Property registration tokens misused as e-passes to travel

Property registration tokens misused as e-passes to travel

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 30.06.2020

Tokens issued by the registration department for property registrations, which can be now be used to travel between districts, are being misused as e-pass alternative by many to travel to their native. This came to light after it was observed that sub-registrar offices outside Chennai and neighbouring districts saw many avail the tokens but not turn up for registrations.

To get a token, basic property details such as its location, survey number and the sub-registrar under whose purview it is have to be keyed in on the website. The token is generated in a few minutes. While e-pass applications can be rejected, the tokens are issued in all cases.

While about 10% of those availing tokens did not turn up for registrations before the Covid-19 outbreak, 20% to 35% no shows were observed in sub-registrar offices in districts south of Villupuram. The registration department began issuing online tokens specifying the date and time for property registration at the respective sub-registrar offices after the entire process was pushed to cyber space in 2018.

The state government announced that these tokens can be used as an alternate for epass for registrations that required travelling to other districts for land registrations during the lockdown period. This is being used by several to move to their native places.

Registration department sources said the number of noshows for property registration raised an eyebrow. “Subregistrar offices in districts that issued 50 tokens a day saw only 30 turn up for property registration,” a registration official in Coimbatore said.

A sub-registrar in Villupuram said the number of people present for property registrations was way lower than the tokens issued on any given day. The token gets cancelled if the buyers and sellers do not turn up on the particular day.

When contacted, inspector general of registration Jothi Nirmala said the issue would be looked into. “The token will have one of the buyers name. While travelling with the token, the draft document, which has other names, should also be shown to prevent any misuse. The misuse had not been brought to my notice. I will verify,” she told TOI.

The tokens can be used to travel between districts to register properties. While e-pass applications can be rejected, the tokens are auto generated, and are seen as a sure-shot way to travel

Madras univ gets a patent for finding anti-cancer compound in sapota leaves

ANTI-DIABETIC TOO

Madras univ gets a patent for finding anti-cancer compound in sapota leaves

Bosco.Dominique@timesgroup.com

Puducherry:  30.06.2020

The University of Madras has obtained a patent for discovering a new compound from the leaves of sapota (botanical name Manilkara zapota). The compound named Mazapotin has anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anti-angiogenic properties.

Former director of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras, N Raaman, along with his student C Sivaraj extracted the compound. The university filed a patent in 2012 through patent agent B Deepa. The Intellectual Property India, after due process and examination, granted the patent in June this year for discovering the compound.

The university was granted patent for its extraction process, evolved by Raaman and Sivaraj, last year.

“Mazapotin has anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-angiogenic properties and is more powerful than Quercetin (a flavonoid used for the prevention and treatment of cancer). After studying its mechanism of action and clinical trials, the compound can be developed as a medicine to treat cancer patients who are diabetics,” said Raaman, who is also the director of Centre for Herbal Sciences at the university.

Raaman claimed that Mazapotin prevents the binding of carcinogens to DNA and strengthens connective tissues, which may prevent cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body. “Mazapotin has the ability to cause normal and controlled death of cancer cells,” said Raaman.

He said 1-7 microgram per ml concentration of Mazapotin has antioxidant activity in the range of 35.29% to 98.34%, higher than the antioxidant activity of Quercetin. The new compound at 0.5mg per pellet has 57.25% of angiogenic inhibition activity. Similarly, a 25 microgram per ml concentration of Mazapotin can account for the death of 85.42% of MCF-7 (breast cancer cell line). A 5-35 microgram per ml concentration of Mazapotin has anti-diabetic activity in the range of 18.18% to 66.66%, Raaman said.

Tamil Nadu refusing clearance for evacuation flights, Centre tells HC

Tamil Nadu refusing clearance for evacuation flights, Centre tells HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.06.2020

Due to the Tamil Nadu government’s refusal to give clearance for Vande Bharath Mission flights, Non-resident Indians (NRIs) from the state are forced to land in neighbouring states and then proceed to their destination in Tamil Nadu, the central government has informed the Madras high court.

“The state government has requested that the number of flights to Chennai may be restricted to two per day and to Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore and Madurai not more than 1, to facilitate smooth reception and observance of Covid-19 protocol,”the ministry of external affairs said through a memo filed in the court on Monday.

The submissions were made in response to a PIL moved by DMK alleging that the state is not permitting landing of international flights. When the plea came up for hearing before a division bench of Justice R Subbiah and Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy, senior counsel P Wilson pointed out the memo filed by the Centre and said the state was not permitting such flights. This apart, the state has also conveyed that in addition to the VBM flights, it had also been getting requests for chartered flights. Passengers arriving by charter flights have to pay for quarantine accommodation and Covid-19 testing twice, once on arrival and a second time on day 7/8 of the quarantine and have started demanding confirmation of online bookings of the same as pre-conditions to clear charter flight passengers,” the memo said.

However, in a separate status report filed by the Tamil Nadu government, it was submitted that the state has not prohibited international air travel services.“The return journey of Tamil people stranded in various countries continues in all four international airports in the state and through the sea ports of Tuticorin and Chennai,” P Senthilkumar, principal secretary to the public department of the state said in the report.

As on June 15, 61 flights from 17 different countries have brought 9,625 Indian nationals from abroad through the four international airports in the state. This apart, 1,369 have been brought back to Tamil Nadu through 2 ships from Colombo and Maldives, the report added. Besides, 33 more flights from various countries are scheduled to arrive in the state in the next two weeks alone, the state said. To this, additional advocate general SR Rajagopalan submitted that he would get further instructions on the issue. Recording the same, the court adjourned the plea to June 30.

The Centre says due to the move NRIs from the state are forced to land in neighbouring states and then proceed to their destinations in TN

Intense lockdown in Chennai, Madurai to continue till July 5

Intense lockdown in Chennai, Madurai to continue till July 5

General Curbs To Remain In TN Till July 31

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 30.06.2020

The TN government on Monday announced extension of the general lockdown until July 31with an aim to contain the Covid-19 surge. The government also extended the ongoing intense lockdown in Greater Chennai, including parts of Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, besides Madurai corporation until July 5.

The government, however, decided to allow all industries, export units and private offices to function with 100% strength in the rest of the state from July 1. In the rural areas of Chengalpet, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Madurai districts it will open up from July 6. Tasmac outlets would be allowed to be kept open between 10am and 8pm in the rural areas of these three districts besides the rest of the state.

Total lockdown on all Sundays in July

It has also announced total lockdown in the state on all Sundays in July to break the chain of infection, while movement of public and private bus transport within the districts will remain suspended between July 1 and 15. Authorised fish, poultry and egg shops will be allowed in corporations, town and village panchayats. The government announced that e-pass would not be required for movement within the districts, while it is required for inter-state movement and inter-district movement. In the intense lockdown areas, the passes issued upto June 30couldbeuseduptoJuly 5.

In areas under intense lockdown, workers shall be accommodated inside the industry premises or nearby places.

On Monday, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami held discussions with public health experts on the way forward. “Lockdown is not the solution, whereas containment management is. Lockdown is requiredby balancing relaxation and restriction,” chief secretary K Shanmugam told TOI.

The governmentdecidedto go ahead with the extension of intense lockdown even as aggressive testing continued acrossthestate.AsCovidcases spiralled in Chennai and Madurai, the plan is to continue the intense lockdown which would help the administrative machinery get a breather to cope with the rising demand for services.

The spike in cases could be seen from the sharp rise in Tamil Nadu’s containment zones -- from 303 to 703 within a week ending June 26. Chennai, Salem, Madurai, Cuddalore, Tirupattur, Nagapattinam and Tiruvannamalai districts have seen an increase in containment zones as well. Only seven of the 37 districts have reported completion of containment, including The Nilgiris, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Trichy, Vellore, Perambalur, Karur and Ariyalur.

11.50 lakh students to appear in last 2 board exams today & tomorrow

11.50 lakh students to appear in last 2 board exams today & tomorrow

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ajmer: 29.06.2020

Around 11.5 lakh students will appear in the class X social science exam of Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) on Monday in more than 6,000 examination centres across the state. Social science and maths exams were not conducted as the lockdown was forced in the state on March 20.

Looking at the large number of students appearing in the exam, the RBSE has asked authorities to ensure proper maintenance of social distancing norms strictly. A similar number f students will also appear for the maths exam on June 30.

The CBSE has cancelled the remaining board exams of classes X and XII but the RBSE has already conducted the remaining exams of class XII.

The exam will start at 8.30am but the RBSE has Asked students that they should reach the examination centre an hour before. The board claimed that question papers have already been sent to examination centres and subcentres for keeping social distancing.

A board official said thermal screening was compulsory for every student and staff entering the examination centre and flying squads have been asked to ensure that social distancing in classrooms are followed strictly.

Board sources said as all examinations will over on June 30, it is preparing to declare the result of class X and XII board exams by July 15. Officials said they were are trying to declare the result of class XII first so that students can apply for admission in higher education institutes.

Capt postpones exit exams in varsities, colleges

Capt postpones exit exams in varsities, colleges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chandigarh: 29.06.2020

The Punjab chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced postponement of exams for the exit classes in all the universities and colleges of the state till July 15 due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The chief minister, however, made it clear since all the universities and colleges in the state are accredited or affiliated to the University Grants Commission (UGC), any decision on the examinations can only be taken by the statutory body under the Union ministry of human resource development. New directions or guidelines are expected to be released by the UGC any time.

Amarinder issued the clarification while responding to the concerns expressed by students and parents on the conduct of examinations during the ongoing Covid pandemic.

The chief minister said the postponement of the examinations for the exit classes till July 15 will also give all the stakeholders, especially the universities, time to adapt and align to the new guidelines that will come from UGC.

The universities across Punjab had taken a decision to conduct exams of exit classes in the month of July, in accordance with the guidelines issued by UGC on April 29. Later, the UGC had announced that it would review the situation again. The UGC decision regarding academic activities, especially conduct of examinations, is still awaited.

The CM said the postponement of exams for exit classes till July 15 will also give all the stakeholders, especially the universities, time to adapt and align to new guidelines

Cops above 50 told to work from home

Cops above 50 told to work from home

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

29.06.2020

Bengaluru: Police commissioner Bhaskar Rao on Sunday issued an order directing all his filed personnel aged above 50 with comorbid conditions to work remotely. This comes a week after he had instructed cops aged 55 years and above to work from home.

Rao’s fresh instructions come in the wake of increasing Covid-19 cases among police personnel in the city. As of June 21, 67 cops had tested positive in the city. The number has now shot up to at least 130.

“At least eight fresh cases have been added between yesterday and today (Saturday and Sunday), including an assistant commissioner of police attached to traffic,” one official said.

The new order reads: “In view of the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, personnel aged more than 50 years with comorbid conditions must compulsorily work from home.”

Last week, Rao had issued 13 directives, which included instructions that police should not allow anyone from outside the force to walk into the stations and that they must attend to complainants in the temporary tents only after conducting body temperature checks.

He had said police should ensure no person in distress returns without getting assistance. The temporary arrangements should have sufficient chairs for both police and the public, but physical distancing must be mandatorily enforced.

On Saturday, the Bengaluru police department lost its fourth personnel to the virus. The official announcement came on Sunday.