தமிழகத்தை வாட்டிய கத்திரி வெயில் இன்று விடைபெறுகிறது

Added : மே 28, 2018 06:59 | 



  சென்னை: நடப்பாண்டு கோடையில், மக்களை வாட்டி வதைக்கும் அக்னி நட்சத்திரம்(கத்திரி வெயில்) இன்றுடன் விடைபெறுகிறது.

ஆண்டுதோறும் கோடையில் அதிகப்பட்ச வெயில் அக்னி நட்சத்திரத்தில் (கத்திரி) மக்களை வாட்டி வதைக்கும். வெயில் அதிகபட்சமாக 108 டிகிரி வரை அதிகரிக்கும். அனல் காற்று வீசும். ஆனால் இந்த ஆண்டு அதற்கு எதிர்மாறாக அமைந்தது.

கடந்த 4ம் தேதி அக்னி நட்சத்திரம் துவங்கி 24 நாட்கள் வாட்டி வதைத்த கத்திரி வெயில், இன்றுடன் விடைபெறுகிறது. இந்த நாட்களில் வெயில் அதிகபட்சமாக 100 டிகிரிக்கு குறைவாகவே பதிவாகியுள்ளது. வெப்பச்சலனம் காரணமாக தென் தமிழகத்தில் கோடை மழை பெய்து வந்தது. இதனால் வெப்பத்தின் தாக்கம் குறைவாக இருந்தது. அக்னி நட்சத்திரம் நிறைவடைந்தபின், அதிக பட்ச வெயில் இருக்காது. பருவமழை துவங்கும் போது வெப்பத்தின் தாக்கம் மேலும் குறையும் எனவும் எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது.

Fire at Chitlapakkam dumpyard 

Staff Reporter 
 
May 28, 2018 00:00 IST

A fire was reported in a dumpyard in Chitlapakkam on Sunday.

According to fire service officials, two fire tenders from Tambaram reached the spot to put out the fire.

Thick smoke, which engulfed the neighbourhood, considerably reduced visibility, the officials said. Fire accidents have been reported earlier too in the dump.

Flight veers off runway 

Staff Reporter 
 
KOCHI, May 28, 2018 00:00 IST
The SriLankan Airlines flight UL 165 from Colombo, which touched down at the Kochi International Airport at 3.44 p.m. on Sunday deviated from its designated path on the runway by about a metre on account of strong cross winds.

The aeroplane was brought back to its scheduled path and the 248 passengers disembarked safely. There have been no injuries. Airport sources said the runway was closed for about 50 minutes on account of the incident. The incident resulted in the return journey of the aircraft from Kochi  to Colombo being delayed.

BU seeks review of GO on retirement age of Principals 

Staff Reporter 
 
Coimbatore, May 28, 2018 00:00 IST

Should the retirement age of principals of self-financing colleges be 62 or 65 – this is the question that appears to be on top of the minds of Bharathiar University administrators. At the last Syndicate meeting, held at the University on May 18, this question cropped.

Sources, who attended the meeting, said a few members raised the issue notwithstanding the fact that the Department of Higher Education in its Government Order 325 dated August 18, 2003 had categorically stated that the retirement age of principals in self-financing colleges should be only 62 years.

When Bharathiar University passed a resolution to relax the age limit to 65 years by way of a Syndicate meeting resolution in September 2017, Department Secretary Sunil Paliwal had written to the University Registrar on March 24, 2018, asking the University to stick to the GO.

The sources said that for the second time, a few members raised the issue in the latest syndicate meeting because relaxing the retirement age by three years helped principals of five self-financing colleges continue in their post and one among those was in the Syndicate as well.

They pointed out that the Madras High Court had not once but twice upheld the GO and all other State universities had enforced it. Therefore it was wrong on the part of Bharathiar University to seek relaxation of the age limit.

Representatives of managements of self-financed colleges say that even in the present set up, faculty and principals of State Government-run and government-aided colleges, on retirement, land as principals of self-financed institutions, thus affecting the prospects of faculty who had risen through the ranks in such colleges. They add that even 62 years as retirement age is not agreeable to certain sections of the academic community because in government-run and government-aided colleges, the retirement age is 58 years. To put a lid on the controversy, the Department of Higher Education should bring about a uniformity in the retirement age.

Head of the Principals’ Association of colleges under Bharathiar University K. Karunakaran says that the Association will take a call on the issue after its general body meeting, scheduled for May 29. As of now, it wants the University to stick to 62 years as retirement age.

Sources in the Vice-Chancellor committee of the University say that the Syndicatehas decided to write to the government again seeking clarification and relaxation, if possible.

Pharmacy courses a big hit with students 

R. Sujatha 
 
CHENNAI, May 28, 2018 00:00 IST   the hindu

More students are showing interest in taking up pharmacy courses. This academic year, 392 new institutions across the country will offer diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in pharmacy.

Educators have welcomed the trend, saying graduates get placed in the country and many go abroad for higher education. An attraction to students is the Pharm D course — the Doctor of Pharmacy, which, private institutions say, is well received by students.

On a par with U.S., Europe

A few years ago the Pharmacy Council of India approved of Pharm D. The six-year degree course includes one-year of internship. T. Ilango, Registrar of the Tamil Nadu Pharmacy Council, said the course had been approved by the Pharmacy Council of India and is on a par with those offered by the U.S. and Europe.

Dean of SRM College of Pharmacy K.S. Lakshmi said the Pharm D course is a PG programme that orients students to the clinical setting unlike the four-year B Pharm or M Pharm, after which students go into the pharmaceutical industry or get involved in quality control or get absorbed in the drug manufacturing industry.

“It helps, especially when we increasingly have patients coming with two or three diseases and their drug dosage must be carefully monitored,” she said.

At Sri Ramachandra University, all the 150 who graduated since 2013 have been placed, said D. Chamundeeswari, Principal of the University’s Pharmacy College.

The huge burden of lifestyle-induced diseases call for qualified patient educators to train patients in taking the right dose of medicine or administering insulin, she said.

Though private institutions are enthusiastic about the new course, no government college in the State has launched it. “It is only when the graduates’ capability is established will the government take it up. With advancement in gene-based therapy, there must be a professional who can understand, knows the drug and disease and the intricacies of treatment. We have a model in other countries. In India, with we need these professionals,” said T.K. Ravi, Principal of Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, which runs the course.

Now ex-MLAs can stay at govt. hostel 

Special Correspondent 
 
CHENNAI, May 28, 2018 00:00 IST


Grand look:The newly-constructed hostel for former MLAs at the Omandurar Government Estate.B. Jothi Ramalingam
10-storeyed building has 60 rooms, dining area and an auditorium

The next time a former legislator is in the State capital, he/she can stay close to the sitting legislators’ hostel by hiring a pad at the newly constructed 10-storey facility at the Omandurar Government Estate here. The lodging facility for former MLAs was inaugurated by Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal here on Sunday.

The hostel with a reception, dining area, 60 rooms, eight rooms for guests from other States and a 250-seat auditorium, is spread over 76,721 sq. ft. and is situated just adjacent to the MLAs’ Hostel on the campus with entry from Swami Sivananda Salai.

Constructed at a cost of Rs. 39.63 crore, the hostel has ample parking space. The hostel is available for former MLAs for limited days in a month at a nominal fare, officials said.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami also inaugurated a facility for the general public to know the proceedings of the Assembly online.

Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam inaugurated another facility that enables the former MLAs to reserve rooms online. Senior Ministers, Deputy Speaker Pollachi V. Jayaraman, Chief Government Whip S. Rajendran, MPs, MLAs and former legislators were present. Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, Assembly Secretary K. Srinivasan and senior officials were also present.

MCI red flags 3 state colleges
'13 institutes don't fulfil criteria in country' 

Our Correspondent May 26, 2018 00:00 IST



 

HEALTH BULLETIN: Minister of state for health and family welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey addresses a news conference in Ranchi on Friday. Picture by Manob Chowdhary

Ranchi: Union minister of state for health Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who was in Jharkhand in view of the Prime Minister's visit, said on Friday that Medical Council of India (MCI) was holding up recognition of as many as 13 new medical colleges, of which three were in Jharkhand, but hoped chief minister Raghubar Das would raise the matter with Narendra Modi.

"Owing to oath of secrecy I am not supposed to speak at length on this issue. I can only say that MCI has submitted a report to the Union health ministry about 13 medical colleges that do not fulfil criteria to start courses," Choubey said, but admitted that sometimes MCI acted in haste, even though it was a statutory body set up to ensure uniform and high standards of medical education.

Choubey did not name the proposed medical colleges in Jharkhand. But it was clear he was referring to the newly opened colleges in Palamau, Dumka and Hazaribagh where the state government was keen to begin MBBS courses from the next academic session.

"We are taking legal opinion on the MCI report. But I have suggested to the MCI that colleges with 70 per cent basic infrastructure in place could be granted recognition so that classes can begin," he said.

 Choubey said on Thursday evening he discussed the issue of medical colleges with state health minister Ramchandra Chandrvanshi and chief minister Raghubar Das at length. "I believe the issue of recognition will be sorted out. Possibly, the chief minister will raise this matter with the Prime Minister," he said.

The state government had approved the establishment of medical colleges in three districts last year and had approved funds worth Rs 485 crore for Dumka, Rs 509 crore for Hazaribagh and Rs 471 crore for Palamau.

Choubey also appreciated the Jharkhand government's efforts to improve the state's health indicators.

"Health services in Jharkhand will improve further after the construction of AIIMS in Deoghar, among the projects the Prime Minister initiated on Friday. An Rs 441crore airport will also come-up in Deoghar. AIIMS in Deoghar will benefit the people of Bihar and Bengal also," he said.

Choubey said 250 public medicine centres would be opened in Jharkhand for people to get generic medicines at concessional rates.

"It has been seen that doctors don't prefer generic medicines. The government has appealed them to prescribe generic medicines. Medicine companies have also been asked to fix a reasonable rate of medicines or else they will be dealt with according to law," he said.