COVID-19: Omicron scare pushes up international airfare from Tiruchy

COVID-19: Omicron scare pushes up international airfare from Tiruchy

The international sector is already reporting a heavy jump in ticket fare as Omicron has forced many countries to impose more regulations.

Published: 25th December 2021 12:59 PM 

Taxi drivers waiting for customers at Tiruchy international airport. (File photo| MK Ashok Kumar, EPS)

By Jose K Joseph

Express News Service

TIRUCHY: Flight ticket rates would usually report a jump close to Christmas and New Year. However, the travel sector in the city is expecting a heavy hike in international airfare and domestic fare this year. Many of them opined that the holiday season and uncertainties created by the Omicron variant of COVID-19 may result in a heavy jump in ticket fares.

"At present, we are not reporting heavy fare hikes for tickets to Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. There may be a hike of Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 due to Christmas and New Year. For instance, the ticket fare from Tiruchy to Chennai would come around Rs 2,500 to 3,500. Similarly, for Bengaluru and Hyderabad, the fare would come around Rs 4,000. But, if you are booking in the last minute, you might have to spend more money. However, if the State governments come up with more regulations, the domestic sector may report a heavy hike in ticket fare," said P Kumar, a travel agent in the city.

But, the international sector is already reporting a heavy jump in ticket fare as Omicron has forced many countries to impose more regulations.

"In the case of Singapore, you would have to spend about Rs 40,000 or more for one side. Apart from that, you would also have to spend more money for hotel quarantine. For Malaysia, the ticket fare for one side would come between Rs 30,000 to 40,000. But, you can opt for home quarantine in Malaysia. However, the Malaysian government would inspect the home facility of your relative or friends to ensure that the home quarantine is safe," said Kalidasan, a major travel agent in the city.

"Otherwise, you would have to pay for quarantine in a hotel. In the West Asian sector, the ticket rate for one side was Rs 15,000 to 20,000 last month. Now, the fare would come between Rs 30,000 and 40,000. The international sector is reporting such a heavy hike due to regulation and decreasing flight operations. Apart from this, there is also a panic among people about a third wave and lockdown. Therefore, many NRIs are cancelling their plan to stay for a long time in their home state and booking international flights to reach abroad before the imposition of tighter regulations," he added.

Many travel agents opined that the ticket hike in the international sector may come down only if there is some relaxation. "Before COVID, we used to have about 6 or 7 flights to Singapore per day. Now, only Air India Express is operating to Singapore. In fact, before the pandemic, we used to spend only Rs 10,000 for flights to Singapore as we were having so many flights. Now, Sri Lanka is the only international destination that you can travel to by spending Rs 10,000 to 15,000 from Tiruchy. So, we can expect a drop only if we resume more operations," said B Ramesh, another travel agent.

(All the ticket fares mentioned are subject to change)

33 students of medical college, 26 school students test positive for COVID-19 in Karnataka

33 students of medical college, 26 school students test positive for COVID-19 in Karnataka

All the medical students were isolated in R L Jalappa Hospital and are under treatment and stable. So far, 1192 samples of their primary and secondary contacts were collected, said Dr Charani.

Published: 25th December 2021 04:49 PM 

According to sources, of the 33 medical students, 32 are female and one male (File Photo | PTI)

By Express News Service

Thirty-three medical students of Kolar Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College have tested positive for COVID-19.

The genomic test reports are awaited by district health officials, said District Surveillance Officer Dr Charani.

According to sources, preliminary reports say they had no travel history, but their travel to Bengaluru cannot be ruled out, said a health official.

Dr Charani said according to the college management, internal examinations are under progress for the past 45 days, so none of the students went to their hometowns. The entire block where the students were staying has been declared a containment zone.

All the medical students were isolated in R L Jalappa Hospital and are under treatment and stable. So far, 1192 samples of their primary and secondary contacts were collected, said Dr Charani.

According to sources, of the 33 medical students, 32 are female and one male. The first case of a female medical student was reported on December 17.

It may be recalled that this is the second cluster in the district. Earlier, scores of nursing students from a private institute in KGF tested positive when they returned to the college from Kerala.

26 students test positive in a school in Kodagu

A total of 26 students tested positive for COVID-19 in an institution in Kodagu. The students are from Atturu Jnanaganda Residential School near Kushalnagar. The school management arranged for the COVID-19 tests to be done on the students nearly two days ago and a total of 387 students gave their swabs for tests, of whom 26 have tested positive.

“The students are studying in classes between 5th and 10th grade. Arrangements are in place to test all 600-odd students in the school. The institution has been declared as a containment zone,” confirmed Dr Srinivas, the Somwarpet taluk health officer.

Telangana increasing beds to prepare for 3rd wave: Health Minister Harish Rao

Telangana increasing beds to prepare for 3rd wave: Health Minister Harish Rao

The Minister further went on to state that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is closely monitoring the third wave situation and has asked the Health Department to add 1,600 beds in the city to tackle

Published: 25th December 2021 09:16 AM 

Telangana Health and Finance Minister T Harish Rao (File photo| EPS)

By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In a major boost to public healthcare in the eastern part of the city, a new 100-bed ward was inaugurated by Health Minister T Harish Rao at the Vanasthalipuram Area Hospital on Friday. The Minister also inaugurated an Oxygen Generation Unit and a 12-bed ICU ward as well.

“The State is expediting all its works to tackle the third wave (Of Covid-19) and these beds have been put in place as part of the same. We would also like to extend thanks to Infosys for providing the Oxygen plant as part of Corporate Social Responsibility,” said Harish Rao. The 12-bed ICU was donated by a non-governmental organisation Nirmaan.

The Minister further went on to state that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is closely monitoring the third wave situation and has asked the Health Department to add 1,600 beds in the city to tackle it. “We have identified six more hospitals in the State to add 100 beds each and will ensure that we are well prepared for the third wave,” he informed.

Harish urges residents to not be lax in festive season

Urging citizens to not be lax ahead of the festive season, the Health Minister urged all to wear masks and follow Covid-19 protocols as the Omicron variant spreads fast.

UoM syndicate gives nod to investigate exam scam

UoM syndicate gives nod to investigate exam scam

With this opportunity, a total of 117 students who did not enrol in this university wrote online exams with the help of study centres.

Published: 24th December 2021 06:16 AM 

University of Madras. (File Photo)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The University of Madras syndicate panel has approved investigating into the online exam scam. Fearing spread of Covid-19, the distance education institute allowed students to write exams from home in December 2020. The institute also permitted pupils to clear arrears from 1980-81.

With this opportunity, a total of 117 students who did not enrol in this university wrote online exams with the help of study centres. The university officials also uploaded the 117 applications after getting bribe of Rs 3 lakh for each student and provided serial numbers as well.

While the concerned official verified the permanent pass register (PPR), there was no information about the students. Although the officials tried, they were unable to find the admission details that caused the fraud.

V-CS Gowri told TNIE that “the approval to enquire into online exam malpractice has been given by the syndicate members. Besides, the syndicate decides to form a panel to investigate the scam.” The V-C also pointed out that three-to-five members are to be assigned to the investigation panel, but the members are yet to take a decision when the inquiry panel is likely to be formed. He also added results of the 117 students were held back till the panel completes investigation.

Bus conductors now free to kick out unruly passengers

Bus conductors now free to kick out unruly passengers

TN govt set to amend MV rules as women harassment cases increase

Published: 25th December 2021 06:39 AM 

By B Anbuselvan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Due to multiple cases of women being harassed in a bus, the transport department has now empowered the drivers and conductors to alight passengers who sing or make inappropriate gestures towards women commuters.

On Thursday, the home transport department released a draft gazette notification amending the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 with respect to sections 28 & 38 of the Motor Vehicle Act 1988 on the responsibilities of the driver and conductor. The amendments will come into force within 30 days from the date of draft publication.

So far there was no provision to act against travellers who annoy other commuters. Now, motor vehicles provisions under the responsibilities of driver and conductors of stage carriage vehicles (bus) have been amended, enhancing their powers to regulate the behaviour of occupants. This will allow them to evict those who annoy other commuters. Ensuring the smooth operation of the bus is a responsibility of driver and conductor,” said a senior transport official.

The amendment also restricted the bus crew from questioning or touching women travellers. “The bus crew shall not make any physical contact or touch women commuters under the pretext of assisting them to board or deboard. The driver or conductor shall not behave in a way annoying women travellers,” the notification read. The regulations come in wake of a series of recent incidents and repeated complaints from women that they were often humiliated by the bus crew while travelling in ordinary buses where they are allowed to travel for free.

On December 7, an elderly woman in Kanniyakumari who sells fish was deboarded from a government bus as she smelled of fish. Similarly, a Narikurava family had also faced discrimination at the hands of the bus crew. On December 10, the driver and conductor of a TNSTC bus in Villupuram were arrested on the charges of attempting to molest a woman on the bus. The conductor and driver are now bound to comply with these regulations and any deviations will be perceived as dereliction of duty which could lead to departmental action, added the official.

Arumuga Nainar, General Secretary of Transport Employees Federation affiliated to the CITU, said “What is the necessity for amending the rules to punish the driver or conductor while there were regulatory guidelines in force? In ordinary buses, women commuters are reluctant to purchase price-less tickets which led to an altercation in a few places. In such cases, conductors issued a memo for causing loss to transport corporations.”

The transport employees association will study the amendments in detail and represent it to the government, added Nainar.

Pvt colleges pay MBBS interns a pittance

Pvt colleges pay MBBS interns a pittance

Rema.Nagarajan@timesgroup.com

25.12.2021

The National Medical Commission, despite several representations from medical students that interns in private colleges be paid a stipend equivalent to that being paid in state government-run colleges, has notified that interns will be “paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority like the institute or university or the state in which candidate is doing internship”. This has already resulted in interns being paid stipend much lower than what is paid in government colleges in several states.

Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala Binoy Vishwam wrote to the NMC on December 8 pointing out that the stipend is paid “as a matter of right and not charity” and that NMC’s notification allowed “for great ambiguity and arbitrariness” in the stipend. “It may also result in management of private colleges denying a stipend to MBBS interns as they have complete discretion without any safeguarding mechanism,” stated the letter. In Kerala, most private colleges are paying interns Rs 6,000-15,000 when the state government pays Rs 25,000. In most states, private colleges pay roughly 30% less than what is paid in government colleges.

In the case of post graduate residency, the NMC schedule clearly mentions that “the residents of private medical college/deemed universities should be given stipend at par with that of PG residents of government medical colleges in that state”.

In 2017, the executive committee of the MCI did not approve the recommendation of the academic committee on internship allowance for MBBS students stating that graduate medical education (GME) regulations did not provide for payment of stipend to interns and thus the issue was beyond the purview of the MCI. However, in 2018, the board of governors that superseded the MCI considered introducing a provision into GME regulation that stated: “All the candidates pursuing compulsory rotating internship at the institution from which MBBS course was completed, shall be paid stipend on par with the stipend being paid to the interns of the state govt. medical institution/central government medical institution in the state/UT where the institution is located.”

The provision was never introduced and the BoG was dissolved, after which the MCI was replaced by the NMC, which was expected to tighten regulation of private colleges, something the MCI had been accused of not doing. However, the NMC, sought feedback on a Draft Regulation Compulsory Rotating Internship, 2021 on April 21 this year in which it left fixing of stipend to “appropriate authority”.

In Kerala, most pvt colleges are paying interns Rs 6,000-15,000 when the state govt pays Rs 25,000. In most states

Cold wave grips K’taka; B’luru shivers at 9.7°C

Cold wave grips K’taka; B’luru shivers at 9.7°C

ManuAiyappa.Kanathanda@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:25.12.2021

Several districts in Karnataka are facing cold-wave-like conditions, with the early-morning temperature going under 10 degrees Celsius. Bengaluru shivered at 9.7 degrees Celsius early Friday as minimum temperatures continued to dip in the city.

As per the forecast for the next week, the minimum temperature in various parts of the state is likely to dip by 3-4 degrees Celsius. Normal temperatures in several districts, especially in the North Karnataka region, might drop below 10 degrees Celsius.