Latest news with #A.Kulothungan
The Hindu
21-06-2025
- The Hindu
Sub-Registrar faces suspension following graft charges in Puducherry
The Registration Department continues to be in the dock with one more senior officer facing disciplinary action on charges of grave misconduct in Puducherry. Special Secretary (Revenue) cum District Collector A. Kulothungan has issued an order on June 20 suspending R. Sriganth, Assistant on deputation as Sub-Registrar (Rural) in the Registration Department, with immediate effect. The order stated that since disciplinary proceeding was contemplated against Mr. Sriganth, the officer has been placed under suspension. Mr. Kulothungan has issued the suspension order on the basis of powers conferred under sub-rule (1) of Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965. As per the order, the suspended officer has to remain stationed in Puducherry and was not allowed to leave the region without prior permission of the District Collector. According to sources, the disciplinary action was contemplated after a video of Mr. Sriganth allegedly taking bribe inside the Registration Department Office at Saram surfaced recently. In the video, he was seen taking money and telling a person that he would give clearance to some application on a particular date. An aggrieved person had also filed a complaint against the officer with the Lieutenant Governor. Mr. Sriganth, who joined as an Assistant in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, has been working as Sub-Registrar in the Registration Department for a long time. In fact, he was transferred early June itself after the Lt. Governor issued a direction not to post Assistants on deputation in the Registration Department, a source said. 'He was transferred on June 1 and the particular video that surfaced on social media platforms showing the officer taking bribe was taken a few weeks ago. But even after his transfer to the parent department, he was visiting the Registration Department,' a source in the department said. Vigilance Probe Immediately after the suspension order was issued, the department has referred the case to the Vigilance unit for a detailed probe. 'We have launched a preliminary inquiry and based on the outcome, we will take up the case to its next level,' said a police officer. In the recent months, several officers, including those at the level of Director, Sub-Registrar and Tahsildar have been arrested on various charges, including corruption and forgery. Criminal action was taken against some of these officers for even forging temple lands.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Jipmer launches state-of-the-art disaster response facility with BHISHM Cube
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) has launched a state-of-the-art mobile unit that aims to significantly raise the levels of disaster preparedness. The facility, established with the BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri) Cube, is designed to provide swift and comprehensive care during natural and man-made disasters, a press note said. The initiative, under the Arogya Maitri Project of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, represents a committed effort to enhance healthcare resilience and emergency response, especially in regions vulnerable to large-scale emergencies such as those in southern India, Jipmer said. The BHISHM Cube is equipped with a wide array of life-saving tools, including defibrillators, portable ultrasound, infusion pumps, surgical and anaesthesia stations, blood and fluid warming systems, and advanced triage modules. The Cube represents a convergence of cutting-edge medical technology, strategic mobility, and humanitarian intent. Each cube is compact, weighing under 20 kg, and can be manually transported or deployed using drones, boats, or vehicles. Built on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocols, the BHISHM Cube is engineered to function with minimal reliance on existing infrastructure, allowing rapid deployment even in the most challenging terrains. Two mother cubes form a full trauma response brick, capable of supporting up to 200 casualties and providing treatment within the golden hour—a critical factor in saving lives during disasters. According to the press note, Jipmer would be hosting two such sets of cubes in its disaster stockpile. The facility was inaugurated at a function on Wednesday held at the SuperSpecialty Block annexe in the presence of A. Kulothungan, District Collector, V. Ravichandran, Director of Health and Family Welfare Services, and Vir Singh Negi, Director of Jipmer, along with other dignitaries. In this connection, a detailed presentation of BHISHM Cube's capabilities was led by Tanmay Roy, retired Chief Surgeon of the Armed Forces of India, in collaboration with the technical team from HLL Lifecare Limited, the implementing agency for the project. The presentation offered insight into the Cube's modular design, medical capabilities, and operational readiness, and provided hands-on training to the attending doctors, nurses, and disaster management personnel. A team of four doctors and two nurses nominated by the Health Department, along with officers deputed from the State Disaster Management Cell, participated in the operational demo. The demonstration aimed at not only showcasing the clinical and logistical strengths of the Cube but also at laying the foundation for local capacity building and disaster readiness, the press note said.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Stalemate over garbage collection ends in Yanam region of Puducherry
The days of standoff over the collection and disposal of household waste in the Yanam region of Puducherry have come to an end, with the private firm entrusted with garbage management in the enclave deciding to resume work from Friday (April 25, 2025), following initiatives by the district administration. The private firm, HR Square, had stopped collecting garbage a few weeks ago, following a protest by a section of residents belonging to Gopal Nagar, the area notified by the Puducherry government to set up a Resource Recovery Park (RRP) and Sanitary Landfill site for proper disposal and processing of solid waste in the Yanam region. On average per day, the region generated around 20 metric tonnes of solid waste, and after stopping the work around three weeks ago, the people of Yanam started dumping waste in public places. As waste started accumulating on arterial roads and in residential areas, the local legislator Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok (Independent) staged a protest in the Assembly two days ago accusing officials in Yanam administration of being apathetic to solving the issue. Following the protest, the government deputed Puducherry Collector A. Kulothungan to visit Yanam region for engaging all parties concerned to arrive at a solution. He visited the region on Friday and inspected the dumping sites. 'The agency started removing the garbage from Friday itself. Around 80 tonnes of garbage was removed on the first day of resumption of work by the firm. We will clear the accumulated waste in a day or two. The firm has been directed to set up the RRP without any delay. We want them to complete the setting up of RRP and landfill in the next 20 days,' Mr. Kulothungan told The Hindu. Officials of Yanam administration said for almost 20 to 30 years, garbage generated in the region was dumped in Kanakalpeta village. After waste started piling up in the village, the government decided to set up a proper landfill as per Solid Waste Management rules at Gopal Nagar in Mettacur Revenue village In 2023, the government issued an order transferring around 4 acres of land from the possession of Electricity Department to Local Administration Department for establishing the RRP and landfill at Gopal Nagar. Subsequently, the land was handed over to HR Square for garbage management in Yanam region. Meanwhile, bio-mining of legacy waste of around 50,000 metric tonnes at Kanakalpeta village has also commenced. More than half of the legacy waste had already been bio-mined, the official said.
