I-T dept asked to keep mum on noon meal scheme probe

Justice T Raja granted the injunction while passing interim orders on a petition from Christy Friedgram industry, by its proprietor T S Kumaraswamy in Andypalayam in Namakkal district on Tuesday.

  Published: 30th November 2018 02:16 AM 

 
Madras High Court (File photo | EPS)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Income-Tax officials at various levels, including its Director-General at Nungambakkam, have been restrained by the Madras High Court from divulging anything to the print and visual media on the ongoing investigation into the allegations against a private firm in Namakkal district, which supplied food materials for the State government’s noon meal scheme.

Justice T Raja granted the injunction while passing interim orders on a petition from Christy Friedgram industry, by its proprietor T S Kumaraswamy in Andypalayam in Namakkal district on Tuesday.

“In the light of the observations of the Supreme Court, as well as Rule 11 of the Central Civil Service (Conduct) Rules, since the IT department cannot directly or indirectly communicate and provide any information on the pending inquiry of any government servant or any person, more particularly any sub judice matters, the respondents (IT officials) are directed not to divulge any information or undertake media trial with regard to the investigation of the inquiry being conducted against the petitioner company till further orders,” the judge said and posted the main petition for further hearing after three weeks. Petitioner alleged that IT officials had purposely leaked out incorrect information with regard to his company’s dealings with the government.

Tamil Nadu government offices in villages to have free WiFi in a year

The wifi will be protected by an emergency response team that will prevent hackers from stealing data, said Santhosh Babu, State Information Technology Secretary.
 
Published: 01st December 2018 05:44 AM 

 
For representational purposes (File | PTI)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: All government establishments in villages will be enabled with free Wi-Fi within a year with around 50,000 km of cable being laid across the State. The wifi will be protected by an emergency response team that will prevent hackers from stealing data, said Santhosh Babu, State Information Technology Secretary, on Friday.

Speaking at the International Computer Security Day conference, he said “While our nation has a Computer Emergency Response Team India (CERT-In), a national nodal agency to resolve computer security problems, we are striving to build a Computer Emergency Response Team- Tamil Nadu( CERT-TN). At a cost of Rs 29.39 crore, we are also creating a Cyber Security Architecture, that will detect unwanted intrusion and stop stealing of information, he said.

Warning about information being sold he said, “Information is a commodity that is bought and sold in the grey market. Most of us do not understand the seriousness of our identity being stolen. Citizens should be aware about cyber crimes and should take necessary steps to secure the data at our level.”

Any information shared on the internet reaches the servers in the United States of America before it reaches us, he said. With the upcoming Cyber Security Architecture, any information that is shared will be scanned and prevented, if the content is of high value, before it reaches the open space in the server.


“Cable wires will be laid over 50,000 km of landscape across Tamil Nadu to provide high speed internet connectivity through free wifi at village level. The wi fi will be provided at all government establishments like hospitals and police stations,” he said.

He also said the office of the Director-General of Police here is being transformed into a ‘paperless e-office’ towards which many officers are striving.

Applauding the work of the State cyber crime police officers, Santhosh Babu said the officers are managing to resolve any intrusion in CCTNS website which is vulnerable and anyone can place an FIR inside.

He said it is a must to warn people about the bitcoin transactions and any other usage that goes through the dark web. “Security on the cyberspace is not a necessity, it’s a national security issue,” he said.

City police commissioner A K Viswanathan said about 10,254 complaints were lodged in the cyber crime cell in the last five years and 399 cases were solved.

Tamil Nadu officials asked to produce list of teachers transferred in 2018

While teachers working away from their home district for more than 10 years were not given transfer to their districts, transfer orders were issued to juniors within a few months of their joining.

Published: 01st December 2018 01:41 AM 

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

By Express News Service

MADURAI: Admitting a PIL seeking inquiry into corruption in the transfer counselling conducted for teachers, the Madurai Bench directed the Secretary and Director of School Education Department to produce the list of teachers transferred this year and mention the reasons.

KK Ramesh of Madurai submitted in his litigation that the authorities issued transfer orders to a lot of teachers, citing administrative grounds by collecting bribe from them during the general transfer counselling in 2018.

While teachers working away from their home district for more than 10 years were not given transfer to their districts, transfer orders were issued to juniors within a few months of their joining, stated the litigant, questioning the transparency of the method.

These practices result in an imbalance in vacancies. This is evident from the statement made by the government during the counselling that teachers should not be transferred from southern to northern districts, Ramesh stated and prayed the Court to direct an inquiry into such irregularities.


Hearing the plea, a bench comprising K K Sasidharan and P D Audikesavalu issued a notice to the department with specific directions to its Secretary and Director to submit a report on the list of teachers transferred during this year’s counselling.

The report should contain relevant details with regard to the earlier period of service of the teachers and reason for their transfer, the judges added and adjourned the case to December 11.

8000 students graduate from SRM Institute of Science and Technology More than 50 students received gold medals and 53 received PhD degrees which were given away by the chief guest for the event, V K Saraswat, member of NITI Aayog.

  Published: 02nd December 2018 07:43 AM 

 
Image used for representational purpose only. 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Around 8,000 students of SRM Institute of Science and Technology got their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees during its 14th convocation day, on Saturday at Kattankalathur campus.


More than 50 students received gold medals and 53 received PhD degrees which were given away by the chief guest for the event, V K Saraswat, member of NITI Aayog. He said that for India to climb higher in the global innovation index science and technology innovation, eco-system must be altered.

“In the present approach, engineers wrap up the process after a design is seen on the computer, using imported design and simulation tools. This is not good for innovation. The process must involve design, simulation, building, testing, evaluation and validation till the product goes to the market,” he added.

Maharashtra farmer gets Rs 1,064 for 750 kg of onion; sends money to PM Modi in mark of protest

The money order was sent on November 29 from the Niphad office of India Post. It was addressed to "Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India".
 
Published: 02nd December 2018 07:27 PM |

 

PM Modi (File Photo)

By PTI

MUMBAI: An onion-grower from Maharashtra who had to sell his produce for little over Rs 1 per kg has sent his earnings to the Prime Minister to mark his protest.

Sanjay Sathe, a resident of Niphad tehsil in Nashik district, was among the handful of `progressive farmers' selected by the Union agriculture ministry for an interaction with then US president Barack Obama when he visited India in 2010.

Speaking to PTI on Sunday, Sathe said, "I produced 750 kg of onion in this season but was offered a rate of Rs 1 per kg at Niphad wholesale market last week.

"Finally I could negotiate a deal for Rs 1. 40 per kg and received Rs 1,064 for 750 kg," he said.


"It was painful to see such paltry returns on four months of toil. Hence I have donated Rs 1,064 to the Disaster Relief Fund of the PMO as a protest. I had to pay additional Rs 54 for sending it by money order," he said.

"I do not represent any political party. But I am angry because of the government's apathy towards our woes," he added.

The money order was sent on November 29 from the Niphad office of India Post.

It was addressed to "Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India".

Nashik district in north Maharashtra accounts for 50 per cent of onion production in India.

Asked about his meeting with Obama eight years ago, he said, "I have been using a voice-based advisory service (run by a telecom operator) for farmers for a long time. I used to call them and get information about weather changes, and thus succeeded in increasing my production."

"I had also been invited to speak about my experiments in agriculture on local radio stations of AIR. So the agriculture ministry selected me to set up a stall at St Xavier's College in Mumbai when Obama visited it. I could speak to him for a couple of minutes through an interpreter."

Cyclone Gaja: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to give 12 lakh coconut seedlings to delta districts by October 2019

If they are left without proper care, future yield would be affected. Our team is concentrating on the problem,” said the vice-chancellor.

Published: 02nd December 2018 07:24 AM 

 
A family checking the remains of their coconut trees that were entirely levelled by cyclone Gaja at Ambalapattu in Thanjavur. (Photo |EPS) 

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has informed the government that it can provide up to 12 lakh coconuts seedlings for the delta districts, where Cyclone Gaja uprooted 31 lakh coconut trees, according to government estimates. However, it will need time till October 2019 to produce them.

“After assessing the sources, we wrote to the government that TNAU can produce up to 12 lakh seedlings by October 2019. If the government wants us to do it, we will proceed with the plan to produce them,” Vice Chancellor N Kumar told Express. Meanwhile, using satellite technology and drones, the TNAU Department of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System is making an accurate count of the number of coconut trees uprooted in Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Pudukkottai districts. When the work is completed, a report will be submitted to the Agriculture Department, he added.

As there is also the risk of the palms being affected by diseases, the TNAU has sent a team from its Pathology Department to make a study and suggest preventive steps needed immediately. “Partially affected trees just 3-5 years old are very vulnerable. The cyclone would have loosened and damaged their roots and affected their steadiness. If they are left without proper care, the future yield would be affected. Our team is concentrating on the problem,” said the vice-chancellor.

Give Tamil medium certificate, Madras HC tells State Board of Technical Education and Training

Preference was given to those who had completed the Polytechnic course through Tamil medium. 

  Published: 02nd December 2018 08:14 AM |

 
Madras HC (File | EPS)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has directed the State Board of Technical Education and Training to consider representation from a candidate, who sought issue of a certificate that he has studied Diploma in Civil Engineering in Tamil medium, to allow him to apply for the post of Draughtsman.


The petitioner, A Gopalakrishnan, said he completed Diploma in Civil Engineering in Tamil medium. TNPSC has issued a notification dated October 30, 2018, calling applications for the post of Draughtsman, Gr.III in the Town and Country Planning Department. Preference was given to those who had completed the Polytechnic course through Tamil medium.

While State Board of Technical Education and Training didn’t issue a certificate to that effect to enable him to apply for the post, Justice T Raja said there was no impediment for the State Board of Technical Education and Training to consider the case of the petitioner.