நீட் ஆள்மாறாட்டம்: 2 மாணவர்களுக்கு ஜாமீன்; தந்தைகளின் ஜாமீன் மனுக்கள் தள்ளுபடி- உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவு 

மதுரை 30.10.2019

நீட் தேர்வு ஆள்மாறாட்ட விவகாரத்தில் 2 மாணவர்களுக்கு ஜாமீன் வழங்கியும் அவர்கள் தந்தைகளின் ஜாமீன் மனுக்களைத் தள்ளுபடி செய்தும் உயர் நீதிமன்ற மதுரைக் கிளை உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

சென்னையைச் சேர்ந்த பிரவீன், அவரது தந்தை சரவணன் உயர் நீதிமன்ற மதுரைக் கிளையில் ஜாமீன் கோரி மனுத்தாக்கல் செய்திருந்தனர். அதில், "2016-ல் 12 ஆம் வகுப்பு முடித்த நிலையில், சென்னை பிரீஸ்ட் கல்லூரியில் மருத்துவக் கல்வியில் சேர்ந்தேன். பின்னர் மருத்துவக்கல்வி நடத்த பிரீஸ்ட் கல்லூரிக்கு அங்கீகாரம் இல்லை என்பதால் நீட் தேர்வு எழுதி 130 மதிப்பெண்கள் பெற்றேன்.

அரசு மருத்துவக்கல்லூரியில் சேர இந்த மதிப்பெண்கள் போதுமானவை என்றாலும், விருப்பத்தின் பேரில் தனியார் கல்லூரி ஒன்றில் 22 லட்சத்து 60 ஆயிரம் ரூபாயை பதிவுக்கட்டணமாக செலுத்தி பயின்று வருகிறேன். இந்த நிலையில், நீட் தேர்வில் ஆள்மாறாட்டம் செய்ததாக எவ்விதமான ஆதாரமும் இன்றி காவல்துறையினர் கைது செய்து விசாரித்து வருகின்றனர்.

இந்த வழக்கில் ஜாமீன் கோரி தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்ட வழக்குகளை ஏற்கெனவே கீழமை நீதிமன்றங்கள் ரத்து செய்துவிட்டன. ஆகவே இந்த வழக்கில் இருவருக்கும் ஜாமீன் வழங்க உத்தரவிட வேண்டும்," என பிரவீன் கூறியிருந்தார்.

இதே போல் சென்னையைச் சேர்ந்த டேவிஸ், அவரது மகன் ராகுல் டேவிஸ் ஆகியோரும் ஜாமீன் கோரி மனுத்தாக்கல் செய்திருந்தனர். அதில், "நீட் தேர்வில் 125 மதிப்பெண்கள் பெற்ற நிலையில், எனக்குப் பதிலாக வேறு ஒருவர் லக்னோவில் தேர்வெழுதியதாகவும் அதனடிப்படையில் மருத்துவக் கல்வியில் சேர்ந்ததாகவும் கூறி காவல் துறையினர் வழக்குப் பதிவு செய்து விசாரித்து வருகின்றனர்.

நீட் ஆள்மாறாட்டம் தொடர்பான புரோக்கர் வேதாச்சலம், ரசித் பாய் தொடர்பாக விசாரித்து அவர்களைக் கைது செய்யாமல், எங்களைக் கைது செய்துள்ளனர். இந்த முறைகேட்டுக்கும் எங்களுக்கும் எவ்விதத் தொடர்பும் இல்லை. ஆகவே, எங்களுக்கு ஜாமீன் வழங்கி உத்தரவிட வேண்டும்," என ராகுல் டேவிஸ் கூறியிருந்தார்.

இந்த வழக்குகளை இன்று (அக்.30) விசாரித்த நீதிபதி ஜி.ஆர்.சுவாமிநாதன், "இந்த வழக்கில் மாணவர்கள் முக்கியக் குற்றவாளிகள் அல்ல. அவர்களின் தந்தையரின் தூண்டுதலின் பேரிலேயே தவறு நடைபெற்றுள்ளது. ஆகவே, மாணவர்களின் நலனைக் கருத்தில் கொண்டு ஜாமீன் வழங்கப்படுகிறது" என உத்தரவிட்டார்.

ஆனால், வழக்கின் விசாரணையை கருத்தில் கொண்டு தந்தையர்களின் ஜாமீன் மனுக்களைத் தள்ளுபடி செய்து நீதிபதி உத்தரவிட்டார்.

In Tamil Nadu, schools, colleges in 6 districts to remain close due to heavy rain

According to the state government, schools and colleges in Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Theni, Virudhunagar, Vellore and Ramanathapuram will remain shut today. 

education Updated: Oct 30, 2019 09:58 IST


Asian News International

Tamil Nadu Representatives(AFP)

All schools and colleges in six districts across the state will remain closed on Wednesday owning to heavy rainfall in the region.

According to the state government, schools and colleges in Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Theni, Virudhunagar, Vellore and Ramanathapuram will remain shut today.

All schools in Madurai district will also remain closed today following heavy rains.

“All education institutes will remain closed in the Ramanathapuram district following heavy rains lashing across the district,” said Veeraragavarav, District Collector, Ramanathapuram.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu.

Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu has also been predicted by the weather agency.

Don’t allow protests on hospital premises, deans told

The communication comes in the wake of ongoing doctors strike across the State.

Published: 30th October 2019 04:50 AM

 

Doctors protesting at Rajiv Gandhi GH in Chennai on Tuesday | Ashwin Prasath

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Director of Medical Education, additional charge, R Narayanababu, has sent a circular to all deans of medical colleges and heads of institutions, under the directorate instructing them to file a police complaint if any protest is organised on the hospital premises. The communication comes in the wake of ongoing doctors strike across the State.

The DME also instructed them not to allow unauthorised, unorganised pandal inside hospitals and college premises. Any such structures inside the campus should be evicted immediately. It is also instructed to lodge complaint with outpost police station or nearby police station to prevent unauthorised gathering or protest against the government, and protect doctors who are attending duty, the circular said.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh also wrote a letter to Director-General of Police (DGP) and also city police Commissioner on Monday seeking protection to all government hospitals and government medical college hospitals.

FIR not a reason to deny admission to educational institutions, says HC The action of the college is violating Article 14 of the Constitution which guarantees the right to education, the judge held and passed the above order.

Published: 30th October 2019 04:50 AM

Madras HC (File | EPS)

By Express News Service

MADURAI: Observing that pendency of a First Information Report (FIR) (against a person) cannot be cited as a reason to deny him/her admission in educational institutions, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed a Government Arts College in Karur to admit a 20-year-old youth in M.A. History course.

Justice M Sundar passed the order on a petition filed by one K Suranthran of Karur, who belongs to Revolutionary Students Youth Federation (RSYF). Suranthran had graduated B.A. History from the aforementioned college and had applied for post-graduation course in the same discipline. But the college administration, after receiving a communication from police authorities seeking details, including petitioner’s attendance particulars, academic performance and behaviour in the college, had rejected his application citing a pending FIR against him.

Hearing the case, Justice Sundar noted that the college had denied admission to the petitioner, despite him being a meritorious student and several seats for the said course remaining vacant, only on the sole ground that he has an FIR pending against him.

Pointing out that an FIR is not a proof of guilt and that the person shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court, the Judge opined that the college authorities assumed the role of prosecutors, juries and judges. The action of the college is violating Article 14 of the Constitution which guarantees the right to education, the judge held and passed the above order.

HC directs school to hand over certificates to student

30/10/2019 , Staff Reporter , MADURAI

Reiterating that certificates of a student could not be held back by an educational institution citing arrears in fees, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed a private school in Pudukkottai district to hand over the certificates to a student.

In his petition, the student’s father, K. Palanisamy from Gandarvakottai, said that his son completed Class 12 in Vidya Vikash Matriculation School. However, the school authorities did not hand over the certificates citing arrears in school fees.

Justice M. Sundar observed that the court had repeatedly held that certificates of a student were his property and they could not be retained by an educational institution, citing any monetary claim.

The certificates of a student were not like fixed deposits in banks, over which an educational institution could claim lien in terms of Section 171 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872.

However, it was open to the school to file a civil suit against the petitioner before the jurisdictional civil court to recover the arrears, the court said. The court directed the school authorities to issue the transfer certificate, conduct certificate, mark sheets and other necessary documents to the petitioner’s son within one week.

Tahsildar sends message criticising Collector 

He holds district administration head responsible for non-disbursal of salary to 30 employees

30/10/2019 , Special Correspondent , VIRUDHUNAGAR

A Tahsildar, R. Ramanathan, has sent a WhatsApp message criticising Collector A. Sivagnanam for ‘failure in disbursing salary to some 30 employees of Virudhunagar and Sattur Units for Land Acquisition meant for Madurai-Thoothukudi railway track doubling project.

In his Deepavali greeting to the Collector, Mr. Ramanathan held the Collector responsible for not taking adequate efforts to disburse their salary for 10 months since January despite the Centre having sanctioned huge funds to the State in December 2018.

However, Virudhunagar District Revenue Officer K. Udhayakumar denied the charge, saying the salary had been issued till April for the staff attached to the Sattur unit and till May for those attached to the Virudhunagar unit.

“Despite a long process and administrative delay in sanctioning the funds to the units, the district administration has managed to disburse their salary through other resources,” he told The Hindu.

However, in his message to the Collector, which is being circulated among functionaries of various government officials’ and employees’ associations, Mr. Ramanathan said the lackadaisical attitude of the district administration had made the 30 families suffer for long without salary.

Among the employee are two Tahsildars, some Revenue Inspectors, Assistants, Computer Operators and Surveyors.

“Even the salary given to us has only been the net salary and not with deductions like Government Provident Fund contribution,” one of the officials employed in a unit said.

Interest

The Tahsildar questioned who would compensate the loss of interest on their contribution due to non-payment of GPF for 10 months.

Stating that the Virudhunagar unit could not even pay rent for its office building and had got loans for taking hundreds of photocopies, Mr. Ramanathan said the officials were made to cut a sorry figure before the landlord and the photocopying shop owner.

“Even travel allowance, electricity bills and water charges have been paid by the employees themselves,” he said in his long message.

Revenue officials said Mr. Ramanathan, who was the district president of Tamil Nadu Revenue Officers’ Association, was one among the several government employees who were placed under suspension in January following their participation in the strike called by JACTTO-GEO.

The DRO expressed hope that very soon the salary of the employees would be sanctioned by the government.

High Court holds special sitting 

Judges express displeasure over govt. officials not being aware of guidelines

 30/10/2019 , Mohamed Imranullah S., CHENNAI

The Madras High Court held a special sitting on Tuesday — despite it being the last day of the Deepavali holidays — and sought to know the number of permissions granted in the last 10 years for sinking borewells and tubewells in the State, the number of drilling agencies registered with the government, how many abandoned borewells there were across the State and the penal action taken against individuals for violating the 2009 Supreme Court guidelines on handling borewells.

Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and N. Seshasayee wanted the details to be submitted by November 21. The interim order was passed on an urgent public interest litigation petition filed by V. Ponraj, former Director (Technology Interface) at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, seeking the effective implementation of the Supreme Court guidelines and the consequent rules that were framed in 2015.

The judges expressed their displeasure over government officials themselves not being aware of the guidelines and even the consequent rules framed by the State government in 2015. Though the Supreme Court had ordered that every landowner wanting to sink a borewell should make an application 15 days in advance and obtain necessary permission from the officials concerned, no such time period had been specified in the 2015 rules, the judges pointed out.

“Unless we, as citizens, are prepared for a change in our outlook, we are going to assemble like this forever. Do we really require a dead body every time to remind us of our duties and responsibilities? It is not just Sujith’s parents but the entire nation has lost a child,” Justice Seshasayee said.

In his submission, Government Pleader V. Jayaprakash Narayan said the borewell in which Sujith fell had been sunk on land owned by the child’s grandfather Devaraj and three other relatives. The borewell had been sunk for 610 feet and was abandoned seven years ago. Though the landowners had closed it with mud, it appeared to have caved in over the years due to rain and other natural causes. The judges appealed to the media, especially television channels, to allocate a few minutes of their prime time slots to create awareness among the people about court orders and statutory regulations governing issues such as illegal flex boards and abandoned borewells.

Optimal efforts were made to rescue Sujith: CM 

Stalin seeking to mislead people with a political agenda, says Palaniswami

30/10/2019 , Special Correspondent, TIRUCHI

Edappadi K. Palaniswami

Lamenting that two-year-old Sujith Wilson had died despite the ‘optimal’ utilisation of technology and manpower in the rescue operation, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday sought the people’s fullest cooperation in closing down defunct borewells and preventing such incidents in the future.

Mr. Palaniswami announced ₹10 lakh as compensation from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the bereaved family. Another ₹10 lakh will be provided on behalf of the AIADMK, he said. “We are saddened that Sujith died despite our best efforts,” he said. Ministers had camped at the village to oversee the rescue operation, and experts drawn from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, the National Institute of Technology and Anna University had explored all possible means to rescue Sujith. At no time in the past has the government handled an incident of this nature with the deployment of technology on such a scale, the Chief Minister said after offering condolences to the bereaved. The operation was carried out with the help of expert opinion of geologists, the CM said, as he sought to rebut DMK leader M.K. Stalin’s allegation that the government had handled the issue in an inept manner. Mr. Stalin had asked why the government did not approach the Army for help. The CM said Mr. Stalin had made this point even when a barrage collapsed in Mukkombu. “The Army had certified that the State Public Works Department had adopted the right approach. Mr. Stalin is trying to mislead the people with a narrow-minded political agenda.”

Puducherry CM V. Narayanasamy said, "It's very sad to see the loss of little champ Sujith Wilson. My heartfelt condolences to his family and his relatives."

Doctors do double duty ahead of total strike
 
30/10/2019 , Staff Reporter, MADURAI 


 
Doctors examining a patient at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai on Tuesday. R. AshokR_ASHOK

Doctors at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), Primary Health Centres and Government Hospitals in the district wore black badges at work and undertook double duty pressing for compression of time-bound promotion, here on Tuesday.

A senior doctor from the GRH, who is part of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association (TNDGA), which is spearheading the protest, said that all doctors completed major surgeries scheduled for October 30 and 31 in anticipation of the strike.

“Talks have been going on with Health Secretary Beela Rajesh since 11 a.m. but they seem to be inconclusive right now,” a reliable source said. The doctors did not punch in their attendance in an effort to show solidarity.

Doctors from Usilampatti Government Hospital and a staff member in Melur Government Hospital said that similar protests were carried out at their hospitals too.

“A three-member team in both the hospitals has been stationed to ensure that accident cases and critical cases are taken care of,” said O. Chandran, a senior doctor at the Government Hospital in Usilampatti.

Doctors in the State are eligible for time-bound promotions during the 8th, 15th, 17th and 20th year. President of TNGDA K. Senthil said that the members had been seeking its reduction to 4, 9 and 13 years. He added that this strike was the largest by doctors across the State since 2009.

Labour court order upheld

30/10/2019 , Staff Reporter, Madurai

In a relief to a bus driver, the Bench of Madras High Court dismissed the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Karaikudi division, against a labour court order that had given the driver a clean chit in an accident case.

The Corporation in its petition challenged the order of the labour court that had concluded that the driver A. Sundar was not responsible for the accident that involved a bus and a car.

It was said that in July 2000, the bus en route from Karaikudi to Dindigul met with an accident. The head-on collision resulted in three deaths and three seriously injured. The driver was held responsible for the accident and a departmental inquiry was initiated against him.

He was terminated from service. The driver moved the labour court which set aside the termination order and directed the Corporation to reinstate him with continuity of service.

Justice S.S. Sundar observed that the Corporation had not examined any one before the labour court and had relied on the inquiry report. Also, the conductor had submitted that the driver was not responsible for the accident. With no material to prove the charge against the driver, the labour court had concluded that the driver was not responsible for the accident.

The Corporation had not produced any independent witness to prove that the accident was due to rash and negligent driving, this court has no reason to interfere with the order of the labour court.

OTP-based refund system for train tickets

 30/10/2019 , Special correspondent, NEW DELHI

To make the refund process for tickets booked through agents transparent, IRCTC on Tuesday announced a new system wherein passengers will receive refund for cancelled tickets via a one-time password that will be sent to their mobile numbers.

The one-time password will be sent to the passenger’s mobile number provided to the agent at the time of ticket booking. The traveller will have to share the OTP with the agent for getting the refund.

Shamed for her looks, woman ends life
 
30/10/2019 , Press Trust of India, Kota

A 21-year-old woman, who was married just six months ago, allegedly committed suicide in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district after being repeatedly taunted by her husband over her “dark complexion”, the police said on Tuesday.

Mangibai jumped into a well outside her house in Banskhoyara village on Monday, station house officer Balveer Singh said.

Mangibai’s husband, Dinesh Lodha, has been booked under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the IPC.

Her father, Devlal, told the police that she got married in April but her husband used to humiliate her over her “dark complexion”, the officer said citing the FIR registered.

(Assistance to overcome suicidal thoughts is available at Sanjivini: Society for Mental Health, Telephone: 011-4076 9002)

‘Court will take victim’s word in rape cases’ 

‘If the woman says she didn’t consent to intercourse, court will presume she did not’

30/10/2019 , Krishnadas Rajagopal, NEW DELHI 

The SC said the Gujarat High Court had committed an error.

Rape is presumed if occurrence of sexual intercourse is proved and the woman claims the act was committed without her consent, the Supreme Court has held.

“Section 114-A of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 deals with the presumption as to absence of consent in certain prosecution for rape. A reading of the Section makes it clear that where sexual intercourse by the accused is proved and the question is whether it was without the consent of the woman alleged to have been raped, and such woman states in her evidence before the court that she did not consent, the court shall presume that she did not consent,” a three-judge Bench of Justices U.U. Lalit, Indu Malhotra and R. Subhash Reddy observed in a recent judgment.

The case involved a woman who accused her employer of repeatedly raping her and taking inappropriate pictures for the purpose of blackmail. He had allegedly even gone to the extent of calling her betrothed and sending him some of the pictures. She finally lodged a complaint and a case of rape was filed against him.

However, the Gujarat High Court quashed the case on the ground that the parties had reached a “settlement” over a large sum of money. The woman subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court saying the “settlement” was a document drawn under threat and coercion. The apex court said the HC seemed to have gotten “carried away” by the settlement, which itself needed to be investigated.

“When it is the allegation of the appellant [woman], that such document itself is obtained under threat and coercion, it is a matter to be investigated,” the court said.

The phone call to the woman’s betrothed should also be probed. It said the High Court had committed an error in quashing the trial court proceedings. The court, without commenting on the merits of the case, ordered the accused to co-operate with the investigation.

Make My Trip, Oyo face antitrust probe 

Regulator finds prima facie violations of competition law, including by Goibibo

30/10/2019 , Special Correspondent, Mumbai

The FHRAI has alleged cheating by OYO and the other firms.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ordered a detailed investigation into online travel booking companies Make My Trip and Goibibo and hospitality provider OYO based on complaints by members of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) alleging deep-discounting, payment issues and cheating by these firms.

In an order dated October 28, the CCI said following a complaint from the FHRAI, it had examined various aspects of the three companies’ businesses and concluded that prima facie there were violations of competition law.

CCI assessed the allegations on the basis of the relevant markets. While in the case of Make My Trip and Goibibo (referred to as MMT-Go), it looked at the ‘market for online intermediation services for booking of hotels in India’, for OYO it reviewed the ‘market for franchising services for budget hotels in India’.

The competition watchdog observed that MMT-Go prima facie appeared to be a dominant player in the relevant market. However, in the case of OYO it noted, “Prima facie OYO is not found to hold a dominant position, despite being a significant player in the ‘market for franchising services for budget hotels in India’”.

‘Abuse of dominance’

In a 26-page order, the CCI said there was a prima-facie case to investigate MMT-Go and OYO for alleged violation of the provisions of Section 3(4) of the Competition Act — pertaining to anti-competitive pacts — as also grounds to probe MMT-Go under Section 4 of the Act (relating to abuse of dominant position).

“Thus, whether the commercial agreement between OYO and MMT entails preferential treatment to OYO and consequent exclusion of Treebo, Fab hotel and any other hotel chain and if so, the effect of the same on competition merits investigation,” the CCI said.

“Further, the charging of service fee by MMT is alleged to be discriminatory as such fee is levied on certain hotels and allegedly not levied on high-end of chain hotels. Since MMT is prima facie found to be dominant, this conduct of MMT merits investigation,” the watchdog said, setting a 150-day time frame for its director general to submit a report.

Report for work, Minister tells striking doctors Strike enters fifth day 

Government will take necessary measures to protect the welfare of the people, says Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar 

 30/10/2019 , Special CorrespondentCHENNAI , Special 
Correspondent, CHENNAI 


 
CPI(M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan addressing the doctors on strike at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai on Tuesday. B. Jothi Ramalingam

Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar on Tuesday urged the striking doctors to return to work immediately. If the strike continues, the government will take necessary measures to protect the welfare of the people.

The Minister said that though the Federation of Government Doctors Association was not recognised by the government, the Health Secretary held talks with its representatives on October 25, assuring them that their demands were under consideration and it was not an appropriate time to strike when the monsoon was active.

Higher pay

He pointed out that the Dynamic Assured Career Progression that guaranteed higher pay and time-bound promotions was implemented only for government doctors. It was unfair to demand and compare it with the pay scale of Central government doctors. They were not allowed to practice in private hospitals or run their own hospitals, whereas government doctors in the State were permitted to take up private practice, he said.

However, the government was considering grant of special pay on the basis of seniority, and for doctors working in tough environment, he added.

On their demand to maintain doctor posts in accordance with the number of patients, he said posts should be created as per Medical Council of India norms. The government was looking into the need to create additional posts.

The Minister clarified that the present practice of posting postgraduates to vacant posts in district and taluk government hospitals on priority basis would continue instead of conducting counselling. He said that the government spent ₹1.24 crore of public tax money to create a doctor.

He gave details of the monthly salary of government doctors: first year – ₹80,247, 8th year – ₹97,900, 15th year – ₹1,22,919, 17th year – ₹1,35,365 and 20th year – ₹1,53,027.

Police protection

On Monday, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh wrote to the Director-General of Police seeking police protection to government hospitals and government medical college hospitals to enable medical officers to render their services to the public without any untoward incident. She also requested a police picket to be posted where necessary.

The Director of Medical Education in a circular directed all deans of medical colleges and heads of institutions not to allow any unauthorised/unorganised ‘pandal’ on the premises and to evict them if they were put up.

They were instructed to lodge complaints with the outpost/nearby police station to prevent any unauthorised gathering or protest against the government.

Outpatient services took a hit in a few government hospitals as doctors affiliated to the Federation of Government Doctors Association boycotted work for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday.

With many doctors in the cadre of assistant professors taking part in the indefinite strike, chiefs of units and doctors from the non-clinical departments were roped in to run outpatient departments.

After talks with the Minister, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association postponed its plan to go on strike on October 30 and 31.

Doctor complains of dowry harassment

30/10/2019 , Special Correspondent, Chennai

A 30-year-old woman doctor has lodged a complaint against an IT official, alleging that he and his father, a retired DSP, had harassed her for dowry even before their marriage.

The police said the doctor alleged that the groom’s family demanded that she register a ₹3.5-crore worth property in their name, and hand over ₹50 lakh in cash, even before marriage.

She claimed that her family had given ₹10 lakh to the boy’s family to buy a car. However, they started demanding the remaining ₹40 lakh.

The Thirumangalam All-Women police took her complaint, and has issued a CSR receipt. The police have summoned the groom’s family for interrogation.

Boy has surgery after nurse leaves injection needle in hip

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolar Gold Fields (KGF):30.10.2019
A five-year-old boy suffering from fever was left with a pin in his hip after a nurse at General Hospital, KGF, negligently administered an injection to the child and left the broken needle inside his body. Later, he was rushed with a swollen hip to Victoria Hospital, Bengaluru, where he had to undergo surgery.

According to Dr Shivakumar, district surgeon, KGF General Hospital, the boy was brought to the facility around 4.30pm on Saturday with fever. A nurse on duty administered an injection to him on directions of the duty doctor. However, she noticed the needle was missing from the syringe.

While the nurse began to search for the needle, the boy’s mother kept rubbing the hip to reduce his pain. The nurse thought the needle may have been lost. Meanwhile, the boy and his parents left the hospital.

Around 8pm, the parents approached the district surgeon with the boy, whose hip was swollen. The parents got an X-ray of the hips, which clearly showed the needle was stuck inside.

Full report on www.toi.in

After IndiGo, GoAir asked to replace its Neo engines

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:30.10.2019
India’s aviation regulator on Tuesday directed GoAir to replace an engine each on 13 of its Airbus A320 Neos within a fortnight. While a similar order was issued Monday for 16 IndiGo A320 Neos due to four engine snags the airline saw last week, the directorate general of civil aviation says the instruction for GoAir is on “precautionary” grounds.

Now Pratt & Whitney (PW) needs to supply 29 replacement engines in 15 days — almost two per day — to avoid grounding of these 29 planes in peak travel season.

The regulator has said beyond 15 days, these 29 planes will fly only when they get a replacement engine. PW did not say how many replacement engines it will be able to give in that timeframe for the 29 affected Neos.

A GoAir spokesman said the airline “has not received any communication from DGCA in this respect. Whenever we receive any communication, at that point in time, we will evaluate and respond accordingly. We will continue to work on all directives/policies as stipulated by the DGCA.”

PW said in a statement it is “working in coordination with airline customers to incorporate upgrades improving the durability of the low pressure turbine in the PW1100G-JM fleet to address a known issue.”

Passengers stranded in Hong Kong as IndiGo changes B’luru flight number
Bengaluru:

Passengers on a Bengaluru-bound flight were stranded in Hong Kong overnight on Tuesday, after the flight was denied permission to fly and grounded due to a last-minute change in flight number by the airline.

IndiGo 6E 1774 was scheduled to depart from Hong Kong for Bengaluru at 8.50am. The flight number was then changed to IndiGo 6E 1771 and the flight took off at the scheduled time. However, a few minutes after taking off, the pilot announced that the aircraft did not have clearance to fly over Chinese airspace. The aircraft then returned to Hong Kong. Passengers remained seated on the flight for some time, but were later deboarded and the flight was cancelled.

Bengalurean Yajnesh, whose relatives were on board the flight, said, “The passengers were told by crew that the aircraft had to return to Hong Kong because the flight number was changed at the last minute. The airline has promised to fly all passengers to Bengaluru on Wednesday.”

IndiGo did not reply to TOI’s request seeking its version of the development. TNN

How a mill turns thousands of women workers graduates

Pratiksha.Ramkumar@timesgroup.com  30.10.2019

Fifty-eight full-time teachers on the rolls of a textile mill is unheard of. KPR Mills, one of the country’s largest apparel manufacturing firms, is using these teachers to educate its employees, many of them now graduates and postgraduates.

When Sujith Kumar, head of human resources at Infosys, was invited for a convocation in Coimbatore, he thought it was yet another customary event where graduates would be awarded degree certificates. But he was pleasantly surprised when he learned it was meant for its employees, all women mill workers, who had turned graduates.

“We keep reading about brilliant case studies across the globe but nothing comes close to what KPR Mills is doing for its employees,” he later wrote in a social media post.

Several others who have attended the convocation over the years go back with stories of the grit and determination displayed by women mill workers.

KPR Mills has for more than a decade helped nearly 24,000 women complete Class X, Class XII and graduation, apart from helping them take up job-oriented courses on teacher training and yoga. With a full-fledged teaching faculty, it has tied up with Tamil Nadu Open University and Alagappa University.

Executive director C R Anandakumar says 3,357 of his employees are now studying for various exams ranging from Class X, Class XII boards and computer diploma courses to post graduate degrees. The group, which had a sales turnover of ₹4,000 crore last year, has 22,000 employees.

The story of how it decided to educate its women employees is now an urban legend. “One day, my brother K P Ramasamy was interacting with employees when a woman employee expressed regret for not being able to continue studies because of financial constraints,” recalls managing director P Nataraj. “Since almost 80% of our employees live with us, we realised they have eight hours to spare. Why not arrange classes for them for 2-4 hours a day?”

The initiative, which began 14 years ago with 15-20 students from districts such as Ooty, Trichy and Vellore, has so far educated 24,356 girls. Till this year, as many as 4,848 girls have completed their graduation degrees.

The company does not insist on workers staying with it forever. “We encourage them to take up better jobs after finishing their education, because that’s what will uplift them and their families,” said Anandakumar.

Ashwini Sethumadhavan, a constable with the Chennai battalion from Tirupathur, joined the garment section of KPR Mills in 2009. She signed up for BCom the next academic year and simultaneously prepared for the police exam.

“The teachers and wardens helped me get books and other study materials for government exams, and helped me with coaching… if not for KPR Mills, I would have remained a mill worker for life,” says the 27-year-old. 


SOCIAL UPLIFT: Women workers of KPR Mills at a stitching facility in Coimbatore. Most of these workers are studying simultaneously

Expired drugs dumped on Kanchi lake bed

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.10.2019

Bundles of expired medicines dumped on a lake bed in Kancheepuram and torched have caused the colour of the water to change. Medical officials are examining the water.

The Vaira Mohan lake, also called Uthiramerur Big Lake, provides water for residents of Vedapayam, Andi Thangal, Kaliyampoondi, Kattupakkam, Uthiramerur, Thriupulivanam, Pennalur and other areas.

On Monday, residents were shocked to see bundles of expired tablets and medicines dumped on the lake bed and in the water. Most of the medicines were antibiotics which had expired a year ago.

With the drugs getting mixed up in the water, the colour had changed. Residents said even cattle were avoiding the lake as a result of the colour change.

Villagers too are avoiding using the lake, spread across about 5,000 acres, for washing and cleaning, fearing that the contaminated water would lead to side-effects and invite diseases.

Some of the drugs dumped on the lake bund were also half burned.

While residents have registered complaints, local panchayat officials are yet to show any interest in strengthening the lake bunds. This prevents rainwater from reaching the lake and instead flows out into the sea.

The bunds were artificially formed by dumping gravel across the lake, allowing the trucks and lorries to travel through, said Lakshmi Nathan of Kaliyampoondi. As these artificial bunds were not removed, water from the catchment areas don’t reach the lake and the water takes a detour to the sea. 



RESOURCE UNDER THREAT: Residents said they found bundles of expired medicines dumped on the lake bed and in the water. Some packets were found half burned

SRM students get over 6,000 offers in just three months
Period Sees 30% Jump Compared To Last Year

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.10.2019

The students of SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) have received 6,514 offers from more than 200 companies in this placement season so far.

The placement season for the university started on July

22. “In three months time, we have received more than 6,000 offers. The offers have increased by 30% when compared to the same period last year,” said Sriram S Padmanabhan, director of Career Centre at SRMIST. The placement season will continue till April 2020.

IT majors TCS, Infosys, Cognizant and Wipro made 4,749 offers combined at the end of day-one process, which is more than 50% compared to the previous year day-one offers.

At the conclusion of dayone, TCS made 1,437 offers (‘ninja track’), Infosys 1,315, Cognizant 1,175, and Wipro

822. Apart from this, TCS has made 183 offers under ‘digital track’.

“There is a big push towards going digital. Tech companies are recruiting more freshers who have skills so they can be trained and deployed,” he said.

Along with IT companies, the deemed university also witnessed a spike in hiring by IT product companies, startups and e-commerce companies this year.

“There is a strong demand from information technology product companies. E-commerce companies like Aamazon and tech startups also increased their hiring,” Sriram Padmanabhan said.

“In 2018-19, the university had a record of 600 companies visiting the campus. This year in three months, we have more than 200 companies. If the trend continues, we hope to get around 650 companies before April,” he added.

“Totally, 1,210 students have received super dream offers (₹10 lakh per annum) and dream offers (₹5 lakh per annum) so far. Besides, many students are also recruited by companies from the core engineering sector,” SRMIST said in a release.

The centralised placement process conducted at its Kattankulathur campus brings students from other campuses, including Ramapuram and Vadapalani.

This year, engineering colleges and Anna University also witnessed more than 30% hike in campus placements due to increased hiring by IT services companies. 

Accident victim loses 10% of compensation for riding triples on bike

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.10.2019

A two-wheeler accident victim from Chennai lost 10% of accident compensation for riding triple.

B Syed Ahmed, 44, a resident of Royapettah, was working as a delivery assistant at a courier company. In May 2013, he was riding as the second pillion with his friends Mohamed Sherif and Ajeez on a bike. A tractor, coming from the opposite direction and driven in a rash and negligent manner, turned without any signal and collided with the bike. In the accident, Syed suffered grievous injuries. He was treated for hip dislocation and was left partially-disabled permanently. He could not continue to work as a delivery assistant.

The Tiruvallur police filed a case against the tractor owner G Narayanasamy Naidu and its driver K Chidambaram -- of Magaral village in Tiruvallur district -- for causing the accident.

Syed approached the Motor Accident Tribunal seeking a compensation of ₹12 lakh from the offenders and the insurance firm associated with the case, National Insurance Company Limited.

The insurance firm said the driver of the tractor did not have a valid driving licence. The tribunal observed that ₹5.2 lakh can be given as compensation to Syed for pain and suffering, loss of earnings and medical expenses, but he too was negligent and rode triple.

“In a rural road, therefore, the balancing power of the rider of the two-wheeler is necessarily restricted... Therefore this tribunal is inclined to fix the contributory negligence on the part of the petitioner herein is as 10%,” judge D Sivakumar noted.

SPICEJET PROBE

Mid-air PDA: Pink slip for off-duty pilot, crew

Manju.V@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:30.10.2019

An off-duty pilot and a flight attendant who spiced up their flight with inflight nuzzling lost their jobs after a passenger complained to the airline about their public display of affection last month on a SpiceJet Delhi-Kolkata flight.

“The first officer was travelling as an additional crew member and was not operating the flight. The flight attendant was on duty. They were seated in adjacent jump seats at the rear end of the aircraft,’’ said a source. Though passengers are seated facing the front of the aircraft, those using lavatories in the aft end of the aircraft would have caught sight of the canoodling couple; one in uniform, the other in civvies.

“The complaint said the flight attendant and a passenger behaved inappropriately and indecently on board the flight. An internal inquiry showed the passenger engaged in indecent conduct was a first officer pilot. Both crew members were questioned and thereafter terminated from service,’’ the source added.

SpiceJet warns its staff of strict action

To send a stern message to its crew, SpiceJet recently put out a flight safety case study, titled ‘Unprofessional behaviour at workplace’’.

The note said, “Uncultured practice at workplace driven by individual attitude may adversely affect the reputation of the company (airline), demoralise the co-workers and there could also be serious safety lapses and consequences.’’ “The involved cabin crew and first officer failed to maintain decorum and professionalism at workplace. They failed to set their personal life apart from professional, which is unacceptable on the work premises,’’ it said, adding that “employee shall always maintain the decorum and professionalism at workplace’’. A comment from SpiceJet was awaited at the time of going to the press. A senior commander said, “Any airline where such behaviour has been reported, the crew member has been dismissed.’’ “It isn’t courteous to display affection on board a flight, especially when in uniform. When it comes to public display of affection on board a plane, flight attendants and pilots generally feature as killjoys who break up the amorous pair and not the ones indulging in it,’’ said the commander.

TN withdraws ban on recruiting teaching staff in 13 govt varsities

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.10.2019

After a gap of two years, the Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn its ban on recruitment of new faculty members in the 13 state universities, a move that will help fill 1,000 teaching posts. If they manage to fill the vacancies by the year-end, the 13 universities can hope to improve their position in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF).

Two years ago, the government had imposed the ban in a bid to get the universities to absorb the excess staff from Annamalai university, which they have been reluctant to do raising questions about qualifications. Last year, the ban stayed in place after the UGC directed states to freeze recruitment in view of the case in the SC on whether the reservation policy should apply to hiring for an institution as a whole or to separate departments.

Univs to not follow HRD directive on quota

The TN higher education department has clarified that the 13 state universities will not follow the Union HRD ministry directive to treat one institute as a unit for implementing reservation in recruitment. Instead, each department will be a unit. N Pasupathy, president, Association of University Teachers, has urged Bharathidasan University to implement reservation taking department as a unit as clarified by the state government in filling 54 teaching vacancies at the university. The university had advertised the vacancies taking institute as an unit to implement reservation.

State govt hampering recruitment, say univs

On August 1 this year, the high education department had also written to universities asking them to furnish reasons if a vacancy is not filled with the Annamalai university surplus staff.

Now an order from the higher education department says, “The ban imposed on the recruitment of teaching positions in the 13 universities under the aegis of higher education department vide government order dated 25.09.2018 is withdrawn and the universities may start up recruitment in teachers’ cadre.”

However, the state universities complain the state government is hampering recruitment by delaying appointment of its nominee on the interview panels.

For example, Anna University has more than 250 vacancies in teaching posts as there was no recruitment since 2014. “The university has completed calculating the vacancy positions to implement reservation in recruitment based on 200-point roster system. We have decided to take department as unit for implementing the reservation in teaching posts,” sources from Anna University said.

“We have written many letters to the higher education department with regards to the appointment of state government’s nominee. But, there was no response from the higher education department,” sources added.

Madras University is planning to give priority for 15 departments, which receive UGC’s grant and special assistance. “The university will seek the state government’s permission to fill the vacancies in the departments receiving financial aid under special assistance programme (SAP) and Centre for Advanced Study (CAS),” officials said.

The UGC has given 100 days’ time to fill all the vacancies. But, a majority of state universities are yet to start their recruitment process.

N.Pasupathy, president of Association of University Teachers has welcomed the move to lift the ban on recruitment at the universities. “Unlike the previous years, the universities should conduct the recruitment process in fair and transparent manner. The posts should be filled based on merit,” he said.

Nation mourns as 80-hr-long effort fails to bring Sujith alive
After Odour From Borewell, Op Called Off
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.10.2019

Hours after being pulled out from the 88-ft depth of an abandoned borewell decomposed and dismembered, the body of 2-year-old Sujith Wilson was laid to rest on Tuesday, as people across the state and the nation grieved along with his family. Teams of professionals who had been working to save the child since he slipped and fell into the well near his house at Nadukattupatti in Trichy district on Friday evening gave up the rescue effort after their worst fears were confirmed by the putrid odour of decomposed flesh. By 10.30pm on Monday, they switched to retrieval mode.

Nearly 600 people, including professionals from the state and national disaster management teams, those from companies such as NCL, ONGC, L&T, geologists and doctors had been struggling for 80 hours against odds to save Sujith.

“We knew that with every passing minute chances of survival were dim, but we clung on to hope and continued digging the trench. But as we dug, the sand in the borewell sank and fell on the boy. He was covered in mud. While removing the sand from the borewell, the stench hit us. It drowned all hopes,” state disaster management commissioner J Radhakrishnan said. 



Children mourn Sujith at the site of the borewell at Nadukattupatti

File report on borewells, HC tells govt

The Madras HC on Tuesday chastised the TN government as to whether it needs a dead body to implement every statute, and ordered authorities to produce details on action taken against violators who had failed to comply with the rules regarding borewells. Justices M Sathyanarayanan and N Seshasayee also said that media, particularly TV channels, had a responsibility to create awareness among public rather than just live telecasting such incidents. P7

We followed every rule in the book, went step by step: Radhakrishnan

Until then, the teams had been constantly monitoring the boy, who was initially stuck at 26 feet, and providing him oxygen. What added to their hope was the image on the thermal camera that showed 37°C — a normal body temperature.

“We followed every rule in the book and went step by step in planning and execution to save the boy,” said Radhakrishnan.

“We tried using a rope to rescue him, then quickly moved to mechanical contraptions with experts in the team until about 10pm on Saturday. When the terrain proved to be impossible, we decided to dig a trench alongside the borewell. It was a slow process as the terrain was extremely rocky. The Italian drill was moving at a pace of 10cm per hour and a more advanced machine that was brought in had an average speed of not more than 50cm per hour,” he said.

A robotic arm deployed by Anna University was about 5.4 inches wide, at least an inch smaller than the diameter of the pit into which Sujith had fallen.

Yet, being constantly reminded about a man who was pulled out of the debris of a multi-storey building that collapsed at Moulivakkam in Chennai after four days, the rescue mission laboured on.

Once it was confirmed the child was no longer alive, he called for a quick meeting with state and national disaster management teams, state police and fire services along with state ministers.

“Everyone agreed that it was inevitable. There were no evident signs of life. The boy was motionless under heaps of sand. We stopped digging the trench and pulled out oxygen supply. The team was asked to retrieve the body,” said Radhakrishnan.

By then a team of doctors and religious leaders had counselled the family members of the child.

By around 2.30am, the teams used pipes, pulleys and wires to pull out the body. Even during retrieval, finger nails were taken for DNA sampling. The body was sent to the hospital for postmortem.

Around 6.30 am, the body was directly taken to a graveyard at Fathima Pudur where it was kept for two hours for the public to pay homage.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi and several others condoled the death of the child.

பெரியார் பல்கலைக் கழகத்தில் பெரியாரை அவமதிப்பதா? - வீரமணி கண்டனம்

சென்னை

பெரியார் பல்கலைக் கழகத்தின் நடவடிக்கைகள் தடுத்து நிறுத்தப்பட வேண்டும்; இல்லையேல், இதனை மக்கள் பிரச்சினையாக வீதிக்குக் கொண்டு வரும் வகையில் முதற்கட்டமாக கண்டன ஆர்ப்பாட்டம் நடத்தப்படும் திராவிடர் கழகத் தலைவர் கி.வீரமணி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

இதுகுறித்த இன்று அவர் வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிக்கையில் ‘‘கடந்த 24.10.2019 அன்று சேலம் பெரியார் பல்கலைக் கழகத்தில் நடைபெற்ற 19 ஆவது பட்டமளிப்பு விழாவில் தமிழக ஆளுநர் பன்வாரிலால் புரோகித், உயர்கல்வித் துறை அமைச்சர் கே.பி.அன்பழகன், கேரள முன்னாள் ஆளுநர் சதாசிவம் உள்ளிட்டோர் கலந்து கொண்டனர்.இவ்விழாவிற்கான ஏற்பாடுகள் தடபுடலாக நடந்தன; இதில்தான் இப்பொழுது சர்ச்சை எழுந்துள்ளது

விழாவிற்கான அழைப்பிதழில் பேராசிரியர்கள், ஆட்சி பேரவை உறுப்பினர்கள், ஆசிரியர் அல்லாத பணியாளர்கள் அனைவரையும் விட்டு விட்டு அச்சடித்தலில் தொடங்கியது சர்ச்சை. இப்பொழுது பெரியார் பல்கலைக்கழக தொழிலாளர் சங்கத்தினர் தொடர் போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டு வருவதால் அனைவரையும் விட்டு விட்டு அழைப்பிதழ் அச்சடித்திருப்பது வேதனைக்குரிய ஒன்றாகும்.

ஏனென்றால் பட்டமளிப்பு விழாவிற்கான பட்டச் சான்று தயார் செய்தல் முதல் பட்டமளிப்பு விழாவிற்கான அனைத்து ஏற்பாடுகளையும் கவனிப்பது இவர்கள்தான்; இவர்களைப் புறக்கணித்ததால் ஆசிரியர் அல்லாத பணியாளர்கள் அனைவரும் பட்டமளிப்பு விழா வேலைகள் நடந்து முடிந்தவுடன் யாரும் உணவருந்த செல்லாமல் புறக்கணித்தனர்.

பணியாளர்கள்தான் புறக்கணிக்கப்பட்டனர் என்று பார்த்தால், யார் பெயரில் பல்கலைக்கழகம் இயங்குகிறதோ அந்த தந்தை பெரியாரின் படத்தைக் கூட அழைப்பிதழில் போடாமல் புறக்கணிக்க வைத்த சக்தி எது என்று ஆராய வேண்டியுள்ளது மட்டுமல்லாமல், பெரியார் சிலைக்குப் பின்னணியில் பிள்ளையார் சிலை, ஸ்வஸ்திக் சின்னம், சூலாயுதம் ஆகிய சின்னங்களை வண்ண விளக்குகள் (சீரியல் பல்பு) மூலம் இடம் பெறச் செய்தது ஏதோ தெரியாமல் செய்தது அல்ல.

கடந்த செப்டம்பர் 24 ஆம் தேதி எந்த மக்கள் பிரதிநிதியும் இல்லாத எச்.ராஜா, துணைவேந்தர் இல்லாத நிலையில் துணைவேந்தர் அறைக்குள் பாஜக பிரதிநிதிகள் 19 பேர், பதிவாளர் (பொறுப்பு) தங்கவேல், தமிழ்த்துறைத் தலைவர் பெரியசாமி, ஆர்எஸ்எஸ் பிரதிநிதியும், ஆட்சிக்குழு உறுப்பினருமான குமாரசுவாமி ஆகியோருடன் சுமார் ஒன்றரை மணிநேரம் ஆலோசனை நடத்தியது அப்போதே பலத்த சர்சையை கிளப்பியது.

புதிய துணைவேந்தர் வந்த பின், மதச்சார்பற்ற நிலையில் இயங்கி வந்த பெரியார் பல்கலைக் கழகத்தின் வடிவம் மாற்றப்பட்டு வருகிறது. துணைவேந்தர் அறையில் திடீரென சரஸ்வதி படம் பெரிய அளவில் மாட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது.
அண்ணா பெயரில் தி.மு.க.வையும் இணைத்துள்ள அண்ணா தி.மு.க. ஆட்சியில், தந்தை பெரியார் அவமதிக்கப்படுவது வெட்கக்கேடு!

இதுகுறித்து தமிழக அரசிடமிருந்து விளக்கம் தேவை. ஆர்எஸ்எஸ் கூடாரமாக இருந்துவரும் பெரியார் பல்கலைக் கழகத்தின் நடவடிக்கைகள் தடுத்து நிறுத்தப்பட வேண்டும்; இல்லையேல், இதனை மக்கள் பிரச்சினையாக வீதிக்குக் கொண்டு வரும் வகையில் முதற்கட்டமாக கண்டன ஆர்ப்பாட்டம் நடத்தப்படும் என்று எச்சரிக்கிறோம்.

திருந்த மறுத்தால் பல்வேறு அனைத்துக் கட்சிகள் ஒருங்கிணைந்த போராட்டங்களும் தொடரக்கூடும். பெரு நெருப்புடன் விளையாடாதீர் - பெரியாருக்கு அவமரியாதையா - பொறுக்க முடியாது’’ என வீரமணி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

கல்வி நிறுவனங்களுக்கு பல்கலை மானியக்குழு உத்தரவு

Added : அக் 28, 2019 23:34

சென்னை:கல்லுாரிகள் மற்றும் பல்கலைகளில், பாலியல் பிரச்னைகளை தடுக்கும் வகையில், பாதுகாப்பு நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொள்ள, கல்வி நிறுவனங்களுக்கு, பல்கலை மானிய குழுவான, யு.ஜி.சி., உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

பாலியல் பிரச்னையின்றி, பெண்களுக்கு பாதுகாப்பான வளாகத்தை ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்றும் தெரிவித்து உள்ளது. கல்லுாரிகள் மற்றும் பல்கலைகளுக்கு, பல்கலை மானிய குழு பிறப்பித்துள்ள உத்தரவு: உள் விவகார புகார் குழு ஏற்படுத்தி, பாலியல் தொல்லைகள் குறித்த புகார்களை பெற வேண்டும். பாலின வேறுபாடு மற்றும் பெண்களின் உரிமைகள் குறித்து, மாணவ - மாணவியர் மத்தியில், விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டும். மாணவியர் மற்றும் பெண் ஊழியர்கள் பாதுகாப்பை உறுதி செய்யும் வகையில், பாலியல் அத்துமீறல் தடுப்பு மற்றும் தீர்வு நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

பெண்களுக்கான பாதுகாப்பு சட்ட விதிகள் குறித்து, விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டும். பெண்கள் பாதுகாப்பாக உணரும் வகையிலான வளாகத்தை உருவாக்க வேண்டும். மாணவர் குறைதீர்வு டிஜிட்டல் தளம் உருவாக்கப்பட வேண்டும். பாலியல் ரீதியான புகார்களை ரகசியமாக தெரிவிக்கும் வகையில், 1800 111 656 என்ற, கட்டணமில்லாத தொலைபேசி எண்ணை, கல்லுாரி வளாகத்தில் உள்ள அறிவிப்பு பலகையில் மாணவ - மாணவியருக்கு தெரியும் வகையில், வெளியிட வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு, உத்தரவில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

டில்லி பஸ்களில் பெண்களுக்கு இலவச பயணம்

Updated : அக் 29, 2019 05:24 | Added : அக் 28, 2019 22:26




புதுடில்லி டில்லி மாநகர பஸ்களில், பெண்கள், இன்று(அக்.,29) முதல் இலவசமாக பயணிக்கலாம். பெண்களின் பாதுகாப்புக்காக, பஸ்களில் சிறப்பு பாதுகாவலர்கள் பணியமர்த்தப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

டில்லியில், அடுத்த சில மாதங்களில் சட்டசபை தேர்தல் நடக்கவுள்ளது. இந்நிலையில், 'டில்லியில், மெட்ரோ ரயில் மற்றும் மாநகர பஸ்களில், பெண்கள் இலவசமாக பயணிக்கலாம்' என, அம்மாநில முதல்வர் அரவிந்த் கெஜ்ரிவால், சமீபத்தில் அறிவித்திருந்தார். முதல் கட்டமாக, மாநகர பஸ்களில் இந்த இலவச பயண திட்டம், இன்று முதல் அமலுக்கு வருகிறது.

வட மாநிலங்களில், 'பைதுாஜ்' என்ற பண்டிகை இன்று கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது. தங்கள் சகோதரர்கள் நீண்ட நாட்கள் ஆரோக்கியத்துடன் வாழ்வதற்காக, பெண்கள் வழிபாடு நடத்தும் பண்டிகை இது. இதையொட்டி, இந்த இலவச பயண திட்டத்தை, இன்று முதல் துவக்க, மாநில அரசு முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

இது குறித்து, முதல்வர் அரவிந்த் கெஜ்ரிவால் கூறியதாவது: பெண்கள் பாதுகாப்பாக பயணிப்பதற்காக, பஸ்களில், 13 ஆயிரம் சிறப்பு பாதுகாவலர்கள் நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். பஸ்களில் பயணிக்கும் பெண்கள், தங்களுக்கு ஏதாவது பிரச்னை ஏற்பட்டாலோ, உதவி தேவைப்பட்டாலோ, பஸ்களில் உள்ள பாதுகாவலர்களின் உதவியை நாடலாம். ஊர்க்காவல் படையில் ஏற்கனவே பணியாற்றியவர்களில் பலர், இந்த பாதுகாவலர் பணிக்கு தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

Your money and you at the age of 40

Ask yourself whether you have developed skills, knowledge and attitude for a secure income

Uma Shashikant  29.10.2019

A friend called to complain that he was being badgered to buy retirement planning products. He will soon turn 40. How should 40-year olds look at their financial position? What should concern or comfort them?

After the job-hopping spree of the early years of working, the 40s is the time to take stock. To ask whether one has developed a set of skills, knowledge and attitude to secure a stable and rising income.

If you are still complaining about your work or blame the world and everyone for preventing you from achieving your potential, you may be stuck in a less than optimal situation. Not all of us end up with jobs we love. But at some point, we have to evaluate what the job is delivering for us. The 40s is a reasonable point for that.

The primary financial goal for most is adequacy of income. We should get to a point in our lives where we are happy and content with what we earn. If we think there is a problem, we should have done enough to fix it. By the time you are 40, you must have a clear plan for your future income.

Adequacy of income is easily tested by the assets you have accumulated. If you are 40 and the only assets you have are the home you live in and the PF and tax saving investments you have done, you may not be doing enough. The insurance agent’s persistence needs explanation here.

How much insurance you need is a math that is designed to scare you. Insurance is your fall-back option. Should anything happen to you, your family should be able to earn an equivalent income by investing the insurance proceeds. They can do it if you have built assets too. Insurance is an arrangement to fill the gap, while you earn and build assets. As you accumulate wealth, your insurance needs drop.

The 40s is the nice mid-point in your earning years. When you do this midpoint evaluation, you must have enough in the bank at the end of the month; you should be paying off your credit card dues in full and you must not have EMIs that take up most of your income-Which brings us squarely to the adviser who is urging you to plan for retirement. When can you retire? If your wealth can generate enough income that replaces what you are already earning, you are ready to retire. The 40s is the time to ask that question.

If you are in a place where your income is poised to take off, you have to guard against lifestyle and the urge to spend it all on an extravagant lifestyle.

There is still one last piece: your asset allocation. If all your wealth is in the house you are living in, and you are habitually upgrading it to reflect your status, you may risk being asset rich and cash poor in retirement.

But the time you retire, you should have say 30% of your wealth in property, 30% in equity to offer growth and inflation protection, 30% in income assets that generate regular cash for your use, and the balance 10% for anything unexpected. The 40s is the time to set yourself towards building assets to a plan.

There is no perfect time for specific actions in personal finance. It is a journey with wealth, where we make plans but are willing to make mid-course corrections as needed. The 40s in the story is just an indicative point for evaluation. Do what sails your boat, but always ensure that your income, today and tomorrow is stable, secure and adequate.

The author is Chairperson of The Centre for Investment Education and Learning

‘Smartphone users neglecting security’

Sindhu.Hariharan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.10.2019

Indian consumers may be regularly upgrading their smartphones, but hardly 10% of the user base invest in a protective security solution for their phones.

Even as the smartphone market reaches record highs when other consumer-facing sectors are in a crossroads of economic slowdown, less than 6% buyers spend additionally (an amount often just 10% of the mobile cost) on a paid anti-virus solution for the device, a recent techARC study of over 10 million smartphone users shows.

While user attention is focused on security threats on personal computers and laptops, cybersecurity analysts say mobile devices are more vulnerable.

“Given the kind of data a smartphone consists, and widespread use of social media and banking transactions on mobile devices, the risk of cyber threats to mobile devices is 10X that of PCs,” Satyajit Sinha, research analyst, Counterpoint Research, said. According to a recent study by Counterpoint, smartphone vendors too pay relatively little attention to operating system (OS) and security updates, with less than one-third of the sub-$200 smartphones updated to the latest version of Android.

Cybersecurity specialists say phishing campaigns, mobile malwares, credential thefts, ransomwares, SIM swapping, and other new-age attacks are increasing across mobile devices on both Android and iOS. Further, the fragmented nature of the Android market means a lot of vendors do not provide the latest OS versions for older models, further exposing users to vulnerabilities.

Mobile security solution providers say at the heart is lack of awareness of the kind of crippling attacks possible on a mobile, and users’ belief that it won’t happen to them.

For home-grown cybersecurity enterprise K7 Computing, for instance, just about 2% of their total customer base of over 10 million are for mobile anti-virus solutions, as majority consumers are focused on buying solutions for their PCs and laptops. “Most smartphone users don’t think security software is a must, but with lines between personal and professional user of smartphones blurring, they need to be secured,” K Purushothaman, CEO, K7 Computing, said.

Ritesh Chopra, director, Norton LifeLock India, says that though the company offers mobile protection tools at scale, and has made large inroads through tie-ups with Jio and Airtel, there is still a lag in adoption of the free service by consumers through the telco apps. “Users often wait for incidents to happen to them to realise the significance of privacy and data security,” Chopra said.

Even flashlight apps today seek irrelevant permissions to SMS inbox, and it is hence important for users to thoroughly scan through developer details to weed out malicious apps, says Rahul Tyagi, co-founder of cybersecurity startup Lucideus.

Some countries are also more vulnerable than others, Petter Nordwall, director - mobile product management, Sophos, says. A recent survey by the cybersecurity company showed that globally, while nearly one in ten (10%) threats were discovered on a mobile device, in the Indian market, this number almost doubles to 19%.

LESS THAN 6% PROTECTED

FIR no reason for rejection at college: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:29.10.2019

Observing that mere pendency of FIRs cannot come in the way of a student pursuing education, the Madras high court has directed Karur government arts college to admit a student who was denied admission to a PG course on that ground.

Petitioner K Surandhran, whose parents are agricultural labourers, had enrolled for BA History at the college from 2016-2019. After completing the course, he applied for pursing MA History at the college. He said that though he had a good score in the undergraduation course, his name did not figure in the list of eligible candidates published on July 12. When he inquired about it, the college informed him that he has not been selected owing to a communication from the police that FIRs were pending against him.

Though he submitted two representations to the authorities concerned, there was no response. Hence he moved the Madurai bench of the high court seeking to direct the principal of Karur government arts college to grant him admission to MA History course.

DVAC to probe cop for taking ₹2L bribe to solve theft case

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.10.2019

An assistant commissioner of police (ACP) who worked with the central crime branch (CCB) of Coimbatore police is in a soup for allegedly taking a bribe of ₹2 lakh from a businessman. The bribe was to speed up investigation in a theft case of gold worth ₹75 lakh reported in October 2017. The ACP had returned ₹1 lakh of the bribe amount.

These details formed parts of an FIR registered by the state’s corruption wing, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) this month against the cop, T Somasekar, and his advocate friend P Vivekanandan. The investigation was headed by DSP C Rajesh of the agency’s Coimbatore wing.

According to a confidential inquiry conductedby DVAC,on October 12, 2017, L Thiyagarajan, founder and managing director of Swarnakalash Jewels in Coimbatore, reported to the Saibaba ColonyPolice Station the theft of 2kg of 22 carat gold jewellery and 200gm of 24 carat gold when he was travelling on a bus. The police station was under Somasekar’s administrative control then.

The DVAC said over a period of five or six meetings, Somasekar assured Thiyagarajan to expedite investigation of the case. The ACP had allegedly demanded a bribe for the same, saying the suspects were from differentstates. Thebribe amountfirstdemanded was ₹1 lakh, which was paid with a promise to solve the case within 100 days. The stolen property was tobe returnedthroughthecourt. The DVAC says on December 5 that year, Thiyagarajan gave ₹1 lakh to Vivekanandan based on instructions from Somasekar, who had come to the spot in his official jeep.

After a few days, Thiyagarajan contacted Somasekar astherewas no progress in the case, when another ₹1 lakh was demanded. The DVAC says Thiyagarajan agreed to pay it, once again unwillingly. The second paymentwas madeon December 23,2017, in a textile shop, where the bribe amount was used to settle a bill for 15 pants bought by Somasekar, the DVAC says.

The agency said the businessman travelled to states like Karnataka, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh with investigating officials to assist them in recovering the stolen gold. Several accused were arrested but the loot was not recovered.

Frustrated, Thiyagarajan demanded that Somasekar return the bribe, the DVAC says. The latter returned ₹1 lakh in October 2018. The rest of the amount has not been returned yet, the DVAC said. Based on an inquiry, the DVAC has registered a case.

DVAC is probing an assistant commissioner of police who worked with the central crime branch, Coimbatore, for taking the money to expedite inquiry into a gold theft case

‘Bigil’ moment: HC lets students play in football tourney
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.10.2019

Vijay-starrer ‘Bigil’ is about an all-woman football team making it to top tournaments and winning medals braving all odds.

Two students of Annamalai University earned their own ‘Bigil’ moment by approaching the Madras high court and winning a favourable order, which would help them take part in the south zone and All India University Women’s Football tournament 2019-2020. The tournament is to be held in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Justice G Jayachandran set aside the university’s decision denying permission to P Juki and M Nandhini to participate in the tournament, and directed the authorities to grant permission to the duo if they are otherwise eligible to participate. The judge passed the order while disposing a plea moved by the two, pursuing M P Ed course in the department of physical education, challenging a communication issued by the university on October 21.

When they sought permission to participate in the competition, the university refused permission stating that the eligibility criteria of Association of Indian Universities restricted candidates who have not crossed 25 years of age, or not exceeding eight years from the date of qualifying in the first admission to the university or college affiliated to the university, from participation.

“Further, the candidates should not have crossed three years after passing the graduate course or equivalent while pursuing postgraduate course,” the communication said. Justifying the denial of permission, the university contended that since it has been more than three years the petitioners graduated, they were not eligible to participate in the tournament.

Opposing the same, the students argued that they have not crossed 25 years of age and hence were eligible to join graduation only in the year 2013, so the eight years embargo will not apply to them. They also relied on a judgment of the Kerala high court dated October 1, 2018, on the same issue, permitting students to participate in the competition.

Concurring with the submissions, Justice Jayachandran cited the Kerala high court judgment and allowed the girls to participate in the tournament.

The court set aside a decision by Annamalai University denying permission to two women for participating in a national football tournament

University ignores DCE warning, charges ₹5,000 a yr to issue experience certificates
Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.10.2019

Despite a warning by the directorate of collegiate education (DCE) to not collect money, a deemed university in the city which demanded up to one year’s salary to issue experience certificates to faculty members, now has revised its ‘service fee’ to ₹5,000 per year.

However, aspirants for assistant professors’ posts said even that adds up to more than ₹40,000 if a candidate needs experience certificate for more than 8 years. The amount is more than a month’s salary for a majority of faculty working in private institutions.

The directorate of collegiate education warned colleges and deemed universities not to collect any fee for issuing experience certificates to present and former employees after a report that appeared in TOI on October 21. The report highlighted that a deemed university in Chennai demanded up to one year’s salary to award experience certificates.

“The university is now demanding ₹5,000 a year from those seeking experience certificates. Former faculty members have to pay ₹10,000 per year as ‘service fee’,” a candidate told TOI.

Though many colleges issue experience certificates to working faculty members, some deemed universities and city colleges demand resignation letters from those seeking experience certificates.

“Despite clear direction from the directorate of collegiate education, some still demand resignation letters to discourage candidates from applying for assistant professors’ posts,” another candidate said.

The Teachers Recruitment Board notified 2,331 vacancies in government arts and science colleges for which candidates will be shortlisted for interview based on experience and educational qualification. To prevent malpractices, the board asks candidates to produce experience certificates from current and previous employers, with pay acquaintance and attendance details. “Since the colleges are paying low wages, they are afraid to furnish details of pay acquaintance,” a professor said.

“The directorate of collegiate education or higher education department should maintain a database of all faculty members working in colleges in Tamil Nadu. Colleges should only be asked to bonafide their work experience. Since there are no details available on candidates, they have to depend on individual colleges,” said A R Nagarajan, adviser to NET SLET Association.

Officials clarified that there are clear directions to all colleges and deemed universities not to collect any fees from the candidates for issuing experience certificates. “If we receive any specific complaint against a college or deemed university, we will initiate stringent action,” an official said.

A report about the warning published in TOI on October 22

Neighbour’s objection is no ground to deny power supply, rules HC
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.10.2019

The Madras high court has made it clear that the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) cannot deny electricity connection to a consumer even if their premises has no frontage on the street. In such cases, the supply line has to go upon, over or under the adjoining premises of the neighbours and the same cannot be objected to, it said.

Justice G Jayachandran passed the order on a plea moved by a Tirupporur resident, challenging a Tangedco communication dated August 27, denying electricity connection to her residential building citing that neighbouring land owners objected to it. Opposing the plea, Tangedco submitted that provisions of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Distribution Code, 2004, mandates that service connection cannot be granted if there is any objection. It said petitioner’s neighbours claimed there was a civil dispute pending regarding the title and that their right would be prejudiced if service connection was provided to the petitioner.

Pointing out the provisions of the code, Justice Jayachandran said, it provides for supply of energy to the consumers on certain conditions and if the consumer’s premises has no frontage on the street and the supply line has to go upon, over or under the adjoining premises of any other person, the intending consumer should arrange it on his own expense, leave licence or sanction before the supply is effected.

In this case, it was not the inability of the consumer to provide way leave but the objection of neighbours who have filed the suit in respect of the small portion of the land, to an extent of 889sqft, the judge said. The said suit cannot give any right or authority to the neighbours to object to provision of electricity connection to the petitioner, who is holding a larger extent of land, nearly 12,000sqft, the judge said. The court then directed the electricity corporation to provide power connection to the petitioner.

The court directed Tangedco to provide power connection to the petitioner

House surgeons join docs’ strike, Stalin wants govt to begin talks

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.10.2019

The fourth day of strike by the Federation of Government Doctors Association – a group of five service doctors’ outfits – saw some tense moments on Monday. Police entered the Madras Medical College campus when the association erected a tent minutes before it began to rain.

Just as police landed, house surgeons from the hospital joined the strike to extend their support. Some minor, nonemergency surgeries were cancelled and many patients were asked to either wait or return after a few days. The crowd at the outpatient ward swelled as work in several inpatient wards was delayed; emergency wards, labour wards, ICUs and cathlabs were functional. Directors of medical education, medical services and public health have been gathering information about doctors who did not sign the attendance for the last four days. “Their absence will be considered as unauthorised. It will be considered break in service,” said director of medical education Dr A Narayanababu. Director of public health Dr K Kolandaswamy also said absence will create a hindrance for doctors planning to apply for PG courses.

However, DMK president M K Stalin who met the striking doctors, assured them of his support. “Since October 25, more than 18,000 government doctors are protesting as the government has not honoured even its written assurance to them. Of the four demands, one relates to the doctors’ salary and others too are beneficial to patients. It is painful that instead of calling them for talks, the government is maintaining silence,” he said. Stalin urged the striking doctors to fight for their rights, but desist from endangering their own lives by going on fast. For more than a decade, doctors have been asking the government to implement the prospective clause of government order 354, which promises time-bound promotion in five, nine, 11 and 12 years of service. “We also want the government to appoint more doctors as per MCI norms, give us 50% service quota in medical education and conduct proper counselling before transfer of service postgraduates,” said Dr A Ramalingam of the Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association. TNDGA president Dr K Senthil said the Centre follows a dynamic assured career progression pattern where doctors are promoted in the 4th, 9th and 13th years. “We get their fourth-year salary in our 15th year and their 13th year salary in our 20th year. We work hard to keep Tamil Nadu’s health indices high, but we don’t reap benefits. Doctor are paid 200 as teaching allowance in medical colleges,” he said.

One of the doctors on indefinite fast had to be admitted, as her blood pressure dropped. On Saturday, Dr Suresh Gopal was admitted for high fever and on Monday, Dr Rama was taken for treatment. Dr Perumapillai, Dr Balamanikandan and Dr Mir Mohib continued their fast.

Police deployed on the fourth day of the doctors’ strike at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital

Principal, 9 lecturers of Amrita booked for abetting suicide 

According to police, they also tampered with evidence

29/10/2019 , Special Correspondent, Bengaluru

The principal and nine lecturers of Amrita School of Engineering, where a student died last week, have been booked for abetting suicide and destroying evidence.

The Parappana Agrahara police have issued notice to them to appear for questioning in connection with the suicide of the final-year engineering student on the college premises. Students alleged that harassment by the management had led to the student, G.N.N.K. Sri Harsha, ending his life.

Principal Dhanaraj Swamy and Rakesh S.G., Bhaskar B., Ravi Kumar, Ramesh T.K., Nipun Kumar, Amudha, Venkatesh B., Nagaraja S.R. and Murty N.S., lecturers of various departments, have been charged with abetment to suicide and destruction of evidence.

According to the police, the accused misguided the father of the deceased and did not allow him on the college premises when he visited around the time his son died.

The accused had even cleared blood stains from the spot and washed them off with chemicals, while also tampering with CCTV camera footage, the police said.

G. Vijaya Bhaskar, Harsha’s father, has accused the principal and staff members of torturing his son.

Harsha, a student of Electronics and Communication, jumped off the seventh floor of the college building days after a disciplinary committee of the college reportedly expelled him for protesting over water shortage in the hostel.

Doctors continue strike, two admitted to hospital 

TNGDA members to stay away from work for 48 hours on October 30, 31

29/10/2019 , Special Correspondent, CHENNAI

The strike by doctors affiliated to the Federation of Government Doctors Associations (FOGDA) entered the fourth day on Monday. Two of the five doctors, who are observing indefinite fast seeking the Chief Minister’s intervention, were admitted to hospital after their condition deteriorated.

DMK president M.K. Stalin met the doctors, who are on fast on the campus of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), on Monday evening.

Barring emergency care, the striking doctors were boycotting outpatient services and in-patient care since October 25 for their long-pending demands, including pay band-4 at the end of 13 years of service instead of the present 20 years.

On Sunday, one of the doctors on fast, Suresh Gopal of Tiruvannamalai Medical College, was admitted to hospital after his condition deteriorated. On Monday, another doctor, Rama of Tiruvallur Government Hospital, was admitted. Doctors said that the two were admitted to the Intermediate Care Unit, and Dr. Rama was under close observation. The remaining three doctors — S. Perumal Pillai of Institute of Child Health, Egmore; Bala Manikandan and Mir Mohib Ali, medical officers of Primary Health Centres, Tiruvallur Health Unit Division; were continuing their fast.

While FOGDA comprises five associations of doctors, the Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association (TNMSA) extended its support to the strike on Monday. TNMSA comprises house surgeons and post graduates, and some of them took time out to be at the protest venue — Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital — on a rotation basis. “We cannot abandon patients nor can we get permission to take part in the strike. The work at the hospitals has to go on. So we took time out to visit the venue as a sign of extending our solidarity with the striking doctors. Today, we are paid a low stipend of ₹20,000. The strike is for our future too but it is disappointing that the State government has not responded,” a house surgeon said.

A. Ramalingam, convenor of FOGDA, said doctors affiliated to the federation were taking care of emergency care units and fever wards without signing the attendance. R. Jayanthi, dean of RGGGH, said services were not affected in the hospital because of the strike. There was less crowd as Monday was a holiday.

Meanwhile, on October 29, doctors belonging to Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA) have decided to work for extra hours from 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. They would strike from work for 48 hours on October 30 and 31, according to K. Kalpana, secretary of TNGDA, Greater Chennai District.

Deepavali sales: Tasmac rakes in ₹355 crore over two days 

An increase of 8.23% in revenue registered, compared to previous year

29/10/2019 , Sangeetha Kandavel, CHENNAI 



in High spirits

Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (Tasmac), the cash cow of the State government, netted a revenue of around ₹355 crore from sale of liquor on Deepavali day and the day before, registering an increase of 8.23% compared to the previous year.

In 2018, it recorded a sale of ₹180 crore on Deepavali day and ₹.148 crore the day before, taking the total to ₹328 crore.

If one were to look at the data for three days this festive season, starting from October 25 to October 27, the revenue was ₹455 crore.

During the Deepavali season last year, from November 3 to 6 (four days), the government sold liquor worth over ₹ 602 crore.

“Liquor sales through Tasmac outlets have been quite impressive for the last three years. On an average, there has been a 10-12% increase,” said an analyst, who tracks the liquor market in Tamil Nadu.

“Earlier illegal liquor was flooding the market. But now Tasmac is strictly ensuring that such stock is prohibited from entering the State. Tasmac is the only source to procure liquor,” he added.

Also, the number of liquor outlets has increased this year. In 2018 (as on May 25), Tasmac had 3,866 retail vending shops and 1,456 bars attached to the shops.

According to the policy note 2019-20 of Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, as on May 31, 2019, Tasmac has 5,152 liquor retail vending shops and 1,872 bars.

For the year 2018-19, the government earned ₹31,157 crore through Tasmac. On an average, liquor worth ₹70 crore to ₹75 crore is sold per day across the State.

On weekends and festival days, the sales touch ₹100 crore band.

Tasmac sells over 356 brands of foreign spirits, beer and wine through its 165 licensed (FL-11) retail outlets.

This festive weekend, Tasmac sold liquor worth over ₹455 crore.

On Friday, the sales stood at ₹100 crore, on Saturday it went up to ₹183 crore and on Deepavali day it was ₹172 crore

On normal weekends, Tasmac sells liquor worth ₹70 crore to ₹75 crore on Fridays; on Saturday and Sunday, the sales numbers hover anywhere between ₹90 crore and ₹100 crore

PM calls CM to inquire about trapped toddler

29/10/2019 , Special Correspondent, CHENNAI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami over the phone to inquire about the ongoing efforts to rescue Sujith.

“My prayers are with the young and brave Sujith Wilson. Spoke to CM @EPSTamilNadu regarding the rescue efforts underway to save Sujith. Every effort is being made to ensure that he is safe. @CMOTamilNadu,” Mr. Modi said in a tweet on Monday afternoon.

Later in the day, Mr. Palaniswami also tweeted about his conversation with the PM. “Three Ministers have been deputed, along with Fire and Rescue Services, NDRF and SDRF personnel,” he said.

The CM said heavy-duty drilling machines and other equipment had been deployed, and experts from the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Tiruchi were at the site to provide necessary guidance. “Further assistance would be sought depending on the status of the rescue efforts,” Mr. Palaniswami said.

Plan to deploy robot came to nought 

Diameter of the well was an inch lesser than that of the robot

29/10/2019 , S. Vijay Kumar , CHENNAI

Scientists from Anna University tried in vain to deploy a robot to rescue Sujith from the borewell. The plan didn’t succeed as the diameter of the well was an inch lesser than that of the robot.

K. Senthil Kumar, Director, Centre for Aerospace Research, Anna University, who led a team of scientists to the spot over the weekend, said he was contacted by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) headquarters on Friday night to explore the possibility of rescuing Sujith using a special robot, developed with the help of a Chennai-based team of engineering students.

When informed about the idea, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar, who was camping at the site of the rescue operation, requested the scientists to join the rescue work. “We reached Nadukattupatti on Saturday with the robot, which had two arms and was capable of lifting a 20-kg load easily. But unfortunately, the diameter of the borewell was an inch lesser than that of the robot, and we could not drop it down to Sujith, whose hands were clearly visible,” Dr. Kumar said.

Around 9 p.m. on Saturday, the technical team dropped a thermal camera to touch the fingers of the child. “After the system recorded 37 degrees Celsius, we immediately informed the Collector and other officials that Sujith could be alive but unconscious, since there was no bodily movement when another sophisticated camera was used earlier. Thermal cameras were successfully used to locate people alive and trapped under the debris at the site of the Moulivakkam apartment collapse and during the Uttarakhand floods (adults),” he said.

The team sensed that there was sufficient oxygen at that depth. “We are still having hopes since we rescued a construction worker four days after he was buried under debris in Moulivakkam,” he added.