India’s world No. 3 in nano research, but...

HEAR THE PROF

India’s world No. 3 in nano research, but...

Ashutosh.Desai@timesgroup.com

13.01.2021

“India is on the world nanotech map,” says Prof Dipankar Bandyopadhyay, head of the centre for nanotechnology and professor in the department of chemical engineering at IIT Guwahati. “We are doing well in terms of nanoscience and nanotechnology research. In manufacturing and product development, we are doing a cutting-edge job too.”

Nanotechnology is the specialised field of work that’s carried out at an atomic and molecular scale. It doesn’t find as much mention as Indian IT in news coverage. But it is an area where India has ranked third in the number of research articles since 2013, behind China and the US, according to nanotech publication StatNano. And its share has been gradually rising.

But, Bandyopadhyay says, India still has a lot of ground to cover. India’s 9% contribution to research papers in 2020 rests in the shadow of the 41% of contributions by China. And in the application of nanotech, India is even further behind. “We have the best scientists, but we have our traditional weaknesses in industry, in terms of developing new technologies and having a market where the technology can be implemented. Investors will only show interest when they perceive a market for it,” Bandhyopadhyay says.

He says the problem is India is not a big user of technology in products, unlike the US, Europe, China, Japan and South Korea. “One exception is the smartphone, which is a product of multiple nanotech processes, including in the body, screen, processors, built-in sensors. Indian society has shown technological dependence on these devices and that created a market for it,” Bandhyopadhyay says.

Other markets are beginning to emerge. Covid suddenly created a market in India that required investment into the R&D of antigen rapid test kits and vaccines – which requires expertise in nanotech. E-spin Nanotech, a company incubated by IIT Kanpur, manufactures masks made from ‘nanofibres’ through electrospinning.

The professor says there is much to be done in areas like healthcare, waste management, environmental remediation, and energy. The government launched the Nano Mission initiative in 2007. But Bandhyopadhyay says government should do more. Government, he says, should give companies incentives to take on certain projects – such as waste management – to manufacture products and thereby create a supply chain in the space.

He also feels education should be geared towards nurturing not just job seekers, but job creators. Big companies are too entrenched in the ways they function. Emerging technologies require entrepreneurs who think differently.

SC suspends implementation of agri laws, sets up panel

SC suspends implementation of agri laws, sets up panel

Protesting Farmers Boycott Hearing; Some Others Support Laws

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:13.01.2021

Undeterred by the boycott of proceedings by protesting farmers’ unions, the Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended implementation of three contentious farm laws and set up a fourmember expert committee to examine the laws threadbare for determining which all provisions passed muster on the count of farmers’ welfare and give a report to the court in two months.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said, “We are suspending the implementation of the three farm laws - Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.”

It announced setting up of a four-member expert committee to hear all stakeholders including the government and determine “which provisions of the three farm laws required deletion” in the interest of farmers.

The committee comprises agricultural economist Pramod Kumar Joshi (Director of South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute), Anil Ghanwat (head of farmers’ outfit Shetkari Sangathan), another agricultural economist Ashok Gulati (who served as Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) and Bhupinder Singh Mann, who heads Bhartiya Kisan Union and is chairman of an umbrella body, All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC).

The bench also ordered that “the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system in existence before the enactment of the farm laws shall be maintained until further orders. In addition, the farmers’ land holdings shall be protected, i.e., no farmer shall be dispossessed or deprived of his title as a result of any action taken under the farm laws”.

“This committee shall be provided a place as well as secretarial assistance at Delhi by the government. All expenses for the committee to hold sittings at Delhi or anywhere else shall be borne by the central government. The representatives of all the farmers’ bodies, whether they are holding a protest or not and whether they support or oppose the laws shall participate in the deliberations of the committee and put forth their view points. The committee shall, upon hearing the government as well as the representatives of the farmers’ bodies, and other stakeholders, submit a report before this court containing its recommendations. This shall be done within two months from the date of its first sitting,” the bench said.

The SC asked the committee to hold its first sitting before January 22 and expressed the hope that the agitating farmers would end their protests and go back to attend to their livelihood while awaiting the outcome of the committee report and the court’s decision.

“While we may not stifle a peaceful protest, we think that this extraordinary order of stay of implementation of the farm laws will be perceived as an achievement of the purpose of such protest at least for the present and will encourage the farmers’ bodies to convince their members to get back to their livelihood, both in order to protect their own lives and health and in order to protect the lives and properties of others,” the CJI-led bench said.

When some counsel said the composition of the committee should be acceptable to all, the CJI said, “We are not catering to everyone’s idea of what is a good committee. We will decide the composition of the committee to help us decide the issue.” “Before the committee, do not present arguments on legislative competence of Parliament to enact the laws. The committee will tell us about the ground reality and what the farmers want. We will decide the validity of the laws,” the bench said.

The protesting farmer unions counsel Dushyant Dave, Prashant Bhushan, Colin Gonsalves and H S Phoolka had on Monday welcomed the court’s proposal to stay implementation of the farm laws but sought time till Tuesday to report back to the court with their client’s instructions on two issues - their willingness to appear before the court-appointed committee and on their plan to hold a tractor rally on the Republic Day.

On Tuesday, however, all four did a vanishing act much to the chagrin of the SC. In their absence, it was chronic PIL litigant-cum-advocate M L Sharma who informed the bench that the farmers have refused to appear before the committee.

While appearing to be riled by the discourtesy shown by the senior advocates who did not think it fit even to convey the farmers’ decision to the court, the CJI-led bench said the absence of the quartet would not deter the court from setting up the panel it had proposed on Monday. “No power can stop us from forming the committee. All farmers who want to solve the problem arising from the farm laws would appear before the committee and express their grievances.” “When we suspend the implementation of a legislation, it cannot be an empty suspension,” the bench said.

No symptoms, no Covid test for college students: Guidelines

No symptoms, no Covid test for college students: Guidelines

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:13.01.2021

With colleges preparing to throw open campuses for all students regardless of year or semester, the government has said Covid-19 tests are no longer compulsory for pupils or staff who show no symptoms. This is a shift from the previous protocol where tests were mandatory.

The relaxation was among the new standard operating procedures (SOPs) announced by the government on Tuesday.

“There should be no more than 50% of students in each class. Those attending offline classes must compulsorily wear masks, carry sanitisers and bring water and food from home. These directions apply even to teaching and non-teaching staff,” the guidelines state.

Those with symptoms must compulsorily get a test done. Institutions have been asked to tie up with primary health centres for tests. Students who wish to attend regular classes must get parental permission. While students have the choice of attending online or regular classes, attendance is compulsory. Social distancing norms must be followed in classrooms. Colleges can conduct teaching, practical and project classes in shifts.

Libraries and canteens have also been allowed to reopen on the condition that all safety guidelines are followed.

Airline told to pay ₹18k to flyer for delaying check-in bag

CONSUMER IS KING

Airline told to pay ₹18k to flyer for delaying check-in bag

B’lurean Had To Wait For 6 Hours, Ended Up Missing Bus, Paying Taxi Fare To Reach Destination

Petlee.Peter@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:13.01.2021

A consumer court recently ordered commercial airline SpiceJet to pay over Rs 18,000 to a Bengalurean after it failed to load his check-in bag on his flight to  Delhi in 2019, upsetting his work plans. The verdict came after the passenger complained of deficiency in service and dereliction of duty.

Naveen BM, 37, from Hanumanthanagar, a skill trainer who travels extensively on work, landed at Delhi airport on the evening of May 2, 2019, in a SpiceJet flight from Bengaluru. But he realised his bag containing his clothes, medicines, food and work presentation papers hadn’t arrived.

Baggage not loaded on plane

He approached SpiceJet authorities at the airport, who informed him that his bag was not loaded on to the plane as it was oversized and would be transported in the next flight within an hour. However, Naveen had to wait for the next six hours, which resulted in him missing a bus to Solan, Himachal Pradesh, where he was scheduled to attend a meeting the following day.

The Bengalurean questioned the airline staff on the delay, but they simply had no reply. With the bag finally arriving around 1.30am, Naveen was forced to take a taxi to Solan in the early hours after shelling out Rs 2,101.

With SpiceJet not bothering to pay heed to his grievance, Naveen finally approached the Bangalore 1st additional district consumer disputes redressal commission in Shantinagar on February 12, 2020 with a complaint against the airline.

Naveen presented his case through his attorney, while SpiceJet remained ex parte despite notices. After a litigation of over 10 months, judges of the forum held SpiceJet responsible for the inconvenience and monetary loss caused to the customer by delaying his baggage, which forced him to miss his bus and pay taxi fare.

In its verdict pronounced on December 31, 2020, the forum ruled that SpiceJet must pay Naveen Rs 3,200 towards his taxi fare and bus ticket, Rs 5,000 towards his court expenses and an additional Rs 10,000 towards damages caused due to the ordeal, all within 30 days of the order.

Not given proper chance to be heard: SpiceJet

Responding to the case, a spokesperson from SpiceJet said the complainant’s notice was received during the Covid-19 lockdown and the forum pronounced its order ex parte without giving the airline a proper opportunity of being heard. The company has not received certified copy of the order from the forum till date. “We will examine the order upon its receipt and shall take necessary steps as per law,” the spokesperson said.

Vaccination countdown begins: Karnataka receives 6.5L doses

Vaccination countdown begins: Karnataka receives 6.5L doses

Sunitha.Rao@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:13.01.2021

Karnataka, which is waiting for 13.9 lakh doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, received 6.5 lakh doses on Tuesday when the first consignment arrived in Bengaluru. The second consignment, expected to arrive from Pune to Belagavi, is likely to have 50,000 to 1.5 lakh doses.

By January 16, when the vaccination drive kicks off, the state is likely to have 8 lakh doses and they can be administered to 4 lakh healthcare professionals. Two doses need to be administered 28 days apart.

The priority list will now be redrawn. Also, the drive may not begin on January 16 at all 235 vaccination session sites across the state.

“Now that the quantity of vaccines we received has been reduced by half, compared to what was earlier communicated, we have to redraw the plan. There may not be 235 vaccination sites as planned earlier and we’ll have to redraw the quantity to be distributed to districts and the beneficiary list too,” said Dr Arundhati Chandrashekar, mission director, National Health Mission, Karnataka.

1.2cr may get vax after frontline staff

Estimates by government agencies suggest 20% (about 1.2 crore) of Karnataka’s population is expected to be vaccinated against Covid-19, after early phases covering healthcare workers are completed, reports Chethan Kumar. P 4

Schools for others from January 15?

The education department in the state is holding talks with various experts on reopening schools for other classes starting on Jan 15. Primary and secondary education minister S Suresh Kumar said parents are requesting for early classes. P 6

‘More people will be vaccinated after May’

M ore people will be vaccinated after May as additional vaccines will be manufactured by then, health minister K Sudhakar said.

While chief minister BS Yediyurappa had said 5 lakh people would be vaccinated under the first two priority categories — healthcare workers and frontline workers together, 6.6 lakh health workers had registered till Monday. Tuesday was the last day for them to register.

Dr Chandrashekar said the consignment received is to be used for both first and second doses given to beneficiaries. With each healthcare worker getting two doses, the current stock is enough for not more than 4 lakh healthcare workers in the first phase. Over 6 lakh health workers have been identified.

Besides, it’s an accepted norm in immunisation drives that 10% of vaccines would be considered as wastage, say authorities. “When 0.5 ml is drawn from a vial to a syringe, it’s measured through eyes and it is possible that we miss out on 10 % of the drug as wastage this way. But that happens with all vaccines and it is an accepted phenomenon. During the transportation too, there could be chances of damage,” said Dr Rajani Nagesh Rao, deputy director, immunisation, health and family welfare department.

The distribution of vaccines to all 30 districts is yet to begin. The beneficiary list, doses to be sent to districts and number of vaccination sites in districts will be decided by the Centre and the authorities are waiting for its decision. Each dose contains 0.5ml and each vial contains 10doses. The first dose is to be administered within 10 days from January 16.

No CCTV surveillance

Though there is police security at the vaccine storage unit inside the health department premises at Ananda Rao Circle, there are no CCTV cameras. “They are likely to be set up in 2-3 days,” authorities said.

India’s biggest vaccine rollout begins as SII ships 55L doses

India’s biggest vaccine rollout begins as SII ships 55L doses

Covaxin Shots To Be Flown Today Morning

Joy Sengupta, Umesh Isalkar & Saurabh Sinha TNN

13.01.2021

May all be free from disease” — with this slogan printed on each box, the shipment of Serum Institute of India’s Covishield set out from Pune to other parts of India on Tuesday morning, kickstarting the biggest rollout of a vaccine in the country’s history.

Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, the four major regional depots for vaccines, received their quantum of Covishield doses within 10 hours since their dispatch began from the SII premises at 4.30am on Tuesday. Overall, 55 lakh of the total 1.1 crore doses were dispatched from the SII premises till 5pm on Tuesday, officials confirmed. “The transport exercise for the remaining doses will continue till Wednesday evening,” a senior SII official said.

Covaxin doses will reach Hyderabad airport early Wednesday morning after which they will be shipped to around11destinations across the country, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Patna, Lucknow and Jaipur, sources in Bharat Biotech and the aviation industry said.

SII CEO Adar Poonawala with the first of the shipments; landing at Ananda Rao circle in B’luru

Recipients won’t get to pick vax, govt hints

Recipients may not have the option to choose which vaccine they want to be inoculated with — Oxford-Astra-Zeneca’s Covishield or Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin — the government has indicated. P 12

On day 1, Pune airport flies 456 boxes of vaccine vials

Among the states that received the vaccine on Tuesday, Bengal topped the list with 10 lakh doses, followed by Karnataka (6.68 lakh doses), Bihar (5.49 lakh doses) and Tamil Nadu (5.36 lakh doses). As many as 9.63 lakh doses of Covishield will be shipped out from Pune to other parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday.

The Centre has placed orders to procure 1.1crore doses of Covishield and 55 lakh doses of Covaxin, which is being produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech. While Covishield is priced at Rs 200 per dose, the arrangement with Bharat Biotech is such that it is charging Rs 295 per dose for 38.5 lakh doses and providing the rest 16.5 lakh doses free of cost. “Hence, the cost of Covaxin is Rs 206 per dose,” Union health seceratry Rajesh Bhushan said.

Covaxin doses will reach Hyderabad airport early Wednesday morning after which they will be shipped to around 11 destinations across the country, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Patna, Lucknow and Jaipur, sources in Bharat Biotech and the aviation industry confirmed to TOI.

The first vaccine consignment of the country, comprising 2.64 lakh Covishield doses loaded in three trucks, arrived at Pune airport’s cargo handling and processing facility at 5.30am on Tuesday and was shipped out at 8.05 am on SpiceXpress flight SG8937.

Currently, SII is manufacturing 7 crore to 8 crore vaccine doses per month. Private players have been roped in for providing refrigerated trucks, vans and cold storage.

Sources at Pune airport said 456 boxes containing the vaccine vials and weighing 15,000kg were transported to different states in nine aircraft of different airlines. “GoAir was the second in line and flew to Chennai with 59 boxes of the vaccine. The flight left Pune airport at 8.45am and reached Chennai at 10.20am,” an airport official said.

Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted: “Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir will operate nine flights from Pune with 56.5 lakh doses to Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Shillong, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Chandigarh.”

Rahul Gandhi to watch jallikattu on Jan 14 in Madurai

Rahul Gandhi to watch jallikattu on Jan 14 in Madurai

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.01.2021

Former Congress president and Lok Sabha member Rahul Gandhi will visit Tamil Nadu on January 14 when the state celebrates Pongal, the harvest festival. He will watch jallikattu (a traditional bull taming sport) at Avaniyapuram near Madurai.

“Rahul Gandhi is coming to Madurai on a one-day visit. Themed as “Rahul's Thamizh Vanakkam,” he will celebrate Pongal and watch jallikattu at Avaniyapuram,” Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K S Alagiri said in Chennai on Tuesday.

The party is planning several more visits of Rahul in the run up to the assembly election. “Rahul visited Tamil Nadu six timesduring thelastLok Sabha election. Later, for the assembly election, he will be visiting the state several more times. Starting with the western region, Rahul will visit south, north and the Delta districts,” Alagiri said.

He said the DMK-led alliance was a settled one with M K Stalin (DMK president) being the CM candidate. “Confusion still exists in the AIADMK alliance including about their CM candidate. Also, there are differences among leaders within the ruling party. We have already won the first round,” Alagiri said.

The TNCC president, however, sought to brush aside reports that the DMK wanted to contest maximum number of seats and spare only a limited number of seats to the allies.

“Leaders of every party, while addressing their cadre, will say such things to encourage them. When the seat sharing talks begin, each party will seek and get its share of seats based on its strength,” Alagiri said, while adding pressure could not be used in a stable alliance.

“Problems actually exist in the AIADMK alliance. It is not so in our alliance,” Alagiri said.

Starting with the western region, Rahul will visit south, north and the delta districts in the run-up to the assembly election, said TNCC president K S Alagiri

DVAC searches at Pudukottai home of tainted govt official

DVAC searches at Pudukottai home of tainted govt official

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.01.2021

A month after seizing property in Chennai worth₹2 crore from a TN environment department official, Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) officials conducted searches at his residence in his native town in Pudukottai district over the past two days.

A senior DVAC official told TOI that “nothing incriminating” has been found so far during the searches of office superintendent S Pandian’s house in Thirumayam. However, sources said anti-corruption officials seized a few documents.

In December 2020, officials recovered ₹88,500 in unaccounted money from his office at Saidapet’s Panagal Maligai, where all senior environment department officials sit.

According to the DVAC, subsequent searches at Pandian’s Saligramam residence yielded ₹1.37 crore in cash and gold and diamond articles worth more than ₹1 crore. The agency also found 18 property documents worth several crores and fixed deposits. A disproportionate assets case was booked against Pandian, following which officials moved a special court for a warrant to search his Thirumayam house.

“The investigation will now focus on how he amassed this wealth and if he was a conduit for other officials,” a DVAC source said.

Sources said Pandian had held his post for many years and was influential as he put up all important files pertaining to grant of environmental clearances for all kinds of projects, including real estate and industrial ones. After the news broke, a group of activists, including former Madras HC judge Justice (retd) D Hariparanthaman, wrote to the DVAC congratulating it on its crackdown on Pandian and charged that he was responsible for disappearance of 15,000 acres of Ennore wetlands from the official coastal zone regulation maps.

Med college asst prof found dead

Med college asst prof found dead

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.01.2021

A 27-year-old dentist who was working as an assistant professor in SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre at Potheri allegedly committed suicide at her college hostel on Tuesday.

According to police, Indu, from Erode, was also a deputy warden in B C Roy Hostel blocks.

Since she was not be seen during breakfast and dinner, a warden went to check on her. After repeated knocks on the door of her room did not elicit any response, she informed the college management and they in turn alerted police. Police broke the door and found her dead. Police found a suicide note which says no one is responsible for her death.

The Maraimalai Nagar police have registered a case of suspicious death and are investigating. The management told police that she was depressed after her father’s death a month ago.

1,688 get degrees at Chennai college’s 11th annual covocation

1,688 get degrees at Chennai college’s 11th annual covocation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 13.01.2021

The 11th annual convocation of the Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science on Monday.

G Satheesh Reddy, chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation and secretary of department of defence research & development was the chief guest and exhorted students to participate in output driven research to create first of its kind systems that can be sold in the international market.

A total of 1,688 graduates were awarded with degrees, of which 68 rank holders were honoured for their meritorious performance in academics, the release added.

Reddy also inaugurated the Centre For ‘Automation and Robotics’ (ANRO) 'Motion Control Laboratory' and 'Human Machine Interaction Laboratory'. ANRO will promote educational and research activities in the field of robotics, automation and computer vision. ANRO has been involved in projects aiming at the welfare of the society during the Covid pandemic, the release said.

வாட்ஸ்அப்பில் கட்டை விரல் முத்திரை பதிவிட்ட ரயில்வே சிறப்புப் படை காவலர்கள் பணி நீக்கம்: இயக்குனர் ஜெனரலுக்கு உயர் நீதிமன்றம் நோட்டீஸ்

வாட்ஸ்அப்பில் கட்டை விரல் முத்திரை பதிவிட்ட ரயில்வே சிறப்புப் படை காவலர்கள் பணி நீக்கம்: இயக்குனர் ஜெனரலுக்கு உயர் நீதிமன்றம் நோட்டீஸ்

மதுரை

வாட்ஸ்அப் குழுவில் வந்த உயர் அதிகாரி ஒருவரை ரயில்வே பாதுகாப்பு படை வீரர் சுட்டுக்கொன்ற தகவலுக்கு பின்னால் கட்டை விரல் முத்திரையை பதிவிட்ட காவலர்கள் பணி நீக்கம் செய்யப்பட்டது தொடர்பாக ரயில்வே சிறப்பு பாதுகாப்பு படை இயக்குனர் ஜெனரல் பதிலளிக்க உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

திருச்சி கஜாமலை பகுதியை சேர்ந்த நரேந்தர் சவுகான், உயர் நீதிமன்ற கிளையில் தாக்கல் செய்த மனு:

திருச்சி 5-வது ரயில்வே சிறப்பு பாதுகாப்பு படை பட்டாலியனில் காவலராக பணிபுரிந்து வருகிறேன். ரயில்வே சிறப்பு பாதுகாப்ப படை அதிகாரிகள் மற்றும் ஊழியர்களுக்கான வாட்ஸ்அப் குழுவில் கடந்த 25.2.2018-ல், மேகாலயாவில் தேர்தல் பாதுகாப்பு பணியில் ஈடுபட்டிருந்த காவலர் அர்ஜூன் தேஷ்வால், தனது உயர் அதிகாரி எம்.சி.தியாகியை துப்பாக்கியால் சுட்டுக்கொன்ற பதிவு வந்தது.

இந்தப் பதிவை படித்ததும் அதிர்ச்சி மற்றும் குழப்பம் அடைந்த நான், அந்த வாட்ஸ்அப் குழுவில் கட்டை விரலை உயர்த்தி காண்பிக்கும் முத்திரையை பதிவிட்டேன்.

இந்நிலையில் உயர் அதிகாரியை ரயில்வே பாதுகாப்புப் படை வீரர் சுட்டுக்கொன்றது தொடர்பான வாட்ஸ்ப்அப் தகவலுக்கு பின்னூட்டம் அளித்த நான் உட்பட 7 பேரை விசாரணைக்கு அழைத்தனர்.

அப்போது உயர் அதிகாரிகளுக்கு எதிராக எந்த கருத்தும் தெரிவிக்கவில்லை, தகவலை படித்ததும் வழக்கம் போல் கட்டை விரலை உயர்த்தி காண்பிக்கும் முத்திரையை பதிவிட்டதாக தெரிவித்தோம்.

இதையேற்காமல் உயர் அதிகாரியை கொலை செய்த குற்றவாளிக்கு ஆதரவாக குறுஞ்செய்தி அனுப்பியதாக என்னை பணியிலிருந்து விடுவித்து உத்தரவிட்டனர். இது சட்டவிரோதம். அற்ப காரணம் தெரிவித்து என்னை பணியிலிருந்து நீக்கி பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவை ரத்து செய்ய வேண்டும்.

இவ்வாறு மனுவில் கூறப்பட்டிருந்தது.

இதேபோல் பணியில் இருந்து விடுவிக்கப்பட்ட ரயில்வே சிறப்பு பாதுகாப்பு படை காவலர் கமலேஷ்குமார் மீனாவும் மனு தாக்கல் செய்தார். இந்த மனுக்கள் நீதிபதி எம்.எஸ்.ரமேஷ் முன்பு விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது.

மனுதாரர்கள் சார்பில் வழக்கறிஞர் ஒய்.கிருஷ்ணன் வாதிடுகையில், வாட்ஸ்அப் தகவல்களுக்கு பதிலளிப்பவர்களுக்கு தண்டனை அளிப்பது தொடர்பாக தகவல் தொழில்நுட்ப சட்டத்தில் எதுவும் கூறப்படவில்லை. எனவே மனுதாரர்கள் மீதான நடவடிக்கையை நடவடிக்யை ரத்து செய்ய வேண்டும் என்றார்.

பின்னர் மனுக்கள் குறித்து டெல்லி ரயில்வே சிறப்பு பாதுகாப்பு படை இயக்குனர் ஜெனரல், தலைமை பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையர், திருச்சி கமாண்டிங் அதிகாரி ஆகியோர் பதிலளிக்க உத்தரவிட்டு, விசாரணையை மார்ச் 10-ம் தேதிக்கு நீதிபதி ஒத்திவைத்தார்.

Supreme Court rules that Departmental Proceedings can not be Continued after retirement

Supreme Court rules that Departmental Proceedings can not be Continued after retirement: New Delhi, Jan 09: Supreme Court of India in Dev Prakash Tewari vs U P Cooperative Institutaionl in APPEAL NO(s).

Anna University writes to govt seeking new dates for exams

 

Student battles for provisional certificate after completing course

 Student battles for provisional certificate after completing course

TNIC asks petitioner to pay fee again, seeks explanation from MKU

12/01/2021

 S.Vijay Kumar

CHENNAI

For more than a year, a student who completed M.A (Economics) from Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) was not issued course completion certificate and provisional certificate by varsity authorities despite finishing all formalities.

After repeated attempts to get the certificates failed, the student, Pawan Kumar of Kaithal district in Haryana, filed a petition under the Right to Information Act, 2005, seeking copies of the course completion certificate and the provisional certificate. Not satisfied with the replies of the Public Information Officer/Assistant Registrar and the First Appellate Authority, the petitioner filed an appeal with the Tamil Nadu Information Commission.

While the contention of the PIO was that the certificates were not issued since the applicant had not paid the prescribed fee, the student said he paid the fee through Demand Draft.

Though the DD was accepted by the authorities, the amount was not credited to the account of the university. This was not communicated to the petitioner despite his petitions under the RTI Act. When the appeal was taken up via telephonic enquiry, in view of the COVID-19 safety protocol, the PIO said he had sent a letter to the petitioner regarding the issue and asked him to send the credit details of the DD.

“It is impossible for the petitioner to get the details because the said transaction was made from one bank to another bank. Hence, the letter sent to the petitioner, after one year of RTI petition, by the Public Authority is irrelevant,” State Information Commissioner S. Muthuraj said.

Directing the student to pay the fee once again to get his certificate immediately, the SIC said the Commission had the power to direct the university to award compensation to the petitioner under section 19(8)(b) of the RTI Act, 2005 for the loss suffered by him in the process.

Mr. Muthuraj also directed the PIO of the Directorate of Distance Education, MKU, to send an explanation within 15 days as to why disciplinary action should not be recommended under section 20(2) of the RTI Act, 2005 against him for not providing information to the petitioner.

Reopen Educational institutions

 

Former Judge joins DMK

 

ரேஷனில் பொங்கல் பரிசு பெற 25 வரை அவகாசம் நீட்டிப்பு

ரேஷனில் பொங்கல் பரிசு பெற 25 வரை அவகாசம் நீட்டிப்பு

Added : ஜன 11, 2021 23:38

சென்னை : ரேஷன் கடைகளில், பொங்கல் பரிசு தொகுப்பு வாங்குவதற்கான அவகாசம், வரும், 25ம் தேதி வரை நீட்டிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

தமிழக அரசு, பொங்கலை முன்னிட்டு, 2.10 கோடி அரிசி கார்டுதாரர்களுக்கு, தலா, 2,500 ரூபாய் ரொக்கத்துடன், பொங்கல் பொருட்கள் அடங்கிய பரிசு தொகுப்பை வழங்குகிறது. அவற்றை, ரேஷன் கடைகளில் வழங்கும் பணி, 4ம் தேதி துவங்கியது.பரிசு தொகுப்பு வழங்கும் பணியை, 12ம் தேதிக்குள் முடிக்கும்படியும், விடுபட்ட கார்டு தாரர்களுக்கு, 13ம் தேதி வழங்க வேண்டும் என்றும், ரேஷன் கடைகளை நடத்தும், கூட்டுறவு சங்கங்கள் மற்றும் நுகர்பொருள் வாணிப கழகத்திற்கு, உணவு துறை உத்தரவிட்டது.நேற்று வரை, 2 கோடி கார்டுதாரர்களுக்கு, பொங்கல் பரிசு வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இன்னும், 10 லட்சம் பேருக்கு மட்டுமே வழங்க வேண்டியுள்ளது. இதற்கான அவகாசம், நாளை முடிவதாக இருந்தது.இந்நிலையில், விடுபட்டவர்கள், பொங்கல் பரிசு தொகுப்பை, வரும், 18ம் தேதி முதல், 25ம் தேதி பெற்றுக் கொள்ளலாம் என, அரசு அறிவித்துள்ளது. இதனால், பொங்கலுக்கு சொந்த ஊர் சென்றவர்கள், திரும்பி வந்து, பொங்கல் பரிசு தொகுப்பை வாங்கிக் கொள்ள முடியும்.

No sashtang, only namaskar in Guj temples

No sashtang, only namaskar in Guj temples

Paying Obeisance By Prostrating Prohibited To Curb Covid Spread

Bharat.Yagnik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:12.01.2021

All through the Covid-19 pandemic, it was reiterated that `namaste' with folded hands was a safer way to greet people. It turns out it is the recommended way to pay obeisance to gods too as most temples across Gujarat have banned doing `sashtang pranam' citing Covid-19.

Accordingly, the common sight of devotees lying fully prostrated on the ground, their hands stretched out to the Lord, is not common place anymore.

In Ahmedabad and elsewhere, almost all major temples have Covid guidelines specifying devotees not to do sashtang pranam at the temple premises. This along with not ringing the temple bell leaves devotees to offer prayers by merely folding their hands.

“Lying prostrate on the ground offering `dandwat pranam' is prohibited inside the temple to avoid people from picking infection from the floor. In fact, devotees are not allowed to stand inside the temple during the aarti too. During Covid-19, all efforts are to ensure devotees pray to the Lord and leave the temple with minimum contact and exposure to any contagion,” said Vijay Chavda, manager of the Shree Somnath Temple, first among the 12 aadi jyotirlingas of India.

S J Chavda, deputy collector and administrator of the Shri Arasuri Ambaji Mata Devasthan Trust (SAAMDT), said sashtang pranam is prohibited for three reasons. “One, it is part of Covid-19 guidelines post unlock of temple, secondly to prevent devotees from catching any infection and thirdly and most importantly to ensure devotees keep moving and have limited exposure to others in the crowds,” said Chavda.

It needs mention that sashtang pranam has much significance including being an expression of complete surrender to the Almighty.

Ravindra Upadhyay of Dakor temple said that the `sashtang pranam' is not allowed as the temple authorities want to ensure minimum exposure in Covid-19 times.

17-HOUR JOURNEY

17-HOUR JOURNEY

2 land at KIA in first flight from SFO, return after 11 hrs

All-Women Crew, Passengers Get Warm Welcome

220 Boarded Evening Flight To US

Petlee.Peter@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:12.01.2021

The all-women crew on Air India’s longest direct flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru was welcomed by an elated crowd at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in the early hours of Monday.

Two passengers who arrived in flight AI 176 in the morning grabbed eyeballs as they returned in the connecting flight — the first linking South India directly to the United States — 11 hours after landing here.

The return flight departed at 2.30pm with a different crew and 220 passengers who embarked on a 17-hour direct journey to the US.

In the afternoon, KIA’s gate number 44 was buzzing with activity as the excited passengers and crew of the first flight from Bengaluru to San Francisco gathered for a felicitation.

Businessmen Karunakar Abbireddy and Gopal Srinivasan boarded the flight to Silicon Valley after attending the event along with other flyers.

“Abbireddy had travelled to and fro in first-class. Srinivasan had flown in economy class to Bengaluru and returned in business class on AI 175. These passengers are businessmen who came to Bengaluru for their work and returned to San Francisco after spending 11 hours here,” said an Air India official.

The return flight was sent off with much fanfare after a cake-cutting ceremony attended by the four pilots and cabin crew. A total of 220 passengers with 179 in economy class, 33 in business and eight in first-class were part of the Bengaluru flight which also carried garments and computer hardware to the US, officials added.

Holding breath near Covid patients ups infection risk

Holding breath near Covid patients ups infection risk

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.01.2021

If you thought holding your breath or breathing slower could protect you from Covid infection when you pass by an individual with or without a mask, think again. A study by IIT Madras has found holding your breath or breathing slower in front of a Covid positive person may only increase the risk of contracting the infection.

A team from the department of applied mechanics modelled the breathing frequency in a laboratory and found that the slower and deeper a person breathes, the greater the chance of the virus depositing deep in the lung.

When you breathe slower, the aerosol particles stay longer inside the lungs and the changes are greater that they will reach and deposit deep in the lung, said Prof Mahesh Panchagnula, who led the research team of Arnab Kumar Mallik and Soumalya Mukherjee.

“The morphometry and bronchioles of lungs as well as breathing pattern varies with individuals. So, it is hard to control that. But it affects the deposition rates,” he added.

Researchs globally found coronavirus spreads mostly through tiny droplets released when an infected person sneezes or coughs. The IITM team replicated the droplet dynamics in the lung by studying the movement of droplets in the small capillaries or blood vessels which were similar in size to bronchioles or air passages in the lungs.

For the study, they mixed fluorescent particles in water and generated aerosols from it using a nebulizer. The aerosols were then tracked for movement and deposition in the capillaries with a diameter of 0.3mm to 2mm.

The scientists found that when the aerosol movement is steady, the particles deposit in the lung by chance, but when movement is turbulent they deposit upon impact.

In an earlier work, the group also studied the variability in aerosol uptake from individual to individual, suggesting a reason why some people are more susceptible to airborne diseases than others. “The core motivation of this work is to understand why some people are more susceptible to airborne disease than others. There’s a biological immunity aspect to it but there is also a lung morphometry which could be different in some people, causing one person to be slightly more susceptible to infection than others,” Prof Panchagnula said.

“In some other related work, we found that the efficacy of wearing a mask is very good. If a Covid positive person wearing a mask coughs or sneezes, the aerosol production rate goes down by almost a factor of 1000. The mask also protects you from the large droplets produced when a person sneezes or coughs. It cuts both ways,” he said.

Indian Medical Assn asks docs to get vaccinated first to show it’s safe

Chennai: The Indian Medical Association has urged its 3.5 lakh members from 1,800 local branches to get vaccinated first to show to the world that Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective. The health ministry has announced that the country’s vaccination drive against Covid-19 will begin on January 16. Three crore health and frontline workers will be inoculated in the first phase. In a statement on Monday, IMA national president Dr J A Jayalal said the association had decided to actively take part in Covid-19 vaccination programme after extensive review of scientific data, indexed articles, expert panel reports and in consultation experts. “Good protective levels of antibodies have been found to develop with our Indian vaccines against current and new mutated strains. The IMA believes getting vaccination is not only to protect individuals but also to bring herd immunity to the community, raising the hope to control the corona pandemic,” he added. The association headquarters in New Delhi has constituted a pharmacovigilance centre for monitoring post vaccination reactions and rendering appropriate support. TNN

Pongal spl buses: 1L people leave city in 24 hours

Pongal spl buses: 1L people leave city in 24 hours

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 12.01.2021

Close to one lakh people on Monday left the city to their native places by government special buses to celebrate Pongal with their families.

The state transport department had announced that 16,110 buses would be operated from Chennai to various parts of the state from Monday to Thursday.

Of this, over 1,985 were operated on Monday (till 8pm) and 92,300 had travelled in them, according to official data. Another 8,000 were expected to travel late in the night.

A total of 93,000 people have already reserved tickets to travel by government buses in the next three days. Tickets can be booked can be booked at www.tnstc.in or using apps like RedBus, Paytm, makemytrip and BusIndia.

Meanwhile, private omni bus operators continued to fleece passengers this festival season too. On an average, it cost ₹800 to ₹1,000 to travel in an A/C bus to Madurai or Coimbatore from the capital city. The government has once again issued a warning as a mere formality and released helpline 1800 425 6151 to file complaints about excess fare demanded by private buses.

Though hundreds of bus operators can be seen selling tickets at exorbitant prices on online platforms, the transport department resorted to customary checks in and around Koyambedu in the eleventh hour to book a dozen operators or slightly more every time.

In Chennai, Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has announced that it will operate 310 additional buses connecting various transit points like Koyambedu Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminus (CMBT), Tambaram, Madhavaram and Poonamalle from where Pongal special buses to other districts would depart.

This included buses which ply along routes like 153 (Poonamalle-CMBT), 78 (Koyambedu-Thiruvanmiyur), 18G (Broadway-Tambaram) and 570V (Vadapalani-Kelambakkam).

These buses will run round the clock for the next three days, said an official release.

Do not push me to rethink my decision on politics, says Rajini

Do not push me to rethink my decision on politics, says Rajini

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

12.01.2021

Chennai: Actor Rajinikanth has asked his fans not to push him any further to rethink his decision on not entering electoral politics by holding rallies.

“I have made my decision. Do not cause more and more anguish by organizing such rallies and trying to pressure me to enter politics. I have clearly explained in my statement why I am not entering electoral politics,” Rajinikanth said in a statement on Monday.

Rajinikanth’s statement came a day after a section of his fans held a rally at Valluvar Kottam here to urge him to take a relook at his earlier decision not to enter electoral politics.

In a statement on December 29, 2020, Rajinikanth had said that he was unable to enter electoral politics or launch a party owing to his health condition. Though initially shocked by his decision, a majority of his fans and Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) members grudgingly accepted the actor’s decision, since it was made based on his health condition.

Rajinikanth also expressed his anguish that some fans along with certain expelled RMM members came together to hold a rally on Sunday. It went against the decision of RMM, said the actor, thanking its members, who did not take part in the rally.

While expressing his displeasure over attempts to hold such rallies to push him more, Rajinikanth said he was happy with the way the rally on Sunday was organized, without causing hindrance to the public.

Threat to privacy: WhatsApp group links were visible on Google, research shows

Threat to privacy: WhatsApp group links were visible on Google, research shows

Anam.Ajmal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:12.01.2021

At least 1,700 private WhatsApp group links were visible on Google through a simple web search, according to arecent research.

Published by internet security researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia, the research claimed that the groups’ links available on the web posed a threat to WhatsApp users’ privacy. Rajaharia had shared screenshots of the WhatsApp group links on his Twitter profile on Sunday afternoon.

“Anyone who had access to these links could join these private groups, see the participants there and also have access to the group members’ phone numbers and profile photos,” he told TOIon Sunday.

On Monday, WhatsApp fixed the issue, and the links were no longer visible on Google. “Since March 2020, WhatsApp has included the “noindex” tag on all deep link pages which, according to Google, will exclude them from indexing. We have given our feedback to Google to not index these chats. As a reminder, whenever someone joins a group, everyone in that group receives a notice and the admin can revoke or change the group invite link at any time,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement.

According to Rajaharia, the issue arose because “Whatsapp allows users to generate rich preview links of group chat invites that eventually may allow search engine crawlers to identify the links and then index them for future searches”. An index is another name for the database used by a search engine.

This is the second time that WhatsApp has faced this issue. The Facebook-owned instant messaging platform had said in 2020 that it had fixed an issue that was causing phone numbers to show up on Google.

WhatsApp added that invite links are searchable only when they are posted publicly on the internet. “Links that users wish to share privately with people they know and trust should not be posted on a publicly accessible website,” the spokesperson added. However,according to Rajaharia, a “noindex” tag is not enough to stop crawlers from indexing a website page.

This is the second time that WhatsApp has faced this issue. The instant messaging platform had said in 2020 that it had fixed an issue that was causing phone numbers to show up on Google

All-pass in arrear exams: HC asks univs to explain status

All-pass in arrear exams: HC asks univs to explain status

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.01.2021

The Madras high court on Monday directed the universities in the state to file a report on the status of conducting arrear exams either through offline or online mode along with the schedule in three weeks.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy passed the interim order on a batch of pleas challenging the decision of the Tamil Nadu government to cancel the arrear exams.

On December 1, 2020 the court restrained the state universities from declaring all-pass in arrear exams without conducting exams either online or offline.

It was also made clear that the universities are free to conduct arrear exams despite a GO passed by the state cancelling the exams. The exams could be conducted either online or offline or a combination of both.

The orders were passed on the pleas moved by former Anna University Vice-chancellor E Balagurusamy, advocate Ramkumar Adityan and others challenging the GO cancelling arrear exams.

Responding to the pleas, UGC clarified that students who have not cleared the backlogs would not be eligible even to get a course completion certificate.

However, justifying its decision, the state government submitted that the decision was made only to alleviate distresses faced by the student community due to Covid-19. It was done to skilfully navigate the course to ensure safety and wellbeing of the students, the state department of higher education said in its affidavit.

Rejecting the argument that such an order would amount to discrimination among students, the department said, “the decision would not demoralise meritorious students as only moderated minimum pass mark is awarded to arrear students.”

“As this situation was unprecedented, students had left their belongings, textbooks, notebooks and laptops in their hostel. Therefore, they had no access to their study materials,” the department added.

Deemed univs lure aspirants for mgmt seats

Deemed univs lure aspirants for mgmt seats

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

12.01.2021

The state selection committee is conducting the last leg of the counselling with 432 management quota seats left in self-financing colleges, but deemed universities in the state are luring students to apply for 89 management seats and 146 NRI seats that were returned to the colleges as they fell vacant after three rounds of counselling including a mop-round.

Across the country, 1,092 such seats in deemed universities have been returned to colleges for counselling through offline mode. The list of eligible candidates will be forwarded to the respective institutions by the medical counselling committee (MCC) of the Directorate General of Health Services.

While colleges are advertising about the oncampus stray vacancy round, agents have been calling parents and students asking them if they were still interested in undergraduate medical programmes.

On Monday, Sridhar Srinivasan, who works as a marketing head for a manufacturing company, received a call from an agent regarding his daughter’s admission. “He told us that the state counselling will be held until 13. If my daughter does not make it to any of the colleges, she can try for admission there. But admissions are done on a first-come-first-serve basis. They will give her the seat if her name is on the MCC list,” he said.

While students and parents have been visiting several deemed universities, student counsellors are now demanding a revamp. “Meritbased admission through NEET is defeated with such stray rounds. How will colleges get candidates in two days if the MCC is not able to fill them after three rounds of counselling over several weeks,” asked Manickavel Arumugam, who has been counselling students on MBBS admissions.

NEET booster shot: Cut-offs keep rising as students shine

PROGRESS REPORT

NEET booster shot: Cut-offs keep rising as students shine

Many Retake Exam To Enter Better Institutes; High Scores Up Competition For Seats In Govt Colleges

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

12.01.2021

For four years, almost all parties in the state have been protesting National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) as the sole eligibility for admissions to medical and dental colleges. But with every passing year since 2017 — when the state first adopted NEET — students have been raising the bar.

On Monday, data released by the state selection committee, a day after it closed MBBS admissions under the state quota, showed that the last student to enter medical college this year under the state quota scored 281 in NEET compared to 140 in 2017. The committee allots students the college of choice based on merit in NEET and 69% rule of reservation.

“It is not just cut-offs that have gone up in the past four years. The top scores in NEET have also increased,” said director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu. This year, seven students had marks above 700 compared to none last year. There were 205 students who scored more than 650 compared to 12 students last year. “Many students attempt NEET more than once so they get better colleges. In fact, most of the toppers are students who have repeated the exam for the second or third time,” he said.

This crowding at the top has made entrance to top city colleges such as Madras Medical College or Stanley Medical Colleges for the state tougher. For instance, the cut-off for open category students to join the Madras Medical College was 660 and the last student who entered the college had scored 511 marks.

Meritorious students opt for seats in government colleges, where annual tuition fee is ₹13,600. Up to 50% of seats in self-financing medical colleges are categorised as state quota seats. The annual tuition fee for students admitted under the state quota is between ₹3.85 lakh and ₹4.15 lakh compared to ₹12.5 lakh for students under the management quota and ₹23.5 lakh for NRI.

Eligible students, who don’t make it under the state quota, apply for management quota seats in self-financing colleges. Experts say more students in TN may make it to state quota if toppers make “smarter” choices.

Many toppers in the state are still apprehensive about applying for the online counselling held by the medical counselling committee (MCC) of the directorate general of health services. The MCC conducts counselling for the central government institutions and the 15% of seats surrendered by states from government colleges for admission under the all-India quota, besides deemed universities.

While some toppers apply to Jipmer in Puducherry, not many students try for intuitions such as AIIMS or Armed Forces Medical College. Many students with score about 600 told TOI that they were not aware of the centralised counselling, while some others said they decided to stay in TN. “Earlier, students did not apply because they had to write separate tests. But this year, the process for admissions to all colleges was similar,” said R Sathish Kumar, student counsellor. “We hope that their impression towards studying in colleges outside the state will change,” he said.

‘AIADMK has Rs 246.9 cr fixed deposits’

‘AIADMK has Rs 246.9 cr fixed deposits’

Panneerselvam also gave details of the amount spent for various purposes like Covid relief, helping cadre from poor economic background, 

Published: 10th January 2021 07:31 AM 

Aiadmk functionaries at general council meeting in Vanagaram | Ashwin Prasath

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Submitting the income-expenditure accounts for the period between November 25, 2019, and January 8, 2021, AIADMK coordinator and treasurer O Panneerselvam recalled that he has been submitting the party’s income-expenditure accounts for the past 14 years since 2007. The party has fixed deposits to the tune of Rs 246.90 crore. Panneerselvam also gave details of the amount spent for various purposes like Covid relief, helping cadre from poor economic background, etc. 

EPS takes a dig at Udhaya

Referring to former minister B Valarmathi’s remarks on a recent statement of DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said, “Udhayanidhi has made remarks insulting women. You (Udhayanidhi) exhibit precociousness by your remarks because you were brought up like that.”

‘Respect grassroots level cadre’ 

Deputy coordinator R Vaithilingam said that despite many trials and tribulations, the AIADMK stands tall due to unstinted loyalty of grassroots level cadre and their sacrifices. “AIADMK is a cadre-based party. The cadre can become the leader and vice versa. So respect them. If we fail to respect cadre, time will trample on us.”