காஸ் சிலிண்டர் மானியம் எவ்வளவு? ரசீதில் தெரிவிக்காததால் குழப்பம்

Added : அக் 06, 2019 00:01

வங்கி கணக்கில் செலுத்தப்படும், வீட்டு சமையல் காஸ் சிலிண்டருக்கான மானிய தொகை விபரத்தை, 'டெலிவரி' ரசீதில் தெரிவிக்காததால், வாடிக்கையாளர்கள் குழப்பம் அடைந்துள்ளனர்.

பொதுத் துறையைச் சேர்ந்த இந்தியன் ஆயில், பாரத், ஹிந்துஸ்தான் பெட்ரோலியம் எண்ணெய் நிறுவனங்கள், வீடுகளுக்கு, 14.20 கிலோ எடையில், சமையல் காஸ் சிலிண்டர்களை, மானிய விலையில் சப்ளை செய்தன.

'ஆதார்' எண்

இதனால், ஒரே நபர், பல முகவரிகளில், காஸ் சிலிண்டர் வாங்கி, கள்ள சந்தையில் கூடுதல் விலைக்கு விற்றனர். இதை தடுக்க, மத்திய அரசு, 2015ல், நேரடி மானிய திட்டத்தை துவக்கியது. இத்திட்டத்தின் கீழ் வாடிக்கையாளர்கள், சந்தை விலையில் சிலிண்டர் வாங்க வேண்டும். பின், அதற்கான மானிய தொகை, அவர்களின் வங்கிக் கணக்கில் நேரடியாக வரவு வைக்கப்படும். இதற்காக, வாடிக்கையாளர் களின், வங்கிக் கணக்கு எண், 'ஆதார்' எண் போன்றவை வாங்கப்பட்டன.

கோரிக்கை

மாதந்தோறும், சிலிண்டர் விலையில் மாற்றம் செய்யப்படுகிறது. அதன்படி, சிலிண்டர் டெலிவரி செய்யும் போது, காஸ் ஏஜன்சி சார்பில் வழங்கப்படும் ரசீதில், சிலிண்டர் விலை, மானிய தொகை விபரங்கள் இடம் பெற்றன. இந்நிலையில், தற்போது வழங்கப்படும் ரசீதில், மானிய தொகை விபரம் தெரிவிக்கப்படுவதில்லை. இதனால், மானிய விபரம் தெரியாததுடன், அது, வங்கியில் ஒழுங்காக செலுத்தப்படுகிறதா என, வாடிக்கையாளர்கள் சந்தேகம் அடைந்து உள்ளனர்.

இது குறித்து, எண்ணெய் நிறுவன அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது: சமையல் காஸ் சிலிண்டருக்கான மானிய தொகையை, டெலிவரி ரசீதில் பதிவு செய்வது நிறுத்தப்பட்டு உள்ளது. இருப்பினும், மானிய தொகை, வாடிக்கையாளர்களின் வங்கிக் கணக்கில் தொடர்ந்து செலுத்தப்படுகிறது.

ஏற்கனவே இருந்தது போல, ரசீதில் மானிய தொகையை தெரிவிக்குமாறு, பலரிடம் இருந்து கோரிக்கைகள் வருகின்றன. இவை, தலைமை அலுவலகங்களில் உள்ள, உயரதிகாரிகளின் கவனத்திற்கு எடுத்து செல்லப்படும். இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார்.

- நமது நிருபர் -

Neglected by sons and daughters, 95-year-old woman out in Tamil Nadu street
Pattammal, wife of Manickam of Senguthapuram village has two sons, Shanmugam and Sadhasivam and two daughters, Saroja and Sakunthala.

Published: 06th October 2019 01:22 AM 

Representational image.

By Express News Service

ARIYALUR: In a tragic case, a 95-year-old woman cast out by her sons and daughters was found sleeping on the road near Jayankondam in Ariyalur district. The woman was ill and her plight caught the public’s attention and invited a police investigation.

Pattammal (95), wife of Manickam of Senguthapuram village has two sons, Shanmugam and Sadhasivam and two daughters, Saroja and Sakunthala.

Pattammal’s husband died many years ago. Shanmugam runs a sweet stall in Senguthapuram village and Sadhasivam is a retired teacher. The two daughters are married.

Pattammal shifted every month from one’s son’s house to the other’s in Sengunthapuram until a year ago. She has been ailing for some years and it was alleged her sons did not give her medical care.

She then stayed at her daughter Sakunthala’s house for a year. Sakunthala recently suffered renal failure, which made it difficult for her to care for her mother.

On Wednesday, Sakunthala’s husband Sivagurunathan took Pattammal to Shanmugam’s house.

Shanmugam refused to take his mother in and dropped her off at Sadhasivam’s house. In what was becoming a back and forth, Sadhasivam allegedly took his mother and dropped her off outside his brother’s house.

She was found outside by a member of the public, who, seeing she was unwell, took her to Jayankondam GH. As she was not allowed to stay the night in the hospital, she was brought back to Shanmugam’s house.

Since she was turned away by her son yet again, she was forced to spend the night in the open.

On Thursday, people from the village found Pattammal was very ill and sent her to the GH again through ambulance. The villagers had tried to persuade the two sons to take Pattamal back but they refused.

As news of the incident spread, police stepped in. Jayankondam police were conducting inquiries with the family even as Pattamal languished in the hospital.

Madras HC acquits 5 life-term convicts in murder case

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court acquitted five life convicts and modified the sentences of four others in a murder case.

Published: 06th October 2019 03:34 AM |


Madras HC (File | EPS)

By Express News Service

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court acquitted five life convicts and modified the sentences of four others in a murder case. A bench comprising Justices S Vaidyanathan and N Anand Venkatesh passed the order on a batch of appeals filed by the convicts – Ganesan, Balamurugan, Deivendran, Kasivelu, Sivasubramanian, Durairaj, Selvaraj, Sivasankaran, Vijayakumar and Sathaiah – challenging the conviction and sentence awarded to them by a lower court in Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram on August 31, 2017, for the murder of one Murugesan over a temple dispute in 2009. Two more accused in the case, including Sivasankaran, have died and one was acquitted by the lower court.

The Judges, in their order, observed that the maxim “falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus” (meaning false in one thing, false in everything) has not been applied in India. “Hence, even though a major portion of the evidence is found to be deficient, if the residue is sufficient to prove the guilt of an accused, the same can be used to convict an accused”, the judges opined.

Therefore, based on the overt acts attributed to the accused persons and the evidence that is available to substantiate the same, the Judges held that there were no sufficient proofs with regard to participation of Deivendran, Kasivelu, Sivasubramanian, Durairaj and Selvaraj in the murder of Murugesan and acquitted them.The Judges also modified the sentences of remaining accused in such a way that only Ganesan and Balamurugan would be facing life imprisonment while Vijayakumar and Sathaiah were awarded three years and one year rigorous imprisonment respectively.

Challenged the conviction

A bench comprising Justices S Vaidyanathan and N Anand Venkatesh passed the order of acquitted five life convicts and modifying sentences on a batch of appeals filed by the convicts challenging the conviction and sentence awarded to them by a lower court in Paramakudi on August 31, 2017, for the murder of one Murugesan

Rs 808 crore collected as property, profession tax

During the first half of the financial year 2019-2020, Greater Chennai Corporation collected `607.38 crore as property tax and `201.59 as profession tax, totalling `808.97 crore, a release noted.

Published: 06th October 2019 03:27 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: During the first half of the financial year 2019-2020, Greater Chennai Corporation collected Rs 607.38 crore as property tax and `201.59 as profession tax, totalling Rs 808.97 crore, a release noted.

This is twice the sum the civic body collected during the corresponding period last financial year, which was Rs 320.21 crore as property tax and Rs 171.40 crore as profession tax, totalling Rs 491.61 crore, the release said.

Meanwhile, as part of dengue prevention measures, the corporation collected a fine of Rs 32 lakhs in the past two months from owners of houses and buildings. The release said about 3,000 officials spread out inspecting around 500 houses per zonal division.

They inspected around 9,000 new private buildings, 1,665 government buildings and 808 abandoned houses to ensure that mosquitoes did not breed there. The civic body has advised 387 government and corporation hospitals and 652 private hospitals to ensure speedy treatment for dengue patients. Since September, the civic body had reported about 100 dengue cases.

College mess: No return policy

Legal experts are worried that a recent order of the Madras HC, allowing private engineering colleges to retain original certificates of faculty for the duration of their employment, may severely curt

Published: 06th October 2019 04:38 AM | 

ILLUSTRATION: TAPAS RANJAN

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A single-member bench of the Madras High Court recently ruled that private engineering colleges are entitled to have in their custody the original education certificates of their staff. The court accepted the arguments of the private colleges that the staff may quit the job suddenly unless the managements are in custody of the original certificates.

But labour rights experts are worried that the court might have unwittingly created a facilitating ground for a kind of bonded labour even in the organised sector. If the same logic is accepted, then private companies in other sectors too might start demanding original certificates from their employees. Such a trend might spell doom to the career freedom that millions enjoy now.

The high court was hearing a petition by the All India Private Educational Institution Associations challenging a circular by Anna University issued on December 4, 2018. The university’s circular had directed all its affiliated colleges that certificates of teaching and non-teaching staff should be returned to the staff immediately after verification. The university’s circular was passed in the context of suicide of a staff of a private engineering college in Chennai. Among the reasons cited for the suicide was the refusal of the college management to return the original certificates of the victim to allow him to take up another lucrative career option.

Ruling in favour of the college managements, the high court’s order (issued on July 17, 2019 and recently made available to the parties) interpreted the context cited in a related notification by the All Indian Council of Technical Education dated March 29, 2019. The council’s notification said that it has been receiving complaints that college managements are refusing to give back the certificates of staff who wanted to quit. It went on to warn colleges who refuse to return the certificates of their staff. However, the court interpreted that the council’s notification is only pertaining to those staff who wanted to quit. Hence, the colleges are entitled to possess the certificates of staff who are in service. The court directed Anna University to release a fresh circular on these lines and also ordered that colleges should return the certificates only to those staff who wanted to quit.

Teachers worried

The court’s order seemingly allows the employer to retain vital documents, earned by faculty members after years of hard work, until they quit their jobs. Staff of private engineering colleges said the order cannot be implemented in reality. They told Express that many institutions barely accept resignation letters, leaving no paper trail of their requests to quit their job. How exactly can a staff prove that he/she had indeed submitted the resignation letter and that the college is refusing to return the certificates? Not everyone can afford to file a case in the courts.

It is in fact common knowledge that private engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu and other States collect all their faculty’s original certificates - including degree certificates and mark sheets - and use it as leverage against those who want to look for better prospects. The issue was in the limelight after the suicide of T Vasanthavannan, who was working as an assistant professor in a private engineering college in the city. His family members said that the college’s threats and refusal to return the certificates after Vasanthavannan got a better job opportunity triggered severe mental distress, ultimately pushing him to kill himself.

KM Karthik of All India Private College Employees Union said very few colleges have returned their staff’s documents despite repeated warnings from Anna University and AICTE even after the death of Vasanthavannan. With declining demand for engineering seats, many private engineering managements are fund-crunched. This has subsequently led to coercing existing faculty into doing more work for the same or lesser pay. “Colleges withhold certificates and demand a ransom if we want to switch jobs,” he said, charging that institutions use original certificates as collateral, preventing career freedom.

Shaky legal ground

Former Madras High Court judge, Justice K Chandru, speaking to Express said that the verdict could pave the way for dangerous modern “enslavement.” He said, “Degree certificates are an individual’s property and colleges have no right to hold on to it. They cannot enslave teachers by threat and collateral.”He further said that under the contract law, individuals have the right to leave any time they want and even breach a contract. “The best an institution can do is sue a person for breaching the contract and claim some monetary damages,” he added.

Chandru said that he himself had disposed of several cases after asking institutions to return the faculty’s original certificates and not harass them. “In many cases, I heard colleges have defrauded the government by presenting the same set of faculty certificates for different institutions under them to get approvals. Will the High Court take responsibility for such incidents?” he asked, opining that anyone with a basic understanding of the contract law should know it is the right of an individual to look for career prospects that offer contentment.

Advocate Mahaboob Fazil said that several courts across the country have held that colleges cannot retain faculty’s original certificates. He elaborated that retention of these documents puts faculty in a scenario identical to bonded labour. “It cannot be defined as bonded labour. However, when the employee wants to exercise his or her freedom of livelihood and find another job, colleges withhold their property (certificates) and ask them to pay a lumpsum to leave,” he said.

AICTE directive

While the high court verdict draws reference to the context cited in a recent circular issued by AICTE, it failed to refer to more authoritative sources like the council’s Approval Process Handbook. The handbook states that institutions that demand original degree certificates from faculty members at the time of joining “shall be liable for any one or more of the following punitive actions by the council: No admission for one academic year; withdrawal of approval of the institution.”

When asked about the issue, a member of Private Engineering Colleges Management Association has this to say: “Often faculty members decide to resign in the middle of the academic year, leaving our students high and dry. It is also difficult for us to find a replacement mid-year. We have no way to stop them from doing it.” Hence, colleges should be permitted to hold back the original documents of the faculty members during their employment, he added.

However, top officials of both AICTE and Anna University said colleges are not allowed to retain the certificates of their staff. Speaking to Express, AICTE chairman Anil Sahasrabuddhe said technical institutions that hold on to faculties’ original records will be liable to the council’s punitive action. “AICTE stands by its faculty protection policy. Teachers must have the freedom to opt for better opportunities. They cannot be held back forcibly because colleges are not returning their certificates,” he said. Sahasrabuddhe admitted that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent and is consulting with its legal team to see how it can be challenged.

The judgement itself may become defunct in a couple of years, as AICTE has directed all institutions, faculty and students to upload their certificates onto the National Academic Depository (NAD). When certificates can only be verified digitally, there will be no need for physical copies. MK Surappa, the Vice-Chancellor of Anna University said that he would discuss the matter with other stake-holders before commenting on the issue.

End use of legal size paper, CJI urged

A4 sheets are more economical to photocopy, law students say in letter

06/10/2019, KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL , ,NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court rules mandate A4 sheets but they have been ignored.

Three law students have written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi to drop the colonial practice of using legal size paper across courts in India and opt for the commonly available A4 size sheets for case records.

“The government and corporates are the biggest litigants, both of which carry out their internal affairs by use of A4 size paper. Use of legal size paper is only the result of British colonial practice, which is still being continued without any logic. Even in countries like the U.K. and U.S., their entire legal system make use of A4 size paper,” they said.

Besides, Abhinav Singh, Akriti Agarwal and Lakshya Purohit informed the CJI that A4 paper was more economical to photocopy, given the numerous copies of case records courts require litigants to file. Photocopying was a separate industry within court complexes. Copies of pleadings depended on the number of parties, records and also the number of judges on the Bench.

For example, in the Ayodhya appeals, the court records alone filled 15 huge steel boxes. The five civil suits had numerous defendants.

Copies had to be made for each one, and most importantly, five separate copies of every record for each of the judges on the Bench. The photocopies alone would cost a fortune for the litigants.

The letter pointed out that photostat vendors charged ₹2 for copying the legal size paper and ₹1 for A4 paper.

For the CJI, who heads the Ayodhya Bench, the September 30 letter from the three students may come as an eye-opener.

In fact, the Supreme Court rules also mandate A4 size sheets. But old habits die hard in legal practice, and the rule is ignored.

The students told the CJI that even the U.K. and U.S. Supreme Courts did not use legal size sheets and preferred their more modern A4 counterparts mostly because the latter were easily available.

Kerala police crack serial murder case

06/10/2019

The investigators cracked the mystery by tracking Mathew and Prajikumar, who allegedly supplied the cyanide to the woman for executing the murders.

The duo was working at the time with a local jewellery firm and had access to the poisonous chemical. .

Annamma Thomas was the first victim in 2002 and reportedly died soon after having some home-made food. Six years later, her husband Tom Thomas died the same way, followed by their son Roy in 2011.

The other three deaths took place in 2014 and 2016. Annamma’s brother Mathew Manchadiyil, and his two relatives — Sily and her daughter were the victims.

They too are believed to have died after having food mixed with a small quantity of cyanide.

After the mysterious deaths, the woman who allegedly masterminded the killing married another member of the family.

The conspiracy was exposed after Rojo Thomas, son of Tom Thomas, filed a confidential petition with the Crime Branch seeking a probe into the suspicious deaths in his family. He also submitted proof of some secret land deals, in which the suspects tried to take control of the properties of the dead persons.

In a preliminary investigation, the Crime Branch squad confirmed that Shaju was present when all the six deaths occurred.

The actual motive was revealed when the squad checked the property transactions and financial deals done by her in partnership with her new husband. The details of telephone calls made by the two during the time of the deaths too helped the police in uncovering the mystery.

Indians stranded in Saudi seek help

600 workers, including 70 from Kerala, have been suffering in labour camps

06/10/2019, MINI MURINGATHERI,THRISSUR

Around 600 employees, including 70 from Kerala, have been suffering in labour camps in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, without food, medicine and wages.

These employees, many of them working in Saudi Arabia for five to 30 years, were left in dire straits as their companies, mostly in the construction sector, were listed in the ‘Red’ category after they failed to implement the Nitaqat law.

Nitaqat, which was brought in to localise labour, makes it mandatory for all businesses in private sector to reserve at least 10% of jobs for Saudi nationals.

K.V. Abdul Khader, MLA and chairman of the Assembly committee for Pravasi Welfare, who visited the labour camp of Al Dossary Company in Jubail city in KSA, said the lives of these labourers was horrible. Al Dossary was a well-established company for roads and other civil works.

“They have been denied food and medicine. They are not getting wages for more than 10 months. As they are not getting any insurance benefits, many are not able to take treatment for even serious illnesses,” said Mr. Khader.

“Most of them face travel ban as their visa and other documents have already expired. They cannot come back home even if their beloved ones die. Many are yet to get huge amounts of money from their companies as service benefits,” Mr. Khader said.

“Their labour camps have been without power or water supply for months. Many of them collapse unable to tolerate the heat. The company managements are not providing them with any help. They are now surviving with the support of some Malayali organisations,” the MLA said.

There are many more workers in various other companies like Al Khobar and Araar, who face a similar fate, he added.

The new management policy is to close down the company without paying any compensation to employees. They are not given any wages for the last 10 months, according to Employees Coordination Committee of Al Dossary Company.

The employees submitted a written complaint to a Saudi labour court with the support of the Indian Embassy help desk and verdict was in their favour. But the company is not taking any step to execute the judgment, the employees alleged.

Mr. Khader urged the Union government to take up the issue at the diplomatic level with the Saudi Ministry.

Junior doctors strike work in Bhopal hospital

06/10/2019, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA,BHOPAL

Junior doctors at the State-run Hamidia Hospital in in Madhya Pradesh struck work on Saturday demanding arrest of a man who allegedly molested and robbed one of their colleagues.

An unidentified person entered the hostel room of a doctor through the window and molested, threatened and robbed her, said M.P. Junior Doctors’ Association president Sachet Saxena.

“If the police does not catch the culprit in 24 hours, we will launch a protest across the State,” he said.

The stir, in which over 300 junior doctors and around 1,000 under-graduates are taking part, has affected services, admitted a hospital official.

Post-mortem report exposes cyanide trail

In macabre Kerala case, presence of chemical in Roy Thomas’s body led Crime Branch to suspects

06/10/2019, STAFF REPORTER,KOZHIKODE

The confidential investigation launched by the Crime Branch into the serial murders came to the attention of the people of Koodathayi, a village located about 30 km from the city, only when the investigators decided to open the graves of the six victims and collect the remains for forensic examination.

The squad had maintained secrecy in investigation and placed the suspects — Jolly Shaju, the prime accused, and two others — under surveillance.

Rojo Thomas, son of first victim Tom Thomas, had told the squad that he too was under the scanner of the alleged murderers. The man and his family could not be targeted as they lived abroad, police sources said. It was Mr. Rojo’s persistent demand that prompted the Crime Branch to take up the case, which was not probed in depth by the local police. He had gone to the squad multiple times with the evidence against the suspects, and the Crime Branch then decided to open the graves.

District Police Chief (Kozhikode Rural) K.G. Simon on Saturday said the post-mortem examination of the body of Roy Thomas — the third victim — which revealed traces of cyanide, provided the Crime Branch team with incriminating evidence to arrest the three suspects.

Of the six victims, post-mortem examination was conducted only on Roy Thomas’s body, since his death was suspected to be a case of suicide. “Details of the other five deaths came to light following a two-month investigation by a Crime Branch squad,” Mr. Simon told reporters at Vadakara. He said the police had submitted a re-investigation report to the court.

Forged ID card

According to Mr. Simon, the enthusiasm shown by Jolly Shaju to project the death of her former husband Roy Thomas as cardiac arrest prompted the squad to focus on her. They found that Jolly was using a forged identity card of the NIT-C to create the impression that she was a lecturer there.

“We decided to exhume the bodies of all six victims and do forensic examination. Preliminary evidence shows all were murdered,” he said. Mr. Simon said Jolly and Roy Thomas were not on good terms. “We have evidence to show she got the cyanide from the other two suspects, M.S. Mathew and P. Prajikumar,” he said.

Cars, cargo for President Xi’svisit to arrive in Chennai by special aircraft

Chinese officials inspect security arrangements at airport

06/10/2019, SUNITHA SEKAR,CHENNAI

A wall painting at Gate Number 5 of Chennai airport.B. Velankanni RajB. Velankanni Raj

A special aircraft carrying cars and cargo from China is expected to arrive at Chennai airport in a few days, ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit next week.

“A Boeing 747 may be arriving early next week carrying their cars. It is not clear how many will be transported. The aircraft will carry everything the Chinese President and his personnel will need for their stay here for two days from 11 October to 13 October,” an official said. Inspection was recently done by Chinese personnel in the airport to check for security and other arrangements and in a few days, personnel from the Special Protection Group (SPG) too will arrive in the city to carry out their inspection of the airport, sources said.

For the brief period when the Chinese President arrives, there will be no domestic and international flights; airlines will be informed to reschedule the timings of the flights.

When the Chinese President’s aircraft lands, there will be dance and music and a space is being earmarked for it in the operational area of the airport, another official said.

The airport has already been abuzz with a slew of activities to prepare for his visit and to spruce up the premises.

Officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said the walls near gate no.5 and 6 were being repainted now; soon, there would be murals in the walls. A mini roundtana like facility would be created with landscaping. “A massive cleaning of sorts is happening in the airport so that there is no issue of any sort,” he added.

A vertical garden would also be created in the Chennai Metro Rail pillar near the Meenambakkam station as well.

Metro Rail

In lieu of this visit, Chennai Metro Rail has begun cleaning their pillars and removing all kinds of posters. They have warned that pasting of posters will make the individual or firm liable for imprisonment up to a term of six months. Or a fine of ₹1,000 will be imposed.

According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), there may be some rearranging of security personnel in stations to ensure safety.

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WHEN CHENNAI GROOVED TO GARBA BEATS

Times of India 06.10.2019

Just like how kolu is synonymous with Navaratri, dandiya raas and garba are also an integral part of the celebration for many. And Chennaiites made sure they went all out to ring in the festivities by swaying to some groovy dandiya beats. Many associations, building societies and even malls in the city organised garba celebrations, and men and women, youngsters and elders, and even kids alike made the most of the dandiya night. The evening was also a lesson in style — from colourful headgear and frilled saris to heavily embroidered and embellished lehengas and dupattas, and even half-dhoti-half-lehengas, women put their best fashion foot forward. For some, the occasion was not just to make merry; a dance group from Sowcarpet performed garba with helmets on their heads because they wanted to encourage people to use helmets for their safety. Talk about having fun while spreading awareness!

MORE THE MERRIER: Youngsters and elders alike thronged a mall to play dandiya raas


SAY YES TO HELMET: A group of dancers on a mission to create awareness about helmet usage




Count me in, too: A tiny tot having fun with dandiya sticks

Guj woman jumps to death, falls on man, killing him too

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:06.10.2019

A 30-year-old woman from Surat jumped to her death from the 13th floor of a building in Khokhra at 7am on Thursday, killing a 69-year-old retired teacher who was returning to the building complex from a morning walk. The woman fell on the man and injured him, sources said.

Police said Mamta Hansraj Rathi had been battling severe insomnia and had not been able to get any sleep for the last fortnight. She had come from Surat to the house of her brother from Surat for treatment in the city. She is believed to have been suffering other illnesses too.

“Rathi was reportedly fed up of her illnesses. She is understood to have been battling severe insomnia and could not sleep for the past fortnight. Driven to the edge, she committed suicide by jumping from the 13th floor of the building,” said Amraiwadi police Inspector R T Udavat.

The man, identified as Balu Gamit, lived on the second floor of the same building. He suffered severe head injuries after coming in the fall of the woman. According to sources both died on the spot. Police said an accidental death case has been lodged and the bodies have been sent for autopsy.

Mamta Rathi had been suffering from insomnia and other illnesses. When she jumped from the 13th floor of a building, Balu Gamit came in the way and suffered serious injuries

Saudi allows foreign men & women to share hotel rooms

Riyadh:06.10.2019

Saudi Arabia is allowing foreign men and women to rent hotel rooms together without proving they are related, after the conservative Muslim kingdom launched a new tourist visa regime to attract holidaymakers. Women, including Saudis, are also permitted to rent hotel rooms by themselves, in a break with previous regulations.

The moves appear to pave the way for unaccompanied women to travel more easily and for unmarried foreign visitors to stay together in the Gulf state, where sex outside of marriage is banned.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage confirmed a report on Friday by Arabic-language newspaper Okaz, adding: “All Saudi nationals are asked to show family ID or proof of relationship on checking into hotels. This is not required of foreign tourists. All women, including Saudis, can book and stay in hotels alone, providing ID on check-in.”

Saudi Arabia threw open its doors last week to foreign tourists from 49 countries as it tries to grow that sector and diversify its economy away from oil exports. As part of the move, it decreed that visitors need not wear all-covering black robes but should dress modestly. Alcohol remains banned.

Saudi Arabia has been relatively closed off for decades and until recently unrelated men and women, including foreigners, could be severely punished for mixing in public. Strict social codes have been relaxed in recent years and previously banned entertainment has flourished. The kingdom ended a heavily criticised ban on women driving last year and in August granted women new rights to travel abroad.

The changes are part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious economic and social reform agenda. His plans have received international praise, but his image has been tarnished by the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and a devastating war in Yemen. REUTERS

The changes are part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious economic and social reform agenda

US suspends visas for migrants who can’t pay for healthcare

Michael D Shear & Miriam Jordan

Washington:06.10.2019

The Trump administration will deny visas to immigrants who cannot prove they will have health insurance or the ability to pay for medical costs once they become permanent residents of the US, the White House announced on Friday in the latest move by President Donald Trump to undermine legal immigration.

Trump issued a proclamation, effective November 3, ordering consular officers to bar immigrants seeking to live in the US unless they “will be covered by approved health insurance” or can prove that they have “the financial resources to pay for reasonably foreseeable medical costs.”

Trump justified the move by saying that legal immigrants are three times as likely as US citizens to lack health insurance, making them a burden on hospitals and taxpayers in the US. Officials cited a Kaiser Family Foundation study that said that among the nonelderly population, 23% of legal immigrants were likely to be uninsured, compared with about 8% of US citizens.

“The US government is making the problem worse by admitting thousands of aliens who have not demonstrated any ability to pay for their health care costs,” Trump wrote, adding, “immigrants who enter this country should not further saddle our health care system, and subsequently American taxpayers, with higher costs.”

According to a White House official , the policy does not affect refugees, asylumseekers or students seeking to attend college in the US, according to the White House.

Once the policy is in place, people seeking immigrant visas would be asked by consular officers to show how they intend to be covered by health insurance within 30 days of arriving in the US. That could include proof they will have health care through a job or will be covered under a relative’s insurance. If they cannot show that to the satisfaction of the consular office, their visa will be denied, the White House official said. NYT

ACTING TOUGH

Aadhaar likely to be must for NEET

Move To Check Impersonation, Says NTA Chief

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:06.10.2019

Bombarded with complaints of impersonation and fraud in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Tests in 2019, the National Testing Agency has sought permission from the Centre to use Aadhaar data for its 2020 exam, its director general Vineet Joshi said. If the Centre agrees, fingerprints and iris scans of students taken at different stages – application, examination, counselling and admission -- will be verified with details stored in the national registry.

Students will be asked to submit their Aadhaar number and their biometric data such as fingerprints and iris scans will be used for verification with data in the unique identity card, he told The Times of India. “At present, we collect students’ fingerprints twice in the examination hall, once before the start of the exam and another at the end. But these are not digital records. They are taken on paper,” he said.

The Tamil Nadu government has now written to the NTA asking for these documents so it can verify the veracity of every medical student. “We will be sharing the data with the state and help them carry out a fair investigation,” he said. The NTA did not expect such malpractices to happen this year. “We were careful about what they should bring into exam hall because we did not want them to copy. We will make rules stringent the next year, but we will also ensure it’s not difficult for the students,” he said.

Nevertheless, the NTA will not advice or suggest to other states to match fingerprints with first year MBBS students in their state because the agency’s job ends with conducting examination and declaring results. “Tamil Nadu busted the scam only because admission agency and colleges checked the records,” he said. MCI board of governors chairman V K Paul told TOI last week that it will wait for the law enforcing agency and investigating agency to carry out complete investigation.

In the last one month, the Tamil Nadu police have arrested at least four students who used different methods to cheat the system to get into medical colleges. Inquiries by the Directorate of Medical Education and police revealed that while K V Udit Surya admitted to Theni Government Medical College never took NEET, Mohammed Irfan from Dharmapuri Government Medical College had changed his scores from 207 to

407. Two students, Praveen S and Raghul Davis, wrote the NEET from Tamil Nadu while their imposters took the test in their name from centres in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. As their imposters scored better than them, they used their imposters score cards to join deemed universities – SRM Medical College and Hospital and Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital.

While admission to government colleges were done by the state selection committee attached to the Directorate of Medical Education in Tamil Nadu, the admission to the deemed universities was through centralised online counselling by the medical counselling committee, Directorate General of Health Services. As per Supreme Court directions, all selection committees use merit in NEET criteria for admissions. Neither the NTA nor the selection committees was aware of the scam until a whistleblower in Tamil Nadu blew the lid off by sending details of one first-year medical student to the Theni Government Medical College.

Inquiries conducted by the CBCID police with students and parents led to arrest of one agent. The police are still tracking a couple of more agents in cities including Bangalore. “This seems to be a well-oiled network functioningfor some time now across the country. Agents identify imposters who can pose as students and write NEET. Parents have paid up to ₹20 lakh for this,” said a senior investigating officer.

If the Centre agrees, fingerprints and iris scans of students taken at different stages will be verified with details stored in the national registry

VINEET JOSHI

NTA director general

MTC bus driver, 36, suffers heart attack behind wheels, dies

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2019

An MTC bus driver died after he suffered a heart attack while behind the wheels in Velachery on Saturday afternoon. As the driver lost control of the vehicle, it rammed about eight cars at a traffic signal though none was hurt in the accident.

The deceased was identified as Rajeshkanna, 36, a resident of Theni, and the incident happened when the bus (route 576S) was on its way to Koyambedu from Siruseri.

While there were about 15 commuters in the bus, Rajeshkanna suddenly suffered chest pain on the 100ft road in Velachery. Though he continued to drive the vehicle, Rajeshkanna soon lost consciousness and collapsed on the steering wheel.

The bus ran amok and rammed cars waiting at the traffic signal.

While pedestrians and motorists ran for their life, a man identified as Vijay, 25, a resident of Maduravoyal, boarded the bus and brought it to a halt.

The passengers and conductor Venkatesan, 52, managed to escape with minor injuries. Rajeshkanna was rushed to a nearby private hospital, but he was declared brought dead.

On information, the Guindy traffic investigation wing police and law and order personnel rushed to the spot and removed the bus and the damaged cars from the road to normalise traffic. “Five cars were damaged, while the other cars suffered scratches,” said a traffic policeman. A case has been registered.

As the driver lost control of the bus, it rammed eight cars at a Velachery traffic signal, though none was hurt in the accident

Verbal and physical assault on factory executive: Dismissal of worker upheld

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2019

A labour union leader who used foul language to a company executive and also assaulted him during work hours does not deserve any leniency, and his dismissal from service is a fair and proportionate punishment, the Madras high court has ruled.

Justice S M Subramaniam, overturning a Puducherry labour court order to reinstate a dismissed employee, said: “This court is able to find that filthy language used by workman S Raja is intolerable and he has showed a sort of heroism by using such filthy language inside the premises against superior officials. Usage of such languages inside the work place is certainly impermissible and such an indiscipline ended with an assault against the officer, which can never be tolerated.”

Raja, an employee of Hindustan Unilever Ltd in Puducherry and general secretary of the labour union, barged into a company meeting on July 29, 2009, disrupted the proceedings, abused officials in filthy language and also grabbed an executive by his shirt collar and created an atmosphere of panic. First he was suspended from service, and then dismissed after domestic inquiry.

However, the Puducherry labour court directed his reinstatement with back wages, and imposed one increment cut alone as punishment. Challenging the award, Hindustan Unilever filed the present writ petition.

Justice Subramaniam, underlining the importance of organisational discipline, said: “Discipline, decorum, honesty and integrity are the vital characters to be maintained in industrial/public institutions, factories and trade activities, so as to take our Nation forward on a par with global standards. Compromising discipline will lead to destruction of industrial/public institutions. An indisciplined industry or organization can never see growth. Most of the industries/public institutions collapsed on account of indiscipline, maladministration or corruption.”

The labour court categorically found that the fairness of the domestic enquiry was just and proper. And yet came to a conclusion that there was no scope for recording further evidence regarding the guilt of the workman, the judge pointed out.

Ticking off the labour court, Justice Subramaniam said exercise of discretionary power under Section 11-A of the Industrial Disputes Act for the purpose of extending misplaced sympathy or leniency in respect of proved grave misconduct, can never be upheld by high courts.

Earlier, the company argued that the abused and assaulted executive also has a family and is a breadwinner and has come to the factory to earn his livelihood and not to be abused or beaten. Punishments are imposed as a penalty upon a wrong-doer and to enforce discipline, so that others can understand that the discipline is of paramount importance inside factory premises, it said. Raja’s counsel said inquiry was not conducted in a free and fair manner. An improper inquiry was conducted and based on the improper inquiry, the worker was dismissed from service, he said.

Raja, an employee of Hindustan Unilever Ltd in Puducherry barged into a company meeting in 2009, abused officials in filthy language and grabbed an executive by his shirt collar

Four men rob two women pvt airline staff, held

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2019

Two women staff of a private airline were robbed by a four-member gang when they were returning home on their scooter at Thirumudivakkam near Pallavaram early on Saturday. The gang members snatched their scooter, cash and mobile phones and escaped.

The women, employed as ground staff at Chennai airport, had gone to watch a new movie at a mall in Pallavaram. When they were nearing their residence, four men intercepted them, threatened and snatched their bags which had cash and cellphones. They then left the two women in the middle of the road in pitch darkness and fled with their vehicle.

The two women later walked to their rented apartment and informed their friends about the incident. Later, they visited the Sankar Nagar police station and lodged a complaint.

Based on their complaint, police examined CCTV camera footage from the neighbourhood. Sankar Nagar crime wing police inspector Pasupathi and law and order police inspector Mubarak formed two teams and arrested the accused after tracing them with the help of the CCTV camera footage.

The accused were identified as Syan, 23, Prem Kumar, 22, Avinash, 23, and Senthil Kumar, 28, all from Pallavaram. They worked as delivery boys for a mobile food aggregator and were often spotted near a departmental store in Pallavaram. They were remanded in judicial custody and the stolen scooter was seized from them.

The women, employed as ground staff at Chennai airport, had gone to watch a new movie at a mall in Pallavaram. When they were nearing their residence while returning, four men intercepted them and snatched their valuables

Train info

Nellai, Podhigai expresses to run from Tambaram on Oct 10–Dec 7
Move To Help Facilitate Yard Work At Egmore
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2019

Passengers will have to board Nellai Express to Tirunelveli and Podhigai Express to Sengottai at Tambaram instead of from Chennai Egmore as the trains will depart from the suburban station from October 10 to December 7. Railways has also changed the departure station of Egmore-Gaya weekly express from Egmore to MGR Central till December 1. The change is to facilitate yard work at Egmore and also because of a line block for engineering work on the Egmore-Villupuram-Gudur line.

The Tirunelveli-bound Nellai Express will start at 8.20pm at Tambaram and Sengottai-bound Podhigai Express at 9.30pm.

The change may cause inconvenience to passengers who used to board the trains from Egmore as they may have to reach Tambaram on crowded suburban trains during the evening peak hour. In the return direction, Nellai Express and Podhigai Express will be terminated at Tambaram from October 9 to December 7.

The Villupuram-Tambaram passenger will be operated only till Chengalpet from October 10 to December 9.

Railways will also operate a passenger special from Chengalpet to Tambaram, departing from Chengalpet at 9.15am from October 10 to December 8, said a press release. This would help travellers who reach the southern suburb by passenger trains.

K Baskar of the divisional rail uers consultative committee said, “This will be an inconvenience for people who board the train from the city. It may not be easy to travel by suburban trains with baggage. However, the departure cannot be shifted to Central because Tambaram passengers may have to come all the way to Central to board.”

The changes in departure station of the two trains have taken passengers by surprise. People circulated information regarding the change on social media, criticising the move.

Railways has also changed the departure station of Egmore-Gaya weekly express from Egmore to MGR Central till December 1

MCI

MCI BOG preparing guidelines for MBBS, PG Medical fee regulation: Health Ministry Government
October 5, 2019

New Delhi: The issue of fee regulation for MBBS and PG medical courses will see major developments in times to come as the government has requested the Medical Council of India Board of Governors (MCI BOG) to prepare draft guidelines for fee regulation.

The same will form the base document, once the National Medical Commission (NMC) replaces the MCI

The Board of Governors (MCI) has been requested to prepare draft guidelines for fee regulation, so that they can be used as a base document by NMC, confirmed Additional Secretary in the Health Ministry Arun Singhal, while speaking to media persons yesterday.

The confirmation came along with a series of announcements made by the Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan along with the health ministry officials on the process of complete revamp of the medical education sector with the coming of NMC.

Read Also: MBBS admission to AIIMS, JIPMER via NEET only: Dr Harsh Vardhan

The steadily rising fees for medical courses, both MBBS and PG has indeed been a matter of concern in the field of Medical Education.

While earlier capitation fee was an issue, with the advent of NEET, the official MBBS fee at most private medical colleges skyrocketed, with the entire course fee even crossing Rs 1 crore in many cases. This is bound to create some financially burdened doctors, the government worried

Both the Roy Choudhury Committee and the Parliamentary Standing Committee expressed concerns regarding the high cost of medical education for students and gave recommendations in favour of capping the fees.

However, given the fact that IMC Act, 1956 has no provision for the regulation of fees the erstwhile MCI refused to interfere with the MBBS fee structures at private medical colleges citing lack of mandate, which further became a bone of contention between the medical council and the government

With the takeover of the Medical Council of India by the Board of Governors, the government directed the BOG to come up with solutions, to tackle this growing problem. The solutions so prepared will now be documented in the form of guidelines and will form the basis on which the future NMC will work, officials informed.

The National Medical Commission will regulate fees and all other charges for 50 per cent seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities.

Court News

NO MCI Permission: Supreme Court dismisses Mulayam Singh Yadav Medical College SLP

Court Decision Medical Education, News, state news 

October 5, 2019

New Delhi: The Supreme Court, in its recent verdict, has dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Mulayam Singh Yadav Medical College against the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) denial to the institute for taking in a fresh batch of 150 MBBS students for the academic year 2019-20.

The refusal of permission by the MCI came in view of the certain deficiencies prevailing at the institute. Earlier, the medical college had approached the Delhi High Court bench which had also dismissed its petition holding that the MCI’s decision cannot be faulted with.

The medical college, set by KSD Charitable trust in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), had sought quashing of the May 18 order of the MCI by which the request of the medical college for grant of renewal of permission to admit the second batch of 150 students in the MBBS course for the academic year 2019-20 was disapproved.

Read Also: MCI decision denying MBBS permission to Mulayam Singh Yadav Medical College cannot be faulted: Delhi HC

The medical institute also sought that the authorities be directed to grant first renewal of permission to it for admitting students.

During an inspection, an MCI team had pointed out various deficiencies including that no faculty or residents have undergone basic course workshop in Medical Education Technology, UG capacity in hostel was 148 as against 180, bed occupancy was 50.33 per cent on day of assessment, no major and minor surgery done on the day of assessment, no CMO available in casualty and cell separation facility was not available in blood bank.

After the first assessment, the authorities sought point-wise compliance from the medical college and compliance verification assessment of the institution was again carried out in which certain deficiencies were found.

The MCI decided not to renew the permission for admission to the medical college and asked it not to admit any student for the academic year 2019-20, though it was free to apply afresh for the next academic year strictly as per the provisions of the Indian Medical Council Act.

During the Delhi HC hearing, the counsel appearing for MCI said that it was clear that the medical college had failed to fulfil the minimum infrastructure, teaching faculty, resident, clinical material and other physical facilities.

They had said the deficiencies pointed out in the inspection reports of December 11-12, 2018 and April 6, 2019 were so grave in nature that the same could not be brushed aside in the larger public interest and also in the interest of residents and students community and that the MCI could not be compelled for the granting renewal permission for admissions.

The college claimed that the MCI’s order was perverse and contrary to the IMC Act and was not a reasoned order. It claimed that it was in full compliance of the provisions and that certain non-existing deficiencies have been artificially generated/ created by the assessment team with an ulterior motive and sole purpose of denying the grant of renewal permission to the college.

The Delhi high court observed that it was apparent that the deficiencies that have been pointed out in the medical college faculty and residents, which were 7.4 per cent and 8.5 per cent respectively, were more than maximum permissible limit of five per cent.

Further, taking into account the verdict of the Supreme Court in relation to the maintainability of standards of medical education, the HC bench had dismissed the petition of the medical college.

Aggrieved by the HC decision, the medical college moved the apex court which has now rejected the appeal of the institute. The SC bench held:

We find no ground to interfere with the impugned order passed by the High Court. The Special Leave Petition is, accordingly, dismissed.

Other universities

Mass cheating alleged in final year MBBS exam: Results of 5 medical colleges held

Medical Education, News, state news

October 4, 2019

KUHS has initiated the necessary procedure to disqualify the 5 MBBS students. The governing council is all set to take a final decision on the matter after a meeting to be held soon.

Thiruvananthapuram: Suspecting mass cheating by 5 MBBS students in the final year examination, Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) has blocked the exam results of five medical colleges in the state.

As per a recent media account, the governing council is likely to take stringent action to curb the practice of unfair means and is taking the necessary procedure to disqualify the suspected MBBS students.

This came following a complaint moved by few medicos against 5 MBBS students associated with Ernakulam Government Medical Colleges; SUT Medical College; Azeezia Medical College, Kollam; MES Medical College, Perinthalmanna and Government T D Medical College, Alappuzha for allegedly cheating in the examination.

Taking cognizance of the subject, the KUHS called for the Deans’ of the medical colleges and the Chief Exam superintendent to its headquarter for an explanation regarding the matter.

Also Read: IPC 420 Case against Secretary Glocal Medical College on 24 MBBS Medicos Complaint

Mathrubhumi reports that the medical colleges initially denied the allegations, however, later, they identified the offenders and handed over the details to the university. The details of SUT and MES medical colleges were not submitted, it added.

As per the norms, the visuals were sent to the university in a CD with the exam answer sheets for verification. However, the visuals submitted was not clear enough to identify the suspected MBBS students. Further, KUHS stated that the medical college authorities have not sent proper visuals in the CDs as the cameras might not be placed properly to capture the footage.

KUHS has initiated the necessary procedure to disqualify the 5 MBBS students. The governing council is all set to take a final decision on the matter after a meeting to be held soon.

More medicos are suspected to be involved in the scam, reports Mathrubhumi.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that 12 second and third-year MBBS students of the Muzaffarnagar medical college, Begrajpur, were caught using electronic devices by the flying squad team of the Meerut university at the Jain Kanya PG College, where 142 students had appeared for their semester examination.

எழும்பூர் ரயில்கள் தாம்பரத்துடன் நிறுத்தம்

Added : அக் 05, 2019 00:05

ஸ்ரீவில்லிபுத்துார் : திருநெல்வேலி மற்றும் செங்கோட்டையிலிருந்து சென்னை எழும்பூர் வரை இயக்கப்படும் பொதிகை, நெல்லை எக்ஸ்பிரஸ் ரயில்கள் அக்., 10 முதல் டிச.7 வரை தாம்பரத்துடன் நிறுத்தப்படுகிறது.

சென்னை எழும்பூர் ரயில் நிலையத்தில் 4 வது நடைமேடையில் பராமரிப்பு பணிகள் நடப்பதால் இந்த இரு ரயில்களும் தாம்பரத்துடன் நிறுத்தப்படும். செங்கோட்டை மற்றும் திருநெல்வேலியிலிருந்து புறப்படும் நேரத்தில் மாற்றமில்லை. அட்டவணைப்படி தாம்பரத்தில் எந்த நேரம் புறப்படுமோ அதே நேரத்தில் அங்கிருந்து புறப்படும் என தெற்கு ரயில்வே அறிவித்துள்ளது.

பாசிட்டிவ் எனர்ஜி' தரும் நவராத்திரி கொலு

Updated : அக் 05, 2019 07:52 | Added : அக் 04, 2019 23:58



'போனவாட்டி உங்க வீட்டு கொலு நல்லா இருந்திச்சு... இந்த வருஷம் என்ன கான்செப்ட் வைக்கப் போறீங்க?''நீங்க மட்டும் என்னவாம்...புதுசா நீங்க வச்சிருந்த அந்த மரப்பாச்சி பொம்மைங்க செமயா இருந்திச்சு'கோவிலில் நான்கைந்து பெண்கள் சந்தித்துக் கொண்டால், இப்படித்தான் பரஸ்பரம் விசாரித்துக் கொள்கின்றனர்.புரட்டாசி மாதம் நவராத்திரி விழாவில், கொலு வைத்தல் என்பது பாரம்பரிய பக்தி நிகழ்ச்சியாகும்.

துர்காதேவி, மகாலட்சுமி, சரஸ்வதி ஆகிய மூவரையும், மேடையில் வைத்து அலங்கரித்து வழிபடுவதுடன், நல்லோரின் நட்பை ஏற்று போற்றுதலும், பக்தியை பெருகச் செய்வதும், கொலுவின் முக்கிய நோக்கமாக இருக்கிறது.தேவியரின் மந்திரங்களை தினமும் சொல்லி பூஜை செய்வதுடன், விரதமிருந்து வழிபடுவதால் கன்னிப் பெண்களுக்கு திருமணம் கைகூடுவது, குடும்பத்தில் நேர்மறை எண்ணங்கள் அதிகரித்து, அன்பும் ஒற்றுமையும் ஓங்குவது, இல்லத்தில் செல்வம் சேருவது, பருவநிலை மாறுதல்களால் அதிகரிக்கும் கொசுக்களை வீட்டுக்குள் வரவிடாமல் செய்து, நோய்களின் தாக்குதல்களில் இருந்து விடுபடுவது... என எண்ணற்ற நன்மைகள் கொலுவின் பிரதிபலிப்பாக உள்ளன.

சிலர் ஒவ்வொரு ஆண்டும் ஏதாவது ஒரு புதிய 'கான்செப்டை', அடிப்படையாக வைத்து கொலு வைக்கின்றனர். கோவையில் இந்தாண்டு கொலு அமைத்துள்ள பலரது வீடுகளில், நடுநாயகமாக படுத்திருக்கிறார், அத்திவரதர்.கடந்த 45 ஆண்டுகளாக கொலு வைத்து வரும், சிவானந்தா காலனியை சேர்ந்த ரமா வெங்கட், ''மகாளய அமாவாசையில் கலசம் வைத்து ஆரம்பிக்கும் கொலுவானது, விஜயதசமியன்று நிறைவடைகிறது.

10 நாட்கள் நடக்கும் கொலு நிகழ்ச்சியில், சிவப்பு சந்தன மரத்தால் உருவாக்கப்பட்ட மரப்பாச்சி பொம்மை முக்கியம். தினமும் காலை பூஜைகள் செய்வது, தேவியருக்கு உகந்த துதிகள் படிப்பது என, பல்வேறு நிகழ்ச்சிகள் இடம்பெறுகின்றன.அம்பாள், மகிசாசுரனை அழித்த விஜயதசமியன்று வடை, பாயசம் வைத்து கொலு நிறைவடைகிறது. கொலுவின் போது, வீடு முழுவதும் 'பாசிட்டிவ் எனர்ஜி' இருக்கும். அனைவரிடமும் சந்தோஷம், குறைகளை மறப்பது, ஆன்மிக சிந்தனை மலர்வது என ஏராளமான நன்மைகள் ஏற்படுகின்றன,'' என்கிறார்.
கன்னிப் பெண்களுக்கு திருமணம் கைகூடுவது, குடும்பத்தில் நேர்மறை எண்ணங்கள் அதிகரித்து, அன்பும் ஒற்றுமையும் ஓங்குவது, இல்லத்தில் செல்வம் சேருவது, பருவநிலை மாறுதல்களால் அதிகரிக்கும் கொசுக்களை வீட்டுக்குளு் வரவிடாமல் செய்து, நோய்களின் தாக்குதல்களில் இருந்து விடுபடுவது... என எண்ணற்ற நன்மைகள் கொலுவின் பிரதிபலிப்பாக உள்ளன.

இனி அவ்ளோ தான்! அடுத்த ஆண்டுமுதல் ஜிப்மர், எய்ம்ஸ்க்கும் நீட் தேர்வு

Updated : அக் 05, 2019 00:59 | Added : அக் 04, 2019 23:58

புதுடில்லி : 'அடுத்தாண்டு முதல் 'எய்ம்ஸ், ஜிப்மர்' மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளிலும் 'நீட்' நுழைவுத் தேர்வின் மூலமே மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தப்படும்' என மத்திய அரசு அறிவித்து உள்ளது.

நாடு முழுவதும் உள்ள அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளில் 'நீட்' எனப்படும் தேசிய அளவிலான நுழைவுத் தேர்வின் அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தப்படுகிறது. மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சகத்தின் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் செயல்படும் 'எய்ம்ஸ்' எனப்படும் அகில இந்திய மருத்துவ அறிவியல் கழகத்துக்கு சொந்தமான மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கைக்கு தனியாக நுழைவுத் தேர்வு நடத்தப்படுகிறது.

புதுச்சேரியில் செயல்படும் ஜிப்மர் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிக்கும் மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சகத்தால் தனியாக நுழைவுத் தேர்வு நடத்தி அதன் அடிப்படையில் மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடக்கிறது. எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளில் 1500 இடங்களும்; ஜிப்மரில் 200 இடங்களும் உள்ளன. இந்த மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளுக்கு தனியாக நுழைவுத் தேர்வை நடத்துவது அரசுக்கு கூடுதல் செலவை ஏற்படுத்துவதாகவும் நடைமுறை சிக்கல்கள் இருப்பதாகவும் கூறப்பட்டது.

மற்ற மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளைப் போல் எய்ம்ஸ் மற்றும் ஜிப்மர் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளுக்கும் நீட் தேர்வு மூலம் மாணவர் சேர்க்கையை நடத்துவது குறித்து மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சகம் ஆலோசித்து வந்தது. இந்நிலையில் மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சரும் பா.ஜ. மூத்த தலைவருமான ஹர்ஷ்வர்தன் டில்லியில் நேற்று கூறியதாவது: அடுத்தாண்டு முதல் எய்ம்ஸ், ஜிப்மர் மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரி களுக்கும் நீட் தேர்வு மூலமாகவே மாணவர் சேர்க்கை நடத்தப்படும்.

இந்த கல்லுாரிகளுக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை கவுன்சிலிங்கும் பொதுவானதாகவே இருக்கும். தேசிய மருத்துவ ஆணைய சட்டத்தின்படி இந்த முடிவு எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால் நாடு முழுவதும் உள்ள மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளுக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை ஒரே தரத்தில் அமைவதற்கான வாய்ப்பு ஏற்படும். மேலும் தேசிய மருத்துவ ஆணைய சட்டத்தின்படி 'நேஷனல் எக்ஸிட் டெஸ்ட்' எனப்படும் 'நெக்ஸ்ட்' தேர்வை எழுதி அதில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றவர்கள் மட்டுமே மருத்துவராக பணியாற்றுவதற்கான உரிமம் பெற முடியும்;

முதுநிலை மருத்துவப் படிப்பில் சேர்க்கைக்கு அனுமதி பெற முடியும். வெளிநாட்டில் மருத்துவம் படித்த இந்திய மாணவர்களும் நெக்ஸ்ட் தேர்வை எழுத வேண்டும். நெக்ஸ்ட் தேர்வுக்கான வழிமுறைகளை தேசிய மருத்துவ ஆணையம் இறுதி செய்யும். இந்த நடைமுறையால் மாணவர்கள் சேர்க்கைக்காக பல்வேறு மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகளை நாடுவதும் பல்வேறு கவுன்சிலில் நடைமுறைகளை பின்பற்றுவதும் ஒழிக்கப்படும்.

உடல் ரீதியான அலைச்சல் மற்றும் நிதி சார்ந்த பிரச்னைகளில் இருந்து மாணவர்களும் அவர்களது பெற்றோரும் விடுபடுவதற்கு இது பெரிதும் உதவும். மருத்துவ மேற்படிப்பை படிப்பதற்கான 'ரேங்க்'கை பெறுவதற்காக எத்தனை முறை வேண்டுமானாலும் நெக்ஸ்ட் தேர்வை எழுதலாம். தேசிய மருத்துவ ஆணையத்துக்கான உறுப்பினர்கள் அக்., 14ல் குலுக்கல் மூலம் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவர். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

Madras HC directs Tamil Nadu, Central governmentt to file report in NEET impersonation

Madras High Court today stated that the impersonation in NEET could not have been confined only in Tamil Nadu.

Published: 04th October 2019 07:24 PM

Madras HC (File | EPS)

By ANI

CHENNAI: Madras High Court on Friday asked the Tamil Nadu Health Department and Central government to file a detailed report in National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) impersonation matter by October 15.

Madras High Court today stated that the impersonation in NEET could not have been confined only in Tamil Nadu. Around 14 lakh students wrote the NEET exam all over India but only five students and their parents have been suspected to have been involved in the impersonation natter.

The court suspects all India ramifications and suo motu includes the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Union Health Ministry as parties to a case.

Hence, the court has directed the Tamil Nadu Health Department and Central government to file a detailed report on NEET impersonation matter by October 15.

Court's direction comes days after three medical students were arrested on September 28, along with their kin by the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) officials in the case pertaining to alleged impersonation in NEET examination.

Earlier on September 26, Tamil Nadu police had arrested a father-son duo in alleged connection in the case.

Hospitals which fail to register by Nov 30 will be closed: Health Dept

From June 1, 2018 till date, 32,678 clinical establishments have applied for licence.

Published: 05th October 2019 04:39 AM |

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI: All clinical establishments, including Indian Medicine and Homeopathy clinics, hospitals and laboratories, both private and government, which fail to register under Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment Act, 2018, by November 30, will be closed down, Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services officials said.

From June 1, 2018 till date, 32,678 clinical establishments have applied for licence. Of them, licence was given to 2,483 hospitals and clinics. Verification was completed for over 7,000 establishments. In Chennai licence was issued to about 60 hospitals.

The directorate has extended the deadline for applying for licence from May 31 to November 30. “After this, we received around 2,700 applications. Hospitals and clinics which fail to apply or whose applications are rejected will be closed down after November 30,” an official source said.

Tiruchy jewellery heist: Cop honoured for hot pursuit

Sub-inspector bravely chased and caught an accused in Tiruchy store heist case

Published: 05th October 2019 04:44 AM 

Inspector General of Police V Varadharaju handing over certificate of appreciation to SI T Bharatha Nehru, who caught one of the accused in the Tiruchy jewellery heist | Express

By Express News Service

TIRUVARUR: The police sub-inspector who bravely chased and caught one of the accused in the Tiruchy jewellery store heist case has been receiving accolades from various quarters, including on social media. It was another night of routine vehicle checks for T Bharatha Nehru (31), an M.P Ed graduate of the 2016 batch and a sub-inspector attached to Tiruvarur Town police station.

When he, along with head constable M Ravi were checking vehicles at Vilamal on the Thanjavur-Tiruvarur road, a bike with two persons approached them. As Nehru tried to stop the two-wheeler, the rider, wearing a helmet, turned the bike around and rode off in another direction. The sub-inspector identified the rider as Manikandan of Madappuram who figures on the list of suspects in the jewellery store robbery.

He started chasing the suspect on a bike along with the head constable. As Manikandan rode his bike on the narrow banks of a river with bushes on either side, it was a hard chase for Nehru. After giving chase for 1.5 km, he successfully overtook Manikandan and forced him to stop. Manikandan was then overpowered by Nehru.

Meanwhile, Suresh, who was riding pillion, threw away a bag containing jewels and fled. After handing him over to the head constable, Manikandan then chased Suresh on foot, As Suresh managed to slip through bushes, Nehru could not catch him. Later, he brought Manikandan to Tiruvarur Town police station along with the bag full of jewels which happened to be the part of the booty from the robbery in Tiruchy. V Varadharaju, Inspector General of Police, Central Zone, Tiruchy felicitated the team of officers

History-sheeter arrested for cheating doctor

A history-sheeter who posed as a software engineer, has been arrested after he allegedly promised to buy a mobile phone from a man and later escaped with the instrument without paying.

Published: 04th October 2019 06:24 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A history-sheeter who posed as a software engineer, has been arrested after he allegedly promised to buy a mobile phone from a man and later escaped with the instrument without paying.

Police said the victim Vigneshwaran, a doctor, recently advertised on a web-portal of selling his mobile phone for `90,000.

“A few days ago, he received a call from Hariprasad, who introduced himself as a software engineer and asked Vigneshwaran to come to a restaurant at Mogappair. Meanwhile, Hariprasad met another woman online and introduced himself as a PhD student and wanted her help to complete his research work and asked her also to come to the same restaurant,” said a police officer.

Later, the suspect took the mobile phone and said he would step outside to make a call to ensure it was working, the officer said. But, he did not return even after half an hour.Vigneshwaran filed a complaint with Ambattur police. Based on cctv footage, police arrested Hariprasad and found he had previous criminal cases.

Residents worried as Madambakkam panchayat digs more wells

Madras High Court in August gave permission for the project based on a submission by Public Works Department that the area has plenty of groundwater.

Published: 05th October 2019 06:10 AM 

An open well dug up on the Madambakkam lake bed | Express

By Madhumitha Viswanath

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Many localities have permanently lost their groundwater source due to excessive extraction of water to meet the city’s growing needs. Residents of Madambakkam, a residential area in south Chennai, are worried whether their case too will end up the same. Madambakkam panchayat is now digging two more open wells on what locals claim is the bed of Madambakkam lake. This is done to supply water to Madambakkam and nearby Chitlapakkam panchayats.

Madras High Court in August gave permission for the project based on a submission by Public Works Department that the area has plenty of groundwater. However, residents say their borewells are increasingly going dry and two months the panchayat too has to dug as many as 50 borewells in the locality to meet the needs. Residents say the trend started when three open wells were dug on the bed of Madambakkam lake about a year ago and water was extracted for supply to neighbouring areas. They claimed that PWD officials have not conducted a single survey to determine groundwater levels.

Also, while documents with PWD said that under the joint drinking water scheme two lakh litres of water extracted from the wells will be given to Madambakam, the final court order said 20 lakh litres will be provided. But documents of Chitlapakkam Panchayat said four lakh litres will be provided to Madambakkam. “This is just one of the many discrepancies. Many of our borewells have gone dry,” said A Krishnan, a resident.

An official from Chitlapakkam Panchayat said due to recent rain, water levels have been replenished. 

“We are sending the fixed quantity of water to both localities. One or two houses may have low supply from their borewells. But, there is a good quantity of water in these three wells,” the official said.

IRCTC to operate two special trains in October

05/10/2019, STAFF REPORTER,COIMBATORE

The South Zone of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will operate two trains under the Bharat Darshan Tourist Train initiative in October, officials said here on Thursday. In a press release, L. Subramani, Manager of IRCTC South Zone, said that Pancha Dwarka Yatra train would cover Nath Dwara, Kankroli Dwaraka, Dakor Dwaraka, Dwaraka and Bet Dwaraka from October 12 to October 21 and Diwali Ganga Snan train will cover Puri, Konark, Gaya, Varanasi and Allahabad from October 23 to October 31.

Both these trains would start in Madurai and travel via Dindigul, Karur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpettai, Katpadi, Chennai Central, Nellore and Vijayawada. The cost for the Pancha Dwarka Yatra would be ₹ 9,450 for a person and the Diwali Ganga Snan ₹ 8,505 for a person, the release said.

Features of the tour would be sleeper class travel, accommodation in non-AC halls and dharmashalas, non-AC road transfers, south Indian vegetarian food and presence of tour escorts and security for each coach in the train. The Bharat Darshan Tourist Trains crossed more than 340 operations since its inception in 2005, Mr. Subramani said.

Brahmaputra Theerthadanam tour

IRCTC also announced a special AC train for the Brahmaputra Theerthadanam tour from November 13. The tour would cover Kolkata, Guwahati, River Brahmaputra, Shillong and Cheerapunji in 12 days.

The package cost would be ₹ 45,820 for third AC, ₹ 49,540 for second AC and ₹ 57,700 for first AC, the release said. Interested may contact IRCTC at 9003140665 and 9003140680 for details.

President commutes 20 death sentences in nine years

Separately, MHA decided to commute the sentence of Rajoana, convicted in the then Punjab CM Beant Singh’s killing

05/10/2019, VIJAITA SINGH,NEW DELHI

The President commuted death sentences to life imprisonment in at least 20 cases over the past nine years, based on the recommendations received from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

These commutations were based on the President’s exercise of powers under Article 72 of the Constitution after the convicts filed mercy petitions.

Separately, last week the MHA took a decision to commute the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted over the assassination of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, as a “humanitarian gesture” ahead of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Sikh founder Guru Nanak. It also decided to release eight other prisoners convicted for life for their involvement in Sikh militancy as a ‘token of goodwill’.

Beant Singh and at least 16 others were killed in an explosion outside the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh in 1995. Rajoana was sentenced to death in 2007 by a special court and he refused to file a mercy petition.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body of the Sikhs, filed a petition on his behalf in 2014.

BJP ally and NDA member, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), had been pressing the Centre to commute Rajoana’s death sentence.

“Rajoana never engaged a lawyer when the case was being heard in the court,” said Manjinder Singh Sirsa, an SAD leader who had recently met Home Minister Amit Shah regarding Rajoana’s case — the only Sikh prisoner on death row in a militancy related case. “To highlight the atrocities against the Sikhs, he refused legal assistance. After he was sentenced to death, the SGPC decided to file a mercy petition on his behalf,” added the SAD leader.

One-off gesture

The ministry’s decision to release the eight Sikh prisoners convicted under the repealed Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) is seen as a one-off gesture as it is not in consonance with the guidelines regarding the 2018 “Cabinet decision to grant special remission to prisoners on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.”

As per the guidelines: “special remission will not be given to prisoners who have been convicted for an offence for which the sentence is sentence of death or where death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment; cases of convicts involved in serious and heinous crimes like dowry death, rape, human trafficking and convicted under POTA, UAPA, TADA, FICN, POCSO Act, money laundering, FEMA, NDPS, Prevention of Corruption Act, etc.”

A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “This was in response to the long pending demands on release of Sikh prisoners raised by various sections of the Sikh community.”

Under the special remission, 2,035 prisoners were released in three phases — October 2, 2018, April 6 and October 2 this year. In the third phase, 611 prisoners were released, the ministry said.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee had commuted the death sentence in at least four cases and rejected mercy petitions in 14 cases including that of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks convict Ajmal Kasab and the 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon. President Ram Nath Kovind has rejected one mercy petition in his current tenure. The Central Information Commission (CIC) in a 2018 order had said that “grant of remission is an exercise of a statutory power under CrPC.”

The CIC’s order said: “It acknowledges the power of the Executive to grant remission to convicted persons after due consideration by the appropriate Government.”

Ahead of Dussehra, plastic Ravana emerges as the new villain

‘The intent is to personify the king in a plastic form as a demon, bad for the society and environment’

05/10/2019, JACOB KOSHY,NEW DELHI

Ahead of Dussehra, celebrants have found a new villain. The traditional practice has been to burn a massive effigy of Ravana but this year, companies — looking to capitalise on the buzz around curtailing the use of plastic — are making plastic effigies of the ‘demon-king’. The traditional act of burning it in public has been substituted by a token destruction that involves physical dismantling, recycling or — in some cases — a controlled incineration.

The Cement Manufacturers Association, for instance, is collaborating with the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to create 25-feet installations of Ravana(s) in five cities, including Delhi.

Each effigy, made of about 300 kilos of plastic waste, will be mechanically destroyed on October 8, in a cement plant, in the presence of industry and government officials, a spokesperson for the association told The Hindu. “The remnants would then would be incinerated in a closed kiln under high temperature without leaving any residue,” she clarified.

“The intent is to personify Ravana in a plastic form as a demon, bad for the society and environment. This initiative also highlights the role that the cement industry can play in helping overcome this menace in its plants in an environmentally friendly manner,” according to a statement released by the association.

Similarly, Mother Dairy commissioned a 25-ft. effigy of Ravana using waste plastic collected from households in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) region, and destroyed it on October 2, which was Gandhi Jayanti.

“The Ravana effigy was not burned but was dismantled and sent for recycling by the Indian Pollution Control Association, an organisation certified by Central Pollution Control Board. The collection drive was carried out in areas across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, along with consumers depositing plastic waste at select milk booths in these regions. The drive was supported by leading NGOs for door-to-door plastic collection,” the organisation said in a statement.

The buzz for a plastic ban grew after Prime Minister Modi on August 15 said, “By October 2, on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, I urge the citizens to give up single-use plastic.”

CBI moves SC against bail to Rajeev Kumar

HC had said no to custodial interrogation

05/10/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

Rajeev Kumar

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's order granting anticipatory bail to former Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar in the Saradha chit fund scam case.

Giving relief to the IPS officer, the High Court had observed that his custodial interrogation was not required. The court also said that the CBI could question him, provided it gave a 48-hour prior notice to him for appearance.

The agency had opposed Mr. Kumar’s petition, arguing that he had not responded to the summonses issued over the past few weeks.

In its order, the High Court also directed Mr. Kumar to furnish a personal bond of Rs.50,000. Accordingly, after about 20 days, he made a public appearance on Thursday to complete the formalities in a city court.

The Saradha group of companies allegedly duped lakhs of people to the tune of Rs.2,500 crore, promising higher rates of return on their investments.

Mr. Kumar was part of the Special Investigation Team set up by the West Bengal government for probing the scam before the Supreme Court handed over the case to the CBI in 2014, along with other chit fund cases.

(With inputs from PTI)

Bloody, gory and glorious

A superlative performance by Dhanush underlines this mesmerising revenge tale

05/10/2019, PRADEEP KUMAR

Asuran

Director: Vetri Maaran

Cast: Dhanush, Manju Warrier, Ken Karunas, Pasupathy, ‘Aadukalam’ Naren, Nithish Veera

Storyline: One man’s fight to protect his family from those baying for their blood ends in a bloodbath

Asuran is the fastest Vetri Maaran has ever worked on a film. And that helps with its defining aspect — Asuran is Vetri Maaran’s simplest film yet. But the subliminal messaging also makes it the most complicated socio-political film he has shot till date.

For instance, the conflict is between the folks of Vadakkur (Northerners) and Thekkur (Southerners). There is conflict over land (a sharp dialogue suggests how even the very little owned by the have-nots are coveted by the rich and greedy) and there is conflict over caste (a second half sequence involving footwear). Right at the end comes the dialogue about how the powerful may snatch away lands and money, but not education.

But Asuran’s universe is based on a Tamil novel Vekkai (written by Poomani), which Vetri Maaran and Manimaran have adapted into a feature-length screenplay. He invites us into this rustic world inhabited by Sivasamy (Dhanush, in a stellar performance) right at the start of the film. The plot is simple: several incidents unfold in the lives of Sivasamy and his family after a dispute with an upper-caste family who are landowners, and hold all the money, influencing the social hierarchy. Sivasamy is thus forced to fight to save his family. The base emotion that threads together this plot is revenge — a recurring element in Vetri Maaran’s films. But here, his protagonist initially doesn’t give-in to this primal emotion. He is even chided by his family members for being weak. All that changes in a beautifully-filmed sequence right before the interval, where Sivasamy reveals a side unknown to his younger son (Ken, in a strong role). Still, when presented with an opportunity to slay the henchman who murdered his eldest son, Sivasamy shies away. His unease is explained in a flashback sequence that makes up much of the second half, and which leads the viewers towards what is a predictable climax.

Watching Asuran, I could not help but think if Vetri Maaran felt restricted by the book at some point of time, considering how unreal Sivasaamy’s universe reacts to the happenings. The film is set in the late 1950s-early 1960s for the flashback sequence, and the 1980s in the other portions. But the passage of time only seem to reflect on the actors’ physical being — nothing that happens in the plot seem out of place even today. It also made me wonder what would it take for Vetri Maaran to film a feature that explicitly discusses caste and social hierarchy.

I could also not help but think just how wonderful an actor we have amongst us in Dhanush. He gives a subdued performance as Sivasamy, and that therein is proof of the actor’s brilliance. It is amazing to think just how far ahead he is of his contemporaries. Manju Warrier could not have asked for a better film to debut in Tamil; her Pachiammal only lends credence to her abilities as an actor par excellence.

Teejay Arunasalam (as Velmurugan) and Ken (as Chidambaram) are just the perfect fits for the role, and it is remarkable how Vetri Maaran gets his casting right every single time.