முதல் பார்வை: தொரட்டி 

கிடை போட்டுப் பிழைக்கும் இளைஞனின் கூடா நட்பு அவன் வாழ்க்கையை எப்படி மாற்றுகிறது என்பதைச் சொல்லியிருக்கும் படமே 'தொரட்டி'.

ராமநாதபுரத்தில் இருந்து பஞ்சம் பிழைக்க அழகு தன் மனைவி, மகனுடன் ஒரு கிராமத்துக்கு வருகிறார். ஆடுகளை வைத்துக் கிடை போடும் தொழிலைச் செய்து வரும் அவர் தன் மச்சானிடம் உதவி கேட்கிறார். ஊர் தலைவரின் சம்மதத்துடன் அவர் நிலத்தில் கிடை போட, அழகுவின் மகன் ஷமன் மித்ரு தடதடவென வேலைகளைச் செய்கிறார். கிடை போடும் மாமன் மகள் சத்யகலாவுக்கு மித்ருவைப் பிடித்துவிடுகிறது. இதனிடையே ஆட்டுக்குட்டியைக் களவாட முயலும் 3 பேரும் மித்ருவைத் தாக்குகின்றனர். எந்த ஆட்டுக்குட்டியைத் தர மாட்டேன் என்று மறுக்கிறாரோ அதே ஆட்டுக்குட்டியை மது போதையில் கழுத்தறுத்துக் கொன்று அந்த 3 களவாணிகளுக்குக் கறி விருந்து படைக்கிறார். அவர்களுடன் நட்பு பாராட்டுகிறார். அந்தக் கூடா நட்பு மித்ருவுக்கு பல்வேறு சோதனைகளை ஏற்படுத்துகின்றன.


திருமணம் முடிந்த கையோடு கணவன் வீட்டுக்குச் செல்லும் மணப்பெண்ணின் தாலி உட்பட அனைத்து நகைகளையும் களவாணிகள் 3 பேரும் வழிப்பறி செய்து பறிக்கின்றனர். இதனால் போலீஸில் சிக்கி சிறை தண்டனை அனுபவிக்கின்றனர். தண்டனை முடிந்து வெளியே வரும் 3 களவாணிகளும் சத்யகலாவைப் பழிவாங்கப் புறப்படுகின்றனர். அவர்கள் சத்யகலாவைக் கொல்ல முடிவெடுத்த காரணம் என்ன, மித்ரு களவாணிகளைப் புரிந்துகொண்டாரா, மித்ருவின் மனைவி சத்யகலா என்ன ஆனார் போன்ற கேள்விகளுக்குப் பதில் சொல்கிறது திரைக்கதை.




1980களின் தொடக்கத்தில் கிடை போடும் தொழிலில் ஈடுபட்ட மனிதர்களின் வாழ்வியலை எந்த சமரசமும் இல்லாமல் மிக நேர்த்தியாகப் பதிவு செய்துள்ளார் இயக்குநர் மாரிமுத்து. கூடா நட்பு கேடாய் முடியும் என்பதை வலுவாக காட்சிப்படுத்தியுள்ளார்.

மாயன் கதாபாத்திரத்தில் ஷமன் மித்ரு சரியாகப் பொருந்துகிறார். திருடர்களிடம் அடி வாங்குவது, அப்பாவை தலையாரி அடித்த பிறகும் திருப்பி அடிக்காமல் சாதுவாகவே இருப்பது, சத்யகலா மீதான காதலில் கிறங்குவது, போதையின் பாதையில் திரிவது, நல்லவர்களா கெட்டவர்களா என்ற எந்த ஆராய்ச்சிக்கும் செல்லாமல் திருடர்களுடன் பழகுவது, என்ன நடந்தாலும் அடிக்கடி ஒரு ஆட்டுக்குட்டியை எடுத்துச் சென்று கறி விருந்துக்குக் கொடுப்பது என வெள்ளந்தி மனிதரின் இயல்புகளைக் கண் முன் நிறுத்துகிறார்.




சத்யகலா தமிழ் சினிமாவின் நல்வரவு. கிராமத்துப் பெண்ணின் துடுக்குத்தனத்தையும் தைரிய குணத்தையும் அப்படியே பிரதிபலிக்கிறார். அடம் பிடித்து மித்ருவைக் கட்டிக்கொள்ளும் அவர் கணவனிடம் மட்டும் கண்களால் பேசுவதும், களவாணிகளிடம் வெட்டு ஒண்ணு துண்டு ரெண்டு என்று உறுதியுடன் பேசுவதும் ரசனை. கணவன் மீதான கண்டிப்பையும் காதலையும் ஒருசேரக் காட்டும்போது தேர்ந்த நடிப்பால் மனதில் நிறைகிறார்.

அடியாள் உள்ளிட்ட பல கதாபாத்திரங்களில் நடித்த அழகு இதில் அன்பான அப்பாவின் உணர்வைக் கடத்துகிறார். 3 களவாணிகளும் கதாபாத்திரத்துக்கான தேவை உணர்ந்து நடித்துள்ளனர்.

குமார் ஸ்ரீதர் தென் மாவட்டத்தின் வறட்சியை, கிடை போடும் சூழலை அப்படியே அசலாகப் பதிவு செய்துள்ளார். வேத்சங்கர் சுகவனத்தின் இசையில் உயிரை உருக்குற பாடலும், சவக்காரம் பாடலும் ரசிக்க வைக்கின்றன. ஜித்தின் ரோஷனின் பின்னணி இசை படத்துக்குப் பலம் சேர்க்கிறது.



எளிமையான கதை, நேர்த்தியான திரைக்கதையில் கவனம் ஈர்க்கிறார் இயக்குநர் மாரிமுத்து. நகைச்சுவையைத் தள்ளி வைத்துவிட்டு அசல் வாழ்வை மட்டும் அப்படியே பதிவு செய்திருப்பது பாராட்டுக்குரியது. கிடை போடும் விதம், மேய்ச்சலுக்கு விடுவது, தொரட்டி வைத்துக் கொண்டு ஆடுகளைக் கட்டுப்பாட்டுக்குள் கொண்டு வருவது, மண் வீடு உருவாக்கி குடியிருப்பது, திருமணச் சடங்கு முறை என ஒவ்வொன்றையும் ஆழமாக காட்சிப்படுத்தியிருக்கும் விதம் அசர வைக்கிறது.

மாயன் கதாபாத்திரம் சூது வாதில்லாமல் இருந்தாலும் தன்னுடன் இருக்கும் களவாணி நண்பர்களை ரொம்ப நம்புவது படத்தின் பலவீனம். களவாணி நண்பர்களில் மூவரில் இருவர் மட்டுமே விபரீத செயலுக்குத் திட்டம் தீட்டுகின்றனர். தூங்குவது போல் நடிக்கும் ஒருவர் கடைசி வரை எதுவுமே செய்யாமல் இருப்பது ஏன்? என்று தெரியவில்லை.

வஞ்சகம், துரோகம், பாசம், வீரம், அன்பு என்று கிராமத்து வாசத்தை வீச வைத்ததில் 'தொரட்டி' கவனிக்க வைக்கிறது.

முதல் பார்வைதொரட்டி விமர்சனம்தொரட்டிமாரிமுத்துஷமன் மித்ருசத்யகலா

அத்திவரதரை தரிசிக்கச் செல்வோர் செய்ய வேண்டியதும்; செய்யக் கூடாததும்!
By வாணிஸ்ரீ சிவக்குமார் | Published on : 03rd August 2019 06:22 PM




அத்திவரதர் பெருவிழாவின் 34-ஆவது நாளான சனிக்கிழமை அத்திவரதர் இளஞ்சிவப்பு நிற ஜரிகையுடன் பச்சை நிறப் பட்டாடையில், பக்தர்களுக்கு அருள்பாலித்தார்.

அத்திவரதர் பெருவிழாவின் 34-ஆவது நாளை முன்னிட்டு பெருமாள் 3-ஆவது நாளாக நின்ற கோலத்தில் பக்தர்களுக்கு காட்சியளித்தார். தொடர்ந்து ஆகஸ்ட் 17ம் தேதிவரை நின்ற கோலத்தில் காட்சியளிக்கவிருக்கிறார்.


அத்திவரதரை தரிசிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற விருப்பத்தோடு காத்திருக்கும் மக்களின் வசதிக்காக சில விஷயங்களை இங்கே பகிர்ந்து கொள்கிறோம்.

தரிசன முறைகள்
அத்திவரதரைக் காண பொது தரிசன வழியில் ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் லட்சக்கணக்கான மக்கள் சுவாமி தரிசனம் செய்கிறார்கள்.

அதில்லாமல், முதியவர்கள், கர்ப்பிணிகள், கைக் குழந்தையோடு வருவோர், மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகளுக்கு என தனி வரிசை ஏற்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. நடக்க முடியாத முதியவர்களுக்கு என சக்கர நாற்காலிகள் அதிக அளவில் வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

மூன்றாவதாக, காலையில் ரூ.500 செலுத்தி சகஸ்ரநாம அர்ச்சனை தரிசனமும், மாலையில் ரூ.300 செலுத்தி சிறப்பு தரிசனமும் செய்யலாம். இதற்கு ஆன்லைனில் மட்டுமே முன்பதிவு செய்ய முடியும். தினமும் காலை 10 மணிக்கும், 11 மணிக்கும் இதற்கான முன்பதிவுகள் தொடங்குகின்றன. இப்படியும் முன்பதிவு செய்து சிறப்பு தரிசன வரிசையில் சென்று சுவாமியை தரிசிக்கலாம். இந்த தரிசன முறைகளுக்கும் சில மணி நேரங்கள் ஆகின்றன.

செய்ய வேண்டியதும், செய்யக் கூடாததும்
உங்களுக்குத் தேவையான உணவு மற்றும் குடிநீர் நிச்சயம் உங்களிடம் இருக்க வேண்டும். கோயிலில் அன்னதானம் அளிக்கப்பட்டாலும், வரிசையில் காத்திருக்கும் போது தொய்வடையாமல் இருக்க நிச்சயம் உங்களிடம் உணவு அல்லது பிஸ்கட், பழம் போன்றவை இருப்பது அவசியம். அதே சமயம், ஒரு போதும் பட்டினியாகவோ, விரதம் இருந்தோ அத்திவரதரைக் காண வரிசையில் காத்திருக்கக் கூடவேக் கூடாது.

குடிநீர்.. இது எல்லோருக்குமே தெரியும்.
ஒவ்வொருவரும் வரிசையில் காத்திருக்கும் முன் நம் கையில் ஒரு லிட்டர் குடிநீர் நிச்சயம் இருக்க வேண்டும். வரிசையில் ஆங்காங்கே காவல்துறையினரும் குடிநீரை வழங்குகிறார்கள். தேவைப்பட்டால் கேட்டுப் பெற்றுக் கொள்ளலாம்.

பேருந்தில் செல்வோர், கோயிலுக்குச் செல்லும் முன்பே, பேருந்தின் அருகிலேயே எங்கேனும் ஓரிடத்தில் காலணியை விட்டுச் செல்வது அவசியம். கோயில் அருகே காலணியை கழற்றிவிட்டால், மீண்டும் நீங்கள் வெறுங்காலுடன்தான் பேருந்து ஏற வேண்டியது இருக்கும்.

தளர்வான ஆடைகளை அணிந்திருப்பது அவசியம். கோயிலுக்குச் செல்கிறோமே, பட்டுடுடுத்தி அத்திவரதரை தரிசிக்கலாம் என்று நினைக்க வேண்டாம். உள்ளே லட்சக்கணக்கான மக்களுடன் வரிசையில் காத்திருக்கப் போகிறோம். எனவே தளர்வான பருத்தி ஆடைகளை அணியுங்கள்.

மேற்கு கோபுரம் வழியாகச் செல்லும் போது 22 கொண்டை ஊசி வளைவுகளைச் சந்திக்க நேரிடும். இந்த கொண்டை ஊசி வளைவுகளுக்கான வரிசை தொடங்கும் போது, முடியும் போது என கோயிலுக்குள் இரண்டு இடங்களில் மொபைல் டாய்லெட் எனப்படும் கழிவறைகள் உள்ளன. எனவே, அதை நிச்சயம் பயன்படுத்திக் கொள்ளுங்கள். தேவைப்படா விட்டாலும் கூட.

ஒரு வேளை அந்த வரிசையைத் தாண்டி கோயிலின் உள் கோபுரங்கள் வழியாக வரிசையைக் கடக்கும் போது உங்களுக்கு கழிவறை வசதி தேவைப்பட்டால் நிச்சயம் கிடைக்காது. எனவே அதுதான் கடைசி பிரேக்கிங் பாயிண்ட் என்பதை நினைவில் கொள்ளவும்.

அத்திவரதரை தரிசிக்கச் செல்லும் முன் கவனிக்க வேண்டிய விஷயங்கள்
கிழக்கு கோபுர நுழைவு வாயில் வழியாகவும், மேற்கு கோபுர வாயில் வழியாகவும் அனுமதிக்கப்படுகிறார்கள். தரிசனம் செய்துவிட்டு வெளியே வரும் பக்தர்கள் தெற்கு கோபுர வாயில் வழியாக வெளியேற்றப்படுகிறார்கள்.

கிழக்கு கோபுர நுழைவு வாயில் என்பது பேருந்து நிலையங்களில் இருந்து வரும் பக்தர்களுக்கு அருகில் இருப்பதால் எப்போதும் கிழக்கு கோபுர நுழைவு வாயிலில் கூட்டம் நிரம்பி வழியும்.

எனவே, மேற்கு கோபுர வாயில் வழியாக சுவாமியை தரிசிக்கச் செல்வது, அதிகப்படியான இடிபாடுகளில் சிக்குவதை விரும்பாதவர்களுக்கு உகந்ததாக இருக்கும்.

அதே சமயம், கிழக்கு கோபுர நுழைவு வாயிலின் வெளியில் இருக்கும் வரிசையில் இருக்கும் வசதிகளை விடவும், மேற்கு வாயிலில் இருக்கும் வரிசையில் மின் விசிறி வசதி, கழிப்பறை வசதிகள் சிறப்பாக இருக்கிறது.

அதிக சுமையைக் கொண்டு செல்வதைத் தவிருங்கள். ஏன் எனில் நீங்கள் கொண்டு செல்லும் சுமையை நீங்களே சுமந்துகொண்டுதான் செல்ல வேண்டும். எங்கும் வைக்க முடியாது. சிலர் கையில் இரண்டு பைகளோடு சுவாமி தரிசனம் செய்யும் போது, கையெடுத்துக் கும்பிட கூட முடியாமல் திணறுவதையும் பார்க்க முடிகிறது. அவ்வாறு இல்லாவிட்டால் முதுகில் மாட்டும் பைகளைப் பயன்படுத்தலாம்.

வரிசையில் நிற்கும் போதும் சரி, நடக்கும் போதும் சரி, உங்களுக்கு முன்னே செல்வோருக்கும் உங்களுக்கும் இடையே சற்று இடைவெளியை நீங்களே ஏற்படுத்திக் கொள்ளுங்கள். வரிசை நீண்ட நேரம் நிற்கும் போது உங்களுக்கான இடம் உங்களுக்குக் கிடைக்கும். பின்னால் இருப்பவர்கள் நெருக்கினாலும் இது உங்களுக்கு உதவும்.

ஒரு குழுவாகச் செல்லும் போது, எல்லாவற்றையும் உடன் வந்திருப்பவர்கள் கவனித்துக் கொள்வார்கள் என்று நினைக்காமல், உங்களிடம் உங்களுடன் வந்தவர்களின் செல்போன் எண், எங்கு வாகனத்தில் ஏற வேண்டும் என அனைத்தையும் கேட்டுப் பெற்றுக் கொள்ளுங்கள். ஒன்றாகவே சென்று ஒன்றாகவே சுவாமி தரிசனம் செய்வது என்பது சற்று கடினமான விஷயம்தான்.

அடுத்து, சுவாமி தரிசனம் முடிந்து வெளியே வந்ததும், நீங்கள் நினைக்கும் திசையில் உங்களால் பயணிக்க முடியாது, அதுவும் காவல்துறையினரால் சிறப்பாகக் கட்டமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதாவது கோயில் வாயில்களை ஒட்டிய சாலைகளுக்கு அடுத்திருக்கும் சாலைகளில் மட்டுமே வெளியேற முடியும். அது கிட்டத்தட்ட 2 கி.மீ. அளவுக்கு தூரம் கொண்டது. எனவே அதை நடந்துதான் கடக்க வேண்டும். ஆட்டோ கிடைத்தால் அதிர்ஷ்டசாலிகள்தான்.

சொந்த வாகனத்தை கிடைக்கிறதே என்று எங்கேயாவது நிறுத்திவிட்டுச் செல்லாதீர்கள். வாகன நெரிசல் ஏற்பட்டு, திரும்பி வரும்போது உங்கள் வாகனத்தை எடுக்க முடியாத நிலை ஏற்படலாம்.

முதலும் கடைசியுமாக ஒரு விஷயம்.. நீங்கள் சொந்த அல்லது வாடகை வாகனங்களில் அத்திவரதரை தரிசிக்கச் சென்றிருந்தால், உங்கள் வாகனம் எங்கே நிற்கிறது, அதன் பதிவெண் என்ன, வாகன ஓட்டுநரின் செல்போன் எண் என அனைத்தையும் கேட்டறிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள்.

அது மட்டுமல்ல, வாகனத்தில் இறங்கிய பிறகு, அங்கிருந்து எத்தனை வலது, இடது பக்கங்களில் திரும்பி, எத்தனை சந்துகளைக் கடந்து வருகிறோம் என்பதையும் எண்ணி வைத்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள். திரும்பி வரும் போது அது மிகவும் முக்கியம்.

என்னடா இப்படியெல்லாம் டிப்ஸ் கொடுக்கிறார்களே என்று நினைக்க வேண்டாம். சுவாமி தரிசிக்கும் முன்பும், பின்பும், அந்த மனமகிழ்வோடு வீடு திரும்ப வேண்டும் என்றால், நிச்சயம் இதையெல்லாம் கவனத்தில் கொள்ள வேண்டும். இல்லையென்றால், இவையெல்லாம் தான் கவனத்தில் இருக்கும். அத்திவரதரை மறந்தேப் போவோம்.

மிக முக்கியமான குறிப்பு.. இரும்புக் கம்பிகளால் ஆன கொண்டை ஊசி வளைவு வரிசைகளைக் கடந்து பிறகு கூட்டத்தினர் மூன்று வரிசைகளில் பிரிக்கப்படுவார்கள். அதில் எவ்வளவு கூட்டம் நிரம்பி வழிந்தாலும் முதல் வரிசையில் செல்லுங்கள். பொதுவாக அனைத்துக் கூட்டமும் மைய வரிசையில்தான் அனுப்பப்படும். ஆனால் நீங்கள் சுதாகரித்துக் கொண்டால் முதல் வரிசையில் செல்லலாம். அதுதான் சுவாமியை மிக அருகில் தரிசிக்கும் வழியாகும். சுவாமியை தரிசிக்கும் முன் கூட எங்கு வேண்டுமானாலும் இந்த முதல் வரிசைக்கு உங்களால் மாற முடியும் என்பதையும் நினைவில் கொள்ளுங்கள்.

உங்களின் நல்ல நண்பர் யார்?
By பா.போற்றி ராஜா | Published on : 03rd August 2019 01:29 AM

இந்தியாவில் உலக நண்பர்கள் தினம் ஒவ்வொரு ஆண்டும் ஆகஸ்ட் மாதம் முதல் ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது. மற்ற எல்லா உறவுகளையும்விட தனித்துவமானது நட்பு என்பதை ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமையன்று (ஆக.4) அனைவரும் நினைவில் கொள்வது நல்லது.
காரணம், நம்மைச் சுற்றி இருக்கும் எல்லாச் சொந்தங்களும் ஏற்கெனவே தீர்மானிக்கப்பட்டவை. ஒரு குழந்தை பிறக்கப் போகிறதென்றால், இன்னார்தான் அந்தக் குழந்தையின் தாய்மாமன் என்பது ஏற்கனவே தீர்மானிக்கப்பட்ட ஒன்று. ஆனால், நட்பு அப்படியல்ல; இன்னார்தான் இன்னாரோடு நண்பராகப் போகிறார் என்று யாரும் முன்கூட்டியே தீர்மானிக்க முடியாது. 40 ஆண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக நகமும் சதையும் ஆக இருந்த நண்பர்களின் வாரிசுகள் நண்பர்களாக இருப்பதில்லை.
ஒரு நல்ல நட்பை யாசகமாகவோ, மிரட்டியோ, பணத்தாலோ பெற்றுவிட முடியாது. நட்புக்கு ஆண்-பெண் என்ற பாலின வேறுபாடோ அல்லது இளைஞர்-முதியவர் என்ற வயது வேறுபாடோ கிடையாது. எதேச்சையாக ஒருவரிடம் அறிமுகமாகி நீண்ட காலம் பழகி அவரின் அன்பால், பண்பால், செயலால் ஈர்க்கப்பட்டு அவரிடம் உரிமையோடு அன்பு செலுத்தி, அவரின் குறைகளை நேருக்கு நேர் பளிச்சென்று கூறி, நிறைகளை மற்றவரிடம் சொல்வதே உண்மையான நட்பு.

அப்படிப்பட்ட உண்மையான நண்பர்களை நாம் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கும் முன்பு நன்றாக யோசிக்க வேண்டும். ஆனால், தேர்ந்தெடுத்து நட்பு பாராட்டிய பின்னர், அவர்களைச் சந்தேகிப்பது நம்மை மீள முடியாத துன்பத்தில் தள்ளி விடும். நல்ல நட்பை எப்படி ஆராய்ந்து அறிவது, நல்ல நண்பர்களை அடையாளம் காண்பது எப்படி எனக் கேள்வி எழுவது இயல்பானது.
இதற்குப் பதில் தருகிறது ஒரு பழைமையான பாடல். நண்பர்களை பனை மரம், தென்னை மரம், வாழை மரம் என அது மூன்று வகையாகப் பிரிக்கிறது. முதலாவது, பனை மரம். அது யாராலும் நட்டு வைக்கப்பட்டதல்ல; பனம் பழத்தைத் தேடி எடுத்து யாரும் மண்ணுக்குள் விதைப்பதில்லை; அது தனக்குக் கிடைத்த நீரைக் குடித்து தானாகவே முளைக்கிறது; தன் உடலையும், ஓலையையும், நுங்கையும் மனிதகுலத்துக்கு அளிக்கிறது; பிறரிடம் எந்த உதவியையும் எதிர்பார்க்காமல் உதவும் நண்பர் பனை மரம் போன்றவர். இப்படிப்பட்ட நண்பர்கள் கிடைப்பது மிக அரிது.
தென்னை மரம் நம்மால் நடப்படுகிறது. அதற்கு அடிக்கடி தண்ணீர் ஊற்றினால்தான் நமக்குப் பலன் தரும்; அவ்வப்போது உதவி பெற்றுக்கொண்டு நம்மிடம் நண்பனாக இருப்பவர் தென்னை மரம் போன்றவர். 

மூன்றாவது வாழை. அதற்கு நாம் தினமும் தண்ணீர் ஊற்ற வேண்டும்; இல்லையென்றால் அது பலன் தராது. அதே போன்று நம்மிடம் தினமும் உதவி பெற்றுக்கொண்டு வாழும் நண்பரை வாழைக்கு ஒப்பிடலாம்.
நாம் அனைவரும் இந்த மூன்று மரங்களில் நமக்கு கிடைக்க வேண்டிய நண்பர் பனை மரம் போன்று இருக்க வேண்டும் என்று எதிர்பார்க்கிறோம் அல்லவா? அப்படித்தான் நம் நண்பர்களிடமும் எதிர்பார்ப்பு இருக்கும். எனவே, முதலில் நாம் பனை மரம் போன்று ஒரு நல்ல, உற்ற நண்பனாக இருக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை மனதில் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.அப்போதுதான் நமக்கும் நல்ல நண்பர்கள் கிடைப்பார்கள்.

சரி. ஒரு நல்ல நண்பரை எப்படி ஆராய்ந்து அறிவது? ஒருவரிடம் பழக ஆரம்பித்த உடனே நம்மைப் பற்றிய அனைத்து அந்தரங்க விஷயங்களையும் பகிர்ந்து கொள்வது முற்றிலும் தவறு. எடுத்த எடுப்பிலேயே ஒருவரை நண்பராகக் கருதி நாம் சொல்லும் உண்மைகளை, கூட்டத்தில் அவர் கேலியாகச் சொல்லி சிரிக்கும்போது ஆழ் மனதில் ஈட்டி இறங்கியது போன்ற ஓர் உணர்வு ஏற்படும். நீங்கள் நம்பிச் சொல்லிய உண்மைகளை அவர் பிறரிடம் கேலியாகச் சொன்னால், அவரின் நட்பை நீங்கள் உடனே துண்டிக்கலாம். அதில் தவறேதுமில்லை.

இரண்டாவது, நீங்கள் ஏதேனும் தவறு செய்திருப்பின் உங்களின் முகத்துக்கு நேரே அதைச் சுட்டிக் காண்பிக்கிறாரா அல்லது முதுகுக்குப் பின்னால் சென்று பிறரிடம் வசைபாடுகிறாரா என்பதை அறிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள். ஒருவேளை, அவர் முதுகுக்குப் பின்னால் பேசும் குணம் உடையவர் என்பதை நீங்கள் உறுதி செய்தால், உங்களின் நட்பை அந்த விநாடியிலேலே முறித்துக் கொள்ளலாம். அதில் தவறேதும் இல்லை.

மூன்றாவது, உங்களை ஊக்கப்படுத்தி உற்சாகப்படுத்த வேண்டும். முகஸ்துதி பாடுவதற்கும் ஊக்கப்படுத்துவதற்கும் வேறுபாடு உண்டு. அதை நன்கு புரிந்துகொள்ள வேண்டும். உங்களின் செயலை ஊக்கப்படுத்தி விட்டு, நீங்கள் இல்லாதபோது பிறரிடம் உங்களை புகழ்ந்து பேசி, மற்றவர் உங்களைக் குறை கூறும்போது உங்களை எவர் ஒருவர் விட்டுக் கொடுக்காமல் பேசுகிறார் என்பதை நீங்கள் கண்டுபிடித்துவிட்டீர்களானால் உங்களின் உயிர் நண்பரை நீங்கள் தேர்ந்தெடுத்துள்ளீர்கள் என்று அர்த்தம்.
தன் நண்பர் தீய பழக்கங்கள் உடையவராக இருந்தாலும்கூட, அதில் ஈடுபடக் கூடாது என அவரிடம் உரிமையோடு கூறுபவரே நல்ல நண்பர்; மாறாக, மது குடிக்க வற்புறுத்தும் நண்பராக இருந்தால், அது நட்பே கிடையாது; அதற்குப் பெயர் கூடா நட்பு. அப்படிப்பட்ட நட்பை துணிந்து துண்டிக்க வேண்டும்.நண்பருக்காக ஒரு தடவை என்று பிறர் சொல்வதை ஒருவர் செய்வாரேயானால் அது கெடுதலாகும்.

எனவே, ஒரு நண்பரை தேர்ந்தெடுக்கும் முன்பு பல முறை யோசிக்க வேண்டும். ஒரு நல்ல புத்தகம் ஒரு நல்ல நண்பரைப் போன்றது. ஒரு நல்ல நண்பர், ஒரு நூலகத்துக்கு ஒப்பானவர் என்பார் பெரியோர். நம் உள்ள உணர்வுகளை கொட்டித் தீர்க்க, மனபாரங்களை இறக்கி வைக்க, மகிழ்ச்சியைக் கொண்டாட, துக்கத்தைப் பகிர்ந்துகொள்ள எல்லோருக்கும் ஒரு நல்ல நண்பரோ, தோழியோ அவசியம். 

காலமெல்லாம் நம்முடன் பயணிக்க இருக்கும் அந்தச் சக பயணியை கொஞ்சம் நிதானமாகத் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கலாம். நட்பின் மகத்துவத்தை உணர்ந்ததால்தான் என்னவோ, நட்புக்கு மட்டும் நட்பு , நட்பாராய்தல், பழைமை, தீ நட்பு, கூடா நட்பு என்று ஐந்து அதிகாரங்களை திருவள்ளுவர் படைத்துள்ளார்.

சங்கரன்கோவிலில் ஆடித்தபசு விழாகொடியேற்றத்துடன் துவங்கியது

Updated : ஆக 04, 2019 04:49 | Added : ஆக 04, 2019 03:46




திருநெல்வேலி:சங்கரன்கோவில் சங்கரநாராயணர், கோமதியம்பாள் கோயிலில் ஆடித்தபசு திருவிழா நேற்று காலை கொடியேற்றத்துடன் தொடங்கியது.

திருநெல்வேலி மாவட்டம் சங்கரன்கோவில், சங்கரலிங்கசுவாமி, சங்கரநாராயணராக கோமதியம்பிகைக்கு காட்சியளித்த ஸ்தலம். சைவமும், வைணவமும் ஒன்றே என்ற தத்துவத்தை உணர்த்தும் கோயிலாகும். சங்கரன்கோவில் சங்கரநாராயணர், கோமதியம்பாள் கோயிலில் ஆடித்தபசு திருவிழா நேற்று காலை கொடியேற்றத்துடன் தொடங்கியது. திருநெல்வேலி மாவட்டம் சங்கரன்கோவில் சைவமும், வைணவமும் ஒன்றே என்ற தத்துவத்தை உணர்த்தும் கோயிலாகும். ஆடித்தபசு திருவிழாவையொட்டி நேற்று கோமதிஅம்மன் சன்னதி முன்பு உள்ள கொடிமரத்தில் கொடி ஏற்றப்பட்டு சிறப்பு அபிஷேக அலங்கார பூஜை நடைபெற்றது. 

விழா நாட்களில் தினமும் சிறப்பு அபிஷேகங்கள், பூஜைகள் , இரவில் சுவாமி அம்மாள் வீதி உலாவும் நடக்கிறது.முக்கிய விழாவான தேரோட்டம் ஆக. 11 காலையில் நடக்கிறது. ஆடித்தபசு திருவிழா ஆக.13 மாலை 6:00 மணிக்கு நடக்கிறது.

மருத்துவமனைகள் உரிமம் விண்ணப்பிக்க இறுதி வாய்ப்பு

Added : ஆக 04, 2019  01:32

சென்னை:தமிழகத்தில், மருத்துவமனைகளை ஆய்வுக்கு உட்படுத்தி, உரிமம் வழங்குவதற்கான, இறுதி வாய்ப்பாக, நவ., 30 வரை கால நீட்டிப்பு வழங்க, சுகாதாரத் துறை முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

தமிழகத்தில், 70 ஆயிரத்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட, அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் மருத்துவமனைகள், கிளினிக்குகள் செயல்படுகின்றன; இவற்றிற்கு உரிமம் பெறுவது அவசியம். அதை, ஐந்து ஆண்டுகளுக்கு ஒருமுறை, புதுப்பிக்க வேண்டும்.இந்த நடைமுறைகளுக்கு, மார்ச், 31 வரை அவகாசம் வழங்கப்பட்டது. ஆனால், 80 சதவீத மருத்துவமனைகளும், கிளினிக்களும், அந்த காலக்கெடுவுக்குள் உரிமம் கோரி விண்ணப்பிக்கவில்லை. இதனால், மே, 31 வரை அவகாசம் நீட்டிக்கப்பட்டது. அதன்படி, 24 ஆயிரம் மருத்துவமனைகள், கிளினிக்குகள் புதிதாக பதிவு உரிமம் கோரி விண்ணப்பித்தன.இந்நிலையில், அனைத்து மருத்துவமனைகளும் உரிமம் பெறுவதற்கான இறுதி வாய்ப்பாக, நவ., 30 வரை கால நீட்டிப்பு வழங்க, மருத்துவ சுகாதார சேவைகள் இயக்ககம் முடிவு செய்துள்ளது. இதற்கான அறிவிப்பு, ஓரிரு நாட்களில் வெளியிடப்படும் என, அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.இது குறித்து, மருத்துவ சுகாதார சேவைகள் துறை அதிகாரிகள் கூறியதாவது:பதிவு உரிமம் கோரிய, மருத்துவமனைகளில், போதிய உள்கட்டமைப்பு வசதிகள் உள்ளதா என ஆய்வு செய்யப்பட்டு, உரிமம் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. தற்போது வழங்கப்பட உள்ள, வாய்ப்பை பயன்படுத்தி, அனைத்து மருத்துவமனைகளும், உரிமம் கோரி விண்ணப்பிக்கும் என, எதிர்பார்க்கிறோம். நவ., 30க்குள் பதிவுக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்காத மருத்துவமனைகள் மீது, கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்.இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

சிவாச்சாரியார் குடும்பத்திற்கு நிவாரணம்

Added : ஆக 04, 2019 01:08

சென்னை:திருவாரூர் தேரில் இருந்து, கீழே விழுந்து இறந்த, சிவாச்சாரியார் குடும்பத்திற்கு, மூன்று லட்சம் ரூபாய், நிவாரண நிதி வழங்க, முதல்வர், இ.பி.எஸ்., உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளார்.

திருவாரூர், தியாகராஜ சுவாமி கோவிலில், நேற்று முன்தினம் நடந்த தேரோட்டத்தில், சிவாச்சாரியார் முரளி, 56, நிலை தடுமாறி விழுந்து, இறந்தார்.அவரது குடும்பத்தினருக்கு, தியாகராஜ சுவாமி கோவில் நிதியிலிருந்து, மூன்று லட்சம் ரூபாய் வழங்க, முதல்வர் இ.பி.எஸ்., உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளார்.

Tiruvarur temple priest falls off chariot, dies

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedAug 4, 2019, 6:13 am IST

Sivachariyaar was rushed to the Government medical college hospital here from where he was referred to a private hospital in Thanjavaur.

Even as priest Murali Sivachariyaar was performing the closing poojas to the deity in the temple car, he accidentally fell to the ground from a height of 15 feet.

Tiruvarur: The chief priest of the Sri Thiyagaraja Swamy temple here, Murali Sivachariyaar (56) died after he accidentally fell off the temple car while performing poojas to the processional deity of Goddess Kamalambigai after the temple chariot reached its base at Tiruvarur on Friday night.

The Thiyagaraja Swamy temple is one of the popular Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu and the annual Adipooram festival began on July 24 with flag hoisting ceremony.

As part of the festival, the processional deity of Goddess Kamalambigai was taken in a temple car on Friday through main thoroughfares and reached its base around 8.30 pm. Even as priest Murali Sivachariyaar was performing the closing poojas to the deity in the temple car, he accidentally fell to the ground from a height of 15 feet.

Sivachariyaar was rushed to the Government medical college hospital here from where he was referred to a private hospital in Thanjavaur. But the priest succumbed to head injuries there, police said on Saturday

Aspiring girl medico, U.S. citizen by birth, gets HC reprieve

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

Published  Aug 4, 2019, 7:00 am IST

Justice G.Jayachandran gave the directive while disposing of a petition from student Abirami Anbalagan.

Madras high court

Chennai: Coming to the rescue of an aspiring MBBS girl student, born to Indian parents but in the US and became a US citizen by birth, who has been allotted a medical seat in Chennai on the condition to produce the Indian citizenship certificate by August 8, the Madras high court has directed authorities to accommodate her in the college provisionally on the condition that if she fails to produce the certificate within 12 weeks, the institute will terminate her admission.

Justice G.Jayachandran gave the directive while disposing of a petition from student Abirami Anbalagan.

Petitioner's counsel P.V.S.Giridhar submitted that the petitioner's father is a practising advocate in Chennai and her mother was a doctor. In 2001, her father was employed in TCS and posted in USA for a year and her mother accompanied him. She was born on June 30, 2001, in USA and she became a US citizen by birth. Her family returned to India in February 2002 itself and she has been residing with her parents in India from then on. The petitioner, who belongs to MBC category, after completing her plus-2and clearing Neet, she applied to the selection committee for MBBS under both government and management quota. Meanwhile, on becoming a major on June 30, 2019, she applied for Indian citizenship on July 8, he added.

Giridhar said the petitioner attended the counseling on July 11, 2019, and during verification of original documents, the selection committee stated that she was not entitled for seat under MBC since she was not an Indian citizen and treated her as an overseas citizen of India. When she approached the secretary, selection committee, she was instructed to get the transfer certificate updated by inserting the reference to her application for Indian citizenship and also an affidavit stating that she has applied for Indian citizenship. Accordingly, she produced the updated transfer certificate and an affidavit. In the second round of counseling on July 31, she was allotted with a seat in ESIC medical college in K.K.Nagar, Chennai.

However, she was not permitted to get admitted to the college and informed that her allotment would be confirmed once she submit the order passed on her application for Indian citizenship and till then the allotment would be withheld. She was further informed that she has to submit the order granting her citizenship within 3 days before the mop-up counseling, failing which allotment would be cancelled. Therefore, the petitioner has filed the present petition, Giridhar added.

The judge directed the authorities to accommodate the petitioner in the ESIC medical college, K.K.Nagar, Chennai, provisionally on the condition that if she fails to produce the citizenship certificate within 12 weeks, the institute will terminate her admission without further notice and on the part of the petitioner, she shall give an undertaking that if she was unable to produce the citizenship certificate within 12 weeks, she will get back all her certificate and also compensate the monetary loss of Rs 10 lakh as mandated in clause 15 of the prospectus, the judge added.

Gujarat HC: He can’t flip his hand but that doesn’t mean he can’t study MBBS

TNN | Jul 25, 2019, 08.05 AM IST

AHMEDABAD: In an important judgment, the Gujarat high court has overturned the decision of the medical board disqualifying Rajkot’s Harshil Upadhyay from participation in medical admission, because he cannot flip his right hand.

While quashing the medical expert’s opinion that Upadhyay is not fit to perform a doctor’s work, Justice Bela Trivedi reminded the government of the ideals of the Disabilities Act and said that it should “endeavour to provide inclusive education to the children with disabilities. The authorities should take all measures to enhance the object of the benevolent legislation by interpreting the provisions of rules and regulations to ensure that the persons with disabilities enjoy the right to equality and the life with dignity.”

Upadhyay is diagnosed with locomotor disability with right hand being affected with bilateral radio ulna synostosis. This restricts supination and pronation of his right hand. The medical board as well as the appellate board said that because of the primary impairment, he would suffer from a mechanical disadvantage to the muscles of the wrist that makes the hand functions difficult. This would hamper his motion rendering him ineligible for performing a doctor’s work.

The student challenged the expert’s decision before the HC, and his advocate Sudhir Nanavati stressed on the provisions of the law that Upadhyay was adjudged 55% disabled, which falls in the benchmark disability – 40% to 80%. Any candidate falling under this range disability is eligible for admission under the quota meant for the physically handicapped.

The state government vehemently opposed Upadhyay’s case and insisted that his case falls under the category which is held as unsuitable for a particular task. It maintained that with disability in his hand, Upadhyay cannot perform all jobs of a doctor. Advocate Nanavati countered this argument by submitting that Upadhyay may not be fit to perform a surgery, but there are various faculties in the field of medicine, he can pursue. His prospects cannot be curtailed only on the ground that he is not suitable for the career of a surgeon.

After hearing the case, the HC quashed the board’s decision which had held Upadhyay unsuitable for a doctor’s work and ordered the admission committee to grant him admission in MBBS under the quota for disabled on basis of his merit.

Talking Point: Should final year MBBS exam be considered as an entrance exam for PG

TNN | Jul 31, 2019, 12.43 PM IST

The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2019 proposes final year MBBS exams to be treated as an entrance test for PG courses. Stakeholders share its pros and cons

More focus on internships

The final year MBBS assessment includes a theory exam and an internship. Most of the students are extremely caught up in preparing for NEET-PG that they are unable to focus on acquiring the skills through the internship. In medical profession, practical skills are more important than theoretical knowledge. If the final exams are treated as an entrance for PG courses, students will have to focus on only one exam and it will allow students to focus on their internships. Maintaining uniform standards of examination, evaluation and teaching in around 450 medical colleges will be a challenge.

- Dr VN Jindal, former dean, Goa Medical College and member of Executive Council, Medical Council of India (MCI)

Uniformity is a must

Entrance exams are conducted with a purpose to check a student’s knowledge of MBBS course as a whole. Hence, focussing on only final year exam will not justify the assessment for the PG entrance exam. Final year exams are theory based and assessment with subjectivity has more chances of bias during evaluation. All the medical colleges across the nation have different standards of examination and evaluation; hence, any national level exam should have a uniform pattern to provide fair chance to all the students.

- Dr VB Singh, principal and controller, Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Medical College, Ajmer

Need to develop soft skills

Medical students aspire for postgraduate courses for career betterment but with entrance exam being the key to get into these courses, students often neglect development of patient treating skills and devote their time in preparing themselves for exam oriented studies to excel in the entrance examination. Competitive entrance exams and skill-based tests should be coupled with assessment of communication skills, scientific and rational approach towards the patient.

- Dr Sandhya Satish Khadse, dean, Rajiv Gandhi Medical College, Mumbai

Exam system needs to evolve

The final year MBBS exams are not completely indicative of the level of understanding of the student. The exams are divided into a written and a practical one. The written exams revolve around bookish knowledge and the practicals only manage to scrape the surface of practical skills. Thus, a distinction of merit made on the basis of final year exams in MBBS would be unfair. Our medical entrance examinations system needs to take a cue from the United States Medical Licensing

Examination (USMLE) to design an entrance exam that gauges a student’s ability to render a well-rounded approach with a real-time perspective rather than rote learning that helps neither the candidate nor the healthcare ecosystem in the country.

- Rishabh Shetty, MBBS degree holder and PG aspirant

MBBS students boycott classes across TN to protest NMC Bill

Medical students in other districts also staged various protests.

Published: 03rd August 2019 04:39 AM

Madras Medical College students staging a protest against NMC Bill on Friday | R Satish Babu

By Express News Service

CHENNAI/VELLORE/MADURAI: Hundreds of medical students staged a sit-in at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai, boycotting classes on Friday to protest against the Central government’s National Medical Commission Bill 2019 which makes NEXT (National Exit Test) mandatory for MBBS students to practise in the country.

Around 700 MBBS students of the Madras Medical College staged the protest from 8 am to 5 pm, also opposing the term ‘Community Health Provider’ used in the NMC Bill, which allows persons without medical background and with just six months’ training to practise modern medicine.

Dr GR Ravindranath, general secretary, Doctors’ Association for Social Equality, said, “The President should not give assent for the Bill. The Centre should drop the Bill and bring back Medical Council of India. The six-month bridge courses for anyone to practise modern medicine as proposed in the Bill will be disastrous.”

Medical students in other districts also staged various protests.
Human chain in Vellore: Students of government medical college hospital formed a ‘human chain’ on the premises of the hospital in protest against the Bill and NEXT exam. Over 300 students, belonging to first, second and pre-final years, took part in the protest at Adukkambarai in Vellore district.


In Madurai, 200 students of the Madurai Medical College, in association with the Madurai chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), formed a human chain on Panagal Road near the IMA office. The students wore black badges as a form of protest. The NMC Bill proposes to conduct a common final-year MBBS examination -- the NEXT -- for medical students to obtain licence to practice.

Chennai power shutdown: Check the full list of areas to have electricity cut on August 5
According to a statement from Tangedco, power supply will be suspended from 9 am to 4 pm on August 5th.

Published: 03rd August 2019 06:27 PM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: For carrying out maintenance work, power supply will be suspended by Tangedco on August 5 from 9 am to 4 pm in these following areas. According to a statement from Tangedco, power supply will be resumed before 4 pm if work is completed.

RAJAKILAPAKKAM: Velachery main road part, 100 feet road, Rajeshwari nagar and Extension, Dhanalakshmi nagar, Sriram nagar, Santhana Lakshimi st, Ganapathy colony Area.

SOTHUPERUMBEDU: Sothuperumbedu, karanodai, Solavaram Entire area, Sirunium, Kotamedu, Kamarpalayam, vijayanallur, Sembulivaram.

VELACHERY: Part of 100 feet Bye pass road, Venkateswara Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Vaduvambal Nagar, MGR Nagar, Orandiamman koil st.


MADHAVARAM: GNT Road, Brindhavam Garden, Prakash Nagar, Ponniaman medu, Periya salai, Thanigasalam nagar, ‘E’ Block, ‘F’ Block Nethaji salai, Ganapathy thottam.

AVADI: Police Battalian II, H.V.F Road, TSP Camp-II , C.T.H Road, B.V Puram, O.C. F Road, Avadi bus stand, Nagammai nagar.

TONDIARPET: K.H Road, Thiyagappa chetty st, Mennambal nagar, Bharathi nagar, New sastri nagar, Motchapuram, JJ nagar, Sudhanthirapuram, Kamaraj nagar.

Submit nationality certificate in 12 weeks, US-born med aspirant told
According to Giridhar, Abhirami’s father, a lawyer in Chennai and mother, a gynaecologist, employed in Maternity Hospital at Shenoy Nagar, moved to USA as he got a job there.

Published: 04th August 2019 06:28 AM

Madras High Court (File Photo | D Sampath Kumar)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has come to the rescue of an 18 year-old US-born girl, who was given admission in first year MBBS course in ESIC Medical College at KK Nagar here, subject to the condition that she should produce her Indian nationality certificate by August 8, by extending time up to 12 weeks. Justice G Jayachendran granted the relief while disposing of a petition from Abhirami Anbalagan, on Friday.

After hearing arguments of petitioner’s counsel PVS Giridhar and counsel for the selection committee and TN Dr MGR Medical University and after going through clause 15 of the prospectus relating to discontinuation fee, the judge said it is necessary to pass orders to accommodate the petitioner in the ESIC Medical College provisionally on the condition that if she fails to produce the Indian citizenship certificate within 12 weeks, the institute is entitled to terminate her admission without further notice.

The petitioner should also give an undertaking that if she is unable to produce the certificate within the stipulated period, she will get back all her certificates and also compensate the monetary loss of Rs 10 lakh, to the college, the judge said.

According to Giridhar, Abhirami’s father, a lawyer in Chennai and mother, a gynaecologist, employed in Maternity Hospital at Shenoy Nagar, moved to USA as he got a job there. Abhirami was born in 2001 in the USA and became a US citizen by birth. The family returned to India in February 2002.

Power shutdown on Monday in parts of Chennai

For carrying out maintenance work, power supply will be suspended by Tangedco on Monday from 9 am to 4 pm in the following areas.

Published: 04th August 2019 06:33 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: For carrying out maintenance work, power supply will be suspended by Tangedco on Monday from 9 am to 4 pm in the following areas. Power supply will be resumed before 4 pm if work is completed.RAJAKILAPAKKAM: Velachery main road part, 100 feet road, Rajeshwari nagar and extension, Dhanalakshmi nagar, Sriram nagar, Santhana Lakshimi st, Ganapathy colony area.


SOTHUPERUMBEDU: Sothuperumbedu, Karanodai, Solavaram Entire area, Sirunium, Otamedu, Kamarpalayam, Vijayanallur, Sembulivaram.VELACHERY: Part of 100 feet bypass road, Venkateswara Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Vaduvambal Nagar, MGR Nagar, Orandiamman Koil st.MADHAVARAM: GNT Road, Brindhavam Garden, Prakash Nagar, Ponniaman Medu, Periya Salai, Thanigasalam nagar, ‘E’ Block, ‘F’ Block Nethaji Salai, Ganapathy Thottam.

AVADI: Police Battalion II, H.V.F Road, TSP Camp-II , C.T.H Road, B.V Puram, O.C.F Road, Avadi bus stand, Nagammai nagar.TONDAIRPET: K.H Road, Thiyagappa Chetty st, Mennambal nagar, Bharathi nagar, New Sastri nagar, Motchapuram, JJ nagar, Sudhanthirapuram, Kamaraj nagar.

Passengers mark ‘birthday’ of train

04/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER

The crew cut a cake in the presence of passengers on Saturday at Tumakuru Railway Station.Special ArrangementBy Special Arrangement

Several passengers gathered at Tumakuru Railway Station on Saturday to celebrate the ‘birthday’ of the fast passenger train to the State capital.

The Tumakuru-Bengaluru fast passenger train was introduced on August 3, 2013 by then Union minister for railways Mallikarjuna Kharge.

Over the last six years, it has become a lifeline for hundreds of government employees, daily wage workers, security guards, flower and fruit vendors.

Commuters decorated the train with flowers, mango and plantain leaves and buntings. A cake was cut by loco pilot V.N. Prasad, assistant loco pilot Vishweshwara Prasad and the guard of the train N.K. Nirala in the presence of railway police and railway protection force personnel, the station master and passengers.

Members of the Tumakuru Railway Prayanikara Vedike – comprising commuters who use the service regularly – handed over cake and chocolates to passengers in the train. They had started the tradition of celebrating the train’s ‘birthday’ in 2014, and now a lot of passengers look forward to the festivities.

Karanam Ramesh, secretary of the Vedike, told The Hindu, "Around 1,800 passengers travel by this train every day. It is a convenient travel option. The train reaches Bengaluru at 9.50 a.m. We celebrate the train's birthday every year to express our love and gratitude,” he said.

Fast passenger chain services from today

Services every 5 minutes during peak hours and 10 minutes 

otherwise

04/08/2019,

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Fast passenger (FP) services of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will be streamlined from August 4 to avoid bunching of services and ensure a fixed time gap between services.

From 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., one fast passenger will ply every 10 minutes in the Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam, Kollam-Alappuzha, Alappuzha-Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram-Kottarakara and Kottarakara-Kottayam stretches of National Highway 66 and Main Central Road in both directions.

In addition, chain services of KSRTC’s fast passenger fleet will hold services every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kayamkulam, Kayamkulam-Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram-Kottayam routes.

During peak hours, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3.30 p.m to 7 p.m., the KSRTC will run fast passenger services every five minutes. However, these services will be restricted to the Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam, Kollam-Alappuzha, Alappuzha-Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram-Kottarakara and Kottarakara-Kottayam stretches.

Currently, KSRTC’s super fast services are operating chain services every 15 minutes.

To adjoining districts

Through the FP chain services, the KSRTC is confining the services to the adjoining districts by maintaining a time difference of five to 10 minutes. The new operation schedule will also put an end to passengers waiting endlessly at bus stations and will encourage long-distance travellers to opt for super fast services.

South Gujarat battered by heavy rain

04/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,AHMEDABAD

Unlikely visitor: A crocodile being rescued by an NDRF team from Vadodara, Gujarat on Saturday.ANIANI

After Vadodara, it’s now the turn of Surat and other southern Gujarat districts to be battered, prompting the State administration to deploy an NDRF team in Bharuch and shift people from vulnerable locations as extremely heavy rain is predicted.

Due to water-logging, the administration has shifted 2,649 people from Valsad, Surat, Anand, Bharuch and Vadodara districts till Saturday evening.

In less than six hours on Saturday, Olpad taluka in Surat received 298 mm of rain while Umerpada got 204 mm, and Dharampur in Valsad district received 125 mm rainfall.

Mangrol in Surat received 269 mm rainfall in the 24 hours till 8 a.m. on Saturday, as per the State Emergency Operation Centre data. The downpour resulted in several areas getting water-logged and the Kim and Auranga rivers flowing near the danger mark, officials said.

Heavy rains in Nashik, Godavari flows above danger mark

04/08/2019, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA,NASHIK

Heavy rains in and release of water from Gangapur Dam on Saturday caused the Godavari to flow above the danger mark, said district collector Suraj Mandhare.

He said 17,748 cusecs (cubic foot per second) of water was released leading to the level of the river reaching almost to the deck of Holkar Bridge.

Mr. Mandhare asked people living along the banks of rivers to be alert as water from several dams had been released following heavy rains over the past few days.

Several cusecs of water were released into various rivers from Gautami, Alandi, Bhavali, Waldevi, Palkhed, Chankapur, Punad and Haranbari dams, Mr. Mandhare informed.

Earlier in the day, an Irrigation department official said water had reached up to the neck of the Dutondya Maruti, a statue of Hanuman on the bed of Godavari river, and was a few feet below the Ram setu bridge.

Doctors told to return to work or face action

IMA to meet today to decide on the next course of action

04/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,NEW DELHI

On protest: AIIMS doctors rallying against the NMC Bill. Sandeep SaxenaSandeep Saxena

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Safdarjung Hospital and others on Saturday directed their doctors on strike to resume work immediately or face disciplinary action.

Doctors from several hospitals across the capital and various parts of the country have been on strike, including emergency services in some hospitals, for the past three days now protesting against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019.

On Friday evening, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan met the doctors and asked them to end the strike in the interest of patients. He maintained that the legislation was in the interest of doctors, patients, medical students and society and added that the Bill was one of the biggest reforms in medical education in India.

The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on Thursday.

In a statement, the Indian Medical Association, which is now scheduled to meet on Sunday to decide on the next course of action, said: “The Bill is 'anti-poor', 'anti-student' and 'undemocratic' and promotes quackery. Section 32 of the NMC Bill provides for licensing of 3.5 lakh non-medical persons or Community Health Providers to practise modern medicine. This is unacceptable.”

Speaking about the provision, the Minister noted: “There is no question of quackery. The Commission may grant limited license to practice medicine for Community Health Providers (CHP). This concept is recognized worldwide and this concept has also been highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Lancet Journal. Many countries follow a similar arrangement.”

High Court allows teacher’s plea on pension scheme

04/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER, ,MADURAI

The Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday allowed the appeal of a secondary grade teacher who sought a direction to be placed under the old pension scheme, as she was appointed prior to the implementation of new pension scheme.

The teacher, V. Vasanthi of Velipattinam, Ramanathapuram, said that she was appointed to the post of Secondary Grade Teacher in 2002 and her service was regularised in 2004, after she completed a child psychology training programme.

After her service was regularised, she was allotted a Teacher Provident Fund Scheme account. However, nearly nine years later, the allotment of old pension scheme was cancelled on the reason that her service was regularised in 2004, after the new contributory pension scheme came into force.

Her earlier writ petition was dismissed on the ground that she had completed child psychology training only in 2004, therefore she was not entitled to the old pension scheme. She preferred an appeal against the order of the single bench.

Hearing the appeal, a Division Bench of Justices K. Ravichandrabaabu and Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy observed that the woman was appointed as a secondary grade teacher in 2002 when the old scheme was in force.

The appointment by the school management and approval of it by School Education department were two different events. Approval of appointment was granted by the department for extending monetary benefits.

It did not mean that date of approval itself had to be construed as the date of appointment for considering applicability of the relevant pension scheme. Approval of such appointment might be granted from the date of appointment.

The woman is entitled to count her service period from the date of her appointment for the purpose of pension.

She must be placed only under the old pension scheme since her appointment was admittedly earlier to the introduction of the new pension scheme, the court said.

Customary divorce not accepted under provisions of law: HC

‘It affects personal liberty and fundamental rights of women’

04/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Hearing the plight of a woman, who was deserted by her husband, the Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday called it a classic case where an employee who committed serious misconduct was allowed to escape from the clutches of law; it led to denial of livelihood to the legally wedded wife.

It was hearing a petition filed in 2014 by Banumathi of Madurai, who sought a direction to New India Assurance Company to initiate disciplinary proceedings against her husband. Packiaraj for violating conduct rules. Marriage between the couple was solemnised at Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in 1976 and they have a girl child.

She alleged that her husband had developed an illegal relationship with a married woman, who had children. When she questioned her husband, he was said to have neglected the family before deserting his wife and child. She took up a job as a noon meal worker.

She filed a petition under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, for restitution of conjugal rights. The Family Court at Madurai dismissed the case on the ground that there was a delay in initiating proceedings and that a customary divorce was granted. This was accepted by the employer of her husband. Meanwhile, her husband retired from service with pension benefits.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam observed that the Family Court had not considered the validity of the customary divorce with reference to the provisions of marriage laws. The marriage was solemnised as per Hindu rites and customs. Customary divorce, even prima facie, might not be possible nor be accepted and such a concept of customary divorce was not in prevalence in Madurai with reference to the Act.

A person claiming any such customary divorce as a valid dissolution of marriage must establish that such a custom was in prevalence in society or in the particular community. An indisputable proof was required for establishing a customary divorce.

The concept of customary divorce is not normally accepted in our society or under the provisions of law, the court said.

The dissolution of marriage granted by the competent court of law alone must be taken for the purpose of ascertaining the marriage status of a person.

The Family Court had erred in its verdict. Its judgement could not be accepted as a valid dissolution of marriage.

The HC Bench said that customary divorce was a social evil. It was happening on account of ill-minded male chauvinists.

It was also affecting personal liberty and fundamental rights of women to adjudicate their issues before the competent forum, it said and allowed the woman to approach a competent forum for claiming maintenance.

The court directed the insurance company to initiate suitable action against employees who were accountable for dereliction of duty. It pulled up the authorities for failing to initiate any inquiry against their employee, who had retired with pension benefits. He had conveniently escaped from the clutches of disciplinary proceedings as well as from his responsibilities.

Power shutdown

04/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

There will be power shutdown in the following areas from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, August 5:

 Sholavandan, Thachampathu, Tiruvedagam, Melakkal, Kachirairuppu, Narayanapuram, Oothukuli, Thenkarai, Mullipallam, Mannadimangalam, Kadupatti, Irumbadi, Alankottaram, Rishabam and Rayapuram.

On Tuesday

There will be power shutdown in the following areas served by Vandiyur substation between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6: Vandiyur, P.K.M Nagar, Managiri, Sourashtrapuram, Yagappa Nagar, Sadasiva Nagar, Karuppayurani, Seeman Nagar, Pandi Koil, Masthanpatti, East Anna Nagar, Veerapanchan, Poolangulam, Pudur, LKT Nagar, Kalmedu.

Medicos learn seriousness, consequences of ragging

A tainted student is highly unlikely to get a government job, says police official

04/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER , MADURAI

P. Mathusuthanan, Chairman, Permanent Lok Adalat, speaking at a programme in Madurai on Saturday. R. Ashok

The District Legal Services Authority conducted a programme on legal measures in place to protect students from ragging at Madurai Medical College here on Saturday.

Chairman of Permanent Lok Adalat P. Mathusuthanan said raising the voice, conducting oneself in a disorderly manner both inside and outside campus and causing physical or psychological harm would amount to ragging under Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997.

He traced the genesis of ragging to a horrific case where a first year student was murdered as a result of ragging in a medical college. “It is important for senior and junior students to mingle with one another in sports and cultural activities instead of bullying,” he said.

Inspector of Anna Nagar police station G. Pethuraj explained the consequences of ragging. “If there is a ragging complaint against a student, even if he cleared all examinations, it is highly unlikely that he would be employed by the government. The process of clearing one’s name from the charge is also time-consuming,” he said.

He said some students put themselves in a vulnerable situation by sharing photos on the social media. “If you find yourself in a victim’s position, do not hesitate to seek the help of police. We have women officers who are able counsellors and can help you come out of a sticky situation. If the offence is major, we will also intervene,” he said.

Dean K. Vanitha said that the college was taking all measures to address all concerns of students and parents.

“First year students have separate timing for mess and attending classes to prevent mingling with the seniors. We follow the clear set of guidelines and procedures and give protection to the students,” she added.

Indian universities get free access to Urkund software

Swedish software was chosen through a global tender process

04/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

All universities in India, public and private, have been given trial access to anti-plagiarism software Urkund August 2.

Final subscription to access the Swedish software will begin from September 1, 2019, according to a notice from the University Grants Commission (UGC).

“We have a two-pronged approach. As part of the exercise to prevent plagiarism in the coming years, we are providing free of cost anti-plagiarism software to all 900 universities, including private players. It will be available to teachers, students, researchers, everyone,” said Human Resource Development Secretary K. Subrahmanyam. The Urkund software was chosen through a global tender process. While Turnitin is more commonly used by global academics, it was found to be 10 times more expensive without a proportionate increase in features or reliability.

The second step was put in place last July, when the Centre notified the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018. It called for departmental and institutional-level panels be set up to deal with plagiarism complaints, and set up four severity levels of offences with appropriate penalties for students — only from Masters level and above — as well as faculty. All theses, dissertations and academic papers meant for publication must be checked using plagiarism software.

Similarities and offence

There are no penalties for minor similarities, up to 10% of the document. If a thesis or dissertation has similarities up to 40%, it is considered a level 1 offence and students will be asked to submit a revised version within six months.

In a level 2 offence, the similarities are between 40% and 60%, and the student will be debarred from submitting a revised script for one year. Similarities above 60% are considered a level 3 offence and will lead to expulsion, with student registration for that programme being cancelled.

In case of plagiarism in academic and research publications, a level 1 offence will result in being asked to withdraw the manuscript. In case of level 2, the offender will also be denied the right to one annual increment, and will not be allowed to supervise any Masters, M.Phil or Ph.D student for a two year period. A level 3 offence will result in denial of two annual increments and debarment from research supervision for three years.

Repeated offences will result in higher level penalties, including suspension and termination. If plagiarism is detected after a degree or credit has been awarded, that will be suspended for a set period.

A UGC panel on improving research culture, headed by former Indian Institute of Science director P. Balaram, warned that such central regulations could not replace the need for institutional vigilance.

“Institutions must take the responsibility for ensuring academic standards and for emphasising, to both students and faculty, the importance of maintaining the highest standards of integrity in academic research,” said the report submitted by the panel last month.

6,000 yatris fly out of Srinagar

Over 5,800 leave by scheduled flights; others moved by IAF after security alert

04/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, ,NEW DELHI

Valley of fear: People queuing up to stock up on petrol in Srinagar on Saturday.AFP

Nearly 6,000 pilgrims were flown out of Srinagar on Saturday by commercial airlines and the Indian Air Force after the Centre called off the Amarnath yatra and asked devotees to return home, citing security concerns.

As many as 6,216 people turned up at the Srinagar International Airport, out of which 5,829 pilgrims travelled by 32 scheduled flights. The remaining 387 persons were flown on four IAF aircraft to destinations such as Jammu, Pathankot and Hindon, according to a statement from the Airports Authority of India.

Airfares shoot up

The Civil Aviation Ministry has asked airlines to rein in the surge in airfares to help the pilgrims return. Travel portal yatra.com showed airfares in the range of ₹11,000-₹18,000 for a Srinagar-Delhi flight on Sunday.

“Yatris will get special flights and controlled fares but what will happen to patients, students and other people who have to travel,” National Conference leader Omar Abdullah posted on Twitter, urging Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri to take remedial steps.

Earlier various airlines, including Air India, IndiGo and Vistara, announced a full waiver on cancellation and rescheduling of flights from and to Srinagar following an advisory from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Militant killed

Meanwhile, a militant was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Sopore on Saturday morning. One soldier was injured. The gunfight began at Malmanpora after a team of the Army, the police and the CRPF launched a search.

(With inputs from

Peerzada Ashiq)

Heavy rain brings Mumbai to its knees, again

Commuters were the worst-hit as rail, road and air travel came to a halt

04/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, ,MUMBAI

In line: Aircraft waiting in queue for taking off at the Mumbai airport on Saturday. Heavy rain lashed Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts on Saturday.Vijay BateVijay Bate

Incessant rain that lashed the city since Friday night threw life out of gear again. Commuters on the central railway line were the worst affected, while other forms of commute, too, witnessed disruptions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 52.2 mm rainfall at the Colaba observatory and 83.8 mm at the Santacruz observatory till 8.30 p.m. on Saturday. The city witnessed 35.67 mm rainfall, while the eastern and western suburbs recorded 64.88 mm and 68.20 mm rainfall respectively. The Corporation declared a holiday for all public and private schools in light of the rain.

The Mithi swelled in size, crossing the “danger mark” of 3 m and going up to 3.3 m on Saturday afternoon. The authorities evacuated hundreds of people from the Kranti Nagar area in Kurla as a precautionary measure.

The rains had a direct effect on commuters with rail, road and air travel being affected. A spokesperson for the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport said delays of up to 38 minutes in arriving flights and up to 49 minutes for departures were observed on Saturday, but no flights were cancelled.

Civic officials said the Mithi crossing the danger mark, combined with the high tide of 4.9 m, resulted in severe waterlogging on the tracks between the Kurla and Sion stations.

Trains suspended

Train services were completely suspended from 1.55 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., after which trains were run up to Kurla and from Dadar to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, before services could limp back to normal. Several trains stopped midway and commuters, after waiting for over two hours, started jumping off the trains and walking on the tracks till they reached the nearest railway station.

The Western line did not witness much delays. However, on the Harbour line, a part of the footover bridge between Chembur and Govandi stations collapsed on the overhead wires, resulting in services being suspended till 6.32 p.m.

Water logging was recorded in Sion, Wadala, Chembur, Vidyavihar and Ghatkopar in the central and eastern suburbs, and in the Andheri subway, Milan subway, Meghwadi, National College, Bandra, Akriti Mall, Andheri, and Reliance Junction in Borivali in the western suburbs.

Traffic at King’s Circle, Antop Hill, Hindmata junction, Samajmandir Hall, Pratiksha Nagar, Vihar lake, Sheetal Cinema, Kurla, Oberoi junction, Malad and several other areas had to be rerouted.

This year, a qualifying test to avail of free coaching

04/08/2019

“However, there was a definite improvement in the performance overall, as more than 2,000 students who took the free coaching classes cleared the exam this year and we are working towards preparing students better,” he added.

In 2018-19, around 19,000 students from government and government-aided schools across the State enrolled for coaching classes conducted during the weekends. Of this, 2,579 students had been selected for the ‘Thoduvanam’ programme, where they went through a residential crash course one month before taking NEET.

Over 48% of all students in Tamil Nadu who took NEET qualified this year.

Officials have further clarified that there will be no reduction in the number of coaching centres in any of the districts. The test will be mainly based on the Class 11 syllabus and will test the basic subject knowledge of the students. While schools have been instructed to identify and send in a list of students who will be taking the exam, the head of a government school from the city said that teachers have motivated as many students as possible to take up the qualifying exam. Schools across the State have been instructed to compulsorily have practice tests based on competitive exams such as NEET and JEE every Friday starting August 9.

In a circular from the Director of School Education, schools have been informed that they will be sent question papers for the same via email. “Through these measures, we hope to prepare our students to take up competitive exams at the national level and ensure that they do well,” the director said.

Criticizing this move, P.K. Ilamaran, State President of the Tamil Nadu Teachers Association, said that the government should not restrict the opportunity to undergo coaching. “More students should be encouraged instead to attend the coaching classes regularly,” he added.

Diamonds seized

04/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

Customs officials at the Chennai airport seized diamonds worth ₹2.25 crore and arrested a Malaysian national.

Azmal Khan Bin Nagor Mera, 48, was intercepted by the Customs officers. Two white bundles, were found concealed in his inner wear. A multi-function cooker was found in his checked-in luggage. Eight bundles were found concealed at the bottom of the cooker. On cutting the bundles open, 55 white mini ziplock pouches, with precious stones were found concealed. “A government-approved valuer certified the stones to be diamonds weighing 2,996 carat, valued at ₹2.25 crore,” said a press release.

Charitable hospital offers dialysis for ₹600

In first phase, a 6-bed facility starts operations at Sulaiha Hassan Dialysis Centre

04/08/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

Murthuzaviya Charitable Hospital, popularly called “the 15 rupees hospital” in the north Chennai neighbourhood of Kodungaiyur, on Saturday launched a dialysis centre for the poor. In the first phase, a six-bed facility for dialysis has started operations in the Sulaiha Hassan Dialysis Centre on the premises of the charitable hospital.

Launching the facility, former Madras High Court Justice K.N. Basha said the dialysis centre would offer services to poor patients who cannot afford huge sums of money for dialysis. “Kidney failure is one of the deadliest conditions. We have to motivate people who donate money for such charitable facilities,” he said.

Presiding over the inaugural event, former Madras High Court Justice G.M. Akber Ali said: “Healthcare is a basic need of the people. But millions of people continue to be denied tertiary healthcare. People who donate money for providing affordable healthcare have to be commended for their initiative.”

Chief Medical Officer S.S.M. Khadri said the launch of the centre was a red-letter day for the charitable hospital.

Murthuzaviya Charitable Hospital president G.S.M.P. Khadri said the centre would offer dialysis services for ₹600. “The new dialysis centre will have six machines. Renal failure is becoming very common in the neighbourhood. Use of painkillers is one of the causes,” Dr. Khadri said.

He said the hospital now charges ₹15 from out-patients. Multispecialty services are offered at ₹50.

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.