Protesters at Madras University undeterred by students’ suspension

Protesters at Madras University undeterred by students’ suspension

Protest at the varsity enters fifth day, complainant hurt herself but later joins stir

Published: 22nd March 2021 03:06 AM 

File photo of a decked-up Madras University during its 160th Graduation Day celebration

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The protest by University of Madras students, alleging that a senior faculty sexually harassed one of the students, entered the fifth day. The student who filed the sexual harassment complaint had hurt her wrist on Sunday morning, but returned to the protest scene after receiving first aid at a government hospital. This comes a day after the university suspended five students, including the complainant and some of the witnesses, on grounds of “disciplinary action.” Speaking to Express, the complainant said that the head of her department (HOD) had molested her in the middle of a heated argument among students and the teacher in a class room.

Top university officials told Express that the students did not show up for many discussions they tried organising and that they had “violated the code of conduct by staging demonstrations before formally writing a complaint to the administration and misusing the campus space.” The protesters however paint a different picture. Students of the social science department had approached the HOD on March 16, to discuss discrepancies in their internal marks. They had charged that some students were failed in the exams deliberately as they had staged demonstrations against the management earlier in the year.

“Sir (HOD) was sitting on the chair and he got up and pushed me on my chest. Then he pushed other students also. First I thought he did it accidentally,” said the complainant narrating the altercation between the students and the teacher on March 16. “But then he pushed me three times in total, but at all times he pushed me on my chest. In fact one of my classmates asked him why he was doing that and I even held his shirt and asked him to stop doing that,” she added.

She said that after the incident, she asked the faculty to apologise for “manhandling” her and other students. “He walked off asking us to do whatever we can. The only recourse we have is protest,” she said.

The complainant explained that the reason she hurt herself was because the “University staff asked me questions about my character. They asked what kind of a girl I should be to stay up with boys to protest all night. It was very embarrassing.”

A witness who was suspended concurred with her and added that students had fought with the teacher as a handful of them who were failed by the faculty, passed with much higher marks on reevaluation. “So we were asking him to disclose our internal marks on the notice board as per procedure,” he said. University officials told Express that they suspended the students only after students refused to show up for discussions. “If they had a problem with the HOD, they should have written to the campus director or registrar. Instead, they directly entered protests. They did not attend any meetings we tried to organise,” a top official said.

The witness however argued that students were summoned by a committee that was enquiring the allegations submitted by the HOD against the students and not the other way around. The witness also showed the summon letter to this reporter. The complainant told Express that when the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) had summoned the students, she showed up. “However they asked very little about the harassment and sent me off,” she said.

The varsity official responding to this allegation said that while summoning the HOD, he was informed about the students’ allegations. “We want the interests of the students protected,” the official added. A member of the ICC, on condition of anonymity, said that the suspension had nothing to do with the complaint itself and was not issued by the ICC. “The ICC is yet to sign the official findings of the enquiry committee. So, I cannot comment on the sexual harassment yet,” the member said on Saturday night.

Hyderabad biryani comes to Mambalam

Hyderabad biryani comes to Mambalam

Amidst a range of delicious kebabs and heaps of soulful biryani (not to mention copious amounts of brinjal gravy), the chain’s 34th restaurant came to be.

Published: 22nd March 2021 01:18 AM 

The SS Hyderabad Biryani outlet in Brindavan Street is SS Biryani’s 34th branch. | Debadatta Mallick

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In a no-fuss, no-frills ceremony reminiscent of a close-knit family affair, the SS Hyderabad Biryani clan on Saturday welcomed guests to their brand new outlet at Brindavan Street, Mambalam. Amidst a range of delicious kebabs and heaps of soulful biryani (not to mention copious amounts of brinjal gravy), the chain’s 34th restaurant came to be.

S Abdul Samad, the brand’s owner who was present at the launch, attending to each and every guest who showed up, commented that the outlet was strategically positioned to cater to the hungry shoppers who are left with few good options in the area.

“There are not many restaurants in this area. So, people finish shopping and leave. It is for them that we opened this outlet here. So that they can finish their shopping and stop here to get good food,” he explained.

Besides their usual biryani and meat fare, the outlet also has a range of options for vegetarians. You’ll also find the welcome addition of an assortment of beverages and loaded milkshakes. Like most of his outlets, this one too bears an array of antique pistols and daggers on display as part of the decor. Ask him why this peculiar choice for a biryani chain and he goes, “Usually people have pictures of food.

But, the food we put on the table would be good enough to make you smile; that’s what we focus on. As you wait for the food to arrive, we thought these vintage weapons may draw your interest.” Samad plans to instal a food bank that will offer free food for those in need soon after Easter, he shared.

Can you eat meat, drink or smoke after getting the jab?

Can you eat meat, drink or smoke after getting the jab?

As the vaccination drive gains popularity, manifold post-vaccine care instructions, scientific and otherwise, are fed to the people.

Published: 22nd March 2021 03:21 AM | Last Updated: 22nd March 2021 

Health workers advising people before taking swab samples at Rajiv Gandhi GH | DEBADATTA MALLICK

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: As the vaccination drive gains popularity, manifold post-vaccine care instructions, scientific and otherwise, are fed to the people. Given that many of these instructions seem extremely common, separating disinformation from official guidelines has become hard.

Rajendran, a 62-year-old farmer who got his first jab of vaccination at a rural Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Chengalpattu, a week ago was advised not to drink after he got his second jab. “I was told the vaccine won’t work if I drink,” he said. Meanwhile, in the heart of Chennai, Kalyan*, a journalist in his thirties was informed by the nurse administering the vaccine that he should not drink, smoke or eat meat for 48 hours. His friend, who was vaccinated at an affluent private hospital, was advised to not drink or “eat any non-vegetarian food,” for a week.

So, which advice is right and what should people follow? First things first, there are no dietary restrictions advised by the government along with the vaccine so far. “There are no tangible scientific studies that have shown that non-vegetarian food makes the vaccine ineffective. So people need not stop eating meat to get the vaccine,” said State Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan. Also, there are no approved scientific studies that quantifies the effect of alcohol or smoking on vaccination either.

However, this does not mean it is advisable to get drunk to celebrate getting the first jab. Here’s why: Vaccinations often cause mild flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, headache and nausea. Alcohol tends to aggravate and worsen these symptoms making the experience unpleasant for those getting vaccinated. “Alcohol also affects the body’s immune system negatively and there is a chance that the immune response to the vaccine may not be as effective if there is excessive alcohol in the system,” said Dr P Kuganantham, senior epidemiologist and a member of the State Special Task Force against Covid-19.

“One may feel less sick if they avoid drinking and smoking a week before and after getting the vaccine,” he recommended. The same is true of tobacco consumption. It tends to affect the immune system and therefore may render the vaccine relatively less effective. While the correlation has not been scientifically studied, it is known that smoking does worsen the risk associated with Covid-19 itself.

Kuganantham said that scientifically, there is few pre- and post-vaccination care some people should take. “People on steroids and blood thinners can stop their medications for two days before and two days after the jab to prevent adverse side-effects. If someone has had an anapholatic shock to a vaccine, they should inform their physician and be more careful,” he said. He added that the most important thing to do post-vaccination is to continue wearing masks, maintaining social distance and avoid touching surfaces.

தந்தையின் இரண்டாவது திருமணத்தை மகள் எதிர்க்கலாம்' - மும்பை உயர் நீதிமன்றம்

தந்தையின் இரண்டாவது திருமணத்தை மகள் எதிர்க்கலாம்' - மும்பை உயர் நீதிமன்றம்

மு.ஐயம்பெருமாள்

புகுந்த வீட்டுக்கு வரும் மனைவியைப் பாதுகாப்பது கணவனின் முழுபொறுப்பு என்று மும்பை உயர் நீதிமன்றம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

மும்பையைச் சேர்ந்த சுக்ராம் என்பவர் தன் மனைவியை வரதட்சணை விவகாரத்தில் கொலை செய்துவிட்டார். இது தொடர்பான வழக்கை விசாரித்த கீழ் கோர்ட், குற்றவாளிக்கு 10 ஆண்டுகள் சிறைத்தண்டனை விதித்து உத்தரவிட்டது. இதை எதிர்த்து சுக்ராம் மும்பை உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் மேல் முறையீடு செய்தார். இவ்வழக்கு நீதிபதிகள் ஜாதனா ஜாதவ் மற்றும் போர்க்கர் ஆகியோர் அடங்கிய டிவிஷன் பெஞ்ச் முன்பு விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது.

இவ்வழக்கு விசாரணையின்போது கருத்து தெரிவித்த நீதிபதி ஜாதனா ஜாதவ், 'பெண் திருமணமாகி கணவன் வீட்டுக்கு வந்துவிட்டால் அப்பெண்ணின் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் நலன் ஆகிய இரண்டுக்கும் கணவனே முழுப்பொறுப்பு ஆவார்.

தன்னைத் திருமணம் செய்துகொள்பவரின் மீது முழு நம்பிக்கை வைத்துதான் தன் பெற்றோர் வீட்டைவிட்டு பெண் கணவன் வீட்டுக்கு வருகிறார். அப்படிப்பட்டவரை பாதுகாப்பது கணவனின் பொறுப்பு.

ஆனால், திருமணமாகிச் செல்லும் வீட்டில் வரதட்சணை மரணங்கள், தற்கொலைகள் போன்றவை நடக்கின்றன. இந்த வழக்கிலும் கணவன் தன் மனைவியை பாதுகாக்க வேண்டியது தனது கடமை என்பதை உணரவில்லை. மனைவியை கொலை செய்திருக்கிறார். மேலும், இதன் மூலம் அவர்களின் குழந்தைக்கும் தாயின் அன்பு கிடைக்காமல் போய்விட்டது.

இக்கொலையை மறைக்கவும், கொலை செய்யப்பட்ட மனைவியின் வீட்டாரை சமாதானம் செய்யவும், மனைவியின் அம்மாவுக்கு ஒன்றரை ஏக்கர் நிலம் கொடுப்பதாகக் கூறி, விசாரணையை திசைதிருப்பப் பார்த்துள்ளார்' என்று கண்டனங்களைத் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். அதோடு, கீழ் கோர்ட் கொடுத்த 10 ஆண்டுகள் சிறைத்தண்டனை தீர்ப்பை உறுதிசெய்து நீதிபதிகள் உத்தரவிட்டனர்.

தந்தையின் இரண்டாவது திருமணத்தை மகள் எதிர்க்க முடியும்!

இந்நிலையில் மும்பை உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் மற்றொரு வழக்கு, நீதிபதிகள் தனுகா மற்றும் ஜி.பிஜித் ஆகியோர் அடங்கிய டிவிஷன் பெஞ்ச் முன்பு விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. 66 வயதாகும் வத்சலா என்ற பெண், தன் தந்தையின் இரண்டாவது திருமணத்தை எதிர்த்து மனு செய்ய தனக்கு உரிமை இல்லை என்று குடும்ப நீதிமன்றம் தெரிவித்த உத்தரவை எதிர்த்து தாக்கல் செய்திருந்த மனு அது. அம்மனுவில், 'என் தந்தை 2003-ம் ஆண்டு இரண்டாவது திருமணம் செய்துகொண்டார். 2016-ம் ஆண்டு என் தந்தை இறந்துவிட்டார். அவரின் இரண்டாவது மனைவி, தனது முதல் திருமண கணவரை முறைப்படி விவாகரத்து செய்யாமல் என் தந்தையைத் திருமணம் செய்து இருக்கிறார். எனவே, இத்திருமணத்தைச் செல்லாது என்று அறிவிக்க வேண்டும்' என்று கேட்டு இருந்தார்.

இதை விசாரித்த நீதிபதிகள், 'மனுதாரர் தந்தையின் இரண்டாவது மனைவி, முறைப்படி தன் முதல் திருமணத்தை விவாகரத்து மூலம் முறித்துக்கொள்ளாமல் இரண்டாவது திருமணம் செய்துள்ளார். அது குறித்து தெரிய வந்தவுடன் உடனே கோர்ட்டை அணுகி இருக்கிறார் மனுதாரர். இதுபோன்ற சூழ்நிலையில் தந்தை இறந்திருப்பதால், அவரின் மகள் தந்தையின் இரண்டாவது திருமணத்தை எதிர்த்துக் கேள்வி கேட்க உரிமை இருக்கிறது. எனவே, மனுதாரரின் மனுவை புதிதாக பரிசீலிக்கும்படி குடும்ப நல நீதிமன்றத்துக்கு உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிடுகிறது' என்று தீர்ப்பளித்தனர்.

Six booked for forging community certificates in Salem

Six booked for forging community certificates in Salem

The alleged forgery came to light when revenue officials conducted an inquiry following several petitions at the Madras High Court.

Published: 20th March 2021 03:15 PM 

By Express News Service

SALEM: Six persons including a medical college student and a government staffer were booked for allegedly faking ST community certificates on Friday.

The alleged forgery came to light when revenue officials conducted an inquiry following several petitions at the Madras High Court. The pleas were filed separately by R Suseela and S Jayanthi, both residents of Kolathur, seeking ST community certificates for their children claiming that they were part of the Konda Reddi community.

After the court directed the district administration to look into the matter, revenue officials found that the documents were allegedly faked. While Suseela’s community certificate did not match government records, Jayanthi had allegedly produced a fake ST certificate to secure a medical seat for her daughter. Meanwhile, V Saranya, a resident of Thokkanampatti, allegedly created a fake ST certificate to secure a government job. Based on complaints from VAOs, the Salem rural police filed cases against the women and their family members.

Meanwhile, members of the community claim that they were wrongfully denied community certificates by revenue officials as they were mistaken for the Reddiar community, who belong to the BC category. Speaking to Express, Sanjeev of Kolathur Block Konda Reddis Welfare Association said that the community members had been denied ST certificates since 1989. "Tahsildars issued the certificates until 1989, after which the power was transferred to RDOs. Since then, revenue officials who come for field inspection, mistake us for the Reddi community,” he said, adding that Kondi Reddi people live in Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Tirunelveli districts. Around 100 people from the community have also planned to contest in the Mettur Assembly constituency to highlight the issue, out of which 38 have filed their nominations so far.

As the certificates were denied to the community, the members had to approach the Madras HC. "Since 1989, ST community certificates have been issued to only 42 persons after approaching court,” he said. In 2019, although the court had ordered the issue of community certificates for 38 people, the revenue department has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against that High Court order, he added. “The certificates were not faked. They were issued by revenue officials only."

Daughter Has Every Locus To Question Validity Of Father's Second Marriage: Bombay High Court

Daughter Has Every Locus To Question Validity Of Father's Second Marriage: Bombay High Court: On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court authoritatively ruled that a daughter could present a petition challenging the validity of her parent(s)' second marriage. A Division Bench of Justices VG...

‘Can’t donate blood for two months after first vax shot’

‘Can’t donate blood for two months after first vax shot’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai  20.03.2021 

Those who take the Covid-19 vaccine cannot donate blood for nearly two months. The National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) has recently released guidelines stating that one cannot donate blood from the day of taking the first dose of the vaccine till 28 days after the second dose.

Since there is a minimum gap of 28 days between the two doses, the period one cannot donate blood stretches up to a minimum of 57 days. The NBTC issued a notification on March 5 stating, “28 days post vaccination deferral after the last dose of Covid-19 vaccination, irrespective of the type of vaccine received”.

Dr Sunil Gupta, director of NBTC, told TOI a technical research group has taken the decision based on existing recommendations concerning blood donation and vaccination. “The group has studied the donation gap that exists after one is vaccinated with an inactivated as well as live attenuated virus and thought 28 days was a safe window,” he said. He added while none of the vaccines currently given in the country are live, the 28-day gap was decided since there have been reports of fever, body pain, among other post vaccination after-effects.

Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine that contains the killed coronavirus virus, while Covishield is a recombinant vaccine that has a small piece of the virus’s DNA.

A senior blood transfusion expert questioned the deferral period saying if none were live vaccines why stop people from donating blood. “In the US, there is a deferral time of 2 weeks only for those vaccinated with a live attenuated virus and not an inactivated one such as Covaxin,” he said. Dr Gupta said the deferral period may be reviewed as and when more evidence emerges.

The sparrow can still fly home to us

TIMES EVOKE

The sparrow can still fly home to us

20.03.2021 

March 20th is World Sparrow Day. But, as the little bird vanishes alarmingly across the world, Diwakar Sharma of WWF India writes in Times Evoke about why the sparrow is becoming so rare — and how we can still save it:

Born in Delhi, I remember a time when house sparrows were a part of every childhood. During March and April, their chirping sounds would fill our homes as they fed on wheat grains being cleaned in courtyards or hopped cheerfully across windowsills. March-April being breeding season for these sparrows, it was common to see them building their little nests in our homes — indeed, it was a thrill to carefully place a toppled-over chick back in its nest, despite dire warnings by our parents that the grown sparrows wouldn’t accept chicks which had been touched by human hands (they usually did; the warnings aimed to stop fascinated children from disturbing these nests).

Then too, in the 1970s and ’80s, Delhi was expanding but there were still patches of natural grasslands that provided a habitat for these birds. Twenty years later, I found sparrows were visible in the city but in much smaller numbers. I was lucky enough to see sparrows nesting in my house windows in the early 2000s. But this lasted only two years and the sparrows didn’t return thereafter.

It is tragic that a species so strongly associated with human habitation, which partly evolved with us and can live in urban or rural settings, is now suffering because of human activities. The house sparrow became associated with humans 10,000 years ago, often following us as we moved to new locales. A ubiquitous companion, the sparrow wasn’t always welcome.

In China, in the 1950s, sparrows were declared pests due to their feeding on crops and were destroyed in huge numbers. Later, it was discovered that sparrows had been controlling the insects that then damaged the crops and caused widespread famines.

But sparrow populations have been consistently declining in different parts of the world. In London, sparrows have almost disappeared, their absence linked with industrialisation growing from the mid-19th century. As locomotives replaced horse carts, the little sparrow lost its share of the grain which spilled from these carts when the horses fed. Research now shows a 55% decline in sparrow populations in Europe, 58% in rural Britain and 95% in London. In India, the ‘eBird’ survey shows house sparrow populations have declined by 45% across six metros. Natural causes like predation and avian malaria have contributed — but human-induced factors have had far greater impact. These include radiation from mobile phones and towers, a shortage of nesting sites caused by changing urban building design and a dwindling supply of insects due to the loss of grasslands, monoculture cropping and the heavy use of pesticides. A recent study indicates that the emission of toxic compounds like methyl nitrite from unleaded petrol could also have affected sparrow populations.

In many countries, this little bird, facing multiple existential challenges, has been categorised as threatened. As part of global efforts to save it, World Sparrow Day was announced on 20th March and in 2012, the house sparrow was declared Delhi’s state bird. But we need more than nominations and labels to bring sparrows back. A lot is still possible — we can provide safe nesting places for sparrows by placing artificial nest boxes around homes. We can also improve our knowledge of the habitat these birds need. Currently, due to a belief that only woodlands fight climate change, afforestation drives eat away grassy stretches. But the house sparrow doesn’t inhabit woodlands, which consist of dense trees. It is a creature of grasslands, large swathes of grasses and shrubs. Afforestation therefore must only be undertaken in areas that had forests to begin with. In other locations, grassland management should be adopted to preserve the natural ecosystem.

Any change in the health of an ecosystem reflects in changes in its biodiversity — the decline of the sparrow indicates that the health of Delhi’s environment is deteriorating. This is a warning bell for Covid-19 has shown that environmental well-being and human health are intricately linked. We need to do more to protect nature. There is reason to hope too — sparrows have been sighted recently in outer Delhi, across Dwarka and Najafgarh. A possible reason could be a change in the numbers of mobile towers. But sparrows still face challenges like urban construction edging them out. We need to solve these issues with a focus that lasts beyond World Sparrow Day, to every day which can be brightened by the chirping of this energetic little bird.

Times Evoke presents a unique space for readers to express their thoughts on the environment. Write in to: timesevoke@timesgroup.com

40-yr-old jumps into zoo’s lion pit in Kolkata, escapes with minor injuries

40-yr-old jumps into zoo’s lion pit in Kolkata, escapes with minor injuries

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata:20.03.2021 

A 40-year-old man, reportedly mentally unstable, miraculously escaped with his life suffering only minor injuries after he scaled a wall and jumped into a lion enclosure at the Alipore zoo on Friday morning. Gautam Guchait, who reportedly just wanted to “set the big cat free”, had injuries and cuts in his legs when a lion attacked him, before zoo officials managed to lead the animal away.

Guchait, a resident of East Midnapore’s Patashpur, had left home four days ago, said police. “We spoke to him. He said he loved to see wild animals in the wild, and hence wanted to set the lion free,” an officer said.

Alipore zoo director A K Samanta said the lion was sitting at the northernmost corner of the enclosure, when Guchait jumped in, around 11am. “Since the lion was at the northern side, our security guards, too, were there, keeping an eye on the crowd,” he said.

“This person, wearing an orange robe, started climbing the enclosure wall from the other side and stood on top of it. Though our alert guards opened the lion shelter doors soon after spotting the man on top of the wall, he jumped. Once in, he couldn’t stand straight and started crawling towards Viswas, the lion, who attacked him with its paw,” he added.

It was only because of the alert zoo staff that Guchait escaped a worse fate.

CJI Bobde to retire, Centre asks him to recommend successor

CJI Bobde to retire, Centre asks him to recommend successor

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:20.03.2021 

Setting the process for change of guard at the top of the judiciary in motion, the Union government on Friday wrote to Chief Justice S A Bobde, who retires on April 23, to recommend the name of his successor, a convention that has been followed since the collegium took over the process of selecting judges in the 1990s.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote to CJI Bobde requesting him to nominate his successor, who would be appointed as the 48th CJI, official sources said. Justice N V Ramana, the senior-most among SC judges, is in line to succeed Justice Bobde as the next CJI.

As per convention, the CJI recommends the name of the senior-most SC judge as successor a month ahead of his retirement. So it is expected that CJI Bobde will recommend Justice Ramana’s name as his successor by March 23, sources said.

The memorandum of procedure for appointment of CJI says “appointment to the office of the Chief Justice of India should be of the seniormost judge of the Supreme Court considered fit to hold the office”. It says the law minister, at the appropriate time, would seek the recommendation of the outgoing CJI for the appointment of the next CJI. “Whenever there is any doubt about the fitness of the seniormost judge to hold the office of the Chief Justice of India, consultation with other judges as envisaged in Article 124  (2) of the Constitution would be made for appointment of the next Chief Justice of India,” the MoP provides.

“After receipt of the recommendation of the CJI, the law minister will put up the recommendation to the prime minister who will advise the President in the matter of appointment,” it says. Justice Ramana, who is slated to become the next CJI, will have a tenure of one year, four months and three days.

As per convention, the CJI recommends the name of the senior-most SC judge as successor a month ahead of his retirement, and hence, it is expected that CJI Bobde will recommend Justice Ramana’s name as his successor by March 23, sources said

Kerala police register case against ED for coercion, conspiracy

Kerala police register case against ED for coercion, conspiracy

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram:  20.03.2021 

The crime branch of Kerala police has registered a case against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers who are probing the gold smuggling case, on the basis of the statements of two female civil police officers.

In the FIR submitted on Friday to the judicial magistrate court in Kochi, the crime branch has invoked IPC Sections 116, 120-B, 167, 192, 193 and 195-A for conspiracy, intimidation and forcing to give false statements against the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The crime branch had earlier conducted a preliminary inquiry, in which statements of 18 persons, including that of Swapna Suresh, the key accused in the case related to gold smuggling through diplomatic channels, was recorded. TOI has learnt that a special team will be set up to probe the case.

The state had received legal advice from the director general of prosecutions that a case should be registered against the ED sleuths who had interrogated Suresh in jail. The government had sought legal advice based on the report of the investigation team that had probed the leak of Suresh’s voice clip.

Woman civil police officers Siji Vijayan of Palarivattom police station and S Rejimol of Kadavanthra police station, who were allegedly on duty while the ED sleuths interrogated Suresh, had stated before the probe team that the ED officers were compelling Swapna to give a statement against the chief minister.

HC refuses to stay ED summons to Mehbooba in money laundering case

The Delhi high court on Friday refused to stay the latest summons issued to former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti by the enforcement directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and justice Jasmeet Singh said they are not granting any relief to the PDP president, who has been served notice to appear at the ED headquarters in the national capital on March 22.

Representing the ED, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said Mufti just has to appear before the officials. ED had earlier summoned Mufti for March15 but has now sought her presence on March 22. TNN

TTEs thrash man travelling sans ticket, booked

TTEs thrash man travelling sans ticket, booked

Roorkee:  20.03.2021 

Two travelling ticket examiners (TTE) onboard Rishikesh-Barmer Express (04887) allegedly thrashed a passenger for travelling “without ticket” from Haridwar to Jaipur on Wednesday.

According to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials, the TTEs also caused a delay of around 50 minutes after creating a ruckus at the Roorkee railway station. Soon after the episode, the RPF and the GRP (Government Railway Police) registered separate cases against the two TTEs and the passenger, a resident of Jaipur. According to sources, the passenger was heading to his hometown Jaipur from Haridwar in coach S-4 of Rishikesh-Barmer Express when he was asked by TTE Karandip Singh to show his ticket. To this, he told the official that his trip was unplanned and that he didn’t get the time to book a ticket. This ensued a brawl between the two. Subsequently, TTE Singh was joined by an unidentified colleague and both of them allegedly thrashed the passenger. TNN

MTC told to pay ₹38.5 lakh to accident victim’s family

MTC told to pay ₹38.5 lakh to accident victim’s family

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.03.2021 

A city accident claims tribunal has directed Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) to compensate ₹38.5 lakh to the family of a motorist who was killed after a rashly driven government bus knocked the twowheeler down near Pulianthope four years ago.

D Sumithra of Medavakkam moved the tribunal seeking a compensation of ₹75 lakh for the death of her husband, Deva Manikandan. According to the petition, Deva Manikandan was riding along the junction of 5th street and VOC Nagar, Dr Ambedkar College Road when the MTC bus hit the two-wheeler from behind.

Deva Manikandan suffered multiple fatal injuries and died on the spot. The accident happened in August 2016.

The MTC bus was travelling from Parrys Corner to Periyar Nagar. The transport corporation contended that the bus driver had stopped the bus at Aduthotti bus stop for passengers to alight and had started the vehicle when the motorist overtook the bus from left and lost balance while riding over a heap of blue metal.

In the melee, the motorist hit the bumper of the MTC bus and sustained fatal injuries, the counsel for the transport corporation stated and argued that MTC cannot be held liable to pay the compensation.

The tribunal, after perusing the submissions from both sides, noted that the evidence submitted proves that the accident happened due to the rash driving of the MTC driver and that the transport corporation has not submitted enough evidence to substantiate their claims about negligence by the motorist.

The deceased was 38 years old at the time of the accident and in the engineering business. Considering the age of the deceased and the loss of income to the family, the tribunal arrived at an amount of ₹38.5 lakh as compensation to the family and directed MTC to settle the amount within one month.

Of the total amount, the wife of the deceased, Sumithra, is entitled for ₹18.5 lakh, while the three children of the deceased are entitled for an amount of ₹5.33 lakh each and the parents of the deceased are entitled for ₹2 lakh each.

The tribunal, after perusing the submissions from both sides, noted that the evidence submitted proves that the accident happened due to the rash driving of the MTC driver

City residents meet candidates armed with detailed wishlists

City residents meet candidates armed with detailed wishlists

People In Ambattur Demand Tax Rationalization Ahead Of Polls

Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com

Chennai:20.03.2021 

Gone are the days when people would submit a general list of demands to political party candidates. Now, heads of residents’ welfare associations come to meetings with candidates armed with specific data — either based on their own surveys or sourced from government agencies — to show how past promises had remained unfulfilled and how new ones should be met.

Residents of Ambattur want property tax calculated on basic street rate and area of the house. S Swaminathan of the JAMBA United Welfare Association, which includes five residential colonies, trots out government data to show how property tax in Ambattur since 2012 has remained ₹3.30 per sq ft against a mere 50 paise per sq ft in Sholinganallur and not more than ₹1 in Adyar and the posh Boat Club area. “If the candidates concerned don’t promise to rectify this anomaly, we will vote for NOTA [none of the above],” he said.

The Tansi Nagar Residents Welfare Association in Velachery wants an integrated market, with secretary M Balakrishanan adding that the government should come up with a policy for sewage treatment based on the demand and population increase. “An additional sewage pumping station on Taramani Link Road will reduce the load on the existing station during rainy days. Also, an additional EB power substation is needed.”

K Mohan of Saidapet said integrated hospitals are the need of the hour. “People still have to go to Triplicane or central for treatment,” he said visited the area.

Kamakshi Subramaniyan of the Kalakshetra Colony Welfare Association says encroachments on Elliot’s beach in Besant Nagar should be cleared and the famous stretch given a revamp. “With the Marina beautification project on, we want the government to focus on Elliot’s beach as well.”

In Perambur, residents say widening of bus route stretches such as Perambur High Road, Madhavaram High Road and Paper Mills Road, providing pedestrian friendly footpaths, laying medians and constructing speed breakers have been promised but never fulfilled.

Finally, residents want the candidates, once elected, to use their office to enforce a proper quality audit system to oversee the infrastructure development work taken up by the local administration. “Put pressure on the state administration to conduct the local body elections and set up a ward committee. Citizens’ participation in matters relating to infrastructure development, security and conservancy can help build a model constituency within the city of Chennai,” several Perambur residents say.

DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY: Residents want candidates to address their concerns

If the candidates concerned don’t promise to rectify this anomaly (property tax rates), we will vote for NOTA (none of the above).

S Swaminathan | AMBATTUR RESIDENT

16-hour surgery relieves cancer patient of pain

16-hour surgery relieves cancer patient of pain

Chennai:20.03.2021 

Surgeons cheered as a 26-year-old patient walked out of the lift and smiled at flashing media cameras. A little more than a fortnight ago, seven surgeons had worked for 16 hours to remove a cancerous tumour that was compressing her spine and abdominal organs.

When the woman, who works at a factory that makes zips for clothes, came to the Cancer Institute (WIA) in Adyar with excruciating pain after concurrent chemo-radiotherapy for four month from August, 2020 failed. Doctors told her surgery was the only option for the tumour, called Chondrosarcoma, which started from the L3 vertebra on the spine.

“We decided to remove the tumour using enbloc resection. This means we would resect the entire tumour in one go,” said senior surgeon Dr Anand Raja.

In the theatre the patient was made to lie down on her stomach. “We started the surgery from the spine. We removed a third of L3, her right kidney and urethra, but we managed to keep all other blood vessels and her bowels intact,” he said.

Five days after the surgery, the patient began to move out of her bed and quickly recovered. TNN

Even relationship claim can’t undo Pocso offence: HC

Even relationship claim can’t undo Pocso offence: HC

It Becomes A Crime Against State: Court

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.03.2021 

Offences under the Pocso Act are not compoundable even if the victim girl after becoming major deposes that she was in relationship with the offender and wanted to settle the issue, the Madras high court has held.

“Once a complaint is registered under Pocso Act, it becomes an offence against the state and, therefore, subsequent compromise will not take away the offence,” Justice P Velmurugan said on Friday.

The judge made the observation while dismissing a petition moved by Marudhupandi challenging conviction and 10 years imprisonment ordered by Dharmapuri mahila court for sexually assaulting the minor victim on promise of marriage.

When the appeal came up for hearing, the victim who is now a major filed an affidavit claiming that she was living together with the offender for the past four years and that they had settled the matter amicably. She, therefore, prayed that the appeal be allowed and the conviction and sentence be set aside, so as to enable them live peacefully.

Refusing to accept the same, the judge said, “Even assuming that victim girl had fallen in love with the appellant and admitted that they are living together for four years, as on the date of commission of offence, provisions of the Pocso Act would attract.”

The court further pointed out that the appellant had not challenged the complaint made against him nor claimed that the girl gave such complaint due to coercion or threat. The victim even in her statement under Section 164 CrPC and deposition before the trial court has clearly stated that the appellant had committed the offence, the court said. “The evidence of the victim girl was very clear that she was 17 years on the day of occurrence and the appellant had made a false promise that he would marry her and against her will, he had sexually assaulted her repeatedly and subsequently, refused to marry her,” the judge said.

Kamal offers SEET to help TN students enter MBBS courses

Kamal offers SEET to help TN students enter MBBS courses

Nivedha.Selvam1@timesgroup.com

20.03.2021 

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has promised to replace the National Eligibility -cum Entrance Test (NEET) with State Eligibility cum Entrance Test (SEET) for medical admission in the state if the party is voted to power.

It is one of the biggest promises in the party’s manifesto that was released in Coimbatore on Friday. The party has promised to provide jobs for 50 lakh to one crore people and double the per capita income in 10 years.

Saying that most government school students in the state found it difficult to crack NEET, Kamal said SEET question papers will be framed based on the state board syllabus to make it easy for the students.

The MNM has envisioned a plan to revamp the state’s education system by abolishing Class X and XII public examinations and introducing a four-year-long pre-graduation programme from Class IX. The manifesto said only one examination - either public examination or entrance - will be held.

Terming the manifesto a “living document”, Kamal said it was prepared with a long-term vision and not as a poll stunt.

Kamal took a dig at major political parties, saying freebies and doles promised by them would only add more burden to a debt-ridden state. He said MNM had better ideas other than relying only on tax and getting loans to promote growth, generate revenue and bring the state out of debt.

He said the governmentrun enterprises such as Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation could be turned profitable by making employees shareholders.

Referring to the financial assistance that other parties had promised for homemakers, the actor said MNM will create an environment for them to earn by honing their skills. “With skill development, women will be able to earn better on their own.”

MNM has promised to set up ‘makkal’ canteens, which will be different from ‘Amma’ canteens and ration shops. Here, people can purchase groceries and other items at a reasonable price. It also vowed to implement former president A P J Abdul Kalam’s Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA) plan to make villages self-sufficient and turn unorganized workers into organized workers. “All the schemes mentioned in our manifesto are practically possible to implement,” Kamal said.

Asked about the recent income-tax raid on the premises of the party’s treasurer A Chandrasekaran, Kamal said it was a raid on an individual and had nothing to do with the MNM. “Action will be taken against him if he is proven guilty.”

தேஜஸ் ரயில் தாம்பரத்தில் நிற்காது

தேஜஸ் ரயில் தாம்பரத்தில் நிற்காது

Added : மார் 18, 2021 23:14 

சென்னை:தேஜஸ் ரயில் தாம்பரத்தில் நிற்காது என, ரயில்வே வாரியம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது. சென்னை எழும்பூரில் இருந்து, மதுரைக்கு இயக்கப்படும் தேஜஸ் ரயில், திருச்சி, கொடைக்கானல் ரோடு நிலையங்களில் மட்டும் நின்று செல்கிறது. இந்த ரயில் இரு வழியிலும், ஏப்., 2 முதல், கொடைக்கானல் ரோடு நிலையத்துக்கு பதிலாக, திண்டுக்கல்லில் நின்று செல்லும் என, ரயில்வே வாரியம் அறிவித்துஉள்ளது.

தேஜஸ் ரயில் தாம்பரம் நிலையத்தில் நின்று செல்ல வேண்டும் என்ற, பலரின் கோரிக்கையை ரயில்வே வாரியம் நிராகரித்துள்ளது.சென்னை, சிட்லப்பாக்கத்தை சேர்ந்த தயானந்த கிருஷ்ணன், தகவல் அறியும் உரிமை சட்டத்தில் கோரிய கேள்விக்கு, ரயில்வே வாரியம் அளித்த பதிலில், இந்த தகவல் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Vax drive: Centre places orders for 351m syringes

Chethan.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru :  19.03.2021 

The Centre, which had floated a tender in December for 351 million syringes to administer the Covid vaccine, has now placed orders with three companies, at least one of which is expected to begin deliveries from the first week of April.

The Centre had earlier placed orders for 230 million syringes, taking the total number of syringes it will buy to more than 550 million. TOI first reported in December 2020 that the Centre was looking to issue tenders for 350 million syringes specifically to aid the vaccination drive.

Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices Ltd (HMD), one of the largest manufacturers of disposable syringes in the world, will make 265 million auto-disable (AD) syringes which will be supplied till September this year. In its original bid to the December 2020 tender, HMD had offered to supply 220 million pieces. Iscon Surgicals, another Indian firm, will make more than 42.3 million syringes.

While HMD and Iscon were the only two firms to secure orders for the initial 230 million pieces, in this round, the Centre has also placed orders with American MNC Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), which will manufacture nearly 44 million syringes at its India plant.

HMD managing director Rajiv Nath told TOI they will begin delivering syringes against fresh orders in April. Nath said: “This is in addition to our ongoing global commitments to support regular global vaccination projects for 0.1ml & 0.5ml AD Kojak syringes and the Covid vaccination requirements of 0.3ml for Pfizer’s vaccine or 0.5ml AD Kojak for Astra-Zeneca/ Serums or Bharat Biotech’s vaccines.”

He said the company’s priority is India, but it must also honour its global commitments. “So, for now we are allocating two thirds of our capacity to the government of India and the rest to our regular global UN clients,” he said. “We are happy to complement vaccine diplomacy with syringe diplomacy and raise the Brand India flag in more than 120 countries.”

Iscon vice-president Sandeep Bhandari said that against their original bid for 35.1 million syringes, the Centre has awarded them a contract of more than 42.3 million. “Aside from this, there is a good demand for syringes and needles from across the world and we recently got orders from the UK for 29 million syringes. We are working on some more contracts from Europe, South Korea and Brazil,” he said.

As cases rise in India, SII ‘delays’ vax supply to UK

As cases rise in India, SII ‘delays’ vax supply to UK

19.03.2021 

The vaccine rollout in the UK “has been hampered” due to the delay in delivery of a promised second batch of 5 million doses by Serum Institute of India, reports Naomi Canton. The vaccine-maker had delivered 5 million AstraZeneca doses to Britain early March; the second batch was expected imminently. But SII told the UK’s Daily Telegraph the second batch would be delivered only once it got the nod from New Delhi, which is concerned about rising Covid cases in India.

India sees sharpest 5-day rise in Covid cases in 10 months

India sees sharpest 5-day rise in Covid cases in 10 months

Maha Records All-Time Peak In Daily Cases

Amit.Bhattacharya@timesgroup.com

19.03.2021 

Over the past five days, India has seen the sharpest surge in Covid-19 infections in at least the last 10 months, with the seven-day rolling average of daily cases rising by as much as 39% during this period.

The count of daily cases almost touched 40,000 on Thursday, with 39,670 fresh infections recorded in the past 24 hours. This was the highest single-day tally of cases since November 28 last year. Maharashtra logged its highest-ever daily case count of 25,833, while 15 other states/Union territories reported their highest singleday tallies since January or earlier. In the last five days, the seven-day average of daily cases has been growing by over 5% every day. The growth rates during this period have been 5.2%, 5.8%, 6.6%, 7.4% and 8.7%. This is the sharpest rise in daily cases sustained over a period of five days in TOI's records going back to the first week of May.

1,488 +ve cases in Karnataka; 5 clusters in B’luru

Karnataka reported 1,488 fresh Covid-19 cases on Thursday, with Bengaluru alone accounting for 925 of them. At least five cluster outbreaks — three of them in Yelahanka zone — have been reported from Bengaluru.

N Manjunatha Prasad, BBMP commissioner, said irresponsible behaviour on the part of people and those with travel history are adding to the rise in cases. “Nearly 12% of fresh cases in the city are those with travel history or those who attended functions or visited malls,” Prasad said. In Belagavi, a 69-year-old gram panchayat member from Katakat village in Belagavi district died a day after his vaccination. P 2

Seven-day rolling average of daily deaths crosses 150

Previously, daily growth of over 5% was seen for a maximum of four days, from May 19 to 22. Deaths have also been rising but not at the same pace as the spurt in cases. India reported 154 fatalities from the virus on Thursday, the third successive day of 150-plus toll in the country.

The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths crossed 150 on Thursday for the first time since January 23. Not just Maharashtra, the case count in Mumbai too smashed its previous single-day tally. Mumbai posted 2,877 new infections, more than its previous high of 2,848 cases recorded on October 10, 2020. The silver lining was that Thursday’s Covid-19 deaths in the state were eight times lower than on September 11.

Infections were surging in most states outside the northeast, and places such as Odisha and Bihar. Punjab reported 2,387 fresh cases, the highest tally in the state since September 19. The UT of Chandigarh also reported its highest tally of cases (211) since September 25.

IndiGo hands over 2 more flyers to police

IndiGo hands over 2 more flyers to police

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:19.03.2021 

The number of Covid norm violators facing action while flying is fast rising now. On Wednesday, IndiGo handed over a passenger each from its Delhi-Hyderabad and Nagpur-Goa flights on arrival to security agencies for not wearing their face masks despite repeated announcements from the crew. The airline has also filed a police complaint against these passengers.

This is the fifth action by three airlines so far this week against nine violators — Alliance Air (four from one flight), IndiGo (three from as many flights) and AirAsia India (two from one flight). While AirAsia offloaded passengers from a Goa-Mumbai flight on Monday as they refused to wear PPE gowns, the other seven were handed over to security agencies on arrival for not wearing masks during the flight.

As Maharashtra sees increase in cases, MP stops bus movement

As Maharashtra sees increase in cases, MP stops bus movement

Bhopal:  19.03.2021 

The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday announced a ban on movement of passenger buses to and from Mahrarashtra from March 20 in view of the alarming rise in coronavirus cases in the neighboring state.

The decision was taken by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during a meeting to review the Covid-19 situation with municipal commissioners and district collectors, an official said.

The government has already advised officials in border districts to place the passengers arriving from Maharashtra in week- long quarantine.

Markets and business establishments in the districts which are affected most due to the pandemic, including Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Sagar, Betul, Burhanpur, Khargone, Ratlam and Chhindwara, will remain closed from 10pm to 6am, it was decided during the meeting.

In Indore and Bhopal cities, night curfew from 10pm to 6am is already in force from Wednesday. The vaccination target will be raised to 5 lakh doses per day by setting targets for each district. PTI

 MBBS book links Covid-19 spike to TJ, withdrawn

Mumbai:19.03.2021 

The publishers of the third edition of Essentials of Medical Microbiology, a reference book for 2nd year MBBS students, have withdrawn it after objections to the negative description of Tablighi Jamaat. The authors, Dr Apurba Sastry and Dr Sandhya Bhat, have apologised “if they inadvertently hurt the sentiments of a group of people”, reports Mohammed Wajihuddin.

Talking about Covid situation (as of Aug 2020), the book said: “Subsequent to the Tablighi Jamaat, a religious congregation that took place in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz Mosque in March, there was an explosive outbreak of Covid-19 with 4,000 cases.”

‘No study said TJ meet led to Covid spread’

Once it was brought to our notice, we apologised and the publishers have withdrawn the book. Changes will be made in the new edition,” said Dr Sastry. “The matter is closed.”

The “misrepresentation of facts”, said a spokesperson for the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), the student wing of Jamaat-i-Islami (Hind), was flagged when some SIO members saw it.

“There is no epidemiological study that corroborates the claim that Covid-19 spread because of the TJ congregation. It was a vilification by media and the authors of this book too bought it without crosschecking facts. We are glad they have accepted their mistake and withdrawn the book,” said an SIO (Maharashtra) spokesperson.

Nursing colleges under govt scanner

Nursing colleges under govt scanner

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:19.03.2021 

The state government on Thursday said it would conduct an inquiry and take stringent action against nursing colleges operating without basic training facilities and faculty.

Medical education minister K Sudhakar told the legislative council that the government would cancel errant colleges’ licences after the probe. “I will table the inquiry report within 90 days in this house,” he added.

On Thursday, BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar claimed most of the 650 nursing colleges in Karnataka lacked basic amenities and teaching staff. “There are 30 to 40 colleges in Bidar district where people from Kerala write their exams and get a degree. There is no teaching faculty at many colleges,” he said.

JD(S) legislators alleged that running nursing colleges was a huge business that was churning out untrained professionals and putting people at risk. Marithibbe Gowda said that in Manyda, two licences were issued to a single facility.

The proceedings were adjourned after JD(S) members, not satisfied with the government’s response, staged a protest and demanded a probe by a house committee.

Maharani varsity sealed after +ve case

Maharani varsity sealed after +ve case

Nithya.Mandyam@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:19.03.2021 

Maharani Cluster University was closed for all academic activity on Thursday after a student tested positive for Covid-19.

A senior BBMP health official said the 21-year-old student, who resided in a hostel in Malleswaram, was found to be infected. “The girl underwent tests two days ago and the results were confirmed today. She has returned to her hometown, which is a worry,” the official said.

The official said 15 of her hostel mates have also tested positive. The hostel has been sealed off. A statement issued by the registrar of the varsity said: “The college has informed both UG and PG course [students] that classes will be held online with no change in schedule for theory examination for I and III semester UG students. The fifth semester UG examination of BCR will be conducted as per BCU timetable with strict adherence to Covid-19 (SOP).”

Meanwhile, of the five cluster outbreaks in Bengaluru, three are in Yelahanka zone, while east and Bommanahalli zone have one each.

A resident of Govardhan Residency in Yelahanka, who returned from Kerala on March 1, developed symptoms a week after his return. He tested positive on March 8 and officials had asked all members of the apartment to stay in quarantine. The three-floor complex has 19 residents.

“In spite of instructions, a resident visited a temple on March 9 and developed symptoms on March 14,” said senior health officer, BBMP, Yelahanka. “He tested positive on March 16. People violating protocols have put others at risk.”

Similarly, a family that had attended a wedding in RT Nagar on March 2, found out that one of the guests there was infected. The family underwent tests and, on March 12, found they were infected. The rest of the residents in the duplex building are in home quarantine.

N Manjuantha Prasad, BBMP commissioner, said irresponsible behaviour on the part of people and those with travel history are adding to the rise in cases. “Nearly 12% of fresh cases in the city are those with travel history or those who attended functions or visited malls,” Prasad said.

VIRUS INCUBATION? Grade 7 students of a government primary school in Jayanagar, Bengaluru, participate in classes on Thursday. There was no social distancing and most of the students and the teacher either did not have a mask on or wore one improperly. Sources said many of the students come from poor families and cannot afford masks

Train runs backwards for 20km after brakes fail

Train runs backwards for 20km after brakes fail

Prashant Jha & Kanwardeep Singh | TNN

Nainital/Pilibhit:  19.03.2021 

With 43 passengers on board, the Delhi-Tanakpur Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi Special hurtled in reverse for about 20km and crossed two stations until a mound of sand and boulders hurriedly piled on the tracks finally stopped it. The loco pilot, assistant pilot and guard were suspended on Thursday.

The train was close to its destination, Tanakpur, on Wednesday around 4pm when an animal strayed onto the tracks. “The engine brakes failed after the train hit cattle,” Izzatnagar railway division PRO Rajendra Singh told TOI. The loco pilot appears to have hit the brakes hard, because of which the air pressure vacuum pipe burst. “The driver may have lost control of the engine and the train started moving backwards,” a railways official said.

Train did not stop even after passengers pulled the chain

In the train compartments, there was panic. “Initially, we thought the train was going back to change tracks. But it gathered speed, and we realised something was wrong,” said Dev Singh, a TTE on board the train at the time. In video clips that went viral, the train can be seen running in the opposite direction as curious onlookers scream that there are passengers inside. “We were surrounded by passengers who wanted answers, but even we didn’t know what was happening … Those were the most frantic moments of my life,” said Lakshman Singh, the other TTE on board.

Tanakpur, at an elevation of 259m, is higher than the other stations. “The loco pilot could not stop the train as it started rolling backwards. He informed the control room immediately and all nearby stations were alerted. Our team went to several crossings, and placed sand and boulders on the tracks,” the railways official said. All crossings along the route, meanwhile, were shut. “The field staff was advised to alert locals to stay away from the tracks,” Rajendra Singh said.

Some passengers tried pulling the chain, but the train did not stop. “Then, we got calls from our seniors telling us the brakes had failed,” said Lakshman Singh.

Periods at 7? Docs pin spike to lockdown

Periods at 7? Docs pin spike to lockdown

Shobita.Dhar@timesgroup.com

19.03.2021 

Last year’s lockdown proved to be a life-changing experience for sevenyear-old Shanvi* and her parents who live in Delhi. The little girl started undergoing bodily changes associated with puberty, like breast enlargement and sprouting of body hair. Alarmed, Shanvi’s mother consulted a specialist who got a battery of tests and an MRI done. The diagnosis was precocious puberty. In India, a healthy puberty starts between 11 and 12 for girls. But if it hits before the age of 8 in girls and 9 in boys, it’s called precocious puberty (PP).

Paediatricians are reporting an increase in the number of cases of PP in the past year or so. Some of them feel this could be an effect of the lockdown that saw kids holed up in their homes for months, lonely, gaining weight and eating unhealthy food. Dr Vaishakhi Rustagi, paediatric endocrinologist in Delhi who consults at Max hospital, Patparganj, said that between June 2020 and February 2021 she saw 67 cases of PP. “Before Covid, I would see about 25 cases in a year. I think it’s the stress of the pandemic that is causing this rise. Stress causes hormonal imbalance,” she said.

“My daughter is so small, she was confused and disturbed by these changes. She kept asking me why she had body hair when none of her friends did,” said Barkha Verma*, Shanvi’s mother. Barkha took her to a doctor at the right time, before Shanvi started menstruating. Now she’s on medicines that have suppressed her hormones till the time she is older and more mature to handle puberty. But the changes that happened will remain.

Globally, PP is estimated to affect1 in 500 girls and1 in 2,000 boys. In girls, PP is typically idiopathic (with no apparent cause), while in boys PP is often due to the presence of adrenal or pituitary tumours. Prevalence of PP is10 times higher in girls than in boys. All the cases that Rustagi saw since last year were idiopathic.

At Narayana Health City in Bengaluru, Dr Pavithra Nagaraj said she got 12 cases of PP between April last year and now, higher than the five odd cases she got from 2018-2020. “Weight gain is definitely a contributing factor as is hypothyroidism,” she said.

Globally, too, doctors are reporting this trend.

(Names changed on request)

PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

3-year-old drowns in sump in Kanchi

3-year-old drowns in sump in Kanchi

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.03.2021 

A three-yearold girl, who went missing, was later found dead in a sump at a relative’s residence near Kancheepuram on Wednesday night. Police said the child likely drowned.

The deceased was identified as Krithikashree, daughter of Varadharajan of Padappai and his wife Nithya.

The couple went to attend a relative’s funeral at Karanai along with their children. While Nithya was feeding her seven-month-old, Varadharajan was busy with the rituals. After nearly 30 minutes, they realised that Krithikashree was missing and launched a search for the child.

A relative, who went to draw water from the sump, found the body and alerted others. The body was sent for postmortem. A case has been registered and further investigations are on.

HC refuses to exempt lawyers from paying electricity charges

HC refuses to exempt lawyers from paying electricity charges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.03.2021 

Calling it a publicity stunt, the Madras high court has dismissed a public interest writ petition filed by a Bar association leader to direct Tangedco not to demand power consumption charges for lawyers’ chambers from March 2020 to February 2021.

“Lawyers are more privileged when compared to many other sections of society affected due to Covid-19,” the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said on Thursday. The bench further added that the petitioner’s attempted publicity could not be permitted by the court.

According to Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry co-chairman G Mohanakrishnan, there was absolutely no power consumed either by the lawyers or the registrar office during the lockdown period between March 22, 2020 and February 28.

However, lawyers have tremendously assisted the court for effective dispensation of justice either from their homes or offices. Therefore, the demand of consumption charges for the non-usage period for the lawyer’s chambers is unjust and unreasonable, he said.

More than 3,000 lawyers use the 550 chambers located on high court premises. But none used the chambers during lockdown as they were denied entry, he added. Claiming that the Tangedco authorities have started disconnecting electricity supply due to nonpayment of charges for the lockdown period, the petitioner sought the court’s intervention .