ProUI

LUCKNOW: Making her second trip to Uttar Pradesh since she was appointed US ambassador to India, Nancy Powell on Wednesday met chief minister AkhileshYadav, interacted with students and staff of Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow and hosted women leaders working to combat gender-bias and child labour."Every time I visit, I am impressed by how this historic city is home to some of the brightest young professionals who will shape the future of Lucknow and indeed India,"Speaking about economic cooperation, bilateral trade, and the challenge of creating jobs for young Indians and Americans, Powell, during her interaction with IIM-L students, encouraged them to pursue innovative solutions to challenges faced by both countries. "India's economic development has captured the attention of the United States," she said. Emphasising that the strength and growth of India and the economic relationship it shared with the US "catalyses the growth of our partnership", Powell said the education, social, cultural, and economic ties contribute to the US-India relations.On Wednesday, Powell also met with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, a courtesy meeting following the first in August last year, where she had expressed a desire to increase US presence in UP and had said the country was interested in the various investment opportunities present in the state. She had also sought information on the UP government's priority sectors.

Powell also visited the Ehsaas children's shelter at Charbagh railway station, where streetchildren are provided education and vocational training. The shelter also works closely with the railway police on issues relating to child welfare.

Powell, during her visit to IIM-L, said the US sees India as a leading strategic partner and is keen to take the relationship further.

Acknowledging the need to promote the presence of women in the corporate sector, IIM-L director Devi Singh told Powell that the institute is taking concerted steps to increase the presence of women in the corporate sector as a result of which women comprise 40% of the student base at the institute.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday exuded confidence that the ambitious Lucknow Metro Rail project, to ease traffic and transportation problem of the State capital, would start in time.While releasing the ‘Development Agenda of UP 2013-14’, Mr. Yadav said, “After the Lucknow project, which is a priority of the State government, projects for other cities would be taken up”.Mr. Yadav was presented the model of the proposed project at his residence on Saturday. He added that the funds for the extension of metro in Ghaziabad have been arranged.Housing and Urban Planning Principal Secretary Sadakant said details of the project were being worked out so that the first phase of the Rs.6,757-crore project could be started by the targeted date of December 2013.All efforts are being made to obtain necessary approvals and financial sanctions from the Centre, he said, adding that operations are expected to commence in December 2016.A modified Detailed Project Report had been approved by the high-powered committee headed by the Chief Secretary, Mr. Sadakant said.The constitution of the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) is under way with the memorandum and articles of the association having been prepared, he said.To expedite the work, an interim consultant is required to prepare detailed designs for which two specialist agencies -- RITES and DMRC -- have been asked to submit proposals, he said, adding that the interim consultant would be selected by the end of this month.

The DMRC is working on the depot design for north-south corridor of the first phase, he said.

The underground portion of the north-south corridor had been reduced from 7.5 km to approximately 3.5 km from Charbagh to Hazratganj, Mr. Sadakant said. Twenty-two stations are proposed in the first phase, out of which three are underground and 19 elevated.

An estimated 6.45 lakh passengers are likely to use this corridor in the year 2020. The peak-hour-peak-direction traffic (PHPDT) of this corridor is estimated to be 20,976 in 2020. One rake would consist of six coaches with a passenger carrying capacity of 1,574. Initially, the train will run at an interval of 7 to 14 minutes but with the increase in traffic, the interval will be reduced to 2 to 4 minutes. - PTI

श्रीगंगानगर-हरिद्वार के बीच 21 अगस्त (रक्षाबंधन) से 14711/14712 एक्सप्रेस चलाई जाएगी। रेलवे मुख्यालय द्वारा जारी पत्र के अनुसार यह ट्रेन हरिद्वार से रोजाना दोपहर 1.40 बजे चलेगी। यहां से दोपहर 2.03 रायवाला पहुंचेगी। यहां से दोपहर ढाई बजे ऋषिकेश पहुंच जाएगी। ऋषिकेश में आधा घंटे रुकने के बाद वापसी में दोपहर तीन बजे रायवाला दोपहर 3.23 बजे और दोपहर 3.50 बजे हरिद्वार पहुंचेगी। यह ट्रेन 4.10 बजे हरिद्वार से श्रीगंगानगर के लिए रवाना होगी।

श्रीगंगानगर-हरिद्वार के बीच 21 अगस्त (रक्षाबंधन) से 14711/14712 एक्सप्रेस चलाई जाएगी। रेलवे मुख्यालय द्वारा जारी पत्र के अनुसार यह ट्रेन हरिद्वार से रोजाना दोपहर 1.40 बजे चलेगी। यहां से दोपहर 2.03 रायवाला पहुंचेगी। यहां से दोपहर ढाई बजे ऋषिकेश पहुंच जाएगी। ऋषिकेश में आधा घंटे रुकने के बाद वापसी में दोपहर तीन बजे रायवाला दोपहर 3.23 बजे और दोपहर 3.50 बजे हरिद्वार पहुंचेगी। यह ट्रेन 4.10 बजे हरिद्वार से श्रीगंगानगर के लिए रवाना होगी।

Chennai: The Madras high court has ruled in favour of a wife of a dead Southern Railway employee who was denied appointment in his place on compassionate grounds because she was a diabetic.Pointing out that diabetes usually has no impact on an individual’s ability to do a particular job, the court said, “In most cases the employer may not even know that his employee has diabetes.As the impact of diabetes and its management varies among individuals there cannot be a blanket ban on giving public employment to persons with diabetes.”The court upheld the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal which had quashed the decision  of  the Southern Railway, denying the widow a job after a medical examination showed she was diabetic.Arockiammal had applied for a job on compassionate grounds after her husband , a commercial clerk with the Southern Railways, died in  2010. But was told in vague terms after her medical examination in 2011 that she was unfit on medical grounds.On her representation, another medication examination was conducted in June 2012. And this time she was told she was being denied a job as her blood sugar was high. The woman then approached CAT, which allowed her application.  

Diabetic wins battle against railways

Coming down hard on Southern Railway for denying the widow of an employee a job in his place because she diabetic and the disorder was “chronic and progressi­ve”, the Madras high court said it had failed to establish its case.

While dismissing the petition filed by the Southern Railway challenging the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal  which had ruled in favour of the Arockiammal, a division bench comprising Justices R. Banumathi and T.S. Sivagnanam said going by medical experts diabetes was only a condition in which the body failed to utilise the ingested glucose properly.

It also noted that  there was a strong school of thought that a diabetic was not suffering from a disease, but only a disorder that could be managed. Quoting a  2011  survey it said 62.4 million were diabetic in the country,  and this figure could rise to 110.1 million by 2030.

Recalling that Arockiammal’s husband was a commercial clerk with Southern Railway when he died in  2010 and that she too had merely done her plus two, it said, “ In the given circumstances one can reasonably conclude that she would have been unaware that her blood glucose level was higher than the acceptable norms.”

In the judges’ view it was unfair of the railway administration to reject her candidature based on a single blood test. “To deny employment to her on speculation about what might occur in future is unreasonable. Medical experts state that blood glucose levels fluctuate throughout the day, which is also the case of people with diabetes, and one test cannot be an assessment of the overall health of a person with diabetes,”  they added.

SWR to run weekly special between Yesvantpur, Mangalore
In order to clear the extra rush of passengers, a weekly Special train will run between Yesvantpur and Mangalore Central via Palakkad from tomorrow. The Yasvantpur-Mangalore Central Weekly Special train would leave Yesvantpur on Sundays from August 18 to September 1, 2013.

In the return direction, the Mangalore Central-Yasvantpur Special Weekly would leave Mangalore Central on Mondays, from August 19 to September 2, 2013.

CHENNAI: Can diabetes and a blood sugar level of 140mg/dL be cited as reasons to deny employment to a person?

No, the Madras high court has said, adding, "There cannot be a blanket ban on giving public employment to persons with diabetes. Medical experts opine that diabetes is a condition where the body fails to utilise the ingested glucose properly. Further, there is a strong school of thought that a diabetic is not suffering from a disease, but only a disorder that could be managed."

Upholding a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order rejecting the railway administration's claim that a diabetic might not be able to discharge his/her works efficiently, a bench of Justice R Banumathi and Justice T S Sivagnanam said, "It is unfair on the part of the railway administration to reject a candidature on a single blood test."Manikandan, a commercial clerk in Southern Railway, died in harness in 2010. His wife Arockiammal applied to the railways for a job on compassionate grounds. In 2011, the railway administration informed that she was unfit on medical grounds, as her blood sugar level was around 140mg/dL.She then approached the CAT for remedy. The railways resisted her application, stating that compassionate appointment cannot be a matter of right and that she had been found medically unfit for the job. The tribunal, however, allowed her plea, and directed the railways to appoint her under compassionate grounds.The present appeal in the high court was filed by the railway administration.

Dismissing the appeal, the division bench said that, as of a 2011 survey, 62.4million (as against 1.2 billion Indian population) are diabetic. It is slated to increase in 2030 to 110.1 million. "Diabetes usually has no impact on an individual's ability to do a particular job, and in most cases the employer may not even know that his employee has diabetes. As the impact of diabetes and its management varies among individuals, there cannot be a blanket ban on giving public employment to persons with diabetes.

The judges said they were conscious of the legal position that there is no vested right to secure appointment on compassionate grounds, but said that they had jurisdiction to step in when they find that there has not been an objective consideration or arbitrary approach by the authorities. Pointing out that Arockiammal was otherwise eligible for the employment, the judge said, "to deny employment to her on speculation that what might occur in future is unreasonable."

The judges then directed the railway administration to comply with the CAT direction on giving employment to Arockiammal within three months.

Medical experts point out that people with diabetes should not be discriminated based on their condition as it is treatable and does not interfere with the person's routine life. "Diabetes is a very common disorder and no one can deny a job for a diabetic on these grounds. Diabetics are healthy people who have a treatable condition and it does not affect their work in any way," said diabetologist Dr A Ramachandran, Chairman, Dr A Ramachandran's Diabetes Hospitals.

ERODE : 
A total of 600 kg of abandoned PDS rice was seized from unreserved compartments of two trains here, officials said on Sunday.The seizures were made late last night from Chennai-Mangalore Express and Mysore-Myladuthurai Express by Food Cell Revenue officials led by District Supply Officer Durgamurthy following a tip-off, Durgamurthy said.

LUCKNOW: Making her second trip to Uttar Pradesh since she was appointed US ambassador to India, Nancy Powell on Wednesday met chief minister AkhileshYadav, interacted with students and staff of Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow and hosted women leaders working to combat gender-bias and child labour."Every time I visit, I am impressed by how this historic city is home to some of the brightest young professionals who will shape the future of Lucknow and indeed India,"Speaking about economic cooperation, bilateral trade, and the challenge of creating jobs for young Indians and Americans, Powell, during her interaction with IIM-L students, encouraged them to pursue innovative solutions to challenges faced by both countries. "India's economic development has captured the attention of the United States," she said. Emphasising that the strength and growth of India and the economic relationship it shared with the US "catalyses the growth of our partnership", Powell said the education, social, cultural, and economic ties contribute to the US-India relations.On Wednesday, Powell also met with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, a courtesy meeting following the first in August last year, where she had expressed a desire to increase US presence in UP and had said the country was interested in the various investment opportunities present in the state. She had also sought information on the UP government's priority sectors.

Powell also visited the Ehsaas children's shelter at Charbagh railway station, where streetchildren are provided education and vocational training. The shelter also works closely with the railway police on issues relating to child welfare.

Powell, during her visit to IIM-L, said the US sees India as a leading strategic partner and is keen to take the relationship further.

Acknowledging the need to promote the presence of women in the corporate sector, IIM-L director Devi Singh told Powell that the institute is taking concerted steps to increase the presence of women in the corporate sector as a result of which women comprise 40% of the student base at the institute.

श्रीगंगानगर-हरिद्वार के बीच 21 अगस्त (रक्षाबंधन) से 14711/14712 एक्सप्रेस चलाई जाएगी। रेलवे मुख्यालय द्वारा जारी पत्र के अनुसार यह ट्रेन हरिद्वार से रोजाना दोपहर 1.40 बजे चलेगी। यहां से दोपहर 2.03 रायवाला पहुंचेगी। यहां से दोपहर ढाई बजे ऋषिकेश पहुंच जाएगी। ऋषिकेश में आधा घंटे रुकने के बाद वापसी में दोपहर तीन बजे रायवाला दोपहर 3.23 बजे और दोपहर 3.50 बजे हरिद्वार पहुंचेगी। यह ट्रेन 4.10 बजे हरिद्वार से श्रीगंगानगर के लिए रवाना होगी।