Some early visitors at Chennai's Marina beach. (Express photo: Janardhan Koushik)Tamil Nadu Telangana Assembly Elections COVID-19 March 10, 11 Highlights: Tamil Nadu recorded 671 positive cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the state tally to 8,56,917. Among these, Chennai reported 275 positive cases, bringing the city’s total to 2,37,716. The state recorded five deaths on Wednesday, putting the state toll at 12,530. All five had succumbed due to comorbidities. A total of 532 patients were discharged following treatment, taking the total number of recoveries to 8,40,180.
The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Wednesday released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly election. Including the first list which was released a couple of days ago, as many as 27 former ministers have been renominated. The party will contest on its ‘Two leaves’ symbol in 177 constituencies across the state and nine in Chennai.
AIADMK MLA M S R Rajavarman on Thursday switched over to the rival Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam camp, a day after the ruling party did not re-nominate him from his Sattur constituency in southern Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK immediately expelled him from the party for anti-party activities, the party said in a statement.
Rajavaraman, who represented Sattur in Assembly, said he and other office-bearers from his region have joined the AMMK. He accused the ruling party of not giving opportunity to those who slogged for the party. After the Assembly election results in May, he claimed that AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran would "determine who would form the government."
After 'Ehirkottai' S G Subramanian, who was elected on the AIADMK ticket from Sattur was disqualified in 2017 following his support to Dhinakaran, Rajavarman was picked by the ruling party and he won the May 2019 bypoll. However, due to his reported 'differences' with Minister K T Rajenthra Balaji, the AIADMK did not field him again and instead named R K Ravichandran, Virudhunagar east district secretary as its nominee from Sattur segment.
Incidentally, S G Subramanian days ago rejoined the AIADMK after tendering an apology for siding with Dhinakaran about three years ago. (PTI)
President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday emphasised the role of education in moulding students into agents of social change and said educated youth, given the right direction, can bring revolutionary changes in the course of history. Reiterating that education is the catalyst for change and the youth the most potent agent of social transformation, he said "the youth, given the right direction, can bring revolutionary changes in the course of history."
In fact, this is what the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to achieve. "It seeks to implement a modern education system based on research, skill and acumen relevant to the evolving needs of the present," the president said addressing the gathering at the 41st convocation of Anna University in Chennai.
"I am told that more than one lakh candidates at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD levels are receiving degrees today of which about 45 per cent are women," the president said. His "bigger pleasure" was to know that out of total students being conferred with gold medals and first-class degrees today, over 60 per cent are women.
He was also glad to note that this is the first Indian university to design, develop and operate a satellite in association with ISRO named ANUSAT. The president said the NEP would include within its domain the country's rich cultural heritage in consonance with a futuristic outlook. The policy focused on inculcating moral values and promoting understanding of Indian culture.
Exuding confidence that the implementation of this policy would usher in an era of modern learning and education, he said "it will create a brigade of researchers and professionals who would take our country to the great heights of development, as befitting our national aspirations." (PTI)
Owing to engineering work between Sulur Road – Somanur and Coimbatore – Coimbatore North Section and Rebuilding of Bridge No.15 and 17 between Coimbatore and Podanur, the Southern Railway has announced several changes in the pattern of train services.
Partial Cancellation of Trains:
Diversion of Trains:
The following trains will be diverted via Irugur – Podanur Jn, by-passing Coimbatore Jn on March 15 and March 17.
Short Termination of Train:
Change in Origination of Train:
The Southern Railway has announced a partial cancellation of trains operating between Erode and Tiruchchirappalli Fort Section owing to a line block to carry out LUS work.
Train No.06843: Tiruchchirappalli – Palakkad Town Special Train leaving Tiruchchirappalli at 13.00 hrs on March 13 is partially cancelled between Karur and Palakkad Town
Train No.06844: Palakkad Town – Tiruchchirappalli Special Train leaving Palakkad Town at 06.35 hrs on March 19 is partially cancelled between Erode and Tiruchchirappalli
Train No.06843: Tiruchchirappalli – Palakkad Town Special Train leaving Tiruchchirappalli at 13.00 hrs on March 19 is partially cancelled between Tiruchchirappalli and Erode
Train No.06321: Nagercoil - Coimbatore Special Train leaving Nagercoil at 07.35 hrs on March 19 is partially cancelled between Karur and Coimbatore
In view of the sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in Kerala, the Coimbatore district administration has made E-pass and Covid-19 negative certificate mandatory for any passenger coming from the neighbouring state to Tamil Nadu through any mode of travel.
Police, Health and Revenue Departments have set up 13 check-posts at border points in Walayar, Velanthavalam, Anaimalai, Anaikatti, Valparai in Pollachi and across other points in the district.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has also been alerted to check people arriving from trains originating from Kerala at railway stations.
The decision comes after Coimbatore reported a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the past week. Health officials said at least three to five families test positive for the virus every day.
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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami received was administered the COVID-19 vaccine at the Government Super Specialty Hospital in Chennai's Omandurar Estate today.
Actor Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam released the first list of candidates who would be contesting for the assembly election in Tamil Nadu. The list of 70 candidates included former IAS officer Santhosh Babu and late president APJ Abdul Kalam’s scientific advisor V Ponraj.
Addressing the press conference on Thursday, Haasan said his party’s maiden assembly polls battle, is being fought by it on the plank of corruption and good governance. “We don’t have financial strength, but the media should report what other parties don’t have: Honesty,” Haasan said.
Haasan’s MNM signed a poll-pact with actor R Sarathkumar’s All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) and India Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) of Lok Sabha MP Paarivendhar. The senior actor announced that his party will be contesting in 154 of the total 234 seats. Both AISMK and IJK have been allotted 40 seats each.
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With Phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination drive underway in full swing on its second week, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has said that a total of 2,15,035 people have been vaccinated in Chennai till March 10, with 18,814 people vaccinated on Wednesday alone.
Under pressure from political parties and various organisations that have been protesting against the move to privatise the Vizag Steel Plant in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has sought a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urge him to reconsider the decision.
In a letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, the Chief Minister sought an appointment to meet an all-party delegation he wants to take to New Delhi to discuss the issue.
“The CM is very clear that Vizag Steel should not be privatised under any circumstances. He has appealed to the PM for an appointment to meet and discuss directly with political leaders and representatives of trade and workers’ unions. He also wants to discuss other options available to put the steel plant back on track,” said Government Advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy on Wednesday.
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The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Election Commission to ensure that government staff and teachers engaged in election works are provided adequate time to exercise their votes through postal ballot.
The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthil Kumar Ramamurthy gave a direction to this effect, while disposing of a PIL from Dr A Mayavan, founder-president of the Tamil Nadu High and Higher Secondary Schools Graduate Teachers Association.
Observing that the officials engaged in the election work should not be deprived of their democratic right of voting, the judges directed the EC to achieve its motto of 100 per cent polling and keep absenteeism at minimum level.
The petitioner sought a direction to the EC to consider his January 30 representation this year, preferred under Sec. 20A of the Representation of the People Act and issue orders to authorities concerned to facilitate requisite number of polling stations in their respective constituencies at least three days prior to the polling date (April 6). (PTI)
The 44th book fair at Chennai’s YMCA Ground in Nandanam came to an end on Tuesday. Organised every year by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), the fair, which is an extremely popular event in the city, was held from February 24 to March 9 this year.
Speaking to Indianexpress.com, Nagarajan, the vice-president of BAPASI, said that the fair has generated an income of Rs 8 to Rs 12 crore this year.
Over 10 lakh books by 650 publishers were available for sale and there were almost 700 stalls this year. One of the highlights of the book fair has been the daily book recommendations given by actor and MNM leader Kamal Haasan.
Nagarajan said that the Chennai book fair has registered a footfall of only 12 lakh this year, with many people staying away due to the ongoing Covid crisis and fears of a second wave of the pandemic spreading across Tamil Nadu. “Many more people had visited us last year,” the BAPASI vice president said.
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Telangana recorded 194 new COVID-19 cases and three related deaths on Wednesday, taking the total tally of cases to 3,00,536 and the toll to 1,649 respectively, the State government said on Thursday. A total of 1,855 patients were under treatment, it said in a bulletin.
Out of the 194 fresh cases, 35 were reported from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), followed by 16 from Ranga Reddy, and 14 from Medchal Malkajgiri districts.
According to the bulletin, as many as 37,904 samples were tested on Wednesday and cumulatively 90,93,645 samples have been tested. The bulletin said a total of 2,97,032 people had recovered and the recovery rate was 98.83 per cent in the state.
The case fatality rate in the state was 0.54 per cent. (PTI)
A public interest litigation (PIL) petition to transfer the investigation into the case relating to the alleged sexual harassment of a woman IPS officer by a former Special DGP, to the CBI, has been filed in the Madras High Court. The case is being probed by the CB-CID wing of the state police.
When the PIL from K Rajendran, a retired Additional SP in Anna Nagar, came up on Wednesday, the accused complained to the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthil Kumar Ramamurthy that despite the court's earlier restraint order, debates on the issue tarnishing his image, are going on at various levels.
Since a higher official in the cadre of DGP was involved in the case, the investigation by the State CB-CID would not go in the right direction, the petitioner alleged.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks. Earlier, the judges were told by the prosecution counsel that about 50 people were questioned in connection with the woman IPS officer's complaint. (PTI)
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) conducted 237 fever clinics in Chennai on Wednesday. A total of 19,541 people attended the clinics, with swabs collected from 61 people who were identified with ILI symptoms, while others were provided with medication for minor ailments.
The most number of camps were held in Tondiarpet (Zone 4) where 39 camps had been set up, while Manali (Zone 2) had the least with three camps.
DMK president M K Stalin on Wednesday criticised the alleged attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the state's Nandigram assembly constituency, saying it was "an assault on Indian democracy".
Banerjee alleged on Wednesday that she was attacked by four to five men who manhandled her during an election campaign in Nandigram because of which she sustained an injury in the left leg.
"The shameful attack on Mamata Banerjee is an assault on Indian democracy. The perpetrators of such a crime should be brought to justice immediately. Election Commission of India and the police dept should take stringent action to avoid such instances in the future," Stalin tweeted.
The Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly also wished a speedy recovery to the TMC supremo. (PTI)
Tangedco has announced a powercut in parts of Chennai today from 9 am to 2 pm to carry out maintenance work.
Here are the affected areas:
Chennai's Anna University was pulled up by the Madras High Court on Wednesday for allegedly providing 10 per cent reservation, within the 49.5 per cent reservation, to candidates belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) in admission to M Tech Biotechnology and M Tech Computational Technology courses.
"The (earlier) orders passed by this court should be carried out in full and any deviation will attract the consequences. The newly introduced reservation clause has created unnecessary confusion," Justice B Pugalendhi said. The judge made the observation when pleas from two aspiring candidates came up on Wednesday.
The university had suspended the two courses, following the insistence of the Centre that it should adhere to its 49.5 per cent reservation alone and not the 69 per cent quota policy of the Tamil Nadu government in the admission of students to these two courses.
The judge on February 19 had directed the University to admit students to the two courses following the Central government's 49.5 per cent reservation for the current academic year. The case of the petitioners might be considered under this quota, he had added.
The judge also directed the institution to explain by Friday as to why it has introduced the 10 per cent reservation for EWS within the 49.5 per cent reservation. (PTI)
The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Wednesday released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly election. Including the first list which was released a couple of days ago, as many as 27 former ministers have been renominated.
The party will contest on its ‘Two leaves’ symbol in 177 constituencies across the state and nine in Chennai.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (Edappadi), O Pannerselvam (Bodinayakanur), P Thangamani (Kumarapalayam), SP Velumani (Thondamuthur), D Jayakumar (Royapuram), Mafoi Pandiarajan (Avadi), CV Shanmugam (Villupuram) C Vijayabaskar (Viralimalai), KT Rajendra Balaji (Rajapalayam), Saroja (Rasipuram), Sengottaiyan (Gobichettipalayam), Dindigul Srinivasan (Dindugul), Vellamandi Natarajan (Trichy), RB Udhayakumar (Tirumangalam), Sellur Raju (Madurai West), Kadambur Raju (Kovilpatti), Rajendra Balaji (Rajapalayam), KP Anbalagan (Palakodu) are some of the prominent leaders who will be fighting to keep hold of their constituencies.
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Tamil Nadu recorded 671 positive cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the state tally to 8,56,917. Among these, Chennai reported 275 positive cases, bringing the city’s total to 2,37,716. The state recorded five deaths on Wednesday, putting the state toll at 12,530. All five had succumbed due to comorbidities. A total of 532 patients were discharged following treatment, taking the total number of recoveries to 8,40,180.
As of Wednesday, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu is 4207. Till date, 5,17,730 males, 3,39,152 females and 35 transgenders have tested positive for the virus in the state.
According to a bulletin released by the Health and Family Welfare Department of Tamil Nadu, 1,80,20,932 samples from the state have been tested till date, with 65,082 samples having been sent yesterday. There are 257 COVID-19 testing facilities in the state, out of which 69 are government and 188 are private facilities.
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Welcome to the live blog from Chennai and Hyderabad where we bring to you the latest updates on Tamil Nadu elections 2021, COVID-19 vaccination, COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, UK COVID-19 virus in Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and more across Chennai and Hyderabad throughout the day. Follow the blog to stay up to date with the states in real time.