Coronavirus scare: Madras HC seeks Tamil Nadu govt's response on plea seeking closure of Tasmac liquor shops

TNN | Mar 16, 2020, 11.54 AM IST

CHENNAI: A lawyer has approached the Madras high court seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu government for closure of Tasmac liquor shops till coronavirus outbreak is contained.

Since most of the liquor vending shops and bars attached to them are located in crowded areas, the unhygienic atmosphere in such bars is likely to trigger the outbreak of coronavirus, advocate AP Suryaprakasam said urging for immediate need to close these shops.

Admitting the plea, a division bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy directed the state government to file its response within a week.

In his petition, the advocate also urged the court to direct the Chennai Metro Water, Sewerage Supply Board and the Chennai Corporation to ensure supply of water for at least three hours daily so that Chennai residents could maintain cleanliness as advised by the government to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The lawyer further submitted that the corporation must ensure adequate supply of hand sanitisers to all the schools in the city

Covid-19: SRM extends summer break till April 30

TNN | Mar 16, 2020, 05.14 PM IST

CHENNAI: SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) has announced that vacation for students will be extended till April 30 to avoid spread of Covid-19.

The six-week period is termed as a summer break for students of all years on all campuses of SRMSIT, according to a letter from N Sethuraman, the institute's registrar, to students.

The situation would be continuously monitored and further announcements would be made on the website. All other aspects of academics and examinations would be announced in due course of time, the letter added.

Students (including doctoral, international) residing in hostels were requested to vacate by 5pm on Mach 19.

On return, students would be subjected to appropriate screening for Covid-19 as directed by government.

However, the above vacation is not applicable to postgraduates of medical, dental, compulsory rotatory residential interns (CRRIs), interns of nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy colleges. They are permitted to stay in the hostel.

100-plus flights cancelled, airfares for April nosedive amid coronavirus scare in Chennai

TNN | Mar 17, 2020, 04.15 AM IST

CHENNAI: The number of flights cancelled due to Covid-19 in the past 15 days crossed 100. They include flights to Jaffna and Doha from yesterday. Flights to Singapore, London and some destinations in the Middle East continue to operate at reduced frequency and with 50% patronage. Batik Air cancelled its flights to Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

A senior official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said there was a drop of around 30% on footfalls at the international terminals. However, the terminal may be in for a complete shutdown in the next few days as India has issued an advisory that no airlines should pick passengers from Europe.

On Monday, the international terminal looked deserted with the flight information display board showing most of the flights as cancelled. The food and beverages shops outside the building that cater to the people who come to receive passengers looked empty and dusty. As India has suspended visas, travellers who land the airport are Indians who are returning. “This will also go down because many, including students in the US and Canada, have decided to stay back,” said an official.

Airlines are also canceling international flights at other airports. The Kuala Lumpur-bound Air Asia and Malindo Air and Colombo-bound Sri Lankan Airlines have suspended their services for a brief period from Trichy international airport.

Most of the retail and food and beverages shops at the international terminal have shut down because of poor footfalls. Owners of retailers and food and beverage shops have asked AAI to waive licence fee for a month or till the flight schedules turn normal. Every unit pays a fixed amount of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh a month to the airport.

However, AAI is yet to take a decision either to shut the terminal or offer a waiver. “AAI headquarters have to take a decision on the waiver. We have been sending reports about footfall and flight cancellations to Delhi,” said an official.

Though most of the domestic flights are being operated, many see fewer passengers per day. “The check-ins are going down by the day and there are not much crowd at the domestic terminal on morning peak hours,” an airline staff said. Chennai-Port Blair flights will be hit as Port Blair administration has issued an order banning tourists into the island for a week.

Domestic arrivals too have dipped. A staff at the prepaid taxi counter said there was a drop in demand for taxi by around 50%.

The uncertainty in travelling due to spread of Covid-19 across many countries has led to airfares dipping for flights from Chennai to UK and the US for travel in April. Return tickets from the US are selling at Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000 and fares to London via Abu Dhabi and Dubai are at Rs 40,000. While most flights have been cancelled now, airlines have scheduled flights in April and May. However, not many are booking.

Coronavirus scare in Chennai: Universities suspend classes, reschedule exams

TNN | Mar 17, 2020, 04.17 AM IST

CHENNAI: Following the state government order, universities and deemed universities have declared holidays till March 31, and have rescheduled classes and internal assessment tests. Some hostel students were asked to vacate immediately to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among students.

Anna University has sent a circular to all colleges and university departments following the government order. “We will issue directions to close all engineering colleges and university departments. Students will be asked to vacate hostels,” said M K Surappa, vice-chancellor of Anna University.

Engineering colleges don’t have end-semester exams but have internal assessment tests that can be rescheduled, a college principal from Chennai said. “We cannot ask everyone to vacate immediately and will give time to the students,” he said.

The higher education department issued a circular saying university exams, practical exams and entrance exams will be held as scheduled and hostels will remain opened for students writing them. The circular said though holiday has been declared for colleges and universities, faculty and non-teaching staff should be present.

“All colleges and university departments are closed for students. We have sent instructions to the college principals. But the university practical exams will be held as per the schedule,” said P Duraisamy, vice-chancellor of University of Madras.

“Following the state government’s announcement, IIT Madras immediately suspended classes till March 31. We will finalise other details on Tuesday,” institute director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said. Earlier, the institute had postponed mid-semester examinations and relaxed the attendance for lab classes.

SRM Institute of Science and Technology has advanced its summer break and declared holiday till April 30. “There won’t be any loss except for internships. Anyway industries will not take outsiders right now,” said Sandeep Sancheti, vice-chancellor of SRM Institute of Science and Technology.

The university has asked all students in hostels to vacate rooms by March 19. The re-entry to hostels after vacation will be permitted on or after April 30. However, post-graduates of medical and dental courses, interns of nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy colleges can stay in hostels.

Some deemed universities outside Chennai have arranged transport facilities for students after declaring holidays. “We have booked state corporation buses to ferry our students to Chennai and have given them packaged food,” said S Vaidhyasubramaniam, vice-chancellor of SASTRA, Thanjavur.

HC refuses to regularize 4 illegal MBBS admissions

TNN | Mar 17, 2020, 04.20 AM IST

Puducherry: The Madras high court has directed the Medical Council of India (MCI) to initiate action against a private medical college — Venkateshwaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (SVMCH) — in Puducherry for illegally admitting four students into MBBS course against the council's regulations and the Supreme Court's orders.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh also directed the college to refund the fees paid by the four students and to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to them for having caused mental agony and hardship.

The justice requested the MCI, the Puducherry government and Centralized Admission Committee (Centac) to check whether the four students could be accommodated in any other institution based on their merit in the coming academic year.

Justice Anand Vekatesh was passing the order while dismissing a petition by SVMCH seeking a direction to the MCI and others to approve the admission of four students -- V Bollini Damu, M R S Mahesh, P Sabari Ganesh and M Shri Preethi -- into MBBS course during the academic year 2018-19.

The MCI and others, however, strongly objected to the plea saying the private college ought not to have filled four MBBS seats that had fallen vacant after the first, second and mop-up counselling and hence their admission is 'illegal'. They said Centac alone can hold counselling and recommend the candidates for admission into government or private medical colleges. They said no authority or institution can admit any candidate to MBBS course against the MCI's regulations and the Supreme Court's order.

Puducherry government’s counsel accused the college of repeatedly violating the MCI's regulations and the apex court order, and pointed out that the college had admitted 38 candidates into MBBS course for the academic year 2017-18 on its own and the MCI discharged (removed) the 38 candidates, who had been admitted illegally. He further said the college admitted five students in the current academic year on its own against the stray vacancies after mop-up counselling ignoring the merit list in the ratio of 1:10 furnished by the Centac.

The judge cited the SC order that declared that only the state government or the authority designated by it can hold common counselling for admission in government and private medical colleges including those run by religious and linguistic minorities.

"Any candidate admitted in contravention/violation (MCI's regulations and SC order) shall be discharged (removed) by the council forthwith," the justice said while quoting the Clause 5 (7) of the MCI's regulation.

He also observed that the college has been using the students as a shield to get over their illegal action and refused to exercise its jurisdiction to sanctify an illegal act.

Covid-19: Schools, colleges, malls, theatres, bars to remain shut in Tamil Nadu; board and semester exams to continue

TNN | Mar 16, 2020, 07.10 PM IST

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced shutdown of educational institutions, anganwadis, malls, theatres, bars, swimming pools, museums and zoos across the state from Tuesday in an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19. The government ordered that the clampdown would last till the month end.

Classes X and XII board examinations, semester examinations in colleges and other entrance examinations will be held as per schedule with adequate precautionary measures, an official release from the government said.

Hostels will function until the end of examination. As an exception, medical and paramedical colleges will function.

No permissions will be granted for processions, public meeting, summer course, sports camps, conferences, expos or cultural events.

The announcement came minutes after a review meeting chaired by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in Chennai. The meeting was attended by senior ministers and more than 35 senior IAS officials in the state.

On Sunday, the government announced closure of primary schools across the state, but as cases began swell, the government has announced a larger clampdown.

The government has allowed private events, including marriages, that are planned to be held as per schedule. However, it has said even such events should not have mass gatherings. Marriage halls are not allowed to make new bookings.

The state has advised people not to use the lockdown period as a holiday but to stay safe at home. “People should avoid visiting crowded places like markets, malls, marriages, functions. They should give more importance to personal hygiene," the government release said. It also asked persons with cold and cough not to go to their offices.

The state government advised the public not to travel to other states for the next 15 days.

The state government will take action against people who spread false information through social media or in any other form.

There is a 24-hour control room functioning to provide information with regards to coronavirus. People may contact 104, 044-29510400, 044-29510500, 9444340496, 8754448477.

Bars to remain closed

All bars attached to Tasmac liquor shops will be shut till March 31. However, liquor outlets will continue to function. A senior Tasmac official said bars in star hotels and clubs serving liquor would also come under the ambit of closure covered under the closure.

There are 3188 bars attached to Tasmac liquor shops in the state, of which more than 700 bars are located in the Chennai region comprising the city and neighbouring districts.

However, Tasmac liquor outlets will continue to function.

ஆம்பூரில் 1000 வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு சிக்கன் பிரியாணியுடன் சிக்கன் 65 இலவசம்: காரணம் தெரியுமா?

By DIN | Published on : 15th March 2020 08:56 PM |

சிக்கன் பிரியாணியுடன் சிககன்65 இலவசம்

ஆம்பூர்: பிராய்லர் சிக்கனால் கரோனா பரவுகின்றது என்ற வதந்தியின் காரணமாக ஆம்பூரில் 1000 வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு சிக்கன் பிரியாணியுடன் சிககன்65 இலவசமாக வழங்கப்பட்ட சம்பவம் நிகழ்ந்துள்ளது.

சீனாவில் கண்டறியப்பட்ட கரோனா வைரஸ் தற்போது உலகத்திற்கே அச்சுறுத்தலாக உருமாறியுள்ளது. இதுவரை இந்தியாவில் 107 பேர் இந்த வைரஸ் பாதிப்பிற்கு உள்ளாகியுள்ளதாக அதிகாரப்பூர்வமாக அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. கரோனா வைரஸ் பரவலைத் தடுக்க மாநில அரசுகள் பல்வேறு நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுத்து வருகின்றன.

அதேசமயம் கரோனா பரவுவது குறித்து பல்வேறு வதந்திகளும் வாட்சப்பிலும் சமூக ஊடகங்களிலும் உலவி வருகின்றன. பிராய்லர் சிக்கனால் கரோனா பரவுகின்றது என்பதும் அப்படிப்பட்ட ஒரு வதந்தியாகும்.

இந்நிலையில் வதநதியின் காரணமாக ஆம்பூரில் 1000 வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு சிக்கன் பிரியாணியுடன் சிக்கன் 65 இலவசமாக வழங்கப்பட்ட சம்பவம் நிகழ்ந்துள்ளது.

பிராய்லர் சிக்கனால் கரோனா பரவுகின்றது என்ற வதந்தியின் காரணமாக பிராய்லர் ஆம்பூரில் சிக்கன் விலை கிடுகிடுவென 30 ரூபாய்க்கு சரிந்து விட்டது.

எனவே பிராய்லர் சிக்கனால் கரோனா பரவாது என்பது குறித்து ஒரு நூதன விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்த, 1000 வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு சிக்கன் பிரியாணியுடன் சிககன்65 இலவசமாக வழங்கி ஆம்பூர் சிக்கன் கடைக்காரார்கள் அசத்தினர்.