A healthcare worker administers a dose of Covid-19 vaccine to a student, at a school in Chennai, Wednesday. (PTI)Chennai, Tamil Nadu News Live Updates May 13: Tamil Nadu recorded 44 new COVID-19 cases, including two returnees from Goa, pushing the tally to 34,54,556, while the death toll remained unchanged with nil fatalities in the last 24 hours, the Health department said on Friday. Among those tested positive include 25 men and 19 women. Chennai accounted for the majority of new cases with 28, Chengalpet recorded four, Coimbatore, Madurai, reported three each, Tiruchirappalli clocked two, while Kancheepuram, Tirupathur, Tiruvallur and Villupuram recorded one each.
Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy created a flutter after he said those who sell panipuri in Coimbatore speak Hindi. The minister was speaking at the convocation ceremony of the Bharathiyar University. The 37th convocation ceremony of the Bharathiyar University was presided over by Governor R N Ravi, who is also the Chancellor of the University. The event also saw the participation of former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr K Sivan.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin Friday inaugurated a 2.03 km long flyover constructed on Tambaram-Velachery main road covering Medavakkam, Namangalam, Shollinganalur. The flyover was constructed by the highways department to reduce traffic congestion in the Tambaram-Velachery high road.
As India is celebrating 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' and commemorating its freedom fighters for their sacrifices, the country is on a mission to reach optimum growth and development in all fields for betterment of its people, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi said on Friday.
India is now rising with clear vision and determination to achieve more in the golden period of the next 25 years, termed as 'Amrit Kaal', for fulfilling the dreams of freedom fighters who gave their life for the nation, Ravi said in his presidential address at the 37th convocation of Bharathiar University here.
Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is moving forward to become self-reliant (Atma Nirbhar) with the motto of Sabka Saath–Sabka Vikas or inclusive development for all, he noted. (PTI)
National Federation of Indian Women activists staged a protest against the hike in prices of LPG cylinder, in front of the Madurai Collector's office, Friday.
(PTI Photo)
Tamil Nadu recorded 44 new COVID-19 cases, including two returnees from Goa, pushing the tally to 34,54,556, while the death toll remained unchanged with nil fatalities in the last 24 hours, the Health department said on Friday. Among those tested positive include 25 men and 19 women.
Chennai accounted for the majority of new cases with 28, Chengalpet recorded four, Coimbatore, Madurai, reported three each, Tiruchirappalli clocked two, while Kancheepuram, Tirupathur, Tiruvallur and Villupuram recorded one each.
The number of people who have recuperated from the viral disease eclipsed new cases with 58 more people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 34,16,107 leaving 424 active infections, a medical bulletin said. (PTI)
The Madras High Court has directed the Managing Director of Repco Bank and an IAS officer to appear before it on June 17 in connection with a contempt of court case filed against them.
Justice G Jayachandran issued the direction last week (May 5) while allowing a sub-application seeking to re-open a contempt application, closed in 2021. R S Isabella, MD of Repco Bank and Vivek Agarwal, Joint Secretary (Co-op), Central Registrar of Co-operative Societies) are required to appear before the court on June 17.
"This court is prima facie satisfied that there is a deliberate and wilful disobedience of the order passed by this court. Wanton violation of the statutory provision in the bye-law amended," and hence the order to issue statutory notice to Vivek Agarwal and Isabella, the judge said. (PTI)
Gold weighing over three kilograms worth Rs 1.70 crore was seized at the airport here in two different incidents, the Customs department said on Friday.
Based on specific inputs, the department officials, in the first incident intercepted two passengers -- a man and a woman -- who arrived here from Colombo on Friday and recovered 1.596 kg of gold worth Rs 72.63 lakh from them. The gold in paste form was concealed in their respective baggage and the passengers were arrested, an official release said.
In another incident on Thursday, based on an information from CISF personnel, the Customs department officials retrieved an unclaimed bag which was lying at the toilet of the arrival area in international terminal of the airport. (PTI)
The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to constitute within six months, a committee for the purpose of identifying the posts that can be brought under the definition of Deputy Collectors, as done in a 2005 government order. Justice M Govindaraj gave the direction, while disposing of a joint writ petition filed by one P Anandaraj and 97 others, recently.
The judge also said that the government shall consider forming of Tamil Nadu Administrative Service including all the departments connected to the Revenue and General Administration, Implementation of State policies for development in General as has been done by the Kerala Government.
It shall also consider taking steps to treat all the State Level Officers alike and provide equal opportunity to them by making appropriate recommendations to the Central government to bring them into Administrative Service for effective administration. (PTI)
An activist and agriculturist in Poolathur village in Dindigul district has moved the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to punish police officials and the District Revenue Officers (DROs) by imposing compensation on them for the alleged torture meted out by them to him and his family members.
The accused include the local police chief.
In his complaint before the SHRC, A R Gokulakrishnan, son of late V A Ramasamy, a freedom fighter, alleged he was being victimised and subjected to torture as he had exposed various illegal activities in the society and moved the Madras High Court with public interest litigations. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy on Friday asserted that the state government will continue with the two-language formula as its policy, and decried any attempts of alleged Hindi imposition and questioned claims that learning the language will fetch jobs.
Taking a dig at those who insist jobs will be available for those who learn Hindi, the minister asked who are selling 'pani puri' in the city now, an obvious reference to the predominantly Hindi-speaking vendors involved in the trade.
His comments came at the 37th convocation of Bharathiar University here, presided over by state Governor R N Ravi, also the varsity Chancellor, where the minister reiterated the ruling DMK's stand against 'imposition' of Hindi, a claim which Ravi sought to dismiss by saying "there is no question of imposition of Hindi or any other language on anyone." Ponmudy said he used the platform to highlight Tamil Nadu's sentiments over the language issue as the Governor would convey them to the Centre. (PTI)
A 26-year-old man allegedly died by suicide Wednesday by consuming pesticide after recording a video message accusing an officer of the Block Development Office at Tamil Nadu’s Nannilam in Tiruvarur district of demanding a bribe from him to release funds under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
According to the police, the man, identified as Manikandan, had taken money from his friends to buy raw materials to construct his home and was reportedly stressed as the officer was not releasing the money.
Manikandan’s father, Lenin, 48, a mason by profession, registered a complaint Thursday morning and told the police that his wife Latha was chosen as a beneficiary under the PMAY scheme and the family had received two installments of the assistance from the government. Read more
The India Meteorological Department has predicted thunderstorm with light-moderate rainfall in parts of Tamil Nadu including Chennai,Chengalpattu,Kanchipuram,Villupuram,Cuddalore,Thiruvannamalai, Kallakurichy, Ranipet,Vellore, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Nilgiris,Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindugul and Thiruchirapalli districts and Puducherry within next three hours.
A 23-year-old man in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur was arrested Wednesday for abusing his partner using casteist slurs and uploading their private photos on social media without her consent, the police said. According to the police, the accused – identified as Iman Hameeb who had been working in a textile manufacturing unit in Tiruppur – was booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code as well as the IT Act and the SC/ST Act.
In her complaint to the police, the woman had stated that she became friends with Iman through Instagram, the two got into a relationship and later the woman moved in with him in Tiruppur as he promised to get her a job here. After a few days, Iman allegedly forced her to convert to Islam and when the woman resisted, he abused her physically and hurled casteist slurs against the woman and her family, the complaint said. Read more
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin Friday inaugurated a 2.03 km long flyover constructed on Tambaram-Velachery main road covering Medavakkam, Namangalam, Shollinganalur. The flyover was constructed by the highways department to reduce traffic congestion in the Tambaram-Velachery high road.
The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has sought an explanation from the Tirupattur collector for excluding beef and pork biryani stalls at the Ambur Biryani Tiruvizha 2022, a three-day biryani festival which was scheduled to begin Friday but was postponed due to the rains. The festival was originally scheduled from May 13 to May 15 at the Ambur Trade Centre. However, the collector told IndianExpress.com on Thursday, “We are postponing the event due to the forecast of heavy rains. We will hold a meeting later with officials and decide the time and date of the festival.”
Alleging Rs 54 crore estimated loss in the purchase of 40,000 tonne rice to be sent to Sri Lanka in lines with a Tamil Nadu government decision, a PIL petition has been filed in the Madras High Court to scrap the proposal and consequently direct the authorities concerned to take steps to purchase the rice through the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in New Delhi.
When the public interest litigation petition, also praying for a direction to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to conduct an inquiry in to the matter, came up for hearing on Thursday, a vacation bench of Justices G R Swaminathan and Senthil Kumar Ramamurthy posted it after summer vacation, so as to enable the authorities concerned to file their counter-affidavits. Read more
Tamil Nadu Thursday recoreded 42 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total toll to 34,54,512, while the death toll remained unchanged at 38,025 with nil fatalities recorded in the same period, the Health Department said. The number of recoveries grew to 34,16,049 with 43 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, leaving 438 active infections, a bulletin said. Chennai reported 24 fresh cases in the last 24 hours.
Stating that composition of the Supreme Court and high courts should reflect the diverse and pluralistic society of India, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India N V Ramana, urging that Tamil be made the official language of Madras High Court and the HC bench in Madurai.
Discussing several issues regarding functioning of higher judiciary, Stalin wrote that the country is witness to a “declining representation from all sections of the society in higher judiciary, leading to a ‘diversity deficit’”.
Tirupattur Collector Amar Kushwaha on Thursday announced that the ‘Ambur Biryani Tiruvizha 2022’, a three-day biryani festival, which was scheduled to begin Friday, has been postponed owing to the rains. In an earlier announcement, the district administration said that the festival would be conducted for three-days from May 13 to May 15 at the Ambur Trade Centre.
“We are postponing the event due to the forecast of heavy rains. We will hold a meeting later with officials and decide the time and date of the festival,” the collector told indianexpress.com. Read more
The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police in Mayiladuthurai to provide police protection for the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ event at Dharmapuram Aadheenam. A vacation bench of Justices G R Swaminathan and Senthilkumar Ramamurthy gave the direction while disposing of a writ petition.
The PIL petition from city resident Raja Sivaprakasam prayed for a direction to the authorities concerned in Mayiladuthurai to provide adequate protection to the Dharmapuram Aadheenam Math and other Aadheenams in the state. It also prayed for protection for the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ to be conducted by the Dharmapuram Aadheenam on May 22 by preventing the anti-social elements from protesting against the customary and legal actions of the maths. Read more
Five members of a gang that allegedly hurled Molotov cocktails at police at an abandoned petroleum refinery in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district were arrested on Thursday. According to the police, on Wednesday morning, they visited the petroleum refinery at Periyakuppam after being informed that the gang with the support of local villagers had engaged in the theft of scrap materials.
Seeing the police, the gang allegedly hurled Molotov cocktails and fled the spot. A couple of the Molotov cocktails exploded but no one was hurt, according to the police. Read more
Tamil Nadu government will take all possible steps, including legal and political, to obtain its due share of Cauvery water from Karnataka, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday even as he assured to safeguard the interests of the farmers in Tamil Nadu by bettering their prospects and in not allowing industrial ventures in the Cauvery Delta region. He asserted that the pro-farmer initiatives launched by his government ensured a turnaround on the agriculture front, leading to increased acreage under the kuruvai paddy cultivation.