Treated as servants by accused, say sex abuse victims in Tiruvannamalai According to the investigation officer, there were 49 children at the orphanage. Only two children were boys while all of them were between the age group of 6 and 17 years.

  Published: 01st December 2018 01:39 AM
Image used for representational purpose only 

By Express News Service

TIRUVANNAMALAI: With the arrest of four people in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of orphan children at Merci Children’s Home at Thiruvalluvar Nagar on Thindivanam road here, the victims have revealed that they were made to work as servants at the orphanage and the accused people had treated them very badly.

The owners of the orphanage -- Luban Kumar (65) and his wife Merci Rani (57) -- were arrested along with the third accused, Justin Manavaalan (60), on November 26 under the Juvenile Justice Act and section 6 and 8 of the POCSO Act after a case was registered at the All Women Police Station here. Following an inquiry, the fourth person, Jhansi Rani (60), was arrested on Wednesday.

According to the investigation officer, there were 49 children at the orphanage. Only two children were boys while all of them were between the age group of 6 and 17 years. When the children were questioned, it was revealed that four girl children were sexually abused by Luban Kumar and Justin Manavaalan. The third accused, Justin Manavaalan, had allegedly made the children clean the houses, and wash dishes and clothes. They were also forced to cook food for themselves. The officer said that the children had been treated badly and made to do menial tasks.

Corporation chided by Madras HC for vague submissions in Vadapalani building mishap

The corporation had filed a status report in June 2017 stating that action had been initiated against the officials and the owner of the building and that they were asked to pay the demolition cost.

  Published: 30th November 2018 02:05 AM 

 

Madras High Court. (File Photo | Express Photo Service)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has indicted Greater Chennai Corporation for filing a vague affidavit with regard to the unauthorised multi-storey building at Vadapalani in which four persons died due to a major fire accident two years ago and similar buildings at other places in the State.

After perusing the affidavit filed by the civic body, a bench of Justices Vineet Kothari and Anita Sumant said that the affidavit was very vague and bereft of facts.

Earlier, the corporation had filed a status report in June 2017 stating that action had been initiated against the officials and the owner of the building and that they were asked to pay the demolition cost. Now, the corporation says the violated portions were demolished in September last.

What happened in the interregnum, is not mentioned in the affidavit. Besides this, the prosecution launched, if any, against the officials, who had erred, and the result has not been mentioned. Moreover, with regard to compensation, the corporation had earlier stated that it was not liable to pay. But it had paid Rs 1 lakh as an ex-gratia from CM’s Relief Fund.


“Is it a charity?” the bench asked.

Additional Advocate-General Rajagopal said disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against the officials.

When the bench asked what the result of the inquiry was, the AAG said he did not have the details.

Chennai has highest number of new HIV cases reported in Tamil Nadu

Chennai tops the list with the highest number of new cases, shows data shared by the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society. 

Published: 30th November 2018 05:12 AM 

 
For representational purposes (File | PTI) 

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The number of new HIV positive cases detected in the State decreased from 11,775 in 2016-2017, to 10,527 in 2017-2018. However, Chennai tops the list with the highest number of new cases, shows data shared by the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society.

Next to Chennai, Salem and Tiruchy reported a high number of cases. Those reported from Salem are 751, and Tiruchy 623. Experts say the reason for these districts having reported more cases could be because of a higher floating population. However, activists urge for segregated data collection to know the actual reasons.

“Chennai is a big city where almost 20 per cent of the State’s population lives. Moreover, being an urban area, it receives floating population like migrant workers and others. They get tested here, so the numbers indicate the population. Similarly, Salem and Tiruchy are bigger districts with more area to cover,” Dr K Senthilraj, Project Director, State AIDS Control Society told Express.


Asked about cities like Coimbatore and Madurai reporting lesser number of cases when compared to the above mentioned districts, Senthilraj said, Salem and Tiruchy have a greater area to cover than Coimbatore and Madurai. However, a source in the department said, “The number of cases reported from areas like Tiruchy and Salem, have been higher for the last two decades. It could be because of people from other districts coming to the tertiary care centres here and getting tested. But, again, we don’t know the actual reason why these districts continue to report more number of cases. To know so, every individual case record should be tracked,” he added.

Collecting mere data is not enough, the officials should analyse the reason for the increase for better programme planning. “The increase in numbers could also be attributed to better data collection in these districts and better reporting. But, we really don’t know the actual reason. Complete detail of the cases and also the reasons for the person coming to the particular centre for screening and their background, should be collected.

Officials should plan their control and prevention programme based on the same for better results,” said P Kousalya, President, Positive Women Network.

Child prodigy allowed to apply for BAMS course

Justice T Raja gave the directive while disposing a petition from the girl student, Yazhesy Tha, who recited all 1,330 'thirukkurals' while studying in LKG itself. 

Published: 02nd December 2018 07:14 AM 


Image used for representational purpose only
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy  to permit a 16-year-old meritorious girl student to take part in the counseling for the BAMS course and to  be admitted in Maria Ayurveda Medical College in Kanyakumari, if she is found eligible.

Justice T Raja gave the directive while disposing a petition from the girl student, Yazhesy Tha, who recited all 1,330 'thirukkurals' while studying in LKG itself, and was not considered for selection on grounds that she had not completed 17 years as on December 31, 2018, as per clause 45 of the prospectus issued by the Director, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy Department.

Pointing out the eligibility criteria as per the amended notification, the judge said when the petitioner has  admittedly complied with the admission qualifications, as per the amended notification dated November 7, 2016, the authorities cannot rely upon the old notification dated October 13, 2006, issued for Siddha by citing the age factor that she has not completed 17 years of age as on December 31. "This court finds no impediment on the basis of the latest amended notification to allow the petitioner to take part in the counselling," the judge said.

Need strong medical research in India: Dr Fiona Godlee

Though India provides some of the best in the world medical care, research in India needs development.
 
Published: 01st December 2018 01:31 AM |
       
 
Representational Image. ( Photo| EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Dr Fiona Godlee, Editor-In-Chief, the British Medical Journal, who is in the City for the 5th Edition of the British Medical Journal South Asia Awards 2018 to be held on Saturday here, spoke to reporters on Friday, about the medical research in India.

How to you see India coming up in the research sector?

Though India provides some of the best in the world medical care, research in India needs development. It has a long way to go probably because it has not been introduced to strong culture of research and also may be funding is not there.

Support and training of young researchers is also lacking.


There are so many good people working in India, and BMJ hopes to keep in touch with them, so we can support Indian researchers to do very good and relevant research.

We need strong research in India because it has a huge population and many health challenges, unique to the region. So, it needs relevant, region-specific clinical research.

BMJ would like to contribute to help India built great capacity for research. It has the potential to do research and is a good home for clinical research.

Do pharma industries have influence over most of the researches?

Though there are no figures on funded studies by the pharmas available at the moment, yes, pharma industries influence in clinical research and others and the influence is enormous globally. Most of the time, the result of the research would be the outcome of the sponsors.

They favour the sponsor’s products. The right focus of any studies should be on the prevention and teaching of health. Prevention should not be medicalised. Medical journals have a responsibility to ask for scientific based proof for the results. Researches should help bring in policy changes and make the government bring in guidelines on the food habits of the people or so.

Most of the studies in India are focussed on diabetes. Do you think the researchers are exaggerating the figures?

Not exaggerating, but diabetes is an epidemic. In UK, 6 per cent of the population is diabetic, and the figures are expected to go to 20 per cent by 2030. I am sure, India, considering the population, would have more percentage of people with diabetes. But, this should be tackled with educating the people about nutritious food habits and lifestyle changes, rather than looking for medication.

Again, any organisation funded for these studies would promote their products like Insulin and their food and other products.

Tax on sugar, better guidelines on food policies, government policies and carbohydrates intake would help to change these figures.

MTC flash strike in Chennai leaves passengers in the lurch

A section of MTC bus drivers went on a flash strike on Friday demanding reimbursement of the amount that was deliberately deducted from their salaries.
 
Published: 01st December 2018 01:31 AM 

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Image of MTC buses used for representational purpose. (File photo | EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A section of MTC bus drivers went on a flash strike on Friday demanding reimbursement of the amount that was deliberately deducted from their salaries.

On Friday, at 11.30, a section of drivers stopped their buses at many depots, staging a protest.

Their pay day being November 31, the drivers saw their salary slips and found money deducted. A few of them found that Rs 5,000 to Rs 8000 was being deducted from their salary.

“When questions were raised, the officials claimed that a few days before Deepavali, a sit-in-protest was held at the depot for which the drivers were marked absent. Also, salary of one day was deducted towards Gaja Relief funds,” pointed a member.


As the protest intensified, the passengers were affected as most of them were stranded at the depots.
MTC managing director Anbu Abraham visited Tiruvanmiyur depot and spoke with drivers.

He explained about the deduction but said that the protest day would be considered as leave.

It’s a risky ride for motorists on Mount-Medavakkam Road

TNN | Dec 3, 2018, 12.15 AM IST

CHENNAI: Driving on Mount-Medavakkam Road has become a risky affair for motorists as several pockets of the arterial road are filled with potholes leaving them vulnerable to accidents. Uneven surface on a chunk of the 9-km long road stretching from the vehicular subway at Railway Station Road near Alandur to Medavakkam Cross Road is hindering a smooth ride in one of the important roads on the southern suburbs.

Elumalai, an autorickshaw driver, who was plying passengers on Medavakkam Cross Road, said the road had not witnessed any facelift in the recent years. “This road continues to be in the same condition. Only patch works are being done to fix the damaged portions and I have not seen officials relaying the entire road in the last eight years,” he said. With the monsoon having set in, the road has become riskier for motorists, he added.

Several developed residential areas are located on the stretch. Several densely populated residential localities including Puzhuthivakkam, Keelkatalai, Kovilambakkam, Nanmangalam, and Medavakkam, which fall under the purview of Greater Chennai Corporation, municipalities and village panchayats, are located on the either sides of the arterial road. The road maintained by the state highways department has an estimated traffic volume of 40,000 passenger car units everyday.

However, the road, particularly the stretch from Vanuvampet and Echankadu junction is chocked due to the construction of a stormwater drain at snail’s pace on the road. Selvaraj, a resident of Keelkatalai, said the road expansion has been going on for more than a decade, and yet remains incomplete. “Initially, when layouts were carved out about 40 years ago, this road was planned as a 100-feet-road. The encroachments by shopkeepers on both sides of the road has shrunk its space by 50% causing traffic snarls,” he said.

Motorists experience bumpy rides as several sections of the road have been severely damaged with potholes and the ongoing stormwater works has left vehicles to move from bumper-to-bumper even as the major road has transformed into a dust bowl. “Transportation is a herculean task due to acute traffic jams,” said Michel, a two-wheeler rider.

Official sources with the state highways department said the construction of stormwater drains was a major bottleneck in relaying the road, which has been hit due to delay in land acquisition in two spots on the road. “The government has sanctioned Rs 14 crore for widening the stretch from Vanuvampet and Echankadu junction, but it cannot take shape unless the stormwater drain works are completed. The width of the road would be doubled from the existing 7-9 metres to 14-18 metres,” the official added.