Tamil Nadu: With no pantry car, Brindavan, Guruvayur Express travellers starve
By B Anbuselvan | Express News Service | Published: 17th April 2018 02:46 AM |

CHENNAI: Passengers travelling in Brindavan Express and Guruvayur Express have been starved of food and beverages these days as the railways delinked the pantry car recently.Particularly, elderly passengers, ulcer and diabetic patients and those accompanying children for long journeys from Chennai to Bengaluru and Madurai, which take more than five to eight hours, were put to an ordeal for want of food. Brindavan Express leaves Chennai Central at 7.50 am and reaches Bengaluru at 2 pm. The train has been witnessing highest passenger demand throughout the year. In particular, between Friday and Monday, and during festival seasons, every bit of train space including reserved coaches gets occupied by passengers in both directions.

To accommodate more passengers, the Southern Railway replaced the pantry car with additional unreserved coaches increasing the total number of coaches to 24, the highest number of coaches permitted for any train in the Indian railways.Since then, passengers have been forced to depend on food sold by unauthorised vendors at stations, which is mostly unpalatable and poor in quality.“I boarded the train at 7.40 am at Chennai. Though a few vendors sold coffee in the train, I could not get tea. From 12 pm, we tried to buy rice food but could not get anything until we reach Bengaluru. My children and I were starved of food for more than three hours,” said Radhakrishnan of Whitefield, Bengaluru. His complaint over the catering services has been registered with the railways.

The condition of passengers who travel in Guruvayur Express running from Chennai Egmore to Guruvayur is no different. Due to absence of catering service, they are forced to travel with empty stomach as they have no access to proper food between 12 pm and 2 pm.S Merlin of Kollam who recently travelled in Guruvayur Express said the train starts at 8.15 am at Egmore and reaches Madurai around 4.30 pm. “We dont have any food en route and I got only biscuits and water, that too, at higher prices,” she said.

Though the Southern Railway is yet to authorise the IRCTC to appoint vendors for selling snacks and food, a few unauthorised vendors have been selling coffee, snacks and water bottles in the trains.When contacted, an official said pantry car cannot be added to the Brindavan and Guruvayur Expresses as both trains are operated with 24 coaches. “Measures are being taken to introduce on-board catering in the trains, where food and other beverages can be loaded in the en-route stations. The issues will be addressed soon,” said an official.

MLA demands appointment of doctors at Alangulam PHC
  Special Correspondent 
 
TIRUNELVELI, April 17, 2018 00:00 IST

If situation continues, we’ll lay siege to the Collectorate: Poongothai Aladi Aruna

Appealing to the State Government to appoint adequate number of doctors in the upgraded primary health centre at Alangulam, MLA Poongothai Aladi Aruna submitted a petition to Collector Sandeep Nanduri on Monday during the weekly grievance redressal meet.

Dr. Poongothai, after submitting the petition, said the condition of the upgraded PHC at Alangulam was in worst shape as the posts of obstetrics and gynaecologist, paediatrician, anaesthetist and orthopaedic surgeon were vacant although buildings and medical equipments were adequately available.

“Though Alangulam taluk witnessed dengue outbreak last year, the Department of Public Health did not any concrete measures to improve this PHC, which conducted only 18 family planning surgeries and 22 cesarean sections last year. The operation theatre is not in use for the past four months for reasons best known to the officials concerned. Hence, the Department of Public Health should take adequate steps at the earliest to make the upgraded PHC into a full-fledged hospital,” Dr. Poongothai said.

She also complained that the Department of Social Welfare and the Department of Rural Development were ignoring the constituency by refusing to implement development works even under the MLA Constituency Development Fund.

“We’ve the doubt that the government is purposely avoiding executing development works in my constituency. If this situation continues, we’ll lay siege to the Collectorate,” she said.

‘Release water’

A group of farmers from Zamin Singampatti, Ayansingampatti, South Paappaankulam and Moolachchi submitted a petition seeking release of water from Manimuthuar Dam for advance ‘kar’ paddy cultivation as the dam now had water for over 80 feet.

However, the district administration is unlikely to recommend the release of water from the dam since the water managers will be relying upon the reservoir to meet drinking water requirements during this summer in the wake of the meagre storage of just 23 feet water in Papanasam Dam.

A couple from Tirunelveli Town said in their petition that their 11-month-old daughter, after being admitted to a private hospital in Tirunelveli Town due to high fever on April 10 last, was referred to another private hospital in Perumalpuram after two days of treatment.

“However, she died as the doctors of the hospital in Tirunelveli Town failed to diagnose the cause of the fever and give appropriate treatment. Hence, the Collector should order an inquiry into the mysterious death of my daughter,” M. Maharani, mother of the deceased baby, said.

Will take stringent action, says V-C 

Staff Reporter 
 
MADURAI, April 17, 2018 00:00 IST



P.P. ChellathuraiS_James
But doesn’t rule out ‘conspiracy’

The Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) has constituted a five-member committee, which includes three female professors, to enquire into the controversy that erupted after a woman faculty member of an affiliated college was heard ‘luring’ four girl students into doing “certain things” in return for academic and financial benefits.

M. Lellis Thivagar, Syndicate member and chairperson of the School of Mathematics, will be the convenor of the committee.

S. Andiappan, Syndicate member and chairperson of the School of Religions, Philosophy and Humanist Thought; S. Rajashabala, Syndicate member and Associate Professor in School of Physics; P. Varalakshmi, Assistant Professor in the School of Biotechnology; and P. Jeyabharathy, Assistant Professor in the School of Youth Empowerment, are the other members.

Vice-Chancellor P.P. Chellathurai, who said he was presently in Delhi, told The Hindu that the committee would investigate all aspects of the issue.

“We will take stringent action if any MKU official is found to be involved. At the same time, we are not ruling out the possibility that the entire audiotape was recorded in an orchestrated manner so as to malign MKU’s reputation,” he said.

Meanwhile, university sources said that the Registrar of the MKU, V. Chinniah, left for Chennai on Monday, reportedly on being summoned by the Governor’s office through the Higher Education Department.

‘Panel disappointing’

The Joint Action Council of MKU (JAC-MKU), a coalition of two teaching and non-teaching staff associations, expressed disappointment over the constitution of the committee.

In an emergency meeting of its executive committee convened on Monday regarding the issue, the JAC-MKU said that it would be inappropriate for the internal committee, involving Syndicate members who were nominated to the Syndicate by the university, to investigate the issue when the audiotape indicated the involvement of senior officials of the MKU.

The JAC-MKU passed resolutions demanding the constitution of a committee by the Higher Education Secretary with members drawn from outside. It also sought transfer of the case to the CB-CID wing of the Tamil Nadu police.

The coalition has also called for a gate meeting at the university campus on Tuesday morning, which is expected to be attended by all members of the two associations, to decide on the future course of action.

We are not ruling out the possibility that the entire audiotape was recorded in an orchestrated mannerP.P. ChellathuraiVice-chancellor, Madurai Kamaraj University

Medical varsity to evaluate answer scripts online 

R. Sujatha 
 
CHENNAI, April 16, 2018 00:37 IST
 
Move will save time and help minimise errors

The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University has moved to online evaluation of answer scripts from this year.

The decision was announced by the University’s Vice Chancellor S. Geethalakshmi in 2016 following which a pilot project was taken up last year.

The university receives as many as 3.5 lakh answer scripts for evaluation every semester. Not only would online evaluation speed up the process but would also help minimise errors while correcting the scripts, said Registrar T. Balasubramanian.

The software was developed by an outside agency but the server is located in the university and uses the intranet facility. Once the answer scripts are received they are scanned and uploaded on the server. The computer will automatically generate random numbers for each answer script.

Quick process

When the evaluation was done manually the university required a month to complete the process. But now the process can be completed in 10 days, Dr. Balasubramanian explained.

“Earlier there was only one session in a day and this delayed the correction process. Now, we have two shifts where examiners will come at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. When they start evaluating the papers the answer keys will be displayed alongside the answer sheets. This will minimise the possibility of errors,” he said.

The software is built in such a way that when a candidate is found to have failed it will automatically go for a re-valuation. “The computer will simultaneously carry out evaluation when a candidate has failed. This is done to ensure that there are no errors,” Dr. Balasubramanian said. 

The system has a built in mechanism to check examiners from skipping pages. Only after the answer to a question is evaluated will the answer key for the next answer appear. Another advantage of the online process is that it makes it easier to calculate the remuneration for evaluators.

When students call for copies of their corrected answer scripts it is easy to recall them as they are stored online. “The university offers 600 courses and for 290 days some exam or the other is on. The system is foolproof and will be continuously in use,” the Registrar said.

Alagappa University appointment of VC Notification TOI

Pondy CM finds 70% staff ‘absent’ in office, orders pay cut

Bosco.Dominique@timesgroup.com   17.04.2018

Puducherry : Chief minister V Narayanasamy, made a surprise visit to the chief secretariat at 9.30am on Monday, and was in for a shock. More than 70% of the staff had not arrived at the office whose work hours are from 8.45am to 1pm and 2pm to 5.45pm.

After ordering a pay cut for a day for the absentees, he found the biometric attendance facility defunct. He inspected all the departments functioning in the five-storied building and found most seats empty. Only peons were present in most departments.Narayanasamy directed the chief secretary and secretaries to initiate stringent action against the latecomers including deducting a day’s salary and disciplinary proceedings against those coming late often. He said he and his cabinet colleagues will undertake surprise inspections at government offices in future.

The inspection was the result of frequent complaints of inordinate delay in getting clearance for routine administrative matters from officials.

“We chalked out a proposal to launch biometric attendance at all government offices. Stern action will be taken against those using official vehicles for personal purposes as well,” said Narayanaswamy.

“We propose to constitute a committee to monitor and action against such people,” he said.

CM V Narayanasamy at the near-empty office on Monday

Prof tries to lure girls for officials, held

Oppn Parties Demand CBI Investigation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK   17.04.2018

Madurai: Seven hours after they knocked on the doors of assistant professor Nirmala Devi, who allegedly tried to lure some girl students to do sexual favours for higher officials in Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU), the police broke into the house and arrested her on Monday evening. She was taken to the Aruppukkottai town police station.

Nirmala Devi, who taught at Devanga Arts College (affiliated to MKU) in Aruppukkottai, Virudhunagar district, allegedly tried to lure a group of four BSc final year students when she went to MKU last month for a refresher course. The girls filed a complaint with the college management on March 19, based on which the faculty member was placed under temporary suspension on March 21. The incident came to light again as the 20-minute conversation — in which she is heard allegedly trying to convince the young girls to do sexual favours to get marks and financial support — went viral on social media. The Aruppukkottai town police registered a case under IPC Sections 370 (buying or disposing of any persons as slaves) and 511 (attempting to commit offence punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment). She was also booked under Section 65 of the Information Technology Act. The case was based on a complaint from college secretary R Ramasamy. Police sources said Nirmala Devi completed her graduation from Devanga College and did her research in MKU.

Earlier in the day, MKU vice chancellor P P Chellathurai announced an inquiry by a fivemember committee led by senate member Lellis Thivakar. He said that the university had not been informed by the college earlier. He added that the university had a tamper-proof system in place and no paper could be traced to alter the marks. Nirmala had told the students in the conversation that they could get 85% marks in return for certain favours.

Opposition parties reacted strongly to the developments. “Since a teacher, who has to impart education, has tried to spoil the life of students, the probe into the matter should be handed over to the CBI under the supervision of the high court,” DMK working president M K Stalin tweeted.

PMK youth wing leader and Lok Sabha member Anbumani Ramadoss said, “The shocked students are heard saying in a broken voice that they are not interested. Undeterred, the professor tells the students that if they agree to the proposal the students can achieve anything.” The CPM wanted all sections of society to protest against the incident. “People must raise their voice against such issues happening in Tamil Nadu,” said party state secretary K Balakrishnan.

Meanwhile, a group of students and members of the All India Democratic Women’s Association took out a protest at the college demanding the termination of the faculty member’s service.

Governor Purohit orders probe

Chennai: In an unusual move, Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is also chancellor of MKU, ordered a high-level inquiry by retired IAS officer R Santhanam into the incident based on a report from the MKU. Santhanam was collector of Ramanathapuram and had held several senior positions before retiring in the rank of chief secretary. A Raj Bhavan statement said, “It is important to inquire into such matters immediately and without prejudice so that the guilty do not escape without punishment.” State fisheries minister D Jayakumar said the government will act. “A professor misleading the students cannot be accepted,” he said promising an appropriating inquiry by the law enforcement officers. TNN