Third wave: 2,900 doctors hired, 2,000 more to join

EYE ON THE NEXT WAVE

Third wave: 2,900 doctors hired, 2,000 more to join

TAKING NO CHANCES Govt Adds Medical Staff and Ramps Up Infra To Tackle Next Outbreak

Downward Trend In Infections Continues

Chethan.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:26.09.2021

In line with experts’ recommendations and the overall strategy to face a possible third wave of Covid-19, the state government has been hiring doctors and installing critical medical infrastructure.

According to the department of health and family welfare, nearly 3,000 doctors, including specialists, have been roped in to manage the third wave and another 2,000 are expected to join the service in the coming weeks. The additional personnel are being onboarded through both direct recruitment and compulsory ruralservice deputations.

“Direct recruitment of 850 GDMOs [general duty medical officers] was completed by the department two months ago, while another 800 have joined as part of the mandatory rural service. Aside from this, around 950 doctors have come in through the medical education department for the rural service,” health commissioner Dr KV Trilok Chandra told STOI.

Apart from these 2,550 doctors, the health department has also completed the direct recruitment of 350 specialist doctors. “Another 2,000 specialists will join under the rural service programme soon,” Chandra added.

With this, the total number of new recruitments will touch 4,900. The health department, however, did not immediately share details of what the total number of doctors in the state would be with these additions.

Medical infra & supply

In terms of medical infrastructure, the government has set up 500 paediatric HDU/ICU beds across districts, which takes the total number of such beds to 800.

“...As on date, we have enhanced the number to 800 from 300 earlier. Work is underway to add another 1,200 such beds, which will be available in the coming weeks. This will take the total number of such beds to 2,000,” he said.

The government has 5 lakh vials of Remdesivir in stock and adequate quantities of other essential supplies needed for treatment, according to the health commissioner. Also, 8,000 oxygen concentrators have been distributed to supplement the HDU/ICU beds in the districts.

“Hopefully, we will never need to use all of these. But we are not compromising on preparations,” Chandra said, adding the government would also enhance the number of liquid medical oxygen tanks.

As reported by STOI earlier, the government had completed special health screening of 35 lakh children and teenagers by mid-September. Only 0.3 per cent of them had Covid-19.

Separate data from the Covid-19 war room shows that there have been more than 3.2 lakh cases, including 158 deaths, in the 0-19 age group. Overall, Karnataka has recorded nearly 29.7 lakh cases so far. The highest number of infections — over 6.8 lakh — have occurred in the 30-39 age group. The second-most affected group is 40-49 with 5.2 lakh cases.

The highest number of Covid-19 deaths — 10,798 — has been reported in the 60-69 age category, followed by more than 8,000 fatalities in the 50-59 group.

TN plans to take schools to students of Classes I to VIII

TN plans to take schools to students of Classes I to VIII

No Call Yet On Reopening, New Plan Will Allay Learning Loss

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:26.09.2021

The uncertainty over reopening schools for younger classes remains and the government plans to take schools to places near students and involve local volunteers to ensure everyone has foundational numeracy and literacy skills.

Schools reopened for Classes IX to XII on September 1, but no decision has been taken on reopening for Classes I to VIII.

To address concern among parents, the school education department plans a statewide campaign to mitigate the learning loss and to ensure basic literacy among children of Classes I to VIII, sources said.

Teachers and educational volunteers will go to areas where students live and engage them in activities and conduct classes for one to two hours a day till schools reopen. It will be modelled on the ‘Veethi Vagupparai’ (Classes on the Streets) method followed by a NGO.

The campaign is likely to be linked with the government’s ‘Ennum Ezhuthum’ mission to ensure children are able to comprehend and possess basic arithmetic skills by the time they are eight years old.

The school education department on Saturday held the second meeting with 10 non-governmental organisations including Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF), Palli Kalvi Pathukappu Iyakkam, Forum for Child Friendly Schools and Aid India. “The department plans to standardize resource material used by various NGOs. It is studying the pros and cons of taking classes to nearby hamlets till the reopening of schools,” one participant said.

Aruna Rathnam, a former education specialist with Unicef, said it was good the government was aware of parents’ anxiety about learning loss and wants to address it. Involving volunteers would help as teachers may not be able cover the multiple hamlets, she addded.

N Madhavan, state executive committee member of TNSF, said the learning loss cannot be compensated only by teachers and schools. “The community needs to take part in the process of compensating the loss, and giving emotional, psychological support to the children. The Tamil Nadu government understood it and has initiated discussions,” he said.

TNSF possesses the expertise of successfully running “Arivoli Iyakkam”, a total literacy campaign launched in the early 1990s across the state. “If it is finalized, it can set an example for the rest of the country.”

The representatives of NGOs also suggested that the government make the campaign an agenda for the Grama Sabha meetings scheduled to be held on October 2.

Teachers and volunteers will go to areas where students live and engage them in activities and conduct classes for an hour or two a day till schools reopen

AIIMS PG Online Entrance Exam: Whether Candidate Is Entitled To Inspection Of Answer Sheets And Revaluation In The Absence Of Regulations? SC To Consider

AIIMS PG Online Entrance Exam: Whether Candidate Is Entitled To Inspection Of Answer Sheets And Revaluation In The Absence Of Regulations? SC To Consider

Shruti Kakkar  Live Law 

22 Sep 2021 6:20 PM

The Supreme Court on Monday (September 20, 2021) agreed to consider whether a candidate who has appeared at the online entrance examination for admission to the postgraduate course conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences would be entitled to inspection of the answer sheets, and to revaluation in absence of such provision in the applicable regulations.

The division bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna while issuing notice in the special leave petition filed by The Controller Of Examinations Examination Section, All India Institute Of Medical Science challenging Madras High Court's order dated August 27, 2021 also stayed the operation of the judgement.

"Pending further orders, there shall be a stay of the operation of the impugned order of the Single Judge dated 27 August 2021 and a stay of further proceedings in Writ Petition No 16670 of 2021 and WMP No 17655 of 2021," Court noted in its order.

The Madras High Court bench of Justice N Anand Venkatesh on August 27, 2021, while hearing a writ petition had directed the Controller of Examination, AIIMS to submit a detailed affidavit explaining the process and its stand with regards to the inspection of answer sheets. The affidavit also had to state the effect of the Court seeking for the inspection of answer sheets in the virtual form and the manner in which the same could impact the Controller of Examination's confidentiality.

"These questions are posed only to understand the scope of jurisdiction to be exercised by this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India in a changed scenario where everything is done through virtual mode. Under such a changed scenario, if any candidate is not satisfied with the marks awarded to him / her, what will be the remedy that will be left to the candidate," Court had further observed.

Appearing for the Controller of Examination, AIIMS Advocate Dushyant Parashar submitted that in the proceedings before the Madras High Court, Single Judge's attention was drawn to proceedings in which the Supreme Court had stayed the order of Central Information Commission dated July 20th 2015 in which the information watchdog had allowed Sakshi Mathur, a 2013 aspirant, to access the papers and answer keys of 2013 entrance exam.

Upon counsel's submission, the Top Court also directed for tagging the present SLP with SLP (Civil) 7591 of 2019 AIIMS v Sakshi Mathur.

Case Title: The Controller Of Examinations Examination Section, All India Institute Of Medical Sciences V. Lakshmanan Senthil Kumar & Anr

Supreme Court Quashes Madras HC Direction That EWS Reservation In NEET-AIQ Requires SC Constitution Bench Approval

Supreme Court Quashes Madras HC Direction That EWS Reservation In NEET-AIQ Requires SC Constitution Bench Approval

LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK

24 Sep 2021 4:05 PM

The Supreme Court on Friday set-aside the observations in the Madras High Court's order which said that the reservation for Economically Weaker Sections(EWS) in the NEET-All India Quota can be implemented only with the approval of the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court that is examining the correctness of the 103rd Constitutional Amendment which provided for economic reservations.

A bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna held that the Madras High Court's observations were unnecessary. The bench said that the Madras High Court was considering a contempt petition seeking implementation of OBC reservation in NEET-AIQ, and hence the observations on 10% EWS quota amounted to a transgression of its jurisdiction.

"Having found that there is no contempt, the High Court has gone into a wider spectrum..there the High Court has really erred. When you are in contempt jurisdiction, you just need to see if the order has been complied or not", Justice Chandrachud remarked.

The Supreme Court was considering a special leave petition filed by the Union Government against the Madras High Court's observations on EWS quota.

Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, submitted that the High Court ought not to have made the observations while it was exercising its contempt power.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK) party - which was the petitioner before the High Court in the contempt petition-submitted that the issue is "complicated", and Centre's SLP could be heard along with the other petitions challenging the EWS/OBC quota in the NEET-AIQ. Sibal pointed out that the validity of the 103rd Constitutional Amendment is being examined by the 5-judge bench. Sibal, along with Senior Advocate P Wilson, both appearing for the DMK, did not however object to the findings of the High Court that there is no contempt committed by the Centre.

The Union was aggrieved with the following observation made by a bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice PD Audikesavalu of the High Court in paragraph 66(iii) of its judgment passed on August 25:

"The additional reservation provided for economically weaker sections in the notification of July 29, 2021 cannot be permitted, except with the approval of the Supreme Court in such regard".

The Supreme Court set aside the above observation in the High Court's order. However, the Supreme Court clarified that it is not expressing anything on the merits of the EWS quota in NEET-AIQ, as it is a subject matter of other petition, and that it is setting aside the High Court's order on the sole ground that the High Court transgressed the limits of contempt jurisdiction.

The bench dictated the following order after the hearing :

"We are clearly of the view that the High Court has transgressed into areas which were alien to the issues raised regarding the compliance of the earlier order. Having come to the conclusion that there was no breach of the judgment, rest of the discussion of the High Court in paragraphs commencing from 55 was unnecessary for the purpose of the contempt petition.

We, therefore hold that direction issued in para 66 (3) as alien to the exercise of contempt jurisdiction and shall accordingly stand set-aside.

However, we clarify that the specific direction is set aside not on merits but on sole ground that such direction has transgressed the boundaries of contempt jurisdiction. We are not expressing opinion on the merits of the case since the points will arise in a bunch of petitions pending adjudication".

The Court will hear on October 7 the other petitions challenging the Centre's notification to implement OBC, EWS quota in NEET-AIQ.

Case Title : Union of India v. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and others

Add Pallavaram & Chromepet to GCC, urge locals

BETTER THAN TAMBARAM

Add Pallavaram & Chromepet to GCC, urge locals

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

25.09.2021

Residents associations of Pallavaram and Chromepet have raised a flag of rebellion against the government move to merge the municipalities to the proposed Tambaram corporation and have since been holding protests. Seeing the drastic change in conservancy work, road repairs and other upgrades in areas such as Nanganallur after it was merged with Chennai corporation, residents feel that it will be better to join Chennai, which also has experienced officials and better access to funds.

Sources said more than 60 residents associations have sent petitions against the merger with Tambaram. V Govindarajan, a social activist and a resident, said, “Merging these neighbourhoods into the new corporation will not help improve amenities. Pallavaram earns 100 crore annual revenue, which is higher than Tambaram. They will end up using our money but will not bring development to Pallavaram and Chromepet. We do not want that situation.”

“We had sent petitions to the government saying Pallavaram and Chromepet should be merged with GCC. Our MLA too spoke about it in the assembly. We want them to hold a public hearing as a majority of the people are against the proposed move,” he said, adding that residents plan to intensify protests.

The government announcing corporations by adding the areas despite residents’ opposition is undemocratic, said V Santhanam of Chromepet. “Pallavaram and Chrompet are so close to the borders of the Chennai corporation. The areas are far more developed, with commercial complexes, brand outlets, restaurants, bridges and other amenities than Tambaram. It makes more sense to add them to Chennai than to a new corporation,” he added.

However, K P Subramanian, a former CMDA planner, said the upgrade is a good move. “It may not be possible to add all areas to Chennai. But the government should offer a hand-holding in terms of allocating funds and augmenting the staff in all departments such as health, engineering, town planning so that the neighbourhoods can be developed.”

It's going to take more than a name change to make Tambaram a corpn

It's going to take more than a name change to make Tambaram a corpn

Unlike Avadi, Govt Must Set Aside Funds & Expertise To Develop New Corporation Well: Experts

Ayyappan.V@timesgroup.com

25.09.2021

Sarvamangala Nagar in Chitlapakkam was a quiet neighbourhood more than 20 years ago, with mostly independent houses overlooking the Sembakkam lake. Now, almost all streets are crammed with four-storey and five-storey buildings. It lacks good roads, an underground sewage system and proper water supply a perfect example of unplanned urbanisation.

While residents are upbeat that the decision to convert Tambaram into a corporation comprising neighbouring local bodies will bring in better amenities, experts caution that the change in status should reflect on the ground. That means the new corporation should get experienced officers, more functions or powers and funds. They also say the Chennai model should be followed so that Tambaram doesn’t go the Avadi-way, where little has changed since the municipality became a corporation.

D S Sivasamy, former additional director in the local administration department, said the government should ensure an experienced bureaucrat is posted as commissioner and more posts created at zonal level.

With the government notifying the forming of the new corporation, Palvaram, Pammal, Anakaputhur, etc., can be divided into separate zones. The revenue earned by local bodies that will now be under Tambaram will be around 300 crore. But that may not be enough. “Funds are needed because the government often takes away a good portion of the revenue generated by a local body in certain taxes. A local body earns money from tax, building tax, licences, surcharges and stamp duty. But, the government gives only a portion of the surcharges to the local body…,” said Sivasamy.

More officials are needed, municipalities do not have enough. “There is hardly anyone to do a ground check if a project is suggested.”

The new corporation will have to take up underground sewerage work, drinking water supply, relay roads, stormwater drains and improving public transport in almost all the neighbourhoods spread over 87.64sqkm.

In Pallavaram, nothing much has changed in the staff strength after it was made into a municipality. That should not be the case, he added.

Ramakrishnan of Sarvamangala Nagar Residents Association hoped amenities will improve when the areas are attached to a corporation. “The change is evident at the next neighbourhood, which is in Pallavaram municipality. They have better facilities.”

Similar is the hope of residents in many neighbourhoods in Tambaram, Sembakkam, Pammal, Anakaputhur, Chitlapakkam, Madambakkam, Thiruneermalai, Peerkankaranai and other areas who have seen the way Nanganallur got good roads and other amenities after it was attached to Greater Chennai Corporation.

Chengalpet collector Rahulnath said a public hearing will be held after the model code of conduct for local body elections is over. “We have informed the government of the feedback from the people. The GO is a preliminary one. The government will take a final call.”

TIME TO PAUSE & PLAN

Tambaram has undergone rapid, unplanned urbanisation, in photo is Tambaram West. (Above) Work to build a subway to replace a level crossing at Radha Nagar in Chromepet, mooted a decade ago, is underway for many years. The proposed upgrading of Tambaram local body into a corporation is expected to speed up many works such as replacing level crossings to make traffic smooth in the suburbs.

CoWIN to add date of birth for those travelling abroad

CoWIN to add date of birth for those travelling abroad

Neha.Madaan@timesgroup.com

Pune:25.09.2021

People fully inoculated against Covid-19 and wanting to travel abroad will have a vaccination certificate with their full date of birth on the CoWIN app. As of now, the certificate refers only to age based on the year of birth. The new feature may go live by next week.

A senior Union government official with the CoWIN management portal said the introduction of the new feature stems from ongoing technical discussions between India and the UK on CoWIN certification. A senior official with the portal told TOI, “We believe that the UK wants the date of birth format in the CoWIN certificate as per WHO standards — in the ddmm-yy format — for international travellers. Hence, the same feature will be introduced in certificates for those going abroad.”

The UK government’s relaxed travel rules come into force from October 4. “You must be able to prove that you have been fully vaccinated (plus14 days) with a document (digital or paper-based) from a national or state-level public health body that includes, as a minimum, forename and surname(s), date of birth, vaccine brand and manufacturer, date of vaccination for every dose, country or territory of vaccination and/or certificate issuer. If your document from a public health body does not include all of these, you must follow the non-vaccinated rules. If not, you may be denied boarding,” the website added.

A senior official from the ministry of health and family welfare told TOI, “No changes are required in the current CoWIN certificates as the format is in sync with WHO standards.”

Can’t speak or hear but aces IAS in first attempt

Can’t speak or hear but aces IAS in first attempt

36 TN Candidates Crack CSE 2020

Chennai:25.09.2021

D Ranjith, a 27-year-old differently abled candidate from Coimbatore with hearing and speech impairment let his achievements speak on Friday by securing 750th rank in the tough civil services exam in his first attempt, reports Ragu Raman.

His mother, who did her BEd in special education and taught him lip reading, was lost for words after the UPSC declared the results on Friday. Her son, a topper among differently abled category who wrote the exam in Tamil, is likely to get the coveted IAS.

“We were worried about his future. But today all our worries have gone and we are happy and proud,” Ranjith’s mother Amrithavalli told TOI.

Ranjith chose Tamil literature as his optional subject and wrote the exam in Tamil.

“He would sit on the front row and read our lips while attending classes,” K Sabarinathan, one of the trainers who coached him on current affairs, said.

Narayana Sarma V S from Coimbatore got the all India 33rd rank and emerged state topper.

This year, 36 students from Tamil Nadu have cracked the exam. Last year, 45 TN candidates were succesful.

SC nod must for EWS reservation: Apex court nixes Madras HC order

SC nod must for EWS reservation: Apex court nixes Madras HC order

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:25.09.2021

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud on Friday quashed an order of the Madras high court directing the Centre to first get approval of the top court before implementing 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) in all-India Quota for medical admissions. 

In a related development, another bench headed by CJI N V Ramana stayed the proceedings of a PIL before the Kerala HC that challenged the validity of the 103rd Constitution Amendment Act, 2019, providing for 10% EWS quota in jobs and admissions to government educational institutions.

The bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna said the Madras HC had erred in passing the order while adjudicating a contempt petition filed by the DMK on OBC reservations. The order was “unnecessary” and was “alien” to the subject matter it was adjudicating upon, the judges said, but made it clear that they were not passing an order on the merit of the case or expressing any view on the reservation policy. “These observations were not connected with the case. The HC has gone beyond the contempt jurisdiction by making unnecessary observations,” the bench said.

SC flags juvenility plea of convicts

Nearly a decade after giving convicts the right to raise juvenility plea at any stage, the SC on Friday said there may be a need to review the ruling after an accused in a gang-rape case raised the the plea of juvenility after 22 years. P 15

SC stays Kerala HC trial on 10% EWS quota in jobs plea

The bench, however, agreed to examine a batch of petitions against the Centre’s decision to extend 27% reservation for OBCs and 10% for EWS category in PG medical admissions and asked the government to file its response to decide on the plea for interim stay of the policy as pleaded by a group of MBBS doctors who are aspiring to pursue higher medical education.

The doctors have approached the apex court through advocate Vivek Singh and sought interim stay on the notification issued by the Centre on July 29. The petitioners alleged that the attempt to provide for reservation in All-India Quota (AIQ) seats in PG medical courses is clearly contrary to the law laid down by the apex court and the general category students applying for PG medical courses are being reduced to a minuscule minority.

“The attempt of Union of India to provide for reservation in All India Quota of 50% seats in PG medical course is clearly contrary to law laid down by this court. It is pertinent to note that 50% All India Quota was a tool devised by this court to provide seats without any preference of any nature, solely on the basis of merit to the students. It is clear that to overcome the difficulty of institutional preference and high percentage of reservation, this court directed that 50% seats should be reserved in PG medical courses for All India Quota which will be without any reservations,” the petition said.

“In view of the above facts the impugned notification for reservation of 27% to the OBC candidates and 10% to EWS in All India Quota is not only in clear contravention of the judgement of of this court but also defeats the entire purpose for which seats were carved out,” it said.

In a related development, a bench headed by CJI N V Ramana stayed the proceedings before the Kerala HC on a PIL challenging the validity of 103rd Constitution Amendment Act, 2019 providing for 10% EWS quota in jobs and admissions to government educational institutions.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta informed a bench headed by CJI N V Ramana that when the SC is seized of the issue, it would not be appropriate for the Kerala HC to proceed with the same exercise in a parallel proceeding. The bench issued notice to PIL petitioner Nujaim PK and stayed the proceedings before the HC.

On August 5 last year, a three-judge bench of the SC had accepted the Centre’s request to transfer all similar cases pending in various HCs challenging the 10% EWS reservation to the Supreme Court and had also referred the matter to five judge bench, saying that the petitions raised a substantial question of law having great importance.

Even one false complaint is matrimonial cruelty: HC

Even one false complaint is matrimonial cruelty: HC

Rules That Man Is Entitled To Divorce In Such Cirumstances

Ajay.Sura@timesgroup.com

Chandigarh:25.09.2021

The Punjab and Haryana high court has held that even one defamatory complaint filed by a wife in an agitated mood to falsely implicate her husband and his family amounts to cruelty and the man in the case is entitled to divorce on this ground.

“Filing of the complaints for the initiation of criminal proceedings, which were found to be baseless and false, causes harassment and torture to the husband and his family. One such complaint is sufficient to constitute matrimonial cruelty,” observed a division bench comprising Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Archana Puri.

They passed these orders while upholding the decision of a family court in Rohtak and dismissed the woman’s appeal against the dissolution of her marriage.

“It stands established as detailed aforesaid that the appellant-wife, after leaving the matrimonial home in less than three months of the marriage, indulged in the filing of the applications/complaints against her husband and his family members, while being in an agitated mood, she had made defamatory complaints against her husband and his family members and the same were found to be false and the police did not find it fit case to be tried. Considering the same in totality, the act and conduct of the appellantwife definitely caused mental cruelty to the husband,” the bench held.

In this case, the marriage of the couple was solemnized in February 2012 in the Rohtak district of Haryana and they had a son together.

According to the husband, the woman was of quarrelsome nature and her family members started interfering in their matrimonial life after their marriage. She was not happy to live in her husband’s joint family of husband in the village and started pressuring him to arrange separate accommodation in Rohtak town, far away from his parents.

When he was unable to arrange separate accommodation, his wife became annoyed and started extending threats to implicate him and his family members in a false dowry case. In order to pacify the matter, the man’s parents arranged a rental accommodation in Rohtak, so that the couple may live peacefully. However, the wife’s family members started frequently visiting the house and when he objected to the same, she became more arrogant and started causing cruelty, harassment, and torture to him and his family members, on one pretext or the other. She had not given any breathing time to her husband and his family members, to try to rehabilitate her. Rather, she had filed complaints, one after the other, and the same were found to be false and baseless and the police never thought it appropriate to initiate an investigation on the basis thereof. Some complaints were also filed thereby trying to implicate menfolk of her in-laws’ family in sexual harassment cases but in the same also, her version was disbelieved.

mind field SHORT TAKES ON BIG IDEAS

How Medicine Always Lets Women Down

Even today, research is male-biased

25.09.2021

Most of us have heard words like hysterical, hormonal or menopausal applied to women. It is also common knowledge that women get less medical attention than men, that there are gendered disparities in research, clinical care and treatment. And yet, Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World by British historian Elinor Cleghorn leaves you freshly appalled by the way women have been misunderstood and ill-treated by medical science.

Modern medicine has Western roots, and Cleghorn’s social history is focussed firmly in that world. Social prejudice has passed as biological fact, women’s illnesses and pain, trivialised. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was assumed that women were entirely governed by the whims of the womb, the organ that defined her social purpose.

As centuries rolled on, dismissing all the empirical knowledge of midwives or the testimony of women themselves, physicians kept telling men that women’s maladies stemmed from their dangerous imaginations. There were exceptions – in 1405, Italian writer Christine De Pizan rebelled against this medical misogyny, that women’s bodies were not weak and inferior just because they were different from the male.

As medicine became professionalised, more men studied the female body. But the idea of the ‘hysteric’, which literally means ‘of or from the uterus’ was still held chiefly responsible for any kind of trouble anywhere in a woman’s body. It became a diagnostic dumping ground. Hysteria, of course, is the word for the fits, furies and frenzies that men attribute to women.

Women’s pain was either dismissed as irrational panic, or mystified. White upper-class women’s exquisite sensitivity to pain was seen as a mark of civility – physicians assumed they could cajole them out of it. They were assumed to get breast cancer merely by feeling intense sympathy at another’s pain. Meanwhile, it was assumed that black women feel less pain – an idea that lives on, insidiously.

The book explores the work of Margaret Sanger and Marie Stopes, who did so much to advance reproductive freedom. Stopes wrote a revelatory book on women’s sexuality, given how men were oblivious to their wants and needs, and opened birth control clinics everywhere in Britain.

But both Sanger and Stopes were racist and ableist eugenicists, who saw their mission as a way to stop the wrong kinds of babies, to stop working-class women from rampant breeding, Cleghorn points out. As the 20th century proceeded, women’s health was suddenly dominated by endocrinology, seen as a matter of glands, hormones and secretions.

The fact is, even today, things that specifically afflict women are understudied – chronic conditions like fibromyalgia, endometriosis. There is even less biomedical research on conditions that affect women from specific racial groups, like uterine fibroids.

In a short section at the end, Cleghorn talks of her own experience with lupus, a chronic auto-immune disease that is understudied because 9 out of 10 sufferers are women. Even the variety of menopause experiences is reduced to a few symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness – making it hard to support women through nearly a decade of perimenopause.

Medicine and health are a matter of social power, the book underlines. Male bodies have set the standard, and male knowledge has delegitimised unwell women. In a fairer world, medicine must believe our testimonies and solve our medical mysteries with equal care.

Missing Skills ----- Low employability calls for academia-industry link

Missing Skills

Low employability calls for academia-industry link

25.09.2021

Three IITs, India’s premier higher education institutions (HEIs), figure in the top 200 institutions across the world ranked according to employability of students in the 2022 QS Graduate Employability Rankings. No Indian HEI is in the top 100. In comparison, an HEI each from China and Hong Kong have challenged Anglosphere hegemony in the top 10. That no Indian HEI has been able to breach the top 100 aptly sums up the employability crisis of Indian graduates.

An employability report in 2019 based on standardised testing by Aspiring Minds termed the challenge as “stubborn unemployability”. It concluded that employability of Indian engineers has not changed at the aggregate level since 2010. Only 3.84% engineers are employable at software start-ups. It’s not any better at HEIs in other streams. India Skills Report 2021 estimated overall employability at 45.9%, that is, at least one of two graduates is not ready for the job market. In polytechnics, which is a pathway for intergenerational mobility, employability level is as low as 25%. A country’s employability quotient significantly influences both the quantity and quality of investment.

The good news is that there’s recognition of the problem at GoI’s level. The National Education Policy 2020 addresses it in broadly two ways. It provides flexibility for students, proposing multiple exit options from undergraduate programmes with appropriate certification. There’s also a call for tighter integration between academia and industry. This is the key. Two successful models, Germany and Japan, offer useful lessons. Germany’s apprenticeship programme is a building block of its manufacturing prowess. Japan’s school system plays an important role in matching student skills with industry’s requirements. This intermediation role needs to be replicated in India. If and when, post-pandemic, India’s economy starts growing at around 7% annually, the job market will demand skill sets that current HEIs are not providing.

Italy recognises Covishield, Indians can get Green Pass

Italy recognises Covishield, Indians can get Green Pass

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:25.09.2021

Italy has become the latest EU member to recognise WHO-approved Covid-19 vaccine Covishield, after several others like Germany, Switzerland, France and Spain. Indian vaccine cardholders are now eligible for GreenPass, the Indian embassy in Rome tweeted on Friday.

The UK now sticks out like a sore thumb with its refusal to recognise those getting Covishield jabs in India as vaccinated to exempt quarantine to arrivals from October

4. “As an outcome of G20 health ministers’ meeting between (health ministers of India and Italy) coupled with Indian foreign ministry persistent efforts, Italy’s health ministry recognises India’s Covishield. Indian vaccine CardHolders are now eligible for GreenPass,” the Indian embassy tweeted. A green pass proves that the cardholder has been fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid, granting them access to restaurants and other indoor venues.

ICMR drops Ivermectin, HCQ from Covid-19 treatment protocol

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has dropped popular medicines Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) from the approved Covid-19 treatment guidelines.

The usage of the drugs had already been stopped by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in May.

DGHS had issued comprehensive guidelines to stop use of Ivermectin and HCQ along with many other drugs for Covid-19 treatment. While ICMR had not recognised the DGHS guidelines at that point due to some differences in opinion, researchers at ICMR have now recommended removing the two medicines from the Covid-19 treatment protocol in the absence of adequate evidence to show their efficacy for such patients, an official said. TNN

Caretaker can’t claim property ownership: SC

 Caretaker can’t claim property ownership: SC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:25.09.2021

The Supreme Court has said a caretaker/ servant can never acquire interest in the property irrespective of his long possession and he has to vacate the premises on owner’s demand.

The SC set aside the order of a trial court and high court which had refused to allow a plea of an owner for not proceeding on a suit filed by a caretaker seeking that he be not vacated from the premises.

The trial judge had dismissed the application on the premise that these are the subject matter of disputes which can be examined only after the written statement being filed at the behest of the owner and is not within the scope of Order VII Rule11, Civil Procedure Code and that order was confirmed by the high court. Order 7 Rule 11(d) of CPC provides that the plaint shall be rejected “where the suit appears from the statement in the plaint to be barred by any law”.

Setting aside the order, a bench headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi said, “...the trial court has committed a manifest error in appreciating the pleadings on record from the plaint filed at the instance of respondent No. 1-plaintiff who as a caretaker/servant can never acquire interest in the property irrespective of his long possession and the caretaker/ servant has to give possession forthwith on demand and so far as the plea of adverse possession is concerned...”

Apex court junks Madras HC ruling on EWS quota in all-India med edu seats

Apex court junks Madras HC ruling on EWS quota in all-India med edu seats

TOI 25.09.2021

The Supreme Court on Friday quashed the Madras high court order directing the Centre to first get approval of the top court before implementing 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in All-India Quota for medical admissions and said that the HC erred by passing the order while adjudicating a contempt petition of DMK on OBC reservations, reports Amit Anand Choudhary.

 A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna said the HC order was “unnecessary” and was “alien” to the subject matter it was adjudicating upon and made it clear that it was not passing the order on the merit of the case and also not expressing any view on reservation policy. The bench, however, agreed to examine a batch of petitions against the Centre’s decision to extend 27% reservation for OBCs and 10% for EWS category in PG medical admissions and asked the government to file its response to decide on the plea for interim stay of the policy as pleaded by a group of MBBS doctors aspiring to pursue higher education.

Free bus rides for women eating into our incentive: TNSTC drivers

Free bus rides for women eating into our incentive: TNSTC drivers

The driver and the conductor of a government bus are collectively given a Rs 1.33 (66 paisa each for driver and conductor) incentive rate for every Rs 100 of the total collection for the day.

Published: 24th September 2021 05:18 AM |

By Thinakaran Rajamani

Express News Service

TENKASI: Government bus drivers and conductors said the ‘free bus travel for women’ scheme was eating into their collection incentive and it had become difficult to manage their daily expenses with the current earnings.

“Earlier we used to get collection incentive of Rs 60 to Rs 70 daily. Now it has come down to Rs 15 to Rs 20. 60% of the daily passengers in my bus are women. The collection amount has drastically decreased from Rs 8000 to Rs 2500. I used to pay for tea, vada and tiffin with my incentive until the State government launched this scheme. Now I have to pay for these things out of my pocket. My family budget has taken a hit,” said Kasthuri Mariappan, a government bus driver from Tirunelveli.

The driver and the conductor of a government bus are collectively given a Rs 1.33 (66 paisa each for driver and conductor) incentive rate for every Rs 100 of the total collection for the day. “There is an agreement that transport corporations should keep the rate of collection incentive the same even if the bus fare is increased.

However, the corporation reduced the rate of the incentive in 2018 after the government increased the bus fare. Now, the free bus travel scheme has put another dent into the incentive. The State government should bear this loss,” demanded Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations’ Workers Federation’s General Secretary R Radhakrishnan.

He added his federation made a representation to the State government in this connection. “The government allotted Rs 1200 crore for free travel scheme. However, the need of transport corporations is roughly Rs 2000 crore each year. Corporations should utilise the fund allocation to not only bear the expenses of women travellers but also compensate workers for the loss,” he said.

When contacted by TNIE, Managing Director of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), Tirunelveli, S Rajeswaran, said, “As of now we are giving drivers and conductors the collection incentive based on their daily collection but we will consider their demand.” Another official of the Transport Department said the State’s policy decision in favour of the workers would resolve their problem.

Cognizant Technology Solutions bribery case under scanner

Cognizant Technology Solutions bribery case under scanner

DVAC looking into 10 senior CMDA officials who handled the Cognizant files in 2013-2014

Published: 24th September 2021 05:16 AM |

By C Shivakumar

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has launched a probe into the Cognizant bribery case, in which it was alleged that CMDA officials demanded a bribe to grant a planning permit to build the Cognizant KITS Campus (CKC) in Shollinganallur.

The file — which had been pending since the US Department of Justice announced criminal charges in 2019 against two Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) executives over corruption pertaining to bribing TN government officials — is now under the DVAC’s scrutiny, sources told TNIE.

It is learnt that the DVAC has sought details of the officials who dealt with the file in 2013 and 2014. An application for planning permission to build the Cognizant KITS Campus was received in February 2013, and the site was inspected in May 2013, after which it was placed before the multi-storeyed building panel the same month, sources said. The government approved the file in 2014.

Among the officials who dealt with the file were two member secretaries, two chief planners, two deputy planners, two assistant planners, and two planning assistants. All of them are reportedly under the scanner of DVAC officials.

The US Department of Justice probe revealed that Cognizant, through its employees, authorized its agents to pay $2 million in bribes to CMDA officials in exchange for planning permits to build the office in Shollinganallur, as well as other improper payments in connection with other projects in India. The findings exposed Cognizant to civil and criminal liability, with the firm paying $25 million in penalties and incurring $79 million more in costs related to its internal investigation.

While the US Department of Justice was conducting its probe, neither the Central nor State governments launched an investigation into the matter. It has been learnt that the file pertaining to the issue was awaiting clearance from the Housing department to launch a probe since 2019, when the scam was brought to light.

The DMK, which was then the opposition party, had sought a CBI probe to ascertain the role of the AIADMK ministers and officials who allegedly took bribes to sanction the building permit, electricity and environment clearance to the Chennai facilities of the US-based IT company in 2014. It had then argued that the DVAC cannot investigate these offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act as the transactions involved money from abroad and offences were also committed abroad. It is learnt that a few officials who were handling the planning permits retired, while some still hold the same posts and handle applications for multi-storied building (MSBs).

Found guilty by US Department of Justice

The US Department of Justice in 2019 announced criminal charges against two CTS executives over corruption pertaining to bribing TN government officials. The company was exposed to civil and criminal liability, and had to pay $25 million in penalties and incur $79 million more in costs related to its internal investigation

Medical student who had robotic colorectal surgery wins gold in PG

Medical student who had robotic colorectal surgery wins gold in PG

A 28-year-old medical student, who successfully underwent a robotic colorectal surgery at Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery, went on to complete her post-graduation and win a gold medal.

Published: 24th September 2021 06:32 AM 

(Left) Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Group, seen with (Right) Dr Venkatesh Munikrishnan, Consultant Colorectal & Robotic Surgeon of The Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery, at

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A 28-year-old medical student, who successfully underwent a robotic colorectal surgery at Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery, went on to complete her post-graduation and win a gold medal. She was diagnosed with low-rectal cancer in 2017, when she was 24 and was about to do her PG. A conventional surgery leaves patients with a colostomy, a surgically-created opening in the body that routes bowel waste into an external colostomy bag.

Dr Ventakesh Munnikrishnan, Consultant Colorectal and Robotic Surgeon, The Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery, said she came here hoping for a solution, which would let her lead a normal life, without the colostomy bag.

“With the robotic colorectal surgery, we were able to remove the cancer and reconstruct the colon to rectal, anal connection, thus avoiding a permanent colostomy. The patient then went on to finish her course and excelled, bagging a gold medal. The benefits of robotic surgery are less blood loss, and quicker recovery,”

Dr Ventakesh Munnikrishnan said. Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group in his video message said, cancers in particular are taking a big toll and colorectal cancers are on the rise, thus becoming a major threat.

Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice-Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group said, over the last few years, there have been several advances in minimally invasive techniques, such a robotic colorectal surgery. On Thursday, the hospital celebrated completion of five years of the Robotic Colorectal Surgery Programme.

இது உங்கள் இடம்: 'பென்ஷன்' என்பது பிச்சை அல்ல; மூத்த குடிமகன்களின் உரிமைத் தொகை!

இது உங்கள் இடம்: 'பென்ஷன்' என்பது பிச்சை அல்ல; மூத்த குடிமகன்களின் உரிமைத் தொகை!

Updated : செப் 24, 2021 03:27 | Added : செப் 24, 2021 03:26 

உலக, நாடு, தமிழக நடப்புகள் பற்றி, வாசகர்கள் தினமலர் நாளிதழில் எழுதிய கடிதம்:

எஸ்.ஆர்.சுப்ரமணியம், ஓய்வு பெற்ற மத்திய அரசு ஊழியர், சென்னையிலிருந்து அனுப்பிய, 'இ - மெயில்' கடிதம்: 'லட்சக்கணக்கான ரூபாய் சம்பளம் பெற்று, கோடிக்கணக்கான ரூபாய் லஞ்சம் வாங்கி செல்வந்தராக இருக்கும் அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு எதுக்கு ஓய்வூதியம்?' என இப்பகுதியில், மதுரையிலிருந்து டாக்டர் எம்.செல்வராஜ் கேள்வி எழுப்பியிருந்தார். இந்த பென்ஷன் விவகாரம் குறித்து சில உண்மைகளை தெளிவாக்க விரும்புகிறேன்...

நான், மத்திய அரசு பணியில் 40 ஆண்டுகள் பணியாற்றி, 60 வயதில் பணி நிறைவு பெற்று, 10 ஆண்டுகளாக ஓய்வூதியத்தில் இளைப்பாறிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறேன். மாநில அரசு துறையில் எந்த பணியில் இருந்தாலும், டாக்டர் சொல்வது போல லஞ்சம் கிடைக்கும் வாய்ப்பு உண்டு; ஆனால், மத்திய அரசு பணி அப்படிப்பட்டது அல்ல. கேட்டாலும் 1 ரூபாய் கூட லஞ்சம் கிடைக்காத துறைகளும் உண்டு. கேட்காமலே, பையில் திணித்து விட்டுப் போகும் துறைகளும் உண்டு. நான், லஞ்சம் வாங்கியதே கிடையாது. இந்நாட்டில் எனக்கென சொந்தமாக வீடோ, 1 அடி நிலமோ கிடையாது. இன்னமும் வாடகை வீட்டில் தான் வசித்து வருகிறேன்.

நான் பணி நிறைவு பெறும் போது, என் கடைசி மாத சம்பளம் 30 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் தான். டாக்டர் குறிப்பிட்டிருப்பது போல, லட்ச ரூபாய் அல்ல. கடைசி மாத சம்பளத்தில் 50 சதவீதம் பென்ஷனாக வழங்கப்படும். அதாவது, 15 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய். அதில் மூன்றில் ஒரு பங்கு, 5,000 ரூபாயை, 'கம்யூட்டேஷன்' செய்ததில் மீதி 10 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் தான் நிகர பென்ஷன். அகவிலைப்படி உள்ளிட்ட சமாச்சாரங்களால், தற்போது என் மாதாந்திர பென்ஷன் தொகை 20 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய். எங்கள் மகன் தனிக்குடித்தனம் சென்றதால் நானும், என் மனைவியும் பென்ஷன் தொகை 20 ஆயிரம் ரூபாயில் தான், வாடகை கொடுத்து, சாப்பாட்டு, மருத்துவ செலவை பார்த்து கொள்கிறோம்.

அந்த வாசகரின் கருத்துப்படி, பென்ஷன் இல்லையென்றால் நானும், என் மனைவியும் சோற்றுக்கு பிச்சை தான் எடுக்க வேண்டும். அரசு ஊழியர்களில் நேர்மையாக பணியாற்றியோரும் இருப்பர். அவர்களையும் மனதில் கொள்ள வேண்டும். ஓய்வூதியம் தேவை தானா என்ற கேள்வி, தமிழக அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கும், மக்கள் பிரதிநிதிகளுக்கும் பொருந்தும்; சேவைத் துறையில் பணியாற்றி பென்ஷனில் உயிர் வாழும் மத்திய அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு பொருந்தாது. பென்ஷன் என்பது பிச்சை அல்ல. ஆண்டுக்கணக்காக அரசு பணியில் இருந்து, பணி நிறைவு பெற்று இளைப்பாறிக் கொண்டிருக்கும் மூத்த குடிமகன்களின் உரிமைத் தொகை!

Ex Gratia: Why GoI Should Pay

Ex Gratia: Why GoI Should Pay

Centre’s revenue has surged, states are fiscally weak. Avoid a long debate on fiscal federalism

NR Bhanumurthy

24.09.2021

As the country slowly recovers from the Covid pandemic, a debate has started on compensating victims of Covid. At the core of any such debate is the extent of compensation as well as the question who will fund the compensation, that is, whether GoI or states.

A lot of time has already been lost on debates on whether ex gratia as included in the Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act of 2005 is relevant for the Covid deaths. Under this, the guidelines for the minimum standards of relief for any ‘notified disaster’ should include ‘ex gratia assistance on account of loss of life’ (Section 12

(iii)). While the Act does not suggest the extent of ex gratia, in 2015, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) had fixed the ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh for natural disasters.

Now, after rounds of discussions, and after the judgment from the Supreme Court, the Union government, as determined by NDMA, has decided on Covid ex gratia of Rs 50,000 for each deceased person ‘including those involved in relief operations or associated in preparedness activities, subject to cause of death being certified as Covid’.

But where the issue appears to be tricky and is already controversial is that the Union government has said that this compensation would be provided by state governments from their respective State Disaster Relief Funds (SDRF). Following this, there was some criticism that this is an imposition of the whole compensation burden on states, which are already in a weak fiscal position.

Funds for SDRFs are contributed by both the Union as well as state governments (this is as part of successive Finance Commissions’ recommendations). For the current year, the Union government’s share was Rs 17,747.20 crore, of which it has already released the first instalment (50% of its share) by the end of April 2021 –much earlier than the normal release schedule. This was done to help states to cope with the surging second wave.

It is also important and rather easy to recognise that states have been at the forefront in fighting the pandemic but at the same time face severe funding crunch due to declining revenues. Therefore, pushing states to fund the ex gratia could severely dent resources for other disaster-related expenditures.

Another issue is that even before these NDMA guidelines, many large states, in fact more than half the states, had already declared cash compensation ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 lakh. Beneficiaries have varied from orphaned children to poorer households. However, states have paid these compensations from other funds such as Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, not from their SDRF.

Also, NDMA guidelines suggesting an ex gratia of Rs 50,000 looks insufficient. The argument is that the number of beneficiaries is very large. But the Union’s fiscal situation merits a closer look when discussing the total payout.

It is true that on its part, GoI has been extremely proactive with various pandemic-related measures, and it has also allocated Rs 35,000 crore for vaccination and is prepared to spend more. But of late, the Centre is enjoying a surge in revenues much more than what it had projected. Therefore, GoI should be in a comfortable position when it comes to covering the entire ex gratia cost.

This can be done through two ways. Either GoI can increase its share in SDRFs or it can pay directly through the Consolidated Fund of India. Some effective decision should be taken on this soon. Otherwise, there’s a possibility of another needless Centrestate stand-off.

Remember that in the case of mass vaccination, after much deliberations, the Union government finally agreed to procure and distribute vaccines to states free of cost. Much precious time was lost. We should avoid a similar Union versus states debate on Covid ex gratia, and the quickest way to achieve this is for the Centre to take on the fiscal responsibility.

However, we need a sustainable long-term solution. For that both the Centre and states should seriously and urgently look at the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, which suggested the insurance route for compensating disaster costs. This is basically the suggestion that governments get insurance to fund disaster-related payouts. Once there’s insurance cover, who pays the compensation becomes a question of procedure, not one of fiscal federalism.

For kin of Covid victims, fiscal federalism debate is a luxury they can’t afford. Neither can they afford more long-drawn court cases. As it is, the process of obtaining proper certification and application for ex gratia will be hurdles for many. For the sake of potential beneficiaries, GoI and states must quickly arrive at a mutually satisfactory solution.

The writer is Vice Chancellor, BASE University, Bengaluru. Views are personal

GoI can take on the entire burden of ex gratia payment in two ways. Either it can increase its contributory share in State Disaster Relief Funds or it can pay directly through the Consolidated Fund of India. Remember that in the case of mass vaccination, after much deliberations, the Union government finally agreed to procure and distribute vaccines to states free of cost

PhD student spots rare purple crab in K’taka

PhD student spots rare purple crab in K’taka

Mangaluru:24.09.2021

A rare purple crab was spotted in the Western Ghats area of Uttara Kannada district recently.

Dr MS Mustak, department of applied zoology, Mangalore University, said that his PhD student Supreet Kadkol, spotted the rare crab, purple in colour, when he was travelling from the Ghat section to the seashore. The crab was on the road basking, he said. “The six mature crabs were spotted on the roadside and under the rocks around the terrestrial habitat, and according to literature these fresh water purple crabs are only found during the rainy season. The locals present there were also surprised by the colour of the crab. The purple crab belongs to the genus Ghatiana. We are yet to ascertain if it is a new species for which molecular taxonomic analysis is being undertaken at the lab,” Dr Mustak said.

A purple tree crab was first spotted by Arjun Kamdar and team inJuly 2015 from rainwater-containing tree holes in Amboli, Maharashtra. Later it was spotted in 2017 at the Sharavathi valley in Shivamogga. It was then spotted by the Wildlife Conservation and Awareness Team. TNN

NATURAL WONDER: The purple crab clicked by Supreet Kadkol, a PhD student at Mangalore University, was spotted in Uttara Kannada