Madurai to get air link with Penang via Chennai

Madurai to get air link with Penang via Chennai

New route: The Madurai - Chennai - Penang flight is set to be launched on December 21.

The flight will leave Madurai airport at 10.45 p.m. and reach Chennai at 12.05 a.m.; the flight

from Chennai will leave for Penang at 2.15 a.m. and reach there at 8.30 a.m. Malaysian time

The Hindu Bureau

MADURAI 20.12.2024

Come December 21, Madurai will get air connectivity to Penang in Malaysia via Chennai.

Though the passengers would have to change flights at Chennai, IndiGo Airlines is offering direct boarding facility in Madurai with an additional late night domestic flight between Madurai and Chennai.

This would be the first additional flight service Madurai airport would get after Airports Authority of India threw open 24x7 operation of Madurai airport on October 1, said Madurai Airport Director P. Muthu Kumar.

The benefit for the passengers with the new air link is that the passengers would be able to fly from Madurai to Chennai late in the night. The flight leaves Madurai at 10.45 p.m. and reaches Chennai at 12.05 a.m. The flight from Chennai would leave for Penang at 2.15 a.m. and reach there at 8.30 a.m. Malaysian time

Passengers would have adequate time for the transfer, including customs and immigration clearance at Chennai airport.

Passengers booking direct ticket from Madurai to Penang would be travelling by two flights with a single PNR, according to an IndiGO Airlines source. They can carry 30 kg of check-in luggage and 7 kg of cabin luggage.

“The airlines offers the services of transferring the check-in luggage between the two flights,” said president of Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry N. Jegatheesan. It would be helpful for those from Karaikudi and Chettinadu living in Penang, he said.

Govt. doctors remove screw from toddler’s lung

Govt. doctors remove screw from toddler’s lung

The Hindu Bureau

TIRUCHI 20.12.2024

Doctors at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) in Tiruchi saved the life of a three-year-old boy by removing the screw of an anklet that he had accidentally swallowed. The toddler from a village in Perambalur district was immediately taken to a hospital in Iluppur on December 13.

When X-ray revealed that the screw was lodged in the patient’s bronchus (large airway that leads from the windpipe to a lung), he was referred to the Emergency Room of MGMGH. Under the guidance of S. Kumaravel, Dean, KAP Viswanatham Government Medical College, a team of doctors, led by Radhakrishnan, head, Department of Ear Nose Throat Surgery, removed the foreign object with the help of a rigid bronchoscope. The patient had recovered from the procedure, said the statement.

Doctors advised parents to keep small objects and other potentially hazardous material away from the reach of children.

‘Governor taking law into his own hands’

‘Governor taking law into his own hands’

Govi. Chezhiaan

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 20.12.2024

The State government has followed the rules in constituting search committees to appoint eligible candidates as Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) to State universities, Higher Education Minister Govi. Chezhiaan said in a statement on Thursday.

In response to a direction issued by Governor R.N. Ravi on Wednesday that the V-C search committee of Annamalai University should have a nominee of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Minister alleged that the Governor was using his position as the Chancellor to suspend the legal proceedings, carried out as per the statutes of State universities.

Mr. Chezhiaan said the government was watching the Governor’s tendency to use his position as the Chancellor of State universities to take law into his own hands. The Governor had the authority only to recommend that the search committee be announced, but he cannot constitute a search committee on his own, he pointed out.

Mr. Ravi was functioning as a representative of the UGC, violating the statutes of the universities. In a six-page response, the Minister said that six of the 13 State-run universities were currently functioning without a V-C. As the tenure of the V-C of Bharathidasan University and Periyar University would end in February and May next year, search committees had been constituted for them as well, as per the university statutes, he added.

He further pointed out that though the UGC could make recommendations, the State government had the authority to take a decision on accepting them.

Rift unwarranted: PMK

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, in a statement on Thursday, urged the Tamil Nadu government to take immediate steps to expedite the proceedings of cases pending in the Supreme Court, which pertain to the appointment of V-Cs to State-run universities.

He said that the rift between the State and Governor R.N. Ravi was unwarranted when the V-C posts in six State-run universities had been lying vacant for several months.

Madhya Pradesh HC Orders Removal Of Registrar, Chairman Of Nursing Registration Council Due To Alleged Illegality In Recognizing Colleges

Madhya Pradesh HC Orders Removal Of Registrar, Chairman Of Nursing Registration Council Due To Alleged Illegality In Recognizing Colleges

Anukriti Mishra

16 Dec 2024 7:17 PM

LIVE LAW 

While hearing a plea on alleged irregularities and illegalities in the process of granting recognition to nursing colleges in the state, the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the state government to "forthwith" remove the Registrar and Chairman of Madhya Pradesh Nursing Registration Council (MNRPC).

In doing so, the court said that there was "every likelihood" of the officers trying to tamper with the material if allowed to continue on the said posts. It also said that responsible officers having unblemished service career should be appointed instead in their place.

The division bench of Justice Sanjay Dwivedi and Justice Achal Kumar Paliwal observed, “on the face of delicacy of the issue and noticing various irregularities committed earlier in granting recognition to the Nursing Colleges, we cannot allow such officers who were involved in the earlier process of granting recognition to hold such important posts inasmuch as there is every likelihood that such officers would, not only try to save their skin but also of other functionaries, try to tamper with the material. We despise such effort and find that it is nothing but an attempt to foil the endeavours made by the court for obviating the irregularities and illegalities in the process of granting recognition.”

The court was hearing the applications filed by the counsel for petitioner seeking removal of the Registrar and the Chairman of the MPNRC.

In the first application, the counsel for petitioner claimed that Anita Chand, the current Registrar of MNRPC used to be a member of inspection committee which had submitted a false report on March 4, 2022 and on the basis of that false report, a nursing college in Bhopal was granted recognition which was later-on cancelled. On the basis of the inspection report for session 2021-22, the Court had placed the Registrar, MPNRC under suspension as the said report was found incorrect. The counsel for the petitioner has filed the inspection report to point out that against some of the Inspectors, who were part of the inspection team, departmental enquiry has been initiated and submitted that it is therefore, not proper to posit Chand to hold such an important post of Registrar, MPNRC since she might tamper the material evidence which can be used against the erring officers, who had committed illegality.

Further, in the other application, the counsel for the petitioners sought the removal of Dr. Jiten Chandra Shukla from the post of Chairman of MPNRC. It was alleged that Shukla was holding the post of Director, MPNRC at the relevant point of time when several irregularities were committed by the council in granting recognition to the Nursing Colleges. While hearing the PIL, the court had earlier directed the CBI to conduct inspection of the nursing colleges to which recognition had been granted. Thereafter, in the report of CBI it was found that there were number of colleges which were not suitable because of non-fulfilling the requisite criterion yet the recognition had been granted. The report was submitted by the CBI and the court has been monitoring the cases and enquiry is still continued incessantly.

On December 5, the Court had directed the respondents to submit their reply to these applications explaining as to why such persons have been placed on important posts of Registrar and Chairman, MPNRC and had also orally instructed for their removal. However, instead of doing so, the respondents presented a copy of order issued by the Directorate Medical Education, wherein, a committee consisting of three members had been constituted to inspect and submit a report after analysing the complaints made against Anita Chand and after inspecting the Nursing Colleges.

The court however said, “We are not satisfied with the constitution of committee by the Director with the approval of Commissioner, Public Health & Medical Education.”

Thus, the court directed the Principal Secretary of the Public Health and Medical Education to forthwith remove Anita Chand from the post of Registrar and Dr. Jiten Chandra Shukla from the post of Chairman of MPNRC and "instead appoint some responsible officers, having unblemished service career, in their place". The court also directed the Chief Secretary to take cognizance in the matter and ensure compliance of the High Court's order.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 19.

Case Title: Law Students Association Vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh And Others, WP No. 1080 of 2022

Counsel for Petitioners: Adv. Alok Vagrecha and Adv. Vishal Baghel

Counsel for Respondents/State/MPNRC: Shri Prashant Singh, Advocate General, Shri Bharat Singh, Additional Advocate General and Shri Abhijeet Awasthi, Deputy Advocate General

China lengthens visa-free stays for tourists

China lengthens visa-free stays for tourists 

Sara Ruberg 19.12.2024

China’s govt opened its country’s doors a little wider this week by extending the period that tourists visiting the country can stay without a visa to up to 10 days. It’s the latest effort in China’s push to welcome tourists back amid geopolitical tensions and after strict pandemic policies froze all travel to the country. The transit policy is among a few changes China has made to entice visitors since it reopened its borders in 2023. 

The Chinese govt said in a statement that it “invites more foreign friends to come to China and experience the beauty of the country in this new era firsthand.” Tourists can stay up to 10 days Starting in 2023, China allowed travellers from 54 countries, including the United States, to enter the country without prior visa approval if they were in transit to another country. Tourists were originally allowed to stay three to six days depending on which port of entry they had used. 

Under the new policy, tourists can stay up 240 hours, or 10 days, for those who arrive at one of the country’s approved airports. China also added 21 locations to its 39 ports of entry and exit and relaxed travel restrictions across the provinces. Previously, travellers were limited to the specific region where they had entered the country. But in its updated policy, China will let people entering via the transit programme to travel across the 24 provinces where visa-free travellers are allowed. 

How the programme works To take advantage of the new programme, visitors will need to book at least two flights: one to any of the 60 Chinese ports allowed under the visa-free transit policy, and a flight to a third country that departs within 10 days of arriving to China. Chinese border authorities will look for proof of an already purchased airline ticket for a departing flight upon arrival. Passengers will also be asked to fill out an application for access at the airport. As with other international trips, travellers will need to provide a valid passport, pass through airport security checks and answer questions from immigration authorities. NYT

Is coconut oil hair oil or edible oil? SC solves old puzzle

Is coconut oil hair oil or edible oil? SC solves old puzzle 

‘Specification And Packaging Hold Key To Categorisation’

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesofindia.com 19.12.2024

New Delhi : A three-judge bench of Supreme Court on Wednesday solved a 20-year old riddle that plagued levying of excise duty — whether pure coconut oil is to be classified as an edible oil or under cosmetics as hair oil? This question had got a split verdict from the bench of the then CJI and Justice R Banumathi. While Justice Gogoi, who retired as CJI in Nov 2019, was of the view coconut oil in small packaging was appropriately classified as edible oil, Justice Banumathi opined that coconut oil packed in small containers are to be classified as hair oil. 

A bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna, and Justices Sanjay Kumar and R Mahadevan, aware of the dual use of coconut oil in different parts of the country, said the classification would depend on the branding of the oil as edible to meet the criteria under food safety regulations, and conform to a different criterion under Drugs and Cosmetics Act to be classified as hair oil. Writing the judgment, Justice Kumar rejected argument of revenue dept that pure coconut oil should invariably be classified as hair oil and said, “We are of the opinion that pure coconut oil sold in small quantities as ‘edible oil’ would be classifiable as edible oil”. 

Revenue dept had said the bunch of appeals involved Rs 160 crore in terms of excise duty, penalties, redemption fine and interest. SC said, “The fact that such edible coconut oil was sold in smaller containers would not, by itself, be indicative of it being packaging of a kind fit for use as ‘hair oil’.” “One may choose to buy one’s cooking oil in small quantities, be it for economic or for health reasons or due to inclination to use fresh oil in food preparation, and the smaller size of the packaging of such oil cannot be taken to mean that it is to be used as ‘hair oil’ without any pointer to that effect, be it by way of a label or literature or by any other indication that it is to be used as ‘hair oil’,” it said. 

“Small-sized containers are common to both ‘edible oils’ and ‘hair oils’. Therefore, there must be something more to distinguish between them for classification of such oil, other than size of the packaging,” the bench said.

Registration of 156 nursing homes cancelled over irregularities: Govt

Registration of 156 nursing homes cancelled over irregularities: Govt 

Pvt Hospitals Are Being Monitored Amid Overcharging Allegation, Govt Tells House

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 19.12.2024

Bhopal : Private hospitals in the state are overcharging patients, the govt accepted in the state assembly on Wednesday. On average, one complaint per day is received by the govt against private hospitals in this regard. BJP MLA Abhilash Pandey asked about the complaints received in the last year regarding overcharging and other irregularities by private hospitals. He inquired about the actions taken on those complaints and questioned whether the govt is not keeping a strict vigil on private hospitals to control the charges levied by them. 

Deputy CM and public health, medical education minister Rajendra Shukla said in a reply that 311 complaints were received in the last year regarding overcharging and other irregularities by private hospitals. Private hospitals are being continuously monitored, he said. A total of 654 show cause notices have been issued to nursing homes since April so far. The number of nursing homes inspected was 2,354. Registration of 156 nursing homes has been cancelled. Apart from this, under the Ayushman Bharat 'Nirayam' scheme, private hospitals are being strictly monitored. The CMHOs were directed to create awareness about the rights of the patients and against excessive fee collection. Messages have been disseminated through appropriate social media platforms for public awareness. The Ayushman Bharat office has ordered the display of IEC and citizen charters to the private hospitals affiliated under the scheme. A toll-free number, call centre, and Ayushman Bharat portal are available for patients’ awareness.