IAS officer arrested for scribe’s death in accident

Inebriated Kerala officer rammed bike

04/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 

,THIRUVANTHAPURAM

Sriram Venkitaraman

The Kerala police on Saturday arrested high-profile IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman on the charge of alcohol-impaired, reckless driving resulting in the death of K.M. Basheer, a journalist.

The car allegedly driven by 33-year-old Mr. Venkitaraman slammed Basheer’s motorbike in front of the Public Office Complex around 1 a.m. The victim, bureau chief at the Malayalam newspaper Siraj, was flung off his bike and killed almost instantly.

Mr. Venkitaraman was reportedly returning from a party and was accompanied by a woman friend. He was arrested from a private hospital, where the police had admitted him after the accident, and charged under Section 279 (rash driving) and 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC.

Nurse chases bike, nabs chain snatcher

TNN | Aug 3, 2019, 04.57 AM IST

CHENNAI: A 24-year-old nurse caught a man who tried to snatch her three-sovereign gold chain near Red Hills on Thursday night.

The woman, Vinodhini, works at a private hospital at Gandhi Nagar, Red Hills.

Police said Vinodhini was returning from the hospital at 8pm and took a deserted road to reach a bus stop. Two bike-borne men who followed her snatched her chain and phone. But Vinodhini chased the bike before it gathered speed. She pulled the pillion rider by his t-shirt and brought him down. The rider lost control of the bike and the duo fell off the vehicle. She held on to the pillion rider, who had snatched the chain, and cried out for help. Panicked, the rider sped away. Passersby bashed up the chain snatcher before handing him over to the police.

The Sholavaram police identified him as Govindarajalu, 35, from Kavangarai near Puzhal. He is a repeat offender. Police have launched a hunt for the absconding rider.

NEET coaching: Govt to hold screening test, weekly exams

TNN | Aug 4, 2019, 04.17 AM IST

CHENNAI: After drawing a blank in medical admissions, the school education department has prepared a plan to send more students to MBBS courses next year. It wants to select students for NEET coaching through a screening test and will conduct weekly tests at schools.

As per a circular issued by the directorate of school education, the screening test will be conducted on August 7. “The question paper and answer keys for the test will be sent to chief education officers. They should send the scores to the directorate by August 12,” the circular said. It further instructed conduct of weekly tests for students from government and government-aided schools on Fridays.

The department imparted NEET coaching to 19,355 students at 412 centres across the state. It gave residential coaching to the 2,700-odd students at 14 places.

An official said the screening test was not new and was conducted last year. “We have to select students for coaching classes. But if any student wants to attend coaching, we will accommodate him or her,” the official said

For the past two years, the government has provided NEET coaching in collaboration with Speed Medical Institute. As of now, the department has not tied up with any private agency. “The department has trained teachers and materials to conduct the coaching at schools,” an official said.

This NEET, 32 students trained by government-backed coaching centres scored above 300 compared to just 10 last year. The number of qualified students also increased from 1,333 last year to 2,000-plus. However, no student was able to secure a seat.

“Due to the lack of support from the school education department, many students could not get MBBS seats. We prepared speed learning app, study materials and question banks, but nothing reached them,” said Dr Vinayak Senthil, managing director, Speed Medical Institute. He said the institute incurred a loss of Rs 20 crore for NEET coaching. “Though state government allocated Rs 20 crore for it, we have not received any money. They paid Rs 1.96 crore to the internet service provider as bandwidth charges in April,” he said.

Officials said making payment to the institute was difficult since it did not come through a proper tender process. “They have not given us the desired results. Now they cannot talk about the lack of support and payment,” an official said.

New WhatsApp feature to identify ‘viral content’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:04.08.2019

Instant messaging platform WhatsApp has started rolling out a new feature that will let users identify if the message they have received has been forwarded over five times. The new feature, available both on Android and iOS, had been in the pipeline for over a year.

“We’ve recently introduced an update to our forwarded message label that helps people identify when they’ve received messages that were previously forwarded several times. These highly forwarded messages will be marked with a double arrow icon and users will receive a notice when they are forwarding such a message,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said.

Full report on www.toi.in

‘Need more docs & PHCs to face health challenges’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.08.2019

WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan cycles very often in Geneva, but in her hometown in Chennai she dreads taking her bicycle out, except on weekend mornings, she told a handful of audience, here on Saturday.

The audience comprising senior doctors, health activists and legal experts laughed, but that line summed up the panel discussion, ‘Is India’s vision on healthcare holistic?’, organized by the Chennai International Centre. Insufficient primary health care (PHC) services, scanty human resources and public health policies that don’t meet current needs are some of the challenges facing the healthcare in India, experts said.

“India is ill-prepared to take on the burden of diseases,” she said in her opening remarks. “In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the shift of burden from communicable disease to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) happened in the 1990s. In Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Odisha, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the number of deaths due to NCDs is more than 50%. Yet. many states are not prepared for the new challenge,” she said. “Countries, including Sri Lanka, Bangaldesh, Nepal and Brazil, have better longevity compared to India,” she added.

Former Union health secretary Kesav Desiraju said scarcity of human resources – doctors, nurses, mid-wives and allied health workers – across the country is affecting healthcare services. “We have fewer human resources than we need, and they are not in places where we need them most,” he said. Although more than 70,000 people pass out of medical colleges, not many join government service. “Many mid-wives aren’t able to conduct deliveries. We need innovative policies. The syllabus for nurses hasn’t changed in more than 60 years,” he said.

Health economist and researcher Shailender Swaminathan said the government should monitor outcomes of treatment in private hospitals empanelled under insurance schemes. “Many countries, including the US, monitor performances,” he said. The out-ofpocket expenditure on healthcare too hasn’t come down substantially in many states, he added.

Experts said government’s focus on healthcare should be beyond hospitals. Pointing out the Thailand health model promoting home dialysis, Dr Swaminathan said states here are outsourcing dialysis units in district hospitals to private sector. “There is growing evidence to show that this isn’t making a difference,” she said.

At the end of the session, moderated by Reach director Dr Nalini Krishnan, panellists said India should think of innovative policies such as providing healthy food through PDS system, levying tax on sugar, tobacco and alcohol for health awareness, improving data collection and research, and providing better environment for better lifestyle.

End strike or you may lose jobs, govt tells docs

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:04.08.2019

As doctors of AIIMS and Safdarjung, two central government hospitals, continued to boycott work for the third consecutive day on Saturday in protest against the National Medical Commission Bill, the Union health ministry warned them of punitive action, such as suspension or even termination of service, if they didn’t report to work immediately.

Following the ministry’s direction, the two hospital administrations also issued stern memorandums to the resident doctors asking them to promptly resume work at their respective departments.

In the past three days since the protests over the Bill began, more than 1,000 routine surgeries have been postponed or cancelled across the city’s public hospitals, according to health officials. No new patient is being admitted; doctors are taking care of those already admitted and attending to emergency cases only.

“All members of Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) and student union are hereby directed to resume their duties in their respective departments with immediate effects, failing which strict disciplinary action like suspension/termination of services, vacation of hostel accommodation, etc may be taken,” AIIMS administration said in the memorandum. This was echoed by Dr Sunil Gupta, medical director at Safdarjung Hospital, in another memo random.

Patients and their families are helpless. “What is our fault in all this? I travelled with my 70-year-old father from Dilshad Garden to AIIMS at 7am on Friday because we had an appointment. But when we reached, the doctors simply told us to come on August 14,” Sanjay Paswan, a 34-year-old man, said.

UGLY SCENES: The ongoing protest by doctors outside AIIMS, New Delhi, turned violent on Saturday after a scuffle broke out between them and the cops, injuring a few of them

Athi Varadar: Autos with rate cards to help devotees

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.08.2019

Municipal administration minister S P Velumani on Saturday said rate cards have been displayed in autorickshaws plying around the Devaraja Perumal Temple in Kacheepuram to prevent fleecing of the huge number of devotees visiting for the Athi Varadar festival.

Apress release said the minister chaired a review meeting regarding work to provide basic amenities at the temple. So far, 44 lakh devotees have visited Athi Varadar, with weekends witnessing the highest footfalls of close to three lakh.

Briefing reporters after the meet, Velumani said the number of devotees visiting the temple town is likely to rise in the coming days. “In view of this, 11 two-wheeler parking lots with drinking water and toilet facilities have been set up at a cost of ₹35 lakh. As many as 45 small buses are being operated to ferry devotees from the temporary bus terminuses to the temple,” he said.

Noting that nearly 500 temporary toilets have been established across Kancheepuram for the convenience of visitors, he said about 25 tonnes of solid waste is being cleared on a daily basis. This is apart from the 70 tonnes of waste generated at the town. He further said about 200 lakh litres of water is being distributed at Kancheepuram town everyday.


Minister Velumani said 200 lakh litres of water was being distributed at Kancheepuram town everyday

Despite online system, pregnant women made to visit PHCs for regn

Assigned Nurses Don’t Visit Patients

Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com

Chennai:04.08.2019

R Rathi*, who wanted to register her pregnancy with the state government, thought the system was simple when she filled the online form in the government website under Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME). She was allotted a temporary number and an urban health nurse was allotted to her who was supposed to visit her within seven days. However, days turned into weeks and the nurse was not in sight. She was not available over the phone. Finally, she had to go to the urban primary health care centre (UPHC) where she was asked to bring her documents. Later, she registered her pregnancy.

This is the situation for most pregnant women despite an online system in place. In some cases, nurses call up women and force them to visit the UPHC for registration even if they had registered online.

There are 140 primary health care centres in Chennai and as per norms, for every 10,000 people one nurse is recruited. After Chennai expanded, in some areas for 20,000 people there is one nurse. On an average, every nurse has to register at least 15 pregnancies every month and each PHC has about three to five nurses. However, due to staff shortage, most times only two or three nurses are available and they have other duties such as tuberculosis control programme, vector control programme and other camps.

One nurse who did not want to be named told TOI that she got an allowance of ₹500 for travel but in a city like Chennai, if she had to make at least three visits every day, it took her the whole day and the travel amount wasn’t sufficient.

Dr K Kolandasamy, director of public health department, said PICME was made compulsory to avoid fake pregnancies, fake birth certificates and to keep track of pregnant mothers.

Dr M S Hemalatha, chief medical officer, Greater Chennai Corporation, said they would look into the issue. “We brought the online system to ensure that working women who cannot visit the PHCs between 8am and 3pm get better services. But there are problems as people are not available at the residences and nurses find it difficult to travel,” she said.

*(name changed)

IN RISK OF LOSING SEAT

Prove Indian citizenship in 3 months: HC to med aspirant

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:04.08.2019

For many Indians it might be a dream of their lifetime to get citizenship of the United States of America, but for a Chennai-based teenage girl who is a US citizen by birth, her citizenship has become a roadblock in achieving her dream to pursue medicine in India.

Abirami Anbalagan, who was on the verge of lossing her hard-earned admission to MBBS in ESIC Medical College, KK Nagar, has got some solace after intervention of the Madras high court. Justice G Jayachandran granted her 12 weeks time, as against August 8 deadline fixed by the selection committee, to prove her Indian citizenship and secure her admission. If she fails, with denial of admission, she would be compelled to pay ₹10 lakh to the institution as per the terms of the prospectus.

According to the petitoner, her father was was deputed in the US for over a year while employed in an information technology company. Her mother too accompanied him during his deputation. During their stay her mother gave birth to the petitoner in the US on June 30, 2001. Therefore, the petitoner became the citizen of the country by birth.

In February 2002, the family returned to India and thereafter continued their residence in Chennai. The petitoner completed her entire schooling in Chennai,

qualified NEET 2019 with 455 marks. As she belongs to MBC, she applied for the MBBS counselling in that category and simultaneously applied for Indian citizenship on completion of 18 years.

However, in the first round of counselling her request for MBC quota was rejected since she had not submitted her Indian citizenship certificate. She was treated as overseas citizen of India and assigned only OC category.

When she approached the selection committee, they instructed her to get the transfer certificate from her school with the nationality status as ‘Indian citizenship applied’. After the submission of the certificate, she was alloted a seat in the ESIC medical collage in the second round of counselling.

But she was not allowed to make the payment for the seat and further informed that her allotment would be confirmed once she submits the order passed on her application for Indian citizenship and till then her allotment would be withheld. The committee further infringed her that her citizenship status should be cleared before the mop-up counselling (August 8), failing which the allotment would be cancelled and the seat would be allotted to other eligible candidates during mop-up counselling.

Aggrieved, she has moved the court seeking more time to produce her citizenship certificate. When the petition came up for hearing on Friday, Justice G Jayachendran granted her 12 weeks time to comply.

Customary divorce can never be approved: Madras high court 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

Published Aug 3, 2019, 2:04 am IST

The officials of New India Assurance Company submitted that no enquiry was conducted with reference to the complaint given by Bama.

Madras high court

Chennai: The Madras high court has said, “Customary divorce can never be approved nor recognized by law. The Hindu Marriage Act, which was enacted in the year 1955, recognized such customary divorce and now, after a lapse of 64 years, the practice of granting customary divorce can never be adopted nor be followed and the courts should not approve any such customary divorce granted by few men from the community or the relatives of the husband or wife”.

Justice S.M.Subramaniam gave the ruling while disposing of a petition from Bama (name changed), which sought a direction to the New India Assurance Company Limited to initiate departmental proceedings against her husband for violating the conduct rules.

According to petitioner, the marriage between her and her husband Pandian (name changed) was solemnized on June 9, 1976 at Madurai. Out of the wedlock, she had a girl. While so, her husband had developed an illegal intimacy with one Janaki (name changed), who was a married woman with a living spouse and three children.

Subsequently, he deserted her and her child. She came to understand that the name of Janaki was entered as the wife of her husband. Her litigations for various reliefs went in vain. Finally, she filed the present petition.

The officials of New India Assurance Company submitted that no enquiry was conducted with reference to the complaint given by Bama. However, they had accepted the judgment of the Family Court (Dismissing her petition against entering the name of Janaki as the wife in all his service records based on the customary divorce obtained by her husband) and permitted him to retire from service during the year 2015 and all his terminal and pensionary benefits were also settled. Now, he was receiving pension also, they added.

Holding that the customary divorce obtained by Pandian was null and void, the judge said the judgment of the family court cannot be accepted as a valid dissolution of marriage between the petitioner and her husband. The petitioner was at liberty to approach the competent court for the purpose of claiming maintenance from her husband, the judge added.

Deprecating the act of the officials of the New India Assurance Company in not taking any action on the complaint given by Bama for over 7 years, the judge directed the Regional and Branch (Madurai) Manager of New India Assurance Company to initiate all suitable actions against the officials/employees, who all were accountable and responsible for their negligence, lapse and dereliction of duty in the matter of dealing with the complaint and allowing Pandian to retire from service with all terminal and pensionary benefits.

The judge also directed the two officials to issue circular to all the branches to initiate action against all such complaints or information regarding bigamous marriage etc., and conduct enquiry and institute appropriate actions under the Discipline and Appeal Rules as well as to file criminal case before the competent authority. They were also directed to verify the genuinity or otherwise of the nominations given by the respective employees of the corporation before entering the same in their service records and pension records, the judge added.

பொருளாதாரத்தில் பின்தங்கிய பிரிவினர் சான்று பெற வழிகாட்டி விதிகள் வெளியீடு

By DIN | Published on : 03rd August 2019 02:29 AM


பொதுப் பிரிவினரில் பொருளாதாரத்தில் பின்தங்கிய பிரிவினர் சான்று பெறுவதற்கான வழிகாட்டி விதிகள் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளன.
வருவாய் நிர்வாக ஆணையர் சத்யகோபால் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர்களுக்கு எழுதியுள்ள கடிதத்தின் விவரம்:-

பொருளாதாரத்தில் பின்தங்கிய வகுப்பினர் சான்றிதழைப் பெறுவதற்கு சம்பந்தப்பட்ட மாணவர் அல்லது நபரின் குடும்ப ஆண்டு வருமானம் ரூ.8 லட்சத்துக்குக் கீழ் இருக்க வேண்டும். அதே சமயம், 5 ஏக்கர் விவசாய நிலம் அல்லது அதற்கு அதிகமாக இருந்தாலோ, ஆயிரம் சதுர அடிக்கு அதிகமாக அடுக்குமாடியில் வீடு சொந்தமாக வைத்திருந்தாலோ சான்றிதழ் பெற முடியாது.

இந்தச் சான்றிதழை பெற விரும்பும் மாணவர் அல்லது மாணவியின் வயது 18-க்கு குறைவாக இருக்க வேண்டும். இந்தச் சான்றிதழைப் பெற நினைக்கும் குடும்பத்தினர் கிராமத்திலோ அல்லது நகரத்திலோ இருந்தால் அவர்கள் குறித்து கிராம நிர்வாக அலுவலர் தீவிரமாக விசாரிக்க வேண்டும் என்று தனது கடிதத்தில் சத்யகோபால் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

அத்திவரதர் தரிசனத்துக்கு ஆன்லைனில் முன்பதிவு செய்யலாம்: முழு விவரம் இதோ!

By DIN | Published on : 01st August 2019 12:40 PM |

அத்திவரதர் பெருவிழா தொடங்கிய நாள் முதல் தமிழகமே அத்திவரதரின் நாமத்தைத் தான் இடைவிடாது சொல்லிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது.

கடந்த 31 நாட்களில் 45 லட்சம் மக்கள் அத்திவரதரை தரிசித்துள்ளனர். இன்று முதல் இன்னும் 17 நாட்கள் இருக்கின்றன. இன்னும் எத்தனை லட்சம் பேர் சுவாமி தரிசனம் செய்வார்கள் என்று கணிக்கமுடியவில்லை. ஏற்கனவே சயன கோலத்தில் சுவாமியை தரிசித்தவர்கள் கூட நின்ற கோலத்தில் அவரை தரிசிக்க வருவார்கள் என்று மாவட்ட நிர்வாகம் கருதுகிறது. எனவே கூடுதல் ஏற்பாடுகள் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளன.

இந்த நிலையில், அத்திவரதர் தரிசனத்துக்கு சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனை மற்றும் சிறப்பு தரிசனத்துக்கு ஆன்லைன் மூலம் முன்பதிவு செய்யும் வசதி சிறப்பாக செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது.

வரதராஜப் பெருமாள் கோயிலில் நடைபெறும் இவ்விழாவில் பக்தர்கள் அத்திவரதருக்கு ரூ.500 செலுத்தி சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனை மற்றும் ரூ.300 செலுத்தி சிறப்பு தரிசனத்துக்கு முன்பதிவு செய்துகொள்ள மாவட்ட நிர்வாகமும், அறநிலையத் துறையும் ஏற்பாடு செய்துள்ளன.



நாளொன்றுக்கு 500 பேர் சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனைக்கு அனுமதிக்கப்படுகிறார்கள். இதற்கு 4 நாட்களுக்கு முன்பே முன்பதிவு தொடங்குகிறது. ஒருவருக்கு ரூ.500 செலுத்தி சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனை டிக்கெட் முன்பதிவு செய்தவர்கள் காலை 6.30 மணிக்கு சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனைக்கு அனுமதிக்கப்படுகிறார்கள். இந்த நேரம் கூட்டத்துக்கு ஏற்ப மாறுபடுகிறது. முன்பதிவு செய்யும் போது அதனை உறுதி செய்து கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

www.tnhrce.gov.in என்ற இணையதளத்தில் முன்பதிவு செய்யலாம். இதற்கான முன்பதிவு ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் காலை 10 மணிக்கு தொடங்குகிறது. முன்பதிவு தொடங்கிய சில நிமிடங்களிலேயே ரூ.500 மதிப்பிலான டிக்கெட்டுகள் விற்றுத் தீர்ந்து விடுகின்றன.

சிறப்பு தரிசனத்துக்கும் 4 நாட்களுக்கு முன்பே முன்பதிவு தொடங்குகிறது. ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் முற்பகல் 11 மணிக்கு இதற்கான முன்பதிவு தொடங்குகிறது. ரூ.300 செலுத்தி மாலை 6.30 மணிக்கு மேல் அத்திவரதரை தரிசிக்க முடியும். ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் 1900 டிக்கெட்டுகள் முன்பதிவு செய்யப்படுகிறது. இதற்காக மாலை 6.30 மணிக்கு 950 டிக்கெட்டுகளும், இரவு 8.30 மணி தரிசனத்துக்கு 950 டிக்கெட்டுகளும் முன்பதிவு செய்யப்படுகிறது.

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



இதில் ஒரு முறையில் 4 பேருக்கு மட்டுமே டிக்கெட் முன்பதிவு செய்ய முடியும். ஒவ்வொருவரின் ஆதார் எண்ணும் அவசியம். முன்பதிவு என்ற இடத்தில் கிளிக் செய்து அனைத்து விவரங்களையும் அளிக்க வேண்டும். இடையே ADD என்ற இடத்தைக் கிளிக் செய்து குடும்ப உறுப்பினர்களின் பெயர்களையும் சேர்த்து, கேப்சாவை சரியாகப் பதிவு செய்து சமர்ப்பித்தால், பணம் செலுத்துவதற்கான வாய்ப்பு வரும். அதன் மூலம் உரிய பணத்தை செலுத்த வேண்டும்.



பணம் செலுத்தியதும் உரிய ஆதாரம் கிடைக்கப் பெறவில்லை என்றாலும் கவலைப்பட வேண்டாம். அதற்காகவும் ஒருதனி பிரிவு உள்ளது. அதில் ஆதார் எண் மற்றும் செல்போன் எண்ணைப் பதிவு செய்தால் நீங்கள் செலுத்திய பணத்துக்கான முன்பதிவு டிக்கெட்டுகள் பிடிஎஃப் வடிவில் கிடைக்கும். அதனை பிரிண்ட் எடுத்துக் கொள்ளலாம்.



ஒரே நேரத்தில் ஏராளமானோர் ஆன்லைன் மூலம் முன்பதிவு செய்ய குவிவதால், சில முறைகள் உங்கள் சமர்ப்பிப்பு நிராகரிக்கப்படலாம். தொடர்ந்து முயற்சி செய்தால் நிச்சயம் முன்பதிவு டிக்கெட்டை பதிவு செய்ய முடியும்.



முன்பதிவு தேதியை பதிவு செய்யும் பயனாளர்களால் மாற்ற முடியாது. இன்று பதிவு செய்ய நீங்கள் முயற்சித்தால் நான்கு நாட்களுக்குப் பிறகான தேதியில்தான் முன்பதிவு செய்ய முடியும். அதுவும் சனி மற்றும் ஞாயிறுகளில் இந்த தரிசனங்களுக்கு அனுமதி இல்லை.

ஒரு சில நாட்கள் முன்பதிவு தொடங்கிய 10 நிமிடங்களில் கூட முன்பதிவு முடிந்து விடுகிறது என்பதுதான் ஆச்சரியம்.

எங்கே மனசாட்சியின் குரல்?
By ஆசிரியர் | Published on : 02nd August 2019 01:47 AM 

ரத்தத்தை உறைய வைக்கிறது உன்னாவ் பாலியல் வன்கொடுமை சம்பவமும், அதைத் தொடர்ந்து நடந்து வரும் நீதிக்கான போராட்டமும். பதவி பலம் உள்ளவர்களுக்கு எதிராக சாமானியக் குடிமகன் வழக்கைப் பதிவு செய்வதற்குக்கூட எதிர்கொள்ள வேண்டிய போராட்டத்தையும், அரசியல் அதிகாரம் படைத்தவர்களால் எப்படி அடிப்படை சட்ட நடைமுறைகளைக்கூட மாற்ற முடியும் என்பதையும் எடுத்துரைக்கிறது.
குல்தீப் சிங் செங்கர் என்பவர் பாரதிய ஜனதா கட்சியின் உத்தரப் பிரதேச சட்டப்பேரவை உறுப்பினர். 2002 முதல் தொடர்ந்து நான்கு முறையாக சட்டப்பேரவைக்குத் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்படுபவர். ஒருமுறை சமாஜவாதி கட்சி உறுப்பினராகவும் இருந்தவர். வேலைக்காகப் பரிந்துரைக் கடிதம் கேட்டு ஒரு பெண் அவரிடம் சென்றார். 

அந்தப் பெண்ணை - அப்போது அவர் மைனர் - செங்கரும் அவரது சகோதரரும் பாலியல் வன்கொடுமைக்கு உள்ளாக்கி இருக்கிறார்கள். இது நடந்தது கடந்த 2017-ஆம் ஆண்டு ஏப்ரல் மாதம்.
பாதிக்கப்பட்ட அந்தப் பெண், தனக்கிழைக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் அநீதிக்கு எதிராக வெகுண்டெழுந்திருக்கிறார். அரசியல் செல்வாக்குடையவர்கள் என்று தெரிந்தும், செங்கருக்கும் அவரது சகோதரருக்கும் எதிராகக் காவல்நிலையத்தில் புகார் அளித்திருக்கிறார். அவரது வாக்குமூலத்தைப் பதிவு செய்த காவல் நிலையத்தினர், குற்றவாளிகளின் பெயரைக்கூட அதில் குறிப்பிடவில்லை என்றால் பார்த்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள்.

ஏறத்தாழ ஓராண்டாகியும் தாங்கள் கொடுத்த புகார் மீது எந்தவித நடவடிக்கையும் எடுக்கப்படவில்லை என்பதால், அது குறித்து விளக்கம் கேட்க முற்பட்டார் அந்தப் பெண்ணின் தந்தை. அதுதான் அவர் செய்த குற்றம். அவர்மீது பொய் வழக்கு சாட்டப்பட்டு கைது செய்யப்பட்டார். போலீஸ் காவலில் இருந்த அந்தப் பெண்ணின் தந்தையை, செங்கரின் சகோதரரும், கூட்டாளியும் அடித்தே கொன்றிருக்கிறார்கள். போலீஸ் காவலில் இருந்த ஒருவர் ஏன், எப்படி கொல்லப்பட்டார் என்பது குறித்துக்கூட முறையான விசாரணை நடத்தப்படவில்லை.

தனக்குக் காவல் துறையினரிடம் நீதி கிடைக்காது என்பதை உணர்ந்த அந்தப் பெண், உத்தரப் பிரதேசத் தலைநகர் லக்னெளவுக்குச் சென்று, முதல்வர் யோகி ஆதித்யநாத்தின் வீட்டில் முன்னால் தீக்குளிக்க முற்பட்டபோதுதான், அந்தப் பிரச்னைக்கு ஊடக வெளிச்சம் கிடைத்தது. மக்கள் மன்றம் அந்தப் பிரச்னை குறித்து நிமிர்ந்து உட்கார்ந்து சிந்திக்கத் தொடங்கியது. அந்த அளவுக்கு நமது சமுதாயம் மரத்துப்போயிருக்கிறது என்பதன் அடையாளம் இது.

பொது வெளியில் எழுந்த விமர்சனங்களைத் தொடர்ந்து, முதல் தகவல் அறிக்கை பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டது. சிபிஐ விசாரணைக்கு வழக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டது. செங்கர் கைது செய்யப்பட்டார். ஆனால், அந்த வழக்கை அடுத்தகட்டத்துக்கு எடுத்துச் செல்ல வேண்டிய சிபிஐ, அதைக் கிடப்பில் போட்டது. அந்தப் பெண்ணுக்கு ஒரே ஆதரவாக இருந்த மாமாவின் மீது காவல் துறை ஒரு வழக்கை ஜோடித்து அவரை சிறையில் தள்ளியது.
ரேபரேலியில் உள்ள சிறையில் அடைக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் மாமாவைச் சந்திக்க அந்தப் பெண்ணும், அவரது இரண்டு சித்திமார்களும், வழக்குரைஞரும் காரில் சென்று கொண்டிருந்தார்கள். அந்தக் காரில் ஒரு லாரி பலமாக மோதி ஏற்படுத்திய விபத்தில் இரண்டு சித்திகளும் சம்பவ இடத்திலேயே உயிரிழந்தனர். அந்தப் பெண்ணும் அவரது வழக்குரைஞரும் மருத்துவமனையில் உயிருக்குப் போராடிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள்.
இப்போதுதான் சிபிஐ விழித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது. நீதிமன்றம் விழித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது. உத்தரப் பிரதேச அரசு விழித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது. ஊடகங்களும், சமூக ஆர்வலர்களும் விழித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள். இந்திய ஜனநாயகம் எப்படிச் செயல்படுகிறது என்பதன் அடையாளம் இது.

காரில் மோதிய வாகனத்தின் எண் பலகை அழிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. அந்த வாகனத்தின் வேகமும், விதிகளை மீறித் தவறான பாதையில் வந்து மோதியிருக்கும் விதமும் இதற்குப் பின்னால் சதி இருப்பதை உறுதி செய்கிறது. ஆனால், உத்தரப் பிரதேச காவல் துறையைப் பொருத்தவரை, இது வெறும் சாலை விபத்தாகத்தான் தெரிகிறது. முதல் தகவல் அறிக்கையில் லாரியின் ஓட்டுநர் பெயரும், அந்த வாகனத்தின் உரிமையாளர் பெயரும்கூட இடம்பெறவில்லை என்பதை என்னவென்பது?
செங்கரின் ஆட்களால் தங்களுக்கு இருக்கும் பாதுகாப்பு அச்சம் குறித்தும், நீதி கேட்டும் உச்சநீதிமன்றத் தலைமை நீதிபதிக்கு அந்தப் பெண்ணின் தாயார் கடந்த ஜூலை 12-ஆம் தேதி எழுதிய கடிதம் அவரது பார்வைக்கே கொண்டு செல்லப்படவில்லை. கடந்த ஜனவரி மாதமே, இந்த வழக்கை வேறு மாநிலத்துக்கு மாற்றும்படி கோரி அவர் எழுதிய மனுவும் தலைமை நீதிபதியிடம் போய்ச் சேரவில்லை. உச்சநீதிமன்றத்தின் நிலைமையே இப்படி என்றால், இந்தியாவில் நடப்பது மக்களாட்சியா இல்லை, மாஃபியா ஆட்சியா என்று கேள்வி எழுப்பாமல் இருக்க முடியவில்லை.
உச்சநீதிமன்றம் தலையிட்டிருக்கிறது. வழக்கு தில்லிக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. இதற்கான இழப்பீடு வழங்க உத்தரவிடப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. நரேந்திர மோடி அரசும், பாஜகவும் இந்தப் பிரச்னையை எப்படி கையாள்கிறது என்பதைப் பொருத்துத்தான் அவர்கள் மீதான நம்பகத்தன்மையும், ஜனநாயகத்தின் மீதான நம்பிக்கையும் உறுதிப்படும்.

கடந்த மக்களவையில் 26% உறுப்பினர்கள் மீது கிரிமினல் வழக்குகள் இருந்தன. 2019-இல் அமைந்த 17-ஆவது மக்களவையில் 43% உறுப்பினர்கள் கிரிமினல் குற்றப்பின்னணி உடையவர்கள். இவர்கள்தான் சட்டமியற்றுகிறார்கள்!

திருவாரூர் தேரில் இருந்து விழுந்த அர்ச்சகர் படுகாயம்

Added : ஆக 03, 2019 02:11

திருவாரூர்:தியாகராஜர் கோவில் ஆடிப்பூர உற்சவ, தேரோட்டத்தின்போது, தேரில் இருந்து தவறி விழுந்த அர்ச்சகர் படுகாயமடைந்தார்.

திருவாரூர் தியாகராஜர் கோவில் ஆடிப்பூர உற்சவ விழா, 24ம் தேதி கொடியேற்றத்துடன் துவங்கியது. நேற்று இரவு, கமலாம்பாள் தேரோட்டம் நடந்தது. நேற்று மாலை, 6:00 மணிக்கு, நிலையில் இருந்து புறப்பட்ட தேர், நான்கு வீதிகள் வழியாக வலம் வந்து, இரவு, 8:30 மணிக்கு நிலைக்கு வந்தது.இதைத் தொடர்ந்து, ஏராளமான பக்தர்கள், தேரில் ஏறி, அம்பாளை தரிசனம் செய்தனர். 

அப்போது, தேரில் அர்ச்சகர் முரளி, 56, அம்பாளுக்கு தீபாராதனை காட்டினார்.பின், தேரில் இருந்து சுவாமியை இறக்குவதற்கு முன், தீபாராதனை காட்டும்போது, கால் தடுமாறி, தேரிலிருந்து விழுந்தார்.படுகாயம் அடைந்த முரளி, திருவாரூர் அரசு மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனையில் சேர்க்கப்பட்டார். அங்கு முதலுதவி செய்யப்பட்ட பின், மேல்சிகிச்சைக்காக, தஞ்சாவூர் தனியார் மருத்துவமனைக்கு கொண்டு செல்லப்பட்டார்.

தேர்தல் பணியில் ஈடுபட்ட அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு மதிப்பூதியம்

Added : ஆக 03, 2019 01:39

சென்னை:லோக்சபா பொதுத் தேர்தலில் பணியாற்றிய, வருவாய் துறை ஊழியர்களுக்கு, மதிப்பூதியம் நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
தேர்தல் அலுவலர்களாக, உதவி தேர்தல் அலுவலர்களாக பணிபுரிந்த, மாவட்ட வருவாய் அலுவலர், தேர்தல் தாசில்தார், மண்டல தாசில்தார், தாசில்தார் போன்றோருக்கு, அவர்களின், ஒரு மாத அடிப்படை சம்பளம் அல்லது, 33 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. இதில், எது குறைவோ, அந்தத் தொகை வழங்கப்படும்.

பறக்கும் படை, நிலை கண்காணிப்பு குழு, வீடியோ கண்காணிப்பு குழு போன்றவற்றில் இருந்த, கோட்டாட்சியர், தாசில்தார், மாநகராட்சி கமிஷனர், நகராட்சி கமிஷனர் போன்றோருக்கு, ஒரு மாத அடிப்படை சம்பளம் அல்லது, 24 ஆயிரத்து, 500 ரூபாய்; இதில் எது குறைவோ, அது வழங்கப்படும்.

கிராம நிர்வாக அலுவலர்கள், கிராம உதவியாளர்கள் ஆகியோருக்கு, அடிப்படை சம்பளத்தில், 50 சதவீதம் அல்லது, 17 ஆயிரத்து, 500 ரூபாய்; எது குறைவோ, அது வழங்கப்படும். கம்ப்யூட்டர் பணியாளர்களுக்கு, 17 ஆயிரத்து, 500 ரூபாய்; தேர்தல் தகவல் ஆப்பரேட்டர்களுக்கு, 7,000 ரூபாய், பிரிவு எழுத்தர்களுக்கு, 5,000 ரூபாய் நிர்ணயிக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது.

இத்தொகையை வழங்க, எவ்வளவு நிதி தேவை என்ற விபரத்தை, 10ம் தேதிக்குள் அனுப்பும்படி, அனைத்து மாவட்ட தேர்தல் அலுவலர்களுக்கு, தமிழகத் தலைமை தேர்தல் அதிகாரி, சத்யபிரதா சாஹு, கடிதம் அனுப்பி உள்ளார்.

பண்டிகை கால முன்பணம் உயர்வு

Added : ஆக 03, 2019 00:50

சென்னை:அரசு ஊழியர்கள் மற்றும் ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு, பண்டிகை கால முன்பணம், 5,000 ரூபாயை, 10 ஆயிரம் ரூபாயாக உயர்த்தி வழங்க, அரசு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

'ஒரு அரசுக்கு அச்சாணியாக திகழ்பவர்கள், அரசு ஊழியர்கள். அவர்கள் நலனில், அக்கறை கொண்டது, ஜெயலலிதா அரசு.அந்த அடிப்படையில், அரசு ஊழியர்கள் மற்றும் ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு, தற்போது பண்டிகை கால முன் பணமாக, 5,000 ரூபாய் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இது, 10 ஆயிரம் ரூபாயாக, உயர்த்தி வழங்கப்படும்' என, துணை முதல்வர் பன்னீர்செல்வம், சட்டசபையில் அறிவித்தார்.

அதன்படி, பண்டிகை முன்பணமாக, 10 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் வழங்க, தமிழக அரசு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது. இதற்கான அரசாணையை, நிதித்துறை செயலர், கிருஷ்ணன் பிறப்பித்துள்ளார்.

ஸ்ரீவி.,ஆண்டாள் கோயிலில் நாளை ஆடித்தேரோட்டம்

Added : ஆக 03, 2019 02:07


ஸ்ரீவில்லிபுத்துார்:ஆண்டாள் கோயிலில் நாளை (ஆக.4 ) ஆடிப்பூர தேரோட்டம் நடக்கிறது.

ஜூலை 27ல் கொடியேற்றத்துடன் துவங்கிய விழாவில் தினமும் காலையில் ஆண்டாள், ரெங்கமன்னார் மண்டபம் எழுந்தருளலும், இரவில் வீதிஉலா நடந்தது. இன்று மதுரை அழகர்கோயில் மற்றும் ஸ்ரீரங்கம் ெரங்கநாதர் கோயில் பரிவட்டங்கள் கொண்டுவரபட்டு ஆண்டாளுக்கு சூட்டப்படுகிறது.

முக்கிய நிகழ்ச்சியான ஆடிப்பூர தேரோட்டம் நாளை(ஆக.4) நடக்கிறது. அன்றுஅதிகாலை 5:00 மணிக்கு ஆண்டாள், ரெங்கமன்னார் தேருக்கு எழுந்தருளல் நடக்கிறது. காலை 8:05 மணிக்கு தேரினை பக்தர்கள் வடம்பிடித்து இழுக்கும் நிகழ்ச்சி துவங்குகிறது. தமிழகம் மட்டுமின்றி ஆந்திரா, கேரளா, கர்நாடாக மாநிலங்களை சேர்ந்த ஏராளமான பக்தர்களும் கோயிலுக்கு வந்துள்ளனர். ஏற்பாடுகளை தக்கார் ரவிசந்திரன், செயல் அலுவலர் இளங்கோவன் செய்துள்ளனர்.

மருத்துவ படிப்பை கைவிட்டால் ரூ.10 லட்சம் அபராதம் கட்டணும்

Added : ஆக 03, 2019 01:24





சென்னை:'எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., - பி.டி.எஸ்., படிப்புகளை பாதியில் கைவிட்டால், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய் அபராதம் செலுத்த வேண்டும்' என, மருத்துவ கல்வி இயக்ககம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகளில், எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., - பி.டி.எஸ்., படிப்புக்கான கவுன்சிலிங் முடிந்து விட்டது. இதில், மாநில ஒதுக்கீட்டில் உள்ள அனைத்து இடங்களும் நிரம்பின. கல்லுாரியில் சேர்ந்த மாணவர்கள், படிப்பை பாதியில் கைவிட்டால், 1 லட்சம் முதல், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வரை, அபராதம் விதிக்கப்படும் என, மருத்துவ கல்வி இயக்ககம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து, மருத்துவ கல்வி இயக்ககம் வெளியிட்ட அறிக்கை:அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் மருத்துவ கல்லுாரிகளில், எம்.பி.பி.எஸ்., படிப்புக்கு இடங்கள் பெற்ற மாணவர்கள், படிப்பை தொடர விரும்பாவிட்டால், இன்றைக்குள் இடத்தை திரும்ப ஒப்படைக்கலாம்.நாளை மற்றும் நாளை மறுநாள், படிப்பை கைவிடுவதென்றால், 1 லட்சம் ரூபாய் அபராதம் செலுத்த வேண்டும். மேலும், 6ம் தேதிக்கு மேல், படிப்பை கைவிட்டால், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய் அபராதம் செலுத்த வேண்டும்.

அதேபோல், பி.டி.எஸ்., படிப்பில் இடங்கள் பெற்றவர்கள், படிப்பை தொடர விரும்பாவிட்டால், நாளைக்குள் படிப்பை கைவிடலாம்.வரும், 5, 6ம் தேதிகளில் படிப்பை கைவிடுவதென்றால், 1 லட்சம் ரூபாய்; 7ம் தேதிக்கு மேல் படிப்பை கைவிட்டால், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய் அபராதம் செலுத்த வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

பி.ஆர்க்., கவுன்சிலிங் தேதிகள் அறிவிப்பு

Added : ஆக 03, 2019 00:53


சென்னை:பி.ஆர்க்., மாணவர் சேர்க்கைக்கான, கவுன்சிலிங் தேதி அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. 

அண்ணா பல்கலை இணைப்பில் உள்ள, இன்ஜினியரிங் கல்லுாரிகளில், மாணவர் சேர்க்கைக்கான, கவுன்சிலிங் நடந்து முடிந்துள்ளது. இதில், 83 ஆயிரத்து, 396 இடங்கள் நிரம்பின. இதை தொடர்ந்து, 'ஆர்கிடெக்ட்' என்ற, கட்டட வடிவமைப்பு கலை படிப்புக்கு, மாணவர் சேர்க்கை துவங்கியுள்ளது.அண்ணா பல்கலை இணைப்பில் உள்ள, 50க்கும் மேற்பட்ட, ஆர்கிடெக்ட் கல்லுாரிகளில், பி.ஆர்க்., படிப்பில் மாணவர்கள் சேர்க்கப்படுகின்றனர். இதற்கான, 'ஆன்லைன்' விண்ணப்பப்பதிவு, ஏற்கனவே முடிந்தது.

இதையடுத்து, கவுன்சிலிங் நடத்தும் தேதி, நேற்று அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது. வரும், 6ம் தேதி, கவுன்சிலிங் துவங்க உள்ளது. முதல் நாளில், சிறப்பு பிரிவினருக்கும், பின், 7 மற்றும் 8ம் தேதிகளில், பொது பிரிவு மாணவர்களுக்கும், கவுன்சிலிங் நடத்தப்படுகிறது.சென்னை, தரமணியில் உள்ள, மத்திய பாலிடெக்னிக் கல்லுாரி வளாகத்தில் நடக்கும் கவுன்சிலிங்கில், மாணவர்கள் நேரடியாக பங்கேற்க வேண்டும். மதிப்பெண் விபரங்கள், ஜாதி மற்றும் பள்ளி சான்றிதழ்களை, முன்கூட்டியே தயார் செய்து கொள்ள வேண்டும்.மேலும் விபரங்களை, தமிழ்நாடு இன்ஜினியரிங் கவுன்சிலிங் கமிட்டியின், tneaonline.in என்ற, இணையதளத்தில் தெரிந்து கொள்ளலாம்.

திருப்பதி லட்டின் வயது 302

Added : ஆக 03, 2019 00:00

திருப்பதி:திருமலை ஏழுமலையானுக்கு, பிரசாதமாக படைக்கப்படும், லட்டின் வயது, 302 வருடங்கள் என, தேவஸ்தானம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

திருமலை ஏழுமலையானுக்கு, விசேஷ பிரசாதமாக படைக்கப்படுவது லட்டு. இந்த லட்டு, கடலை மாவு, சர்க்கரை, நெய், ஏலக்காய், பச்சை கற்பூரம், பாதாம், முந்திரி ஆகியவைகளை, குறிப்பிட்ட அளவில் சேர்த்து தயாரிக்கப்படுகிறது.திருமலையில், தினசரி, 2 லட்சம் முதல், 3 லட்சம் எண்ணிக்கையில் லட்டு பிரசாதங்கள் தயாரிக்கப்படுகிறது. உற்சவ நாட்களில், 5 லட்சம் லட்டுகள் வரை, சேமிப்பில் வைக்கப்படும்.

இந்த லட்டு நிவேதனம், ஏழுமலையானுக்கு, 1715ம் ஆண்டு, ஆக.2ல், துவக்கப்பட்டது. இந்நிலையில், லட்டு பிரசாதத்திற்கு, இன்று, 302 வயதாகிறது.கடந்த, 2009ல், திருமலை லட்டு பிரசாதத்திற்கு, புவிசார் குறியீடும் வழங்கப்பட்டது. லட்டு பிரசாத விற்பனை மூலம், தேவஸ்தானத்திற்கு, மாதம் ஒரு கோடி ரூபாய் வருமானம் கிடைத்து வருவது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது. லட்டு படைத்ததற்கு முன், திருமலை ஏழுமலையானுக்கு, வடை முக்கிய பிரசாதமாக படைக்கப்பட்டு வந்தது.

Indian students win World Debating Championship

Five-member team from Chennai, Mumbai and Jaipur underwent gruelling preparation with varied research

03/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

Winning team: Saranya Ravindran, Bhavya Shah, Tejas Subramaniam, Prithvi Arun and Manya Gupta won the World Schools Debating Championships 2019 held in Thailand. R. Ragu

An Indian team emerged world champion at the World Debating Championships 2019, defeating Canada, with Tejas Subramaniam of the Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan (PSBB) School, Chennai, adjudged the best speaker.

The five-member Indian team included Tejas Subramaniam (PSBB School), Bhavya Shah (a visually impaired student from the Rao Junior College of Science, Mumbai), Manya Gupta (Neerja Modi School, Jaipur), Saranya Ravindran (also from PSBB School, Chennai) and Prithvi Arun (Sri Sankara Senior Secondary School, Chennai). The tournament, which was held in Thailand, saw 600 participants from 64 nations, and the Indian team reportedly did not lose a single round. After an elaborate selection process, the five students were chosen by the Indian Schools Debating Society (ISDS) and trained for months.

Tejas Subramaniam, a Class XII student says, for seven months, they attempted 140 debates on various topics. “We had to research feminism, sports and environment, sit for training in video calls, and listen to lectures on finance and developmental economics. It was gruelling training but everything paid off in the end,” he said.

For Bhavya Shah, a Class XII student and the first visually impaired debater in an Indian team, the world of debating, rebuttal, reasoning and arguments were rather new before he applied to get on the team. In the quarter finals, the team faced Pakistan on the topic ‘This House supports China’s attempts at becoming a dominant global power’. When a member of the Pakistan team said they supported China as it was the Avengers of the global south, Mr. Shah, known for his humour, shot back, “If you think China are the Avengers, I marvel that.”

P.R. Venketrama Raja, Chairman of the Ramco Group, which sponsors the ISDS, said: “There should be reason rather than rhetoric and emotions. Debaters may have opinions, but since they have been trained to have both points of view, they may never get offended because someone is differing from their opinions.”

Karnataka to HC: 41 children are with their prisoner-mothers
There are 641 women prisoners; overcrowding in State prisons pegged at 11%

03/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,BENGALURU

There are 41 children — 24 boys and 17 girls — below the age of six accompanying their mothers in 12 prisons of the State, the government informed the High Court of Karnataka on Friday.

While pointing out that there are 641 women prisoners — 437 undertrials and 204 convicted, the Superintendent of Prisons, Headquarters, office of the Director-General of Prisons and Correctional Services, stated in an affidavit that diet and clothing to the children in the age groups of zero to three and three to six, and facilities to pregnant and lactating women prisoners have been provided by amending the Karnataka Prison Rules and Manuals in 2006 on the directions of the Supreme Court.

The affidavit was filed before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice A.S. Bellunke during the hearing of a PIL petition, initiated suo motu by the High Court on the issues of overcrowding of prisons, medical and other facilities available for prisoners, including women prisoners, etc.

While pointing out that authorised capacity of nine central prisons, 21 district prisons, 29 taluk prisons and one open prison is 13,622, it has been stated in the affidavit that total inmates lodged in these prisons as on July 22, 2019 is 15,257, which amounts to overall overcrowding of 11%.

However, the percentage of overcrowding in individual central and district prisons ranges between 101 and 276 against the actual capacity of each prison. While Raichur district prison has overcrowding of 101%, Gadag district prison as the highest overcrowding of 267%. The overcrowding is 160% in Bengaluru Central Prison, 168% in Mysuru Central Prison, 193% in Vijayapura Central Prison, and 173% in Kalaburagi Central Prison.

Apart from allowing interview facilities for prisoners, landline phones are provided for communication as per the Prison Manuals and Rules, and a proposal for video calling facility with family members was submitted to the government in December 2018, the affidavit stated.

New diet for prisoners was introduced in 2014 by providing varieties of breakfasts, midday and evening meals for labouring adult and non-labouring adults, and special diet such as mutton once a week for non-vegetarian prisoners, sweets for vegetarians, and fish meal in coastal areas is being provided. Steam cooking units have been installed in central and district prisons, it was stated in the affidavit.

HC: Temples are not commercial spaces

‘Gratuity to employees not under Gratuity Act, but under State’s law’

03/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, ,BENGALURU

Declaring that a temple is not a “commercial establishment” and does not come within the meaning of an “establishment” under provisions of the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (KS&CE) Act, 1961, the Karnataka High Court has held that employees of a temple in Karnataka are not entitled to gratuity under Payments of Gratuity (PG) Act, 1972.

The court said the employees are entitled to gratuity under provisions of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment (KHRI&CE) Act, 1997, and not under the PG Act, 1972, as the the Union government has not notified temples as an “establishment” under this law, and the State government too has not notified temples as an “establishment” under provisions of the KS&CE Act, 1961.

A three-judge bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Justice K.N. Phaneendra and Justice B.A. Patil delivered the verdict on August 1 while partly allowing an appeal by Shri Mookambika temple in Kolluru.

The temple had questioned the orders, passed by labour authorities in 2011-12 to pay gratuity of ₹2.91 lakh with 10% interest under the PG Act, 1972 to an employee, Raviraja Shetty, who was relived from work on attaining superannuation in 2005.

The bench also set aside a 2012 verdict of a division bench in the case of the management of Sri Venkataramana temple and Sri Hale Mariyamma temple at Kaup in Udupi district, which had said that employees of temples are entitled to gratuity under the Payments of Gratuity (PG) Act while relying on a Odisha High Court judgement in a case pertaining to the Sri Jagannatha temple.

The three-judge bench pointed out that the Odisha HC’s verdict is not applicable to Karnataka as Odisha’s law on shops and establishments included a “temple trust” under “establishments” unlike the KS&CE Act, 1961.

Observing that “a temple is a place of religious worship or meant for a religious purpose which includes worship of deities or worship in temples, mandirs, shrines, samadhis, brindavanas, gadduges or similar places installing shrines, samadhis, brindavanas, gadduges or similar places fostering spiritual fraternity, imparting spiritual, moral and religious education and teaching of philosophy, observance of religious festivals and any other public religious purpose,” the three-judge bench said that “a temple cannot be any stretch of imagination be construed as an establishment” under KS&CE Act, 1961.

The three-judge bench also held that the KHRI&CE Act, 1997, being a special enactment and had received the President’s nod, prevails over the PG Act, 1972, which is a general enactment, in the matter of payment of gratuity to employees of temples in Karnataka.

The bench directed the temple to pay gratuity as per KHRI&CE Act, 1997 to Mr. Raviraja Shetty within four weeks.

2 Bengaluru institutions fail to get IoE status

03/08/2019,NEW DELHI

The UGC has recommended 20 institutions for the grant of the Institute of Eminence (IoE) status. Two Bengaluru-based institutions, Azim Premji University and the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, have failed to get the tag.

Saudi women allowed to travel independently

King amends guardianship policy

03/08/2019, ASSOCIATED PRESS,DUBAI

Women over the age of 21 can travel abroad without prior consent. REUTERSFaisal Nasser

Saudi Arabia on Friday published new laws that loosen restrictions on women by allowing all citizens, women and men alike, to apply for a passport and travel freely, ending a long-standing guardianship policy that had controlled women’s freedom of movement.

The development is a potential game-changer for Saudi women’s rights.

The kingdom’s legal system has long been criticised because it treated adult women as minors and required them to get a man’s consent to obtain a passport or travel abroad. Often a woman’s male guardian is her father or husband, and in some cases a woman’s son.

The changes were widely celebrated by Saudis on Twitter, with many posting memes showing people dashing to the airport with luggage and others hailing the 33-year-old Crown Prince believed to be the force behind these moves. But the changes also drew backlash from conservatives, who posted clips of senior Saudi clerics in past years arguing in favour of guardianship laws.

Other reform measures

Other changes issued in the decrees allow women to register a marriage, divorce or a child’s birth, and obtain official family documents, which could ease hurdles women faced in obtaining a national identity card and enrolling their children in school.

Women are now also allowed to be legal guardians of their children, a right previously held only by men.

Still in place, however, are rules that require male consent for a woman to leave prison, exit a domestic abuse shelter or marry. Women, unlike men, still cannot pass on citizenship to their children and cannot provide consent for their children to marry.

Rights over children

Under the Kingdom’s guardianship system, women essentially relied on the “good will” and whims of male relatives to determine the course of their lives. There were cases, for example, of young Saudi women whose parents are divorced, but whose father is the legal guardian, being unable to accept scholarships to study abroad because they did not have permission to travel.

Amnesty International said Friday a lot remains to be done for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia but that the new laws could ease the guardianship system. Guardianship laws have “been a stifling system in the daily lives of women in Saudi Arabia,” said Lynn Malouf, West Asia’s research director at Amnesty.

The new rules, approved by King Salman and his Cabinet, allow any person 21 and older to travel abroad without prior consent and any citizen to apply for a Saudi passport on their own.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the new rules go into effect immediately.

Varsities to write to UGC on Hindi

03/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER ,BENGALURU

Various State-run universities in Karnataka have decided to write to the University Grants Commission (UGC) stating it is not practical to make Hindi mandatory for all students. This assertion follows an admission by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in Parliament about seeking the opinion and suggestions of universities regarding teaching Hindi.

A senior official in the Higher Education Department said that the issue would be discussed at the next meeting of the Karnataka State Higher Education Council, and Vice Chancellors will be told to submit their opinions in writing to the UGC.

There has been opposition to imposition of Hindi by several southern States, including Karnataka.

‘Dead’ man comes back to life in Assam morgue

03/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,  GUWAHATI

A middle-aged man allegedly declared dead came back to life in the ‘morgue’ of a hospital in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district.

Suffering from an unknown disease, the man identified as Mohammed Hussain was admitted to the Tinsukia Civil Hospital on Wednesday.

“The hospital authorities told us he had died. We found him alive when we went to collect his body today [Friday],” the man’s wife, declining to be named, said.

Hospital superintendent N.C. Mahanta denied lapses on the part of his medical team. However, locals raised slogans and demanded a probe into the alleged negligence.

Patient mix-up

“First of all, we do not have a morgue. We have an isolated ward where we keep patients brought by the police. Secondly, one of the three patients who died today was also named Md. Hussain. Our staff thought he was the other Md. Hussain,” he said.

The confusion arose because the hospital also keeps dead bodies in the isolation ward.

Technical snag delayed payment of salary: A.P.

The Finance Department denies rumours that fund crunch is the reason

03/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER,VIJAYAWADA

Barely three months into its term, the Andhra Pradesh government is faced with criticism that salaries and pensions are not paid on time. Social media platforms were agog on Friday following reports that the government could not pay the salaries due to paucity of funds.

A couple of news channels too picked up the issue, creating confusion among employees and giving credence to the tittle-tattle being circulated on social media.

The employees’ associations, in private, feel that the paucity of funds was in fact the reason, though there was also a technical snag in the system.

“A majority of employees did not receive salaries. Same is the case with pensioners,” said an association leader on condition of anonymity. The associations said salaries were being credited from 8.30 a.m. and a clear picture would emerge by Saturday.

The State government, in a damage control exercise, issued a statement saying, “Some TV channels and social media are spreading rumours that the salaries for government employees have not been paid due to lack of funds, but it is not correct.”

‘Standard practice’

The Finance Department, in the statement, clarified that paucity of funds was not the reason. Usually, payments are made through ‘e-kuber’ or the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on the first day of every month. The details were sent to the RBI on July 31.

Following the same practice, all files related to salaries and pensions of all districts were sent to the RBI by July 31 itself. By the noon of August 1, all pensions and salaries of some employees were paid.

Later, there were some technical snags. The certificates issued through e-Mudra did not function. That caused a delay in the payment of salaries of some files. All measures were taken to resolve the snag.

There are more than 4.61 lakh employees in the State. Of this, 3.51 lakh are government employees and the remaining work in judiciary, gram panchayats, municipal administration and other agencies.

The Andhra Pradesh government spends ₹33,470 crore on salaries and ₹16,639 crore on pensions annually.

Disappointed burglar leaves a note behind

Was it justified to leave an empty cash chest, he asked, when he had risked his life?

03/08/2019,S. PRASAD  CUDDALORE

Failed mission: Articles lie strewn in the shop, left, and the handwritten note from the perpetrator. Special Arrangement

Burglars often leave some evidence at the scene after pulling off a successful heist. But one burglar, who broke into a grocery shop in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district only to come upon an empty cash chest, left behind a handwritten note with a lesson on risk and reward for the shop owner.

According to the police, the burglar gained entry into the shop in the Mandarakuppam locality by removing the tiles on the roof of the premises on Thursday. He then proceeded to look for the cash chest, but to his dismay, found that it was empty.

Frustrated by the experience, he ransacked the shop and wrote a note in Tamil on a piece of paper that he took from the shop. In it, he asked the owner, “Is it justified on your part to keep the cash chest empty when I had come to steal risking my life?” He went on to add : “To express my disappointment I have performed this ‘monkey’ act [the ransacking].”

The elderly shop owner Jayaraj discovered the attempted burglary, the ransacking, and the note, when he came to the shop in the morning.

He was amused by the note on the cash chest, but lost no time in filing a complaint with the Mandarakuppam Police.

The incident left the police baffled, as thieves only unwittingly leave behind clues.

Handwritten clue

“This is the first time we have come across such a case in our jurisdiction,” a police officer in Cuddalore said, referring to the burglar’s handwritten note on the cash chest.

The handwriting could eventually help the police conclusively prove the involvement of the culprit as and when he is traced.

In the past, there have been instances in Tamil Nadu of burglars, after breaking into homes, having cooked a meal or watched television, dozed off, and then left without any hurry at the break of dawn.

Bonanza for officials who did election duty
Govt. staff to get one month’s basic pay as honorarium

03/08/2019, S. VIJAY KUMAR , CHENNAI

Satyabrata Sahoo

Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo on Friday wrote to all District Electoral Officers, including Vellore, which goes to the polls on August 5, informing them that the government would sanction an honorarium equivalent to one month’s basic pay subject to a maximum of ₹33,000 for the officials’ “strenuous” work during the general election this year.

He called for the details of basic pay of officers and other staff members as on May 1, 2019 for the sanction of honorarium. The period of attending election work would be from the date of notification till counting of votes.

While officers in the rank of District Election Officer, District Revenue Officer, Personal Assistant (Elections), Returning Officer, Commissioner of Corporation, Tahsildar (Election)’ Deputy Tahsildar (Election), Zonal Officer and Liaison Officer to Poll Observers would get a month’s basic pay subject to a maximum of ₹33,000, whichever is less, members of the flying squad, video surveillance team, video viewing team, accounting team, assistant expenditure observers, status surveillance team and zonal assistants would also get a month’s basic pay, but subject to a maximum of ₹24,500 whichever is less. Other category of staff who took part in election duty would get a honorarium of ₹17,000, ₹7,000 and ₹5,000 depending on their respective designations.

Details sought

Zonal Officers/Zonal Assistants or any other staff who were paid remuneration for having attended election duty may be sanctioned honorarium after deducting the amount already paid.

The District Election Officers have been told to furnish the details of officers and staff along with the honorarium they are entitled to before August 10, 2019.

Ironically, the quantum of honorarium sanctioned for police officers on poll duty vide a separate GO issued in June is comparatively much less. The honorarium for 735 police officers from the rank of Director-General of Police to Assistant a Commissioner of Police/Deputy Superintendent of Police has been fixed at ₹20,000. The quantum of funds calculated for the 735 police officers alone is ₹1.47 crore.

Though the funds would be debited from the State’s expenditure, the DGP was directed to send necessary proposal for reimbursement of the amount from the Government of India, the order said.

The order made no mention of payment of honorarium to the police personnel in the ranks of inspector or constable on election duty.

In a separate development, the State government on Friday issued an order enhancing the festival advance payable to government employees, teachers, teaching and non-teaching staff of local bodies, aided education institutions and others eligible from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000.

The order would take immediate effect and apply to festivals to be celebrated after August 2, 2019.

Power bills shock and awe consumers

Over 20 Kotturpuram residents complain of overbilling

03/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

In a few cases, the accumulated meter readings were recorded. File photo

Electricity officials have identified a manual error in the meter readings for a group of residents of Kottur Gardens, Kotturpuram, who received exorbitant power bills for the bi-monthly billing cycle in July.

Nabarun Ghosh, a resident of Riverdale apartments in Kottur Gardens, said he was shocked at his electricity bill which showed ₹13,528 as dues. He said that he normally paid ₹3,000 as power bill. Similarly, another resident, Vineet Singhal, in the same gated community, got an electricity bill for ₹14,452.

The residents gave a representation to the Assistant Engineer, Taramani. Immediately, senior Tangedco officials directed the revenue section to check all assessments done by the assessor in that area to rectify the billing mistakes.

A senior official admitted that the mistakes were committed by the assessment staff while noting down the reading of the domestic consumers in Kottur Gardens. In a few cases, the meter readings were interchanged, while in others, the accumulated readings were recorded, which meant the staff were recording the readings without visiting the house for a number of months. Complaints of over-assessment were received from more than 20 residents in Kotturpuram. A report has been sought from the assessor and suitable action will be taken, the official said.

Restaurant courts trouble with poster

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, AUGUST 03, 2019 00:00 IST

A restaurant, Hotel Milagu, on North Masi Street here found itself in the middle of a controversy over a poster on Thursday.

The poster advertising ‘Kumbakonam Iyer Chicken’ was pasted prominently at the eatery. As it was offensive in taste, members of Tamil Nadu Brahmins Association staged a protest in front of the restaurant.

They alleged that the sentiments of the community was offended by clubbing the name with a food item unrelated to it.

Following the protest, partner of the restaurant Immanuel Devavaram tended an unconditional apology to the association and took down the poster immediately.

“It was a mistake made by one of the inexperienced staff, while I was out of station and it was not done intentionally to offend any community or religious sentiments. I have given an apology letter,” the restaurateur said.

TNAU gets ICAR funds for improving academics

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

COIMBATORE, AUGUST 03, 2019 00:00 IST

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has secured Rs. 30 crore from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research under National Agricultural Higher Education Project.

A release from the University said the funding was for three years, starting 2019-20.

The TNAU competed with 64 state agricultural universities for securing the project, which would enable it to strengthen learner-centric environment by adopting innovative techniques in teaching, promote student and faculty diversity, leverage alumni network among others in nine constituent colleges covering six UG programmes.

As part of the project, the release said, scientists and academics from the University would get to visit universities abroad for exchange of ideas.

The release also said that the TNAU getting the funding followed the steps taken by Vice-Chancellor N. Kumar to gain ICAR accreditation.

Anna varsity recommended for IoE status

R. Sujatha

CHENNAI, AUGUST 03, 2019 00:00 IST

Anna University has been recommended for the Institute of Eminence status by the University Grants Commission. The awarding of the status, however, rests on the outcome of consultation with the State government.

Under the scheme, the selected institutions would receive Rs. 1,000 crore funding for five years. The institutions on their part must raise 20% from within. In the case of State universities, 50% of the funding will have to come from the State. Higher Education Secretary Mangat Ram Sharma said based on the guidelines from the Central government the State would provide the funding.

The IIT Madras has also been recommended to be declared as Institute of Eminence.

‘No stipend for students who fail to submit sureties’

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUGUST 03, 2019 00:00 IST

HC told their studies won’t be affected

The State government has decided not to disrupt the studies of postgraduate medical degree and diploma course students who fail to submit, within three months, sureties from two government employees along with bonds for Rs. 40 lakh and Rs. 20 lakh respectively to assure that they would serve the government for two years after completing the course in government colleges.

Advocate-General Vijay Narayan told Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad of the Madras High Court that the defaulters would not be paid stipend for the entire period of study if they do not submit the sureties. The stipend would be paid in lump sum after completing the course if the doctors agree to be in government service for two years.

When the senior judge in the Division Bench questioned how the government could force doctors to work only for it and not take up jobs in private hospitals, the A-G said the State spends around Rs. 2 crore to educate every postgraduate medical student. Hence, it becomes their bounden-duty to serve the poor and needy who approach government hospitals. The submission was made during the hearing of a public interest litigation petition filed by T.K. Saravanan of Chennai, through his counsel S. Ayyathurai, against the insistence on submitting sureties from government servants.

The petitioner feared that students who could not obtain such sureties might face the threat of being asked to quit studies midway. However, after the A-G assured the court that the fears were unfounded, the judges wanted the assurance to be filed in the form of an affidavit by Tuesday. They sought details regarding the vacancy position of government doctors by then so that appropriate directions could be issued.

In a counter affidavit that had already been filed in reply to the PIL petition, A. Sugavanam, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare department, stated that there were 24 government medical colleges in the State and 48 government hospitals attached to medical colleges. There were also 29 district headquarters hospitals and 1,806 primary health centres (PHCs).

In order to serve them, the government had made it mandatory for government doctors who want to pursue post graduation, under a special quota for them, to undertake to serve the government till their retirement.

It also requires non service doctors to serve the government for two years in non scarce specialities and for five years in scarce specialities. Pointing out that none of the doctors had refused to give such a bond so far, the court was told that even the present PIL petitioner was an advocate by profession and not a doctor.

The government also expressed concern over a majority of doctors refusing to serve the poor in government hospitals after pursuing postgraduate courses in government colleges.

“During the past five years, the government has given posting orders for 338 non-service candidates after the completion of post graduate degree/diploma courses but only 228 had joined. Further, 20 candidates left service before completing the tenure and 110 did not turn up,” the counter read.

The State spends around Rs. 2 crore to educate every postgraduate student. Hence, it is their duty to serve those who approach government hospitals

Vijay Narayan

Advocate-General

Medical students protest against NMC Bill

STAFF REPORTER

CHENNAI, AUGUST 03, 2019 00:00 IST

Students of Madras Medical College boycotted classes and staged a sit-in near the Dean’s office in Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on Friday.B. Jothi Ramalingam

Proposals for bringing in Community Health Providers and NEXT singled out for attack

About 400 students of Madras Medical College (MMC) boycotted classes and staged a sit-in on Friday.

They were protesting against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill which, according to them, would disrupt the healthcare system.

Under the banner of Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association, second, third and final year MMC students, and also many from Government Medical College, Omandurar Estate, boycotted classes and participated in the day-long protest from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on the MMC campus.

The protesting students said that bringing in Community Health Providers would affect the rural healthcare system in Tamil Nadu, the National Exit Test (NEXT) would impact the quality of doctors and replacing the Medical Council of India (MCI) with NMC would result in poor representation of doctors from States. According to the Bill, persons connected with the medical profession could be granted limited licences to practise medicine as Community Health Providers. These persons can prescribe specified medicines independently, but only in a primary and preventive healthcare context.

“We study medicine for five-and-a-half years of which one year is for Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship. How can Community Health Providers learn medicine in a few months of training and prescribe medications at the primary health centre level? This will affect healthcare in villages, and it will be disastrous for a State like Tamil Nadu that has come a long way in rural health,” one of the protesting students said.

Opposing NEXT, the students said as of now, they have theory and practical examinations conducted by the medical university in the final year of MBBS. “NEXT will contain multiple choice questions, and this will only result in mushrooming of coaching centres like that for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test,” another student said.

The students lamented the lack of clarity on NEXT, its pattern or subjects that would be covered. “There are no proper guidelines. With NEXT, our clinical orientation and understanding will be lost,” he said. Some students said there was no clarity on what would happen if students failed to clear NEXT. As per the Bill, NEXT would be the basis for admission to postgraduate courses.

On NMC replacing MCI, the students said it would result in loss of autonomy and NMC, a nominated body, would not have adequate representation of doctors from States.

UGC names 20 institutions for eminence tag

Priscilla Jebaraj

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 03, 2019 00:00 IST

The chosen universities will be given greater autonomy an d freedom to decide fees and course durations.* FILE PHOTO

Five private ones among those denied the status due to absence of rankings

The IITs Madras and Kharagpur, Delhi University, University of Hyderabad, Amritha Vishwa Vidyapeetham and VIT are among the 20 institutions recommended for the grant of the Institute of Eminence status by the University Grants Commission on Friday.

However, the UGC denied the tag to five private universities — Azim Premji University, Ashoka University, KREA University, Indian Institute for Human Settlements and the Indian Institute of Public Health — on the grounds that they have not been placed in any global or national rankings. Since their exclusion left a vacant slot on the list of private universities given the tag, the Satya Bharti Foundation — telecom major Airtel’s philanthropic arm — became the second greenfield institution to be given IoE status, after Jio Institute which is backed by the Reliance Foundation.

“We considered two types [of institutions], those who are already ranked well and those which are potential institutions. We might have felt something has potential, but government may feel something else, they may have felt that if an institution is not ranked at all, it cannot be considered. It is entirely justified,” said N. Gopalaswami, former Chief Election Commissioner who headed the expert panel which initially identified the list of IoEs.

The scheme is aimed at developing 20 world-class institutions which would put India on the global education map.

Five public universities also did not make the cut. Tezpur, Panjab and Andhra Universities were left out as they are not ranked. Savitribai Phule Pune University and Aligarh Muslim University are both in the same 801-1,000 ranking slab in the QS World rankings as the Benares Hindu University; however, BHU squeaked through as it was higher placed than the other two in the India rankings.

Anna University and Jadavpur University have been given the IoE tag on a conditional basis as they are state universities, and will be finalised only after the Tamil Nadu and West Bengal governments issue an official communication allocating their share of funds (up to 50%).

The other institutions which have been recommended for IoE status are Jamia Hamdard, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, OP Jindal University and Shiv Nadar University.

UGC nod to IIT-Madras for ‘Institutions of Eminence’ tag

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:03.08.2019

IIT-Madras, IITKharagpur, Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University and University of Hyderabad, among others could be the new entrants to the list of “Institutions of Eminence.” The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Friday recommended five government institutions and seven private institutions for IoE status and letter of intent (LoI) respectively.

The recommendations now wait for the government’s approval before being notified. The UGC in its meeting considered the reports of the empowered expert committee (EEC) appointed by government under the chairmanship of N Gopalaswami recommending 15 public institutions and 15 private institutions for granting status of IoE.

Among the private institutions recommended for issue of LoI include Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Vellore Institute of Technology, Jamia Hamdard, Kalinga Institute of Technology, O P Jindal University and Shiv Nadar University. The commission also recommended Bharti (Satya Bharti Foundation) for issuance of LoI in the vacant slot under the greenfield category for yet to be established institutions.

“This is a tremendous encouragement for a young university and our philanthropic work. Our next mission is to be among the top 500 global institutions and top 50 young institutions,” said C Raj Kumar, vice chancellor, O P Jindal University.

Among those institutions which missed out from the recommended list are government run Savitribai Phule Pune University, Aligarh Muslim University, Tezpur University, Panjab University and Andhra University. Meanwhile, Jadavpur University and Anna University can be considered for issue of the IoE status only after the respective state governments have issued an official communication allocating their share of the funds (up to 50%).

According to a UGC official, “The mandate has been to prepare the institutions for securing international standard and to be among the top ranked institutions in global rankings. Therefore, the institutions not recommended are those which have not figured in any of the national or global rankings.”

Vellore Institute of Technology is among the private institutions recommended for issue of letter of intent (LoI)

Scooter girls are the new ‘delivery boys’

Number of women in India’s delivery business is up to 68k from 40k in 2018. The ripples are being felt far and wide in the 10L-strong workforce

Ishita Mishra & Anam Ajmal | TNN 03.08.2019

The scooter comes to a halt outside a restaurant in the narrow bylanes of Dehradun. As the rider moves towards the kitchen, heads turn. An unfazed Reena Gupta quickly picks up a parcel and starts the GPS on her phone. Minutes later, the mother of two is knocking at a stranger’s house, pizza in hand.

As new-age internet companies expand businesses, an increasing number of women are making their presence felt in the gig economy space. In the delivery sector alone, which has about 10 lakh employees, 67,900 are women — up from 40,000 in 2018 — according to latest estimates.

There’s been a surge in women applying to be delivery partners in big metros and smaller cities, says a spokesperson at Zomato. The company has 2 lakh delivery partners. Increased participation of women has led to the roll-out of delivery via bicycle, targeted at those who don’t know how to ride a bike.

Some women are leaving their low-paying “9 to 5” desk jobs as assistants and back-office employees to embrace this digitally mediated work. And driving this choice are factors like greater flexibility, more working-time autonomy and better pay parity than in traditional jobs.

Reena joined Zomato last September after her husband lost his job at a medical store. “It was an unusual choice but I decided to give it a shot,” the arts graduate told TOI.

What sealed the deal for her was the freedom to decide her working hours, set her own targets and higher pay — she earns up to Rs 6,000 every week, delivering up to 20 orders a day.

Firdaus Ansari from Chhattisgarh’s Bhilai quit her job as a doctor’s assistant last year and became a food delivery agent. No longer bound by a desk job, she has extra time at hand and is now focusing on dreams cast aside years ago — like pursuing a bachelors in sociology. She attends classes early morning and starts picking up orders after 1 pm.

Priyanka, a 22-year-old from Mumbai who has been with Swiggy for 10 months, chose to be a delivery partner for financial reasons. “My parents passed away when I was a teenager. I have three younger siblings to raise. This job has given me financial independence.” She also enjoys meeting new people and is now familiar with many areas of the city.

While digital forces may have opened new opportunities for women, it’s not always a trouble-free ride. Safety remains a concern and companies are starting to take note. Swiggy — which employs over 1.95 lakh delivery executives and has 700 women — has designated “safe zones” for women employees in over 20 cities.

“They work in shifts that end before 6 pm and operate in areas identified as safe zones,” a company spokesperson said.

“Our location is tracked by area managers. The key is to keep someone informed,” said Menka Pakhare, a 34-yearold who works with Zomato in Mumbai and was a housewife for 13 years before taking up the job.

Firdaus added that initially she was scared to take orders after dark, but her job has taught her how to deal with all kinds of situation.

But gender dynamics remain strong and convincing “society” that women can enter male-dominated professions is a challenge. Firdaus gives the example of another girl who had joined with her but quit shortly afterwards due to family pressure.

Some resolute women like 39-year-old Harshika Pandya — one of the 12 female Zomato delivery partners in Surat — manage to stand their ground. Harshika was working in the back office of a finance company and decided on Zomato in 2018.

“When I started out, my family said it was a man’s job. But I stuck to my decision,” said Harshika, who usually picks up her last order around 1.30am.

Ashwini, 34, Swiggy’s first female delivery partner in Vadodara who recently moved to Bengaluru for her daughter’s higher studies, said that each ride she undertakes delivers a message that no job belongs to any particular gender.

Observers back the thought. “When women opt for jobs where they are seen in public places, it increases their visibility, which leads to normalisation and acceptance of such work in society. It also gives women better career options and leads to an increase in their confidence levels and economic worth,” said Ranjana Kumari, director, Centre for Social Research.

India is indeed moving beyond gender, said Preethisha, the country’s first transgender food delivery person with Uber Eats who lives in Chennai. She has high hopes for the future. “Today, gender doesn’t stop people from pursuing opportunities. With more women and marginalised communities in the workforce, the future will be even better,” said the 32-year-old.

Harshika agreed. “Ye soch badalne ka safar hai (This is a journey to change mindsets),” she said.

Food, religion, politics get mixed up in unsavoury curry
Dish Named ‘Iyer Chicken’, Hotel Apologises For ‘Typo’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:03.08.2019

‘Kumbakonam Iyer Chicken’, a dish announced on social media by a hotel in Madurai city, has landed it in trouble.

It was removed from the hotel's social media account after Brahmins’ associations and right-wing outfits took exception. Representatives of the hotel told TOI that the designer who made the poster inadvertently typed ‘Iyer’ in place of ‘Fried’.

The owner of the establishment (Hotel Milagu), on North Masi Street, has been busy apologizing to callers and sending statements of regret. But many continued to protest.

Associations named after the community launched a strong social media campaign, with a few outfits seeking action against the hotel. On Thursday evening, a section of people went to the hotel to protest and were engaged in a heated argument with the staff. Police had to rush in and bring the situation under control.

“I am a Brahmin myself and the manager of the hotel. It is completely my mistake,” C Ramanathan told TOI.

“The hotel did not look for cheap publicity or promotion as it is 11 years old,” he claimed, adding that he received the design of the promotion, did a hurried check and shared it on Facebook a few days ago. “I had to rush to Chennai for a health checkup and came to know about the controversy on Wednesday night. From Thursday we have been answering calls, offering explanations and apologising,” he said. Ramanathan said that they had also sent apology letters to associations of the community which had not directly protested as they did not want to hurt their sentiments.

IN A SOUP

Pudukottai coffee shop takes stand against bigotry

Trichy:

Zomato’s stand against religious bigotry had an echo in Pudukottai town with the owner of a coffee shop putting up a board saying food has no religion and his establishment was closed to bigots. M Arunmozhi, 47, owner of Ayngaran restaurant and coffee shop in Pudukottai, told TOI he was deeply moved by the strong stand food delivery app Zomato took when a customer asked it to change the Muslim deliveryman. As a gesture of solidarity he put up a signboard in front of his restaurant saying “food has no religion and Ayngaran is shut for bigots”. Arunmozhi says many of his customers were all praise for his gesture. Arunmozhi said he was also very disturbed by clashes among people of different religious group in Pudukottai in the last week. Thus he had decided to openly condemn the spread of hate by those who differentiated among people on the basis of religion.

SIGNED & STAMPED

EWS quota triggers demand for income certificates in city

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

Chennai:03.08.2019

Taluk offices in and around the city are witnessing demand for income certificates from the economically weaker sections (EWS) among forward castes. Though Tamil Nadu has not introduced the 10% quota for EWS in education and employment, people who were not covered under any reservation, are seeking the certificate as the Centre has opened doors for the purpose. With the number of applications expected to rise, legal experts urged the government to make procedures stringent to prevent misuse in obtaining the certificates.

Revenue department sources said six applications have been received in Egmore and Mambalam taluks. While the applications are under process at Egmore, one applicant received his EWS income certificate at Mambalam, official sources said. “In Ponneri taluk, which comprises suburbs in the north, five EWS income certificates have been issued to people belonging to forward castes in the past month,” a Tiruvallur district official said. “Income certificates under EWS category were largely sought by individuals from backward classes to ascertain their eligibility for central government jobs, where the creamy layer rule applies. Now, forward caste people are also seeking it in light of the10% quota for EWS announced by the Union government,” the official added.

Last May, the state government releasedcriteria for EWS reservations. While an annual income cap of ₹8 lakh has been fixed for the reservation, those owning more than 1,000sqft flat or residential plot measuring 900 sqft in urban areas are not eligible for the quota among theforwardcastes.After verification, the tahsildar of the respective taluk should obtain a self-declaration form from the applicant. The income certificate is valid for a year.

Madras high court advocate M Radhakrishnan said issuing EWS certificates should be stringent as there was scope for misuse. “The certificates should be issued only by an officer abovethe rankof revenue divisional officer or sub-collector.Thisfixes accountability as only a self-declaration is obtained from the applicant”.

Saravana Bhavan told to pay ₹1 lakh to customer

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:03.08.2019

The state consumer disputes redressal forum has asked Saravana Bhavan to pay a Delhi-based lawyer, who complained he suffered food poisoning after eating at its Anna Salai outlet, ₹1.1lakh for mental agony and litigation costs.

S K Saamy, in his petition stated that he went to the Anna Salai branch of the restaurant on October 10, 2014. When his food was served, he had noticed strands of hair in it and brought it to the notice of the waiter and the manager. While the food was replaced, an hour after eating it the petitioner said he felt uneasiness in the stomach and then experienced nausea and vomiting.

He got admitted in the Royapettah Government Hospital the next day, where doctors told him that he was suffering from food poisoning. “The restaurant is responsible for serving defective food and causing ill-health and mental agony,” the lawyer stated in his petition.

In response, the hotel management submitted that no other customer who consumed food that day made any complaints and this particular complaint was made two years after, with an ulterior motive of extorting money. The management also pointed out that the complainant’s petitions were dismissed by the Madras high court and by the National Human Rights Commission.

The forum, after perusing the submissions held that there was no necessity for the complainant to file a false petition and noted that he did not get admitted in the hospital the same day as it was raining that night.

The forum also dismissed the restaurant’s submission that the petition was dismissed by the Madras high court and NHRC and pointed out that the petitions were not for seeking compensation for mental agony, but for directing police to register FIR against the restaurant. Subsequently, judicial member K Baskaran and member S M Latha Maheshwari directed the management to pay ₹1.1 lakh to the customer for mental agony and litigation costs.

While the food with strands of hair was replaced, an hour after eating it the petitioner felt uneasiness in the stomach and then experienced nausea