Free darshan reduces waiting time at Athi Varadar festival

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, JULY 03, 2019 00:00 IST

Devotees waiting in a queue for Athi Varadar darshan at Devarajaswamy temple in Kancheepuram.B. Velankanni Raj

A new way has been opened to help the disabled, elderly

After removing ticketed darshan for the Athivaradhar festival at Devarajaswamy temple in Kancheepuram, devotees on Tuesday spent less time waiting in queues. It took people less than half-an-hour for entering through the eastern gopuram to exiting via the western gopuram after having darshan, said a temple official.

The Kancheepuram Collector P. Ponniah said they were able to streamline devotees after darshan was made free for all. A new way has been made to help the disabled and the elderly have darshan of the Athivaradhar idol at the Vasantha Mandapam. “On Monday, devotees on wheelchairs were allowed through the exit route for other devotees. It caused a delay and people in the queue had to wait to let the wheelchairs pass. But that has also been changed now,” he said.

Students get to experience a doc’s life on Doctor’s Day

TNN | Jul 2, 2019, 12.11 AM IST

July 1 is observed as the National Doctor’s Day across the country. While we saw different events being held to felicitate doctors for their relentless services, a hospital in Chennai decided to make use of this day to encourage school students to take up medical profession. According to a press release, the Fortis Malar Hospital reached out to 50 students of class XI and XII from the biology stream of Avvai Girls Higher Secondary School, and the doctors from the hospital inspired them to take up medical profession while interacting with the students. To give them a better clarity on the challenges and responsibilities of a doctor on a daily basis, students were made to form small groups and each group was assigned under a doctor to give them a first-hand experience of a doctor’s life. The students wore medical coats and stethoscopes and went around with the doctors. The press release also mentioned that the main objective of this activity was to create awareness among the students regarding the commitment required in this profession. The activity also enlightened the students on the importance of maintaining a good doctor-patient relationship. National Doctor's Day is observed every year across India on July 1 in remembrance of the eminent physician Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.

What the flash strike tells us about MTC

TNN | Jul 2, 2019, 06.53 AM IST

CHENNAI: Office-goers and students were put to inconvenience on the first day of the new working week when crew of government-run Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses resorted to a flash protest. Protesting workers’ unions claimed that their monthly salaries were not credited as promised on Monday.

“Commuters were forced to travel in already-full local trains,” said T Sadagopan, a regular MTC bus user from Avadi. West Chennai was worst affected as buses did not leave five depots including Avadi right from 5am.

Transport minister M R Vijayabaskar met the staff, gave assurances and services resumed around 12.45pm when salaries got credited.

MTC said the payment was delayed because external financial support did not come in time. Somehow, it managed funds for salaries this month. But from the episode it is evident that the once profit-making body is struggling due to a financial crunch. It is also ironical that despite enjoying a monopoly, more than 35 lakh passengers — one-fourth of city’s population — travel in 3,200 MTC buses every day, MTC has empty coffers.

“The amount spent towards salaries is increasing exponentially. Salaries of 21,000 employees contribute to 52% of the operational cost,” said a senior MTC official.

Also, there is a drop in earnings per kilometre due to fall in passenger footfall and increase in fuel and maintenance costs, Vijayabaskar said.

This has forced MTC to take more loans and mortgage properties. Nine depots and 500 buses were mortgaged recently to gather funds.

Experts and unions attribute this to inadequate financial support from the state government. “Transport corporations are given a step-motherly treatment. When the government absorbed the Rs 22,800 crore debt of Tangedco, why is it not ready to help transport corporations,” asked K Anbalagan from SVS-APP transport workers’ union.

There is no clarity of whether the government has waived off MTC’s loans. Total outstanding loan value increased by 333% in the four years, according to official data. From Rs 80 crore in 2013, it stood at Rs 347 crore in 2017.

Besides, diesel subsidy to MTC was cut for a few months and the corporation was allowed to generate it by other ways and means.

Rubbing salt to injuries, absenteeism among workers is high. On an average, 200 buses remain idle due to non-availability of staff. Amid this, union office-bearers are given light duties or desk jobs.

Alongside salary, pending retirement benefits and accident claims are other components which add to MTC’s financial burden. A total of 180 employees, who retired last year, are yet to receive provident funds worth Rs 392 crore.

OBC candidates being denied reservation: Doc tells HC

TNN | Jul 3, 2019, 04.34 AM IST

Chennai: Claiming that candidates belonging to other backward communities (OBC) are being denied reservation, as provided under the Constitution, in admissions to UG and PG medical courses under all India quota in colleges other than those funded by the Central government for the past 10 years, a city-based doctor has approached the Madras high court alleging discrimination.
The illegality has been done through the provisions of the Central Educational Institutions (reservation in admissions) Act, in the guise of providing reservation for SC/ST/OBC candidates to certain central education institutions, explained doctor G R Ravindranath.

The act never stands in the way of central government to restrict the applicability of the reservation other than central education institution in so far as medical admission to all India quota is concern. The act neither takes away the right of reservation of a citizen guaranteed under the Constitution, nor direct the central government to restrict the applicability of reservation guaranteed under the Constitution only to central education institutions as defined under the act, he added.

“Section 4 of the Act, which furnishes a schedule of institutions for which the present act will not apply. The schedule enclosed along with the act consists of eight institutions that too run by the central government. Section 4 further emphasise that the act should not apply to minority education institution and programs of the post-doctoral level. Hence it is very clear that the act never intended to take away or restrict the OBC reservation guaranteed under the constitution for institutions other that what was defined under the act. It is a self-contained code applicable to those institutions mentioned in the act and it is not meant to travel beyond that,” Ravindranath said.

However, in the information bulletin issued for the admissions to UG and PG medical courses for 2019-20 it is clear that the 27% reservation for OBC is provided only in seats Central Educational Institutions, the petitioner pointed out.

Noting that all India quota is not a reservation and it is only a concession, or in other words, an understanding by which certain percentage of seats are surrendered by the state and union territory to the central government, the petitioner said, “In the case of UG medical admission, it is 15% of the total number of seats and 50% in the case PG medical admission. The surrendering of the seats will not take away the right of reservation guaranteed under the constitution.”

The central government is also aware of the fact that there cannot be any denial of reservation while allotting seats under all India quota, but however they may be under a wrong notion or probably may be ill-advised to restrict the OBC reservation only to central education institutions. Since the process and action is discriminatory, the petitioner has no other alternative or efficacious remedy available in law, except to approach the court he contended.

He wanted the court to direct the authorities to provide OBC reservation under all India quota in all the colleges across the country.

The plea is likely to be taken up for hearing on July 3.

TIMES AT THE WORLD CUP

Virat’s touching gesture for the old and the beautiful
Indian Skipper Promises Tickets For 87-Year-Old Charulata Patel

Gaurav.Gupta@timesgroup.com

Birmingham:04.07.2019

Even as millions of fans are still struggling for tickets to India’s semifinal and final matches in the 2019 World Cup, Charulata Patel can claim to be amongst the lucky ones to already have them in her purse. The 87-year-old South Africa-born Gujarati is a London resident and has become a sensation on social media ever since Indian captain Virat Kohli and his deputy Rohit Sharma touched her feet to seek her blessings, and spent some time with her at Edgbaston after India beat Bangladesh by 31 runs on Tuesday.

During the brief meeting with the spirited lady, who came all the way from London to watch the Men-in-Blue despite being slightly ill, Kohli told her that she now has to turn up for all of India’s remaining three games, promising tickets for her and her granddaughter, Anjali, who accompanied her to the stadium.

“Yesterday, when he hugged her, he said: ‘Please come for all our matches’. But she replied: ‘Beta, I don’t have tickets.’ He said: ‘Don’t worry, I’ll arrange the tickets, and he kept his word. So, now we have the tickets for all of India’s remaining games — the Leeds match (against Sri Lanka on July 6), the semifinal (both the semifinals actually) and the final,” Charulata’s granddaughter, Anjali, told TOI from London. “We asked for a few more tickets, but he couldn’t arrange that many,” she chuckled.

Sharing the emotional moment with his ‘special fan’, Kohli later tweeted: “Also would like to thank all our fans for all the love & support & especially Charulata Patel ji. She’s 87 and probably one of the most passionate & dedicated fans I’ve ever seen. Age is just a number; passion takes you leaps & bounds. With her blessings, on to the next one.” Throughout the match, the TV cameras kept panning on the enthusiastic fan. Former England captain Michael Vaughan described a TV shot of Charulata’s enthusiastic support as “the picture of the World Cup”.

ICC later shared a small video of her. “They’re playing very well. I’m praying to God that they keep on winning. I’m watching cricket for the last 20 years. The first time I went to watch a game live was in The Oval last year, so this is just this second time,” Charulata told Times Now.

You don’t have to guess hard to know her favourites players/ “Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma,” she said. “When Virat and Rohit touched my feet, I wanted to get up, but they asked me to keep sitting on my chair. I gave them my blessings, and hugged and kissed them,” he said.

There are many elderly people amongst the spectators in England. You do wonder how Charulata managed to attract the attention of Virat & Co. “It’s all thanks to the Indian guys. The Indian team’s media manager, Moulin Parikh, and a few other media personnel approached us for a few interviews. I asked if he could arrange for my grandma to meet the team or at least some players. Because of her age and illness, this would most probably be the last World Cup she would be able to see at a stadium. So, it meant a lot for her to see the team. Moulin said: ‘Look, I’ll arrange something for you when there are just two overs left for the game.’ And he did make it to happen,” she revealed.

MY PLEASURE: Virat Kohli greets Charulata Patel at Edgbaston on Tuesday

ADWISE workplace counselling NAMRATA SINGH

‘My boss makes me work on holidays. Is there a way out?’

04.07.2019

Question: I recently joined an MNC and this is my probation period. The organisation has a policy of Saturday/Sunday offs. In addition, it has declared 12 public holidays. However, my reporting manager makes me work on weekends. He rejects my request for a compensatory off. I am also made to travel/work on public holidays, like Holi and Good Friday. This is painful and demoralising. I am a 44-year-old male and, currently, I do not have another job option. How do I deal with such a boss?

S Ramesh Shankar replies:

It’s unfortunate that you made a change of job and ended up in a not-so-pleasant situation. In my view, you may consider converting a negative situation into a positive one. In our life, we cannot choose our parents or our boss. I am sure you decided to join the MNC after due consideration of role, image, brand, etc.

Since you are less than six months in your job, it may be an opportunity to make your first impressions. You may like to focus on giving your best and proving your value to your boss and thereby to your organisation. Once they realise that you bring immense value to your role, you will be considered an invaluable asset. At this stage, you could consider renegotiating with your boss regarding your weekly offs or working on public holidays.

It is true that employees in multinationals as we well as Indian organisations have to work on weekends or public holidays at times due to work exigencies. However, if someone makes working on weekends a habit, it may be neither good for their health nor for the productivity of the organisation. We need to first prove our worth in a new organisation we join before we start negotiating our terms and conditions at work. Otherwise, it may end up being evaluated as someone whose focus is not to give their best at the workplace but keep negotiating on terms and conditions of employment.

I would recommend the following steps:

A. Focus on your performance and become the best in whatever you do within a year of your joining the MNC

B. Once your boss realises your value, you could negotiate on weekly offs and talk about work-life balance

C. You have to determine what your priorities are: work-life balance, salary, working conditions or career progression

D. Establish your credibility before highlighting wrongs of others I hope these suggestions are useful and help you reflect.

S Ramesh Shankar is former HR head, Siemens

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6.3ft-long worm removed from man’s intestine in Haryana

Vijender Kumar TNN

Kaithal:04.07.2019

A 6.3ft-long live worm was surgically extracted from a 42-year-old man’s intestine at a private hospital in Haryana’s Kaithal district on Wednesday.

Dr Devender Panwar of Jaipur Hospital, who conducted the operation, said Ravi — a resident of Jind’s Pega village — approached them on Tuesday night complaining of fever since a fortnight. When a CT scan, ultrasound and other examination couldn’t detect the issue, an X-ray revealed damage in the intestine which needed immediate surgery.

“While sanitizing his intestine, we extracted a live pork tapeworm about 6.3ft in length. The scientific name of the organism is Taenia solium which usually enters the body through consumption of undercooked or contaminated pork and unwashed vegetables,” said Dr Panwar.

Once inside, the intestinal parasite can live there up to 25 years and affect the brain, and may cause epilepsy at a later stage or even death, he added.

“The tests didn’t reveal the presence of the worm and the X-ray only showed a hole in the intestine. It was during surgery that I minutely examined the hole, and found the worm, which was alive,” said Dr Panwar. The patient is stable and under observation, he added.