Government bus drivers told not to halt at hotels in suburbs

TNN | Mar 30, 2019, 11.18 AM IST

CHENNAI: The State Express Transport Corporation has instructed drivers not to halt at eateries or hotels located on the Chennai-Villupuram and Villupuram-Ulundurpet highway stretches.

At present, more than 1,200 buses are operated by the corporation across Tamil Nadu. Of this, 450 are operated daily from Chennai to Madurai, Trichy, Coimbatore, Thanjavur and Nagercoil.

The SETC has received complaints from passengers stating many buses halt at eateries as they near Chennai for more than 15 minutes. They said that drivers and conductors are either given free meals or incentives to halt at these private food outlets. In a letter dated March 25, the SETC has stated that no permission has been granted to halt at these eateries. It only increases travel time and decreases passenger footfall.

The letter has instructed respective branch managers to take action against erring drivers.

Drivers, in response, have rejected allegations pertaining to incentives and claimed that they hardly get 15-20 minutes break during the 8-10 hour journeys to southern or western districts of Tamil Nadu and it is unfair to expect us to overcome fatigue without breaks.

Marriage hall trust to pay Rs 1.73L for not returning advance

The forum then directed the trust to provide a compensation of Rs 1,73,540 for the maintenance and the mental agony caused.

Published: 28th March 2019 02:45 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: For failing to pay the advance amount collected while booking a marriage hall, to a Chennai resident, a consumer forum directed the Chennai-based bank trust that manages the marriage hall, to provide a compensation of Rs 1.73 lakh to the resident. K Raman, a resident of Mylapore, had booked a marriage hall belonging to the trust in Mylapore by paying in advance and changed the dates by four months due to the auspiciousness.

A petition filed by K Raman, submitted that in 2012 he had paid Rs 2,68,540 for his daughter’s wedding, however, after consultations with the astrologer, it was decided that the dates be postponed to January 2013.

Raman approached the marriage hall manager and again booked the hall for the same amount after the staff of the hall assured him that the previous advance will be paid in a few weeks, he submitted.

However, the staff in a letter to K Raman, responded by saying, “As per the terms and conditions of the trust, cancellation of the hall will not be entertained under any circumstances and the matter may be treated as closed,” thus submitting a petition at the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai ( South), seeking a compensation of Rs 4.08 lakh. Denying the allegations, the counsel for the trust said the complainant might have cancelled the booking for some unexpected reason, yet the terms and conditions, and rules pertaining to the booking, do not provide a refund and this was made clear to the complainant during the time of booking.

Considering the oral and documentary evidence, the forum presided by M Mony observed that the trust has not produced any document to show that the hall has not been booked by another party in the date that was cancelled and the amount of Rs 1,68,540 for the maintenance has not been utilised.
The forum then directed the trust to provide a compensation of Rs 1,73,540 for the maintenance and the mental agony caused.

School correspondent held for branding class IV boy with hot wax

Tirupur: Years after corporal punishment was banned in educational institutions, a 22-year-old correspondent of a private school here was arrested for punishing a Class IV boy for not completing his homework. Forgoing the usual cane, the correspondent had used a candle to brand the child with hot wax. It was when the boy returned home on Tuesday evening with burns on his hand that the parents got to know about the incident and filed a complaint with the North Police. After an interrogation with the child and his parents, the police arrested the correspondent. After being produced before the judicial magistrate, the accused was lodged at Coimbatore Central Prison.

Postal official told to pay Rs 30000 for delayed delivery to Chennai resident
A petition filed by K Palanikumar said he had applied for personnel talent management in Ministry of Defence, and was expecting hall ticket on August 8, 2012.

Published: 29th March 2019 03:41 AM |

India Post image used for representation. (Photo | PTI)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: For failing to deliver hall tickets at the stipulated time to a resident of Poonamalee, a consumer forum directed the Chief Postmaster General of India Posts to provide a compensation of Rs 30,000. K Palanikumar complained that his hall ticket for the examinations conducted by the Ministry of Defence in New Delhi, was delayed by the postal authorities and petitioned the forum of deficiency in service.

A petition filed by K Palanikumar said he had applied for personnel talent management in Ministry of Defence, and was expecting hall ticket on August 8, 2012. But it was received only three days earlier despite the letter being sent on July 16. The Chief Post Master General of India Posts, Poonamallee, said an enquiry committee was appointed as soon as the complaint was received and also sought for K Palanikumar’s appearance for which he did not co-operate.

However, the forum presided by M Mony observed that the date of despatch shows July 16, 2012, and the backside having the seal shows the date as August 8, 2012 proves that the letter was delivered only on August 8.

Madras Christian College initiates probe into sexual harassment allegations
This move has been welcomed by students, who are happy the management has finally woken up to the situation.

Published: 29th March 2019 02:04 AM |

Madras Christian College campus. Express Photo

By Samuel Merigala

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Following Express report on the alleged sexual harassment of girl students of Madras Christian College by their professor during a department trip, the institution has initiated an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) probe. This move has been welcomed by students, who are happy the management has finally woken up to the situation.

“We have passed on the matter to the ICC and met with representatives of the Zoology department on Thursday morning to inform them about this development,” said A Duraisamy, principal-in-charge. 

It is learnt that the ICC will conform to UGC norms and will be headed by a senior female faculty member and will begin its hearings shortly.”The victims should use this opportunity to voice their grievances so the committee can ensure the college is a safe environment for women,” said a former ICC member, assuring utmost confidentiality in the hearing process.

Alumni speak up

While it was unclear whether the professor in question, had prior allegations of sexual harassment, Express’ story triggered a series of allegations from alumni of the Zoology department, some of which are two decades old.

“We had complained to our head of department when our juniors told us this professor had harassed them during the department trip and the disciplinary action taken against him. Even I had faced harassment by him but our class boys were very protective so he wasn’t able to trouble us,” said Bridget Mary, a student of the Department of Zoology (vocational stream) between 1997 and 2000, who wanted to go on record. Another woman student from the 2006-2009 batch, also reached out with allegations of harassment. “Back then we (I) didn’t have the guts to speak up. I am happy that now girls are speaking up. He is not fit to be a professor,” the victim said.

Students in the Zoology department were overwhelmed by the allegations. “Our Head of the Department had told us that we had filed the first complaint against this professor. Repeat offenders should not be spared,” a representative said, warning of protests if the management backtracks on its promises.

Many medicines not available at GRH

Pon Vasanth B.A

MADURAI, MARCH 29, 2019 00:00 IST

Sick and tired:Patients coming to Government Rajaji Hospital make many trips to check availability of medicine.R_ASHOK

Steps being taken to ensure there is no shortage from April 1: Dean

Patients visiting Government Rajaji Hospital complain of non-availability of many medicines at the hospital dispensary.

According to a section of patients, not all the medicines prescribed by the doctors are given to them at the dispensary, raising concerns over lack of supply to the hospital and possibility of irregularities or leakage. K. Mangai, a 41-year-old woman from Periyakulam in Theni district, who underwent a cardiac surgery at the hospital more than a year before, said that she was denied one of the drugs for the past four months.

“Doctors say that I must take one-and-half tablets every day at 6 p.m and I carry the risk of developing blocks again in the blood supply to the heart otherwise,” she said, adding that she had been visiting GRH all the way from Periyakulam for the past four months in vain.

Ms. Mangai, a single mother of two children, who has stopped working at the textile mill after her surgery, said that she had to spend Rs. 700 every month to buy the medicine from pharmacies outside. “If I check at the government hospital in Theni, they ask me to go to GRH since I was operated here,” she said. Another elderly person from Karimedu, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that he faced similar problems. “I also underwent an open heart surgery at GRH. I argued with the personnel at the dispensary yesterday and raised the issue with the Resident Medical Officer as well on Wednesday. However, nothing much happened,” he said.

N. Sridhar, whose mother is treated at GRH as an outpatient for arthritis, said that every month she was denied at least three or four medicines. “The doctors prescribe seven to eight tablets for my mother. Some are to be taken daily and some once a week. However, we end up getting only four or five medicines every month,” he said. “When we argue with the staff at the dispensary, they say that they did not have adequate supply,” he added.

When contacted, a senior staff working at the dispensary denied allegations of irregularities. “The purchasing limit set for a day is grossly inadequate for the number of patients we handle at GRH,” he said.

Dean K. Vanitha said that steps were being taken to ensure from April 1 that there were no shortage of any medicines.

Senior citizen conned at CMBT

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, MARCH 29, 2019 00:00 IST

A senior citizen was conned by a few persons posing as police personnel in CMBT, who robbed him of Rs. 10,000 and four sovereigns of gold jewellery.

Police said Ganapathy, 67, a resident of Mogappair East went to Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus to board a bus to Nagapattinam on March 22.

While he was waiting for the bus, a 30-year-old woman approached him and started a conversation.

Then four persons came there and introduced themselves as police personnel.

In an intimidating tone, they told him that they would arrest him for teasing the woman in public. Ganapathy believing them to be police personnel decided to bribe them to be let off. When Ganapathy told them that he had no money with him, they snatched his wallet and forced him to use his ATM card to withdraw Rs. 10,000 from a nearby machine.

They then took him to a jewellery shop in Thirumangalam where they made him pay for four sovereigns of gold jewellery.

After collecting the gold, they abandoned him and escaped from the scene.

Government doctors to be sensitised on how to handle cases falling under POCSO

STAFF REPORTER

CHENNAI, MARCH 29, 2019 00:00 IST

The Director of Medical Education said it was key to create awareness, given the frequency of sexual offences.

Two-day conference to bring them up to speed on guidelines

Government doctors across the State will soon be sensitised on the guidelines for examining survivors and victims of sexual offences, and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

In a bid to create awareness on how to identify and manage victims/survivors of sexual offences, the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) has planned to organise a two-day conference for doctors during June.

“This is mainly for government doctors from the level of primary health centres to government medical colleges. The focus will be on crimes against women and children, and will particularly look at child sexual abuse. We will be elaborating on the provisions of POCSO Act, and telling the doctors how to identify victims of sexual abuse, how to report cases, how to certify such cases and also what the limitations are of medical practitioners,” said A. Edwin Joe, Director of Medical Education.

A necessity

With cases of sexual offences being reported frequently from across the State, including from Chennai, it has become a necessity to sensitise doctors. Doctors should identify victims of sexual offences early to prevent the offence from being repeated, he said. “We consider this very important as many cases go unreported. If a doctor does not identify abuse during examination, there are chances that the offence is repeated and exposed after several years. This has a tremendous effect on the mental health of a child. So we will be sensitising doctors not to miss cases and pick up early,” he said.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had laid down guidelines and protocols on medico-legal care for survivors/victims of sexual violence, a doctor said. “These protocols should be followed by doctors while examining a survivor or victim. Awareness of these protocols has not reached the grassroots level; for instance, to a doctor working in a taluk hospital,” he said.

The protocols state how doctors should report, inform police, collect trace evidences and how to send samples to laboratories and get the opinions, he said. Dr. Joe added that this would be a national-level conference and would also discuss medical ethics, negligence and mental health.

Awareness of these protocols has not reached the grassroots level; for instance, to a doctor working in a taluk hospital

Doctor