1. Thirumavalavan Begins Campaign in Ariyalur
VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, who is also the candidate of Chidambaram constituency, said on Sunday that the DMK-led alliance would win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In a brief chat with reporters after canvassing votes for him, he said that people were fed up with the wrong economic policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The support for the Congress and secular parties had been rising steadily. The DMK alliance would sweep the poll in the state.
Thirumavalavan said that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami was trying to divert the attention of people by dragging DMK into the Kodanad case. “The country was closely following it. They knew the truth. Palaniswami, who was unable to digest the growing support to the DMK alliance, was attempting to divert the issue,” he said. Earlier, Thirumavalavan visited various areas in Ariyalur and met important leaders, seeking their support. In order to popularise the pot symbol, he carried a pot with him while canvassing votes.
(Source: The Hindu)
2. Water Woes in Adyar As Metro Water Lines Fall to Disrepair
It has been 13 months since close to 500 families along LB Road in Adyar have not been provided with Metro Water supply though they have been paying due water tax. Residents alleged that due to lack of coordination between Chennai Corporation and Metro Water, repair works in underground water pipes have been delayed for five months.
The issue started in February 2018, when residents complained to Metro Water about sewage contamination in their piped water connection. Officials spotted the root cause of the problem and informed residents that the existing pipeline had to be connected to a line on the other side of LB Road. “They brought pipes and stored them near the Zone 13 head office. But as they couldn’t get the road cut permission from the corporation, work couldn’t be commenced. These pipes were lying around for over five months now and were removed after elections dates were announced,” said Chandra Mouli VR, a resident.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
3. Govt Servants Fight Shy of Election Duty
Government employees and teachers, who play a crucial role in the conduct of elections, are wary of poll duty because of a host of challenges they encounter during the exercise. Apart from facing difficulties in reaching polling booths in remote areas, non-availability of food in interior locations is a concern for employees, especially for those who are diabetic.
A Chennai college teacher said that her colleagues are unwilling to go on election work, despite officials from the Taluk office camping in the college.
“We are reluctant to go on election duty as we will know about the polling booth where we have been deputed only a day before the polling date. What if it is an interior place? Not just that, we are expected to find our way there without much help,” she pointed out.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Cooum To Get Bunds in 7-km Stretch by December
The construction of bunds along the Cooum in the seven-kilometre stretch from the Napier bridge to the Chetpet railway bridge, is scheduled for completion in December this year, according to PWD officials. The construction of bunds, along with desilting, demarcating the boundary and fixing boundary stones, has been taken up by the PWD, as a part of 60 restoration activities that are to be completed in phase 1. The projects under the first phase are scheduled to be completed within a maximum of three years.
“The river runs along the road which makes the construction of bunds, an important aspect to prevent encroachments. As of now, there is no stretch that is completely finished since work has been taken up simultaneously in the entire stretch,” said a PWD official.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Radha Ravi Receives Flak for Distasteful Comments
A section of the Tamil film fraternity came down heavily on Radha Ravi, actor and president of the Tamil Nadu Dubbing Union, for his distasteful comments about actress Nayanthara at a film event on Saturday. Radha Ravi had made comments about the actress being cast to play the role of a ‘ghost’ and ‘Sita’ in different films at the trailer launch of the film Kolaiyuthir Kaalam starring Nayanthara in the lead role.
The actress was not present at the event. A video of his speech from the event that was widely shared on social media platforms drew sharp criticism. Many deemed his comments about Nayanthara insensitive and misogynistic.
(Source: The Hindu)