Tamil Nadu

Cauvery Dispute

The TVK leader said that their first move was to target toll booths and conduct a 'no-tax' movement, which they would do till the CMB was set up.

TNM Staff

Youtube screengrab / Puthiya Thalaimurai TV

The people of Tamil Nadu are agitated over the failure of the Centre in constituting the Cauvery Management Board (CMB). On Sunday, over 500 members of the Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) hit the streets in protests in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district, and targeted the Ulundhurpettai toll booths. After the toll was hiked in 20 toll plazas across the state, the protesters targeted the Ulundhurpettai toll plaza and refused to pay toll, saying that they would not give the Centre any money till the CMB was formed. The protesters said that the refusal to give the Centre money would start with the toll plazas. 45 other toll gates across the state were also allegedly targeted. Led by party chief former PMK MLA Panruti T Velmurugan, protesters smashed the toll plaza to bits, broke barricades and also smashed the glass where toll collectors sit. A huge number of protesters could be seen walking with flags and chanting slogans, and some demonstrators engaged in a tussle with the police. Demanding the constitution of the CMB, slogans of “Hey Central Government and State Government, don’t kill the people of TN”, “Is it fair to kill the farmers?” and “Don’t cheat the people of TN” rang in the air. Protesters even broke the barricades. Speaking to Puthiya Thalamurai, Velmurugan said, "Our first move is to target all the toll booths and conduct a "no-tax" movement. And we will do this until CMB is set up." Due to the vandalism and sloganeering that ensued, Velmurugan was whisked into a police van. Over a 100 TVK members have also reportedly been detained at a private marriage hall in Ulundhurpettai. Traffic in the area was also hit as the toll booths were damaged and route blocked. The members have also allegedly targeted the Vellore Pallikonda, Kullithalai Manavasi, Vaniyambadi Nekundhi toll booths. On February 16, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the Cauvery water sharing dispute, which reduced TN’s share of water. It also directed the Centre to “frame a scheme” so as to implement its orders within six weeks. The formation of the Cauvery Management Board has been a point of contention between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Political parties in Tamil Nadu have been putting pressure on the Centre to set up the CMB, alleging that a neutral body is required to ensure Cauvery water is released on time, given that in the past Karnataka has not complied with directions. The deadline to set up the CMB was March 29. As this was not upheld, on Saturday, the Tamil Nadu government filed a contempt of court petition against Union Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha and Water Resources Secy UP Singh for not setting up the Board as directed by the Supreme Court. Following this, DMK leader MK Stalin also slammed the Centre saying, "It is clear that the Centre moved the court and adopted a vindictive attitude towards Tamil Nadu keeping the Karnataka polls in mind.” p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.8px Arial; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.8px Arial; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.8px Arial; color: #500050; -webkit-text-stroke: #500050; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.8px Arial; color: #500050; -webkit-text-stroke: #500050; background-color: #ffffff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none}

Protests

The DMK has also sought the support of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) to make the bandh successful.

TNM Staff

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president MK Stalin was detained on Sunday after he led a flash demonstration in Chennai's Valluvar Kottam area, demanding the setting up of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB). Joined by leaders of other opposition parties, he resorted to road roko before courting arrest. This sudden protest came after opposition parties called for a one day bandh in Tamil Nadu on April 5. The move was aimed at stepping up the chorus for the setting up of CMB and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) to implement the final award of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. Top opposition leaders including MK Stalin,Congress chief Thirunavukkarasar, VCK chief Thirumavalavan, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan, CPI State secretary R. Mutharasan and Dravidar Kazhagam President K. Veeramani gave a joint statement announcing the state-wide bandh,"In order to condemn the (Centre's) failure to constitute Cauvery Management Board and seeking three months time and press for the demand for setting up the board, It is decided to observe a one-day statewide bandh on April 5," a resolution unanimously adopted at the meeting reportedly declared. The bandh is likely to affect all services as all opposition parties have given a joint call for shutdown. DMK working president M K Stalin has reportedly said that the party cadres would show black flags to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his scheduled visit to Chennai on April 11. The DMK has also sought the support of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) to make the protest successful. The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday meanwhile filed a contempt of court petition against the Union Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha and Water Resources Secy UP Singh for not setting up the Cauvery Management Board, as directed by the Supreme Court. In its prayer to the Supreme Court, the Tamil Nadu government seeks to, “initiate contempt of court proceedings against Respondents for wilful disobedience in carrying out the clear mandate set out in para 403 of the Judgement passed by this Hon’ble Court dated 16.02.2018 in C.A. No 2453 of 2007 and connected Appeals.” The six week deadline given by the Supreme court to set up the CMB ended on March 26. The Supreme Court had pronounced its verdict on the Cauvery river water sharing dispute on February 16. The court had directed Karnataka to release 177.25 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water to Tamil Nadu. This reduced Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water by 14.75 tmcft from the 192 tmcft allocated in 2007 by a tribunal.

Protests

The latest in line to receive a response from Sterlite is none other than actor turned politicans Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.

Priyanka Thirumurthy

Since the March 24 uprising against Vedanta Sterlite's copper smelter began in Thootukudi, several counter arguments have been put forth to defend Sterlite. The company itself has sprung into action and taken to social media to reply to those who accuse it of polluting the environment. Their tactic is predictable and they place burden of proving the factory's guilt on those affected by the pollutants. The latest in line to receive a response from Sterlite is none other than actor turned politicans Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. In a tweet on Saturday, the actor said, "I don't understand why the government is allowing Sterlite to continue its operations when people have been protesting for 47 days and saying that the factory is responsible for multiple ailments." ஸ்டெர்லைட் தொழிற்சாலையால் மக்கள் பல்வேறு நோய்களால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறோம் என்று 47 நாட்களா அவதிப்பட்டு போராடிக்கொண்டிருக்கும் போது, தொழிற்சாலை நடத்த அனுமதி கொடுத்த அரசு எந்த நடவடிக்கையும் எடுக்காமல் வேடிக்கை பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருப்பது புரியாத புதிராக உள்ளது #SterliteProtest — Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) March 31, 2018 In response to his tweet Sterlite has said, "Dear @rajinikanth, we feel that incorrect and untrue information may have reached you about our operations in Thoothukudi. It is our sincere hope that these #facts will give you the true picture and help develop a balanced opinion." Dear @rajinikanth, we feel that incorrect and untrue information may have reached you about our operations in Thoothukudi. It is our sincere hope that these #facts will give you the true picture and help develop a balanced opinion. #TruthAloneTriumphs #FactsMatter pic.twitter.com/uiRaNpIwVO — Sterlite Copper (@sterlite_copper) April 1, 2018 They have further attached documents that argue against the allegations made by protesters. Sterlite claims Thootukudi 'leads in Human Deverlopment Index, not cancer'. Its argument include the claim that Thoothukudi district ranks third in the state in HDI and even quotes the gender index in the district. Sterlite then goes on to say that many of its employees including senior management have been living within 1km from the plant for the past 20 years. The company has said that it has zero liquid discharge from its inception and that no ground water pollution has been observed by any authority or technical committee appointed by Supreme Court and NGT. Read: History of Sterlite in Thoothukudi: A story of betrayal by crony regulators The statement further says, "Copper slag in non-leachable, non-hazardous and non-toxic waste being utilised for sustainable applications such cement production, road building abrasives. Sterlite being a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) plant, does not pose any threat to marine ecosystem." Sterlite further argues that Thootukudi ranks no.23 in ground water contamination in the state. According to activists however, a study by the Department of Community Medicine, Tirunelveli Medical College in 2008 shows alarming findings. Iron content in groundwater near the site of protests was over 17 times higher than permissible levels, respirators diseases were common in areas surrounding the factory, Myalgia was another widely reported symptom in the study area closer to the factory and women in the area had more menstrual disorders. Read: Sterlite - here’s the proof: How the copper plant impacts health of Thoothukudi people This however has not stopped sterlite from individually tweeting to celebrities who have questioned its continuing operations in the state. Those at the receiving end of the same document include Hip Hop Tamizha, Vijay Sethupathi and GV Prakash. Kamal infact visited the site of protests on Sunday, criticised the plant and the government for allowing the alleged pollution to go unchecked."This is their negligence; this has been prevailing for so many years. Sterlite broke a lot of rules. Such a huge crime couldn’t have been committed without the permission of the government, it has happened with the knowledge of the Government. It seems like the Pollution Control Board hasn’t done its job properly. There should have been a green belt. There are no traces of it. I went to see it, it doesn’t exist. The belt that they claim is inside SIPCOT should be verified if it is actually there," said Kamal."The license for TIP (Thoothukudi Industrial Park) hasn’t been granted yet, but expansions works have begun. Some people who sit inside AC rooms in Madras, who charge money to talk are asking me if such happenings are true, they are asking me for evidence and proof. I saw the kids affected with diseases, such injustice should not happen in democratic India. That is my humble opinion," he added.

Inflation

Oil firms hiked petrol price by 19 paise per litre on Sunday.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

Even as petrol and diesel prices were hiked, Chennai witnessed a record high on the price of petrol at Rs 76.48. According to The New Indian Express, this is the second highest price ever recorded in the city; the highest being Rs 76.93 in 2014. Diesel prices too hit an all time high at Rs 68.12. Petrol and diesel firms hiked prices by 19 paise per litre on Sunday through a notification. The Economic Times notes a rising global demand as well as oil owners who wish to keep supply of crude oil restricted. With a global rise in the price of oil, the Union government ignored calls for a slash in excise duties in the Union budget presented in February. According to DC, this makes India the most expensive South Asian country to buy petrol and diesel from even as half the price comprise taxes. Even as excise duty was cut by Rs 2 per litre in October last year, “global rally in crude prices pushed domestic fuel prices far higher than those levels,” the newspaper reports. According to the Economic Times, the sharp recovery in crude oil prices is said to have increased India’s oil imports. As India is mostly dependent on imports for its oil needs, the 47 percent recovery in the price of crude oil has led to a 88 billion dollar import bill. According to the newspaper, rising petrol and diesel prices are trigger points for inflation.

Disability Rights

Following 5 days of protests by activists, elections for the post to which the candidate applied has been called off.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

For the past five days, disability rights activists in Chennai have been protesting in front of the Tamil Nadu State Co-operatives Election Commission in Teynampet. The issue in question is the rejection of a visually impaired candidate’s application for the upcoming co-operative elections in Tamil Nadu. P Saravanan, a visually impaired binder at the Central Library in Dharmapuri had applied for the position of Director at the Dharmapuri Public Library Employees and Thrift Co-operative Society, which lends loans to employees of public libraries in the district. However, his application was rejected — according to activists — based on an interpretation of the Co-operative Societies Act. “A proviso in the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Societies Act, section 34, states that a candidate must be able to read and write in Tamil or English or any other language accepted by the State. Saravanan has studied up to class 12 and can read and write in Braille. However, based on a limited interpretation of the proviso, the Election Commission for Co-operatives rejected his application based only on his disability,” said Karl Marx, a High Court lawyer who is providing legal aid in the issue. Saravanan also contested and won the post of Director back in 2008. When he applied for the same in 2013, his application was rejected citing disability. “I was handed the order for the post of Director back in 2008. However, due to unfortunate circumstances, I could not assume the seat as the election results were declared invalid throughout the state. It was very surprising that in 2013, they rejected my application for a post I had won before,” Saravanan told TNM. When Saravanan’s application was rejected this year, a few people approached the Co-operatives Election Commission in Teynampet on March 21 to discuss the issue. “They immediately sent us back saying the said candidate’s application will be accepted. However, the catch in their statement was that they could reject the application after due consideration. This, we failed to understand,” said Deepak, State President of the December 3 Movement, a disability rights organization and one of the protesters in Teynampet. The protests were also supported by Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi. “The law does allow him (Saravanan) to contest in the election and being differently abled is not a criterion to deny him that chance. He is educated and can read braille. I am ready to ensure my complete support for the cause and am in constant touch with the protesters,” she told the media. Protesters detained Protestors at Teynampet included members of December 3, Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Care Givers (TARATDAC) and the National Federation for the Blind. On March 27 -- the first day of the protest – the police arrested close to 130 people who gathered near the Co-operative EC and detained them in community halls on the outskirts of the city. “We were housed in SS Mahal, a community hall in Pallikaranai. Before this, we were being kept in Thanthai Periyar community hall in Perungalathur. Another group is protesting in T Nagar on the same issue,” said Deepak. This continued every day after that till Sunday. Protesters would gather in the morning to protest, the police would detain them, and they would be let off in the evening. However, on one of the days, although they were let off, the protesters refused to leave till Saravanan’s application was accepted. However, even the community halls they were being detained in were allegedly not disabled-friendly. “The community halls where the protestors are being detained are not disabled-friendly. Even if it is just from morning to evening, there are no western toilets. Even if it’s not an official detention, there are a few conditions that must be followed in arresting disabled people. The place of detention should be disabled-friendly. There should be ramps and not staircases, there should be western toilets. These conditions are not met in their (protestors’) detention,” Karl said. The status of Saravanan’s application Deepak said that the loophole the authorities are trying to use is the person’s ability to read and write. “According to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2016, no person should be discriminated based on disabilities for contesting seats in any civic body arising out of the acts of a parliament or state legislature. However, the Election Commission officials are stuck on the Co-operative proviso which states that said candidate should read and write. Contesting this, even the State Disability Rights Commissioner, Arun Rai, argued against the Election Commission’s stance, saying that a person need not see to read and write and what is important is their ability to comprehend. This is our argument as well,” he said. The elections were scheduled to take place on Monday, but the State Co-operatives Election Commission finally took note of the situation and called off the elections to the said post. “The Commission has stopped elections for the specific post for which Saravanan has applied. In another case, elections to the administrative posts of Mint Co-operative society in North Chennai have also been called off after another visually impaired candidate M Mohan’s application was rejected on the same premise,” added Deepak. “Either they have to accept this candidate’s applications or keep those positions for which disabled candidates are contesting in abeyance. That way, we can seek legal recourse to the issue. Not doing either is unfair to the rights of the disabled. Now, they have called off the elections so that is a small achievement for us,” Deepak added.

Health

Regular updates on the quality of air in Chennai city with health advisories.

TNM Staff

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, April 2 Location: Alandur Bus Depot AQI: NA Location: IIT Madras AQI: 53 (Healthy) Location: Manali AQI: 86 (Unhealthy)

Protest

Around 200 police personnel were deployed at various places across the Marina stretch.

TNM Staff

PTI

The Chennai police cordoned off the Marina and Besant Nagar beaches on Sunday following a flash protest as tensions across Tamil Nadu intensified over the non-formation of the Cauvery Management Board. Police personnel are taking measures to avoid a repeat of the January 2017 situation, when thousands gathered at the city’s Marina beach to protest the ban on Jallikattu. They began clearing the protesters when the latter began raising slogans against the Centre and held placards demanding the formation of the Cauvery Management Board. The police also reportedly stopped vehicles from entering the service lane of the Kamarajar Salai. Pedestrians were allowed after they were frisked, The Hindu reported. “There are designated places in the city and police have notified those places. Protests should be held there after obtaining permission. If the general public is affected by protests, police will take action,” said T S Anbu, Deputy Commissioner of Chennai East. According to The Times of India, the beach was cordoned off till Sunday afternoon, and the usual crowds began to throng the beach after 5 pm. On February 16, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the Cauvery water sharing dispute, which reduced TN’s share of water by 14.75 tmc ft. It also directed the Centre to “frame a scheme” so as to implement its orders within six weeks. The formation of the Cauvery Management Board has been a point of contention between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Political parties in Tamil Nadu have been pressuring the Centre to set up the CMB. They insist that a neutral body is required to ensure Cauvery water is released on time, given that the Karnataka government has not complied with directions in the past. The deadline to set up the CMB was March 29. As this was not upheld, on Saturday the Tamil Nadu government filed a contempt of court petition against Union Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha and Water Resources Secy UP Singh for not setting up the Board as directed by the Supreme Court. In January 2017, thousands of pro-jallikattu protesters gathered at Chennai’s Marina beach, demanding that the ban on the sport be lifted. What started off with the gathering of a small group of people turned into a large-scale protest with thousands of students, professionals, and celebrities gathering at the beach, spending night after night at the venue for nearly a week. The protests nearly ground Chennai to a stand-still. Read: Tamil Nadu bandh on April 5, opposition parties demand Cauvery Management Board

Neutrino Project

Ravi, the 45-year-old party member of Vaiko's MDMK who was admitted to Apollo in Madurai after he set himself ablaze on Saturday, succumbed to his burns a day later.

TNM Staff

A 45-year-old MDMK party cadre who set himself on fire in Madurai to protest against the proposed Indian Neutrino Project to be set up in Theni passed away on Monday. Ravi alias Sivakasi Ravi, a youth wing functionary of the party, immolated self during a Madurai rally by MDMK chief Vaiko on Saturday. He was rushed to Apollo hospital nearby after suffering severe burns from the incident. The attempt was made a short while after Vaiko was to begin his 10-day Padayatra "to create awareness on the impact of the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project on the farm lands,” according to a report. Ravi who had sustained 90 percent burn injuries, was later shifted to a government hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on Monday morning. Eye witnesses stated that Ravi had doused himself with petrol from a can he had brought and set a lighted match close to the dais. Those standing close to the dais threw sand on him and covered him with a cloth. Weeping during the rally, Vaiko said "Mother Nature, please save that brother," referring to Ravi. Speaking at the event, Vaiko said that he often advised his cadres against self-immolation for causes, according to the report. Vaiko's Padayatra was inaugurated at Theni by DMK's working president MK Stalin. Several political parties in the State are up in arms against the clearance given to the Neutrino project, given by the Environment Ministry. Parties have also demanded that the clearance by the Tamil Nadu State Pollution Control Board be held back. Read: Neutrino observatory in TN gets environmental clearance, activists cry foul

Sterlite Thoothukudi

Similar protests were held in Minnesota and in the UK.

TNM Staff

Facebook: Rajaram Srinivasan

With the bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi looking over them, dozens of men, women and children descended in front of the Indian embassy on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington to protest against the Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi. Members of the Tamil community in the city came together in the cold on Sunday, wearing jackets and sweaters, and shouted slogans demanding a ban on the company. Even as some protestors drummed away, children held signs calling for justice for the people of the coastal town in Tamil Nadu. Carrying loudspeakers, they shouted, “Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, do your job, do your job. Shut down, shut down, Sterlite factory shut down.” Protesters outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC(Facebook/ Rajaram Srinivasan) Holding sign boards that read, “Ban Sterlite” and “Stand for Thoothukudi”, the protesters also demanded that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the Indian Prime Minister must protect the people of Thoothukudi. In a similar protest outside the Minnesota Senate house in Saint Paul, demonstrators gathered to condemn the Tamil Nadu state and the central governments. They yelled, “Will we allow a mob that has gathered to protect cows destroy people?” Protesters in Minnesota (YouTube/ Rajesh Govindaraj) Much like the jallikattu protests, the Sterlite protests in Minnesota took up the multiple issues the state has been facing. Protesters asked, “Will a crowd gathered for Anitha, let Anil run away?” Sterlite, a part of Vedanta Resources, began construction of a new smelter plant in Thoothukudi, enraging the people of the town who started an indefinite protest. Even as the protest is currently underway, the echoes of the fight were also heard in the UK last week with members of grassroots organisations protesting outside the home of Anil Agarwal, the founder of Vedanta Resources. Meanwhile in Thoothukudi, protesters gathered last week for a massive public meeting near the Chidambaram Nagar bus stand with two demands: the expansion plans of the Sterlite copper plant in the district should be stopped and the plant itself should be shut down. The full day agitation came just a month after 250 people in the area went on a hunger strike upon hearing the plans for expansion. In 2013, the Sterlite copper plant was fined by the Supreme Court for polluting the land and water in the area on account of a gas leak. The apex court also slammed the plant for operating without requisite permits for a considerable period of time. Watch:

Law

The court ordered the relief as it adjourned the hearing on the matter relating to Karti since a pending matter that was being heard by the court was likely to last long.

IANS

The Supreme Court on Monday extended, till April 27, the interim protection from arrest it granted to Congress leader P. Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram in an alleged INX Media money laundering case. The court ordered the relief as it adjourned the hearing on the matter relating to Karti Chidambaram since a pending matter that was being heard by the court was likely to last long. On March 26, the top court extended till Monday (April 2) the Delhi High Court's March 9 order directing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to take any coercive action against him till March 20. On March 15, a top court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud extended the relief to Karti Chidambram till March 26 while transferring to itself the cases pending before the Delhi High Court relating to adjudication of the ED's 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 commenced his arguments defending the powers of ED to arrest an accused and that will continue on April 2. The Supreme Court 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. Karti Chidambaram is being investigated for allegedly taking money to facilitate Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media in 2007 when his father was Finance Minister in the United Progressive Alliance government. 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.

Crime

All six accused have been arrested and are currently under remand at the Kodungaiyur station in Madhavaram.

TNM Staff

A reformed north Chennai history sheeter who went by the nickname ‘Muttai’ Gopi was brutally hacked to death by a six-member gang in Moolaikadai on Monday. According to reports, Gopi (37), an auto-rickshaw driver had stopped at the Moolaikadai junction to hand over his auto to a friend when the gang accosted him with sickles and machetes. Realising that his life was in danger, Gopi fled the scene. However, the gang chased and killed him on the spot by reportedly hacking him on his hands, head and face. The Kodungaiyur police have arrested all six men involved in the murder. The accused, currently under remand are: Sebastian alias Seba (29), Karthi (22), Siva aka Venkatesan (24), Kicha aka Alex Krishnamoorthy (23), Sreenivasan aka Koni Sreeni (39) and Manikandan (36). Police suspect that the murder occurred due to an inter-gang rivalry. Gopi, the deceased history-sheeter, had three murder cases against him and a few attempts to murder and robbery cases in North Chennai, according to a report in The Hindu. He was also the prime accused in the 2013 murder of Saravanan alias Basha, a 32-year-old resident of Ambedkar Street in Kodungaiyur in Madhavaram. Sebastian, who was also booked under Goondas Act and had come out on bail 4 days ago, hatched the plan to seek revenge for the murder of his friend and planned the crime, police suspect. On receiving information about the murder, police rushed to the spot and took the deceased to Stanley Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem report, according to a report in DTnext. The deceased, a resident of Chinna Mathur near Manali, was a local PMK leader and auto-rickshaw driver. In January this month, Gopi had submitted a petition with the City Police Commissionerate saying that he was being harassed by the police for offences he had no connection with, despite leading a reformed life now. Gopi is reportedly survived by his wife and two children and his wife wife Anbukkarasi.

Controversy

“Her father is the DGP. Now, what is your problem?” the man can be heard asking the constable.

TNM Staff

Screenshot

The camera is looking into a car, and music plays in the background. Inside the car, in the cupholder in front, is a beer bottle. The person holding the camera lifts the beer bottle for a better view, and puts it back where it came from. When the camera pulls out, a man’s voice can be heard, questioning the person holding the camera: “Who are you? Why are you now checking the car? What is the problem?” And then, the man – now partially in the camera’s field of view – utters an absolutely entitled line: “Her father is the DGP. Now, what is your problem?” This is the beginning of an interaction between a police constable in Chennai, and a couple -- reportedly the daughter and son-in-law of ADGP Tamilselvan. A video shot by the constable has now gone viral, raising questions about the entitled behaviour of the top cop’s family members, and also why the constable was shooting a video in the first place. When the man said, “Her father is the DGP. Now, what is your problem?” the constable on the scene was unperturbed. “Whose father is the DGP?” he asks. “Her father,” the man then points to a person who cannot be seen on screen. “What is your problem now? No tell me, what is the problem? Why are you checking the vehicle like this?” the man asks. “Of course we check vehicles,” the constable replies, and the man retorts angrily. The man then asks his wife, who cannot be seen yet, to ‘make a call.’ The constable holds his ground. “Go ahead and call. My name is Karthikeyan, tell him,” he says. In an argument that followed, the constable kept repeating there was nothing wrong with him checking the vehicle, to which the man replies, “You can come and check if I am drunk. But why would you check the vehicle? Why should you check the vehicle?” “You have no qualification to speak at all…” the man then proclaims, even as the constable asks him not to shout. By then, a woman’s voice can be heard, and the camera pans to her. “Don’t record it. I’ll call my father, don’t record it,” she says to the constable. “You’ll get into trouble, do you understand? Don’t record!” she says. “Do not record, hello!” she screams, and then swears and asks her husband, “Is this guy mad?” By now, the constable is walking around the car – a Ford Endeavour – shooting it from all angles. The woman follows him and asks, “Who are you? What is your name? Stop recording!” To this, the constable replies, “You’re talking too much madam. He’s talking too much. I’m not going to just take whatever you say.” “I’ll call – what is your problem? Do you want to be removed from this duty?” the woman then asks. “What is your name?” she questions him. When the camera then pans to her face, she again says, “Do not take photos. Do not take a video.” “What the hell! He can’t take a video!” she then exclaims to the people with her. Her husband then asks the constable if he’s taking a video. When the constable confirms that yes, he was in fact taking a video, the woman asks, “Why are you shooting a video? You want to upload on the internet is it?” “Don’t you want your job?” she asks him. “Don’t take a video!” “Why not?” the constable asks, and the video ends there. The clip, that has now gone viral, has stirred several debates and discussions on the issue. While it is unclear what the premise of the situation is, sources say that the woman and her husband were in the car, along with another couple. The car was parked near the Neelankarai beach when the policeman questioned them. Many people have condemned the couple for their entitled behaviour – especially the man, who is seen as an instigator in the situation. Are the family members of top cops supposed to be above and beyond the law, they question. Others ask why the policeman was taking a video in the first place, which is what got the woman angry. However, according to sources, following the self immolation of a taxi driver in Chennai after he was allegedly insulted by a policeman, all police officials have now been asked to wear body cameras, or shoot their questioning.

Learning

From the law of inertia to more complex scientific theories, Ariwarasan has an experiment that explains it better.

Anjana Shekar

Ariwarasan has a few tricks up his sleeve. Only they’re not the usual magic tricks you would expect. These tricks will help you learn science. And Ariwarasan’s got about 1,200 of them. From the law of inertia to more complex scientific theories, Ariwarasan has got an experiment that explains it better. Ariwarasan began his journey nine years ago in Thiruvallur district. Over the years, he has been camping in different districts, visiting government and government-aided schools in the vicinity on his ‘Vignyana Ratham’ or ‘Science Van’. The van is loaded with test tubes, chemicals, weights and whatnots – all carefully curated to explain science mysteries. “The most important point of my journey is to expose children to the imaginative world of science. There’s a lot of aversion to this subject in general. People have always regarded science to be a difficult subject. The idea is to break this myth,” says Ariwarasan when TNM got in touch with him over the phone. Having camped in Coimbatore for about eight months, Ariwarasan’s team has just wound up for the summer. “We park the van in the district’s central zone. We then figure out a travel plan around the district and cover as many schools as we can. In Coimbatore alone, we’ve been able to go to 135 corporation schools, reaching as many as 26,000 children,” explains Ariwarasan. 9 years, 7 TN districts, 10.5 lakh students reached In these nine years, the Science Van has been to seven districts in Tamil Nadu, reaching out to as many as 10.5 lakh children. “Three years ago, when we visited a school in Ashok Nagar, we camped there for about 48 days. During this period, we had 4,480 students participate. The most interesting thing was, we also had commerce students requesting to be a part of our classes,” he laughs. Ariwarasan shares that the bond he has formed with the children has been very gratifying. “I am in touch with many of them. I even sat with one of them for college counselling. She has now completed her graduation and has recently joined Accenture. I’ve known her since she was in her eleventh grade,” he says. So what inspired Ariwarasan to become the “science man who goes around in a van”? “I had completed my dual degree in Information Technology from College of Engineering, Guindy, when I got in touch with Dr Pashupathi, a food scientist. He is the founder of the Parikshan Charitable Trust and had envisioned the science van. I joined him in his endeavour to make science interesting for young students and since then there has been no turning back,” he says. Vignayana Ratham has had many patrons over the years. “We had great support from the then Ramanathapuram Collector, Nandakumar sir, for about 2.5 years. Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Vijaya Karthikeyan sir was also very encouraging. The schools are also very forthcoming.” Parikshan Trust also organised paid science camps in the city to help raise funds for its journeys. Answering ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ In a hall filled with eager young faces, Ariwarasan asks a simple question: When boiling an egg, how do you tell if it is cooked or raw? After a few feeble “it sinks in water”, “it floats in water” responses, he calls for two volunteers to join him on stage. In a demonstrated act, Ariwarasan then explains how the law of inertia a.k.a. Newton’s First Law is used to tell this difference. “I make both the kids spin and then I stop one of them by placing my hand on his/her head. This explains that in a raw egg, the white and yolk are two separate entities and when you spin the egg, both white and yolk spin. When you stop the egg from spinning, however, only the white stops, the yolk inside continues to spin. The workings are different if the egg is boiled.” When students responded with the “water” answer to tell raw eggs from boiled ones, which even the author believed to be true, Ariwarasan explains density. “Traditionally, farmers used this concept of density to tell good paddy seeds from the bad ones. If the seeds sink in salt water, they are good to be sowed. But this is not the case with the eggs – in normal water both the eggs sink and in salt water, both float.” By intertwining such ideas, Ariwarasan breaks down several concepts, capturing the children’s interest. Ariwarasan explains that all the 1,200 experiments were charted out by him, with 20-25 being his own ideas. This knowledge is then shared with teachers. “I don’t want them to reinvent the wheel.” The idea of his experiment-based teaching is to encourage children to go home with these concepts and test the ideas for themselves. He also shares that over the past couple of years, he has noticed an encouraging pattern emerge in these government and government-aided schools. “A more practice-oriented approach is being adopted by teachers across the state. Even three years ago the approach was different.” Ariwarasan also has sessions with the teachers during which he insists that being strict will usually have the adverse effect on students. He also shares links to rare e-books to help teachers expand their knowledge. At one point Ariwarasan had two science vans, but recently one of them broke down. “As plan B, when the van is camped in one district and we get calls from a different district, I travel alone with my kit that has about 150 experiments. I’ve covered close to 1,000 schools in the state this way,” says Ariwarasan. Along with science experiments, Ariwarasan also conducts organic farming classes, toilet hygiene classes and interactive sessions with village residents, among other activities. “Ever since TVs were distributed for free by the government, people spend time less time outside and interaction with each other has also come down drastically. During my sessions I also talk about this,” he adds. In his next leg, Ariwarasan plans to visit schools in Ariyalur. For those who’d like to get in touch, he is available on +91 8754409917.

Police

The video was shot in her relative's car and has gone viral.

TNM Staff

A police officer in Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu has been placed under suspension for drinking while in uniform. In a video that has gone viral in the state, a woman police officer is seen in a drunken stupor. Sitting in the passenger seat of a car parked on the side of the road, she tells her male friend to stop filming. While he continues to film, he asks her to open her eyes. She is seen sipping a glass of water to sober up. Her friend laughs and says, "Ettu(head constable) Amma is fully drunk." While she appears to put her hand on the camera to stop him from filming, her friend continues to do so. She then offers him water presumably in an attempt to sober him up as well. He is heard asking, “What difference does it make whether we drink water or not?” He then denies being drunk. Once again, her friend says, “Ettu(head constable) Amma is drinking.” Shortly after the video went viral on Monday, the cop was suspended. However, the officer was not on duty when she was drinking. Speaking to TNM, Dindigul SP R Sakthivel, said, "The officer was returning from work in her relative's car. She has been suspended because the police department's image has been tainted. She was in uniform. This is dishonourable conduct." According to the Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Officers Conduct Rules by which police officers are to abide, “A Government servant shall not be found drunk or under the influence of liquor while attending office or appearing in a public place.” While the officer is facing the consequences at her workplace for her actions, social media reactions have predictably been on moralistic grounds, slut shaming the cop because of her gender. Note: TNM has blurred the officer's face because of the slut-shaming she has been subjected to on social media.

Controversy

While three videos of the altercation have emerged, police claim that the man had become violent when apprehended and had attacked the policemen.

Manasa Rao

In a video that has emerged from Chennai, traffic police officials were found assaulting a woman and her son in broad daylight in a crowded place in the heart of the city. There has been much public outrage after the short clip emerged on social media. Since then, three clips of the same altercation have surfaced. The longest video of the incident- 2.48 minutes of CCTV footage- shows three traffic police officials dragging a man named Prakash (21) from Saligramam on to the side of T Nagar’s North Usman Road. Even as the altercation begins, passers-by scurry away from the spot, while Prakash’s mother attempts to intervene with the traffic officials. Three police officers are seen dragging Prakash's mother outside an ATM and holding her hands back. While she is struggling to free herself from their grasp, and begins to question a police officer, a female traffic police officer pulls her away forcefully. One male cop is then seen dragging her violently and pushing and shoving her in every direction multiple times. Prakash, who is held back by one policeman, charges forward on seeing his mother being assaulted, and holds on to a police officer’s collar. The police officers then take control of him. The second video clip that appears to have been taken soon after the first clip by a bystander shows the three traffic police officials, assaulting Prakash. One police officer is holding him from behind a lamp post while another is twisting his arm and beats him repeatedly on his forcibly stretched out arm. Throughout the video, Prakash is holding on to a policeman's collar and not letting go despite the policeman resisting. The policeman twists the man's arm, lunges forward and twists his arm and wrist a second time. Even as the man is dangling on one leg with his shirt torn open, trying to duck blows to his face, his mother is seen running forward to save him. In the background, a female traffic cop is holding his mother and his sister back. The incident reportedly occurred on Monday on North Usman Road. The family had gone to shop at a store nearby. The traffic police had apprehended the family of three for travelling together on a bike. The man was reportedly not wearing a helmet. Police sources, however, allege that Prakash had become violent when apprehended and had attacked the policemen. "A wireless set was damaged and the man tore the flap of the officer's uniform. This is when they had to act." In the third video that the police gave TNM, Prakash can be seen questioning the police and justifying his act claiming that his sister was still a minor. He tells the policeman to keep recording and questions why the policeman told him to take an auto."This video shows the police side," said a senior officer. According to the officer, Prakash assaulted the cops soon after the video stopped. However, no senior officer was willing to comment on whether the punishment meted out to Prakash in public was justifiable. The traffic police officials later approached the Mambalam R1 police station. Speaking to TNM, one police official from the station said, “The policemen have given a petition saying they have been assaulted.” A case has been registered against Prakash under Section 294 (b) (uttering obscene words in public), 427 (causing mischief) and 332 (causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty).

Cauvery Dispute

The AIADMK's 'hunger' strike was for setting up the Cauvery Management Board but pictures showed them taking a lunch break.

TNM Staff

There's nothing like a plate of biryani when you're in the middle of a hunger strike. Yes, you read that right. Pictures of the AIADMK cadre, who are supposedly observing a day-long hunger strike near the Vellore Head Post Office demanding the formation of the Cauvery Management Board, have gone viral for all the wrong reasons. Their merry lunch break in the middle of the protest did not consist of a glass of water or the humble lemon juice. From the pictures, the menu looks like it was biryani - although TNM was not invited to the feast and cannot therefore confirm if it was indeed biryani or just tomato rice. Dressed in pristine white, with the Amma party logo on their chests, these warriors were so committed to the cause that many of them were spotted standing and wolfing down the biryani/tomato rice. After all, who has the time to sit and eat when fighting for an important cause? The images, shot in Vellore and Pudukottai, expose the "sincerity" with which the AIADMK has been fighting for the setting up of the Cauvery Management Board. There is much anger against the ruling party's reluctance to take on the Centre's delay in setting up the Board and several have pointed out that the strike is a mere eyewash. The protest, which began at around 8 am and concluded at 5 pm (post-breakfast and pre-dinner), was launched by Chief Minister E Palaniswamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam in Chennai. The entire cabinet of the AIADMK also reportedly took part in the strike, with ministers and other leaders driving the protest in districts across Tamil Nadu. If the "hunger" strike was the same across the state, as the pictures suggest, nobody needs to worry about any of our beloved politicians collapsing. For their sake, we do hope it was biryani and not tomato rice. Burp.

Cauvery Hunger Strike

Most of the hundreds gathered at the hunger strike venue in Chepauk had been fasting with the leaders since 8 am.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

The sweltering heat of an April afternoon in Chennai didn’t seem to deter hundreds of AIADMK party supporters who gathered on Tuesday for the day long hunger strike in Chepauk. Paper fans were swished and conversations sparked even as the top brass of the ruling party including Chief Minister EPS, Deputy CM OPS and Senior Minister D Jayakumar among others solemnly sat on the dais as loud MGR music blared out of the big black speakers on the side. Lead by the ruling party, the 9 am to 5 pm hunger strike was AIADMK’s protest against the Centre's delay in forming the Cauvery Management Board. Most of those gathered at the venue, which was near the MLA hostel in Chepuak, had been fasting along with their leaders the entire day. “We are here to protest against the injustice meted out to us by denying us Cauvery water. From morning we have not eaten a morsel of food. Just like Amma (late CM J Jayalalithaa) fought for Cauvery, we too are here to fight,” said Shanti K, a party supporter from RA puram in Chennai. Shanthi was one among the group of women eagerly seated right next to the dais where the prominent faces of the ruling party sat. Divulging her allegiance, Shanthi stated that she was a staunch follower of Amma and after Amma, now she followed OPS. Shanthi’s friend Devi Yogasekaran, who is a deputy unit secretary of the AIADMK, chips in. “Today we fasted. Now if they (the party leaders) want, tomorrow too we will be ready to fast. Anything for Cauvery water,” she says. Next to her was Cauvery, a shy lady in a black and white saree and red bindi, who turned back to find out what the commotion was about. When asked how she got her name, Cauvery (45) a party unit secretary at the seven mills constituency laughs shyly and says that her uncle had given her the name when she was born. “I am not sure if I was named after the river. But now that I am fighting for my namesake, I feel pride and I want continue the protest for what is rightfully ours,” she says. “Most of those who have come are from Chennai. There are very few who have come from outside. Nobody has even touched a sip of water the entire day,” the ladies reassure us even as water bottles were getting supplied in crates throughout the venue. The women ushered in Kumari Narayanan, who they referred to as the ‘main person,’ to be interviewed. Dressed in a bright green saree, Kumari who is the North Chennai district deputy party secretary, gave her take on the issue. “I have been with the party since 1989. In 2001 I was an councilor with the AIADMK. We will continue to strike until we get the issue sorted and as long as the leaders are fasting, we too will fast,” she says. In the distance, a middle aged man, dressed up like MGR, was waving and greeting those in attendance. Complete with MGR’s iconic cap, the man stood and greeted even as old MGR tracks ran in the background. Following the end of the hunger strike at 5, CM EPS addressed the gathering “It's going to be 5. Myself and OPS and other party functionaries began this fast from morning. Till now, we haven't moved from our place. All our media friends saw. That is AIADMK. Our movement was created so we can achieve what we want to achieve,” Chief Minister Palanisamy said amidst much cheer among the seated crowds. Speaking about the centre's failure to implement the Cauvery Management Board, EPS says, “The SC verdict came on 16/2/2018. Even before that our Amma has been constantly asking the centre to set up the management board. The centre never did. Even after the verdict came out, the centre has refused to implement the Supreme Court verdict of setting up the management board.” Addressing the crowd, which consisted of only AIADMK supporters EPS adds, "The agreement for the Cauvery Board should have been signed way back in 1974. Everybody knows who the ruling party was back then. It was the DMK. By failing to do so DMK has inflicted massive cruelty on the farmers of TN."

Sterlite

Sterlite’s proposed factory site falls foul of the law on at least two counts. And there are days old documents to prove this.

Nityanand Jayaraman

From the protest against Sterlite.

A document hot from the oven – less than a day old – proves that the new 1200 tonne per day copper smelter that is being built by Sterlite in Thoothukudi is illegal. The new document, a showcause notice issued by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to SIPCOT, exposes the fraudulent nature of the clearances and licenses that Sterlite has from the Union Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). The evidence on how Sterlite's proposed factory site falls foul of the law is documented below. Fraudulent Licenses It is not enough to have a license. The license has to be lawfully obtained. Anybody who has been to a license issuing authority in India knows that there are many ways to obtain a license. In Sterlite's case – i.e. the case of a new copper smelter which is categorised as a Hazardous Red category large industry – an environment clearance (EC) is required from the MoEF, and a Consent to Establish or license to construct from the TNPCB. The EC is supposed to be granted under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, after considering comments received during a public consultation organised specifically about the project. Sterlite received its EC on 01.01.2009. However, no public hearing was held for the project. Sterlite knew that its unpopularity in Thoothukudi would prompt local people to turn up in large numbers and prevail against the project if a public hearing were ever held. So to avoid a public hearing, Sterlite lied and got the MoEF, SIPCOT and TNPCB to support its lie. The EIA Notification exempts projects coming up within notified Industrial Estates or parks from having to go through a public consultation. SIPCOT has only one notified Industrial Estate in Thoothukudi, namely the SIPCOT Industrial Complex which was set up in 1985 over 1038 acres. Sterlite claimed that its new project site fell within the existing notified SIPCOT Industrial Complex. In fact, it does this even in its most recent application to the MoEF dated 14.2.2018 seeking fresh environmental clearance, as the 2009 EC is set to expire in December 2018. Sterlite's project site is not located inside the notified Industrial Estate. It is located on 324 acres of land acquired as part of SIPCOT's Phase II plans involving the acquisition of 1616 ha of land as per a G.O. No 233 (Industries) of 1996. The land that Sterlite is currently building on is not within any notified or approved Industrial Estate. It was only in 2014 that SIPCOT applied for permission to develop the 1616 acres as a Tuticorin Industrial Park. Nowhere in its application did SIPCOT reveal that Sterlite had already been allotted land for a copper smelter within the proposed park. Doing that would have exposed as a lie Sterlite's claim about the proposed location of the new smelter. The lie most likely harmed the case filed by Thoothukudi resident V Pushparayan challenging Sterlite's EC on grounds that Sterlite had availed the public hearing exemption misrepresenting facts about the location of its proposed smelter. Pushparayan's petition was dismissed in April 2016 after SIPCOT, MoEF and TNPCB repeated Sterlite's false claim. In its order dismissing the petition, the Madras High Court said: “In view of the consistent stand taken by all the respondents including the 5th Respondent SIPCOT that the 4th Respondent [Sterlite] is situated within the SIPCOT complex, we have no difficulty in holding that exemption from public consultation would certainly apply.” A report released on March 28, 2018 by the Chennai Solidarity Group and written by this author documented the illegality, and visually demonstrated how the proposed factory site fell outside the existing SIPCOT Industrial Complex. Read the full report here. On April 2, 2018, a day before this report was written, TNPCB issued a notice to the SIPCOT Project Officer, Thoothukudi, threatening prosecution under Air and Water Act for the unlicensed work inside the site earmarked for the Tuticorin Industrial Park (TIP), also known as SIPCOT Industrial Park Phase II. TIP has not yet obtained EC, leave alone a license from the TNPCB, and Sterlite's work inside the area earmarked for the park is also illegal. The two separate showcause notices are issued under Air (Prevention and Control of) Pollution Act, 1981, as amended upto 1988 and Water (Prevention and Control of) Pollution Act, 1974, as amended upto 1988. It gives them 15 days to respond. Under both acts, the company has been asked to explain why prosecution proceedings must not be initiated against it for commencing unlicensed work in the SIPCOT Industrial Park, Phase II. SIPCOT is warned that such unlicensed work is a prosecutable offence, under Section 44 and 45(A) of Water Act with prison sentence ranging from 1.5 years to 6 years, and under Section 21 and 37 for 1.5 years to 6 years. At the time of writing, TNPCB had not yet taken the chief offender – namely Sterlite – to task. Masterplanning a disaster Town and Country Planning regulations require hazardous industries to be located only within areas designated as “Special and Hazardous Industries” in the land-use plan adopted by local planning authorities. However, the plot for the proposed Sterlite copper smelter complex is coming up in an area designated as “Dry Agriculture” in the existing approved Village Area Masterplan for Thoothukudi district. In fact, the the plot is located in close proximity to residential areas shown in the Masterplan. The 1984 Bhopal Gas leak disaster taught us the dangers of locating a hazardous industry next to a residential area; this is not permitted under town planning regulations. Reclassification of a “Dry Agriculture” zone to a “Special and Hazardous Industry” zone involves a long process to ensure adequate setbacks from vulnerable locations (like residential areas), and public consultation. So rather than undertake that cumbersome process, the District Administration – which is the authority to enforce the masterplan – seems content to expose the local communities to the risks of living next to a dangerous facility. Nityanand is a Chennai-based writer and social activist who has been associated with the campaign against Sterlite's pollution for more than 15 years. Views expressed are the author’s own. Also in the series: How the Sterlite copper plant impacts health of Thoothukudi people Data on air pollution, and the case of the missing trees

Education

The state government is likely to seek amendments on two specific orders of the Madras High Court.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

Nearly a year after the Madras High Court ordered changes to postgraduate medical admissions in the state, the Tamil Nadu government is all set to move the Supreme Court for amendments. According to the Times of India, the state government is likely to seek amendments on two specific orders of the high court. In May 2017, the Madras High Court had scrapped the policy of reserving 50% of the seats for in-service government doctors. Additionally, the court ruled that incentive marks for government doctors can only be awarded based on Medical Council of India (MCI) rules. As per the report, the Tamil Nadu Health Minister said that the government would urge the apex court to “direct the Medical Council of India to amend rules for postgraduate admissions so that the state can use its traditional methods of incentives while admitting students.” In February, the MCI increased Tamil Nadu’s share of postgraduate seats by 101, taking it to 1189. According to TNIE, this is applicable to government-run medical colleges in the state. The increased seats would come into effect in this academic year (2018-19). Last year’s merit list for postgraduate admissions was scrapped by the Madras HC since the government had listed all public healthcare centres in the state as being in rural areas. The government had done this to incentivise in-service government doctors to take up posting in remote, rural areas. However, this meant that over 90% of the admissions were filled by government doctors. According to ToI, a representation of doctors from Doctors’ Association for Social Equality met with the Union Health Minister JP Nadda requesting Tamil Nadu to be exempt from NEET. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test has been a contentious issue in the state.

Tax Evasion

The I-T department had earlier notified Cognizant over alleged tax evasion to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore.

TNM Staff

The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) to cough up 15% of the alleged tax evasion amount as security. According to the Economic Times, the Madras High Court stayed the IT department’s freeze on the alleged Rs 2,500 crore in bank deposits. The newspaper also reported that de-freezing of CTS’ bank accounts was subject to the the multinational technology firm paying 15% or Rs 420 crore as security deposit. Until the Madras High Court decides on the case, the rest of the amount will be held in lien. A lien is the right to keep possession of property belonging to a debtor until the debt owed is paid. According to the Times of India, in order to facilitate payment of the amount, the court ordered the de-freezing of CTS’ bank account with JP Morgan in Mumbai. The interim stay was granted by Justice Sivagnanam in response to a plea by the firm asking for its 68 bank accounts to be made operational again. According to the IT department, Cognizant failed to pay Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) of over Rs 2,500 crore in FY17. When any company in India declares dividends to its shareholders, it is liable to pay a certain percentage as tax. A 20% DDT is levied on the total dividends paid. In May 2016, the Indian unit of Cognizant bought back shares from its shareholders under a Scheme of Arrangement and Compromise. The shareholders that it bought back shares from, are its subsidiaries in Mauritius and its parent company in the US, which held 54% and 46% of its shares respectively. However, CTS failed to levy DDT on the Rs 19,415 crore it sent to its shareholders in the US and Mauritius towards buyback of 94,00,543 equity shares in May 2016, the ToI report says. Income Tax provisions operative from June 2013 stipulate levy of tax on buyback of shares.

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Tamil Nadu bandh on April 5, opposition parties demand Cauvery Management Board

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Petrol, diesel prices in Chennai hit record high

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Fearing repeat of jallikattu protest, Chennai police cordon off Marina, Elliot’s beach

MDMK man who set himself on fire at Vaiko rally against Neutrino project passes away

Tamil diaspora in Washington protests against Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi

INX Media case: SC extends interim relief from arrest to Karti till April 27

'Reformed' Chennai history-sheeter hacked to death, 6-member gang arrested

‘Do you want to lose your job?’ Kin of TN top cop caught on cam threatening constable

This man in a van has been making science easy and fun for TN students for 9 years

Off duty TN cop suspended after video of her drinking in uniform emerges

Chennai cops’ high-handedness caught on cam: Woman, son assaulted for riding triples

Hunger strike with lunch break: Did AIADMK cadre eat biriyani or tomato rice?

At AIADMK fast in Chennai, solemn cadres vow to fulfil 'Jaya's promise'

Sterlite – here’s the proof: Why construction at the proposed copper smelter is illegal

Tamil Nadu govt to move SC on PG medical admissions in the state

Madras HC orders Cognizant to pay Rs 420 cr in tax dispute, stays freezing of account