Chennai - Sandesh

March 29, 2013

Injustice To Railway Passengers Ends, 

Courtesy Grahak Panchayat

The Railway Board was made to bow before the consumer, the railway passenger in this case, thanks to the effective intervention of the Chennai High Court in a case filed by Rajendran of Mayiladuthurai, an active member of the Tamilnadu unit of Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP). The details: The Chennai – Tiruchirappalli (Cholan) Express is operated between Chennai Egmore and Tiruchirappalli via Thanjavur. It is out and out a daytime train, The departure time at Egmoe is 08.15 AM and arrival time at Tiruchy is 5.50 PM. But if anyone books a SEAT, he used to shell out Rs. 200.00 which included the BERTH charges (Rs 100.00). As no one normally needs a berth during a daytime journey, charging the consumer for a berth was uncalled for and unjust. Activists of ABGP collected over 3,000 signatures of travellers in that train (with PNR number) in a petition calling for an end to the injustice and sent it to the authorities. Since the Railway authorities failed to respond to this request by the consumer, the applicant chose the legal route. Result: the passengers now book a seat paying just half the previous amount. Not only that, the total beneficiaries are 600 passengers every day now, with 3 chair car bogies attached to the express, thanks to the efforts of ABGP. IT MEANS THAT ALL THESE DAYS THE CONSUMERS WERE BEING FLEECED AND THE RAILWAYS HAD BEEN DEFRAUDING THE PASSENGERS TO THE TUNE OF CRORES OF RUPEES EVERY YEAR IN THIS SINGLE EPISODE.

National Status For 

Adyar Cancer Institute In Sight?

The 60-year old Adyar Cancer Institute, founded by Dr. Muthulakshmi, the first lady doctor of the country, is known to cancer patients and their grateful families all over Bharat as well as from many parts of Asia. The World Health Organisation has long back announced this hospital as the best hospital in the country. The Institute is spread over 9 acres in Chennai, South India. The hospital houses 423 beds of which 297 are free. Over 1,25,000 patients are seen annually. They are drawn from all over India, parts of South and South East Asia. Over 66% of them are indigent and are treated free of charge. The hospital has state- of- the- art facilities for diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of cancer as well as rehabilitation. For the last 30 years, this NGO run hospital is supported by the state government. last week J.Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamilnadu has written to the Prime Minster requesting him to elvate the status of Adyar Cancer Institute and announce it as a centre of national importance. Magsaysay awardee Dr. V.Shanta, a selfless person associated with this hospital for over five decades, has said in an interview that she “found fulfilment in her life by curing cancer patients all these years.

When Lord Ganesh stepped in to save 

a school in Ramanathapuram

The premises of Setupati Middle School situated close to the market in Ramanathapuram was used by a few residents of the area as latrine resulting in unbearable stench. The students began to shift to other schools. Joseph Xavior who became the Headmaster of the school at this wretched condition noticed a Ganesh temple inside the school in a dilapidated state. Amid opposition and with great difficulty, he saw to it that the temple was renovated and Kumbhabhishekham performed. Now the school presents a clean and welcome ambience, thanks to the thoughtful service of Joseph, a Christian by religion. He was felicitated with ‘Govindanji Award’ for his meaningful service at the annual day of Sri Ramalinga Anbu Illam, an Orphanage run by Hindu organisations in the town. Govindanji was a pracharak of RSS who organised temple devotees in southern districts of Tamilnadu in 1970s.