QChennai: Monsoon Sets Foot, Karunanidhi Makes Public Appearance

These are the top news stories from Chennai.

The onset of the monsoon has been delayed almost every year since 1976.

(Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

1. When It Did Rain, It Poured: The Monsoon Arrives

The northeast monsoon evaded the 27 October schedule forecast by the Met department, but on Monday it brought intense showers throughout Chennai.  

In what could be described as the first intense rain spell this Northeast monsoon, several parts of the city received moderate showers since Sunday night. While the typical monsoon day has come as a relief for the city reeling under water shortage, it also brought with it the usual host of civic issues. Though the meteorological department announced the onset of monsoon on 27 October, the rains were evasive for core parts of the city till Sunday.

A cyclonic circulation that lies over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka is expected to sustain moderate showers over the state for the next two days. Upto 8:30 pm on Monday, the Nungambakkam station recorded 8.35 cm of rainfall and Meenambakkam 6.59 cm. Rains may be heavy to very heavy (ranging between 7 cm and 20 cm) in north coastal Tamil Nadu.

(Source: The Hindu)

Also Read: What’s Causing So Many Changes to India’s Monsoons?

2. Karunanidhi Presides over Family Wedding in Chennai

This is the second public engagement of the former CM Karunanidhi in 10 months.  

DMK president M Karunanidhi, who was confined to his home for the past 10 months following age-related illness, attended his second public event – the wedding of his great-grandson – here on Monday. The occasion provided an opportunity for his family members, including his once-estranged son MK Alagiri, to come together. The nonagenarian leader presided over the marriage of Manoranjith with Akshitha at his Gopalapuram residence.

The bridegroom is the grandson of Karunanidhi’s first son MK Muthu and the son of CK Ranganathan, chairman and managing director of Cavinkare. Akshitha is the daughter of award-winning Tamil film actor Vikram. All family members. barring DMK working president MK Stalin, who was away in Pasumpon to pay his respects to Muthuramalinga Thevar on the occasion of the latter’s Guru Puja, attended the function.

(Source: The Hindu)

3. GST Intelligence Collects Rs 9 Crore Excise for Gutkha

The gutkha scam hit the headlines in June this year after a document containing details of bribes paid to a Minister, at least three IPS officers and other Central/State Government officials to facilitate the manufacture and sale of gutkha was found.

In an interesting twist to the sensational gutkha scam, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Intelligence unit has collected about Rs 9 crore excise duty from the manufacturer of the banned gutkha/pan masala products. After registering a case of duty evasion against the manufacturer of MDM brand gutkha in Tamil Nadu, the GST Intelligence unit launched an investigation into specific aspects of the scam along with other Central agencies. A state Minister and two top police officers (one of them has retired) were allegedly paid huge sums of money as bribe to allow the manufacture and sale of gutkha in Chennai.

Parrying questions on the provisions under which the duty on the sale of gutkha/pan masala was collected, a top officer in the Directorate General of Vigilance, Customs and Central Excise told that the “the manufacturer had voluntarily paid Rs 9 crore to the GST Intelligence as excise duty.” However, the final quantum of duty would be decided based on the outcome of the investigation.

(Source: The Hindu)

Also Read: Gutka Scam Rocks Tamil Nadu: AIADMK Govt Under Scanner

4. Encroachments Around Ennore Creek to Be Removed

Kamal Haasan visited the Ennore creek and criticised the government for their inaction to remove encroachments and warned North Chennai could be flooded even if there are normal rains like last year. 

Following a campaign by environmentalists and fisherfolk to save the Ennore creek, the Public Works Department is planning to take steps to remove encroachments near the creek and Buckingham canal. The department would coordinate with the Revenue Department to remove the road laid by Kamarajar Port and L&T Port across the Buckingham Canal near the creek to transport materials, PWD officials said.

Admitting that there were encroachments on the Kosasthalaiyar and the creek, a PWD official said, “We have been monitoring the locality and also instructing the port authorities to remove the encroachments now and then.” While environmentalists complain of continuing fly ash deposit near the creek and Buckingham Canal, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) officials claim that fly ash was being dumped in the ash ponds belonging to thermal power stations.

(Source: The Hindu)

Also Read: Kamal Haasan Visits Ennore Creek After Attacking Government

5. Election Commission Adjourns Hearing on 'Two Leaves'

Dhinakaran faction seeks to cross-examine some members who have backed OPS-EPS camp.  

Following another round of hearing on the AIADMK symbol dispute, the Election Commission on Monday adjourned the proceedings for Wednesday. During a three-hour-long hearing, the VK Sasikala/TTV Dhinakaran faction sought the Commission’s ruling on its plea for cross-examination of some members who had filed affidavits in support of the OPS-EPS combine. The petitioners opposed it, reiterating that it was an attempt to drag the proceedings. The Commission was reportedly of the view that the argument on merits should also continue, along with that on the issue of cross-examination.

The EC has to decide the case by 10 November, as directed by the Supreme Court. Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and senior advocates CS Vaidyanathan, KV Vishwanathan, Guru Krishna Kumar and PH Manoj Pandian are appearing for the OPS-EPS combine. Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vijay Hansaria represented the Sasikala-Dhinakaran group. They submitted that some persons, who had filed affidavits in support of the petitioners, needed to be examined as they complained that they had not filed those documents.

(Source: The Hindu)

6. HC Says No to Advertisement Boards, Banners at Traffic Signals

A similar order was passed in 2012 against advertisement boards put up on medians.

The Madras High Court on Monday directed the state government to strictly follow the policy on roadside advertisements issued by the Indian Road Congress and desist from granting permission for installation of advertisement boards at traffic signal posts.

A Division Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and M Sundar issued the direction on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Coimbatore Consumer Cause, a registered society represented by its secretary K Kathirmathiyon interested in ensuring road safety. Though the petitioner society had sought for a direction to remove all advertisement boards and banners installed at traffic signal posts across the State, the judges stopped with ordering that the licences issued so far shall not be renewed after their expiry.

(Source: The Hindu)

Read More: Citizen Groups Angry Over AIADMK’s Banner Blitzkrieg in Chennai

7. Tamil Writer Melanmai Ponnusamy No More

The Sahitya Akademi award-winner was known for his authentic and poignant portrayal of rural folk.  

Tamil writer and Sahitya Akademi award-winner Melanmai Ponnusamy, who captured the lives of the marginalised people in the semi-arid regions (Karisal Bhoomi) of southern Tamil Nadu with authenticity and poignancy, passed away on Monday. He was 66. He won the Sahitya Akademi award in 2008 for his short story collection, Minsara poo. He had published 22 short story collections, six novels, six novellas and a collection of essays. His first short story was published in Semmalar, the literary magazine of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

A native of Melanmarainadu in Virudhunagar district, Ponnusamy was a full-time writer and was actively involved in party work. He earned a livelihood by working as a farmer and running a provisions store in his village. On winning the Sahitya Akademi award, he had said it was a recognition of his writings, which portrayed the poor, who, according to him, were the victims of society and the State.

(Source: The Hindu)