Countdown begins for launch of ISRO's navigation satellite IRNSS-1D

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New Delhi: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday announced the countdown for the launch of India's fourth navigation satellite IRNSS-1D began at 5.49 am.

ISRO announced on its Facebook page “The 59-and-half hour count down for PSLV-C27/IRNSS-1D Mission began in the Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh”.

The rocket is expected to blast off at 5.19 p.m. on March 28 to put into orbit the 1,425 kg IRNSS-1D satellite, which was originally scheduled for launch on March 9, but was deferred after an anomaly was found in one of the telemetry transmitters.

India has so far launched three regional navigational satellites as part of a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.

Though the full system comprises of nine satellites - seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by - the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials said.

Each satellite costs around Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket costs around Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs.910 crore.

The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed this year itself.

The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014 and the third on October 16, 2014.

Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on other platforms.

(With Agency inputs)

Now 'ghost' teachers haunt MCs!

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Chandigarh: Medical science may not believe in the ghost stories but unethical practices adopted by private medical colleges and unscrupulous doctors in the region have put a big question mark on the standard of education being imparted and the kind of doctors being churned out by these institutions.

With 436 'ghost' teachers being discovered by the Punjab Medical Council (PMC) during its recent inspection of four private medical colleges in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, a major controversy has erupted about the unethical practices adopted by these colleges and doctors.

The PMC team found that the 436 doctors, most of whom were practising in Punjab, were simultaneously serving four medical colleges: MM (Maharishi Markandeshwar) Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Mullana (Ambala-Haryana/240 doctors); MM Medical College and Hospital, Kumarhatti (Himachal Pradesh/84 doctors), Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Banur (Punjab/64 doctors) and Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda (Punjab/48 doctors).

The doctors were shown on records of these institutions as faculty members on well-paid jobs even without taking any classes. The PMC inspection revealed that one of the doctors who was heading an institution's own ethics committee figured in the list of ghost teachers.

Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines clearly stipulate that part-time and guest faculty cannot be engaged for regular classes in medical colleges.

Faced with this embarrassing revelation, the PMC has initiated the process to suspend or cancel the registration of the doctors.

'We are issuing show-cause notices to the concerned doctors. Action will follow, based on their replies. If they are actually teaching in these institutes in other states, they will have to be de-listed from the PMC,' PMC president G.S. Grewal told IANS.

The PMC has received complaints that the doctors who were shown as faculty members in colleges in three states were running their private health clinics, hair therapy clinics, cosmetic therapy clinics and even offering treatment for heart ailments.

The department of medical education and research in Punjab has initiated an investigation into the findings of the PMC team.

'There is a tendency among some medical colleges, which are mere teaching shops, to show doctors as their regular faculty whereas these people may have never even visited these institutions. Everyone is making a fast buck in all this mess. The kind of doctors that these medical colleges produce is anyone's guess,' a senior faculty member at Patiala's Government Medical College told IANS.

Students pay hefty amounts, running in lakhs of rupees, to get admission to these medical colleges.

IANS

British parliament warns IS could enter Europe through Libya

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London: The House of Commons of the British Parliament warned on Tuesday that the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group could take advantage of the chaos in Libya to smuggle terrorists into Europe as would-be refugees fleeing the Arab country.

The Commons' Foreign Affairs Committee underlined that IS was carrying out operations aimed at ensuring its presence in North Africa, filling a regional power vacuum left when the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya was overthrown in 2011, Efe news agency reported.

'Illegal migration from Libya is a major concern, because of a potential security threat from terrorists who could use this means to travel to Europe to conduct attacks,' explained MPs from the Committee of Foreign Affairs.

The committee stressed that prolonged, embedded violence in a country like Libya, so close to Europe, raised concerns in areas such as security.

The Foreign Affairs Committee said there was a 'particular responsibility' on Britain to help Libya 'repair itself' and restore a stable government.

According to the committee, the fact that the jihadi organisation appears to have taken advantage of the chaos in Libya to establish itself there is a security concern that extends beyond Libya, and is further motivation for the international community to provide assistance.

Libya has been suffering from chaos and civil war since 2011, after the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime.

IANS

62nd National Film Awards: Court best film, Kangana best actress

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New Delhi: As the 62nd National Film Awards were announced here on Tuesday, the Malayalam films fetched six recognitions, including two jury mentions.

Actress Kangana Ranaut has been named best actress for her film Queen while Sanchari Vijay bagged the award for best actor for his performance in Kannada movie 'Naanu Avanalla Avalu'.

Kangana portrayed a simple girl named Rani who goes on a honeymoon alone and experiences a journey of self-discovery. The film was lauded by audiences and critics alike.

Chaitanya Tamhane's Marathi film 'Court' was named the National Film Award winner in the best feature film category

Sanchari Vijay

'I didn't know National Award was getting announced today. It came as a big surprise for me and my entire team,' Tamhane told IANS.

Featuring Usha Bane, Vivek Gomber and Pradeep Joshi, the film is about a trial which unfolds in a lower court, where the hopes and dreams of the city's ordinary people play out. Forging these fates are the lawyers and judge, who are observed in their personal lives beyond the theatre of the courtroom.

Sreejith Mukherjee, who directed Bengali movie 'Chathushkon', was named the best director.
The screenplay for Jayaraj's 'Ottal' fetched Joshy Mangalam the award in this category. 'Ottal' also won the award for best film on environment conservation.

Omung Kumar's 'Mary Kom' with actress Priyanka Chopra in lead was named the most popular film providing wholesome entertainment. The biopic on boxer and five-time World Champion M.C. Mary Kom won appreciation from all quarters.

'Ain' directed by Sidharth Siva bagged award for the best Malayalam film while actor Musthafah got special jury mention for his role.

Uthara Unnikrishnan, daughter of playback singer P Unnikrishnan, was chosen the best female playback singer for her song in the movie 'Seivam.' Sukhwinder Singh won the award in male category for 'Haider.'

Gopi Sunder bagged the award for the best background score for the film '1983.'

Vivek Harshan was chosen the best editor for the film 'Jigarthanda.'

Jet crashes in Alps, 148 on board; 'no survivors' expected

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File photo an Airbus 320 of Germanwings

PARIS: A passenger jet carrying 148 people crashed Tuesday in the French Alps. France's president said no survivors were likely as search-and-rescue teams raced to the remote region.

The Germanwings Airbus passenger jet crashed as it traveled from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, French officials said. Eric Ciotti, the head of the regional council in southeast France, said search-and-rescue teams were headed to the crash site at Meolans-Revels.

In a live briefing Tuesday, Hollande said it was probable that a number of the victims are German. He said the area of the crash was remote and it was not clear whether anyone on the ground had been injured by the crash.

'It's a tragedy on our soil,' he said, adding he would be speaking shortly with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Germanwings is a lower-cost unit of Lufthansa, Germany's biggest airline, that has been operating since 2002 — part of traditional national carriers' response from rising European budget carriers. It serves mainly European destinations.

The area where the plane went down is near a popular ski resort.

The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation is sending three people to France to join the investigation, spokesman Germout Freitag said.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, the country's top security official, was headed to the crash site.