Govt. employees take out rally

They want old pension scheme and pay as per eighth pay panel suggestions

State Government employees took out a rally in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur on Wednesday.

The demands included implementation of old pension scheme and Eighth Pay Commission recommendations, 20 per cent of ad hoc payment from January 1, 2016, filling vacancies in time scale pay, treating 41-month lay off period of road workers as service period, among other issues.

In Thanjavur, the rally was taken out from Sivagangai Park and culminated at the Pangal Buildings. The Tami Nadu Government Employees Association district president Govindaraju led the rally. Pensioners’ Association district president Kaliyamurthy and TNGEA state secretary Panneerselvam participated.

In Tiruvarur, the rally began at the New Railway Station and wound its way through the main thoroughfares to end at Municipal Office. The Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association district president G. Bhairavanathan led the rally. Association State secretary Guru. Chandrasekaran and district secretary V. Somasundaram explained the demands.

HC seeks MCI’s response on amendment of norms

Earlier, notifications had called for common counselling

The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday sought the response of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to a couple of writ petitions challenging the validity of two notifications issued by it on Friday, stating that henceforth, there shall be common counselling on the basis of merit list of NEET for all admissions to MBBS as well as postgraduate medical courses in all educational institutions in a State or Union Territory.

Justice V. Parthiban ordered that MCI should respond to the two writ petitions, filed by the chairman of a linguistic minority educational institution, by March 22. The MCI’s notifications amending the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education of 1997 as well as Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations of 2000, had stated that the amendments were being introduced with the previous sanction of the Centre and they shall apply even with respect to private minority institutions. Assailing the notifications, challenged by the chairman of Padanilam Welfare Trust that administers self-financed institutions in Kanniyakumari district, senior counsel Isaac Mohanlal contended that they were in violation of the Constitutional right of the minorities to administer educational institutions. “Admission of students being one of the most important facets of right of administration, neither the MCI nor the State can bring in regulations abrogating the right,” he argued.

Watchman gets back his job at college

Appellate court had let him off despite confirming conviction by trial court

The Madras High Court Bench here has directed the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) to reinstate a government engineering college watchman, who was dismissed from service after he was convicted for assaulting the principal following a road accident involving his bicycle and the latter’s motorcycle in 2003.

Dismissing a writ appeal preferred by the Directorate, a Division Bench of the High Court held that the watchman A. John Antony Doss of Tirunelveli was entitled to reinstatement since an appellate court had let him off under the Probation of Offenders Act of 1958 despite confirming the conviction recorded by the trial court.

Writing the judgment for the Division Bench, Justice J. Nisha Banu pointed out that as per Section 12 of the 1958 Act, a person who had been let off either on probation of good conduct or after admonition should not suffer any disqualification attached to the conviction. She also referred to certain judicial precedents on the issue.

Though the DTE claimed that the watchman had indulged in certain irregularities too, the judge said that those issues could not be cited as a reason to dismiss him from service. She said that the officials could at the most impose a punishment of postponement of increment for two years without cumulative effect after reinstating him in service.

×

High Court Bench orders notice to State Government

Delay in inauguration of buildings for constituent colleges of some universities

The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday ordered notice to the State Government on a public interest litigation petition filed against reported delay in inaugurating newly constructed buildings for constituent colleges of various universities in the State.

A Division Bench of Justices A. Selvam and N. Authinathan directed Special Government Pleader M. Govindan to take notice on behalf of the Higher Secondary Secretary and advocate T. Muthukumaran to take notice on behalf of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) returnable by April 6.

The judges also ordered notices to Alagappa University in Sivaganga district, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) in Tirunelveli and Bharathidasan University in Tiruchi.

The petitioner R. Rajaselvan of Dindigul district had claimed that several new buildings constructed by these universities were yet to be inaugurated.

His counsel R. Alagumani told the court that buildings constructed for six constituent colleges of MKU, four constituent colleges of Alagappa University, two constituent colleges of Bharathidasan University and one constituent college of MSU were yet to be inaugurated though the construction was completed about six months ago.

Demand to set up AIIMS in Madurai picks up steam

Move will benefit 2.30 crore people, say speakers at fast

The need for establishing All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Thoppur, near Madurai was stressed by speakers at the day-long token fast who explained at length how it would benefit not only people from southern districts, but also those in parts of Central districts like Karur, Perambalur and Tiruchi.

Two years ago, the Union government had announced in its budget that AIIMS would be established in Tamil Nadu on the model of the one in New Delhi. Last year, the Finance Ministry had earmarked funds as well. However, due to ‘delay’ from the Tamil Nadu government in identifying the land, the project could not take off.

As many as five locations including Madurai figured in the proposal. A study team from New Delhi had ‘favoured’ Madurai as it’s choice as it had all the features than other locations.

Recently, when Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had been to New Delhi, he had appealed to the Prime Minister to establish the AIIMS at Sengipatti in Thanjavur district.

Shocked over CM’s move, the people and various organisations from the southern districts of that State had come together to urge the governments to reconsider the decision.

Makkal Iyakkam

Under the banner ‘Makkal Iyakkam,’ the Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association had organised a one-day token fast in the city on Wednesday.

Presiding over the agitation, chief coordinator V.S. Manimaran said that when Madurai was the acceptable location to all stakeholders, the sudden ‘U’ turn by the government in suggesting another town only created confusion and delay. It must be noted that the Union government had earmarked funds for the AIIMS to be set up in three states including TN and works in other States had begun including in Uttarakhand. So instead of delaying it further, the government should step-in and stick to the proposal to build the state-of-the-art hospital in Madurai.

Speakers from various political outfits including the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led by its leader Jothiram, Bharatiya Janata Party and other regional parties supported the agitation.

The BJP state secretary, R. Srinivasan, said that more than any other city, Madurai would be able to cater to a larger section of people as people not only from southern districts, but even those from towns as far as Perambalur and Karur can benefit as the road connectivity was good. A total of 2.30 crore population, as per 2011 census, would reap rich benefits. The BJP, he said, would strongly voice for Madurai, he asserted.

Various organisations and trade bodies from Virudhunagar, Dindigul, Theni, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and other towns supported the agitation. Perrys Mahendravel presided over the fast.

×

MLA’s name figures in dead voters’ list

THE HINDU

Sulur MLA K. Kanagaraj found his name missing from voters’ list and included in the dead voters’ list.

Sources said that when he was going through the draft list released a few days ago, he found his name and that of his wife, Rathinam, missing and included the dead voters’ list.

He immediately lodged a complaint with the Coimbatore Collector T.N. Hariharan, who has promised to look into the issue. Sources said that his prolonged stay in Chennai could have been the reason for the erroneous removal.

Think before you drink water from cans

Packaged brands need to improve quality, finds survey by organisation

Many brands of packaged drinking water, popular among urban population, do not have proper labels or foolproof packaging, revealed a sample survey conducted by Concert Trust, a voluntary consumer organisation.

Packaged drinking water has become easily accessible now to bridge the gap of piped water supply. But, such source of water may not be necessarily safe for drinking, note members of Concert Trust, a sister organisation of Consumers Association of India (CAI).

A total of 12 brands procured from four southern States were tested for packaging, labelling, quality and user perception. Parrys, Vodaa Fresh and Caissy were among the brands tested in Tamil Nadu.

Of the 12 samples, labels on five were not readable. There was no proper information on market retail price or date of manufacture or batch number in 90% of the brands tested.

G. Santhanarajan, CAI director (foods), said the pH level in eight samples was less than the prescribed level of 6.5 indicating high acidic nature. Similarly, some of the tested brands like Aquapride and Maxima had more aerobic microbial count and presence of coliform was also detected.

“Most of the bubble top cans had dents and scratches. Statutory warning like crush the bottle after the use were not visibly printed even in containers of popular brands. We found that some brands that were given ‘Stop Manufacture’ notices by Bureau of Indian Standards were in market,” he said.

Consumers must insist on monthly bill for the packaged drinking water supplied and also check the licence of brand supplied with the list available on BIS website.