Employment registration at post offices

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUCHI, DECEMBER 29, 2018 00:00 IST

The Department of Posts has, so far, activated employment registration in 652 post offices in Central Postal Region.

As per an MoU signed with Ministry of Labour and Employment, the post offices will function as employment registration centres for unemployed rural youth. An amount of Rs. 15 is charged for new registration, Rs. 5 for updation of job seeker profile and Rs. 10 for print of application form, a release said.

Pallavan Express hits abandoned two-wheeler, suffers detention

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUCHI, DECEMBER 29, 2018 00:00 IST

The Chennai-bound Pallavan Express from Tiruchi suffered detention midway for few minutes on Friday when it hit a motorcycle left behind on the track by a trespassing rider. The incident took place in the morning between Kallakudi Palanganatham and Kallagam railway stations on the Tiruchi - Ariyalur broad gauge section.

The rider left the two-wheeler and fled from the spot on noticing the train. The Loco Pilot slowed the train, but the cowcatcher of the electric locomotive hit the two-wheeler and the train came to a halt. The express train suffered detention for eight minutes at the spot. The bike rider M. Thangaraj, 59, of Keelaarasur near Lalgudi was later arrested.

A case was registered under the Railways Act, 1989. Such incidents could lead to serious accidents endangering the life of passengers apart from affecting the punctuality of trains besides causing loss of railway property, a Southern Railway press release said.

"Tracks are for trains and it is extremely dangerous to trespass a railway track. The only safe way to cross the railway track is to use designated crossings and obey all signs and signals," it said. Warning that trespassing the railway tracks was punishable under The Railways Act, 1989, the press release sought the cooperation of public in following the safety procedures to ensure railway safety.

High speed trial run conducted

STAFF REPORTER

SALEM, DECEMBER 29, 2018 00:00 IST

The high speed trial run train on the newly-electrified Karur - Salem section being conducted on Friday.

E. Lakshmi NarayananE_LakshmiNarayanan 

On newly-electrified broad gauge railway line

A high-speed trial run on the newly-electrified broad gauge railway line between Karur and Salem stations in Salem Division was conducted here on Friday.

Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Southern Circle, Bengaluru, K.A. Manoharan accompanied by officers from Central Organisation for Railway Electrification, Salem Railway Division Manager U. Subba Rao, and engineers travelled on board a special train to conduct the high-speed trail in the 85 km stretch that was electrified at a cost of Rs. 100 crore. The train started at 1.12 p.m. at Karur Junction and reached Salem Junction at 2.25 p.m. without any stoppages. The trail was conducted at 100-km speed.

Officials said that currently diesel locomotive engines were needed for operating trains in the section and after clearance, goods trains and passenger trains would be operated with electric locomotive.

Ex-DMK MLA gets 10 years for girl’s death

R.Sivaraman

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 29, 2018 00:00 IST

A Special Court on Friday sentenced former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA from Perambalur, M. Rajkumar, to 10 years of imprisonment in connection with the rape and death of a 15-year-old girl, who was brought to his house from Kerala on the pretext of being provided education, in 2012.

His associate, Jaishankar, also a functionary of the DMK, was handed a similar sentence.

‘Dignity shattered’

Special Judge J.Shanthi said: “ The 15-year-old girl, who was supposed to spend time in cheerfulness, was dealt with [in an] animal passion and her dignity and purity of physical frame was shattered. Even her life was taken away by the accused in a brutal manner and the crime is heinous.”

Answer sheets theft at MU: Probe finds 13 staff negligent

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.12.2018

A committee headed by former DGP K Ramanujam, which is looking into the theft of close to 30,000 answer scripts from the University of Madras’ Chepauk campus, has found 13 staff to be guilty of negligence.

The final report of the committee, which runs into more than 150 pages in two volumes, has been submitted to the university. An executive summary of the report was read out by university vicechancellor P Duraisamy at Friday’s syndicate meeting.

Sources said the employees under scanner include security guards and officials in the ranks of additional controller of exams and deputy registrars. Duraisamy told TOI the report would be studied and charges for departmental action would be framed, if necessary.

In the first week of March, more than 100 boxes containing 300 answer scripts each of exams of Institute of Distance Education (IDE) went missing from the university centenary auditorium.

Preliminary reports said a gang that came in a truck had taken away the papers. One of the suspected motives was removal of evidence of a scam in IDE exams held in November and December 2016 at centres in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Mysore.

University sources said the Ramanujam committee has not pinpointed the accused, as it is the subject of investigation by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Chennai police. The committee has suggested measures to prevent repeat of such scams and to improve the system.

For instance, the auditorium where the papers were stored was not covered by CCTV cameras despite it being a place where guests like the President and governors came for functions. Also, the place does not have a record keeper or an official who is exclusively in-charge of the place, University sources said.

The theft did not affect the university’s separate investigation into the examination fraud, as 800 students were debarred following that probe, a university source said.

Ramanujam committee has not pinpointed the accused, as it is the subject of probe by the crime branch

Treat ex-VC of med univ on a par, says HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.12.2018

The Madras high court has ruled that the candidature of Dr Mayilvahanan Natarajan, former vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, should be considered on par with other candidates.

A vacation bench of Justice S Vaidyanathan and Justice P T Asha, which disposed of the ex-VC’s appeal, said: “The case of the appellant has to be considered on par with others and it is for the authorities concerned to take a decision on merits and in accordance with law.”

Dr Natarajan moved the court for a direction to the government to include past vicechancellors of medical universities under the qualification prescribed under the clause (ii) of sub-section (2A) of section 10 of the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, Act 1987.

After a single judge did not issue a positive direction to authorities, the doctor filed the present appeal.

Governor meets 3 candidates for med university VC post

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.12.2018

Three senior doctors shortlisted by the search committee for the post of vice-chancellor at the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University were interviewed by governor Banwarilal Purohit on Friday. The Raj Bhavan is expected to name the 10th vice-chancellor of the medical university soon, sources said.

While one of the candidates was a former dean of a medical college with publications in high-impact medical journals, the other two has experience of working in government hospitals as heads of departments for several years.

The search committee submitted the three names on Thursday after interviewing 10 doctors from the list of 41 applicants over two days from Wednesday. All the candidates were asked to make a 20-minute presentation on their vision before the selection panel comprising Dr Sithy Athiya Munavarah (government nominee and convenor), Dr Sembon David (senate nominee) and Dr Mohan Kameshwaran (governing council nominee). The entire session was videotaped.

Earlier, candidates had to fill a 10-page application which included a 500-word essay on their vision for the university. In their presentation they were asked to explain what they wished do as head of the institution, which has 22 government medical colleges, as many self-financing colleges and several other dental and paramedical institutions under it.

The governor’s office is expected to announce the name of the vice-chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University within a week. Like the selection process for the medical university, the governor will meet three candidates recommended by the search panel.