QChennai: Tankers on Strike; Stolen Wallets Found in Post-Boxes

Here is your roundup of the top stories from Chennai.

At a time, when northeast monsoon is yet to set in, the strike by water tankers has set the cat among the pigeons among the public.

(Photo Courtesy: Smitha TK/ The Quint)

1. Over 4,000 Private Water Tankers Stay off Roads

Lorry owners said they are ready to hold talks with the government and that their demands should be sorted out as early as possible.

As many as 4,000 private water tankers were off the roads in Pallikaranai, Thoraipakkam, OMR and ECR stretches, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts demanding the government legally to revoke court order directing owners of lorries not to exploit groundwater sources and groundwater should be excluded from mines and mineral department on Monday.

However, no officials called upon members to hold talks and water scarcity is likely to loom large, if such indefinite strike continued. Even as the first day strike did not largely affect supply of drinking water, the lorry owners claimed, “strike will have cascading effect gradually.”

(Source: Deccan Chronicle)

2. Pickpockets in Chennai Find Postboxes a Safe Haven to Dispose Stolen Wallets

Postal staff have found ID cards such as Aadhaar and PAN besides driving licences in the wallets.

Pickpockets seem to have discovered a novel method of disposing stolen wallets with ID cards finding the ubiquitous mail boxes a safe haven to deposit them, given the number of such cases the city postal department have come across in the past six months.

The department has come across 70 such cases in the past six months in Chennai city corporation limits. Postal staff have found ID cards such as Aadhaar and PAN besides driving licences in the wallets. Identity cards suspected to have gone missing also find their way to some post boxes which are duly forwarded to the rightful owners, the official said.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

3. Therapeutic Park for Special Children at Tiruvallur

The objective was to provide stimuli for these children and the park has flowers of attractive colours and plants with different fragrances such as ‘tulsi’ and lemon grass.

A therapeutic park for special children has been established at the government district headquarters hospital in Tiruvallur. It would be an integral part of the treatment extended to children with special needs at the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC) at the hospital.

The DEIC is the nodal centre for the district and covers 14 blocks. Each block has two doctors, who visited anganwadi centres and schools to screen children and refer to DEIC for further evaluation and intervention. The programme is aimed at early detection and management of defects at birth, diseases in children, deficiency conditions and developmental delays, including disabilities in children from birth to age 18.

(Source: The Hindu)

4. Youth Attacked, Pushed Under MTC Bus

He was crushed under the wheels and dragged for 10 metres until the bus driver stopped. The victim’s head was crushed, rendering identification near impossible.

In a tragic incident, an unidentified youth, believed to be from Madhya Pradesh, was crushed to death by a speeding bus on EVR Salai in Chennai, after two drunken men pushed him after he refused to give them what they wanted.

The two men, who seemed to be drunk, stopped the youth and reportedly demanded tobacco and money. When he refused, the duo thrashed him. Though he was writhing in pain, they kept beating him as he tried to flee. At one point, the youth started to run across EVR Salai to get away from the two assailants. Pushed by the duo while he was running, he came under the wheels of a speeding bus.

(Source: The Hindu)

5. 6.5 Kg Gold Seized on Plane at City Airport

The incidents of gold smuggling seem to be increasing at the Chennai airport.

In a major haul, sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recovered 6.5 kg of gold worth Rs 2 crore from an aeroplane at the Chennai airport on Monday morning.

Luggage of all passengers on the flight was checked after they disembarked but nothing was found. They then acquired permission to check aboard the flight. The officials then went on to search on the flight, where they found six gold bars wrapped in brown bags and hidden under the seat. The incident comes only a day after a total of 1.75 kg of gold, worth over Rs 53 lakh was seized from passengers aboard three flights arriving at the Chennai international airport on a single day.

(Source: Deccan Chronicle)

6. Madras High Court Rejects Nurse’s Plea Seeking Return of Her Certificates

The judge said that without understanding the significance, the appellant is refusing to work for the needy which is unjustified. So, the appellant is not entitled to ask for return of certificates. 

Pointing out that the services of nurses are indispensable in safeguarding public health, the Madras high court has rejected a plea from a nursing graduate, who sought return of her certificates without insisting her to work in an institution for two years as per the sponsorship obligation agreement.

Austin Blessie joined B.Sc Nursing course as a candidate sponsored by CSI Diocese of Vellore. While joining, she entered into a sponsorship obligation agreement, by which, she was required to serve in one of the institutions of the body for a minimum period of two years. After completion of the course, she wanted to go for higher studies in the subject Hospital Administration. She wrote a letter requesting for breaking of the bond which was rejected. Aggrieved, she approached the court.

(Source: Deccan Chronicle)

7. ‘Never Said DVAC to Challenge Court Order over CBI Probe’: AIADMK Leader Ponnaiyan

The Madras High Court has ordered a CBI probe into the allegations against CM Edappadi Palanswami awarding contracts to certain members.

AIADMK organising secretary C Ponnaiyan on Sunday denied having said that the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) would challenge the order passed by the Madras High Court to conduct a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in awarding contracts by the highways department, which is CM Edappadi Palanswami’s portfolio. He stated that his words were misreported.

He also argued that CM Edappadi K Palaniswami was the first person to bring the tender in the highways department, and stated that when the DMK was in power, it followed a ‘box’ tender system. Ponniyan also said that the World Bank Guidelines for tenders were followed in the tender process in question.

(Source: The News Minute)