150-seat govt medical college opened in Karur

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:01.08.2019

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami inaugurated the first medical college in Karur district at Sanapiratti on Wednesday through video conferencing from Chennai.

Spread across 17.45 acres, the district medical college was established at a cost of ₹115.71 crore. With this, the total number of government medical colleges in the state goes up to 23.

A total of 150 MBBS seats have been sanctioned at the college and classes will start from this year. With this, 1,350 additional MBBS seats were created this year in the state through the government medical colleges.

It was former chief minister J Jayalalithaa who announced a government medical college for Karur district in 2014 after learning that there was no medical college in the district. A government order was passed in January 2015 and a fund to the tune of ₹269.58 crore was allocated in June 2018 by the state government for establishing the government medical college hospital.

An additional ₹25.64 crore has also been allocated by the state government for procuring necessary equipment for the medical college through the Tamil Nadu Medical Service Corporation. Besides, it is also equipped with MRI scan facility worth ₹6 crore.

Speaking on the occasion, transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar said that the work on the hospital, which is part of the ₹269-crore project, will be completed soon. As many as 1,000 beds, including 300 beds for critical care, will be ready in a week.

Spread across 17.45 acres, the medical college in Karur has been established at a cost of ₹115.71 crore, and will offer 150 MBBS seats

REGION DIGEST
Siddha doctor from Pudukottai tops Ayush exam  01.08.2019

A siddha doctor from Pudukottai secured the first rank in the All India Ayush Post Graduate Entrance Test (AIAPGET) for admission to post graduate Ayush courses.

G Ponmani of Aranthangi taluk in Pudukottai scored 377 out of 400 to grab the top spot. By securing the first rank in the entrance test, Ponmani has ensured a seat in the National Institute of Siddha, Chennai, which she was aiming for. Now, Ponmani wants to set up her own Siddha clinic in her village after her post-graduation.

DMK seeks paramilitary force for all booths: The DMK on Wednesday demanded that paramilitary forces be deployed at all polling booths in the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency to ensure a free and fair election. Polling in the constituency will be held on August 5, and votes will be counted on August 9. In a petition to the Vellore returning officer, DMK principal secretary and Sriperumbudur MP T R Baalu said the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu was planning to rig polls by capturing booths.

Rohini backs Suriya’s stand on NEP: After Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, actress Rohini has lauded actor Suriya's stand against the draft National Education Policy (NEP). Rohini, who is also vicepresident of Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists' Association, was in Thanjavur on Wednesday as part of her signature campaign against the policy.

Tusker found dead in Sathyamangalam: A tusker, aged about 30 years, was found dead in Kadambur forest range of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Erode (STR) on Tuesday. Forest officials said the jumbo died after complications in its intestines.

VELLORE: BATTLE OF THE LAST BASTION
‘I see cancellation of May polls as a welcome development’

Being part of the AIADMK alliance,

A C Shanmugam

has everything for the asking with the entire state cabinet campaigning and canvassing votes for him. Having won the Vellore Lok Sabha seat in 1984 and placed second in 2014, his is a popular face. But, since he does not belong to the AIADMK and his New Justice Party hardly has a presence, he has a tough battle ahead. Excerpts from an interview with

D Govardan:

When election to Vellore LS seat was cancelled, what was your reaction?

Income tax authorities discovered ₹11 crore cash from (DMK treasurer) Durai Murugan’s college and premises on April

1. It was proved that cash played a role. After seizing the cash on April 1, they should have cancelled the elections on April 4. But, it was done a day after the campaign ended (on April 16) and it shocked everyone. India was voting to elect the Prime Minister, but the people of Vellore could not participate in that process. Our hard work came to naught. Like Theni, even in Vellore, we would have won by 50,000 to 75,000 votes. My victory was stalled by their cash bags. It jolted me.

Is it any different now?

Now I see that as a welcome development. At least 30 ministers are now camping here to ensure victory of the AIADMK alliance. My only request to them was not to treat this as just an election exercise but help me resolve all issues relating to the constituency. If I had to do this after my win, it would have taken me four years to get these many ministers as well as the chief minister and deputy CM to visit my constituency. Now people have submitted their petitions in person to them and in 15 days the issues of my constituency are known to all ministers. This will help me serve the people better.

You are being projected as a future Union minister if you win.

I am part of the National Democratic Alliance and was with it in 2014 too. During Vajpayee’s NDA too, my party was part of it and I have been a part of the BJP alliance. But my becoming a minister will be decided by the PM and the NDA convenor. My focus is to ensure victory of the two leaves symbol and to serve people. With the AIADMK in power in the state and the BJP at the Centre, I along with my brother and Theni MP P Raveendranath Kumar, can ensure all central schemes reach the state.

Vellore has a large Muslim population and you are alligned with the BJP.

Muslims have accepted the BJP in the north. In Tamil Nadu, due to the opposition’s smear campaign against PM Narendra Modi it became an issue. After becoming PM, Modi has instructed his party MPs to endear themselves to the minorities, so the poisonous campaign by the opposition will not work in Vellore. Recently, a bishop filed his nomination as an independent. But, fearing a split in minority votes, DMK cadres tried to attack him. They attack Muslims and Christians and hence neither of them will vote for Durai Murugan’s family this time. The DMK is in for a big defeat.

Has the BJP has been kept out of the AIADMK campaign?

It is not true. BJP district and state secretaries and functionaries are campaigning with us. The BJP’s flags are prominent on our campaign and rallies. BJP state president Tamilisai Soundarajan too is set to join the campaign.

There are differences within the AIADMK over triple talaq.

A small section of Muslim women welcome the Triple Talaq Bill as a majority of them view the law to be against the Quran. Support and opposition are both from within the community. Hence, my brother Raveendranath Kumar spoke in favour of women’s rights. But, the AIADMK opposed it in Rajya Sabha keeping in mind the majority views and beliefs of the community. They are with us and we will win.

10 govt law colleges across TN to get principals soon

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.08.2019

After facing the wrath of the Madras high court for poor infrastructure in government law colleges in the state, Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University has informed the court that principals would be appointed to 10 law colleges soon.

Of the186 vacancies in the posts of assistant professors, 96 were filled through Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB). This apart, salary of guest lecturers has been enhanced from ₹15,000 to ₹30,000 per month from February 1, the university told the court. The submissions were made on a batch of pleas moved by students and advocates alleging poor infrastructure in almost all government law colleges in the state.

When the pleas came up for hearing on Wednesday, a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice V Parthiban pointed out that every year almost 4 lakh students graduated from more than 1,600 law colleges in the country, and highlighted the urgent need to find a solution to provide employment for all of them. The Bar Council and the legal fraternity should come out with a solution, the bench added.

As to the present infrastructure in government law colleges, the bench said, “The school of excellence had 2,300 students, but only 30 teachers. Without proper infrastructure and teaching staff there is no point in continuing the courses.”

When advocates pointed out the practical difficulty of the two colleges bifurcated out of the Dr Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai, having the same name, the judges suggested that one of the colleges be renamed as Kakkan Law College or after any other leader.

Court concerned over pay of govt docs, bats for hike
Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.08.2019

Batting for an immediate pay hike for government doctors in the state, on a par with Group-I services, the Madras high court has said meagre salary is the primary reason for doctors preferring private practice.

“An assistant surgeon is paid only ₹45,000 whereas other government servants in the same grade get a much higher pay. Doctors’ profession is one which cannot be equated to any other service,” a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice V Parthiban said on Wednesday. “They work round the clock without any security in their work place, often facing attack from public,” the bench added. Doctors play an important role in society and they must be given due preference, it said.

The judges made the observations while hearing a 2017 petition moved by C Kumaran, a resident of Royapettah, against strike announced by government doctors condemning an attack against a doctor. The petitioner wanted the court to direct the government to initiate action against the doctors who participated in the strike for negligence and dereliction of duty.

On March 17, 2017, arguing the case on behalf of the petitioner, advocate S Doraisamy submitted that due to some unsavoury incident, medical college students, trainees, and doctors got agitated and staged a road roko from 6pm to 8.30pm on March16, 2017, near the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital. During the flash strike, patients were left unattended resulting in the death of three in Chennai alone, the petitioner alleged.

Denying the submissions, the government pleader submitted that no deaths were reported due to the strike and that doctors did not participate in the strike. Only medical students resorted to the agitation, he said.

Recording the submission, on March 17, 2017, the court observed that such attacks on government doctors by relatives of patients must be stopped immediately. The court directed the state to report the strength of doctors and budgetary allocation of government hospitals.

When the plea came up for hearing on Wednesday, the bench noted that the twoyear old direction is yet to be complied with by the government and directed the authorities to provide details of working hours of doctors and their strength in emergency wards in medical college hospitals and district hospitals along the other queries by August14.

WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK: AUGUST 1–7

TN women hesitant to use breastfeeding rooms

Aditi.R@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.08.2019

Women in Tamil Nadu continue to shy away from breastfeeding children in public places such as bus stops, despite exclusive breastfeeding rooms.

A study by TN-Forces, which works on women and children, said many did not use the facilities because they either had privacy issues or were unaware of them. Some said the rooms were locked or were near toilets.

“There is an inherent fear among women about using these rooms. They fear getting noticed and are scared of CCTV cameras. However, several are also happy. And it is important to have one in each of these places,” said Rekha Sudarsan, lactation consultant and childbirth educator from Rainbow Children’s Hospital.

In 2015, the government initiated setting up breastfeeding rooms at bus stands to help travelling mothers. But the study pointed out that most women were unaware of this facility as there was no signage. Many respondents said the rooms were illmaintained and unhygienic.

“Many passenger restrooms have been turned into breastfeeding rooms and maintenance is very poor,” said K Shanmugavelayutham, convenor of TN-Forces.

The organisation studied 21 breastfeeding rooms in Ariyalur, Chennai, Jayankondam, Chidambaram, Vadalur, KattumannarKoil and Tirupur. It was found that these facilities were hardly used at bus stands in Perambur, Madhavaram, Vyasarpadi, Iyyappanthangal, Anna Nagar and Villivakkam in Chennai, while the one at CMBT was used by 19 women daily. Most rooms did not have drinking water facilities or separate cubicles. At the Kattumannar Koil bus stand, the breastfeeding rooms are used as waiting rooms.

Also, the facilities are open only for 12 hours. “Since most central bus stands operate throughout the day, the rooms must also be open likewise,” said Shanmugavelayutham.

Dr Karpagambal Sairam, consultant obstetrician, gynaecologist and fertility specialist at Kauvery Hospital, said if a woman was unable to breastfeed on time it could cause complications. “A woman has to breastfeed 8-10 times a day and if she isn’t able to, it can lead to engorgement and cause severe pain,” she said. “Breastfeeding is important since a child receives the required nutrients to fight diseases,” she said.

Many women did not use the facility because of privacy issues, some said that they were unaware while others cited poor maintenance

Boy loses 526 teeth, gets his smile back

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.08.2019

Dentists in Chennai have surgically removed 526 teeth that were tucked inside the right lower jaw of a seven-year-old boy.

“The teeth were in sizes between 0.1 mm and 15mm. They were packed inside a small sac under the molar region of the jaw bone,” said maxillofacial pathologist Dr Prathibha Ramani. “They reminded me of pearls in an oyster. Even the smallest piece had a crown, root and an enamel coating like a tooth,” she said.

The abnormal teeth, termed compound composite odontome, embedded in the jaw bone, caused swelling and discomfort.

Dental surgeons removed all of them and retained his 21 normal teeth. On Wednesday, Ravindranth climbed into his father’s arms and shyly smiled at the flashing media cameras. He then touched his slightly swollen jaw and said, “No pain.”

The condition though rare, isn’t unheard of, as doctors in Mumbai had removed 232 teeth from the mouth of a teenager in 2014.

When Ravindranath was three years old, his parents noticed some swelling on his right cheek. “We took him to a government hospital, but they could not convince him to sit down for tests. We also let it go as we thought he was just a small kid,” said his father, S Prabudoss, who works as a sales executive at a private firm.

When the swelling increased, he was referred to Saveetha Dental College.

GOOD RIDDANCE: Dental surgeons removed all 526 abnormal teeth, termed compound composite odontome

LIKE PULLING TEETH

It took several hours to convince him: Dentists

Tests, including X-rays and CT scans, showed that he had several tiny teeth growing inside the jaw. After convincing the family, the surgery was slotted for July 11. Dentists said they had to speak to the boy for several hours before he agreed to cooperate; the surgery took five hours.

“Surgery was inevitable. Instead of breaking open the bone from the sides and leaving a large hole, we drilled into it from the top. It had to be done carefully without chipping it away or allowing it to move into other areas. Luckily, the boy did not require any reconstruction of the jaw,” said Dr Senthilnathan, head of the college’s department of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Dentists said like many boys of his age, permanent teeth were erupting in Ravindranath. “He may not have the two molars on his right lower jaw. But he can choose implants when he is 16 or 17 years,” doctors said.

As of now, the chance of recurrence is low, but doctors haven’t been able to point out the exact cause. “Biopsy results showed it was just abnormal growth. There could be a strong genetic connect, but we cannot rule out environmental factors such as radiation from mobile towers,” Dr Ramani said.

Saveetha University founder and chancellor N M Veeraiyan said the surgery had been done free of cost.