Workers, doctors welcome TN bill on right to sit

Workers, doctors welcome TN bill on right to sit

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:08.09.2021

The state government’s bill mandating all shops and establishments to facilitate seating arrangements for their workers and staff has brought cheer among workers and healthcare professionals.

On Monday, Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development C V Ganesan introduced a Bill to amend the Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act, 1947, making it mandatory for shops and establishments to provide seating arrangements for employees working in shops and commercial establishments.

“Considering the plight of the employees, the premises of every establishment shall have suitable seating arrangements for all employees so that they may take advantage of any opportunity to sit which may occur in the course of their work and thereby avoid ‘on their toes’ situation throughout the working hours,” the bill stated.

Women workers in large shopping centres like in T Nagar and Purasawalkam are elated at the announcement as seating arrangements for shopfloor workers and salespersons are not enough. For those with health issues, standing for hours at a stretch takes a toll on their health, doctors said.

In 2018, neighbouring Kerala passed a legislation mandating seating arrangements after women workers protested condemning the same.

Dr N Sekar, former president, Vascular Society of India, said a common health ailment in people who stand for long hours is varicose vein, found among traffic cops, sales persons, waiters and those working in factory units.

Dr Sekar explained that blood tends to stagnate in the leg for those who stand for long hours. Since veins in the calf region have to push the blood back to the heart, there has to be a movement of muscles. If left unattended, blood vessels start enlarging leading to ulcers, blood clots or chronic inflammation on legs.

“As a vascular surgeon, I feel happy about the government’s move. It provides me immense happiness that workers will be offered dignity and respect at their workplace. My hope is that other states adopt it too,” said Dr J Amalorpavanathan, Director of Vascular Surgery (Retd), Madras Medical College and member, Planning commission of Tamil Nadu.

BIG RELIEF: A worker at a textile showroom in T Nagar. A common health ailment in people who stand for long hours is varicose veins

Graft: Govt official gets 2 years in jail

Graft: Govt official gets 2 years in jail

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:08.09.2021

A former assistant executive engineer with the market management committee, Koyambedu wholesale market complex, has been found guilty of graft charges by a special court that also sentenced him for two years imprisonment.

He had demanded a bribe of ₹30,000 from a person who ran a tea stall within the market premises and abused his position as a public servant by threatening the tea stall owner that his shop will be sealed if he did not accede to the official’s demands.

According to the prosecution, M Sivalingam, the former government official had approached the tea shop within the Kamarajar flower market premises on November 3, 2014 and demanded a bribe.

After negotiations, the official had agreed to take an amount of ₹5,000 initially. Unwilling to pay the amount, the tea stall owner preferred a complaint against the official with the vigilance and anti-corruption department.

A trap was laid and on November 17, the accused official met the tea stall owner, who gave chemically coated currency notes to the official. DVAC officials caught him red-handed while accepting the bribe.

Can’t stop probe in Kodanad case, truth must come out: SC

Can’t stop probe in Kodanad case, truth must come out: SC

Chennai:08.09.2021

In a leg-up to the state government’s decision to initiate further probe into the Kodanad estate murder and burglary case, the Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to interfere with the investigation and said “the truth must come out”. Ruling on a special leave petition filed by Anubhav Ravi, an AIADMK functionary, who opposed further investigation, saying it would delay the ongoing trial in the Nilgiris sessions court, a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud sought to dismiss the petition. But it then declared it as withdrawn after senior counsel Siddharth Luthra, representing Ravi, sought the court’s permission to withdraw the plea.

The order may have political ramifications as decks have now been cleared for the TN police to summon and interrogate witnesses and suspects. The case concerns the murder of a security guard and burglary at Kodanad estate, co-owned by former CM Jayalalithaa and her friend V K Sasikala, in 2017. Sasikala was lodged in a Bengaluru jail then. Chargesheet had been filed against 11 suspects and the trial had reached an advanced stage when the new DMK government cited several loopholes and began further probe. TNN

‘PAY ₹30,000 TO MAN FOR MISSING FLIGHT DUE TO TRAIN DELAY’

‘PAY ₹30,000 TO MAN FOR MISSING FLIGHT DUE TO TRAIN DELAY’

Railways can’t be slowcoach: SC

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:08.09.2021

In a first of its kind ruling that will jolt the Railways and pleasantly surprise the general public that takes train delays as part of life, the Supreme Court ordered the Railways to pay a compensation of Rs 30,000 to a man who missed a flight from Jammu to Srinagar as the Ajmer-Jammu Express reached its destination four hours late.

A bench of Justices M R Shah and Aniruddha Bose fastened accountability on the Railways for delayed running of trains. It said that if the Railways cannot explain why a train reached its destination late causing inconvenience to passengers, then it would be liable to compensate them in case they filed a deficiency of service complaint before a consumer forum.

The SC said passengers’ time is precious and someone must be held accountable for train delays. “These are the days of competition and accountability. If the public transportation has to survive and compete with private players, they have to improve the system and their working culture. Citizen/passenger cannot be at the the mercy of the authorities/administration. Somebody has to accept the responsibility,” it said.

Justices Shah and Bose upheld the concurrent orders of the district, state and national consumer forums granting Rs 30,000 compensation with 9% interest to Sanjay Shukla, who with his family missed the 12 noon flight from Jammu to Srinagar because the train scheduled to reach Jammu at 8.10am on June 11, 2016 had chugged into the final stop almost four hours late at 12 noon, leaving the family with no chance of making it on time to the Jammu airport which was at quite a distance from the station.

The family had to arrange for a taxi to travel from Jammu to Srinagar at a cost of R 15,000 and pay Rs 10, 000 for lodging at Srinagar. The district consumer forum, Alwar, had surprised the Northern Western Railways by ordering it to reimburse to Shukla the costs incurred towards taxi fare and lodging and also pay an additional Rs 5,000 for mental agony and litigation expenses. The forum’s decision was upheld by State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and the National Commission. The Railways then appealed against the NCDRC decision in the SC.

Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati argued that in view of Rule 114 and Rule 115 of the Indian Railway Conference Association Coaching Tariff No. 26 Part-I (Volume-I), there shall not be any liability of the railways to pay compensation for train delays. But, the bench was in no mood to accept the argument given the chronicity of delay in running of trains in India.

TIME IS MONEY

CM advances disbursement of hike in dearness allowance for govt staff Regularises Suspension Days As Working Days

CM advances disbursement of hike in dearness allowance for govt staff

Regularises Suspension Days As Working Days

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:08.09.2021

Chief minister M K Stalin on Tuesday announced a slew of measures for government employees, including advancing disbursement of hike in dearness allowance, cancelling suspension on the last working day for staff facing disciplinary action, regularisation of strike and suspension days as working days and simplifying procedures for compassionate appointments.

In a suo motu statement in the state assembly, Stalin said despite a financial crisis the state government would implement the dearness allowance hike from January1, 2022, which is three months in advance, following requests from government employees’ unions. "Due to this decision, 16 lakh government employees and pensioners will be benefited. The government will incur an additional expenditure of ₹620crore and an annual expenditure of ₹6,480crore," he said. Stalin said the government would end the practice of suspending government employees, facing disciplinary and other charges, on the last working day. He further announced that the government would release new guidelines simplifying the norms for appointment under compassionate grounds. "After considering the demands of employees’ unions, the government decided to regularize the strike and suspension periods of government employees, who participated in various strikes called by unions in 2016, 2017 and 2019. The teachers, who were transferred will be given priority in transfer counselling. The government will cancel all disciplinary actions initiated against teachers during the strike and in case their promotion is affected by the disciplinary action, it will be rectified," CM said.

Further, the retirement age for noon meal workers would be increased from 58 to 60 years. The CM said the increment for higher educational qualification which was cancelled in 2020 would be restored again by following the Union government's guidelines. "With increase in enrolment in government schools, the government will take measures to appoint more teachers to meet the teacher: student ratio," he said. The chief minister said steps would be taken to fill vacancies for posts of junior assistants in government schools through Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC). Moreover, an order would be passed to include sons and daughters of government employees, dependent on them, without considering their age, under the health insurance scheme for government staff. For Covid-19 treatment, the government would fund the excess amount in case the treatment cost exceeds ₹10 lakh.

Times of India 07.09.2021

 

Hry to relieve its 116 docs on Sept 30

Hry to relieve its 116 docs on Sept 30

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chandigarh:07.09.2021

In a major setback to Haryana’s preparedness for the anticipated third wave of Covid-19, the state health department has decided to do away with the services of 116 medicos from September 30. The decision has been taken consequent to the health department’s new guideline of bringing down the age of superannuation of Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS) doctors to 58 with immediate effect.

Till now, doctors who attained the age of 58 were given an extension of service, as consultants, in the health department with same service benefits.

With this new circular released by health department on Friday, doctors, once they attain the age of superannuation, would be re-employed only after they are officially relieved and after filling an online proforma.

The HCMS association has decided to take up the issue with state home minister Anil Vij. “This system of automatic extension is prevalent even at the Centre... Imagine the plight of those on extension who did not even apply for the retirement benefits due to automatic extension. It is well known that only those in need of job opt for extension, else they would have resigned after a particular period,” said Dr Jasbir Singh Panwar, president of HCMSA. Service rules stipulate that either party serves a notice of three months ahead of relieving or resigning from the job. But, in this case all 116 doctors will be relieved on September 30, he added.

When contacted, Vij cited the change of rules but claimed that all those on extension will have the job security. “What we have done is that instead of giving one-time extension, it (extension) will be given every year. Besides, they will be deployed at places where their services are really needed. Now, most of the consultants want Panchkula or choice postings, which is not possible. Hence postings will be done on basis of requirement,” he said.

Panwar claimed that most of the doctors who will be relieved are specialists and have undergone training for the third wave. He also rued delay on the part of government for creation of sub cadre of specialist and other demands. “Even though the chief minister and the home minister have given a go ahead, the files have been lying with the administrative secretaries for the past year and half,” he added.

HP is champion of vaccination: Modi

Shimla:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a virtual interaction with healthcare workers and beneficiaries of Covid vaccination program of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, said the hill state had emerged as a “champion” of Covid inoculation. He said the state was able to achieve this target due to effective implementation of the vaccination drive and public awareness. Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said till September 3, 55,28,648 people had been inoculated with the first dose of Covid vaccine and17,92,715 people had been inoculated with two doses of vaccine. TNN

CBSE guidelines out, MCQ-based exams for Class 10 & 12 in 1st term

CBSE guidelines out, MCQ-based exams for Class 10 & 12 in 1st term

Ramendra.Singh@timesgroup.com

Bhopal:07.09.2021

Like engineering students, CBSE school students of Class 10 and 12 in Bhopal will have MCQ-based questions in the first term in November and December.

This is not a only a new experience but a radical shift from the usual pattern of evalutaion, keeping both students and teachers on their toes.

Schools have begun organising orientation classes to clear the doubts of students and parents. CBSE had issued comprehensive guidelines for schools to conduct the exams.

The paper will now have case-based MCQs and MCQs on assertion-reasoning type. The second one is the one that will need more effort to get used to. Learning by rote will not work. Unless one has clear knowledge of concepts, it is difficult to atempt assertion based questions.

The tests will be of 90-minute duration and cover only the rationalized syllabus of Term I only (around 50% of the entire syllabus) Exams will be conducted under the supervision of External Center Superintendents and Observers appointed by CBSE.

The responses of students will be captured on OMR sheets which, after scanning may be directly uploaded at CBSE portal or alternatively may be evaluated and marks obtained will be uploaded by the school the very same day. The final direction in this regard will be conveyed to schools. Marks of the term-1 will contribute to the final overall score of students.

“Preparing for MCQ is completely different from theoretical exam preparation. Due to fear of third wave of Covid, I am not able to attend classes. In such a situation, preparing for the exams is dicey,” said Prashant Mishra, a class 12 student. Teachers said there is a lot of uncertainty regarding academics. “CBSE guidelines itself suggest that anything could happen. Instead of focusing on academics, students and parents are spending more time on the scheme of the examinations,” said a teacher.

Citizens can opt for early second dose, says Kerala HC

Citizens can opt for early second dose, says Kerala HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kochi:07.09.2021

The Kerala high court on Monday held that not allowing citizens to have the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine early, while allowing some categories such as those going abroad, was discriminatory, especially when they are willing to avail paid vaccination. Allowing pleas filed by Kitex Garments Limited and another company for early second-dose vaccination of their workers, Justice PB Suresh Kumar ordered the Central government to make changes to vaccine-booking portal CoWIN to allow citizens willing to pay for the second dose to choose between an early vaccination to be safe or a late vaccination for better efficacy.

Both the Central and state governments had agreed before the court that early second-dose vaccination is being allowed for some categories, such as people going abroad for jobs or studies, government officials requiring travel abroad, and those participating in the Olympics. The court held that citizens who pay for Covishield vaccine have the right to choose whether to be vaccinated after four weeks of first dose, as was originally prescribed by the government, or after 84 days as prescribed by the Central government citing better efficacy.

In the judgment, the court noted that vaccination is voluntary and the dosage gap prescribed by the Central government can only be considered advisory. In such circumstances, there is no reason for the Central government to oppose its own decision to distribute vaccines through private hospitals to enable people to get vaccinated early, the court said. The court has also clarified that it has not given a ruling on whether citizens have a choice for early vaccination or late vaccination while availing vaccines for free from the government.

Advocate Blaze K Jose had argued for Kitex that the preventing early administration of second-dose vaccines to the petitioner’s employees after having bought the vaccine at a cost of Rs 1.5crore amounts to discrimination.

People wait in a queue to receive Covid-19 vaccine dose in Kochi

Priests can’t become owner of temple deity’s land: SC

Priests can’t become owner of temple deity’s land: SC

‘Neither Can Collector Substitute Name Of Deity As Owner’

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:07.09.2021

To stop the fence from eating the grass, the Supreme Court has ruled that priests, who perform daily rituals in a temple, cannot become owners of the land vested in deities and also stopped the government from becoming the owners of the said assets by substituting the name of priests with that of area collector. This ruling was given by a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and A S Bopanna while allowing an appeal filed by Madhya Pradesh government which had struck down a state government notification deleting the names of priests from revenue records as owners of temple land vested in deities.

Appearing for the state, advocate Saurabh Mishra argued that the executive instructions were issued to delete the names of ‘Pujari’ (priest) from the revenue record so as to protect the temple properties from unauthorised sale by them. Appearing for the association of priests, advocate Divyakant Lahoti submitted that the ‘pujaris’ have been conferred ‘Bhumiswami (ownership)’ rights, a right which cannot be taken away by executive instructions.

Writing the judgment for the bench and taking into consideration various decisions of the SC in similar issues, Justice Gupta said, “Taking into consideration the past precedents, and the fact that under the Gwalior Act, Pujari had been given right to manage the property of the temple, it is clear that it does not elevate him to the status of tenant in cultivation... Since the priest cannot be treated to be Bhumiswami, they have no right which could be protected under any of the provisions of the Code.”

The SC said in the ownership column, the name of the deity alone is required to be mentioned, as the deity being a juristic person is the owner of the land. “The occupation of the land is also by the deity which is carried out by the servant or the managers on behalf of the deity. Therefore, the name of the manager or that of the priest is not required to be mentioned in the column of occupier as well,” it ruled and said that the state government did not commit any mistake in issuing executive instructions to delete priests as owners of lands belonging to deities.

The SC did not approve of the state’s decision to substitute names of priests with collectors as owners of the temple land. “We find that the name of the Collector as manager cannot be recorded in respect of property vested in the deity as the Collector cannot be a manager of all temples unless it is a temple vested with the State,” it said.

Pujari has been given right to manage the property of the temple. It does not elevate him to the status of tenant in cultivation. Since the priest cannot be treated to be Bhumiswami, they have no right, which could be protected under any of the provisions of the Code

SUPREME COURT

Girls paraded naked to please rain gods

Girls paraded naked to please rain gods

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:07.09.2021

Madhya Pradesh is no stranger to bizarre rain rituals, but this one borders on the grotesque. Minor girls were paraded naked, carrying a heavy wooden flail, in Damoh district in the belief that it will please the rain gods.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken suo motu cognizance of the ritual and asked for details from the collector. Graphic videos of the parade have also been shared on social media. In the fag end of monsoon, drought looms over large parts of Bundelkhand, forcing villagers to desperation. People of a tribal village in rain-parched Damoh took to an age-old ritual in a last ditch attempt to appease the rain gods.

On Monday, two little girls, apparently aged below 10, carried a flail over their shoulders as they led a procession of village women, including their mothers. The women sang bhajans to seek blessings of the gods to save crops drying in the fields. They also begged for alms, mainly foodgrains, which were then used to prepare food in the fields to complete the ritual, said the mother of one of the girls. The children had no clue why they were disrobed and made to walk around the village. “This ritual has been happening for a few days,” said some of the villagers. The mother of one of the girls, who was paraded on Monday, said: “Our paddy has started drying due to lack of rainfall. We need water. This will bring rain.”

Damoh SP DR Teniwar said, “It is a tradition here that can be termed superstition. We will investigate. In case we come to know about force being used against the children while they are paraded naked, we will initiate action.”

Asked about videos of the parade being shared on social media, the SP said: “We will investigate the video’s authenticity and take action.”

Monsoon usually slows down in MP in September. On Monday, Damoh was 47% rain-deficient, followed by Panna district at 38% and Chhatarpur at 25%. Many rivers are dry. Unless it really pours this month or the monsoon overstays, Bundelkhand and many other parts of MP face a brutal summer ahead.

On Monday, two little girls, aged below 10, carried a flail over their shoulders as they led a procession of village women, including their mothers. The children had no clue why they were disrobed & made to walk around the village

Girl dies after swallowing 1-rupee coin

Girl dies after swallowing 1-rupee coin

Mysuru:07.09.2021

A four-year-old girl from a Hunsur village died after swallowing a one-rupee coin.

The girl died three days after the coin got stuck in the trachea followed by infection, at a hospital in Mysuru.

The girl’s uncle had given her a coin to buy balloon on Friday. She was playing with the coin, keeping it in her mouth. Accidentally, she swallowed it and she didn’t inform anyone in the family. The incident happened when she was in her grandmother’s home.

A day later, she developed breathing trouble and the family came to know that something was stuck in the windpipe. Doctors discovered that it was a coin after the girl told them in the hospital. However, it lead to infection and she died at the hospital.

Hunsur police said they have not received any complaint in this regard. TNN

Nimhans staff protests nurse’s assault

Nimhans staff protests nurse’s assault

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:07.09.2021

Several nurses and other employees of Nimhans staged a protest on Monday, condemning an alleged assault of a nurse by the head of clinical nursing services (incharge) at the institute.

With over 100 staffers part of the demonstration, patients faced inconvenience in the afternoon, said members of Nimhans employees’ association, which called for the protest.

On August 30, the nurse was allegedly manhandled by the head of clinical nursing services and a complaint was lodged against the officer at Siddapura police station.

AG Nagaraj, president of the employees’ association, said the institution was yet to take any action against the accused, who was also seen on campus on Monday. “It is inhuman to assault a colleague. Such attitude towards subordinate staff is objectionable. The act of manhandling a colleague is a criminal offence and officer must be suspended immediately,” said Nagaraj.

The competent authorities have initiated the suitable administrative procedure, said Nimhans authorities. However, they said functioning of the hospital was not affected. “The protest was not indefinite. The nurses came back to work and patient services were not hit,” said Nimhans medical superintendent Dr Muralidharan K.

Cops from Siddapura police station said a non-cognisable report was filed based on a complaint from the nurse. “With the court’s nod, we have registered an FIR against the head of clinical nursing services on charges of assaulting a nursing officer,” a cop said.

The All India Government Nurses’ Federation has written to the Union ministry of health and family welfare condemning the assault.

It is shocking that the head of clinical nursing services reportedly assaulted one of our nursing colleagues when she approached the former for redressal of serious grievances. The nurse was admitted to the observation ward. The cold response from the management has demoralised the nursing fraternity

K Khurana | SECRETARY GENERAL, ALL INDIA GOVERNMENT NURSES’ FEDERATION

UAE to launch green visa to attract talent and funds

UAE to launch green visa to attract talent and funds

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

07.09.2021

The UAE tops the list of hosting the largest number of immigrants from India, stated to be 3.5 million, according to a 2020 UN report. With the UAE set to roll out green visas and expand the eligibility for golden visas, this number may grow by leaps and bounds. Technology workers from India will stand to benefit as UAE plans to focus on hiring coders and attract technology companies.

In a press conference on Sunday, under the banner of ‘Projects of the 50’ which is a series of development and economic projects, aimed at making UAE an ideal destination for highly skilled individuals and investors, a restructuring of the entry and residency system was announced. A green visa will be rolled out, which expands the selfresidency status (in other words employer sponsorship is not required) to investors, entrepreneurs, highly skilled individuals, top students and graduates. Green visa holders can sponsor their parents and kids who are up to the age of 25, said a UAE government press release.Another stream of visa that was announced was the federal freelancers visa for self-employed workers based in the UAE and overseas in specialised fields such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and digital currencies. The existing Golden Visa eligibility will be expanded to include managers, CEOs, specialists in science, engineering, health, education, business management and technology.

Another regulatory change that was announced is that on loss of a job, the visa holder and dependents can stay in the UAE for up to 6 months, instead of just 30 days. Business trip permits will also upped from 3 months to 6 months.

TOP JOB DESTINATION?

Another fake email of MSU VC in circulation

Another fake email of MSU VC in circulation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Vadodara:07.09.2021

‘Hello, Help Needed, email me back asap’ — a fake email with this text in the name of M S University vice-chancellor (VC) professor Parimal Vyas has been circulating in the university circles since Sunday.

Even as the university authorities have approached the cybercrime department with a request to investigate, the email has created quite a flutter as it is the second instance where specific circles are receiving fake email in Vyas’ name.

“After it came to my notice, I have already warned everybody through social media platforms that such a fake email in my name is in circulation and they should remain alert,” Vyas told TOI.

University authorities said VC’s email account has not been hacked nor is there any data breach of the official contacts.

“Some miscreant has created a new email account that seems to be that of the VC. The email that many in the university circle have received is not from the official email id of the VC. So far, it could be traced to Nigeria,” said Dr Viral Kapadia, deputy director of MSU’s computer centre.

Interestingly, the officials believe that it is the handiwork of some insider, in all probability, someone from the Faculty of Arts.

“Most of the recipients are teachers of the Faculty of Arts and even the timings of sending the emails are not uniform,” said Kapadia. adding, so, it seems this is the work of someone who is trying to gather email ids of teachers and sending the emails to whomever he or she can.

‘16 years of hearings punishment enough’

LENIENCY SHOWN

‘16 years of hearings punishment enough’

Train Ticket Black-Marketer Sentenced To One Day In Court

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:07.09.2021

A local court handed down a minor punishment — sitting in the courtroom for one day — for the blackmarketing of railway tickets after observing that the accused regularly attended court hearings for 16 years and this itself was punishment enough for him.

The accused’s behaviour of religiously attending proceedings for 16 years paid him at the end of the trial. There were in all 62 hearings and adjournments during the course of the trial.

The case involved Ashok Bhumihar (39), a resident of Delhi Darwaza, who was caught buying railway tickets from the reservation counter on March 25, 2004. Railway police force lodged a complaint against him under Section 143 of the Railways Act, which provides for ‘penalty for unauthorised carrying on of business of procuring and supplying of railway tickets’. It entails punishment of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 10,000. Bhumihar was booked because he was found in possession of tickets without a licence to sell them.

The accused denied the charges and claimed that he had bought the tickets for relatives. However, the court did not believe him and held him guilty of black-marketing. The court awarded him punishment on September 3 but rejected the prosecution’s demand for harsh punishment.

While holding him guilty, additional chief metropolitan magistrate B R Rajput said, “Because of such persons, railway tickets are black-marketed and poor and needy passengers do not get reservations on trains and cannot travel in proper conditions. If this black-marketing is not stopped, many passengers will have to continue to face hardships on daily basis.” However, the court was lenient on Bhumihar. It ordered him only to sit till the rising or the court (TRC) and pay a Rs 5,000 fine. The court said, “This is a 2004 case and the accused remained present for the hearings on a regular basis. His presence in court for 16 years is punishment enough.”

State govt hikes DA from 17% to 28%

State govt hikes DA from 17% to 28%

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Gandhinagar:

Here’s some good news for government employees.

The state government has accepted the long-pending demand of employee associations to raise the dearness allowance of government employees and pensioners. Nitin Patel, who is deputy chief minister, finance minister and spokesperson of the state government, said that the state government has decided to raise the DA from present 17% to 28%. The increased benefit will be applicable from September salary.

“The Centre raised the DA by 11% from July so we have decided to raise the DA of state government employees in the same way. Arrears of July will be paid in October before the Diwali while the August arrears will be paid in January 2022. The additional monthly burden on the exchequer will be Rs 378 crore. The state government has 9.6 lakh employees and pensioners. Panchayat and other government category employees will get similar benefits,” Patel said.

Make law panel suggestions binding, says HC

Make law panel suggestions binding, says HC

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:07.09.2021

Consider making the Law Commission of India a statutory body or give it a constitutional status so that its recommendations would be binding on the government, the Madras high court has told the Centre.

Suggesting a suitable constitutional amendment in this regard, a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice B Pugalendhi also directed the Centre to appoint chairman and members to the law commission within three months.

The court passed the order on a plea moved by K Pushpavanam of Madurai seeking a direction to the Centre to propose a comprehensive legislation in the field of ‘Torts and State Liability’ as per the directions of the Supreme Court in MCD V Uphaar Tragedy Victims Assn case and Vadodara Municipal Corporation case.

Allowing the plea, the bench said: “What is the use of constitutional courts in passing judgments, giving recommendations for enacting laws, when they are not actually acted upon by the legislature? What is the use of having a law commission without its recommendation being acted upon?”

Though the separation of powers between Judiciary, Executive and Legislature has not been specifically spelled out in the Constitution, it is maintained without crossing their respective boundaries. However, the way in which things are moving, it is very difficult to maintain the limits or the boundaries as the legislature fails consistently to take notice of many of the court’s suggestions, which have been in the interest of the society to enact laws, the judges said.

“It is still worse with regard to acceptance of recommendations of the law commission, which after getting inputs from various stakeholders and discussions on various issues, were made to the government to enact law. They are neither accepted nor acted upon and are kept in cold storage for decades together,” the court added.

One such recommendation was made by the first law commission as early as in 1956 recommending to the Centre to enact a law covering the field of liability of state in tort. Pointing out several such instances, the court said: “If that is the position, this court is of the opinion that restraint shown by courts in exceeding its jurisdiction to encroach upon the field of legislature should be given up.”

PM urges healthcare workers to minimize vaccine wastage

PM urges healthcare workers to minimize vaccine wastage

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi/Shimla:07.09.2021

Stressing that the government is focusing on swiftly ramping up Covid vaccination coverage across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged healthcare workers to reduce wastage of jabs as it can help save 10% of expenditure on inoculation.

The PM was interacting with healthcare workers and beneficiaries of Covid vaccination programme of Himachal Pradesh, which has inoculated 100% of its adult population with at least the first dose. He also emphasized the need to achieve similar coverage of the second dose. “Using the Covid vaccine carefully can reduce the expenses of vaccination by 10%,” Modi said. Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and BJP president J P Nadda were also present at the event.

Referring to the landmark achievement of administering of more than one crore vaccines in a single day, twice in the last week of August, the PM lauded the efforts of health workers, doctors, medical professionals and teachers. “India is creating a record by administering1.25 crore vaccines every day. The number of vaccines administered in a single day by India is more than the entire population of several countries,” he said.

Full report on www.toi.in

Covid-19 drug Tocilizumab’s biosimilar version gets emergency use authorisation

New Delhi:

In a move that is expected to boost India’s battle against Covid-19, the drug regulator has granted emergency use authorisation to Hetero’s biosimilar version of Tocilizumab for treatment of critically ill Covid-19 patients in India.

Hetero announced that the drug would be available from September-end under brand name Tocira. Hetero’s Tocira 400mg/20ml is the biosimilar version of Roche’s Actemra/ RoActemra. The drug is currently distributed by Cipla in India under license from Roche. TNN

Online nuptials can be registered under Special Marriage Act: HC

Online nuptials can be registered under Special Marriage Act: HC

Kochi:07.09.2021

Weddings under the Special Marriage Act can be registered without insisting on physical presence of the parties, the Kerala high court said on Monday.

However, the challenge was identification of both the parties by the marriage officer and one of the options for that was the use of technology like facial recognition or biometrics, the court said. Noting that the court does not have the expertise to work out modalities for use of technology for such matters, a bench of Justices A Muhamed Mustaque and Kauser Edappagath impleaded the department of information technology and the ministry of external affairs as parties in the matter.

The bench directed the central government’s lawyer to seek instructions on policies on facial recognition and other data tools for identification of the parties.

The court was hearing a batch of pleas referred to it by a single judge on whether a wedding under the said Act could be solemnised/registered online via video conference without insisting on the physical presence of the bride and the groom.

The single judge, Justice P B Suresh Kumar, was of the view that parties to an intended marriage can certainly be permitted to solemnise it through exchange of words through video conference.

However, he referred the matter to a larger bench as two other judges of the court had ruled that solemnisation of marriages under the said Act via videoconference would dilute the provisions of the Act and that physical presence of both parties was mandatory. Appearing to agree with the view of Justice Kumar and the contentions of the petitioners, the bench on Monday said, “We have no hesitation to hold that a marriage under SMA can be registered without insisting on physical presence of the parties before the marriage officer. However, the marriage officer must be in a position to identify the parties. But the manner in which such identification can be made online is a concern for us.” PTI

‘PHYSICAL PRESENCE NOT MANDATORY’

CBI arrests 4 more in JEE (Mains) exam manipulation racket

CBI arrests 4 more in JEE (Mains) exam manipulation racket

New Delhi:07.09.2021

The CBI has arrested four more people in connection with their investigation into the case of alleged manipulation of JEE (Mains) 2021 examination. Earlier, the agency had arrested seven suspects in the case.

The arrests include an assistant professor, Sandeep Gupta, of a private engineering college in Sonipat and three other staffers posted there. The other suspects have neen identified as Arvind Saini and Kuldeep Garg who work as lab technicians and Tulsi Ram, a peon at the same college.

As per the initial probe, at least thirty candidates are believed to have availed the services of the gang till now. Cops are now looking for a Bangalore-based suspect who used to arrange for “expert solvers” in the scam. These solvers took remote access of the computer which was assigned to their students at different colleges and then solved the paper for them in order to get them a higher rank. TNN

Heavy rain triggers landslide on Salem-Yercaud ghat road

Heavy rain triggers landslide on Salem-Yercaud ghat road

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Salem:07.09.2021

A huge boulder rolled on to the Salem-Yercaud ghat road following a heavy raintriggered landslide on late Sunday evening. Workers from the state highway department were pressed into service to clear the boulder.

Continuous heavy downpour triggered the landslide near Vazhavadhi, a village on Salem-Yercaud road via Kuppanur route on late Sunday evening. Police officials at the Kuppanur check post stopped vehicular traffic on the stretch after they were notified about the landslide by the locals. After clearing the stretch, the highway department allowed all vehicles to Yercaud from Monday morning. An official from the state highway department said traffic was not affected due to the landslide.

“At the same time, the road may be weakened due to soil erosion,” the official said.

He said that they were allowing bikes and cars on the ghat road at present. “We have advised all the drivers to drive slowly when they pass the ghat road including the landslide area,” the official added.

According to an official from the meteorological department, Yercaud received continuous rain for the last few days. “Shervaroy hills received 78mm of rain on Thursday, 127mm on Friday, 21mm on Saturday and 18mm on Sunday,” the official said.

NATURE’S FURY: Continuous heavy downpour triggered the landslide near Vazhavadhi

City university wins AICTE clean & smart campus award 2020

City university wins AICTE clean & smart campus award 2020

Chennai:07.09.2021

SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), Kattankulathur, received the first prize in AICTE national level clean and smart campus award 2020 — a campus first step towards sustainability. The certificate of excellence was presented by Union minister of education Dharmendra Pradhan to university vicechancellor C Muthamizhchelvan. Department of networking and communications assistant professor P Supraja was given the Visvesvaraya Best Teacher Award 2021 in recognition of her teaching excellence in technical education. TNN

Docus should allow both parents’ names: HC

Docus should allow both parents’ names: HC

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:07.09.2021

Remarking that it would be appropriate if columns are provided to include names of either or both parents of a child applying for official documents, the Madras high court has issued notice to the Union and state governments on a PIL. The petitioner also wanted the court to direct the government to permit single parents to include their name alone in such documents.

When the plea came up for hearing on Monday, the first bench of chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu said: “It may be more appropriate if the column or columns in the printed forms permit either or both (parents) as per the wishes of the applicant.” It then adjourned the hearing to November 1.

The petitioner, B Ramkumar Adityan, said children should be able to use the names of either their mother or father. Citing the steady and sizable increase in the number of single-parent adoptions in the past 30 years, he said challenges for single parent adoption had greatly reduced. Many factors may have encouraged this drift. “One such factor can be the growing acceptance of one parent families due to divorce or separation and unmarried single women raising a child on their own. Other factors such as increasing literacy and financial independence of women may have also fairly contributed in making single parent adoption popular,” he said.

But still several public and private institutions and almost all documents in all departments such as affidavits, deeds, oaths, schools, banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, licences, registrations, permits, identity cards, orders, records, legal documents, official documents, court documents and applications of any nature continue to issue forms that require the father’s name alone and require the father to sign off as the guardian, he said.

It would be appropriate if columns are provided to include names of either or both parents of a child applying for official documents, the Madras high court observed and issued notice to the Union and state governments on a PIL

SC takes up doctors’ PILs challenging quota move

 SC takes up doctors’ PILs challenging quota move

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:07.09.2021

Five days before the National Eligibilitycum-Entrance Test (NEET) for all-India quota seats in undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses, the Supreme Court on Monday entertained two PILs filed by doctors from 15 states and union territories challenging the Centre’s decision to introduce 27% OBC and 10% economically weaker section (EWS) reservations for these seats.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli issued notices to the Centre, Medical Counselling Committee and National Board of Examination after hearing arguments made by senior advocates Arvind Datar and Vikas Singh, who appeared for the 27 doctors from Chhattisgarh, Goa, UP, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab.

Recently, the Madras high court had upheld the 27% OBC reservation in all-India quota in government medical colleges across states but struck down the 10% EWS quota on the ground that it allowed the total reservation to go past the 50% ceiling. Datar said that these fresh writ petitions can be heard along with the petitions challenging the Madras HC order.

The petitioners said that in 2007, the Supreme Court had introduced a reservation of 15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs in the AIQ scheme.

With the introduction of the OBC and EWS quotas, the total reservation in AIQ seats would shore up to 59.5%, which would be in breach of the landmark Supreme Court judgment in Indra Sawhney case in which a constitution bench had capped the total reservation at 50% to prevent reverse discrimination of merit.

Court refuses to defer NEET-UG exam

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to defer the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test scheduled for September 12 and rejected the plea of a batch of students seeking its postponement because of its clash with CBSE compartment examination and other competitive test. A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar said that around 16 lakh students who will be taking medical entrance examination and it cannot be postponed on the plea of a few. TNN

தமிழ்நாடு திறந்தநிலை பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் 14 ஆண்டுகளில் பட்டப் படிப்பு முடித்த 209 கைதிகள்: 925 பேர் சான்றிதழ் படிப்புகளை முடித்து அசத்தல்

தமிழ்நாடு திறந்தநிலை பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் 14 ஆண்டுகளில் பட்டப் படிப்பு முடித்த 209 கைதிகள்: 925 பேர் சான்றிதழ் படிப்புகளை முடித்து அசத்தல்

சென்னை

தமிழ்நாடு திறந்தநிலைப் பல்கலைக்கழகம் மூலமாக கடந்த 14 ஆண்டுகளில் 209 கைதிகள் பட்டப் படிப்பையும், 925 பேர் சான்றிதழ் படிப்புகளையும் முடித்துள்ளனர்.

தமிழ்நாடு திறந்தநிலைப் பல்கலைக்கழகம் 81 பட்டப் படிப்புகள், 21 திறன் மேம்பாட்டுப் படிப்புகள் ஆகிய 130 கல்விசார் பாடவகைப் பிரிவுகளை தொலைதூரக் கல்வி அடிப்படையில் வழங்கி வருகிறது.

குறிப்பாக, சென்னை, கோவை,கடலூர், மதுரை, பாளையங்கோட்டை, புதுக்கோட்டை (மாவட்ட சிறை), சேலம், திருச்சி, வேலூர் ஆகிய 9 மத்திய சிறைச்சாலைகளில் திறந்தநிலைப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் கல்வி மையங்கள் மூலம் கடந்த 2007 முதல் பட்டப் படிப்புகள் கற்பிக்கப்படுகின்றன.

அதேபோல, 9 சிறைகள், 3 பெண்கள் தனிச் சிறைகள் மற்றும் புதுக்கோட்டை பார்ஸ்டல் பள்ளி ஆகியவற்றில், மகாத்மா காந்தி சமுதாயக் கல்லூரி கடந்த 2010-ல்தொடங்கப்பட்டது. இதில் தொழிற்கல்வி, பட்டயப் படிப்புகள் உள்ளிட்டசான்றிதழ் படிப்புகள் கற்பிக்கப்படுகின்றன. இவற்றைப் படிப்பதற்கு எந்த வயது உச்சவரம்பும் கிடையாது.

இந்நிலையில், தமிழ்நாடு திறந்தநிலை பல்கலைக்கழகம் ‘இந்து தமிழ்’ நாளிதழுக்கு வழங்கிய புள்ளிவிவரங்களின்படி, 2007-ம் ஆண்டு முதல் 2020-ம் ஆண்டுவரை இளநிலை மற்றும் முதுநிலைப் படிப்புகளில் 6 பெண்கள் உட்பட 609 கைதிகள் சேர்ந்துள்ளனர்.

அதிகபட்சமாக திருச்சி மத்தியச் சிறையில் 151 பேரும், அதற்கு அடுத்தபடியாக சென்னை மத்திய சிறையில் 130 பேரும், கடலூர் சிறையில் 116 பேரும், கோவை சிறையில் 77 பேரும் சேர்ந்துள்ளனர்.

அதேபோல, புதுக்கோட்டை சிறையில் இதுவரை 5 பேரும், வேலூரில் 19 பேரும், பாளையங்கோட்டையில் 55 பேரும், மதுரை சிறையில் 56 பேரும் சேர்ந்துள்ளனர்.

அதன்படி, பட்டப் படிப்புகளில் சேர்ந்து படித்த கைதிகளில் இதுவரை எம்பிஏ படிப்பில் 6 பேரும், எம்சிஏ படிப்பில் ஒரு கைதியும் பட்டம் பெற்றுள்ளனர். இதர முதுநிலை பட்டப் படிப்புகளில் 46 பேரும், இளநிலை பட்டப் படிப்புகளில் 4 பெண்கள் உட்பட 156 பேரும் பட்டம் பெற்றுள்ளனர். அதன்படி, மொத்தம் 209 கைதிகள் பட்டதாரிகளாகியுள்ளனர்.

மேலும், மகாத்மா காந்தி சமுதாயக் கல்லூரி மூலமாக 65 பெண்கள் உட்பட 765 பேர் பட்டயப் படிப்புகளையும், 160 ஆண் கைதிகள் தொழிற்பயிற்சி பட்டப்படிப்பையும் சேர்த்து மொத்தம் 925 பேர் சான்றிதழ் படிப்புகளை முடித்து அசத்திஉள்ளனர்.

எனினும், 2017, 2018, 2019 மற்றும் 2020 ஆகிய நான்கு ஆண்டுகளில் சென்னையில் 11 பேர், கோவையில் 11 பேர், மதுரையில் 8 பேர் என மொத்தம் 30 கைதிகள் மட்டுமே பட்டப் படிப்புகளில் சேர்ந்துள்ளனர். ஆனால், 2007-ம் ஆண்டுமுதல் தற்போதுவரை சேலம் சிறையிலிருந்து இதுவரை ஒரு கைதிகூட பட்டப் படிப்பில் சேரவில்லை.

இதுகுறித்து சிறைத் துறை அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறும்போது, “சிறையில் அன்றாடப் பணிகளைச் செய்து ரூ.150 முதல் ரூ.300 வரை சம்பளம் பெறும் கைதிகளால் பட்டப் படிப்பு மற்றும் சான்றிதழ் படிப்புகளைத் தொடருவது கடினமாக உள்ளது. சில கைதிகளுக்கு அவரது உறவினர்கள் வெளியே இருந்து பண உதவி செய்கிறார்கள். அதனால், அவர்களால் படிக்க முடிகிறது. ஆனால், கல்வி மீது ஆர்வமுள்ள சில கைதிகளுக்குக் கட்டணம் செலுத்தி உதவ உறவினர்கள் யாரும் இல்லை. சிறைக் கைதிகளுக்குக் கல்விக் கட்டணம் மிகப்பெரிய தடையாக இருக்கிறது” என்றார்.

இது தொடர்பாக பல்கலைக்கழக துணைவேந்தர் கோ.பார்த்தசாரதி கூறும்போது, "சிறைக் கைதிகளின் மனதை கல்வியின் பக்கம் திருப்பும் நோக்கில் நாட்டிலேயே முதல்முறையாக தமிழகத்தில்தான் சிறைகளில் பட்டப் படிப்பு படிக்கும் வசதியை, திறந்தநிலைப் பல்கலைக்கழகம் தொடங்கியது. 50 சதவீத கல்விக் கட்டண தளர்வுகள் கைதிகளுக்கு வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

அதேபோல, கரோனா காலகட்டத்தில் தேர்வுக் கட்டணம் செலுத்தச் சிறைவாசிகள் மிகவும் சிரமம் அடைந்தனர். இதனால், தேர்வுக் கட்டணத்திலிருந்து கைதிகளுக்கு விலக்கு வழங்கப்பட்டது. கைதிகளுக்கு இலவச கல்வி வழங்க சாத்தியம் இருக்கிறதா என்ற கோணத்திலும் நாங்கள் ஆலோசனை செய்துவருகிறோம். சிறையிலிருந்து சலுகைமூலம் கல்வி பயிலும் கைதி, விடுதலையான பின்னரும் அதே சலுகையுடன் தனது படிப்பைத் தொடர முடியும். இது இந்தியாவில் வேறு எங்கும் இல்லாத சிறப்பு அம்சமாகும்.

சிறையிலிருந்து பட்டம் அல்லது சான்றிதழ் படிப்பு முடித்து வெளியே வரும்போது, சமுதாயத்தில் அவர்களுக்கென தனி அங்கீகாரம் கிடைக்கும். கல்விக் கட்டணத்துக்கு உதவ பொதுமக்கள் முன்வர வேண்டும்" என்றார்.

14 ஆயிரம் கைதிகள்

2021-ம் ஆண்டு மே மாத புள்ளிவிவரங்களின்படி, தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள சிறைச்சாலைகளில் 13 ஆயிரத்து 985 ஆண்கள், 611 பெண்கள் என மொத்தம் 14 ஆயிரத்து 596 கைதிகள் உள்ளனர்

No mention of pay hike in policy note upsets Tamil Nadu doctors

No mention of pay hike in policy note upsets Tamil Nadu doctors

The 18-page policy note had various infrastructural plans for the health department which would be implemented at a cost of Rs 4,280 crore utilizing the funds under the 15th finance commission.

Published: 06th September 2021 04:38 AM 

They also said that this GO was originally in 2009, during the previous DMK government. (Express Illustration)

By Omjasvin M D

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Government doctors in Tamil Nadu are disappointed as their long pending demand for a pay hike finds no mention in the latest policy note of the health department released in recently. The 18-page policy note had various infrastructural plans for the health department which would be implemented at a cost of Rs 4,280 crore utilizing the funds under the 15th finance commission.

Dr A Ramalingam, Convenor, Federation of Government Doctors Association, said it is disappointing as there is no mention of implementation of GO 354 in the policy note, which provides a salary for government doctors as per Pay Band Four. The GO 354 provides doctors a pay-hike after completion of 5, 9, 11, and 12 years of service instead of the present 8,15,17, and 20 years.

“Instead of implementing GO 354, the government announced GO 293, which provides allowances to doctors. Allowances are important but the government needs to address the issue of pay-hike,” said Dr. Ramalingam. A section of doctors is disappointed because when they held a fast unto death protests in 2019, it was the present Chief Minister MK Stalin, who then was the opposition leader, who took part in the protests and assured that the GO 354 would be implemented when the DMK comes to power.

They also said that this GO was originally in 2009, during the previous DMK government. “We fought against the previous government as they did not implement this. But the status quo is continuing now,” said Dr. Ramalingam, adding that he is hopeful the government may at least implement it in the future.

Both the State and Union government doctors join the profession after MBBS with the same base salary of 56,100. However, after completion of 13 years, the latter earns Rs 1,23,000 while the State government doctor earns only Rs 86,000.

Dr S Perumal Pillai, Executive Member, Federation of Government Doctors Association said not implementing the GO 354 is a huge disappointment for all the 18,000 doctors in the State. “They have announced so many new projects for health department but all these will be successful only if the issues of doctors are addressed. The doctors stood in the frontline in the first and second waves and now they say a third wave is coming. It is high time our needs are addressed,” he said.

On the other hand, the government recently, in its GO 293 argued that the GO 354 cannot be implemented in the State as unlike the Union Government doctors, State doctors were allowed to practice at private hospitals too.

Wedding cluster in village leads to Covid surge in Nagapattinam

Wedding cluster in village leads to Covid surge in Nagapattinam

After a few months, the district over the past one week has been witnessing a spike in the number of positive cases.

Published: 06th September 2021 04:51 AM |

By Express News Service

NAGAPATTINAM: A series of weddings in the recent past at Panchanathikulam West has led to a surge in Covid-19 cases in the district, with the village alone contributing nearly half in daily caseload.

After a few months, the district over the past one week has been witnessing a spike in the number of positive cases. The district on Sunday recorded as many as 46 new cases. In this backdrop, the Health and Family Welfare Department on Sunday discovered as many as 20 Covid-19 cases in Panchanathikulam West alone. Following the results, all 20 villagers, including a 10-year-old girl, were shifted to the government Hospital and the village was disinfected.

As a precautionary measure, Collector Dr A Arun Thamburaj conducted an inspection and reviewed the situation on ground. The Collector told The New Indian Express, “We are closely monitoring the situation. It is said that most of them participated in wedding ceremonies recently. Fever camps are being conducted and the situation is being monitored closely.”

It may be noted that recently, Annapettai village in the district also recorded a rise, contributing as many as 11 cases on a single day. On Saturday, Thagattur village recorded six cases on the same day.