Archive for category Chennai
IMA and dental colleges awareness about dental hygiene to the people:Poongothai
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, College, Departments, Health, Information, Public, function, government, hospital, programme on August 30th, 2010
Indian Medical Association (IMA) and private medical and dental colleges should work together to bring an awareness about dental hygiene to the people, Tamilnadu Minister for Information Technology Dr Poongothai Aladi Aruna has said.
She said this during the inauguration of a Continuing Dental Education programme for General Dental Practitioners organised by Indian Dental Association at the Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital here Sunday.
Poongothai invited IMA and private medical and dental colleges to work together in the screening of school children programme.
Pointing out the importance of periodontics in the field on dentistry, (that relates to the care and treatment of gums) she further said, the fast paced lifestyles and changing food habits such as using fatty items, adding preservatives are the reason for the poor health of gums, bleeding and other dental complications.
Nearly 22 primary health centres in the State have been alloted a dentist to work for three days in a week and soon the programme would be extended to all the centres. Steps would also be taken to appoint a dentist in all the PHCs soon, she said.
She also said, despite the increase in the number of dental colleges and the population ratio per dentist, still around 50 per cent of the population in the State experience dental problems and diseases
New challenge for Theatre Owners Association
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Cinema, Entertainment, Health, Information, Other, businesses, modification, programme on August 30th, 2010
Even as a debate rages over whether theatres should charge visitors for parking their vehicles, theatre owners are grappling with a new challenge: the State Human Rights Commission has taken cognizance of a patron’s angst that eatables and beverages from home are not allowed during the show.
V.S. Suresh, an advocate, has stated in his complaint to the SHRC that Section 2 of the Tamil Nadu Cinema Regulation Act provides for safety and security of the audience. While the City Police Commissioner must ensure the rules are adhered to, in the suburbs and smaller towns the District Collector is held responsible for the same.
“Hygienic drinking water should be provided at theatres. Instead they make us buy drinking water at a very high price. This is a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution,” he says.
Patrons of some of the expensive multiplexes in the city say they are frisked at the theatre entrance and food items are confiscated. “We collect them on our way out,” a movie-goer said.
David Santhanaraj who sees five films a month says he does not mind paying parking fee for his scooter. “Canteens in theatres are purely for business and make you buy what they have,” he says. “Even if I spend Rs.2,000 a month, I still cannot watch 10 films.”
A canteen owner in one of the high-end theatres in the city defended the high prices saying, “Entertainment industry is based on impulse buying. I have to make you buy my product.”
In the suburbs, while some movie houses drew crowds after theatre owners upgraded facilities such as digital sound systems others are facing closure due to the increasing maintenance cost and a significant drop in occupancy rates. “We sometimes run the show for 30 visitors, which is not viable,” says a theatre owner in Avadi.
According to proprietor of Rakki Cinemas of Ambattur, Harigovind, the District Collectorate stipulates the price of tickets. He adds that they charge Rs.20 for car parking and Rs.10 for two wheelers, but nothing for bicycles.
“We do allow snacks, beverages and water bottles as a goodwill measure, but not ‘biriyani’. There is a ban on smoking and alcohol inside the theatre premises,” he says.
P. Kalyanasundaram, proprietor of Rajalakshmi Theatre in Velachery, and A. Mariappan, manager of Albert Theatre complex in Egmore, also echo his sentiments.
President of Theatre Owners’ Association ‘Abirami’ Ramanathan had this to say on the issue: “All theatres allow water bottles and infant food. We do not prevent a patron from taking any special food for an invalid reason.” Checking bags and ban on food items inside the theatres followed after complaints that “people were being robbed by strangers who gave them food items laced with drugs,” he says, adding “movie-goers are not coming for a picnic, but to enjoy themselves and we provide that.”
However, theatre owners say they do not pass on the huge tax benefit that they receive when a film with a Tamil name is screened to their patrons.
Tamil Nadu’s value added tax growth has halved: Jayalalithaa
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Communication, Income Tax, Information, Political, competition, government, programme, tamilnadu on August 30th, 2010
The implementation of value added tax (VAT) regime in Tamil Nadu by the DMK government from 2007 onwards has resulted in slower growth in commercial taxes revenue, AIADMK General Secretary J. Jayalalithaa said here Monday.
‘The state’s commercial tax revenue went up to Rs.16,615 crore in 2005-06 up from around Rs.8,000 crore in 2001-02, more than 100 percent growth. The growth rate has come down to 50 percent during DMK’s regime at Rs.24,819 crore during 2009-10,’ she said.
‘The central government is yet to compensate the state to the tune of Rs.3,500 crore towards tax loss on implementation of VAT.’
According to her, the state lost its power to levy taxes with the implementation of VAT in 2007.
Jayalalithaa ridiculed the resolution passed by the DMK members of parliament at their meeting recently opposing the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
She said the decision to implement GST within three years of introducing VAT was taken long back. The DMK government by implementing VAT in the state has in fact given its consent for GST.
TN: SC verdict will act as deterrent: victims’ families
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Court, Death, Departments, Dharmapuri, Health, Information, accident, illegal on August 30th, 2010
Hailing the Supreme Court’s verdict that upheld the death sentence awarded to three AIADMK workers in connection with the 2000 Dharmapuri bus burning case, families of the victims Monday said the ruling would act as a deterrent to violence against innocent people.
“My daughter may not come back today. But the verdict, though delayed, will act as a deterrent against persons trying to resort to such a crime in the future,” K Kasiammal, mother of Hemalatha, one of the three students charred to death in the incident, said here.
She said any mercy petitions by the accused should not be entertained “considering the gravity” of the crime.
“I am happy that the right punishment has been given to the guilty. This is a lesson to others. It would prevent recurrence of such violence,” Kumaraswamy, father of another victim Kokilavani, said at Paramathivelur in Namakkal district.
Stating that attempts were made to derail the case, he thanked all those who deposed as prosecution witnesses resulting in the conviction.
Senior lawyer R Srinivasan, who was the special government pleader in the trial court in Salem, said justice had been served and the apex court judgement would act as a deterrent against violence aimed at innocent people.
“It is due punishment for killing innocent students,” he said.
Kokilavani, Hemalatha and Gayathri, students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, were burnt alive when a mob set their college bus on fire at Ilakkiampatti near Dharmapuri during protests against the conviction of AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in Kodaikanal Pleasant Stay Hotel corruption case.
A Salem court had awarded death penalty to Nedu alias Nedunchezhian, Madhu alias Ravindran and C Muniappan, which was upheld by the Madras High Court in 2007. Twenty-five others were awarded terms ranging from two months to two years terms ranging from two months to two years.
Earlier in the day, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and B S Chauhan confirmed the death sentence awarded by the Madras High Court in 2007.
Foundation stone for the first phase of the ORR in chennai
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Departments, Health, Information, Transport, function, government, modification, programme on August 30th, 2010
Chennai is set to get another infrastructure project. Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the first phase of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to be developed along the periphery of the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The ORR is aimed at easing congestion in the city.
The project, to be taken up in two phases, would start from Vandalur in National Highway 45 and go up to Minjur, through Tiruvottiyur-Ponneri- Panchetty for a length of 62 kms linking Bangalore, Tirupathi and Kolkata roads.
Stalin launched the commencement of work for the first phase from Vandalur to Nemilicheri at a cost of Rs 1082 crore, covering a distance of 30 km under public-private partnership mode.
Addressing a function at suburban Pattabiram, Stalin said the government had allotted funds for the first phase and began acquistion of land for the second phase.
The Deputy Chief Minister also declared open the newly-built Avadi Municipality Building and two Railway Oerbridges at Pattabiram and Thiruninravur on the city outskirts.
Stalin said the idea of building an ORR was first mooted during the DMK government’s regime in 1967 when Chief Minister M Karunanidhi held the Public Works and Highways portfolios.
Several highways on Chennai’s periphery, like the Tambaram-Chengalpet, Poonamallee-Bangalore, Avadi-Tirupatji and Gummidipoondi-Kolkata, were not linked then.
‘It was he (Karunanidhi) who set up the Madras Area Transportation Study panel to go into the transportation requirements and ways to decongest the city,’ he pointed out and added that the committee had later come up with the proposals like the ring roads.
Stalin said elected representatives and officials should function responsibly and people ought to stand by the government led by Karunanidhi for more welfare schemes to reach them.
Elaborating on the welfare schemes implemented by the ruling DMK ever since it assumed office in 2006, Stalin said that about 1.35 crore out of 1.52 crore beneficiaries have received free colour TVs in the State.
Necessary orders have already been issued to the officials concerned to distribute CTVs to remaining beneficiaries before the yearend.
Recalling the Independence Day announcement by the Chief Minister in connection with the Kalaignar Housing Scheme, Stalin said the ruling DMK had increased subsidy by Rs 15,000 to Rs 75,000 for each concrete house built under the scheme.
Other works
On Sunday, Stalin also laid the stone for a bridge over the Buckingham Canal on Sadayankuppam Road at an estimated cost of Rs 16.50 crore.
The Deputy Chief Minister also inaugurated a road over bridge at Pattabiram, and one between the Pattabiram and Thiruninravur railway stations.
In addition, he declared open the new Avadi Municipal building besides three other bridges in Tiruvallur district.
The coverage
Spanning over 62.3 km from Vandalur to Minjur, the width of the ORR would 122 metre. The first phase that we are inaugurating Sunday would stretch from Vandalur to Nemmilichery and it spans over 30 km.
Authorities are already in the process of acquiring land for the second phase, which would stretch from Nemmilichery to Minjur. The total cost of construction for the projected is estimated at Rs 1,082 crore.
TN police has sought the Interpol investigation of 12 online cheating cases
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Communication, Information, Other, arrested, cheating, electronic, illegal, police on August 28th, 2010
The CB-CID wing of Tamil Nadu police has sought the assistance of Interpol in the investigation of 12 online cheating cases with the arrest of Nigerian nationals in some cases in the state.
‘In most of the cases, Nigerians are the masterminds and the Cybercrime wing of CB-CID has arrested four Nigerians,’ the investigating agency said in a release here.
The online crimes include lottery and job frauds and the agency has registered 13 cases this year and 25 since 2007.
The Nigerians used to recruit Indian account holders, called money mules, to provide their bank account details, ATM and other bank details for a commission.
In these types of online cheating, the culprits randomly choose mobile numbers and send group SMS and e-mails luring victims saying they had won an high prize in cash or lottery draw in the names of established brands, asking them victims to respond by paying a small sum as processing fee for ‘realising the money,’ the release said.
‘At times, the victims of these frauds are persuaded to part with important personal details like bank account number and credit card number which could cause further damage,’ it said. A similar Modus Operandi was being followed for job frauds when people were asked to pay money for various purposes only to be duped, the release added.
The CB-CID has arrested four Nigerians from Mumbai and 14 Indian account holders/ money mules from Chennai,Mumbai and Bangalore among others who were involved in various cases of online cheating.The Cyber Crime cell has also sought assitance of Interpol in the investigation of 12 cases of online cheating, the release said.
Police said people should not respond to such SMS/e-mails and desist from disclosing personal banking details.
In a recent case, a Tircuhirappalli-based businessman lost lakhs of rupees after such culprits managed to siphon off money through fraudulent means.
Fire alarm in Jet flight, 30 injured during evacuation by emergency chutes
Panic gripped a Chennai-bound Jet Airways flight carrying 153 passengers after a fire alarm in the cockpit went off when the plane was on the taxiway for take-off on Friday night and 30 of them were injured during evacuation by emergency chutes.
As there was a sudden surge of passengers when they were being evacuated using chutes, 30 of them received injuries and bruises with three of them suffering fractures, a Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) spokesperson said. There were some reports that a few passengers jumped from the aircraft and sustained injuries while there was a chaos when passengers rushed to slide down the chutes.
Fifteen persons were taken to Nanavati hospital in ambulances for further treatment after receiving first aid at the airport. Some of them were reported to have suffered multiple fractures.
A full emergency was declared at the Mumbai Airport and Fire Tenders were rushed immediately to the spot.
A Jet statement said the airplane commander proceeded to declare a precautionary emergency although there were no visible traces of fire.
“The commander onboard Jet Airways flight 9W 2302 Mumbai-Chennai was informed of an indication of an LH engine fire. Although there was no visible trace of a fire, the commander proceeded to declare a precautionary emergency,” the statement said.
All passengers were deplaned safely and a thorough inspection of the engine was carried out, it added.
The captain deployed chutes for emergency evacuation, a Jet spokesperson said, adding all passengers have been evacuated.
Another Madras HC judge recuses from Jaya bday gift case
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Court, Health, Information, Political, government, illegal, lawyer, modification on August 28th, 2010
Another judge of the Madras High Court on Friday recused himself from hearing a petition by AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa seeking to quash the 1996 ‘birthday gift case’ filed by CBI against her.
The recusal by Justice T Mathivanan comes four days after Justice C T Selvam withdrew himself from hearing the petition after Jayalalithaa filed a memo stating that the judge had appeared against her when he was additional public prosecutor for the state government.
The former Tamil Nadu chief minister wanted the petition to be listed before some other judge. She had sought to quash the case citing ‘inordinate and unexplained delay’.
On August 23, when the petition came up for hearing, Justice Selvam directed that it be placed before the Chief Justice for posting before another judge.
Accordingly, the petition was posted before Justice Mathivanan, but he also declined to hear it. The Judge did not state any reason for recusing himself from the case.
According to CBI, on the occasion of her birthday in 1992 Jayalalithaa had accepted 89 demand drafts worth Rs two crore from 57 people drawn on various banks favouring her.
The CBI claimed that two former AIADMK ministers K A Shengottaiyan and Alagu Thirunavukarasu had also presented her with DDs for Rs 22.53 lakh and Rs 22.50 lakh respectively.
Loyola World Alumni Congress 2010 meet tomorrow
The ‘Loyola World Alumni Congress 2010′ will be organised at Lawrence Sundaram auditorium in Loyola College here on Saturday from 9 a.m.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram will inaugurate the programme, in which Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu N. Ram will participate. Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran will inaugurate a symposium on environment and education. The other events include a panel discussion on ‘Spirit of Loyola’, presentation of Achievers’ Award and launch of alumni website.
A resolution for the setting up of Loyola Chennai Alumni Foundation would also be passed during the occasion.
Groundwater level goes up, thanks to southwest monsoon
Posted by ganesh in Agriculture, Chennai, Health, Information, Rain, Water, function, programme, tamilnadu on August 27th, 2010
The average groundwater level in the city has gone up by 0.2 metre since July. The level was 3.5 metre in June, senior officials of Chennai Metrowater said here recently and attributed the increase to the southwest monsoon.
They were speaking at the launch of a series of awareness meetings on rainwater harvesting structures and their maintenance, at the Metrowater area offices till September 17.
The launch function was held at the Area office II in Washermenpet. Each area office would hold meeting on an allocated day as part of the rainwater harnessing campaign.
Inaugurating the programme, Metrowater’s Managing Director Shiv Das Meena said that earlier the city received major share of annual rainfall between October and December. This year, there seems to be a change in the pattern and southwest monsoon has been vigorous.
Besides reducing evaporation loss in the reservoirs, the rainfall has also helped in relatively less drawal from the waterbodies for the city supply. People must maintain their RWH structures round the year to reap benefits of the showers, he said.
M. Soundararajan, Metrowater’s gydrogeologist, spoke on the importance of harnessing rainwater. Pointing out that nearly 60 per cent of the rainwater could be saved with proper RWH structures, he said their maintenance was a simple process and required only an hour. It involves cleaning of the terrace, drain pipe and filter materials.
Metrowater officials would provide free guidance over phone (28454080) or visit the locality in person.
Rain Centre’s director Sekhar Raghavan said residents must check the soil profile to determine the depth of the RWH structure. Instead of recharge pit that is similar to a borewell, people must install recharge well, which is easy for maintenance.
He said it is sufficient to fill one-third of the filter chamber with materials. Several people opt to close the unused shallow wells. But, it can be converted into recharge wells.
Observing that most open spaces particularly in apartment complexes have been paved, Mr.Raghavan said besides rooftop water, the runoff water around the house could also be harnessed by putting a gutter near the entrance.
Pamphlets about rainwater harvesting and water conservation were distributed to the participants. Apart from clarifying their doubts, participants suggested various measures by which Metrowater could create awareness.
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