NEET-MDS topper has a Pondicherryy dentist’s address

By Bagalavan Perier B  |  Express News Service  |   Published: 29th January 2018 01:49 AM  |  

S Kathijathul Hidhaya

PUDUCHERRY: For S Kathijathul Hidhaya, a trained dentist based in Puducherry, clearing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to the Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) course with a decent score was the primary goal. What she eventually got was a jaw-dropper All India Rank (AIR) One.

A bright student since her Kendriya Vidyalaya days at the JIPMER campus in Puducherry, she was a school topper in Class X with 472 on 500. She also fared well in Plus Two and cleared under-graduation at Mahatma Gandhi Dental College Hospital in Puducherry in 2016 with distinction. But her academic career thus far didn’t suggest she would go anywhere near NEET-MDS AIR 1. That was perhaps why she didn’t join any coaching institute in town.

“I used online tutorials to prepare and just took online model tests conducted by coaching centres here every week,” Hidhaya (25) told TNIE.

“After completing UG in 2016, I worked in JIPMER for a year and then took a break to prepare for NEET. When the NEET-MDS 2018 results were put out on Thursday, I was stunned to see my score card that read 702 on 960 and AIR 1.”

Her father B A Sameemullah, a retried Indian Air Force personnel, had worked in a public sector bank but passed away last year. She now lives with mother S Nasreen Banu and brother Abdul Rehman, who is pursuing a UG course.

Chennai airport may fly into trouble over security audit

By Sana Shakil  |   Published: 28th January 2018 09:28 AM  |  

Chennai airport.

NEW DELHI: With less than two months left for a security audit by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) at Chennai International Airport, the country’s aviation authorities are on tenterhooks.

An internal audit carried out by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has found that many practices followed at the airport are not in tune with international norms.

Sources said problem areas are security equipment, improper barricading of the airport periphery, cargo safety and documentation of records.

The audit by ICAO assumes significance as the country’s entire security aviation system will get a score based on the performance of Chennai airport, which has been chosen as the sample airport. The security audit’s score will determine India’s expansion plans in the aviation sector globally.

The last on-sight audit of Indian aviation security systems was done by ICAO in February 2011 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, which scored 89 per cent.

The ICAO audit of Chennai Airport in March will find out how internationally prescribed norms are being followed based on instructions issued by the BCAS. It has submitted a comprehensive report on the internal audit to the state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI), the airport operator of Chennai Airport, one of the busiest airport in the country. BCAS has asked AAI to comply with norms and implement its recommendations before the international audit team reaches India. The Sunday Standard has learnt that the internal audit found out that security arrangement at the airport periphery is not of high level; it is not properly barricaded, indicating chances of trespassing.

The report on the internal audit also raises concerns about equipment used for security clearance of baggage at the airport. BCAS has also raised concerns about cargo safety at the Air Cargo complex at the airport. A shocking finding is about subletting of a portion of the “cargo area” to an airline. Sources said this is a major security concern as the space allotted for cargo operations is meant exclusively for regulated cargo agents, who have direct access to aircraft.

For the security audit of India’s aviation system, the ICAO team will also look into areas such as legislative and regulatory architecture, performance of security personnel and security training etc. ICAO carries out periodic audits of member countries and assesses their implementation of norms of security and safety measures in handling all areas of civil aviation security and safety.

In 2012, the ICAO had placed India in its list of 13 worst-performing nations in terms of air safety. In 2014, US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, had also downgraded India’s ranking. Though the ratings were restored after 15 months, Indian carriers were not allowed new routes to the US or sign agreements with US airlines during this period.

Absence of reservation charts a huge inconvenience at Chennai Central railway station

By B Anbuselvan | Express News Service | Published: 29th January 2018 01:55 AM |



The Karaikudi-bound Pallavan Express seen without reservation charts

CHENNAI: A move by Southern Railway to stop pasting reservation charts on trains has forced hundreds of elderly commuters, particularly those with IRCTC tickets and not conversant with operating mobile phones, to run from pillar to post to find their berths.

The practice to do away with reservation charts began as a pilot project in trains originating at Chennai Central for three months from October 2. Though it has been more than three months, railways has not made any official announcement on discontinuing the reservation charts. However, they have stopped pasting charts on trains at Chennai Egmore as well. Nearly 60 per cent of trains originating at Madurai, Tiruchy and Coimbatore also are being operated without reservation charts. The decision has put thousands in ordeal, particularly the elderly.

S Kamaraj (72), a retired health official of S S Colony in Madurai told Express he and his 64-year-old wife were made to run behind each and every travelling ticket examiners (TTE) to find their berths in Pandian Express last week. “My son told us that he messaged the ticket details to my mobile. And, while entering the station, I dropped the mobile and it got damaged. I am not sure whether it was S5 or S7. When I approached a TTE, we were asked to check with other TTEs. of waiting, we found our berths and boarded the train just a few seconds before departure,” he said.

The problems without reservation charts are plenty, say commuters. It ranges from non-receipt of ticket details through mobiles while booking tickets in IRCTC to more passengers claiming the same berth and boarding wrong trains.

Commuters say the train compartments get chaotic when the same berth is demanded by more than one passenger. The situation worsens when the train has less number of TTE’s or no TTEs at times. Due to shortage of staff, TTEs are asked to examine the tickets of passengers in three to four coaches. It goes to six coaches when other staff go on emergency leave. Mostly, elderly passengers are the worst affected.

Another traveller, R Shanmugam of Southern Railway Passengers Association said a month ago, while travelling to Dindigul, he and his relative waited for nearly two hours to get two berths from another passenger who disputed that berths were allotted to him. “After the train reached Katpadi, we informed a TTE and got the reservation chart verified and got the berths. The employee said the entire sleeper coach has one TTE for seven coaches,” he added.

The absence of reservation charts also add to the woes of last minute commuters who travel on Chennai-Katpadi and Chennai-Villupuram sections frequently. Earlier, rail passengers from Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Arakkonam, Katpadi, Ambur, Jolarpet, Tiruvallur and Walajah who travel with unreserved second class tickets to and from Chennai Central and Egmore take the reserved coaches of day time express by paying the reservation fee of `15 to TTE. Ever since these trains started operating without charts on their exterior, passengers hesitated to board the reserved coaches as they were not sure of availability of seats.

Since then, during weekdays Chennai-Tirupati Sapthagiri Express, Chennai-Coimbatore Intercity, Chennai-Bengaluru Express, Chennai-Bengaluru Lalbagh Express, Chennai-Madurai Vaigai Express and Chennai- Karaikudi Pallavan express operated with fully reserved class passengers.

When contacted a senior official said they were awaiting orders from railway board on the procedures to be followed on reservation charts. “On receipt of revised guidelines, we will make the necessary changes. As of now, reservation charts are to be slowly phased out,” he concluded.

Large elderly population

According to the 2011 census, Tamil Nadu has 7.21 crore population out of which 9.9 per cent (nearly 71 lakhs) are in the age group of 60+. A study conducted by United Nations Population Fund in June 2017 estimated the elderly population in the State at 11.2 per cent, second highest in the country after Kerala

Rs 10 coin sends man running around in circles, HC refuses to hear plea

TNN | Jan 28, 2018, 08:11 IST



CHENNAI: E Palani would not have imagined that a mere Rs 10 coin would give him so much trouble.

On September 25 last year, while returning from Tirupati, he and his family members stopped at Tiruttani for coffee. When he gave some Rs10 currency notes along with a Rs10 coin, the shop owner refused to accept the coin as a legal tender and claimed that it was 'invalid'. A quarrel broke out after Palani tried to convince the shopowner that Rs10 denomination coin was indeed a valid tender.

Following the quarrel, he approached the Tiruttani police station with a complaint. However, police took the shopowners' side and chided Palani for giving the coin which would not be accepted by Tiruttani traders since there was a local resolution not to accept it as a valid legal tender.

Getting nowhere, Palani then filed a writ petition in the Madras high court alleging that he was made to sit in the police station for 3-4 hours and even intimidated. He had to be finally rescued by two lawyers who were his counsels.

He wanted the court to direct the home secretary and DGP to take action against the Tiruttani inspector for not receiving his complaint against the tea shopowner and for having detained him in the station for 3-4 hours.

Justice T Raja, before whom the petition came up for hearing, however, declined to oblige him saying, "The petitioner has given two complaints - September 10 and 25, 2017. In none of these complaints, he has made any mention about his illegal detention in the police station. Moreover, nowhere has he mentioned the intervention of his counsel for his release from illegal detention. That shows that he has approached this court as an afterthought. Therefore, this court is unable to entertain this writ petition. It is clear that he has not come to this court with clean hands. Therefore, the writ petition fails and the same is dismissed."

Transplant patients return to city to thank docs, donors

TNN | Jan 28, 2018, 08:26 IST




Eight years ago, he was told he would return in a box if he decided on India as a destination for heart transplant. But Ronald Lemmer from Minnesota in the United States, now 72, is back in Chennai to thank his doctors for a heart transplant he underwent in 2010.
"If you don't look at the calendar, I would say I am 30," he said, grinning.

"I live by the lake, I ride my boat and swim when the weather is warm. I have six motorbikes. I drive and service them myself," he said after climbing the stairs to the fourth floor of Apollo Hospitals.

In 2010, when doctors at Minnesota's "world-class transplant centres" told him he would have to use a left ventricular assist device — an artificial pump — to stay alive till he was able to get a donor heart, Lemmer refused. He did not want to be tied down by the device.

An India-born nurse and his doctor-neighbour suggested Chennai as a destination. Soon, after a few chats with heart transplant surgeon Dr Paul Ramesh, Lemmer decided to fly down.

His cardiologists were not happy.

"They used different slides and graphs to tell me why I should not travel to India. They lost $1 million because I refused to take the pump. While my wife was a little worried, I had made up my mind. I not only recovered but paid one-tenth the cost of what it would have cost me in the US," he said.

On July 21, 2010, he underwent a heart transplant. "I wanted to know if I could help the donor's family, but the doctors told me that all details of the donor, barring the fact that he was a daily-wage worker, would remain anonymous," he said.

A few weeks after being discharged from hospital, he visited his donor's family deity in Puducherry to offer thanks.

"I will visit the temple again this time. It's my way of thanksgiving," he said on Saturday.

In 2010, when Lemmer returned home, his cardiologists didn't seem happy. They told the media that they had to give him medications to ensure his heart was failing and discouraged patients from travelling outside the country for transplants. The media said his wife had to sleep on dirty hospital floors.

"They didn't know. The proof is I am still alive.

And the numbers on my medical tests done in the US look good. I came here to show my report to the doctors," he said.

After travelling within India in the next few weeks, Lemmer, who has now sold his glass factory, has planned a motorbike trip across several US states this summer, he said.

"Last time I left with an Indian heart. This time, after several sessions with dentists here I will return with an Indian smile," he said.

16 years after hooch tragedy, HC acquits 19 accused

TNN | Jan 28, 2018, 09:00 IST




CHENNAI: More than 16 years after 35 people died in a hooch tragedy at Ponneri, the Madras high court confirmed the acquittal of all the 19 surviving accused citing lack of evidence.
"Though, it is the fact that 35 lives were lost, the evidence available is not sufficient to hold that the prosecution has proved the offence beyond reasonable doubt," said Justice MV Muralidharan.

Dismissing an appeal filed by Madhavaram deputy superintendent of police, against a lower court order of acquittal, the judge said no witness spoke about the role played by any of the accused in the commission of the offence.

The hooch tragedy occurred on October 5, 2001 and a total of 21 people were arrested and tried for brewing and selling illicit liquor. After two died during the pendency of trial, the subordinate court acquitted all 19 others of all charges.

Refusing to interfere with the trial court order, Justice Muralidharan said the 35 deaths had created a "serious doubt in the mind of the court as to whether the state government machineries properly functioned in their true spirit." Though laws were made, it is doubtful whether they were properly enforced by authorities concerned, the judge said.

He then rejected the appeal citing poor evidence, and said: "Unfortunately, this court has no option except to dismiss the criminal appeal filed by the state."

Opposition to go ahead with protests to force govt to withdraw bus fare hike

tnn | Jan 29, 2018, 05:42 IST

Chennai : Opposition parties led by DMK decided on Sunday to go ahead with the planned protests across the state on Monday to force the state government to completely withdraw the steep increase in bus fare announced recently. They also termed the partial reduction in hike, announced by the government on Sunday, as eyewash.
"We have decided to go ahead with the planned protests on Monday to force the state government to completely withdraw the steep increase in bus fare. The partial reduction in the hiked bus fare is just eyewash," DMK working president M K Stalin told reporters, at the end of the all party meeting held in the party headquarters here on Sunday. The meeting was attended by several opposition parties including the Congress, the Communists and the VCK among others.

"The meeting also resolved to urge the state government to withdraw the cases filed against the public, who agitated to show their concern over the steep increase in bus fare and which has resulted in affecting their livelihood," Stalin said. The demonstrations and protests will be held across all district and taluk headquarters on Monday, irrespective of whether the police grant permission for the same. "We will meet again and discuss further moves, after tomorrow's demonstrations, to force the government to withdraw completely the hike in bus fares," Stalin said.

Meanwhile, DMDK too has decided to go ahead with its planned agitation on Monday to force the state government to withdraw the recent increase in bus fare. "While the government hiked the bus fare by almost 67% and has now reduced it marginally. This is only a drama to show they have reduced the increase. Hence, DMDK will go ahead with its planned agitation against the increase in bus fare on Monday," party president Vijayakant said on Sunday.

PMK founder, Ramadoss too attacked the state government on Sunday on the reduction in the hiked bus fare. "The government increased by bus fare almost 100% on several segments. But, when it comes to reduction, they have reduced it in the range of a mere 3 - 7 %. Instead of indulging in such acts, the government should completely withdraw the recent increase in bus fare and focus on effective administration to reduce operational costs of the transport corporations," Ramadoss said.