3 dead, 39 injured as govt bus, truck collide head-on

3 dead, 39 injured as govt bus, truck collide head-on

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Cuddalore:  09.04.2021

Three people including the driver of a TNSTC bus were killed and 39 others were injured when the bus collided head-on with a truck on Thursday near Chidambaram in Cuddalore district. A case was registered against the truck driver, who was said to be in a critical condition.

The deceased people were identified as 38-year-old D Sivakumar of Villupuram district, the bus driver, and passengers A Anbarasan, 36, and R Vairavan, 19, from Nagapattinam district.

Police said the TNSTC bus from Velankanni left for Chennai in the wee hours of Thursday. When the bus crossed Mettupalayam near Chidambaram, it collided head-on with a truck bound for Chidambaram from Cuddalore. Teh front portions of the bus and truck were completely mangled and the bus was flipped to its side in the impact.

While the three were found dead on the spot, 39 others were injured and rushed to government general hospitals in Cuddalore and Chidambaram.

A police team led by DSP (Chidambaram) T A J Lamech reached the accident spot and recovered the bodies.

The condition of the truck driver, identified as Iyyappan, was said to be critical. He was later shifted to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry for advanced care and was subsequently referred to a private hospital in Chennai.

The Puduchatram police registered a case against Iyyappan under Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and began investigations.

BATTERED: The TNSTC bus was heading from Velankanni to Chennai

Friends beyond faith, only death could part

Friends beyond faith, only death could part

Deepak.Karthik@timesgroup.com

Trichy: 09.04.2021

A life-size obituary banner with portraits of two elderly men sprung up on Jubilee road in Jayankondam town in Ariyalur on Wednesday afternoon as many residents gazed in disbelief. K Mahalingam, 70, and P Jailabudeen, 66, thick friends for 40 years, had passed away within a space of 30 minutesjustthepreviousnight.Bothfamilies haderectedthecommon banner astestimony to a friendship that transcended religious and professional barriers.

Mahalingam was priest at the Mariamman temple on Vriddachalam road andhadbeen running a tea stallnear the temple. Jailabudeen was a rice mill owner staying opposite his house on Jubilee Road. Their families recall that the two addressed each other as mama-mapla (used between close friends).

Being a priest, Mahalingam was a staunch believer in Hindu rituals and wasoften seen withholy ashsmearedon hisforeheadwhileJailabudeen followed Islam. “No function or festival in our house happened in the absence of Jailabudeen thatha (grandfather). They used to tellusthatthey wereneighbourseven as young boys and hung out together,” says S Guru, Mahalingam’s grandson. “My family always consulted Mahalingam thatha whilehosting any function.Wish wehada snap of thetwowhilethey were alive, the deaths were sudden,” Abdul Rashith, grandson of Jailabudeen, said.

Family members say Mahalingam who had hypertension complained of uneasiness on Tuesday noon. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital by his family in an autorickshaw. They werenotawarethatJailabudeen wasalready atthehospitalafter healsoshowedsome discomforts. Both were referred to Jayankondam GH and admitted to the same ward.

Jailabudeen had chest pain, according to his grandson, and he fell unconscious and died around 4 pm. When Mahalingam wasinformedaboutthedeath of his friend, the families said he was already slipping away, but tears welled in his eyes. He breathed his last half an hour later. Mahalingam was cremated at the cremation ground in Jayankondam town while Jailabudeen was buried at the Muslim burial ground on the outskirts on Wednesday.

BOND OF LOVE: P Jailabudeen and K Mahalingam (right)

HC asks TN to reserve med seat for RTE student next year

MAKING AN EXCEPTION

HC asks TN to reserve med seat for RTE student next year

K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:  09.04.2021

Madras high court has directed Tamil Nadu government to ‘reserve’ one medical seat next year for a girl student ‘on priority basis’ under 7.5% quota provided for students who studied from Class VI to Class XII in government schools. She, as an RTE quota student, had studied in a private school till Class VI.

It is, however, not clear whether she would be eligible for a medical seat next year, on the basis of her performance in NEET this year. NEET score is valid for the current year only.

The case relates to a case filed by Sabhana’s father, stating that she had studied in a private school under RTE quota, Noting that she did Class VII to Class XII in a government school, he said she is eligible for admission under 7.5% quota. He, however, said that while filling the application form, she had marked ‘no’ against a column which asked if she had studied in a government school from Class VI to Class XII.

Justice V Parthiban, deciding the case in her favour, said the state ought to have had a separate column for students who studied in private schools under RTE quota.

Due to the absence of any specific column for RTE category students, the valuable right of Sabhana for being consideredunder 7.5%quota hadbeen denied to her, said Justice Parthiban, adding: "No amount of consolation from the state authorities could compensate the loss suffered by the petitioner's daughter at the crucial stage of higher educational pursuits.”

The judge observed that the dream and hope of the student to pursue medical education should not be shattered on account of a fault of the authorities who had not clearly framed or formulated the application form.

Observing that the state government is under moral and legal obligation to consider her admission, Justice Parthiban asked the state to explore the possibilities to accommodate the student in this academic year in any leftover vacancy due to the candidates non-joining the course.

After being informed of the closure of the admission process, the judge directed the state to reserve a seat for the student andprovideher admission next academic year on a priority basis in medical courses in terms of her overall standing in the merit list under 7.5% quota, if she is interested in taking up the course to be offered to her.

It was the state’s case that had the student approached the counselling authority immediately, her name could have been included for extension of 7.5% preferential admission this year.

Explain action against internal corruption, court tells DVAC

Explain action against internal corruption, court tells DVAC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:09.04.2021

The Madras high court has directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to explain as to whether the agency is functioning independently without political influences.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy also wanted the DVAC to report action taken by it in the past three years against corrupt officials of the agency.

The court issued the directions on a public interest writ petition moved by Karuppu Ezhuthu Kazhagam seeking to quash a government order dated July 5, 2020 transferring various officials.

Counsel for the petitioner P Vijendran claimed that corruption was rampant in the registration department and alleged that highly corrupt officials in the department were being allowed to peacefully retire from service and go scotfree, while those facing comparatively less serious charges were being subjected serious punishment.

Pointing out a particular case of district registrar K Gopalakrishnan, who was transferred from Chennai to Tuticorin after a DVAC raid in March 2019, the petitioner said, the officer did not join service at the transferred location.

However, he was transferred back to Chengalpattu within four months, he added.

Further, stating that the official’s name had been included in a general list of transfer of various other officers in July 2020, the petitioner urged the court to quash the entire GO and consequently direct the state government to effect the transfers in a transparent manner.

Microsurgery by city doc corrects ringing in ears of man, 26

Microsurgery by city doc corrects ringing in ears of man, 26

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:09.04.2021

The continuous ringing sound in the ears of a 26-year-old man for two years affected his work, sleep and daily life. But when a city-based doctor performed a rare microsurgery to move a blood vessel away from the auditory nerve, the patient was able to smile again.

Venkat Narayan was referred to the MGM Healthcare by a senior ENT surgeon because the ringing sound diagnosed as a rare form of tinnitus did not go away with medication and other therapy.

Further tests including a brain MRI in January 2020, showed no abnormal tumours or vascular malformation. “After a detailed examination, it was diagnosed that the artery abutting the auditory nerve was creating this problem,” said senior neurosurgeon Dr K Sridhar, director and group head, Institute of Neurosciences and Spinal Disorders, MGM Healthcare.

The team of doctors then decided to do a microvascular decompression of the cochlear nerve. While the procedure is regularly performed to treat shock like pain over the face due to compression of nerves, it is not used to treating tinnitus. “We moved the artery away from the nerve and the problem was gone,” he said. “We had to be very careful while doing this procedure as the risk of deafness and facial weakness were high,” he said.

Venkat said he will carry on with his higher education as he had planned earlier.

Govt: Notices issued to evict 403 encroachers from Chitlapakkam lake

Govt: Notices issued to evict 403 encroachers from Chitlapakkam lake

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:09.04.2021

At least 403 encroachments have been identified in Chitlapakkam lake and action has been initiated to remove them, Tamil Nadu government has informed Madras high court.

These encroachments were found on 83.89 acres of the water body classified as ‘Eri’ (tank). Out of 403, at least 374 are house sites, government pleader V Jayaprakash Narayanan said on Thursday.

He further added that notices have been issued to the encroachers under the Tamil Nadu Protection of Tank and Eviction of Encroachments Rules, 2007.

The state made the submissions on a plea moved by NGO Arappor Iyakkam to remove encroachments in the Chitlapakkam lake from the Tambaram and Pallavaram side, along with discharge of sewage into the lake.

Recording the submissions, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy adjourned the plea to eight weeks for the state to file a status report.

In February last, the bench expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s response to encroachments on water bodies.

The court observed that cities would die if water bodies were killed and flats were getting flooded because they are choked. “There is a complete lack of intention on the part of the state to protect water bodies. We would like to see earthmoving machines being deployed to remove such encroachment in water bodies so that it sends a clear message to others to restrain from resorting to such encroachment,” the court said.

The petitioner-organisation said it wanted to protect the Chitlapakkam lake, spread over 101.4 acres, by forming an earth bund around the lake along with a pathway by removing the encroachments.

It had also sought to restrain the officials from converting the lake and its adjoining areas into a park, landfill or garbage dump and subsequently connect the lake with the lakes at Selaiyur and Sembakkam.

The state made the submissions on a plea moved by Arappor Iyakkam, an NGO, to remove encroachments from Chitlapakkam lake from the Tambaram and Pallavaram side

Fresh curbs from tomorrow in TN to contain Covid surge

Fresh curbs from tomorrow in TN to contain Covid surge

Get Jabs In 2 Wks, State Tells People Aged 45 & Above

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 09.04.2021

The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday announced new measures to check the second surge of Covid-19 cases, putting the onus on industries, shopping complexes, offices and restaurants to ensure people wore masks and followed other pandemic protocol. The public is barred from all places of worship, which can follow essential rituals with only staff in attendance but will have to shut by 8 pm from April 10. Retail fruit and vegetable shops at the Koyambedu complex here will be also be shut from that date.

The government has urged people aged above 45 years to get vaccinated in government hospitals and recognized private hospitals within two weeks. Industries should arrange for vaccination of their employees based on the guidelines issued by the Centre and stern action would be taken for violation of standard operating procedures.

Masks must, sanitise hands, says governor

Governor Banwarilal Purohit has urged people to follow the government’s instructions to fight the pandemic. He requested all people to wear masks compulsorily, maintain social distancing and sanitise hands regularly, a release said.

‘For containment of virus, public should cooperate’

Chief secretary Rajeev Ranjan said the public should cooperate for effective containment of the virus. “The management of industries, shopping complexes, private organisations, offices and restaurants should ensure thermal scanning, use of hand sanitisers and wearing of face masks by their employees, officials and the public. Persons without face masks should not be allowed to enter the premises,” he said in an order.

The government also set up field-level teams of IAS officers, supported by revenue, police and health officials for each of the 15 zones in Chennai, and engaged monitoring officers for each district, to intensify containment measures. Public and private intrastate buses, including Metropolitan Transport Corporation services in Chennai, would be permitted with the passengers restricted to seating capacity. This applies to buses being operated to Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka too.

The government said certain restrictions had become imperative given the considerable increase in Covid cases daily and the reason for which was due to non-adherence to Covid-19 protocols, such as wearing of face masks in public places and maintaining social distance. The active cases that stood at 13,070 on March 28 rose to 30,131 on April 8, following which the health department has begun conducting 80,000 RT-PCR tests a day now and increased and aggressive testing in affected areas.

Round-the-clock monitoring will be done in containment zones by officials drawn from police, local bodies and health departments to check the movement of people. Volunteers will be engaged to cater to the essential needs of people in containment zones, besides taking control measures such as spraying disinfectant. Police, health, revenue and local body staff have been directed to intensify the fever camps, surveillance of people with symptoms of fever, cold and cough daily and contact tracing. The district collectors and commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation have been directed to enforce the measures strictly.

Coming soon: Common entrance test for 41 central universities

Coming soon: Common entrance test for 41 central universities

Students Can’t Rely Only On Class XII Marks

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:09.04.2021

For the first time, those seeking admission to undergraduate courses in 41 central universities may not be able to rely only on their Class XII marks. With the imminent finalisation of the plan to conduct the Central Universities Common Entrance Test or CUCET, applicants will have to gear up to fill an online form and appear for the test.

The ministry of education is expected to announce the exam later in April. Earlier this week, a seven-member committee set up by the University Grants Commission in December 2020 submitted its report. The committee was tasked with recommending the modalities for the “high quality aptitude test” for admission to undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes in central universities. The report recommended that the CUCET should be introduced for admission to all programmes in central universities from the coming academic year, and that the exam should be conducted at least twice a year.

However, Amit Khare, secretary for higher education in the ministry, had told TOI in March that this year the common exam will only be for admission to undergraduate courses and will be conducted only once. The CUCET is part of the new National Education Policy 2020, which states that the National Testing Agency will facilitate a single entrance exam for admission to universities across the country.

First CUCET may be held by end of June

The agency is tasked with conducting a high quality common aptitude test like the SAT examination in the US. The committee’s report said that a single application form will enable candidates to apply to multiple central universities including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University and Delhi University among others.

The first CUCET is likely to be conducted around the end of June and the results are likely to be announced in July so that the admission cycle isn’t delayed.

According to a member of the committee, the CUCET will consist of two parts: Section A will be an aptitude test of 50 questions on reading comprehension, verbal ability, quantitative reasoning, logical and analytical reasoning, general awareness and ICT. Section B will have 50 domainspecific questions.

The computer-based bilingual (Hindi and English) multiple choice test will be threehour-long. The NTA will announce an all-India merit list and candidates will get their percentile score and percentile rank. A common e-Counselling platform will be used by the universities to allot courses once a candidate meets the eligibility criteria.

பிரதமருக்கு தடுப்பூசி போட்டது மறக்க முடியாத தருணம்: நிஷா சர்மா

பிரதமருக்கு தடுப்பூசி போட்டது மறக்க முடியாத தருணம்: நிஷா சர்மா

புதுடெல்லி

பிரதமர் நரேந்திர மோடி, இன்று காலை டெல்லி எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனையில் கரோனா தடுப்பூசி இரண்டாவது டோஸை போட்டுக்கொண்டார்.

37 நாட்களுக்குப் பின்னர் இன்று அவர் இரண்டாவது தவணை தடுப்பூசியையும் பெற்றுக் கொண்டுள்ளார். டெல்லி எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனையில் அவர் தடுப்பூசி போட்டுக்கொண்டார்.

முதல் தவணை தடுப்பூசி செலுத்திய புதுச்சேரியைச் சேர்ந்த செவிலி நிவேதா அவருடைய கைகளைப் பிடித்துக் கொள்ள செவிலி நிஷா சர்மா 2ம் டோஸ் தடுபூசியை செலுத்தினார். இவர் பஞ்சாப் மாநிலத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர்.

தடுப்பூசி செலுத்தியது குறித்து, நிஷா சர்மா, நான் தான் பிரதமருக்கு இன்று இரண்டாவது தவணை தடுப்பூசியை செலுத்தினேன். இது என் வாழ்வில் மறக்க முடியாத தருணம் என்று கூறினார். நிஷா பஞ்சாப் மாநிலம் சங்க்ரூரைச் சேர்ந்தவர்.

முதல் தவணை தடுப்பூசி செலுத்திய நிவேதா, நான் இன்று பிரதமரை சந்திக்க இன்னொரு வாய்ப்பு எனக்குக் கிடைத்தது. பிரதமரை சந்தித்ததிலும் அவருக்கு இரண்டாவது தவணை ஊசி செலுத்த உதவியதிலும் எனக்குப் பெருமகிழ்ச்சி. பிரதமர் எங்களிடம் நலம் விசாரித்தார். நாங்கள் அவருடன் புகைப்படம் எடுத்துக்கொண்டோம் என்று அவர் கூறினார். நிவேதா புதுச்சேரியைச் சேர்ந்தவர்.

பிரதமர் மோடி உள்நாட்டுத் தயாரிப்பான கோவேக்சின் தடுப்பூசியைப் போட்டுக் கொண்டார் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

அவர் முதல் தவணை ஊசியைக் கடந்த மார்ச் 1ம் தேதி போட்டுக் கொண்டார்.

6 மாதம்தான்.. மீண்டும் மூட்டை முடிச்சுகளைக் கட்டத் தயாராகும் புலம்பெயர்ந்தோர்

6 மாதம்தான்.. மீண்டும் மூட்டை முடிச்சுகளைக் கட்டத் தயாராகும் புலம்பெயர்ந்தோர்

மும்பை: சரியாகச் சொல்வதென்றால் ஒரு ஆறு மாதம்தான் ஆகியிருக்கும், ஊரடங்கால் ஊருக்குச் சென்றுவிட்டு, திரும்ப மும்பைக்கு வந்து, அதற்குள் மீண்டும் தங்களது மூட்டை முடிச்சுகளைக் கட்டத் தயாராகி வருகிறார்கள் புலம்பெயர்ந்தோர்.

கடந்த ஆண்டு மார்ச் மாதம் நாடு முழுவதும் பொதுமுடக்கம் அமல்படுத்தப்பட்ட போது, தங்களது வாழ்வாதாரங்கள் எல்லாம் முடங்கிப் போனதால் மும்பையை விட்டு, மகாராஷ்டிரத்தின் மிகவும் பின்தங்கிய கிராமங்களை நோக்கிச் சென்ற மக்கள், மீண்டும் இயல்பு நிலைத் திரும்பியதால், ஆறு மாதங்களுக்கு முன்புதான் மும்பை மற்றும் மும்பை மாநகராட்சிக்குத் திரும்பினர்.

மீண்டும் தங்களது வாழ்வாதாரங்களை புதுப்பித்துக் கொண்டு ஓரளவுக்கு பொருளாதார நிலையில் மீண்டு வந்து விடலாம் என்ற நம்பிக்கை துளிர்விட்டுக் கொண்டிருந்த நேரத்தில்தான் பேரிடியாக இரண்டாவது அலைத் தாக்கத் தொடங்கியிருக்கிறது.

மகாராஷ்டிரத்தில் அதிகளவில் கரோனா தொற்று உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டுவருவதால், இரவு நேர ஊரடங்கு, கட்டுப்பாடுகள் என்று தொடர்ந்து அடுத்தடுத்து அறிவிக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது.

இதனால், இந்தியாவின் பல பகுதிகளிலிருந்தும், மகாராஷ்டிரத்திலிருந்தும் வந்து மும்பையில் வேலை செய்து வரும் புலம்பெயர்ந்தோர் கடும் அச்சத்துக்குள்ளாகியுள்ளனர். எனவெ. பொதுமுடக்கம் அறிவித்துவிடுவார்களோ என்ற அச்சத்தில் தங்களது உடைமைகளை கட்டித் தயாராக வைத்திருக்கிறார்கள் எண்ணற்ற புலம்பெயர்ந்தோர்.

பொதுமுடக்கத்துக்குப் பின், 2020-ஆம் ஆண்டு ஆகஸ்ட் மாதத்தில் தளர்வுகள் அறிவிக்கப்பட்டதும், உத்தரப்பிரதேசம், பிகார், சத்தீஸ்கர், ஹரியாணா, ராஜஸ்தான், கர்நாடகம், குஜராத், தெலங்கானா, ஒடிசா ஆகிய மாநிலங்களிலிருந்து திரும்பி வந்த புலம்பெயர் தொழிலாளர்கள், சிறு, குறு தொழிற்சாலைகள், பண்ணைகள், உணவகங்கள், அலுவலகம், வணிக வளாகம் என பல இடங்களில் லட்சக்கணக்கான பணிகளை நிரப்பினர்.

ஆனால், மீண்டும் மகாராஷ்டிரத்தில் இரண்டாவது அலை அடிக்கத் தொடங்கியிருப்பதால், தங்களது மூட்டை முடிச்சுகளை எல்லாம் கட்டிக் கொண்டு, மீண்டும் பிறப்பிடம் தேடி ஓட மனதளவில் தயாராகி வருகிறார்கள் புலம்பெயர் தொழிலாளர்கள்.

Dailyhunt

கரோனாவுக்கும் தடுப்பூசிக்கும் கடும் போட்டி: வெல்லப் போவது யார்?

கரோனாவுக்கும் தடுப்பூசிக்கும் கடும் போட்டி: வெல்லப் போவது யார்?

ஒரு பக்கம் நாள்தோறும் புதிதாக கரோனா பாதிப்பு ஒரு லட்சத்தைத் தொட்டு வரும் நிலையில், ஒரு லட்சத்துக்கும் அதிகமானோருக்கு கரோனா தடுப்பூசி செலுத்தப்பட்டு வருகிறது.

கரோனா தொற்று பாதிப்பு கடந்த ஆண்டு மார்ச் மாதத்தில் இந்தியாவில் அதிகரிக்கத் தொடங்கியது. தற்போது அதன் இரண்டாவது அலை வீசி வருகிறது. ஆனால், ஜனவரி மாதம் தொடங்கிய தடுப்பூசி திட்டத்தின் மூலம் தற்போது வரை 8.70 கோடிப் பேருக்கு தடுப்பூசி போடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

நாட்டில் பொதுமக்களுக்கு போடப்பட்ட மொத்த தடுப்பூசிகளின் எண்ணிக்கை இன்று 8.70 கோடியைக் கடந்தது. இதையடுத்து தடுப்பூசி போடுவதில் அமெரிக்காவை இந்தியா விஞ்சியுள்ளது.

இன்று காலை 7 மணி வரை 8,70,77,474 தடுப்பூசிகள் போடப்பட்டுள்ளன. கடந்த 24 மணி நேரத்தில் 33 லட்சம் தடுப்பூசிகள் போடப்பட்டன. 81வது நாளான நேற்று 33,37,601 தடுப்பூசிகள் போடப்பட்டன. குறிப்பிடத்தக்க முன்னேற்றமாக, உலகில் வேகமாக தடுப்பூசிகள் போடும் நாடுகளில், நாளொன்றுக்கு சராசரியாக 30,93,861 தடுப்பூசிகள் என்ற அளவுடன் இந்தியா அமெரிக்காவை விஞ்சிவிட்டது.

தடுப்பூசி போடும் திட்டத்தை மத்திய அரசு தீவிரப்படுத்தி வரும் அதே நிலையில், நாட்டில் ஒரு நாள் கரோனா பாதிப்பு தொடர்ந்து அதிகரித்து வருகிறது. கடந்த 24 மணி நேரத்தில் 1,15,736 பேருக்கு புதிதாக தொற்று ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இவர்களில் 80.70 சதவீதம் பேர் மகாராஷ்டிரம், சட்டீஸ்கர், கர்நாடகம், உத்தரப் பிரதேசம், தில்லி, மத்தியப் பிரதேசம், தமிழ்நாடு மற்றும் கேரளத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர்கள். நாட்டில் கொவிட் சிகிச்சை பெறுபவர்களின் மொத்த எண்ணிக்கை 8,43,473 ஆக உள்ளது.

தற்போதைய நிலையில், கரோனா பரவலைக் கட்டுப்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்றால், மக்களுக்கு தடுப்பூசி செலுத்தி நோய் எதிர்ப்பு சக்தி அதிகரிக்க வேண்டும். இந்த நிலையை எட்ட ஒட்டுமொத்த மக்கள் தொகையில் சுமார் 60 - 70 சதவீத மக்களுக்கு தடுப்பூசி செலுத்தப்பட வேண்டும். ஆனால், தடுப்பூசி போடும் திட்டம் தொடங்கி 3 மாதங்கள் ஆகியுள்ளன. வெறும் 3 மாநிலங்கள்தான் ஒட்டுமொத்த மக்கள் தொகையில் 5% பேருக்கு தடுப்பூசி போட்டுள்ளது.

தடுப்பூசி போடும் திட்டம் மூன்றாவது கட்டத்தில் உள்ளது. தற்போது 45 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட அனைவரும் தடுப்பூசி போட்டுக் கொள்ளலாம். ஒருவர் இரண்டு டோஸ்கள் போட்டுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். அப்போதுதான் தடுப்பூசி முழுமைபெறும்.

இதுவரை 45 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட சுமார் 70 சதவீத மக்களுக்கு தடுப்பூசி போடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதில் சத்தீஸ்கர் மற்றும் குஜராத் மாநிலங்கள்தான் 20 சதவீதத்தை எட்டியுள்ளன. நம் தமிழகத்திலோ 10 சதவீதத்தைக் கூட எட்டவில்லை. அதாவது 45 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்டவர்களின் மொத்த எண்ணிக்கையில், 10 சதவீதம் பேருக்குக்கூட தடுப்பூசி போடப்படவில்லை.

மறுபக்கம், முதல் அலையை விட இரண்டாம் கரோனா அலை மிக வேகமாக உள்ளது. மகாராஷ்டிரம், மத்தியப் பிரதேசம், குஜராத், சத்தீஸ்கர் ஆகிய மாநிலங்களில், கடந்த ஆண்டு ஒரு நாள் உச்சபட்ச அளவைவிட இரண்டாவது அலையில் அதிகபட்ச பாதிப்புகள் பதிவாகிவிட்டன.

இந்த மாநிலங்களைப் போல அல்லாமல் தில்லி, மேற்கு வங்கம், தெலங்கானா, ஜம்மு - காஷ்மீர் ஆகிய மாநிலங்களில் உச்சபட்ச பாதிப்பில் 30-40% தான் பதிவாகி வருகிறது.

எனவே, ஒரு பக்கம் தடுப்பூசி போடும் திட்டம் தீவிரப்படுத்தப்பட்டு வந்தாலும், மறுபக்கம் கரோனா பரவல், நாள்தோறும் புதிய உச்சங்களைத் தொட்டு வருகிறது. எனவே, இவற்றில் எது வெற்றி பெறப் போகிறது என்பதை நாம்தான் தீர்மானிக்க வேண்டும். கரோனா தொற்றிலிருந்து காக்கத் தேவையான முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகளை நாம் முறையாகப் பின்பற்றினால், பரவல் குறையும், மறுபக்கம் தடுப்பூசி திட்டம் வெற்றிபெறும்.

கடந்த ஆண்டு, கரோனா தொற்றை வீழ்த்தும் ஆயுதம் இன்றி பேரிடருடன் போராடினோம். ஆனால் இந்த முறை தடுப்பூசி எனும் ஆயுதம் உள்ளது. எனவே, எச்சரிக்கையுடன் போராடினால் வெற்றி நிச்சயம்.

Dailyhunt

It’s a moment’s pause then back to work for state’s political leaders

It’s a moment’s pause then back to work for state’s political leaders

Team TOI

08.04.2021

A day after polling ended, a photograph of MNM chief Kamal Haasan with film director Lokesh Kanagaraj seated inside an aircraft was circulated with the caption, “Arambikalaangala?’’ (Shall we begin?) suggesting that the shooting of the actor’s next movie was to commence. If Kamal headed to the shooting spot after a daunting month of campaigning in heat and dust, several other political leaders were relaxing on Wednesday. Most of them, however, either ruled out a vacation or said they are yet to decide on one.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami took a break at his house in Salem on Wednesday. Party functionaries said he preferred not to meet them for a day as he was suffering from a sore throat. “He may not take a vacation. He has no plans to travel for the next few days,” said a party functionary.

DMK partymen said they would unwind for a few days depending on the plans of their party chief M K Stalin. For Stalin, it was back to his normal schedule of going to Anna Arivalayam, his party headquarters, around 10am. “He met party leaders and received their feedback on polling,” said a DMK source. With the Covid spike, Stalin is unlikely to travel abroad, the source added.

Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam was in his home in Bodinayakanur in the morning and later left for Periyakulam. “The deputy CM would visit Chennai in a day or two,” said sources close to him.

AIADMK leaders say they will continue to ‘serve the public’ as they are still ministers and MLAs. “The Covid situation is getting worse. So, it looks like back to routine work for me,” said revenue minister R B Udhayakumar, who was at his office in Madurai meeting party functionaries.

DMK’s PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan who was busy poring over databases to figure out reasons for poor voter turnout in his constituency, said a break was ruled out. “We have to do preparatory work for government formation,” he said.

Tamil Naduu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K S Alagiri spent the day quietly at his village Keerapalayam in Cuddalore district. “I went around our fields and spent time with the family after a long time,” Alagiri told TOI. Alagiri plans to get admitted to a hospital and go for a health overhaul.

It will be a complete rest for PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss and his junior Anbumani Ramadoss until the poll results are announced on May 2. “Both the leaders are with their families at Thailapuram Gardens in Villupuram. There is no specific schedule for the next one month,” said a party spokesperson.

ON TO THE NEXT TASK: The photo tweeted by director Lokesh Kanagaraj on Wednesday indicated that MNM chief and actor Kamal Haasan has begun shoot for his next film. (right) Revenue minister R B Udhayakumar in his office in Madurai

Party workers monitoring strong rooms in for long haul

Party workers monitoring strong rooms in for long haul

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

08.04.2021

After toiling for more than a month electioneering under scorching sun, Tamil Nadu political party leaders are not about to let their guard down. Counting of votes is 23 days away and the DMK and AIADMK leaders have deputed workers to keep vigil round-the-clock at strong rooms, where EVMs are being guarded.

A small group of trusted functionaries from each political party have been deputed for the crucial post-poll duty. They keep a close watch over the 75 counting centres across the state. A few of the functionaries TOI contacted said their party high command had instructed them to take turns to maintain vigil near the counting centres until May 2 when the votes would be counted.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made elaborate security arrangements. It has deployed armed CRPF personnel in the inner circle (covering the strong rooms) of the three-tier security arrangement, while the TN special police, armed reserve police and local police would be deployed in the outer circle.

“But we don’t want to take any chances,” DMK spokesman Tamilan Prasanna told TOI, recollecting the illegal entry of a tahsildar into a strong room in Madurai after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. “We have deployed a chief agent and a group of functionaries to keep a close watch on the strong room,” said DMK’s Harbour constituency candidate P K Sekar Babu.

“Agents of the political parties, who were given identity cards, will be allowed inside the monitoring room where live feed is screened round-theclock. The footage will be recorded and kept safely until the election results,” said Tirupattur collector M P Sivan Arul.

“We normally keep a watch over the strong rooms during all elections, even at night,’’ said an AIADMK functionary in Coimbatore. Collector S Nagarajan said necessary measures were taken and political party workers need not worry. “The EVMs from all the constituencies were kept inside the strong room and sealed in the presence of cadres from all political parties. They will be opened in their presence only,” he said.

(With inputs from V Mayilvaganan, M K Ananth)

TIGHT VIGIL: CRPF personnel guard a sealed strong room containing EVMs from Trichy west and east constituencies

Offices can hold vax sessions from April 11

Offices can hold vax sessions from April 11

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:   08.04.2021

The health ministry has allowed workplaces — in both public and private sector — to organise vaccination sessions for their employees from April11 to ramp up the exercise amid rising infections.

However, only employees aged 45 years and above can get vaccinated and outsiders, including eligible family members, cannot be vaccinated at such sessions. The move is aimed at making the vaccination drive more “citizencentric” as a substantial proportion of the population aged 45 years and above work in the organised sector of the economy. The ministry also issued guidelines to support states/ UTs to help organise these sessions.

HC: Wear mask even if alone in your car

Upholding a Delhi government decision in 2020 to fine a single occupant of a car if they didn’t wear a mask, the Delhi HC on Wednesday ruled that a mask is a “suraksha kavach” and wearing it is compulsory even if one is driving alone in a private vehicle. This also holds true if one has been vaccinated, it said.

Beneficiaries will need to register on Co-Win portal

Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to all states and UTs: “Covid-19 vaccination sessions may be organised at workplaces (both public and private) which are having about 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries by tagging these work places with an existing Covid Vaccination Centre (CVC).”

The sessions will still require beneficiaries to register on the Co-Win portal prior to vaccination, and the workplace management will designate one of its senior staff members to be the nodal officer for coordinating with district health authorities or private CVC and support vaccination activities.

Facility for onsite registration will also be available, but only to employees of the workplace.

“The schedule of vaccination session can be made up 15 days in advance and intimated to the work place so that maximum attendance is ensured on the day of the vaccination.

“In most of the work places vaccination schedule may, however, be completed in less than 15 days,” the guidelines said.

“The work place CVCs staff engaged in COVID-19 vaccination will follow existing SOPs for vaccination and reporting adverse events following vaccination,” it added.

10 states left with just 3-4 days’ vaccine stock

10 states left with just 3-4 days’ vaccine stock

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

18.04.2021 

At a time when Covid cases are rising in the country, about 10 states face dwindling vaccine stocks.

The vaccination drive in Maharashtra’s Gondia district was stopped with the district left with just 20 doses while the drive slowed down in Yavatmal, Akola, Buldhana and Washim. Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and West Bengal have stocks that would last them 3-4 days. This has hit plans to ramp up vaccination. In Tamil Nadu, which aims to vaccinate three lakh people a day, now that the assembly elections are over, the stock of 18 lakh doses will last about six days.

Active cases in city cross 10,000-mark

A total of 3,986 fresh cases were recorded in TN on Wednesday and active cases in Chennai breached the 10,000-mark with 1,459 new cases. While 17 deaths took the toll to 12,821, total cases touched 9.11 lakh. The state has 18.18 lakh doses of vaccine and one lakh people were being vaccinated every day. 

Vax crisis has hit plans to ramp up vaccination in many states

Many of these states expect doses to arrive soon and have been pushing the Centre for replenishments.

While Odisha got the intimation that it would receive 3.49 lakh doses of Covishield after April 15, state additional chief secretary (health) Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra wrote to Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday, seeking immediate supply of 15 lakh to 20 lakh doses of Covishield. With just 6.5 lakh doses left in stock, Odisha can manage to vaccinate people for three more days.

Andhra Pradesh faces a similar predicament. While its next big consignment — 10.8 lakh doses — is expected around April 15, the state can manage to vaccinate people for 3-4 more days. This can get extended by a few days if the scheduled tranche of 2 lakh doses reaches the state on Thursday.

West Bengal too is uncertain about stocks getting replenished. “We have been allotted about 21lakh more doses of Covishield but no date has been confirmed yet,” said Ashim Das Malakar,state family welfare officer. Following Wednesday’s vaccination, the state has about 12 lakh doses left.

Uttar Pradesh health ministerJai PratapSingh said thereis no shortage of vaccines in the state. However, the present stock —12.33 lakh doses —would last about 3-4 days with UP vaccinating 2.5-3 lakh people a day. The state is expecting about 5 lakh doses early next week.

With Punjab inoculating about 1.5 lakh people a day, its existing stock of about 5 lakh doses would pull the vaccination drive for about 4 more days. The state has raised a demand of about 15 lakh doses. The situation is similar in Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand.

The shortage has also hit plans to ramp up vaccination in many states. Rajasthan had ramped up its vaccination to 5 lakh a day on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, its plan to vaccinate 7 lakh day has now hit a roadblock.

(With inputs from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi, Jaipur, Bhopal, Dehradun, Patna, Ahmedabad, Goa, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai)

HC: All-pass fiat is uninformed political decision

HC: All-pass fiat is uninformed political decision

Sureshkumar.k@timesgroup.com

Chennai:08.04.2021

The state government’s order to cancel all arrear examinations of all college students is nothing but an uninformed political decision, said the Madras high court, making it clear that it is not acceptable to the court.

“It is inconceivable that a whole mass of students will be certificated to have qualified in a system without having basic knowledge in respect of key aspects thereof,” said the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy on Wednesday.

“There is no doubt that lakhs of students who had thought that they had cleared the particular course after writing their final semester may have to be held back because they did not clear previous papers – at the same time, unqualified persons cannot be certified to have qualified to pursue professional courses or even higher studies,” the judges said.

The bench directed the Tamil Nadu government and the UGC to put their heads together to suggest any ameliorative measures that could be taken by way of an examination or some other method.

The court passed the order while hearing pleas moved by advocate Ramkumar Aditiyan and former vice-chancellor of Anna University E Balaguruswamy challenging the government order.

When the plea came up for hearing on Wednesday, advocate-general Vijay Narayan submitted that the exemption had been granted only to arts and science courses since the regulatory bodies of other professional courses like medicine, engineering and law refused sanction.

Recording the submissions, the bench said, “what appears to have been done by the state is all those who wanted to rewrite their exams as deemed to have passed without conducting any form of test or evaluation.”

Referring to UGC guidelines, the bench said, “it does not provide for such a scenario, nor is it acceptable to the court.”

The court then directed the state to produce the fullest particulars on a university-to-university basis or, if possible, on a college-to-college basis as to the number of such applicants and the number of those who have been found qualified.

The court then adjourned the pleas to April 15 with a direction totheUGCandthestate to indicate what would serve the interest of the relevant students in the best way without compromising on the sanctity of the system, notwithstanding the pandemic.

The bench said the state government’s decision does not adhere to UGC guidelines not is it acceptable to the court

Lost at Kumbh 5 years ago, woman reunited with kin at Maha Kumbh

Lost at Kumbh 5 years ago, woman reunited with kin at Maha Kumbh

MS Nawaz TNN

Haridwar  08.04.2021 

In 2016, Krishna Devi got lost at the Ardh Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Her family kept looking, filed a missing person complaint and published ads, but no leads came up. Five years on, a routine identity verification drive for another Kumbh Mela — the ongoing Maha Kumbh — suddenly led to the 65-year-old woman in Rishikesh, now reunited with her family at long last.

Krishna Devi’s story goes back to the loss of her daughter in 2016. “Her younger daughter had died. She left home to go to Haridwar. The Ardh Kumbh Mela was on,” sub-inspector of Kumbh Msela police in Rishikesh Deepak Rawat told TOI. Disillusioned and overcome with grief, she drifted away.

Just as the Maha Kumbh Mela started, police launched an identity verification drive. At Triveni Ghat shelter home, they came across Krishna Devi. When they ran her records, they found a missing person complaint from five years ago. Mela police got in touch with their counterparts in Udaipur, where the complaint had been lodged. Her identity confirmed, her family was told she had been found.

Wearing mask a must even while driving alone: Delhi HC

Wearing mask a must even while driving alone: Delhi HC

New Delhi  08.04.2021 

Wearing a mask while driving alone in a private vehicle is compulsory as it is a public place in the context of Covid-19, the Delhi high court held on Wednesday and described face covering as a ‘suraksha kavach’ or protective shield against the spread of the infection.

Justice Prathiba M Singh refused to interfere with the Delhi government’s decision to impose challans for not wearing a mask while driving a private car alone, saying a vehicle even if occupied by one person would constitute a public place.

“There are several possibilities in which while sitting alone in the car one could be exposed to the outside world. Thus, it cannot be said that merely because the person is travelling alone in a car, the car would not be a public place. Wearing of a mask therein would be compulsory in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the court said. Masks are necessary irrespective of whether a person is vaccinated or not, it added.

Justice Singh’s ruling and observations came while dismissing four petitions by lawyers who challenged the imposition of ‘challans’ for not wearing a mask while driving alone in a private vehicle.

“The wearing of a mask is like a ‘suraksha kavach’ for preventing the spread of Covid-19,” the court said, noting that a mask protects the person wearing it and also those exposed to him or her.

The wearing of a face mask was “one measure which saved millions of lives” during the pandemic, it pointed out. PTI

Mexico approves Covaxin vaccine for emergency use

Mexico approves Covaxin vaccine for emergency use

Swati.Bharadwaj@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad  08.04.2021 

: Mexico’s health regulator COFEPRIS (Comisión Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios) has granted approval for emergency use to India’s Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin.

The news of the approval was tweeted by Mexico’s foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard. “Very timely decision by COFEPRIS to authorise the emergency use of the COVAXIN vaccine manufactured in India. The options for vaccination against COVID-19 in Mexico are expanded,” said the post by Ebrard, a translated version of which was retweeted by the Twitter handle of the Indian Embassy in Mexico.

Covaxin now becomes the sixth Covid-19 vaccine to be approved in Mexico after Russia’s Sputnik V, the Pfizer & BioNTech vaccine, AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccie, Sinovac’s Coronavac and CanSino’s vaccine.

Mexico joins other countries like Zimbabwe, Nepal, Iran and Mauritius, among others, to have approved the use of the desi vaccine. The nod by the Mexican health regulator comes over a fortnight after neighbouring country Nepal granted emergency use approval to Covaxin and about a week after India shipped about 1 lakh doses of the vaccine to Paraguay.

Work output of govt officials went up with WFH: Jitendra

Work output of govt officials went up with WFH: Jitendra

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi  08.04.2021 

Work from home (WFH) protocol developed by the department of personnel and training (DoPT) for functioning of central government offices during the Covid-19 lockdown was so successful that many a time, the work output was even more than in normal circumstances because government functionaries were working online even on weekends and holidays, minister of state for personnel Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

Singh recalled that during the last one year of the pandemic, DoPT had developed a set of guidelines to be followed in government offices, which not only sought to contain the spread of Covid-19 but also aimed to carry on office functioning effectively and without interruption.

Singh, who reviewed the measures taken by DoPT to contain Covid-19 spread, particularly in the wake of the recent spike in cases, said the government was monitoring the situation very closely and based on the strategy adopted for prioritising vaccination, those above the age of 45 years could participate in the exercise. He said it was imperative for all government employees to get vaccinated in order to ensure their own safety as well as of those who come in their contact.

The minister also called upon state and Union territory governments to adopt the guidelines/advisories issued for central government employees. He said it was essential not only for the well-being of government functionaries but also to minimise the loss of man-days on account of government employees contracting Covid-19.

Full report on www.toi.in

AstraZeneca sends legal notice to SII over delays in vax supply

AstraZeneca sends legal notice to SII over delays in vax supply

Rupali.Mukherjee@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:08.04.2021 

The UK-headquartered drug firm Astra-Zeneca has served a legal notice to its manufacturing partner, Pune-based Serum Institute of India, over delays in the supply of its Covid-19 vaccine. The notice comes after Serum Institute delayed shipment of vaccines to the UK, and later did not meet its obligations to other countries that are part of the Covax programme.

Serum Institute has attributed the delay to the Centre’s decision to halt vaccine exports, while its CEO, Adar Poonawalla, according to media reports, said SII would prioritise domestic needs temporarily. In mid-March, the Centre decided to go slow on vaccine exports amidst a huge surge in Covid-19 cases. Demand for vaccines has also jumped after the government broadened its immunisation drive, relaxing the eligibility criteria for the 45-years-plus age group from April 1. A majority of vaccines being administered in India are Covishield (manufactured by SII); the remainder are Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

Serum has so far supplied around 100 million doses to the Centre, while it has exported 60 million doses.

Company sources expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved soon, and that the government was aware of it. With a limited supply of vaccines, and demand soaring due to rising Covid-19 cases in certain countries, shortages and supply constraints are being witnessed in many parts of the world.

SII asks govt for ₹3k cr to boost vax output

Starved of funds, Pune-based Serum Institute of India has asked the government for Rs 3,000 crore to ramp up capacity of its vaccine manufacturing facility.

The company, which produces around 65 million doses per month, has so far supplied around 100 million doses to the Centre and exported 60 million jabs. With the surge in demand for vaccines amid rising Covid-19 cases, Serum needs funds to ramp up capacity to 100 million doses a month from May. It is providing the shot at a subsidised rate of around Rs 150 to the government, significantly less than what it charges for exports. TNN

At 685 deaths, India records highest daily toll in 5 months

At 685 deaths, India records highest daily toll in 5 months

With 1.25L New Covid Infections, Active Cases Cross 9L Mark

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

08.04.2021 

India recorded another peak in daily Covid-19 cases for the second consecutive day on Wednesday even as active cases breached the nine-lakh mark, just a day after crossing eight lakhs on Tuesday. There was a rapid rise in fatalities as well with 685 deaths being reported in the last 24 hours, the highest since November 4 when 713 casualties were recorded.

The country reported its highest ever case count at 1,26,287 — crossing the 1.25-lakh mark for the first time. Active cases saw the sharpest ever surge in a single day — at 67,401— taking the number to 9,10,281. Nearly three lakh active cases have been added to the tally in last one week alone, signifying the alarming spread of the virus.

Maharashtra and three other states – Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat — registered their record single-day cases since the pandemic broke.

Maharashtra’s count was close to 60,000 (59,907 cases), accounting for 47% of the country’s fresh infections. Active cases in Maharashtra crossed the five-lakh mark on Wednesday, accounting for 56% of the country’s active caseload.

Chhattisgarh reported 10,310 cases — becoming the only state after Maharashtra to cross the 10,000-mark in daily count during the second wave of the pandemic while Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat recorded 4,043 and 3,575 cases, respectively.

Maharashtra continued to top the states’ chart in daily fatalities, recording 322 deaths, the highest in nearly six months. Punjab, too, continued to record high casualties with 63 deaths, followed by Chhattisgarh (53 deaths), Uttar Pradesh (40) Karnataka (35), Gujarat (22) and Delhi (20). Fatalities have significantly gone up in many states in the first week of April compared to the first week of March. For example, Rajasthan saw a nearly five-fold jump in deaths during this period.

A health worker takes a swab sample for testing in Patna on Wednesday

Shortage of buses troubles voters returning home

Shortage of buses troubles voters returning home

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:08.04.2021 

People returning from their hometowns after casting their votes on Tuesday night faced issues following shortage of buses to return to their respective destinations.

Bus stands were flooded with passengers on Tuesday night where passengers had to wait for hours to get buses towards Chennai, Coimbatore and Bengaluru.

S Saravanan, 40, working in a hotel in Chennai had to wait for a few hours to get his bus. “While additional buses were running on this route, they weren’t adequate. More buses should have been opertional on this route considering the demand,” he said.

Another passenger from Karur, Gurunathan, 35, had to wait in the bus stand until midnight to return to Bengaluru. “Suchcrowdsareseen only during festivals. With limited trains run due to Covid-19, we have to rely on buses,” he said.

As the central bus stand is not sufficient handle the huge crowd, temporary bus stands on Williams Road and at Mannarpuram Junction were created to handle buses on different routes. While the buses started operating from Monday, the stands witnessed a large number of passengers until midnight on Tuesday. Additional buses were operated to manage the swelling crowd.

RUSH HOUR

TN vet univ gets new VC

TN vet univ gets new VC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:08.04.2021 

Dr K N Selvakumar was on Wednesday appointed vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Tanuvas) for a period of three years by governor Banwarilal Purohit.

Dr Selvakumar, being the senior most serving professor of Tanuvas, has a teaching experience of about 32 years and is serving as Dean, Madras Veterinary College at present. He had also earlier served as director of distance education, Controller of Examinations of Madras Veterinary College and as Dean, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu.

He has also served as Member, Technical monitoring committee, Animal Husbandry department.

ஏப்.7 - உலக சுகாதார தினம்: இயற்கையை நேசித்து நலமாய் வாழ்வோம்

ஏப்.7 - உலக சுகாதார தினம்: இயற்கையை நேசித்து நலமாய் வாழ்வோம்

பத்மஸ்ரீ டாக்டர் வி.எஸ்.நடராஜன்

ஒவ்வொரு ஆண்டும் ஏப்.7-ம்தேதியை ‘உலக சுகாதார தினமாக’உலக சுகாதார நிறுவனம் அனுசரித்து வருகிறது. சுகாதாரம் என்பது உடல் அளவிலும் மனதளவிலும் நலமாக இருப்பதுதான். அதன்படி, தற்பொழுது மக்கள் அனைவரும் நலமாக இருக்கிறார்களா என்றால், பெரும்பாலோரிடம் இருந்து, இல்லை என்றுதான் பதில் வரும்.

‘இயற்கையை வணங்கு’ என்று நம் முன்னோர் அறிவுறுத்தியதை அறவேபுறக்கணித்து விட்டது இன்றைய சமுதாயம். நம்மை அறியாமலேயே, நாம் எதையும் கேட்காமலேயே, நாம் உயிர் வாழ எல்லா நன்மைகளையும் செய்து வருகிறது இயற்கை. ஆனால், நாம் இயற்கையை நம் காலடியில் போட்டு மிதித்து நசுக்கிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறோம் என்பதற்கு கீழ்க்கண்டவை சான்று:

நிலம்

விளைநிலங்களை எல்லாம் இன்று துண்டு போட்டு, வீட்டு மனைகளாக்கி வருகின்றனர். மணல் குவாரி, மண் குவாரி, கிரானைட் குவாரிகள் மூலம் பூமியைக் குடைகிறார்கள். தூக்கி எறியப்படும் பிளாஸ்டிக் பொருட்கள் என்றுமே மக்காத குப்பையாக மாறி பூமியின் வளத்தை அழிக்கின்றன.

நீர்

தண்ணீரில் கலப்படம், குடிநீரில் சாக்கடை நீர் கலப்பது, ஆற்று நீரில்சாயப்பட்டறை மற்றும் தொழிற்சாலையின் கழிவுநீர் கலப்பது போன்ற செயல்கள் அதிகமாகிக் கொண்டே போகின்றன. இவ்வாறு மாசுபட்ட நீரை அருந்துவதால், காலரா, பேதி மற்றும் தோல் நோய்கள் வருகின்றன. மேலும் சாயம் கலந்த நீரை அருந்துவதால், பெண்களிடம் குழந்தைப்பேறின்மை அதிகமாகக் காண முடிகிறது.

நெருப்பு

மண் சட்டி வைத்து விறகு அடுப்பினால் செய்த சமையல் எவ்வளவு ருசியாகவும் உடலுக்கு ஆரோக்கியமாகவும் இருந்தது. தற்போது சமைப்பதற்கு காஸ், மண்ணெண்ணெய் மற்றும் மின்சாரத்தைப் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம்.

காற்று

காற்று இல்லாமல் ஒருசில மணித்துளிகள்கூட உயிரோடு இருக்க முடியாது. வாகனங்கள் விடும் புகை, தொழிற்சாலைகளில் இருந்து வரும்புகை, புகைபிடிப்பதனால் உண்டாகும்புகை, இவைபோன்ற பல காரணங்களால் சுத்தமான காற்று அசுத்தமடைகிறது. காற்று மண்டலம் புகை மண்டலமாக மாறுகிறது. இதனால் ஆஸ்துமா, மூச்சுத் திணறல், நுரையீரல் கோளாறுகள் போன்ற நோய்கள் அதிகரிக்கின்றன.

ஆகாயம்

மழை பெய்யவும், தட்பவெப்ப நிலை சீராக இருக்கவும் ஆகாயம் நமக்கு பெரிதும் உதவுகிறது. ஓசோன் மண்டலத்தில் ஓட்டை விழுந்து விட்டதாகக் கூறுகிறார்கள். இதனால் அல்ட்ரா வைலைட் கதிர்கள் நம்மை நேரடியாகத் தாக்குகின்றன. இந்த கதிர்வீச்சினால் தோல் புற்றுநோய்கள் வரும் என ஆய்வுகள் கூறுகின்றன. ஆகாயத்தில் நச்சுப் பொருட்கள் கூடக்கூட அமில மழை பெய்யும் அபாயமும் ஏற்பட வாய்ப்புள்ளது.

ஒலி

வாகனங்கள், ஒலிபெருக்கிகள், தொழிற்சாலைகளில் இருந்து வரும் சப்தம், இவையெல்லாம் அமைதியை கெடுக்கின்றன. வீட்டுக்குள் சென்றால் தொலைக்காட்சி மற்றும் வானொலிப் பெட்டி மூலமும் இரைச்சல்! ஓயாதஇரைச்சலால் காது மிகவும் பாதிக்கப்படுகிறது. தலைவலி, மன பதற்றம், தூக்கமின்மை இவற்றோடு சிலருக்கு ரத்த அழுத்தம் அதிகரிப்பதும் உண்டு.

இதிலிருந்து எவ்வாறு மீளலாம்?

முடிந்த அளவுக்கு செயற்கை உரங்களைத் தவிர்த்து, இயற்கை உரங்களை உபயோகிக்க வேண்டும். உணவு முறையில் சிறு தானியங்களுக்கு முக்கியத்துவம் தர வேண்டும். பிளாஸ்டிக் பொருட்களை அறவே ஒழிக்க வேண்டும். புகைப்பிடிப்பதை ஒழிக்க தீவிரமான சட்டம் கொண்டு வரவேண்டும்

காடுகளை அழிப்பதைத் தவிர்த்தல், மழைநீரை சேகரித்தல் மற்றும் வீட்டிலும், வெளியிலும் ஒலி இல்லாசமுதாயத்தை உருவாக்க அனைவரும்இணைந்து பாடுபட வேண்டும். வீடு, பள்ளி, கல்லூரி, அலுவலகங்கள், அனைத்து பொது இடங்களிலும் மரம் நடுதலைக் கட்டாயமாக்க வேண்டும்.ஆகவே, வாழ்க்கை முறை மாற்றத்தின் மூலமும், இயற்கையை நேசிப்பதன்மூலமும் நாம் மட்டுமல்ல, நம்முடைய சந்ததியினரும் நலமுடன் வாழ முடியும்.

கட்டுரையாளர்: முதியோர் நல மருத்துவர், சென்னை