம் மற்றும் புதிய ரயில் நிலையத்தில் இறங்குகின்றனர். அங்கிருந்து, கோவிலுக்கு செல்ல, போதிய பஸ்கள் இல்லை.
ஆட்டோக்கள், தங்கள் விருப்பத்திற்கு, 500 ரூபாய் வரை கேட்கின்றனர். இதனால், மூன்று கிலோ மீட்டர் துாரம், மக்கள் நடந்து செல்ல வேண்டி உள்ளது. முதியோர் செல்ல, 'வீல் சேர், பேட்டரி கார்' ஏற்பாடு செய்யப்பட்டதாக, மாவட்ட நிர்வாகம் தெரிவித்தது; அதுவும் போதுமானதாக இல்லை. அவற்றை பெற, யாரை அணுக வேண்டும் என்ற, எந்த விபரமும் இல்லை.

 
லட்சக்கணக்கில் குவியும் பக்தர்கள், வரிசையாக கோவிலுக்கு செல்வதற்கு வசதியாக, நீண்ட தடுப்புகளை ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டும். அதன்வழியே, இருவர் அல்லது மூவராக அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும். வழியில், குடிநீர் உட்பட பானங்கள், தானம் செய்ய விரும்புவோருக்கும், அன்னதானம் செய்வோருக்கும் அனுமதி அளிக்கலாம்.கோவில் உட்புறம், தற்காலிக கழிப்பறை வசதிகளையும், குடிநீர் வசதிகளையும் ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டும். இரவு தரிசனத்திற்கும், ஏற்பாடு செய்ய வேண்டும். நகருக்குள் சென்று வர, கூடுதல் மினி பஸ்களை இயக்க வேண்டும். 

குறைந்தபட்ச கட்டணம் வசூலிக்க, ஆட்டோக்களுக்கு உத்தரவிட வேண்டும். நகர வீதிகளில், 'சின்டெக்ஸ்' தொட்டிகளில் வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள குடிநீரில், 'குளோரின்' அதிகம் கலந்திருப்பதால், அதை குடிக்க முடியவில்லை. குடிப்பதற்கேற்ற நீரை வழங்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

- நமது நிருபர் -

களத்தில் இறங்குது ரசிகர் மன்றம் ஏ.சி.சண்முகத்திற்கு ரஜினி ஆதரவு

Added : ஜூலை 14, 2019 02:27 

வேலுார் லோக்சபா தேர்தலில் போட்டியிடும், புதிய நீதிக் கட்சி தலைவர், ஏ.சி.சண்முகம், தன், 35 ஆண்டு கால நண்பர் என்பதால், அவருக்கு ஆதரவாக, தேர்தல் பணி செய்யும்படி, வேலுார், திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்ட மன்ற நிர்வாகிகளுக்கு, நடிகர் ரஜினி உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளார்.

வேலுார் லோக்சபா தேர்தல், அடுத்த மாதம், 5ல் நடைபெறவுள்ளது. இந்த தேர்தலில், அ.தி.மு.க., கூட்டணி ஆதரவில், ஏ.சி.சண்முகம் போட்டியிடுகிறார்.அவரை எதிர்த்து, தி.மு.க., பொருளாளர் துரைமுருகனின் மகன் கதிர் ஆனந்த் நிற்கிறார். இரண்டு வேட்பாளர்களும், பண பலத்தில் சம பலம் உடையவர்கள் என்பதால், தொகுதியில் தண்ணீராக, பணம் பாயும் என்ற எதிர்பார்ப்பு எழுந்து உள்ளது.

ஆளுங்கட்சி சார்பில் அமைச்சர்கள், எம்.எல்.ஏ.,க்கள், மாவட்ட செயலர்கள் இடம் பெற்ற தேர்தல் பணிக் குழுவும், தி.மு.க., சார்பில், முன்னாள் அமைச்சர்கள், எம்.எல்.ஏ.,க்கள், எம்.பி.,க்கள், மாவட்டச் செயலர்கள் அடங்கிய தேர்தல் பணிக் குழுவும் களத்தில் இறங்கி உள்ளன.சட்டசபை கூட்டத் தொடர் முடிந்ததும், வரும், 21 முதல் வேலுாரில் முகாமிட, இரு கட்சியினரும் திட்டமிட்டுள்ளனர்.அ.ம.மு.க., சார்பில் வேட்பாளர் நிறுத்தப்படவில்லை என்பதால், அக்கட்சியின் ஆதரவாளர்கள், தி.மு.க., வேட்பாளருக்கு மறைமுகமாக, தேர்தல் பணி செய்வரா என்ற கேள்வி எழுந்து உள்ளது.

இந்நிலையில், ரஜினி மக்கள் மன்றத்தினர், மன்ற கொடியை பயன்படுத்தாமல், ஏ.சி.சண்முகத்திற்கு ஆதரவாக பணியாற்ற வேண்டும் என, வேலுார், திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்ட ரஜினி மக்கள் மன்ற நிர்வாகிகளுக்கு, ரஜினி தரப்பிலிருந்து, வாய்மொழி உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்கப் பட்டுஉள்ளது.
இது குறித்து, ரஜினி மக்கள் மன்ற நிர்வாகிகள் கூறியதாவது:ரஜினியும், ஏ.சி.சண்முகமும், 35 ஆண்டு கால நண்பர்கள். அரசியல் பிரவேசத்தில் ரஜினி குதித்ததும், சென்னை, மதுரவாயலில் உள்ள, ஏ.சி.சண்முகத்திற்கு சொந்தமான கல்லுாரி வளாகத்தில் நிறுவப்பட்டுள்ள, எம்.ஜி.ஆர்., சிலை திறப்பு விழாவில் சிறப்புரை ஆற்றினார்.

இந்த விழாவில், எம்.ஜி.ஆர்., பற்றி ரஜினி புகழ்ந்து பேசி, எம்.ஜி.ஆர்., ரசிகர்களையும், தொண்டர்களையும் ஈர்த்தார். ரஜினி மக்கள் மன்றம் சார்பில், பொது மக்களுக்கு இலவச தண்ணீர் லாரிகளை அனுப்பி வைப்பதற்கு, ஏ.சி.சண்முகமும் உதவி புரிந்துள்ளார்.எனவே, அவருக்கு ஆதரவாக, தேர்தல் பணியாற்ற வேண்டும் என, எங்கள் தலைமை உத்தரவிட்டு உள்ளது.இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

அத்திவரதரிடம் கட்சி கொடி!

ஓரிரு நாளில், காஞ்சிபுரத்தில் எழுந்தருளியுள்ள அத்திவரதரை, தன் குடும்பத்தினருடன் தரிசிக்க, ரஜினி முடிவு செய்துள்ளார். அப்போது, தன் கட்சியின் பெயர், கொடி, சின்னம் உள்ளிட்ட விபரங்களை எழுதி எடுத்துச் சென்று, அத்திவரதரிடம் வைத்து, ஆசி பெற, ரஜினி திட்டமிட்டு உள்ளார்.அடுத்த மாதத்தில், மன்ற மாநாடு நடத்தி, கொடி, சின்னத்தை அறிமுகப்படுத்த, ரஜினி தயாராகி வருவதாக, மன்ற வட்டாரங்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

நள்ளிரவிலும் அத்திவரதர் தரிசனம் செய்ய அனுமதி

Added : ஜூலை 14, 2019 00:36

காஞ்சிபுரம்: காஞ்சிபுரம் அத்திவரதர் வைபவத்தையொட்டி அத்திவரதரை ஒரே நாளில் 2.5 லட்சம் பேர் தரிசனம் செய்துள்ளனர். வைபவம் துவங்கிய 13 நாட்களில்இதுவரை 16.15 லட்சம் பேர் தரிசனம் செய்துள்ளனர். கூட்டம் அதிகமாக இருப்பதால் நள்ளிரவு ஒரு மணி வரை அத்திவரதரை தரிசிக்க அனுமதி அளித்துனர்.

திருப்பதியில் கொட்டி தீர்க்கும் மழை

Added : ஜூலை 14, 2019 01:41

திருப்பதி: திருப்பதி ஏமுமலையை தரிசிக்க ஜனாதிபதி ராம்நாத் கோவிந்த் இன்று வரும்நிலையில் திருப்பதியில் கனமழை கொட்டி தீ்ர்த்து வருகிறது . திருப்பதி ஏழுமலையான தரிசிக்க பல கிலோமீட்டர் தூரம் பொதுமக்கள் நீண்ட வரிசையில் கா்துகிடக்கின்றனர். கடந்த 2 மணி நேரத்திற்கும் மேலாக பெய்துவருதவால் கோயில் குளம் நிம்பியு்ளளது,

Madurai Kamaraj University sex scandal: Plea for CBI probe binned
She also argued that no higher officials, including the then Vice-Chancellor, were investigated by the CB-CID in connection with the case.

Published: 13th July 2019 04:57 AM

Madras High Court (Photo | D Sampath Kumar, EPS)
By Express News Service

MADURAI: Stating that the final report filed by CB-CID on the Madurai Kamaraj University sex scandal case in a lower Court as “satisfactory”, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation seeking CBI investigation into the case.


A division bench passed the order, observing that “the trial court has power under Section 319 (Power to proceed against other persons appearing to be guilty of offence) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to include persons who are not arraigned as accused in the final report, in the case to face trial”.The bench said that the litigant had failed to produce supportive documents to substantiate her claim that the final report was defective.

According to the petition filed by one P Suganthi, General Secretary of All India Democratic Women’s Association, the line of investigation focussed on only one part of the audio conversation “soliciting sexual favours from girl students”, and omitted the other part “sexual gratification for higher officials”.

She also argued that no higher officials, including the then Vice-Chancellor, were investigated by the CB-CID in connection with the case. Neither the statements of the victims (under Section 164 CrPC) were recorded nor the written complaint given by the students was attached or mentioned in the final report, the petition said and sought for a CBI probe into the case.

Stay on defamation proceedings

Chennai: The Madras High Court stayed the defamation proceedings pending before the lower courts against DMK president M K Stalin and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, on Friday. Justice P D Audikesavalu, who granted the stay orders, also dispensed with their presence before the courts concerned. When issued summons, the two moved HC to quash them. The judge ordered notice to the State government, returnable in four weeks.

Case against filmmaker Bharathiraja stayed

Chennai: Criminal proceedings pending against film director Bharathiraja before Triplicane police was stayed by the Madras High Court on Friday. Justice N Anand Venkatesh stayed all further proceedings pursuant to a complaint by V G Narayanan, organiser of Tamil Makkal Munnani on June 22, 2018. The filmmaker had spoken in support of film director Ameer, who had earlier criticised the State government in a TV interview.

No more time restriction for vehicles at departure level

Chennai airport will be coming out with a new vehicle parking policy on Monday, wherein the restriction on 10 minutes free time which is prevailing now, will be discontinued.

Published: 14th July 2019 06:17 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chennai airport will be coming out with a new vehicle parking policy on Monday, wherein the restriction on 10 minutes free time which is prevailing now, will be discontinued. The new system will allow all the vehicles coming to the departure level, to drop the passengers (free entry and exit) without any time restriction.

However, parking the vehicle in the non-parking or transit area, will not be permitted after dropping the passengers and penalty will be imposed at the rate of four times the parking charges for 0-30 minutes slab, for respective category of vehicles. This is to avoid congestion in front of the terminal and to enhance convenience to passengers and public.

All private vehicles and the Airport Authority of India authorized car rental operators (currently Ola and Aviation Express) will only be allowed to pick up passengers in front of terminal buildings, free of cost.
All other Yellow Board Vehicles will have to pick up the passengers from the parking area by paying the parking fee or access fee of respective time slab. The minimum amount is `40 for car for 0-30 minutes.

The above system will be implemented using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards. RFID cards will be issued to all vehicles entering the airport, which have to be returned at the exit booth while leaving the airport.


Parking fee will be charged from all vehicles entering the designated parking areas.

Medical colleges must have ART, MDR-TB management centres

Afshan Yasmeen

BENGALURU, JULY 14, 2019 00:00 IST

This is to ensure rapid diagnosis and early initiation of treatment for patients

Determined to end tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, the Union Health Ministry has now made it mandatory for all medical colleges to have a facility for management of Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) TB and Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) centres. A gazette notification in this regard has been issued on June 27.

The Board of Governors appointed in super-session of the Medical Council of India (MCI) by the Union government has amended the ‘Minimum Standard Requirement for 150 MBBS Admissions Annually Regulation, 1999’ to include this rule.

“Every medical college should have ART Centre and facility for management of MDR-TB at the time of 4th renewal for admission of 5th batch of MBBS students,” the gazette notification stated.

Following this, K.S Sachdeva, Head of Central TB Division and Project Director Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) wrote to all State TB officers that there is an urgent need to decentralise MDR-TB services so that rapid diagnosis and early initiation of treatment is possible for patients.

This is especially in the context of RNTCP’s ambitious target to eliminate TB by 2025, stated his letter dated July 11.

“Actively involving the medical colleges would present an added opportunity for decentralisation of services and also the availability of the essential MDR-TB services at tertiary level health facilities.

The National Strategic Plan (2017-2025) of RNTCP also outlines the active involvement of medical colleges for the provision of diagnostic and treatment services for TB,” Dr. Sachdeva said in the letter.

Goes undiagnosed

Despite the best efforts of health systems, about 40% of people who develop TB in India are either not diagnosed or the cases are not reported.

Even among those reported and/or diagnosed, many are lost to a follow-up, both with drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB.

While the patients who are being treated in the private sector do not get adequate treatment support, most TB patients are affected by social and political factors such as stigma and discrimination.

Availability and access to services at a convenient time and in their social context like work, migration, gender etc. and economic barriers (for example, the cost of transport, ancillary medicines, and investigations in private sector) are also issues.

To put an end to this through community engagement, the State Health and Family Welfare Department has set up State and district TB forums.

Last year, the Union Ministry had also directed all States to expand TB diagnostics services in all Primary Health Centres (PHCs).

Senior citizen falls victim to debit card fraud

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, JULY 14, 2019 00:00 IST

A woman swaps his debit card in an unsuspecting way

A senior citizen fell victim to a debit card fraud at an ATM centre and lost more than Rs. one lakh.

On Friday, N. Marimuthu, a senior citizen residing in Sellur, was withdrawing money from an Indian bank ATM, when a woman allegedly initiated conversation in a bid to divert his attention.

She allegedly asked Marimuthu for help in operating the ATM machine and the man unable to see through her ploy demonstrated the procedure to withdraw money using his ATM card.

She got the ATM card from him saying that she wanted to take a look at it.

But the woman allegedly returned some other card of the same bank, which Marimuthu could not differentiate.

In a few minutes, the woman went to a jewellery shop on West Masi Street and purchased jewellery worth Rs. 1,10,000 using the card.

Upon receiving the debit message on his phone, Marimuthu was shocked.

He and his son, who is a policeman, blocked the card immediately and rushed to the ATM, where they found the woman trying to withdraw more money using Marimuthu’s card and they caught her red-handed.

They lodged a complaint with the Thilagar Thidal police and the woman has been identified as Seetha Lakshmi, 40, of Karaikudi.

“Cases of similar ATM fraud had been registered against her under Kariyapatti police station limits and she has been identified as a habitual debit card thief....” police said.

“Since she’s a woman with an innocent appearance, many do not suspect her. Her strategy is to somehow see or learn the secret password number by standing near the person while he or she is operating the ATM and then she will ask for the card and return a different card. Using the card and secret password number, she withdraws money. This has been her standard modus operandi,” said a police official.

“We have been raising awareness among public of such ATM thieves. We have been asking people not to encourage or let any stranger stand near or speak to you when operating the ATM machine,” added the police official.

The Thilagar Thidal police have recovered the ATM card, registered a case under Section 380 of the IPC for theft and are investigating.

Slow website remains a concern for students

Pon Vasanth B.A.

CHENNAI, JULY 14, 2019 00:00 IST

TNEA assures parents that there is ample time to choose colleges

With the second round of online counselling for admissions to engineering colleges commencing on Saturday, the slowing down of the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions website remains a concern for a section of students.

The issue was seen even at the facilitation centre run by the Directorate of Technical Education (DoTE) at the Central Polytechnic College.

Though over 150 students eligible for the second round of counselling turned up at the centre in the morning for locking their choices of colleges, only around 45 were able to exercise their choice until 4 p.m., despite the availability of five computers with the DoTE to assist them.

A parent from Aminjikarai, seeking admission for his daughter, said he had come to the facilitation centre as the website was responding slowly when he tried from home. “However, the situation was no different here. The staff here told us that the server was non-responsive,” he said.

A student from Saidapet, who left the centre in the evening without being able to lock his choice through the website, said he was concerned if the situation would remain the same for the next two days. “They have given time till Monday 5 p.m. I hope the issue gets resolved at least by Sunday,” he said.

‘Need not panic’

A senior official from the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions, however, said the server issue lasted only for an hour in the morning.

He said students and parents need not panic since they have time till Monday to lock their choices.

Chief Secretary’s circular sets off debate on the need for administrative restructuring in T.N.

T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI, JULY 14, 2019 00:00 IST

In a communication to District Collectors, Shanmugam had laid down a 10-point agenda

Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam’s recent circular to District Collectors, laying down a 10-point agenda, has sparked a debate on the need for administrative restructuring in the State.

In a circular dated July 10, Mr. Shanmugam urged the Collectors to carry out more field visits; facilitate rural transformation through economic development; enable construction of pucca houses for hut dwellers; execute a special drive to complete pending drinking water works; accord “special attention” to agriculture and allied activities; and encourage greater public participation for water conservation and better management of waterbodies.

Welcoming the Chief Secretary’s initiative, M.G. Devasahayam, former civil servant and now an activist living in Nagercoil, said the circular had sent out the message that Mr. Shanmugam was asserting his position as the head of the civil services, a feature that was now perceptible.

Yet, the bureaucracy in the State required “administrative restructuring”. Like many other States, Tamil Nadu should have a system of Divisional Commissioners for monitoring the working of Collectors. “Many of them are young and inexperienced. They are badly in need of mentoring, which they are not getting under the present arrangement,” Mr. Devasahayam said.

When controversies erupted over the Sterlite plant and the proposed Chennai-Salem Expressway, the Collectors of Thoothukudi and Salem districts would have responded in a better manner than the way they did, had there been a “proper system of oversight” in place, he added.

However, K. Satyagopal, Additional Chief Secretary/Commissioner of Revenue Administration (CRA), emphasised that the State had a “sound and well-defined” system of oversight.

The functioning of Collectors was being reviewed at different levels, both by the political executive and senior civil servants. In situations like water crises, the Chief Minister himself conducted the review of the Collectors. Apart from the Chief Secretary, the Revenue Secretary and the CRA, monitoring officers, who were all senior IAS officers, were sent to all the districts on a regular basis. Besides, not many southern States followed the system of Divisional Commissioners, he pointed out. Another senior officer, who is also an Additional Chief Secretary, said that increasingly, secretaries of different departments in the State were reviewing with the Collectors the status of projects and schemes that fell under their jurisdiction through video-conferencing, which was also a positive feature of the State bureaucracy.

Many Collectors are young and  inexperienced. They are badly in need of mentoring, which they are not getting under the present arrangementM.G. DevasahayamFormer civil servant

‘Homoeopathy doc can’t prescribe allopathy meds’

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:14.07.2019

A homoeopathic doctor is not qualified to prescribe allopathic medicines and will be liable for medical negligence and will have to pay compensation if a patient suffers from medical complications, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ruled.

Almost two decades after a woman died soon after a homoeopathy doctor in Nagpur gave injections to her, the apex consumer commission directed the doctor to pay compensation of ₹10 lakh to her family members saying he is a diploma holder in homoeopathy and is not qualified to practise allopathy.

The incident took place in Nagpur in 2000 when the woman was taken to the homoeopathic doctor by her family members after she complained of stomach pain. The doctor gave two injections —Baralgan and Dexamethasone. Immediately after the injections, the woman felt uneasy and suddenly died.

Full report on www.toi.in

Pay dues or no power, discoms told

Tangedco’s Woes Feature In Parliament

Sivakumar.B@timesgroup.com

Chennai:14.07.2019

It’s time for Tangedco to pay its dues or risk face severe power shortage. The Centre on Friday told Parliament that a meeting of discoms, including Tangedco, was convened recently and they were told that unless they pay their pending dues to power companies the discoms would not be able to purchase any more power from these companies.

Tangedco officials told TOI that they were trying to pay off at least 50% of the money pending to the companies so that they are allowed to purchase power. Power demand in Tamil Nadu is yet to come down, they said.

“Solar power generation associations have brought to the notice of the government the issue of delay in payment by discoms. In order to ensure payment of dues, the ministry of power has issued an order,” said Union power minister R K Singh in the Lok Sabha.

According to the order, the Load Dispatch Centres (LDCs) shall dispatch power only after it is intimated by the generating and distribution companies that a letter of credit for the desired quantum of power has been opened and copies made available to the concerned generating company.

The intimation of LDCs shall specify the period of supply and shall dispatch electricity only up to the quantity equivalent of value of letter of credit. The dispatch shall stop once the quantum of electricity under LC is supplied.

“The generating company shall be entitled to encash the LC after expiry of grace period, as provided in the power purchase agreement. To address the issue of delay in payment by discoms, the ministry of renewable energy has written to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra to ensure that renewable power developers get timely payments,” said the minister.

“Tangedco is paying to wind power companies only after nine months or even more. It is affecting our working as we need to pay salaries to our staff and there are other expenditures. We have been asking the discom to release our payments,” said a wind power company chief.

Tangedco is facing losses for the last few years. “Tangedco implemented pay commission recommendations to its employees along with the government employees. This alone cost the TNEB, which is the holding company, a total of ₹1,317 crore each year. A total of 79,100 workers and 11,169 officials benefited from the pay agreement,” said a senior Tangedco official. “We are trying our best to pay off the power companies, especially wind power companies. During the wind season, we purchase the maximum of wind power. But due to the tight financial situation, the payments have been delayed to the wind power companies,” said the official.


IN THE RED: Tangedco officials told TOI that they were trying to pay off at least 50% of the money pending to power generation companies

After Round 1 counselling, yr’s MBBS cut-off up by 100 marks
Jump Due To Surge In Top Scorers In NEET
Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:14.07.2019

The cut-off for MBBS admissions in government medical colleges has gone up by nearly 100 marks in most categories due to the surge in top scorers in NEET 2019. The first phase of counselling ended on Saturday.

All 3,968 medical seats under the government quota were filled after the weeklong counselling held by the state selection committee. Among dental seats, all seats in the Government Dental College were allotted but 908 government quota seats in self-financing medical colleges were available.

Admission to all medical and dental colleges is conducted by the state committee based on NEET marks and 69% rule of reservation.

Though there is no official release on the cut-offs, estimates as per the round 1allotment data released by the selection committee puts cutoff for open category in government colleges at 525, compared to last year’s 430. The cut-off for BC stood at 474 compared to 375 in round one of 2018. As predicted, the biggest gap was in the BCM and MBC categories where cut-off crossed 112 marks. The cut-off was 460 and 439 for BCM and MBC compared to 348 and 327 in round 1 of 2018. The cut-off for SC, SCA and ST were 364, 303 and 283 respectively. “TN students have improved their scores every year since 2017,” said selection committee secretary Dr G Selvarajan.

In category B — state-run medical institutions — the cut-off was between 474 (OC) and 270 (ST). Similarly, in the self-financing colleges, the cut-off was between 458 (OC) and 226 (SC). “These cut-offs are likely to go down slightly when students opt for upgrade and seats are returned from the All-India quota. Yet, the difference in cut-off between 2018 and 2019 is likely to be nearly 100 marks,” said Manickvel Arumugam, who has been counselling students on MBBS admissions.

Counselling will continue on Sunday for management quota seats in IRT Medical College and Christian Medical College, Vellore. For two days from Monday counselling will be held for management quota seats in self-financing medical colleges.

Met predicts more rain in coming days
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:14.07.2019

The city is expected to get some rain in the coming days, especially at night, due to convective activity triggered by high day temperature.

The Met department said in a forecast for Sunday that the sky condition is likely to be generally cloudy. Light to moderate rain is likely to occur in some areas. Cloud formation is such that rain is expected in the evening or late night.

Many parts of the city received rain late on Friday night. Southern suburbs experienced heavy rain. Meenambakkam and Poonamallee recorded 2cm of rain while Anna University and Taramani recorded 1cm of rain on Friday night.

Private weather blogger Pradeep John in a post said, “The best day for north Tamil Nadu was yesterday. South Chennai gets rain too yesterday. Next three days look awesome.”

The rain has not reduced the day temperature. High day temperature is what is causing the rain, he said.

The Met department said maximum and minimum temperatures may be around 37°C and 28 °C on Sunday.

Buy but need not pay — mantra of clothing store for the poor
Aditi.R@timesgroup.com

Chennai:14.07.2019

Buy, but need not pay – this is the motto of Thuli, a store that provides good quality clothes for the underprivileged in the city.

“This might sound unbelievable, but this is how the store works. Every item here is free and people do not have to pay a penny,” says Ajith Kumar Ravindran, who with his friends Shivaji Prabhakar and Jey Bala, all businessmen, started the store. “We wanted to do something for the people. And after weeks of brainstorming we got this idea, and it’s been well received,” he says.

Since the store opened in Gokul Arcade, Adyar, in February last year, more than 18,000 families have benefited. It includes families of drivers, sweepers, office boys and plumbers, many of whom who do not buy clothes from a shopping complex. S Selvi, a housekeeper at a hotel, is one such. “I had never shopped in an airconditioned clothing store before. My children and I mostly wear clothes donated by others,” says the single mother. “But after my son got a new job at a private firm, his confidence took a hit as his colleagues were welldressed. When we gottoknowof this place, things changed. He now wears blazers to office,” she says proudly.

To ensure the store is used by people who need it. Every customer who walks in goes through a background check. Depending on the size of the family, customers are given free vouchers of ₹500 or ₹1,000 or more which they can use to buy items from the rack. “We have shirts and kurtas priced at ₹350 and saris at ₹1,000, they can use this voucher to buy the items. This way customers do not feel that it’s charity and have a dignified purchase experience,” says Uma Naganathan, a volunteer at the store.

Thuli, has a collection of more than 100 clothes for men, women and children. Though they get at least 500 pieces of clothing every week donated by corporate firms, boutiques and volunteers, the clothes are sorted before being exhibited at the store. Only those of good quality fabric, stitch and colour are hand-picked from the lot, following which they are dry cleaned,ironed anddisplayed at the store. Customers, however, are allowed to buy once in six months. And to ensure that maximum families benefit, their ration card numbers are registered with the store.

Following the success of Thuli, Ajith and his friends plan to open a similar store next month at Vadapalani. “We all have excess clothes in our wardrobe which we don’t want to wear, but this might bring a difference in someone’s life. It is the least we can do,” says Ajith. For details about donation call 638036662 or visit their Facebook page ThuliIndia.

ACCESS TO ALL: Garments and other accessories displayed at Thuli store at Adyar are priced low for those who want to purchase

President pushes for translation of court judgments into vernacular languages

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:14.07.2019

President Ram Nath Kovind has advocated translation of certified copies of high court judgments into local languages. “It is important to not only take justice to the people, but also make it understandable to litigating parties in a language they know,” he said at the special convocation of Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University on Saturday.

Kovind recalled that he had suggested the same while addressing the Kerala high court’s diamond jubilee event in October 2017 and that the Chhattisgarh high court implemented it later.

“Our legal system has a reputation of being expensive and for being prone to delays. There are some who tend to use and abuse the instrument of adjournments as a tactic to slow down proceedings, rather than respond to a genuine emergency,” he said. He added that this makes seeking justice costly for the litigant. It would be a travesty of our republican ethic if a poor person doesn’t get the same access to the law as a rich person, he said and added that the legal profession should continue to address this collectively.

The President congratulated Justice P Sathasivam (Governor of Kerala and former CJI), Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde (judge, Supreme Court) and Justice V K Tahilramani (Chief Justice, Madras high court) on being conferred LLD (honoris causa) degrees by the university for their distinguished services to law and justice. This is the first time a university is conferring LLD degrees on three jurists at the same time.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami also congratulated the three jurists. He said people could live well only if the four pillars of democracy — judiciary, executive, legislature and the press — function independently and expressed happiness that it is rightly so in Tamil Nadu.

Palaniswami also highlighted the efforts taken by the state government to improve legal education. Governor Banwarilal Purohit and law minister C Ve Shanmugam also took part in the event.



IN HONOUR: (From left) President Ram Nath Kovind presented degrees of doctor of law to Chief Justice of the Madras high court V K Tahilramani, governor of Kerala and former CJI P Sathasivam and Supreme court judge Sharad Arvind Bobde at Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University on Saturday

NO EXTRA CHARGE

No time limit for cabs at airport

Chennai:14.07.2019

Private cars and cabs at the city airport will be allowed to drop and pick up passengers without any time restriction from Monday. They are now charged ₹120 if they fail to exit the campus within 10 minutes.

As per the new policy, all vehicles coming to the departure level can drop passengers without any time restriction. However, parking vehicles in nonparking or transit areas will not be permitted after dropping passengers and the penalty will be four times the parking charge for a 30-minute slab, said a press release.

An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said, “Cars and cabs can take reasonable time to drop or pick up passengers at the terminals. However, they will not be allowed to park in front of terminals. Traffic wardens will be posted to ensure cars move out after dropping passengers and do not linger creating congestion.”

Private vehicles and those of AAI-authorized car rental operators Ola and Aviation Express will only be allowed to pick up passengers in front of terminal buildings for free. Other commercial vehicles will have to pick up passengers at parking lot and will be charged ₹40 for half an hour for parking. TNN

Chennai airport’s new system to prevent accidents

All vehicles entering the airport will be given RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards. The cards can be read at the exit booth to find out the time spent on the campus, but AAI does not plan to charge money.

The existing practice of 10 minutes free time to drop a passenger invited the ire of cab drivers, who blamed congestion and passed on the burden to passengers. Many used to rush passengers to get off in front of the terminals and a few accidents occurred as cabs sped on the flyover to leave within the time limit.

Such instances reduced after a vehicle flow pattern was introduced a few months ago allowing separate entry and exit for domestic and international terminals and shortened the drive time on the flyover in front of terminal buildings.

Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) national president D Sudhakara Reddy said, “The new system is a very good move. It will help genuine passengers who get dropped and picked up by drivers and in cabs. They don't have to face a hassle.”

The free entry/exit move is being introduced when busy airports are moving to five minutes to three minutes free time for vehicles to exit the campus.

STRESS FREE

Court news

Post- graduates applying for Group D posts will hit efficiency: Madras HC

It cited that degree holders were recently appointed as sweepers in the high court services and the court was unable to extract work efficiently for better administration.If over-qualified candidates are appointed to perform Group-4 services, undoubtedly the efficiency level in public administration would be hit, Justice S M Subramaniam said.

Updated: Jul 12, 2019 16:12 IST

By Press Trust of India, Press Trust of India

It’s unfortunate that post-graduates were applying for government jobs in Group-4 category due to unemployment, the Madras High Court observed Thursday, and said appointment of “over-qualified” people to these posts will affect efficiency in public administration.

It cited that degree holders were recently appointed as sweepers in the high court services and the court was unable to extract work efficiently for better administration.

If over-qualified candidates are appointed to perform Group-4 services, undoubtedly the efficiency level in public administration would be hit, Justice S M Subramaniam said.

Similarly, under-qualified candidates cannot be allowed to handle a bigger responsibility, the judge said.

He was hearing a plea seeking to quash the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission notification that professional degree holders would not be considered for posts of combined subordinate services (Group 3 and Group 4). He refused to allow the prayer.

Group 4 services include typists, junior assistants and village administrative officers.

Justice Subramaniam asked the state government to review the rules and accordingly prescribe the minimum and maximum educational qualification for such posts within 12 weeks in consonance with the concept of level-playing field.

All these aspects should be considered by competent government authorities during the process of issuing recruitment notification to a particular post or cadre, he said.

Currently, the minimum educational qualification and other related criteria are prescribed by employers.

However, no maximum educational qualification is prescribed due to which over-qualified persons participate in the recruitment process for Group 4 posts and basic services.

Similar issues were brought to the notice of the court during the appointment of Grade-II police constables, the judge said.

Petitioner M Sakkaraichamy had submitted to the court that he had appeared for combined service examination and attended interview. But he was not considered for the posts because he was a professional degree holder, while the notification had stipulated Arts and Science bachelor as the education qualification.

First Published: Jul 12, 2019 16:12 IST

Court news

Overqualification can be a ground for denying jobs, says Madras HC
Admitting the “existence of an unemployment problem”, Justice Vaidyanathan dismissed the petition, stating that “the Court has no other option, but to hold that the petitioner is not entitled to relief on account of overqualification”.

Written by Arun Janardhanan | Chennai |

Published: July 13, 2019 12:41:28 am

Retired judge of Madras High Court, K Chandru, derided the overqualification issue, saying there is only “qualification”.

The Madras High Court has held that applications of “overqualified” candidates in recruitment of public posts can be rejected, if the appointing authority had prescribed the maximum educational qualification expected.

Justice S Vaidyanathan made the observation on Thursday while dismissing a writ petition filed by an engineering graduate, challenging the rejection of her candidature for the post of Train Operator/Station Controller in Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL). The CMRL had rejected her application citing that the qualification expected for the job was a diploma.

During the hearing, the CMRL argued that it had informed applicants that those holding a BE/BTech or higher qualifications are not eligible for the posts mentioned in the petition.

Meanwhile, the petitioner argued the rejection is unacceptable as “there is an unemployment situation in this country — more particularly in the State of Tamil Nadu”.

Admitting the “existence of an unemployment problem”, Justice Vaidyanathan dismissed the petition, stating that “the Court has no other option, but to hold that the petitioner is not entitled to relief on account of overqualification”.

A top source in CMRL, who was part of the recruiting process, said one of the reasons for insisting on such a rule against overqualification was that the apprehension that overqualified candidates taking up these roles would soon start studying further and try for promotions.

In 2014, the Allahabad High Court, while hearing a petition by a person denied the job of a peon in Punjab National Bank because he was overqualified, had observed that the employer can take disciplinary action against an employee if he fails to perform his/her duties. The court, however, stated that the employer cannot deny an opportunity to an eligible candidate “on the ground that if appointed, he would not perform his duties. Qualification prescribed is minimum. Higher qualification cannot become a disadvantage to the candidate.” Directing the employer to allow the petitioner to take up the position, the HC bench had said “higher education, if not a magic wand, is surely a jewel in one’s crown; if not a hero, it can never be a villain.”

Retired judge of Madras High Court, K Chandru, derided the overqualification issue, saying there is only “qualification”.

“Attitude of judges has completely undergone a change now. Originally, they used to say how can you punish people with merit. Now, it is happening the other way,” Chandru said.

To cut doc shortage, govt adds over 10,500 MBBS seats this year

TNN | Jul 13, 2019, 04.54 AM IST

NEW DELHI: In an attempt to address shortage of doctors in the country, the government has ramped up MBBS seats by more than 26% over last two years, taking the total number of MBBS seats to around 75000. Besides, nearly 8900 seats have been added to PG medical seats during the period to bolster the number of specialists.

In 2017-18 and 2018-19, a total of 5250 MBBS seats were added, whereas 10,565 — more than double of what was added in last two years — have been added in 2019-20 so far, health minister Harsh Vardhan said in Lok Sabha on Friday. Of this, around 4,800 MBBS seats have been reserved for students from economically weaker sections in the current year.

Currently, there are nearly 11.60 lakh registered Allopathy doctors in the country as on March, resulting in a doctor-population ratio of 1:1456 as per current population estimate of 1.35 billion, which is lower than the WHO norm of one doctor per 1000 persons.

However, there are an additional 7.88 lakh Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathy doctors, which when clubbed with allopathy practitioners, makes the overall doctor-population ratio of 1:867—a shade better than WHO norms. The health ministry is trying to utilise this cadre of alternative medicines to meet demand for primary and secondary health care services, mainly in remote areas where there is a severe dearth of doctors.

Govt. doctors blame career progression scheme for poor pay 

Staff Reporter 
 
CHENNAI, July 11, 2019 01:22 IST
Claim it takes them 20 years to earn ₹1 lakh a month

It takes 20 years for a government doctor to earn a salary of over ₹one lakh a month, a result of Tamil Nadu implementing the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) in a diluted form, say doctors.

On Wednesday, 100 doctors from Vellore, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chennai took leave from duty and observed one-day token fast at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital demanding the implementation of DACP as per the recommendations of a working group to review Government Order 354 and invoke the prospective clause.

DACP at the Central government and a few other States meant promotion and a pay hike for doctors at their 4th, 9th and 13th year of service. As per this, doctors on entering government service are posted as assistant surgeon with a pay of around ₹56,100. In the fourth year, they are promoted as senior surgeon with a hike of ₹10,000.

In the ninth year, they are promoted as civil surgeon with ₹10,000 hike. In the 13th year, they get a hike of ₹40,000 and promotion as chief civil surgeon, A. Ramalingam, convener of the Federation of Government Doctors Association said.

“DACP pay is given exclusively for government doctors. However, when the Tamil Nadu government implemented DACP in 2009, it fixed the promotion and pay hike at 15, 17 and 20 years of service, instead of four, nine and 13 years,” he said. “As a result, we cross the ₹one lakh salary per month after 20 years in service,” he added.

The doctors demanded that the State government bring in an ordinance for allotting 50% of postgraduate seats (specialities and superspecialities) for service quota candidates.

“With NEET, service quota was scrapped. Private candidates and those from other parts of the country are studying PG in Tamil Nadu. So long, the government was stating that if the two Bills seeking exemption from NEET are approved, it will bring back the 50% service quota. Now, with the Bills being rejected, the government should promulgate an ordinance in the Assembly,” he said.

Among other demands, the government doctors demanded conduct of counselling for service PGs and restructuring posts as per the patient load.

Appointment of overqualified persons for govt jobs should be stopped: Madras HC 

Meera Emmanuel July 11 2019 


 
The Madras High Court recently made critical note of the trend of overqualified persons applying for lower grade government jobs. Justice SM Subramniam observed,

"...on account of large scale unemployment problem in our great nation, it is unfortunate that the engineering degree holders, agricultural degree holders and other professional degree holders and the master degree holders are participating in the recruitment process even for Group-4 services and for basic services in Government departments and even in High Court services."

The Court proceeded to emphasise that if such persons were so appointed, it would not only harm the quality of public administration, but it would also take away employment opportunities for others more suited to be employed to the post.

The observations were made in a plea filed by a Mechanical Engineering graduate, who had obtained his BE in 1999, challenging his non-appointment as an Assistant in the Revenue Department. While he had cleared the written examination, he was not cleared for appointment following the interview round.

The Government Order issued for recruitment had stated that those possessing BA/BSc/BCom degrees were eligible for the post. The petitioner contended that when it comes to selection for government services, professional degrees could be equated with Arts degrees. The Court, however, dismissed his plea given that the recruitment notification did not expressly state that BE candidates were eligible for the post.

Further, in view of allied concerns over the proclivity of overqualified persons to settle for lower-grade government jobs, the Court has also directed the state to revise its recruitment policies.

Public Administration deteriorates when overqualified persons are appointed to lower grade posts

The Court observed that the employment of overqualified persons for lower-grade public jobs would adversely affect the quality of public administration. As stated in the order,

"...if over qualified candidates were appointed for performing the duties and responsibilities attached to the Group-4 services and basic services, undoubtedly, efficiency level in the public administration would be brought down. After getting appointment, these over qualified persons are not performing their duties and responsibilities attached to the posts under Group-4 services as well as basic services.

... Acute unemployment issues prompted this over qualified persons to apply for such posts under Group-4 services as well as for the basic services. However, the competent authorities may not be in a position to effectively extract work from these employees with reference to the job responsibility..."

On similar considerations, the Court also added that,

"Equally, candidates, who are possessing under qualification cannot be allowed to perform higher responsibility."

As regards the issues likely to arise if overqualified persons are appointed to low grade posts, the judge pointed towards recruitment of sweepers and other Grade-IV posts to the High Court itself. He observed,

"Even, the Madras High Court administration is facing the similar problems. Sweepers recently appointed for High Court services are the degree holders, diploma holders or master degree holders. The High Court is unable to extract work effectively and efficiently for better administration. These employees are evading to perform duties and responsibilities and they are sometime refusing to perform duties attached to the posts.

At the outset, these over qualified employees are not performing their duties with devotion and in the interest of the public at large. When the spirit of service was not shown by these employees, it would be very difficult by the administrators to perform their duties and responsibilities in a peaceful manner, so as to run administration smoothly."

Similar issues are common when it comes to uniformed services including the states's police force. The Court proceeded to observe,

"Large number of degree holders, professional degree holders, master degree holders are being appointed as Grade-II Police Constables in the Tamil Nadu Police Service. After appointment into police services, they are further preparing only for the competitive examination even during the duty hours. They are mostly associated with the smart phones as well as study materials.

Such an attitude can never be tolerated. No police person during the duty hours should evade the duty or commit dereliction of duty or negligence. Even the police officials are unable to control this, in view of the fact that it would be very difficult for them to control these kind of activities."

Employment of overqualified personnel infringes employment opportunities of suitably qualified candidates

An allied concern raised by the Court was that if overqualified persons are allowed to be appointed to such lower-grade public jobs, those candidates whose qualifications are appropriate for the post would be deprived of opportunities.

"... [The] constitutional rights of the suitable candidates, who are actually qualified for the posts under Group-4 services and last grade services, [would be] infringed and those candidates cannot compete with the over qualified candidates in the matter of performing in the written examination...

...this Court is of the considered opinion that appointments of over qualified persons in the lower posts are to be stopped at once, in order to provide equal opportunity to the unemployed youths, who are all possessing suitable qualification for the particular posts notified."

Review scheme of prescription of educational qualifications

Before parting with the matter, the Court also impleaded the Principal Secretary to the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department of the government with a view to initiate the review of the scheme of prescribing education qualifications for government jobs.

The judge noted,

"Currently, minimum educational qualifications and other related criterias are prescribed by the employers. However, no maximum educational qualifications are prescribed, so as to restrict the opportunity to more suitable candidates. This being the reason, these over qualified persons and professional degree holders are participating in the recruitment process for the posts under Group-4 services as well as basic services...

... [the] prescription of educational qualifications must be in consonance with the job profile and the nature of the posts. The concept of level playing field is to be adopted, while prescribing educational qualifications for the posts under Group-4 services and the basic services"

In order to address the issue highlighted, and given that efficient public administration is a constitutional mandate, the Court has directed the state to review the scheme of prescription of educational qualifications in commensuration with the nature of the jobs.

To this end, the government has been directed to pass suitable Government Orders, prescribing the minimum educational qualifications as well as maximum educational qualifications for government posts.

The Court has further ordered that these directions be carried out by the state within 12 weeks.