No rang barse this year?: Coronavirus scare results in cancelled Holi events

TNN | Mar 6, 2020, 01.00 AM IST

No rang barse this year?: Coronavirus scare results in cancelled Holi events

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s official handle tweeted that “experts across the world have advised to reduce mass gatherings to avoid the spread of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Hence, this year I have decided not to participate in any Holi Milan programme.” Soon, several other political leaders also said that they are skipping Holi gatherings. Later, President Ram Nath Kovind’s office informed that the Rashtrapati Bhavan will not hold the traditional Holi gatherings as a precautionary measure. However, even before these announcements came, many people were already cancelling Holi parties and gatherings as a precaution against coronavirus. From large-scale events to smaller society gathering – the virus has impacted all Holi celebrations. Dilli Haat calls off Holi event, Holi Moo to refund tickets

Delhi Tourism’s annual Holi events, which were supposed to take place at Dilli Haat, INA, and Dilli Haat, Janakpuri, have been cancelled. A Delhi Tourism official tells us, “Our annual Holi event has been cancelled due to measures taken by the Delhi Government to contain the coronavirus outbreak.”

Several large-scale parties across NCR are organised for Holi, but this year, the coronavirus threat looms large over them. Holi Moo, which is organised in Asiad village in Hauz Khas, has been cancelled due to the same reason. Anshuman Gulati, Festival Director at Holi Moo, issued a statement that they’ve cancelled Holi celebrations due to coronavirus scare. He said in a statement, “We have decided not to go ahead with the festival this year. The safety and security of all our patrons is always a matter of paramount importance to us. For all those who have already purchased tickets to the festival, be rest assured, your transaction amount will be refunded within 10 working days.”

NCR RWAs cancel Holi Milan as residents fret over coronavirus

Following the sudden rise in coronavirus cases in NCR, many residential societies are cancelling their Holi events. In Delhi, URJA – United Residents Joint Action, the apex body of RWAs, has issued an advisory to all residents’ associations to not hold “public engagements” or Holi programmes.

Raja Puri, Secretary, N Block RWA GK-1, says, “We had organised Holi Milan in our society on March 10, but after the news of the party hosted by a coronavirus patient came out, we started getting calls from our society members asking to cancel the event. They don’t want to take a risk by participating in any public event, so we had to cancel it. People are not sending kids to schools if they don’t have exams, so celebrating Holi in a big event seems out of question.”

After Defence Colony residents wrote to the Defence Colony Club, asking to cancel their Holi celebrations, a meeting was organised and the Holi function was called off. Several other societies, including Malviya Nagar, GK-1, South Ex-II, Geetanjali Enclave also cancelled their Holi celebrations.

Ruby Makhija, RWA president, Navjiwan Vihar, says, “On Wednesday, we informed our society members with regret about our decision to cancel our annual Holi lunch. We’re aware that this year no gathering could be organised because of coronavirus. Safety comes first, and that’s why we’ve cancelled the celebrations. I have also written to all the RWAs to cancel their events as well. Rajiva Singh, president, Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Association, says, “A couple of societies in Noida and Gr Noida have informed us that they have cancelled Holi celebrations in their societies. In other societies, the celebrations are going to very different this year. For instance, there won’t be rain dances. While we have issued a health advisory to all societies, we have not issued an advisory to cancel Holi events yet. We’re monitoring the situation and we will take a decision within the next two-three days.”

SC defers hearing on plea over separate hangings

TNN | Mar 6, 2020, 04.59 AM IST

New Delhi: In view of the fresh warrant issued by a trial court to execute the death sentence of Nirbhaya case convicts on March 20, the Supreme Court on Thursday deferred hearing on the Centre’s plea to allow separate execution where there are more than one death row convict. The court posted the matter for March 23.

A bench of Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and A S Bopanna said it would examine whether separate execution could be allowed in cases where more than one person was convicted and awarded death sentence. It rejected the plea of Nirbhaya case convicts to grant them a hearing before March 20.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Delhi government, said the Nirbhaya case convicts had taken the judicial system for a ride and separate execution of sentence should be allowed.

“There is no anxiety on our part to hang somebody. Nobody likes this. Our anxiety is that credibility of the system is at stake,” Mehta said. He added that there may be a case tomorrow in which 10 or 20 people are convicted and they may again delay execution by moving separate forums at different times.

Mehta said there was no statutory provision, which said convicts had to be executed simultaneously. He urged the court to direct the Nirbhaya case convicts to file whatsoever they wanted in court before March 20. The bench did not pass any order on the issue and adjourned the case.

GRH dean directed to perform postmortem on accident victim

TNN | Mar 6, 2020, 04.30 AM IST

Madurai: Madras high court has directed doctors of the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) to perform postmortem on a person who succumbed to injuries in a road accident and hand over the body to his family members. The court said this after taking cognizance of the fact that the body was not handed over to the family as police officials did not give requisition for performing postmortem.

Justice G R Swaminathan passed the order while hearing a plea moved by the victim’s son, S Abilash, seeking for a direction to the Madurai city police officials to give requisition to the dean of GRH for performing postmortem and hand over his father’s body.

The judge observed that the petitioner’s father, Selvaraj, who was doing business at Bengaluru met with an accident on February 23 when he was riding his two-wheeler. He was admitted in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) and thereafter shifted to a private hospital.

He was discharged from the private hospital and admitted to the GRH on February 29. Selvaraj, who was in a comatose condition passed away on March 4 at 5pm and his body is kept in the mortuary.

The judge observed that the postmortem was not performed as the inspector of police of Madhichiyam police refused to give requisition stating that the accident did not take place within their jurisdiction. When the petitioner approached the jurisdictional police station at Karnataka, the inspector of police stated that the petitioner’s family did not lodge any complaint immediately after the accident took place and the death did not take place with their jurisdiction.

“The body of the petitioner’s father is still in mortuary. The petitioner and other members of his family are anxious to perform the final rites. I can understand the agony and pain of the petitioner’s family. This is not a matter in which one can adopt a technical approach as it appears to be a case of natural death,” observed the judge.

Taking cognizance of the submission by the petitioner’s counsel stating that no claim would be made against the police in Madurai in the future and the stand of the police, the judge directed the dean to make arrangements to conduct postmortem and hand over the body to the petitioner’s family on Thursday itself.

MD and MS admissions: Jipmer begins online registration

TNN | Mar 5, 2020, 05.59 PM IST

PUDUCHERRY: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) has begun online registration for admission to doctorate of medicine (MD), master of surgery (MS) and master of dental surgery (MDS) courses (June session) and post-doctoral fellowship (PDF) and post-doctoral certificate (PDC) courses (July session). The institute will close online registration for all courses at 5pm on April 9.

The institute will hold entrance examinations online to select candidates for admission into MD, MS, MDS, PDF and PDC courses on May 16.

The candidates appearing for MD, MS and MDS entrance examinations can download their hall tickets from Jipmer website www.jipmer.edu.in from 11am on April 28 to 8am on May 16 while the candidates appearing for PDF and PDC entrance examinations from 11am on April 29 to 8am on May 16.

The institute will publish the merit list of candidates on or before May 26. It will verify the certificates of the candidates who cleared MD, MS and MDS entrance examinations on June 10. It will hold the first counselling tentatively on June 11 and will announce the date of last counselling later.

The institute will verify the certificates of candidates, who cleared PDF and PDC entrance examinations, on June 9. It will complete all admission-related formalities for all the five courses by June 29 and issue admission letters on June 30. The courses will commence on July 1. The institute will close admissions into all five courses on August 31.

Jipmer offers MD courses in 19 specialities, including anesthesiology, anatomy, forensic medicine, nuclear medicine and radio diagnosis and MS courses in five specialities including obstetrics & gynaecology and orthopaedic surgery. It offers MDS courses in two disciplines - orthodontics & dentofacial orthopaedics and oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Jipmer offers PDF courses in eight disciplines, including cardiac electrophysiology and pacing and obstetric medicine, and PDC courses in 11 disciplines, including critical care (anesthesiology) and diabetology.

Top court awards family pension to second wife who took care of hubby
Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:06.03.2020

A five-year-old fight for family pension between two wives of a deceased Sikkim government servant ended with a surprising result in the Supreme Court, which validated the man’s second marriage during subsistence of his first marriage and entitled the second wife to receive family pension.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Naveen Sinha upheld the validity of the second marriage as the Hindu Marriage Act, 1956, was enforced in Sikkim only from May 1, 1989, two years after the government servant married for a second time. It also found that the man had exclusively nominated the second wife as the recipient of family pension as she took care of him during illness.

One Ram Chandra Nirola had married Tulsa Devi and had two children, who are adults now. During subsistence of the first marriage, Nirola married Radha on May 9, 1987, and had three children with her.

In 2008, he executed a settlement deed dividing moveable and immoveable properties between the two wives before his retirement on May 30, 2009. He died on April 13, 2015. The first wife wanted a share of the family pension but was denied. She moved the SC after losing her case in the high court.

Writing the judgment for the bench, Justice Sinha said, “The deceased was exclusively taken care of by Radha during his illness, including the expenditure incurred on his treatment. In view of the statutory rules, it is not possible to accept the argument that Radha was nominated only for purpose of receipt of family pension and per force was required to share it equally with Tulsa Devi.”

Full report on www.toi.in

85% seats in new med colleges will be for TN students: CM

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Namakkal:06.03.2020

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said 85% of seats in the 11 new government medical colleges will be given to students from TN, while the rest will be admitted under the all-India quota.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for a government medical college to be built at ₹338.76 crore at Nallipalayam in Namakkal on Thursday, the chief minister said, “Students from the state who clear Neet will also be eligible under all India quota.” All candidates have to clear Neet to be eligible to get into medical colleges. While 15% of seats are given to the Centre for admission under the all-India quota, admission for 85% seats takes place through single window counselling done by the state selection committee. These seats are given to students from TN.

On DMK chief M K Stalin’s comment that the new medical colleges would be of no use to students from the state as students from other states would enter these colleges by clearing Neet, EPS said Stalin was spreading wrong information.

The chief minister promised to construct a barrage across river Cauvery at the cost of ₹65 crore to tide over water crisis in Namakkal and Karur districts. Union minister for state for health and family welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey and deputy CM O Panneerselvam also participated in the function. The CM laid foundation stones for eight other projects, inaugurated a government arts and science college in Senthamangalam and a seven-storey building constructed at ₹155.80 crore on the government medical college hospital premises at Sanapiratti in Karur district.

‘Indian astronauts can fight space blues with yoga’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.03.2020

Yoga could be an integral part of the daily routine of the Indian astronaut who is sent into the space in the next two or three years, Indian Space Research Organization former chairman K Kasturirangan has said.

With India’s plans for human space mission — Gaganyaan — a new dimension needs to be created with respect to medical education that involves understanding and dealing with physiological and psychological effects on human beings in space and to adopt the necessary counter measure, he said to young doctors, nurses and paramedics at the 32nd annual convocation of the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University here. The convocation was declared open by the chancellor and TN governor Banwarilal Purohit.

The convocation was held on the university campus for the first time. Students, graduates, doctors, paramedics and professors attended the event.

Kasturirangan said in space human beings face micro-gravity conditions that affect flow of body fluids and body mass. Although the cardiovascular system adapts to the new environment, an astronaut in space experiences 3.2% of average bone loss after nearly 10 days of weightlessness, primarily through the excessive secretion of calcium and phosphorus in urine. The loss of calcium in urine may produce stones in the bladder which may cause severe pain. Counter measures include onboard exercise with treadmill and ergometer, he said. India’s spaceman Rakesh Sharma, he said, found benefits in yoga to beat the blues in space. “We need to create specialized courses as well as institutions to impart education with necessary simulation and training infrastructure for our future astronauts,” he said.

Kasturirangan gave away the degrees and awards to 724 students, including 328 medical, 84 dental, 58 AYUSH and 254 in allied health services. In addition 16,866 were given the degrees in absentia. The university will give away 130 endowment medals and cash awards to students. There are 62 endowment gold medals, 8 endowment silver medals and 60 university medals.

He urged young graduates to combine ancient Indian wisdom with modern science.

Earlier, BARC former chairman R Chidambaram spoke about artificial intelliegence in medicine. A match between debating campion Harish Natrajan and a female voice AI system nicknamed Ms Debater proved how the machine can never win against human without emotional intelligence.

“We have robotic surgery in India, but I don’t expect to see an independent doctor robot to emerge in the foreseeable future,” he said. He, however, said machines had a large role to play in the medical field.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit confers a degree on a student of MGR Medical University during the 32nd convocation here on Thursday as former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan looks on

Anna University moves up 24 places in QS rankings

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:06.03.2020

Anna University has moved 24 places to 373rd rank in engineering technology category in the QS World University Rankings.

It is the only state university to feature on this list, which features institutes such as IITs, IISc Bangalore and University of Delhi.

IIT Madras moved seven places to 88th rank in the same category and is the fourth best institute in engineering and technology category. IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kharagpur bagged the top three ranks at country level.

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), has been ranked in the bracket of 401-450 in the rankings and was holding placed 11th in engineering and technology category at all India level.

Anna University's research output has been rated as “very high”. The university secured more points for two indicators of its research output, including a score of 72.7 for H-index citation and 76.5 for citations per paper.

“Our score for citations per paper is equal to top IITs like IIT Madras and IIT-Guwahati. But we need improvement in academic reputation,” said M K Surappa, vicechancellor of Anna University.

Professors of the university said if it receives the Institute of Eminence (IoE) status, it could invest more on cutting-edge research in emerging areas and can improve its ranking in the coming years.

After shortlisting Anna University for IoE status, the MHRD has sought the letter of commitment from the state government in August last year. But, state government is yet to give its letter of commitment to give its share of funds for Anna University to attain eminence status. The university would receive up to ₹1,000 crore and more autonomy from MHRD.

If Anna University receives Institute of Eminence status, it could improve its rankings

WB starts talks on one ticket for bus, train, metro

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:06.03.2020

A common ticketing system for suburban trains, metro rail and buses in Chennai may finally take off.

On Thursday, World Bank initiated a meeting between officials of Southern Railway, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) and Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) to lay the groundwork for a common ticketing system.

A senior official said this was part of a plan to have a common card for all modes of transport in every major city in India. Along with this, the World Bank also wants a seamless connectivity between all modes of transport, with digital boards showing all timings. For instance, Dr MGR Chennai Central station should have timings of the next metro train leaving Chennai Central towards airport, Washermenpet and St Thomas Mount and the metro station should have timings for the next bus and suburban trains.

This development comes at a time when a similar plan under the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) floated by the Tamil Nadu government has not taken off.

Official sources who were present at the meeting said the preliminary focus was on collection of primary data of the type of passenger flow. “World Bank has asked us to collect data on how many commuters leave suburban trains and take buses and how many take metro. We have been asked to map this data on a real-time basis. However, we don’t have the resources to do this,” said a senior official who was part of the meeting.

Senior railway officials who have been part of unified ticketing discussion in the past said Southern Railway’s commercial wing has shown great interest in bringing out such a card for the past seven years. However, the finance department wants exact accounting procedures to be followed. For example, it has stated that money accrued by railways from a multi-modal passenger should be deposited in railways account on the same day; but other agencies have objected to it as the accrual will only come after a day or two.

“However, these are minor issues which can be resolved in this digital age very easily,” a railway official said.

4 Nirbhaya convicts may hang on Mar 20

Aamir.khan2@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:06.03.2020

A court on Thursday set March 20 as the date for executing the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case. The court noted that it has an obligation to set the date, and there was no legal bar.

The latest ruling follows three postponements of the hanging and adds a sense of finality in a sensational case in which the four had received the death sentence in 2013. “Death warrants issued by this court with respect to condemned convicts Mukesh, Pawan, Akshay and Vinay shall now be carried into effect by hanging the convicts by the neck until they are dead on March 20 at 5.30 am,” said additional sessions judge Dharmender Rana. Special prosecutor Irfan Ahmed, who had moved a plea seeking setting the date of hanging, told the court the convicts had exhausted all legal remedies.

Hearing on separate hanging on Mar 23

The SC on Thursday deferred to March 23 the hearing on the Centre’s plea to allow separate execution where there are more than one death row convicts. The apex court rejected the Nirbhaya convicts’ plea for a hearing before March 20.

‘No legal hurdle before judge Rana to set date of hanging’

Convict Pawan Gupta was the last convict in the case to exhaust the legal remedy of the President’s mercy. Rejection of his mercy plea brought an end to all judicial, Constitutional and administrative remedies to which a prisoner is entitled as a right before execution of death sentence.

Appearing for Pawan, Vinay and Akshay, advocate A P Singh said he would be meeting Pawan and then challenge the rejection of mercy plea. While he also wanted to meet Akshay to “discuss with him the future course of action”, he conceded that there was no legal obstacle before judge Rana to set the date of hanging. He also prayed that the jail authorities be directed to permit the convicts to meet their counsels.

When it was urged that Akshay be informed about the status of his second mercy petition, the court stated that the jail superintendent was duty-bound to do it. Judge Rana was of the view that the lawyers were at liberty to meet their clients as per the standard procedure of jail after complying with the formalities.

Zoho, Cognizant tell staff to work from home

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

06.03.2020

New Jersey-headquartered Cognizant on Thursday temporarily shut one of its Hyderabad offices and advised all employees there to work from home even as several other tech companies encouraged their staff across India to rely on remote working and telecommuting options wherever possible to maintain business continuity till the Covid-19 threat eases.

Hyderabad has already seen attendance in offices of multinational and Indian tech companies housed in Building 20 at Raheja Mindspace down 30% to 40%, sources said. Building 20 houses offices of companies like Facebook, Parexel and RealPage. Chennai-headquartered Zoho said it had adopted the work-from-home model as its “default” option for offices worldwide, though no member of its staff has tested positive for Covid-19 yet.

“Our employees are encouraged to come to the office only when absolutely essential. We will continue this policy until the virus threat passes,” Zoho’s founder and CEO Sridhar Vembu tweeted.

In Mumbai, Tata Communications issued a statement on how the company’s flexible working policies and a variety of unified collaboration technologies were helping employees stay safe in their homes.

Sikkim bars entry of foreigners

To insulate itself from Covid-19, Sikkhim has banned entry of foreigners, leading to concern among tour operators and hoteliers in Darjeeling that bookings would be cancelled. A ban has been issued for permits to visit Nathu La that borders China.

India-EU summit in Brussels deferred

India and the EU postponed a bilateral summit scheduled for March 13 in Brussels after health authorities advised against travelling, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said on Thursday.PM Modi was scheduled to attend the summit. P12

27% of companies have no risk mitigation plan, says survey

VP (unified communications & collaboration product management) Peter Quinlan said, “While we have introduced certain travel restrictions in the current scenario, employees have taken this in their stride since collaboration with remote colleagues was already the norm, and our teams are quite comfortable leveraging chat, voice, video and collaboration tools to get their jobs done.”

On Wednesday, Paytm had advised its employees to work from home after an employee in Gurgaon tested positive for the virus.

Tech Mahindra, too, has asked employees to rely on technologies like tele-presence and videoconferencing to fulfil their responsibilities without putting health at risk.

Godrej group has suspended all business-related international travel, moved meetings that can’t be postponed to videoconferencing and created a taskforce comprising senior employees to closely monitor the situation. A survey by HR consulting firm Mercer has revealed that around 27% of companies do not have a business continuity plan in place for risk mitigation during global emergencies. Nearly 24% are currently in the midst of drafting one.

Sikkim bars entry of foreigners over virus fear

Darjeeling/Kolkata: Sikkim has decided to ban entry of foreigners to insulate itself from the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), leading to widespread fears among tour operators and hoteliers in Darjeeling that bookings would be cancelled. A blanket ban has been issued for permits to visit Nathu La that borders China.

“Darjeeling and Sikkim are inter-linked tourist destinations. Overseas tourists usually spend four-and-a-half days in Sikkim and two-and-a-half days in Darjeeling. Now that they will not be able to travel to Sikkim, they are likely to cancel the Darjeeling leg of their trips and go elsewhere for week-long holidays,” said Amit Periwal, proprietor of Clubside Tours & Travel, who spent most of Thursday, informing his clients in the US and Europe about the development. TNN

30 corona cases confirmed, 23 more positive in first test

Gzb Man Who Visited Iran Infected

DurgeshNandan.Jha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:06.03.2020

A 57-year-old man from Ghaziabad with a recent travel history to Iran has become the 30th person to be confirmed positive for Covid-19 in India.

The number of cases is likely to rise sharply as health authorities await the results of re-confirmation tests on 23 more people whose initial tests have shown the presence of the virus.

The Ghaziabad man has been quarantined at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital. His wife and son have been put in an isolation ward of MMG District Hospital in Ghaziabad. Besides, local authorities said, they have also advised three of his employees to remain in home isolation. Samples taken from the 23 individuals have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for final confirmation. “Many of them are likely to test positive and may require isolation too,” said a source.

The health ministry said, in addition to Covid-19 cases related to travel, some cases of community transmission are beginning to be observed, indicating that the virus may be spreading undetected in local communities.

Therefore, the ministry said in a statement that states have been asked to form rapid response teams at the district, block and villages levels.

The novel coronavirus infection has so far killed more than 3,300 people globally and infected nearly 96,000.

Rapid response teams in Delhi and NCR, where a majority of Covid-19 patients are under quarantine at present, have been actively tracing everyone who may have come in contact with the infected individuals and are testing them for the virus.

Hosps under pressure as more people come in for Covid-19 tests

Across India, 3,452 samples have been sent for testing of which 29 (the Ghaziabad resident was declared as a positive case later) have been found to be positive for Covid-19 till now, the health ministry said in a statement on Thursday. “Testing of 92 samples is in process and 23 samples are being reconfirmed,” it added.

In some relief for Telangana, blood samples of two persons from the state which were sent to the NIV have tested negative.

“All new Covid-91 patients are stable,” Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said. The 30 cases recorded so far include 16 Italian tourists from a single group.

The list also includes the first three cases in the country from Kerala last month. All three have been discharged following recovery.

On Thursday, around 150 persons turned up for Covid-19 test at RML hospital, the only centre equipped to take samples for the virus in Delhi-NCR. Most of them had come in contact with the infected persons. A 26-yearold Paytm employee, a resident of Janakpuri in west Delhi, was confirmed positive on Wednesday. His wife, who works in an American asset management company in CyberHub, Gurgaon, has been quarantined at her home. The Gurgaon district administration has screened 91 Paytm employees working on the same floor as the patient. Of these, 71 live in Gurgaon, 18 in Delhi, one each in Faridabad and Noida, sources said.

More than 405 persons who travelled to countries affected by Covid-19 recently are under watch in Noida. The authorities said they are being sent to RML for testing.

“We are under a lot of pressure because the number of persons coming for tests has increased manifold, with more confirmed cases being identified and an increased need to test anyone who has come in their contact,” said a doctor at the central government-run hospital.

Government sources said sample testing facility has been started at 31 new places across the country, in addition to the 51 existing facilities. With this, the pressure on hospitals such as Safdarjung is likely to ease soon.

Father’s Pensionary benefits not exempt from Attachment towards Payment of maintenance to children 

February 4, 2020   0  2149



The Kerala High Court has held that a father’s pensionary benefits are not immune from attachment towards payment of maintenance to children.

A Division Bench of Justice K.Harilal and Justice C.S. Dias was considering the question whether the father’s pensionary benefits are exempted from being disbursed towards arrears of maintenance payable to his children.

This was in an Original Petition filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, challenging the orders of an Execution Court which directed KSRTC – petitioner’s employer- to deposit the maintenance arrears in the Court, and permitted his children to withrdraw the same.

The petitioner raised the contention that pension is immune from seizure/attachment under Section 11 of Pensions Act and Section 60 (1) (g) of the Code of Civil Procedure.

The court said that since the petitioner is a retired employee of the KSRTC, it is KSR-Part III which is applicable for disbursement of pension and not Section 11 of the Pensions Act. As per Rule 124 of the KSR, pension is not liable to seizure/attachment at the instance of a creditor for any demands against the pensioner.

However, the Court said that the claim of wife and children for maintenance cannot be regarded as a debt and they cannot be treated as creditors.

This conclusion was arrived at on the basis of definitions of ‘creditor’ and ‘alimony’ given in Halsbury’s Laws of England, Stroud’s Judicial Dictionary, and several judicial precedents such as Chaturbhuj v. Sita Bai, Ramesh Chander Kaushal v. Veena Kaushal & Ors.

On this basis, the judgment authored by Justice C S Dias observed :

“In light of the definition of the word “creditor”, and that payment of alimony is not a debt or liability and that it is not one founded on a contract, express or implied, but is a legal means of enforcement of the obligation of the husband and father to maintain his wife and children, we hold that the respondents 2 and 3 cannot be branded or labeled as “creditors” of the petitioner. The liability of the petitioner to maintain his children is statutory and sacrosanct falling within the sweep of Art.15 (3) and Art.39 of the Constitution of India, as observed in Ramesh Chander Kaushal (supra)”.

“If wives and children are treated as creditors falling within the exemption to Rule 124 of the Rules, it will render laws relating to payment of maintenance redundant. Such a suppressive interpretation cannot be permitted”, the Court said.

In this regard, the judgment also noted that Section 39 of the Transfer of Property Act gives a person who has the right to receive maintenance a charge over the property belonging to the person bound to maintain such person.

The court also examined Section 60 (1) (g) of the CPC where the court observed that the legislature has knowingly included the words “family pension fund” under the said section.

“Therefore,it is held that wife and children do not fall within the fold of the exemption to Section 60 (1) of the Code, as family pension fund that is payable to the family/dependents of the pensioner is exempted from attachment only by a person falling outside the purview of family”, the Court observed on this aspect.

The Court also observed that the liability of the husband/father to maintain his wife/children is statutory as well as Constitutional, falling within the sweep of Art 15(3) and Art. 39 of the Constitution of India. While dismissing the petition the court said that the children have charge over the properties of the father and their right to be maintained by the father (petitioner) overrides all such exemptions in the law.

Medical college hospital at Omandurar estate becomes fully functional

After a long wait, the Government Medical College Hospital in Omandurar Government Estate has moved into the same campus from the temporary one in Triplicane.

Published: 05th March 2020 06:48 AM 

A ward at the new Government Medical College Hospital in Omandurar Government Estate | R Satish Babu

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI: After a long wait, the Government Medical College Hospital in Omandurar Government Estate has moved into the same campus from the temporary one in Triplicane. The facility was officially inaugurated by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in 2015, along with the Multi Super Speciality Hospital. The hospital had been functioning from Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children (KGH) campus in Triplicane due to the construction works at the estate. The medical college attached to hospital, is the first government medical college in Chennai district inaugurated after the British colonial era.

The officials started shifting the departments from KGH by the end of January. Some of the main departments in the hospital are medical, surgical, dermatology, ENT, dental, anaesthesia, emergency and casualty. “Obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics are the only departments still operating from KGH,” a senior doctor said. According to the officials, the hospital is receiving 1,200-1,400 out-patients on an average daily, and the in-patient strength ranges between 450-530.

“After being shifted to the Omandurar Estate campus, number of out-patients have increased. In the old campus we used to see around 80-90 patients in one department. Now, the count has increased to around 120. We are getting patients from both Multi Super Speciality Hospital and KGH,” a doctor in the hospital said. The hospital also has a separate building for Yoga and Naturopathy department and is providing out-patient service from 8-12 pm daily. The department is also providing services including mud therapy and hydrotherapy. Apart from these the diabetic patients are also given yoga training free of cost.

The new medical college hospital is functioning from ‘B’ Block. It has seven tower buildings. The hospital is functioning from tower first, second and third buildings. The medical college is functioning from fourth and fifth buildings. Sixth and seventh houses women’s and men’s hostel, along with faculty quarters.

Patient count

According to the officials, the hospital is receiving 1,200-1,400 out-patients on an average daily, and the in-patient strength ranges between 450-530.

Beware of COVID-19, say doctors

05/03/2020 , Staff Reporter, MADURAI 

With fresh cases of COVID-19 emerging in India and the total count of patients going up to 28 as on Wednesday, doctors advise people to be cautious.

COVID-19, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). It is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

Symptoms

The WHO adds that common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

Meena Priyadarshini, ENT and Head and Neck Surgeon at Apollo Hospital, Madurai, says that COVID-19 spreads due to minute droplets when one sneezes or coughs.

“We must avoid unnecessarily touching articles and must definitely not keep touching different parts of face, particularly nose, mouth and eyes,” she says.

She adds that it is better to avoid being in contact with those who have fever or sneezing. Affected persons must wear masks to ensure they are not spreading the risk.

“If you are in doubt, visit a medical expert immediately. If they too think of the matter as a case of concern, they will refer you to the Government Hospital,” she says.

Dean, Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), J. Sangumani, says that one should definitely avoid travelling to countries abroad where there are reported cases of outbreak.

Others must wash their hands frequently and avoid crowded places.

He adds that those with symptoms can voluntarily come to the GRH for quarantine at the eight-bedded facility available.

Dr. Meena Priyadarshini adds that hand sanitizers with over 60% alcohol content can also be used to keep self hygienic.

Foundation laid for Krishnagiri medical college and hospital 

750-bed facility will come up by beginning of next year

05/03/2020 , Special Correspondent, KRISHNAGIRI

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami laying the foundation for a medical college in Krishnagiri.

A 750-bed medical college-cum-hospital will come up in the district by the beginning of next year. The foundation stone for the medical college was laid in Bolupalli by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Wednesday. The medical college is one of 11 such colleges sanctioned for the State by the Centre.

Mr. Palaniswami said the number of medical seats had gone up during the combined two terms of the AIADMK government in the State.

The medical college in Bolupalli will be spread over 25 acres and will be open for admissions from the next academic year with 120 seats, Mr. Palaniswami said.

Touting the achievements of his government, Mr. Palaniswami said the government was proposing an extension of the Bengaluru metro service up to Hosur. As of now, the service extends till Bommasandra in Bengaluru.

The Chief Minister also announced a combined drinking water scheme involving Thenpennai river.

Masks allowed during exams


05/03/2020 , Special Correspondent, NEW DELHI


Students appearing for their Class X and XII Board Examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education will be allowed to carry face masks and hand sanitizers into the examination hall to contain the spread of the COVID-19 infection, said a notification. The examinations will conclude by March-end.

President rejects mercy plea of Nirbhaya convict 

 

Delhi govt. seeks fresh date for hanging 

05/03/2020 , Special Correspondent , New Delhi

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday rejected the mercy petition of Pawan Gupta, one of the four men on death row in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case.

Gupta was the last to file the mercy plea. The petitions of the other three convicts had been rejected earlier by the President.

Later, the Delhi government moved a city court seeking a fresh date for the execution of the four convicts.

According to the Delhi Prison Rules, a 14-day period has to be given to a death row convict after the dismissal of a clemency plea before the prisoner can be hanged. All the four men are to be hanged together.

The Delhi government told additional sessions judge Dharmendra Rana that “all legal remedies of the convicts have been exhausted”.

The judge then directed the convicts to file their response by Thursday even as the lawyer for the prosecution said no notice was required. While issuing the notice, the court said principles of natural justice are part of Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution.

The hanging of Mukesh Kumar Singh, 32, Vinay Sharma, 26, and Akshay Kumar Singh, 31, besides Gupta, 25, was scheduled for March 3. It was deferred for the third time in six weeks by the court on Monday.

11 surgical needles found on the lower body of boy in Telangana 

His aunt inserted them to kill him and grab his father’s land

05/03/2020 , Staff Reporter, Hyderabad

Eleven surgical needles were found on the lower body of a three-year-old child in Veepangandla village of Wanaparthy district in Telangana. When the boy’s parents noticed needles poking out of his back, they rushed him to a hospital, where doctors took an X-ray and found needles in his body, which were later removed.

Speaking to The Hindu, a senior police officer said the boy’s aunt Aliveluamma inserted the needles on his buttocks and thighs to kill him, with an ulterior motive of grabbing the 1.5-acre agricultural land belonging to the boy’s father.

“Initially, doctors of a private hospital managed to take out some needles, which could be seen protruding from his backside. Later, he was shifted to the government hospital in Wanaparthy, where doctors performed surgery and removed a few needles. They are yet to remove two more,” the officer said.

Police said the boy was unwell for the past five to six months, and every time he cried, the parents used to take him to a local hospital. But on Sunday, his mother found a needle poking out of his buttocks and rushed him to a private hospital.

The victim’s parents are farm labourers and whenever they go out for work, Aliveluamma used to take care of him.

“Our investigation revealed that Aliveluamma hatched a conspiracy to kill the boy so that she can grab the agricultural land of her brother,” police said.

Police are likely to arrest Aliveluamma on Thursday.

College officials told to work till 7 p.m. during House session

05/03/2020 , Special Correspondent, CHENNAI

The Directorate of College Education (DCE) has instructed college officials to remain in the college premises till 7 p.m. during the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly session in the coming days.

According to a circular issued by the DCE, the principals of government and aided institutions and regional joint directors would have to work till 7 p.m. as they would be required to provide details to the department as and when information is sought.

The director also instructed the officials to provide details in a clear format as soon as it is sought and not to take leave during the session.

According to some college officials, this is the first time such a circular has been issued. The Assembly will be in session to discuss the demand for grants for various departments from March 9 to April 9.

Varsity’s decision worries guest faculty 

Anna University’s Syndicate had resolved to retrench 135 persons

05/03/2020 , R. Sujatha, CHENNAI

A decision taken by Anna University’s Syndicate has worried the faculty and employees of constituent colleges.

Last month, the Syndicate resolved to retrench 135 persons employed in the constituent colleges as both faculty and administrative staff, without following the due process of appointment.

Over a period of time, the university had appointed these people as and when vacancies arose. Some of them were appointed as guest lecturers without following the rule of recruitment or roster. The appointees continued to function as guest faculty in their respective positions, the last decade.

On its part, the university has constituted five committees in the last decade to review the appointments and each committee has given its recommendations, all of which have remained just on paper. The appointees, fearing loss of jobs, have been filing petitions in the High Court. For the university, it has been an unending series of court cases.

The last Syndicate had taken a decision to retrench the appointees, and the affected persons have been seeking reprieve.

A senior faculty at the Anna University said that the recruitment of these people should be regularised since they had contributed to building institutions.

“During vice-chancellor Mannar Jawahar’s period, services of 98 contract lecturers in Chennai were regularised, although they were also appointed without any recruitment advertisement, selection committee or roster,” the faculty said, adding that since there was a precedent, the university could consider the same route this time as well.

Vice-chancellor M.K. Surappa said that the government would have to resolve the issue, as successive administrations had taken decisions on the appointments.

The university’s Syndicate, whose strength should be 15, presently has nine members, of whom five are bureaucrats. The five vacancies in the Syndicate have not been filled for over two years. The university’s representation is considerably weak, owing to these vacancies.

Mr. Surappa said that university representatives were sympathetic to the faculty, but the government thought otherwise. “

Delhi govt seeks fresh date for execution of 4 convicts in Nirbhaya case; court issues notice

PTI | Mar 4, 2020, 04.39 PM IST

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government moved a court here on Wednesday seeking fresh date for the execution of four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana directed the convicts to file their response by Thursday.

The Delhi government told the court that all legal remedies of the convicts have been exhausted and nothing survives now.

The lawyer for the prosecution said no notice was required.

While issuing the notice, the court said that principles of natural justice are part of Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution and the sacrosanct principle of "Audi alteram partem" (listen to the other side) cannot be ignored.

President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the mercy petition of Pawan Kumar Gupta, one of the four men facing the gallows in the case, a Home Ministry official said earlier in the day.

The court had on Monday deferred till further order the hanging the convicts that was scheduled for Tuesday.

The trial court had on February 17 issued a fresh date, March 3 at 6 am, for the execution of death warrants for the four convicts - Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) - in the case.

The execution of their death warrants has been deferred thrice so far due to delays by them in exhausting legal remedies. All the convicts in the case are to be hanged together.

The President has already rejected the mercy petitions of Mukesh, Vinay and Akshay.

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (fearless), was gang raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in South Delhi on December 16, 2012. She had died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar jail days after the trial began in the case.

The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.

Medical negligence case: Madras high court directs Ramanathapuram collector to take decision on interim compensation to woman

TNN | Mar 4, 2020, 04.58 PM IST

MADURAI: The Madras high court on Wednesday directed the Ramanathapuram district collector to examine the facts and take a decision on dispersal of a Rs 3lakh interim compensation in a medical negligence case where a broken needle was left in the body of a woman after childbirth in a primary health centre (PHC).

Justice C V Karthikeyan passed the interim order while hearing a plea moved by Ramya, 22, from Ramanathapuram district. The judge directed the collector to file a counter in this regard and adjourned the case to March 20.

In her petition, Ramya stated that she gave birth to a baby girl in Uchipuli PHC on November 19, 2019. It was a normal delivery. She stated that the delivery had been performed by nurses. The doctors were not present.

The woman said since she had suffered from a minor complication called episiotomy (surgical incision through vaginal wall during child birth) due to which she was bleeding even after she had been shifted to a ward.

She was referred to Government Hospital in Ramanathapuram where doctors asked her to take an x-ray. The x-ray showed a broken needle inside her body. She stated that the needle had been left inside her body by nurses after stitching her incision. Ther woman stated that she had been referred to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai where doctors removed the needle through a surgery on November 21.

Due to medical negligence in Uchipuli PHC, she was put to great hardship physically and mentally, according to her.

Hence, the petitioner moved the high court seeking a compensation. She also sought action against the staff of the PHC for their negligence.

Madras high court asks Tamil Nadu to ensure HR & CE staff are following Hindu religion as per law

TNN | Mar 4, 2020, 12.10 PM IST

CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Tuesday directed the state government to ensure that all officials including the commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board (HR & CE) undertake a pledge professing Hindu religion as mandated by law.

A division bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy passed the order on a plea moved by S Sridharan seeking to remove the commissioner and other officials of the department who failed to make such pledge as mandated under the HR & CE Act.

"It is not the fault on part of the officials in not making the pledge. There is nothing legal otherwise in functioning and the decision-making process. In such view of the matter we direct the authorities to see that all officers up to the cadre of commissioner are to be made to undergo the process of taking pledge a fresh within 8 weeks," the bench said.

Referring to the relevant provision in the Act, the bench said what is applicable to the lower grade employee will have to be made applicable to officials with more rigour. Secondly such a pledge is required at the time of appointment.

According to the petitioner, section 10 of the act mandates every officer to take such oath as a service condition and if they fail to do so they would be liable to be disqualified from service.

"As per the provisions every person appointed under the act shall sign a pledge in the prescribed format and shall take the pledge in the immediate presence of the executive officer or chairman, of the board of trustees of the religious institution before the presiding deity in the nearest temple," the petitioner said.

Virus scare: Saudi halts pilgrimages to Mecca, Iran cancels Friday prayers

Italy Toll 107, All Schools Shut

Bangkok:05.03.2020

Saudi Arabia banned citizens from performing the Muslim pilgrimage in Mecca, Italy ordered schools to close nationwide and Iran cancelled Friday prayers for a second week as nations scrambled on Wednesday to control the coronavirus outbreak.

From religion to sports, countries were taking drastic and increasingly visible measures to curb the new coronavirus that first emerged in China and was spreading quickly through Europe, the Mideast and the Americas. In the US, frustration mounted over US officials’ delays and missteps in testing people for the virus.

Deaths spiked in Iran and Italy, which along with South Korea account for 80% of the new virus cases outside China, according to the World Health Organization. In all, more than 94,000 people have contracted the virus worldwide, with more than 3,200 deaths.

“People are afraid and uncertain. Fear is a natural human response to any threat,'' said WHO leader Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But as we get more data, we are understanding this virus and the disease it causes more and more.” WHO said about 3.4% of people infected with the Covid-19 virus globally have died, making it deadlier than the common flu.

In Daegu, the South Korean city at the center of that country’s outbreak, a shortage of hospital space meant about 2,300 patients were being cared for in other facilities while they awaited a hospital bed. South Korea reported 435 new infections on Wednesday, far smaller than its high of 851 a day earlier. A total of 5,621 people in S Korea have contracted the virus and 32 have died.

Italy’s virus deaths rose to 107, the most of any country outside of China. Its outbreak has been concentrated in the northern region of Lombardy, but fears over how the virus is spreading inside and outside the country prompted the government to order all schools to close nationwide till March15.

Iran reported 92 deaths among its 2,922 confirmed cases. The country on Wednesday cancelled Friday prayers for the second week in a row.

The UN health chief has warned sharply against hoarding medical supplies, saying they are needed to protect health care workers. Accordingly, the Czech Republic, Russia and Germany announced bans on exporting protective gear like masks. That followed a similar move by France, where major hospitals have seen their masks stolen by the boxful.

In the US, more than 120 cases have been reported. Nine people have died, all in and around Seattle, Washington.

China reported 119 new cases on Wednesday, all but five in the outbreak’s epicenter of Wuhan. Beijing’s health commissioner said two new cases in the Chinese capital were apparently infected abroad, in Iran and Italy. AP

LOUVRE BANS CASH OVER VIRUS FEARS: The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened on Wednesday after staff ended coronavirus walkout. The museum has shifted to card-only payments as part of new measures that helped persuade employees worried about getting sick to return to work. WHO has urged people to avoid using banknotes, fearing they could be vectors of disease

HC throws out plea over mental health

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

05.03.2020

New Delhi: Delhi high court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the national human rights commission (NHRC) to intervene and enquire into the mental and physical state of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya case.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar questioned why the petitioner didn’t approach NHRC first and disposed of the matter.

Advocate A Rajarajan in his plea claimed the four convicts Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur have been kept in solitary confinement under fear of death “on the whims and fancies” of the authorities and it can affect their mental stability.

The petition also referred to the allegations that the four were facing physical abuse in the prison, claiming that the authorities acted contrary to law by not initiating process to execute death sentence of the four convicts after the expiry of 30 days from the dismissal of their appeals by the Supreme Court in May 2017.

On January 7, death warrants were issued for the first time in the case to execute the four on January 22. But on January 17, the trial court changed the date of execution to February 1 after one of them — Singh — moved a mercy plea before the President. Later, on January 31 the trial court put on hold the execution after two more — Thakur and Sharma — moved mercy pleas.

தற்கொலை ஒரு சமூக அவலம்! | பலவீனமான மனநிலை குறித்த தலையங்கம்

By ஆசிரியர் | Published on : 03rd March 2020 08:39 AM 

உலகில் பிறந்த எந்த உயிரும் முடிந்தவரை தன்னைத்தானே அழித்துக்கொள்ளத் துணிவதில்லை. பலவீனமான மனநிலையும், சந்தா்ப்ப சூழலும், பிரச்னைகளிலிருந்து வெளியேறத் தெரியாத பரிதவிப்பும்தான் பலரையும் தற்கொலைக்குத் தூண்டுகின்றன. அதனால்தான் தற்கொலையை கிரிமினல் குற்றங்களின் பட்டியலில் இருந்து அகற்ற அரசு முடிவு செய்தது.

தேசிய குற்ற ஆவணக் காப்பகம் வெளியிட்டிருக்கும் அறிக்கையும் புள்ளிவிவரங்களும் மிகுந்த கவலையையும் வேதனையையும் அளிக்கின்றன. கடந்த சில ஆண்டுகளாகத் தற்கொலை செய்து கொள்வோரின் எண்ணிக்கை கடுமையாக உயரத் தொடங்கியிருப்பது கவலையளிக்கிறது. அண்மையில் வெளியிடப்பட்டிருக்கும் 2018-ஆம் ஆண்டுக்கான தேசிய குற்ற ஆவணக் காப்பக புள்ளிவிவரப்படி, அதிகாரபூா்வமாக 1,34,516 தற்கொலைகள் பதிவாகியிருக்கின்றன. இது 2017-ஆம் ஆண்டு எண்ணிக்கையைவிட 3.6% அதிகம். தற்கொலை நிகழ்வுகளில் ஏறத்தாழ பாதிக்கும் மேற்பட்ட மரணங்கள் பதிவாகாமல் மறைக்கப்படுகின்றன என்பதையும் நாம் கருத்தில் கொள்ளவேண்டும்.

பெரும்பாலான நிகழ்வுகளில் தனிப்பட்ட காரணங்கள்தான் தற்கொலைக்குக் காரணமாக இருக்கின்றன. சில சூழல்களில் தனிப்பட்ட பிரச்னைகளும், சம்பந்தப்படாத சமூக அல்லது பணியிடப் பிரச்னைகளும் இணைந்து தற்கொலைக்கு வழிகோலுகின்றன. எந்த ஒரு மனிதனும் தீவு அல்ல; சமுதாயத்தின் அழுத்தம் தனி மனிதா்களைப் பாதிக்கிறது. தற்கொலைகளின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரிப்பதற்கு அதுவும்கூட ஒரு காரணம்.

சமூக, அரசியல், பொருளாதாரப் பிரச்னைகள் பல சந்தா்ப்பங்களில் உயிரை மாய்த்துக்கொள்ள தனி நபா்களைத் தூண்டுகின்றன. உழைப்பு ரீதியான, பணியிட ரீதியான சுரண்டல்களும், வியாபாரத்தில் ஏற்படும் பின்னடைவுகளும், உடல் ரீதியான நோய் பாதிப்புகளும் பலரின் தற்கொலைக்குக் காரணமாகக் கூறப்படுகின்றன. அனைத்துக்கும் மேலாக ‘தனிமை’யும், காதல் நிராகரிப்பும், கல்வித் தோ்வுகளில் தோல்வியும், தனது உயிரை மாய்த்துக் கொள்ளும் நிலைக்கு சிலரைத் தள்ளிவிடுகிறது.

வெளியிடப்பட்டிருக்கும் புள்ளிவிவரப்படி, வேலையில்லாதவா்களும், சுயமாகத் தொழில் புரிவோரும் 1,34,516 தற்கொலை நிகழ்வுகளில் 26,085 தற்கொலைகளுக்குக் காரணமாகிறாா்கள். 2018-இல் 42,391 மகளிா் தங்களின் உயிரை மாய்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறாா்கள். அவா்களில் பாதிக்கும் மேற்பட்டோா் திருமணமாகி வேலைக்குச் செல்லாமல் குடும்பம் நடத்தும் தாய்மாா்கள்.

வேலையில்லாத காரணத்தால் தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்டோரின் எண்ணிக்கை 12,936. மொத்த எண்ணிக்கையில் அவா்கள் 9.6%. அதாவது, 2018-இல் ஒவ்வொரு 45 நிமிஷத்துக்கும் ஒரு வேலையில்லாத நபா் இந்தியாவில் தற்கொலை செய்துகொண்டிருக்கிறாா்.

தற்கொலை செய்துகொண்டவா்களில் 7.7% விவசாயிகள் அல்லது விவசாயக் கூலிகள். கடந்த 2017-ஆம் ஆண்டைவிட தற்கொலை செய்துகொண்ட விவசாயம் தொடா்பானவா்களின் எண்ணிக்கை சற்று குறைந்திருக்கிறது என்றாலும்கூட, உழவுத் தொழிலில் ஈடுபடுவோா் உயிரை மாய்த்துக்கொள்ளும் அவலம் சகிக்க முடியாதது.

ஒவ்வொரு தற்கொலையும் தனிப்பட்ட அவலம் என்றாலும்கூட, அதனால் குடும்ப உறவுகளும் சமுதாயமும் நிச்சயமாகப் பாதிக்கப்படுகின்றன. தங்களுடன் வாழ்ந்த ஒருவரை சரியாகப் புரிந்துகொள்ளாமலோ, தக்க தருணத்தில் உதவாமலோ அவா் தன்னை அழித்துக் கொள்வதற்கு காரணமாகி விட்டோம் என்கிற குற்ற உணா்வு அனைவரையும் பாதிக்கவே செய்யும். ஒருவகையில் தற்கொலை நிகழ்ந்த குடும்பத்தினரின் வாழ்நாள் காலம் முழுவதும் அதன் ரணம் தொடரும்.

குடும்பத்தினா் மட்டுமல்ல, அரசும் சமூகமும் தனி மனிதா்கள் தங்கள் வாழ்வைத் துணிவுடன் எதிா்கொள்ளும் சூழலை உருவாக்காமல் இருப்பதும், தக்க சமயத்தில் மனச்சோா்வு அடைந்திருப்பவா்களை இனம் கண்டு அவா்களுக்கு தக்க ஆலோசனை வழங்காமல் இருப்பதும் தற்கொலைக்கான முக்கியக் காரணிகள் என்பதை நாம் உணர வேண்டும்.

பணியிடப் பிரச்னைகள், தனிமை, வசைபாடப்படல், வன்முறைக்கு உள்ளாகுதல், குடும்பப் பிரச்னைகள், மனநிலை பாதிப்பு, போதைப் பழக்கங்களுக்கு உள்ளாவது, பொருளாதார இழப்பு, உடல் உபாதைகளால் ஏற்படும் வேதனை, காதல் தோல்வி என்று தற்கொலைக்குப் பல காரணங்களை தேசிய குற்ற ஆவணக் காப்பக அறிக்கை பட்டியலிடுகிறது. தற்கொலை என்பது சமுதாயத்திற்கு தனி நபா் விடுக்கும் உதவிக்கான அபயக் குரல். அந்தக் குரலை சரியான நேரத்தில் செவிமடுத்தால் தற்கொலையைத் தடுத்துவிட முடியும்.

சமுதாய மாற்றங்கள் புதிய பல பிரச்னைகளை இளைஞா்கள் மத்தியில் ஏற்படுத்தியிருக்கின்றன. அளவுக்கு அதிகமான ஆசைகளை அவா்கள் வளா்த்துக்கொள்ள ஊக்குவிக்கப்படுகின்றனா். தங்களது தகுதிக்கும் திறமைக்கும் அதிகமாகத் தன்னைத்தானே கருதிக்கொள்ளும் போக்கு, எதிா்பாா்த்த வெற்றியோ, பதவியோ கிடைக்காமல் போகும்போது விரக்தியின் விளிம்புக்கு அவா்களை இட்டுச் சென்று உயிரை மாய்த்துக்கொள்ளும் நிலைக்குத் தள்ளிவிடுகிறது.

வேலையில்லாத இளைஞா்களின் அதிக அளவிலான தற்கொலைகள் பொருளாதாரப் பின்னடைவின் அடையாளங்கள். இந்தியாவின் அனைத்துப் பகுதிகளிலும் போதிய அளவிலான மனநல மருத்துவா்கள் இல்லாமல் இருப்பதும் இன்னொரு காரணம். அரசிடம் அதற்குப் போதிய நிதியாதாரம் இல்லை என்பதும், வசதிகள் இல்லை என்பதும் ஏற்புடைய பதில்கள் அல்ல.

ஒவ்வொரு தனிமனிதனும் பாதுகாப்பாக வாழவும், உயிரை மாய்த்துக் கொள்வதைவிட உழைத்து வாழவும் தேவையான சூழலை அரசும், சமுதாயமும் உருவாக்குவதுதான் இதற்குத் தீா்வு!

அரசு மருத்துவ கல்லுாரி கட்டுமானம்

Added : மார் 03, 2020 23:44

சென்னை : அரசு நிதி ஒதுக்கீடு செய்யாததால், கள்ளக்குறிச்சி மற்றும் அரியலுாரில், புதிய மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகள் மற்றும் மருத்துவமனைகள் கட்டும் பணி தாமதமாகி உள்ளது.

திருப்பூர், நீலகிரி, ராமநாதபுரம், நாமக்கல், திண்டுக்கல், விருதுநகர், கிருஷ்ணகிரி, நாகப்பட்டினம், திருவள்ளூர் ஆகிய, ஒன்பது மாவட்டங்களில், அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகள் மற்றும் மருத்துவமனைகள் அமைப்பதற்கு, மத்திய அரசு, 2019 இறுதியில், அனுமதி வழங்கியது. மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகள் மற்றும் மருத்துவமனைகள் கட்டுமான பணிகள், தலா, 325 கோடி ரூபாய் செலவில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட உள்ளன. இதில், மத்திய அரசின் பங்களிப்பாக, ஒவ்வொரு பணிக்கும், 195 கோடி ரூபாய் கிடைத்துள்ளது.

மாநில அரசு, ஒவ்வொரு பணிக்கும் முதற்கட்டமாக, 100 கோடி ரூபாயை ஒதுக்கீடு செய்துள்ளது. இதையடுத்து, இந்த மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரிகள் மற்றும் மருத்துவமனைகள் கட்டுமானத்திற்கான, அடிக்கல் நாட்டு விழா துவங்கியுள்ளது. இதேபோல, வளர்ச்சியில் மிகவும் பின்தங்கிய, கள்ளக்குறிச்சி மற்றும் அரியலுார் மாவட்டங்களுக்கும், அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரி மற்றும் மருத்துவமனை அமைக்க, மத்திய அரசு, ஜன., மாத இறுதியில் ஒப்புதல் வழங்கியுள்ளது.

மத்திய அரசின் நிதி பங்களிப்பும் உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஆனால், மாநில அரசு, நிதி ஒதுக்கி உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்கவில்லை. நிலம் மட்டும் தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ள நிலையில், கட்டுமான பணிகளை துவங்க முடியாமல், பொதுப்பணித் துறையினர் தவித்து வருகின்றனர்.

ஐ.ஏ.எஸ்., அதிகாரிகள் மாற்றம் Added : மார் 03, 2020 23:38

திருமலையில் தெப்போற்சவம்; ஆர்ஜித சேவைகள் ரத்து

Added : மார் 04, 2020 01:38

திருப்பதி : திருமலையில், நாளை முதல் வருடாந்திர தெப்போற்சவம் நடக்க உள்ளதை முன்னிட்டு, பல ஆர்ஜித சேவைகளை, தேவஸ்தானம் ரத்து செய்துள்ளது.

திருமலையில் உள்ள ஸ்ரீவாரி திருக்குளத்தில், ஆண்டு தோறும், மாசி மாத பவுர்ணமியை ஒட்டி, வருடாந்திர தெப்போற்சவத்தை தேவஸ்தானம் நடத்தி வருகிறது. அதன்படி, நாளை முதல், 9ம் தேதி வரை, திருமலையில் வருடாந்திர தெப்போற்சவம் நடக்க உள்ளது. இதை முன்னிட்டு, நாளை, நாளை மறுநாள் வசந்தோற்சவம், சகஸ்ரதீப அலங்கார சேவை; வரும், 7, 8, 9ம் தேதிகளில், ஆர்ஜித பிரம்மோற்சவம், வசந்தோற்சவம், சகஸ்ரதீப அலங்கரா சேவை உள்ளிட்ட ஆர்ஜித சேவைகளை, தேவஸ்தானம் ரத்து செய்துள்ளது. மேலும் 9ம் தேதி, பவுர்ணமி அன்று நடைபெறும் கருடசேவையையும் தேவஸ்தானம் ரத்து செய்துள்ளது.

தொடர் விடுமுறை வங்கிகளுக்கு இல்லை

Updated : மார் 04, 2020 00:07 | Added : மார் 04, 2020 00:04 

சென்னை: 'நாடு முழுவதும் நடைபெற இருந்த, வங்கி ஊழியர்கள் வேலைநிறுத்தம் வாபஸ் பெறப்பட்டதால், அடுத்த வாரம், வங்கிகள் செயல்படும்' என, வங்கி அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

ஊதிய உயர்வு, ஐந்து நாட்கள் வேலை உட்பட, 12 அம்ச கோரிக்கைகளை வலியுறுத்தி, ஜன., 31 மற்றும் பிப்., 1ம் தேதிகளில், நாடு முழுவதும் வங்கி ஊழியர்கள் வேலை நிறுத்தத்தில் ஈடுபட்டனர். அதையடுத்து, மார்ச், 11 முதல், 13 வரை, மூன்று நாள் வேலைநிறுத்தம் நடைபெறும் என்றும், அப்போது அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது.

இந்நிலையில், மத்திய அரசுடன், வங்கி ஊழியர்கள் மற்றும் அதிகாரிகள் சங்கங்கள், தொடர்ந்து பேச்சு நடத்தி வந்தன. பேச்சில் முன்னேற்றம் ஏற்பட்டதையடுத்து, மூன்று நாள் வேலைநிறுத்தம் வாபஸ் பெறப்பட்டது. இதனால், வங்கிகளுக்கு தொடர் விடுமுறை இல்லை.

இதுகுறித்து, வங்கி அதிகாரிகள் கூறியதாவது: ஊதிய உயர்வு உட்பட, பல்வேறு கோரிக்கைகளை வலியுறுத்தி, வரும், 11, 12 மற்றும், 13ம் தேதிகளில், நாடு தழுவிய அளவில் வேலைநிறுத்தம் நடைபெற இருந்தது. வரும், 10ம் தேதி, ஹோலி பண்டிகை விடுமுறை என்பதால், அதைத் தொடர்ந்து வேலை நிறுத்தத்தில் ஈடுபட முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டது. வரும், 14, 15ம் தேதிகள், அரசு விடுமுறை என்பதால், வங்கிகள் தொடர்ந்து இயங்காது என்ற, நிலை ஏற்பட்டது.

ஆனால், இரு தரப்பு பேச்சில் முன்னேற்றம் ஏற்பட்டதால், வேலைநிறுத்தம் திரும்ப பெறப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால், வங்கிகள் வழக்கம் போல் செயல்படும். ஹோலி பண்டிகை கொண்டாடப்படும் மாநிலங்களில் மட்டும், வரும், 10ல், வங்கிகளுக்கு விடுமுறை. இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

CBSE issues advisory against non-affiliated schools, alerts parents

After several schools faked their affiliation with CBSE or advertised falsely, the CBSE has issued an advisory for parents against falling prey to these fraudulent institutions.

Published: 04th March 2020 06:50 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: After several schools faked their affiliation with CBSE or advertised falsely, the CBSE has issued an advisory for parents against falling prey to these fraudulent institutions. The board said it has been receiving several complaints about schools falsely advertising with phrases ‘to be affiliated with CBSE’, ‘CBSE pattern’, ‘likely to be affiliated with CBSE’ and ‘under reigns of CBSE’. 

“It has come to the notice of the board that some of the non-affiliated schools, whose application is either under process or rejected or have not applied for affiliation are misleading parents by displaying boards at schools, prominent locations and website,” an advisory said. According to clause 14.2.2 of Affiliation Bye-Laws of CBSE, the board does not allow non-affiliated schools to present candidates to public examination. 

It is interesting to note that some schools, which may have affiliation, run branches that are not affiliated to CBSE. However, they continue to charge on par with CBSE standards. Last year, one such school was identified by the board at Irungattukottai near Sriperumbudur. The branch had classes 1 to 8 and then students were transferred to the main school in class 9, to enable them write the public exams. The board has asked parents who wish to enrol their wards in CBSE-affiliated schools to log on to www.cbseaff.nic.in and check affiliation status and can also contact regional directorate of the board, for clarification.

Schools with poor enrolment can run Tamil medium

Chennai: Government schools that have both English and Tamil mediums can switch to Tamil medium, if the school has poor enrolment, the government has said. Responding to a question from an elementary school headmaster, the CM’s Cell had recently said that if there were no takers for English medium, the school can continue to function in Tamil medium alone.