QChennai: 200 Dropouts from Corporation Schools Untraced & More

Catch all the latest news from Chennai right here.

Families cannot be found at addresses in the records.

(Photo: AP)

1. 200 Droputs From Corporation Schools Yet to Be Traced

As many as 200 students of Chennai Corporation schools have dropped out during the current academic year. Their families have also reportedly shifted from the addresses furnished in the school records, making it difficult to trace the students and bring them back to school, officials said.

The students who dropped out are from high schools and higher secondary schools at 70 locations in the city, according to officials. Corporation school teachers are worried as these 200 students are likely to end up as manual labourers, having lost the opportunity to complete school education. In previous years, the teachers were able to trace most of the dropouts, zero in on the reasons and bring them back on the rolls. This year, they have so far been unable to trace the whereabouts of the students and their family members.

(Source: The Hindu)

2. Inline Scanners at Domestic Terminal Too

This comes after AAI introduced the similar system at the International terminal.(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Airport Authority of India for the first time introduced Inline Baggage Screening System with CTX (Computer Tomography X-ray) Scanners for the first time at Chennai Airport’s Domestic terminal on Monday.

This comes after AAI introduced the similar system at the International terminal thus enhancing aviation safety and security infrastructure at Chennai Airport. This would mean that passengers will not have to queue up and get their registered baggage scanned before dropping at the check-in counters, resulting in faster passenger processing, minimum queuing time, and less congestion at check-in Area, a release stated.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

3. VaiKo Against Indian Aid for Sri Lanka

Chennai: MDMK leader Vaiko addresses during a protest against the hike in bus fares on 27 January 2018.(Photo: IANS)

MDMK founder Vaiko on Monday opposed the Indian government’s decision to pledge around 50 million USD as assistance to Sri Lanka over a range of bilateral issues, including the strengthening of defence cooperation, intelligence-sharing and maritime security.

In a statement, Vaiko referred to media reports about National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s meeting with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo on 18 January, and said India had pledged Rs 355 crore as assistance to Sri Lanka. “Gotabaya Rajapaksa has to be tried for war crimes for the killing of several hundred Eelam Tamils, and has to be punished,” Vaiko said. The Rajya Sabha member also referred to the arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

(Source: The Hindu)

4. Woman Held for Kidnapping Child

kidnap.(Photo: The Quint)

Nearly seven days after an eight-month-old baby boy was allegedly kidnapped by a middle-aged woman from the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, the city police rescued the baby on Monday. Police have arrested the woman who has been identified as E Revathi of West Mambalam who brought the child to Institute of Child Health in Egmore. Revathi was married to one Elangovan who works as a tailor and the couple have a girl child. They wanted a boy child.

“The couple were advised by their friends to go to Marina and kidnap a child. On 12 January, Revathi met a couple and said she wanted to feature the boy in a movie. Believing this, the couple agreed and the woman took them to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital,” said a police officer.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

5. Three Firms Picked to Monitor Metro's Phase II Work

File photo of Chennai Metro Train. (Photo: IANS)

In a key step, Chennai Metro has appointed the general consultants who will play a crucial role in monitoring a part of the phase II project. The tenders have already been called for the civil work on the 52-km stretch, and contractors are likely to be identified in two months, officials said. The initial work may begin as early as June this year, officials said.

Three firms – Nippon Koei, Aarvee Associates and Balaji Rail Roads Systems Private Limited – have been given the contract for consultancy work. Though phase II spans 118.9 km, nearly 52 km of this will be executed first, over two stretches. These firms will carry out consultancy work only for this 52-km stretch. For the remaining, Chennai Metro will call for tenders in a phased manner and then award the contracts.

(Source: The Hindu)