1. Royal Enfield Workers Return to Work
Workers at the Royal Enfield plant reported to work on Sunday, ending their strike last week. However, the management asked them to leave their mobile phones to with security personnel before entering the workplace, which became a new friction point.
A section of workers was on strike from September 24 for four days and called it off after advice from Joint Labour Commissioner in Chennai and the management had told the workers to report for duty from Sunday first shift.
“About 650 permanent workers reported to duty for the first two shifts. However, they were told to leave their mobile phones with the security personnel. Earlier, they used to allow mobile phones inside the work floor,” said R Sampath, vice-president, Royal Enfield Employees Union, which is part of the Working People Trade Union Council. Workers are reluctant to hand over their phones to security personnel since personal data is involved.
(Source: The Hindu)
2. Chennaiites Turn Blind Eye to Vehicular Pollution
Suresh* has been using his Tata Indica for almost 20 years. During this period, he should have renewed his Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) 38 times but, he renewed it only six times after the first year from the purchase date.
As per the norms, all vehicles which are in operation for more than a year should undergo emission tests every six months. However, there are a number of vehicle owners who do not adhere to the rules.
There are 332 Private Emission Testing Centres throughout Tamil Nadu and 63 in Chennai, said an official from the State Transport Authority (STA). As per rule 116 (B) of Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, it is mandatory that at the time of every transaction with Regional Transport Offices, the certificate of Pollution Under Control should be checked. In practice, many stakeholders said this was not followed rigidly.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
3. I Don’t Advocate Conversion, Says Thirumavalavan
VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, who studied the mass conversion of Dalits to Islam in Meenakshipuram in Tirunelveli district for his PhD thesis, has contended that his objective was not to recommend religious conversion. His thesis had evoked criticism from Puthiya Thamizhagam (PT), a party largely representing the interests of the Devendrakula Vellalar community in the south, which saw it as an endorsement of conversion.
Thirumavalavan said he studied the issue because he wanted to know why Dalits there embraced Islam though Dr Ambedkar advocated conversion to Buddhism. He also wanted to find out whether money from Gulf countries played any role, as was alleged during the conversion, and if there were other inducements.
“But you cannot deny the fact that the socio-economic status of the Dalits in Meenakshipuram has witnessed a tremendous improvement when compared to Dalits living elsewhere. The second and third generation feel as if they are born-Muslims and fully devoid of any humiliation and discrimination,” he said.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Differently-Abled Find their Perfect Match at Swayamvaram
“What is happening here is no ordinary feat, it is something that is special and is an act of divinity,” said B Jothi Nirmalasamy, Commissioner of Employment and Training Department, Tamil Nadu, the chief guest at the 9th Swayamvaram for people with disability (PwD) and those from the economically-weaker section of the society, on Sunday.
Sree Geetha Bhavan, in coordination with the Tamil Nadu Differently Abled Federation Charitable Trust, organised the event. About 227 men and 42 women registered hoping to find a life partner. The shortlisted couples will be advised to attend counselling on October 7, where a general physician, psychologist, psychiatrists, legal personnel and blood test technicians will determine their compatibility. Based on their recommendations, the couples will be asked to schedule their marriages at the Geeta Bhavan Hall on November 4. “While all these scientific tests are important, it is crucial for the couple to be compatible on an emotional level,” said Nirmalasamy.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Adyar Cleanup Gets into Mission Mode
In an effort to reconnect the city’s residents with the Adyar river that is facing degradation, Reciprocity Foundation, a voluntary organisation, is starting a three-and-a-half-month-long campaign from Sunday.
“Save the Adyar River Today” — the campaign, coinciding with World Rivers Day — aims at bringing together people from various walks of life residing along the Adyar’s banks, to rejuvenate the waterway. The movement seeks to create awareness about the river’s significance and motivate people to take up responsibility for its clean-up. It will focus on the stretch between the estuary and the Kotturpuram bridge.
The waterway has now been reduced to a dumping space for garbage and sewage.
(Source: The Hindu)