Now, only locals can offer Friday namaz in Taj complex

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Agra: To ensure foolproof security to the Taj Mahal, a world heritage site, the district administration has ordered that, from now on, only locals with valid identity proof will be allowed entry to the monument complex to offer Juma namaz on Fridays. People entering the premises of the Taj for offering prayers on Fridays will have to carry identity cards to prove that they are residents of Agra. No one will be allowed in without showing the ID. The Taj Mahal remains closed for tourists on Fridays.

The district administration on Wednesday issued a directive that no outsiders will be allowed to pray at the mosque situated inside the complex. The administration's move comes following complaints that “outsiders”, including Bangladeshis and non-Indians”, enter the Taj Mahal complex on Fridays on the pretext of offering namaz, though the monument remains closed for visitors on that day.

The administration will post three magistrates on the east, west and south gates on Fridays to check identity documents of people entering the mosque for offering namaz. The order also states that the district magistrate should be immediately informed in case any outsider tries to enter the mosque for namaz.

The order issued by additional district magistrate (city) K P Singh also states that entry of 'outsiders' can adversely affect the security of the world heritage monument. Confirming the mater, Agra district magistrate Guarav Dayal said, “Now, we will allow only residents of Agra city to offer namaz at the mosque located inside the Taj Mahal complex.”

₹35 cr shady deals in Thiruvalluvar univ 

Audit Report: University Didn’t Follow Procedures

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

The audit reports of 16-year-old Thiruvalluvar University have exposed serious lapses and mismanagement of funds to the tune of ₹35.91crore. It also revealed that the university authorities have failed to maintain a registry of its assets and investments since the university was established in 2002.

The audit reports of the university accessed by TOI showed that the Directorate of Local Fund Audit (DLFA) raised 499 objections between 2002-2003 and 2014-2015 relating to activities and purchases worth ₹35.91 crore. Of this, the DLFA raised objections to 45 subjects that amounted to ₹11.39 crore in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 and 53 objections to a sum of ₹13.02 crore spent during 2012-2013.

In the 2011-2012 audit report, an objection was raised for procuring equipment, stationaries and other items worth ₹1.27crore between May 6, 2011 and December 12, 2011 without floating tenders. The university is yet to submit its reply to set right the audit objection.

When contacted, Thiruvalluvar University vice-chancellor K Murugan said they will rectify all the objections in the forthcoming joint sitting with the DLFA. He, however, refused to speak further.

Without floating tender, the university should not procure equipment or any materials above ₹20,000. It is a clear violation of the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act 1998 and its rules, retired professor and former syndicate member of the university I Elangovan told TOI. The university had also failed to submit 13 registers during the audit conducted for the year 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. This included ‘cheques/DD received’ register (all departments), building register (all departments), asset register, vehicle register, tender register, information act – applications, action files and registers, all grants received registers and names of consolidated staff members’ register.

Citing the rule 11 (9) of Thiruvalluvar University Act 2002, the DLFA said the annual physical verification of university properties should be conducted. But it was not done for the last 15 years. The DLFA, in its closure report of the final audit for the year 2014-2015, stated that the university authorities had failed to maintain “a consolidated stock register of materials, equipment, tools and plants kept by various departments” and also failed to watch over the stocks. Sources said the university, as per government order, should maintain asset register in a prescribed format for all capital purchases and buildings constructed from all the grants, including University Grant Commission.

“No register is maintained regarding the purchases made from grants received by the university. Though the non-adherence of government guideline was brought to the notice of the officials in all the 16 audit annual reports, no action has been taken by the authorities to make clear the audit objection. It reveals that they are indulging in malpractices to pocket several crores of rupees,” said Elangovan, who is also the honorary president of the Thiruvalluvar University Employees’ Association.

“Not a single report has been forwarded to the government or the assembly,” added the retired professor and demanded that the TN governor, who is the chancellor of the universities, constitute an inquiry committee under section 10 of the University Act to probe the malpractices to the tune of several crores of rupees.

CORRUPTION EXPOSED

Objection raised in the audit report for 2010-2011 (audit report dated July 15, 2014): TU report says that scholarship account to the tune of Rs 1,33,291 disbursed to seven SC students and 31 BC/MBC students. But there is no proof/ acknowledgment to confirm the students received the scholarship

Objection raised in the audit report for 2011-2012: Equipment and stationery materials worth 1,27,43,945 from May 2011 and December 2011 procured without floating tenders

Audit objection for 2010-2011: Franking Machine (postal value stamping machine) procured for 1.31 lakh remains idle or not utilised

6 Padma awardees are pride and joy of TN

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: Apart from the maestro Ilaiyaraaja, five other people from Tamil Nadu were given Padma awards.

The 88-year-old archaeologist, R Nagaswamy, was awarded the Padma Bhushan, wildlife conservationist Romulus Whitaker, 74, the Padmashri, professor Rajagopalan Vasudevan, the plastic man of India, folk singer and composer Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan and V Nanammal, the 97-year-old yoga enthusiast whose videos went viral, were also awarded the Padmashri.

Nagaswamy, a former state archaeology department director, has been closely associated with the TN’s idol theft wing in tracking down stolen idols. At 88, he is sought after by all investigative agencies for tracking idol thefts.

Whitaker is a herpetologist, wildlife conservationist and founder of Madras Snake Park and Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. In December 2016, National Geographic labelled him India’s snake man who has spent the past six decades in reptile research and rain forest conservation.

Vasudevan is currently dean, department of chemistry, at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai. Vasudevan developed the technology of laying roads using recycled plastics in 2001. He told TOI that his work had benefited the common man, about which he was happy. “This award will also motivate many others to innovate with simple technology for the benefit of the community and the common man,” said the 72-year-old professor, who still continues to guide many on the technology, including women’s self-help groups which are into plastic recycling. Vijayalakshmi has, with her husband M Navaneethakrishnan, researched folk art and culture. She popularised folk songs among the younger generation. The couple have recorded more than 10,000 albums of folk music and are in the process of compiling an encyclopaedia of Tamil folk art.

State seeks 50 more PG medical seats from MCI

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: The state has sought permission for 50 additional postgraduate medical seats from the Medical Council of India. If the state gets the nod, it will take the number of postgraduate seats to at least 1,500.
At present, the state has 1,088 postgraduate degree seats and 396 postgraduate diploma seats across 14 state-run medical colleges.
On Thursday, the Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE) went on a token fast outside the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital demanding 50% in-service quota for government doctors under the state quota.

“The new NEET rules do not allow reservation in service doctors. This reduces the incentive to join government service. In turn, poor who come to government hospitals will suffer,” said DASE general secretary Dr GR Ravindranath. TNN

Jaya death probe panel summons four IAS officers, Sasi house help

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: The Justice (retd) Arumughaswamy commission which is probing the circumstances surrounding former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s death has issued summons to four IAS officials who served in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), sources said on Thursday.

Summons have been issued to Venkataramanan, Vijaykumar, Jayashree Muralidharan and Ramalingam, the IAS officials. Venkataramanan has retired from service, while the other three are currently in service, the source added. They will appear from January 30 to February 2.

Apart from this, the household help of VK Sasikala, Jayalalithaa’s co-convict in the disproportionate assets case, has also been summoned, sources said. His name is Kartikeyan. Along with him, Jayalalithaa’s driver, Ayappan has also been summoned by the commission.

Dr Balaji, the only doctor to be present when Jaya put her thumb impressions on AIADMK’s election affidavits while in hospital, appeared before the commission on Thursday.

He has been asked to file written submissions. Rajasenthur Pandian, Sasikala’s counsel, also appeared before the commission on Thursday.

2 airlines will fly to Vellore, Thanjavur 

SpiceJet And Turbo Aviation Obtain Udan Phase 2 Rights

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: Travellers will soon be able to fly from Chennai to Vellore and Thanjavur on 70-80 seater planes as two airlines have bagged rights to start services on the routes under phase 2 of regional connectivity scheme, Udan. Union minister of civil aviation Ashok Gajapati Raju awarded the routes to the airlines which won bids at a function held in New Delhi on Wednesday.

SpiceJet will start services on the Chennai-Thanjavur route, while Turbo Aviation will operate from Vellore to the city. SpiceJet has already started operations on the Hyderabad-Puducherry route under phase 1of the project and is gearing up to launch flights to Hosur and Salem.

Ajay Singh, CMD, Spice-Jet said in a statement, “We see tremendous potential on the routes that we have been awarded and look forward to beginning operations very soon.” SpiceJet had placed an order for 50 Q400s last year, deliveries for which will begin later this year.

Thanjavur airstrip is in use by the Indian Air Force and the ministry of civil aviation has held talks with its chief regarding exchange of land needed at the air strip for commercial operations.

A senior official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said AAI would now build a small terminal for passenger operations and install other basic facilities. “There is an air traffic control facility at the airstrip used by the air force. Some work has already begun to prepare the land and terminal at the site,” he added.

Vellore has a runway that can handle 70-seater planes. However, it would require upgrades as it has been lying unused for a long time now. AAI has begun work to prepare the airport for flights. “The work will be completed by the time the airline is ready to start flights,” said an AAI official.

Under phase 1of the Udan scheme, Chennai-Salem services planned by Hyderabadbased Trujet is yet to take off, while flights to Hosur has hit a stumbling block as Bengaluru airport is yet to issue noobjection certificate for operations. Similarly, services on the Neyveli route have not taken off yet due to poor demand, since it is in close proximity to Puducherry which has an airport. Authorities said phase 2 connectivity would pick up fast, as established airlines have bagged majority of the routes. 

Cop kills FB lover after ‘she’ turns out to be ‘he’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: Someone forgot to tell this policeman not to take everything on social media to heart.

Investigators on Thursday said a 32-year-old constable with the Ennore police and three accomplices on Tuesday night hacked to death a 22-year-old man in W Pudupatti in Virudhunagar district, following the policeman’s discovery that the victim had posed as a woman on Facebook to con him of large sums of money.

Constable Kannan Kumar, who had taken leave for 10 days over the Pongal holidays to go to his hometown of Vathirayiruppu (Watrap), less than 5km from W Pudupatti, to meet the person he believed was the woman he loved — only to discover that he’d been ripped off online — is now on the run, an investigating officer said.

“The Watrap police have arrested three of Kannan’s accomplices, Vijayakumar, Tenzing alias Tamilarasan and another Tamilarasan and charged them with the murder of S Ayyanar,” the officer said. “They have admitted to the crime during interrogation and a police team has launched a search for Kumar.”

Duo met on social media, began an online relationship

Ayyanar, who had enrolled in a teacher training course, created a fake identity and profile on Facebook.

Kumar met Ayyanar on the social networking website and started an online relationship with him, fully believing that he was a woman.

“They even chatted online,” the officer said. “Ayyanar spoke to Kumar in a soft voice and made verbal overtures, and the constable soon believed that he was in love with this person.”

When Kumar went home and asked this person to meet him since they lived close by, Ayyanar refused, Virudhunagar superintendent of police M Rajarajan said.

This caused Kumar to become suspicious and, making checks through his friends, he soon realised that a man had cheated him.

Kumar was depressed and attempted to kill himself by consuming poison in his father’s house but survived and was hospitalised.

“When his friends came to visit him in hospital, the constable hatched a plan to take revenge on Ayyanar,” SP Rajarajan said.

“Kumar and his friends kidnapped Ayyanar and hacked him to death,” he further added.

The Chennai police said the constable had been on medical leave since December 12.

“We learned about the murder through the Virudhunagar police on Wednesday,” Ennore police inspector Sathyan said.

“Kumar has been attached to the law and order wing of the Ennore police since April 2016,” he added.