NEWS TODAY 7-8-9.11.2024

 

Witnessing volatile marriages can cause relationship phobia This week’s advice is from counselling psychologist Dr Jyoti Kapoor

Witnessing volatile marriages can cause relationship phobia 

To help readers cope with their anxieties in these stressful times, TOI has launched Talk it Out, a series in which expert counsellors answer your mental health queries. This week’s advice is from counselling psychologist Dr Jyoti Kapoor

10.11.2024 

I’m a 14-year-old girl. Every weekend, I visit my grandparents’ house where they live with my uncle, aunt and their twin kids. Ever since they got married, my aunt and uncle have always been involved in fights, both physical and verbal. After my aunt gave birth, things slowly got worse. She wanted to raise her kids without interference from the elders. The couple’s fights would now involve the rest of the house. A small thing such as feeding the kids rice turned into a screaming match which ended with my aunt throwing a hysteric fit, and a family friend in the police had to be called. As a teen, my mind is already unstable. I have a rough social life, and have been facing problems with my (unofficial) partner, study pressure and more. My father is a neglectful husband and an absent father. He, too, verbally argues with my mother. All this has led to a deeprooted phobia of marriage and relationships in me. Being in this situation without an escape route causes panic and palpitations, yet I can’t avoid those visits due to tuitions. What should I do? — 

Anonymous 

You appear to be suffering from an anxiety disorder at present. Long-term chronic stress can lead to high stress chemicals in our bodies, thereby lowering our ability to take on more stress. A negative environment has a significant impact on our abilities to develop effective coping mechanisms and we may develop tendencies to avoid or escape stressful situations and if we can’t do that, we develop feelings of helplessness. This learned helplessness causes the development of anxious personalities with low confidence. Please reach out to someone you can trust and talk about these issues. Your parents may have interpersonal issues but if you 11/10/24, 10:22 AM Times of India ePaper chennai - Read Today’s English News Paper Online https://epaper.indiatimes.com/timesepaper/publication-the-times-of-india,city-chennai.cms 1/4 iStock convey your distress around the environment at your grandparent’s place and how it impacts you, they may understand and you may be able to find tuition nearby. You may also seek support from school counsellor or a mental health professional who can mediate family counselling so that your concerns can be highlighted. In case you can’t approach a counsellor or a professional, you may start journaling your feelings and emotions. Try to list activities that make you happy or release stress. Exercise, dance, music, sports etc help in reducing stress. Focus on who you want to be in the future, and what skills and resources you require to reach your goals. There is always something to learn from the challenging situations we find ourselves in. Try to answer the question: what am I learning from this situation? For example, if people in a marriage don’t get along, it’s not marriage that is the problem, it’s how the people treat each other. So you learn to treat people in your life better. 

I am a 16-year-old boy. Nowadays I am getting very frustrated, even by small matters. I cannot control my anger. I only have one friend and no one else with whom I can talk to and sometimes he also doesn’t listen to me. Whenever I am alone in my room I feel that my life is a waste and I feel like dying by suicide. I am also worried about my future a lot and cannot focus on my present and enjoy it. Please help me make my teenage years better. — Anonymous 

Teenage years are the time when we find ourselves at the crossroads of childhood (when we are not given much responsibility) and adulthood (when we are supposed to fend for ourselves physically, socially and emotionally). That’s why we often feel conflicted, develop more stress, and feel overwhelmed by emotions. Many genetic and hereditary psychological vulnerabilities also appear in this time period. Having someone to talk to and hold us is the need of this phase of life. Good communication with parents or someone in the family helps one get the necessary support and guidance. If that’s not possible, talking to a teacher or school counsellor can help. It’s important to reach out to someone emotionally mature or professionally trained. Mental health support is now available online as well, so you may reach out to a professional as well. 

I am a woman. I feel lonely most of the time as people in my locality are unfriendly. They don’t care for lonely ladies. My desire is to travel . But I don’t have proper company to travel in my community. I don’t know how to attract people into my life. If I had a single best friend, I would be happy. God has been unkind to me. I am soft spoken. Is that why I don’t attract friends? Please help. — Anonymous 

As long as we keep expecting others to help us, we are unable to see that we have to help our own self. Being alone is not a problem, loneliness is a psychological state. If you wish to improve your life, you have to focus on what you have, rather than what you don’t, starting from your physical health, your functionality, your mental faculties, the house you live in, the work you do and resources you have at your disposal. The next step is to identify what gives you happiness, the small things that you can do by yourself on a regular basis that you enjoy. If you wish to travel, there are many travel agencies which arrange plans for single women. And finally, if you are able to be relaxed and happy with what you have, people would like to be around you. You can seek professional counselling to identify underlying issues that might be affecting your ability to lead a more fulfilling life. 

If you need counselling, please contact the following helplines 

 Aasra +91-9820466726 (24x7)  Cooj +91 9822562522 (Mon-Fri, 1-7pm)  iCall +91 9152987821 (Mon-Sat, 10am-8pm)  Fortis +91 8376804102 (24x7)  Kiran 1800-599-0019 (24x7)  Sumaitri +91 9315767849 (2-6.30pm)  Saath +91 7926305544 (1-7pm)  Sneha +91 44 24640050 (10am-7pm)  Vandrevala Foundation 18602662345, +91 7304599836 (24x7)  Sanjivini Society 01140769002, 01141092787 (Mon-Fri, 10-5.30pm)

IIT-M introduces 6-month internships for B Tech students

IIT-M introduces 6-month internships for B Tech students

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 10.11.2024

Chennai : Indian Institute of Technology Madras has introduced six-month internships for B Tech students to help them secure more pre-placement offers and gain better industrial exposure. According to the plan, students who joined in 2024-25 will not have any core courses in their sixth semester and the elective courses can be completed either in earlier semesters or in following semesters. 

Currently, B Tech students go for summer internships for a maximum period of three months. Industries and students have asked for longer internships. “All departments will now uniformly ensure that there is no core course during the sixth semester. Now, students can plan well ahead and take elective courses in earlier or following semesters to keep the sixth semester free,” said Prathap Haridoss, dean (academic courses), IIT Madras. The students can do courses online, as well. “They will have an eight month window from mid Nov to July. Students can do two internships, one long internship, or they can undertake projects in some universities or labs,” he added. 

IIT Madras has repositioned the curriculum and made it more compact. Prathap Haridoss said the initiative was taken after receiving feedback from the industry and the placement office. However, for students studying from the second year to the fourth year, it would be a little tougher. “They ha ve to do a little extra work to get the larger window,” he added. Faculty members said the initiative would improve the pre-placement offers. “Companies will be able to assess students better in longer internships. More pre-placement offers will lead to less competition during campus placements,” said Sathyanarayana N Gummadi, dean (students), IIT Madras. Students will also get more time to evaluate the organisation.  IIT Madras is planning to focus on placements and internship opportunities for PhD scholars, as well. “We are collecting details on skillsets and areas of interest. We inform companies about the availability of PhD scholars. Unlike B Tech students, research scholars can sit for placements throughout the year,” said Parasuraman Swaminathan, coadvisor (placements and internships), IIT Madras.

Can’t prohibit media from publishing ads by docs, hospitals: HC

Can’t prohibit media from publishing ads by docs, hospitals: HC

Sureshkumar.K@timesofindia.com 10.11.2024

Chennai : Madras high court has refused to entertain a public interest writ petition to prohibit television channels, newspapers and magazines from publishing advertisements issued by doctors and hospitals to promote medical practice commercially. People aggrieved by such advertisements can lodge complaints with the regulatory authority, such as the medical commission, and it is up to the authority to take appropriate action, the first bench of Chief Justice K R Sriram and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said on Friday.

 “We cannot expect the media to verify if each advertisement is misleading but can only expect that channels do not advertise something detrimental to the general public,” the bench said. According to the petitioner, M Mangaiyarkarasi, such advertisements could mislead the general public and hence some prohibition was necessary. Therefore, she wanted the court to take action against the TV channels and other media that broadcast such advertisements. Recording the submissions, the court said that when a person without a law degree argues before a court, the Bar Council cannot take action against the person. Instead, a police complaint must be lodged, and action must be initiated by the police. 

Similarly, when fake doctors advertise on media platforms, an appropriate complaint must be made to the police, who can investigate the matter, the judges added. The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act already has remedies in cases of false advertising, and that would effectively redress the grievance of the petitioner, the court said.

Protest against delay in varsity’s staff absorption, promotions

Protest against delay in varsity’s staff absorption, promotions

The Hindu Bureau

TIRUCHI 10.11.2024

A group of faculty members participated in a protest at University College of Engineering-Bharathidasan Institute of Technology (UCE-BIT), Anna University, Tiruchi campus on Saturday, to highlight unresolved issues of staff absorption and implementation of Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) benefits.

The protest, called by Tamil Nadu Anna University Teachers’ Association (TNAUTA), began on Saturday evening, and was scheduled to continue late into the night.

It followed a similar action held in October by the faculty members.

Leading the demonstration, TNAUTA president R. Prabakaran and secretary R. Udhayakumar called for immediate action to secure the absorption of 20 faculty members who continue to serve without basic benefits despite a directive from the High Court of Madras and a 2015 Government Order to that effect.

‘Unresponsive’

“The university has remained unresponsive, disregarding both court orders and official recommendations. Attempts to gain clarification from the Registrar have been met with silence, amplifying faculty frustration over the lack of transparency,” an official TNAUTA statement said.

The body also criticised the delay over CAS benefits for faculty members in constituent colleges.

“While Anna University’s main campuses implement promotions promptly, faculty in constituent colleges face significant delays. Despite applications for CAS in 2017, 2018, and 2023, many faculty members are still left without updates on their promotions,” the body said.

It added that although a Syndicate meeting on July 29, 2024 approved some promotions, it only included Assistant Professors advancing to limited grades, leaving numerous cases unaddressed.

TNAUTA asserted that faculty members from constituent colleges deserve fair treatment, equal to that of their counterparts on main campuses.

Sivakarthikeyan's Amaran to release on OTT in December this year

 Sivakarthikeyan's Amaran to release on OTT in December this year According to a Daily Thanthi report, the movie will be released on Netflix in December

https://www.dtnext.in/entertainment/cinema/sivakarthikeyans-amaran-to-release-on-ott-in-december-this-year-810391

Tamil OTT releases this week: New movies, web-series to watch this weekend; Vettaiyan, ARM, Amaran, Anjaamai, and more

Tamil OTT releases this week: New movies, web-series to watch this weekend; Vettaiyan, ARM, Amaran, Anjaamai, and more

This weekend, Tamil cinema fans can enjoy top new releases, including Rajinikanth's Vettaiyan on Amazon Prime Video and a war drama featuring Sivakarthikeyan on Netflix. The article lists various Tamil movies and web series now available on popular OTT platforms.

Livemint

Updated 8 Nov 2024, 02:51 PM IST

Tamil OTT release this week includes movies like Vettaiyan, ARM, Amaran, etc

Watching movies and web series is one of the best ways to enjoy the weekend. For those who prefer to watch movies at home and are a big fan of Tamil cinema, here is the list of top Tamil movies that have been released during the week.

Superstar Rajinikanth's much-awaited movie Vettaiyan did wonders at the box office. The movie was released on the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video. The detailed list of latest Tamil OTT release has been mentioned below.

Vettaiyan, Amazon Prime Video

The much-awaited Tamil action thriller starring Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan marked their first on-screen collaboration in decades. The movie was first released in theatres on October 10 and made its OTT debut this week. It also features the most talented actors, Rana Duggubati and Fahadh Faasil.

Kozhipannai Chelladurai, Amazon Prime Video

The movie has been set in a rural backdrop and features stars Aegan, Brigida Saga, Sathya Devi, Yogi Babu, and Aishwarya Dutta in lead roles. The movie sheds light upon the the struggles of a family and community and also touches upon themes like the everyday struggles of an ordinary man, etc. The movie is available for watching on Amazon Prime Video.

Amaran, Netflix

The much-awaited Tamil movie, Amaran, based on the life of Indian Army Major Mukund Varadharajan did wonders at the box office. Now, the movie is ready to create buzz with its OTT release on Netflix. The war drama features Sivakarthikeyan in the lead role in opposite to popular actress Sai Pallavi. The movie earned over ₹150 crore within four days of its theatrical release. The movie, directed by Rajkumar Periyasamy, focuses on the life of an army officer, and narrates the story of his courage and valour.

Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM), Disney+Hotstar

The much-awaited Tovino Thomas starrer Ajayante Randam Moshanam is a historical drama which is now available on Disney+Hotstar for watching. The sorry begins with Kunji Kelu, a respected warrior who is blessed with a special wish by the king. The movie beautifully intertwines historical drama, fantasy, caste discrimination, and other themes like justice and redemption. The movie will be available for watching in Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Marathi.

Viswam, Amazon Prime Video

The Telugu film industry movie, Viswam, stars Gopichand as Gopi. The movie was released in October on movie theatres. The action drama is now available on Netflix. The action comedy has been directed by Srinu Vaitla and mixes action with humour. The plot revolves around Gopi's attempts to save a girl from becoming a terrorist's target after she witnesses an assassination.

Anjaamai, Aha Tamil

The Tamil legal drama, starring Vidharth, Rahman and Vani Bhojan in lead roles features, released in October in movie theatres. The movie is available on Aha Tamil. It can also be viewed on OTTplay Premium application.

Mobile users suffer as thieves steal telecom gear

Mobile users suffer as thieves steal telecom gear 

SIGNAL DISRUPTIONS PLAGUE SUBSCRIBERS AS TOWERS TARGETED   165 TIMES IN SIX MONTHS 

Niyati.Parikh@timesofindia.com 09.11.2024 

Ahmedabad : Facing network issues on your mobile? A wave of telecom equipment thefts is to blame. In the past six months, mobile users across Gujarat have been experiencing connectivity issues due to widespread theft of telecom infrastructure. The disappearance of essential components, particularly the Remote Radio Unit (RRU), has resulted in poor or non-existent mobile signals in numerous locations. These recurring incidents of equipment theft have led to frustrating experiences for subscribers. 

Telecom industry sources said 165 instances of telecom equipment theft were reported in Gujarat between April and Oct. This led to the filing of 142 FIRs and financial losses amounting to Rs 4 crore in Gujarat alone. RRUs are a key component in mobile towers that transmit and receive signals, facilitating voice calls and internet connectivity. The sudden removal of an RRU creates instant signal disruptions, affecting thousands of mobile users in the vicinity. Baseband units (BBUs), which support network connectivity, are also being sto len, sources said. Industry sources said that the gangs involved use specialised tools to remove RRUs fixed at heights of up to 40 metres and typically strike at night. “Most are experts in scaling tall structures and always have getaway vehicles ready. As telecom companies, we have set up alarms and heightened security measures to identify and prevent such thefts,” a source told TOI. 

According to telecom industry players, such thefts have been reported in Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Kutch, Mehsana, Navsari, Surat, Vadodara, Valsad, Anand, Godhra, Limdi, Nadiad and Sanand, causing significant inconvenience to residents and financial strain for telecom providers. “The theft of RRUs is leading to outages, forcing companies to replace equipment at a high cost,” a telecom industry source said. Compared to the previous six-month period (Oct 2023 to March 2024), when 317 RRUs were stolen, the theft incidents have declined, but the impact on network connectivity remains severe. Industry sources claim that these stolen units often make their way to countries like China and Bangladesh via illicit trade networks, affecting not only local telecommunications services but also the deployment of 5G networks in the country. In the past, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) made a representation to the department of telecommunications (DoT) to take swift action to address this security challenge.

Good response from public to trekking in Yercaud hills

Good response from public to trekking in Yercaud hills

Trekkers at the Nagalur- Sanniyasimalai Peak in Yercaud.

M. Sabari  Salem 09.11.2024 

The trekking route between Nagalur-Sanniyasimalai Peak in Yercaud that was announced by the Forest Department has got a good response from the public.

The Forest Department recently announced 40 trials in the State for trekking and categorised them into easy, moderate, and tough routes.

The department also fixed the package amount for the trekking and announced that willing people shall book and pay online for the trekking through the www.trektamilnadu.com website. Out of 40 trails, in Salem district there are three trails: Nagalur-Sanniyasimalai Peak (easy category), and Kurumbapatti Zoo and Kondappanaickenpatti, in Gundur (moderate category). The booking for the Nagalur-Sanniyasimalai Peak was started recently and it got a good response from the public.

The booking for the remaining two trails is yet to begin. Till Sunday, 21 people trekked in the Nagalur-Sanniyasimalai Peak.

S. Parthiban and P. Manimegalai, a couple from Chennai, said, “We had booked for trekking in Nagalur-Sanniyasimalai Peak for our family during Deepavali holidays.

It was a wonderful experience for us and on Saturday, 11 members, including children, completed the trekking. We have planned to come for trekking regularly.

It was a different experience for the children.”

Forest Department officials said that a bag, cap, sesame balls, chips packet, and a 100-ml cool drink packet were provided to the trekkers.

There are two time slots for trekking: 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Five guides were appointed to guide the trekkers.

எளிய மனிதா்களும் இதயம் கவரலாம்

எளிய மனிதா்களும் இதயம் கவரலாம்

DINAMANI 9.11.2024 

சமீபத்தில் ஒரு இலக்கிய கூட்டத்தில் பங்கு கொள்ள நோ்ந்தது. பல ஆழமான கருத்துக்களை முன்வைத்த ஓா் எழுத்தாளா் இறுதியாகத் தன்னுடைய கருத்து ஒன்றையும் பதிவு செய்தாா்.

''வாசிப்பவா்கள் தான் உயா்வானவா்கள், மற்றவா்கள் எல்லாம் தாழ்வானவா்கள்'' என்னும் கருத்தை பிரதிபலிப்பது போல் நிறைவு செய்தாா். அந்த வாா்த்தைகள் அந்தக் கூட்டத்தில் கலந்து கொண்ட சகலரையும் அதிா்ச்சிக்குள்ளாக்கியது.

மனிதா்கள் பலவிதம். அவரவா் வாழும் சூழ்நிலைகள் எண்ணற்ற வேறுபாடுகளுக்கு உட்பட்டவை. ஒருவருக்கு சுலபமாக கிடைக்கும் ஒன்று, மற்றொருவருக்கு மிக கடினமான முயற்சிக்குப் பிறகே கிடைக்கிறது. இது அவரவரின் செயல்பாடுகளில் பிரதிபலிக்கும் இல்லையா?! வாசிப்பு ஒரு மனிதனை மேலான நிலைக்கு அழைத்துச் செல்லும். மறுப்பதற்கில்லை. ஆனால் வாசிக்காத எளிய மனிதா்களை இழிவுபடுத்துவது போல் அவா் பேசியது பலரைக் காயப்படுத்தியது.

எளிய மனிதா்கள் சாதாரணமானவா்கள் அல்ல. மிக வலிமையானவா்களாக கருதப்படுபவா்களுக்குக் கூட போகிற போக்கில் வாழ்க்கைப் பாடம் சொல்லிக் கொடுத்துவிட்டுச் செல்பவா்கள் அவா்கள். அவரவா்க்கு அவா் சுய பொறுப்பும் கௌரவமும் முக்கியம். பல நேரங்களில் மனிதா்களை சிலா் தப்புக் கணக்கு போட்டுவிடுகின்றனா்.

ஒரு பெரிய மகிழுந்து நிறுவனத்தில் ஒரு இளைஞன் வேலைக்கு சோ்ந்தான். சில காலம் கழித்து அவனே ஒரு மகிழுந்தை வடிவமைத்தான். அதை அவனுடைய மேலாளரிடம் காண்பித்து ஒப்புதலும் பெற்றான். அதைத் தொடா்ந்து முதல் மகிழுந்தும் உருவானது. அந்த வண்டியை வெளியே விற்பனைப் பிரிவுக்கு எடுத்துச் செல்ல முற்படும்போதுதான் தெரிந்தது, மகிழ்ந்தின் உயரம் ஆலை வாயிலின் உயரத்தைவிட ஒரு அங்குலம் அதிகம் என்று. இளைஞன் சோா்ந்து போனான். ஒவ்வொருவரும் ஒவ்வொரு யோசனை கூறினா். வாயிலின் மேற்பகுதியை உடைத்துவிட்டு வாகனத்தை வெளியே எடுத்துச் செல்லலாம் என்றனா் சிலா். இதே வாயில் வழியாக மகிழுந்தை வெளியே எடுத்துச் செல்லலாம், மேல் பகுதியில் கீறல்கள் விழுந்துவிட்டால், அவற்றின் மேல் வண்ணம் பூசி சரி செய்யலாம் என்றாா் ஒருவா்.

முதலாளிக்கு இந்த யோசனைகள் எதிலுமே மனம் ஒப்பவில்லை. புது வண்டியின் மீது கீறல்கள் விழுவதை அவரால் நினைத்துப் பாா்க்கவே முடியவில்லை.

அனைவருக்குமே மிகுந்த குழப்பம். இவ்வளவு அழகாக, புது வடிவமைப்புடன் உருவாக்கிய வண்டியை வெளியே கொண்டு வர முடியவில்லையே என்று பெருத்த ஏமாற்றமாக இருந்தது.

அனைத்தையும் கவனித்துக் கொண்டிருந்த வயதான காவலா் தயங்கியபடியே தன் முதலாளியிடம், ''ஐயா, வாயிலின் உயரத்தை விட ஒரு அங்குலம் தான் வண்டியின் உயரம் அதிகம். அதன் நான்கு சக்கரங்களில் உள்ள காற்றை வெளியேற்றிவிட்டால் வண்டியை சுலபமாக வெளியே எடுத்து விடலாம். பின்பு காற்றை நிரப்பிக் கொள்ளலாம்!'' என்றுச் சொன்னாா்.

எளிய காவலா் கூறிய வழியைப் பின்பற்றி அந்தப் புது மகிழுந்தை வெளியே எடுத்துச் சென்றாா்களாம். வாட்ஸ் அப்பில் படித்த செய்தி இது. இந்த செய்தி எவ்வளவு நுட்பமாக ஒரு தகவலை நமக்குள் கடத்துகிறது. படித்த பொறியாளா்களுக்கும் அனுபவம் வாய்ந்த முதலாளிக்கும் தோன்றாத யோசனை அங்கே பணிபுரியும் கடைநிலை ஊழியருக்கு வந்திருக்கிறது.

மகாராஷ்டிர மாநிலம் அலிபாகில் நடந்த சம்பவம் இது:

காளையின் தாக்குதலில் காயமடைந்த ஒரு கா்ப்பிணியின் வயிறு சற்றே கிழிந்துவிட்டது. கிழிந்த வயிற்றுப் பகுதியின் உள்ளிருந்து சிசு தன் கையை வெளியே நீட்டிக் கொண்டிருந்தது. இப்படி ஒரு நிலையில் கா்ப்பிணி மருத்துவமனைக்கு கொண்டு வரப்பட்டாா். தாயின் உயிரைக் காப்பாற்ற வேண்டுமா அல்லது தாயையும் குழந்தையையும் காப்பாற்றும் முயற்சியில் இருவரையும் ஆபத்துக்குள்ளாக்க வேண்டுமா என்ற முடிவை எடுக்க மருத்துவா் தடுமாறினாா்.

நடுத்தர வயது மதிக்கத்தக்க ஊழியா் ஒருவா் அமைதியாக மருத்துவருக்கு ஒரு யோசனையை முன் வைத்தாா். ஒரு ஊசியை சூடாக்கி குழந்தையின் கையில் வைத்தால் குழந்தையின் கை வயிற்றுக்குள் திரும்பி விட வாய்ப்பு இருக்கிறது என்று அவா் யோசனை கூறினாா். அதன்படியே மருத்துவா் சுபாஷ் முஞ்சி என்பவா் செயல்படுத்த, வெளியே நீட்டிக் கொண்டிருந்த அந்த குழந்தையின் கை சுருக்கென மீண்டும் தாயின் வயிற்றுக்குள் சென்று இருக்கிறது. இதைக் கண்ட மருத்துவருக்கு மகிழ்ச்சி தாங்க முடியவில்லை. உடனே அடுத்தடுத்த சிகிச்சைகள் அளித்து இரு உயிா்களையும் காப்பாற்றி இருக்கிறாா்.

பல வருட அனுபவம் கொண்ட, முறையாக மருத்துவம் படித்த மருத்துவா் செய்வதறியாது திகைத்தபோது ஒரு சாமானியா் தந்த யோசனை இரு உயிா்களையும் பிழைக்க வைத்தது.

ஒருவா் மெத்தப் படித்திருக்க வேண்டும் என்ற அவசியம் இல்லை. தக்க நேரத்தில் ஒரு பிரச்னையை அணுகி அவரால் தீா்வு காண முடிவதுதான் சிறப்பு.

தொன்மத்திலும் பலா் இப்படி தொண்டாற்றி இருக்கிறாா்கள். அகத்தியரைப் பற்றிய ஒரு தொன்மக் கதை இது:

ஒரு சமயம் காசிவா்மன் என்ற அரசனுக்கு கடும் தலைவலி ஏற்பட்டது. அவன் அகத்தியரை நாடி வந்து தன் தலைவலி தீர தனக்கு சிகிச்சை அளிக்கும்படி வேண்டி நின்றான். அவனை பரிசோதித்த அகத்தியா் அவனுடைய மூக்கின் வழியாக தவளைக் குஞ்சு ஒன்று சென்று மூளைக்குப் பக்கத்தில் வளா்ந்து வரும் ஆபத்தை மன்னனிடம் எடுத்துரைத்தாா். உடனே கபாலத்தை பிரித்து அறுவை சிகிச்சை செய்ய வேண்டும், அப்போதுதான் மன்னனின் தலைவலி தீரும் என்றாா்.

அகத்தியா் கொடுத்த நம்பிக்கையில் இந்த அறுவை சிகிச்சைக்கு மன்னன் ஒப்புக்கொண்டான். அகத்தியா் மன்னனை நினைவிழக்கச் செய்து கபாலத்தை பிளந்தாா். உள்ளே மூளைக்குப் பக்கத்தில் ஒரு தேரை உட்காா்ந்திருந்தது. ஆனால் அதை எப்படி அகற்றுவது என அகத்தியா் குழம்பிப் போனாா். தலைக்குள் கை படக் கூடாது, ஏதாவது குச்சியால் தட்டிவிடலாம் என்றால், அது மூளையைத் தட்டினால் மன்னனின் உயிருக்கே ஆபத்தாகிவிடும். அதனால் தேரையை எப்படி அகற்றுவது என வைத்திய மாமேதையான அகத்தியா் யோசித்தாா்.

அந்த நேரத்தில் அவருடைய சீடா் ஒரு பாத்திரத்தில் தண்ணீா் கொண்டு வந்து மன்னன் தலை அருகே வைத்து கைகளால் நீரைச் சலம்பினாா். தண்ணீரின் சலசலப்பு ஓசையைக் கேட்ட தேரை, மன்னனின் தலையிலிருந்து பாத்திரத்தில் இருந்த தண்ணீருக்குள் தாவிவிட்டது. இந்த நிகழ்வுக்கு பின்தான் அந்த சீடருக்கு தேரையா் என்ற பெயா் நிலைத்தது என்ற ஒரு கதையுண்டு.

மிகப் பெரிய கல்வியறிவு பெற்றிருந்தால் கூட பலரும் சூழ்நிலைகளுக்கு ஏற்றவாறு துரிதமாக செயல்பட துணிவதில்லை அல்லது முடிவதில்லை. மாறாக, எளிய மனிதா்களிடம் இது அதிகமாகவே இருக்கிறது என்பதை விளக்கும் மற்றொரு சம்பவம்.

இருபதாம் நூற்றாண்டின் மிக முக்கியமான அறிவியலாளரான ஐன்ஸ்டீனுக்கு நோபல் பரிசு கிடைத்ததால் தொடா்ச்சியாக பாராட்டு விழா நடைபெற்றுக் கொண்டிருந்ததாம். ஐன்ஸ்டீன் மிகவும் சோா்வாக இருந்ததால் தன் காரை ஓட்டி வந்த ஓட்டுநரிடம் தன் தொப்பியையும் மேலங்கியையும் கொடுத்து மேடை மீது போய் அமரச் சொன்னாராம் ஐன்ஸ்டீன். ஓட்டுநா் தயங்கினாா். 'உனக்கும் எனக்கும் உருவ ஒற்றுமை இருக்கிறது, அதனால் யாருக்கும் தெரியாது. மேடைக்குச் சென்று நீ அமைதியாக உட்காா்ந்தால் போதும். என்னைப் பலா் பாராட்டிப் பேசி இறுதியில் பொன்னாடை போா்த்தி மரியாதை செலுத்துவாா்கள். நான் இங்கு அரங்கத்தின் ஒரு மூலையில் தூங்கி ஓய்வெடுக்கப் போகிறேன்' என்று தைரியம் சொல்லி அவரை மேடைக்கு அனுப்பி வைத்தாராம் ஐன்ஸ்டீன்.

பாராட்டு விழாவில் இறுதியாக வந்த ஒரு நபா், ஐன்ஸ்டீன் கண்டுபிடித்த சூத்திரத்தில் ஒரு சந்தேகம் இருக்கிறது, அதற்கான சரியான விளக்கம் வேண்டும் என்று அடம்பிடிக்காத குறையாக மேடையிலேயே நின்றாராம்!

மேடைக்கு கீழ் மூலையில் நாற்காலியில் அமா்ந்தவாறே தூங்கிக் கொண்டிருந்த ஐன்ஸ்டீன், அரங்கத்தில் எழுந்த சப்தத்தைக் கேட்டு விழித்துக் கொண்டாா். நிலைமையைக் கண்டு குழம்பினாா்.

மேடையில் இருந்த ஐன்ஸ்டீனின் ஓட்டுநா் ஒரு கணம் ஸ்தம்பித்தாலும் சுதாரித்துக் கொண்டு, ''இது என்ன பெரிய கேள்வி! இந்தக் கேள்விக்கு என்னுடைய ஓட்டுநரே பதில் சொல்வாா். மேலே வாங்க!''"என உண்மையான ஐன்ஸ்டீனை மேடைக்கு அழைக்க, ஐன்ஸ்டீனும் அமைதியாக வந்து அந்த சந்தேகத்தை நிவா்த்தி செய்தாராம். இது நகைச்சுவையோ, கட்டுக்கதையோ - ஆனால் இதில் அனைவருக்கும் பாடம் இருக்கிறது.

மெத்தப் படித்த மேதாவிகளே சமயத்தில் திணறும்போது, எளிய மனிதா்கள் அவா்களை கைப்பிடித்துக் கரை சோ்த்திருக்கிறாா்கள்.

ஒரு நல்ல குடும்பத் தலைவனாக, தலைவியாக, சமூகத்தில் தம் பொறுப்புணா்ந்து, குடும்பத்துக்காக உழைத்து, தமது கடமைகளிலிருந்து விலகாது நின்று, அறம் வழுவாது வாழும் எத்தனையோ எளிய மனிதா்களை தினசரி கடந்து செல்கிறோம்.

மிகப் பெரிய கூட்டுக் குடும்பத்தையே, எழுதப் த் தெரியாத சாமானியப் பெண்கள் திறம்பட வழி நடத்தியிருப்பதை நாம் கண்டிருக்கிறோம். வாசிப்பு இல்லாது போனாலும் அவா்கள் மனிதா்களைப் படித்திருக்கிறாா்கள். அத்துடன் அப்பழக்கத்தை கைக்கொள்ள ஆா்வப்படுபவா்களாக இருக்கிறாா்கள். எழுத்தாளுமைகளின் உயா்வாற்றலுக்காக அவா்களை நேசிப்பவா்களாகவும் இருக்கிறாா்கள். எனவே எவரையும் தாழ்வாக எண்ணுவதையும் பேசுவதையும் தவிா்ப்போம்.

கட்டுரையாளா்:

எழுத்தாளா்.

Citing exigency, Health Dept. issues orders posting 51 PGsto Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, Nilgiris govt. medical colleges

Citing exigency, Health Dept. issues orders posting 51 PGsto Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, Nilgiris govt. medical colleges

Serena Josephine M.

CHENNAI 09.11.2024 

On a single day, the Health Department issued orders deputing 58 medical officers — a majority of them being postgraduate medical students — from major government medical colleges to those in Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, The Nilgiris and Tiruvarur.

Official sources and senior doctors said that the deputation was aimed at addressing manpower shortage in these government medical colleges.

In one of the two orders issued on November 5, the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and Research had, citing “exigency”, asked the deans of five medical colleges — Thanjavur Medical College; KAPV Medical College, Tiruchi; Coimbatore Medical College; Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College, Salem; and Madras Medical College — to relieve 51 PGs to undergo the District Residency Programme (DRP) at the specified institutions. Eighteen of the 51 PGs were from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; 15 from Paediatrics; and 18 from Anaesthesia. They were told to join the medical colleges in Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, The Nilgiris, and Tiruvallur on November 11. However, official sources said that the next batch for the three-month DRP postings mandated for PGs was scheduled to begin only in January 2025.

In the other deputation order, seven medical officers in the cadre of junior residents, senior residents and assistant professors in general medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and forensic medicine in the government medical colleges in Tiruvarur and Thanjavur were deputed to the Nagapattinam medical college for three months on “administrative grounds”.

A government doctor, on the condition of anonymity, said that most of the doctors in the Nagapattinam medical college were those posted during their bond period, and a number of them had since been relieved from service.

“There were a lot of vacancies even prior to this. The department is expecting 800 regular service PGs, and 1,200 Non-Service PGs for bond posting in February. So, they are trying to manage the situation with DRP postings and diversions,” he said.

Another doctor said that manpower from the Tiruvarur medical college was diverted to Nagapattinam when the Tiruvarur medical college was facing a severe shortage.

A senior doctor said that such temporary arrangements would not help. “No new posts were created for several years. The actual vacancy position is not shown in many institutions. A restructuring exercise taken up in 2019 led to a decrease in the number of posts,” he said.

Email policy warns State government employees against derogatory language

Email policy warns State government employees against derogatory language

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 09.11.2024 

The email policy for Tamil Nadu government employees, unveiled recently, warns against emails containing language derogatory to religion, caste and ethnicity, and those containing anti-national messages and obscene material. It also prohibits the sharing of passwords.

About 1.10 lakh people are using the official email services of the Tamil Nadu government.

While the user is held responsible for any data/e-mail that is transmitted using the Tamil Nadu government e-mail service, “all emails/data sent through the email server are the sole responsibility of the user owning the account”. The policy is also against emails that are personal in nature (such as personal functions).

It also advocates the use of ‘reply all’ and ‘distribution lists’ with caution to reduce the risk of sending emails to the wrong people. Backup of important emails/data is to be undertaken by the user at regular intervals, it says.

The policy specifies certain scenarios as “inappropriate use of services”. They include the distribution of emails anonymously, use of other officers’ user IDs or a false identity, and exchange of information in violation of laws, including copyright laws.

“Wilful transmission of an email containing a computer virus, misrepresentation of the identity of the sender of an email and the use or attempt to use the accounts of others without their permission” have also been specified as inappropriate use of services. Such actions might result in deactivation of the account. “The email solution shall be basic in nature, based on open-source tools in combination with necessary proprietary components to ensure security of the platform from cyber threats. GoTN e-Mail service will be provided over secure channels only,” it said. The G.O. with the new email policy was issued in September.

The email services are to be hosted by ELCOT, without compromising on the required features and security. The email solution is offered free of cost to government officials, and the expenditure would be borne by TNeGA. The minimum space for the mailbox of senior officials, including secretaries and heads of departments, is 2 GB, and for tappal assistants, it is 10 GB.

Snakebite envenoming declared a notifiable disease in Tamil Nadu

Snakebite envenoming declared a notifiable disease in Tamil Nadu

medicine

Snakebite envenoming poses a risk to vulnerable populations, including agricultural workers, children, and those living in tropical and sub-tropical areas. representational image

The life-threatening medical condition, caused by venomous snakebites, is a major public health concern in rural and snake-endemic regions

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 09.11.2024

In a significant move to tackle the public health challenge of snakebites, the Tamil Nadu government has declared snakebite envenoming a notifiable disease under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939.

A G.O. was issued in this regard by the Health and Family Welfare Department on November 4, following which a notification was published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on November 6.

Snakebite envenoming, a life-threatening medical condition caused by venomous snakebites, is a major health concern in rural and snake-endemic regions. Often preventable, it poses a risk to vulnerable populations, including agricultural workers, children, and those living in tropical and sub-tropical areas.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognised snakebite as a global public health issue and launched a strategy to reduce snakebite-induced deaths and disabilities.

The declaration follows the publication of the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare earlier this year.

The plan aims to halve snakebite deaths by 2030 through a ‘One Health’ approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health interventions.

By making snakebite a notifiable disease, the Tamil Nadu government aims to improve the collection of vital data, strengthen clinical infrastructure, and ensure the efficient distribution of anti-snake venom. The move is expected to lead to better prevention strategies, reduce mortality rates, and enhance treatment facilities across the State.

Under the new directive, both government and private hospitals are required to report cases of snakebite and related fatalities to the government. The mandatory reporting system will be integrated with the State’s Integrated Health Information Platform under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.

There has been a significant under-reporting of snakebite cases and deaths in existing data, and the new system is designed to bridge this gap, a press release from the government said.

Doctor loses ₹76.5 lakh in online trading scam

Doctor loses ₹76.5 lakh in online trading scam

He was enticed by promises of high returns on investments.

S. Vijay Kumar

CHENNAI 09.11.2024 

In yet another case of online fraud, a government doctor fell victim to scammers, losing ₹76.5 lakh after being enticed by promises of high returns on investments.

The victim, an Associate Professor at a Government Medical College, had transferred the money to what appeared to be an online trading platform for purchasing stocks from well-known companies. He realised that he had been deceived only when he attempted to withdraw funds.

According to police sources, Dr. Ramesh (name changed onrequest) came across an advertisement, offering training and guidance in online trading, on YouTube. It led him to join a WhatsApp community group, where several members presented themselves as investors.

Online trading classes

In the first few days, the group focused on online trading basics, with members frequently posting screenshots of their investments and profits. The group’s administrator, known as Diwakar Singh, recommended stocks for both intra-day and long-term investments.

Once the suspects sensed that Dr. Ramesh had gained confidence in the community, they instructed him to open an account on a specific website, promising a 30% profit from investments in Indian and U.S. stocks.

Following a link provided by the suspects, Dr. Ramesh registered an account and began transferring money from his bank accounts to the website. The scammers claimed his funds would be invested in high-return stocks, even providing a list of companies and IPOs for credibility. Nearly all of the funds were transferred during the first three weeks of October this year.

On October 22, when Dr. Ramesh attempted to withdraw ₹50 lakh from his account, the transaction was declined. Upon inquiry, he was told that a ₹50-lakh fee was required by the “Qualified Institutional Buyers Association” to process withdrawals. “That’s when I sensed something was wrong. I realised that I could not access my funds, and that I had been systematically lured into an online trading scam,” Dr. Ramesh toldThe Hindu.

After he reported the incident, a case was registered under the Information Technology Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Tamil Nadu police are now working to locate suspects in North India, where the funds were reportedly transferred and withdrawn. A senior police officer handling cybercrimes in the State said Dr. Ramesh’s case was yet another example of unsuspecting individuals losing money to scammers.

“Once the money is transferred, it is siphoned off in less than two hours. In a recent case, ₹1.18 crore transferred to one such fraud account was withdrawn in about 250 transactions across India. The accused were operating from Southeast Asian countries,” the officer said.

Lawyer’s delay tactics in rape case is professional misconduct, says HC

Lawyer’s delay tactics in rape case is professional misconduct, says HC 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  BHOPAL 08.11.2024

Bhopal/Jabalpur : The MP high court ruled that a lawyer “abusing the process of the court is professional misconduct,” as it upheld a sessions court order to deny a defence lawyer in a rape case the chance to cross-examine the complainant after he failed to do so on three hearings on one pretext or another. The petitioner, Tulsi Ram Lodhi from Raisen district, said one of his relatives lodged an FIR accusing him of rape. Based on her report, a charge sheet was presented against him in the sessions court, where the trial in the case is in progress. Lodhi said he was 80 per cent disabled and uses crutches to walk. The high court observed that the complainant appeared in the trial court for deposition and crossexamination in Feb 2024. After her deposition, counsel for the accused sought time to crossexamine the complainant. In the same month, she appeared in the court again for crossexamination, but counsel for the accused again sought time to cross-examine her. 

When she appeared in court on the third occasion, the accused informed the court that he changed his lawyer. His lawyer again sought more time to cross-examine the woman on the pretext that he was not prepared to do it then. Following this, the trial court decided to proceed with the trial without cross-examination of the complainant. The bench of Justice GS Ahluwalia said the petitioner knew about the hearing date and should have ensured that the lawyer was changed well in advance so that he had a chance to prepare himself to carry out the complainant’s cross-examination.

Students’Aadhaar validation adaunting task for educators

Students’Aadhaar validation adaunting task for educators

SruthySusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 08.11.2024

Bengaluru : The department of school education and literacy is undertaking a massive exercise to get students’Aadhaar numbers validated in Student Achievement Tracking System. However, institutions are not pleased as students’ names in Aadhaar cards and school records don’t match in several instances. “It is a Herculean task. The names of students and their parents in SATS and Aadhaar do not match. SATS data is sourced from birth certificates. Thus, Aadhaar does not get validated. We have to keep requesting parents to make changes in Aadhaar. There is so much pressure from the education department to get this done quickly, but it is not easy,” said a school representative. 

A govt school teacher said: “Finally, we teachers have to spend a lot of time doing all this. We now have at least four numbers generated for a student — SATS ID, Aadhaar number, UDISE ID and APAAR. Such bureaucratic work takes away valuable time from teachers.” Sashi Kumar D, secretary, Association of Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka, said:

“The problem is with how parents fill in the names of students. In the birth certificate, it would be spelt one way. But they would change the way it is spelt while applying for Aadhaar. Aadhaar and school records won’t match. Parents have to be more serious in the way they create records.” It was in Feb 2023 that the department started collecting Aadhaar numbers of students. After Aadhaar was linked to SATS, several instances of duplication were uncovered

When Instagram friendship turned a nightmare for married woman

When Instagram friendship turned a nightmare for married woman

Chaithanya.Swamy@timesofindia.com 08.11.2024

Bengaluru : A 37-year-old married woman’s friendship with an Instagram acquaintance landed her in deep trouble as the latter extorted gold ornaments and cash from her using her nude photographs, which he also sent to her relatives and friends. He even contacted her husband, resulting in her being sent out of the marital home. Police took swift action and arrested the accused. 

According to the police complaint lodged by Radhika (name changed), she got married in 2012 and has an 11-yearold daughter. Her husband is in the real estate business. The couple developed differences over the past four years but they continued to live together. In early 2021, she befriended Abhishek M Naik, 24, a private firm employee, on Instagram. Naik had two accounts — ‘Abhi_373’ and ‘Abhishek_Naik_373’. After a few days of friendship on social media, the duo exchanged phone numbers and started texting regularly. Radhika shared with Naik her marital issues. He took advantage of her situation and counselled her. She felt comfortable with him, and the duo started making WhatsApp video calls, speaking for hours. 

Radhika considered Naik a trustworthy partner and started posing nude on the video calls. She also sent him nude photos and videos of herself. He also recorded her audio calls and saved the audio messages sent by her. Over time, the duo developed differences and Radhika started avoiding Naik. He then began blackmailing her for ransom by threatening to leak her nudes. She gave him gold ornaments and cash on multiple occasions. As he demanded more money and gold, Radhika informed him she didn’t have any more valuables to part with. He threatened to send her nudes to her family members and friends. Naik got in touch with her husband over phone and informed him about the affair. Her husband threw Radhika out of the house in May, and she and her daughter began living with her sister. 

She blocked Naik’s number and changed her mobile number thereafter. But he continued to be in  touch with her husband and managed to collect her and her family members and friends’ numbers. He again started harassing her and recently, collected the address of her sister’s house from her husband and came in search of her on Oct 5. She learnt he was showing her nudes to people in the area and asking for the address. He even showed the nudes to her sister’s office staff. They alerted her sister, after which Radhika lodged a complaint. 

A senior police officer said Radhika met Abhishek on multiple occasions and they were in a relationship. When she avoided him, he became possessive and wanted her back in his life. “We caught him red-handed when he was near her sister’s house and arrested him.” A case has been registered under Information Technology Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 354C (voyeurism) & 384 (extortio

Mgmt quota MBBS: Top SC students to get ₹50L incentive

Mgmt quota MBBS: Top SC students to get ₹50L incentive 

TIMES OF INDIA  BENGALURU 08.11.2024

Bengaluru : The social welfare dept has announced an incentive of Rs 50 lakh for meritorious Scheduled Caste (SC) students from families with annual income up to Rs 8 lakh, who are forced to seek admission under management quota in private medical colleges for having missed out on govt quota seats. This new provision has come into force from the current academic year itself, reports Sruthy Susan Ullas. 

In Karnataka, MBBS seats under management quota in private colleges bear an annual fee ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh. According to a circular issued by the department on Oct 24, SC students who had more than 95% marks in their II PUC, but were unable to secure a govt quota seat through NEET and had to get admitted to private colleges under management quota, would henceforth be eligible for Rs 25 lakh towards payment of their college fees.

Just 1 student has applied for ₹25L incentive Additionally, those who avail of this benefit will be eligible for another Rs 25 lakh as a further incentive if they clear their first year of MBBS with 60% marks. This amount will also come in handy for students to pay off their loans, in case they have already completed their admission formalities. However, though the social welfare department expects around 25 students to avail of this  scheme every year, in the 2024-25 academic year, only one student has applied for it until now. “It came to our notice that there are meritorious SC students who miss out on a good NEET score as it is a very coaching-oriented exam. This initiative aims to incentivise those students,” said an official from the social welfare department. “We need more doctors from the SC community. We have made strict norms like 95% PU marks and 60% MBBS score to avoid this provision from being misused,” the official reasoned. A total of 1.2 lakh SC students wrote the II PU exam in the last academic year in all streams