Ola, Uber told to stop ride-share

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

BENGALURU, JUNE 29, 2019 00:00 IST

Transport Department says service violates law

The Transport Department has directed taxi aggregators Ola and Uber to stop the ride-sharing or car-pooling services they offer in Bengaluru on the grounds that they violate the terms and conditions of Karnataka On-demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016.

The decision has left many commuters who depend on this low-cost means of transport worried.

Transport Commissioner V.P. Ikkeri told The Hindu that if the two aggregators continue to violate the rules, action will be taken against them. The directions were given to Ola and Uber at a meeting held by the Transport Department with various taxi operators in the city on Friday.

“Conventional taxi operators in the city like KSTDC, Meru and others had raised objections against ride-share saying that the service eats into their business and is against rules. They claimed that Ola and Uber were offering ride-share not only within the city limits but even to the Kempegowda International Airport,” said Mr. Ikkeri.

He pointed out that while BMTC can only operate city buses under stage carriage permits in Bengaluru, apps running ride-share services have parallel operations picking and dropping passengers en route.

Incidentally, drivers on Ola and Uber have also been demanding that the authorities crack down on ride-share as it is not economically viable for them.

The Transport Department also cited safety issues for their decision. “Ola and Uber received licences from the department only to operate taxi services. By offering ride-share on their mobile app, they are nothing but violating the permit norms,” said Mr. Ikkeri.

Ola and Uber have, in the past, maintained that ride-share services help decongest the city and reduce fuel consumption as well as carbon emissions.

The aggregators did not offer any comment on this development when contacted by The Hindu .

Conventional taxi operators in the city had raised objections against ride-share saying that it eats into their business and is against the rules.

V.P. Ikkeri,

Crocodiles went through a vegetarian phase too
Cara Giaimo29.06.2019

Imagine you’re a small mammal of the Mesozoic. Snuffling around one day, you run into a cat-size, scaly, big-eyed reptile that looks not unlike a crocodile found later in the 21st century. Spotting you, he opens his mouth wide to reveal… tiny, intricate teeth. Then he turns his head and munches on some leaves.

Such encounters may have been common in prehistory. Research suggests vegetarianism evolved at least three separate times in ancient crocs — a conclusion reached after scientists studied the unusual teeth sported by many species, including the Simosuchus described above.

Crocodiles and their relatives have many things in common, including meat-heavy diets, a penchant for swimming and their teeth.

But the Mesozoic was a different story. About 250,000 years ago, scores of crocodyliform species could be found on land and some in seas and rivers. A particular species might eat only plants, only animals, or both. To support these varied diets, many had “unique, interesting teeth,” said Keegan Melstrom, a student at the University of Utah and lead author of the new study.

Melstrom analysed 146 teeth from 16 extinct crocodyliform species. Half of the ancient species seemed to have been on the plant-eating end of the spectrum. Several of them were from distinct lineages. This suggests that vegetarianism was not an anomaly in crocodyliform history, but evolved at least three times. In future research, he hopes to find out why vegetarian crocodyliforms didn’t last past the end of the Cretaceous. NYT NEWS SERVICE


CHANGE IN DIET PLANS?

Madurai to have clean, green idli shops

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:29.06.2019

In terms of popularity, Mallippoo idlis are next only to the famous Madurai Malli flowers. While a few restaurant chains have popularised the idli among the city residents and others, there are hundreds of pavement shops selling hot idlis, vadas and dosas where the vendors are mostly women.

These shops in the unorganized sector are crowdpullers too as the idlis are cheap and come with at least two varieties of chutney and sambar. But many commuters complain that these roadside shops maintain poor hygiene. There are no proper hand wash facilities and the food is exposed to dust.

“They lack awareness on Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines of cleanliness and hygiene. So, we have studied their working model and prepared a project proposal to help them out,” said K P Murugan, president of Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (Maditssia).

The industry body has now come up with a push cart model that is clean and hygienic and has aesthetic appeal. It is solar-powered, has water tank on top and tap to wash hands, a tank below to collect water, covered bins to collect used banana leaves or paper and so on. The collected waste water can be let into a drain, thereby keeping the roads and platforms clean. The setup would cost ₹2 lakh.

Roadside vendors would have to spend only ₹10,000 (5% of the project cost) and would get a subsidy of ₹50,000 (25%) from the District Industries Centre and the remaining ₹1.4 lakh will be arranged under Mudra scheme.

Roadside vendors would have to spend only ₹10,000 (5% of the project cost) and would get a subsidy of ₹50,000 (25%)

Stalin is a hard-working man: Thanga Tamilselvan
D.Govardan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.06.2019

Former AMMK propaganda secretary Thanga Tamilselvan, who joined the DMK on Friday, said the party had a strong leadership and its president M K Stalin was a hard-working leader capable of taking Tamil Nadu forward.

“The way he fought the legal battle, to secure a place on Marina for his father's (M Karunanidhi) burial, showed his resolve,” Thanga Tamilselvan told reporters, at the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam.

“Even after his party lost the R K Nagar bypoll, the way Stalin handled the situation and took the party forward showed that he is a true leader. The results of the recent Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu indicate the faith of the people in him,” Tamilselvan said.

Earlier, accompanied by a core group of supporters, Thanga Tamilselvan met Stalin and joined the party. He is likely to be made in charge of the party’s Theni district unit soon.

“Position is not something that one asks and gets. It should be given based on an individual’s contribution to the party. If I do that, am sure the party will recognize my work with due postings,” he said, parrying further questions on the subject. He is expected to organize a large public meeting in Theni soon to enable large number of his supporters to join DMK in the presence of Stalin.

The development came just two days after he denied that he was joining either AIADMK or DMK. “AIADMK lacks single leadership and the party is unable to take any decision. Hence, I did not want to join that party,” Tamilselvan explained. “Now that he has joined the DMK, he (Thanga Tamilselvan) will soon become a zero,” said senior minister D Jayakumar.

Meanwhile, AIADMK social media groups were abuzz on Friday with a message blaming the party coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam for forcing Thanga Tamilselvan to join DMK. “People pursuing family interests are the reason behind not letting Thanga Tamilselvan to return to the party. This will now hasten the party’s fall,” said the message, which went viral.


The way he (Stalin) fought the legal battle, to secure a place on Marina for his father's (M Karunanidhi) burial, showed his resolve

THANGA TAMILSELVA

State govt helps orphaned girl continue her education

Senthil.Kumaran@timesgroup.com  29.06.2019

The state government has helped an 18-yearold orphan continue her college education by getting readmission in a government college in Coimbatore. S Sivaranjani, who lost her mother Marammal eight years ago, discontinued her first year bachelor’s degree course in Government Arts and Science College in Coimbatore after her father Saminathan died last year.

Saminathan and Marammal of Kalidimbam near Sathyamangalam also have a 14-year-old son, Hari Prasath.

After completing Class XII in 2018, Sivaranjani got admission in the Government Arts and Science College in Coimbatore. Within a few months of her joining the college, Saminathan fell ill. “No one was there at my house to take care of my father. So, I had to discontinue my education to care of him,” Sivaranjani told TOI.

Tragically, Saminathan too died of cardiac arrest in November 2018. Both Sivaranjani and her brother became orphans. Sivaranjani started to work under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee scheme in the same village to make ends meet. “I have to earn for our livelihood and for my brother’s studies,” she said.

Sivaranjani’s agony didn’t end with her father’s death. Her brother too Hari Prasath died of undiagnosed fever in February this year. “I felt lonely after my brother’s death,” she said, adding that she started leading her life on her own.

Meanwhile, officials from the scheduled tribe department learned about Sivaranjani’s plight and came forward to support her. They took her case to the higher education department through the Erode district administration.

With the support of the higher education department, Sivaranjani got readmission in Government Arts and Science College in Coimbatore this academic year. She also got admission in the SC&ST welfare department’s hostel in Coimbatore.

“After losing my parents and brother, I am now completely dependent on my education,” she said, adding that she wished to become a government official to help the needy like her.

Officials from SC&ST welfare department said the state government will take care of her higher education expenses.


BATTLING ODDS:Sivaranjani

20,000 clinical establishments face closure over registration
Of 50,000, Only 28,000 Have Applied For Regn
Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.06.2019

Nearly 20,000 clinical establishments, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, laboratories and scan centres, are facing closure as they have failed to apply for registration with the state health department under the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments Act, 2018, before May 31, the directorate of medical services has said.

So far, the directorate has received about 28,000 applications from various establishments, against the expected 50,000.

In March 2018, the state framed legislation making it mandatory for all clinical establishments — public or private — to register with the government.

“As of now, these establishments are illegal. Currently, most big hospitals and nursing homes have applied but many small clinics, consultation rooms and blood banks are yet to apply,” said director of medical services Dr Mohanan.

The deadline for registration ended on March 31. As per the act, from June 31, the DMS can initiate action or close down those establishments which have not applied for registration. “We are seeking permission from the state to extend the deadline with a fine,” he said.

Officials are inspecting hospitals and establishments to ensure they fulfil infrastructure and human resource requirements specified in the act. So far, nearly 150 establishments in the city have been inspected and joint directors are visiting hospitals in the districts. If the hospitals qualify, they will be given licence for five years.

The new rules, health department officials say, were brought in to standardize establishments under the allopathic or Indian medicine stream. Tamil Nadu lab associations and unani practitioners moved the court as they found the specifications in the act “too stringent”. It specifies floor space requirement, waiting area, safe drinking water supply and toilets. Lab associations, for instance, said single room labs in rural areas in the state may not fulfill the requirement. “The courts have made registration mandatory,” a senior official said.

Doctors’ associations too approached the state government to relax rules for consultation rooms, where there are no injections or instruments used.

“They have made it mandatory for such clinics to have provisions for disposal of biomedical waste when they generate none. We have approached the government seeking exemption,” said Dr K Senthil, Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association.

Most of these doctors meet patients for reviews, where they see test reports and alter prescriptions, he said.

Major LPG manufacturers move court against July 1 strike call of tanker owners

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.06.2019

Major producers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, have approached the Madras high court to stall the strike call issued by LPG tanker owners.

They claimed that if the strike was allowed, the resulting shortage of cylinders would hit crores of users.

They wanted the court to direct the state commissioner of civil supplies and consumer protection department and the DGP to invoke powers under the Essential Commodities Act to take immediate steps for ensuring uninterrupted and continuous supply of LPG products in the state.

As an interim measure, they wanted the court to direct the DGP to provide adequate police protection at the loading/ unloading locations of cyclinders and to restrain the president and secretary of the Southern Region Bulk LPG Transport Owners’ Associations in Namakkal from going ahead with the strike from July 1.

The issue pertains to state-wise tenders floated in respect of the six southern states, including Puducherry, for the first time for hiring LPG tankers. Not happy with the stipulations, the transport owners associations, at their general body meeting on June 20, resolved to go on strike from July 1.


TO KEEP SUPPLY IN CHECK:

The companies claimed that if the strike was permitted, crores of domestic users would be hit due to cylinder shortage