QChennai: 17,000 Roads In Disrepair; 430 Leprosy Cases Detected
A quick look at top stories of the day from Chennai.
1. 430 Leprosy Cases Detected
A total of 430 new cases of leprosy were detected during the first phase of the Active Leprosy Case Finding conducted from 2 to 13 July. The survey, which was conducted in 87 high endemic blocks across 24 districts, screened 67,39,630 people.
According to officials, 6,74,630 children were screened through camps conducted at their schools during this survey.
Among the 430 newly detected cases, 120 were children.
(Source: The Hindu)
2.11 Yr Old Allegedly Raped by 15 Men Over 6 Months
An 11-year-old hearing impaired girl in Chennai was allegedly raped by more than 15 men over the last six months. On Monday, police arrested 18 men in connection to the case. The incident came to light on 13 July, when the victim, a class 7 student, informed her elder sister that she was suffering from stomach pain. “She told her sister that she was raped, sometimes even gang-raped, by the men working in the apartment they lived in. Subsequently, the sister informed the parents who lodged a complaint with the police,” said a police officer.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
3. 17,000 Roads to Be Repaired
The Chennai Corporation is likely to start work soon on restoring damaged roads along 17,000 stretches in various parts of the city.
The civic body will kickstart the work this week after the government sanctions Rs 260 crore in the first phase. “Priority has been given to added areas such as Ambattur, Valasaravakkam and Madhavaram. Core city zones will also get funds,” said an official.
The Corporation’s detailed project report estimated the damage to the roads at Rs 1,000 crore. But funding is expected to be a challenge. So, portions of the roads are expected to get a makeover in a few months. The Corporation is likely to restore stretches where residents have reported civic issues.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. CM EPS Inaugurates 13 Parks In Chennai
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami inaugurated 13 new parks in various parts of Chennai on Monday, and commissioned the underground sewerage facilities, constructed at a cost of 35 crore at Soorpattu in Madhavaram zone besides similar underground sewerage facilities at Puthagaram and Kathirvedu at a total cost of Rs 60 crore, through the video conferencing facility at the Secretariat. The chief minister commissioned and inaugurated various works completed at a total cost of Rs 103.40 crores.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Governor Urged to Return Lokayukta Bill
The Arappor Iyakkam, a non-governmental organisation, has sent a representation to Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit urging him to return the recently passed Lokayukta Bill to the Assembly. In its letter, the organisation said the Bill defied the fundamental objective of independent investigation and did not give the anti-graft body prosecution powers.
“We are deeply concerned about the hurried passage of the Lokayukta Bill in the State Assembly. The Bill was introduced on the last day of the Assembly session and passed within a few hours without much discussion,” the anti-corruption organisation said in its letter.
(Source: The Hindu)
6. 100Cr, 90kg Gold Seized in Raids
In pre-dawn raids launched by Income Tax sleuths, 100 crores in cash and about 90-kg gold was seized from multiple premises of SPK and Co Expressway Pvt Ltd, a road contract firm reportedly linked to political bigwigs. Sources said the officials had sent bankers and values into 10-12 premises of the company to assess out the accurate value of the total seizure. Confirming the huge haul, a senior I-T official denied the reports of political motive to the raids.
Interestingly, in most of the places raided, cash was found kept in travel bags and in parked cars, indicating that the owners had already anticipated the raids and were trying to transport the cash and gold to safer places.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
7. Mettur Dam to Be Opened for Irrigation on 9 July
The State government has decided to open the Mettur dam on 19 July to enable farmers in the Cauvery delta to take up paddy cultivation.
After a high-level meeting of government officials, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday said that 700 water bodies along the Cauvery basin would be filled with water from the Mettur dam and utilised for irrigation. Besides, they could also be used for drinking water purpose, as the ground water table would improve.
(Source: The Hindu)
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