Madras High Court orders Law University to remove teachers appointed by violating UGC rules

If the unqualified persons are allowed to continue in the posts, the action would be detrimental to the interest of the public at large, the judge said.

Published: 05th October 2018 05:55 AM

Madras High Court (File Photo | PTI)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Holding that appointments to certain teaching staff posts were made in the law colleges affiliated to Dr Ambedkar Law University in violation of the regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) for certain ‘extraneous’ considerations, the Madras High Court has directed the university to identify and remove them from service and appoint qualified persons in their posts.

Justice S M Subramaniam gave the direction on Thursday while passing interim orders on a writ petition from Dr D Sankar seeking to quash an order, dated August 12, 2015, of the university Vice-Chancellor and consequently to reinstate him as the University Registrar.

If the unqualified persons are allowed to continue in the posts, the action would be detrimental to the interest of the public at large, the judge said. The enquiry in respect of the unqualified teachers is to be conducted without any further delay. In the event of identifying appointments made on favouritism and nepotism, then suitable action has to be taken against all persons, who are responsible, the judge said.

The syndicate of the university, the Directorate of Legal Studies and the Law Department shall ensure that all contract appointments are made in accordance with terms and conditions of the contract and should take suitable action to appoint lecturers on regular basis for the benefit of the students. They shall also ensure that the quality of legal education is maintained as per the UGC Regulations and the Rules of the Bar Council of India, the judge said.

Defamation case against Anbumani shifted to special court

Chennai: Giving a brief respite to PMK Youth Wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss (50), the High Court on Thursday stayed an order, dated September 11 last, of the Principal Sessions Judge here, directing him to appear before it on October 4 in connection with a defamation case. Justice P N Prakash, who granted the interim stay, transferred the case to the special court constituted exclusively for cases involving MPs and MLAs. He shall appear before it within two weeks and execute a bond for `5,000 without surety and provide an undertaking to appear whenever required, judge said.

DU to seek legal opinion in sexual harassment case

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 05, 2018 00:00 IST

DU’s Executive Council has decided to seek legal opinion after an internal inquiry found a professor of the university guilty of sexual harassment, a varsity official said on Thursday. A teacher had accused the Head of Chemistry Department of sexual harassment last December.PTI

Special trains to clear Deepavali rush

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SALEM, OCTOBER 05, 2018 00:00 IST

The Railways will operate the following special trains to clear the Deepavali rush.

Train No. 82619 Chennai Central – Coimbatore ‘Suvidha’ will leave Chennai at 8.40 p.m. on November 3 and will reach Coimbatore at 4.15 a.m. the next day.

No. 82620 Coimbatore – Chennai Central ‘Suvidha’ special will leave Coimbatore at 7 p.m. on November 6 and will reach Chennai at 3.45 a.m. the next day.

No. 06017 Chennai Central – Coimbatore special fare special train will leave Chennai at 8.40 p.m. on November 5 and will reach Coimbatore at 4.15 a.m. the next day.

No. 06018 Coimbatore – Chennai Central special fare special train will depart from Coimbatore at 7 p.m. on November 6 and will reach Chennai at 3.45 a.m.

Advance reservations

Advance reservation for these trains will open at 8 a.m. on Friday (October 5).

Teachers of law colleges face probe

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, OCTOBER 05, 2018 00:00 IST

HC wants verification process speeded up, seeks report by Nov. 12

The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University on Thursday informed the Madras High Court about having constituted a committee to go into allegations regarding faculty members who were serving in various government law colleges without possessing the requisite qualification and experience.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam was told by Additional Advocate General P.H. Arvindh Pandian that the committee had started functioning and scrutinising files of the teaching staff.

It would take three months for it to complete the process after which suitable action would be initiated. The judge ordered that the committee’s report be placed before the Syndicate

Mr. Justice Subramaniam called for an interim report by November 12.

District Collectors put on alert to tackle Oct. 7 downpour

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, OCTOBER 05, 2018 00:00 IST

Warning issued by IMD for that day; 4,399 spots identified

Officials of all district administrations have been instructed to take precautionary measures on account of the warning issued by the India Meteorological Department for October 7.

“It is a not a red alert. IMD has a colour code for rain forecasts. If it’s red, it means there is a necessity for the administration to take action,” Commissioner of Revenue Administration, K. Satyagopal, said on Thursday.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across south Tamil Nadu and districts along the Western Ghats on October 7. The State government has already identified 4,399 vulnerable areas. Of them, 578 were found to be ‘very highly’ vulnerable, while 872 had ‘high’ vulnerability, he added.

The Collectors and Superintendents of Police would oversee the effort, and interdepartmental zonal teams would set up camp in the vulnerable areas, he said.

First responders, mainly youngsters, would also be on standby to help, Mr. Satyagopal said, adding that arrangements were being made to move people to safer places in case of flooding.

Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said, in a release, that fishermen had been warned not to venture out to sea.

A peoples’ doctor is no more

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, OCTOBER 05, 2018 00:00 IST



Dr. Jaganmohan 

Hundreds turn up to pay respects to the physician

The last rites of Dr. Jaganmohan, who charged only Rs. 20 from his patients, were performed at the Besant Nagar crematorium on Thursday.

Hundreds of people turned up to pay their last respects to the 77-year-old doctor, who saw medicine as a service and not as business.

On hearing the news of his death on Wednesday, a steady stream of people from Mylapore, Mandaveli, R.A. Puram and other parts of the city started visiting his Chandra Clinic, on R.K. Mutt Road.

Posters announcing his death were put up in several localities of Mandaveli and R.A. Puram by Mylai Vazh Makkal.

Regina Mary, a resident of R.A. Puram, said the doctor was a saviour of her family as three generations, including her father, herself and her son, had visited him whenever they were ill.

Hailing from a village in Tirunelveli district, the doctor came to the city with his parents and finished his bachelors degree in Pachaiyappa’s College. He joined a private medical company in Mumbai, but quit it later to return and join the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital.

Nominal fee

He started a clinic in the name of his wife Chandra in his own house at Mandaveli in 1975, charging patients as little as Rs. 1 and Rs. 2.

Later, he hiked his fee to Rs. 5 and Rs. 10. The highest he charged was Rs. 20.

Sometimes, he took whatever the patient could afford, while at other times he treated the poor for free.

DMK president M.K. Stalin condoled the death of the peoples’ doctor, who treated about 300 people daily for a nominal fee.

Dr Agarwal’s introduces pinhole pupilloplasty

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, OCTOBER 05, 2018 00:00 IST



A patient who underwent the procedure being examined by Dr. Amar Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director, Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital.M. VedhanM_VEDHAN
New technique to help treat astigmatism


S. Sadhath Ali, 59, had undergone a corneal transplant in the left eye for a fungal infection. He developed severe astigmatism which could not be corrected by any procedure and he could not be given glasses for his power of -24.

The Alwarpet resident came to Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital seeking help.

Hospital chairman and ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Amar Agarwal, who reviewed him said he suffered from severe astigmatism of about 20 diopter, which laser cannot treat.

Nor could spectacles of such high power be prescribed for him.

“I did not consider pinhole intraocular lens though in India we do not require Food and Drug Administration approval,” he said.

Instead he decided to reduce the size of the pupil to less than 1.5 mm.

Since astigmatism resulted in multiple rays of light falling on the retina leading to blurred vision, the surgeon decided to reduce the size of the pupil’s diaphragm by sutering the edges and preventing light rays entering from the periphery.

The procedure is called pinhole pupilloplasty (PPP). “The patient is now able to see clearly and may not require corrective glasses,” he explained.

The results were there for all to see when the patient was able to see well after four days post-surgery.

Dr. Amar used the same procedure on J. Bhaskaran, 67, of Tiruvallur district, who sustained an injury to his eye. The surgeon said he had introduced the technique at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting and had published his work.

The PPP procedure could be considered for people who have had an eye transplant or surgery; or have high astigmatism which prevents use of laser treatment. The procedure can be done on children too and they would not require a repeat surgery at a later time, Dr. Amar said.