Tejas Express halts after demand drops off

Tejas Express halts after demand drops off

Himanshu.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad: 20.11.2020

The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a public sector undertaking of the Ministry of Railways, has decided to cancel the operation of Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express from November  24.

The train was cancelled as the number of passengers opting for Tejas was very less. Not just Tejas, but the traffic towards Mumbai was minimal. The railways officials said that even for the train leaving in the morning at 6.40 am from Ahmedabad there were 318 seats available, while the same for Saturday had 252 seats.

“The occupancy in the train was even less than 30% from Ahmedabad, while from Mumbai it was around 35%. Tejas Express had resumed operations from October 17 after a seven-month gap due to the Covid-19 lockdown imposed in March,” said a railway official.

The officials said that the the situation would be reviewed after observing the occupancy in other trains that ran on the route. However, not just Tejas but the occupancy in other trains to Mumbai was at its minimal.

For example, in the Shatabdi Train from Friday there were 21 seats which were available, while the same train had over 500 seats available since Tuesday. The IRCTC reservation reveals that even for the double decker and Karnavati Express there was a scarcity in seat occupancy.

The officials said that usually these three trains are the first to be booked and there is a waiting list for nearly fortnight of the train leaving Ahmedabad for Mumbai. The officials said that situation was same for most of the trains heading for Mumbai.

“One could find people coming to Gujarat from Mumbai despite the festive season. However, there was no movement from Ahmedabad towards Mumbai. Earlier Tejas was getting passengers as Shatabdi was not operational, but now since the outbreak of Covid-19, there has been a decline in the passenger traffic,” informed the official.

Schools, colleges won’t reopen on Nov 23

Raging Covid Puts Govt On Back Foot

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:20.11.2020

The state government has decided to revoke its decision to reopen schools and colleges across the state starting November  23. The decision comes at a time when parents and school owners are pressing for their demand to delay reopening of schools till the Covid-19 crisis got under control.

Gujarat joins the list of many other states including Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan that had revoked similar decisions and shut down educational institutions after facing a rising number of Covid-19 cases in school students.

The government’s decision came late on Thursday evening after holding series of discussions with various stakeholders including college authorities and schools.

“I have decided to keep my earlier decision on hold regarding reopening of schools and colleges. They will not reopen on November 23 as announced earlier,” said Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, state education minister.

The decision has been taken keeping in view the rising number of Covid-19 cases and a second wave that is being anticipated shortly. The new date for reopening educational institutions in the state will be announced later on.

The owners of self-financed schools and the parents of school children urged the state government to reconsider the decision of physically reopening schools at a time when the state was witnessing a spike in Covid-19 cases.

The state government, in a cabinet meeting held last week, had decided to re-open schools and colleges across the state from November 23. They were shut down in March due to the pandemic, and they have remained closed ever since.

The colleges offering undergraduate courses were to remain physically shut for a little longer time till the first week of December despite the government decision for re-opening.

The reason for this being that the government has allowed re-opening only for the final year candidates.

“Presently, term-end exams are under way for the fifth and seventh semester students. They will end around December 7. Only then will the new semester for the last year students begin,” said an official close to the development.

“We want the government to hold their decision on reopening by at least a fortnight by when the picture will become much clearer,” said Bhasker Patel, president of Gujarat Rajya Shala Sanchalak Mahamandal. Jatin Bharad, vice-president of Self-Financed School Management Association, said that it would be better if the government waited a little longer and delayed the re-opening of schools at least by 10 to 15 days.

According to the SOP guidelines issued earlier, schools were to take consent letter from the parents before allowing their wards to attend physical classroom studies.

At least 40% parents to whom different school authorities have reached out to in urban centres are reluctant in sending their children to schools, according to Bhasker Patel.

In a recent letter to chief minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday, the All Gujarat Vali Mandal has pressed for their demand to keep schools closed for at least two months more or till a Covid-19 vaccine is made available in the market. The association had also called for a state wide shutdown of schools on November 23.

A worker sanitizes a classroom at a school in Ghatlodia on Thursday

Friends who learned how to rob online held for robberies

Friends who learned how to rob online held for robberies

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.11.2020

Two friends who came upon success stories of chain snatching on the internet and learned the trade through YouTube tutorials were arrested for a series of burglaries at Pattabiram.

The accused were Jenuson, 25, a Sri Lankan, and Pradeep, 26, of Padappai. Police said the duo were stopped during a vehicle check on Tuesday night and during questioning, police learned that the two were behind a series of robberies reported in Avadi and Tirunindravur and a few house break-ins as well. A two-wheeler and 15 sovereigns of gold jewellery were seized from them. “The two watched You-Tube videos on how to carry out burglaries and trained themselves to commite the crime,” a police officer said.

During questioning, police came to know that Jenuson was a Sri Lanka national. On information, Q branch police also reached the Pattabiram police station and conducted inquiries with Jenuson. Police said all of Jenuson’s were valid and he was handed over to the Pattabiram police. The friends were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Projectors worth over ₹15 lakh stolen from Anna University

Projectors worth over ₹15 lakh stolen from Anna University

20/11/2020

Special Correspondent CHENNAI

As many as 41 projectors worth more than ₹15 lakh were reportedly stolen from a classroom in Anna University.

The Kotturpuram police began investigation following a complaint from the management.

The police said the projectors went missing from a room in the C.V. Raman Science Park building.

During the lockdown, the building was used as a COVID-19 Care Centre for patients in isolation.

The projectors were removed and stored in a room when the building was handed over to the Corporation. The building was handed back to the Anna University administration in October.

On Tuesday evening, when Muthukumar, a junior civil engineer, opened the room where the projectors were stored away, he noticed that 41 devices were missing.

Based on a complaint from K. Gunasekaran, 55, who is an estate officer for the university, on Thursday, a case was registered and the matter was taken up for investigation.

DME creates panel to deal with ‘false’ nativity claims

DME creates panel to deal with ‘false’ nativity claims

It will look into complaints made by medical aspirants

20/11/2020

Special CorrespondentCHENNAI

The Directorate of Medical Education (DME) has created a five-member expert committee to look into complaints of “false nativity claims” made by aspirants to medical seats in the State.

The committee comprises Deputy Directors of Medical Education M. Selvaraj and G. Vimala Devi; P. Parasakthi, Director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Madras Medical College; K. Rajasekar, professor of Ophthalmology; P. Thirunavukkarasu, head, Physical Medicine; and V. Avudaiappan, Registrar, Tamil Nadu Homoeopathy Council.

Any disputes regarding nativity will be referred to the committee for scrutiny and the committee will give a decision that will be adopted as per the norms listed on the prospectus, said R. Narayana Babu, Director of Medical Education.

The DME said the committee had been constituted on Wednesday, the first day of counselling for medical and dental seats under the State quota.

Soon after the merit list for the State seats was released by the DME, complaints arose that Mohanaprabha Ravichandran, who had been ranked second, featured on the medical merit list in Kerala State.

Concerns were raised that she had claimed nativity in that State as well as in Tamil Nadu.

Another list

On Wednesday, as counselling began for seats reserved for government school students, another list of medical applicants emerged — this time a list of 34 candidates who had applied to colleges in Telangana as well as in Tamil Nadu.

Ms. Mohanaprabha’s father Ravichandran said his daughter had applied for self-financing and private medical colleges in Kerala under a scheme that permits other State candidates to apply. “We are natives of Namakkal and we have not forged nativity for applications in Kerala. We applied under the non-Keralite II scheme in Kerala, in which those who are not natives of the State can apply for seats in private and self-financed medical colleges, and would be considered if seats are not filled through counselling there,” Mr. Ravichandran told The Hindu.

Since his daughter had scored good marks in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), she had appeared for the all-India counselling. Ms. Mohanaprabha had secured All India Rank 62 and is placed second on the State merit list. In the merit list in Kerala, she is ranked fifth among the top 10 candidates. She has since been admitted to JIPMER.

Ever since NEET became the qualifying criteria for medical seats, certain kinds of malpractices have crept in. Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said the DME had put in place “checks and balances”, and candidates were expected to give a signed affidavit that all information provided by them was genuine. Malpractice would be attributed only if a student had claimed nativity in two different States as part of their MBBS application, he said.

(With inputs from Staff Reporter in Salem)

Gone in 2 hrs: Tainted Bihar education minister quits

Gone in 2 hrs: Tainted Bihar education minister quits

Madan.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Patna: 20.11.2020

Bihar’s newly appointed education minister Mewalal Choudhary, who is an accused in a recruitment scam during his tenure as vice chancellor of Bihar Agricultural University (BAU) from 2010 to 2015, resigned within two hours of assuming charge on Thursday, earning the unflattering distinction of being the shortest-serving minister in the state.

His resignation comes just three days after his induction in the cabinet triggered sustained criticism by the opposition led by Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s RJD, reminding CM Nitish Kumar of his “zero-tolerance policy” on corruption. Soon after Choudhary resigned, Tejashwi held Nitish responsible for appointing a tainted MLA in his cabinet. “Responsibility lies with you (Nitish). Why did you make him a minister?” he tweeted.

Mewalal-CM meeting lasted 30 min

Governor Phagu Chauhan accepted Choudhary’s resignation with immediate effect, and the building construction department minister Ashok Choudhary was given the additional charge of education.

Earlier in the day, Mewalal reached the new secretariat around 12.30pm and assumed charge of his ministry and held his first meeting with the department’s senior officers. “In the meantime, the minister received a call from the chief minister’s office. He was asked to rush to the CM house and meet Nitish Kumar. Within half an hour, we received information that the new minister has been asked to quit,” a senior official in the education department told TOI.

Stalin is ‘hero of statements’: EPS

Stalin is ‘hero of statements’: EPS

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Salem:20.11.2020

Terming DMK president M K Stalin as 'arikkai nayagan' (hero of statements), chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the opposition leader to stop levelling false allegations at AIADMK leaders and ministers. “Instead, Stalin should offer constructive criticisms and try to find a place at least as an opposition party,” EPS said at Vanavasi in Salem district on Thursday.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating several projects worth Rs 123 crore and laying the foundation stone for Rs 118 crore worth projects, EPS said Stalin was levelling false allegations everyday against the ruling party. TN was ahead in agriculture, education, health and industrial growth, EPS said, noting that Stalin was unable to digest this growth. Tamil Nadu had the highest number of students pursuing higher education in the country; paddy procurement from delta region this year has touched a record 32 lakh tonnes as against 23 lakh tonnes in the past; and the state had the highest GDP of 8%. “No other state has such high GDP. Even during the lockdown, industries have come to TN.TN is the only state to open more industries after March this year,” EPS said.

Due to concerted efforts of the state government Covid has also been controlled, said the CM.

Friends build a house for their schoolmate who lost home to Gaja

Friends build a house for their schoolmate who lost home to Gaja

Vincent.Arockiaraj@timesgroup.com

Pudukottai:20.11.2020

A group of friends built a house for a schoolmate, who lost his residence to cyclone Gaja. M Muthukumar, a 44-year-old truck driver of Machuvadi in Pudukottai, had been struggling due to the lockdown.

The 1984-92 batch of TELC Higher Secondary School mobilized ₹1.5 lakh for the project using a WhatsApp group. It was M Nagendran, a businessman, who set the project in motion.

Muthukumar, the sole breadwinner of a family of seven, has been staying in a partially damaged tent since the cyclone struck the area in 2018. “Had my friends not helped me, we could not have slept peacefully during the recent rain that lashed across the district,” Muthukumar told TOI. “Since my earnings were not even enough to feed my family, I could not even think about repairing the house. I thought of applying for a house under PMKisan scheme. But for that too, I should have some cash in my hand.”

Nagendran happened to meet Muthukumar in September and on noticing the damaged hut his friend stayed at, decided to construct a house for him “I left the place without telling anything, formed a WhatsApp group and managed to add 60 batchmates. I expressed my idea and all of them swung into action immediately. Within 50 days, we completed the asbestos house and handed it over to my friend’s family before Diwali,” Nagendran said.

No work, full pay: Union accuses MTC of favouring AIADMK men

No work, full pay: Union accuses MTC of favouring AIADMK men

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:20.11.2020

Pay without work is what the city’s bus service, Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), is accused of giving its drivers affiliated to the ruling AIADMK.

On Wednesday, MTC workers belonging to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest over this at Iyyappanthangal bus depot. MTC authorities denied these allegations, attributing them to inter-union rivalry. But documents submitted by the CITU union to buttress their charge tell another story.

The documents included payment receipts printed by higher-ups at the depots based on transport return (TR) documents filled manually by bus conductors at the end of every trip. These TR documents show the number of tickets sold and have a column for the driver’s name.

“We had accessed documents pertaining to bus trips made in the fourth week of January and first week of February. On four different occasions, AIADMK drivers were paid over ₹1,200 as salary even when they did not turn up for work,” said Dayanand from CITU, who led the protest on Wednesday.

For instance, in one case, Thangeswaran, a driver at Iyappanthagal worked on full shift, driving a small bus route number S21 (Porur-Ramapuram) for eight hours. The TR sheets had his name but the payment receipts had the name of another driver named Sivakumar.

In another case, payment receipts showed that driver Saravanan drove an MTC bus along 166 route (Iyyapanthagal-Tambaram), but the TR sheets showed a different name.

After Thangeswaran complained, he was transferred to Aynavaram. His transfer was later put on hold following opposition from workers.

“After this complaint, MTC refused to share documents with us. Four violations in two weeks at one branch indicate that this could be rampant across the city leading to losses in crores. MTC is already facing huge losses due to reduced patronage and Covid-19 travel restrictions. Such corruption amid this will make things worse,” Dayanand added.

In response, Anbarasu, MTC Branch Manager at Iyyapanthangal, said, “The transfers were made three months ago when Thangeswaran tried to physically attack the former branch manager Muthu. Transport unions are trying to cover it up by playing the corruption card. There was no chance for any violation”

HC to AICTE: Can pvt college teachers have min wages?

HC to AICTE: Can pvt college teachers have min wages?

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.11.2020

A Trichy-based activist has moved the Madras high court for a direction to Tamil Nadu government to disburse salaries of private school, college teachers from the state treasury.

Petitioner K M Karthik also wanted the court to reduce the fee structures of private schools and colleges as much as possible after a detailed audit by the income tax department.

Admitting the plea, a division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice R Hemalatha directed the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) to file a detailed report on fixing a minimum wage for teachers in private institutions.

According to the petitioner, though the court has permitted the institutions to collect fees from parents of students for the lockdown period, many institutions have failed to pay salaries of their staff including the teaching staff.

Pointing out that private schools are not governed by any legislation that specifies a salary structure for teaching faculty, the petitioner submitted that in some institutions, teachers are paid as low as ₹5,000 a month. Though private colleges are mandated to follow AICTE guidelines, according to which every teaching staff is entitled to a salary of ₹68,000, most of the colleges do not follow the rules as the monitoring mechanism is poor, the petitioner said.

“In these unprecedented times, teachers do not demand pay as shown in records of the colleges. All they ask for is their salary,” he added.

The petitioner also wanted the court to intervene and direct the state to reduce the fee structure of all private schools and colleges in the state after conducting a thorough income tax audit of the educational institutions. Recording the submissions, the bench adjourned the plea to February 5 for further hearing.

The high court was hearing a petition that sought direction to the government to pay salaries of private school, college staff from the state treasury. The petitioner claimed many institutes denied proper salary to staff during the lockdown

Demand plummets post festive travel, railways to cancel trains

Demand plummets post festive travel, railways to cancel trains

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.11.2020

With the festival season over, demand for trains has dropped as only those who were visiting family and friends have been travelling. Railways is now looking to cancel trains that don't have patronage.

Southern Railway has cancelled Chennai-Bengaluru-Chennai (02027/02028) Shatabdi special from November 21. The Chennai-Coimbatore Shatabdi too has been cancelled from December 2. The last service will be on November 30. The trains were being operated on all days except Tuesdays.

Most of the trains from Chennai to southern towns and to the cities in neighbouring states are running with several seats vacant. There are more empty berths or seats in air-conditioned coaches.

The Chennai-Madurai Tejas Express has 628 chair car seats and 33 executive chair car seats vacant this Friday and 766 chair car seats and 42 executive chair car seats are empty for travel on Monday. On the Madurai route, sleeper AC tickets are available for weekdays and so do trains to Kollam, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru. The Chennai-Bengaluru double decker has more than 500 seats vacant on all days next week.

An official said that RAC or waitlist on weekends are getting confirmed closer to departure. This shows that people are booking but are hesitant to travel, he said.

Most trains to south TN have several empty seats 

4 from MBBS counselling Covid +ve

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.11.2020

Four government school students, who attended medical counselling in Chennai on Wednesday, tested positive for Covid-19, directorate of medical education officials said. The testing was done as a precaution since it was a function attended by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

The selection committee took RT-PCR tests for all 262 candidates who attended counselling for 7.5% of seats reserved for government school students. “All of them are asymptomatic and healthy. They were not among the 18 students who received admit cards from the CM,” said director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu.

“It was an incidental finding. Nevertheless, we have informed the students, their parents and district authorities. While these students will go into isolation, their close contacts will be tested,” he said. The directorate said if others who attended the counselling showed symptoms of the viral infection, they should undergo the test.

TN girl fights off dark nights, poverty and a cyclone to live her doctor dream

TN girl fights off dark nights, poverty and a cyclone to live her doctor dream

Vincent.Arockiaraj@timesgroup.com

Trichy:20.11.2020

When G Sahana collected her MBBS admission card from KAPV Government Medical College in Trichy on Thursday evening, it was the culmination of an inspiring fightback against poverty and nature’s fury. The 18-year-old girl from Pookollai village in Thanjavur district, which was devastated by cyclone Gaja in 2018, bagged a seat in the government medical college under the 7.5% quota for government school students. My dream wouldn’t have come true without the help of actor Sivakarthikeyan who sponsored my NEET coaching, the girl said.

Sahana had scored 87.3% marks in her Class XII examination in 2019, overcoming a life of darkness in a thatched house bereft of electricity. The havoc wreaked by Gaja came as a double blow in November 2018.

TOI had reported in April last year how her good score came amid challenging circumstances. Her family lived in a thatched hut on rent in a coconut grove which was looked after by her father. Since it had no electricity, she struggled to prepare for Class XII by studying when there was sunlight. She used to finish her homework and studies in her school itself. “We lost the thatched hut too during the cyclone. The entire family resided under the open sky in the grove. Despite the odds, I did not give up on my dream and started preparing for NEET with the help of my school teachers, as my parents didn’t have the resource to send me to a coaching class,” Sahana recalled.

G Sahana with father K Ganesan

Actor to fund girl’s med education as well

It was at this juncture that Sivakarthikeyan contacted her and promised help to pursue her dream. “As Sivakarthikeyan sir promised me, his managers arrived at Pookollai and took me to Chennai. They helped me get admission in a private NEET coaching centre there and he bore the entire expense. Without him I could not have attained my dream. Some good-hearted people also offered money,” Sahana told TOI. She secured 273 marks in NEET but was not sure if she would get a seat until the state government came out with an ordinance on 7.5% quota and the governor okayed it. Her father K Ganesan is also a part-time tailor while mother G Chitra is an agriculture worker. She also has an elder sister.

Sahana said the actor has also come forward to bear the entire expenses of her medical education. Sahana arrived from Chennai on Wednesday evening after completing the counselling to collect her admission card from KAPV Government Medical College in Trichy.

As Sivakarthikeyan sir promised me, his managers arrived at Pookollai and took me to Chennai. They helped me get admission in a private NEET coaching centre there and he bore the entire expense. Without him I could not have attained my dream

G SAHANA | Medical aspirant who bagged seat in KAPV Government Medical College in Trichy

Sasikala has 129 days remission, can walk out of prison anytime

Sasikala has 129 days remission, can walk out of prison anytime

A Subramani & Rajiv Kalkod TNN

Chennai/Bengaluru: 20.11.2020

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa’a aide V K Sasikala, now serving a four-year jail term in Karnataka, can walk out anytime, theoretically.

If one goes by the rules on leaves for prisoners, she has completed her prison term and was eligible to walk out of the jail more than two months ago. Karnataka jail rules enable a convict to earn three days of remission for every full month spent in jail. A total of 129 days of earned remission have accrued to Sasikala’s history ticket so far. Sasikala’s lawyer Raja Senthur Pandian told TOI that as on Thursday she needed only 69 days of earned leave to step out of the Parappana Agrahara jail. “If you add leave incentive for good conduct activities like gardening and taking courses in Kannada and computers, she has earned more than 200 days of leave. Yet, it has been denied due to discretionary powers of officials.”

A Parappana Agrahara jail official said they have been getting calls from supporters seeking to know whether Sasikala would be released on Saturday. “Sasikala has spent 13 days in judicial custody between January 31 and February 12, 1997. After the trial court convicted her, she spent 22 days between September 27 and October 18, 2014, in prison. If these 35 days are considered, Sasikala is likely to be released on January 27, 2021,” an officer said. “The date was calculated after considering 17 days’ parole she used.”

V K Sasikala at Jayalalithaa memorial in Chennai

Earned leave prisoner’s right, say some

Sasikala, accompanied by her co-convict and sisterin-law J Ilavarasi, entered the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru on February 15, 2017, a day after the Supreme Court upheld a trial court order finding them guilty of corruption and amassment of wealth.

Former chief minister Jayalalithaa, too, was found guilty, but charges against her abated as she was no more.

Though the imminent release of Sasikala has been a hot topic in power corridors, the news that the ₹10 crore fine imposed on her was paid on November 18, has triggered curiosity outside political circles. Rules empower jail superintendents to give prisoners a relaxation of 30 days per year for good conduct; a deputy inspector-general of prisons can give 60 days and IG prisons can give 90 days per year, based on a mark system.

“While mark-based remission relief is discretionary, the one which Sasikala must have earned on monthly basis cannot be denied,” said A Sirajudeen, senior Supreme Court lawyer and author of the book ‘The Rights of Prisoners’. The earned leave can be forfeited only if the convict commits a prison offence for which due trial was conducted and she was punished, he said. “A written punishment order, too, should be served on the convict. In the absence of this process, earned leave is an earned right,” he said.

Replies obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act show how similar earned remission benefits have been extended to other convicts during the same period. Pandian said there is a Union home ministry note clarifying that those convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act are excluded from the benefit.

Sirajudeen said the parole period should not be exempted from the jail term. “If these mandatory benefits are denied citing discretionary powers, it is a good ground for filing a personal liberty petition saying her continued incarceration amounts to illegal confinement, he said.

Some differ. Advocate S Ashok Kumar said remission is not a legal right. “It isn’t an absolute right either. Remission days are calculated, and above that their conduct is considered. Whether, during the period of sentence, the convict has reformed or his/her release will not harm others should be up to the subjective satisfaction of the appropriate government,” he said.

V K Sasikala and sister-in-law J Ilavarasi, convicted in a disproportionate assets case, went to prison in February 2017

Rail users seek halt at Papanasam

Rail users seek halt at Papanasam

TNN | Nov 19, 2020, 04.28 AM IST

Trichy: Rail users have appealed to the railway authorities to allow stoppage for Mysore-Mayiladuthurai-Mysore special express train at Papanasam though the station has annual revenue of Rs 1.25 crore. They have appealed to allow halt for the train at the station as the temple town is located at centre of various pilgrimage sites.

Southern Railway had included Papanasam among the other stations in the list of stoppages when it announced the Mysuru-Mayiladuthurai-Mysuru superfast daily festival special train (Number 06231/06232) on October 20.

But, when the train commenced its service on October 26, it skipped the station to the shock of rail users in Papanasam, T Saravanan, secretary, Rail Users Association and member of DRUCC of Trichy railway division, said. “This has made hundreds of passengers from Papanasam to travel 25km to reach Thanjavur to board the superfast. Being a pilgrimage centre in the district, a large number of devotees arrive at Papanasam,” he said.

Hundreds of passengers from Papanasam and surrounding areas rely on the train to reach Hosur, Bengaluru, Mysuru as most of them are working in IT field, he alleged.

The station is handling around 2,700 passengers on a daily-basis earning around Rs 40,000 a day.

Coimbatore Corporation school student gets admission in Stanley Medical College

Coimbatore Corporation school student gets admission in Stanley Medical College

Nov 18, 2020, 07.45 PM IST

COIMBATORE: Coimbatore Corporation school student J Dharani has secured a seat in the Stanley Medical College, Chennai, under the horizontal reservation for the government school students. She secured 461 marks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

Dharani attended medical counselling for the 7.5% reservation for government school students that took place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Outdoor Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday. She secured 22nd in general ranking and 10th in BC community ranking under the horizontal reservation.

The 20-year-old was a student of Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School at RS Puram and completed her Class XII in 2017. Since then, she has been taking the NEET and preparing on her own with available books. Due to poor performance, she joined a private coaching centre in 2019 with a scholarship she obtained.

“It’s my dream to become a doctor and I always wanted to get admission in Stanley or Madras Medical College. If not for the reservation, I might not have got a medical seat at all because of the increase in cut-off marks,” she said.

She is one of the three corporation school students who were eligible to apply for medical admission under the reservation in the city. While J Swetha Bhagyam from Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School at Ramakrishnapuram is attending the counselling on Thursday, V Hemalatha from of SRP Ammaniammal Girls Higher Secondary School is waiting for a call letter.

சுரப்பா மீது விசாரணை ஏன்: 'மாஜி' பாலகுருசாமி கேள்வி

சுரப்பா மீது விசாரணை ஏன்: 'மாஜி' பாலகுருசாமி கேள்வி

Added : நவ 19, 2020 01:19

கோவை:''தலைமைச் செயலகத்தில் அதிகாரிகளுக்காக ஓடிக்கொண்டிருந்த அண்ணா பல்கலை வாகனங்களை திரும்ப பெற்றதால் துணைவேந்தர் சுரப்பா மீது கோபம் அடைந்தனர். அரசுக்கு வளைந்து கொடுத்து போகாததால் சுரப்பா பிரச்னையில் சிக்கியுள்ளார்'' என அண்ணா பல்கலை முன்னாள் துணைவேந்தர் பாலகுருசாமி தெரிவித்தார்.

அண்ணா பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர் சுரப்பா மீது ஊழல் குற்றம்சாட்டி அவருக்கு எதிராக விசாரணை நடத்தப்படும் என தமிழக அரசு அறிவித்திருப்பது கல்வியாளர்கள் பேராசிரியர்களை அதிர்ச்சி அடையச் செய்துள்ளது.

இந்நிலையில் அண்ணா பல்கலை முன்னாள் துணைவேந்தர் பாலகுருசாமி கூறியதாவது: போலி அநாமதேய கடிதத்தை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்டு விசாரணை நடத்தி அண்ணா பல்கலை பெயரை களங்கப்படுத்துகின்றனர். புகார் கடிதம் அனுப்பியதாக கூறப்படும் நபரை தொடர்பு கொள்ள குறிப்பிட்ட தொலைபேசி எண்ணில் அழைத்தேன்; அவ்வாறு யாருமில்லை என பதில் வந்தது. புகார் மனுவில் திருச்சி அருகிலுள்ள ஒரு இடத்தைக் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளனர்; அதுவும் போலியானது.

பேராசிரியர் நியமனத்துக்கு துணைவேந்தர் சுரப்பா லஞ்சம் வாங்கினார் என்பது ஆதாரமற்றது. இவரது காலத்தில் எந்த நியமனங்களும் நடக்கவில்லை. அவரை வைத்து பணம் சம்பாதிக்க முடியாததால் அரசு அவரை தொந்தரவு செய்கிறது.அவர் அரசுக்கு வளைந்து கொடுத்திருந்தால் பிரச்னையை சந்தித்திருக்க மாட்டார். தலைமைச் செயலகத்தில் அதிகாரிகளுக்காக ஓடிக் கொண்டிருந்த பல்கலை வாகனங்களை திரும்ப பெற்றதால் அவர் மீது கோபம் அடைந்து உள்ளனர். மர்ம கடிதத்தின் அடிப்படையில் விசாரணை நடப்பது இதுவே முதல் முறை.

கோவை பாரதியார் பல்கலை முன்னாள் துணைவேந்தர்கள் சுவாமிநாதன், ஜேம்ஸ் பிச்சை, கணபதி மற்றும் அண்ணா பல்கலை ராஜாராம், மன்னர் ஜவஹர் போன்றவர்கள் மீது லஞ்ச ஒழிப்புத்துறையின் சோதனைகள் விசாரணைகள் நடந்ததை கண்டிருக்கிறோம். அதற்குப் பின் எந்த நடவடிக்கையும் எடுக்கப்படவில்லை. ஏனெனில் பணம் அரசியல்வாதிகளுக்கும் அதிகாரிகளுக்கும் சம பாகமாக பங்களிக்கப்படுகிறது.

சுரப்பாவை இடைநீக்கம் செய்வதில் கவர்னரின் முடிவு தான் இறுதி என்பதால் இந்த விஷயத்தில் எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவர் ஸ்டாலின் எந்த தலையீடும் செய்ய தேவையில்லை.2006ல் இருந்து அதிகரித்துள்ள ஊழல் காரணமாக தமிழகத்தில் உயர்கல்வித்துறை அவல நிலையை எட்டியுள்ளது.

அந்த காலகட்டத்தில் ஒரு துணைவேந்தர் அப்பதவியைப் பெற 55 கோடி ரூபாய் கொடுத்ததாக தெரிவித்தார். அதை மற்றொரு துணைவேந்தரும் ஒப்புக் கொண்டார். அதிக விலைக்கு ஏலம் எடுப்பவர் மட்டுமே அப்பதவியைப் பெற முடியும்; திறமைக்கும் நேர்மைக்கும் இடமில்லை. இவ்வாறு பாலகுருசாமி கூறினார்.

லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கி வாடிக்கையாளர் பணம் பாதுகாப்பாக உள்ளது: ரிசர்வ் வங்கி

லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கி வாடிக்கையாளர் பணம் பாதுகாப்பாக உள்ளது: ரிசர்வ் வங்கி

Added : நவ 18, 2020 22:23

மும்பை:'லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கியில், வாடிக்கையாளர்கள், 'டிபாசிட்' செய்த பணம் பாதுகாப்பாக உள்ளது; அஞ்ச வேண்டாம்' என, ரிசர்வ் வங்கி நியமித்த, புதிய நிர்வாகி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

சென்னையை தலைமையிடமாக கொண்டு செயல்படும், லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கி, கடந்த சில ஆண்டுகளாக, மூலதன தேவைகளை சமாளிக்க முடியாமல் திணறி வந்தது. இந்நிலையில், ரிசர்வ் வங்கி, நேற்று முன்தினம் திடீரென, லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கியின் பல்வேறு நிதிச் சேவைகளுக்கு கட்டுப்பாடு விதித்தது. அத்துடன், வாடிக்கையாளர்கள், வங்கியில் 'டிபாசிட்' செய்துள்ள பணத்தில், 25 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் மட்டுமே எடுப்பதற்கு வரம்பு நிர்ணயித்தது.இந்த கட்டுப்பாடு, வரும், டிச., 16 வரை அமலில் இருக்கும் என, ரிசர்வ் வங்கி தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

இதையடுத்து, கனரா வங்கியின் முன்னாள் செயல்சாரா தலைவர், டி.என்.மனோகரன், லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கியின் நிர்வாகியாக நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார்.அவர், செய்தியாளர்களிடம் பேசியதாவது:லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கி, சிங்கப்பூரை தலைமையிடமாக கொண்டு செயல்படும், டி.பி.எஸ்., வங்கியுடன், டிச.,16க்குள் இணைக்கப்படும். அதனால், லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கி வாடிக்கையாளர்கள், டிபாசிட் பற்றி கவலைப்பட வேண்டாம்.

வங்கியிடம், 20 ஆயிரம் கோடி ரூபாய் டிபாசிட் உள்ளது. 17 ஆயிரம் கோடி ரூபாய் கடன் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதனால், வங்கியின் நிதிநிலை குறித்து வாடிக்கையாளர்கள் கவலைப்பட வேண்டாம். அவர்களின் டிபாசிட் பத்திரமாக உள்ளது.இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார். டி.பி.எஸ்., உடன் லஷ்மி விலாஸ் வங்கியை இணைப்பதற்கான, வரைவுஅறிக்கையை, வரும், 20ம் தேதி ரிசர்வ் வங்கி வெளியிடுகிறது.

மாவட்டத்தில் முதலிடம் பிடித்தும் தரவரிசையில் இடம் இல்லை!: அரசு பள்ளி மாணவி கண்ணீர்

மாவட்டத்தில் முதலிடம் பிடித்தும் தரவரிசையில் இடம் இல்லை!: அரசு பள்ளி மாணவி கண்ணீர்

Added : நவ 19, 2020 01:57

அன்னுார்:'நீட்' தேர்வில், கோவை மாவட்டத்தில் முதலிடம் பெற்ற அரசு பள்ளி மாணவி தரவரிசைப் பட்டியலில், இடம் பெறவில்லை.

கோவை மாவட்டம், சர்க்கார் சாமக்குளத்தை சேர்ந்த மாணிக்கவாசகம் மகள் ஞானம் சவுந்தர்யா. இவர் எஸ். எஸ்.குளம் அரசு மேல்நிலைப் பள்ளியில் பிளஸ் 2 படித்து, நீட் தேர்வு எழுதினார். நீட் தேர்வில், 720க்கு, 361 மதிப்பெண் பெற்றார். அரசு பள்ளி மாணவர்களின் தரவரிசைப் பட்டியலில், கோவை மாவட்டத்தில், இம்மாணவி முதலிடம் பெற்றார். ஆனால், மருத்துவ கல்வி இயக்ககம் அரசு பள்ளி மாணவர்களுக்கான, 7.5 சதவீத இடங்களுக்கான தரவரிசை பட்டியலை வெளியிட்டது. அதில், 951 பேர் இடம் பெற்றுள்ளனர்.

மாணவி ஞானம் சவுந்தர்யா பெயர் இல்லை.மாணவி ஞானம் சவுந்தர்யா கூறியதாவது :ஆறாம் வகுப்பு மட்டும், அன்னுாரில் தனியார் மெட்ரிக் பள்ளியில் படித்தேன். அதன் பிறகு கல்வி கட்டணம் செலுத்த முடியாததால், ஏழாம் வகுப்பு முதல் பிளஸ் 2 வரை, எஸ்.எஸ்.குளம் அரசு மேல்நிலைப் பள்ளியில் படித்தேன். அரசு வெளியிட்ட பட்டியல்படி, கோவை மாவட்டத்தில் அரசு பள்ளி மாணவர்களுக்கான தரவரிசையில் முதலிடம் பெற்றேன். தமிழகத்தில் ஆறாம் இடம் பெற்றேன்.

ஆனாலும், தற்போது ஆறாம் வகுப்பு முதல் 12-ஆம் வகுப்பு வரை அரசு பள்ளியில் படித்து இருக்க வேண்டும் என்று கூறி, தரவரிசை பட்டியலில் என் பெயர் இடம் பெறவில்லை. இதனால், டாக்டராகும் கனவு தகர்ந்து போயுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு, கண்ணீருடன் தெரிவித்தார்.இது தொடர்பாக, தமிழக முதல்வர், கலெக்டர், சுகாதாரத் துறை அமைச்சர் ஆகியோருக்கு அவர் கடிதம் அனுப்பியுள்ளார்.

State’s nod must for CBI to probe in its jurisdiction: SC

State’s nod must for CBI to probe in its jurisdiction: SC

‘Provision In Tune With Federalism’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  19.11.2020 

The Supreme Court has said that the provision making the state government’s consent mandatory for a CBI probe in their respective jurisdictions is in tune with the principle of federalism and the Centre cannot extend the jurisdiction of the agency to a state without its consent.

Referring to Section 5 and 6 of Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act which regulates CBI’s functioning, a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and B R Gavai said, “It could thus be seen, that though Section 5 enables the Central Government to extend the powers and jurisdiction of members of the DSPE beyond the Union Territories to a state, the same is not permissible unless, a state grants its consent for such an extension within the area of state concerned under Section 6 of the DSPE Act.”

The verdict comes in the wake of eight non-BJP states having so far withdrawn general consent for CBI to probe fresh cases, Punjab being the last one to do so.

Varavara Rao to be treated at pvt hosp

The Maharashtra government agreed to shift jailed poet-activist Varavara Rao, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, to the Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai after the Bombay HC asked how it could say no to someone on his “deathbed” seeking relief. The state agreed to the treat him as a “special case” for 15 days. P 7

Eight states have withdrawn general consent for the CBI

The others are Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram. Andhra Pradesh was among the first to withdraw consent, but Jagan Reddy restored it soon after coming to power.

“Obviously, the provisions are in tune with the federal character of the Constitution, which has been held to be one of the basic structures of the Constitution,” the court said.

The bench passed the order on an appeal filed by accused challenging validity of CBI investigation against them in a corruption case on the ground that prior consent was not taken from the state government. Two of the accused are state government employees and the rest are private parties including one company.

Rejecting their appeal, the court said the state of Uttar Pradesh had accorded a general consent for extension of powers and jurisdiction of the members of DSPE in 1989 in the whole of state under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Full report on www.toi.in

AIADMK not for pvt univs in Pondy 19.11.2020

REGION DIGEST

AIADMK not for pvt univs in Pondy  19.11.2020

The AIADMK in Puducherry has registered its opposition to the decision of the Congress government there to permit setting up of private universities in the Union territory. In a memorandum to the Prime Minister, AIADMK legislature party leader A Anbalagan said the UT council of ministers has finalised the Private University Bill and decided to seek approval to introduce it in the legislative assembly. “The Bill is being brought to aid three existing private medical colleges set up universities, which then need not allot seats to the government,” the opposition party leader said and urged lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi not to accord approval to the Bill.

HC wants panel to keep free laptops from being stolen: Observing that there are a lot of loopholes in the recovery of stolen laptops meant to be distributed among students, the Madras high court has directed the state government to constitute a special committee to come out with a mechanism to ensure safe storage of free laptops distributed at schools. The court was hearing petitions filed by headmasters of government schools in Trichy and Dindigul districts in a related case. Justice R M T Teekaa Raman observed and directed that the special committee be formed within eight weeks.

AIADMK to contest in Kerala local body polls:

The ruling AIADMK on Wednesday announced candidates for the local body polls in Kerala scheduled to take place on December 8, 10 and 14. Candidates for the post of district panchayat ward members, corporation ward members, panchayat union ward members and panchayat ward members in Tamil-dominated areas in Palakkad, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts and for nine wards of Thiruvananthapuram corporation were named.

RIVALS FIX MEETINGS TO STRATEGISE FOR 2021 POLLS

RIVALS FIX MEETINGS TO STRATEGISE FOR 2021 POLLS

AIADMK to focus on ways to win majority seats on its own

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com  19.11.2020 

Chennai: On the eve of Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to Tamil Nadu, the ruling AIADMK has called for a high-level meeting of the recently appointed zonal office bearers, ministers anddistrictsecretarieson Fridaytostrategize for the 2021 election to win a majority of seats on its own. Party coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswamiwillcommence poll planning atthe ‘micro-level’ involving booth level committees.

The AIADMK wants to contest in a majority of theseatstoform a governmenton itsown even as “friendly” partners are banking on a good number of seats. “The meeting will provideclarity on the role of the zonal office bearers, most of them ministers and district secretaries. Each will be assigned the task of winning a sizable chunk of the vote bank to help us form the next government on our own,” said a senior minister.

The revamped IT wing has recently appointed20,000functionaries acrossthestate,while17.5 lakh office-bearers of the Ilaignar Ilampengal Pasarai constituted by former CM J Jayalalithaa to infuse young blood, were nominated to party election booths. The AIADMK is mulling appointing 20 women members in each booth.

TheAIADMKisirkedby the ‘power-sharing’ concept being floated by certain allies in the run up tothe polls andwould notconcedetodemands of prospective allies for more seats than they are allotted. “The Friday meeting at the party headquarters will not discuss power sharing or seat arrangement but will set the tone for winning a majority of seats on our own. The politically astuteleadership knowswhatisbestfor the party,” said a senior leader.

DMK high-level panel will discuss getting cadres fired up for polls

D.Govardan@timesgroup.com

Chennai: The DMK’s high level ‘strategy committee’, which is scheduled to meet on November 23, will discuss constructive steps to be taken by the party to galvanize party cadres for the ensuing assembly election in Tamil Nadu. The meeting will also deliberate on the revised electoral rolls released recently.

“Our party president (Stalin) always prefers to have a discussion and deliberation with party seniors on important issues. While the DMK’s executive and general council meetings are usually an elaborate exercise, he opted for a ‘strategiccommittee’ comprising party seniorsfor specific discussions,” DMK Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson T K S Elangovan told TOI. “While initially this committee had 20 members, it has now gone up to 30,” he added.

The EC has also released the revised electoral rolls. “We will deliberate on the rolls and to prepare party cadres for the elections,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DMK continued its exercise on revamping party districts into smaller units by creating new ones in Chennai and Thanjavur regions. “The revamping has been taken up for better administration and efficient handling of party affairs. With the latest revamp, the DMK has 79 party districts. New ones are created based on feedback from partymen and the leadership will decide whether there could be more districts in the offing,” DMK headquarters’ secretary and Rajya Sabha MP R S Bharathi said.

On Wednesday, Stalin concluded his interaction with zonal level office bearers, meeting those from Chennai region. He has interacted with office bearers from all 234 assembly segments in the state.

‘Let magistrate decide on re-postmortem in custodial death case’

‘Let magistrate decide on re-postmortem in custodial death case’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  19.11.2020

The Madras high court has refused to order repostmortem of Selvamurugan who allegedly died of police torture in Cuddalore.

Selvamurugan was arrested by the Neyveli Township police on October 28 in connection with a theft and was remanded in Vriddhachalam sub-jail.

Justice T Ravichandran, instead, directed the jurisdictional magistrate to consider the representation for re-postmortem and dispose of the same.

The court passed the order while disposing of the plea moved by S Preme, wife of the deceased. She alleged that her husband, 40, who was an undertrial prisoner, died because of police torture.

State public prosecutor A Natarajan filed a counter affidavit on behalf of additional superintendent of police, Neyveli and submitted that the deceased was arrested in connection with a chain snatching case. “He was caught red-handed by public. The petitioner’s husband is a habitual offender,” he said. The petitioner’s husband has a history of epilepsy. On November 4 he suffered a seizure in the prison and was taken to the government hospital, Virudhachalam. After treatment the petitioner’s husband died in the hospital, the prosecutor said.

He died while in judicial custody, not in police custody, he added. He said the judicial magistrate-I, Virudhachalam has conducted inquest in presence of the petitioner and relatives. The postmortem was conducted in presence of the magistrate. It was conducted as per the guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission and video graphed, the prosecutor said.

Therefore, there is absolutely no ground for ordering re-post mortem, he added.

Riding home after ‘thala Diwali’, couple die in accident

Riding home after ‘thala Diwali’, couple die in accident

Chennai:  19.11.2020

A newly married couple died in a road accident near Maraimalai Nagar.

A truck hit the bike-borne couple, which was returning to the city on Tuesday after celebrating their first Diwali post-marriage. Police identified the deceased as Ramar, 25, an electrician and native of Kattusellur village in Kallakurichi district, and his wife Nadhiya, 24. They got married just two months ago and left their Tambaram house to visit their parents for Diwali.

A lorry hit Ramar’s bike near Singaperumal Koil on Tuesday, leaving the couple with severe head injuries. Passersby sent them to the government hospital in Chengalpet, where doctors declared them dead on arrival. The Maraimalai Nagar police registered a case and are searching for the truck driver. TNN

Stalin slams duplication of names on MBBS rank list

Stalin slams duplication of names on MBBS rank list

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  19.11.2020m

DMK chief M K Stalin has questioned the duplication of names of students from other states in Tamil Nadu’s rank list for admission to MBBS/BDS courses this year, and urged the government to clear anomalies. He also urged the government to ensure allocation of seats to TN students and 7.5% reservation for government school.

“A student ranked seventh in the Kerala state list is shown as second rank-holder in Tamil Nadu rank list. There are seven students from Telangana whose names appear on the merit list of both states,” Stalin said in a statement. “How come students are appearing in the merit and rank lists of several states? If so, how are they managing to submit nativity (residence) certificates from every state while seeking admission into colleges in those states,” Stalin asked, recalling incidences of students submitting bogus nativity certificates in the past.

However, health minister C Vijayabaskar said, “We are taking an undertaking from students that they have not claimed nativity in two states. If there are anomalies their applications will be rejected and legal action will be initiated.”

Selection committee secretary G Selvarajan said the prospectus does not ban students from applying in two states – but they cannot claim nativity in two places.

Govt reduces salaries of engineers

Govt reduces salaries of engineers

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.11.2020

The government has reduced salaries of assistant engineers of the corporation, PWD and other 20 departments based on the recommendations made by the Supreme Court-ordered Pay Grievance Redressal Committee 2019. The finance department has passed an order to bring it to effect.

The associations of assistant engineers of PWD, GCC and highways department said each employee will lose about ₹10,000. “We are looking at legal action. We want to meet the CM and present our grievances to him. We are hopeful that he would understand our problem and ensure we are paid the earlier salary. We will not give up and continue to protest,” said one engineer. The association held a meeting on Wednesday and planned silent protest. TNN

Sasi pays ₹10-crore fine, gets ready to walk out of prison

Sasi pays ₹10-crore fine, gets ready to walk out of prison

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai/Bengaluru:  19.11.2020

V K Sasikala, former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s aide and a co-accused in the disproportionate assets case, will be out of jail probably by January, as she has paid the ₹10 crore fine imposed by a Bengaluru special court.

Sasikala’s lawyer Raja Senthur Pandian said the demand drafts were drawn by Sasikala’s husband N Natarajan’s brother M Palanivel (₹3.25 crore), Palanivel’s wife Vasantha Devi (₹3.75 crore), Hema, wife of Dr S Venkatesan (₹3 crore) and Sasikala’s nephew Vivek (₹10,000).

Sasikala, her sister-in-law J Ilavarasi and nephew V N Sudhagaran are about to complete the four-year jail term imposed by a special court on September 27, 2014, and upheld by the Supreme Court on February 14, 2017. The trio entered the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru the next day. Charges against Jayalalithaa, however, abated as she was no more when the Supreme Court delivered its judgment. The special court had slapped ₹100 crore fine on Jayalalithaa, and ₹10 crore each on these three.

Initially, the presiding judge cited the special court judgment and insisted on breaking fixed deposits, selling gold and diamond jewelleries and auctioning of properties belonging to the accused.

Won’t have any impact, says EPS

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said V K Sasikala’s release from the prison would not have any impact on the AIADMK. “As far as we are concerned the release will not have any impact,’’ EPS told reporters in Coimbatore airport on Wednesday.

‘B’luru jail authorities informed’

However, Pandian submitted a petition clarifying how the process would be tedious and that it could take years. He then offered the DDs furnished by Sasikala’s family.

The court accepted the fine amount and passed necessary orders. Authorities of Parapana Agrahara Central Prison were informed of the development by the court on Wednesday, Pandian added. Similar fines will be paid by Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran shortly.

Medical college not on counselling list

Medical college not on counselling list

TNN | Nov 18, 2020, 04.38 AM IST

CHENNAI: There will be 150 fewer seats on the seat matrix for state medical counselling by the selection committee on Wednesday as Sri Muthukumaran Medical College will not be on the list of self-financing colleges.

In addition, the committee will open 300 seats from two self- financing colleges with a rider that the mandatory recognition approval from National Medical Commission for these two colleges – Trichy SRM Medical College and Tagore Medical College – are still pending.

“The colleges tell us that NMC inspection was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” said selection committee secretary G Selvarajan. According to the seat matrix released by the TN Dr MGR Medical University, renewal of permission for Trichy SRM Medical College is pending from February 2019 and for Tagore Medical College from February 2020. “During counselling, we will tell students about no recognition of these colleges,” he said. (The official seat matrix was not released by the committee until the filing of this story.)

The state selection committee, which conducts counselling for admission for all colleges affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University and Annamalai University, said there were 26 government colleges, and 15 self-financing medical colleges. In 2020, 300 seats from two new colleges – Panimalar Medical College Hospital, Chennai and Indira Medical College and Hospital, Tiruvallur – will be added to the state pool. The government Kanyakumari Medical College received 50 additional seats and in PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research the seats went up to 250 seats.

Meanwhile, the seat matrix released by the state university registrar Dr M B Aswath Narayanan on November 6 did not list Muthukumaran Medical College in the seat matrix. “The seat matrix is given to us by the state university. We will not be able to admit students until the university approves it,” said Dr Selvarajan.

In 2019, the Chennai-based Muthukumaran Medical College did not figure in the first round of counselling as its affiliation was held following serious infrastructural flaws. “The university is yet to give affiliation for 2020-21 as the same problems exist,” said a senior university official.