2 days to go but Twitter, FB, WA yet to comply with govt norms

2 days to go but Twitter, FB, WA yet to comply with govt norms

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:25.05.2021

The stage is set for another showdown between the government and social media giants over compliance with the new norms for platforms that have over 50 lakh users in the country.

With just two days to go to comply with the new norms for significant social media intermediaries, barring Koo, none of players including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram have complied with the new regulations that require them to appoint a resident grievance officer, a chief compliance officer and a nodal contact person. The government had given the firms three months to comply fulfil the requirements with the deadline set to expire on Wednesday.

Although some of the platforms had sought six months, the government currently does not appear in any mood to relent. Their failure to comply with the norms opens the global giants to lose their status and protections as intermediaries and also makes them liable for criminal action, sources said. While Twitter declined to comment, Facebook did not respond to a query from TOI.

Sources argued the failure to comply with the notified rules is detrimental to the interests of those who suffer abuse on social media but do not know whom to approach for grievance redressal. The stipulations require the social media entities to furnish monthly reports on the complaints received and those that have been settled.

Nothing wrong in Delhi govt order putting all docs in one category:HC

Nothing wrong in Delhi govt order putting all docs in one category:HC

New Delhi:25.05.2021

Delhi High Court on Monday said there was nothing wrong in the decision of Delhi government directing all doctors and medical staff to function in a single category, irrespective of the differences in their seniority and specialisation, in treatment of Covid patients, saying there should not be any “ego issue”.

Justice Rekha Palli said that “prima facie” there was nothing wrong with the May 16 notification, which appeared to be dealing only with Covid management duties of doctors and they should not come to court with such pleas.

“What is the problem with this? What is your ego issue in this? I don’t see anything wrong in this. I am sorry a doctor is coming to court like this. Prima facie I see nothing wrong with the order. It is only with regard to Covid management,” Justice Palli said at the start of the hearing of the petition, which challenged the notification contending that it was arbitrary and issued without the approval of the LG.

The petitioner-doctor, represented by advocate Payal Bahl, was aggrieved by the notification as it put allopathic and non-allopathic doctors as well as junior and senior residents in one category for treating Covid patients, claiming that this could put patients’ lives at risk.

Delhi government, represented by additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal said he needs time to get proper clarification and the court listed the matter for hearing on May 27. PTI

Virtual counselling for speciality medical vacancies

Virtual counselling for speciality medical vacancies

25/05/2021

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI

Service Post Graduates (PG) will be posted to speciality vacancies in the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) institutions through virtual counselling. Both the authorities have published the vacancy list prior to counselling after several years, a move that a section of doctors say will go a long way in ensuring transparency in postings.

“This is the first time we will be holding a virtual counselling for posting service PGs. A total of 550 doctors will be appearing for the three-day counselling to be held from May 25. There are 1,200 posts,” R. Narayana Babu, DME, said.

30% calls made to Covid helpline 104 are irrelevant

30% calls made to Covid helpline 104 are irrelevant

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.05.2021

At least three out of 10 calls that reach the 104 hotline were irrelevant calls that clogged the line and could have kept a person in need of oxygen or ICU bed waiting. The 108 hotline for ambulances has also been facing similar problems, officials say.

The health department’s unified control room, or the war room, has received nearly 41,000 requests for beds between April 30 and May 22. Analysis of the telephonic triaging by doctors and paramedical staff show that only 35% of the callers required beds. “An equal number of people were advised home quarantine because they had good levels of oxygen saturation. They also had mild or no symptoms,” said health secretary J Radhakrishnan. But what has upset officials is that nearly 30% of the calls the hotline received until April 21 – about 12,396 – were irrelevant calls. “Some of these calls can be a menace when health staff are fighting to identify beds in high occupancy districts,” he said.

Staff at the control room say they receive calls for non-emergency reasons such as to verify RTPCR test results, seek information about health insurance schemes or complain to them about bad health policies, hospital infrastructure. Callers are directed to call other helplines so the hotline can remain free for patients in need.

Officials say some callers insist on discussing current affairs or civic problems, some others remain silent on the call. Similar calls land in the state’s 108 ambulance hotline. “Silent calls are very scary because we don’t know if the caller is silent because he is sick or if he or she is playing a prank,” said state head of operations M Selvakumar. The staff, he says, are trained to find out. They quickly disconnect the line after telling callers not to call the hotline or to use other helplines for nonemergency services. “If there is a call repeatedly from one number, we block the number for some time,” he said.

(For need other than O2/ ICU beds call – O44-29510400, 044-29510500/944-434-0496/ 875-444-8477)

Middlemen at cemeteries, crematoriums under check

Middlemen at cemeteries, crematoriums under check

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25.05.2021

Greater Chennai Corporation officials at the zonal level are now wary of brokers who pose as family members of deceased and book a slot at crematoriums and burial grounds for free while charging ₹15,000-₹20,000 from families.

Civic body staff now ask personal details of the deceased like the names of immediate family members, date of death and the hospital the person died at, to ensure that brokers are weeded out. In addition, zonal officials also have started spreading word among residents that there is no fee for last rites, including transporting the dead to the crematorium or burial ground.

A sanitary inspector told TOI that recently they came across cases where brokers called and tried to book slots. In some cases, they found that the person had died many days ago; in other cases, they found that brokers hung up as soon as they were asked questions about the deceased’s immediate family members.

“We have all details of the deceased in our system. So nobody can cheat us,” the sanitary inspector said. In addition, officials have also started getting testimonials from family members that cremations were done for free at GCC run centres.

Corporation deputy commissioner (works) Meghanath Reddy said vigilance officials are also being asked to conduct regular checks at these centres to ensure those collecting bribes are nabbed. “All crematorium staff will be given a blue uniform with tags and also identity cards for public to differentiate them from brokers,” Reddy said. Another development, especially in central and south Chennai, has been that sanitary inspectors have been asked to bury or cremate only those who lived in that ward or zone.

For instance, the crematorium at Triplicane was overburdened till a fortnight ago with more than 20 bodies turning up at their gates everyday. “This was because government hospitals were sending it to use as we were the closest,” an official at the crematorium said.

After intervention by senior corporation officials and local MLAs to allow last rites of only local residents, the number has dropped to 10, the official added.

UNDER WATCH: A burial ground in the city

Restaurants in crisis as grocery stores, veggie shops shut

Restaurants in crisis as grocery stores, veggie shops shut

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25.05.2021

The closure of grocery and vegetable shops from Monday has put eateries and restaurants in a fix. Several eateries may run out of essential commodities in the coming days leading to a shutdown later this week and this could impact those depending on food from restaurants, particularly those under home quarantine.

Unlike leading restaurant chains and star hotels with facilities such as cold storage, most standalone restaurants buy commodities on a daily basis. Though many of them have bought a significant quantity of vegetables ahead of the full lockdown, some last a maximum of three days. Besides, the absence of adequate manpower could adversely hit the supply chain from kitchen to delivery of food.

Of the 8,500 eateries and restaurants in and around Chennai, less than 40% are operating now. A chunk of nonvegetarian eateries are unlikely to operate from Tuesday due to the non-availability of meat and fish. With grocery and vegetable shops closed, owners of small time eateries are worried about sourcing essential commodities.

Muthulakshmi, who runs an eatery at Tambaram, said vegetables were available for the next two days. “Later, we have to depend on those sold through mobile mini trucks. If vegetables cannot be sourced, we may have to close down briefly,” she said. The eatery offering breakfast and dinner serves 70-80 parcels daily.

M Ravi, president of The Chennai Hotels Association, said the absence of neighbourhood grocery shops will hit eateries hard. “How can you cook if oil is not available? Moreover, several workers in the hospitality sector have left the city to their hometowns,” he added. Such factors will lead to more number of eateries closing later this week, he said.

On Sunday, eateries and hotels made significant purchases of vegetables at the Koyambedu market where, from Monday, entry for all customers including hoteliers, retail and wholesale traders has been banned.

Villagers in Erode district bar entry for all outsiders

Villagers in Erode district bar entry for all outsiders

Senthil.Kumaran@timesgroup.com

Erode:25.05.2021 

Residents have closed the entry to Sathumugai and Chenni Moopanpudur villages near Sathyamangalam to remain free of Covid-19. It isn’t easy for even the local residents returning from other places to enter in. They will be first screened for symptoms of infection.

S Kishore, a resident of Sathumuga, said they had taken the measures in consultation with the village heads in view of the steady rise in the daily caseload in the district.

Both the villages house 300-400 families each and according to residents they haven’t reported any Covid-19 cases so far. “We are maintaining the government’s guidelines, including social distancing, very strictly. Health department officials had conducted fever camps. They did not find any positive cases,” Kishore said.

The residents have closed the entry to the villages with wood and bamboo logs. In addition, they take turns to guard the entries to prevent outsiders from sneaking in. “We don’t even allow others to pass through our village,” said T Muthuramalingam, a resident of Chenni Moopanpudur. Local residents returning from other states and districts would be allowed in only with an RT-PCR negative certificate. “

NO ENTRY: A notice outside a village near Salem asking outsiders not to step ahead