Page 85 - Tamil Nadu

Covid-19: TN health deptt issues alert against new Omicron variant BF.7

The TN health department has issued an alert to all the District Medical Officers against the reported Omicron variant BF.7 and the increase in the number of Covid positive cases in several countries

10 villages cut off due to heavy landslide in Nilgiris district in TN

Ten villages around Kukkalthorai near here in Nilgiris district were cut off from main stream on Thursday, following heavy landslide on Kothagiri road, officials said. The roads connecting the 10 villages with towns were completely buried in the debris, totally paralysing the vehicular movement in the villages, coming under Udhagamandalam Panchayat, they said. Tea gardens and agricultural lands in and around Kothagiri were also washed away due to the landslide spread over 200 metres near Uyilhatti falls, affecting 10 villages, they added. Preliminary inquiry revealed that stagnation of water in farm lands, construction of water tanks and ponds, as the main reason for the landslide, the official sources said. Officials and workers from highway department, district administration, police and fire and rescue department rushed to the spot to assist the clearing of the debris. However, the operations were affected fearing possibility of landslide while removing the debris, they sai

Centre to move 3 Bills in RS to modify ST list in TN, Himachal, Karnataka

The Central government is set to move three bills in the Rajya Sabha later on Thursday to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in relation to the states of Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka

One cr people benefitted from health at doorstep scheme, says TN minister

Tamil Nadu health minister Ma Subramanian said incentives would be provided to all those who work for the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme

Airport project will hit agriculture, rural economy, say farmers to TN govt

Acquisition of land in their villages, for setting up a greenfield airport at Parandur, would lead to 'destruction' of agriculture and eliminate the region's 'self-reliant' economy, farmers opposing the project in their backyard said in a representation to the Tamil Nadu government. The project area covers 'bird migration routes' and it is closer to INS Rajali Naval Air Station and hence not suitable for airport, they said. The flow of water of a natural water channel, that carries surplus flood waters to Kosasthalai river, would be prevented leading to inundation of 30 surrounding villages and 'incalculable farm and economic losses' considering flooding. The project would lead to complete displacement of people in five villages, including the ancient Ekanapuram village. "We will be left with grief and pain," as there will be no suitable livelihood opportunities elsewhere, they said. Listing out several such factors against setting up the airport in their neighbourhood, farmers of

HC suggests Tamil Nadu govt to consider conducting TNMC election online

The Madras High Court has suggested to the State government to conduct elections to the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TNMC) through online/ e-voting. Justice R Subramanian gave the suggestion while disposing two writ petitions from Dr S Syed Thahir Hussain of Madurai and another, today Earlier in the first week of this month, the judge had directed the government to postpone the elections to the Council by three months. This interim order passed on December 6 was based on the submission by Advocate-General R Shamugasundaram that the Tamil Nadu Medical Registration Act governing the elections and other issues will be thoroughly revised in three months. Recording the submission, the judge had directed the government to revisit the 1914 Act within three months and to conduct the elections thereafter. The petitions sought to quash the notification dated October 19, 2022, which notified elections to the TNMC Election and prayed for a direction to the State Chief Secretary and the Health

Larsen & Toubro commits Rs 11 cr to support over 100 schools in Tamil Nadu

Engineering and construction conglomerate, Larsen and Toubro has committed Rs 11 crore to support over 100 schools in Tamil Nadu under the government's 'Namma School' initiative, the company said on Tuesday. The funds are aimed at benefitting government schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Salem, Namakkal, Tiruvallur, Sivaganga, Tirunelveli, Chengalpet and Vellore. To be utilised in the current financial year, the funds would help develop and build on a range of on-going activities including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education through its corporate social responsibility programme - Engineering Futures. Chief Minister M K Stalin formally rolled out the 'Namma School' initiative on December 19. "It is an honour to partner with the Tamil Nadu government to take these activities to fruition and we express our sincere thanks for the opportunity to help the children of government schools in the state and contribute significantly to build a better India," a

Demand crunch: Textile sector bats for stimulus, cotton import duty removal

There is a shortage of demand for textile goods globally due to the Ukraine-Russia war

In a first in Tamil Nadu, mobile electric crematorium launched in Erode

While mobile electric crematoriums are common in other states of India, Tamil Nadu will have its first one now

Agri lands won't be acquired for industrial parks: TN govt amid protest

Agriculture lands will not be acquired for Annur and Mettupalayam industrial park projects in Coimbatore district and instead barren lands will be acquired, Tamil Nadu government assured amidst protests by farmers and opposition parties in the state. Considering the demand of farmers, instead of agricultural lands, only 1,630 acres of barren lands owned by private companies will be acquired for setting up the industrial parks, the government said. Also, satisfactory compensation would be provided to farmers who come forward to willingly give their lands without any compulsion, a release from the industrial department said. Farmers from several villages in Annur and Mettupalayam taluks protested against the taking over of their cultivable lands for the industrial park projects. BJP state chief K Annamalai, who led his party in staging a project in Annur on December 8, claiming not even a handful of soil would be given to the project, reacted to the announcement thanking the ...

5 lakh to be educated under National Literacy Programme: TN Minister

Tamil Nadu Minister for School Education, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said on Friday that the state would educate 5 lakh individuals under the National Literacy programme

TN power utility invites consumer organisations to air grievances

The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company (Tangedco) has convened a meeting with the voluntary consumer organisations functioning in the North Chennai area on December 31

Foxconn expands in Sriperumbudur, takes 20-acre land for new hostel

State industrial promotion group and Tata Electronics making investments for expanding in the region too

Paris auction house cancels auction of Nataraj idol after TN flags issue

The auction house in Paris, Christie's.com, halted the auctioning of the 500-year old idol of Lord Nataraj, stolen from Tamil Nadu's Kovilpatti in 1972, after the state police flagged the issue. Christie's had issued a notice on its website, recently, on auctioning the Nataraj idol, which belonged to the ancient Sri Kothanda Rameshwar temple, Kayathar, Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi district, for 2 to 3 lakh Euros on Friday. An alert DGP of Tamil Nadu Idol Wing K Jayanth Murali, noticing the auction bid, tweeted on December 13, tagging Antiquities Coalition, running an international campaign against cultural racketeering and the Archaeological Survey of India: "France. STOP AUCTION. Return it to us. This is a stolen idol from: India, Tamil Nadu, Siva Temple, Sri Kodandaramesvara. HavePROOF." A senior official in the Idol Wing said the DGP followed up by sending the documentary proof through state and central governments. "Finally, Christie's.com realised that the idol proposed to be ...

Foxconn building hostel to house 60,000 employees in Tamil Nadu: Report

In response to the strong domestic demand for Apple products and Foxconn's aim to diversify away from China, 'brisk construction' is going on at a 20-acre plot in Tamil Nadu

DMK has devolved more funds, powers to local bodies, says CM M K Stalin

The DMK government has devolved more funds and powers to the local bodies, demonstrating that decentralisation held the key to speedy execution of work in a democracy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday. The state government has enhanced the project sanctioning powers of the village panchayats for upto Rs 5 lakhs (from Rs 2 lakh), upto Rs 50 lakh for district collectors and to Director, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj for projects for over Rs 50 lakh, at the village panchayat level, he said. Posting copies of the government notification dated December 6, on his twitter site, the Chief Minister said at the Panchayat union council level, the council has been empowered to sanction funds for upto Rs 25 lakh, from Rs 25 to 50 lakh the power has been vested with the district collectors while the Director, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj has been empowered to sanction more than Rs 50 lakh towards the cost of the work. "More powers were vested with the local bodie

LS passes bill to grant ST status to Narikoravan, Kurivikkaran communities

Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to grant Scheduled Tribe status to Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities in Tamil Nadu. Piloting the Bill, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda said the proposed legislation seeks to provide justice to tribal communities of Tamil Nadu. "There is no politics involved" in the move, which is aimed at improving the lives of the members of the tribal communities of Tamil Nadu, he said. The Bill follows the suggestion of the Tamil Nadu government that Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities be included in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the state. "On the basis of the recommendation of the State of Tamil Nadu and after consultation with the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, it is proposed to amend Part XIV of the Schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950," said the statement of objects and reasons

TN farmers demand annual de-silting of water bodies to increase storage

With most of the water bodies in Tamil Nadu not reaching their full capacity even during the monsoon season, farmers have demanded the state government to conduct annual desilting to increase storage

Set up Pennaiyar river water dispute tribunal within 3 months: SC to Centre

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to constitute within three months the Pennaiyar River Water Tribunal to resolve the dispute over the sharing of water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu

Flood alert in TN's Tiruvannamalai as water level rises in Sathanur dam

With the water level in Sathanur dam almost full, a flood alert has been issued in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu