மாநில செய்திகள்

குறைந்தபட்ச கட்டணம் ரூ.5 என்று ‘ஸ்டிக்கர்’ ஒட்டப்பட்டது சென்னையில் மேலும் 300 சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்கள்



சென்னையில் பயணிகளை கவருவதற்காக, மாநகர போக்குவரத்து கழகம் மேலும் சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்களை இயக்குகிறது. அவற்றில் குறைந்தபட்ச கட்டணம் ரூ.5 என்ற ஸ்டிக்கரையும் ஒட்டி உள்ளது.

பதிவு: செப்டம்பர் 22, 2018 04:00 AM
சென்னை,

தமிழகத்தில் 6 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு பிறகு கடந்த ஜனவரி 20-ந்தேதி பஸ் கட்டணம் உயர்த்தப்பட்டது. சுமார் 20 சதவீதம் முதல் 54 சதவீதம் வரை பஸ் கட்டணம் அதிகரித்தது. இந்த பஸ் கட்டண உயர்வு மக்களிடையே பெரும் அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்தியது. இதைத் தொடர்ந்து சென்னையில் பெரும்பாலான பொதுமக்கள் பஸ் பயணத்தை தவிர்த்து மின்சார ரெயில், ஷேர் ஆட்டோக்களை பயன்படுத்த தொடங்கினர்.

சென்னை மாநகர பஸ்களில் குறைந்தபட்ச கட்டணம் 6 ரூபாயாக இருந்தது. இந்த நிலையில், அரசியல் கட்சியினர், பல்வேறு அமைப்புகள் மற்றும் பொதுமக்களின் தொடர் போராட்டத்தினால், சில நாட்களிலேயே அரசு போக்குவரத்து கழகம் பஸ் கட்டணத்தை சிறிதளவு குறைத்தது.

அதன்படி சென்னை மாநகர பஸ்களில் குறைந்தபட்ச கட்டணம் 5 ரூபாயானது. அதாவது சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்களில் (வெள்ளை நிற பெயர் பலகை பொருத்தப்பட்டது) மட்டுமே இந்த கட்டணம் வசூலிக்கப்படும். சென்னையை பொறுத்தவரையில், சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்கள், விரைவு பஸ்கள் (பச்சை நிற பெயர் பலகை பொருத்தப்பட்டது) மற்றும் சொகுசு பஸ்கள் என 3 வகையான பஸ்கள் இயக்கப்பட்ட போதும், பஸ் கட்டண உயர்வை தொடர்ந்து மாநகர பஸ்களில் பயணிக்கும் பயணிகளின் எண்ணிக்கை வெகுவாக குறைந்தது.

அதைத் தொடர்ந்து பயணிகளின் எண்ணிக்கையை அதிகரிக்க போக்குவரத்து அதிகாரிகள் பல்வேறு நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொண்டனர். அதாவது, குறைந்த எண்ணிக்கையிலான பயணிகளே பஸ்களில் வரும் நிலையிலும், அவர்களில் யாரும் டிக்கெட் எடுக்காமல் விடுபட்டுவிடக்கூடாது என்பதில் போக்குவரத்து அதிகாரிகள் கண்ணும் கருத்துமாக இருந்தனர்.

இதனால், அவர்கள் அடிக்கடி பஸ்களில் களஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர். இதனால் போக்குவரத்து அதிகாரிகளுக்கும் பஸ் நடத்துனர் மற்றும் ஓட்டுனர்களுக்கு இடையே தகராறு ஏற்பட்டதும் உண்டு. எனினும் பயணிகளின் எண்ணிக்கை அவர்கள் எதிர்பார்த்த அளவில் அதிகரிக்கவில்லை.

இந்த நிலையில், கடந்த சில நாட்களாக தொடர்ந்து உயர்ந்து வரும் பெட்ரோல் விலையில் எதிரொலியாக மீண்டும், பஸ்களில் பயணிக்கும் பயணிகளின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரித்து உள்ளது. இதனால், மின்சார ரெயில் மற்றும் ஷேர் ஆட்டோக்களுக்கு தங்கள் பயணத்தை மாற்றிக்கொண்ட பஸ் பயணிகளை மீண்டும் பஸ்களில் பயணிக்க ஈர்க்கும் வகையில் சென்னை மாநகர போக்குவரத்து கழகம் ஒரு புதிய நடவடிக்கையை மேற்கொண்டு உள்ளது.

அதாவது, சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்களின் எண்ணிக்கையை உயர்த்தி உள்ளது. இது குறித்து சென்னை மாநகர போக்குவரத்து கழக அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது:-

சென்னையில் சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்கள், விரைவு பஸ்கள், சொகுசு பஸ்கள் என 3,300 பஸ்கள் இயக்கப்படுகின்றன. பெட்ரோல் விலை உயர்வை தொடர்ந்து கடந்த 4 வாரங்களில் பஸ்களில் பயணிப்பவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை 75 ஆயிரம் அதிகரித்து உள்ளது.

அதைத் தொடர்ந்து பஸ் பயணிகளின் எண்ணிக்கை மேலும் அதிகரிக்கும் வகையில் கூடுதலாக 300 சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்கள் இயக்கப்படுகின்றன. அதன்படி தற்போது 1,100 சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்கள் இயக்கப்படுகின்றன.

மேலும், பயணிகள் சாதாரண கட்டண பஸ்களை எளிதாக அடையாளம் கண்டு கொள்ளும் வகையில் அவற்றில் குறைந்தபட்ச கட்டணம் ரூ.5 என்று பெரிய அளவில் ‘ஸ்டிக்கர்’ ஒட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இதே போன்று விரைவு பஸ்களில் குறைந்த கட்டணம் ரூ.7 என்று ‘ஸ்டிக்கர்’ ஒட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த நடவடிக்கையின் மூலம் பஸ் பயணிகளின் எண்ணிக்கை மேலும் அதிகரிக்கும் என்று எதிர்பார்க்கிறோம். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

Coimbatore: Uphill task to find new VC for 'Bharathiar University'

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | LAKSHMI L LUND

PublishedSep 21, 2018, 2:52 am IST

The stipulated term of the former BU vice chancellor is scheduled to end in March 2019.

Bharathiar University logo

Coimbatore: Faced with an uphill task, the spade work to form a search committee to find a suitable candidate for post of vice chancellor of the Bharathiar University (BU) in Coimbatore will commence in November, a source from the university confirmed to DC.

"Higher education department will form a search committee. Appointment to posts like public relations officer, controller of examinations and research coordinator that are currently served by officials in-charge will also be done in November," the source said. The department has already communicated in writing to the university, that it will start work from scratch in November to form a search committee to appoint a new vice chancellor, added the source.








The stipulated term of the former BU vice chancellor is scheduled to end in March 2019. As per norms, the search committee to appoint his successor is formed six months ahead of the end of term of the serving vice chancellor.


Unfortunately, Dr A Ganapathi, former vice-chancellor, was suspended in February following charges of accepting bribe for issuing an appointment order. Since then, the post is vacant.


Meanwhile, the university's affairs continue to be taken care of by a three-member convener committee formed under the leadership of principal secretary of the department of Higher Education. In August, following the transfer of Mr Sunil Paliwal to the Department of Labour, Mr. Mangat Ram Sharma has taken over as principal secretary to Government of Higher Education department, it may be recalled.

IndiGo bus with 50 on board catches fire at Chennai airport

PTI

PublishedSep 21, 2018, 10:17 am IST

No one was injured as the blaze was put out immediately by Fire and Rescue Services personnel, officials said.

The IndiGo bus caught fire as it was nearing the arrival point with about 50 passengers on board. (Photo: ANI)

Chennai: A bus belonging to IndiGo Airlines caught fire on Thursday at the airport in Chennai while ferrying passengers of a domestic in-bound evening flight, according to airport officials.

No one was injured in the incident as the blaze was put out immediately by Fire and Rescue Services personnel, they said.








The bus caught fire as it was nearing the arrival point with about 50 passengers on board.


Since the blaze was doused immediately, preliminary assessment indicated not "much damage", either to the interiors or the exteriors of the bus, they added.


The authorities are looking into the incident.

Surgical Strike Day: State varsities yet to decide on UGC letter

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | A RAGU RAMAN

PublishedSep 22, 2018, 4:23 am IST

When enquired officials from Madras University said, “We are yet to take a call on the issue. We will decide about it next week.”

University Grants Commission

Chennai: The University Grants Commission’s (UGC) letter to vice-chancellors of all universities on celebrating the Surgical Strike Day on September 29 has attracted criticism from eminent educationists in the state who called it “as an unwarranted infringement on universities’ autonomous space”.

The commission also asked the universities to encourage students to pledge their support for the armed forces besides instructing NCC units of all universities to hold a special parade to mark the day in which Army launched a secret attack to destroy terrorist camps across the Line of Control in 2016.

“The universities may organise a talk-session calling ex-servicemen to sensitise about sacrifices made by the armed forces,” UGC had said in its communication to the universities.

When enquired officials from Madras University said, “We are yet to take a call on the issue. We will decide about it next week.”

Meanwhile, officials from Anna University said they have referred the letter for taking further action.

Calling the UGC’s move as militarizing the education, former vice-chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University V. Vasanthi Devi said, “It is a completely unwarranted encroachment into the autonomy of higher educational institutions.” “Armed forces are having a limited role and one must be thankful for the sacrifices made by them. But we must be equally thankful for larger sections of the society constituting labourers, workers and farmers,” she added.

She also reminded that UGC is merely a funding agency and that funding powers too now taken away by the central government.

Further, she said, “Nobody has the right to claim a monopoly over the rights of patriotism. In higher educational institutions, even nationalism, patriotism should be subjected to the critical appraisal. The universities should raise the issue with UGC about the circular. They must consider it as unwarranted infringement into their autonomous space.”

Anna University former Vice-Chancellor E. Balagurusamy said, “UGC should avoid sending such circulars.”

“UGC has other things to do instead of focusing on these issues. Quality in higher education is deteriorating day by day and a majority of universities lack basic facilities for research and teaching. So it needs to concentrate on higher education rather concentrating the issues which are political in nature,” he noted.

Forging bail papers lands Coimbatore doctors, lawyer in the soup

The judge then ordered the police to take action against the lawyer and the doctors involved in misinforming the court.

Published: 22nd September 2018 03:20 AM 

For representational purposes (File |EPS)

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The Crime Branch wing of the Coimbatore City police has booked six people, including three doctors and a lawyer, for producing false documents to get bail for a man who was arrested on charges of stealing opioid drugs from the city.

While two of the doctors — Dr S Usha, senior civil surgeon and Dr Mansoor — are from the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and the other, TCR Ramakrishnan, owns a clinic at New Siddhapudur. The lawyer involved is M Zackaria. The two others who have been booked are Peer Mohammed, office assistant at CMCH, and Mohammed Shahib, elder brother of Shikas alias Mohammed Shikas, who was arrested, along with some others, for alleged theft of opioid drugs.

All the six have been booked under various IPC sections including 420(cheating) and 468 (forgery for cheating). The Crime Branch is conducting further investigations.

The case dates back to July 24, 2016, when the City police arrested D Joy Immanuel (28), a native of Bengaluru, A Shikas alias Mohammed Shikas (22) of Saibaba Colony, Jilby alias Jilby Khan Ali (24) of Kuniyamuthur and Anaf alias Mohammed Anaf (22) of Ukkadam for stealing and supplying drugs to college students in the city. All four were booked under IPC sections 193, 196, 199, 200, 468, 471, 420 and 109 and remanded.

Subsequently, the lawyer Zackaria filed a bail petition on behalf of Shikas, claiming that Shikas was an epilepsy patient. The defence counsel also produced doctors’ certificates in support of the claim. However, Judge C Sanjai Baba of the Essential Commodities Act Court, suspected the originality of the doctors’ certificates and ordered a probe to verify their credibility.

The probe revealed that the certificates produced before the court were false and that a medical certificate showed a date after the remand of Shikas in judicial custody. The judge then ordered the police to take action against the lawyer and the doctors involved in misinforming the court.

Based on the order, Essential Commodities Act Court head clerk R Vasantha Kumari lodged a complaint against the six with the Crime Branch of the City police, who then registered a case against them.

Government letter cannot override government order: Madras High Court while allowing teacher's re-employment

Justice J Nisha Banu passed the order on a petition filed by P Thamilarasi, who was a Graduate Assistant (Zoology) in the Government Higher Secondary School, at Samuthirapatti in Dindigul.

Published: 22nd September 2018 03:01 AM |

By Express News Service

MADURAI: “A government letter cannot override a Government Order,” observed the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court while disposing of a retired teacher’s petition seeking direction to be reemployed. Though the teacher was eligible for reemployment as per a G.O., her claim was rejected based on a government letter, which declared her ineligible.

Justice J Nisha Banu passed the order on a petition filed by P Thamilarasi, who was a Graduate Assistant (Zoology) in the Government Higher Secondary School, at Samuthirapatti in Dindigul.

The judge stated, “A statutory provision will prevail over administrative instructions; administrative instructions issued in the name of the Governor will prevail over any administrative orders issued by the government, and not in the name of the Governor.” Relating this with the present petition, justice Banu held that the petitioner fulfilled the conditions drawn in the G.O. (passed on February 13, 1981) issued in the name of the Governor. Hence, the petitioner cannot be rejected citing a subsequent government letter (dated August 13, 2008), which was not passed in the name of the Governor, she stated.

With the above observation, the judge upheld the interim order passed by the Court in favour of the petitioner, based on which she had been allowed to be reemployed till the end of the academic year for a period of 11 months. Further, taking into account that the petitioner has not yet been paid salary for her work during the above period despite a lapse of more than five years, justice Banu directed the school education department to disburse the pending salary of the petitioner with interest within a period of eight weeks.

SRM students get over 3,000 job offers
The total offers by Infosys were 1,185.

Published: 22nd September 2018 02:13 AM |

By Express News Service

The 2019 placement season at SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRM IST) was held recently where recruiters TCS, Infosys, Cognizant and Wipro made over 3,000 offers on campus. Under the category of ‘dream offers’, TCS Digital offered jobs to 62 students and Infosys offered jobs to 64 students.

The total offers by Infosys were 1,185. For the first time, 15 Taiwanese companies also participated. It was facilitated by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA ).

Some of the ‘Super Dream’ recruiters who made offers on campus were Microsoft, who recruited a student with a package of `38.5 lakh per annum; Amazon, who picked 16 software development engineers; UDAAN.com, a Bengaluru-based start-up that hired three students with an offer of `18.5 lakh per annum for each; Nutanix, based in Bengaluru, hired two system reliability engineers with an annual package of `18.1 lakh each and SAP Labs offered one MTech student a pay package of `17 lakh per annum. Given the number of students in SRM IST, the placement season will spread over months allowing students to pursue their dream job on campus.