High court sets aside order denying employment on compassionate ground

MADURAI: The Madras high court Madurai bench on Thursday ruled that the government could not deny employment on compassion ground for the elder son after keeping the application pending for several years till the younger son got the government employment on the basis of merit.

Justice S Vaidhyanathan, allowing a petition by M Ramkumar said the government order that if any of the family members of the deceased was employed, the case of compassionate appointment to another member of the family would not be considered would not apply in the case of the petitioner.

The judge pointed out that petitioner's father, who was working as an assistant in the Government Higher Secondary School at Meemisal in Pudukottai district, died in 1998.

The petitioner's mother applied for compassion ground appointment as per rules in 2000.

After 12 years, the petitioner's brother got employment as secondary grade teacher on merit on September 10, 2012.

Thereafter, on June 13, 2013 the district education officer of Pudukottai had rejected the application on the ground that the petitioner's younger brother had received employment.

"The government order may be applicable if any of the legal heirs of the deceased was already in employment. If the respondent had accommodated the compassion ground employment earlier (before his younger brother got on merit), the petitioner would have the employment," the judge said.

"Not taking a decision immediately and postponing the request for compassionate ground appointment and thereby depriving the claim of the petitioner cannot be accepted," the judge further said.

The judge set aside the order of the DEO denying employment for the petitioner and directed the government to consider his case, within two months.

Keep the change, use metro card for MTC buses soon

CHENNAI: In a few months you will be able to use the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) card to travel on Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses too.

Taking the first step towards seamless integration of transport in the city, metro rail and MTC have worked out the formalities. "We have been working on this for two years, and we have now signed an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with MTC. Trial runs are now going on and the system will be functional very soon," CMRL MD Pankaj Bhansal told TOI.

CMRL gave MTC the technical specifications for the new electronic ticketing machines (ETMs) that the corporation started buying early last year. Now all buses have handheld ETMs that are compatible with the CMRL travel card. "Technically, nothing stops us from allowing CMRL's travel card in our buses now. We just have to sort out some payment modalities," said an MTC official.

CMRL officials are confident that these issues will be sorted out within three months. For commuters, it means not worrying about carrying change and not standing in queues. "I travel from Tidel Park to KK Nagar, for which I can use both metro and MTC. A common card would be great," said V Kripa, a resident of KK Nagar.

For many urban planners, this is the first step towards a 'conductor-free' bus ride. "Conductors can be used for other purposes- administrative and at bus depots. However, the management is too scared of unions," said an urban expert who did not want to be named.

In some countries, ticketing machines are fixed on poles near the bus door. "In Chennai, this cannot be done as we need a conductor to control the crowd, if not to issue tickets. Also, some people would not tap the card if no one is around to ask them," said the MTC official.

Now MTC is busy changing the batteries of ETMs. "Earlier batteries could last only eight hours and this was not enough. We are now replacing them with batteries that can last up to 16 hours," said the official.

Doctors call off strike after govt hikes stipend

MUMBAI: Resident doctors' stir across Maharashtra ended on Friday after the state government raised their stipend and assured better security arrangements. Patients, though, suffered in all public hospitals as many were referred to private hospitals and discharged abruptly; surgeries were also cancelled.

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) called off the strike after education minister Vinod Tawde assured that their stipend will be increased by Rs 5,000, with effect from August, from Rs 43,000 at present.

The state has also promised the post-graduate students that a concrete proposal regarding installation of CCTV cameras in strategic locations such as casualty and ICUs will be moved shortly. The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) also issued a circular saying the proposal for an annual fee hike in medical colleges to Rs 66,000 from Rs 40,000 will be cancelled and a fresh plan to revert to the old structure will be prepared.

The DMER has also issued a circular saying a doctor will be accompanied by a Class I officer when going to a police station to lodge a complaint against assault by any patient or relative. MARD will have a say in where the CCTV cameras will be installed on campuses.

The BMC on Friday claimed that senior doctors managed to treat nearly 5,000 patients in KEM, Sion and Nair hospitals. Soliha Kalam (11), though, was turned away despite her complaints of discomfort in her eye. She had narrowly escaped with a gash under her eye when the ceiling fan hit her face last Sunday. Her eye has been watering incessantly. "Doctors asked us to come back after the strike is over," her mother Farida said. The number of deliveries also fell drastically to six in all these hospitals that carry out over 70 deliveries on any normal day.

Meanwhile, a PIL was filed against the doctor's strike before the Bombay high court, which posted the matter for hearing on July 6, 2015.

Gujarat HC stays admission in NRI quota in medical courses as per new law

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat high court has stayed the new rules made by the state government for admission on the NRI quota in medical courses because they not only give preferential treatment to candidates of Gujarat domicile, but also discriminate against students from other states.

By staying the admission under NRI quota as per the amended law, the high court has permitted to give admission as per old rules. The HC intervened in response to a petition filed by a student Kolasani Sai Yaswant Reddy from Andhra Pradesh, who complained that in the name of preferential treatment to local students, the new provisions give a go-bye to merit. Even if a student from other state has secured more percentage, he will lose admission under the NRI quota to a Gujarati student with less marks.

While issuing notice to the government, Acting Chief Justice V M Sahai commented, "The secretaries make policies to please their bosses and do not bother to see whether they are in accordance with law." The court has kept further hearing on July 23, and asked the government to file reply to court notice within two weeks.

In May, the state government issued notification and made changes in Gujarat Professional Medical Educational Courses (Regulation of Admission and Payment Fees) (Amendment), 2015. By providing new provision to the sub clause (i) of clause (4) of sub rule C of Rule 7 of the lawsthe state government has denied admission to the students coming from states other than Gujarat. This is in violation of provisions of Article 14 of the Constitution, the petition said.

Take Cab, Enjoy Movie, Drink on the House: Ola and Uber's New Offers

CHENNAI: Discounts on tariffs seem to have become too mundane for the warring giants of the cab industry. The battle to woo Chennai's customers has now veered to uncharted territory.
Ola and Uber both announced new offers on Friday. The one has promised free drinks in a few Chennai pubs and the other a chance to watch the latest Terminator movie. All you have to do is take their cabs.

Most opening the Ola mobile app for a cab on Friday found a psychedelic pop-up on their screen - "OLA NIGHTS! Free Drinks at your favourite bars. #ChaloNiklo". The 'Know More' button listed three pubs in Chennai city where taking an Ola would get customers free drinks. All you had to do was flash your ride invoice to the bartender. US101 in T Nagar, Slounge at Lemon Tree Hotel in Guindy and Savera's BAY146 have all joined hands with Ola to provide free drinks - through a 'buy one get one free' from July 3 to July 12.

This isn't the first time Ola has targeted the wilder Chennai crowd. Last New Year's Eve, Ola asked people not to drink and drive. For the drive, take an Ola. "This New Year, take the pledge to never Drink and Drive. Party all night and call Olacabs. #IPledgeToNeverDrinkAndDrive #PartyWithOlacabs" tweeted the cab company.

Ola's rival Uber seems to have taken another path. On the same day that Ola announced free drinks, Uber made what was a much better offer - at least to any Arnold Schwarzenegger fan.
The cab company is offering its customers an opportunity to watch Terminator Genisys at Escape Cinemas on July 4.

"Open the Uber app anytime between 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm Saturday, July 4 and slide over to the SPIUBER option. For `450, you and your friend will get chauffeured to Frame at Escape, Express Avenue to watch Terminator Genisys. Show your SPIUBER trip receipt at the entrance," said Uber.
The strategy, of both Ola and Uber, seems to be working - if getting the attention of the younger crowd is the objective, according to persons that Express spoke to.

"We are planning to try the Uber offer, and if we don't get lucky enough to land the tickets, we would to take an Ola to one of the three pubs," said Shruti and Rakhi.

69 candidates forfeit admission to medical colleges

Chennai: About 69 candidates who were among those provisionally selected for the government MBBS\self-financing MBBS\government BDS colleges at the end of the first phase of counselling that concluded on June 25 (to fill up 2,257 seats) failed to obtain their allotment orders on Thursday.

Though the Directorate of Medical Examination (DME) had informed that the candidates who had not received the allotment orders after 5 pm of June 28 could obtain the same from the Selection Committee, DME, Kilpauk, from June 29 to July 02, about 69 candidates had not turned up to receive the orders.

“They have not communicated any reason. Today was the last day to receive the allotment orders from the Selection Committee and as they had failed to obtain the orders they would forfeit admission to the colleges,” said Dr Usha Sadhasivam, secretary, selection committee. These seats will be filled up during the second phase of counselling, she said when contacted.

கருணை பணி வழங்க தாமதிப்பதா: ஐகோர்ட் கேள்வி

மதுரை: 'கருணைப் பணி நியமனம் கோரிய மனு மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்காமல், 12 ஆண்டுகள் கிடப்பில் போட்டுவிட்டு, தற்போது நிராகரித்ததை ஏற்க முடியாது' என, உயர் நீதிமன்ற மதுரை கிளை உத்தரவிட்டது.

விண்ணப்பம்

புதுக்கோட்டையைச் சேர்ந்த ராம்குமாரின் தந்தை மீமிசல், அரசு மேல்நிலை பள்ளியில் உதவியாளராக பணிபுரிந்தார்; இவர், 1998 அக்., 19ம் தேதி இறந்தார். மகன் ராம்குமாருக்கு கருணைப் பணி நியமனம் கோரி, அவரது தாய், 2000ல் தமிழக அரசிடம் விண்ணப்பித்தார். இதற்கிடையே, ராம்குமாரின் சகோதரருக்கு தகுதி அடிப்படையில், 2012ல், இடைநிலை ஆசிரியர் பணி கிடைத்தது.

இதனால், அறந்தாங்கி கல்வி மாவட்ட அலுவலர், 'உங்கள் சகோதரர், அரசு ஊழியர்; எனவே, உங்களுக்கு கருணைப் பணி வழங்க முடியாது' என, 2013 ஜூன் 13ம் தேதி, ராம்குமாரின் விண்ணப்பத்தை நிராகரித்தார். அதை ரத்து செய்து, பணி வழங்க உத்தரவிடக்கோரி, உயர் நீதிமன்ற மதுரை கிளையில், ராம்குமார் மனு செய்தார்.

விசாரணை

இம்மனு, நீதிபதி எஸ்.வைத்தியநாதன் முன், நேற்று விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. அப்போது, 'அரசு உத்தரவுப்படி, குடும்பத்தில் யாராவது ஒருவர் பணியில் இருந்தால், கருணைப் பணி வழங்க முடியாது' என, அரசு வழக்கறிஞர் தெரிவித்தார்.

பின், நீதிபதி பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவு:

மனுதாரரின் தந்தை, 1998ல் இறந்துள்ளார். மனுதாரரின் தாய், தன் மகனுக்கு கருணைப் பணி நியமனம் கோரி, 2000ல் விண்ணப்பித்து உள்ளார். மனு மீது எவ்வித நடவடிக்கையுமின்றி, 12 ஆண்டுகளாக அரசு தரப்பில் நிலுவையில் வைத்துள்ளனர்.

தகுதி அடிப்படை

இதற்கிடையே, மனுதாரரின் சகோதரர், மேஜரான பின், தகுதி அடிப்படையில் அரசுப் பணியில் சேர்ந்துள்ளார். அதை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்டு, மனுதாரருக்கு பணி மறுப்பது நியாயமற்றது.

மனுதாரரின் சார்பில், அவரது தாய் அளித்த மனுவை, மனுதாரர் மேஜரான சமயத்தில் பரிசீலித்து, தகுந்த உத்தரவு பிறப்பித்திருந்தால், அப்போதே கருணைப் பணி வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்திருக்கும்.

நிராகரிப்பு

மனுவை உரிய காலத்தில் பரிசீலிக்காமல் கிடப்பில் போட்டுவிட்டு, தற்போது நிராகரித்ததை ஏற்க முடியாது; பணி மறுத்த உத்தரவு ரத்து செய்யப்படுகிறது. கல்வி மாவட்ட அலுவலர், இரு மாதங்களில் பரிசீலித்து, பணி நியமனம் பற்றி தகுந்த உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்க வேண்டும்.

இவ்வாறு, நீதிபதி உத்தரவிட்டார்.