SHRC slaps fine on tahsildar for negligence

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedFeb 5, 2019, 5:44 am IST

Even after making complaints several times to Selvapandi, tahsildar, Pollachi taluk no proper action was taken against the encroachers.

N. Ayyaswamy, and his wife Subbulakshmi, encroached the common pathway, and built a house on the place.

Chennai: The State Human Rights Commission has slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on a tashildar for permitting a person to construct a house encroaching a pathway to the Dalit Colony in Coimbatore district. The Commission recommended that the state government should initiate departmental action against the respondent for his negligence in his official duty five years ago.

In the petition, Ramasamy of Vazhaikombu, Pollachi taluk, Coimbatore District submitted that he belonged to the Scheduled Caste and was residing along with 34 families in the colony. They were using a common pathway to their residential area and to Sri Karupparayan Temple for decades.

N. Ayyaswamy, and his wife Subbulakshmi, encroached the common pathway, and built a house on the place. This was causing serious hardships to the families.

Even after making complaints several times to Selvapandi, tahsildar, Pollachi taluk no proper action was taken against the encroachers. In turn, Selvapandi supported Ayyaswamy and threatened the villagers.

The local panchayat also sent a representation to the tashildar on April 30, 2013 to measure the place and to show the boundaries of the public road.

Based on the complaint, revenue divisional officer Pollachi directed the tashildar to take suitable steps to confirm the pathway and to remove the encroachment. As Ayyaswamy refused to vacate the land, the complaint sought action against the tahsildar.

After appearing before the commission, Selvapandi had not filed any counter affidavit and reply.

SHRC judge D Jayachandran said this commission was of the considered view that the encroachments infringe rights of other citizens. They created a bad impression in the minds of people that no action would be taken in the event of encroaching public land.

He said the competent authorities must be vigilant over public land, water bodies and water resources. If officials were inactive and insensitive towards encroachment of public lands and water bodies, it would amount to infringement of the constitutional rights of other citizens as it would hinder getting sufficient pathway.

The Commission was of the view that the complainant was entitled to receive compensation of `50,000 from the tahsildar.

The Judge recommended the government to initiate departmental action against the tahsildar for committing negligence in his official duty.

To Sir, with love: Students rally behind maths teacher
With the students urging the Education department to revoke the order, Suresh was left without an order.

Published: 05th February 2019 04:46 AM 

By Deepak Sathish

Express News Service

TIRUPUR: Since the last few days of the JACTTO-GEO strike last month, the School Education department has been taking action against many of the participants — issuing 17(b) notices, suspending or transferring staff. The situation in Tirupur too has been no different. When they heard word of their maths teachers, students of Velliyankadu Corporation Middle School banded together in protest. The students’ parents too have criticised moving the teacher who had greatly impacted the children and their education.

G Suresh (38), the middle school maths teachers, was in school on Monday to collect his transfer order. He was among the 17 teachers in Tirupur to get a transfer. He was being moved to the Perichipalayam school, a few yards away from his former place of work. What should have been a routine visit turned out to be an emotional spectacle with students banding together to keep him from leaving. There were hugs exchanged and tears shed. The teacher himself broke down at the show of support but advised the students to focus on academics.

Students and parents alike have not taken the transfer well. It was Suresh’s efforts that made their children do better, not just in academics but also in terms of other life skills like discipline, pointed out parents. Students talked about how he went beyond the call of duty to serve them well. “He’d buy medicines for us if we were feeling unwell,” said one K Mahalakshmi; “He used to teach maths like a story and made us stop hating it,” said on M Jeeva; “The school has been a plastic-free zone for over four years now, thanks to his effort,” said another.


With the students urging the Education department to revoke the order, Suresh was left without an order. Parents of students visited the collectorate to submit a petition in this regard. As District Revenue Officer S Prassanna Ramasamy assured to look into the matter, Suresh was awaiting further instructions from the department.

Plea seeks to reinstate law university registrar

A writ plea has been made in the Madras High Court for a direction to the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University to reinstate Dr D Shankar as the Registrar of the University.

Published: 05th February 2019 05:30 AM 

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

CHENNAI: A writ plea has been made in the Madras High Court for a direction to the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University to reinstate Dr D Shankar as the Registrar of the University.Justice S M Subramaniyam, before whom the petition from Shankar came up for hearing recently, impleaded all the 33 professors and lecturers as party-respondents in the case. The petitioner also alleged that some professors, who do not possess the requisite qualifications, had been appointed as professors. When the matter came up on January 3 last, the judge had directed the Grievances Committee to conduct an enquiry and submit a report by January 31. Accordingly, the committee submitted its report.


After going through the report, the judge found that certain allegations raised by Dr P Vanangamudi, the former Vice-Chancellor of the Law University, had also corroborated with it.Hence, the persons, who are likely to be affected, should also be heard, the judge said and impleaded all the Law Professors and posted the matter for passing final orders on February 20.

Vandalur-Guduvancheri GST stretch to become 8-lane road

Currently, the stretch between Tambaram and Chengalpattu witnesses huge traffic jams on the weekends and festival seasons.

Published: 05th February 2019 05:46 AM 

The Irumbaliyur-Vandalur stretch of Grand Southern Trunk road (NH 32) as seen on Monday | P JAWAHAR

By B Anbuselvan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Soon, the National Highways Authority of India will convert the six-lane stretch of Grand Southern Trunk road (NH- 32) between Vandalur and Guduvancheri into an eight-lane road. The move is likely to ease congestion on the route. The national highways wing of the State has been entrusted with the widening works on the 5.3 km stretch, which will be taken up at a cost of Rs 42.4 crore.

“There is no need to acquire lands on either sides for the widening works,” said NHAI project director G Athipathi, speaking to Express. “We will be utilising the available lands. Already, Irumbuliyur - Vandalur four-lane stretch is being converted into a six-lane road. Tender for the same has been floated.”

Currently, the stretch between Tambaram and Chengalpattu witnesses huge traffic jams on the weekends and festival seasons. As a result, NHAI has been facing constant criticism from public and business lobbies for “not maintaining a national highway design” on the GST road as vehicles cannot cross 30 kmph speed at many points.


According to official documents, width of the median will be narrowed and service lanes will be merged with main carriageway at some places to make space for the widening. The width of the median on Tambaram-Chengalpattu GST road varies between 2.5-5 metres. The road width varies between 35-45 metres and carries approximately 90,000 vehicles a day.

With the expansion, the road will be able to handle an additional 10,000 vehicles a day, thereby reducing pile-ups over the weekends. “The upgradation has been planned in view of the proposed elevated corridor in Tambaram-Chengalpattu route. The widening will be completed before the expressway is built.”

Air India apologises after passenger finds cockroach in food served during flight

Rohit Raj Singh Chauhan, who was on the Air India plane heading to Mumbai from Bhopal, tweeted on Saturday he was served idli-vada-sambar during the flight and it had a cockroach in it.

Published: 05th February 2019 01:04 AM 

Image used for representational purpose only. (Photo | PTI)

By PTI

NEW DELHI: Two days after one of its passengers found a cockroach in the food served aboard a Bhopal-Mumbai flight, Air India on Monday apologised and said it has initiated "corrective action internally".

"We sincerely apologise for the incident where our valued pax (passenger) had a disappointing experience with the meal served on board our Bhopal-Mumbai flight. Air India always endeavours to ensure our pax enjoy our services," it issued a statement on Twitter.

Rohit Raj Singh Chauhan, who was on the Air India plane heading to Mumbai from Bhopal, tweeted on Saturday he was served idli-vada-sambar during the flight and it had a cockroach in it.

He also posted a picture of the food served where a cockroach could be seen.


"We have taken serious note of the incident and immediately issued a strong notice to the caterer concerned. Air India has a zero-tolerance policy in this respect and has initiated corrective action internally. Our senior officials are in touch with the aggrieved passenger," the airline tweeted.

Bedridden man moves HC for compensation

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, FEBRUARY 05, 2019 00:00 IST

A 50-year-old bedridden man has filed a contempt petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court after the Centre failed to consider his plea for compensation after he suffered a life-threatening fall while working abroad.

The petitioner, P. Singadurai of Sivaganga, was working with Khalifa Al Fahad contracting company in Abu Dhabi. He suffered a serious injury after a fall during the course of his employment in 2016. Initial treatment was provided by his employer and he was sent back to India.

Bedridden, he moved the High Court Bench seeking a direction to the Centre and State to provide support and arrange for proper compensation from his employer. The company had failed to respond to his communication, he claimed.

The court had earlier directed the Centre to consider the plea of the petitioner. However, with no steps initiated in the case, he filed the contempt petition.

He claimed that he had so far spent over Rs. six lakh for treatment, obtained as loans at a high rate of interest.

He sought a direction to the Centre to take up the issue with his employer for providing compensation.

Justice K. Kalyanasundaram ordered notice to the Centre in the contempt petition and adjourned hearing in the case until February 19.

HC issues directive on marriage registration

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, FEBRUARY 05, 2019 00:00 IST

Says physical presence of parties necessary

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Inspector General of Registration to issue circular to all Registrars of marriages in the State highlighting that the physical presence of the parties to marriage is necessary for registration of marriage.

A Division Bench of Justices K.K. Sasidharan and P.D. Audikesavalu observed that the physical presence of the parties to marriage was necessary for the registration of their marriage. It shall be incumbent upon the parties applying for the registration of marriage to establish that the marriage between them was performed in accordance with their personal laws, custom, usage or tradition.

If any one of the parties could not be present, the Registrar would have to record the reasons in writing in the event of accepting the exemption. However, if the mandatory requirements were not complied with, then disciplinary action could be initiated against such a Registrar, the court said.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed in 2016 by advocate A. Kannan who sought a direction to the Registrars of marriages to not register marriages that were solemnised in derogation of personal laws. He also sought a direction to take disciplinary action against advocates who gave certificates of solemnisation of marriages in violation of the Tamil Nadu Registration of Marriages Act, 2009.

The Madras High Court, in 2014, had held that a marriage performed in secrecy at the advocates’ chamber would not amount to solemnisation and no marriage could be conducted under the Act without the physical presence of parties to marriage before the Registrar of marriages, except under exceptional circumstances after recording the reasons.