QChennai: State Announces Kuruvai Package; Oppn Walks Out

Here is your roundup of the top stories from Chennai.

Edappadi K Palaniswami announced a Kuruvai crop package, but the delay in opening Mettur Dam drew a lot of criticism.

(Photo: The Quint)

1. State Govt Announces Rs 115 Crore Kuruvai Package

Image of the Tamil Nadu Assembly used for representational.

Making it clear that water cannot be released from the Mettur dam on the customary date of 12 June owing to poor storage, the state government unveiled in the Assembly on Friday, a Rs 115 crore kuruvai crop package for the benefit of farmers. The government reiterated that it had been strongly urging the Centre to set up the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee at the earliest.

During Zero Hour in the House, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, in a suo motu statement, said the storage in the Mettur dam stood at 39.42 feet, and hence, the release of water on the customary date of 12 June would not be possible. “I am happy to announce the kuruvai package, which would help farmers cultivate short-term paddy and other crops,” Palaniswami said.

(Source: The Hindu)

2. Opposition Parties Stage Walkout

Even on the first day of the Session. DMK working president MK Stalin and party workers staged a demonstration wearing black clothes ans staging a walk out, against the death of 13 people who lost their lives in police firing during anti-Sterlite protests.

The DMK on Friday led a walkout by Opposition parties from the Assembly, in protest against the statement of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami that the release of water from the Mettur dam on 12 June would not be possible this year. However, the CM hit back at the principal Opposition party, pointing out that water had never been released from the Mettur dam on the customary date when the DMK was in power.

While announcing the kuruvai package in the House, Palaniswami said poor storage at the Mettur dam meant water would not be released on the customary date. In response, the DMK, led by party working president MK Stalin, staged a walkout. Its allies – the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League – followed suit.

In his defence, Palaniswami listed the dates on which water was released from the Mettur dam during the DMK’s regimes since the 1980s, and pointed out: “So, it is clear that there is no history of water [having been] released on the said date whenever the DMK was in power. Water can be released only if there is storage.”

(Source: The Hindu)

3. CBI Files Chargesheet Against AC Muthiah

Most of the loans shown as granted by the said company to its clients were allegedly fictitious, CBI said

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a chargesheet against A C Muthiah, chairman emeritus of Southern Petrochemicals Industries Ltd (SPIC) and former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and Farouk Irani for allegedly cheating Syndicate Bank of Rs 102.87 crore when they were part of First Leasing Company of India (FLCI), the agency said in an official release.

Muthiah, chairman and promoter of FLCI, and Irani, managing director, have been charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and destruction of evidence in the document filed before the court of Additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Chennai, CBI said.

CBI alleged that Chennai-based FLCI, a public limited non-banking financial company, had been banking with Syndicate Bank, Corporate Finance Branch, Chennai, since 2004. “The accounting data base maintained was in ‘Oracle’ which allowed the said company to alter/manipulate it through back-end process,” CBI said in a statement. FLCI had been allegedly showing inflated income and assets over the years since 1998 by showing fictitious income and non-existing assets, it added.

(Source: Times of India)

4. Hotline Between India and China Imperative: Def Minister

On China’s economic assistance to India’s neighbouring countries, Nirmala said that the government was alert to the kind of economic assistance being extended by China to many of the neighbouring countries and “its ramifications”.

Emphasising the need for a “hotline” between the heads of India and China to sort out bilateral issues, particularly the stand-off along the border, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent China visit for informal talks with his counterpart would benefit India immensely.

Recently, the two countries decided to activate a direct hotline between their respective military headquarters, at the level of Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs). “We should definitely have a hotline between China and India that will reduce the time in reaching out to the empowered decision makers when there is a crisis,” said the minister, in a reference to the Doklam crisis.

Sitharaman was in Chennai to inaugurate a two-day conference on the ‘Trends and transformations in China’s geopolitics, strategy, society and business’ jointly organised by the Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S) and National Maritime Foundation – Tamil Nadu. On the informal meet between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Modi in Wuhan, she said the Chinese leadership, for the first time, had agreed to meet a leader of another country outside Beijing.

(Source: Times of India)

5. TN’s First De-Addiction Centre for Juveniles Kindles Hope

An official from the Juvenile Justice Board said it was the duty of the state to provide well-equipped staff in de-addiction centres to help in successful rehabilitation.

The Lifeline Centre for Prevention of Children from Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse in Chengalpattu is the first de-addiction centre set up by the Department of Social Defence for children and juveniles in conflict with the law in the State. The centre was opened three months ago at a cost of ₹22.99 lakh.

It currently houses five children accused of crimes such as robbery. Nine have already been rehabilitated. “We have children in the age group of 11 to 17, a few of them have multiple addictions,” said Chezhian Ramu, founder of the organisation.

While the centre has its own rehabilitation programme, he said it would be helpful if local government hospitals admitted these children and kept them under observation during the initial phase.

(Source: The Hindu)

6. Zoo Gets More Visitors, but Animals Have a Tough Time

The zoo has recorded an increase in footfall during April and May, compared to the corresponding period last year.

An increasing number of visitors are keeping cash registers at the Vandalur zoo ringing, but lack of maintenance is turning the place into an eyesore. Visitors, especially those who bring their excited children to the butterfly enclosure, get disappointed the moment they enter, as it is nothing close to being colourful.

Constructed in the shape of a caterpillar in over 2.5 hectares, the enclosure is now overheated and wears a deserted look as most of the plants supposed to attract the winged pollinators have gone dry. Little has been done to keep them alive, complained visitors. A senior zoo official said the heat could be due to the acrylic sheet roof, replacing which might help. Officials concerned have been apprised about the condition, added the official. The otter enclosure too is in dire need of attention, as the fresh water mammals now survive in algae-ridden water, not cleaned for a fairly long time.

(Source: Times of India)

7. Kamal Haasan's Vishwaroopam 2 Trailer to Be Launched by Aamir Khan

Kamal Haasan in Vishwaroopam.

Kamal Haasan fans, rejoice. The trailer of his much-awaited film Vishwaroopam 2 will be launched digitally on June 11 by superstars Aamir Khan, Jr NTR and Shruti Haasan (Kamal Haasan's daughter).

On Friday, Raj Kamal Films (the production house) made the announcement on Twitter. Aamir will release the Hindi version of Vishwaroopam 2. Jr NTR and Shruti Haasan will launch the Telugu and Tamil versions, respectively. Vishwaroopam 2 is also by directed Kamal Haasan and has been shot in Tamil and Hindi while it's dubbed in Telugu. The Hindi version will be presented by Rohit Shetty and Reliance Entertainment.

Vishwaroopam 2 is a sequel to Kamal Haasan's 2013 film of the same name. It stars Kamal Haasan as a RAW agent Wisam Ahmad Kashmiri. Actors Rahul Bose, Pooja Kumar and Andrea Jeremiah, co-star with him. Vishwaroopam 2's release date hasn't been announced as of yet.

(Source: NDTV)