திரையும் இசையும்: காட்சியில் நடித்த கருவியிசை

நினைத்தாலே இனிக்கும்

டெஸ்லா கணேஷ்

பியானோ அல்லது கிட்டார் வாத்தியக் கருவியின் துணையோடு புதிதாக ஒரு பாடலை இயற்ற முயல்வதைவிட எனக்கு மிகப் பெரிய சிலிர்ப்பைத் தரக்கூடிய விஷயம் உலகில் வேறு எதுவும் இல்லை என்று உலகப் புகழ் பெற்ற பீட்டில்ஸ் இசைக்குழுவின் உறுப்பினரான சர் பால் மெக்கார்ட்னி புளகாங்கிதம் அடைந்திருக்கிறார். ஒரே ஒரு முறை ஏதாவது ஒரு வாத்தியத்தைத் தொட்டுப்பார்த்துவிட மாட்டோமா என ஏங்கும் பல மனிதர்கள் எல்லாத் தலைமுறைகளிலும் இருக்கிறார்கள்.

தமிழகத்தில் இசைக்கருவிக் கடைகள் மிகவும் அரிதான காலங்களில் மேடைக் கச்சேரிகள், புத்தகங்கள் ஆகியவற்றில் மட்டுமே காணப்பட்ட இசைக் கருவிகளை, தமிழ்த் திரைப்படங்கள் அதன் அந்தந்தக் காலகட்டத்தின் பிரபல நடிகர்கள், நடிகைகள் ஆகியோரது அடையாளங்களின் துணையோடு காட்சிப்படுத்தி மக்களை மகிழ்வித்ததுடன் ஆவணப்படுத்தவும் செய்திருக்கின்றன.

‘சம்பூர்ண ராமாயணம்’ திரைப்படத்தில் ராவணனாக நடித்த டி.கே. பகவதியின் கைகளில் தவழ்ந்து கயிலை நாதனையே கவர்ந்த வீணை இசைக்கருவி ‘அகத்திய’ரில் அதே ராவணனுக்கும் அகத்தியருக்கும் போட்டிப் பாடலில் ரசிகர்களை ஆச்சரியப்பட வைத்தது. ‘மீண்டும் கோகிலா’வில் ஸ்ரீதேவியின் கைகளில் நளினமாகக் கொஞ்சிய வீணை ‘திருவிளையாடல்’ படத்தில் ‘பாட்டும் நானே...’ பாடலில் நடிகர் திலகம் சிவாஜி கணேசனின் கைகளில் கம்பீரமாக அதிர்ந்தது.

கே.ஆர்.விஜயாவின் கரங்களில் சிவகாமி மகனிடம் சேதி சொல்லச் சொன்ன வீணை, சரோஜாதேவியின் கைகளிலோ துன்பத்தால் நாதம் இல்லாமல் தூங்கிப்போன இதயவீணை ஆனது. பாக்யலட்சுமியின் மாலைப் பொழுது மயக்கத்தைச் சூசகமாகச் சொன்ன சுகமான வீணையை எப்படி மறப்பது?

‘நாடோடி’ எம்.ஜி.ஆர், ‘வெள்ளை ரோஜா’ சிவாஜி, ‘காசி’ விக்ரம், ‘அலைகள் ஓய்வதில்லை’யில் காதலின் ஆதாரம், ‘நிழல்க’ளில் விரக்தியின் வெளிப்பாடு, ‘புது வசந்த’த்தில் நம்பிக்கையின் அடையாளம் 'அம்மன் கோவில் கிழக்காலே சின்னமணிக் குயிலின் கூவல்' என அஷ்டாவதானம் செய்தது ஆர்மோனியம்.

‘மிஸ்ஸியம்மா’வில் ஜெமினி கணேசன், ‘புதிய பறவை’, ‘எங்க மாமா’ திரைப்படங்களில் சிவாஜி கணேசன், ‘பணம் படைத்தவன்’, ‘கண்ணன் என் காதலன்’ படங்களில் எம்.ஜி.ஆர்,‘ஜானி’ திரைப்படத்தில் தேவி, ‘தர்மத்தின் தலைவன்’ ரஜினிகாந்த், என நட்சத்திரங்களின் பெருமைமிகு வாத்தியமாகத் தன்னை அடையாளப்படுத்திக் கொண்டது பியானோ.

‘ராஜபார்வை’ படத்தில் பார்வையற்ற கமலின் விழியாகப் பேசிய வயலின் இசைக்கருவி, ‘பட்டினப் பிரவேச’த்தில் வான் நிலாவாக, ‘முத்தான முத்தல்லவோ’ படத்தில் மெல்லிசை மன்னரின் காதலியாக, ‘புன்னகை மன்ன’னில் இளையராஜாவின் வில் வீச்சாக, ‘கோபுரவாசலிலே’ படத்தில் கார்த்திக்கின் இசைப் பாடமாக ‘மனைவி ரெடி’யில் பாண்டியராஜனின் காமெடியாக இதயங்களை மீட்டியது.

இளைய நிலாவுக்கும் இனிய பொன் நிலாவுக்கும் துணையாக இளைஞர்கள் கூட்டத்தை ஈர்த்த கிட்டார் வாத்தியம் ‘நினைத்தாலே இனிக்கும்’ பட சுவரொட்டியில் அடையாளமாகவும், ‘பட்டிக்காடா பட்டணமா’, ‘வேட்டைக்காரன்’, ‘நாளை நமதே’, ‘டிஸ்கோ டான்ஸர்’ எனப் படங்களிலும், ‘விஜயபுரி வீரன்’ ஆனந்தனின் கைகளிலும் பாடாத பாட்டெல்லாம் பாடியது. நிஜத்திலும் கிட்டார் இசைக் கலைஞரான ஜே.பி.சந்திரபாபு ஆடல் பாடலோடு கிட்டார் இசைக்கும் காட்சிகள் அசத்தலாக இருக்கும்.

ட்ரம்பெட், சாக்ஸபோன், புல்லாங்குழல், கிளாரினெட், டிராம்போன் எனக் காற்று இசைக்கருவிகள் எல்லா நட்சத்திரங்களின் பாடல் காட்சிகளையும் கலக்கி எடுத்தாலும் கர்நாடக இசைக் கலைஞர் கத்ரி கோபால்நாத் மற்றும் ஏ.ஆர்.ரஹ்மான் புண்ணியத்தில் ‘டூயட்’ படத்தில் சாக்ஸபோன் மகுடம் சூட்டிக்கொண்டது. மிருதங்கம், தபேலா, டோலக், டிரம்ஸ், ட்ரிப்பிள் பாங்கோ, தும்பா, ரோட்டோ ட்ரம், கடம், கஞ்சிரா எனத் தாள வாத்தியக் கருவிகள் அநேகத் திரைப்படங்களில் அசத்தினாலும், ‘பார்த்த ஞாபகம் இல்லையோ...

’ என்ற ஒரே பாடலில் டபுள் பாங்கோஸ் என்ற சின்னஞ்சிறிய தாள வாத்தியம் தமிழகத்தையே கலக்கியது. ‘பணம் படைத்தவ’னின் சுவரொட்டியிலேயே அக்கார்டியன் வாத்தியம் எம்.ஜி.ஆரின் ஸ்டைலானது. ‘நெஞ்சில் ஓர் ஆலயம்’, ‘வானம்பாடி’ என தேவிகாவின் கைகளில் கண்ணீர் சிந்திய சித்தார் வாத்தியம் ‘தெய்வமகன்’, ‘தவப்புதல்வன்’ என சிவாஜியின் கைகளில் சித்து விளையாடியது.

‘தில்லானா மோகனாம்பாள்’, ‘கொஞ்சும் சலங்கை’, ‘கோயில் புறா’ என அன்று தொடங்கி ‘புதுப்பட்டி பொன்னுத்தாயி’, ‘தாரை தப்பட்டை’ என இன்று வரை நாகஸ்வரமும் தவிலும் பண்பாட்டின் பெருமை கூறிக்கொண்டே இருக்கின்றன. நாட்டுப்புற இசைக்கருவியான டேப் என்னும் பறை வாத்தியம் ‘படகோட்டி’யில் மீனவர்களின் கண்ணீராகவும் ‘பாவ மன்னிப்’பில் சம தர்மத்தின் அடையாளமாகவும் முழங்கியது.

பம்பை, உறுமி, உடுக்கு எனக் காட்சிகள் சிறக்க பல படங்களில் களிநடம் புரிந்திருக்கின்றன. உடலில் பல வாத்தியங்களைக் கட்டிக்கொண்டு மாயாஜாலம் புரிந்த ‘சிங்காரவேல’னையும் ‘கவிக்குயி’லில் சின்னக்கண்ணனைச் சிங்காரமாய் அழைத்த புல்லாங்குழலையும், நடிப்பு சக்கரவர்த்தியை ஒரு தாள வாத்தியம் ‘மிருதங்க சக்கரவர்த்தி’ ஆக்கியதையும், பேண்ட் இசைக்குழுவின் அத்தனை இசைக்கருவிகளையும் பயன்படுத்தி மக்கள் திலகம் பூ மழை தூவியதையும், பல புராணப்படங்களில் சங்ககால இசைக்கருவிகளை மீள் வடிவமைத்துக் காட்டியிருந்த ஏ.பி.நாகராஜனையும் மறக்க முடியுமா?

‘காவியத் தலைவி’ படத்தில் சாரங்கியை அழ வைத்த இயக்குநர் சிகரம் கே.பாலச்சந்தர் ‘மூன்று முடிச்சி’ல் மௌத் ஆர்கன், ‘அபூர்வ ராகங்க’ளில் மிருதங்கம், ‘பட்டினப் பிரவேச’த்தில் வயலின், ‘நினைத்தாலே இனிக்கும்’ படத்தில் கிட்டார், ‘உன்னால் முடியும் தம்பி’யில் எஃபெக்ட் வாத்தியங்கள், ‘டூயட்’டில் சாக்ஸபோன் என இசைக்கருவிகளையே தன் திரைப்படங்களில் ஒரு கதாபாத்திரமாக்கி சாதனை படைத்திருக்கிறார்.

கட்டுரையாளர் இசை ஆராய்ச்சியாளர்,
தொடர்புக்கு: teslaganesh@gmail.com
படங்கள் உதவி: ஞானம்

நாய் கடித்தவுடன் செய்ய வேண்டியது என்ன?

By உமா பார்வதி | Published on : 09th April 2018 05:27 PM

தெருநாய் என்பவை இல்லாத தெருக்கள் இல்லையெனலாம். ஒவ்வொரு தெருவிலும் இந்த நாய்களின் ராஜ்ஜியம் நடக்கும். சில தெருக்களில் இவை சிங்கங்கள் போல கர்ஜித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கும். வெறி நாய் எது சாதாரண நாய் எதுவென்று கணிக்க முடியாதபடியும் இருக்கும். நாம் அதை சீண்டாதவரை நம்மை ஒன்றும் செய்யாது என்று தான் நினைப்போம். ஆனால் நாய்க்கடி செய்திகளைப் படிக்கும் போதோ, கேள்விப்படும் போது பீதியடைவதை தவிர்க்க முடியாது. நாய் கடிக்கு மருந்து உள்ளது என்றாலும், தீவிரமாக ஒரு வெறி நாய் கடித்து குதறிவிட்டால் அந்த மனிதர் பிழைப்பது கடினம் தான்.

ஒவ்வோர் ஆண்டும் உலகெங்கும் 60 ஆயிரம் பேர் வெறி நாய்க்கடியால் இறந்து போகிறார்கள். இதில் இந்தியாவில் மட்டும் 20 ஆயிரம் பேர். இதில் 50 சதவிகிதத்தினர் 15 வயதுக்கு கீழுள்ள குழந்தைகள். 5 முதல் 10 வயதுக்கு உட்பட்டவர்கள் என ஆய்வுகள் கூறுகின்றன என்றார் டாக்டர் ம.ராஜா. நாய்க்கடிக்கு என்ன சிகிச்சை உள்ளிட்ட பல முக்கியமான விஷயங்களை கூறினார்.

கடுமையான விஷம்

நாய்க்கடிக்கு அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில் அளிக்கப்படும் சிகிச்சைகளை முறையாக, தொடர்ந்து எடுத்துக் கொண்டால், உயிர் இழப்புகளைத் தவிர்க்கலாம். நாய்க்கடி கடுமையான விஷமாகும்.

நாய்க்கடியால் ஏற்படும் ரேபீஸ் வைரஸ் கிருமிகளின் தாக்கம், அதற்கான சிகிச்சை குறித்து விரிவாகப் பார்க்கலாம் :-

மூளையை நோக்கி நகரும் வைரஸ்

ரேபிஸ் வைரஸ் என்பது மூளையைத் தாக்கும் ஒரு நோயாகும். Lyssavirus எனப்படும் ரேபிஸ் வைரஸ், பாதிக்கப்பட்ட விலங்குகளின் எச்சிலில் இருக்கும். அவை வாய், மூக்கு, கண்களிலோ, காயங்களிலோ, காயங்கள் மூலமாக ரத்தத்தில் படும்போது மனிதர்களுக்கும் மற்ற விலங்குகளுக்கும் பரவும். காயங்களிலிருந்து நரம்புகள் மூலமாக ஒரு நாளைக்கு 0.3 மில்லிமீட்டர் நகர்ந்து மூளையை நோக்கி பயணம் செய்யும். அதனால் முகத்தில், தலையில் கடித்தால் வேகமாக மூளையை வந்தடையும். கால், கைகளில் கடித்தால் மூளையை வந்தடைய மாதங்கள், வருடங்கள் கூட ஆகலாம்.

தசை செல்களில் தொடங்கி

முதலில் தசை செல்களில் பல்கிப் பெருகும் கிருமிகள், பிறகு நரம்பு செல்களை வேகமாகத் தொற்றிக் கொள்ளும். நரம்பு செல்களில் மிக வேகமாக நகரும். 2 முதல் 12 வாரங்களுக்குள் நோயினால் தாக்கப்பட்ட விலங்குகள் கடித்தவுடன் நோய் வெளிப்படலாம்.

காயத்தின் தன்மையை பொருத்து

காயத்தின் ஆழம், கடித்த இடம், நோய்க் கிருமியின் அளவு போன்ற பல காரணங்களினால் சிலருக்கு 6 ஆண்டுகள் தாமதமாக கூட நோய் வரலாம். நோயின் அறிகுறி ஆரம்பித்த 2 முதல் 10 நாள்களுக்குள் மரணம் நிச்சயம்.

நாய் கடித்தவுடன் செய்ய வேண்டியது

வெறி நாயோ தெரு நாயோ வீட்டில் வளர்க்கும் நாயோ, பூனையோ, எலியோ, கடித்த இடத்தை ஓடும் தண்ணீரில் 10 முறை சோப்பு போட்டுக் கழுவ வேண்டும். விலங்குகளைத் தாக்கும் ரேபீஸ் கிருமி, அதன் எச்சில் மூலமாகத் தான் பரவும். உடலில் தோல் கிழியாத பட்சத்தில் எந்தக் காயத்திலும் நோய்க் கிருமி பரவாது. பயப்படத் தேவையில்லை.

கட்டு போடலாமா?

ஆனால் இந்த விலங்குகள் காலை நக்கிக் கொண்டே இருக்கும். அதனால் நகக்கீறலோ, பல் கடியோ, தோல் கிழிந்து ரத்தத்தில் எச்சில் பட்டாலே அதன் மூலம் கிருமி பரவ வாய்ப்பு உள்ளது. காயத்தை நன்றாக கழுவிய பிறகு ரத்தம் அதிகமாக வந்து காயம் ஆழமாக இருந்தால் மருத்துவரை அணுகும் வை கட்டுப் போடலாம். இல்லையெனில் திறந்த புண்ணே மேலானது. நாய் நக்குவதால், தோல் கிழிந்து இருக்காவிட்டால் நாய்க்கு உணவு அளிப்பதால், தொடுவதால் பிரச்னை கிடையாது. தடுப்பூசி தேவையில்லை. தோல் முழுமையாக இருந்தால் பிரச்னை இல்லை. தோல் கிழிந்து இருந்தால் தடுப்பூசி போட்டுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். தோல் கிழிந்து முகத்துக்கு அருகில் ஆழமான காயம் என்றால் உடனே தடுப்பூசி போட வேண்டும்.

தடுப்பூசிகள் (ARV Anti Rabies Vaccine)

நாய் கடித்து காயம் படுவதற்கு முன்பாக, நாய் வளர்க்க ஆசைப்படுபவர்கள், கால்நடை மருத்துவர்கள், உடஹ்வியாளர்கள், தற்காப்பாகப் போட்டுக் கொள்ளும் ஊசிகள். இது 3 மட்டும் போதுமானது. விலங்குகள் கடித்தபின் 5 ஊசிகள் கண்டிப்பாக போட வேண்டும் (1,3,7,14,28 நாள்கள்). வெறும் தோல் மட்டும் கிழிந்திருந்தால் தடுப்பூசி மட்டும் போதுமானது. இந்தத் தடுப்பூசி நோய் எதிர்ப்பு சக்தியை அதிகரித்து, வைரஸ் கிருமிகளை அழித்து நரம்பு மண்டலத்தை பாதுகாக்கும். ஆழமாக, முகத்துக்கு அருகில் என்றால் Rabbies Immune Globulin என்ற தடுப்பூசியை காயத்தை சுற்றிலும் போடுவது அவசியம். இதன் மூலம் காயத்தைச் சுற்றி தசைகளில் உடனடியாக கிருமிகள் பெருகுவதை முழுமையாக தடுக்க முடியும்.

பட்டா மாறுதலுக்கு வந்தாச்சு புதிய நடைமுறை: இனி அலைச்சல் மிச்சம்!

By DIN | Published on : 10th February 2020 07:22 PM

சென்னை: தமிழகம் முழுவதும் பட்டா மாறுதலுக்கு புதிய நடைமுறையை பின்பற்ற உள்ளதாக வருவாய்த்துறை அறிவித்துள்ள காரணத்தால் இனி பொதுமக்களின் நேரம் மிச்சமாகும் நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.

தமிழகம் முழுவதிலும் சார்பதிவாளர் அலுவலகங்கள் மூலம்தான் வீடு, விளைநிலம் உள்ளிட்ட சொத்து பரிமாற்றங்களின் பத்திரப்பதிவு நடைபெறுகிறது. பொதுவாக இந்தப் பதிவு முடிந்தவுடன் பட்டா பெயர் மாற்றுவதற்கான தனியான ஒரு படிவத்தை வருவாய்த் துறைக்கு அனுப்ப வேண்டும். அவர்கள் தரும் ஒப்புகைச் சீட்டை வைத்துக் கொண்டு தாலுகா அலுவலகத்தை அணுகி அதன் பின்னர் பட்டா பெயர் மாற்றம் செய்து தரப்படும். ஆனால் நடைமுறையில் அது விரைவாக நடைபெறுவது இல்லை.

பெயர் மாற்றம் உடனடியாக நடைபெறாமல் சர்வே எண் சரி பார்க்க வேண்டும், மூல ஆவணத்தை பார்க்க வேண்டும் எனக்கூறி பல்வேறு விதமான அலைக்கழிப்புகளுக்கு பின்னரே கிடைப்பதாக பொதுமக்களிடையே புகார் உள்ளது. பல்வேறு காரணங்களை கூறி பட்டா மாறுதல் செய்து தராமல் தாலுகா அலுவலகத்திலும் இழுத்தடிப்பு நடைபெறுவதாக புகார் எழுந்து வந்தது.

இந்நிலையில் தமிழகம் முழுவதும் பட்டா மாறுதலுக்கு புதிய நடைமுறையை பின்பற்ற உள்ளதாக வருவாய்த்துறை அறிவித்துள்ள காரணத்தால் இனி பொதுமக்களின் நேரம் மிச்சமாகும் நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.

இதுதொடர்பாக தமிழக வருவாய்த்துறை செயலாளர் அதுல்யா மிஸ்ரா திங்களன்று வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிக்கையில், 'இனி வருங்காலங்களில் சார்பதிவாளர் அலுவலகங்களில் இருந்து ஒரே சர்வே எண்களில் சொத்துகள் இருந்தால், பத்திரம் பதிவு செய்தவுடன் தானாகவே பட்டா மாறுதல் செய்யப்பட்டு விடும் எனவும் பொறுப்பில் உள்ள சார்பதிவாளர்கள் குறிப்பிட்ட சொத்தை பதிவு செய்தவர்கள் அந்த சொத்தில் முழு உரிமை உள்ளவரா, அந்த சொத்துக்களில் வேறு ஏதும் வில்லங்கங்கள் இருக்கிறதா, முழு அதிகாரம் அந்த சொத்தில் அவருக்கு உள்ளதா, அவர் மீது வேறு சொத்து உள்ளதா, அதற்கான பட்டா இருக்கிறதா என்பது தொடர்பாக முழுமையாக ஆய்வு செய்ய வேண்டும் என்றும் அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மூன்று மாதங்களுக்கு பின் கிடைத்த விடைத்தாள் கட்டு ; பல்கலையில் நடந்த 'வினோதம்'

Added : பிப் 11, 2020 00:53

மதுரை : மதுரை காமராஜ் பல்கலையில் மதிப்பீடு செய்ய பஸ்சில் கொண்டு வரப்பட்ட விடைத்தாள் கட்டு மாயமாகி மூன்று மாதங்களுக்கு பின் அதே பஸ்சில் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்ட வினோதம் நடந்துள்ளது.

மதுரை, திண்டுக்கல், தேனி, விருதுநகரில் இப்பல்கலையால் அங்கீகரிக்கப்பட்ட 90 கல்லுாரிகள் உள்ளன. இவற்றில் செமஸ்டர் தேர்வுகள் நவம்பரில் நடந்தன. விடைத்தாள்கள் பல்கலைக்கு சொந்தமான பஸ் மூலம் மதிப்பீடு செய்ய பல்கலைக்கு கொண்டு வரப்பட்டன. பிப்ரவரி முதல் வாரத்தில் விடைத்தாள் திருத்தும் பணி முடிந்து தேர்வு முடிவுகள் அறிவிக்க இருந்த நிலையில் திண்டுக்கல்லை சேர்ந்த கல்லுாரி ஒன்றின் விடைத்தாள் கட்டு ஒன்று மாயமானது தெரிந்தது.

அதில் 360 விடைத்தாள் இருந்தன.மாயமான கட்டை தேடும் பணியை பல்கலை தீவிரப்படுத்திய நிலையில், சம்மந்தப்பட்ட பஸ்ஸில் அந்த கட்டு இருந்ததாக சிலரால் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டு தேர்வாணையர் அலுவலகத்தில் நேற்று ஒப்படைக்கப்பட்டது. பேராசிரியர்கள் கூறியதாவது: அந்த பஸ்சில் தினம் 40 பேர் பல்கலை வந்து செல்கின்றனர். மூன்று மாதங்களாக யார் கண்ணிலும் தென்படாத அந்த கட்டு, பல்கலையால் தீவிரமாக தேடப்படுகிறது என்றதும் அதே பஸ்சில் கிடைத்துள்ளது வினோதமாக உள்ளது.

சந்தேகத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது. துணைவேந்தர் விசாரணை நடத்த உத்தரவிட வேண்டும் என்றனர்.அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறுகையில், "கிடைத்த விடைத்தாள்களை மதிப்பீடு செய்து நிறுத்தி வைக்கப்பட்ட தேர்வு முடிவை ஒரு வாரத்திற்குள் வெளியிட நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும். இதன்பின் கட்டு மாயமான சர்ச்சை குறித்து விசாரிக்கப்படும்," என்றார்.

கணவரின் சிகிச்சைக்கு மன்றாடும் மனைவி

Added : பிப் 10, 2020 23:28




ஈரோடு : கணவரின் மருத்துவ சிகிச்சைக்கு உதவும்படி, ஈரோடு கலெக்டரிடம், மகனுடன் வந்து, பெண் மனு கொடுத்தார்.

ஈரோடு, ராஜாஜிபுரத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர், சத்யா, 35; ஈரோடு கலெக்டர் கதிரவனிடம், நேற்று வழங்கிய மனு:என் கணவர் பாபு, 38; தனியார் கடை ஊழியர். ரத்த அழுத்த பாதிப்பு இருந்தது. இதனால், கடந்த ஆண்டு ஜூலை மாதம், மூளையில் ரத்தக்கசிவு ஏற்பட்டது. ஆபத்தான நிலையில், ஈரோடு, கே.எம்.சி.எச்., மருத்துவமனையில் சிகிச்சை வழங்கப்பட்டது.முதல்வரின் காப்பீடு திட்டம் மூலம், சில லட்சம் ரூபாய், சிகிச்சைக்கு செலவிடப்பட்டது. தற்போது, குழாய் மூலம் சுவாசித்தலும், உணவு வழங்குவதும் நடக்கிறது.

இன்னும் சில நாளில், அவற்றை அகற்றி, சிகிச்சையை தொடர வேண்டி உள்ளது. பணம் இல்லாததால், தொடர் சிகிச்சை வழங்க முடியவில்லை. இரண்டு குழந்தைகள் உள்ளதால், வேலைக்கும் செல்ல முடியாமல், கணவரை பார்க்க முடியாமல் சிரமமாக உள்ளது. மருத்துவ செலவுக்கு உதவி செய்து, கணவரை காப்பாற்ற வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு, மனுவில் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

தேவையான உதவி செய்வதாக, கலெக்டர் உத்தரவாதம் கொடுத்துள்ளார். உதவ விரும்புவோர், 83444 40100 என்ற மொபைல் எண்ணில், சத்யாவை தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம்.

கட்ட பஞ்சாயத்து ஆசிரியர்கள் யார் யார்?

Added : பிப் 10, 2020 21:43

சென்னை ; வகுப்பு எடுக்காமல், கட்டப் பஞ்சாயத்து செய்யும் ஆசிரியர்கள் மற்றும் அலுவலக ஊழியர்கள் குறித்து, பள்ளி கல்வித்துறை பட்டியல் சேகரித்துள்ளது. அவர்கள் மீது, துறை ரீதியான நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க, பள்ளி கல்வி இயக்குனரக அதிகாரிகள் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளனர்.

அரசு பள்ளி ஆசிரியர்களில் பெரும்பாலானோர், மாணவர்களின் கல்வி வளர்ச்சிக்கும், அவர்களின் முன்னேற்றத்துக்கும், முழு அர்ப்பணிப்பு உணர்வுடன் பணியாற்றி வருகின்றனர். ஆனால், அவர்களின் பெயர்களை கெடுக்கும் வகையில், ஒவ்வொரு மாவட்டத்திலும் சில ஆசிரியர்கள், கற்பித்தல் பணிகளை தவிர, மற்ற சர்ச்சைக்குரிய வேலைகளில் ஈடுபடுவதாக, பள்ளி கல்வித்துறைக்கு புகார்கள் வந்துள்ளன. குற்றச்சாட்டுசில முதுநிலை மற்றும் பட்டதாரி ஆசிரியர்கள், 10ம் வகுப்பு, பிளஸ் 1 மற்றும் பிளஸ் 2 வகுப்பு மாணவர்களிடம், அதிக கட்டணம் பெற்றுக்கொண்டு, தங்கள் வீடுகளிலும், தனியார் மையங்களிலும் டியூஷன் எடுப்பதில் அதிக அக்கறை காட்டுகின்றனர்.

ஆனால், தாங்கள் பணியாற்றும் பள்ளி மாணவர்களுக்கு, பாட திட்டத்தின்படி முழு பாடங்களையும் நடத்தாமல், அரைகுறையாக விட்டு விடுகின்றனர். அதேபோல, சில ஆசிரியர்கள் ஏதாவது ஒரு சங்கம் துவக்கி அல்லது சங்க நிர்வாகிகளாக பதவி வகித்து, கட்டப்பஞ்சாயத்து செய்வதையே முழு நேர பணியாக மேற்கொள்வதாகவும், குற்றச்சாட்டுகள் எழுந்துள்ளன. ஆசிரியர்கள் பணி நியமனம், ஆசிரியர்கள் பணியிட மாாறுதல், தங்கள் குடும்ப மற்றும் உறவினர்களாக உள்ள ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு பதவி உயர்வு பெற்று தருவது, தரநிலை ஊதியம் வாங்கி கொடுப்பது போன்ற பணிகளுக்கு, இடைத்தரகராக செயல்படுவது கண்டுபிடிக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது.

பள்ளி வேலையை விட்டு விட்டு, அந்த நேரத்தில், கல்வி அலுவலகங்களுக்கு சென்று, இடைத்தரகர் பணிகளை மேற்கொள்வதும், தலைமை ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு கட்டுப்படாமல் நடந்து கொள்வதும், அதிகாரிகளின் விசாரணையில் தெரியவந்துள்ளது.இதுபோன்ற ஆசிரியர்கள், தங்களது காரியங்களுக்காக, அதிகாரிகள் மற்றும் தலைமை ஆசிரியர்கள் குறித்தும், பிற ஆசிரியர்கள் குறித்தும், புகார் கடிதம் எழுதுவது, வேறு நபர்கள் துணையுடன் வழக்கு போடுவது, 'வாட்ஸ் ஆப்' மற்றும் தனிப்பட்ட வலைதள பக்கங்களில் வதந்திகளை பரப்பி, அதிகாரிகளுக்கு நெருக்கடி கொடுப்பது போன்ற, தில்லுமுல்லு வேலைகளிலும் ஈடுபடுவதாக, பள்ளி கல்வித்துறை தலைமை அதிகாரிகளுக்கு, தகவல் கிடைத்துள்ளது.

இந்த ஆசிரியர்கள் மற்றும் அவர்களுக்கு துணை போகும் சில மாவட்ட அதிகாரிகள், பள்ளி ஆய்வாளர்கள் மற்றும் அலுவலக ஊழியர்களின் பட்டியலை, பள்ளி கல்வி துறையும், உளவு துறையும் திரட்டியுள்ளதாக தகவல்கள் வெளியாகியுள்ளன.ஒழுங்கு நடவடிக்கைஇதில், மதுரை, விருது நகர், திருநெல்வேலி, கன்னியாகுமரி, ராமநாதபுரம், சேலம், கிருஷ்ணகிரி, உள்ளிட்ட மாவட்டங்களில், பல கட்டப்பஞ்சாயத்து ஆசிரியர்கள் சிக்கியுள்ளதாக தெரிகிறது.

அவர்கள் மீது, விரைவில் துறை ரீதியான ஒழுங்கு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்பட உள்ளதாக, பள்ளி கல்வித்துறை வட்டாரங்கள் தெரிவித்தன.

குஜராத் ஆயுர்வேத பல்கலை.,க்கு தேசிய முக்கியத்துவ அந்தஸ்து

Added : பிப் 11, 2020 00:59

புதுடில்லி : லோக்சபாவில் நேற்று, குஜராத் ஆயுர்வேத பல்கலை.,க்கு, தேசிய முக்கியத்துவ அந்தஸ்து அளிக்க வகை செய்யும் மசோதா தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டது.

குஜராத்தில், முதல்வர் விஜய் ரூபானி தலைமையில், பா.ஜ., ஆட்சி நடக்கிறது. இங்கு, ஜாம் நகரில், குஜராத் ஆயுர்வேத பல்கலைகழகம் உள்ளது. இந்த பல்கலை., வளாகத்தில் ஆயுர்வேதம் தொடர்பான ஆய்வு, மருந்து, மருத்துவம், முதுகலை கல்வி உள்ளிட்டவற்றுக்கான மூன்று கல்வி மையங்கள் இடம்பெற உள்ளன.இதையடுத்து, ஆயுர்வேதப் பிரிவுகள் அனைத்தையும் உள்ளடக்கிய, கல்வி மற்றும் ஆய்வு மையமாக, குஜராத் ஆயுர்வேத பல்கலை., செயல்பட உள்ளது. இதற்கு, தேசிய முக்கியத்துவம் வாய்ந்த கல்வி மையம் என்ற சிறப்பை வழங்க, மத்திய அரசு முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

இதையொட்டி, ஆயுர்வேத கல்வி மற்றும் ஆய்வு மைய மசோதா, நேற்று, லோக்சபாவில் தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டது. மத்திய ஆயுஷ் துறை இணையமைச்சர் ஸ்ரீபத் யசோ நாயக் தாக்கல் செய்த இந்த மசோதாவுக்கு, காங்., எம்.பி., சசி தரூர், திரிணமுல் காங்., எம்.பி., சவுகதா ராய் ஆகியோர் எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்தனர். தங்கள் மாநிலங்களில், ஆயுர்வேத மையம் அமைக்காதது ஏன் என, அவர்கள் கேள்வி எழுப்பினர்.

தூக்கு தண்டனைக்கு எதிராக உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் வழக்கு

Added : பிப் 11, 2020 03:15 |

புதுடில்லி : குற்றவாளிகளுக்கு துாக்கு மூலம் மரண தண்டனையை நிறைவேற்ற எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்து, உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் மனு தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.

கேரளாவைச் சேர்ந்த சுதந்திர போராட்ட தியாகி பரமேஸ்வரன் நம்பூதிரி, 88, உச்ச நீதி மன்றத்தில் தாக்கல் செய்த மனுவில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளதாவது:நம் நாட்டில், கொடிய குற்றங்களில் ஈடுபட்ட குற்றவாளிகளுக்கு மரண தண்டனை விதிக்கப்படுகிறது.

இவர்களது கழுத்தில் துாக்கு கயிறை மாட்டி, தண்டனை நிறைவேற்றப்படுகிறது; இது, பிரிட்டிஷ் ஆட்சி காலத்தில் நடைமுறைக்கு வந்த தண்டனை; நாடு சுதந்திரம் அடைந்த பின்னும், துாக்கு கயிறு மூலம், மரண தண்டனையை நிறைவேற்றுவது முறையல்ல.மேலும், இந்த தண்டனை, அரசியலமைப்பு சட்டத்தின் அடிப்படை அம்சங்களுக்கு எதிராக உள்ளது. எனவே, மரண தண்டனையை துாக்கு தண்டனை மூலம் நிறைவேற்றும் நடைமுறையை ரத்து செய்ய வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, அந்த மனுவில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.இந்த மனு, விரைவில் விசாரணைக்கு வரும் என எதிர்பாக்கப்படுகிறது.

உலகிலேயே அதிவேகமாக பறந்து பிரிட்டிஷ் விமானம் சாதனை

Updated : பிப் 10, 2020 21:32 | Added : பிப் 10, 2020 21:29

லண்டன்: உலகிலேய அதிவேகமாக பறந்து பிரிட்டிஷ் ஏர்வேஸ் விமானம் சாதனை படைத்துள்ளது.



அமெரிக்காவின் நியூயார்க் நகரின் ஜான் எப்., கென்னடி விமான நிலையத்திலிருந்து புறப்பட்ட பிரிட்டிஷ் ஏர்வேஸ்க்கு சொந்த போயிங் 747 விமானம் மணிக்கு 1290 கி.மீ., வேகத்தில் பறந்து லண்டன் ஹீத்ரோ விமான நிலையத்தை, 5 ஆயிரத்து 600 கி.மீட்டர் தூரத்தை 4 மணி 56 நிமிடங்களில் அடைந்தது. இதற்கு அடுத்தபடியாக விர்ஜின் அட்லாண்டிக் ஏர்பஸ் விமானம் ஒன்று ஒரு நிமிடம் தாமதமாக லண்டன் விமான நிலையத்தை அடைந்தது.

இங்கிலாந்து மற்றும் ஐரோப்பிய நாடுகளை தற்போது கடும் புயல் ஒன்று மிரட்டி வருகிறது. இப்புயலின் பிடியிலிருந்து தப்பிக்கவே பிரிட்டிஷ் ஏர்வேஸ் லண்டனுக்கு அதி வேகமாக விமானத்தை இயக்கி உள்ளதாக தெரிகிறது. இதற்கு முன் சாதனையாக நியூயார்க்கிலிருந்து லண்டனுக்கு 5 மணி 13 நிமிடங்களில் பிரிட்டிஷ் ஏர்வேஸ் விமானம் பறந்துள்ளது.

Veterinary assistant surgeons yet to receive wages

The Department of Animal Husbandry has not provided a salary to Veterinary Assistant Surgeons for the past four months across the State due to fund crunch.

Published: 10th February 2020 11:20 AM |
By N Dhamotharan

Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The Department of Animal Husbandry has not provided a salary to Veterinary Assistant Surgeons for the past four months across the State due to fund crunch.

The assistant surgeons alleged that when asked, higher officials repeatedly state that the Department is yet to sanction funds.

According to sources, the animal husbandry department had appointed nearly 700 people as veterinary assistant surgeons across the State in 2018 and they are working in the veterinary hospitals under a contract-basis.

A veterinary assistant surgeon, on condition of anonymity, said, "The department fixed a monthly salary of Rs 40,000 for me. We were receiving our salary from the Department till September last year properly. After that, the department stopped providing us with our salary. We are clueless about the reason behind it. When we asked about it back then, the joint director of the Animal Husbandry Department promised that we will receive our wages by November 2019. But, we have not received anything till now."

"While we joined work, the Department directed us not to protest against it. If we violate the norms, we would be sacked. Due to this, we are afraid to ask about our salary. The department is taking advantage of us," said another assistant surgeon.

When asked about this, Animal Husbandry Department Regional Joint Director R Perumalsamy, said, "We can expect announcement over the salary issue at the upcoming State Assembly session. But, so far, we have not received any communication from the State government."

‘Pay subsistence allowance to managerial staff’

Underlying principle of payment is to allow an individual sustain himself, says court

Published: 11th February 2020 05:36 AM

By Siva Sekaran

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Is a managerial staff, who has been suspended from service, entitled to subsistence allowance? The First Bench of the Madras High Court ruled in affirmative when this question was raised. M Elango, secretary of a Primary Agricultural Co-operative Credit Society, was suspended in 2016 for certain irregularities. Now, as per the special by-laws, anybody employed in the managerial or administrative capacity is not entitled to subsistence allowance.

Assailing the judgment of a single judge dated October 25, 2018, in a writ appeal, the Registrar of Societies contended that Elango, on being suspended and later terminated from service, is not entitled to subsistence allowance. Elango moved the High Court and a single judge in 2018 ordered payment of the allowance. Hence, the present appeal.

Upholding the order, the bench, comprising Chief Justice AP Sahi and justice Subramomium Prasad, said the contention that a secretary or a manager ceases to have the need of basics and continue to live at the bare minimum on being suspended cannot be accepted. The underlying principle for making payment of subsistence allowance is to allow an individual to sustain himself. In the present context of the suspension of an employee, one has to keep in mind that services of an employee have not been snapped and the employer-employee relationship during suspension, continues to subsist.

“...it is the right of sustenance of an employee to receive subsistence allowance. As to what would be the ratio to which an employee may be entitled in the present context, will have to be left to the discretion of the employer, as by-law 31(2) indicates that the employer may pay subsistence allowance as he may deem fit. This discretion, however, may be subject to any such deductions in the event an employee is found to be ultimately guilty of heavy financial irregularities,” the bench said.

HC rescues Home hit by fund crunch

Madurai: Taking judicial note of the unhygienic state of the Government Observation Home in Madurai, which was identified to be a result of lack of funds to appoint full-time sweepers, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has come up with a solution. The Court directed petitioners who pay penalty in cases such as illegal sand mining for bail/anticipatory bail, to deposit the amount in favour of the Home, for hiring sweepers.

Rise above commercialisation, medicos told

The Indian Medical Association, Tamil Nadu branch also released a book at the conclave. Subramonium Prasad, a HC judge, also spoke.

Published: 10th February 2020 06:11 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Every advancement in medical profession is a step towards serving society better. However, in the present day, growing commercialisation has creeped in, said R K Agrawal, a former judge of Supreme Court and President, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi.

Speaking after inaugurating the Second State-Level Medico-Legal conclave, organised by Indian Medical Association, Tamil Nadu Branch, on Sunday, he said, “Sometimes, materialism supersedes nobility and selflessness associated with medical profession, so it is necessary of the professional to rise above these and rededicate themselves to the oath taken.”

“If there is death due to negligence, the doctor deserves to be penalised. Like any other profession, doctor too can make errors, and once the doctor is penalised, no doctor can practice again with ease. I believe disciplinary proceedings and decisions against doctors are counterproductive and not in the larger interest of society. We cannot deny the noble intention of majority of doctors who dedicate themselves for preservation of life. Hence, undeniably there is a need to stress best healthcare,” he said.

S Tamilvanan, a former judge of Madras HC and President, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chennai said, “If we follow ethics, model codes there will not be any problem to anyone, especially to doctors. They should have patience, show care and give cautious treatment. C N Raja, State president of IMA said, more doctors are facing medico-legal cases these days. Doctors also are unaware of legal remedies. The conclave is organised to educate them on this aspect.

Over 400 doctors, both in government and private, attended the seminar. The Indian Medical Association, Tamil Nadu branch also released a book at the conclave. Subramonium Prasad, a HC judge, also spoke. A Edwin Joe, former Director of Medical Education, spoke on ‘Post-Mortem and its Medico-Legal Importance’.

Four Indian pilots begin astronaut training in Russia
One or two will be finally named for Gaganyaan

11/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,BENGALURU

The four Indian pilots chosen as candidate-astronauts on Monday began their 12-month training at the Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Centre (GCTC) in Moscow, Russian space business company Glavkosmos has announced.

Much of the training will take place at the GCTC facilities, a statement issued in Moscow said. The full programme includes basic or generic astronaut training followed by activities specific to the first Indian human space mission, Gaganyaan.

From IAF team

The four candidates are fighter pilots from the Indian Air Force and were chosen from among hundreds of applicants over the last few months. At the end of all training modules in India and Russia, one or two of the four will be finally named to circle the earth in the first crewed Gaganyaan, which is planned around 2022.

12-month module

In June 2019, the Human Space Flight Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Russian government-owned Glavkosmos signed a contract for the training, which includes Russian support in the selection of candidates, their medical examination, and space training.

Glavkosmos said, “The 12-month training programme includes comprehensive and biomedical training of the Indian candidates, combined with regular physical practices. They will study in detail the systems of the Soyuz manned spaceship, as well as be trained in short-term weightlessness mode aboard the Il-76MDK aircraft.”

The Il-76MDK is an Ilyushin-78 military transport plane specially re-designed for parabolic flights of trainee astronauts and space tourists. The candidates will also be trained to take appropriate actions during emergencies — for example should the spacecraft make an abnormal landing in (unplanned) climate and geographic zones.

Sudden transfer of gas connections to pvt. LPG distributor irks customers

11/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,UDHAGAMANDALAM

Consumers reliant on the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) for delivery of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders were in for a shock as they were suddenly informed that their gas connections were transferred to a private distributor.

Officials said that a total of 22,000 Indane gas customers were sent an SMS notification stating that their gas connection was transferred from TNCSC – Ooty due to administrative reasons.

Following this, the residents voiced their displeasure at the sudden announcement. A. Babu, a resident of Khandal, said that the transfer of his connection to a private firm would mean problems for residents like himself.

“When the TNCSC was in charge of distributing LPG cylinders, they had a warehouse to store cylinders within Udhagamandalam town. Even if there was an urgent need to get a cylinder, we could get access to one quite easily,” he said. He added that the private firm to whom the distribution had been handed over to had their storage unit in Thuneri, about 15 km from the town.

An official from the TNCSC said that the transfer of distributorship was a “policy decision,” by the Indian Oil Corporation. The official added that the TNCSC was in-charge of distributing LPG cylinders to residents in Udhagamandalam and surrounding areas for over 30 years. When contacted, the private firm that has been given the distributorship of government LPG cylinders in Udhagamandalam, assured customers of timely delivery.

A spokesperson for the firm said that around a 100 LPG cylinders were kept ready inside Udhagamandalam town to be handed over to customers who urgently require them. Customers having any doubts as to their LPG connections and how to book cylinders were asked to get in touch with the distributor at 0423-2444664.

MSU Registrar asked to forward harassment complaint to police
High Court directs police to conclude probe within three months

11/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Allowing the petition filed by a woman, who was a student of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli, alleging that she was sexual harassed by an Assistant Professor in 2015, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed Tirunelveli police to register a complaint and conduct an investigation.

The woman, in her petition, alleged that Assistant Professor Vinod Vincent Rajesh of History Department had sexually harassed girl students.

Following a complaint filed by the woman and a some other students, a committee was constituted by the university to look into the charges and he was placed under suspension.

The committee found him guilty and the Syndicate passed a resolution accepting the report of the committee.

However, he was reinstated later. The period of his suspension was treated as punishment and two increments with cumulative effect were stopped.

Rajesh was also warned not to repeat such act in the future, the petitioner said. However, the action of the university had been insufficient.

It had failed to forward the complaint to the jurisdictional police, the woman said.

Section 11 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, mandated that the local committee should, if prima facie case existed, forward the complaint to the police.

Justice G.R. Swaminathan directed the Registrar of the university to forward the complaint along with committee’s report to the police.

Tirunelveli Police should register an FIR on the complaint and conclude the investigation within three months, the court said.

Pilot suspended for threatening passenger

75-year-old woman denied wheelchair

11/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

A woman and her mother were stopped from deplaning the aircraft.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday suspended the flying licence of an IndiGo pilot for three months for “threatening and intimidating” a woman passenger accompanying a wheelchair-bound senior citizen on January 13, 2020.

“The pilot’s attitude towards the wheelchair-bound senior citizen was intimidating, threatening and lacked compassion. His actions led to avoidable detention,” the DGCA said in a statement.

Sharing her ordeal of “harassment” on Twitter, Bengaluru resident Supriya Unni Nair said the pilot, Captain Jayakrishna stopped her and her 75-year-old mother from deplaning the aircraft after she insisted on a wheelchair for the latter. The wheelchair had been booked by her before embarking on the flight but the crew members said they had no access to it, leading to an argument.

Civil Aviation Minister of State Hardeep Singh Puri, taking note of her social media post, asked the DGCA to probe the matter.

Patient under observation at Stanley Hospital

11/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Only one patient continues to be under observation in the isolation ward of Government Stanley Medical College Hospital.

The other patient, who was admitted at the government medical college hospital in Tiruchi, was discharged.

According to a bulletin released by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine on Monday, a total of 27,702 passengers were screened at airports in the State.

Of them, 1,927 were under home quarantine for 28 days.

All 42 nasal, throat swabs and blood samples taken from symptomatic patients have tested negative for novel coronavirus.

Governor lauds TN govt

TNN | Feb 10, 2020, 04.50 AM IST

Salem: The Tamil Nadu government’s efforts have resulted in the highest gross enrolment ratio in higher education amongst all states in India at 49.3%, said governor Banwarilal Purohit.

Participating in the golden jubilee celebrations of Sri Vidya Mandir Association at Sri Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School in Salem on Sunday, the governor said that the state government has opened new colleges, commenced new courses, invested in improving infrastructure, created more posts of teachers and filled teacher vacancies to make higher education more accessible and to enhance quality.

He also lauded the private sector for achievement of Tamil Nadu in academic arena.

“The contribution of the private sector for promoting the cause of education has also been commendable. Many philanthropic trusts have come forward to set up schools, colleges and universities in the state,’’ he said. Appreciating the educational institutions for laying stress in inculcating skills required for employment, the governor said that the students too are bright enough to expect the education system to equip and stir their creative side.

TNGCTA wants full-time research director at BDU

TNN | Feb 10, 2020, 04.31 AM IST

Trichy: The Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers Association (TNGCTA) has demanded appointment of a full-time research director at the Bharathidasan University as it is hampering research activities..

The university had taken multiple steps to speed up evaluation of PhD thesis and award of degrees without delay by creating a separate research wing in March 2018. “But many such measures on part of the university did not yield much results as it has not appointed a full-time research director,” said P David Livingstone, secretary, TNGCTA Trichy zone.

“Research director (in-charge) S Muthusamy is also heading the chemistry department of the university and only comes to the research section in the evening which is resulting in delay. Despite automation of the research sections, many of the PhD scholars and guides are asked to come in person to clarify many trivial issues,” he said.

A government college faculty member had allegedly applied for research guideship in 2018. While she was qualified for guideship at that point, the university delayed the award of guideship for two years. Now the university is deny guideship to the faculty citing new UGC norms.

“It is unfair on part of the university to delay the award of guideship in 2018 and ask the faculty member to fulfil the requirement based on the recent orders of the UGC,” said Livingstone

Speaking to TOI S Muthusamy, said there may be exceptions, but all measures are being taken to fast track the research section. I am working in the section till late evening to clear files.

On the appointment of a full-time research director, Muthusamy said that university has taken steps and appointment will be made soon. “We have taken up the matter with vice-chancellor P Manisankar on many occasion but nothing has been done so far. Therefore, we have decided to carry out protest if the VC continues to remain a mute spectator,” said Livingstone.

BDU running distance courses sans UGC nod for five years

TNN | Feb 11, 2020, 04.38 AM IST

Trichy: Bharathidasan University (BDU) has been running distance education programmes for the last five years without the mandatory approval of the distance education bureau (DEB) of University Grants Commission. It has come to light that the university was unsuccessful in its attempts to secure the DEB nod, but chose to offer the programmes without it.

The university became eligible to offer programmes through distance mode after being accredited with A+ grade in April last year in the third cycle of national accreditation and assessment council (NAAC). It is also likely to secure DEB approval for offering such programmes in future. However, questions are now being raised about the validity of certificates issued over the last five years by the university without getting due approval. Roughly 50,000 students have graduated in various distance education programmes with degree certificates.

Asked if institutions can offer distance education programmes without getting approval from DEB, New Delhi, its joint secretary, Avichal Kapur, told TOI over phone that only category – 1 institutions can do so and BDU doesn’t come under it. This has put the candidates who secured distance education degrees from the university in trouble. “We have been trying to get everything under the legal framework and NAAC score will enable us to get approval for the course,” said A Ilangovan, director in-charge of the centre for distance education, BDU. He said they have approached the ministry of human resource development seeking retrospective approval for the programmes apart from writing to DEB. “We only wish that the university gets DEB approval retrospectively for courses offered over the last five years. But we are sceptical if DEB will do so as the university was disqualified for not being eligible to run these courses,” said K Pandiyan, former president, Association of University Teachers (AUT).

Another senior faculty member said DEB had asked to suspend some of the programmes offered by many universities. “BDU too has suspended those courses from this year as seen in its admission notification released recently,” asked the faculty member. Questions are also being raised about the university not mentioning the status of DEB approval in the admission notification issued on January 26. “The university managed to sweep under the carpet the status of its approval from DEB. If the university is sure about getting DEB approval in the next few weeks, what prevented it from mentioning the same in the admission notification,” said another faculty member.

Tamil Nadu nursing students register for jobs abroad

TNN | Feb 9, 2020, 04.03 AM IST

COIMBATORE: Earlier, T Meena, a final-year nursing student from Dharapuram in Tirupur, had no idea that she could become a nurse in a hospital in the United Kingdom (UK). However, after attending the Overseas Manpower Corporation Limited (OMCL)’s registration drive on Saturday she said she was now hopeful of becoming a nurse in the UK. “I think the prospects have widened,” she said.

Like Meena, around 200 final-year nursing students from Coimbatore, Ooty, Tirupur and Erode had gathered to enroll themselves with the OMCL, a state government undertaking, at the drive that it conducted at the district employment office on Mettupalayam Road in the city. They were seeking an opportunity to become nurses in England and Ireland, with a monthly pay of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.

Representatives of OMCL said they had been facilitating jobseekers from the state to find jobs abroad for more than 40 years. B Somasundaram, recruitment coordinator, OMCL, said they have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Health Education England in the UK for sending 500 nurses from India to that country every year. “We would be offering the nurses free coaching for taking up the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, which is a requisite for getting a job in the UK. We have tied up with the British Council for that.”

He said the first batch of candidates, around 15 people, have started training for the IELTS exam. “We would start sending nursing candidates to the UK in six months.”

Speaking about the process, Somasundaram said OMCL would register the candidates and upload their details online. After they take up the IELTS exam, their score would get uploaded on the portal. “Candidates would be tracked through an online application system. Following this, personnel from the UK would come down to interview and recruit them.”

A Jothimani, deputy director of employment, Coimbatore, said they have been planning to bring personnel from the British Council to the district employment office to train candidates. “This is the second registration drive after the one that we held last November. We had asked the nursing colleges in the region to send their students to the drive,” she said.

Candidates who were seeking skilled jobs such as electricians, technicians, plumbers and carpenters in the Middle East also took part in the drive.

Denied money for booze, man kills elderly parents

TNN | Feb 9, 2020, 04.06 AM IST

Coimbatore: An elderly couple were hacked to death by their 31-year-old son at Vellimalaipattinam on the outskirts of the city in the early hours of Saturday after they refused to provide him money to buy liquor. The Alandurai police have arrested the murderer.
A police officer identified the deceased as 75-year-old P Sundaram and his 70-year-old wife S Thulasi, of Indira Colony at Vellimalaipattinam near Viraliyur. They are survived by four daughters, who have been married off and settled in various parts of the district, and a son. According to the officer, the couple made a living by grazing goats.

He said their son Karthikeyan was an alcoholic and used to fight with his wife often. “Unable to bear his torture, she had left him a few months ago and moved to her parents’ house at Kaliyapuram village near Madukkarai. A daily wage labourer, he also stopped going for work properly,” the officer said.

Karthikeyan, the officer said, then started to fight with his elderly parents and assault them in drunken state. At one stage, his parents lodged a complaint against Karthikeyan and police warned him severely. “On Thursday (Feb 6) night, he consumed alcohol and assaulted his parents. They again lodged a police complaint against their son. Police picked him up for questioning and he was let off later,” the officer said.

On Friday night, Karthikeyan consumed liquor and fought with his parents, before going to bed. On Saturday around 2am, he hacked his parents, who were asleep, to death with a sickle and left the house.

As the couple didn’t come out of the house in the morning, neighbours went to their house and found them lay dead in a pool of blood. They alerted the Alandurai police, who sent the bodies to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital for postmortem. They also registered a case against Karthikeyan under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and formed a special team, which arrested him near Narasipuram. Further investigation is on.

WhatsApp complaints on food, edible items on the rise

TNN | Feb 9, 2020, 04.42 AM IST

MADURAI: The Madurai district food safety department has received 209 complaints over WhatsApp related to bad food and sub-standard edible items in 2019, which is one of highest number registered in the state.

Officials said that of the 32 districts, only four districts, including Madurai, had received WhatsApp complaints crossing the 200 mark. They said that it was result of the kind of awareness measures carried out and publicity taken up by pasting stickers at eateries and hotels. In fact, Chennai had received more than 500 complaints, while Kancheepuram received more than 300 complaints. Sources said that of the 209 complaints received, action was taken against the concerned eateries with 24 hours, while action against 29 eateries was taken between 24 and 48 hours. However, all the complaints have been addressed subsequently. WhatsApp method, which was popularized a couple of years ago by the food safety department, is the most preferred means for raising complaints.

Designated officer for food safety, Madurai district, Dr M Somasundaram said that most complaints were related to food served at hotels and eateries. There were fewer complaints in connection with adulteration or substandard food materials. All the complaints were taken seriously and checked at the earliest by pressing the food safety officer for the area concerned, he said.

Officials lifted 88 samples in 2019 from food business operators dealing with various food products of which 77 were sent to laboratories for testing. Of the 77 samples, 36 were found unsafe and 52 did not confirm to the standards set by the Food Safety and Standards Authorities of India. As on December, 2019, 21 civil cases filed by the food safety department were pending before the RDO court. As many as 62 criminal cases were filed from Madurai district, sources said.

GRH employee sacked after being found to be ex-prisoner

TNN | Feb 10, 2020, 04.32 AM IST

Madurai: A female daily wage worker employed at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) was sacked after complaints arose that the woman has been employed despite being released from the prison only around four months ago.

The woman, Gowri, was employed as a daily wage worker at the Department of Surgery at GRH, shortly after being released from prison. Though initially there were rumours that she had previously been sent to jail regarding her involvement in a case related to child kidnapping at GRH, the hospital dean Dr Sangumani J denied the rumours.

“After we received complaints from daily wage workers, we came to know that the woman had only shortly been released from jail in a case related to her private affair. We later held an inquiry as well regarding her appointment and removed her from service,” he said.

The dean also said that an inquiry was held in the presence of a professor from the Department of Surgery and that Gowri herself admitted that she was indeed released from jail four months ago.

“The appointment of daily wage workers happens at the levels of Resident Medical Officer (RMO) and Sergeant on a daily basis. There has also been no evidence of any wrongdoing by senior officials. As soon as we found the complaint valid, we removed her. The matter has been put to rest,” added Dr Sangumani.

Securing duplicate school marksheets a herculean task

TNN | Feb 11, 2020, 04.13 AM IST

Madurai: Obtaining one’s lost school education certificates, especially the SSLC and higher secondary mark sheets, have become a herculean task in the state. Neither the local education department officials nor the online website is apparently of much help.

Recently, Karthik (name changed), who had completed his higher secondary examination nearly a decade ago, found that he had lost his file and bag containing all the originals of his school education certificates. Panicking, he rushed to the chief education officer’s office in Madurai. “From what I know, you have to pay a challan for a specified amount at the treasury, attach a missing certificate and send it to the department, but you may get a better idea from the people selling forms for certificates outside the district collectorate,” said one of the staff there.

Those selling forms for certificates outside the district collectorate are not recognised persons. Kavitha (name changed), who was also trying to get a duplicate SSLC mark sheet, said that a man outside the collectorate offered to give her a printed application form and also helped in filling it for Rs 200. “However, he said he would only help fill the form and did not give me much information about the whole process so it is difficult to know who to go to,” she said.

After finding the information he got from the CEO’s office confusing, Karthik rushed to another officer of higher ranking. “Oh everything is online and you will not have to do anything manually, so just go on the school education site,” he said. The desperate candidate found that only the application form for a duplicate certificate was available online, and it had to be downloaded and filled up to start the process.

The application form says, you should pay Rs 505, at the treasury, get a missing certificate duly signed by a gazetted officer, an affidavit signed by a notary public and a missing notice published in a newspaper to be duly submitted with the application. But all this have to be submitted only after getting a copy of the FIR from the police, in the limits of which the documents were lost. “This is the easiest part of the entire process, thanks to the e-seva website of the Tamil Nadu police, where you can get a lost document report by logging into the site and a payment of Rs 50 for each document lost,” he said.

Next is to get the affidavit signed by the notary. The affidavit needs to be printed on a Rs 20-stamp paper, and the numerous shops near the collectorate type the affidavit and get it signed from a notary public for a payment of Rs 500, if you go in person and have authentication to prove your claim. A Notary public will sign the certificate only if the Lost Document Report from the police is furnished.

Armed with these two certificates, you have to go to a local newspaper for publishing the notice for a payment that may range between Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500. When it appears in the newspaper, you have to approach the government treasury.

The person at the treasury would not be very helpful if you do not produce the last part of the application form downloaded from the website, which has details of the challan and fees to be paid. He will only put his seal and signature on the challan, but the money has to be deposited in the specified branch of the State Bank of India. Here the bank officer will give you the receipt and challan number, which have to be kept carefully to file with the application.

Further, you need the signature of a gazetted officer or Tahsildar vouching for the missing mark sheets on a certificate that you can obtain from agents outside the collectorate premises. “Going to the Tahsildar’s office to get the signature was difficult and time consuming. Already we had to keep running from one office to the other during the process,” said Rajesh (name changed), who recently applied for a duplicate higher secondary mark sheet. Finally, the application form downloaded from the directorate of government examinations has to be filled up carefully and taken to the school where the candidate studied, where the principal or headmaster would authorise it at their convenience.

Though the application form says the school would forward the application to the department of examinations, it is often the candidate who is forced to do it, said the applicants. Then, he/she has to keep their fingers crossed and wait for the certificate for a period of at least two months. Both schools and education department officials said that they get only few applications every year. “We hardly get even 10 applications in a year sometimes. So, that is also again a reason why many are not aware of the processes, which keep changing as well. Many don’t even bother applying unless they desperately need it for a job or such,” said the principal of a private school.

Counting to start at 8am, trends to start pouring in 3 hours later

TNN | Feb 11, 2020, 04.40 AM IST

New Delhi: Counting for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi will begin at 8am on Tuesday and trends will start pouring in around 11am. Officials said the votes will be counted at 21 locations in 11 districts. About 2,600 administrative officials will be involved in the process.

Though the official announcement of results will be done only in the evening, Election Commission officials said the winning candidate and the estimated margin of votes will be known by the afternoon. The smaller the size of the constituency, the sooner the result will be announced.

East Delhi district election officer Arun Kumar Mishra said the counting centres have a three-tier security involving the local police, CAPF and paramilitary forces. “The outermost ring will have Delhi Police personnel, while the second ring will have local police and CAPF. The innermost security ring will have paramilitary forces,” he added.

The counting centre at Commonwealth Games Village has been set up as a model centre with state-of-the-art facilities, Mishra said.

In all, 33 counting observers have been appointed to oversee the process. The counting of votes will start with postal ballots. Votes polled in EVMs will begin only after that. The EVM votes will be counted simultaneously at 10-14 tables set up for each assembly segment. Depending on the size of the constituency, the votes will be counted in 10-16 rounds.

After each round, the results will be uploaded on the “Suvidha” mobile app. Once all votes are counted, election officials will randomly pick VVPAT slips from five polling stations in each assembly segment and match the results with those generated by EVMs.

Paper chits with the number of each polling station in an assembly constituency will be put in a container and shuffled in presence of all candidates or their agents. The returning officer will then pick up five slips to tally with the EVM results.

“The paper trail of votes will be kept in separate bundles and then matched with the EVM results. The tabulation of paper trails will be carried out simultaneously. The result will be declared after completing the entire exercise,” said an official.

Anna varsity to intensify scrutiny for affiliation

TNN | Feb 9, 2020, 10.08 AM IST

CHENNAI: To ensure minimum standards at colleges, Anna University will include 600 faculty members from IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore, NIT Trichy and Indian Institute of Management Trichy in inspection committees for affiliation for 2020-21.

Every inspection team will have a faculty member from IIT-M IISc Bangalore or NIT Trichy to ensure proper inspection. Besides focusing on infrastructure and labs, the committees will focus on faculty-students ratio, cadre ratio in departments and will also verify PhD degree certificates.

There are 70,000 faculty members in more than 500 engineering colleges across the state. Among them, nearly 10,000 are PhD holders. Following complaints that many faculty members are working with fake PhD certificates, the university had asked colleges to ensure genuineness of PhD certificates from respective universities.

"If any faculty member is found with fake certificates, the university will initiate severe action against them. As per the court order, if colleges lack basic amenities and faculty members the university would cancel the affiliation for courses. If the facilities are poor, the university may disaffiliate the colleges too," said Anna University vice-chancellor M K Surappa.

Inspection committees will give more weightage to basic infrastructure such as labs, teachers, grounds, hostel and mess facilities and access to internet.

They will also verify Aadhaar cards and PAN cards of faculty members to eliminate fakes.

"Last year, many colleges showed fake faculty members during inspection and in other instances a faculty member was shown as working in multiple institutions. To weed out such malpractice, the university will undertake Aadhaar card and PAN card verification during inspection," sources said.

More than 500 engineering colleges in the state have sought affiliation from Anna University while around 10 colleges decided to not admit any students for next academic year. "The inspection is likely to start in the third week of February and end before March 31. Following inspections, the university will summarise reports and send deficiency reports to colleges. The colleges will be given two weeks time to file compliance report and after verifying them, the university will allow continuation of affiliation to engineering colleges," officials said.

Last year, about 170 faculty members from eminent institutions such as IIT Madras and IISc Bangalore had visited more than 530 engineering colleges in the state for inspection. Based on their reports, the university reduced intake in 92 colleges which had more than 25% deficiency in labs, library, faculty members and classrooms.

Man commits suicide after friend’s daughter dies in TN road accident

TNN | Feb 9, 2020, 06.51 PM IST

NAGAPATTINAM: A 45-year-old flower vendor committed suicide in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday after his friend’s daughter died in a road accident while he was taking her to school on a two-wheeler on Saturday.

The deceased man has been identified as Veeramani of Pookara Street in Velankanni.

On Saturday, Veeramani’s friend Mathiazhagan called him over phone and requested him to drop his daughter, M Mahara Jothi, 16, in school. Jothi was a Class XI in a private school in Nagore.

While Veeramani and Jothi were going to her school, an SETC bus hit his two-wheeler at Paravai on the East Coast Road. The accident happened when Veeramani tried to cross the ECR without noticing the bus. The bus driver's rash driving was also a reason for the accident, according to the Velankanni police.

Jothi and Veeramani sustained injuries. They were rushed to Nagapattinam Government Hospital where she died.

Veeramani returned home after being treated as an outpatient in the hospital. However, he appeared depressed as he felt guilty. He was lamenting that he was the reason for the death of the girl.

On Sunday morning, his body was found hanging from a tree in nearby North Pogainallur village.

Veeramani is survived by his wife and two sons.

AICTE asks states to increase engg course fee, TN colleges seek 50% hike

TNN | Feb 10, 2020, 01.22 PM IST

CHENNAI: With more than 500 engineering colleges in the state awaiting revision of fee in 2020-21 after a gap of three years, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has urged state governments and fee committees to consider hiking fee for engineering and other technical courses to meet the pay revision mandated for faculty members by the council.

The colleges want fee to be hiked by at least 50% from the next academic year.

In a recent letter to all state governments, AICTE member-secretary Rajiv Kumar has urged them to direct state admission and fee regulation committees to take into account the sixth and seventh pay commission notifications and other parameters while fixing the fee.

The council had received complaints that technical institutions fail to pay their faculty members salary stipulated by the pay panels.

“Most of the members have claimed that they are unable to comply with the AICTE’s directions due to the (quantum of) tuition fee fixed by state fee regulation committees,” Rajiv Kumar said, adding that fee reimbursement from governments for SC/ST students also gets delayed.

“In the absence of reasonable fee, colleges have difficulty in maintaining standards and paying salaries to their faculty,” he said. Justice Srikrishna committee has fixed a maximum fee of Rs 1.44 lakh to Rs 1.58 lakh per year for BE and B Tech courses. But there is no minimum fee.

TN has lowest engg course fee among southern states

AICTE wants colleges to pay salaries as per seventh pay commission scale. Without allowance, the basic salary alone comes to around Rs 57,000 for entry-level assistant professors under new scale. With the current fee structure, we cannot give such a salary,” said R M Kishore, vice-chairman, RMK Engineering College.

Currently, engineering colleges pay between Rs 15,000 and Rs 30,000 for entry-level posts. Colleges with fewer admissions pay only 10,000 for new faculty members.

“Srikrishna commission fixed Rs 1.47 lakh as the maximum fee for rural colleges to meet the sixth pay commission salary standards. AICTE says it would reduce student intake if we don’t pay as per revised pay. We will approach the council to fix a minimum fee for engineering courses to meet our salary demand,” he added.

A top official from a city college said engineering colleges can offer new salary structure only if the course fee is raised to Rs 85,000- Rs 90,000 for even governmentquota seats. “Only then we can even touch the breakeven point,” he said.

A college principal pointed out that Tamil Nadu has the lowest engineering course fee among all southern states.

“To break-even, engineering colleges must fill 70% of their seats. But only 30% of colleges were able to fill 70% or more seats,” said Maluk Mohamad, chairman, MAM College of Engineering and Technology in Trichy. “The fee committee should increase fee for all categories to Rs 75,000. Only then we can pay good salary to our faculty members,” he said.

After the death of Justice N V Balasubramanian, who was heading the committees on fixation of fee for self-financing professional colleges in TN, in November last year, the state government is yet to appoint a new chairman for the panel.

“Colleges swill get good faculty members only if they pay good salary. With good faculty members they can offer quality engineering education. So the fee hike is necessary. But the state government or Anna University should monitor whether the colleges are paying their faculty members the revised salary after the fee hike,” said E Balagurusamy, former vice-chancellor, Anna University.

U.P. Medical Council

Top court upholds validity of SC/ST Amendment Act
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:11.02.2020

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld amendments to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act which restored the law to its earlier rigour.

In 2018, the apex court had diluted the SC/ST Act to prevent abuse of stringent provisions by allowing grant of anticipatory bail, sanction of higher authorities for arresting a government servant and making it mandatory for police to carry out preliminary inquiry to establish prima facie veracity of the charges made under the law. After Parliament carried out amendments to render the SC’s 2018 judgment toothless and restore the law’s earlier stringency, the SC had taken up petitions seeking review of its judgment. On October 1 last year, the SC recalled its 2018 judgment.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and S R Bhatt said on Monday, “The matter is rendered of academic importance as we had restored the position as prevailed before the 2018 judgment. This means, there will be no provision of anticipatory bail or preliminary inquiry under SC/ST Act as far as arrest is concerned. No sanction would be required for proceeding against a government servant under this law.”

However, the SC said, “A preliminary inquiry is permissible only in circumstances as per the law laid down by a constitution bench of this court in Lalita Kumar case.” It also said though anticipatory bail and regular bail provisions did not apply to cases under the SC/ST Act, the bar created by Section 18A of the SC/ST Act would not apply if the complainant did not make out a prima facie case. Carving out an exception, the bench said, “The court can, in exceptional cases, exercise power under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code for quashing the case (under SC/ST Act) to prevent misuse of provisions on settled parameters, as already observed while deciding review petitions.”

Justice Bhat, in a separate but concurrent judgment, said the allegation of misuse of SC/ST Act was mostly prevalent in urban areas but it did not reflect the prevailing widespread social prejudice against members of oppressed classes. “It is important to reiterate and emphasise that unless provisions of the Act are enforced in their true letter and spirit, with utmost earnestness and dispatch, the dream and ideal of a casteless society will remain only adream,” he said.

The SC bench said, ‘There will be no provision of anticipatory bail or preliminary inquiry under SC/ST Act as far as arrest is concerned. No sanction would be required for proceeding against a government servant under this law’

GAVEL NOVEL

HC asks 28 students involved in clash to clean hospital ward

K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:11.02.2020

Quashing an FIR registered against 28 students of a private engineering college who were involved in a clash, the Madras high court has directed them to clean the general ward of the K A P Viswanatham Government Medical College at Trichy.

Justice A D Jagadish Chandira who heard the petition filed by the students to quash the FIR which registered against them also directed them to get a certificate from the dean of the college after cleaning the ward and posted the case for reporting compliance on February 26.

In July 2019, a clash broke out between two groups of students from a private college at Trichy. The clash was over a wordy duel between the fourth and third year students after the former questioned the latter for allegedly teasing the women students. The students started assaulting each other using beer bottles and wooden logs.

Following this incident, the E Pudur police registered a case against the students under Section 147 (punishment for rioting) and 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), Section 294(b) and 506 (ii) (Punishment for criminal intimidation, whoever commits, the offence of criminal intimidation shall be punished with imprisonment) of the IPC.

Both the groups agreed to a compromise and moved the high court Madurai bench seeking to quash the FIR which was registered against them.

TNPSC exam scams: Five more arrested

Chennai:11.02.2020

Tamil Nadu CBCID sleuths investigating the TNPSC exam scams on Monday arrested five people, including two VAOs and three drivers, taking the total number of people arrested so far to 40.

The CB-CID is currently investigating three TNPSC examinations – 2019 group IV, 2017 group 2A and 2016 VAO test – in which large scale malpractices were suspected have taken place. On Monday, officials arrested drivers K Karthik and T Senthilkumar of Ennore and Sabudeen of Perambur. They were involved in escorting the vehicles used by scam mastermind Jayakumar and another suspect, TNPSC staff Omkanthan, when the tampering of answer sheets happened on the night of September 1, last year when the answer sheet bundles were transported in a van from Rameswaram to Chennai. These drivers were piloting the vehicles of the other two to make sure that there is no vehicle checks by police en-route. TNN

குரூப் - 2' தேர்வில் தவறு நடக்கவில்லை: டி.என்.பி.எஸ்.சி., விளக்கம்

Added : பிப் 08, 2020 23:45

சென்னை: 'குரூப் - 2 தேர்வில், தவறு ஏதும் நடக்கவில்லை' என, தமிழ்நாடு அரசுப் பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையமான, டி.என்.பி.எஸ்.சி., அறிவித்துள்ளது.

தேர்வாணையம் ெவளியிட்ட செய்திக்குறிப்பில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:சமீபத்தில், குரூப் - 2 தேர்வு முடிவுகள் ெவளியிடப்பட்டன. இதில், 1997ல் பிறந்தவர்கள், அதிகமாக தேர்ச்சி பெற்றிருப்பது, சந்தேகத்திற்குரியதாக உள்ளது என, செய்திகள் ெவளியாகின. இது குறித்து, தேர்வாணையம் ஆய்வு செய்ததில், தவறு எதுவும் நடக்கவில்லை என்பது, உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஏற்கனவே அறிவித்தபடி, அடுத்த வாரம் தொகுதி இரண்டுக்கான கலந்தாய்வு நிறைவு பெற்று, தேர்வு நடவடிக்கைகள் முழுவதும் முடிந்ததும், தேர்வர்களின் முழு விபரமும், தேர்வாணைய இணையதளத்தில் ெவளியிடப்படும்.

அதேபோல், ஒருங்கிணைந்த பொறியாளர் பணிகளுக்கான, இளநிலை கட்டடக் கலைஞர் பணிக்கான நேர்முகத் தேர்வுக்கு அழைக்கப்பட்ட, 39 பேரில், சென்னை மையத்திலிருந்து மட்டும், 31 பேர் தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்டதாகவும், இதில் தவறு நடந்திருக்கலாம் எனவும், சந்தேகங்கள் எழுப்பப்பட்டன.

இது குறித்து ஆய்வு நடத்தியதில், தவறு நடக்கவில்லை என்பது, உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது; 31 பேரும் வெவ்வேறு தேர்வுக்கூடங்களில், தேர்வு எழுதி உள்ளனர். இப்பணிகளுக்கான கலந்தாய்வு முடிந்துள்ளது. தேர்வு நடவடிக்கை முழுமையாக முடிந்ததும், தேர்வர்களின் முழு விபரங்களும், இணையதளத்தில் ெவளியிடப்படும்.யூகங்கள் அடிப்படையிலான செய்திகளால், நல்ல முறையில் தேர்வுக்கு தயாராகி, நேர்மையாக பங்கேற்கும் தேர்வர்களின் திறமையை குறைத்து கூறுவது வருத்தத்திற்குரியது.

இதுபோன்ற உண்மைக்கு புறம்பான வதந்திகளை பரப்புவோர் மீது, தேர்வாணையம் தன் கண்டனத்தை பதிவு செய்கிறது.தகுந்த ஆதாரங்களுடன் பெறப்படும் புகார்கள் மீது, தேர்வாணையம் உடனடி யாக ஆய்வு செய்யும். தவறு நடந்திருப்பதற்கான முகாந்திரம் இருந்தால், குற்றவியல் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க, உறுதுணையாக இருந்து வருகிறது. இனிவரும் காலங்களிலும், தேர்வாணையத்தின் நிலைப்பாட்டில், எவ்வித மாற்றமும் இருக்காது. இவ்வாறு, அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Reservation in promotion in public posts not a fundamental right: SC

‘State government cannot be directed to provide quota’

09/02/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT, ,NEW DELHI

Reservation in promotion in public posts cannot be claimed as a fundamental right, the Supreme Court has reiterated in a judgment.

A Bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta observed that State governments are not bound to make reservation. Even the courts could not issue a mandamus directing the States to provide reservation.

“There is no doubt that the State government is not bound to make reservation. There is no fundamental right which inheres in an individual to claim reservation in promotions. No mandamus can be issued by the court directing the State government to provide reservation,” the court observed in its February 7 verdict. Citing Constitution Bench precedents that had settled the law, the court said Articles 16 (4) and 16 (4-A) of the Constitution did not confer individuals with a fundamental right to claim reservation in promotion.

The Articles empower the State to make reservation in matters of appointment and promotion in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes only “if in the opinion of the State they are not adequately represented in the services of the State”.

“The inadequacy of representation is a matter within the subjective satisfaction of the State,” the judgment said. Thus, the State government has discretion “to consider providing reservations, if the circumstances so warrant”.

“It is a settled law that the State government cannot be directed to provide reservation for appointment in public posts. Similarly, the State is not bound to make reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in matters of promotions,” the court explained.

Polling passes off peacefully in Delhi

09/02/2020

Security personnel on guard outside the Jafrabad polling station in New Delhi on Saturday. Sandeep Saxena

Shahdara SDM Debasis Biswal said that the polling officer, Udham Singh, a municipal schoolteacher, had complained of chest pain and uneasiness after which he was rushed to a nearby hospital.

In another incident, a 59-year-old man standing in a queue to cast his vote at a polling station in Hari Nagar died of a reported heart attack on Saturday morning. Police said that a PCR call was received at 10.30 a.m. about a man having collapsed outside a polling station in Hari Nagar.

The man was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. He was identified as Nitin Bhakhru, a resident of Nanakpura.

Man fined ₹42,500 for allowing minor to ride his vehicle

09/02/2020, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA,BHUBANESWAR

The transport authority in Odisha’s Bhadrak district has slapped a penalty of ₹42,500 on a man for allowing a minor to ride his motorcycle, violating traffic rules, under the new motor vehicles law, officials said. The minor was found riding the bike without a helmet, with two of his friends on pillion, they said.

The challan has been issued in the name of the two-wheeler owner under the provisions of the amended Motor Vehicles Act, traffic inspector Dhaneswar Nayak said. “The boy was found riding the two-wheeler on the wrong side of the road on Thursday. We have slapped a composite fine of ₹42,500 for violating traffic rules,” he said.

The challan was issued under various heads, such as ₹500 for general offence, ₹5,000 for allowing a person to drive a vehicle with no valid papers, ₹5,000 for riding a motorbike without driving licence, ₹5,000 for driving against the flow of traffic, ₹1,000 for riding a two-wheeler with more than two persons and ₹1,000 for riding a motorcycle without helmet.

EC gives red-carpet treatment to voters

Stations equipped with facilities, including wheelchairs, ramps and more

09/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,NEW DELHI

A  differenltly abled voter being helped by volunteers at a polling station in Laxmi Nagar on Saturday. Sandeep Saxena

To make the voting experience in the Delhi polls a pleasant affair, the Election Commission (EC) had on Saturday set up 70 model polling stations across the Capital where the voters were given a “red-carpet treatment”.

The model polling stations had several facilities such as toilets, drinking water, shade, ramps and wheelchairs. The stations were set up inside maintained buildings with freshly painted walls, and quality furniture for polling personnel. The voters appreciated the efforts of the EC personnel, especially the arrangement made for senior citizens and the differently abled. Urmila Devi from west Ansari Nagar said: “The arrangements for voters here at the Atal Adarsh Vidyalaya, Havlock Square, are commendable. But this is also because of the facelift that the school received because of the Delhi government.”

Shalu Devi, a voter from Civil Lines, said: “Everyone deployed to assist voters have been very helpful... from information about the booths to queries related to water and assisting senior citizens. The authorities have done a good job.” A model polling station in Green Park had a red carpet laid out for voters from the gate to the polling booth. The station had a first-aid booth and huge waiting areas with chairs. Most of these model polling stations also had women officials. In a model polling station in Chilla village, officials put up selfie booths, had large waiting areas, and even made arrangements to engage children. Some polling stations in east Delhi had put up posters made by schoolchildren celebrating elections.

Continuous learning essential to be successful in career: VC
1,389 get degrees during the 54th Graduation Day

09/02/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

Proud: Vaidehi Vijayakumar, Vice-Chancellor, Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal, handing over a degree certificate to a student in Madurai on Saturday.S. JamesS. James

It is important for students to develop inter-disciplinary skills when technology is evolving constantly.

Apart from pursuing theoretical knowledge, students must develop critical thinking, gain practical experience and take part in extracurricular activities to be successful in their career, said Vice-Chancellor of Mother Teresa Women’s University Vaidehi Vijayakumar on Saturday.

Speaking at the 54th Graduation Day of Lady Doak College, she said continuous learning and constant update of knowledge would help graduates identify and sustain a good career. They should be curious to update the latest developments.

She urged the graduates to optimally utilise opportunities to be successful. “Unless knowledge is transformed to create innovations that help create social or economic change, it does not serve its purpose. So make use of the opportunities to become successful entrepreneurs,” she said. She said that failure is an inevitable part of success.

A total of 1,389 graduates received degrees during the event.

Principal Christianna Singh presented the annual report and highlighted the achievements of the college in the past one year. She stressed that graduates should focus on moral values and be socially responsible to be successful in life.

Former Chief Secretary to take the political plunge
Rama Mohana Rao promises ‘new approach’ to politics

09/02/2020, L. SRIKRISHNA ,MADURAI

P. Rama Mohana Rao   M. VEDHAN

Former Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao on Saturday expressed his intention to launch a political party to “give more meaning to inclusiveness” of all classes of people in politics, which alone, he said, will ensure social justice and the overall development of the State.

The former bureaucrat, who was in the city at the invitation of the Tamil Nadu Naidu Mahajana Sangam to participate in the 437th birth anniversary celebrations of Mannar Thirumalai Naicker, told The Hindu that he wished to introduce a new approach to politics/public life, where all sections will have the opportunity to serve their society and contribute to its growth.

Classifying his political plan of action into five key aspects, he said he will be a voice for the unrepresented communities; be a part of the under-represented segments in public life; bring excluded groups into the mainstream; give hope to such communities and encourage them to come to the forefront of developments; and identify professionals in the unorganised sector. He claimed that communities with more than a million voters in Tamil Nadu had no political representation in the Assembly. Communities with a population of 40 to 50 lakh voters had just two MLAs, he added.

He said excluded groups, which had a voter population of about 20 lakh or lower, continued to be neglected by the Dravidian parties.

Over the last 9 months, Mr. Rao said, he had been meeting people from different walks of life in Chennai, Erode, Salem and Madurai. “As of now, it looks like the goal is achievable...” he said. He did not rule out allying with political outfits.

Prior to his stint as Chief Secretary, Mr. Rao served as Principal Secretary to then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for a few years.

Don’t interfere with transfer of doctors, govt. urges High Court
‘Strike by doctors cannot be justified on any equitable ground’

09/02/2020, MOHAMED IMRANULLAH S.,CHENNAI

The State government has urged the Madras High Court not to interfere with the inter-district transfer of government doctors who took part in the strike between October 25 and November 1 last year in support of their various demands, including pay hike.

In a counter affidavit filed before Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, Director of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) T.S. Swathi Rethnavathi said: “Strike affects society. In case of strike by doctors, innocent patients suffer. Doctors’ strike cannot be justified on any equitable ground.”

The counter was filed in response to a batch of writ petitions filed by the doctors concerned, through their counsel C. Kanagaraj, challenging their transfer.

Advocate-General Vijay Narayan pressed for dismissal of all writ petitions. Mr. Narayan argued that the Supreme Court, in Rajendra Singh’s case (2009), had stated that courts should not interfere with transfer orders passed in public interest and for administrative reasons if there was no mala fide intention.

However, when the petitioner’s counsel claimed that those working under the Director of Medical Education (DME) could not be transferred by the DMS and vice-versa, the judge asked the A-G to get it clarified by Tuesday.

In her counter, Ms. Rethnavathi said the government health facilities in the State cater to over five lakh outpatients and 60,000 inpatients every day and 68% of child births in the State were handled by government healthcare institutions.

While taluk and district headquarters hospitals, categorised as secondary care institutions, fall under the administrative control of DMS, the tertiary care institutions such as medical colleges attached to government hospitals were under the control of DME.

There were more than 16,000 medical officers in Tamil Nadu Medical Service before 2009 and they did not have sufficient promotional opportunities.

Hence, at the request of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA), the government introduced time-bound career progression.

Fresh demands

Although the government doctors were now paid as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, the DMS said, new demands were raised last year by a federation of a few “unrecognised” doctors’ associations.

Even as their demands were being considered, members of the Federation of Government Doctors’ Association (FOGDA) began an indefinite strike when there was a dengue outbreak across the State.

The strike commenced despite a warning issued by the government on October 18.

2 more held in connection with TNPSC exam scam

09/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,TIRUCHI

The CB-CID on Saturday arrested two more persons in connection with malpractices in the 2017 Group II-A examination conducted by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.

N. Venkateswaran, 36, of Pattukottai in Thanjavur district, employed as an assistant in the Commercial Taxes Department office in Pattukottai, and M. Vimalkumar, 34, of Musiri, working as an assistant in the Highways Department in Tiruchi, were arrested in connection with the scam.

Venkateswaran had allegedly paid ₹12 lakh to Jayakumar — the prime accused in the case — through Vasanthakumar, the Village Administrative Officer of Uthiramerur, to obtain a score of 265.5. He had secured the 41st rank in the exam. Vimalkumar had paid ₹7 lakh to Jayakumar through one Radha and got the 22nd rank with a score of 276, a CB-CID press release said.

Preliminary investigation found that 42 candidates, who appeared for the exam at the Rameswaram centre in 2017, scored high marks by indulging in malpractice. The CB-CID had registered a case on January 31, based on a complaint from the TNPSC.

Already, as many as 33 persons had been arrested in connection with the Group II-A and Group IV exam scams, and the latest arrests were made as the investigations continued, the CB-CID said.

DVAC conducts searches in equipment procurement scam
Senior officer’s house among those raided

09/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

The residence of a police officer in Chennai where a DVAC search was conducted on Saturday morning B. Velankanni Raj B. Velankanni Raj

Officers of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Saturday conducted searches at more than 15 places, including the residence of senior police officer M. Anbuchezhian, in connection with alleged irregularities in the procurement of equipment for the police force.

Twelve teams of the DVAC had fanned out for searches across the State. The searches were held on Saturday morning at the houses of Mr. Anbuchezhian in Kilpauk, Additional Superintendent of Police Ramesh and Deputy Superintendent of Police Udayashankar in Pattinapakkam.

Following allegations by political parties including DMK and PMK, the Home Department had initially ordered an internal probe against the police officers for ‘criminal misconduct’ and causing ‘pecuniary loss’ to the government on September 19 last year.

Subsequently, a preliminary internal investigation by the Deputy Inspector General (Technical Services) and Inspector General (Crime) allegedly found serious irregularities in the tenders floated for the purchase of CCTV cameras as well as the eligibility criteria set for the procurement of these products, among other issues.

“The DVAC conducted a detailed enquiry on the orders of government into the allegation that the then Superintendent of Police, Technical Services and Police Telecommunication Branch officals committed irregularities in the purchase of technical gadgets such as mobiles, CCTV devices, tablet PCs, GPS and spare batteries for VHF sets during the period 2016-2018, thereby gaining pecuniary advantage and causing a huge monetary loss to the government,” sources said.

18 places searched

“As the detailed enquiry reveals a prima facie case against 14 officials of Police Telecommunication Branch and two private firms, a case was registered on Friday. Subsequently, DVAC officers conducted searches in 18 places including residences and offices of the suspected officers and private individuals. Some incriminating material and documents have been seized from there,” the sources added.

Coronavirus death toll in China rises to 722

Nearly 35,000 people infected globally

09/02/2020, ASSOCIATED PRESS,BEIJING

The death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak soared to 722 in China on Saturday, including the first foreign victim, as Hong Kong imposed a mandatory quarantine on mainland arrivals to block the spread of an epidemic that has caused global panic.

With 86 more people dying in mainland China — the highest one-day jump so far — the toll was closing in on the 774 killed worldwide during the 2002-03 SARS epidemic.

A 60-year-old U.S. citizen, diagnosed with the virus, died on Thursday in Wuhan, the city at the epicentre of the health emergency, according to the U.S. Embassy, which did not provide more details about the person.

China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement to AFP that the victim was a U.S. citizen of Chinese origin.

A Japanese man in his 60s, with a suspected coronavirus infection, also died in hospital in Wuhan, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said, adding that it was “difficult” to confirm if he had the illness.

The only fatalities outside the mainland were a Chinese man in the Philippines and a 39-year-old man in Hong Kong.

Nearly 35,000 people have been infected globally with the new strain, which is believed to have emerged in a market selling wild animals in Wuhan last year.

The epidemic has prompted the government to lock down cities home to tens of millions of people, as anger mounts over its handling of the crisis, especially after a whistle-blowing doctor fell victim to the virus.

1,000 denied govt. jobs in T.N. due to fake papers

Certificates of applicants under the sports quota for the TNUSRB were found to be ‘ineligible’

09/02/2020, S. VIJAY KUMAR ,CHENNAI

Close on the heels of the recruitments-for-money scam in the TN UPSC, a major fraud in the recruitment of police constables, prison warders and firemen by the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board has surfaced with at least 1,000 candidates, who had cleared the written examination/physical efficiency test and qualified for appointment under the Sports Quota, found to have submitted “ineligible” certificates.

The TNUSRB had notified the recruitment of 8,888 Grade-II Police Constables, Grade-II Jail Warders and Firemen late last year.

About 3.25 lakh candidates appeared for the written exam in 32 districts. The physical efficiency test was then held in 15 centres for 47,000 candidates who passed the examination.

Nearly 8,800 candidates who qualified for appointment were called for certificate verification. However, during this process it was found that at least 1,000 candidates, claiming appointment under the 10% sports quota, had submitted “ineligible” certificates.

The associations that issued the sports certificates were not recognised by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) and hence not competent to issue such certificates.

“We sent out emails to all the 1,000 candidates saying that their certificates were ineligible/ not recognised by the SDAT and hence they were not entitled to be considered for recruitment under the sports quota,” a senior police official told The Hindu on Saturday.

“Their candidature was brought under the General or Reserved Category as applicable. Of the 1,000, about 200 candidates, whose cut-off marks fell within the range set for reserved categories, became eligible for appointment. As many as 800 others became ineligible, ” he added.

Parrying questions on whether one sports association or centre had issued the certificates, a senior police official in the Police Headquarters said a special team was analysing the veracity of the certificates and the antecedents of the issuing associations.

Tamil Nadu: Tambaram station may turn into a private train hub

TNN | Feb 8, 2020, 10.59 AM IST

CHENNAI: In the railway's plan to allow private operators to run trains on particular cluster of routes, Tambaram features as an important terminal station, upstaging the landlocked and saturated Dr MGR Central and Chennai Egmore station.

The draft documents put out in public domain show that in the indicative cluster for trains from Chennai, it has been proposed to run a train from Tambaram to Madurai, another from Tambaram to Bengaluru's third terminal, a train from Tirunelveli to Tambaram, another train from Tambaram to Tiruchirapalli and another service from Kanyakumari to Tambaram.

Southern Railway sources said that the proposal has undergone further iterations and that the Tambaram to Bengaluru train has been dropped from the Chennai cluster.

Indian Railways has divided the 100 paths or railway routes where-in private players may be allowed to run trains into 10-12 clusters entailing 150 trains and an indicative investment of 22,500 crore. Chennai is one of them, according to the draft paper.

The operators would have rights to collect market-linked fares and ability to provide value added and differentiated customer service. The private players could also bring in their own trainsets.

Highly placed sources in Southern Railway confirmed that Tambaram is being looked at seriously as a terminal for all south bound trains from now on. "In cities like Mumbai, the terminal stations are located away from the city. Passengers travel to the terminals through EMU and catch the trains," a source said. The line from Tambaram to Madurai is completely doubled and electrified with doubling up to Kanyakumari also in the pipeline.

Tambaram has two pit lines and would get a few more.

If fast trains are started from Tambaram, travel to Madurai and Tiruchirapalli would come down with a possibility of running fast shuttle services by Railways, say sources. Currently the fastest train, Tejas Express, takes four hours from Egmore to Tiruchirapalli. From Tambaram, this would translate into a time of around three to 3.5 hours. Also many from southern districts live in Tambaram-Chengalpet belt and Tambaram would be easier for them to reach, say officials.

However, officials are wary of protests from residents in North Chennai who travel to southern districts. Passenger associations have been pushing for extending trains terminating at Egmore up to Royapuram, say officials.