M K Stalin said his government has brought budget speific to agriculture for the first time. (Twitter/M K Stalin)Chennai, Tamil Nadu News Highlights May 12: In a tweet, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin requested the Prime Minister to maintain the federal character and diverse nature of his demands laid down earlier.
His demands were: Requirements to maintain social diversity and social justice in the appointment of HC and SC judges in the Memorandum of Procedure; Declare Tamil as the official language of Madras HC and Madurai bench in addition to English and Establish Permanent regional benches of Supreme Court in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, apart from the Constitution Bench in New Delhi.
Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin said the government would take all the measures to obtain share of Cauvery water from Karnataka. He assured that the farmers welfare will be looked after and no industrial ventures will be benefitted off Cauvery Delta region.
Madras High Court rejected a plea to reject a government order refusing the release of Hariharan, currently serving life imprisonment after the murder of AIADMK MLA M K Balan. His mother Sarojini filed the present petition to release him prematurely. But because Hariharan was the mastermind of the crime committed, he was given life sentence. Considering his crime record the high court under Article 161 cannot grant him a premature release and further dismissed the petition.
The Supreme Court has set aside the conviction and 10-year jail term awarded to a man for sexually assaulting his minor niece, noting that they are now married and have kids and the court cannot shut its eyes to the ground reality and disturb their happy family life.
The apex court, which was informed about the custom in Tamil Nadu of the marriage of a girl with her maternal uncle, said considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the conviction and sentence of the man deserve to be set aside.
“This court cannot shut its eyes to the ground reality and disturb the happy family life of the appellant (man) and the prosecutrix. We have been informed about the custom in Tamil Nadu of the marriage of a girl with the maternal uncle,” a bench of Justices L N Rao and B R Gavai said.
“For the aforesaid mentioned reasons, the conviction and sentence of the appellant are set aside in the peculiar facts of the case and shall not be treated as a precedent,” the bench said while disposing of the man's appeal challenging his conviction and punishment.
The top court said in case the man does not take proper care of the woman, she or the State on her behalf can approach the court for modification of this court. (PTI)
The "Ambur Biryani Thiruvizha 2022" aiming for the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the popular delicacy from Ambur , located about 186 km from here, literally ran into rough weather on Thursday with the district administration postponing it citing forecast of rains, amid a row over the non-inclusion of beef as part of the festival.
The Tirupathur district administration on Thursday announced to defer the three-day fest owing to the rains. Ambur is also famous for leather industries providing jobs to several thousands of people. But it is the biryani dished out from this region that is more popular in Tamil Nadu due to its taste. Over 20 varieties of biryani were to have been showcased during the festival organised by the district administration from May 13 - 15.
Announcing the festival has been postponed, Collector Amar Kushwaha said the IMD, Chennai, has forecast thunderstorm with likelihood of heavy rain in Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Tirupathur districts on May 13 and 14. "As a result, the event will not attract the participation of the public. Hence, the Ambur Biryani Thiruvizha 2022 is postponed," the official Twitter handle of the district administration said, quoting him. (PTI)
Co-founder and Executive Director of city-based Kauvery Hospital, Dr Aravindan Selvaraj was elected as the Chairman of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, Tamil Nadu State Council, the industry body said on Thursday.
Lifecell International Pvt Ltd, chairman S Abhaya Kumar, chief executive officer of Southern Ports, Jai Khurana, OPG Power Venture, chairman, Arvind Gupta were appointed as Co-Chairman, respectively at the ASSOCHAM Tamil Nadu State council, a press release said here. On assuming the new responsibility, Selvaraj said he was happy to be part of the century-old association like ASSOCHAM. He also thanked the Executive Board Members for appointing him as the Chairman.
ASSOCHAM South regional director, Uma Shashikumar Nair said Tamil Nadu being the fast-growing states in South India, the ASSOCHAM Tamil Nadu State council would explore the opportunities on core industries under the leadership of Selvaraj. A recipient of Gold medal in orthopedic surgery, Selvaraj had set up Kauvery Hospital in Chennai. (PTI)
In a tweet, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin requested the Prime Minister to maintain the federal character and diverse nature of his demands laid down earlier.
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.
Speaking at the maiden meeting of the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone at the Secretariat here, the Chief Minister said the government would not allow any industrial ventures that would affect agriculture in the delta region. (PTI)
Heroin worth Rs 6.58 crore was seized at the airport here and an Uganda national was arrested in this connection, Customs authorities said here on Thursday. Acting on specific inputs, the officials intercepted the passenger who arrived here on May 8 from Sharjah.
Investigation revealed that the 27-year-old passenger had consumed 80 capsules containing ivory colour powder material, an official release said.
The powder material, found to be heroin weighing 940 grams worth Rs 6.58 crore, was seized from him. The Uganda national was arrested under relevant sections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 and further investigation is on, the release said.
On Tuesday, a woman passenger from Uganda, detained on charges of smuggling drugs in the form of capsules in her stomach at the international airport in Coimbatore, was produced before a court there and sent to judicial custody for 14 days. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday greeted nurses on the occasion of International Nurses Day, and hailed them for rendering their service with "motherly affection."
In a tweet, he also said his government will fulfill their "just" demands.
"Wishing all those nurses making essential contribution in the field of medicine on #InternationalNursesDay," Stalin said. (PTI)
Cement-maker Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd, a subsidiary of Dalmia Bharat Ltd, has chalked out a Rs 2,600-crore investment plan spread over the next four years to take up expansion of its existing facilities and also set up new manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu, a top official said on Thursday.
The company would set up two greenfield grinding units with a capacity of producing two million tonne per annum each, regional director of the cement-maker Sunil Aggarwal said.
"We have identified land in Virudhunagar district. It is a greenfield project. The capacity will be two million tonne per annum. For the second unit, we are looking at south of Chennai...," he told PTI.
To a query, he said the company expects to generate 500 new jobs in Virudhunagar with the setting up of the new unit and it would augment the existing facilities. (PTI)
Noted retail jeweller Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers on Thursday said it has partnered with NFT-Metaverse marketplace provider Akshaya.io, to develop virtual and augmented reality assets for its jewellery designs. According to Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers managing partner Vummidi Amarendra, the partnership with Akshaya.io would help build digital assets and help customers to own their favourite designs as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
As per the agreement, Akshaya.io would also be developing a Metaverse store for Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers to showcase and trade in its jewellery and their original designs as NFTs.
Metaverse is a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and with each other.
A Non-fungible token (NFT) is a digital asset using which one can trade across products. It is non-interchangeable unit of data stored on a blockchain that can be sold or traded.
"VBJ is proud to be associated with Akshaya.io World's first phygital platform, founders of which are early-stage adapters of blockchain technology. Their vision makes me believe, together we would create a platform that would provide an unparalleled experience to our most discerning customers", Amarendra said. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin addressed completion of projects worth over Rs 518 crore. This included parks for disabled children, new bridges, drinking water supply schemes and sewage treatment plants.
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.
According to petitioner A Jaishankar of Tiruvarur, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced in the state Assembly on April 29 during that 40,000 tonne of rice will be provided to the Sri Lanka to help the citizens who are facing acute hardships due to economic crises in that country. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin Thursday writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana with a list of requests including:
The Tirupattur district administration in Tamil Nadu will hold a three-day biryani festival from May 13 to popularise the Ambur biryani, in what is considered to be a first-of-its-kind endeavour by a district administration in the state.
The ‘Ambur Biryani Thiruvizha 2022’ at the Ambur Trade Centre will dish out more than 20 varieties of biryani in over 30 stalls. The entry will be free for the public and they just need to pay for what they buy. On Friday and Saturday, the festival will be open from 5 pm to 9 pm and on Sunday from 1 pm to 9 pm. Read more
The Nilgiris district administration is getting ready for the 124th annual flower show, a major tourist attraction, as part of the summer festival, which would be declared open by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on May 20 at the Botanical Gardens. Work for arranging 5.5 lakh various types of flowers to bloom and to be arranged in 35,000 pots began.
There would be 275 varieties of flower, both from across the country and abroad for the five-day show, official sources said on Wednesday. Since Udhagamandalam, popularly known as Ooty, is celebrating its 200th anniversary, there would be arches of flower and vegetables to attract tourists. (PTI)
More than 100 families near the Buckingham Canal in Raja Annamalai Puram of Chennai are panicking in fear. They have already lost one of their neighbours who set himself on fire in an attempt to stop the state government’s encroachment eviction drive. Meanwhile, women alongside their children are squatting on the Elango Street in Govindasamy Nagar with their belongings by their sides. They are made to witness a mountain of debris that was once their homes where they shared all the happy memories. Janardhan Koushik reports
A Class VI student suffered burn injuries after three boys pushed him into a garbage fire near a cemetery at Kattusiviri village near Tindivanam in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu.
According to the police, the 11-year-old boy, who studies at the government higher secondary school in Kattusiviri, hails from the Irular community and the three other boys, aged between 12 and 13, are Hindus, belonging to the MBC community. The boys who pushed the victim also reside in the same town. Read more
Like other cases of flu, tomato fever is also contagious. “If someone is infected with this flu, they need to be kept in isolation as this could spread rapidly from one person to another,” Dr P Aruna, the deputy director of health services said.
It is essential to prevent children from scratching the blisters caused by the flu. Proper rest and hygiene is also advised. Utensils, clothes and other items used by the infected persons must be sanitised to prevent the flu from spreading.
Fluid intake would also help counteract dehydration. Most importantly, it is important to seek your doctor’s advice if you notice the above-mentioned symptoms. This flu is a self-limiting one and there is no specific drug for this. If someone is infected with this flu, they need to be kept in isolation as this could spread rapidly from one person to another,” Aruna said. Read our story here.
Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy on Wednesday charged the NDA government at the Centre with imposing Hindi in all communications at JIPMER in Puducherry.
Talking to reporters after participating in a demonstration organised by the opposition Congress at JIPMER to protest the “imposition”of Hindi through a circular by the institute`s management, Narayanasamy said Chief Minister N Rangasamy was keeping quiet even as the agitation over the issue was gathering momentum now.
A 39-year-old man was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a minor girl travelling with her parents aboard a Yeshwanthpur-bound train from Kannur on Wednesday, police said. According to the police, the 10-year-old girl, a member of a family of four, raised an alarm when the man allegedly harassed her and the man, later identified as a lorry driver belonging to Coimbatore, was detained by the railway police at Salem.
The accused was sent to Erode where a case against him was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and taken into custody, the police added. (PTI)
Six fishermen stranded on a boat in Gulf of Mannar were rescued on Wednesday by the Coast Guard and the fishing boat and crew were safely brought to Tuticorin, defence authorities said. In a search and rescue operation in the Gulf of Mannar, the Coast Guard ship Abhiraj saved the lives of the six 'from a distressed fishing boat Punitha Anthoniyar,' a defence press release here said.
The boat, along with the crew, was safely brought to the Tuticorin harbour, it added. (PTI)
In the wake of a ‘Tomato flu’ being reported in Kerala, the Coimbatore district administration has beefed up surveillance in the border to prevent the disease from entering the state. A team of revenue, health and police officials have been deployed at the Walayar checkpost located on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border to screen people coming from the neighbouring state.
A team of revenue, health and police officials have been deployed at the Walayar checkpost located on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border to screen people coming from the neighbouring state.
Tamil Nadu recorded 39 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total caseload to 34,54,470, the Health Department said Wednesday. Among those tested positive for the infection, include 17 men and 22 women, a bulletin said. Chennai accounted for the most of the fresh cases with 19, Chengalpet eight, Coimbatore, and Tiruvallur three each. Villupuram recorded two infections, and Tuticorin one, the bulletin said.
Vanakkam Chennai! Welcome to today’s live blog. We bring to you the latest news on Covid-19, politics, features, entertainment, sports, weather, art and culture from across Chennai and Tamil Nadu. Follow our live blog and @ie_chennai to stay up to date with what’s happening in the state.
Six fishermen stranded on a boat in Gulf of Mannar were rescued on Wednesday by the Coast Guard and the fishing boat and crew were safely brought to Tuticorin, defence authorities said here.
In a search and rescue operation in the Gulf of Mannar, the Coast Guard ship Abhiraj saved the lives of the six 'from a distressed fishing boat Punitha Anthoniyar,' a defence press release here said.
The boat, along with the crew, was safely brought to the Tuticorin harbour, it added. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu recorded 39 new COVID-19 cases, including three returnees from New Delhi and Uttarakhand, aggregating to 34,54,470, said the Health Department on Wednesday.
Among those tested positive for the infection, include 17 men and 22 women, a bulletin said.
The overall death toll remained unchanged at 38,025 with nil fatalities being recorded in the last 24 hours.
The recoveries grew to 34,16,006 with 41 more people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, leaving 439 active infections.
Chennai accounted for the most of the fresh cases with 19, Chengalpet eight, Coimbatore, and Tiruvallur three each. Villupuram recorded two infections, and Tuticorin one, the bulletin said.
The State capital leads among districts with 222 active infections and 7,52,005 cases overall.
A total of 14,658 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined to 6,63,40,142 so far, said the bulletin. (PTI)
Eye care provider Dr Agarwal's Health Care has raised funds of Rs 1,050 crore from investment firms - Texas Pacific Group, USA, and Temasek, Singapore, said a top official on Wednesday. The funds would be to help Agarwal's Health Care fuel expansion plan and also pave the way for ADV Partners, the existing investor, to exit.
Agarwal Health Care Ltd aims to double the current network of 105 hospitals to over 200 hospitals in the next three to four years, a press release said. Veda Corporate Advisors and Avendus Capital were the financial advisors to the company for this transaction. According to the eye care provider chairman and professor Amar Agarwal, the fund raised from Temasek was second after it received Rs 270 crore in 2019.
'We are very excited to partner with TPG Growth and Temasek and look forward to the next phase of growth of our company. We have had a great journey with our investor ADV Partners over the past six years,' he said.
'The new investments will be used to expand our Indian and international footprint and deploy latest technologies for super-specialty eye care,' he said. (PTI)
Chemplast Sanmar Ltd, part of the SHL Chemicals Group, was working on debottlenecking of suspension of PVC capacity unit by 10 per cent as the outlook for the company's product portfolio remains 'very positive', a top company official said on Wednesday.
The company, in a statement, declared financial results for the quarter ending March 31, 2022 with profit after tax touching Rs 232 crore as compared to Rs 179 crore registered corresponding quarter previous year.
For the financial year ending March 31, 2022 profit after tax went up to Rs 649 crore as against Rs 310 crore registered year ago. Commenting on the financial performance, Chemplast Sanmar Ltd, Managing Director, Ramkumar Shankar said, "We delivered a very strong fiscal year 2022 marked by an important milestone in our history, our IPO (initial public offering).
Our focus on consistently delivering outstanding operational results, combined with our dedication to strengthen our balance sheet has helped us advance our performance by every passing quarter this (financial) year." Revenues during the quarter under review rose to Rs 1,807 crore from Rs 1,342 crore reported during same period last financial year. (PTI)
Asserting that exports are very crucial to achieve economic growth, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday called upon the captains of industries to step up the exports by about $ 100 billion and meet the government's ambitious target of achieving $ one trillion dollar economy by 2030.
At present, Tamil Nadu's share on the export front stood at $ 26 billion and this should be increased to $ 100 billion by 2030, he said after presenting the FIEO Southern Region Export Excellence Awards here. His government has already initiated several measures to attain the objective, he said at the event held under the aegis of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).
"I had unveiled plans in September last year on export promotion and the government is taking several steps in this direction. To name some, efforts are on to establish a Knowledge City, State Export Promotion Committee, and International Furniture Park," Stalin said.
He gave away the FIEO awards in the presence of Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu and MSME Minister T M Anbarasan. The event saw the participation of top business leaders from various industries and awards were presented in multiple categories, including highest foreign exchange earner (top exporter) in southern region, top five-star exporter in southern region, top four-star exporter in southern region, among others. (PTI)
A committee under MLA K Selva Perunthagai inspected the Perungudi dumpyard today.
Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Tamizhaga Vaazvurimai Katchi leader Velmurugan and other senior officials were present alongside the Congress MLA. It is to be noted that a few weeks ago, the garbage piled up at the Perungudi dump yard had caught fire.
It took more than two days for the civic officials to douse the flame completely.
Tamil Nadu has ramped up surveillance at its borders in the wake of “tomato flu” cases being detected in Kerala. The flu that gets its name because of the red blister it causes, has raised concern in Coimbatore, with a team of officials deployed at the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border screening people coming from the neighbouring state.
Dr P Aruna, the deputy director of health services, Coimbatore, told The Indian Express, “Three teams comprising revenue inspectors, health inspectors and police have been deployed on a shift basis. They will note down if someone has fever and rashes.”
Dr Aruna informed that the flu affects children below five years of age. The symptoms of this flu, also called Tomato fever, include rashes, skin irritation and dehydration. According to several reports, the flu can also cause tiredness, joint pain, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, high fever, and body ache. In some cases, it may also change the colour of the legs and the hands. Read more
M K Stalin thanked the Export Promotion Committee and Federation of Indian Export Organisation for acknowledging and helping state's local products market. Stalin mentioned that he aims at $ 1 trillion economy by 2030.
IT peripherals, lifestyle accessories and consumer electronics brand Zebronics has unveiled an LED projector dubbed ZEB-PixaPlay 11, offering a theatre like experience to customers at home, the city-based company said on Wednesday.
The ZEB-PixaPlay 11 LED projector, priced at Rs 6,299, can project a large screen upto 381 cms in size with visuals elevating the viewing experience, it said in a statement.
It comes with 720p High Definition native resolution and 1080p Full High Definition support providing sharp images, the company claimed in the statement and added that its lightweight design makes it portable.
The 30,000H Lifelong LED lamp ensures consistent performance, providing best video experience and the projector has a built-in speaker. "From the ever successful sound bar range, Zebronics now has one of the largest range of LED projectors in India, which makes your home entertainment larger than life, company Director, Pradeep Doshi said. (PTI)
More than 100 families near the Buckingham Canal in Raja Annamalai Puram of Chennai are panicking in fear. They have already lost one of their neighbours who set himself on fire in an attempt to stop the state government’s encroachment eviction drive.
Meanwhile, women alongside their children are squatting on the Elango Street in Govindasamy Nagar with their belongings by their sides. They are made to witness a mountain of debris that was once their homes where they shared all the happy memories. Read more
In a sexual assault case Erode Mahila Court sentenced an accused seven year long rigorous imprisonment (RI). The prosecution said, that Mohanasundaram helped a woman get a job in 2014 in a private firm. The man had promised a wedding and he sexually assaulted her and raped several times, following this a complaint was filed in police. The court also ordered him to pay compensation amount of Rs 3.05 lakh to the woman.
More than 100 families near the Buckingham Canal in Raja Annamalai Puram of Chennai are panicking in fear. They have already lost one of their neighbours who set himself on fire in an attempt to stop the state government’s encroachment eviction drive. Meanwhile, women alongside their children are squatting on the Elango Street in Govindasamy Nagar with their belongings by their sides. They are made to witness a mountain of debris that was once their homes where they shared all the happy memories. Janardhan Koushik Reports
In the wake of a ‘Tomato flu’ being reported in Kerala, the Coimbatore district administration has beefed up surveillance in the border to prevent the disease from entering the state. A team of revenue, health and police officials have been deployed at the Walayar checkpost located on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border to screen people coming from the neighbouring state.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Dr P Aruna, the deputy director of health services, Coimbatore, said the district has deployed three teams to monitor the border round-the-clock. Read more
A woman air passenger from Uganda, who was detained on charges of smuggling drugs in the form of capsules in her stomach, was on Tuesday produced before a court in Chennai and was sent to judicial custody for 14 days. The prosecution case was that Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) held 33-year-old Sandra Nanteza at the International Airport in Chennai on May 6 after she came from Sharjah. Read more
Puducherry’s Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (Jipmer) was on Monday (May 9) at the centre of controversy, with the DMK, part of the c-led Opposition in the Union Territory, organising a massive protest. The protest was against a recent circular issued by the renowned hospital, insisting that the staff use Hindi in official communications. Over 500 DMK workers, including four MLAs, were arrested in the protest seeking withdrawal of the circular.
A top JIPMER official said at least four circulars, two “Top Priority” circulars among them, issued by the JIPMER Director, Rakesh Aggarwal, provoked some sections. These circulars cited the Official Language Act of the Official Language Policy of the government of India. Arun Janardhanan explains
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin Wednesday met the Chennai police team which solved the double murder case of US-based couple Srikanth (60) and Anuradha (53) who were murdered allegedly by their driver and his friend.
The chief minister lauded the team for their efforts in catching the culprits with the help of the Andhra police.
As a step against spread of the tomato flu in one of the districts of neighbouring Kerala, a medical team is carrying out tests to those entering Coimbatore for fever, rashes and other illness - symptoms of such flu - at Walayar on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. Two medical officers are leading the team to check passengers, particularly children, of all vehicles, official sources said on Tuesday.
Also, a 24-member team has been formed to check the children, aged below five, in anganwadis, the sources said. (PTI)
The outstanding debts of the State power utility Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO) increased to Rs 1,23,895.68 crore by the end of 2019-20 from Rs 81,312 crore in September 2015, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India said on Tuesday.
The debts mounted due to the partial takeover of debt, failure to convert 25 per cent debt into bonds and increase in borrowings for generation project by 87.05 per cent and working capital by 189.88 per cent during five years ending 2019-20, a CAG report said. Read more
The Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted 20 bills on Tuesday including one to revive and further amend the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act, 1998, that has been suspended about two decades ago following which the House was adjourned sine die.
The government has decided to enact the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies (Amendment) Act, 2022, by updating and reviving the 1998 Act, which is under suspension since 2000, to strengthen municipal governance, apart from engaging in a continuous process of transfer of functions, funds and functionaries to the urban local bodies. Read more
For many decades, cinema has been a part of life in Tamil Nadu, a state where people have built temples for actors and elected them to power. The hero-worship culture is deeply rooted in the state; from the legendary MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar to MG Ramachandran to Sivaji Ganesan to Rajinikanth to Kamal Haasan to Vijay, it has continued with generation after generation of actors.
This adulation for superstars, sometimes bordering on fanaticism, has helped a few people other than the actors—people who have been blessed with features similar to those of the celluloid demigods. Janardhan Koushik writes
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan on Tuesday said the Department of GST (goods and services tax) of Central Excise in Puducherry has earned Rs 600 crore this year and this was the first time such revenue has been made in the Union Territory. Flagging off a cycle rally by staff and employees of the Central Excise here highlighting the celebration of the 75th Independence Day, the Lt Governor said over 8,000 enterprises contributed to the GST which, she said, was laudable.
She said Puducherry was marching ahead in every field of developmental activity now and praised the department of GST for its unprecedented collection of revenue. Later, addressing reporters, Soundarararajan said no section of people should launch agitations at hospitals, including JIPMER. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu on Tuesday logged 40 fresh Covid-19 infections, pushing the caseload to 34,54,431 while overall death toll remained unchanged at 38,025 with zero fatalities being recorded in the last 24 hours, the Health department said. Chennai accounted for a majority of new cases with 23, Chengalpet recorded 6, Coimbatore 2, Tiruvallur 2, while Dindigul, Kancheepuram, Krishnagiri, Nagapattinam, Ranipet, Salem, Tiruchirappalli recorded one case each.
The number of people who have recuperated from the viral disease rose to 34,15,965 with 53 more people getting discharged. Tamil Nadu currently has 441 active Covid cases. Among the new cases, 22 are men and 18 women. (PTI)
Crimes against women and children in Tamil Nadu have increased significantly in 2021 in comparison to previous years, shows a data tabled by the state government in the Assembly Monday. The data, tabled during the demand of grants for the Home department, showed a total of 2,421 crimes against women in 2021, including 442 cases of rape, 27 cases of dowry death, 875 cases of cruelty by husband and his relatives and 1,077 cases of molestation. Read more
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday lauded Gleneagles Global Health City (GGHC) after it successfully performed 125 liver transplants under the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (TNCMCHIS) during the last 2 years of the covid-19 pandemic.
The doctors at the hospital were felicitated by Subramanian and Principal Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan, a release from GGHC here said. Subramanian was quoted as saying that it was gratifying to see so many patients, especially children, benefit from the TNCMCHIS. (PTI)
Cyclone Asani, which formed in the Bay of Bengal, brought rainfall to parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, on Tuesday. The overcast skies and cool winds brought much relief from the scorching heat. At 10 am, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai forecast light to moderate rainfall at isolated places over Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and other districts for the next one to three hours.
Taking a firm stand against violence and its prevention, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday said in the Assembly that any attempts to foment trouble on any grounds like politics, religion or caste would be dealt with an iron hand. Stalin said that police personnel have been instructed not to psychologically or physically torture people who are taken to police stations for inquiries, and to follow the guidelines framed by the Supreme Court in this regard.
Vanakkam Chennai! Welcome to today’s live blog. We bring to you the latest news on Covid-19, politics, features, entertainment, sports, weather, art and culture from across Chennai and Tamil Nadu. Follow our live blog and @ie_chennai to stay up to date with what’s happening in the state.