‘A golden visa can save you from going to jail at home’

Naomi Canton: 29.03.2019

On Friday, diamantaire Nirav Modi will appear in a London court for his second plea for bail. Modi has been held in a UK prison since his first court appearance on March 20, when he was denied bail.

Nirav Modi had entered the UK on a ‘golden visa’, issued by the British government on his Indian passport, which was revoked in February this year. The golden visa, issued to investors outside the EU on a commitment to invest £2 million (Rs 18 crore) in UK government bonds or in active and trading UK companies, was apparently issued to Modi a few years ago. Revocation of passport does not affect the validity of the visa.

In court last week, the defence lawyer said he arrived in the UK in January 2018 and that is a key plank of their defence.

Reforms in rules for UK’s golden visas will also be implemented from March 29. Golden visas aim to encourage rich non-EU citizens to make substantial investments in the UK economy, by offering them the right to live, work, study and settle in Britain. But, the scheme has faced criticism, with some questioning the legitimacy of funds used to make investments.

UK government bonds, which were also a qualifying investment (or option for investment), will be excluded from March 29. UK banks will need to carry out all due diligence checks on an applicant, and applicants will now need to have held the £2 million they will invest for at least two years before making their application, or provide evidence of the source of funds. Earlier it was 90 days. Due diligence checks are done to protect from possibility of money laundering, organised crime and funding of terrorism.

This visa route was introduced in 2008 and brings 498 million euros (Rs 3,897 crore) into the UK every year. By 2018, 10,445 such visas had been granted, of which 82 were given to Indians, according to a 2018 report ‘European Getaway: Inside the Murky World of Golden Visas” by Transparency Interna tional and Global Witness.

But the report said that between 2008 and 2015 the UK Tier 1 (investor) scheme had “undertaken minimal checks on applicants’ wealth.” “Applicants were given visas before they opened a UK bank account. A number of banks interpreted the fact that individuals had been given a visa as verification from the UK Home Office that an applicant’s wealth was legitimate. Realising their mistake, the Home Office reformed the programme in April 2015. Now, applicants have to open a bank account before applying for the visa,” the report said.

But during this period, 3,000 highnet-worth individuals entered the UK “with at least £3.15 billion of questionable legitimacy,” the report said, describing golden visa schemes “are highly desirable for those associated with corruption”. “In the event that circumstances back home become unfavourable, a golden visa can effectively serve as a getout-of-jail-free card,” the report stated.

The Home Office announced on December 6, 2018, that this visa route was to be temporarily suspended, amid fears it was being used for money laundering. But after lobbying by firms that sell the visas, it was not suspended. On December 11, the Home Office said, “The Tier 1 (Investor) visa is not currently suspended, however, we remain committed to reforming the route.”

Luke Hexter, managing director of Knightsbridge Capital Partners in London, who sells such schemes, said, “The Home Office initially said it would suspend the route, as part of its ongoing efforts to tackle serious organised crime and money laundering. But it seems to have been rebutted by higher level government. We believe the reforms brought forward by the UK government will be effective, thus ensuring only reputable and trustworthy applicants will continue to be accepted into the UK tier 1 investor programme.”

On March 7, 2019, the Home Office issued a statement saying it was “bringing forward reforms to the route.” “The reformed route will better protect the UK from illegally obtained funds, while ensuring that genuine investors have access to a viable visa route,” it read.

Diamantaire Nirav Modi will appear in UK court for bail today

STEPS TO A GOLDEN VISA

1 You needed to invest at least £2m (Rs 18 crore) in active and trading UK registered companies or UK govt bonds

2 Prove you have held the £2m for at least 90 days, amount must stay invested for visa to remain valid

3 Account with a UK regulated bank for investing £2m

4 A UK address to open a bank account

5 Investors do not need to speak English to get a Tier 1 (investor visa) because, while you are allowed to work if you wish to, you do not have to

6 Investors can apply from overseas and remain overseas. Visa can be used to travel in and out of UK, or keep it in your passport as an option

7 Applicants must provide an overseas criminal record certificate for any country they’ve been present in continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more, in the 10 years prior to their application

8 Need to have fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa centre to get a biometric residence permit

AFTER MARCH 29 REFORMS

1 Investments in UK govt bonds will no longer qualify as permitted UK investments

2 Applicants will have to prove they have had control of the £2 million they will invest for at least two years before applying, or provide evidence of the source of funds

3 UK banks will need to carry out “Know Your Client” checks and provide a statement confirming this has been done in the bank letter required for the application

4 Stronger evidence will be required that a company has a substantial presence in the UK, including registration with the Companies House and HMRC for corporation tax and payas-you-earn purposes. The company must have at least two UK-based employees, who are not its directors

Mid Air Turbulence

Change in Jet Airways ownership a test case for the extended insolvency framework

29.03.2019

The transfer of control in Jet Airways from the airline’s promoter Naresh Goyal to a consortium of lenders led by State Bank of India marks an inflection point in Indian business. The development needs to be seen in the context of two big changes. First, the introduction of a bankruptcy legislation which strengthened the hand of lenders. Two, RBI last year complemented it with a regulation which made it impossible for banks to ignore even a day’s default. It’s the RBI regulation which has been invoked to bring in sweeping changes in Jet’s management.

Lenders have appointed an interim management committee and also roped in management consultancy McKinsey & Co to revive operations. This will be backed up by financial support of Rs 1,500 crore. The resolution plan of the lenders consortium aims to bring in a new investor by end June. Hopefully, the lenders will be able to exit according to the timeline because the current arrangement is at best an interim measure. In the event the effort fails and the loss making airline continues to descend, the next stop will be bankruptcy proceedings. In that case, the loss for lenders and airline stakeholders will be greater.

The Jet resolution effort is critical as it’s a test of a new framework where the combination of a bankruptcy law and RBI’s tighter regulatory framework is meant to change the nature of Indian capitalism. Promoters in this scenario will not be insulated from contractual obligations to lenders. The government can do more to change the situation. Along with the welcome change represented by the bankruptcy framework, more needs to be done to ease doing business. For the aviation sector, government should persuade states to bring petroleum products into GST and thereby rationalise their taxation structure.

NEWS DIGEST

HC sets aside death penalty of child killer  29.03.2019

Madurai bench of Madras high court has set aside the death sentence awarded by a trial court to a man, who murdered his neighbour’s four-year-old child in front of his mother and grandmother, claiming that the woman was responsible for his wife leaving him. A division bench of Justices R Subbiah and B Pugalendhi, however, ruled the accused be imprisoned for the rest of his biological life.

Asst prof arrested for abducting girl: A 28-yearold man was arrested in Dharmapuri on Wednesday for allegedly abducting a Class XII girl. Police identified the accused as Gopalakrishnan, a resident of S Kottavur. “Gopalakrishnan, an assistant professor in a college, abducted the girl with an intention to marry her,” a police officer said. Police said the girl, from the same village, did not return after writing her exams on March 20.

School van runs over 2-yr-old boy: A two-year-old boy was killed after a school van ran over him near Madathukulam in Tirupur district on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Dharsan of Maivadi. “Dharsan had crawled and reached in front of the vehicle. When the driver moved the bus, the toddler came under the wheels,” a police officer said.

TRAPPED: A one-year-old female leopard cub, which entered a drinking water pumping station near Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri district, was caught on Wednesday. The cub will be released into the forest

BRACE FOR DRY DAYS

Booked a Metrowater tanker? You may have to wait for 20 days

Oppili.P@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.03.2019

The demand for drinking water has risen so much that it takes an average of 20 days for a booked Metrowater tanker to arrive at your doorstep. A few who booked a 9,000-litre load in the first week of March are being supplied now, said a contractor.

A senior Metrowater official said the quality of the supply and the low charge — ₹700 for 9,000 litres against the ₹2,500-₹3,000 demanded by private operators depending upon the distance — were behind the delay.

Besides, people in gated communities and large apartment complexes book in advance and are preferred, due to the large number of dwelling units, delaying supply to individual houses or smaller apartment complexes. Most smaller complexes don’t have the capacity to store 9,000 litres.

The average time taken for residents of areas like West Mambalam, T Nagar,

Nungambakkam, Ashok Nagar and KK Nagar to get a tanker is around 20 days, while those in most parts of north Chennai are supplied in a week and people on ECR and OMR have to wait at least 10 days, he said. The 700 tankers in contract with Metrowater, with a storing capacity of 6,000 litres, 9,000 litres and16,000 litres that are charged ₹475, ₹700 and ₹1,200, make 350 trips a day. The agency mainly operates tankers of capacity 6,000 and 9,000 litres, with the 16,000-litre tankers fewer in number said.

But for most of the city’s residents, particularly in the newly-added areas, private operators are the lifeline. Tanker Lorry Owners Association president N Nijalingam said about 4,500 private vehicles supply various areas. “We have tankers with a capacity of 12,000 litres, 24,000 litres and 36,000 litres and charge ₹1,000, ₹2,000 and ₹2,750 respectively, depending on the distance,” he said.

The 4,500 tankers each operate five trips a day and are able to reach residents within a day or two of being booked. Most IT companies, educational institutions and gated communities on OMR are totally depedent on private tankers, Nijalingam said.

P Sudarshanam, a resident of a gated community on OMR, said they had signed a contract with a private operator for a 1-year period. “Till that time, the operator will not be able to revise charges. The revision is possible only when signing a new contract.”

திருவாரூர்-பட்டுக்கோட்டை அகல ரயில் பாதை தயார்: விரைவில் ரயில் சேவை

By DIN | Published on : 28th March 2019 06:12 AM

திருவாரூர் - பட்டுக்கோட்டை அகல ரயில் பாதையில் சோதனை ஓட்டம் (மார்ச் 29) வெள்ளிக்கிழமை நடைபெறுகிறது. இந்த சோதனை ஓட்டத்துக்குப் பிறகு விரைவில் ரயில் சேவை தொடங்கவுள்ளதால் அப்பகுதி மக்கள் மகிழ்ச்சியடைந்துள்ளனர்.

காரைக்குடி - விழுப்புரம் இடையே அகல ரயில் பாதையாக்கும் பணிக்காக 2006-2007-ஆம் ஆண்டிலிருந்து ரயில் போக்குவரத்து சிறிது, சிறிதாக குறைக்கப்பட்டது. இறுதியாக 2012 அக்டோர் 19-ஆம் தேதி திருவாரூர்-காரைக்குடி வழித்தடத்தில் ரயில் போக்குவரத்து நிறுத்தப்பட்டது. பின்னர், அகல ரயில் பாதையாக மாற்றும் பணிகள் பல்வேறு கட்டங்களாக நடைபெற்று வந்தன. தற்போது இப்பணிகள் நிறைவு பெற்று மார்ச்-29-ஆம் தேதி சோதனை ஓட்டம் நடைபெறவுள்ளது. இதைத் தொடர்ந்து விரைவில் ரயில்பாதை பயணிகள் பயன்பாட்டுக்கு வரும் எனத் தெரிகிறது.

திருவாரூர்-திருத்துறைப்பூண்டிக்கு இடையே உள்பகுதியில் திருநெல்லிக்காவல், செருவாமணி, திருக்கொள்ளிக்காடு, திருத்தங்கூர், பொன்னிரை, ஆலிவலம் உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு கிராமங்கள் உள்ளன. இங்குள்ள மக்களுக்கு விவசாயமே பிரதான தொழிலாகும். ரயில் போக்குவரத்து இருந்த காலத்தில், விவசாயத்துக்கு தேவையான விதைகள், உரங்கள் உள்ளிட்ட பொருள்களை வாங்குவதற்கு, கிராமப்புற மக்கள் ரயில் போக்குவரத்தையை நம்பியிருந்தனர். ஏனெனில் அவர்கள் பேருந்துக்கு செல்ல வேண்டுமெனில், சுமார் 6 முதல் 10 கிலோ மீட்டர் தூரத்தில் உள்ள திருத்துறைப்பூண்டி சாலைக்கு வந்து அங்கிருந்து, பேருந்து ஏறி மீண்டும் நகருக்கு செல்ல வேண்டும். இதனால், நேரம் விரயமானதோடு, இதர பணிகளும் பாதிக்கப்பட்டன. குறைவான நேரத்தில் விரைவில் நகருக்கு செல்லப்பயன்பட்டதால், ரயில் போக்குவரத்து கிராமப்புற மக்களுக்கும், விவசாயிகளுக்கும் வரப்பிரசாதமாக இருந்தது. 

 
இதேபோல் புதூர், திருநெல்லிக்காவல், ஆலத்தம்பாடி, மணலி உள்ளிட்ட பகுதிகளில் ரயில் நிலையங்களின் அருகிலேயே பள்ளிகள் அமைந்துள்ளன. இந்த கிராமப்புற பள்ளிகளுக்கு பணிக்கு வர ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு உதவியாக ரயில் போக்குவரத்து இருந்தது. கிராமப்புறங்களுக்கு சரியான பேருந்து வசதி இல்லாததால், இருசக்கர வாகனங்களிலோ அல்லது பேருந்தில் பயணித்து பின்னர் சில கிலோ மீட்டர் தூரம் நடந்து, பள்ளிகளுக்கு ஆசிரியர்கள் வர வேண்டியுள்ளது. எனவே கிராமப்புற பள்ளிகளுக்கு மாறுதல் கேட்கும் ஆசிரியர்கள் குறைவாகவே உள்ளனர். 

ரயில் போக்குவரத்து வந்தால், மாணவர்கள் மட்டுமின்றி ஆசிரியர்கள் எவ்வித கவலையும் இல்லாமல் கிராமப்புற பள்ளிகளில் பணியாற்ற ஆர்வத்துடன் முன்வருவர் என்பதால் கிராமப்புற பள்ளிகளின் கல்வித்தரம் மேலும் உயரக்கூடும் அத்துடன் கல்லூரிக்கு வரும் கிராமப்புற மாணவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கையும் அதிகரிக்கும் என்கின்றனர் கல்வியாளர்கள். 

இதுகுறித்து, திருநெல்லிக்காவல் -புதூர் பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த சிவக்குமார் கூறியது: திருநெல்லிக்காவல் ரயில் நிலையத்தில், மாணவர்கள், வேலைக்கு செல்வோர் என எப்போதும் பயணிகள் கூட்டம் நிறைந்திருக்கும். இதேபோல், திருத்துறைப்பூண்டியிலிருந்து கம்பன் விரைவு ரயில் சென்னைக்கு செல்லும்போது, திருநெல்லிக்காவலில் நின்று செல்லும். சுற்று வட்டாரங்களில் உள்ள மக்கள் சென்னை மட்டுமின்றி இதர இடங்களுக்குச் செல்ல இது உதவியாக இருந்தது. மேலும் இங்கிருந்து சிதம்பரத்தில் பணியாற்றும் அரசு ஊழியர்கள் பலர் நாள்தோறும் ரயிலில் சென்று வந்தனர். ரயில் இருக்கும் போது தூரம் என்பதே தெரியாமல் இருந்தது. தற்போது திருவாரூர் செல்வதற்கு கூட பல மணி நேரங்கள் ஆகிறது என்றார்.
திருவாரூர் மாவட்ட ரயில் உபயோகிப்போர் சங்கச் செயலர் பாஸ்கரன் கூறியது: சென்னையிலிருந்து ராமேஸ்வரம் செல்ல, திருவாரூர் - காரைக்குடி வழியாக குறைந்த நேரத்தில் சென்று விடலாம். தற்போது கும்பகோணம், தஞ்சாவூர், திருச்சி சென்று செல்ல வேண்டியுள்ளது. எனவே, தூரமும், நேரமும் மிச்சமளிக்கக்கூடியது இந்த ரயில்பாதை. 

அத்துடன் சிறு வியாபாரிகளுக்கும், விவசாயிகளுக்கும் இந்த ரயில் பாதை மிகவும் பயனளிக்கும். மயிலாடுதுறையுடன் நிறுத்தி விடாமல், செங்கல்பட்டு வரை அனைத்து பயணிகள் ரயில்களும் செல்ல நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். மேலும் கட்டணங்களை பொறுத்தவரை, பேருந்து கட்டணங்களை விட, ரயில் கட்டணங்கள் மிகவும் குறைவாகவே இருக்கும். திருவாரூர்-திருத்துறைப்பூண்டி இடையே உள்ள பகுதி மக்களுக்கு ரயில் சேவை மிகவும் பயனுள்ளதாக இருக்கும். பொதுவாக கிழக்கு டெல்டா பகுதி மக்களுக்கு இந்த ரயில் பாதை சேவை மிகவும் பயனளிக்கக்கூடியது என்றார்.

 
ஆலத்தம்பாடி அருகே புற்றடி மாரியம்மன் கோயில் உள்ளது. கடந்த ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை இந்த கோயிலின் திருவிழா தொடங்கி நடைபெற்று வருகிறது. இந்த கோயில் திருவிழாவின்போது , சிறப்பு ரயில்கள் விடப்படுவது வழக்கம். இதனால் பல்வேறு ஊர்களிலிருந்தும் இந்த கோயில் திருவிழாவுக்கு மக்கள் கூட்டமாக வருவார்கள். ஆனால் தற்போது ரயில் போக்குவரத்து இல்லாததால், திருவிழாவில் மக்கள் கூட்டமும் அதிகம் இல்லை. ரயில் போக்குவரத்து திரும்ப வரும்போது, திருவிழா கொண்டாட்ட உற்சாகங்களும் கிராமப்புறங்களுக்கு திரும்பவும் வரும் என்பது அப்பகுதி மக்களின் எதிர்பார்ப்பாக உள்ளது.

பாராட்டப் பழகு!

By மேலை. பழநியப்பன் | Published on : 26th March 2019 01:26 AM


இன்றைய வேகமான உலகில் பாராட்டு என்பது ஒவ்வொரு தனி மனிதனுக்கும் சிறந்த அங்கீகாரம் ஆகிறது. தனி மனிதனுடைய, அமைப்புகளுடைய தேடலை, ஆற்றலை, செயலை, மேன்மேலும் வளர்த்துக் கொள்ள உந்து சக்தியாகிறது பாராட்டு. சமுதாயத்தில் பாராட்டுப் பெறுகிறவர் எல்லோராலும் போற்றப்படுகிறார். உலகப் பொதுமறையாய் போற்றப்படும் வள்ளுவம் ஒன்றா உலகத்து உயர்ந்தது புகழ்அல்லால்... எனக் கூறுகிறது. 

ஒரு கண்டுபிடிப்பாளன் பாராட்டப்படும்போது, அதைவிடச் சிறந்த கண்டுபிடிப்பைத் தேட ஆரம்பிக்கிறான். குறிப்பிட்ட தொலைவினை இரண்டு நிமிஷங்களில் கடந்தார் என்பதற்காக ஓர் ஓட்டப்பந்தய வீரரைப் பாராட்டினால், அதே தொலைவை அடுத்த ஓட்டத்தில் ஒன்றரை நிமிஷத்தில் கடந்து அவர் சாதனை படைப்பார். இந்த ஊக்குவிப்பினை பாராட்டு அளிக்கிறது.

சிறந்த மனிதர்களைப் பாராட்டும் அதே சமயம், இவரை மகனாகப் பெற்றிட இவருடைய தாய், தந்தையர் என்ன தவம் செய்தார்கள் என அவர்களும் பாராட்டப்படுகின்றனர். கல்விக்கூடங்களில் பணி வாய்ப்புகளில் பதவி உயர்வுகளில் கூடுதல் தகுதியாகவும் பாராட்டு எடுத்துக் கொள்ளப்படுகிறது.
ஒரு மாணவன், குறள் ஒப்பிப்பவராகவோ, ஓவியத் திறமை கொண்டவராகவோ, கவிதை படைப்பவராகவோ இருந்தால் அவருக்கு வாய்ப்புத் தந்து திறமையை வெளிக்கொணர்ந்து, பாராட்டு பெறச் செய்யும், பாராட்டுக்குரியவர்கள் பெரும்பாலும், பெற்றோர்களும், ஆசிரியர்களுமே.
வகுப்பறையில் பாடம் கற்பிக்கும் இயந்திரம் போல் மட்டும் ஆசிரியர் செயல்பட்டால், அது சிறப்பைத் தராது; ஒழுக்கம், பண்பாடு, கலாசாரம் ஆகியவற்றைப் பின்பற்றி வாழ்ந்து, மாணவரின் திறமையைக் கண்டறிந்து அதை வெளிக் கொணர துணை நின்று கல்விக்கூடத்தையும் மேம்படுத்தினால் நல்லாசிரியர் விருதும் இன்னும் கூடுதல் அக்கறை காட்டினால் தேசிய நல்லாசிரியர் விருதும் அளித்துப் பாராட்டப்படுகிறார்கள்.

அண்மையில் குரூப் 1 தேர்வினை மூன்று முறை எழுதி வெற்றி பெறாத சூழலில், ஒரு குடும்பப் பெண் இடைவிடாது முயற்சித்தும் வெற்றி தவறி விடுகிறதே எனச் சிந்தித்து நான்காவது முறையாக தேர்வுக்குப் போகும் முன், நானே என் வீட்டில் பலமுறை மாதிரி தேர்வெழுதி நானே மதிப்பீடு செய்து, பின் தேர்வைச் சந்தித்தபோது வெற்றி கிடைத்து சென்னையில் துணை ஆட்சியராகப் பணி நியமனம் பெற்றிருக்கிறேன் என்று கம்பீரமாகச் சொல்வது பலருடைய பாராட்டைப் பெற்றுத் தந்திருக்கிறது.
ஒரு கிராமியச் சூழலில் அரசுப் பள்ளி ஒன்றில் படித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தேன்; தமிழ் ஆர்வம் மிக்கவன் என்பதால், மாணவர் தலைவனாகவும், இலக்கிய மன்றச் செயலாளராகவும், செயல்பட்டேன்; பள்ளி ஆண்டு விழா என்றால் பல போட்டிகள் நடத்தப்படும்; பேச்சு, கட்டுரை, ஒப்புவித்தல் என ஒவ்வொன்றுக்கும் பரிசு அறிவிக்கும்போது சில சினிமா காட்சிகளில் வருவதுபோல, அனைத்திலும் தொடர்ந்து முதல் பரிசினைப் பெறுவேன்; ஆனால் ஆங்கிலம் சார்ந்த போட்டிகளில் பரிசு பெற்றதில்லை.
ஒரு முறை மறுநாள் ஆங்கிலம் ஒப்புவித்தல் போட்டி; முதல் நாள் மாலைக்குள் பெயர் கொடுக்க வேண்டும்; அந்தக் கடைசி நேரத்தில், தலைமை ஆசிரியர் என்னை அழைத்து நாளை ஆங்கில ஒப்புவித்தலில் உன் பெயரையும் எழுதி விட்டேன்; இதோ நீ ஒப்புவிக்க வேண்டிய பாடல்; ஆங்கிலத்தில் ஒன் முதல் டென் வரை (ஒன்று முதல் 10 வரை); அத்துடன் ஓரிரு வார்த்தை மட்டுமே திரும்பத் திரும்ப வரும்; இதை இரவு படித்து நாளை ஒப்புவித்து விடு; இதில் வேறொரு காரணமும் உள்ளது; நாளை நீயே தெரிந்து கொள்வாய் என்று சொல்லி, பாடலை என்னிடம் தந்தார். இரவு வெகுநேரம் கண் விழித்து அந்த ஆங்கிலப் பாடலை மனப்பாடம் செய்தேன்; போட்டியின் போது தடுமாற்றம் இல்லாமல் ஒப்புவித்தேன்; கிராம மக்களும் பலத்த கரவொலி எழுப்பினர்.

வேறு வழியில்லாமல், முதல் பரிசு எனக்கே அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது. ஒவ்வொரு போட்டிக்கும் மூன்று பரிசுகள் உண்டு; ஆங்கிலம் ஒப்புவித்தலுக்கு நேற்று பிற்பகல் வரை இருவர் மட்டுமே பெயர் அளித்தனர்; எனவேதான், எப்படி ஒப்புவித்தாலும், மூன்றாம் பரிசு உனக்கு என்பதற்காக நானே பெயரைச் சேர்த்தேன்; வாய்ப்பினை உருவாக்கினேன்; எளிய ஆங்கிலப் பாட்டை, தடுமாற்றம் இன்றி உன் குரல் வளம் கூடுதல் தகுதியாகி, ஊர்பொதுமக்கள் கரவொலியும் சேர்ந்து முதல் பரிசினை பெறச் செய்தது. வாய்ப்பைச் சரியாகப் பயன்படுத்தினால், பாராட்டு வசப்படும் என்பதற்கு இன்று நீ பெற்ற பரிசே சாட்சி என்றார் தலைமை ஆசிரியர்.
வலிமை உடலில் இருந்து வருவதில்லை, அசைக்க முடியாத மன உறுதியில் இருந்து வருகிறது. நமது மனதின் தூய்மை, அதிகமாக இருந்தால், நமது வலிமையும் அதிகமாக இருக்கும் அவ்வளவுக்கு அவ்வளவு வெற்றியும் பாராட்டும் கிட்டும் என்றார் மகாத்மா காந்தி. வாழ்க்கையைப் பாராட்டும் படி வாழ, குன்றாத உழைப்பு குறையாத முயற்சி அவசியம் என்றார் தாமஸ் ஆல்வா எடிசன்.

ஏதோ சாதனை படைத்தால் மட்டுமே அளிக்கக் கூடியதாக பாராட்டு இருக்கக் கூடாது. குழந்தைகளின் சின்னச் சின்ன செயலையும் பாராட்ட வேண்டும். 

தாய், மனைவி, சகோதர, சகோதரிகள் எல்லோரும் பாராட்டுக்குரியவர்களே. விருந்தில் சாப்பாடு சிறப்பாக இருந்தால், சமையல் கலைஞர்களைப் பாராட்டுங்கள். வாசித்த புத்தகம் சிறப்பாக இருந்தால், அதன் ஆசிரியரைப் பாராட்டி கடிதம் எழுதுங்கள். 

பாராட்டுகளில் சிக்கனம் தவிர்த்து தாராளமாய் பாராட்ட வேண்டும், பாராட்டிட, பாராட்டுப் பெறுபவரை முன்பின் தெரிந்திருக்க வேண்டும் என்ற அவசியம் இல்லை. பாராட்டு, பாராட்டுபவர்களுக்கும் ஊக்கம் தரும் ஆதலினால் பாராட்டுங்கள்; பாராட்டோடு பரிசு எனில், முப்பால் நூலாம் திருக்குறளைப் பரிசளித்துப் பாராட்டுங்கள்.

தேர்வுகளும், தேர்தல்களும்

By உதயை மு.வீரையன் | Published on : 28th March 2019 01:42 AM 

மிகப் பெரிய மக்களாட்சி நாடான இந்தியாவில் அரசியல் சட்டத்துக்குட்பட்டு அமைதியாக தேர்தல் நடைபெறுவது உலகப் பார்வையில் அதிசயம்தான். மாணவர்களுக்கான தேர்வுகளும், மக்களுக்கான தேர்தல்களும் ஒரே காலத்தில் வந்திருப்பது பொருத்தம்தான். தேர்வுகளுக்கும், தேர்தல்களுக்கும் உள்ள ஒற்றுமையும், வேற்றுமையும் சிந்திக்கத்தக்கதுதான்.

ஆண்டு முழுவதும் படித்த மாணவர்களின் கல்வியறிவைச் சோதிப்பது தேர்வுகளாகும். அதுபோல அரசியல் கட்சிகளின் செயல்பாடுகளுக்கு மக்கள் மதிப்பெண் அளிக்கும் தேர்தல்களே அரசியல்வாதி
களின் எதிர்காலத்தையும், நாட்டின் எதிர்காலத்தையும் தீர்மானிக்கின்றன.
வகுப்பறைகளே ஒரு தேசத்தின் எதிர்காலத்தைத் தீர்மானிக்கின்றன என்று கோத்தாரி கல்விக் குழு கூறியது பொருள் பொதிந்த வார்த்தைகளாகும். இன்றைய மாணவர்களே நாளைய இளைஞர்களாகவும், அடுத்து முழு மனிதர்களாகவும் மாறுகின்றனர். அவர்களைத் தேசத் தலைவர்களாக மாற்றும் பணியையே கல்விச் சாலைகள் செய்கின்றன.

மாணவர்களுக்கான அறிவு வளர்ச்சியை ஆக்கும் பணியை கல்விக் கூடங்கள் செய்கின்றன. அவர்களது கல்வித் தகுதியை மதிப்பிடும் பணியை தேர்வுகள் செய்கின்றன. தமிழ்நாடு பள்ளிக் கல்வித் துறை நடத்தும் பிளஸ் 2 பொதுத் தேர்வுகள் கடந்த மார்ச் முதல் நாள் தொடங்கி மார்ச் 19-இல் முடிவடைந்தன. இந்தத் தேர்வை மாநிலம் முழுவதும் 2,944 மையங்களில் 8.2 லட்சம் பேர் எழுதியுள்ளனர்.

இதைத் தொடர்ந்து விடைத்தாள் திருத்தும் பணிகள் மார்ச் 30-இல் தொடங்கி ஏப்ரல் 11 வரை நடைபெறுகிறது. தேர்வு முடிவுகள் திட்டமிட்டபடி ஏப்ரல் 19 அன்று வெளியாகும் என்று அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதற்கிடையே பிளஸ் 1 தேர்வு கடந்த மார்ச் 6 முதல் தொடங்கி மார்ச் 22-இல் முடிவடைந்தன. தமிழகம் முழுவதும் 2,914 மையங்களில் 8 லட்சம் மாணவர்கள் எழுதி உள்ளனர். அதைத் தொடர்ந்து பத்தாம் வகுப்பு மாணவர்களும் தேர்வு எழுதி வருகின்றனர்.

இதேபோன்று அரசியல் கட்சிகளைச் சேர்ந்த வேட்பாளர்களும் போட்டி போட்டுக் கொண்டு தேர்வு எழுதப் போகின்றனர். வேட்புமனுக்களை வேட்பாளர்கள் தாக்கல் செய்யும் பணிகள் நிறைவடைந்து, தேர்தல் களத்தில் போட்டியிட இருக்கும் இறுதி வேட்பாளர் பட்டியல் வெளியாகும் நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.

ஏன் இத்தனை பரபரப்பு? 16-ஆவது நாடாளுமன்றத்தின் பதவிக் காலம் வரும் 2019 ஜூன் 3 அன்றுடன் முடிவடைகிறது. எனவே மே 31க்குள் புதிய நாடாளுமன்றம் பொறுப்பேற்க வேண்டும்.

17-ஆவது மக்களவைக்கு ஏப்ரல் 11 முதல் மே 19 வரை ஏழு கட்டங்களாக தேர்தல் நடைபெற உள்ளது. இதில் தமிழகம், புதுச்சேரி உள்பட 40 தொகுதிகளுக்கு ஏப்ரல் 18 அன்று ஒரே கட்டமாக வாக்குப் பதிவு நடைபெறும். தேர்தலில் பதிவாகும் வாக்குகள் அனைத்தும் மே 23 அன்று எண்ணப்படும். இதை தேர்தல் ஆணையர் சுனில் அரோரா தில்லியில் அறிவித்தார்.
தமிழ்நாட்டில் காலியாகவுள்ள 21 சட்டப்பேரவைத் தொகுதிகளில் 18 தொகுதிகள் உள்பட சில மாநிலங்களில் காலியாகவுள்ள சட்டப்பேரவைத் தொகுதிகளுக்கான இடைத் தேர்தலும் அந்தந்த மாநிலங்களில் நடைபெற உள்லது. தமிழ்நாட்டில் திருப்பரங்குன்றம், ஒட்டப்பிடாரம், அரவக்குறிச்சி ஆகிய 3 தொகுதிகளுக்கு வழக்குகள் காரணமாக இடைத்தேர்தல் நடத்தப்படவில்லை.

தேர்தல் தேதிகள் அறிவிக்கப்பட்டதைத் தொடர்ந்து தேர்தல் நடத்தை விதிகள் நாடு முழுவதும் நடைமுறைக்கு வந்துவிட்டன என்று தேர்தல் ஆணையம் அறிவித்துவிட்டது. காவல் துறையினரும், அதிரடிப் படையினரும், பறக்கும் படை யினரும் தங்கள் பணிகளை விரைவுபடுத்தியுள்ளனர்.
நடைபெற உள்ள மக்களவைத் தேர்தலில் கருப்புப் பண நடமாட்டத்தைக் கண்காணிக்க வருமான வரித்துறை சார்பில் 24 மணி நேரமும் செயல்படக்கூடிய கட்டுப்பாட்டு அறை திறக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மக்களவைத் தேர்தல் தொடர்பான செலவினங்களைக் கண்காணிக்கும்படி வருமான வரித் துறைப் (புலனாய்வு) பிரிவை தேர்தல் ஆணையம் கேட்டுக் கொண்டுள்ளது.

இதனையடுத்து தேர்தலை நியாயமாகவும், நேர்மையாகவும் நடத்துவதற்காகக் கணக்கில் வராத பணத்தை தேர்தல் செலவுகளுக்குப் பயன்படுத்துவதைக் கட்டுப்படுத்த வருமான வரித்துறை நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளது. இந்தத் தேர்தலில் கருப்புப் பண நடமாட்டத்தைக் கண்காணித்துத் தடுப்பதற்காக 24 மணி நேரமும் செயல்படக் கூடிய கட்டுப்பாட்டு அறையை தமிழ்நாடு மற்றும் புதுச்சேரிக்கான வருமான வரித்துறை (புலனாய்வு) திறந்துள்ளது.

எனவே, யாராவது அதிக அளவு பணம், அதிக மதிப்புள்ள நகைகள் உள்ளிட்ட பொருள்களைப் பதுக்கி வைத்திருந்தாலோ அல்லது அவற்றை ஓரிடத்தில் இருந்து மற்றொரு இடத்துக்குக் கொண்டு சென்றாலோ பொதுமக்கள் அதுபற்றி அறிந்தால் குறிப்பிட்ட எண்களில் தொடர்பு காண்டு தகவல் அளிக்கலாம்.

இதேபோல பொதுத் தேர்வு விடைத்தாள் திருத்தத்தில் தவறு செய்யும் ஆசிரியர்கள் மீது ஒழுங்கு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று தேர்வுத் துறை அறிவித்துள்ளது. பிளஸ் 2 தேர்வு முடிவடைந்து விடைத்தாள் திருத்தும் பணிகள் மார்ச் 29-இல் தொடங்கி ஏப்ரல் 11 வரை நடைபெறவுள்ளது.
இந்த நிலையில் விடைத்தாள் திருத்தும் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள ஆசிரியர்களுக்கான விதிமுறைகளை தேர்வுத் துறை வெளியிட்டுள்ளது. அதில், ஆசிரியர்கள் விடைத்தாளில் ஏற்பட்டுள்ள குறைபாடுகளை முதன்மைத் தேர்வாளர்களின் கவனத்துக்குக் கொண்டு வர வேண்டும். அவ்வாறு கொண்டு வராவிட்டால் அதனால் ஏற்படும் பின் விளைவுகளுக்கு ஆசிரியரே முழுப் பொறுப்பேற்க நேரிடும்.

விடைக்குறிப்பின் அடிப்படையில் விடைத்தாள் திருத்தப்பட வேண்டும். அனைத்துப் பக்கங்களிலும் உள்ள அனைத்து விடைகளும் எதுவும் விடுபடாமல் முழுவதும் சரியாகத் திருத்தப்பட வேண்டும். தேர்வர் விடை எழுதிய கடைசி வரியின் கீழ் தேர்வுத் துறை முத்திரை உள்ளதா என்பதை உறுதி செய்த பின்னரே ஆசிரியர் மதிப்பீட்டுப் பணியை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

மதிப்பெண்ணை முதல் பக்கத்தில் அதற்குரிய கட்டத்துக்குள் தெளிவாக எழுத வேண்டும். ஆசிரியர் செய்யும் தவறுகள் விடைத்தாள் நகல் பெறுதல், மறுகூட்டலின்போது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டால் ஒழுங்கு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று தமிழக பள்ளிக் கல்வி தேர்வுத் துறை அறிவித்துள்ளது.
தேர்விலும் தவறு ஏற்படக் கூடாது; தேர்தலிலும் தவறு ஏற்படக் கூடாது. தேர்வில் தவறு ஏற்பட்டால் மாணவர்கள் பாதிக்கப்படுவர்; தேர்தலில் தவறு ஏற்பட்டால் மக்கள் பாதிக்கப்படுவர். நாடும் பாதிக்கப்படும்.
சட்டங்களை மாற்றிட மக்களுக்கு அதிகாரம் உண்டு. அரசாங்கத்தை மாற்றுவதற்கும் அவர்களுக்கு உரிமை உண்டு. ஆனால், அந்த உரிமையை அமைதியான முறையில், ஜனநாயக முறையில் நாம் பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும். வன்முறைகளில் ஈடுபடுவோருக்கு ஜனநாயக முறையில் நம்பிக்கையில்லை. அவர்கள் கை ஓங்கிவிடின் நாட்டில் ஒரே குழப்பம் ஏற்பட்டு மக்களின் நிலை இன்னும் மோசமாகி விடும். அடுத்துவரும் தலைமுறையினர்களின் பளு அதிகமாகி விடும் என்று நாட்டின் முதல் பிரதமர் பண்டித நேரு கூறியிருக்கிறார்.

தேச நலனில் அக்கறை கொண்ட அனைவரின் கருத்தும் இப்படித்தான் இருக்கும். ஐந்தாண்டுகளுக்கு ஒருமுறை நாட்டு மக்களுக்கு ஓர் அரிய வாய்ப்பு வழங்கப்படுகிறது. சந்தர்ப்பவாத அரசியலுக்கு இடம் கொடுக்காமல் அதனைப் பயன்படுத்துவதுதான் மக்களாட்சிக்குச் செய்யும் உச்சநிலை மரியாதையாகும்.

ஏமாற்றுவது எவ்வளவு பெரிய தவறோ, ஏமாறுவதும் அதைவிடப் பெரிய தவறாகும். வாக்குறுதிகளை நம்பி ஏமாறுவது, பணத்தையும், பதவிகளையும் கண்டு ஏமாறுவது இன்னும் தொடர்கதையாகி வருகிறது. இதுவே மக்களாட்சிக்கு விடுக்கப்படும் அறைகூவலாகும்.
சில நேரங்களில் படித்த மாணவர்கள் தோல்வியுறுவதும், பல நேரங்களில் செயல்படாத கட்சிகள்வெற்றி பெறுவதும் நாட்டில் எதிர்பாராமல் காணப்படும் காட்சிகள்தாம். என்றாலும், நாம் நம்பிக்கையை இழந்துவிடக் கூடாது. ஆரம்ப காலத்தில் தோல்வியுற்றவர்கள் பிற்காலத்தில் பெரும் சாதனையாளர்களாக நிமிர்ந்து நிற்பதைக் காணலாம்.
உண்மையில் அதிகாரம் மக்களிடத்தில்தான் இருக்கிறது. இப்போதைக்குப் பிரதிநிதிகள் என்று யாரைத் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கிறோமோ, அவர்களிடம் ஒப்படைக்கப்படுகிறது. மக்கள் இல்லாமல் சுயேச்சையாக நாடாளுமன்றத்துக்கு அதிகாரமும் இல்லை. அது இருக்கவும் இயலாது என்பதுதான் மகாத்மா காந்தியின் கருத்தாகும்.

மாணவர்கள் இல்லாமல் கல்வி நிலையங்கள் இல்லாதது போல, மக்கள் இல்லாமல் தேசமும் இல்லை. கல்வி கற்பது மாணவர்களின் கடமை போன்று வாக்களிப்பது குடிமக்களின் கடமையாகும். கடமையைச் செய்யாமல் உரிமையை மட்டும் எதிர்பார்ப்பது தவறு.தேர்வில் ஆசிரியர்கள் போடும் மதிப்பெண்களே மாணவர்களின் எதிர்காலத்தைத் தீர்மானிக்கிறது. இந்தத் தேர்தலில் மக்கள் போடும் வாக்குகளே தேசத்தின் எதிர்காலத்தைத் தீர்மானிக்கிறது. 

அதிகாரங்கள் மக்களால் தரப்படுகிறது என்பதை அறியாமல் ஆட்சியாளர்கள் செய்யும் ஆர்ப்பாட்டங்களைக் கண்டு அழுவதா, சிரிப்பதா? காலம் பதில் சொல்லும்.

கட்டுரையாளர்:
எழுத்தாளர்.

ஏர் - இந்தியா விமானிகளுக்கு புது கட்டுப்பாடு அறிவிப்பு

Added : மார் 27, 2019 21:55


புதுடில்லி, 'விமான பயணத்தின் போது, விமானிகள், தங்களுக்காக, சிறப்பு உணவுகளை, 'ஆர்டர்' செய்யக் கூடாது' என, 'ஏர் - இந்தியா' நிறுவனம் அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளது.ஏர் - இந்தியா விமான நிறுவனத்தின் திட்ட இயக்குனர் அமிதாப் சிங், விமானிகளுக்கு அனுப்பியுள்ள சுற்றறிக்கையில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளதாவது:விமான பயணத்தின் போது, விமானிகள் தங்களுக்கென சிறப்பு உணவு பொருட்களை, ஆர்டர் செய்யக் கூடாது; இது, நிறுவனத்தின் விதிகளுக்கு எதிரானது. நிறுவனம் வகுத்துள்ள உணவு திட்ட முறைகளை, விமானிகள் கடைப்பிடிக்க வேண்டும். மருத்துவ காரணங்களுக்காக, டாக்டர்கள் பரிந்துரை இருந்தால், அவர்கள் மட்டும், சிறப்பு உணவுகளை ஆர்டர் செய்யலாம்.இவ்வாறு அதில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.விமானிகள் ஆர்டர் செய்யும் சிறப்பு உணவுகளால், செலவு அதிகரிப்பதால், இந்த திடீர் உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக, ஏர் - இந்தியா நிறுவன அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்துஉள்ளனர்.இது குறித்து அதிகாரிகள் கூறியதாவது:விமானிகள், பயணத்திற்கு முன், கூடுதல் விலையுள்ள சிறப்பு உணவுகளை ஆர்டர் செய்கின்றனர். அதை தயாரித்து எடுத்து செல்வதற்கு கூடுதல் நேரம் தேவைப்படுவதுடன், செலவும் அதிகரிக்கிறது. இதன் காரணமாகவே, இந்த புதிய கட்டுப்பாடு விதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

Doctors’ assn seeks probe by expert panel

So, the government should form a committee with experts from AIIMS, JIPMER and other outsiders.

Published: 28th March 2019 02:44 AM | Last Updated: 28th March 2019 04:40 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: After Health secretary Beela Rajesh directed the Health department officials to initiate criminal action against the erring doctors and paramedical staff of the blood banks after nine maternal deaths were allegedly reported in the three GHs in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts in the last one year, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association and others requested the government to conduct a detailed inquiry before taking action.

A release from the association said, “The doctors association will cooperate to take action against the doctors and paramedical staff if the government constituted committee finds fault after a detailed inquiry. But, it is not acceptable to demand action based on media reports.”

However, a letter from the Health secretary to the Director of Medical Education and Director of Medical Services, said: “An expert committee was formed to inspect the blood banks on January 22. The committee submitted the report based on their observations after visiting the blood banks.”

Meanwhile, Dr G Ravindranath, General Secretary of Doctor’s Association for Social Equality, said, “Truth won’t come out if the matter is investigated by the committee formed by the State. So, the government should form a committee with experts from AIIMS, JIPMER and other outsiders.”

Pension is not a concession but right of staff: Madras HC

The minimum expectation of such employees in the twilight of their life is to be compensated modestly, the Madras High Court has observed.

Published: 28th March 2019 02:57 AM 

Madras High Court (Photo | D Sampath Kumar, EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Pension is neither charity nor largesse to be claimed as a matter of concession. It is a right which is accrued to all employees of pensionable service, as they had toiled in employment for number of years of service. The minimum expectation of such employees in the twilight of their life is to be compensated modestly, the Madras High Court has observed.

“As French philosopher Albert Camus said, ‘It is a kind of spiritual snobbery that makes people think they can be happy without money’. The profound statement of the philosopher is more true and apt today as the world around us is rotating on a materialistic axis and every humble citizen becomes vulnerable and exposed to harsh realities of life. Life always revolves around hope and for pensioners adequate pension is the only hope left in their remaining part of life. Without that hope, the final phase of existence becomes too mundane. Therefore, the right to receive adequate pension is implicit within the framework of the Constitution, particularly in terms of Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” Justice V Parthiban said.

The judge was allowing a writ petition from ONGC Retired Employees’ Welfare Association and others on Tuesday.

The judge said that both employees of the exempted and unexempted establishments are entitled to the benefit of enhanced pension on the basis of their contribution with reference to actual salary received by them to their Provident Fund accounts. The cut-off date as prescribed, i.e. December 1, 2004, is invalid in law and therefore, the same is held to be illegal and invalid.

The employees, namely, the writ petitioners, shall be permitted to exercise their option in terms of proviso to clause 11(3) of the Pension Scheme and while permitting so, the EPFO is at liberty to seek return of the higher provident fund contribution received by the respective employees with simple interest at the rate of six per cent per year from the date of receipt of PF amount and till the date of payment. The amounts to be refunded by the employees concerned shall be verified by the EPFO in consultation with the respective establishments in which the workers were employed.


On refund of the verified amount with interest, the EPFO should calculate and grant enhanced pension on the basis of actual salaries received by the staff with arrears of pension from the date of their retirement and continue to pay monthly enhanced pension throughout their lifetime, the judge said.


The respective managements of the exempted establishments, which maintained the private trust, shall cooperate with the EPFO and render all assistance in quantifying the amount to be refunded by the respective employees with interest at six per cent per annum on such refund. The entire exercise shall be initiated and completed by the individual managements and the EPFO within six months, the judge said.

Tamil Nadu government declares April 18 as public holiday

Elections to 39 Parliamentary seats Tamil Nadu will be held on April 18 in a single phase polling.

Published: 27th March 2019 11:26 PM 

By PTI

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government Wednesday issued a government order, announcing a public holiday on April 18, the day the Lok Sabha polls will be held in the state. According to the GO, the Election Commission has notified that the poll day for General Elections to Lok Sabha and Bye-Elections to 18 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu be declared as "public holiday" under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

"The Governor of Tamil Nadu hereby declares April 18, the date on which the polls for the General Elections and bye-elections to 18 assembly constituencies will take place in Tamil Nadu, to be a public holiday", the order issued by chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan said.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Elections to 39 Parliamentary seats in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 18 in a single phase polling.


Tamil Nadu votes in the second phase of the seven-phase elections to a total of 543 Lok Sabha seats.

The AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), its rival DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), actor Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam and TTV Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) are the main contenders in the polls, making it a four-cornered contest.

Kongu College’s science departments selected under ‘Star College’ scheme

STAFF REPORTER

ERODE, MARCH 28, 2019 00:00 IST

To receive Rs. 1.04 crore grant to promote science discipline

The science departments of the Kongu Arts and Science College have been selected under the “Star College” scheme of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. The departments would receive Rs. 1.04 crore grant for promoting the undergraduate science discipline.

Science teaching

The scheme, initiated by the Department of Biotechnology, is to promote colleges and university departments offering undergraduate education to improve science teaching with the support of laboratories, library, teaching aids, networking with neighbouring institutes, hands-on training and minor research projects to the students.

The Departments of Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics have been selected under the scheme.

Fund

A press release from the institution said that it was the first college in the district to be selected under the scheme.

The selected departments will be given Rs. 68 lakh in the first year, Rs. 18 lakh in the second year and another Rs. 18 lakh in the third year for purchasing equipment and to meet out recurring expenses.

The release added that the college had received the first year’s grant of Rs. 68 lakh recently and work has begun to utilise the funds.

College Correspondent A.K. Ilango appreciated the head of the departments and the faculty for their efforts in getting selected under the scheme.

HC mulls over possibility of prosecuting State in every alcohol-related crime

Mohamed Imranullah S.

CHENNAI, MARCH 28, 2019 00:00 IST

TASMAC had reported a turnover of Rs. 31,757 crore.File photo

Calls for views from the Bar on pressing the charge of abetment against the government

Observing that “government cannot wash its hands of the adverse effects of its policy to sell liquor to its own people,” the Madras High Court on Wednesday decided to examine the legal possibility of prosecuting the State on the charge of abetment in every offence committed by individuals under the influence of alcohol.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh took the decision after expressing his anguish over the increasing number of offences committed under the influence of alcohol. “This court wants to make the government also responsible for each and every such offence,” he said and solicited the views of members of all Bar Associations on April 4.

It was while allowing an anticipatory bail petition filed by two individuals who were accused of abetting a person to commit suicide when he was in an inebriated mood that the judge said: “Every other day, this court, with pain, encounters various offences committed by accused persons under the influence of alcohol.

“This court can take judicial notice of the increasing number of motor accidents due to drunken driving, murders, sexual abuse and child abuse committed under the influence of alcohol. In some cases, the fathers themselves misbehave with their daughters. These incidents are bound to go up in the graph unless the government changes its policy.”

It was settled law that courts could not interfere with policy decisions of the State. Nevertheless, asserting that courts could also not be a mute spectator to such increase in crimes and continue to watch them with dismay, Justice Venkatesh said, he would want to embark upon an exercise that could make the State accountable for its decisions.

Referring to the definition of abetment under Section 107 of Code of Criminal Procedure, the judge said: “The traditional outlook of the offence may not encompass within itself the issue now attempted to be addressed. However, the law has to evolve and it can never remain static and become stale. Law has to be dynamic and it must be elastic enough to meet the need of the hour.”

He decided to give an opportunity to the State also to make its submissions before he could pass final orders on the issue but noted with pain that Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, a State owned undertaking through which the government had monopolised sale of liquor across the State, had reported a turnover of Rs. 31,757 crore.

“Unfortunately, the income earned through sale of liquor to the general public is the major contributor to the economy of this State. One fifth of the revenue of the Government of Tamil Nadu is generated by selling liquor to its own people. The National Family Health Services indicate that close to half of the male population (47%) in Tamil Nadu consume liquor.

“This sorry state of affairs is already a subject matter of challenge before a Division Bench of this court and the Bench is seized of this matter. Therefore, this court does not want to get deeper into this issue,” the judge said and decided to take a call next week on subjecting the State to criminal prosecution so that the victims could get some compensation.

Toll rates to be revised in over 20 plazas in T.N. from April 1

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, MARCH 28, 2019 00:00 IST

Transporters hope that the new government will find some way to get rid of the toll plazas.File photo

Increase will only be nominal, say sources in National Highways Authority of India

Toll rates at over 20 plazas under the control of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the State are to be revised from April 1. This annual revision is based on the wholesale price index and is calculated using a rule enforced in 2008.

Sources in the NHAI said the revised rates would be nominal and would not even constitute a 2% hike in most cases. “There will be some increase in monthly pass rates. In some cases where road widening is happening, the rates are yet to be finalised and will come into force along with other plazas on the appointed date,” the official said.

“The rates of remaining plazas would be revised from September 1 and the calculation for those is done based on the rule that came into force in 1997,” he added.

Plazas at Athur, Boothakudi, Chennasamudram, Krishnagiri, Vagaikulam, Paranur, Vanur, Sriperumbudur, Vaniyambadi and Surapattu are among a few where the revision would come into force.

Impeding movement

He also added that if more motorists opted for RFID cards, it would help cut down waiting time at toll plazas. There are a total of 43 toll plazas under the control of the NHAI in the State, with the oldest ones being on the Chennai bypass at Surapet and Vanagaram, where tolling began in June 2003.

P.V. Subramani, vice-president (south zone), All India Motor Transport Congress said toll plazas and RTO checks on the roads had always been troubling transporters, impeding vehicle movement.

“After the implementation of GST and now with the impending elections and financial year-end, vehicle movement has come down and so we don’t witness many traffic jams. We hope that the new government will make some way to get rid of the toll plazas and the RTO presence on roads,” he said.

Scientist pioneers ‘bra’ that detects cancer

Malayali scientist A Seema was honoured this year with the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar for her work

— Anna.Mathews@timesgroup.com

28.03.2019

A Seema has an admirable no-nonsense approach to things, whether it is about her career, the way she looks at gender or even the national awards she has received. Or maybe, it is just the practical manner of a scientist.

Led by her, 10 scientists from the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) in Thrissur, have developed a firstof-its-kind wearable device, basically designed like a bra, with inbuilt sensors to enable screening of breast cancer. It is an indigenously developed, inexpensive, radiation-free, easy-to-use device that enables widespread checks at the community level.

For her work, Seema was honoured with the Nari Shakti Puraskar, the highest civilian honour for a woman from President Ram Nath Kovind on International Women’s Day. She also received the National Award for Women’s Development (NAWD) through Application of Science and Technology, given by the Department of Science and Technology in late February.

According to the Noida-based National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, there were 1.62 lakh new cases and 87,090 deaths reported in 2018 from breast cancer in India. While it is the most common cancer in women in the country, with one woman diagnosed with the disease every four minutes, there is no organised screening.

“We were developing chip thermal sensors used in automobiles and had transferred the technology in 2016,” says Seema, who has worked with C-MET for two decades. “We had an interaction with the Malabar Cancer Centre and they asked if we can extrapolate the sensors that we developed to a community-level breast cancer screening device.”

Seema hopes that once the bra is mass produced, this could bring a change in the lives of many. “We started working on this wearable device in 2014, completed it in 2018 and transferred the technology for commercialisation to a Hyderabadbased company in January 2019,” she says.

Its working is very simple for the person undergoing the screening and for those operating the device. The bra is worn for 15 to 30 minutes, the device maps the skin temperature of the breast and gives a 2D image reading, which can be obtained on a laptop, tablet, or similar connected device through the data acquisition system through a wireless or wired connector. Cancer cells have a high metabolic rate, and so, have a higher temperature than normal cells.

If there is an abnormality, it shows up a temperature difference.

The clinical trials were conducted on 170 patients and 200 volunteers, at the Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, with committee permissions.“We compared the results with standard diagnostic tools such as the mammogram and ultrasound. There was a 90% comparison with mammogram. This is only the beginning; more clinical trials and multi-centre trials need to be done, and it has to be mass produced. Transferring the technology is the first step towards this,” says Seema, who did her PhD in composite materials at CUSAT.

While the bra is only a preliminary screening and the mammogram is still the standard test advised, the former has several advantages. It costs only 1/300 of a mammogram, points out Seema. “The digital mammogram device costs about ₹3.5 crore, this device, including data acquisition, will cost only between ₹25,000 to ₹50,000. Getting a mammogram costs ₹1,000, while this device will do a test for less than ₹50, and the equipment has no recurring costs,” she notes. Also, while the mammogram is an x-ray technique and WHO guidelines say that it should only be done for women above 40 because of the radiation, there is no such risk with this device. “But that does not mean this is to replace the mammogram. This is a portable device for community-screening that can be taken in a briefcase to the community. This device also ensures the privacy of the woman, as it is worn as an inner wear and the woman can wear her gown over it. This is a big issue in the country,” she says.

Also, unlike the mammogram, there is no pain while using this for screening. There is a thermography device in the West where the screening is done with an infrared camera, but again, there is the issue of radiation and it does not offer the privacy of the bra.

The team is next working on creating 3D images with the device. Seema is also working on a super capacitor project for the Central Ministry of Power. “It is technology that we are working on at the same time as the rest of the world, and we are set to transfer the technology soon. We are also creating the first fully indigenous technology in very small chip thermal sensors of 0.5 mm thickness; these are projects of pride for us,” she says.

WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS WEARABLE DEVICE IN 2014, COMPLETED IT IN 2018 AND TRANSFERRED THE TECHNOLOGY FOR COMMERCIALISATION TO A HYDERABAD-BASED COMPANY IN JANUARY 2019

— A SEEMA, C-MET SCIENTIST

THIS DEVICE, INCLUDING DATA ACQUISITION, WILL COST ONLY BETWEEN ₹25,000 TO ₹50,000. GETTING A MAMMOGRAM COSTS ₹1,000, WHILE THIS DEVICE WILL DO A TEST FOR LESS THAN₹50, AND THE EQUIPMENT HAS NO RECURRING COSTS

— A Seema

Yale student expelled over admission bribery scam

New York:28.03.2019

Times of India

The Yale University has expelled a student whose parents paid more than a million dollars in bribes to get her in, the first such move since a huge admissions scandal erupted earlier this month. Some 50 people have been indicted so far in a scam to help children of the American elite gain entry into top US colleges. They include sports coaches, university administrators, and 33 parents accused of paying bribes According to the university, women’s soccer coach Rudy Meredith, who left Yale, provided fraudulent athletic recommendations to “two applicants only.” One of the two was accepted into Yale in January 2018, after her relatives paid $1.2 million in bribes according to the charge sheet against Meredith.

The coach also received $400,000 from a go-between who organised the deal. “Yale investigated and the admission of the student who received a fraudulent endorsement has been rescinded,” the varsity said. AFP

Woman delivers twins a month after 1st birth

Dhaka:28.03.2019

Times of India

A Bangladeshi mother has stunned doctors by giving birth to healthy twins 26 days after a first child was born prematurely.

Arifa Sultana, 20, gave birth to a baby boy last month through normal delivery, but doctors missed the presence of a second uterus.

“She didn’t realise she was still pregnant with the twins. Her waters broke again 26 days after the first baby was born and she rushed to us,” Sheila Poddar, a gynaecologist who treated Arifa, said.

Podder carried out an emergency caesarean section to deliver the twins — one boy and one girl — last Friday.

The young woman was allowed to go home with her three healthy babies on Tuesday. Podder said there were no complications.

“I haven’t seen any case like this in my 30-year plus medical career,” Dilip Roy, chief government doctor in Jessore, said. He questioned the actions of Khulna Medical College Hospital doctors for not detecting the second pregnancy.

Hailing from a poor family, Sultana said she was happy with the children but felt concerned how she would bring them up. She said her husband earns barely 6,000 taka ($70) a month as a labourer. “I don’t know how we will manage such a huge responsibility with this little amount.” AFP

DPU Admission Notice for 2019-20

DOON HORROR

Boy, 12, killed by seniors, school quietly buries body on campus

Gaurav Talwar & Prashant Jha TNN

Dehradun:28.03.2019

The brutal hacking of Vasu Yadav, a 12-year-old boarding school student, with cricket bats and wickets by his seniors has numbed the education fraternity in Dehradun, coming as it does barely a few months after the gangrape of a minor girl in another boarding school here.

On Wednesday, a day after the crime was reported, more sordid details regarding the case emerged. According to police, the management of the school, which has around 400 students, in a bid to hush up the matter had hurriedly buried the boy’s body inside the school campus soon after doctors declared him dead.

There was also delay in taking the boy to the hospital after his seniors, both Class XII students of the same school who are about 19 years old, beat him brutally in a classroom, allegedly tortured him and then poured cold water on him because they blamed him for stealing a packet of biscuit while the students were on an outing, leading to the school administration cancelling permission of all students to leave the campus. After the beating, the boy passed away and remained in the classroom for the next few hours till he was found by the hostel warden late in the evening.

SSP Dehradun Nivedita Kukreti told TOI that there were several lapses on the school’s part. “Not only was the boy taken very late to hospital that led to his death, the staff members also tried to hide the incident and did not report it to police. He was beaten up in phases in the afternoon, while he was taken to hospital in late evening,” the officer said.

Usha Negi, chairperson of the Uttarakhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, whose intervention in the case led to the matter coming to light, said that all possible attempts seemed to have been done to cover up the incident. “The incident took place on March 10 and we were informed about it on March 11 following which we visited the school. However, when we got there, we found that the school administration had buried the body within the campus without even conducting the postmortem. It was only after our intervention that the police exhumed the body and conducted the postmortem.” She added that “they didn’t even bother to inform the parents, who live in Hapur, that their child had died”.

For full report, www.toi.in

SURROUND SOUND

TOI 28.03.2019

AMMK has to wait until March 29 for new symbol

TV Dhinakaran’s AMMK will have to wait until March 29 for a new symbol for its candidates. The Election Commission has asked all returning officers in Tamil Nadu to wait till further orders before allocating a symbol for the party. All the candidates from the party will contest as independents, said chief electoral officer Satyabrata Sahoo. “We have received an order from the EC asking all returning officers not to give any symbol to AMMK candidates until further orders,” said Sahoo. Only after March 29, the last date for withdrawal of nominations, will new symbols for candidates be known. “We have 193 symbols in the basket,” he said.

Actor plays the role of sweeper

Popular Tamil movie actor Mansoor Ali Khan, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election form Dindigul as a Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate, donned the role of a sweeper while wooing voters in Dindigul. Mansoor Ali Khan, known for his villainous roles, has been campaigning in various parts of Dindigul. On Tuesday he approached sanitary workers, who were cleaning the road, and donned their role for some time. He cleaned an entire stretch before reaching out to the people in the area. Many, who passed by, stopped for a while and interacted with the actor. In one of the shops he cooked snacks in a hot pan and served it to customers.

April 18 to be public holiday

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday declared April 18, the day of polling for the Lok Sabha elections in 39 constituencies as well as byelections in 18 assembly constituencies, a public holiday. Chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan said the holiday was announced under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.



THE DARK HORSE: T T V Dhinakaran during a campaign rally at Royapuram in Chennai on Wednesday

Recruitment irregularity: HC summons univ registrar

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2019

The Madras high court on Wednesday summoned the registrar of Periyar University to appear before the court on Thursday in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment of assistant professors.

A division bench of Justice K K Sasidharan and Justice P D Audikesavalu passed the interim order after the court was informed that the university had promoted an assistant professor appointed through the recruitment despite a single judge of the court having declared the appointment illegal.

The issue pertains to the appointment of G Sudha as associate professor to the department of biochemistry in the university. She was hired through a recruitment notification dated March 28, 2013.

According to the original petitioner, C Thirunavukkarasu, who was also a candidate, though the interview was for the post of professor, after the interview Sudha was appointed associate professor on the grounds that she performed better than other candidates.

Allowing the plea, a single judge of the court on December 21, 2017, declared the appointment illegal and directed the university to conduct fresh recruitment. Aggrieved, Sudha moved an appeal and obtained an interim stay against the operation of the single judge order.

While the appeal was pending before the division bench, the university had allegedly promoted Sudha. Taking a serious view of the act, the bench directed the registrar to appear before the court for an explanation.

Provide pension benefits to staff of exempted firms: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2019

Noting that pension is neither a charity nor a largesse to be claimed as a matter of concession and that it is a right which is accrued to all employees of pensionable service, the Madras high court on Wednesday directed the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation to provide benefit of enhanced pension on the basis of actual salary received for employees of exempted establishments as well.

Justice V Parthiban passed the order while allowing a batch of pleas moved by employees of such exempted establishments.

Exempted establishments are institutions that have their own provident fund trust maintained by the establishment itself.

“The minimum expectation of such employees in the evening of their life is to be compensated modestly. The world around us is rotating on a materialistic axis and every humble citizen becomes vulnerable and exposed to harsh realities of life. Life always revolves around hope, and for pensioners, an adequate pension is the only hope left in their remaining part of life. Without that hope, the final phase of existence becomes too mundane and impoverished. Therefore, the right to receive adequate pension is implicit within the framework of the Constitution, particularly in terms of Article 21of the Constitution,” Justice Parthiban said while passing the order.

Employees of both exempted and unexempted establishments are entitled to the benefit of enhanced pension on the basis of their contribution with reference to the actual salary received by them to their provident fund accounts, the court concluded. This apart, the court also declared the cutoff date prescribed by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation to subscribe to the scheme as invalid.

‘LYSED’ BLOOD

Maternal deaths: Doctors not to face criminal action

Probe To Find Cause Of Death

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2019

No criminal complaints would be filed against doctors, staff nurses or lab technicians for negligence that led to maternal deaths in Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Hosur hospitals until their role is proved without doubt in a departmental inquiry, health department officials have said.

While the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association was lobbying with the media to contain damage, the State Human Rights Commission has called for reports from the health department within two weeks. Taking suo motu cognizance of the deaths, the commission has asked the state health secretary, directors of medical services and medical education and Tamil Nadu State Aids control project director to submit a report in two weeks. “In the event of default, the commission may take suitable action as it may deem fit,” a notice said.

On Monday, officials in the health department told TOI that after audits showed 15 maternal deaths due to ‘lysed blood transfusion’ in four months, state health secretary Beela Rajesh ordered two directors of the health department to lodge criminal cases, conduct departmental inquiry and lodge complaints with the medical council.

However, on Wednesday, officials said audits showed seven maternal deaths, and probe will be ordered to ascertain the cause of death in each of these cases. Officials have also been asked to check for adverse blood reactions in other surgical and trauma cases. “Only after a detailed departmental inquiry we would be able to lodge criminal complaints with police or with the state medical council for cancellation of medical licences of doctors,” said director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe. “At present, we don’t have adequate evidence. Also, we will have to give the doctors a chance to explain their situation. If they are found guilty, we will frame charges that may stymie promotions and increments. We will be able to dismiss them and file criminal charges only if we find wilful neglect,” he said.

The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association issued press releases urging the media to show restraint. “The incidence of severe reaction to blood transfusion is at least 0.5%. In a large hospital like Dharmapuri, the incidence was not higher than international standards,” said state president Dr K Senthil. Doctors also argued that the government did not test samples of blood issued to call them lysed and said post-mortem evidence too wasn’t conclusive. “Blood reactions aren’t always because of lysed blood,” he said. Legal experts, however, expressed disappointment over the government’s stand. “The state must initiate criminal proceedings against the doctors as they now know that the blood bags were poorly maintained and care was compromised leading to death. Without much delay, a case should be filed under culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Departmental inquiry can be conducted simultaneously,” said former additional solicitor general P Wilson.

Include ESI dispensaries for incentive marks: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2019

The Madras high court on Wednesday directed the state government to include ESI dispensaries located in hilly/remote/rural areas in the list of institutions eligible for awarding incentive marks to in-service candidates for admission to post-graduate medical courses.

Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana passed the direction while allowing a plea moved by 10 ESI in-service candidates, including M Sathya.

The petitioners sought the court to quash the government order dated March 6, which excluded ESI dispensaries coming under ESI scheme in Tamil Nadu for the purpose of categorisation of remote/ difficult/rural areas for awarding incentive marks to the in-service candidates for admission to Post Graduation Medical Courses as per Regulation 9(iv) of Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation, 2000.

Allowing the plea, the judge said, “If the authorities are of the opinion that there is a disparity between doctors in ESI dispensaries and PHCs in terms of workload, it is a separate issue to be addressed by the government. When the categorisation of areas is based on geographical classification, the ESI dispensaries cannot be left out in extending the benefits of incentive marks.”

Moreover, for categorising the doctors, the nature of the duties being performed by them cannot be the criteria and only classification permitted by the regulation is the geographical difficulty and / or remoteness of the areas, the court added.

The court then directed the state to include the ESI dispensaries located in the classified areas as has been done in the previous academic year and draw the merit list, as scheduled, thereafter and extend the benefit of incentive marks to the doctors working in ESI dispensaries, including the petitioners, if the same are located in the classified areas.

For categorising doctors, the nature of duties being performed by them can’t be the criteria and only classification permitted by the regulation is the geographical difficulty and / or remoteness of the areas, the court said

SRM Group conducts project day

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2019

SRM Group of Institution, Ramapuram, conducted 'project day' on Wednesday for Easwari Engineering College, SRM Institute of Science and Technology Ramapuram and SRM Dental College.

More than 300 hundred projects were displayed by the students in different streams of engineering (mechanical, IT, electrical) and dental colleges, said a release from the SRM Group.

A few innovative projects displayed by the students were that of a foldable bike, mobile app for aged people, recovery of people from deep borewell using robot, water saving device for agriculture, detection of driver drowsiness during driving, alerting and device for autism and automated plastic recycling machine.

Prizes worth ₹7 lakh were distributed for the best projects. Gastric cancer cell detection won the first prize.

Anna univ’s drone creates world record

Chennai:28.03.2019

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the body governing air sports across the world, has declared that Anna University holds the world record for hovering an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the longest duration.

This record pertains to multirotor UAV in the 5kg to 25kg category.

The attempt was made by a UAV developed by the Centre for Aerospace Research at Madras Institute of Technology functioning under Anna University. FAI, Aero Club of India and other experts were present when the team attempted the record last July. It achieved a duration of six hours, seven minutes and 45 seconds. 

TNN

‘Why shouldn’t govt be liable for crimes related to alcohol?’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2019

The Madras high court on Wednesday wondered why the Tamil Nadu government, which earns a major part of its revenue by selling liquor to its citizens, should not be made accountable as an abettor for crimes committed under the influence of alcohol.

“In every offence committed under the influence of alcohol, this court is of the considered view that the government should be made liable through its ministry of prohibition and excise, as an abettor of the crime,” Justice N Anand Venkatesh said.

The government certainly cannot wash its hand off the adverse effects of this policy of selling liquor to its own people. The government must be made responsible at some point of time for the increasing criminal offences committed under the influence of alcohol, the court said.

“ If the concerned department of the government is made an accused for having instigated/stimulated a person to commit a crime, ultimately at the time of imposing punishment, the court can order for sufficient compensation to the victim,” Justice Venkatesh added.

Noting that the court saw an increase in crimes due to the influence of alcohol, the judge said, “Alcohol plays a larger role in criminal activities and violence. Excessive drinking has the ability to lower inhibitions, impair a person’s judgement and increase the risk of aggressive behaviour. Because of this, alcohol-related violence and crime rates are on the raise in this state.”

“Researches have proved beyond question that prolonged drinking or binge drinking significantly increase the risk of committing violent offences. This court is taking judicial notice of the increasing accidents due to drunken driving, sexual assaults committed under the influence of alcohol, child abuse committed due to the influence of alcohol and in some cases, where the father under the influence of alcohol misbehaves with his own daughter, murders that regularly take place due to drunken brawl,” the court said.

Six killed in blast at fireworks unit in TN

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Tiruvarur:28.03.2019

Six people died and three others were injured in an explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit at Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district early on Wednesday. The reason for the blast is not known.

According to police, the victims were engaged in manufacturing firecrackers for the Tiruvarur Rajagopala Swami Temple Panguni (Tamil month) festival when the blast occurred.

Police identified the deceased as T Singaravelu, 60, owner of the unit, and M Veeraiyan, 80, P Babu, 45, S Mohan, 55, of Asath Street, G Suresh, 39, of Vadacherri, and K Arivumathi, 22, of Mannai Nagar. Sheik Abdulla, 25, Muthu, 48, and Somasundaram, 53, of Mannai Nagar sustained injuries.

The fireworks unit had been functioning from a building at Mannai Nagar since 1989. According to sources, at 9am on Wednesday, a sudden explosion shook the building and brought it down.

The victims were blown into pieces and their body parts were tossed into the air in the impact of the blast. Many residents in the neighbourhood felt the intensity of the blast as things crashed on to the floor.

Fire and rescue services personnel from Mannargudi and Koothanallur recovered the bodies from the debris and sent the three injured to Mannargudi GH for treatment. Mannargudi police are probing the case.

UGC to fund over 10,000 colleges for starting women studies programmes 

UGC will monitor and engage in both teaching and research activities on issues related to women and also promote entrepreneurship among them education Updated: Mar 27, 2019 09:42 IST



Prashant K Nanda
Hindustan Times

University Grants Commission (UGC) will allow over 10,000 institutions, both colleges and universities, to offer women’s studies in India, a move the education regulator believes will bring women’s contribution to the society and the economy to the forefront. Eligible colleges will get a grant of ₹25 lakh per annum and universities ₹35 lakh per annum from the UGC.

UGC will monitor and engage in both teaching and research activities on issues related to women and also promote entrepreneurship among them. These centres or departments will undertake field research in areas on women leadership, gender gap analysis, inclusion of women in economic and social development and existing policy and legislation related to women.

Besides, it will also ask such centres to conduct research on women’s contribution to science and technology. Women and their contribution to the economy has been a debate in India in general, particularly the participation of the women labour force. In India, the women labour force participation rate is 27% against 33% in Bangladesh, 61% in China, 51% in Myanmar, 57% in the UK, 55% in the US and 82% in Nepal, according to World Bank data. This despite India’s a robust economic growth, rising incomes and improvements in female literacy, has been perplexing.

Even gender pay gap is high since women workers earn 19% less wage than men on an average, according to a recent report by Monster India. Such centres will help in pursuing a comprehensive, critical and balanced understanding of India’s socio economic realities, UGC said. The initiative will include “women’s contribution to society and social processes, and women’s perception of their own lives, the broader social reality and their struggles and aspirations.”

First Published: Mar 27, 2019 09:42 IST

Is Death due to Malaria from Mosquito Bite a Death due to Accident? Supreme Court answers

Murali Krishnan March 26 2019

Is death due to malaria occasioned by a mosquito bite in Mozambique a death due to accident. The Supreme Court had the occasion to consider this interesting question in an appeal filed by an Insurance Company against a judgment of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta held that death due to malaria from mosquito bite cannot be considered as death due to an accident in a place like Mozambique.

The insurance policy, in this case, provided cover for deaths due to personal accidents. The insured person died due to malaria which he contracted while working in Mozambique.

The claim by the heirs of the deceased was upheld by the District Forum, State Commission and NCDRC. This resulted in the appeal by the insurance company before the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court after hearing the rival submissions and after considering the provisions in the insurance policy, ruled in favour of the insurance company. It held that in a place like Mozambique, death due to malaria from mosquito bite cannot be considered as death due to an accident.

This was because according to the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report 2018, Mozambique, with a population of 29.6 million people, accounts for 5% of cases of malaria globally. Further, one out of three people in Mozambique is afflicted with malaria.

“In a policy of insurance which covers death due to accident, the peril insured against is an accident: an untoward happening or occurrence which is unforeseen and unexpected in the normal course of human events. The death of the insured in the present case was caused by encephalitis malaria. The claim under the policy is founded on the hypothesis that there is an element of uncertainty about whether or when a person would be the victim of a mosquito bite which is a carrier of a vectorborne disease. The submission is that being bitten by a mosquito is an unforeseen eventuality and should be regarded as an accident. We do not agree with this submission.

The insured was based in Mozambique. According to the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report 2018, Mozambique, with a population of 29.6 million people, accounts for 5% of cases of malaria globally. It is also on record that one out of three people in Mozambique is afflicted with malaria.”

Hence, the illness of encephalitis malaria through a mosquito bite in Mozambique cannot be considered as an accident. It was neither unexpected nor unforeseen. It was not a peril insured against in the policy of accident insurance.

Hence, the Court ruled that the heirs of the insured person cannot take advantage of a policy of insurance which covers death due to accident.

The Court, therefore, allowed the appeal and set aside the judgment of NCDRC.

What the Supreme Court held on 'excluded employees' under the Employees Provident Fund Scheme

Shruti Mahajan March 27 2019

Employees who have withdrawn their full provident fund upon superannuation and subsequently re-employed on lump sum honorarium basis cannot be automatically treated by the employer as “excluded employees” under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952.

In order to be covered under the expression “excluded employee” under the 1952 scheme, the employee during his earlier employment must have been a member of the Fund established under the Scheme of 1952 and not any other Fund.

This was held by a Bench of Justices AM Sapre and Dinesh Maheshwari of Supreme Court in an appeal against a judgment of a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court.

In the instant case, the Appellant, Modern Transport Consultation Services Pvt Ltd., had approached the Supreme Court contending that the employees who had retired from Indian Railways, would be ‘excluded employees’ when employed by the Appellant. Thus, it was the argument of the Appellants that they would not be obliged to make any PF contributions with respect to such employees.

This contention of the Appellant was accepted by the single judge of Calcutta High Court but rejected by the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court. The Division Bench had held that such employees would indeed fall within the ambit of the Act as well as the Scheme. Aggrieved by this, the Appellants had moved the Supreme Court.

Facts of the Case

The dispute arose in 2002 when the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner communicated to the Appellant company that owing to the number of employees in the establishment, the company fell within the purview of the Act. The Appellant responded to the same by claiming that most of the employees were retired personnel and were hired on a retainer basis. This contention was refuted by the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner.

The competent authority under the Act initiated proceedings for the determination of money due from the Appellants and determined the amount of money payable. The Appellant then filed a Writ petition before the High Court where the Single Judge Bench ruled in the favour of the Appellants. This, however, was set aside by the Division Bench leading to an appeal in Supreme Court

Arguments before the Supreme Court

The Counsel for the Appellants submitted before the Supreme Court that the employees hired on retainer basis had enjoyed all the benefits of superannuation and were included in the General Provident Fund (GPF) Scheme while in service and were also in receipt of a pension. This would make them “excluded employees” under the Scheme of 1952. It was also argued that should these employees not be treated as “excluded employees”, as it would lead to their “unjust enrichment”.

The Respondent submitted that retired Railway employees would not fall within the scope of “excluded employees” given that they were not covered under the Scheme of 1952. The Counsel argued that under the Act of 1952, two different sets of provident fund Schemes are envisioned – the Scheme of 1952 under Section 5 of the Act and other Schemes as permissible under Section 17 of the Act.

It was argued by the Respondent that only those employees who have, in the past, benefitted from and withdrawn the benefits under the Scheme of 1952 would be “excluded employees” and the same was not true in the instant case. The Railway employees in the instant case had not been covered by the Scheme of 1952 during their service with the Railways and hence could not be treated as excluded employees.

The Verdict

The Court delved into the scope, history, and background of the Act and the Scheme relating to Employees’ Provident Fund. It considered the definitions of the terms “employees”, “exempted employees”, and “excluded employees” as well the meaning and scope of the terms “fund” and “scheme”.

The Court, arriving at its conclusion against the appellants, noted that an exemption to establishments under Section 5 of the Act can be granted only when the employees of the establishment are being provided benefits which are equivalent to or more favourable than provident fund scheme.

“Suffice would be to notice for the present purpose that coverage of the employees like the one engaged in the establishment of appellants is the rule; and ordinarily, the employees are expected to be covered by the Scheme framed under Section 5 of the Act of 1952 with the exception being that in case of availability of equivalent or more favourable benefits in an establishment, the appropriate Government could grant exemption.”

The crucial aspect which the Court considered was whether the definition of “excluded employees” in Paragraph 2(f) of the 1952 Scheme as also the stipulation in Paragraphs 26 and 69 of the Scheme refer to any provident fund or only to the Fund under the Scheme of 1952?

Answering the above question, the Court said that clause (f) of Paragraph 2 of the Scheme of 1952 refers to “the Fund” and not to “any Fund”. Further, paragraphs 26 and 69 also refer to “the Fund” and not to “any fund”. The determiner “the”, as occurring in Paragraph 2(f) and Paragraph 69 before the expression “Fund” makes it clear that the reference is only to the Fund which is created under the Scheme of 1952. It is not a general reference to any Fund, the Court held.

Therefore, the Fund referred to in Paragraphs 2(f), 26 and 69 of the Scheme of 1952 is that Fund, which is created under the Scheme of 1952 and the reference is not to any other Fund.

Thus, to be covered under the expression “excluded employee” by virtue of clause (i) of paragraph 2(f) read with clause (a) of paragraph 69(1), the employee must be such who was a member of the Fund established under the Scheme of 1952 and who had withdrawn full amount of his accumulations in the said Fund on retirement from service after attaining the age of 55 years.

In the instant case, the Railway employees had withdrawn their benefits from the General Provident Fund and not from the Fund established under the Scheme of 1952. Thus, they could not have been treated as “excluded employees” under the 1952 scheme. Consequently, the appellants fell within the ambit of “employer” under the Provident Fund Act.

“We have not an iota of doubt that the retired Railway employees, who had withdrawn their accumulations in General Provident Fund or any other Fund of which they were members, could not have been treated as “excluded employees” for the purpose of the Scheme of 1952 for the reason that such a withdrawal had not been from the Fund established under the Scheme of 1952.”

The Court, therefore, agreed with the findings of the Division Bench of the High Court and found no merit in the appeal. The Court also clarified the position on the question of “excluded employees” stating,

“In the framework and setup of the Scheme of 1952, the concept remains plain and clear that if a person is member of the Fund created thereunder i.e., under the Scheme of 1952 and withdraws all his accumulations therein, he may not be obliged to be a member of the same Fund under the Scheme of 1952 over again and could be treated as an “excluded employees”.

Chennai: Doctors face action for failing to mention ‘rape’

TNN | Mar 26, 2019, 07.36 AM IST 

CHENNAI: At least six doctors of the Dharmapuri Medical College and Hospital are facing action, including suspension, criminal charges and disciplinary proceedings, for “not recording the rape” or labelling it medico-legal in the case sheet of a minor who was raped by two men.

State health secretary Beela Rajesh has written to director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe, ordering action against the doctors for negligence in handling the sensitive case.


On November 5, 2018, the 17-year-old Class XII student was raped by two men at Sittilingi village in Dharmapuri when she had ventured into a field to relive herself. She was taken to the Harur government hospital, where duty doctors said it was a rape and an FIR was filed. The same day, she was referred to a children’s home in Dharmapuri. However, the next day, she was brought to the Dharamapuri Government Medical College and Hospital with complaints of severe bleeding, giddiness and vomiting. She died in the hospital on November 10. “There was no mention of rape in her case sheet. The doctors were about to hand over the body to the family even without autopsy. Fortunately, they were stopped by social workers from the home,” said a senior health department official. “It is not information that can be missed. She didn’t come from her house but from a children’s home. If they had seen the case history, they would have seen the rape mention and the FIR. Even if they missed it, they should have spoken to the girl or at least seen clinical signs that caused severe pain,” said a senior health official.

However, doctors who were on duty have turned to doctors’ forums and colleagues for support. “We did our best to save her, but we did not know she was raped. There was no case sheet. Her mother was her attender. Neither the patient nor her parents mentioned rape. We didn’t know about the home or police case too,” a duty doctor said.

The girl was conscious and oriented during admission. “We diagnosed her with vertigo and she was treated with IV fluids and medication in the female ward. When CT scan showed mild swelling of the brain, she was given suitable medications and symptoms improved in the next two days. After obtaining opinion from an ENT surgeon we even planned an MRI scan. By then the patient collapsed. We tried resuscitating her and shifted her to the intensive care unit. But she did not make it,” he said. “It was after this that we were told about the rape and the incident report filed by the Harur GH,” the doctor said.

Over-qualified persons in police force contribute to insubordination: Madras HC

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

PublishedMar 27, 2019, 5:55 am IST

The judge said that the growing indiscipline within the police force was visible to the public.

Madras High Court.

Chennai: Stating that the appointment of over-qualified candidates in entry-level cadres like Grade-II constables and jail warders, firemen, and head constables, was contributing to growing indiscipline and insubordination, the Madras High Court has directed the State Home Secretary and the DGP to prescribe the maximum educational qualification for the jobs within eight weeks.

Justice S. M. Subramaniam gave the directive while dismissing a petition filed by the police inspector P. Muthu against an order of the Commandant, TSP VII Bn, Pochampalli, Krishnagiri district, that treated him as a deserter after he was absent for over 21 days.

The judge said that the growing indiscipline within the police force was visible to the public. Negligence, lapses, and dereliction of duty were common. Police personnel on duty were indiscriminately using smartphones to play games, chat, and watch movies. Adequate checks and measures were not undertaken to control the misconduct by the department.

"The causes for indiscipline have to be analyzed in the interest of public safety and for an orderly society," Justice Subramaniam added. The judge said that if postgraduates or those with professional degrees were appointed in entry-level cadres, then it would become very difficult for senior officials to control them. "Educational qualifications and eligibility criteria for a particular post/cadre were normally commensurate with the job profile. Prescription of such criteria and qualifications had a certain purpose and object. In the event of appointing over-qualified candidates, these get defeated," the judge added.

He said that from the constitutional perspective, the appointment of over-qualified persons is to be construed as a violation of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution. The equality clause is enunciated in the Constitution and interpreted by Constitutional courts. Equality amongst equals was the Constitutional mandate. Unequal cannot be treated equally. "If the concept of treating an unequal as an equal is developed, then we are breaching the fundamental rights", the judge said.

The judge said that once the minimum educational qualification was prescribed for a particular post/cadre, then appointing over-qualified persons would usurp the rights of those who were qualified in accordance with the recruitment notification. "The situation causes an infringement of the rights of candidates who meet the educational qualifications as prescribed for recruitment. The appointment of over-qualified persons is a clear violation of Article 14," Justice Subramaniam added.

The judge said that Article 16 guarantees equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment. Equality of opportunity can be achieved only if competition is among equally qualified persons. Having unequal persons sit in a common examination, for example, can lead to discrimination, because overqualified individuals can easily secure better scores.

The growing indiscipline among personnel and the growing number of personnel committing suicide were to be seen in this context. Higher officials cannot command discipline and respect from overqualified persons as their mindset would be different.

The judge said that even the administration in High Courts was facing these issues and consequences. "Post-graduates were being appointed as sweepers and office assistants. After joining public service, they refused to perform certain menial jobs which were prescribed in the service rules. If this continues, it can affect public administration and solemn functions. Thus, a review was warranted," Justice Subramaniam said.

Chennai: Tahsildar, Revenue Inspector to pay compensation of Rs 3 lakh

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedMar 27, 2019, 6:06 am IST

The commission also recommended the government to initiate disciplinary action against the duo.

State Human Rights Commission.

Chennai: The State Human Rights Commission directed a tasildar and a revenue inspector in Perambalur district to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to a woman on charge of harassing her and demolishing her house in 2013. The commission also recommended the government to initiate disciplinary action against the duo.

In the petition Amutha stated that d her family members were living in Murukkankudi village for several decades. She and her father wanted to construct a new house in their land at Sirumathur village. While so without any basis Suresh, Revenue Inspector, Keezhapuliyur issued notice under section 7 of Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905 alleging that the land was a Government poramboke.

In December 2013 without any notice, Selvam, Tahsildar, Kunnam, Govindaraj, DSP, Mangalamedu Sub-Division, Surulipandi, DSP, Perambalur Sub-Division, Pitchaimani, Head Constable, Mangalamedu, Dharmalingam, SSI, Mangalamedu police station, Bharathidasan, BDO, Sivakumar, BDO, Panchayat Union Office, Veppur and Suresh, Revenue Inspector, Keezhapuliyur, Perambalur District with the help of others demolished the house. She said the officials not only violated her fundamental right but also violated her human rights.

In the reply the revenue officials and police personnel denied the allegations and stated that the Government issued instructions to the revenue officials to remove the encroachment in waterways. Therefore, they removed the construction only in survey No.462/4 alone and not demolished the building in Survey No.462/5. Hence their action was in accordance with law and the complainant not entitled to get any relief and the petition liable to be dismissed.

The SHRC Judge D Jayachandran said the root cause of the problem was due to action of tasildar Selvam and Revenue Inspector Suresh, Perambalur District. The officials demolished her houses without following the procedure laid down in law and not conducted a detailed enquiry. The complainant is entitled to receive compensation of `3 lakh from Tasildar Selvam and Revenue Inspector Suresh, Perambalur District.

The Commission recommended the government to initiate disciplinary action against them as per the Rules and directed the Perambalur District Collector, to hand over the demolished portion of the property in survey nos.462/4 and 462/5 in Sirumathur Village to the complainant’s father Pachamuthu and the complainant respectively.