Health minister’s ex-aide booked for cheating man
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.04.2019

The directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption on Monday registered a case against a former office assistant of health minister C Vijayabaskar five years after it was revealed that he cheated a man, promising him a job at the TNEB.

A case was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act against V Chandrasekaran, who is at present employed at the agriculture department. Complainant G Senthil Kumar said Chnadrasekaran had collected ₹13 lakh from him, promising to get him a job as an assistant engineer in the TNEB.

Chandrasekaran used his association with Vijayabaskar, under whom he was working in 2013, to influence the complainant. The accused claimed that he had spoken to the then personal assistant of the electricity minister about the job, adding that he had given the money to the official for the same.

As Kumar never landed the job, his father Gunasekaran told him to retrieve the money. Only after a complaint was lodged at Selaiyur police station, Chandrasekharan returned ₹5 lakh. When inquired, the EB minister’s then PA said he had never seen Chandrasekaran let alone spoken to him. During inquiry, the accused admitted to the crime.

Metrowater is likely to provide bulk supply soon

Oppili.P@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25.04.2019

Flooded with requests for water tankers, Metrowater has proposed to agree to bulk supply, particularly to large housing complexes/gated communities, and is also looking into the possibility of allowing its tankers to operate till early morning.

At an emergency meeting convened by Metrowater on Wednesday evening at its headquarters in Chintadripet, a participant said the agency was currently concentrating on small households with capacity to store 6,000 litres, 9,000 litres and12,000 litres of water, resulting in a majority of gated communities, software companies and private colleges on Old Mahabalipuram Road turning to private tanker operators. To lure them away for peivate operators who charge exorbitant rates, Metrowater and plans to provide residents with the large quantities they want at a nominal cost.

With regard to the request for extending the timings of tankers, now operated from 5.30am to 11pm, the authorities asked the contractors if it would be feasible as it would require adding one more driver to their fleet. “The Metrowater authorities wanted two drivers for each vehicle on contract with the agency, so that it will reduce driver fatigue, which in turn will help avoid accidents,” the participant said.

The authorities also warned that stern action would be initiated against anyone supplying Metrowater to individuals and hotels, in violation of the rules. Declaring that they planned to take seriously the violation, which affects those genuinely in need of water, the authorities said they cancel the work order of the offender (contractor) concerned, they warned, added the participant. Such complaints of diversion of water have been swamping Metrowater helplines, with residents saying they were being deprived of water for no fault of theirs.

IN HIGH DEMAND

HC vacates TikTok ban, but red-flags its content

VIOLATIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ANGER COURTS IN TAMIL NADU

Srikkanth.D@timesgroup.com

Madurai:25.04.2019

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Wednesday vacated its April 3 interim order prohibiting downloading of video sharing app TikTok after the Chinese company submitted that it has moderating mechanisms in place to regulate obscene content and it is only an intermediary platform, which does not upload content.

A division bench of justices N Kirubakaran and S S Sundar warned that if the regulatory mechanisms were not found to be effective as stated by the company, it would be charged with contempt of court.

Senior counsel Isaac Mohanlal representing TikTok argued that the company followed all laid-down standards and had better privacy provisions than other social media platforms.

When senior counsel said TikTok had not violated any laws, the court said it is because we don’t have any laws to address the issues concerning social media platforms and cited instances where Parliament took several years to pass legislation.

The court also took note of submissions by amicus curiae Arvind Datar who said that banning the app, which is only an intermediary website, cannot be the solution and cited previous judgments of the Supreme Court and the guidelines of the Information Technology Act.

Courts should be the last resort, says Datar

“An intermediary shall not be liable for any data not uploaded by them. There is no obligation on their part for pre-censorship,” said senior counsel citing Supreme Court judgments.

The amicus curiae also said that he met with he officials of the ministry of electronics and information technology and, so far, the Union government had blocked 14,220 websites between 2010 and 2018 and that this was the first case in the country on an intermediary website.

Datar said any person with a grievance against an intermediary website should first approach the grievance official of the company and then the authorities and the courts only as a last resort. “What is statutorily legal cannot be judicially impermissible,” Datar said.

The court, however expressed concern that there was no statutory protection for children and asked whether the Union of India would enact a statute like the Children Online Privacy Protection Act, enacted by the United States, to prevent children from becoming cyber victims.

On April 3, the court had issued an interim direction to the Centre to prohibit downloading of TikTok mobile app.

The court observed that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through the app. The court directions were in response to a petition which sought a ban on the app stating that it encouraged disturbing content and degraded culture.

The court asked whether the government would enact a statute like the Children Online Privacy Protection Act, enacted by the US, to prevent children from becoming cyber victims

TIMELY ACTION

Morphing of girl’s FB pic: Man gets 3-yr jail

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:25.04.2019

A mahila court in Trichy on Wednesday sentenced a 22-year-old youth to three years imprisonment for threatening a minor girl by posting her morphed photo on Facebook. It also handed out another threeyear jail term for intimidation and assault with intent to outrage her modesty.

The court also ordered the convict, S Ajithkumar, to pay a fine of ₹5,000 failing which he should undergo six months of additional jail term.

Special public prosecutor R Ventatesan said Ajithkumar, a construction worker, had proposed to the 17-year-old girl who was his neighbour.

Though the girl rejected his proposal, Ajithkumar continued to pursue her.

Since the girl was unrelenting, he downloaded her picture from her WhatsApp profile and morphed it with his picture, and posted the morphed photograph on the social media site.

The girl’s elder brother, who confronted Ajithkumar for denigrating his sister, was abused and threatened of dire

consequences. The convict also refused to remove the picture from the site.

Based on a complaint lodged by the girl, the Golden Rock all-woman police took up the investigation and arrested Ajithkumar, on September 26 last year. He was later released on bail pending trial.

SC seeks help of CBI, IB, cops to probe role of ‘fixers’ in judiciary

‘System Will Not Survive If Charges Are True’

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:25.04.2019

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the assistance of top investigating and intelligence agencies to probe a “set of fixers” in the judiciary who allegedly seek to manipulate judicial proceedings and have been accused of conspiring with a corporate figure to frame the Chief Justice of India in a sexual harassment case.

The court took a serious view of the allegations after it was informed that two SC staff members who were recently sacked for altering an order in the industrialist Anil Ambani contempt case, acted in league with the dismissed woman employee who has accused CJI Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment.

Keen to swiftly settle the controversy arising out of a lawyer’s sensational claim that there is a “cash-for-judgment club” operating in Delhi to influence court proceedings, a special bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, R F Nariman and Deepak Gupta called the heads of the CBI, the Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police for in-camera consultations. The bench justified the decision stressing that allegations made by lawyer Utsav Bains that he was offered a bribe of ₹1.5 crore by a person named Ajay to frame CJI Ranjan Gogoi in a false case of sexual harassment and three dismissed SC employees ganging up with “fixers” was very serious.

“He says fixing game is going on in SC. It is a matter of grave concern for the system. Fixing has no place in the system. He has named a fixer and we want to go to the root of the matter. Fixers have to be booked. We need to find out who are these fixers. We will inquire and inquire and inquire and take it to the logical conclusion,” the bench said.

Our responsibility to keep this institution clean & ensure image is not tarnished: SC

Asking the chiefs of the CBI, IB and Delhi Police to reach the apex court for urgent consultations, the bench said, “We and this system will not survive if the allegations are true. We have to find out the truth at all levels. Can we keep our eyes shut? The entire country will lose faith in the system.”

The three top officers who met the judges were asked to “seize the relevant material” in order to support the contents of the affidavit furnished by Utsav Bains. “Considering the seriousness of the allegations as the system has absolutely no place for such fixers, we cannot leave the matter at that. It becomes our responsibility to keep this institution clean as well as to ensure that the image of this institution is not tarnished by such allegations to undertake the probe in the matter,” the court said in its order.

In the course of proceedings, senior advocate Indira Jaising contended that any probe into roles of fixers and a larger conspiracy should not hamper the in-house probe against the CJI on the sexual harassment complaint. The bench made it clear that in-house proceedings will go on but a separate investigation was needed on the larger conspiracy and role of fixers.

The lawyer contended that an attempt was made by a corporate figure to influence an SC judge to deliver a favourable order, failing which he sought to get the case moved to another court. Both attempts failed, Bains said, quoting what he said was information from a reliable source. The attempt to dislodge the CJI followed this incident, he claimed.

After their meeting with the officers of agencies they had called, the bench assembled again to hear submissions on an affidavit filed by Bains who alleged that the sexual harassment charge against the CJI by a dismissed court staffer was part of a larger conspiracy involving a corporate figure who, along with members of a “fixers club”, has tried to frame the CJI to pressure him to resign. He also placed materials and evidence in a sealed envelope before the bench to substantiate his allegations.

The lawyer said he had some additional information and evidence but expressed reluctance to place some of the privileged communication before the bench. The bench, however, said it is of the prima facie opinion that the lawyer could not claim privilege in the present case involving conspiracy of a serious nature. The court asked attorney general K K Venugopal to assist the court on the issue.

Full report on www.toi.in

In an affidavit, the lawyer alleged that CJI Ranjan Gogoi was being targeted because he took decisive steps to insulate the judiciary from fixers

Driving In High Speed In A Very Busy Road Can Be Said To Be Rash & Negligent: Bombay HC [Read Judgment]

Driving In High Speed In A Very Busy Road Can Be Said To Be Rash & Negligent: Bombay HC [Read Judgment]: 'Driving the vehicle in a high speed in the area which is thickly populated and having too much movements, is one of the shade by which it could be said that it is a rash and negligent driving.'

Pay For New Gas Connection For Wife: Bombay HC Directs Husband In Case Of Domestic Violence [Read Order]

Pay For New Gas Connection For Wife: Bombay HC Directs Husband In Case Of Domestic Violence [Read Order]: The Bombay High Court recently directed one Jivesh Shetty to pay for a new gas connection in the name of his wife as she informed the court that her mother-in-law had removed cooking gas,...

'Transwoman A 'Bride' Under Hindu Marriage Act' : Madras HC; Also Bans Sex Re-Assignment Surgeries On Intersex Children [Read Judgment]

'Transwoman A 'Bride' Under Hindu Marriage Act' : Madras HC; Also Bans Sex Re-Assignment Surgeries On Intersex Children [Read Judgment]: 'gender identity falls within the domain of her personal autonomy and involves her right to privacy and dignity. It is not for the State authorities to question this self determination'

பாலின மாற்று சிகிச்சை செய்தவரும் இந்து திருமணச் சட்டத்தில் மணமகள்தான்: உயர் நீதிமன்றம் தீர்ப்பு

By DIN | Published on : 23rd April 2019 07:19 PM |


சென்னை: பாலின மாற்று சிகிச்சை செய்தவரும் இந்து திருமணச் சட்டத்தில் மணமகள்தான் என்று சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம் தீர்ப்பளித்துள்ளது.


தூத்துக்குடியை சேர்ந்த சிரிஜா என்ற பாலின மாற்று சிகிச்சை செய்து கொண்ட திருநங்கைக்கும், அருண்குமார் என்ற இளைஞருக்கும் திருமணம் செய்ய இருவீட்டாரும் பேசி முடிவெடுத்தனர்.

அதன்படி அவர்கள் அங்குள்ள கோயில் ஒன்றின் நிர்வாகத்தை அணுகிய போது, அவர்களுக்கு திருமணம் செய்து வைக்க கோயில் நிர்வாகம் மறுப்பு தெரிவித்து விட்டது. ஆனால், கடும் போராட்டத்துக்கு பின்னர் அவர்கள் திருமணம் கடந்த மாதம் நடைபெற்றது.

பின்னர் அவர்கள் தங்கள் திருமணத்தை பதிவு செய்யுமாறு கோரி பதிவாளரை அணுகியுள்ளனர். ஆனால் அவர்களது திருமணத்தை இந்து திருமணச் சட்ட விதிகளின் படி பதிவு செய்ய இயலாது என்று பதிவாளர் மறுப்பு தெரிவித்து விட்டார்.

இதனை எதிர்த்து தம்பதியர் சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் வழக்குத் தொடர்ந்தனர். இந்த வழக்கு விசாரணையின் போது தமிழ் பாரம்பரியம் மற்றும் சம்மந்தப்பட்ட இரு தரப்பின் தனிச் சட்டங்கள் உள்ளிட்டவைகளின் விதிகளில் பதிவாளர் திருப்தியாகவில்லை எனில் எந்த ஒரு திருமண பதிவு விண்ணப்பத்தையும் அவரால் நிராகரிக்க முடியும் என தமிழக அரசு கடுமையாக வாதத்தை முன்வைத்து எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்தது.

ஆனால் இந்த வழக்கில் திங்களன்று தீர்ப்பளித்த உயர் நீதிமன்றம் பாலின மாற்று சிகிச்சை செய்தவரும் இந்து திருமணச் சட்டத்தில் மணமகளாகத்தான் கருதப்படுவார் என்று கூறியதோடு, இந்து திருமணச் சட்டத்தின்படி அவர்களது திருமணம் செல்லும் எனவும் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது. அத்துடன் அவர்களது திருமணத்தை முறைப்படி பதிவு செய்யவும் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

தலைமை செயலக ஊழியர் மீது லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு வழக்கு

Added : ஏப் 23, 2019 23:22

சென்னை, மின் வாரியத்தில், உதவி இன்ஜினியராக வேலை வாங்கித் தருவதாக 13 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வாங்கிய, தலைமை செயலக ஊழியர் மீது லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் வழக்கு பதிவு செய்துள்ளனர்.சென்னை சேலையூரை சேர்ந்தவர் சந்திரசேகரன். தலைமை செயலகத்தில், அலுவலக உதவியாளர் என்ற நிலையில் பணியாற்றி வரும் இவர், 2013ல் சுகாதார துறை அமைச்சர் விஜயபாஸ்கரிடம் தபேதராக வேலை பார்த்துள்ளார்.அப்போது, சேலத்தை சேர்ந்த, ஜெயபிரகாஷ் என்பவருக்கு மின்வாரியத்தில், உதவி இன்ஜினியராக வேலை வாங்கி தருவதாக, 13 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வாங்கி மோசடி செய்துள்ளார். இந்த தொகையில், ஐந்து லட்சம் ரூபாயை அவர், திரும்ப தந்துவிட்டதாக கூறப்பட்டது. மீதமுள்ள தொகைக்கு, காசோலை கொடுத்துள்ளார். அது, பணம் இல்லாமல் திரும்ப வந்து விட்டது,இதுகுறித்து, சேலையூர் போலீசில், ஜெயபிரகாஷ் புகார் அளித்துள்ளார். இந்த தகவல், லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசாருக்கு தெரியவந்துள்ளது. இதையடுத்து, நேற்று முன்தினம், சந்திரசேகரன் மீது, லஞ்ச ஒழிப்பு போலீசார் வழக்குப் பதிந்துள்ளனர். அவர், தற்போது, வேளாண் துறையில், அலுவலக உதவியாளராக பணியாற்றி வருகிறார்.

விரைவில், 'ரிலையன்ஸ் கிகாபைபர்' சேவை

Updated : ஏப் 24, 2019 03:37 | Added : ஏப் 24, 2019 03:31 

மும்பை: மொபைல் போன் சந்தையை கலக்கிய, 'ரிலையன்ஸ் ஜியோ' நிறுவனம், அடுத்து, 'கிகாபைபர்' திட்டம் மூலம், மாதம், 600 ரூபாய் கட்டணத்தில், 'பிராட்பேண்ட், டிவி' தொலைபேசி வசதிகளை, விரைவில் நாடு முழுவதும் அறிமுகப்படுத்த உள்ளது.

ரிலையன்ஸ் ஜியோ தற்போது, மும்பை மற்றும் டில்லியில், சோதனை அடிப்படையில் இச்சேவையை இலவசமாக வழங்கி வருகிறது. எனினும், 'ரூட்டர்' பயன்பாட்டிற்கு, ஒரு முறை டெபாசிட்டாக, 4,500 ரூபாய் வசூலிக்கப்படுகிறது. இச்சேவையில், வினாடிக்கு, 100 மெகாபைட் வேகத்தில், 100 ஜி.பி., தகவல்களை பதிவிறக்கலாம். விரைவில் இச்சேவையை, நாடு முழுவதும் விரிவுபடுத்த, ரிலையன்ஸ் ஜியோ திட்டமிட்டுள்ளது.

மாதம், 600 ரூபாய் கட்டணத்தில், இணையம், தொலைக்காட்சி, தொலைபேசி சேவைகள் வழங்கப்பட உள்ளன.அத்துடன், குரல் வழி உத்தரவு சேவை, காணொலி காட்சி, மெய்நிகர் வீடியோ விளையாட்டு, பொருட்கள் வாங்குவது, 'ஸ்மார்ட்' வீடுகளில் மின்னணு சாதனங்களை இயக்குவது உள்ளிட்ட வசதிகளை நுகர்வோர் பெறலாம். இதற்காக, ரிலையன்ஸ் ஜியோ நிறுவனம், 'டென் நெட்ஒர்க்ஸ், ஹாத்வே கேபிள், டேடா காம்' ஆகிய நிறுவனங்களில் பெருமளவு முதலீடு செய்துள்ளது. விரைவில், இந்நிறுவனங்களில், பெரும்பான்மை பங்குகளை வாங்க திட்டமிட்டுள்ளது.

இந்நிறுவனங்கள் ஏற்கனவே, கேபிள், 'டிவி' தொழிலில் உள்ளதால், அவற்றின் கீழ் உள்ள, 27 ஆயிரம் கேபிள் ஆப்பரேட்டர்கள் மூலம், 1,100 நகரங்களில், ரிலையன்ஸ் ஜிகாபைபர் சேவை வழங்கப்படும். ரிலையன்ஸ் ஜிகாபைபர் சேவை அறிமுகமாவதால், பி.எஸ்.என்.எல்., பார்தி ஏர்டெல் உள்ளிட்ட போட்டி நிறுவனங்கள், கவர்ச்சிகரமான பிராட்பேண்ட் திட்டங்களை அறிமுகப்படுத்த துவங்கியுள்ளன.

ஓராண்டிற்கு இலவசம்:

ரிலையன்ஸ் ஜியோ கிகாபைபர் சேவையில், ஒருவர், மாதம், 600 - - 1,000 ரூபாய் வரை செலுத்தி, வீட்டில் உள்ள, 40 மின்னணு சாதனங்களை இணைத்துக் கொள்ளலாம். வினாடிக்கு, 100 மெகாபைட் வேகத்தில், 100 ஜி.பி., தகவல்களை இலவசமாக பதிவிறக்கலாம். தொலைபேசி, தொலைக்காட்சி சேவைகள் அடுத்த மூன்று மாதங்களில் சேர்க்கப்படும். இச்சேவைகள் அனைத்தும், ஓராண்டிற்கு இலவசமாக வழங்கப்படும்.

தனியார் கல்லூரி முதலாளியா சுரப்பா: ராமதாஸ்

Added : ஏப் 23, 2019 23:22


சென்னை, 'அண்ணா பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர் சுரப்பா, கல்வியாளராக செயல்படாமல், தனியார் கல்லுாரி முதலாளி போல செயல்படுகிறார்' என, பா.ம.க., நிறுவனர், ராமதாஸ் கூறியுள்ளார்.அவரது அறிக்கை:அண்ணா பல்கலை பணியாளர்களுக்கு, ஊதியம் தர நிதி தேவைப்படுவதால், கல்வி கட்டணம் உயர்த்தப்படுவதாக, சுரப்பா கூறியுள்ளார். அண்ணா பல்கலை துணைவேந்தர் என்ற நிலையில் இருப்பவரிடமிருந்தோ, கல்வியாளரிடமிருந்தோ, இப்படி ஒரு விளக்கம், ஒருபோதும் வந்ததில்லை; வரவும் கூடாது.கல்லுாரிகளை, லாப நோக்கத்துடன் நடத்தும் தனியார் முதலாளிகளிடம் இருந்து தான், இப்படி ஒரு விளக்கம் வெளிப்படும். இதன்படி பார்த்தால், சுரப்பா கல்வியாளராக செயல்படாமல், தனியார் கல்லுாரி முதலாளி போல செயல்படுகிறார். அண்ணா பல்கலைக்கு மத்திய அரசும், தமிழக அரசும், தாராளமாக மானியம் வழங்குகின்றன. உறுப்பு கல்லுாரிகளை நடத்துவதில், நிதி நெருக்கடி இருந்தால், அதுகுறித்து அரசிடம் தெரிவித்து, தேவையான நிதியை பெறலாம்.உலக அளவில் ஏற்பட்டு வரும், நான்காம் தொழில் புரட்சி காரணமாக, பெருமளவில் வேலையிழப்பு ஏற்படும் ஆபத்து உள்ளது. இதைத் தடுக்கவும், நான்காம் தொழில் புரட்சியின் தேவைகளை நிறைவேற்றவும் வசதியாக, புதிய பாடத் திட்டங்களையும், படிப்புகளையும் உருவாக்கும் பணியில், அண்ணா பல்கலை தீவிரமாக ஈடுபட வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, ராமதாஸ் கூறியுள்ளார்

தலையங்கம்

தேர்தல் நேரத்தில் மட்டும் பெட்ரோல் விலை உயராதா?

இந்தியாவின் பொருளாதார வளர்ச்சி அதிகமாக பாதிக்கப்படுவதற்கு 2 முக்கியமான காரணங்கள் உண்டு. ஒன்று டாலருக்கு நிகரான ரூபாய் நோட்டு மதிப்பு குறைவு. அடுத்தது சர்வதேச சந்தையில் கச்சா எண்ணெய் விலைஉயர்வு. விலைவாசி உயர்வதற்கு இந்த 2 காரணங்களும் முக்கியபங்கு வகிக்கிறது.

ஏப்ரல் 24 2019, 03:30

பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை உயரும்போதெல்லாம் விலைவாசி உயர்ந்து, பொருளாதார பாதிப்புகள் அதிகமாகிக்கொண்டிருக்கின்றன. மொத்தத்தில், நாட்டின் பொருளாதார முன்னேற்றம் ஏற்பட பணவீக்கம் கட்டுக்குள் இருக்கவேண்டும். பணவீக்கம் கட்டுக்குள் இருக்கவேண்டுமென்றால், விலைவாசி குறையவேண்டும். விலைவாசி குறையவேண்டுமென்றால், பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை குறைவாக இருக்கவேண்டும்.


2017-ம் ஆண்டு ஜூன் 16-ந்தேதிக்கு முன்புவரை மாதந்தோறும் சர்வதேச கச்சா எண்ணெய் விலைக்கு ஏற்ப 1-ந்தேதியும், 16-ந்தேதியும் பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டு வந்தது. 16-6-2017-முதல் அன்றாடம் சர்வதேச கச்சா எண்ணெயின் விலைக்கு ஏற்ப தினசரி விலை நிர்ணயம் நாடு முழுவதிலும் அமலுக்கு கொண்டுவரப்பட்டது. அந்தவகையில் ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை ஏற்ற இறக்கத்தை கண்டுவந்தது. சர்வதேச கச்சா எண்ணெய் விலை கடந்த 5 மாதங்களில் இல்லாத அளவு நேற்று மாலையில் ஒரு பீப்பாய் விலை 74.14 அமெரிக்க டாலராக உயர்ந்துள்ளது. இதுபோல, ரூபாயின் மதிப்பும் ஒரு டாலருக்கு ரூ.69.62 ஆக சரிந்துள்ளது. பங்குமார்க்கெட்டிலும் பெரும்சரிவு காணப்பட்டது. ஒருபக்கம் கச்சா எண்ணெய் விலை உயர்வு, மற்றொரு பக்கம் ரூபாய்நோட்டு மதிப்பு குறைவு. 
இவையெல்லாம் சேர்த்து பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலையை அபரிமிதமாக உயர்த்திவிடுமோ என்று எல்லோரும் அச்சப்பட்டாலும், பெரும்பாலானவர்களுக்கு தேர்தல் முடியும்வரை நிச்சயம் பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை உயராது, இதைத்தானே கடந்த சில தேர்தல்களில் சந்தித்திருக்கிறோம் என்ற ஒரு மனத்தெம்பு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. கடந்த மார்ச் மாதம் 10-ந்தேதி முதல் ஏப்ரல் 10-ந்தேதி வரை கச்சா எண்ணெய் விலை 9 சதவீதத்திற்குமேல் உயர்ந்தும், பெட்ரோல் விலை ஒருசதவீதத்திற்கு குறைவான உயர்விலேயே நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டு வந்தது.


2017-ம் ஆண்டு டிசம்பர் மாதத்தில் குஜராத் சட்டசபை தேர்தலின்போதும், கடந்த ஆண்டு கர்நாடக சட்டசபை தேர்தலின்போதும், ராஜஸ்தான், மத்திய பிரதேசம், சத்தீஷ்கார், தெலுங்கானா சட்டசபை தேர்தலின்போதும் பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை உயர்த்தப்படவில்லை. அந்த கணக்கையெல்லாம் கூட்டிக்கழித்து பார்த்தால், இப்போதும் கச்சா எண்ணெய் விலை எவ்வளவு உயர்ந்தாலும், பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை அந்த விலை உயர்வுக்கு ஏற்ப யர்த்தப்படாமல்தான் இருக்கிறது. கடந்தமாதம் 15-ந்தேதி சென்னையில் ஒரு லிட்டர் டீசல் விலை ரூ.69.96 ஆக இருந்தது. நேற்று ரூ.70.17 ஆகத்தான் இருக்கிறது. இதுபோல, பெட்ரோல் விலை கடந்த 14-ந்தேதி 1 லிட்டருக்கு ரூ.75.62 ஆக இருந்தது, நேற்று ரூ.75.71 ஆகத்தான் இருந்தது. ஆக அடுத்தமாதம் 19-ந்தேதிவரை, நாடாளுமன்ற தேர்தல் முடியும்வரை சர்வதேச சந்தையில் கச்சா எண்ணெய் விலை எவ்வளவு உயர்ந்தாலும், இந்தியாவில் அதற்கேற்ப பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை உயராது. இது கண்ணாமூச்சி காட்டுவதுபோல இருக்கிறது. இப்போது மட்டும் சர்வதேச சந்தையில் கச்சா எண்ணெய் விலை உயர்ந்தாலும், நாட்டில் பெட்ரோல்-டீசல் விலை உயர்த்தப்படாமல் இருப்பதுபோல, எப்போதும் இந்த விலையை கட்டுக்குள்ளேயே வைத்திருந்தால் பொதுமக்களுக்கும் பாதிப்பு இருக்காது. விலைவாசியும் உயராது. அதற்கேற்ற வகையில், கலால்வரியை உயர்த்தியோ, குறைத்தோ இதை கட்டுக்குள்ளேயே வைத்திருக்கவேண்டும் என்பதுதான் பொதுமக்களின் எதிர்பார்ப்பாகும்.

Interrogate all officials in the TNSRB examination row: Madras HC to CoP

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

PublishedApr 23, 2019, 1:49 am IST

Thus, the competent authorities are bound to take care of the report submitted by the chairman and proceed further in the manner known to law.

Madras high court

Chennai: Making it clear that all officials including the high ranking officials are to be questioned by the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai city, if necessary with reference to the documents and the materials submitted by the respective parties in connection with the alleged incidents leading to the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board examination row, the Madras high court has granted further time and directed the Commissioner of Police to proceed with the investigation.

JusticeS. M. Subramaniam said, "In view of the facts and circumstances and based on the report submitted by the Commissioner of Police, enabling him to conduct the investigation in a proper prospective so as to arrive a logical conclusion in order to initiate all further actions in the manner known to law, this court is inclined to grant further time. Equally, the report submitted by the Chairman, Tamil Nadu Uniformed Service Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) is also to be pursued in accordance with law. The chairman of the TNUSRB also initiated actions against the erred officials and certain other recommendations are also made.

Thus, the competent authorities are bound to take care of the report submitted by the chairman and proceed further in the manner known to law. Thus, the process of investigation as well as the further enquiry by the government, which are all to be proceeded with. Under these circumstances, it is just and necessary to grant further time to the commissioner of police as well as the chairman oof TNUSRB to pursue the matter enabling this court to decide the contempt petition".

In view of the fact that now the court has decided to monitor the investigation as well as the investigations led by the commissioner of police, this court is inclined to grant time and accordingly, the Registry is directed to list the matter 'for filing further report' by all concerned on September 6, 2019, the judge added.

Originally, contending that on account of wrong key answer to a question, ihalf mark was denied to him, S.Arunachalam, who is working as a constable and participated in the selection process for recruitment to the post of sub-inspector of police, had filed a petition. In order to find out the correctness of the key answer and to ascertain the genuinity of the claim of the petitioner, the court had directed the board to get an expert opinion from IIT Madras. Accordingly, based on the expert opinion, claiming to be obtained from a professor of IIT, Madras, furnished by the board, the court had dismissed the petition. However, subsequently, the petitioner claimed that the expert opinion furnished before the court was a bogus one. The Inspector General of Police and the Member Secretary of TNUSR Board stated that they identified some impersonation in the matter of providing expert's opinion to the board and in respect of such impersonation a criminal case was registered against G.V.Kumar and D.Moorthy. Following this, the judge had on April 2 initiated suo motu contempt proceedings.

In his present order, the judge said additional advocate general P.H.Arvindh Pandian submitted that pursuant to the order of the court, the COP initiated steps to accelerate the investigation in respect of the criminal case registered. The COP filed a comprehensive report in respect of the investigation done. The COP seeks further time to get appropriate report from the Forensic Department so as to get along with the further investigation and file a final report. Senior counsel A.E.Chelliah, appearing for Vijaya Kumar alias G.V.Kumar submitted that certain documents were created by the police officials of the Board by obtaining signatures in blank papers from G.V.Kumar. The signatures were obtained by force in the blank papers, when G.V.Kumar was in the office of the TNUSR Board. It was contended that by obtaining the signatures in blank papers, the officials of the police department put anti-date and filed the blank papers to suit their convenience.

G.V.Kumar was not at all in Chennai on that day and he had attended a program in Udhagamandalam. He produced documents to establish that he was taking classes in Udhagamandalam and the documents were to be verified and properly investigated by the COP. In this regard, the higher officials including IG of Police were to be interrogated with reference to the documents filed by G.V.Kumar. AAG in response submitted that the investigating officers will certainly look into those documents and initiate all suitable actions. "It is made clear that all the disputed documents are also to be scrutinized and investigated properly", the judge added.

The judge said this court was of the view that the CoP was entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the investigation and therefore, there may not be any ambiguity or difficulty in interrogating all the officials, who all were connected with the issues. "This court has no iota of doubt and made it clear that no leniency or misplaced sympathy shall be shown in respect of all the persons concerned in the matter of investigation irrespective of their cadre, post or status. All concerned must be examined, investigated and interrogated, wherever necessary for the purpose of digging out the truth behind the incidents as well as the queries raised in the suo motu contempt proceedings", the judge added.

Transsexual is a bride as per Hindu Marriage Act: Madras HC

PTI

PublishedApr 23, 2019, 6:46 pm IST

The judge said the apex court had held that transgender persons had the right to decide their self-identified gender.

Quoting from epics viz. Mahabharatha and Ramayana, as well as from Supreme Court rulings, the judge said the word 'bride' could not have a static or immutable meaning and would have to include a transwoman. (Photo: File)

Madurai: In an important ruling, the Madras High Court's Madurai bench has held that as per the Hindu Marriage Act, a transsexual is also a "bride" and the term would not necessarily refer only to a woman.

Justice G R Swaminathan gave the ruling on a petition filed by a man and a transwoman who approached the court after officials refused to register their marriage held in Tuticorin last October. Allowing the petition, he directed the Registration Department officials to register the marriage of the petitioners.

Voicing concern over the plight of transgender people, who, he said, suffered from stigma and are forced to leave their homes, the judge directed the Tamil Nadu government to issue an order banning sex reassignment surgeries on inter-sex infants and children.

Quoting from epics viz. Mahabharatha and Ramayana, as well as from Supreme Court rulings, the judge said the word 'bride' could not have a static or immutable meaning and would have to include a transwoman.

He rejected the contention of the government advocate that the registrar of marriage had powers to refuse the registration as the couple did not meet the statutory requirement under the Hindu Marriage Act, as the term "bride" could only refer to a "woman on the marriage day".

The judge said the apex court had held that transgender persons had the right to decide their self-identified gender. Justice Swaminathan said it was the responsibility of the government to launch a sustained awareness campaign and encourage parents not to see the birth of an inter-sex child as a matter of embarrassment or shame.

"Any inter-sex child is entitled to stay within the fold of its family. The running away to the margins and beyond is a fatal journey and must be arrested. Time has come when they should be brought to the mainstream," he said.

In the present case, the petitioners were an inter-caste couple and eligible for financial incentives under the Dr Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration, he said.

Register marriage between man and transwoman: Madurai Bench

The Court has also directed the Health Secretary to issue a G.O. prohibiting sex reassignment surgery on intersex infants and children.

Published: 24th April 2019 05:05 AM |

By Express News Service

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court ordered registration of marriage between a man and a transwoman from Thoothukudi following a petition seeking a direction to the authorities concerned to register their marriage. The Court has also directed the Health Secretary to issue a G.O. prohibiting sex reassignment surgery on intersex infants and children.

The landmark judgment was passed on April 22 by Justice G R Swaminathan on a petition filed Arunkumar and Sreeja seeking direction to the Registration Department after the department ‘refused’ to register their marriage. The department stated that Sreeja, being a transwoman cannot be placed under the category of ‘bride’ as per the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and that the word ‘bride’ only refers to ‘woman’ on her wedding day.

However, Justice Swaminathan rejected the contentions by observing, “transgender persons who are neither male nor female fall within the expression ‘person’ and hence entitled to legal protection of laws in all spheres of State activity as enjoyed by any other citizen of this country”. Discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation or gender identity, therefore, impairs equality before the law, equal protection of the law and violates Article 14 of the Constitution of India, he added.

Referring to epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, he further held that the existence of a third category had been recognised even in the indigenous Hindu tradition. Hence the expression ‘bride’ occurring in Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, would have to include within its meaning not only a woman but also a transwoman, he stated and directed the authorities to register the marriage solemnised between the petitioners.


Pointing out that one of the petitioners Arun Kumar belonged to a scheduled caste, the Judge also recommended that they can avail financial incentive under Dr Ambedkar’s Scheme for Social Integration through Inter-Caste Marriages. Justice Swaminathan also noted that intersex children must be given time and space to find their true gender identity. “But the parents make the infant undergo sex reassignment surgery (SRS), without providing them the opportunity (to decide),” he stated and directed the Health Secretary to issue a G.O prohibiting sex reassignment surgery on intersex infants and children.

Learn, even if you earn : VP Venkaiah Naidu at Vels Convocation

Honorary doctorates were given to former athlete PT Usha, the chief of Indian Security Research and Development Satheesh Reddy, and the founder of Kerry Indev Logistics, Xavier Britto.

Published: 24th April 2019 05:48 AM 

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu at the convocation ceremony 

Debadutta Mallick

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu emphasises on the importance of Education, while delivering the convocation address at Vels Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies at Pallavaram on Tuesday.

“Education is not only for employment, but it is also for enhancement of knowledge, enlightenment and empowerment,” said Naidu, encouraging even staff members to continue learning.
“Learn, learn, learn, even if you earn, earn, earn,” Naidu, boomed into the microphone, evoking a thunderous applause from the graduands and staff members gathered at the event.

Naidu pointed out how technology has made the world a smaller place and has made a diverse skill set important for employment. He encouraged students to contribute to the country by echoing Prime Minister Modi’s words — ‘Reform, Perform and Transform’.

The Vice President also batted for women’s empowerment and called for the ending of discrimination of women. “If you educate a woman, you educate a family,” he said. “I am seeing girls win 65 per cent of the gold medals in convocations that I attend, and it is a welcome trend in the country.” 

He also said that the youth must contribute to India’s growth. “China’s growth is slowing down, but we are gaining. You must make our country great,” Naidu said.


A total of 42 gold, 33 silver and 30 bronze medals, 1,766 bachelors degrees and 366 post-graduate degrees were handed out during the ninth convocation ceremony.

Honorary doctorates were given to former athlete PT Usha, the chief of Indian Security Research and Development Satheesh Reddy, and the founder of Kerry Indev Logistics, Xavier Britto.

Action against polling officials who allowed Sivakarthikeyan to vote: TN CEO

Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said he had sought a report on how the name of the actor had been deleted and who was responsible for that.

Published: 23rd April 2019 07:10 PM |

Tamil actor Sivakarthikeyan cast his vote in Chennai.

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo on Tuesday said an inquiry has revealed that actor Sivakarthikeyan had been allowed to cast his vote on April 18 even though his name was not there in the electoral rolls and action would be taken against the polling officials who had allowed this.

Answering the queries of reporters, the CEO said he had got a report from the District Election Officer about the incident and it was confirmed that the actor had cast his vote without his name being in the electoral rolls.

Sahoo said he had also sought a report on how the actor's name had been deleted and who was responsible for that.

With regard to the complaint against actor Srikanth, who was also allegedly allowed to vote without his name being in the electoral rolls, the CEO said, "According to the report from the officials, Srikanth did not cast his vote but only indelible ink was put on his finger."


On April 18, Srikanth had gone on record that after some problem, the polling officials had allowed him to vote.

Asked whether action will be taken against Sivakarthikeyan too for casting vote without his name being in the rolls, the CEO said, "It is a valid point. We will decide about after getting the full report from the officials."

On April 18, Sivakarthikeyan went to the polling booth where he had cast his vote in the 2016 Assembly elections, along with his wife and found that his name was not there in the electoral rolls.

He went on to cast his vote from another booth but it has now come to light that in that booth too, his name was not in the electoral rolls. After that, the actor had tweeted his photo with the words "voting is your right and fight for that right."

Chitlapakkam, Madambakkam panchayats wage water war

According to residents of Madambakkam, water tankers extracted water from the sump constructed for the Chitlapakkam Water Scheme from April 15 to April 17.

Published: 24th April 2019 05:53 AM 

Residents say water was extracted from April 15 to April 17

By Samuel Merigala 

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Chitlapakkam Town Panchayat has started sourcing water from Madambakkam through water tankers even before the Rs 3-crore Madambakkam Scheme has kicked off. The scheme proposes to supply water to Chitlapakkam from Madambakkam through an underground pipeline.

According to residents of Madambakkam, water tankers extracted water from the sump constructed for the Chitlapakkam Water Scheme from April 15 to April 17. “The Chitlapakkam Town Panchayat’s executive officer accompanied the tankers and said that the water was for election emergency,” said G Rajendran, secretary of the Save Madambakkam Lake Committee.

But, residents found that the water was supplied to Chitlapakkam residents, through an advertisement in a local newspaper thanking the Chitlapakkam EO for the water supply. “The executive officer lied to us, so we have temporarily stopped the extraction of water through tankers,” said K Mohandas, treasurer of the Save Madambakkam Lake Committee. Chitlapakkam Town Panchayat executive officer Venkatesan has denied these allegations.


Since the commencement of the project, residents of Madambakkam had been worried about rising in water mafia that would completely drain Madambakkam’s groundwater resources. This incident has only added to their suspicions.

The Madambakkam Scheme proposes to extract around 20 lakh litres of water from the Madambakkam lake every day and send 18 lakh litres to Chitlapakkam. However, the combined water from tanks in Chitlapakkam is only six lakh litres, which then raises questions about Chitlapakkam’s plans to hold excess water.

“The panchayat will invariably allow the tankers to transport water to Chitlapakkam and then the mafia will begin controlling price and stop water supply through the pipelines,” said Krishnan, president of the Save Madambakkam Lake Committee, explaining they had no problems sharing water with Chitlapakkam if they are able to quench their thirst first.

“The water will be pumped through pipelines in the morning to certain areas and again the tanks will be filled in the afternoon to supply to other areas,” said Venkatesan, claiming that tankers would not be used in future. However, how the remaining six lakh litres will be supplied is a mystery.

Currently, Madambakkam is reeling under acute water shortage with residents in most areas being forced to deepen their borewells to access the groundwater. Express had reported how various norms had been flouted to gain approval for the Chitlapakkam Water Scheme which proposes to transport water sourced from wells dug in the Madambakkam Lake over six kilometres to Chitlapakkam. The project has progressed even as PILs seeking its cancellation are being heard in the Madras High Court.

Anna university may increase fees this year

The hike could be around 35-40 per cent of the current cost, on different courses. Officials added that the hike was necessary for the struggling university to manage its expenses.

Published: 24th April 2019 06:04 AM |

By Binita Jaiswal

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Anna University is likely to increase fees for courses offered by its departments and constituent colleges starting this academic year. The move, which will affect thousands of students, has been condemned by political parties and activists.

Speaking to Express, Vice Chancellor MK Surappa said the syndicate had approved the decision to increase the fees and the same would be notified soon.

“We will soon provide the details on our website,” he said, adding that the increase in cost would be nominal. “The hike is necessary to meet the expenses, but we will ensure that it’s nominal so that students from economically weaker sections aren’t affected.”


Sources, however, said the hike could be around 35-40 per cent of the current cost, on different courses. Officials added that the hike was necessary for the struggling university to manage its expenses.

“We have not revised the fees structure in the last decade, while a lot of infrastructure development has happened in the last few years,” said Surappa. According to sources, the last fee revision happened 19 years ago, in the year 2000.


According to sources in the university, the State government has opposed the decision of Anna University to hike fees and has sought its details from varsity authorities. When Express contacted Higher education secretary Mangat Ram Sharma, he said, “I don’t have any idea about the matter. I am trying to find out whether any such decision has been taken by AU.”

“The university charges around `8,000 for one semester while private colleges charge in lakhs for the same course. People need to understand that there is a need to hike the fees in order to create better facilities in the university,” said a senior university official.

Meanwhile, PMK founder S Ramadoss said a proposal to hike fees in colleges run by AU should be condemned as it will snatch away educational opportunities of poor students.

Bharathiar University postpones Syndicate meeting amidst controversy

Karthik Madhavan

COIMBATORE, APRIL 24, 2019 00:00 IST

Members say varsity misuses funds sanctioned by Centre

Bharathiar University has postponed a Syndicate meeting scheduled for April 24 for “administrative reasons” amidst controversy regarding sending a few faculty members on a foreign trip.

Registrar in-charge K. Murugan said the university postponed the meeting without assigning a date for “administrative reasons.” The university postponed the meeting on the night of April 22 after a few Syndicate members objected to conducting the meeting at a short notice and without sharing the agenda.

“The university had termed the meeting an ordinary meeting, which means, it ought to give Syndicate members at least 15 days’ notice. It did not do so. And, the university did not share the agenda, which added to the dissent,” said Association of University Teachers president N. Pasupathy.

Sources familiar with the developments in the run-up to the meeting said the university wanted to place a list of names of faculty members and others before the Syndicate for approval for sending them to various universities in the U.S. The reason for sending them was to strengthen research and collaboration in entrepreneurship, innovation and career hub and cancer theranostics, for which the Central government under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) programme, had sanctioned Rs. 50 crore. Details available with The Hindu show that the university must spend Rs. 15 crore on entrepreneurship, innovation and career hub and the rest on cancer theranostics.

Amount not released

The sources said that though the government had given approval for the topics for research and collaboration by Bharathiar University, it had not released the amount. That the university wanted to send a team of faculty members before the government released the money and the urgency it showed to get the Syndicate’s nod reeks of nepotism, they added.

Mr. Murugan said the university would look into the issue and ensure that it did not violate the government’s norms in spending RUSA funds.

Circular train services launched

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, APRIL 24, 2019 00:00 IST

Having completed the Takkolam-Arakkonam track works, the Southern Railway launched the circular train services on Tuesday. There will be two services.

The first train will leave Chennai Beach at 10.30 a.m. proceeding through Arakkonam, Tirumalpur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tambaram and reach Chennai Beach at 4.10 p.m.

Similarly, another service will leave Chennai Beach at 9.50 a.m. and would go via Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tirumalpur, Arakkonam and reach Chennai Beach at 4.15 p.m.

Following the introduction of the two circular services, the existing service from Chennai Beach to Tirumalpur to Chennai Beach has been cancelled.

In this Japan varsity, smokers can’t be teachers

Tokyo:24.04.2019

A Japanese university has stopped hiring professors and teachers who light up, officials said on Tuesday, as the nation steps up an anti-smoking campaign ahead of the 2020 Olympics.

Nagasaki University spokesman Yusuke Takakura said they have “stopped hiring any teaching staff who smoke”, although applicants who promise to kick the habit before taking up their post could still be offered employment.

The university will also ban smoking entirely on campus from August, opening a clinic for those who cannot give up, said Takakura.

“We have reached a conclusion that smokers are not fit for the education sector,” the spokesman said, adding that the university had sought legal advice and does not believe the policy contravenes discrimination laws.

Local media said it was the first state-run university to introduce such a condition of employment and the move comes after Tokyo’s city government passed strict new anti-smoking rules last year ahead of the 2020 Summer Games.

Japan has long been an outlier in the developed world, considered a smoker’s paradise where lighting up is allowed in many restaurants and bars.

Tokyo’s new laws ban lighting up at restaurants in the capital, regardless of size. Restaurants can set up separate indoor smoking areas, but customers cannot eat or drink there.

Smoking is also banned entirely on school premises from kindergartens to high schools, although space can be set aside outside university and hospital buildings.

The World Health Organization has given Japan its lowest rating for efforts to prevent passive smoking, and it even scores poorly in the region compared with countries like China and South Korea.

Despite that, tobacco use in Japan has been falling in line with a broader global trend. AFP

STUBBED OUT

Aditya Pharmacy Colleges Notification

Chettinad Academy of Research and Education Notification 2019

Nearly 40% govt employees on election duty did not receive postal ballot: Jactto-Geo

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:24.04.2019

When the election commission set a goal to achieve100% polling, it did not take appropriate measures to enable the government employees on election duty to cast their votes, according to the Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisation – Government Employees Organisation (Jactto-Geo)..

More than 3.5 lakh government employees were involved in election duty, across the state. Of them, around 40% did not receive the postal vote forms, said Jactto-Geo. Repeated attempts to reach state election officer Satyabrata Sahoo were in vain.

Going by the rules, the authorities should distribute the postal ballot/election duty certificate at the facilitation centre (training centre) to the government employees engaged in election duty. They can cast their vote at the facilitation centre or in the polling station where they are deputed.

However, several government employees said it was not done properly. They suspected the ruling AIADMK’s hands behind the non-distribution of postal ballots till date. It was done “intentionally” to stop them from voting, said coordinator of Jactto-Geo K Sambath Kumar, who was the one of polling officers in polling station 293 at C Kalyanapuram in Chennai North Constituency.

“None of the five persons on election duty in the polling station could cast their vote. Similar scenarios prevailed in a majority of the polling stations across Chennai.

“The situation was slightly better in other parts of the state,” he said and added there was political vendetta behind this.

The AIADMK even petitioned the state election officer, requesting not to engage government school teachers in election duty, he said.

“The ruling party knew that we will vote against them. So, we strongly suspect the ruling party’s hand behind the non-distribution of the ballot papers to government employees engaged in election duty,” said another government teacher who was on duty in polling station 59 in Chennai North Constituency.

The teacher said that she struggled to get the election duty certificate (EDC) form that enable the officials on polling duty to vote.

“I took a lot of effort and went to sub-collector office, after the third training class, to collect EDC form. I was made to wait for an hour. It was done purposefully to stop many of us from voting,” she said.


THE ENABLERS OF DEMOCRACY: More than 3.5 lakh government employees were involved in election duty across the state

Centre returns 154 PG med seats, state gets 309 in total
2nd Counselling Round In TN To Begin Soon

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:24.04.2019

The Centre has returned 154 of the 850 postgraduate medical seats in state government colleges that were left vacant after the second round of counselling held by the directorate general of health services for admission under all India quota.

Every year, the state surrenders 50% of the seats in government medical college to the directorate general of health services for admission through all India quota. In March, the state directorate of medical education surrendered 850 of the 1,758 degree and diploma medical seats. “The first round of counselling for the state quota has been completed. We will transfer the returned seats to the state bouquet,” said selection committee secretary G Selvarajan. The second round of counselling with 309 vacant seats is expected to begin later this week.

The percentage of seats being returned to the state government has also come down substantially. In 2018, of the 600 seats, 136 were vacant and the previous year, the Centre returned nearly 300 of the 500 surrendered seats. “Our students are now able to not just crack NEET better, but are learning the ropes to select colleges and seats of their choice through online counselling. This is a good sign,” said director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe.

Despite opposition to NEET, this year, one in seven doctors who cleared PG NEET 2019 was from Tamil Nadu. The National Board of Examination summary shows that of the 79,633 who qualified, 11,121 were from the state, which also had the most candidates (17,067) appearing, against 9,219 from Karnataka, 7,441 from Maharashtra and 6,323 from Andhra Pradesh. Although qualifying in the exam does not guarantee a seat, experts said the high numbers have given TN candidates more opportunity to get placed in premium colleges outside the state and has increased the possibility of more state candidates getting seats in state colleges.

Getting admission, however, was competitive as there were many students with same score in round one of state counselling. There were 10,297 candidates compared to 10,576 in 2018. There were no quota for government doctors. According to the government order, in-service candidates were given a maximum of 30% marks over the NEET score depending on the geographical area and number of years they have served. “We expect more government candidates to take up the remaining seats,” Dr Selvarajan said.

OBC candidates unable to apply for SBI jobs due to technical glitch
Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:24.04.2019

Hundreds of job aspirants belonging to Other Backward Communities (OBCs) are unable to apply for State Bank of India’s (SBI’s) vacant junior associate posts due to an alleged technical glitch.

The public sector bank had set 28 as age limit for applicants and three years age relaxation is given for OBC candidates.

But SBI’s online portal is not accepting the applications of 31-year-old OBC candidates, complained applicants.

Amid growing unemployment, the job notification by SBI came as a relief for graduates across the country.

As many as 11,096 junior associate (customer support and sales) vacant posts were to be filled through a selection procedure involving two phases – preliminary and main test.

Shortlisted candidates will be receiving a basic pay of ₹13,000 and total starting emoluments of an employee will be around ₹25,000 including Dearness Allowance (DA) and other allowances.

According to the official notification, only those in the age group of 20–28 as on April 1, 2019, are eligible to apply for these posts. It means that the candidates should have been born not earlier than April 2, 1991, and not later than April 1, 1999 (both days inclusive). Under existing central government norms, age relaxation of three years is given for OBC candidates.

Of the total seats, nearly 1,970 are earmarked for OBC candidates belonging to non-creamy layer.

However, not all eligible OBC candidates are able to apply for the job. Thanks to the technical glitch in the online application portal (https://ibpsonline.ibps.in/sbijascapr19/).

After entering the basic info and uploading photos along with signatures, the portal guides applicants to a page in which they are supposed to enter the state in which they are aspiring to work, caste and community details and date of birth.

P Kamlesh, one among the thousands of aspirants belonging to OBC, said, “Those with date of birth between April 2, 1987, and April 1, 1988, are not allowed to apply under OBC quota in the portal. It means that only two years of relaxation is given for OBC candidates". Despite repeated calls and mails, there was no response from the official spokesperson or SBI's Central Recruitment and Promotion Department.

May 3 is the last date to complete the application process.

Screenshot of SBI online portal

Anna univ prof, 2 financiers arrested for property fraud

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:24.04.2019

Central crime branch sleuths arrested three people, including a professor at Anna University, for selling property using forged documents and cheating two men. The accused were remanded in prison.

Assistant professor Prabhu Kumar, of Anna Nagar, entered into an agreement with brothers Kumar and Jayakumar, of Thiruvanmiyur, police said. As per the agreement, Prabhu would purchase the men’s 1,092sqft ancestral property for ₹67 lakh.

Later, Prabhu colluded with brothers Rajesh Kumar Lodha, 42, and Ramesh Kumar Lodha, 52, to cheat Kumar and Jayakumar. Prabhu invited Kumar and Jayakumar to the Saidapet subregistrar office to register the memorandum of understanding (MoU). However, he prepared a sale deed copy with the help of the Lodha brothers, who are financiers, and a power of attorney copy in Rajesh’s name. Kumar and Jayakumar signed all the documents assuming that they were for MoU registration. The victims later realised that they were cheated and lodged a police complaint.

Good news for TN, cyclone may bring rainfall next week
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:24.04.2019

For a city embraced by cool breeze and cloudy skies over the last two days, there was more good news in store on Tuesday. Weathermen had forecast that a low pressure area, which is expected to develop over Bay of Bengal, is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by the end of the month.

According to regional meteorological centre, Chennai, “A low pressure area is very likely to develop over Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka around April 25. It is very likely to intensify into a depression by 27th April. It is very likely to move northwestwards towards TN coast across east coast of Sri Lanka and is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by April 29.”

While southern and interior districts of the state and neighbouring districts of Chennai are already receiving pre-monsoon showers, the rain and the sea breeze have had a salutary effect on the city’s weather with temperature dropping from 35°C to 33.8°C. “The sky is likely to be partly cloudy. Maximum and Minimum temperatures are likely to be around 36°C and 28°Celsius respectively,” says a forecast for Wednesday and Thursday for Chennai.

GOOD OMEN:Kanchipuram has received good premonsoon showers in the last few days

FIZZLING OUT

Storm doesn’t seem to be intense, says Skymet

However, Skymet weather says the weather system, which is likely to develop over Bay of Bengal, may not have any effect on north coastal Tamil Nadu including Chennai.

“On April 29 and 30, it will move over the central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal. While on May 1, it would be close to the proximity of Bangladesh and Myanmar near the Arakan coast, the system would be moving in favourable weather conditions as Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) would be around 29°C that are conducive for the formation of cyclonic storms.”

“Despite of all these favourable factors, this storm, the very first one of this season doesn’t seem intense in nature. When the monsoon current is strong/aggressive/active, it tends to suppress the cyclonic storm,” Skymet said in a post on its website.

On Monday, several districts, including Vellore, Dharmapuri, Salem,

Nilgiris and Kanyakumari recorded rainfall while Chennai city saw some traces.

IMD has forecast light to moderate rain at isolated places over Tamil Nadu until April 27. Thunderstorm with gusty winds (45-50kmph) and lightning is likely to occur at isolated places over Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.

மாதுவை வைத்து ஓர் ஆளுமையின் பிம்பத்தை உடைக்கப் பார்க்கிறார்கள்: கவிஞர் வைரமுத்து வேதனை!

By எழில் | Published on : 22nd April 2019 10:39 AM

அமுத சுரபி அறக்கட்டளையின் சார்பில் சென்னை முத்தமிழ்ச் சங்கம் நடத்திய ஐம்பெருவிழாவில் கவிஞர் வைரமுத்து நேற்று கலைந்துகொண்டு 100 கவிஞர்களுக்குப் பரிசு வழங்கினார். விழாவில் சிறப்பு விருந்தினராக வி.ஜி.சந்தோஷம் கலந்துகொண்டார். பாவலர் ஞானி, கவிஞர் சு.சே.சாமி விழாவை முன்னின்று நடத்தினார்கள். கவிஞர்களும் தமிழறிஞர்களும் கலந்துகொண்டார்கள். விழாவில் கவிஞர் வைரமுத்து பேசியதாவது:


100 கவிஞர்களுக்குப் பரிசு தருவதைக் காலம் எனக்கிட்ட கட்டளையாகக் கருதுகிறேன். முத்தமிழ்ச் சங்கத்தை வாழ்த்துகிறேன். கவிஞர்களைக் கொண்டாடுகிற வரைக்கும் ஒரு தேசம் அறத்தை நம்புகிறது என்று அர்த்தம். ஆனால் கவிஞர்களையும் கவிதைகளையும் இந்த தேசம் இடது கையால்தான் ஆசீர்வதிக்கிறது. ஆரவாரமாக வாசிக்கப்படும் அரசியல் வாத்தியங்களின் இரைச்சலில் இலக்கியப் புல்லாங்குழல் எடுபடவே இல்லை. ஆனாலும் இலக்கியம் தன் இறுதி மூச்சை விடுவதாக வில்லை. யார் கேட்கிறார்களோ இல்லையோ அன்பின் வழிப்பட்ட அறத்தை இலக்கியம் தன் சன்னமான குரலில் இசைத்துக்கொண்டே இருக்கிறது. நிகழ்காலம் எதிர்காலம் குறித்துக் கவிதை காரணத்தோடு கவலைப்படுகிறது.

ஒரு வாக்காளன் விரலில் தேர்தல் ஆணையம் கரும்புள்ளி வைக்கலாம். ஆனால் வெற்றிபெற்ற வேட்பாளர் வாக்காளர் முகத்தில் கரும்புள்ளி செம்புள்ளி வைத்துவிடக்கூடாது என்று அது இதயம் வலிக்க எச்சரிக்கிறது.

இலக்கியமும் அறம் பற்றிப் பேசாவிட்டால் அதை உயர்த்திப் பிடிக்க நீதிமன்றத்தைத் தவிர வேறு எந்த நிறுவனம் இருக்கிறது? ஆனால் நீதிபதிகளுக்கே பாதுகாப்பில்லாத நிலைதான் இன்று நிலவுகிறது.

முன்பெல்லாம் ஒரு ஆளுமையைச் சிறுமைப்படுத்த வேண்டுமென்றால் கண்ணுக்குத் தெரியாமல் கஞ்சாவும் மதுவும் வைத்துக் கைது செய்வார்கள். இப்போதெல்லாம் மாதுவை வைத்தே பிம்பத்தை உடைக்கப் பார்க்கிறார்கள். நீதிபதியின் மூளையை முடக்குவதும், அவரது நேரத்தைத் திருடுவதும், அவரது தூக்கத்தைக் கொள்ளையடிப்பதும், அவரது தொழிலைத் தொலைப்பதும்தான் இந்தச் சதியின் நோக்கம். இந்தியத் திருநாட்டின் உச்சநீதிமன்ற நீதிபதிக்கே சதிவலை பின்னப்படும் என்றால் பாமரனுக்கு என்ன பாதுகாப்பு இருக்கிறது? இதைத்தான் “தர்மத்தின் வாழ்வுதனைச் சூது கவ்வும், தர்மம் மறுபடியும் வெல்லும்” என்றார் மகாகவி பாரதி. “‘தீ’யில் ஈ ஒட்டாது” என்றார் சுரதா. “தண்ணீரில் விழுந்தாலும் நிழல் நனைந்து போகாது” என்றேன் நான்.

நாட்டின் விழுமியங்கள் வீழும்போதெல்லாம் இலக்கியம் செத்துக்கொண்டே அழுகிறது. ஒருகாலத்தில் வழிமுறையாய் இருந்த லஞ்சம் இன்று வாழ்க்கைமுறையாகிவிட்டதே என்று வருந்துகிறது.

ஓட்டுக்குக் கையூட்டு உப்புமாவும் காப்பியும் என்று இருந்த நிலைமாறி 200 முதல் 4000 ரூபாய் வரையில் ஓட்டுக்குப் பணம்தரும் கலாசார வீழ்ச்சிக்குக் காரணம் வாக்காளரா? வேட்பாளரா? நெஞ்சுக்கு நேர்மையாக வாக்களிப்பவன் ஆளுங்கட்சியைத் தோற்கடிக்கிறான் அல்லது எதிர்க்கட்சியைத் தோற்கடிக்கிறான். ஆனால் பணம் பெற்று வாக்களிக்கும் வாக்காளன் தன்னைத்தானே தோற்கடித்துக்கொள்கிறான்.

ஆனாலும் நமது கடைசி நம்பிக்கை ஜனநாயகம்தான். விரலில் வைத்த மை நகத்தைவிட்டு வெளியேறுவதற்குள் நாட்டை விட்டுத் தீமை வெளியேறிவிட வேண்டும் என்றுதான் எல்லா மக்களும் எதிர்பார்க்கிறார்கள்.

இந்தக் கொடுமைகளைக் கண்டுதான் ‘போரிடும் உலகத்தை வேரோடு சாய்ப்போம்’ என்றார் பாவேந்தர் பாரதிதாசன். போரைச் சாய்க்கவே ஒரு போர் தேவைப்படுகிறது. அந்தப் போருக்கு இளைஞர்களும் கவிஞர்களும் தயாராக வேண்டும். இந்த தேசத்தில் நெருப்புக்கூடச் சுடவில்லை என்றால் குப்பைகளை எதைவைத்து எரிப்பது என்று பேசினார்.

புதிதாய்ப் பிறக்க வைக்கும் வாசிப்பு!

By கிருங்கை சேதுபதி | Published on : 23rd April 2019 01:53 AM |

ஊர்கள்தோறும் நடைபெறும் புத்தகத் திருவிழாக்களில் வந்து பார்க்கிறவர்களும் வாங்கிச் செல்பவர்களும் எண்ணிக்கையில் மிகுந்து வருகிறார்கள்.

அதனால், பலரது இல்லங்களின் வரவேற்பறைகளில், காட்சி மாடங்களில், விலையுயர்ந்த பொம்மைகள், கலைப் பொருள்கள் இருக்கிற இடங்களில் புத்தகங்கள் இருப்பதைப் பார்க்க முடிகிறது. பெரிது பெரிதாய், அழகழகாய்த் தெரிகிற மாதிரி அடுக்கி வைப்பதில் நேர்த்தி தெரிகிறது.
முகநூல் பக்கங்களில்கூட, தத்தம் இல்ல நூலகங்களைப் படமெடுத்து இடுகையிடுவதும், தாம் வாங்கிய நூல்களின் பட்டியலை, அந்த நூல்களின் முகப்புப் படங்களை இணைத்துக்கொள்வதும் மிகுந்து வருகிறது. புத்தகங்களைப் பரிசளிக்கிற பழக்கமும் அண்மைக்காலமாய் வளர்ந்துவரத் தொடங்கியிருக்கிறது.

இது நல்ல விஷயம்தான் என்றாலும், வாங்கிய நூல்களை அனைவரும் வாசிக்கிறார்களா? என்ற கேள்விக்கு ஆம் என்ற பதிலை உடனே பெற முடியவில்லை. வாசிப்பதற்காக வாங்கினாலும்கூட, வாங்குவதற்கு முன்னால் இருக்கிற வாசிப்பு ஆர்வம் வாங்கிய பிறகு வருவதில்லை. நம்மிடம்தானே இருக்கிறது. எப்பொழுது வேண்டுமானாலும் எடுத்துப் படிக்கலாம் என்று வைத்துவிட்டு மறந்தே விடுகிறோம். அதற்குள் இன்னும் பல புத்தகங்கள் வந்து சேர்ந்து விடுகின்றன.

நேரமின்மை ஒரு முக்கியக் காரணம் போலத் தோன்றினாலும், அதன்பால் உள்ள ஆர்வமின்மைதான் அதிமுக்கியக் காரணம். அது தாமதம் என்கிற பெயரோடு விருந்தினராய் வந்து, சோம்பல் என்கிற நிரந்தர உறுப்பினராய் நம்முடன் தங்கி விடுகிறது. பின்னர் நம்மையே ஆட்கொண்டும் விடுகிறது. இதனால், நாளுக்கு நாள் வாசிப்பின் மீதான ஆர்வம் படிப்படியாகக் குறைந்து மறைந்து விடுவதையும் பார்க்க முடிகிறது.

வாசிப்பு என்பது என்ன? சொற்களின் ஊடே பயணம் செய்து உண்மையை உள்வாங்கிக் கொண்டு அதனை மனக்கண் முன் நிறுத்தியும் செலுத்தியும் பார்க்கிற கலைநுட்பம். தொடர்ந்து, உணர்வின் நுண்ணிய பாகங்களை நன்னெறிப்படுத்தும் திண்ணிய நெஞ்சத்தை ஆக்கவல்ல கலைப்பாடு ஆகும்.
அதற்கு மாற்றாக, காட்சி ஊடகங்களின் முன் அமர்ந்து அசைவுறு படங்களின் துணை கொண்டு அவற்றைக் கண்டும் கேட்டும் அமைதி கொள்கிறபோது, புறத்துறுப்புகளான புலன்களோடு அந்தச் செயல்பாடு முடிந்துவிடுகிறது. அகத்துறுப்பான மனத்தைத் தூண்டிச் சிந்திக்கச் செய்வதைக் குறைத்து விடுகிறது.

எடுத்துக்காட்டாகச் செய்தித்தாளைச் சொல்லலாம். செய்திகளைப் பத்திரிகைகளின் வாயிலாகப் படித்துப் புரிந்துகொள்வதற்கும் காட்சி ஊடகங்களின் வாயிலாகப் பார்த்துத் தெரிந்துகொள்வதற்கும் நுண்ணிய வேறுபாடுகள் இருக்கின்றன அல்லவா? சொற்களில் கட்டமைக்கப் பெறும் காட்சிகளும், காட்சி ஊடகங்களில் சித்தரிக்கப்படும் நிகழ்வுகளும் நேர்கோட்டில் அமைவதில்லை. அதன் மொழி வேறு. இதன் உரு வேறு. இரண்டும் வேண்டும். ஆனால், ஒன்றை ஒன்று மென்று தின்றுவிட அனுமதிக்கலாகாது.

உணவு உடலுக்கு நல்லது. அது வாய்வழி பெறுவது. செவிவழி பெறுகிற உணவும் இருக்கிறது. அது மனதுக்கு நல்லது. இவ்விரண்டுக்கும் அப்பால், கண்வழி உண்ணும் உணவாகக் கலைவடிவங்கள் இருக்கின்றன. அவற்றினுள்ளும், எழுத்துக்கலை இருக்கிறதே, அது ஒப்பற்ற உயர்கலை. அதனால்தான், எழுதுகிறவன் கலைஞர்களில் சிறப்பானவன் என்று நான் கண்டுகொண்டேன். பிகாúஸாவின் ஓவியங்களைவிடவும், பீதோவனின் இசைக்கோலங்களைவிடவும், ஹ்யூகோவின் ஒரு வாக்கியம், கதேயின் ஒரு கடைச்சொல், உலக மக்களை எல்லாம் ஆட்டிப் படைத்துவிடும். இசை கேட்டாரை மட்டுமே பிணிக்கும். இலக்கியம் கேளாதாரும் விரும்ப காலகாலத்துக்கும் நிலைக்கும் என்கிறார் ஜெயகாந்தன்.

ஒரு புத்தகத்தைத் திறந்து படிக்கும்போது, அதனை எழுதிய ஆன்மா தன் இதயம் திறந்து மொழிகிற குரலை மனம் கேட்கும்; அதன் சொற்படிமங்களில் இருந்து எழுந்துலவும் பாத்திரப் படைப்பின் இயக்கத்தை மனக் கண் பார்க்கும்; அதன் சரி தவறுகளைச் சிந்தித்து, மனத்தின் உட்குரல் சொல்லும்; மெல்ல மெல்ல, எழுத்துருக்கள் மறைந்து அதன் சிந்தனைக் கீற்றுகள் படிந்து வாசிப்பவரின் உள்ளத் திண்மைக்கு உரமேற்றும்; அது மனசாட்சியைத் தூண்டி மலர்த்தும்; அதற்கு வலிமை சேர்க்கும்; தனிமனித மனசாட்சி வலிமையுற்றுச் சமுதாய மனசாட்சியை மேலுறுத்தும்போது, நிகழும் மாற்றங்கள் ஆக்கபூர்வமானவை.

அதைத்தான் உலக இலக்கியங்கள் மொழி எல்லைகள் கடந்து ஆற்றிவருகின்றன. லியோ டால்ஸ்டாயின் கதையும், மாப்பஸானின் ஆக்கமும், விக்டர் ஹ்யூகோவின் படைப்பும், திருவள்ளுவரின், கம்பரின், கவிதைகளும் அந்தந்த மொழிகளுக்கு மட்டுமே சொந்தமாகிவிடுமா என்ன?
சித்தர்கள் செய்யும் கூடு விட்டுக் கூடு பாயும் கலையை, இந்த வாசிப்பனுபவம் கைகூடச் செய்துவிடும். அதற்கு, எழுதுவது ஒரு தவம் என்றால், அதனை வாசிப்பது பெருந்தவம். எடுத்து வாசிக்கும் ஒவ்வொரு புத்தகமும் அந்தக் கணம் புதிதாய்ப் பிறக்கிறது; வாசிப்போரையும் பிறப்பிக்கச் செய்கிறது.

ஒரு நல்ல புத்தகத்தின் உள்நுழைந்து வெளிவரும் உள்ளம், வேறொரு உலகத்தில் பயணம் செய்து அதில் வாழ்ந்து அனுபவித்து மீள வருகிறது என்பதைத் தேர்ந்த வாசகர்கள் தாமே அறிவர்.

ஒற்றைப் பிரதியை உருவாக்கும் எழுத்தாளனின் ஆக்கம், அச்சேற்றப்படும் ஒவ்வொரு பிரதியின்போதும் புதிதாய்ப் பிறக்கிறது. வாசிப்பவர்களின் மனங்களில் புகுந்து மறுபிறவி எடுக்கிறது. வாசிப்புள்ளம் நேசிப்புள்ளமாக மாறும்போது, ஒரு படைப்பு அமரத்துவம் எய்துகிறது. அதுவும் வாழ்கிறது. வாசிப்பவரையும் வாழ்விக்கிறது. எழுதியவனும் நிரந்தரமாகிறான்.
இந்த அரிய கலை அனுபவத்தை, வருந்தலைமுறையினர் முறையாகப் பெறுகிறார்களா என்பது ஐயப்பாடாக இருக்கிறது. பள்ளிப் பாடங்களுள் மூழ்கி வெளிவருவதற்கே காலப்பற்றாக்குறை இருப்பதாகச் சொல்லப்படுவது நம்புதற்குரியதில்லை. மிச்சப்பொழுதுகளைக் காவுகொள்ளும் பிற சாதனங்களுக்கு ஒதுக்கப்பெறும் கால ஒதுக்கீட்டில் நல்ல புத்தகங்களின் வாசிப்புக்கும் நேரம் ஒதுக்கலாமே!
ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் புதிதாய் வாங்கும் புத்தகங்களை உடனே படிக்க முடியாவிட்டால், அதற்கெனக் கூடுதல் நேரம் ஒதுக்கி, செல்லிடப்பேசி முதலான தொடர்பு ஊடக இயக்கங்களை அணைத்துவிட்டு, புத்தகங்களுள் மூழ்கி வெளிவருவதும் உண்டு.

இல்லங்கள்தோறும் நூலகங்களை ஏற்படுத்தியதுபோல, வாசிப்புக்கென இடத்தையும் நேரத்தையும் ஒதுக்கிச் செயல்படலாம். வாரந்தோறும் கூட்டுப் பிரார்த்தனைபோல, கூட்டு வாசிப்பு நிகழ்த்தலாம். ஒருவருக்கு ஒரு நூல் எனப் பிரித்துப் படித்து முடித்துச் சேர்ந்து அறிமுகப்படுத்திக் கொள்ளலாம்.
சொல்வது எளிது; செய்வது கடினமன்று. தொடக்கத்து ஆர்வம் நாளுக்கு நாள் வளரவேண்டுமேயல்லாது, சென்று தேய்ந்து இறுதல் கூடாது. அதற்கு, சுவையான உணவுகளைத் தேர்ந்து உண்பதுபோல, நலம் பயக்கும் நூல்களைத் தேர்வு செய்து வாசிப்பிற்கு எடுத்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். அதற்கு நல்ல நண்பர்கள் துணைக் கொள்ளல் இனிது. வாசிப்புக்குரிய இதழ்களை, புத்தகங்களை முறைப்படுத்திக் கொண்டால், இந்தப் பணி எளிதில் கைகூடும். அவசரமாகப் படிக்க வேண்டியது, நிதானமாகப் படிக்க வேண்டியது, எப்போதும் படித்துப் பயன்கொள்ள வேண்டியது, படித்து முடித்து விடுக்க வேண்டியது என்று வகைப்படுத்திக் கொள்வது ஒருமுறை.
மற்றொன்று, நொறுக்குத் தீனிபோல, மேலோட்டமான வாசிப்புக்குரியனவற்றை முதலிலும், பசிக்கு உதவுகிற அன்னத்தைப்போல், பயன்படும் நூல்களை எப்பொழுதும், ருசிக்குத் துணைசெய்யும் புத்தகங்களை இடையிடையிலும் வாசித்துப் பழகி வைத்துக் கொள்ளலாம்.
வாசிப்பு, படிப்பாகி, படிப்பு கற்றலில் கொண்டுபோய் சேர்க்கும்; அது அற்றங்காக்கும் கருவியாம் அறிவைச் செறிவு செய்யும். எல்லாம் சரி ஏது நேரம் என்கிறீர்களா? இது இன்றைக்குரிய கேள்வி அல்ல; பண்டைக்காலத்திலேயே எழுப்பப்பெற்று பதிலும் தரப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. கல்வி கரையில கற்பவர் நாட்சிலமெல்ல நினைக்கின் பிணி பல என்கிறது நாலடியார். நாளும் நாளும் வந்து குவியும் நூல்களும், வாங்கிச் சேர்க்கும் புத்தகங்களும் மொத்தமாய் அழுத்தும்போது, படிப்பே சுமையாகிவிடுகிறதல்லவா? அதைச் சுலபமாக்கிக் கொள்ளவும் சுகமாக்கிப் பயனுறவும் அந்த நூலே ஒரு பாடலைத் தருகிறது.கலகலவெனக் கூவி ஒலிக்கும் ஆரவாரமிக்க புறவுலகப் போக்குகளை விஸ்தரிக்கும் உலக நூல்களைப் படிப்பதை விடவும், உளம் தடுமாறவிடாமல் உறுதிப் பயன் நல்கும் உயர் அறிவு நூல்களைத் தேடிக் கற்பது நல்லது என்பதை அக்கால நடையில் சொல்லிச் செல்கிறது.
அலகுசால் கற்பின் அறிவுநூல் கல்லாது
உலக நூல் ஓதுவது எல்லாம்- கலகல
கூஉம் துணை அல்லால் கொண்டு தடுமாற்றம்
போஒம் துணை அறிவார் இல்.
பொழுதுபோக்கு எனும் பெயரில், உயிரனைய பொழுதுகளை அற்பமாய்க் கழித்துவிடாமல், அற்புத அனுபவத்தைத் தருகிற மெய்ம்மை நூல்களைத் தேடிக் கற்பது உயிர் வளர்க்கும் என்று, எத்தனையோ பணிகளுக்கு மத்தியில் இந்தக் கட்டுரையைப் படித்து முடித்த உங்களுக்குச் சொல்லியா காட்ட வேண்டும்?

கட்டுரையாளர்:
பேராசிரியர்.



இன்று உலக புத்தக விழிப்புணர்வு தினம்.

Smooth start for Chennai Corporation’s cycle sharing plan

With response exceeding expectations, officials hope to expand to more areas

Published: 23rd April 2019 06:40 AM 

A girl downloads the Smart Bike app before using the cycles

 | D SAMPATHKUMAR

By Samuel Merigala

Express News Service

CHENNAI : The Chennai Corporation’s Cycle Sharing System has gained considerable traction within the first two months of its launch, officials said. On average, 100 people have registered for the system every day, taking the total registrations to 6000 since the system was launched on February 27. “The response we have gotten for cycle sharing, has exceeded our expectations and we are looking to sustain this enthusiasm as we expand the system to other parts of the city,” said a top corporation official overseeing the Cycle Sharing System.

It is learnt that the system has recorded over 18,000 rentals since its launch and that on any given day, there are at least 250 people who use the cycles. This number is said to peak during weekends, where there are more than 400 rentals recorded in Anna Nagar and Marina, where the pilot project has been launched.
“We have been receiving excellent reviews from users and many of them are using them to travel short distances in the city. Hopefully, this will help solve the last mile connectivity problem the city has,” said a senior official from Chennai Smart City, which is implementing this project through a vendor.

Vandalism is an issue
While the Cycle Sharing System is picking up, vandalism is an issue that the Corporation and vendor must nip at the bud to ensure sustainability of the project. Officials in the corporation and from the vendor, claimed that around 25 bicycles of the 250-cycle-fleet have been vandalised since the launch.


They said at least six bicycles have been thrown into the sea at Marina. “We had to fish these cycles out. Luckily we had GPS to assist us,” said an official from the vendor, claiming that users are attempting wheelies and other stunts. There have been instances of people taking the bicycles home and riding rashly, leading to accidents. “We had to bring back a cycle from Tambaram after the user failed to return it after a day,” said an official.

Corporation officials claimed that the vandalism levels have not reached “alarming stages” but are apprehensive about instituting deterrents such as fines, fearing it will hamper the growth of the system. However, the vendor said they will be levying fines in coming days.

Cab driver risked own life to help stranded Indian
Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:23.04.2019

On Sunday morning, when 25-year-old Ashwin Rangarajan, a finance consultant from Bengaluru, realised that there were bomb blasts in Colombo, one of them a few km from the hostel he was staying, it was like his worst fears had come true. With panic all around and the hostel staff locking the gates on rumours of a terrorist roaming in the area, he did not know if he could make it to the airport in time. His flight back to India was scheduled to take off 12 hours later.

However, on Monday morning Ashwin reached Bengaluru safe and sound and he had one person to thank. He was Irfan, an Uber cab driver who brushed aside his own fear and drove Ashwin to the airport. The 45-km drive to Colombo airport, was no longer safe as tensions were high after several bombs rocked the island nation on Sunday. A Muslim of Tamil origin, Irfan feared reprisal attacks after local Muslims were suspected to be involved in the terror attacks. He was on the verge of cancelling after accepting the trip.

“My mother had made the booking from Chennai as I couldn’t get one despite trying for 25 minutes. Internet services in Sri Lanka were also about to be turned off. She called him up and pleaded with him to accept the trip and drive me to safety,” Ashwin told TOI.

Though Irfan’s family had asked him to return home, he assured Ashwin’s mother that come what may he would drop her son to the airport. “As soon as I boarded the cab, he (Irfan) told me not to worry and promised that all will be fine,” Ashwin said. Ashwin recalled that Irfan got frequent phone calls from his family, who were telling him to be careful as there were rumours of Muslims being targeted. Apart from Irfan, the staff at the hostel also turned out to be heroes as they advised him to stock up on essential goods as soon as news of the blasts broke. “They locked the gates and kept us safe,” said Ashwin.

Tahsildar row: Election official holds inquiry

Madurai:23.04.2019

Additional chief electoral officer M Balaji on Monday conducted a detailed inquiry into the entry of a woman tahsildar into a room adjoining the strong room at the Madurai Medical College where electronic voting machines are kept after the April 18 Lok Sabha elections.

Balaji, who arrived here in the morning, held inquiries with election officer and district collector S Natarajan, tahsildar Sampooranam, top police officials and all those had been on poll duty.

Balaji told reporters that he had inspected the strong room and found security to be satisfactory. The three-tier security was adequate and it had been tightened, he said. Balaji said he would send an inquiry report to the state chief electoral officer and the Election Commission of India. Sampoornam, personal assistant to the assistant returning officer (ARO) in the Madurai West constituency, allegedly entered the room on Saturday. She allegedly took some documents outside the room and photocopied.

The district collector sent a report to the chief electoral officer on Sunday, following which Sampoornam and three others were placed under suspension.

The candidates, who contested the Madurai Lok Sabha election - CPM’s Su Venkatesan, AIADMK’s V V R Raj Satyan, AMMK’s K David Annadurai, NTK’s J Pandiammal and MNM’s M Alagar met the additional chief electoral officer and made their representations.

Su Venkatesan said he had sought the transfer of the collector and returning officer before the counting as he had lost confidence in fair counting if the same officer continued. He said the issue would not have become big if the higher officials including the collector and DRO had responded to their calls and arrived at the counting hall immediately. Satyan said that it should made clear as to why the tahsildar was in the room on Saturday, and that the matter should be dealt with legally.

Meanwhile, representatives of the government employees’ associations from the district collectorate and Madurai Corporation met the officer and sought that the suspension of the tahsildar should be revoked.

Bogus report case: No leniency should be shown, says court
CoP Seeks More Time For Final Report

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:23.04.2019

Rejecting the state’s request to close suo motu contempt of court proceeding initiated against the member secretary of the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Service Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) for filing a bogus ‘expert opinion’ in the court, the Madras high court on Monday made it clear that no leniency should be shown during the probe conducted by the Chennai police commissioner.

“This court has no iota of doubt and made it clear that no leniency or misplaced sympathy shall be shown in respect to all the persons concerned in the matter of investigation irrespective of their cadre, post or status. All concerned must be examined, investigated and interrogated, wherever necessary for the purpose of digging out the truth behind the incidents as well as the queries raised in the suo motu contempt proceedings,” Justice S M Subramaniam said.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by an unsuccessful candidate for recruitment to post of sub-inspector (fingerprint) conducted by the TNUSRB. Though the plea was dismissed on the basis of an ‘expert opinion’ produced by the board, later it came to light that the ‘opinion’ was bogus.

Taking serious view of the issue, the court initiated contempt of court proceeding against the member secretary of the board and directed the Chennai commissioner to conduct a probe and file reports to the court.

When the plea came up for hearing on Monday, the commissioner filed a comprehensive report in respect to the investigations done and sought further time to get appropriate report from the forensic department and to file a final report.

G V Kumar, a psychologist arrested in connection with the scam, submitted that the documents furnished by him are yet to be examined by the investigating officers and that certain documents were created by the police officers of the board by obtaining signatures in blank papers from him.

Recording the submissions, the judge said, this court is of the considered opinion that the commissioner is entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the investigation and therefore, there may not be any ambiguity or difficulty in interrogating all the officials, who all are connected with the issues.

“It is made clear that all officials, including the high-ranking officials, are to be questioned by the commissioner, if necessary with reference to the documents and the materials submitted by the respective parties concerned,” Justice Subramaniam said and adjourned the plea to September 6.

In the meantime, another judge of the court granted bail to Kumar, who was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on April 1 by the Chennai CCB.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by an unsuccessful candidate for recruitment to post of sub-inspector (fingerprint) conducted by the TNUSRB

‘Suicide’ of man turns out to be murder by 4 of own family

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:23.04.2019

A reported case of ‘suicide’ of a man has now turned out to be a cold-blooded murder by his own family members.

The man was attacked and killed by his own family, as he had been creating nuisance in a drunken state.

Now, a retired government official, his wife and two other sons, who murdered Mahesh, 28, and then hung his body to pass it off as suicide, have been arrested by police.

The issue came to light after doctors who performed autopsy confirmed that Mahesh should have died before he was hung from the ceiling.

Investigation officers then started probing the matter and questioned Mahesh’s family members about the incident. During interrogation, Mahesh’s brothers — Mohanavel, 31, and Ramesh, 26 —gave contradictory statements.

Intense interrogation thereafter brought out the circumstances under which Mahesh was murdered by his own family members.

Mahesh, worked at a private firm in Singapore had returned to Kancheepuram two months ago. He consumed liquor and started arguing with his parents and brothers. An investigation officer said: “Mahesh had lost his job because he was an alcoholic and returned to his home in Ayyampettai village at Kancheepuram. He used to come home drunk every day and create problems in the vicinity.” On Friday, Mahesh returned home around 10pm and picked up a fight. On learning about the incident, Mohanavel and Ramesh rushed home and tried to convince him. As Mahesh tried to hit his father with a wooden plank, his brothers snatched it from him and hit him and pushed him down.

Mahesh hit a stone on the ground and fainted. On realising that he had died, the family, in order to cover up the offence, hung his body inside the house and staged a suicide drama.

Wallajahbad police have arrested the vitcim’s father Mani, 62, mother Tamizh Selvi, 55, and brothers Mohanavel and Ramesh. They were produced before a magistrate court in Kancheepuram and remanded in judicial custody.

A retired government official, his wife and two other sons, who murdered Mahesh, 28, and then hung his body to pass it off as suicide, have been arrested

Don’t be scared if you can’t find your shadow at noon tomorrow

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:23.04.2019

Step out in the Sun on Wednesday around noon and find your shadow right under you, as it is Zero Shadow Day, a phenomenon that happens twice a year in the city. The shadow cast will be almost zero at around 12.07pm when the Sun crosses the local meridien, an imaginary line connecting north, south and overhead.

This year, a group of 60 city students will get together to measure the longest and shortest shadow. They will gather at the Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre (TNSTC) at Kottupuram, which houses the Birla Planetarium.

S Soundarajaperumal, executive director (incharge), TNSTC, said experts would be present to help the students interpret the measurements they would take, which includes studying the radius of the earth, its linear rotational velocity, which varies at different latitudes, and the axial tilt. For interpretation, measurements taken in other cities such as Bengaluru and Mangaluruwill also be taken into account.

“When the sun has its declination equal to the latitude of the place, then the Sun is at its zenith because of the tilt of the Earth’s axis. On April 24, the Sun’s declination will be at 13 degrees and cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru and Mangaluru are at 13 degree latitude. So, these cities can see zero shadow,” he said.

Every location on earth between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn will witness this phenomenon twice a year. In India, this happens between April and September.

Soundarajaperumal said students would assemble at the Birla Planetariums in Bengaluru andMangalurutootoconduct similar measurements. However, the time at which the shadow may be shortest will not be the same as in Chennai. “For one degree rotation, the earth takes four minutes. So, after Chennai sees shortest shadow, it will be followed by Bengaluru, which may take 10 minutes or so and then Mangaluru. ” he said.

Jump to see the shadow right under or a pipe or pole couldbeerected perpendicular to the ground, say experts.