Chennai, Tamil Nadu News June 20 Highlights: Rainfall graces Nandanam, Chennai, bringing some respite from the heat. Express Photo: Nithya
Chennai, Tamil Nadu News June 20 Highlights: Chennai experienced its first rainfall after experiencing 195 days of zero rainfall, bringing some relief to the city that has been ravaged by a heatwave for the past ten days. Areas such as Tambaram, Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), East Coast Road (ECR), Padur, Kelambakkam, Siruseri and Navalur experienced light showers today afternoon. The Tamil Nadu Weatherman has predicted Chennai to expect rains over the next six days.
Tamil Nadu has been put on high alert, with security being stepped up across the State after receiving inputs on a terror module planning to target vital institutions in South India. According to sources, a three-member cell, Abu Alqital, believed to be Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) operatives were active on social media platforms and warned of imminent attacks in India. The group, which often targets establishments such as places of worship, restaurants, malls and other installations posted online about their intention to use Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), vehicles and other arms to carry out attacks.
The Nadigar Sangam Elections, which were scheduled to be held on June 23 were deferred by the Registrar of Societies on Wednesday after several members alleged that they had been removed from the list of eligible voters. Further, the organization said that the elections, which should have been conducted six months after the tenure of the current office bearers ended in October 2018 had been delayed beyond the stipulated deadline.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu News Live Updates: Chennai is staring at an acute crisis having gone 194 days without rainfall, even as the government claims otherwise. Express Photo: Srinivas K
Actor Vishal's plea challenging the decision of the registers of societies deferring the Nadigar Sangam Election on June 23 is likely to be heard tomorrow.
After the recommendation from the Revenue Administration and Disaster Management Board, the Tamil Nadu government has passed an ordinance to appoint 1,000 retired village administrative officers in posts lying vacant across the state. Out of 12,616 VAO positions, 2,896 posts have now fallen vacant. The retired officers would be employed on a temporary basis for the pay of Rs 15,000 per month.
"Due to the formation of a new low depression in the Bay of Bengal, northern districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai may receive rainfall for the next two days", said a forecast from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) today.
Members from the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists' Association held a demonstration today at Valluvarkottam in Chennai to protest against the proposed New Education Policy.
Chennai bid adieu to the heatwave in the city today after receiving slight showers in the afternoon.
Tandgedco announced on Wednesday that power supply to neighbourhoods in Egmore and Irulipattu will be cut on Friday from 9 am to 5 pm to carry out maintenance work. The company said that power would be restored before 5 pm if the work is completed by then.
Avadi in Chennai received a good amount of rainfall today afternoon.
Citizens of Chennai took to Twitter with gusto to herald the brief appearance made by rains in the city today.
Rain-starved Chennai experienced its first monsoon of the year, with rainfall making land in Kelambakkam, Tambaram, Adambakkam, Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), East Coast Road (ECR), Maduravoyal, IIT Madras, Siruseri and Navalur.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras slaked its thirst as rainfall finally made an appearance at the campus in Chennai.
Rainfall along the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) provided some respite from the heatwave today at Chennai.
After areas south of Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) and East Coast Road (ECR), Adambakkam in Chennai received slight showers today.
Navalur, near Chennai experienced a good spell of rain today.
Siruseri in Chennai was one of the first places in Chennai to receive light showers today.
First spells of rain in Poonamallee.
Slight showers in Chennai brought in some respite from the onslaught of a heatwave today.
Parched Chennai finally saw rainfall today after 195 days of zero rains.
Rainfall was also experienced in Ekkatuthangal in Chennai today.
"oh man was waiting for this from a long time some relief, (sic)," tweeted a user.
Chennai saw its first showers of rain today after having experienced no rainfall this summer.
Tamil Nadu Weatherman has predicted rainfall in Chennai for the next six days.
Kelambakkam, Tambaram and southern parts of East Coast Road (ECR) and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) received slight showers.
Giving some respite from the relentless heat, certain areas of Chennai received rainfall today, the first showers to hit the city after 195 days of zero rainfall.
The hospitality industry is also suffering from severe water scarcity in Chennai. Hotel Radisson Blu, situated near Chennai Airport has put out a notice asking its guest to 'save water' as the city is going through a major water crisis. "We have taken to ensure that you stay with all the comforts but request you to use water judicially. We are praying to the almighty for rains and we hope we are answered," the poster read.
Sahitya Akademi awardee, S Mohammed Yoosuf who won the 2018 award for Translation in Tamil language asked the Akademi on Tuesday to change the language of the citation. "Nobody in my family knows how to read Hindi and people who come home to see my name on the award do not know where to fund it since the citation is in Hindi", said Yoosuf, also known as Kulachal Yoosuf in literary circles. Yoosuf asked the Akademi to change the citation to Tamil, who in turn asked the writer to send his request for the same in writing.
Tamilagam Research Foundation will be hosting a talk show, The Life and Times of King Raja Raja Cholan, which will be presented by Padma Bhushan awardee and archaeologist, Dr. Nagaswamy on June 23 at Velachery in Chennai.
About 700 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam workers who were detained on Wednesday after holding protests outside the Coimbatore City Corporation Office were released by the Coimbatore police today. The workers had held protests on Wednesday to demand a solution to the ongoing state-wide water crisis.
On Wednesday, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president Stalin had announced that the DMK will be staging protests against the water crisis from June 22 and urged all district DMK secretaries to initiate the protests which will be held on Monday.
The Southern Railway has partially cancelled local trains from and to Villupuram for constructing the footover bridge at the Vikravandi yard along the Chennai-Villupuram section today. Trains from and to Villupuram will be diverted to Melmaruvathur instead.
Tamil Nadu Governor, Banwarilal Purohit has called for the Tamil Nadu Assembly session summoned at 10 am on June 28. The session is expected to discuss the ongoing water crisis in Tamil Nadu, apart from reviewing the allowances appropriated to each department under the Tamil Nadu State Budget. The session is also expected to consider the No Confidence motion that was passed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) against the incumbent speaker, P Dhanapal.
Anand Bhaskar Collective, the Mumbai-based alternate/fusion rick band will be performing live for the first time in the city today from 8 pm to 11 pm at Bay 146, Chennai. The band will be performing in Chennai as a part of their Shukraguzaar Tour, which was undertaken by the band this year to thank their fans for their unwavering support to Anand Bhaskar Collective.
Tickets for the show can be purchased online by those above the age of 21.
The Madras High Court has directed the Nadigar Sangam to submit all the documents related to the removal of 53 association members by today afternoon. The court had also questioned the Sangam how the unregistered members were allowed to vote in the last election.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy has returned home from Chennai Apollo Hospital today. According to the local media, the Chief Minister visited Apollo Hospital Yesterday evening and underwent a medical examination for stomach pain he had been suffering for a couple of days. Reportedly, the Chief Minister has canceled all the programs scheduled today.
The rank list for the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) 2019 will be released today by the Anna University. As per a release from the Department of Public Relations, the rank list will be on the official website — tneaonline.in. In case of any queries, the students can call 044-22351014 or 044-22351015. The TNEA rank list will be available until June 23. The date for counseling would be announced later.
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Gangster Binu Pappachan (46), who was in hiding after being released on bail last year was arrested for threatening a Chennai-based businessman for protection money at Mangadu, Chennai on Tuesday night. The police, led by the Assisstant Commissioner of Police, Sembedu Babu arrested Pappachan near Mangadu, where he was holed for an extortion bid, following a tip off on Tuesday.
The Chennai Police have been keeping tabs on active criminals in the city for a while now. After receiving information about Pappachan's visit to Red Hills and Mangadu area, they were on high alert. The police then received a complaint from a businessman about the extortion bid, swung into action and traced the gangster. Police nabbed the gangster and his aides while they tried to escape and later produced Pappachan before a magistrate court in Poonamallee, who was remanded to Puzhal prison.
The Southern Railway announced on Tuesday that there would be a change in the pattern of suburban train services due to track maintenance work being carried along the Chennai - Arakonam section at Kadambattur Yard on the Up and Down lines from June 18 to June 25. As per the revised schedule, trains plying along the Down fast line between Tiruvallur to Thiruvalangadu will skip stopping at the Senji Panambakkam station until the maintenance work is over.
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) directed the government on Wednesday to give ?25,000 as compensation to a man who was assaulted and abused by a sub-inspector at the Ponneri police station in Thiruvallur, near Chennai last year. Sub Inspector (SI) Ganesan had assaulted Kumar with a lathi (stick) without any reason on March 24, 2018, when the latter, along with a few residents of his area had gone to the Ponneri police station to complain about an anonymous letter that was sent to a woman.
Based on oral and documentary evidence, the SHRC held that there was a violation of human rights and asked the government to pay ?25,000 to Kumar and recover the same from Ganesan.
The 17th Lok Sabha saw a significant drop in the number of Member of Parliament (MPs) taking oath in English, with most of the MPs taking their oath in their regional languages. Only 54 MPs took oath in English, with a significant shift from English to regional langauges being observed among the MPs from the southern states.
Read Regional languages score over English in Lok Sabha oath
Nine students from Pachaiyappa's College in Chennai were suspended on Wednesday for their participation in the bus day incident following a police enquiry. Five second-year students and four thrid-year students have been barred from entering the college premises without the permission of the principal.
In a video which went viral on socia media over the past two days, students who were seen travelling on the roof of a Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus fell from the bus after the driver applied the brakes to avoid hitting a bike. Kilpauk Police filed a case against the boys, who were later suspended on Wednesday.
Residents of the Kotturpuram Housing Board held a protest along the Gandhi Mandapam Road, Chennai on Wednesday night to protest against the frequent power outages in the area. Traffic was halted for more than 1 km on the stretch that connects Nadanam to Adyar. Police later intervened and promised to ask the Tamil Nadu Electricty Board (TNEB) officials to take action.
The protest comes close on the heels of the protests that were held by the residents of Madipakkam on the Velachery-Tambaram road on Tuesday night. Residents had alleged that power cuts had grown over the past ten days, with power supply being disrupted from 9 pm to 4 am. The residents added that calls to Tangedco in this regard had also gone unanswered.
The Indian Meteorological Department has forecasted that a heat wave will presist in Chennai today, with the maximum temperature expected to rise above 40C, despite cloudy skies covering Chennai. The city and its neighbouring districts have been under the grip of a heat wave for the past ten days, compounding to the current city-wide drought.
The IMD has also predicted the heat wave to subside over the weekend with a weather system developing over the Bay of Bengal. The low-pressue area is expected to change the wind direction to a southwesterly one and lower the temperature in the city. While Chennai will not receive any rainfall over the next few days, the IMD has predicted light showers at Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Theni and Dindigul today.
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