On March 24, 2018, tens of thousands of Thoothukudi residents flooded the streets of this south Indian coastal town demanding immediate closure of Vedanta Sterlite's copper operations. The evening public meeting was charged – slogan shouting children; palpable youth energy; colourful dances. A horribly outnumbered police force stood helplessly, and eventually thankfully, as the three-hour long meeting wound up with poise, dignity and no untoward incident. The wave of opposition, and the intensity of the sentiment on display was not merely against Sterlite, but also against the agents of the state – the district administration, police and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board -- who have done the corporate giant's bidding since the factory was set up in 1998. Many people wrote to me, amazed at how so many people turned up at the public meeting.  The mechanics of the outreach was central to the mobilisation. The influential Merchants Association's call to all their members to down their shutters for a day was the trigger. Artisanal fisherfolk, shank divers, small salt pan manufacturers, the Tuticorin Chamber of Commerce, auto rickshaw unions, mini bus drivers and tea stall vendors quickly joined the call and stayed off work. They called for an immediate halt of the ongoing work to construct a new copper smelter complex in Therku Veerapandiapuram - a suburban locality west of Tuticorin town, and closure of the existing factory. If so many people turned up, it is because the organisers were able to effectively mobilise the simmering public anger. To understand why people are angry, though, one needs to look at Sterlite's chequered history and the state's complicity with a serious polluter. In this story about Thoothukudi's pollution, Sterlite is not the villain in the piece. That dubious distinction is reserved for the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment & Forests, who betrayed the people and failed in their responsibilities as regulators.  Who is Sterlite? Known locally as Sterlite, the 1200 tonne per day, 400,000 tonne per year copper smelter complex is run by Sterlite Copper, a business unit of Vedanta Ltd, which is a subsidiary of London-based metals major Vedanta Resources Plc. Its owner Anil Agarwal has made himself a name as a shrewd and aggressive businessman who made his riches from humble beginnings as a scrap dealer from Bihar. In 2017, his net worth was estimated at $3.3 billion (Rs. 21,485 crores). Vedanta specialises in mining and refining non-ferrous metals – copper, zinc and aluminium. Born into controversy In 1992, Sterlite had been allotted 500 acres of land by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation to set up a 60,000 tonne per annum copper smelter and associated facilities in the coastal district of Ratnagiri. On July 15, 1993, the District Collector of Ratnagiri sent a letter to Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd asking the company to suspend construction work on the planned smelter. A year-long agitation by local people, fearful of the pollution likely to be caused by the smelter, forced the government to appoint a committee which found that such industries would endanger the region's fragile coastal environment. Read this and this. Welcome to Tamil Nadu Within a year, the rejected project had managed to get a foot-hold in Tamil Nadu. On August 1, 1994, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) issued a No Objection Certificate asking the company to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Considering the ecological sensitivity of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere reserve, the NOC carried a condition stipulating that the factory should be located 25 km from the Gulf of Mannar. However, the Ministry of Environment and Forests seems to have issued an Environmental Clearance on January 16, 1995 without even waiting for the EIA. In fact, a Consent to Establish issued by the TNPCB in May 1995 authorising Sterlite to commence construction includes a condition requiring Sterlite to submit a Rapid EIA. This licence too contained the same setback condition about Gulf of Mannar. The setback condition was violated, and the plant was built within 14 km of the Gulf of Mannar. Agitation by Thoothukudi residents was met in fair measure by repression from the police and the district administration.  On October 14, 1996, TNPCB issued the plant a licence to operate, ignoring the violation of its own licence condition on setback from the Gulf of Mannar. The new licence too had conditions, including to develop a greenbelt around 25 metres of the plant and warnings that the licence would be revoked if the factory operations contaminated groundwater or air. Gas Trouble Within months of commissioning the plant, public complaints started pouring in, with the District Administration and TNPCB acting in unison to defend the polluter. On August 20, 1997, staff at Tamil Nadu Electricity Board's sub-station located across the Sterlite factory complained of headache, coughing and choking due to smoke emanating from the plant. On May 5, 1997, women workers at Ramesh Flowers – a dry flowers manufacturing unit near Sterlite – fell sick and many fainted due to a gas leak form Sterlite. The TNPCB gave the company a clean chit. Now, it's illegal In November 1998, acting under directions by the Madras High Court which was hearing a case filed by National Trust for Clean Environment in 1996, the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) submitted a study on Sterlite's pollution. The study found that Sterlite had failed to develop a greenbelt; was producing products it was not authorised to; had contaminated the groundwater with arsenic, lead, selenium, arsenic, aluminium and copper; may have tampered with the online air monitors; had caused gas leaks that hurt people in Ramesh Flowers and the TNEB office; had located itself 14 km from notified islands in the Gulf of Mannar, thereby violating the condition laid out in Consent to Establish. On November 23, 1998, the factory was closed for the first of many times by the Madras High Court. In what was to become a pattern, the factory remained closed only for a few days. Now, it's not On December 1, a week later, the Madras High Court modified its earlier order and allowed the plant to run and asked the Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to conduct yet another study. This was the beginning of a bonanza for NEERI. Between 1999 and 2007, NEERI received Rs. 1.27 crores worth of contracts for various studies, all of which uniformly defended Sterlite's operations and underplayed its impact. After having indicted Sterlite on every count in its November 1998 report, NEERI submitted its second report on February 9, 1999, less than 45 days later that gave the plant a clean chit, with recommendations that the factory must be run at full capacity to conduct a Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment – a study that ought to have been conducted before the factory was set up. The study, which ought to have taken less than a year to complete, was submitted only in July 2003 allowing Sterlite to run at well past its full capacity in the interim. Where the TNPCB had limited production to 70,000 tonnes per annum, Sterlite manufactured 1,75,242 tonnes of copper anode in 2004. Gas trouble continued On March 2, 1999, 11 workers at the All India Radio station near Sterlite complained of distress due to a gas leak and had to be hospitalised. The TNPCB and District Administration once again came to Sterlite's rescue and gave the company a clean chit. Not only that, the TNPCB permitted Sterlite to nearly double its production from 40,000 tonnes per annum to 70,000 tonnes per annum. On January 2, 2001, Tuticorin residents complained to TNPCB about the release of toxic wastewater from Sterlite along with rainwater, following the heavy rains on November 21, November 24 and December 12, 2000. Sterlite's arsenic laced wastewater reportedly flooded the Silverpuram, Meelavittan and Kaluthaikuttan tanks. Fait Accompli On September 21, 2004, a Supreme Court Monitoring Committee (SCMC) team inspected Sterlite. The team found Sterlite's housekeeping to be shoddy and recommended that environmental clearance for the company's proposed expansion from 391 to 900 tonnes per day (300,000 tonnes per annum) should not be given. It also found that a number of plants that were listed as part of the proposed expansion had already been built. The Committee directed the Pollution Control Board to inspect and take suitable action under the various environmental laws if the company had indeed constructed production units without licences. On September 22, 2004, within a day of the Committee's inspection, the Ministry of Environment & Forests issued an environmental clearance to Sterlite for plants it had already begun to construct.  On November 16, 2004, TNPCB submitted its report. It confirmed that the company was engaged in unlicenced production. It had manufactured 1,64,236 tonnes that year against a permitted capacity of 70,000 tonnes. It found that an entire factory complex consisting of copper smelter, refinery, sulphuric acid plant, phosphoric acid plant, converters and continuous cast rod plants were in varying stages of completion. The Sulphuric Acid plant had been completed in August 2004 well before the Environment Clearance was issued and commissioned in October. None of these plants had any construction licence from the TNPCB. Law makers, law breakers By law, a plant that has been constructed illegally without a Consent to Establish from the TNPCB cannot be given licence to operate. However, Sterlite appears to have “convinced” the authorities to the contrary. On April 7, 2005, Dr. Indrani Chandrasekaran of the MoEF wrote to TNPCB directing it to issue a licence for Sterlite's expanded capacity. The SCMC too appears to have been compromised, as Dr. Chandrasekaran's letter states that “Chairman, SCMC, has desired that TNPCB may now decide regarding granting of consent for expansion to M/s Sterlite. . .” The MoEF and SCMC put their necks out (knowing fully well they will not be held to account) to direct TNPCB to break the law and authorise an illegally constructed factory to begin production. In 2008, the company further expanded its production by milking its 900 tonne per day plant to yield 1,200 tonnes of copper daily. With every increase in production, the corresponding pollution will increase. The new factory's operations too were chequered as evidenced by the half-hearted and reluctant notices issued by TNPCB asking the company to show cause why it should not be shut down for violation of licence conditions or for pollution. On September 28, 2010, in the 1996 case filed by National Trust for Clean Environment, V Gopalasamy and others, the Madras High Court ordered the closure of Sterlite's factory citing violations of law and for polluting the environment.  Like before, the closure was short-lived. On October 1 (three days after the closure order), the Supreme Court rewarded Sterlite by staying the closure order of the Madras High Court. Sterlite was able to continue with its unlicenced production with relief from the Supreme Court. Between October 2010 and April 2013 when the Court delivered its verdict, three workers were killed and several injured in eight hazardous incidents. (See Table below). Gas Trouble Continued On March 23, 2013, Thoothukudi town experienced a massive gas leak with people reporting suffocation, coughing, eye irritation, miscarriages and severe discomfort. TNPCB in its characteristic style fiddled while Thoothukudi choked. On March 29, 2013, a closure order was given citing violation of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. Sterlite denied any wrongdoing alleging that toxic gases could have come from any of the numerous other hazardous industries like SPIC, TAC, Kilburn or Tuticorin Thermal. On March 23, 2013, the air pollution measuring equipment on the chimney of Sterlite's Sulphuric Acid Plant – I recorded levels of sulphur dioxide nearly three times the permissible limits. Around the time of the gas leak (2.15 a.m. to 2.45 a.m.) and the time when people experienced the effects (between 7 and 9 a.m.), the wind was blowing from West Northwest to East South East, according to Meteorological data. Around the same time, the wind speed was 1.22 km/hour. The source of the toxic gases of March 23 would have had to be located Northwest of town. The only industries in the Northwest of town are located in SIPCOT, Milavittan, where Sterlite is located. In fact, Sterlite is located around 6 km Northwest of Tuticorin town centre. At prevailing wind speed and direction, gases leaked from Sterlite or any SIPCOT industry at 2.30 will reach the centre of Tuticorin town by around 7.30 a.m. This closure lasted longer than the other earlier shutdowns, but was eventually revoked after TNPCB “failed” to establish beyond reasonable doubt that Sterlite was the cause of the gas leak. Supreme Court's final blow Meanwhile, on April 2, 2013, the Supreme Court delivered a severe indictment that was illogically followed by a sentencing that appeared to reward Sterlite. The apex court agreed with all allegations made by petitioners and the people of Thoothukudi, but refused to shut down the company. The Supreme Court argued that: “The plant of the appellants contributes substantially to the copper production in India and copper is used in defence, electricity, automobile, construction and infrastructure etc. The plant of the appellants has about 1,300 employees and it also provides employment to large number of people through contractors. . .” It ordered the company to pay a fine of Rs. 100 crores expecting that amount to be a sufficient deterrent. Despite the disappointing and shallow conclusion of the judgement, the indictments are unequivocal and worth reproducing: About pollution: “The NEERI reports of 1998, 1999, 2003 and 2005 show that the plant of the appellant did pollute the environment through emissions which did not conform to the standards laid down by the TNPCB under the  Air Act and through discharge of effluent which did not conform to the standards laid down by the TNPCB under the Water Act . . . Unlicenced Operation “As pointed out by Mr. V. Gopalsamy and Mr. Prakash, on account of some of these deficiencies, TNPCB also did not renew the consent to operate for some periods and yet the appellants continued to operate its plant without such renewal. Penalty “For such damages caused to the environment from 1997 to 2012 and for operating the plant without a valid renewal for a fairly long period, the appellant-company obviously is liable to compensate by paying damages. . . “Considering the magnitude, capacity and prosperity of the appellant-company, we are of the view that the appellant-company should be held liable for a compensation of Rs. 100 crores for having polluted the environment in the vicinity of its plant and for having operated the plant without a renewal of the consents by the TNPCB for a fairly long period and according to us, any less amount, would not have the desired deterrent effect on the appellant-company. The aforesaid amount will be deposited with the Collector of Thoothukudi District, who will invest it in a Fixed Deposit with a Nationalised Bank for a period of five years. The interest therefrom will be spent for improving the environment, including water and soil, of the vicinity of the plant after consultation with TNPCB and approval of the Secretary, Environment, Government of Tamil Nadu. . . Misrepresentation of Facts “We now come to the submission of Mr. Prakash that we should not grant relief to the appellants because of misrepresentation and suppression of material facts made in the special leave petition that the appellants have always been running their plant with statutory consents and approvals and misrepresentation and suppression of material facts made in the special leave petition that the plant was closed at the time the special leave petition was moved and a stay order was obtained from this Court on 01.10.2010. There is no doubt that there has been misrepresentation and suppression of material facts made in the special leave petition but to decline relief to the appellants in this case would mean closure of the plant of the appellants.”   The Supreme Court order sought to be done with the decades of pollution and health problems faced by the residents of Thoothukudi, with Rs. 100 crores deposited by Sterlite with the District Collector. Till date, Sterlite's victims have not been sent even one paisa of benefit from these funds. Copper smelters the world over are highly polluting. Arsenic, lead, iron, sulphur dioxide and acid gases result in widespread pollution of water and of air with toxic dust particles. Thoothukudi is already a toxic hotspot with a high concentration of polluting and hazardous industries. It is quite likely that the city is already well beyond its environmental carrying capacity. Already, anecdotal reports from local people suggest that Thoothukudi is fast becoming the cancer capital of Tamil Nadu.  But rather than take steps to mitigate existing pollution, state and district authorities continue to burden Thoothukudi with more and more polluting industries. Sterlite is currently constructing a new 1,200 tonne per day copper smelter. The large, hazardous Red Category plant is coming up within 200 metres of a residential area called Kumareddiyapuram in lands classified as “Dry Agricultural” in the approved village area masterplan of Thoothukudi. This is illegal. But the district administration which is supposed to enforce the master plan has used the police to threaten and jail villagers who pointed this out. In the event of an untoward incident, lives can be lost. In Kurangani, the government went on a witch-hunt of low-ranking forest officials and bona fide trek organisers charging them with “culpable homicide not amounting to murder.” This charge, which was invoked in the Bhopal gas tragedy applies to acts of omission or commission where the actor takes a decision knowing fully well that the necessary precautions for averting harm are not in place. Locating a hazardous copper smelter next to a residential locality is a recipe for certain disaster. As and when people of Kumareddiapuram die either due to routine pollution or a hazardous incident, will the officials currently sanctioning the project and the chief minister volunteer to face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder? The Environmental Clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change was issued on January 1, 2009 by-passing the mandatory public hearing, and Consent to Establish from the TNPCB was obtained in 2017. If this factory is constructed, it will take total production capacity of copper to 800,000 tonnes per year. That will make Sterlite's smelter complex the world's largest smelter complex to come up in an urban centre. These clearances too have been obtained and given on the basis of false information and misrepresentation of facts. More about this next week. MoEF, Sterlite, TNPCB, the District Administration, the Police have all abandoned the people and are with Sterlite. The people of Thoothukudi have to fend for themselves and that is why they came in large numbers when an opportunity presented itself. List of Hazardous Incidents involving death or injury of workers and non-workers Date Incident Dead/Injured 18.9.2010 During night shift, Muthukrishnan, a young acid tanker driver of Uthumalai village, and belonging to Abirami Transport, fell unconcious after being exposed to sulphuric acid fumes. On 13 October, he succumbed to intense burn injuries incurred during the accident. According to one version, he was climbing atop the tanker to see the level of acid in the tanker, when he slipped and fell on a pool of acid. In another, he is said to have slipped on a pool of acid and burnt himself and lost consciousness. In a third version, he is said to have opened the release valve and released more acid than he meant to, and fell unconscious after inhaling the fumes. He was not discovered for 1.5 hours, while a Sterlite employee in-charge slept inside in an a/c cabin.   An FIR was registered, and a case is said to have been filed against Sulphuric Acid Plant in-charge Sankaranarayanan. 1 dead 19.9.2010 One North Indian boy lost sight in both eyes after exposure to acid. No further details were available. According to villagers, incidents involving North Indians are hushed up by authorities with ease in the absence of any family to create a scene on their behalf. 1 injured September 2010 One North Indian worker, residing at Therku Veerapandiapuram, was severely injured, requiring 9 stitches running from his stomach updwards. 1 injured Sometime between May to June 2010 During annual shutdown, a pumphouse was being hurriedly constructed in the Sulphuric Acid plant to ensure completion before commencement of operations post-shutdown. Because of the shoddy nature of construction, the pumphouse collapsed on a North Indian employee (Staff), crushing him to death. 1 dead 14.1.2010 An accident in the smelter cast wheel area left one mechanic (contract labour) with a serious injury crushing his left ankle downwards. A forklift, operated by Muthuvel, ran over Govindan's left ankle. Muthuvel was fired immediately. However, workers say that it is very difficult to drive safely considering the congested space, with less than permissible clearances on the pathway to be used by forklifts, and the high density of worker movement in the area, and the punishing time pressures to load and unload material.  Forklifts require about 6 feet of clearance on either side, and less than 3 ft is available. Further, the high speeds required, and the heavy loads carried make braking ineffective and even dangerous when the paths are made slippery with water and slush. 1 injured Around October-November 2009 One worker was crushed under the wheels of a tipper truck near Material Gate No. 2. It was after this incident that the transport section gate and worker entry gates were separated. 1 dead 04.06.08 Balakrishnan, 27, married with child, lived in Pandarampatti. He was involved in cleaning a chimney's uptake in the smelter converter area. As per safety rules, cleaning must be begun at the topmost manhole, with the cleaners accessing progressively lower manholes keeping the bottom manhole for the last. It was a one-day shutdown, the management was keen to get the cleaning done soon. So, the unit-in-charge managers Rajaraman and Manohar asked Balakrishnan to begin work at the bottom manhole. When Balakrishnan put his head and right hand in to peer into the manhole, a several ton heavy load of copper and smelter dust slid down from the top of the chimney decapitating him, cutting off his right hand and causing his death on the spot. His head was never recovered. His widow gets Rs. 4500 as ESI pension now, and the child is studying. 1 dead Around 2007 Cleaner of a tipper was found dead at the bottom of a load of copper concentrate. He was discovered during unloading in Sterlite. Without knowing that he was sleeping in the wagon of the tipper, the loading had commenced in Port Trust. 1 dead Around April 2007 A cleaner sleeping beneath a lorry was crushed when the lorry went over him near the PAP Gypsum pond. 1 dead June 2008 One lorry cleaner was crushed to death when he got down at the weighbridge to get his chit. The lorry moved over him, killing him on the spot. There is a constant rush, giving trucks on weighbridges no time to wait. Trucks keep coming, one worker said. 1 dead May 2008 Murugesan, Teresepuram, lost a hand in a conveyor in the smelter area. This kind of accident too is routine. The worker was unclogging a “choke” in the conveyor belt. The belt was started even without waiting for his go-ahead or alerting him. 1 injured 2009 One staff working in PAP was crushed between two conveyor belts when he was standing on the conveyor doing maintenance work. The belt was started without his knowledge. 1 dead March 2009 During the monthly shutdown, a staff, from Tanjore was working near the cooling tower, when a pump house and the cooling tower collapsed and fell on his head 1 dead May 2009 In 2009, the yearly shutdown was only for 15 days. Brick-laying work was in progress in the ISA Boiler. One north Indian boy was inside when the bricks collapsed and he was crushed to death. 1 dead 1997 Natarajan, 45, a worker, and Pandi, a staff from Tirunelveli, were charred to the bone when dust from the ESP filter fell down the chimney throwing hot glowing embers out of the  bottom. Two other contract workers, Balaguru and Madasamy, from Therku Veerapandiapuram who were standing nearby still bear the burn marks on the forearms. 2 dead, 2 injured 1998 (May???) A month after a major accident involving an explosion where a 40-ton lid was blown out and flung by the impact killing 2 workers and injuring four, a contract worker with Thomson contractor was killed while doing some welding work. He was standing atop a platform overlooking an oil tank. Welding ought not to have begun before the oil tank was shut. Sparks that fell on the oil ignited it causing a fire ball that burnt the worker. 2 dead; 4 injured  Date Incident Number Dead/Injured 8.3.2013 Amalan, 30, sustained serious injuries after an electrical fire broke out at Motor Control Room of Phosphoric Acid Plant. 1 injured 18.3.2013 Swaminathan, 50, killed after falling into Phosphoric Acid tank. Due to the poor light conditions, the worker tripped on the scaffolding and fell 15 metres into an open and empty tank. 1 dead 23.3.2013 Massive gas leak, suspected to be Sulphur dioxide or trioxide, causes suffocation and panic around the Sterlite Copper plant. One Sterlite contract worker, Shailesh Mahadev, 35, reportedly succumbed to exposure to the gas. 1 dead; several injured 23.8.2011 One North Indian worker, sourced by labour contractor Lohit, and employed by Mahesh Engineering was injured while working in the Phosphoric Acid Plant. Workers, who said very little information was available about his condition and what actually happened. He is reported to have had 5 stitches.  1 injured 17.8.2011 A white gas (suspected to be Sulphur Dioxide) escaped for about 45 minutes at ground level throwing a scare among Sterlite workers, after a power outage caused a shutdown of the Copper smelter and sulphuric acid plant at around 10 a.m. today (17 August, 2011). The wind was blowing from East to West and carried the smoke away from the highway and the Milavittan village.  13.8.2011 Thangapandi, a 32-year old contract worker, engaged by OEG Ltd to work in Sterlite's copper smelter factory sustained first degree burns due to an electrical accident. Thangapandi is a resident of Pandarampatti. 1 injured 31.5.2011 Amalanathan, a 28-year old crane maintenance mechanic, was electrocuted and killed in Vedanta-subsidiary Sterlite Copper's premises today. According to workers, Amalanathan died on the spot at around 11.30 a.m. As of 3.30 p.m., the police had not yet registered a First Information Report. According to a Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) party worker, it was only after the communist unions and MDMK intervened by staging a road blockade did the Police even enter the scene. Amalanathan, who was married barely 3 months ago, is a resident of a locality called 3rd Mile, near Sterlite. 1 dead 3.3.2011 Ratheesh, a young contract employee from Sterlite, sustained 30 to 35 percent burn injuries on chest and hand. He was admitted to Apollo Hospital, Madurai, and underwent treatment until 24.3.2011. Inpatient Number: 205688. Referred by Dr. Vanitha Stephen, Tuticorin. 1 injured  Source: Based on interviews by Nityanand Jayaraman with current and ex-workers of SIIL. (Nityanand is a writer and social activist and has been documenting Sterlite's environmental crimes for over a decade.) (The views expressed by the author are personal.) 

In what has long been an open secret in the state, Sasikala’s niece has reportedly told the Arumughasamy Commission that her aunt wielded significant influence in both the government and the party till December 2011, according to The Hindu that first broke the story. Quoting sources, the newspaper states that Krishnapriya deposed before the commission on January 2. She reportedly said that Sasikala, who was former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s close aide for over three decades, even had a say in the appointment of top bureaucrats. The deposition, made under oath, reportedly read, “In (government) administration, the transfers of officials, right from Collectors to top officials in the Secretariat, and even those in the police department, were carried out on her direct supervision. Only the trusted lieutenants of Sasikala were appointed as secretaries to the Chief Minister and they were handpicked by her.” Krishnapriya is the daughter of Sasikala’s brother Jayaraman and his wife Ilavarasi. Sasikala and Ilavarasi are currently lodged at the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bangalore on account of their conviction in the Disproportionate Assets case in February 2017. Sasikala and her close family members were long known to have been part of every level of government and exercising their influence thanks to Sasikala’s proximity to the late chief minister. Krishnapriya also reportedly stated that up until 2011, when Sasikala was briefly ousted from Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence, she had a huge influence on the party as well. It is reported that Sasikala was involved at every level from selecting candidates for polls to taking disciplinary action on errant party cadre. In another shocking revelation earlier this week, the Chairman of Apollo Hospitals where Jayalalithaa was receiving treatment prior to her death, said that all CCTVs on Jayalalithaa’s floor were switched off. He said, “Unfortunately, we switched off the CCTVs because we didn't want everyone to watch the treatment being given to her.” The one man Arumughasamy Commission was set up last September to probe the circumstances surrounding the hospitalisation and subsequent death of Jayalalithaa. 

Greenpeace has calculated that India now lost 1.2 million lives in 2015 to air pollution. Between 2010 and 2015, it is estimated that the air pollution in India rose by 13%. Another 2017 report states that India, along with Bangladesh, has seen the steepest increase in air pollution levels since 2010. As Mint has reported here, the Global Burden of Disease report, which analysed 25 years of data, estimated that China and India suffered 52% of the 4.2 million deaths which occurred due to PM25 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micron). However, in popular public discourse, the burden of India’s worsening air pollution levels has been shouldered by one city: Delhi. What about other cities in India? The News Minute intends to give its readers regular updates on the quality of air in other cities of the country, and we are starting with Chennai. With the help of Huma Lung Foundation, and data from Central Pollution Control Board, we will provide you with regular air quality updates and health advisories. (Source of Data: National Air Quality Index Health Advisories From Huma Lung Foundation) Here are the latest updates of the Air Quality Index (PM2.5) from different locations in Chennai: Update Time: 11am, March 26 Location: Alandur Bus Depot AQI: 65 (Unhealthy) Location: IIT Madras AQI: 73 (Unhealthy) Location: Manali AQI: 164 (Hazardous)  

Rajya Sabha MP Sasikala Pushpa got married to Dr B Ramaswamy on Monday morning in violation of a court order staying the marriage. The wedding will be considered as contempt of court. On Friday, the Family Court in Madurai had stayed their wedding as Ramaswamy’s earlier marriage was still legally valid. The Madurai court intervened on the basis of a complaint filed by one Sathyapriya, 34, who had alleged that she hadn’t yet officially divorced Ramaswamy. Establishing that the marriage between Sathyapriya and Ramaswamy was valid, the court stated, “This court upon consideration of these circumstances finds that the petitioner has prima facie established the subsistence of a valid marriage and if at all the respondent wants to have another marriage, he has to seek a valid relief before the court of law and then also contract another marriage. Hence, under these circumstances, this court feels that it would be just and reasonable to stay the contract of marriage if any by the respondent with any other lady till the disposal of the main HMOP.” In addition to the stay, the court had also directed Ramaswamy to ‘seek a valid relief before the court of law’ for ending his current marriage in order to get another. According to the wedding invite, the event was to take place on Monday for a close circle of friends and family at the Lalit Hotel in New Delhi. Speaking to TNM on Friday, Sathyapriya’s counsel said, “The judgement copy has stayed the marriage. It is enforceable from the time the order was pronounced. Beyond this, if they conduct a marriage, then it is contempt of court.” On March 19, Sathyapriya had written to the Madurai district collector asking for a mercy killing in the event that her husband is returned to her. In her letter to the Collector, Sathyapriya said that while their marriage had been fixed through a broker, things took a turn for the worse for the married couple when she informed him about the birth of their girl child. “Up until the child was born, we were talking happily on the phone. As soon as I had a girl child, he stopped talking to me. When I was able to contact him again, I told him we have a girl child and he said, I don’t want you or the girl child,” she wrote. Also read: TN court stays Sasikala Pushpa’s wedding, says her fiancé’s previous marriage still valid

Noted music composer Ilaiyaraaja has kicked up a storm with his comments citing a documentary that dismissed the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 35 members of the Sirupanmai Makkal Nala Katchi were detained on Sunday by the Pondy Bazaar police after they tried to protest outside Illayaraaja's house in Chennai, The Hindu reported. In his speech, Ilaiyaraaja spoke about a YouTube documentary which stated that Jesus Christ had not been resurrected. "Then he went on to claim that true resurrection took place for Ramana Maharshi at the age of 16 and also explained how it happened," a police officer told the publication. While it is not clear yet at which event Ilaiyaraaja made the comments, a video of his talk has been doing the rounds on social media. The composer can be seen talking about the saint Ramana Maharshi and goes on to compare him with Jesus Christ. He then refers to a YouTube documentary which said that the resurrection of Chirst had not taken place."This is a song I wrote about Bhagwan Ramana. After writing this song, I never thought of writing another song. Don't think this is unrelated. Of all the enlightened thinkers who have appeared on earth, there is none like Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi. They say of Jesus Christ that after he died there was a resurrection and he came back to life. I usually watch YouTube documentaries when I get the time. Now they are saying there was no resurrection. They have produced all the proofs possible and they are saying that he did not come back to life. The foundation on which Christianity is built and the basis on which Christianity has grown for over 2,000 years- they have correctly proven historically on YouTube that it has not happened," he said."Whether that happened or not, the one and only person who has truly experienced resurrection is Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi. That too, when he was a 16-year-old boy. He was overcome with the fear of death. He wanted to see what death will do to his body. He decided to lie down on the ground, hold his breath and his blood flow stopped. His heart stopped and his body became cold. He died. It's his own statement that he died. His body froze and even though his body froze one unknown is seen. He went to that state of realization," he added. During the talk, Ilaiyaraaja however mentioned that his views regarding this were not related to the event.  (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.12'; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); வழக்கம்போல ஸ்டாலின், சீமான், கமலஹாசன், எஸ்ரா சற்குனம், எல்லாம் பொங்குவார்கள் ! Posted by Namhindu - நாம் இந்து on Thursday, 22 March 2018 The Sirupanmai Makkal Nala Katchi undertook a protest outside his house in T Nagar. One member of the party said, "He has to be arrested. He is inciting religious violence. That's our demand. He has insulted our religion. Instead of arresting him, the police is arresting us."

When forest officials in Chennai first brought a severely injured juvenile olive ridley turtle to the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary in February, volunteers were highly skeptical of its chances of survival. Spotted first near Ennore, locals who identified the endangered species immediately alerted forest officials. The sighting of a juvenile turtle is considered extremely rare even amongst conservationists. Infact, the adolescence period of a turtle is said to be its 'lost years' as it is hard to track it down during this time.  When this particular turtle which was injured by a fishing net washed up to the shore, forest officials knew they had to act fast. They could have taken it to the zoo where experts and infrastructure to treat wildlife were already in place. However, to give this turtle a chance to survive, they had to keep it close to the sea as it had to be placed in salt water constantly. And that is how it made its way to the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary where the Forest Department and volunteers from the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN) monitored its progress."When it was first brought to the dispensary, there was a lot of muscle loss in its flipper. The turtle's left flipper had been entangled in a piece of fishing net and had a deep cut. It was only 20-25% functional. We were skeptical about its survival," says Shravan Krishnan who volunteers with SSTCN. Estimating the baby turtle to be between 3-5 years old, Shravan said "We had worked with adult olive ridleys but this was the first time we were helping rehabilitate a juvenile turtle."   A wildlife veterinarian stitched up the flipper, but ensuring that the turtle made a full recovery was important. The team consulted experts in Maldives who have been studying sea turtles to understand the conditions it had to be kept under.  "It was a lot of work," says Shravan. "We had to constantly monitor its weight, lift buckets of sea water which had to be changed twice a day. We fed the turtle only fish and prawns," he explains. The turtle was kept in a tank and constantly monitored by the forest department as well. A week ago, the team decided to check if it can be released into the sea again. They took the turtle to Kovalam where they observed the functionality of its flipper. "We were really happy. We placed it in five feet of water and it swam over 100 metres. It is important that the turtle be able to dive, which it did. One of our concerns was that it would lose its instincts if we kept in the dispensary for too long," says Shravan. Satisfied by its progress, volunteers and the forest department decided it was time to send the baby turtle back to where it belongs. But for this, they had to first convince local fishermen to take the juvenile turtle with them to sea."Fishermen are scared to take turtles on their boat because it is considered an ill omen. But several members of the community from Urur Kuppam work closely with us in our conservation efforts, so they agreed to take the turtle," said Shravan. "So we took it out to sea and released it. It swam without any problem. " 

A farmer attempted suicide by dousing himself in petrol outside the District Collector’s office in Korampallam, Thoothukudi, on Monday. The farmer, Kanakaraj, decided to take the extreme step since his tractor had been taken away by a finance company he had taken a loan from. Speaking to media persons, he said, “We took a loan and bought a vehicle. But they didn’t give any document for that. They kept saying they will send the document, but they never did. After that, I did an RD through the bank. I have those documents with me.” In his complaint to the Collector, Kanakaraj stated, “I have paid an advance of Rs 3,00,000. I was not given any receipt for this. I was not told anything about the loan. They only asked me pay a monthly sum of Rs 45,000. In addition to this, once in three months from the date I bought the vehicle, I have been paying Rs 15,000.” Kanakaraj went on to say that on March 23, at 10 am, the finance company took away his tractor without his knowledge. “I have been paying my dues correctly. Only one more payment is due from me. For that one payment, without informing anything me, they have taken my tractor and revolving pipe. I have faced a loss of Rs 5,00,00 because of this.” Kanakaraj also asked that action be taken on those who took his tractor away. The farmer also alleged that the finance company was asking him for more money and he was unable to pay it. Kanakaraj was at the District Collector’s office to submit the petition asking for his tractor to be returned to him so he could do his work. However, he suddenly took out a bottle he had kept with him and doused himself in petrol. The police officials on duty at the District Collector’s office stopped him and threw water on Kanakaraj. A police official there assured him that appropriate action will be taken.

A fire broke out at Chennai’s Citi Centre Mall, located on Dr Radhakrishnan Salai on Monday. The fire, which was reported around 11.45 am, was caused due to an electric short circuit traced to an office on the third floor of the mall.  Confirming the news to TNM, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service Personnel Murali says the short circuit caused thick smoke and made it difficult for the rescue personnel to enter the area.  The fire was immediately brought under control with no damage to lives. It was also reported that the short circuit occurred on the third-floor office of All-in-One Supermarket located inside the mall.  An employee of the office, caught in thick smoke, was reportedly found in a semi-conscious state and was immediately taken to the hospital nearby for treatment.  Speaking to TNM, an employee of the supermarket said, “The fire started at 11.20 am as soon as we opened the shop. It was a short circuit and they immediately noticed it. Within 2 or 3 hours it was all sorted out. A few plastic toys have burnt. There were only two people. No one was injured.” A senior employee of the building also added that the building was fire safety compliant and that they had alerted the fire department as soon as they saw the fire. The Citi Centre Mall opened in 2006 and houses a multiplex as well as retail outlets. In June last year, a minor fire broke out at City Mall in Purusawalkam. Three fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the situation was brought under control. In May last year, a major fire broke out at the Chennai Silks showroom, a saree and textile store in Chennai’s T Nagar. Material including jewellery and silk sarees worth several lakhs were reportedly destroyed in the fire. 

Politics is serious business, but that doesn’t mean our leaders don’t give us enough material for humour every now and then. And the latest political humour to tickle the funny bone has come from DMK working president Stalin – who has had some slip ups during speeches more than once in the past week! Speaking at the DMK Conference in Erode, Stalin decided to take a dig at ‘a new crop of politicians’ without naming them. In what is widely believed to be a reference to Kamal Haasan, Stalin said, “Some people are waiting in line to get into politics! What is their self professed reason for starting a party? “I’m neither here, nor there,” they say. “I’m in the centre,” they say. Like a cat on the wall.” Except, Stalin slipped up a little. Instead of saying “Mathil mel poonai” (cat of the wall), Stalin said “Poonai mel mathil” – which means wall on the cat. In the same speech, Stalin then took on Rajinikanth – once again, without naming him. “And then there are others who claim there is a vacuum in politics,” Stalin said, referring to Rajini’s speech at MGR University in Chennai’s Maduravoyal on March 6. Rajini had then said, “They ask why I didn't enter when Jayalalithaa was ruling. ‘Was it fear,’ they ask? I don't have to remind (you) what happened in 1996. Did I come into politics because of a vacuum? Yes. There is a vacuum...for a good leader. Jayalalithaa was a talented leader. Karunanidhi...even though he was not in power for 13 years, he held the party together. Tamil Nadu needs a leader and I have come to fill the vacuum.” Taking a dig at the comment, Stalin said, “They are getting ready to ride imaginary horses. Some people are deliberately trying to create an smokescreen that there is a vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics.” “But it is scientific that a vacuum is filled as soon as it is created,” he said in Tamil. Reiterating the statement in English, Stalin made another slip-up. “A vacuum is filed as it is cried,” he said, and immediately corrected the statement. “A vacuum is filled as it is created,” he said. தொர இங்கிலிஸ்லாம் பேசுது. ஆனா என்ன பேசுனான்னு தெரியல #RajiniVsDmk#துண்டுசீட்டு pic.twitter.com/08MCHdZXmu — LEGEND 'a vacuum is filed as it is cried' (@OneGodFaith) March 25, 2018 But the two gaffes in the speech were picked up by people online, who decided to take the leader’s case a little. Especially since the slip-ups came on the back of another one, last week. In a video that is being circulated online, Stalin in a speech quotes a Tamil proverb that means recklessness comes before destruction, comparing the scenario to the sound of a bell around an elephant’s neck that announces its arrival. Except, he ended up saying the opposite: “Yaanai varum munne, mani osai varum pinne,” he said, meaning the elephant comes first, and the sound of the bell comes later. DMK acting leader proverb#ஸ்டாலின்_பழமொழிகள் pic.twitter.com/2Pg3DWP4Fy — Nandha selva (@nandhas507) March 23, 2018 The slip-up had quickly catapulted him to Twitter fame, with people starting to put our funny messages with #ஸ்டாலின்_பழமொழிகள் (#Stalin_Pazhamozhigal, or Stalin Proverbs.) A leader’s proverbs turn into immediate memes. @subashprabhu @sanjusadagopan @Shiva_Tweeets @Ahmedshabbir20 @sjeeva26 @Priyan_reports @shakti_strength @gavastk @mahajournalist @Stalin_Tweets @Teekkayy @Vignesh_twitz pic.twitter.com/Hax9aS53v5 — Pramod Madhav (@madhavpramod1) March 26, 2018 The sword is mightier than the pen! #ஸ்டாலின்_பழமொழிகள் pic.twitter.com/dzNiTJI7xb — Srivatsan Ravi (@srivatsan09) March 23, 2018 Perfect makes practice #ஸ்டாலின்_பழமொழிகள் — Ethan Hunt (@I_Abu077) March 23, 2018 Light travels faster than sound - Science Elephants travel fast than sound - #ஸ்டாலின்_பழமொழிகள் — வெங்காயம்/Onion (@vaiktweets) March 23, 2018 A vacuum filed as it is cried. - stalin pic.twitter.com/jGgbdYZ3hs — LEGEND 'a vacuum is filed as it is cried' (@OneGodFaith) March 26, 2018

The Supreme Court on Monday extended, till April 2, the interim protection from arrest it granted to Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media alleged money laundering case. The top court had earlier on March 15 extended till March 26 the Delhi High Court's interim order of March 9 directing the ED not to take any coercive action against him till March 20. The top court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud had on March 15 extended the relief to Karti Chidambaram while transferring to itself the cases pending before the Delhi High Court relating to adjudication of Enforcement Directorate's (ED) power to arrest an accused under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The court extended the interim protection to Karti Chidambaram as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who commenced his arguments defending the powers of ED to arrest an accused and that will continue on April 2. The SC had embarked on examining the ED's powers to arrest under Section 19 as it noted that several high courts in the country have given conflicting views on its interpretation. Earlier on March 23, the Delhi High Court had granted conditional bail to Karti.  As per ANI, Karti is not allowed to close bank accounts, influence witnesses or leave the country. Karti was also asked to furnish a bond of Rs 10 lakh. The Central Bureau of Investigation is investigating allegations of Karti taking money from former media baron Indrani Mukherjea, for getting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media -- now renamed 9X Media -- when his father was the Finance Minister. He was arrested by the CBI in Chennai on February 28 after several raids were conducted in offices and residences. (With IANS inputs)

After a decade long wait by scientists for a go ahead to set up the India-based Neutrino observatory in Theni, TN, the environment ministry on Monday gave a nod for the project. A letter by the director of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Kushal Vasisht to the director of the Indian-based Neutrino observatory (INO) VM Datar issues formal clearance to the project to be set up at Pottipuram village in Uthamapalayam taluk in Theni district. The project is promoted by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Conditions to set up the INO Water needs: The total water requirement of the project is expected to be 340 Kilolitres per day (KLD) with 20 KLD for drinking and service and the other 320 KLD cooling water. The water requirement, according to the MoEF will be met by the Mullai Periyar Water Supply. However, it is not supposed to exceed 340 KLD . Green cover: The letter states that minimum cutting of trees should be done while building the INO. A minimum of 1 tree for every 80 sqm of land should be planted and maintained and preference must be given to native species, according to the letter. Further, a compensatory plantation of 1:3 (3 trees to be planted for every felled tree) should be maintained in case of tree cutting. Natural drainage: No construction should obstruct the natural drainage through the site, on wetlands and water bodies. Check dams, bio swales landscape and other sustainable urban drainage systems are allowed for maintaining the drainage pattern and for rain water harvesting. Sewage Water Treatment: Sewage shall be treated in the plant with tertiary treatment i.e Ultra Filtration. The treated effluent from STP shall be recycled re-used for flushing and plantation. Further, the installation of the sewage treatment plant shall be certified by an independent expert and a report shall be submitted to the ministry before the project is commissioned for operation. The letter also asked the INO director to advertise in at least two local newspapers in the region that the project has received environmental clearance within 7 days of receiving the clearance, a TNIE report stated. Further, the letter also said that the ministry reserved the right to add additional safeguard measures subsequently, if found necessary, and to take action including revoking of environmental clearance under the provisions of the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986, to ensure effective implementation of the suggested safeguard measures in a time bound and satisfactory manner. Another clause was that a copy of the clearance should be displayed by the TNPCB, District Industries Centre, the Collector, the tahsildar for 30 days besides uploading it on their website. Protest against the clearance Activists who have been waging a decade long battle against the setting up of the INO in Theni said that the clearance came without any public hearing conducted of those likely to be affected by the project. According to them, this is yet another example of the centre disregarding the considerations of the locals, according to a TOI report. Hours before the clearance became public, a Chennai based NGO Poovulagin Nanbargal, received a reply to a query under the RTI act. The query which was about public hearing in the environmental clearance given to the INO received “Public hearing was not conducted. No details available in this office file records,” as the response, a TOI report stated Calling this clearance illegal and unconstitutional, G Sundar Rajan of Poovilagin Nanbargal has tweeted,“We strongly condemn the enviro clearance granted by the ministry of enviro & forests to the Neutrino project. This clearance is Ilegal, as it has violated the established laws of this country and a categorical order of NGT. While The NGT has said it is category A project in its judgment,the MoEF has still gone ahead and cleared as category B prj. No public hearing was conducted and no proper EIA was done. This is anti-constitutional, anti people and anti- national. We will strongly take this up In court of Law and in the people’s court.” We strongly condemn the enviro clearance granted by Ministry of enviro & forests to the Neutrino project. This clearance is Ilegal, as it has violated the established laws of this country and a categorical... https://t.co/aXJrU3zYGs— G.sundarrajan (@SundarrajanG) March 26, 2018 Anticipating backlash, the clearance letter also included that, “Any appeal against this clearance shall lie with the National Green Tribunal, if preferred, within a period of 30 days as prescribed under Section 16 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010,” in its list of general conditions.   The clearance for this project comes even as activists and residents of Thoothukudi district protest against the expansion of a sterlite copper plant, alleging that it is polluting the environment in the region. 

Over a month after the brutal murder of an eight-year-old and the assault of his sister and mother in Villupuram district, police have booked a 37-year-old history sheeter in connection to the crime. The Villupuram police further tells TNM that the accused, V Thillainathan, is responsible for the previous crimes of the same nature in Villupuram as well as 13 other cases across three districts. In February, TNM reported the similarities in a series of attacks that took place in the village of Vellamputhur since 2017. A burglar was on the prowl targeting homes that were isolated from other residences; he used a steel rod to attack victims in the house and sexually assaulted young women, if any were present. Now, police have claimed that Thillainathan carried out four crimes in Vellamputhur and admitted it during questioning. The other cases involved a 24-year-old woman, who was alone at home, while another victim was a schoolgirl. A daily wage worker from Cuddalore district, the accused was in jail from 2012 to 2016 for six cases of burglary and sexual assault. “We took records from all jails and began studying cases in the last 10 years that involved similar offences. We zeroed in on four suspects who were released from jail in the last three years. We then took their photos and enquired with the locals. Four people, including a biriyani shop owner and a farmer, remembered seeing Thillainathan near Vellamputhur,” says Villupuram Superintendent of Police S Jayakumar. “He would come to Thirukoyilur often to meet a former jail-mate named Ramu. That is how he wandered into Vellamputhur, which is just one kilometre away,” the SP adds. The modus operandi Following his release in 2016, Thillainathan has admitted to committing 11 burglaries and six rapes in Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram districts claims the police. Police also claim that they have found the steel rods that he used buried in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts. “He is a daily wage worker but supplements his income by stealing jewellery and valuables from houses. He also has a lady associate named Ambika who helps him steal the jewellery. She has also been arrested,” confirms the SP. According to the police, the accused would locate isolated homes and observe them for a while. The night before he attacked the family, he would sleep in a secluded spot near the house. “He would then get drunk, strip down to his underwear and then enter the house with the rod. He bashes up the victims, steals valuables and sexually assaults any young women present there,” says the SP. He reportedly took off his clothes to avoid being recognised by the colour of his attire. “The reason that he has been getting away with these attacks is because they have not been linked before. Police have just arrested people to close the case without detailed investigation. This time around, I ensured there was a special team to look into the case and we wanted to ensure that the right man was caught,” the SP adds. Thillainathan has now been booked under the POCSO Act as well as for murder, rape and burglary.  

Actor Dhanush's Wunderbar Films has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court against the Directorate General of GST Intelligence for demanding a service tax to the tune of Rs 2.59 crore from the production house. The production house was issued a show cause notice by the Directorate General on August 11, 2017, demanding the tax as part of 'copyright services', along with a proposed penalty for the assessment years of 2013–14 and 2014–15, according to a report in The Hindu. The affidavit filed by Wunderbar Film's S Vinod Kumar said that the service tax could only be demanded if the copyright holder had transferred the right for a fixed period and tenure, and not if they had transferred the right permanently. However, since the permanent transfer of service tax had also been brought under the GST ambit since July 1, 2017, the affidavit argued that the tax demanded from the production house was for the years 2013 and 2014, which was before this change. The affidavit also stated that the Principal Additional Director General had come to the wrong conclusion that the production house had transferred the copyright permanently only to evade payment of service tax. On another allegation by the official that Wunderbar Films had only transferred select rights of movies produced by it and retained ownership with the other rights of the same movies, the petitioner argued that the law does not stop a copyright holder from transferring different rights of the same movie to different individuals. It only mattered if these rights were transferred permanently or for a short period of time, the affidavit stated, according to Hindu's report. 

In a burglary that has alarmed the common man, who trusts banks to safeguard jewels and documents, the Virugambakkam branch of the Indian Overseas Bank in Chennai was robbed over the weekend. And the security breach was carried out by the guard who was employed at the branch for close to five years.  The discovery that two lockers in the bank were broken into were made by staff when they came back to work on Monday. The burglary was carried out conveniently on a fourth Saturday, reportedly because the end of the financial year meant more cash in the locker. Alarmed at the site of damaged lockers, the bank manager informed the police and a team led by T Nagar Deputy Commissioner of Police Aravindan and Vadapalani Assistant Commissioner of Police Sankar visited the spot. Chennai Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan also arrived at the scene to assuage fears but refused to comment on the exact value of goods stolen.  While reports suggest that valuables worth Rs 30 lakh was stolen, an investigating official, however, played down the scale of the robbery and told TNM, "Close to five sovereigns of gold have been stolen from two lockers." How they got to the locker 38-year-old Shabi Lal was the only security guard employed by the bank. He is from Nepal but reports suggest that he had an Aadhar card that showed his address to be in Poonamallee. He stayed in a room at the premises and is believed to have helped unidentified conspirators get into the building and help in executing the crime. He has been missing since the burglary was discovered. According to police sources, a grill on the first floor of the building, where Shabi Lal was staying was cut into, allowing the culprits involved to enter. Police are yet to determine how many people were involved. A gas cutter has been used to get through the grill. It is basically a gas cylinder with two cutter nozzles attached to it. The same equipment has been put into use to access the lockers as well. ToI reports that the two lockers that were cut into carry the numbers 259 and 654. They belong to Maria Anbalagan from Chennai and Suchitra from Abu Dhabo.  The police have taken CCTV recording from the building and fingerprint experts were also pressed into service. A ladder has reportedly been recovered from outside the building.  Saroja, a bank employee told the media, that other lockers were untouched but angry account holders had already gathered outside the venue. Several of them questioned how security could be so lax and why the bank had not informed them of the incident. They further feared the larger implication of an insider being involved. "They trusted the Nepali guard because he had worked there for so long," admits an investigating official.

On Tuesday morning, the carcass of a dead elephant was found at Gudalur forest in Tamil Nadu. Just a few days ago, a baby elephant in Bokkapuram was stuck in a sewage pit at a private resort and died before officials could rescue it. Over the past few months, Tamil Nadu has frequently witnessed a number of elephant deaths, instances of pachyderms entering fields and farmers’ homes in search of food and altercations with humans. There is, however, no official figure as to how many elephants have died in the recent past. According to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department's estimate, the total number of elephants in the state stands at 2761. However, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change report on Synchronized Elephant Population Estimation says that these numbers for 2017 must be viewed with caution on account of the 'severe drought' in 2016. "The drought", the report says, "resulted in large numbers of elephants from Tamil Nadu moving into adjoining states with moister forests." The elephants re-entered the state only upon the onset of the monsoon later in the year. Source: Synchronized Elephant Population Estimation India 2017 Encroachments Seven years ago, in April 2011, the Madras High Court ordered the creation of an elephant corridor, asking resort owners in the area to hand over or vacate their lands falling within the corridor area to the district collector. The notified elephant corridor is the traditional route of the elephant that it has traversed along for centuries. In Tamil Nadu, the route lies along over 7,500 hectares covering Gudalur, Oveli, Bokkapuram, Singara, Vazhaithottam, Singur, and Anaikatti. The Madras High Court mandated that no new developmental activity was to take place in this area. The private landowners promptly applied for and received a stay on the order from the Supreme Court in July of the same year. Lawyer and animal activist Elephant G Rajendran says, “The elephant’s abode is the forest where it has the food it needs. During the Northeast monsoons, the elephants migrate from Bandipur in Karnataka to Silent Valley in Kerala and Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu. During the Southwest monsoon, they reverse this journey. They travel along their traditional path which was historically rich forest cover. However, private resorts choose to operate in exactly these kinds of places. So, the elephants have lost their path.” Lack of food Over the past few months, reports and videos have surfaced of elephants entering homes of villagers and eating everything from plastic covers to food waste to batter from the kitchens. This sad state of affairs is owing to the lack of food in the depleting forest covered areas. The animals have their own way of taking care of their food. Elephant G Rajendran says, “During the mating season between December 15 to the first week of January, an elephant consumes around 250 kg of food. But the total intake is only 40 kg. The rest is droppings. From these wet droppings, neem and gooseberry trees will sprout in the forest, which becomes food for the following year. But they don’t even have the food anymore. So, they die of starvation.” Justifying their ‘natural behaviour’, Forest Range Officer S Kanthan, of the Singara Range in the Nilgiris says, “An elephant walks a minimum distance of 15 to 20 km per day. Sometimes it may change route and enter homes in villages. The forest land has become agricultural land. When the elephants try bananas or food item once, it gets used to the taste and smell, and it becomes addicted.” Drought The lack of rainfall in these areas has also been a major cause of death, say officials. Kanthan says “After 2012, only in 2017 did we have heavy rains. The drought causes intestinal worms so they fall sick. Sometimes, it may also be because the mother’s milk is not suitable for them. So, they die naturally. In February last year, two elephants died of dehydration in Mudumalai, a reserved forest area. The forest officials, however, are on the defensive. According to Kanthan, the deaths are the way of the jungle. He says, “Just like how we have a mortality rate for humans, elephants also die. They fall sick or die of natural causes. The post mortem confirms this. Life expectancy is low so average survival deaths will happen. All the elephants that have died, have done so naturally. Kanthan adds, “Post mortems confirm that none of the deaths are because of lack of water or food. Nothing can be hidden. We have records for everything.” What is the forest department doing? The forest department, especially in Coimbatore district says that it has taken efforts to improve the situation. Speaking to TNM, Coimbatore Conservator of Forests S Ramasubramaniam says that the forest department has taken efforts to reduce the number of deaths. He says, “The number of deaths is relatively low compared to two years before this. The elephant population has also gone up significantly. Yes, there is human habitation in the vicinity of the forest. So we do a lot of habitat improvement. We provide water inside the forest. Everyday, we supply freshwater to the water troughs. They are scattered across the range so that the elephants don’t need to venture out for water.” Under the District Forest Officers, the team also has a rapid response team and an elephant hotline for villagers to call and inform the officials in case of any elephant sightings in the village. “Earlier the locals were angry with us. But now we’ve created a WhatsApp group so we can coordinate with them and drive the elephants back into the forests.” The forest officials are also in agreement that the elephant corridor is immensely helpful for the creatures. Elephant G Rajendran is hoping for a positive outcome for the pachyderms on April 6 when the Supreme Court delivers its final verdict in the matter. He concludes, “We are the ones who have taken their homes away from them and we are talking about being inconvenienced. Elephants too have a right to live.”

With the Election Commission giving a go ahead to the Centre to set up the Cauvery Water Management board, leaders in Tamil Nadu remain hopeful that the Board would be formed before the Supreme Court deadline (three days later) ends. On Monday, Chief Election Commissioner, OP Rawat responding to a question on the applicability of the code of conduct for the centre in constitution the Management Board said, “Whatever is the direction or order of the court and the (steps in) compliance thereof, the Commission or the model code of conduct does not come in the way.” The announcement came after the EC declared the dates for Karnataka Assembly election. TN politicians had accused Karnataka and the Central government of dodging and delaying the Cauvery issue. In an interview to Puthiya Thalaimurai TV, AIADMK top leader and TN fisheries minister D Jayakumar said that EC's announcement was a big blow to Karnataka."They (Karnataka government) were expecting the code of conduct to include the Cauvery issue. However, it didn't and this was a blow to them. We don't agree with Karnataka's stance. We are only demanding that the Supreme Court's judgement be implemented. Which is why filed a rejoinder stating that the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority should be set up. Our top officials have gone to Delhi now for this," Jayakumar said. Explaining the matter further, he said, "For issues such as centrally sponsored schemes where the government provides grants, we cannot fight with them. We can only negotiate and come to a common ground. However, the Cauvery issue is not a scheme. It is a matter of our rights and we will continue to fight to get that right." The Supreme Court has set March 29 as the last day to constitute the Cauvery Management Board. With only three days remaining, the leaders in TN are discussing the steps to be taken if the Centre misses the deadline. Speaking to the media in Salem, CM Edappadi K Palanisamy said, "The SC has directed the Centre that within six weeks of the verdict, the order has to be implemented. We expect the central government to adhere to this and constitute the CMB. It is their duty to implement it," In the event of non-fulfillment of the verdict by the Centre, TN will then decide on further action, Jayakumar said,"We are ready to do whatever is necessary if they don't form it by the 29th," he added. The Supreme court had on February 16 delivered the final verdict on the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In its modified order, Tamil Nadu would get 177.25 tmcft water, while Karnataka would get 14.75 tmcft more than it was allocated in the previous judgement. The Supreme Court also directed the Centre to “frame a scheme” within six weeks to ensure its final decision is implemented. The TN government has already put in place a team to closely monitor the developments in the Cauvery issue. Following the non-constitution of the Management Board and Regulatory authority by March 29 (the deadline), the team will immediately file a petition in the top court, according to a Puthiya Thalamurai report stated. 

Around 2 lakh kg of tea from two tea manufacturers in the Nilgiris has been destroyed for being adulterated, reported the Times of India. ToI reported that the tea came from Jayalakshmi Tea Industry and SR Tea Industry. A raid was conducted at the premises of the industries in December when the Board first received complaints of adulteration. A Tea Board official confirmed to ToI that the tea was adulterated using a colouring agent. Both industries, part of the Coonoor Tea Traders Association also had their licences cancelled. In an environmentally conscious move, the officials prepared the tea for natural decay and use as manure instead of burning it altogether. In September last year, planters in the valley urged authorities to take strict action against errant manufacturers. According to The Hindu Business Line, Mohamed Iqbal, Chairman, Nilgiri Planters’ Association (NPA) said, “Some unscrupulous retailers are selling packet teas in the market without conforming to law. This is a serious challenge faced by the industry in marketing quality teas. It is common to see Nilgiris adulterated teas being sold at various picnic spots in the district to unwary tourists.” Ten years ago in 2008, another major raid took place in Dodabetta that led to the destruction of 26,000 kg of tea. According The Hindu, the tea was supplied to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia and the colour of the tea was altered according to the colours preferred in these countries. Close to 6,000 kg of tea marked for sale was also seized. Speaking to the newspaper at the time, the officials had said that this was an adulteration on a scale that the country hadn’t seen before. The employees of the company were shifted to other industries in the area.

AIADMK MP Anwar Raja’s son Naser Ali has been booked for criminal intimidation and cheating of a Chennai-based woman. Robina, 35, filed a police complaint last week accusing Naser Ali of cheating her of Rs 50 lakhs. She alleged that Naser Ali had been in a relationship with her and lived with her for a period of three years and had promised to marry her. According to the Times of India, Robina learnt of Naser Ali’s wedding and went to the city police commissioner’s office to register a complaint. She was later directed to approach the Ramanathapuram police, under whose limits the wedding was scheduled to take place. Robina reportedly staged a dharna outside the wedding venue but was unable to stop the wedding. Robina alleges that she pledged her jewellery and borrowed from her relatives in order to give Naser Ali the money. Speaking to media persons last week, she said, “His marriage was on March 25. He asked me not to come. He threatened me by saying, if I came there, he would kill me. They sent people home and threatened me. MP sir is also threatening me saying let’s see where you go to file a complaint and what you will do. They are ruining a girl’s life with the power of their position. Not just me. They have done this to several women. They are not complaining because they are scared of the MP.”  According to The Hindu, Naser Ali had been booked under Section 417 (cheating), 420 (cheating a person and inducing the deceived to deliver any property) and 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC as well as under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The newspaper also reported that the FIR would be transferred to a police station in Chennai for necessary action.

When you think of traditional south Indian games that have been played since ancient times, you might think of pallankuzhi, aadu puli aattam or maybe even paramapadham. But what about Sudoku? Archaeologists have found inscriptions on a stone pillar in a mandapam located in the foothills of Palani, which possibly indicates that a Sudoku-like game used to be played when the pillar was built. The mandapam is generally used during the Panguni uthram festival that is celebrated in April. Substantiating his claim, archaeologist Narayanamoorthy shares that the style in which the numbers are engraved suggests that the pillar belongs to the 17th century. The inscriptions found on the pillar show a 3x3 square with markings of numbers written in Tamil. When added in any direction, the numbers total to 15, which Narayanamoorthy points out, is indicative of the temple deity’s (Murugan) number. “According to Hindu beliefs, every god has a number and Lord Muruga’s number is 6 (1+5=6). Interestingly, during festivities, the deity is placed in front of this pillar. Inscriptions of these Sudoku squares here could indicate its importance. What we gather from this is that the game's logic was used here long before it was played elsewhere in the world,” he explains.   Puthiya Thalaimurai Youtube Screengrab Narayanamoorthy adds that this particular mandapam in the temple has been renovated repeatedly since the 13th century. “Multiple coatings of limestone on these pillars had hidden the inscriptions thus far. Now, the mandapam is being renovated for the festival and that’s when we noticed the inscriptions on the pillar.” History of Sudoku Sudoku, a popular number puzzle now, began appearing in newspapers in its present form only in the late 20th century. Earlier, a similar version of it was published in newspapers in France. The puzzle was introduced in Japan by Nikoli, a Japanese puzzle company, in the paper Monthly Nikolist in April 1984. While British newspapers are well-known for their crossword puzzles, the first Sudoku puzzle appeared on its pages only in November 2004.

In a tragic incident in Ambur, three workers asphyxiated to death at a leather factory. The incident took place on Monday afternoon when the three workers at Maruti Leathers were cleaning the tanks at the factory. Selvam (25) Kothandan (23) and Ranganathan (41) the supervisor, had entered the tank at the reverse osmosis plant of the factory. They were tasked with cleaning the tank filled with chemical effluents. The workers had no safety equipment on them. The toxic gas reportedly asphyxiated the men, who drowned to death, in the tank that was 10 feet deep. The incident took place around 3 pm on Monday. According to ToI, Selvam drowned first and his colleague Kothandam died trying to save him. The supervisor who went to rescue the two also asphyxiated. When the authorities came to send their bodies for post mortem, distraught family members demanded that the management of the leather unit be arrested before their bodies are taken away. The family members alleged that the workers were not given any safety equipment to work with. In December last year, in a similar incident, three men asphyxiated to death at a gold manufacturing unit when they inhaled toxic fumes. The men were extracting gold dust particles from a wastewater tank. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act penalizes employers who continue to engage manual labourers for scavenging acts. The local authorities in the area are to ensure that such employment does not take place. While the Act presently covers insanitary latrines, it does not take into account work of this nature that involves labourers to enter tanks.