Latest news with #VRamasubramanian
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Faith of citizens more in criminal justice than civil justice administration: NHRC chief
New Delhi, The faith of the common man in this criminal justice system is much more than the administration of civil justice, retired Supreme Court Judge Justice V Ramasubramanian said on Wednesday. Ramasubramanian, who is the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission , was speaking at the launch of the country's first comprehensive criminal law database titled 'The State of the System' by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy at the Constitution Club here, a release said. "As a society, our psyche is tuned to convert all civil cases into criminal cases. As a lawyer, I have seen people who have lent money, who could not get their money back, they used to come to me and tell me that somehow you convert this into a criminal case, so that they get their money back. "Therefore, despite all the pitfalls, you must admit this reality that despite all the pitfalls of the system of administration of criminal justice, the faith of the common man in this criminal justice system is much more than the administration of civil justice. They have more faith in criminal justice," the former apex court judge said. The NHRC chairperson also spoke on the wide-ranging implications of excessive criminalisation from the three perspectives of the citizen's ease of living, the business community's compliance burden and the state's resource allocation. During the event, a panel discussion was also held. "The database documents every act and omission criminalised under 370 Union laws enacted over the last 174 years and spanning 45 subject areas. It aims to empower citizens, researchers and policymakers with a deeper understanding of the scope and extent of criminalisation in the country. It highlights inconsistencies in the prescription of punishments and proposes a principled framework to guide future efforts towards decriminalisation and criminal law-making," the release said.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Fever cases in city drop, but flu and Covid cases still turn up
Chennai: The pandemic ended nearly three years ago, but hospitals in the city continue to report sporadic cases of Covid-19, along with influenza A and other respiratory disorders throughout the year. This indicates that the virus is in circulation, reaching an endemic stage. The number of fever cases in the city has decreased drastically in April compared to March. "We had one of the longest flu seasons in 2024. Fever cases began in August 2024 and continued till March," said infectious diseases expert Dr V Ramasubramanian from Apollo Hospitals. The city has seen a cocktail of viral infections, including common flu, H1N1, Covid-19, and respiratory infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus. "SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, has been circulating since 2020. We continue to see cases throughout the year with occasional peaks," he said. In April, fever cases dropped by more than 50%, but the types of fevers have changed too. For instance, nearly 80% of the fever cases at Apollo Hospitals were influenza B cases compared to less than 20% between August and March. Most hospitals report similar trends. "Throughout, we have been seeing Covid-19 cases," he said. . Most people have similar symptoms with high fever, fatigue and sore throat. Only tests can reveal the type of infection, doctors said. While tests are not done for people with mild symptoms, doctors recommend tests for people with severe symptoms, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, or people with chronic diseases. "The most common panel tests if patients have influenza, RSV, or Covid-19," said infectious diseases expert Dr Subramanian Swaminathan of Gleneagles Healthcity. "Increased tests are also one of the reasons why we see so many cases," he said. Doctors, however, say complications and deaths due to Covid-19 or other viral infections are still low. "Complications and deaths are higher among the elderly and people with chronic conditions. There is no increase in the fatality rate," said director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Study impact of science & tech on human rights: NHRC chair
Trichy: Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) justice V Ramasubramanian exhorted students to study the impact of science and technology on human rights. Delivering the 19th Nani Palkhivala memorial lecture in the School of Law at SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur on Tuesday, Ramasubramanian outlined the somatic and digital rights as the two fourth-generation rights categories influenced by various scientific and technological developments. "The impact of science and technology in the evolving fourth-generation human rights is a subject of study that legal professionals have to focus on," said justice Ramasubramanian. Citing cases from the Federal Court of the USA and Queen's Court in the UK, the NHRC chairperson differentiated the pursuit of truth and justice in science and technology and human rights respectively. Ramasubramamian spoke on the impact of science on the administration of criminal justice and the adverse impact on old rights. He advised the students to approach the subject with nuanced balance and make informed decisions.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Fever cases in city drop, but flu and Covid cases still turn up
Chennai: The pandemic ended nearly three years ago, but hospitals in the city continue to report sporadic cases of Covid-19, along with influenza A and other respiratory disorders throughout the year. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This indicates that the virus is in circulation, reaching an endemic stage. The number of fever cases in the city has decreased drastically in April compared to March. "We had one of the longest flu seasons in 2024. Fever cases began in August 2024 and continued till March," said infectious diseases expert Dr V Ramasubramanian from Apollo Hospitals. The city has seen a cocktail of viral infections, including common flu, H1N1, Covid-19, and respiratory infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus. "SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, has been circulating since 2020. We continue to see cases throughout the year with occasional peaks," he said. In April, fever cases dropped by more than 50%, but the types of fevers have changed too. For instance, nearly 80% of the fever cases at Apollo Hospitals were influenza B cases compared to less than 20% between August and March. Most hospitals report similar trends. "Throughout, we have been seeing Covid-19 cases," he said. . State public health laboratory also reports an increase in influenza B cases. In December, only 23.4% of the fever cases tested positive for influenza B. While 44.2% were H1N1, 9% were RSV, 7.8% were H2N3, and 6.5% were Covid-19. "We continue to see around the same number of Covid cases," a senior public health official said. Most people have similar symptoms with high fever, fatigue and sore throat. Only tests can reveal the type of infection, doctors said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While tests are not done for people with mild symptoms, doctors recommend tests for people with severe symptoms, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, or people with chronic diseases. "The most common panel tests if patients have influenza, RSV, or Covid-19," said infectious diseases expert Dr Subramanian Swaminathan of Gleneagles Healthcity. "Increased tests are also one of the reasons why we see so many cases," he said. Doctors, however, say complications and deaths due to Covid-19 or other viral infections are still low. "Complications and deaths are higher among the elderly and people with chronic conditions. There is no increase in the fatality rate," said director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam.
