‘Herbal’ remedy leaves woman critical; had stopped medicines

‘Herbal’ remedy leaves woman critical; had stopped medicines

Amrita.Didyala@timesofindia.com 27.12.2024

Hyderabad : A 40-year-old woman from Warangal, who was battling epilepsy, fell ill after using a ‘herbal remedy’. While she was managing her epilepsy with allopathic treatment, she stopped taking the medicine and switched to the herbal remedy after a woman approached her a week ago, claiming that a 15-day course of her ‘herbal remedy’ would eliminate the need for lifelong medication. 

The victim, M Yadalakshmi, paid ₹3,000 for the herbal preparation, stopped taking her prescribed allopathic medicine, and consumed the herbal preparation as directed. She was found unconscious in her home by family members on Dec 19 and was rushed to the MGM Hospital, Warangal. On assessment, the team of doctors found that her epilepsy condition had worsened. The incident came to light on Wednesday when the family approached the local Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) members for support.

 “A team of specialists at the hospital diagnosed the return of severe epilepsy, exacerbated by kidney and liver damage caused by the unverified herbal medicine. Despite ongoing intensive care, her condition further deteriorated on Thursday, and she was put on dialysis. She is extremely critical now,” said Dr Naresh Kumar from the Te langana Medical Council (TGMC). The woman was staying with her 14-year-old son in Bojjeru village of Warangal and had other relatives staying nearby. Members of the TGMC conducted an inquiry based on the complaint of the victim’s relatives. “In collaboration with Warangal Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association, our team inspected the hospital and collected samples of the alleged herbal medicine for laboratory testing,” added Dr Kumar. 

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‘Case over wedding invite with Modi message reckless’

‘Case over wedding invite with Modi message reckless’ 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 27.12.2024

Bengaluru : The high court quashed proceedings against two persons accused of printing on a wedding invitation card a message calling upon people to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. “The crime is recklessly registered, so is the chargesheet, based upon a reckless investigation,” Justice M Nagaprasanna observed in his recent order. 

Bridegroom Shivaprasad, a resident of Alanthaya village in Dakshina Kannada district, got the message, “Voting for Modi is the gift for my wedding,” printed on his wedding invite, and the cards were printed at the printing press owned by A Balakrishna of Golithottu village. Both Shivaprasad and Balakrishna were booked on April 25 under Section 188 (disobedience to public servant's order) of Indian Penal Code and section 127A of Representation of People Act (RPA). The wedding was on March 27 and the complaint registered on April 19. 

‘Influenced voters’ 

During the hearing, the govt advocate submitted that the petitioners influenced the electorate to vote for a particular party. Challenging the proceedings, Shivaprasad and Balakrishna argued that the invitation card was printed on March 1, much before the Election Commission announced the poll schedule on March 16. After perusing the materials on record, Justice Nagaprasanna noted that section 127 of RPA deals with restrictions on the printing of pamphlets and posters, among others, and any offence under it emerges only during an election with respect to pamphlets or posters used during such elections. Printed before notification Noting that the invitation card was printed before issuance of the calendar of events, the judge said: “How a wedding invitation card was projected to become an election pamphlet by the complainant, or even the police who conducted the investigation to file a chargesheet, is not understandable.”

 

“...It is preposterous, to say the least, as to how the crime itself could be registered, and upon that, police can investigate and file the chargesheet,” the judge further pointed out. Justice Nagaprasanna pointed out that flying squads for observation come into existence once the calendar of events for an election is notified. “If an event had already happened long before the notification of the calendar of events, the flying squad finding the invitation later could not have resorted to the registration of a crime,” he added.

Empty chairs greet min on surprise visit to taluk office

Empty chairs greet min on surprise visit to taluk office 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 27.12.2024

Bengaluru : A surprise visit by revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda to a govt office in Doddaballapur, on the city outskirts, turned out to be an unexpected wake-up call for its officials. The minister, known for his no-nonsense approach to administration, arrived at the taluk office around 10.15am to find a shocking sight: Empty chairs and tables greeted him. While office doors stood wide open and the public began arriving, hoping to get their tasks done, most of the public servants — from assistant commissioner to tahsildar and from sub-registrar to clerks — were nowhere to be found. The minister, visibly irked, wasted no time in confronting the situation.

 “You are public servants, and you should adhere to the stipulated work hours,” he said sternly, addressing officials who managed to sneak in. The minister went around different wings of the revenue department in the govt complex, seeking to know if the section heads had arrived but was only greeted by empty office rooms. The minister, while pointing out that it was nearly an hour since he had arrived, asked: “All the doors are open, anyone can walk in and walk out with anything. Why are the officials not there?” The sub-registrar’s office, where property registrations happen, had only a few computer operators. When the minister asked for the sub-registrar, an employee sheepishly said: “He is on his way, he is in a traffic jam.” The minister shot back: “I have travelled (unannounced) from Bengaluru and passed through the town (Doddaballapur). Why was I not caught in a traffic jam? Are you all part of the govt machinery or operating on your own?” When the minister finally laid his hands on the attendance register, barely four women employees had marked their attendance. Upset, the minister pulled up an official who was trying to get in: “Do you want people to wait for you? Why can’t you report to work on time?” On finding the assistant commissioner and shirastedar offices empty, the minister called up the  deputy commissioner of Bengaluru Rural district and sought an explanation over dereliction of duty. 

The official also expressed his anguish about corrupt practices in providing govt services. 

Everything gets staged: Byre Gowda Byre Gowda told TOI: “When we visit govt offices with prior intimation, everything gets staged. But surprise visits reveal a lot about the way govt offices function. When I landed at the office at 10:15am, 95% of the staff had not come. After some time, a few rushed in. The primary purpose of the visit was to understand functioning of offices and issues they are facing as well as interact with the general public visiting the offices. But there was no scope to do anything as the offices looked deserted. I have spoken to the deputy commissioner in this regard. We will take the required corrective measures to fix the problem in the system.”

Flyer seeks ₹4L compensation for cancelled ticket, court rejects plea

Flyer seeks ₹4L compensation for cancelled ticket, court rejects plea

Vindhya.Pabolu@timesofindia.com 27.12.2024

Bengaluru : “We decide on evidence, not sentiments. The commission cannot jump to a conclusion just with photocopies of the documents,” the Bangalore Urban II Additional Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission declared, while declining to come to the help of a man, who had sought for refund of fare from the Emirates for flights he had booked but did not take. The court also declined to hold Emirates guilty of deficiency of service. 

The complainant, Nitin Kaushik from Moradabad, UP, had filed the complaint against Emirates, asking for refund of his ticket fare, Rs 4 lakh, for the mental harassment he went through and Rs 20,000 as litigation costs. Kaushik had booked Emirates flight tickets for a round trip from Budapest to Delhi and back, paying Rs 73,685 through MakeMyTrip. He was to fly from Budapest on Nov 26, 2022 and return from Delhi on Jan 8, 2023. He stated that he needed to travel from Budapest on Nov 20, 2022, due to a medical emergency. Before this, he contacted the airline to reschedule the tickets. As the price was much higher, he booked a new ticket but forgot to cancel the previous one. The airline subsequently cancelled the tickets as he did not board the flight. When Kaushik arrived at the airport on Jan 8, 2023, he discovered that his return ticket had been suspended. Emirates informed him that reactivating the ticket would require a fee of Rs 80,000 and take six hours. 

Kaushik claimed he could not take the flight because of the airline’s actions, which caused him significant mental harassment and financial loss and prompted him to seek compensation by filing a complaint with consumer court in Aug 2023. In its defence, Emirates argued that the tickets were purchased through MakeMyTrip, a thirdparty travel portal, and not directly with it. The airline contended that it could not be held liable as Kaushik failed to cancel the tickets on time and did not make MakeMyTrip a party to the complaint. It stated that the terms of the ticket mentioned it was non-refundable in case of no show or cancellation. As proof, the airline also submitted affidavits as evidence from its senior customer sales and service agent, with relevant documents. 

The commission, after reviewing both sides, stated that the documents (Aadhaar card, screenshots of tax invoice, legal notice and ticket confirmation) produced by the complainant being mere photocopies, were insufficient to substantiate his claims of deficiency in service or un fair trade practices. The commission observed that, as per Section 38(6) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, every complaint must be supported by affidavit evidence and relevant documentary proof. Despite being granted ample opportunity, Kaushik failed to file any affidavit evidence. After reviewing the submissions and evidence, the commission ruled that there was no deficiency of service or unfair trade practice on the part of Emirates airlines. The complaint was dismissed, with no orders as to costs.

Metro Rail begins trial run of its first driverless train

Metro Rail begins trial run of its first driverless train

On track: One of the challenges is to complete the laying of the track between Poonamallee and Porur at the earliest so that the testing can begin in three months. 

CMRL officials say dynamic trials began early this week after the static tests were completed; these will continue until passenger operations kick off on the Poonamallee-Porur stretch by Dec. 2025

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 26.12.2024

Chennai Metro Rail has begun the trial run of the first driverless train in the city.

The three-coach driverless train, manufactured in Sri City,was transported individually as separate coaches to the Poonamallee depot in mid-October. The coaches were then coupled and sent for the initial round of tests.

For the 118.9 km Chennai Metro Rail’s phase II project, three-coach trains will first become operational in corridor 4 between Poonamallee and Porur. For the same, trial runs will be conducted to ensure that the trains operate without glitches and are capable of handling passenger operations.

According to Chennai Metro Rail Limited officials, dynamic trials or trial runs began early this week after static tests were completed. The trials will continue until the passenger operations take off from Poonamallee to Porur by December 2025.

“The train, which was in the inspection bay line, went through static tests and was gradually moved to the test track at the depot, where the trial run began. The train speed, from 10 kmph-40 kmph, will be tested in the depot, while that from 40 kmph-80 kmph will be carried out on the viaduct from Poonamallee to Porur. Braking system will be particularly tested,” an official said.

One of the challenges is to complete the laying of the track between Poonamallee and Porur at the earliest so that the testing can begin at least within three months.

“The viaduct is yet to be finished in a few locations,only after which the track can be laid. It is going to be difficult to complete the track-laying work by March,” another source said.

Once the train is taken to the viaduct, the testing will begin along with the integration of overhead equipment and signalling system, officials said.

Biryani has a ₹10,000-cr. market in T.N.

Biryani has a ₹10,000-cr. market in T.N.

All-time hit: There are countless push-cart vendors serving biryani throughout the day and night, contributing to the widespread availability of this popular dish. FILE PHOTO

Those tracking the food business in the State explain that the organised market is pegged at ₹2,500 crore while the unorganised market stands at ₹7,500 crore. Chennai is the largest market for biryani with 50% of business coming from the region. Despite the pricing, mutton is the clear favourite

Sangeetha Kandavel

CHENNAI 26.12.2024

The biryani market in Tamil Nadu is a culinary powerhouse, with a staggering valuation at ₹10,000 crore. Those tracking the food business in Tamil Nadu explained that the organised market is pegged at ₹2,500 crore while the unorganised market stands at over ₹7,500 crore. Chennai is the largest market for biryani with 50% of business coming from this region.

Prominent players in the biryani industry in Tamil Nadu, include Dindigul Thalappakatti, Junior Kuppanna, Buhari, Anjappar, Salem RR Biryani, Ponnusamy, and SS Hyderabadi Biryani, among others. In addition to these well-known brands, there is a vast network of mid-sized establishments operating under various names. Furthermore, countless push-cart vendors serve biryani throughout the day and night, contributing to the widespread availability of this popular dish.

“The primary regions known for biryani in Tamil Nadu are the Kongu region — the Coimbatore belt, as well as the Ambur and Dindigul regions. Some of the famous styles are Chennai Muslimbiryani (basmati rice), Kongubiriyani(Seeraga samba rice), Chettinadbiryani, Ambur stylebiryani, Wallajah stylebiryani and Dindigul stylebiryani,” explained Balachandar R., executive director, Junior Kuppanna, who has done an extensive research on the biryani market in Tamil Nadu. Junior Kuppanna sells around 1.2 million biryanis per year.

With 65 outlets across Tamil Nadu, the famous Dindigul Thalappakatti, one of the biggest players in this space sells around 5,000 to 6,000 kg of biryani per day. It’s Managing Director, Sathish D. Nagasamy, said that the numbers vary depending on festival days and weekends.

Abdul Rahim, founder of Mount Road Bilal, said: “I’m not a quantity player – I focus more on quality and we cook biryani every two hours and then serve. We don’t make it in the morning and keep it the whole day. We make 300-400 kg of biryani each day,” he added.

Price points for biryani vary widely depending on the establishment and type of meat (chicken, mutton). At roadside shops, a chicken biryani can be priced as low as ₹100 per plate. Mutton biryani is typically priced higher due to the cost of the meat. Popular brands offer biryani in the range of ₹250 to ₹400 per plate. Some premium brands sell biryani at ₹600 per plate, while high-end hotels and restaurants charge over ₹1,600 per plate.

Those tracking the food business say that despite the pricing, mutton is the clear favourite while chicken is considered a pocket-friendly option.

Taj Coromandel’s Gilli Biryani, crafted over two decades ago, remains a favourite choice among biryani enthusiasts. “Gilli Biryani’s demand is very impressive and high, especially considering its signature status at Taj Coromandel’s Anise in Chennai. On a regular day, we sell approx. 60 to 70 portions,” said Ronald Menezes, Hotel Manager, Taj Coromandel.

According a report by Swiggy titled, ‘How ChennaiSwiggy’d in 2024’, “The city devoured 46.1 lakhChicken Biryanis!Enough for a biryani mountain. A user laid the foundation of this mountain by ordering 66 of them in one single order.” This statistics is based on data collected from January 01 to November 22, 2024.

Given the growing demand for biryani, start-ups and masala brands are also seizing the opportunity to capitalise on this booming market. Chennai-based start up Cookd is selling about 30,000 biryani kits every month, that helps make Biryani for about 1 lakh people every month. “We wanted to build a product that people could use almost every week,” said Aathitiyan, founder and CEO, Cookd.

Whether enjoyed at a modest roadside stall or a sophisticated restaurant, biryani in Tamil Nadu is not just a meal for food lovers..... it’s an experience!

NEWS TODAY 25.12.2024