1. Seeman Booked for Praising LTTE
The Taramani Police has booked a criminal case against Naam Tamizhar Katchi chief coordinator, Seeman, for praising the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a public meeting at Kottivakkam.
The police said that on 18 May, during the death anniversary of LTTE leader, Prabhakaran, Seeman praised the organisation and its leader. He was accused of wanton provocation with intent to cause riot, promoting enmity between classes, insult intended to provoke breach of peace and other offences.
(Source: The Hindu)
2. 4,100 Water Bodies, but Chennai Still Thirsty
4,100 waterbodies, but metro still thirsty Chennai Corporation’s target was to provide 135 litres per capita per day (LPCD) of piped water supply by 2017 under the 12th plan. But with the rising population and stress on water resources due to irregular monsoon, Chennai Metro Water is providing less than half, according to an expert.
On condition of anonymity, the expert said that currently the piped water supply in the city could be around 50 to 60 LPCD, which is quite minimal, the issue being the availability of water.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
3. A Turf War over Missing Idols
A couple of weeks ago, senior staff members of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department threatened to go on long leave, claiming they were fed up with “action” taken against their colleagues. They objected to the “bullying” and “arm-twisting” they were being subjected to, and claimed they were “being made to give confessions implicating co-workers.”
The department’s workforce, comprising around 1,000 persons, including 11 regional joint commissioners, 28 assistant commissioners and 300-odd executive officers, have been shaken to the core by the arrest of senior colleagues.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Vacancy Alone Cannot Justify Admission; Madras HC
The Madras High Court has said that mere vacancy of seats cannot be a ground for a person securing lesser marks to get admission in medical courses while justifying the purpose of NEET to ensure that the meritorious students are allotted seats in medical colleges.
“If this is allowed, every college will start admitting the students under some pretext or the other, thereby defeating the purpose of NEET and the directions of the apex court,” Justice S Vaidyanathan said while dismissing a plea moved by MR Unnamalai who wanted the authorities to allow her complete BDS course in RVS Dental College and Hospital, Coimbatore.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Vajpayee’s Ashes to Be Brought to TN
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ashes will be kept at Kamalalayam, the BJP’s headquarters in Tamil Nadu, before being taken to six places across the state for immersion.
According to a press release, the late prime minister’s ashes would be handed over to the state presidents of the BJP, to be immersed in various rivers in each State, after a ceremony in New Delhi on Monday evening.
(Source: The Hindu)
6. Chennai Ranks 70 in Housing and Inclusiveness Category
While the city was ranked 14th in the Ease of Living Index 2018, put out by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, it was ranked a distant 70th under the ‘Housing and Inclusiveness’ category, among the 111 cities that were ranked. The category took into account the percentage of Slum/EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) households covered through formal or affordable housing and the percentage of slum areas covered through basic services, one of the core indicators. The reason for the low score could be traced back to the policy or the lack of it thereof, say experts.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
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