SC/ST doctors in Telangana allege bias in promotions

SC/ST doctors in Telangana allege bias in promotions

One of their key demands was to establish a roaster system to ensure that eligible doctors from the SC/ST community also got a chance to hold senior posts.

Published: 05th September 2021 01:40 PM | Last Updated: 05th September 2021 01:40 PM | A+A A-

By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Alleging discrimination in the way senior administrative positions of the Health Department are filled, the Telangana SC/ST Government Doctors Association staged a protest in Hyderabad on Saturday, September 4, 2021, demanding parity and transparency in the process.

The protesting doctors stated that despite their seniority and years of experience, they were left out of key positions not only at the level of District Medical and Health officers (DMHO), but also at the level of Principals, Director of Health and Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad Commissioner.

“Of the 100-odd doctors eligible to hold these senior posts, nearly 70 belong to SC/ST groups. Yet none of them have been placed in senior positions of administration,” said Dr Babu Rao, head of the association.

The doctors further said that several key positions were currently held by people of one specific caste. This has been the case for the past 6-7 years, they claimed. One of their key demands was to establish a roaster system to ensure that eligible doctors from the SC/ST community also got a chance to hold senior posts.

Five youth killed as speeding MUV crashes into lorry in Chennai

Five youth killed as speeding MUV crashes into lorry in Chennai

When asked if Naveen, who was behind the wheel, had consumed alcohol, the traffic investigation police said a conclusion can be arrived at only after the arrival of autopsy reports.

Published: 06th September 2021 04:35 AM |

Five youngsters were killed as their car rammed a truck in Perungalatur, in Chennai. (Photo | Express)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Five youngsters died during the wee hours of Sunday after their multi-utility vehicle lost control, brushed past a heavy vehicle, and collided with a trailer lorry parked on the roadside in Perungalathur.

The deceased persons are Aravind Shankar (21) of K K Nagar, Naveen (21) and Raja Harish (21) of Mettur in Salem district, Rahul (20) of Pudukottai, and Ajay (21) of Tiruchy. Chromepet traffic investigation police told The New Indian Express that the five died on the spot and their bodies were damaged severely in the mishap. The premium-segment vehicle was reduced to rubble, indicating the high speed at which the vehicle was running, the police said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the incident happened between 1.30 am and 2.20 am near a private Information Technology company on GST Road in Perungalathur. CCTV visuals released by the police showed the MUV brushing past a heavy vehicle and ramming a trailer lorry laden with iron rods. On information, the Fire and Rescue Services personnel were pressed into action to retrieve the mangled remains of the bodies. All of them were shifted to Government Chromepet Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Except Naveen, the other four were fresh engineering graduates from a private college in Thoraipakkam. Police sources said that the four of them had campus interviews scheduled on Monday. When asked if Naveen, who was behind the wheel, had consumed alcohol, the traffic investigation police said a conclusion can be arrived at only after the arrival of autopsy reports. Chromepet traffic investigation police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.

Retired hurt, or any other plan?

HYDERABAD CONFIDENTIAL

Retired hurt, or any other plan?

06.09.2021

Ever wondered what happens to the various IPS and IAS officers who retire? The government has appointed several retired babus as advisors in the past seven years, but their services are never utilised once they bid adieu after superannuation. Case in point is retired chief secretary SK Joshi, who was appointed as an advisor (irrigation), but he is conspicuous by his absence in official meetings, especially the crucial KRMB and water-sharing meetings. There are more such instances, so will the ‘advisors’ be dropped for good in future?

Top cop’s job up for grabs?

After VC Sajjanar’s sudden transfer from the high-profile job of Cyberabad top cop, our sources say that more changes are on the cards. Once a favourite poster boy of officialdom, former Cyberabad commissioner CV Anand, who is currently on deputation to the central forces, may get a shot at the Hyderabad police chief’s post. Another IPS officer, Vijaykumar, has reportedly come back to the state after completing his deputation and is waiting for a top posting. It remains to be seen as to who makes it to the top seat in the police department soon if changes do happen.

Any takers for collector’s job?

Is the Medchal collector’s post jinxed? So, it seems that as the government recently shifted and posted collectors for eight districts, Medchal still doesn’t have a full-time collector. Presently, Medak collector S Hareesh is in-charge of Medchal and Preeti Mohanty has also acted as incharge collector for Medchal. Is finding a collector for the crucial Medchal district so tough or the government has other plans?

Two power centres

Is it a case of not putting eggs in one basket? It seems there are two power centres in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). While DS Lokesh Kumar is technically head of the GHMC, there is another power centre at Buddha Bhavan, where GHMC’s enforcement wing boss Vishwajit Kampati operates. While a little birdie says there are rumours that the enforcement wing chief and the GHMC commissioner have some differences in opinion, GHMC sources say the enforcement wing chief is hardly seen in the corridors of power. Vishwajit, who was superintendent of Rajanna-Sircilla district, was literally handpicked by KTR and brought to GHMC.

Karvy trivia

Here is a little trivia for all of you. Did you know that among the more than one lakh victims of Karvy stock broking scam, there are several IAS and IPS officials from the Telugu states? Despite trading and investing in stocks, our sources say they have not come forward and complained. Many All India Service officers and senior babus, who are clients of Karvy, have lost huge amounts of money, but the question is, will they file a complaint? Only time will tell.

No takers for this one

The Telangana Civil Supplies Corporation has been headed by a retired IAS officer V Anil Kumar for over a year now. The talk in the corridors of power is that not many regular IAS officers are keen on occupying the post of the commissioner of civil supplies as it is considered a hot seat. The incumbent is always under the direct supervision of the chief secretary and the chief minister given the fact that paddy procurement is crucial to keep the farmers happy. The flip side, sources say, is the strong nexus between some of the officials of the corporation and the rice millers, and breaking it is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Tailpiece: Neta and Abhineta

If politicians are what they are, actors are proving to be on a par with them in playing political games or are even better on the political turf during elections. Elections to the Movie Artistes Association (MAA) are to be held in October and national award-winning actor Prakash Raj is vying to become president and is calling the right shots. Two other actors, Jeevitha Rajasekhar and Hema, are also known to be in the fray for the top post, but they are now in Prakash Raj’s panel. While Hema is contesting for the post of vice-president, Jeevitha will be fielded for the post of general secretary. With two of the most vociferous women in his panel now, Prakash Raj hopes to make all the right kind of noises in the run-up to the polls.

Coimbatore private schools stop students with pending fees

Coimbatore private schools stop students with pending fees

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Coimbatore:06.09.2021

District chief education officer (CEO) N Geetha said she had been receiving complaints from parents about private schools preventing their wards from attending physical classes, as they have failed to settle the pending fees.

“I have received seven such complaints in person on the first day of school reopening. My office continues to receive such complaints. We have asked the schools not to disallow the students from attending the classes,” she said.

Geetha has also warned of action against the schools if she were to receive written complaints from parents, as the state government had asked the schools not to prevent students from attending the classes.

A senior official with the CEO office said while some cases were genuine, there were also deliberate attempts by parents not to pay the fees.

Pointing out that a parent, who had enrolled three daughters to a private school, hadn’t paid their fees last year, the officer said while the former was ready to pay the first term fee for the current academic year, he was reluctant to pay the pending fees.

“I had lost my job during the pandemic last year. While I have managed to get back to work, it will take time to set my finances right. I can pay the first term fees of this academic year, but I can’t afford to pay the pending fees,” said the parent who approached the CEO office seeking intervention.

The official said the school management was not ready to forgo the pending fees of all the three children. “We too find it unfair on our part to ask the schools to make unreasonable fee waivers.”

Academicians said the issue was mostly faced by the schools on the outskirts of the city, while the known ones in the city with a higher fee structure were able to collect the fees, as they were preferred by the parents who could afford the fees.

Admission to the first category of schools, they said, depended on the quality teachers. “To retain teachers, the schools need to pay them more. Since the fees collected from the students is the main source of their revenue, the schools are insisting on payment of pending fees.”

D C Elangovan, general secretary, Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, said the high court had a few months ago asked the schools not to insist on fees from parents, who were facing financial issues.

Polytechnic lecturers exam from Oct 28 to 30

Polytechnic lecturers exam from Oct 28 to 30

06.09.2021

Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) announced that polytechnic lecturers recruitment exam will be held on October 28 to 30. Around 1.26 lakh candidates had applied for the exam that was scheduled in May last year and postponed due to the pandemic. The exam will be a computer-based test. The board had notified 1,060 vacancies in government polytechnic colleges in 2019. TNN

Ex-Union health secretary Keshav Desiraju dead

Ex-Union health secretary Keshav Desiraju dead

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  06.09.2021

Bureaucrat, scholar and public health expert Keshav Desiraju, a former Union health secretary, passed away on Sunday at a city hospital, where he was admitted following health complications. He was 66.

He died on the birth anniversary of his illustrious grandfather S Radhakrishnan, former President of India, which is celebrated as Teachers Day.

An IAS officer from the 1978 batch of the Uttarakhand cadre, he held several key positions in Tamil Nadu and at the Centre. He grew up in Mumbai, where he first heard M S Subbulakshmi, on whom he penned a critically acclaimed book, “Of Gifted Voice: The Life and Art of M S Subbalakshmi”.

He had a masters degree in economics from the University of Cambridge and a masters degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Expressing his condolences, chief minister M K Stalin said Desiraju was a multi-faceted personality whose interests extended beyond bureaucracy and administration.

He was known for his advocacy of mental health and improving public health. Desiraju was one of the architects of the National Mental Health Policy 2016.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh, and CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant took to social media to express their condolences.

Jairam Ramesh told TOI that he had close ties with Desiraju and recalled meeting him as a child. “His aunt and my mother were school mates. His uncle and my father-in-law were school mates. He moved to Chennai to be near his aunt and also for his passion for carnatic music. I was planning to call him and was shocked to hear about his death,” Jairam Ramesh said.

Waste dump on lake bed extends to road

Waste dump on lake bed extends to road

Chitlapakkam Residents Fume As Restoration Efforts Go Waste

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  06.09.2021

Despite directions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the garbage dump on the banks of Chitlapakkam lake hasn’t been cleared, much to the chagrin of the residents, who initiated a civic movement to revive the lake. The waste mound now stretches to the road.

A segregation unit and an incinerator were set up on the Chitlapakkam lake bed a year and a half ago. Waste collected by the town panchayat is taken to this segregation unit for sorting and then taken either to the incinerators or dump yard. But this sorting is not being done regularly and the waste has been piling up, say residents. The town panchayat with 18 wards and around 50,000 residents collects 11 to 15 tonnes of waste daily.

The water body saw a reprieve owing to residents’ associations’ consistent efforts over several years — both physical and virtual — by filing petitions in courts and by creating awareness through social media campaigns. A portion of the lake was used as a garbage dump by the public and the local body for decades and there were several encroachments. “Despite restoration efforts, the lake bed is used for sorting waste,” a resident said.

Residents complain that unsorted waste now extends from the lake bed to the nearby road.

According to a member of civic action group, Chitlapakkam Rising, the garbage has not been cleared for weeks together despite repeated complaints. Stray cattle and dogs feed on the garbage, which is harmful to them, the member said.

“The recent rain has made things worse. The stench from the area is so strong. The water body is right at the entrance of the town panchayat limits, it is not very welcoming,” said K Thiru, a resident.

Residents say the rotting muck also pollutes the groundwater in the neighbourhood.

Sunil Jayaraman, another member of Chitlapakkam Rising, said NGT directions to clear the garbage hasn’t been adhered to by the town panchayat authorities.

Earlier this year, NGT had suo motu directed the town panchayat to shift the solid waste management resource recovery park on the Chitlapakkam lake bed and also observed that solid waste management rules have not been followed. It had also asked for a factual report from TNPCB and Chengalpet district collector on the matter.

When contacted, an official with the town panchayat told TOI that the waste would be cleared soon and that they are planning to move some of the waste to a recycling unit in Keerapakkam.

SOURCE OF POLLUTION: The NGT had asked panchayat officials to shift out the garbage segregation unit from the Chitlapakkam lake bed

Acting on tip, cops stop rekla race, seize 14 horses; 53 arrested

Acting on tip, cops stop rekla race, seize 14 horses; 53 arrested

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  06.09.2021

Police on Sunday morning stopped a rekla race that was to be held at a ground in Veerapuram near Avadi. Police seized 14 horses and nine mini trucks. Fifty-three people were arrested.

Police received a tip about a rekla race being organised on Sunday and reached the spot to find mini trucks arriving with the horses and carts. The arrested included organisers Mohammed Irfan, 26, of Mount Road, Prakash, 32, of Saligramam and Dinesh, 27, of Virugambakkam. Hari and Saravanan, who were among thr organisers and were earlier questioned, are absconding. Police learned that they had shifted the race venue to Vallakottai Murugan temple in Sriperumbudur after realising that police were deployed at the venue in Veerapuram. They had alerted participants about the change through WhatsApp. Sources said the organisers awarded winners ₹1,000 to ₹5,000. “The prize money, winners and details of horses were shared on WhatsApp itself,” said an investigating officer.

State police in 2020 prohibited organising rekla races as roads were blocked causing traffic disruptions and animals were abused.

New award to celebrate teachers

New award to celebrate teachers

Chennai:6.09.2021

To inspire and motivate teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic, The Times of India in association with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, has instituted the ‘Teacher’s Excellence Award’. Teachers from Tamil Nadu can register, nominate themselves under various categories such as years of experience, stream, grade they handle.

Registrations will be open till September end. For more details teachers can visit www.amrita.edu/tea2021 . This will have zonal and state winners, shortlisted by an eminent jury panel. An independent partner will audit the process.

Launching the award, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Sunday, said, “Government school teachers are very well informed and go through competitive and aptitude tests to qualify. Government schools have smart classes, science and maths kit and teachers who can handle the advancements well. We are looking for counsellors to offer mental health support to students and teachers, and also provide career guidance to Class XII students.”

A session on emotional intelligence and experiential learning was conducted with expert speakers Dr Shoury Kuttappa and Ruchi Mohunta. TNN

Weekend and festival travel picks up pace

Weekend and festival travel picks up pace

Tourism Experts Bullish On Footfalls As Vacationers Head To Favourite Getaways

After a lull of more than a year, people have begun travelling for leisure during extended weeking holidays includingfor vinayaka Chaturthi and Puja. The boost is also because companies are switching from work from home to work from offices.

Booking trends show Chennai, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Yercaud, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Goa, Jaipur and Srinagar are the destinations searched or booked in September and November, as per data from online portals. Travel agents too are reporting a similar trend.

Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip, said that compared to August 2021, there was a jump of almost 63% for the long weekend of Vinayaka Chaturthi on September 10-12, 2021 in terms of forward air bookings. “Earlier, we noticed a jump of 54% for the long weekend of Janmashtami...”

A strong vaccination drive and the recent decision on RT-PCR exemption are playing a crucial role in improving the travel sentiment. “Our booking trends reveal destinations such as Goa, Jaipur, Leh, and Srinagar have recorded huge growth in passenger volumes flying out of metro cities.”

Ritu Mehrotra, regional manager (South Asia) at Booking.com, said that with more Indians getting vaccinated and ease in travel restrictions, travel intent was being converted into bookings. “... As per data from our platform, some of the top booked destination in South India by Indian travellers from September to November 2021 include Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pondicherry. We are also seeing intent for international travel pick up with France, Uk ,Canada, Maldives and Switzerland being top searched destinations from September to November 2021."

In the post-pandemic world, there is an increased emphasis by travellers on health, safety and flexibility while booking accommodation. “When it comes to accommodation, besides hotels which is one of the top preferred accommodation choices by travellers, alternative accommodations such as resort, guesthouse, homestay and apartments are also preferred,” she added.

M K Ajith Kumar of Asia Pacific Travels said many people prefer destinations that can be reached by a long drive because families do not want to mingle with people on public transport. Bengaluru, Puducherry, and Yercaud are popular.

T Sundar, who plans to travel to Bengaluru next week, said, “I have been stuck at home for more than a year. I wanted to take a break.”

People are also spending money to experience the best during travel. Nishant Pitti said, “More business class tickets signifies that travellers are now spending more on travel as well. Bookings for 4 and 5-star properties have almost doubled as travellers prefer high-end hotels owing to safety issues. The average stay duration has also gone up from 3.2 days to 4.7 days.”

4 engg grads & friend die as car rams truck

4 engg grads & friend die as car rams truck

Sindhu.Kannan@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 06.09.2021

Four engineering graduates, who came to the city to take part in a campus recruitment drive, and their friend lost their lives after their car rammed a parked truck on GST road early on Sunday. The accident occurred at Perungalathur near Chennai.

The victims were identified as Raja Ganesh, 21, of Trichy, Naveen, 21, of Mettur, Ajay, 21, of Trichy, Rahul, 20, of Pudukottai, and Arvind Shankar of Chennai. Except Navin, who was driving the car, the others were engineering graduates of Hindustan University. They had come to the city on Friday to take part in the campus interview scheduled for Monday.

On Friday, they went to their college and got their course completion certificates. They were staying at their friend’s room in Kelambakkam and had visited a few places in Chennai on Saturday. They decided to go for a drive towards Perungalathur and return to their room when the accident took place.

MANGLED: The five bodies were retrieved after an hour-long operation and sent to Tambaram GH for postmortem

Truck laden with iron rods was parked at the spot for 2 days

Police checked the CCTV camera footage from the accident spot and found that around 1.30am, Naveen lost control of the car while trying to overtake a truck. The car hit another vehicle and then rammed a trailer lorry laden with iron rods parked on the roadside.

The bodies were recovered by fire and rescue services personnel after an hour-long operation and sent to the Tambaram GH in Chromepet for postmortem. The car was completely mangled and they had to pull out the bodies from underneath the truck.

Some motorists said such illegal parking of trucks on roadside was posing a risk to other road users. Officials had failed to act against the truck that had remained parked at the spot for more than two days. The deaths could have been averted if the truck was removed from the spot, they said. Relatives and friends of the victims were inconsolable on seeing the bodies of the victims at the mortuary. The Chrompet traffic investigation police have registered a case of rash driving.

MBBS 1st year students in MP to read about Hindutva icons

MBBS 1st year students in MP to read about Hindutva icons

Bhopal:  06.09.2021

MBBS students in Madhya Pradesh will be lectured about RSS founder K B Hedgewar, Bhartiya Jana Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya, Swami Vivekanand and B R Ambedkar as part of the first-year foundation course, state education minister Vishwas Sarang said on Sunday and added the move is aimed at instilling social and medical ethics among the students.

The move evoked a sharp reaction from the opposition Congress which accused the BJP of trying to “thrust” its agenda on the people. The BJP, however, justified the move, saying all the sections of society should know about the patriots who are the “ideals for the nation”.

Hedgewar and Upadhyaya are hailed in high esteem, apart from other Hindutva leaders, by the Sangh, believed to be the ideological mentor of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

The minister said the first year MBBS students will also learn about Maharshi Charaka, one of the principal contributors to the Ayurveda, and sage Sushrut, known as the father of surgery in India.

“The students of the firstyear course of MBBS will be lectured about Hedgewarji, Upadhyayji, Swami Vivekanandji, Ambedkarji and other great personalities. Lessons on these great personalities will inculcate values, principles, social and medical ethics in the students,” Sarang told PTI.

The next academic session for MBBS students is likely to start by this year-end.

“The National Medical Council (NMC) has said that ethical values should be the part of the foundation course in the first year (of MBBS). So we thought of incorporating these great personalities for building the character of students,” he said.

The minister said states finalise the content of the foundation course. PTI

Doc performs 101 tubectomies in 7 hrs, C’garh orders a probe

Doc performs 101 tubectomies in 7 hrs, C’garh orders a probe

Raipur: 06.09.2021

The Chhattisgarh government has ordered an investigation against a surgeon and Mainpat block health officer for performing 101 tubectomies in seven hours at a sterilisation camp held recently.

Surguja chief medical health official Dr Sisodiya said the camp was organised on August 27 at a community health centre in Mainpat. The same day, Dr Jibnus Ekka performed 101 surgeries in seven hours.

Meanwhile, no casualty has been reported and all patients are said to be stable.

The matter came to light as only 30 surgeries are allowed in a day. The health department issued an inquiry order to ascertain the reason for flouting norms of sterilisation camp.

As per Mainpat BDO RS Singh, several women turned up at the camp and urged the surgeon to perform the operation saying they had come from distant villages and can’t travel frequently. He also submitted the consent letter of women claiming that surgeries were performed as per their will. Health officials, claimed it was a government run camp. TNN

CBI hunts for 3 key players, 10 others linked to JEE (Main) scam

CBI hunts for 3 key players, 10 others linked to JEE (Main) scam

New Delhi:06.09.2021

The CBI is looking for at least three key players and around 10 others who were involved in the racket of manipulating the JEE (Main) exam 2021, reports Rajshekhar Jha. Seven people, including two women have been arrested in the case till now. As per the initial probe, at least 30 candidates are believed to have availed the services of the gang till now.

Among the absconding prime suspects is a senior official of Noida-based firm Affinity Education who has gone underground since the raids and a Bangalore-based suspect who colluded with arrested suspect Ranjeet Thakur and arranged for “expert solvers”.

These solvers took remote access of the computer assigned to their students and then solved the paper for them in order to get them a higher rank. They are supposedly former engineering exam toppers and a few work as teachers as well.

Also under the scanner are a few staffers of the college in Sonipat apart from some invigilators who let the gang take control of the computer systems. CBI is also looking at the role of some other “education consultancy institutes” who were hand in glove with the gang. Certain hawala transactions are also being probed to establish the money trail.

Rail factory top engineer held for graft

Rail factory top engineer held for graft

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chandigarh:05.09.2021

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a principal chief engineer of rail coach factory in Kapurthala, for demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 1 lakh.

A case has been registered against the erring official. It has been alleged that the complainant, a contractor who undertakes works related to civil and horticulture of rail coach factory, Kapurthala, met the official in connection with tender/ payment related work in his office. During the said meeting, the accused allegedly demanded a bribe at the rate of 1% of gross payments received by the complainant’s firm in lieu of completed tender work and also for further continuation of contract work.

CBI laid a trap in Kapurthala and caught the accused red handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. One lakh. Searches were conducted at the office and residential premises of the accused at Kapurthala and Jaipur which led to the recovery of incriminating documents.

The arrested accused was produced on Friday in the court of Special Judge, CBI cases in Mohali and was remanded to 14-day judicial custody.

NTA identifies 9 cases of impersonation in JEE, puts 419 under scanner

NTA identifies 9 cases of impersonation in JEE, puts 419 under scanner

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:05.09.2021 

Amid a CBI inquiry into alleged malpractices during this year’s JEE (Main) exams and arrest of several people linked to a private institute, the National Testing Agency has identified nine cases of alleged impersonation during the exams conducted during August 26-September 2 and blacklisted 23 test centres so far besides placing 49 exam centres and 419 candidates on the watchlist, sources in education ministry said.

After the ministry too received a few complaints of alleged impersonation, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan directed NTA to have a transparent system to address such concerns. While denying any breach of its systems and leak of exam papers, NTA director general Vineet Joshi said: “These are cases on impersonation. Last year too, such a case came up in a centre in Guwahati. NTA cancelled the result of the candidate and debarred him for three years.”

Sources said following intervention of Pradhan, NTA had taken a number of additional measures for the first time for the August-September exam. “Nine cases of impersonation could so far be identified and NTA is also looking into other cases,” said an official. The official said the cases of impersonation, possession of unauthorized material and other unfair means have been reported from centres in MP, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, UP and Rajasthan and action has been initiated.

Owe them a fair exam: Cong seeks SC-led probe

Congress on Saturday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged manipulation of JEE (Mains) examination after CBI arrested seven people in connection with the case. Holding the education ministry and National Testing Agency responsible for failure to conduct the examinations in a transparent manner, Congress also asked for accountability to be fixed. Former party chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “#JEE (Main) Exam has been breached. Students appearing for such exams prepare very hard, battling difficulties of various kinds. We, as a nation, owe them a fair exam. GOI is better at providing cover-ups.” TNN

Just because a couple is married, consent for sex can’t be presumed

FOR THE RECORD

05.09.2021

Just because a couple is married, consent for sex can’t be presumed

Marital rape is a contentious issue that has divided not just society but also the Indian judiciary. In 1979, Dr Upendra Baxi, professor of law at the University of Warwick, was one of four people who wrote an open letter to the Chief Justice of India on the Mathura rape case. They succeeded in getting the rape laws recast barring the clause on marital rape. In an interview to Himanshi Dhawan, Baxi explains why it’s such a divisive issue

The Chhattisgarh High Court recently said that any sexual act by a husband with his wife could not be rape even if it was by force. What is your reaction?

The Chhattisgarh HC judge discharged the accused on rape charges because there was no offence in the law book. We do not want police to book anyone on an offence that does not exist. It is a question of civil liberties. But the court could have expressed itself better on the subject. It is high time that offence of marital rape is enacted. But as long as there is no such law, the judge cannot be faulted.

What about the contradictions in court observations? The Kerala HC said that this is a form of violence and a ground for divorce but stopped short of giving direction to the government.

The Supreme Court has fiddled with this idea and said all sexual intercourse below 18 years, married or not, is rape. So, courts have the power to do what the legislature is not doing. It has done so in the case of legalising homosexuality or decriminalising adultery.

In 2000, Law Commission chairman Justice B P Jeevan Reddy said in half a line, “Time is not ripe to amending Indian Penal Code and making marital rape an offence,” but in 2013 the Justice Verma Committee recommended that marital rape be made part of the rape law amendments. So, justices tend to vary among themselves, as does legislature, and media. It is a highly divisive issue. But it does not mean that non-consensual sexual relations can be forced by one spouse on the other.

Some cite the example of the anti-dowry law and the domestic violence law to argue that it will be misused by women to settle scores in a marital dispute.

Misuse is happening because violated people are being empowered for the first time in decades. The SC has repeatedly ruled that misuse or use of power is not ground for denial of power. Every law whether for public security or economic offences has been misused. We see police misusing power, arresting people, filing 2,000 pages of a chargesheet that is often worth nothing.

We must tighten the criminal justice system against wrongful use of power. Harassment is a fear that is expressed but compare it to the oppression that is going on. How do you correct that?

Also, we should look at the percentage of misuse instead of merely labelling it. There have been instances like the Atrocities Act and 498A where some courts have declared misuse without any empirical evidence.

An often-used argument is that marriage implies consent forever. How do you counter that view?

The Constitution empowers both men and women with the fundamental right to human dignity and justice. Consent to sexual aggression within a marriage cannot be presumed. In a sound marriage, both sides should live in dignity and equality.

We have seen how judicial intervention has brought changes in laws for women such as the Vishakha guidelines that were a precursor to the workplace harassment law. And yet courts seem to shy away in this case?

You can’t blame only one side. There are three agencies of social change in a society — religion, education and law. Law can only take us so far. Religion and education must play their part. It is easy to put pressure on courts but that doesn’t change social behaviour. Courts can say what is a good society, but they cannot by themselves deliver a good society.

On marital rape, there is a tremendous difference of opinion which I feel can be resolved through public and Parliamentary debate. The ideal solution would be for Parliament to enact the law, and cast responsibility on various state governments, civil society and business houses to create a fund for destitute women. So, if a woman needs financial help to live in dignity when she files charges for marital rape, she has a support system. Bringing criminal law is the first step but associated steps are also important. We have not paid sufficient attention to the renovation of the architecture of the legal system. Criminal law reform is only symbolic if the rest is not in place.

You and three other professors wrote an open letter in 1979 asking for amendments to the rape law. How effective was that?

The letter sparked discussions and ultimately all our suggestions in recasting of the rape law were adopted barring the one on marital rape. Marital rape needs more intense discussion. Give me your best arguments and I will give you mine, and then let the superior argument prevail. We have to find a middle way. We need to keep at it.

Let go of temporary staff hired sans nod, varsities told

Let go of temporary staff hired sans nod, varsities told

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mysuru:05.09.2021

The higher education department has ordered all state-run varsities to relieve temporary employees, outsourced workers and those employed on contract basis without prior government approval.

The registrars of 23 varsities, including University of Mysore (UoM), Mandya Cluster University and Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), have been issued a directive to this effect. According to the government circular, the varsities have to relieve both teaching and non-teaching staff of their duties.

Coincidentally, Mysuru MP Pratap Simha recently levelled allegations of irregularities in the recruitment of 400 daily-wage labourers at UoM. However, its vice-chancellor Prof G Hemantha Kumar had dismissed the allegations. KSOU officials too may have to answer a few difficult questions given the recent recruitment of teachers, who were hired on a contractual basis at the varsity.

The government pointed out that those who have been hired by varsities without its consent may move the court seeking regularisation of their employment, with all the benefits it entails. In a bid to pre-empt such a scenario, the government asked all varsities to relieve those recruited without its permission.

UoM registrar R Shivappa said the varsity is yet to receive any directions from the government in this regard.

“We will take a decision once we receive the order,” Shivappa said. Former UoM syndicate member MSS Kumar blamed the protracted delay in appointment of regular staff to universities for the present problem.

“Nearly 60% of staff at universities are not regularised workers. Such being the case, no state university will be able to follow the government’s direction. The only solution to this is to initiate recruitment to all vacant posts at the earliest,” Kumar said.

The state-run universities have to relieve both teaching and non-teaching staff, hired on contract basis, of their duties

Man to bear wife’s travelling costs for court hearings: HC

Man to bear wife’s travelling costs for court hearings: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:05.09.2021

The Gujarat high court has ordered a man to pay Rs 1,500 travelling and food allowance to his wife for each court hearing that she has to attend in a suit for dissolution of marriage filed by the man.

The petition for transfer of case was filed by the wife, who lives in Porbandar with her daughter.

She shifted to Porbandar from Una town in Gir Somnath district after a matrimonial dispute. In 2019, her husband approached the court in Una and filed a suit for dissolution of marriage.

The woman has to travel 200km from Porbandar to Una to attend court proceedings.

In January 2020, she moved the high court and requested for shifting of the suit proceedings to a court in Porbandar so that she does not have to face the hardships of travelling long distances with her minor daughter. The husband got apprehensive that if the case gets transferred, he would be at the receiving end and the hardship of travelling would fall on him.

The husband opposed the transfer of the case to Porbandar court and made a proposal that he would bear the travelling cost for his wife and daughter, when they have to come to Una for the hearings.

The court accepted this proposal and ordered him to pay Rs 1,500 to his wife towards the cost of their travelling and food for the wife and daughter for every hearing that she attends. The HC did not accept the woman’s request for transfer of the case.

The HC also requested the court in Una to see that the case is heard and completed as expeditiously as possible.

It also set a deadline of March 31, 2022 for the lower court to complete the case.

The petition for transfer of case was filed by the wife, who lives in Porbandar and has to travel 200km to attend court proceedings

Language instructor who built ‘learning apps’

Language instructor who built ‘learning apps’

Nimesh.Khakhariya@timesgroup.com

05.09.2021

When schools were locked due to the Covid pandemic, educators were left with no option but to search for learning tools to overcome the distance barrier.

But many years before the lockdown, Nahid Khan Ligari, a teacher working at a district panchayat-run school in Junagadh district, had tapped on to the benefits of alter native modes of learning and developed ‘learning apps’. What more, he also devised a way to overcome the internet connectivity issue, by developing apps that worked in offline mode too.

What makes his efforts even more praiseworthy is that apart from facing the usual ‘limited or no resources issue’, Ligari also had no ‘technical or software’ background. A language teacher, Ligari teaches Gujarati, Hindi and English. Yet he took the pains of learning the basics of app developing.

The desire to make education accessible to all drove him on, says Ligari. “I was always thinking of making education available to students at their doorsteps,” Ligari said.

Ligari’s work was recognized by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). He was recently conferred the ‘National Information Communication & Technology’ award by NCERT.

Ligari has developed two apps so far — an encyclopedia and a dictionary. Once downloaded on mobile phones, the two apps work in offline mode. The Internet is needed only at the time of app update.

Out of the WhatsApp, video-calling world

Out of the WhatsApp, video-calling world

Parth.Shastri@timesgroup.com

05.09.2021 

The time-table of Nathabhai Chavda, a school teacher from Bhavnagar district, is a bit different. Instead of classes, the timings show the ‘sheri’ (bylane) he will be conducting classes at. Chavda starts off from the lanes of Sipaiwada at Hathiyadhar village near Palitana and proceeds to nearby areas.

“I have about 45 students to teach. While colleagues elsewhere conducted classes through WhatsApp calls, my students didn’t have the facility – their fathers have just one phone and would take it to work. They also did not have TVs. Thus, I started conducting classes at their doorstep,” says Chavda, a teacher at Jhaverchand Meghani Primary School. “We also installed a few TVs in houses so students can catch classes through DD Girnar.” While many teachers toyed virtual classrooms, for many in the state, that was not possible due to the lack of phones or TVs. Thus, these teachers went the conventional way to take education to their students.

The In-Shodh platform of the Ravi J Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation (RJMC) at IIM Ahmedabad (IIM-A) documented several such practices over the past 18 months. In all, the online platform has 800-odd innovations, which are accessed by teachers from Gujarat and beyond.

Another innovation documented is by Gaurav Joshi, a teacher from Pahadbhai ni Muvadi primary school in Gandhinagar district. When Joshi goes to the village to teach, he carries a load worthy of a small carrier. The students get a mini library, a space to conduct science and mathematics experiments, and a ‘performance space’ for kids to sing and dance.

“We call it ‘Bal Melo’ or Children’s Fair, so students are attracted to the space and learn while having fun,” said Joshi.

You may take drones on domestic flights soon

You may take drones on domestic flights soon

Govt Working On New Rules, Say Officials

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:05.09.2021

You may soon be able to take your small drones with you on domestic holidays by air and post envyinducing pictures of chilling out on beaches or hills. After relaxing rules for drone usage, the government is working out ways to ensure that people can take drones with them on domestic flights for recreational purposes.

“Drones can’t be taken on (domestic) flights as of now, but we have to find a way to let people carry it for vacations for use at their destination. Whether they can be taken in handbags or check-in (luggage) and how, these things are being worked out,” said top aviation officials. For international travellers, regulations on carriage of drones at destination countries will have to be complied with.

This clarity of rules is needed to ensure people can at least take nano drones (weighing up to 250 grams), that now come with great cameras, on vacation when flying within the country. A new set of relaxed drone rules were enforced late last month, by junking stringent regulations put in place this March. The carriage of drones by air travellers passengers still remains a grey area that needs to be cleared.

People operating nano and micro (weighing between 251 grams and 2kg) drones for non-commercial or personal uses do not require a remote pilot licence.

The government is working out an airspace map for unmanned aircraft system operations that will have three colour zones. This map is expected to be on Digital Sky drone platform by the month-end. That will clearly show where a drone can be operated or not. Red, like areas in vicinity of airports, will be “no go” areas. In yellow zones, air traffic control clearance will be required.

Education amid Covid-19: Road to recovery

Education amid Covid-19: Road to recovery

The traditional education system will get back on track post mass vaccinations. With the schools reopening for the higher classes in Tamil Nadu, we look at the challenges and examine the benefits of reopening schools

Respedit.Chennai@timesgroup.com

05.09.2021

Science has proved, yet another time that effective research, precaution and execution can prevent the spread of virus. This also allows normalcy to slowly resume, bringing back all sectors, including education, back on track.

As schools reopen after the vaccination drive, they must balance the educational, social and emotional needs of their students, as well as ensure the health and safety of students and staff. “The world that lies ahead of us may look different from the one we’re leaving behind. Slowly, and as the vaccine drive gains momentum, schools are beginning to get back to normal, with students getting back to the classroom, of course, with stringent protocols to ensure the safety of all. Teaching methodologies have changed, and while teachers and students have welcomed digital teaching, it will now be coupled with in-classroom activities and field visits too, ensuring the overall development and learning of a child. This is a welcome move, and the vaccine only ensures extra safety. The new model of learning focussed on classroom as well as digital learning is known as hybrid schooling and is the new normal teaching pedagogy not only in India, but across the globe,” says Siddhi Sankhla, a school principal.

The closure of schools had impacted the daily lives of students. The change was sudden, unexpected and there was no substitute system in place. While the collective efforts of parents, students and teachers did pay off, children do need to interact in person to develop and learn better.

One major benefit that students gain from the opening of schools is equal access to education for all. “In keeping with India’s vast student population, it was discouraging to see only a minority of students from privileged backgrounds access online classes. Students from tier-II and tier-III cities, as well as remote districts of India had little access, either due to the lack of gadgets, internet services or their inability to use them. This led to only a fraction of students receiving online education. Multiple surveys have shared data proving that most students have missed their virtual exams, and have wasted a year in the process. Hence, the move to reopen schools is encouraging for more than one reason,” says Kiran Bhatia, a school teacher and parent of an eight-year-old. “Meanwhile, schools should follow the government’s SOP guidelines and ensure a classroom size of not more than 50 per cent until the virus is eradicated. Classroom teaching, coupled with a vaccine jab and necessary precaution, will bring back normalcy to India’s disturbed education system,” concludes Kiran.

Don’t waste time dwelling on past events: Stalin to his MLAs

Intervenes As MLA Recalls ‘Humiliation’ Of Party Over 10yrs

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:05.09.2021

Chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday sought to send a strong message to his legislators to stop recalling past events in the assembly as it amounted to wasting the time of the House.

More than once in recent days, he had also asked his MLAs not to indulge in sycophancy by showering compliments on him. On Saturday, participating in the debate on demand for grants for various departments, DMK (Kumbakonam) MLA G Anbalagan said his party had suffered humiliation in the assembly in the past one decade, with many AIADMK leaders making acerbic remarks against the DMK and its leadership. “A leader made an outrageous statement that there were no rivals for her to see in the assembly. Another leader said Stalin can never win and never become chief minister. Those faces are not to be found in the House. But others have come,” said Anbalagan pointing to Royapuram MLA Idream R Murthy, seated near him. Murthy, who defeated former AIADMK minister D Jayakumar, rose from his seat with folded hands, evoking laughter among the ruling party MLAs.

Stalin intervened at this stage to say the member had been given only 15 minutes by the speaker and hence, he should confine himself to the issues relating to the demand for grants for the department and should not waste time speaking about “unnecessary” things. Leader of the opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami said the DMK MLA should also talk about the vote on the motion of confidence in 2017 (when the DMK legislators created ruckus). Responding to this, the chief minister said, “I have told my MLA to limit himself to relevant issues to avoid wastage of time. If the Leader of the opposition is ready for a discussion (on the trust vote), then the DMK is also ready.” Palaniswami said the DMK MLA was making unnecessary remarks in the House.

Anbalagan went on to say the DMK was not against any religion and the party remained a fortress for spiritual people. It was portrayed as an anti-Hindu party way back in 1967 elections and in 2021, but people reposed confidence in the Dravidian party. Former CM C N Annadurai deputed his PWD minister M Karunanidhi to oversee the arrangements of mahamagam festival in Kumbakonam, he said. “In 11 seats, known for their spiritual significance, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Mylapore, the DMK won in the last election,” he said.

Later, DMK (Tirupattur) MLA A Nallathambi said rivals (the BJP) took out Vel Yatra to defeat Dravidam and the DMK, but it was Karunanidhi who took out a yatra for tracing the missing diamond spear of Lord Muruga in Tiruchendur.

TN Covid-19 cases rise slightly for 3rd day in row

TN Covid-19 cases rise slightly for 3rd day in row

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 05.09.2021

Fresh cases of Covid-19 went up marginallyvfor the third consecutive day to 1,575 new cases on Saturday from 1,509 on Wednesday. At least 23 districts including Tiruvallur, Chengalpet, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar and Karur reported an increase in new cases in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the 20 deaths took the toll to 35,000 and the state reported a cumulative case tally of 26.2 lakh. At the end of the day, after discharging 1,610 patients there were 16,315 people still undergoing treatment for the viral infection.

On Saturday, with 244 new cases, Coimbatore reported the highest number and was also the only district to report more than 200 new cases. The western district reported 239 cases on Friday and 215 cases on Thursday. The number of cases in Chennai increased to 167 from 162 on Friday. Besides Coimbatore and Chennai, the Erode (109) was the only district to report new cases in three digits.

The sharpest increase in new cases between Friday and Saturday came from Chennai’s neighbours Tiruvallur and Chengalpet. Cases in Tiruvallur increased to 79 from 65 on Friday while Chengalpet reported 99 compared to 88 on Friday. Districts such as Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Karur and Tiruvallur reported six to nine cases more than their Friday tally.

However, 20 districts in the state reported less than 25 cases. Five districts – Thoothukudi (9), Theni (8), Perambalur (5), Ramanathapuram (4), Thirupathur (4) and Tenkasi

(3) — reported cases in single digits.

Of the 20 deaths reported on Saturday, four were in Coimbatore, three each in Chennai and Trichy and two each in Erode, Salem and Tiruvallur. While four districts (Chengalpet, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukottai and Ariyalur) reported one death each, 28 districts reported zero deaths.

The state vaccinated 6.2 lakh people on Saturday compared to 5.5 lakh on Friday and 5.4 lakh on Thursday, taking the dosage tally in the state centres to 3.2 crore. The average number of vaccinations in a day in the first four days of September is 5.6 lakh a day. In August it was around 2.9 lakh. Meanwhile, 22 lakh doses were given in private hospitals since May 1.

Pondy cases inch up to 900

The active Covid-19 cases crossed the 900-mark on Saturday in the Union territory of Puducherry. The territory reported 120 fresh cases even as 76 patients recovered in the past 24 hours ending at 10am on Saturday taking the active cases to 937. Of them, 765 cases are under home isolation and treatment.

Puducherry headquarters reported the maximum fresh cases with 70 followed by Mahe (25), Karaikal (17) and Yanam (8). Puducherry headquarters has the maximum active cases with 579 followed by Karaikal (201), Mahe (130) and Yanam (27). TNN

ALANDUR IS CITY’S ARAKKONAM

ALANDUR IS CITY’S ARAKKONAM

Madras By The Metro Is A Metaphor For What Chennai Is, An Intriguing Mix Of The Old And The New. We Hop On The City’s Newest Mode Of Transport And Hop Off At A Few Stations Along The Way To Wander Through Streets That Tell Us Stories Of What Went Before And How Life Goes On

Kamini.Mathai@timesgroup.com

05.09.2021

All roads may lead to Rome, but as far as the Chennai metro goes, all rails lead to Alandur. At a little over 35 metres, the elevated Arignar Anna Alandur Metro, the “interchange station” between the two metro lines in the city — the Blue Wimco Nagar-Airport line and the Green Chennai Central-St Thomas Mount — isn’t just the city’s first multi-level railway station, and its tallest, but is also the only station where passengers from the two corridors can swap routes.

You could say it’s the metro counterpart of Southern Railway’s Arakkonam junction, one of the oldest junctions in the country that links major cities. And like Arakkonam, which for most travellers is more a transit point than a destination, Alandur too gets missed in the dash of the daily commute.

Alandur was the chosen one, explains R Ramanathan, former director (projects), Chennai Metro Rail. How could it not be, when the nodal hub connects to north Madras, south Madras, GST Road, Koyambedu, and the airport. It also had enough space to spare, both horizontally and vertically.

But is there more to Alandur?

Just by looking out that metro train window, we can tell you there is. A battleground, for starters. We don’t just mean the constituency, from where M G Ramachandran made his electoral debut in 1967 (although it was called Parangimalai then), but an actual battlefield. History buffs, while on the metro, one of the spots you’re likely to pass near Alandur junction is the OTA golf course, which was once the spot where a battle unfolded in 1759. It was here that the French under Thomas Arthur, Count of Lally, lost to British troops commanded by Major-General Stringer Lawrence.

The battlefield now doubles up as a golf course as well as a tactical training field for budding army officers. It’s pretty much off-limits in terms of walking in, but hey, you can catch a glimpse on the metro, and that’s free.

Architect and artist Srishti Prabakar, who has done sketch walks in Alandur, calls the area a juxtaposition of worlds past and present. “On the one hand, you have the old world chaos of the market, the bustle of people bargaining over their fish, haggling over why their pomfret looked fleshier the previous week. On the other, you have the swanky metro, and then you notice all of it set against the backdrop of the majestic St Thomas Mount. It’s a junction of not just the metros but of the city’s culture and history.”

Every time the sketch-walk group ambles up to Alandur, says Srishti, they end up spending most of their time soaking in the marvel of the metro station. “Being so elevated it’s beautiful to see the train almost emerging out of thin air, hills, and trees in the background.”

Now, if you’re game for a wander, a little away from the metro station is the St Thomas Garrison Church, incidentally No.1 GST Road. Constructed for less than ₹50,000, the church was opened in 1830. The church with its bomb-proof roof is now a heritage monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

This was also the spot that Lieutenant-Colonel William Lambton, British soldier and surveyor, began his Great Trigonometrical Survey of India in 1802, a study that ended near Everest.

Well, who would have thought… even the Everest tracks to Alandur!