PANCHAAMRITAM 170
ONE
Karuppayi (85), of Lingawadi village in Dindukkal district (Tamilnadu, Bharat) sells peanuts around the Court and Hospital premises in Madurai. It is her livelihood. She had sustained injuries when a government bus hit her. That was in 1996. She was awarded a compensation of Rs 9,000 by the 4th Additional Sub Court in 1997 in a case seeking compensation. But the amount failed to reach Karuppayi. Meanwhile, Veerammal, Karuppayi's daughter-in-law, committed self immolation and died. Karuppayi's son too committed suicide, in dejection. That left the three children of the couple orphaned. Undaunted, Karuppayi continued to sell peanuts to eke out a living and to support her orphaned grandchildren (2 girls and a boy). The pathetic condition of the octogenerian and her untiring legal battle were reported in the Press. Justice P. Murugesan, a High Court Judge who read the news item, ordered the Secretary, Madurai Legal Aid cell and Sub Judge Venkatachlam to expedite payment of the compensation to the old woman. Two advocates, Muthukumar and Panneerselvam, too, were appointed for this purpose. The two held a talk with the government transport authorities represented by Govindasamy, regional transport manager (legal section), who in turn took up the mater with officials in Chennai and deposited a cheque for Rs. 9,000 with the Court. The information was conveyed to Karuppayi who was spotted at the Hospital premises selling peanuts.
Based on a report in DAILY THANTHI of September 8, 2009.
TWO
Swine Flu virus - A(H1N1) - appears to be on every one's lips and mind and the electronic media has been successful in spreading not only awareness but also panic and fear. The latter two were undesirable. Panic and fear produce many chemical reactions in the body and weaken not only the immune mechanisms but also affect the cardiovascular and respiratory system adversely making one more vulnerable to the virus. The host resistance plays an important role in the fight between the bugs and the body. That the mind influences the body and its functioning is an accepted fact. Psychoneuro somatic integration helps the body to function in the best possible manner to combat diseases and this is best achieved through the practice of yoga. The immune system is of primary importance and can be effectively stimulated by specialised breathing techniques that improve both alveolar ventilation and blood oxygenation making the body more efficient in combating the virus. The killer cells of the thymus, a component of the immune system that carries out surveillance in the human body against cancer, is also effective against viruses. The thymus is amenable to stimulation only by endogenous melatonin which can be increased by meditation.
Based on a write up carried by THE HINDU on August 23, 2009
by Dr. K.R. Krishnadas, a senior Consultant Neurosugeon of Chennai.
THREE
An Indian student has been recognised by the prestigious LANCET journal for her essay "Pens and Needles", which stressed the importance of equipping poor people with tools. A Ph.D student of medical anthropology, Bianca Brijnath, has been declared as one of eight winners worldwide of the "Young Voices in the Research for Health" essay competition. She has been invited to the Global Forum for Health Research to be held in Havana, Cuba. The 27-year-old's essay "Pens and Needles" stressed the importance of equipping poor people with tools, such as pens and needles for their health and intellectual journeys, according to a university release. It was selected from 415 submissions and will be published in November by the LANCET.
Based on bureau reports and ZEE NEWS September 7, 2009.
FOUR
A two-member bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, on September 7, directed the authorities to maintain status quo on government funds for building or repairing. Churches. The bench of Chief Justice Anil R Dave and Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy was hearing a writ petition filed by Tripuraneni Hanuman Chowdary complaining that the state government was engaging itself in the promotion of a religion contrary to court injunctions. He listed 49 GOs, placing 150 Christian institutions as beneficiaries of state aid. The petitioner argued that there were no legislative sanction for the said expenditures and thus illegal. Listing various GOs between December 2001 and March 2009, he said the state was promoting Christian related activities in the guise of SC/ST welfare. He said the state was getting involved in a systematic manner for promoting Church-related activities. The petitioner had earlier filed a writ challenging the action of the government in granting funds for Christian pilgrimage. A two-member bench by an order, dated July 22 , had suspended the GO granting such allowances.
From THE TIMES OF INDIA, September 8 2009.
FIVE
The women members of Seva Bharati's Self Help Group in Maruthancode village in Kanyakumari district (Tamilnadu, Bharat) destroyed a production unit of spurious liquor called Arishtam that resembled the name of Ayurvedic medicine. They laid seige to the unit. The owner of the unit locked the building and ran away. The crowd was persuaded by Seva Bharati organisers to disperse and a complaint was lodged in the Police Station concerned. The police were reluctant to take any action on the ground that the owner possessed a license for the unit. The SHG women filed a law suit, exposing the mischief involved in issuing such licenses, and proved the violations of the terms of the license by license holders. The women got a decree in their favour. During the entire process the goondas hired by the owners of the unit threatened the women. But the decree proved to be a yardstick for the entire State of Tamilnadu in dealing with such units. Now Maruthancode is free from the of the spurious liquor menace, thanks to the efforts of the SHGs and Sewa Bharati.
Based on an article by Shri. Kesava Vinayagam of Seva Bharati
in ORGANISER, September 6, 2009.
OOOOOOOO
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