மூத்த குடிமக்கள் விட்டுக்கொடுத்த 200 கோடி ரூபாய்





மத்திய அரசாங்கமும், மாநில அரசுகளும் ஆண்டுதோறும் பட்ஜெட்டுகளை தாக்கல்செய்து பொதுமக்களுக்கான திட்டங்களை நிறைவேற்றி வருகிறது.

நவம்பர் 21 2017, 03:00 AM மத்திய அரசாங்கமும், மாநில அரசுகளும் ஆண்டுதோறும் பட்ஜெட்டுகளை தாக்கல்செய்து பொதுமக்களுக்கான திட்டங்களை நிறைவேற்றி வருகிறது. இதில், பெருமளவு தொகை மானியங்கள், உதவித்தொகைகளுக்காக சென்றுவிடுவதால் வளர்ச்சித்திட்டங்கள் சரிவர நிறைவேற்றப்பட முடியாத சூழ்நிலை உள்ளது. இந்த ஆண்டு தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்ட மத்திய அரசாங்கத்தின் பட்ஜெட்டில், மானியங்களுக்காக ரூ.2 லட்சத்து 72 ஆயிரத்து 276 கோடி ஒதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. தமிழக அரசை எடுத்துக்கொண்டாலும், மொத்த பட்ஜெட்டில் வருவாய் கணக்கு செலவுகள் தொகை ரூ.1 லட்சத்து 75 ஆயிரத்து 293 கோடியில் மானியம் மற்றும் உதவித்தொகைகளுக்காக மட்டும் ரூ.72 ஆயிரத்து 616 கோடி ஒதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்தநிலையில், தினமும் 2 கோடியே 30 லட்சம் பயணிகள் ரெயிலில் பயணம் செய்துகொண்டு இருக்கிறார்கள். இவர்களுக்காக ரெயில்வே செலவழிக்கும் தொகையில் 57 சதவீதம்தான் டிக்கெட் தொகையாக வசூலிக்கப்படுகிறது. இதுபோல, புறநகர் ரெயில்களில் ஒவ்வொரு பயணிக்கும் ஆகும் செலவில் 37 சதவீதம்தான் டிக்கெட் தொகையாக கிடைக்கிறது.

பயணிகள் போக்குவரத்தில் மட்டும் ரெயில்வேயில் ஆண்டுக்கு ரூ.34 ஆயிரம் கோடி இழப்பு ஏற்படுகிறது. இந்த இழப்பை சரிகட்ட ரெயில்வே நிர்வாகம் பல்வேறு முயற்சிகளை எடுத்து வருகிறது. ரெயில் பயணிகளில் 55 இனங்களில் ரெயில் டிக்கெட்டுகளுக்கு சலுகை கட்டணம் நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதில் ஒன்று மூத்த குடிமக்களுக்கு அளிக்கப்படும் டிக்கெட் சலுகை ஆகும். 58 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட பெண் பயணிகளுக்கு மூத்த குடிமக்கள் என்றவகையில், 50 சதவீத கட்டண சலுகையும், 60 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட ஆண் பயணிகளுக்கு 40 சதவீத கட்டண சலுகையும் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. அனைத்து வகுப்பு பயணிகளுக்கும் இந்த சலுகைகள் வழங்கப்படுகின்றன. மூத்த குடிமக்களுக்கு வழங்கப்படும் சலுகைகளுக்காக மட்டும் ரெயில்வே நிர்வாகத்துக்கு ஆண்டுக்கு ரூ.1,300 கோடி செலவாகிறது. இந்தநிலையில், பரிதாபாத்தைச் சேர்ந்த அவதார் கேர் என்பவர் கடந்த ஜூன் மாதத்தில் ஜம்மு ராஜதானி எக்ஸ்பிரஸ் ரெயிலில் பயணம் செய்துவிட்டு வந்தவுடன், ரெயில்வே நிர்வாகத்துக்கு ஒரு கடிதம் எழுதினார். ‘நான் ரெயிலில் பயணம் செய்வதற்கு ஆகும் செலவில் 43 சதவீதம் பணத்தை வரிகட்டும் சாதாரண பொதுமக்கள் ஏற்கிறார்கள் என்று கேள்விப்பட்டு வேதனை அடைந்தேன். எனக்கு சலுகை கட்டணம் வேண்டாம். நானும், எனது மனைவியும் பயணம் செய்தவகையில் சலுகை கட்டணமாக தந்த தொகை 950 ரூபாயை திருப்பி அனுப்புகிறோம். இனி ஒருபோதும் சலுகை கட்டணத்தில் பயணம் செய்யமாட்டோம்’ என்று கூறி இந்த தொகைக்கான ‘செக்’கை அனுப்பியவுடன், அப்போது ரெயில்வே மந்திரியாக சுரேஷ்பிரபு இவ்வாறு சலுகை கட்டணம் வேண்டாம் என்று சொல்பவர்கள் தாங்களாகவே முன்வந்து சலுகை கட்டணத்தில் முழுதொகையையோ அல்லது பாதித்தொகையையோ விட்டுக்கொடுக்கலாம் என்ற ஒரு திட்டத்தை கொண்டுவந்தார்.

கடந்த ஜூலை மாதம் 22–ந்தேதி இந்தத்திட்டம் தொடங்கியது. அக்டோபர் 20 வரை ஒரு கோடியே 69 லட்சம் மூத்த குடிமக்கள் பயணம் செய்திருக்கிறார்கள். இதில் 4 லட்சத்து 4 ஆயிரம் மூத்த குடிமக்கள் தாங்களாகவே முன்வந்து ‘எங்களுக்கு மானியம் வேண்டாம், முழுத்தொகையையும் கட்டி பயணம் செய்கிறோம்’ என்று மானியத்தொகையை விட்டுக்கொடுத்த வகையிலும், 4 லட்சத்து 56 ஆயிரம் பேர் 50 சதவீதத்தை விட்டுக்கொடுத்த வகையிலும், ரூ.200 கோடி ரெயில்வே நிர்வாகத்திற்கு கூடுதல் வருமானமாக கிடைத்துள்ளது. இவர்கள் அனைவரும் சமுதாய கடமையை உணர்ந்து மானியம் வேண்டாம் என்ற சொன்னவகையில் பாராட்டுக்குரியவர்கள். இவர்கள் காட்டிய எடுத்துக்காட்டை அரசாங்கம், மற்ற மானியத்திட்டங்களிலும் செயல்படுத்த வேண்டும். இதுபோன்று மானியம் வேண்டாம் என்று சொல்பவர்களுக்கு அந்தத்திட்டத்தில் பணச்சலுகைகளை தவிர வேறுபல சலுகைகளை செய்து கவுரவப்படுத்தலாம். எங்களுக்கு தகுதி இருக்கிறது, மானியம் வேண்டாம் என்று சொல்பவர்கள் நிச்சயமாக பாராட்டுக்குரியவர்கள்.

Chennai: Nurses protest over long-pending transfer issue 

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | SHWETA TRIPATHI

Published Nov 19, 2017, 9:08 am IST

The Nurses’ Joint Action Committee had put forward its demand in support of the implementation of universal minimum wages for nurses.

The nurses allege that they were not informed about the number of vacancies as there is no public portal or a website to inform on counselling. (Representational Image)

Chennai: Government nurses working under Director of Medical Services (DMS) remain agitated over various issues related to transfer counselling, minimum wages and confirmation of contract relating to the extension of services. Transfer counselling is an issue of confusion among nurses due to non-transparency in the system, and nurses staged a protest with regard to the same last year also. The nurses allege that they were not informed about the number of vacancies as there is no public portal or a website to inform on counselling.

“It is difficult for us to attend counselling at a short notice because some of us have to travel from Madurai, Tiruchy and other far off places. If we are denied transfers due to lack of vacancies, the number of vacancies should be informed prior. We raised the same issue last year also, but authorities did not make any arrangements to resolve the problem,” said R. Chitra, a nurse from Thoothukudi.

She added that even though mutual transfers are allowed, it is not being practised properly by the DMS. This has been a long-pending woe of the government hospital nurses, but authorities have not acted upon the request, said Dr G.R. Ravindranath, convener, Doctors’ Association for Social Equality.

The Nurses’ Joint Action Committee had put forward its demand in support of the implementation of universal minimum wages for nurses in all the hospitals in the State in August, but nurses complain of insufficient pay.

“We should be paid a mi-nimum wage of Rs 20,000 at a hospital with less than 50 beds, while hospitals with less than 200 beds should pay a wage of Rs 34,800 to nurses along with similar allowances as private hospital nurses. But our demands have never been considered by the authorities,” said N. Lekha, a member of Nurses’ Joint Action Committee.

When contacted senior officials at DMS, officials said that the issues related to transfer counselling and confirmation of services will be discussed on Wednesday. However, transfer counselling has been conducted as per the regulations and issues related to regular counselling can be discussed.

Tamil Nadu: New government hospital to be functional from next year

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

 

Published Nov 19, 2017, 9:18 am IST

The new hospital will be open to the public by June next year probably, said hospital authorities.

 

 New hospital at Omandurar under construction.

 

Chennai: The new government general hospital along with Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital in Omandurar will be open to public by next year, hospital authorities told DC on Saturday. The new 600-bedded facility comprising seven new blocks will have various departments including general medicine, surgery, orthopedics, ENT, ophthalmology, dermatologists, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, thoracic medicine and pediatrics.

Sources say that all the screening equipment will be made available at the radio-diagnosis department that will be separately set up on the premises. A central laboratory is also planned in the general hospital, so that diagnostic services are carried at the hospital, without sending the samples to research institutes.

Operation theaters, intensive care units and recovery wards with other super specialty services will function in the building adjacent to the Omandurar medical college. The new government hospital shall provide for the need of trauma care facility in the locality.

Medicos from the Omandurar Medical College shall be deployed at the hospital. Hospital authorities have said that four blocks of the hospital have been completed, while other three are under construction. The new hospital will be open to the public by June next year probably, said hospital authorities.

Chennai: Posters defame Tanuvas vice chancellor with corruption charge 

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | C.S. KOTTESWARAN
Published Nov 19, 2017, 9:23 am IST

Varsity staff remove posters which keep mushrooming in Chennai.



A picture of the poster stuck city walls by students associations alleging corruption.

Chennai: Security and staff attached to Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Tanuvas) are now on a different task. They are removing defamatory posters put up by students association, which alleges large-scale corruption in the university and demands action. On one side the university staff peel off the posters, but on the other side, mischief-mongers are putting up the posters in different parts of Chennai. The posters have come up in Vepery, Madhavaram, Egmore and Chepauk where various government offices and Tanuvas offices are located.

The posters allege that vice-chancellor S. Thilagar and estate officer S. Kuppusamy are involved in corrupt practices and they have urged the state to intervene and investigate the matter. The anonymous posters also warned that the university would be besieged if there were no investigations.

As a ripple effect, the staff associated with the office of vice-chancellor were seen interacting with students and staff at the Madras Veterinary College hostel seeking information about the posters. The faculty members also warned the veterinary students that they would face action if found involved in such defamatory acts.

It may be noted that the state and the Tanuvas were on a collision course with the government restricting the recruitment of staff in Tanuvas. The state intervention through the department secretary came in the wake of widespread allegations that large-scale corruption is involved in the ‘hurried’ recruitment process that was completed in the past two months.

Vice Chancellor Thilagar is due to retire in the mid of December as his three-year term ends. It is also rumoured that there are vested interests operating behind the defamatory acts to thwart the attempt by incumbent VC eyeing for another fresh term and also install his favourite faculties at senior levels. Besides Thilagar, Dr S. Geethalakshmi, vice-chancellor of Dr MGR Medical University was also under a cloud and her office and residence were raided by the income tax department early April and an investigation is still pending.

Air France told to pay Rs 1.07 lakh for losing bag 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.
Published Nov 20, 2017, 7:01 am IST
Hence, the airline cannot be held liable for the loss of such prohibited items as per the General Carriage Act.



In its reply, M/s. Air France submitted that complainants made an exaggerated claim and inflated the value of the articles allegedly carried in the luggage (Photo: Representational Image)

Chennai: The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Chennai (South) directed the Air France to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to family members of a woman passenger for missing her bag while she flew from the USA to Chennai nine years ago. The Forum's compensation, however, comes after her death.

In the petition, S. Deenadayalan of Manali had submitted that his wife D. Amsaveni (now deceased) travelled on Air France flight from Detroit Metro, USA to Paris on December 7, 2008 and reached Chennai on December 9, 2008 at 12.30 am. While travelling she took two bags and one with tag No. NW 379192 was found missing.

He stated that the value of missing articles amounts to $1540 equivalent to Rs 77, 000. Even after repeated requests, the airline failed to take steps. In the petition, Deenadayalan sought a refund of Rs 77,000 towards the value of the missing articles and a compensation of Rs 3 lakh from M/s. Air France, Pantheon Road, Egmore, and M/s. Air France, Anna International Airport, Chennai for causing mental agony and deficiency in service.

In its reply, M/s. Air France submitted that complainants made an exaggerated claim and inflated the value of the articles allegedly carried in the luggage. Amsaveni was carrying prohibited items in the baggage and she had not made any declaration of the articles at the time of checking in the baggage. Hence, the airline cannot be held liable for the loss of such prohibited items as per the General Carriage Act. She failed to provide any bills/ invoice or any other supporting documents to substantiate the value of the articles and thus the baggage.

However, on discovering that the baggage was untraceable, M/s. Air France, Pantheon Road, Egmore, as a measure of goodwill, estimated the weight of the baggage to be 6 kg on the basis of the contents as declared by the complainant herself and accordingly offered her a compensation of `7,525 on the basis of 17 Special drawing rights per kg. This was higher than the industry standard of US $20 per kg.

 She refused to accept the compensation. The airline had not committed any deficiency in service and sought dismissal of the petition. The bench, comprising president M. Mony and members K. Amala and Dr T. Paul Rajasekaran, said admittedly the baggage was duly checked in and if any prohibited items found in baggage or if any undeclared items found in baggage the airline can very well reject the baggage. The bench said considering the facts and circumstances, M/s. Air France, Pantheon Road, Egmore, and M/s. Air France, Anna International Airport, Chennai are jointly liable to pay a sum of Rs 77,000 and a compensation of Rs 30,000 for causing mental agony.

Former headmaster donates Rs 5L to Harvard Tamil Chair

TNN | Updated: Nov 20, 2017, 00:42 IST

Madurai: An 83-year-old retired headmaster in Madurai district has contributed Rs 5 lakh towards establishing the Sangam Professorship in Tamil Studies in Harvard University.

The retired headmaster, Ko Ramasamy, has always wanted to do something for the society. When he recently read about the efforts of the Tamil diaspora throughout the world for the noble cause, he contacted the people concerned and expressed his desire to donate.

A team from the Federation of Tamil North American Association (FeTNA), one of the organisations campaigning for the cause, reached the donor's doorsteps at Harveypatti near Tirupparankundram on Sunday. The team was led by FeTNA joint secretary Caldwell Velnambi.

Ramasamy said he had come to know about the cause through a journal run by the Tamil Nadu Teachers' Federation. Ramasamy is not an affluent man but he wanted to do his best towards the cause.

"As the children of mother Tamil, we should contribute towards establishing the Tamil chair in Harvard. It is a duty of Tamils, and I have done mine. Others also should come forward in the same way. I am looking forward to see the chair by the Pongal festival," he said Ramasamy said.

This was not first time Ramasamy has made such a donation. A few years ago he donated Rs 30 lakh towards Periyar Maniammai University in Vallam.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the cause. Recently, actor Kamal Haasan donated Rs 20 lakh.

After complaints of corruption, DVAC raids Udumalpet sub-registrar office, seizes Rs 59,000

 TNN | Nov 17, 2017, 08:46 IST


TIRUPUR: Following persistent complaints of corruption, sleuths from the district unit of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) raided the Udumalpet sub-registrar office and seized Rs 59000 unaccounted cash on Wednesday. Sub-registrar Vasundra Devi and head clerk Gowri have been booked on corruption charges. An inquiry is on.

"Like many sub-registrar offices, the Udumalpet office too was seriously afflicted with corruption. In registering the documents, the authorities were giving priority to those which fetch them bribes," said S Sivasankar, a document writer who works near the office.

Many people would have registered their properties by showing rates lower than the government guideline value. Such documents would come under 47 A (3) of the Registration Act and the properties should not be allowed for title transfer. But the authorities were illegally allowing sale of such properties.

Moreover, while the state government had directed the registration department to adopt online application system in order to improve transparency, the authorities here were causing needless delay in accepting the online applications, to get illegal gratification. The situation never improved despite various representations, said Sivasankar.

N Ravichandran, Tirupur deputy superintendent of DVAC, told TOI: "We received complaints that the authorities in the Udumalpet sub-registrar office were demanding bribes for services like registering the documents, providing encumbrance certificates, and also while returning the registered documents. So we conducted the raid for four and a half hours last night."

The DVAC seized Rs59000 from various points in the office as the authorities could not provide proper accounts for it. The sleuths also took away many documents which had come for registration on Wednesday for further investigation, said a source.

Though an FIR was registered against sub-registrar Vasundra Devi and head clerk Gowri, they will be arrested only after the charges are verified.