Chennai: Government Schools to Get 100 Mbps Internet Connection
Chennai : All government schools, starting from the primary to higher secondary level, would be provided with 100 Mbps internet connections with the help of the public sector BSNL in the coming academic year, starting in June, with a view to providing a better learning experience to students and also equipping them to face the future in the hi-tech world. An official press release on Wednesday said that the modern facility had already been set up in 5907 of the total 6023 higher secondary and high schools, 3267 of the total 6992 middle schools and 8711 of the 24,338 primary schools in the State and the rest of the 19,668 schools would be equipped with 10 Mbps internet connection by May end. The State government that was keen on expanding technology to schools had already set up 8,180 hi-tech labs at a cost of Rs 519.73 crore and 22, 931 smart classrooms, costing Rs 455.32 crore benefitting 46,12,742 students, the release said, adding that those schools were getting 5 to 6 Mbps internet connection. Now, by June all the schools would get the 100 Mpbs connection and be equipped with the labs that would go a long way in preparing the students to face the developing technological world and making education easy and enjoyable for them. The ushering in of digital technology in education would help over 46 lakh students to learn their lessons through videos, assess their own learnings online, develop their computer applications skills, improve their English language skills and get career guidance, among other things. Also all government school students enrolling for higher education courses would receive Rs 1000 as assistance from June. Hitherto, only girls who studied from Class VI to XII in government schools were getting the assistance but now it has been extended to male students, too. Announcing that the male students would get the assistance from the coming academic year at a Kalluri Kanavu (College Dreams) event organized in Chennai as part of the Chief Ministers ambitious Naan Mudhalvan scheme, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena said four more such events would be held in the coming days at different places to cover all the districts. The Chennai event was for students who had passed higher secondary education in the districts of Chennai, Trichy, Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Salem. The rest of the events would be on May 9, 10, 11 and 13, he said.
Bajrang replies to NADA, exposure trip & funds on hold
CHENNAI: It seems Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia will be in India for now. His proposal for a training stint in Dagestan, Russia, apparently has been put on hold initially after there was a whereabouts failure confusion in the first half of April and later after he was served with notice of provisional suspension for refusing to give his urine sample during selection trials. What seemed interesting was that in a late April Mission Olympic Cell meeting, wherein it was minuted that he chose to defer his journey by 35 days from April 24 due to his conflicting travel dates because of whereabouts failure. This assumed more significance after he was provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency for not giving the urine sample during the selection trials held in Sonepat on March 10. The trials were organised to pick up the national teams for the Olympic Qualifiers. The NADA had given him until May 7 to reply to the provisional suspension notice, which was sent on Tuesday evening. Confirming this, sports lawyer Vidushpat Singhania, who is representing the multiple world medallist, said they have also requested an early hearing. Vidushpat also cleared the confusion regarding the whereabouts failure. He (Bajrang) received a notice from the National Anti-Doping Agency for three whereabouts failures, the lawyer told this daily. Then we found out that NADA was wrong and intimated the same to them. We wrote to them that there are no three failures and subsequently NADA withdrew the notice. Things that should worry Bajrang and his team are the restrictions that usually accompany a provisional suspension. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency, a provisionally suspended athlete cannot be funded by the government. The athlete cannot use government sports facilities even for training. He cannot compete in any sporting activity of the National Sports Federation or its affiliated units. Not even in exhibition events. Ineligible Athletes cannot participate in a training camp, exhibition or practice organized by their National Federation or a club which is a member of that National Federation or which is funded by a governmental agency, the WADA Code explains under 10.14.1. In fact, he cannot be coached by a coach who is employed or funded by the government. Usually, the sports ministry and Sports Authority of India stop funding, including OPA (Out of Pocket Allowance), to a provisionally suspended athlete. Final call is taken after the conclusion of hearing. And if the decision is in favour of the athlete then he will get his funds with arrears. Bajrang is a Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) athlete and though the list still has his name it needs to be seen how SAI reacts to this development. It is understood that the SAI had cleared his foreign exposure trip to Dagestan in early April before the whereabouts notice was served and later withdrawn. The provisional suspension notice was dated April 23 but it is learnt that Bajrang received it only by around May 1 or 2. As of now, there is no exposure trip, nor can he compete.
Sri Lankan national held for possessing fraudulently obtained Indian passport
Headishek show after Bhuvneshwar masterclass in Hyderabad
CHENNAI: A meeting of two ideologies. A more classical way of approaching T20s vs. the more vibey have-fun-with-the-bat and whatever happens, happens, way. Wicket preservation vs. going hard early doors. KL Rahul vs. Travis Head. This sort of matches can be great fun because of the contrasting forces at work. This was also, in a way, a fixture between Pat Cummins' Hyderabad against Justin Langer's Lucknow; two figures who won't necessarily be in the same elevator (the falling out goes back to the final days of Langer's coaching stint with the national team more than two years ago). This encounter also marked the start of the home stretch of the league, with every match having implications for multiple teams. A Hyderabad win in this, for instance, would officially eliminate Mumbai Indians while sending Chennai to fourth from third. A Lucknow win, in contrast, would send Delhi to sixth, a place you don't want to be in with fixtures running out. So all eyes were on the multiple protagonists on show after the visitors opted to bat first on a strip that looked like the surface of the Moon; it was so cracked, especially in the good length area on either side. Would it be KL Rahul's turn to stand up? What would Marcus Stoinis conjure? Pat Cummins to produce a masterclass? While all three of those players left their mark for a variety of reasons on the game, it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who quietly composed one of the best bowling performances in the recent history of the Indian Premier League. 4-0-12-2; 12 singles, 12 dots. He has the ability to use the new ball like how William Shakespeare used words; nothing out of place. In his first spell, all of which came inside the powerplay, he had the ball on a string as he mostly kept landing it in unhittable areas. That he was getting a modicum of movement both ways constantly troubled Quinton de Kock (1 off 4) Rahul (4 off 10) and Marcus Stoinis (1 off 3). That he also nipped out both De Kock and Stoinis helped the hosts grab the initiative. He started the evening with a couple of inswingers to Rahul before he cramped De Kock for room. Rather than going across the left-hander, this one pitched just outside leg before holding its line. De Kock missed it completely but he was a touch unlucky to not get an edge. Off the next over, Cummins conceded a six but the damage was non-existent as Kumar came back to take out the spine of the line-up. He was also helped by some outstanding catching as both Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sanvir Singh held on (the latter at long-leg just inside the boundary while the former had to dive forward full-length to take it inches off the ground at mid-on) to game-changing catches. With two wickets down, Rahul didn't show the necessary intent to put Kumar off. As a result, he was more than happy to keep pitching the ball in a Test-match length. Cummins may have well bowled him out at a stretch but he kept his last over for the death where he showed his experience against Pooran. The West Indian, in the company of Ayush Badoni, lifted Lucknow to 165? Would it be enough? The answer was known 45 minutes into the chase as Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head went absolutely crazy. Even by their lofty standards, they put on a boundary-hitting clinic to finish the chase in 9.4 overs. By all metrics, it was jaw-dropping batting more than 52% of all balls disappearing, with 148 coming in boundaries alone. Lucknow's score at the end of the powerplay was 27. Hyderabad scored 20 runs or more in three of their nine overs. However, in the immediate aftermath of the Headishek show, it would be easy to miss Kumar's understated efficiency.
Every day is Olympics at the moment: Paris-bound boxer Parveen
CHENNAI: After undergoing a gruelling training session, Parveen Hooda seems to be in good spirits. Two sessions on the day and the boxer is satisfied with the quality of her training. One of the four pugilists from the country to have secured a quota for the Paris Olympics, her objective is crystal clear. And she's taking it one day at a time. It's the process that matters. I take it one day at a time. Every day is the Olympics. I don't think too far ahead. Today (Wednesday), I had two sessions and I was looking to give my best. Sometimes I visualise going to the Olympic arena and reaching the podium. But if I overthink, then it could be an issue. That's why my main focus is to improve every day, she tells this daily during an interview. With just over two months left for the quadrennial event to kick off, this is a critical period for Parveen, who had earned the Olympic quota during the Asian Games in the 57kg weight category. It is very strict at the moment. I'm not allowed to go home as well. The coaches have been closely monitoring me, looking at my strengths and weaknesses. I'm mostly working on increasing my strength, because it's hard to make other notable changes in this short period. This period of Olympic cycle is a new territory for the 23-year-old, who'll be making her Olympic bow in Paris. For instance, it's possible for athletes, especially first-timers, to get carried away and incur injuries. If we don't warm up properly, then we'll feel extra load during training and there are chances of getting injured. So focussing on strength work helps in that regard. It reduces the chances of having injuries, Parveen, who was recently part of a training programme in Turkey, notes. However, she has previously demonstrated that she has the mental make-up to handle tough situations. During the Asiad in Hangzhou, Parveen was not just fighting for herself but was also looking to bring joy to her father, who was bedridden and undergoing cancer treatment then. Moreover, her future with the team was far from certain. The youngster from Rurki village (near Rohtak) in Haryana was yet to secure the No 1 status in the national team, having made a switch in her weight category 63 to 66kg initially before opting for 57. It was tough to reduce weight. When I changed weight, it was the summer season. My father was undergoing treatment then. So I used to get frustrated a lot. There was training overload (to reduce weight) and I couldn't eat properly as well. I used to get irritated a lot, she recalls. Her reactions then are no surprise as it's a feat in itself to cut down weight and it takes real discipline for athletes to maintain the same. I didn't even think about eating from outside for three months or so then. I'm fond of sweets and I had completely stayed away from sweets as well. The fact that she had tasted considerable success 2022 World Championships bronze in Istanbul and 2022 Asian Championships gold in Amman in her previous weight category (63 kg) also tells its own story. Despite being forced to change (63kg is not part of the Olympic programme), she persisted. Years of experience has taught her to never give up and that is now part of her DNA. I used to lose in close bouts earlier when I was still new. I used to wonder, 'why is this happening to me?. The boxers who would beat me would go on to become world champs. Maybe, it was God's plan. Now, I'm getting to understand things. My hard work is now slowly paying off. This is what I have learnt. Tall expectations With three medals in Olympic history so far for Indians, boxing is one sport that is closely followed by many. Parveen, who's part of TOPS and backed by OGQ, is aware of the expectations on her young shoulders. People do have high expectations. We're also getting good support from every quarter including BFI and SAI. So that is always in the back of my mind. Visualisation technique has also been a useful tool for her. The day before the bout, I look at my opponents, study their game and devise a plan and visualise on how I'm going to fight, the tactics that I'm going to adopt. So it feels like I've already done it and it helps during fights. Modern-day technology has helped the boxers' cause. It's a common thing nowadays for the coaches and the boxers watch, re-watch their fights, their rivals' fights in order to gain the upperhand. Once or twice a week, we sit with coaches and analyse our positives and negatives. They tell us what to avoid and things that we should focus on. Technology helps a great deal. Even if we haven't met our rivals, we get to learn about them through videos and it helps. She has adapted to change, she has managed to cope during her father's sickness and now she'll be hoping to break the Olympic barrier and fulfil her dream, a dream that was set in motion in 2012, the year she took up the sport.
Chennai Corporation mulls fines for unregistered pets, to seek govt. approval
An official in the Corporation said they would write to the government after the model code of conduct is lifted next month.
Move to oust EPS if AIADMK is drubbed
Chennai: A group of leaders in the AIADMK is reportedly planning to seek a change in leadership in the event of the party finishing behind the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, whose results will be declared by June 4, with the sole aim of ousting the reigning general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami, by blaming him for the fiasco. Though Palaniswamis position in the party is otherwise firm with the leaders and functionaries in the lower rung fully backing him, there has been a talk of some senior leaders privately resenting the party breaking away from the BJP at the wrong time and not fielding the right candidates for the April 19 elections. Social media, particularly YouTube channels, is abuzz with the move to replace Palaniswami for quite some time. A former AIADMK MP, K C Palanisamy, in an interview to a YouTube channel, about five days back accused Palaniswami of not listening to anyone in the party and said that the intention of the leaders expressing resentment in private was not to shake Palaniswamis hold in the party. He said that people like him were concerned about the future of the party. Once the results were out, people would try to blame Palaniswami by adding up the votes polled by the AIADMK and BJP and pointing out that if they had fought the elections together they would have done better, he said, adding that it was wrong to look at it that way. However, many self-styled political analysts too have started going on social media channels by pointing fingers at Palaniswamis wrong decisions even without knowing the outcome of the elections. Since one of the schemes of things advocated was the reunion of the old AIADMK, which in other words meant that V K Sasikala, T T V Dinakaran and O Panneerselvam should be brought into the party fold. Sasikala, who had been vocal about that idea since her release from jail, had recently written to party functionaries at the middle and lower levels to push for unity. It is also learnt that one of her acolytes Vaithlingam was canvassing with many leaders for bringing all the disparate leaders of AIADMK together to put up a strong fight against the DMK and BJP. In fact, those blaming Palaniswami for alleged goofing up in the elections are also blaming the speculated growth of the BJP in the State on him. They feel that the BJP would have not taken the bold step to go it all out on its own if the AIADMK had not snapped ties at what they say was an inappropriate moment. So those advocating a change in leadership are referring to the 2026 Assembly elections and saying that the party could not be left to be helmed by Palaniswami in those crucial polls that would give the party an opportunity to return to power. Palaniswami would have failed the party 10 times by then the Lok Sabha elections is the 10th election the party faced under his leadership and yet another risk could not be taken, they claimed. Despite all the undercurrents in the partys higher echelons, at the grassroots level Palaniswami was having a firm hold, some of his supporters claimed. So even if the demand for a general council meeting was made by those seeking to oust Palaniswami, it would not have any perceptible impact as he would win the voting in the general council, they said. Whatever it would be, as of now everyone in the party is keeping mum and waiting for the election results as the issue was likely to be raised only in the event of the AIADMK finishing third behind the BJP both in terms of vote percentage and in its overall position in the 40 constituencies.
Man held for raping woman at knife point
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Fearless approach by openers have done wonders: KKR coach Pandit
CHENNAI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), with 16 points, are at the top of the points table. KKR chief coach Chandrakant Pandit is pleased with the way things have gone so far and insists that his team has no time to relax and should play with the same momentum and become the first team to make it to the playoffs. Very happy with the way the boys have performed (to top the table). The team environment is excellent. The dressing room is fantastic and everybody's happy for each other. But still, there are another three matches to go and we have to continue with our momentum, that is more important for us, Pandit told The New Indian Express . Kolkata, at the start of the season, made the right moves by bringing back their two-time winning captain Gautam Gambhir as mentor and later picked the world best left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc to bolster their attack. At the start of the tournament we never thought that we would top the table at the half-way mark. Every team is good in this format and is fighting well in this tournament. Obviously, every team wants to be on top of the table. But how it goes, how it goes with the momentum and how the team is doing, so that is more important. So obviously every team wants to win the trophy. Every team wants to qualify for the playoff. The competition is tough, credit to the boys in the way they have performed consistently and topped the table, said the former India wicketkeeper. Shreyas Iyer has been leading remarkably well and has shown the ability to extract the best from his players. The players have gelled as unit and have been performing at crucial junctures in turns. Shreyas has been doing a wonderful job. In fact, he is a very calm and cool captain. He is always backing the bowlers on the field and he's taking the responsibility. He's becoming the role model for the entire team and he's doing a wonderful job, complimented Pandit. KKR owes its success to its opening pair of Philip Salt and Sunil Narine. The duo has shown the ability to lay the platform to post good totals and also help chase down the same. They have combined really well. Basically, he's (Sunil) has been given a role and he's been fulfilling that role for the team and whatever ability he's got he is putting to effective use. In fact, we are very happy as a team for the opening stands that we have been getting in the first six overs. Salt has been doing a wonderful job. And more than anything else is that every individual has been contributing and taking responsibility that augurs well for our team, explained the coach. It is not a surprise for us (Narine's show with the bat). Sunil has been given a particular role and he is excelling in it. And then, you know, one should not forget that he has done well in the past also as a batter. His success as an opener is due to the clarity of the role given to him. So I think he's (Sunil) fulfilling that, the requirement of the team. This little fearless approach has done wonders and that's good, he added. With Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy and Suyash Sharma in the ranks, KKR have variety in their bowling attack. We have a lot of experience and variety in our attack and that's one of the reasons for our success. The bowlers know their roles and like I said earlier Shreyas has been able to get the best out of them, said the 62-year old. One of the bowlers who has been delivering for KKR for the last few seasons in a quiet manner is Tamil Nadu's own Varun Chakravarthy. You know he's (Varun) has always been a top bowler. We've seen that in the past tournament as well. He's been one of the leading bowlers. And the combination of Sunil and Varun has really worked for us. Let's hope that they continue with this. Because one must understand that it's a very hard task for the bowlers. Whichever bowler you talk about in the IPL from any team, the game and format is such that the bowlers have very little margin of error, said Pandit. In the business end of the league stage what will KKR strategy be? Will they go for a couple of changes or play the same combination? There were doubts about Salt's availability with the England-Pakistan series beginning on May 22. ''Salt is available. No, we will play the same combination as far as possible. We have to maintain that position till we qualify. And of course then when the second half after the qualifying, how we go forward, that is more important and we will decide at that time. The confidence level is very high in the team. Every individual, every support staff is working behind them, that is a great thing. Not only the players who are playing, but players who are sitting on the bench are also equally enthusiastic and you know helping each other. That creates a happy atmosphere in the dressing room,'' said Pandit.
Prevention is key for a thalassemia-free India, say doctors
A simple blood test during early pregnancy will help, experts stress at an awareness event organised on the occasion of World Thalassemia Day
IPL 2024: Our Focus Is On Ensuring We Win The Upcoming Games, Says PBKS Brad Haddin
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium: Punjab Kings are all set to go head-to-head against the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala on Thursday. With the playoff stage of the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League approaching quickly, all eyes are on the points table. All the teams still have a chance to earn the coveted top-four spot, but Punjab Kings assistant coach Brad Haddin insisted that his side is taking the competition game-by-game. Punjab went down by 28 runs to Chennai Super Kings at the same venue last week and will hope to return to winning ways on Thursday to remain in the hunt for the playoffs. The discussion over the last couple of days is about the match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. If you look back to the last match we played, we got ourselves in a position to win the game. We had to chase 160-odd runs and we could not chase it down. So yeah, our main focus has been making sure we work on what we needed to from that game and concentrate on that. There's no point worrying about the next two after this unless we play well in this one. Haddin expressed disappointment over the result in the previous game. We thought we just started to play some good cricket. Our batters started to find some good form after Kolkata and Chennai. And it was disappointing. We thought we were just starting to get some momentum back in the tournament. To lose the way we did was disappointing, he said. But the former Australian international praised the youngsters Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma for their invaluable contribution this season. The two youngsters have batted beautifully in the lower-middle order and have already earned their sides some key victories this season. I think Shashank and Ashutosh have been outstanding. They are two young players that have grown during the IPL. The most pleasing thing about those players is they've got runs under pressure. You see guys come in and then score runs. But these two have come in and scored runs in tough situations, Haddin said. So, one technically you have got to be very good and their game sense and resilience under pressure has been good. For two guys that haven't tasted much of IPL and the hype of it. So yeah, they have been two positive stories from the season, he further added. Sam Curran has been leading the side over the past few games with skipper Shikhar Dhawan absent due to an injury. Haddin admitted Dhawan's injury has been a setback for Punjab this season, but expressed hope the left-handed batsman will be fit to play for the final two games. In any team that you are a part of, it's disappointing to leave your most senior players for extended periods. I do not have to sit here and tell you about Shikhar's record in IPL. He's the most successful opener in this tournament, Haddin said. We go to Delhi after this game for a couple of days before we go to our next game in Guwahati. Shikhar will be assessed and then hopefully we can have some more positive news on him for the last couple of games. We will assess him when we get to Delhi. Fingers crossed, he signed off.
The best example is Jasprit Bumrah...: Rashid Khan points out what makes Indian pacer unplayable
The best example is Jasprit Bumrah...: Rashid Khan points out what makes Indian pacer unplayable Afghanistan and Gujarat Titans (GT) ace spinner Rashid Khan on Wednesday said that as batters continue to raise the level of attack in T20 cricket, bowlers must think about their skill set rather than thinking about the pitch and boundary size. He also hailed Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, saying that it is hard for batters to hit him as he has control over his skills. Rashid is representing Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, where he has taken eight wickets and scored 102 runs for his side at an average of 20.40 so far. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo's The Cricket Monthly, Rashid said that bowlers would not go anywhere if they keep thinking about pitch and boundary sizes while being hit for runs, rather than focusing and questioning themselves on their skill set and executing it. As a bowler, if you keep thinking about the pitch more and the boundary [size] more, that is when you will concede runs. Because you, the bowler, have already accepted that you are nothing. If I am bowling a good yorker, no one is going to hit it. But if I am bowling a bad ball and I do not have enough practice at bowling good balls again and again, that is where I am going to get hit, said Rashid. I feel all of us bowlers should ask ourselves: are we skilful enough to bowl three back-to-back yorkers? Are we skilful enough to bowl a bouncer, a proper bouncer? Are we skilful enough to bowl a wide slower one or a wide yorker? How many times can we repeat that? That's the thing we should think about more rather than the wicket and the boundary size. We say, oh, flat wicket, small grounds, this, that. But you need to see: where did you bowl? If the wicket is flat, it is not swinging, not reversing, what is my third option? If I am still bowling a good length and he is hitting it for six, that is my problem, he concluded. That is why Rashid praises Bumrah, saying that the pacer knows what he is doing and has control over his skill and can bowl great yorkers anywhere. The best example is Jasprit Bumrah. He knows what he is doing. That's why it is hard to hit him, because he has control over his skills. And what are his skills? His skills are bowling good yorkers. He can bowl it on any wicket, any situation, whenever he wants. He will bowl the wide slower one similarly. Once you have those skills of bowling good yorkers, a good bumper, your other deliveries become more effective, said Rashid. In 12 matches at the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Mumbai Indians (MI), Bumrah has taken 18 wickets at an average of 16.50, with the best figures of 5/21. He is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament so far. Rashid's team GT is at the bottom of the points table, with four wins, seven losses and a total eight points. GT will be locking horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Ahmedabad on May 10. (ANI)
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Doctors at GEM Hospital use Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset for surgeries
From an ergonomic point of view, it is convenient to perform a surgery wearing the device, says R. Parthasarathy, surgical gastroenterologist and COO of GEM Hospitals
C. Velayudhan, BJPs first MLA in T.N., dies
C. Velayudhan, BJPs first MLA in T.N., dies
Central bank gold purchases a hedge against sanctions risk: Gita Gopinath
Chennai: Several Central banks have been increasinggold holdings in their forex reserves. Gita Gopinath of International Monetary Fund finds that thisis meant to hedge against economic uncertainty and sanctions risk. Looking at global FX reserves, the most notable development during 2022-23 has been an increase of gold purchases by central banks,First Deputy Managing Director of IMF Gita Gopinath said in a speech. India is one among the countries which have been increasing gold assets in its forex reserves. It had added 19 tonnes to its forex reserves in the March quarter, which has a total of 822 tonnes. Gold is generally viewed as a politically neutral safe asset, which can be stored at home and be insulated from sanctions or seizure. It can also be an inflation hedge but cannot be easily used in transactions, Gopinath said. The share of gold in the FX reserves of the China bloc has been rising since 2015a trend not exclusively driven by China and Russia. Importantly, during the same period, the share of gold in FX reserves of countries in the US bloc has been broadly stable. This suggests that gold purchases by some central banks may have been driven by concerns about sanctions risk. This is consistent with a recent IMF studyconfirming that FX reserve managers tend to increase gold holdings to hedge against economic uncertainty and geopolitical issues, including sanctions risk. In China the share of gold in total FX reserves has increased from less than 2 per cent in 2015 to 4.3 per cent in 2023. During the same period, the value of Chinas holdings of US Treasury and Agency bonds relative to FX reserves has declined from 44 per cent to about 30 per cent. This reflects both net purchases and valuation effects. The downward trend holds even if we account for the fact that some of Chinas holdings of US bonds may be held in Belgium by Euroclear), as some analysts suggest, she added.
DP World opens free trade warehouse zone in Chennai
DP World opens its largest free trade warehouse zone in India at Chennai
THIS AKSHAYA TRITIYA, MIA BY TANISHQ PRESENTS NATIVE INSPIRED BY TRADITIONAL ART,Akshaya Tritiya ... livechennai.com
YouTuber Savukku Shankar booked by Trichy police
Chennai | Little Italy turns 35 with authentic pastas, wood-fired pizzas and a dose of nostalgia
Chennai | Little Italy turns 35 with authentic pastas, wood-fired pizzas and a dose of nostalgia The Hindu
Chennai Super Kings tops IPL fan loyalty charts: Report
Crisp, a marketing analytics firm, in collaboration with Kadence, a global market research agency, has conducted a comprehensive study focusing on brand recognition during the Indian Premier League ( IPL ). The study, aimed at understanding the dynamics of fan followings and brand perceptions across IPL teams, has unveiled intriguing insights into the preferences and behaviours of cricket enthusiasts. While fan loyalty transcends mere performance, fans are not immune to team performance fluctuations. The IPL teams are remarkably different in terms of the size of their fan following. While 50% of the audience does not have a favourite team, just 4 teams between them account for the favourites of as many as 86% of the rest. They are as follows: Chennai SuperKings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Among these, CSK emerges as the undisputed leader, commanding the hearts of a massive 32%, almost 1/3rd of those who have a favourite team! This statistic highlights their unwavering loyalty and positions them as the IPL 's most beloved franchise. CSK's dominance extends beyond geographical boundaries. While CSK undoubtedly boasts a staggering 86% following in Chennai , the most for any team in their home territory, their fan base transcends regional loyalty . CSK even commands a larger following than the home teams in Delhi and Lucknow, highlighting the team's powerful national appeal. CSK's loyal following isn't solely driven by victories. This team, with the most IPL titles under its belt, is fiercely followed by RCB, a team yet to lift the coveted trophy. Moreover, the data from eDART for Week 1 versus Week 5 highlights how fans respond to their team's performance over time. While CSK fans hold their team to a high standard, penalizing a modest win record, RCB fans exhibit more leniency, despite the team's lower standings. This data underscores the deep emotional connection fans have with their chosen team, illustrating that factors beyond on-field success influence fan allegiance. Even last year's champion, Gujarat Titans (GT), lags in terms of fan base compared to MI and CSK, despite playing in their home territory! However, the current method of valuing IPL teams seems to overlook a crucial factor: fan loyalty . For instance, CSK, with a fan base dwarfing even last year's champion Gujarat Titans (GT) by a factor of 30, is valued only 25% higher. This suggests a potential disconnect, with brands perhaps missing out on the immense potential of a passionate and dedicated fanbase.
Chennais Yercaud Kitchen offers home-style Tamil food
TNCC knocks Madras HC's door to restrain PM Modi from making communal speeches
CHENNAI: Having come under continuous attacks from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during election campaigns, including accusations about providing reservations on religious lines, the Congress party has knocked on the doors of Madras High Court, seeking orders to refrain him from making such derogatory and communal rhetoric targeting the minorities and discrediting the party. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai has moved the petition. The partys advocate AP Suryaprakasam made a mention of the matter before the vacation bench of Justices AD Jagadish Chandira and R Kalaimathi on Wednesday. Apex court lawyer sends notice to EC on hate speech by PM Modi He told the bench the Registry of the High Court was reluctant to number the petition, citing the allegations against the Prime Minister, and sought the court to advise the Registry on this. However, the bench told the counsel to submit a reply to the queries raised by the Registry and re-present the petition. The petition stated that the Prime Ministers derogatory remarks against specific communities such as Muslims, including his recent comments regarding mangal sutra and birth rates among Muslims were not only disrespectful but also shameful and treacherous as they fuel communal tensions and sow division among the people. Saying that the Prime Ministers election speeches targeted Muslims across the country, the TNCC alleged that he was trying to create a fear psychosis in the minds of the people and whip up communal passions. He wants Indian citizens to fight among themselves and shed blood in the streets of India to force the majority people to vote for BJP, the petition said. Arguing that the Prime Minister was making false and derogative statements against the Opposition Parties, the petition said that though the statements were made in Rajasthan and Gujarat, they would have repercussions in Tamil Nadu as well. Seek votes on performance of govt instead of indulging in 'hate speeches': Kharge to PM Modi The TNCC also alleged that the Election Commission of India has failed miserably to prevent the Prime Minister from making such statements. It sought the court to direct the ECI to issue notice to the Prime Minister, seeking his explanation for his hate speech and take immediate and decisive action to curb false, derogatory statements and communal rhetoric, based on a representation submitted (to the ECI) by the Congress. The party further sought the court to restrain Modi from making misleading statements, tarnishing the credibility of Congress to ensure a level playing field for all the political parties to campaign in a free and fair manner.
Soaring rents! 16% on-year surge in rents across major cities; Greater Noida, Gurugram lead
Increasing rents: Rents in Ahmedabad increased the least among the 13 major cities at 8.3 per cent, while in Chennai it increased 18.9 per cent.
TN Congress moves Madras HC against PMs election speeches
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee on Wednesday filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to issue notice and call for an explanation from the Prime Minister for his election campaign speeches. A summer vacation bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
IPL 2024: We're Making 'few Too Many' Casual Mistakes, Says Sangakkara After RRs Loss To DC
After Rajasthan Royals: After Rajasthan Royals were subjected to their second defeat on the trot in IPL 2024, director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara thinks his team has been making a few too many casual mistakes in their back-to-back losses in the competition. Not so long ago, RR were at the top of the points table and looked all set to be the first team to enter IPL 2024 playoffs. But the inability to close out chases in their one-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad and now a 20-run loss to DC means RR have ended up on the losing side consecutively. Moreover, they missed the services of Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer due to niggles in Delhi. Well, it's a tough one; losses happen. We've had a great run at the start of the season, a couple of hiccups here, but that's the way the tournament goes. You've got to be on top of your game. I think we're making a few too many casual mistakes. We've got to be patient with our plans, and really trust execution. If you're bowling, you've got to save the boundary here or there to try and drag a side back, said Sangakkara in the post-match press conference. Compared to fifties from Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel and a stunning 41 from Tristan Stubbs to take DC to 221/8, RR didnt have anyone barring Sanju Samsons fine 46-ball 86 to step up with the bat in absence of Jurel and Hetmyer. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler were out inside power-play, while Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Rovman Powell and debutant Donovan Ferreira didnt give the desired support to Samson. With Axar and Kuldeep operating in tandem, DC forced a slowdown by giving just 25 runs in overs 7-10. Didn't really start well in the power-play, but again, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, all of them really contributing to what could have been an interesting chase. But once you make too many casual mistakes and play too many dot balls as well, it becomes a little hard, added Sangakkara. With the ball, Ravichandran Ashwin, who came into the game with just two wickets in the season behind him, took 3-24 to cause a slowdown for DC. Between overs 14-17, RR gave away just 22 runs. But Stubbs takedown of Chahal via sweeps saw DC collect 21 runs off him in the 18th over, which paved the way for 14 and 18 runs coming in last two overs. I thought we bowled brilliantly through the middle of this game, Ashwin especially, and Yuzi (Chahal) showing again how good he is. But I think a few extra runs were given, thanks to some good batting at the end by Tristan Stubbs and Fraser-McGurk at the top. But even then with 220, that's about par for the course here. Yuzi bowled really well to Rishabh and the two lefties, and Ash bowled where we wanted him to bowl. Probably at the back end, we took the spin a little too deep on this pitch and that's something we can we can try and address. But Ash bowled extremely well, stated Sangakkara. With Buttler all set to leave the team at the end of league stage due to Englands T20I series against Pakistan, Sangakkara said the opener will let him know by when he can be with the side in the tournament. Well, we've got to live with it as it is. Everyone's ready to play, and are training well. We've been getting everyone ready and thinking of that contingency as well. If it happens, it happens. Otherwise, someone else will have to step up. All the England players have a deadline, and we'll be talking about it. So he'll let us know when the deadline is there. RR now have a four-day break before travelling to Chennai to face defending champions Chennai Super Kings on April 12. Sangakkara signed off by insisting it wasnt time for panic stations to be activated in the team after back-to-back defeats. We know we've got the quality in the side, and we've just got to keep training hard, getting ready, and at the end of the day, it's about execution. If you get it right on the day and you execute better than the other side, you walk away with a win. We just have to be a little bit more disciplined, he said.
Two couples arrested in Chennai for smuggling gold worth Rs 2.4 crore
CBI Arrested 4 Persons for Trafficking of Indian Nationals for Combat Role in Russian Army
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two accused persons Arun and Yesudas Junior alias Priyan, both resident of Trivandrum, Kerala in case related to trafficking of Indian nationals for combat role in Russian army. On April 24, 2024, two other accused persons - Nijil Jobi Bensam of Kanyakumari and Anthony Michael Elangovan of Mumbai were arrested in this case and sent to Judicial Custody. The CBI, on March 6, 2024, had busted a major human trafficking network running across the country targeting gullible youths on the promise of offering lucrative jobs abroad. These traffickers have been operating as an organized network and were luring Indian nationals through social media channels like Youtube etc. and also through their local contacts or agents for highly paid jobs in Russia. Thereafter, the trafficked Indian Nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in Russia - Ukraine War Zone against their wishes, thus, putting their lives in grave danger. It has been ascertained that some of the victims also got grievously injured in the war zone. A case of human trafficking was registered against private visa consultancy firms and agents who were involved in trafficking of Indian nationals to Russia under the guise of better employment and high paying jobs. The human trafficking network of these agents is spread over several States across the country and beyond. Accused Nijil Jobi Bensam was working in Russia on contract basis as translator and was one of the key members of the network operating in Russia for facilitating recruitment of Indian nationals in Russian army. Accused Michael Anthony was facilitating his coaccused Faisal Baba based in Dubai and others based in Russia in getting the visa processing done in Chennai and booking the air tickets for victims to go to Russia. Arun and Yesudas Junior were the main recruiters of Indian nationals belonging to Kerala and Tamil Nadu for Russian Army. Investigation is continuing against other accused persons who are part of this international network of human traffickers.
Madras High Court Answer Key 2024 out at mhc.tn.gov.in, direct link here
The Madras High Court has made available the provisional answer key for the Madras High Court Recruitment 2024. The exam, held on May 4 and 5, 2024, was for various positions including Driver, Typist, Telephone Operator, Cashier, and Xerox Operator in Chennai, Madurai, and Tiruchirappalli zones. Candidates can access and download the answer key from the official website at amhc.tn.gov.in. To do so, they should follow these steps: Visit the official Madras High Court website, locate the link for the answer key, click on it to view the tentative key in PDF format, and then download and print it for future reference.
DC Triumph RR, Bolsters Playoff Chances
The win sees DC jump to fifth place in the points table and are now tied with Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings at 12 pointsreports Asian... The post DC Triumph RR, Bolsters Playoff Chances first appeared on Asian Lite USA .
C Velayutham, BJP's first Tamil Nadu MLA, dies
Former BJP MLA C Velayutham passed away in Tamil Nadu. He won in 1996 from Padmanabhapuram and received condolences from BJP president Nadda. His later election positions were second in 2001 and third in 2006.
C Velayutham, BJP's first Tamil Nadu MLA, dies - The Times of India
C Velayutham, BJP's first Tamil Nadu MLA, dies The Times of India
The Cyber Crime division of the Greater Chennai City Police has initiated legal action against YouTuber Savukku Shankar, prompted by complaints from journalist Sandhya Ravishankar and Tamizhaga Munnetra Padai founder The post Chennai Police Registers Woman Harassment Case On Savukku Shankar Based On Complaint By Journalist Sandhya Ravishankar And TMP Head Veeralakshmi appeared first on The Commune .
Aman, Deepak eye Paris ticket as World Qualifier to kick-off on Thursday
CHENNAI: A total of 14 Indian wrestlers (six each in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman) and two in women's wrestling will be in action when the World Olympic Games Qualifier, the last chance to earn Paris ticket, begins in Istanbul on Thursday. As many as four women wrestlers (Vinesh Phogat 50kg, Antim Panghal 53kg, Anshu Malik 57kg and Reetika Hooda 76kg) have earned an Olympic quota each but for the first time in almost two decades, none of the male grapplers have managed a place for the country in the 2024 Games so far. Hopes were high when the men wrestlers competed at the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, last month but none of them could manage to reach the final, which could have secured the country Olympic quotas. Sujeet Kalkal (65kg) and Deepak Punia (86kg), who got stranded at the Dubai International Airport and could reach the venue only after the weigh-in, did not compete. The Indian team comprising 13 wrestlers, eight coaches and three physiotherapists along with the Wrestling Federation of India president Sanjay Kumar Singh flew for Istanbul on Tuesday morning. Deepak (86kg) is learnt to have flown for the venue on Sunday. The competition will begin with bouts in Greco-Roman followed by women's wrestling on Friday. The men freestyle wrestlers' competition will begin on Saturday. As per the criteria, the finalists apart from the winner of the play-off between two bronze medallists in each weight category will earn the quota. Challenges in freestyle All eyes will be on Aman Sehrawat (57kg), Sujeet (65kg), Deepak Punia (86kg) and Sumit Malik (125kg) in the men's freestyle. Aman might have failed to reach the final in the Asian Qualifier but he could be India's brightest prospect in Istanbul. The 2023 Asian Games bronze medallist, however, will have to face tough challenges from Tokyo Olympian Georgi Vangelov of Bulgaria, world silver medallist Alireza Sarlak of Iran and Muhammet Karavus, the local favourite. If that was not enough, Spencer Lee of the USA, former U-17 and U-20 world champion, will be in Istanbul, making his comeback to international tournament eight years after world title in U-20. Aman, the 2022 U-23 world champion, will also have to go past world bronze medallists Zanabazar Zandabud of Mongolia and German Horst Lehr. Han Chong Song, the 2023 Asian Games silver medallist is also in the fray. Sujeet, who missed the Asian Qualifier, will be raring to go this time. Like, Aman he too will face stiff competitions from Zain Allen Retherford of the USA, the 2022 world silver medallist and other wrestlers from China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Local favourite Soner Demirtas, the 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medallist and two-time world bronze medallist, will be one of the big threats for India's Jaideep in 74kg. Tokyo Olympian Deepak too has to overcome challenges from quite a few wrestlers including Magomed Eldarovitch Ramazanov of Bulgaria, who won gold in the first Ranking Series in Zagreb and Magomed Sharipov of Bahrain. The latter had recently lost to Deepak in the 2023 Asian Games. Punia's namesake, Deepak, who will compete in 97kg, will have to counter challenge from Nishan Preet Singh Randhawa of Canada. The Canadian defeated Deepak in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Sumit Malik, who qualified for the Tokyo Games but had to sit out as he was tested positive for banned substances, will again try his luck in the 125kg. His biggest rival will be Zhiwei Deng of China. The veteran Chinese wrestler already has two world medals (silver in 2018 and bronze in 2019) apart from the 2018 Asian Games silver in his kitty. The rivalry of Sumit with Aiaal Lazarev of Kyrgyzstan can go to next level as the latter will be one of the contenders in 125kg. He defeated Sumit in the 2023 Asian Games by technical superiority. Earlier, the Indian had beaten him in the qualification round in the 2021 World Olympic Games Qualifier. Lazarev finished third in the qualifier but earned the ticket for the Tokyo Games as Sumit failed the dope test. Chinese threat to women wrestlers Mansi (62kg) and Nisha Dahiya (68kg) will try to leave behind their respective losses at the Asian qualifying event and make it six out of six for the country in women's wrestling for the Paris Games. Once again, the duo will have to face strong fight from their rivals especially the Chinese wrestlers. For Mansi, Jia Long from China can be one of the toughest rivals. The Chinese had won silver in the 2022 Worlds apart from winning Asian Championships gold in the next year. Veranika Ivanova competing as individual neutral athlete, Lais Nunes from Brazil and Mariana Cherdivara of Moldova could be other challengers. Similarly, Chinese Feng Zhou could be Nisha's biggest competitor. Zhou, the three-time Asian Games gold medallist and two-time world medallist (2018 bronze and 2015 silver), will be geared up to win the elusive Olympic medal. Wrestlers from other countries like Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Canada would be other challengers for Nisha. Besides, Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers including Sumit (60kg) and Sunil (87kg) will also be hoping for a good show in the qualifier. India squad Freestyle Aman (57kg), Sujeet (65kg), Jaideep (74kg), Deepak Punia (86kg), Deepak (97kg), Sumit (125kg) Women Mansi (62kg), Nisha (68kg) Greco-Roman Sumit (60kg), Ashu (67kg), Vikas (77kg), Sunil (87kg), Nitesh (97kg), Naveen (130kg)
Sri Lankas next-gen ready to take forward Chamaris legacy
CHENNAI: Chamari Athapaththu has played international cricket for over 15 years. She has lived through the ups and downs of Sri Lankan cricket. Whether it was beating then-defending champions England in the 2013 ODI World Cup or overpowering South Africa in the latest T20 World Cup edition in 2023, she has been the beating heart of the team. These ups also came with lows where Sri Lanka women did not play any cricket for more than a year following the COVID-19 pandemic and missed out on a chance to play in the 2022 ODI World Cup. Since the start of the new ICC ODI Championship, Sri Lanka have consistently played games against quality opposition at home and away venues. Not just that, Sri Lanka have also beaten better-ranked teams and Athapaththu saw it as one of the most important factors in the change of fortune for her team. We have played a lot of cricket in recent times and we have beaten a few teams as well. We beat New Zealand in Sri Lanka, England on their home soil, and South Africa in South Africa. So, my team is in a positive mindset. That will definitely help in the qualifiers, Athapaththu had said before the qualifiers. Since the new cycle, one of the things that has changed for Sri Lanka is the contribution from the likes of Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Kavisha Dilhari. Earlier, Athapaththus contribution was so dominant that the Sri Lankan batting would fall apart once the opposition figured out how to send the captain back. Now these youngsters also started to dig deep to first support their captain and later survive on their own. The best example of the next generation standing up came in the T20I series against England, where Sri Lankas bowling attack and these batters stood up as Sri Lanka clinched the three-match T20 series. And that was the theme in the T20 World Cup Qualifiers as well. In their first match of the qualifiers, bowlers defended the total against Thailand. Athapaththu scored a half-century against Scotland, while Dilhari took four wickets. Gunaratne scored her second T20 fifty against Uganda and she again gave the team a solid foundation in the semi-final win that sealed the T20 World Cup spot for them. However, Athapaththu is tired of going to the World Cup via qualifiers. We missed the opportunity to automatically qualify for the World Cup as Bangladesh was announced as the host. But we cannot really control these things. I try to control what I can control. World Cup qualifiers is good for us because we can play a few games ahead of the World Cup, but I hope this is the final time we play the qualifier because I do not want to play the qualifiers again, she had said before the start of the tournament.For now, Scotland and Sri Lanka are both going to Bangladesh in October for the World Cup. It is a good sign that the young generation is well-equipped now to take Athapaththus legacy forward.
CHENNAI: Even as late as the second week of March, Jake Fraser-McGurks Summer plans didnt involve playing for Delhi Capitals. The breakout star of the Indian Premier League (IPL) may have probably been looking at shooting some hoops with mates, some fishing and working on his game in March, April and May. Then, a spot opened up thanks to Lungi Ngidis injury. Delhi plumped for him even if they had a stacked Aussie-heavy top-order. Whether by chance or by design, it has worked wonders. He has been electric and has routinely embarrassed top bowlers. On Tuesday, the opener continued with a breath-taking takedown of Rajasthan Royals inside the powerplay. He had made a soporific start (run-a-ball 7) as Trent Boult, one of the finest new-ball operators in the history of the league in terms of wickets, had altered the line of attack. The Kiwi usually searches for some swing early to bring the pads into play. Here, it was a nod to McGurks aggression so the seamer was looking to angle in deliveries, with the length going to be short as well as full. Off the fourth ball of the innings, Boult had hit McGurk in the unmentionables. The opener was down and the physio spent a good time working to ensure nothing was damaged. By the time McGurks work was done for the evening, he had put a big dent in the visitors aspirations of sealing a playoff berth with a win. After being hit in the box, McGurk went 401640401444646. Sure, some of those were slogs but the good thing with the way he slogs is his base, the bat speed and balance. It was in evidence straightaway as he hit through the line off Boult over mid-off after giving some room. His first six of the night also off Boult was pumped straight into the sightscreen. The front leg was already out of the way when the Kiwi bowler was in his delivery stride. When the ball pitched inside his hitting zone, the bat made one smooth arc to send the ball soaring over the bowlers head. More boundaries followed. When Avesh Khan was introduced, the 22-year-old got lucky as an inside edge narrowly evaded the leg-stump before it sped past Sanju Samson for a boundary. More good luck followed him as an uppish club just evaded the man stationed at extra cover. Avesh very quickly lost his length and JFM brought down the full face of the bat to loft him over mid-off. Sanju Samson had some words of advice but it didnt matter much as he kept travelling. In the process, the Australian reached a 19-ball 50. It ought to have been 56 off 20 as an attempted R Ashwin carrom ball was a knee-high full-toss. But he mishit the delivery straight to covers. 60/1 off 4.2 overs. The light had been extinguished against the run of play but he had fulfilled his role to perfection as DC posted 221/8 before restricting RR to 201/8 to seal a 20-run win. Having already had multiple innings like this this year, a few people expected him to feature in Australia squad but he didnt have any expectation. Theres two ways you can look at it, he told the Willow Talk podcast last week. They (selectors) probably had a good idea of what (the squad) was a month and a half ago, trying to build that, how they can get the connection in that team. Its also hard to fit in. Youve got David Warner, our best opener ever in three formats. Youve got Travis Head, whos lighting it up over here (in the IPL) and has lit up for the past 18 months. And then Mitch Marsh is the same and hes also the captain. But with Warner still nursing an injury, Marsh still convalescing back home, will they be tempted to relook at Fraser-McGurk? With more than 15 days to go to hand in the final 15-man squads, you cant rule it out. Not yet anyway. Brief scores: DC 221/8 in 20 ovs (Jake 50, Porel 65; Ashwin 3/24) bt RR 201/8 in 20 ovs (Samson 86, Parag 27; Mukesh 2/30).
Chennai: Dr Agarwals hospital doctor ranked 17th among top ophthalmologists
CHENNAI: Soosan Jacob, Director and Chief of Refractive and Cornea Foundation and Senior Consultant of Cataract and Glaucoma Services at Dr Agarwals Group of Hospitals has been ranked 17th in the Ophthalmologist Power List 2024 for her innovative contributions to the field of ophthalmology. According to a press release, Dr Jacob is one of the only two Indians to find a place in the annual ranking of 100 most influential clinicians, scientists and leaders in ophthalmology. The power list is compiled by The Ophthalmologist, an international publication dedicated to the field. The selection is based on national and international recognition among peers, the release added. Dr Amar Agarwal, Chairman of Dr Agarwals Group of Eye Hospitals said it is a proud moment for the hospital to have Dr Soosan recognised as among the worlds top 20 influencers in her field.
Congress trying to emotionally divide people: Ex Telangana Governor Tamilisai
HYDERABAD: Condemning as false propaganda the allegations levelled by the Congress regarding caste-based reservations, former Telangana governor and BJPs Chennai South candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan on Tuesday said that the grand old party was trying to emotionally divide people on the basis of caste. Referring to the BRS as a spent force, Tamilisai said that the pink party did not respect the Governors office. Speaking to TNIE on the sidelines of her first press conference in Hyderabad after her re-entry into active politics, she said, They (BRS) thought of me as a BJP person but I did not see myself as a BJP person. I was only the peoples Governor. She added that former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao never met her as mandated by Article 167 of the Constitution. Tamilisai alleged that the Congress came to power in Telangana riding on false promises. Stating that the budget of five states was needed to implement the guarantees given by the Congress, she said that the grand old party built a fort in the air. Highlighting that Rythu Bharosa funds have not been disbursed, the BJP candidate asked how Chief Minister Revanth Reddy would mobilise funds to implement the loan waiver. Tamilisai said that the people of the state should benefit more from Central government schemes. Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state more than 22 times, she said that a majority of these visits have been as part of developmental projects. This is remarkable, she added. Tamilisai said that the BJP was the only party in the fray in this election with a strong prime ministerial candidate.
Elderly woman stabbed to death at Ennore in Chennai
CHENNAI: Two men were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the murder of a 65-year-old woman at Ennore on the previous night. Police identified the suspects as Ajay (24) of Minjur and Vikram (24) of Chengalpattu. The arrested men along with Jeevaraja, the key suspect in the case, came to the house in search of the womans grand-son-in-law and when they could not find him, they allegedly attacked the woman and fled. A search is on to nab Jeevaraja. The deceased woman, A Bakkiyam (65), was a small-time money-lender in the locality. The three men went to her house at Ennore in search of Magi alias Mahesh (24). Mahesh was the husband of Bakkiyams granddaughter and was living with them. In March this year, Mahesh along with his friends, Vignesh, Santhosh, Hariharan and Ranjith attacked Jeevaraja in a dispute involving a girl in their locality. The police then arrested the gang and sent them to prison. They got out on bail a few weeks ago. To avenge the attack, Jeevaraja plotted to assault the gang with the help of his friends, a police officer said. On Monday night, Jeevaraja and his friends went in search of Vignesh, but could not find him. So they decided to look for Mahesh. They went to his house, but Mahesh also was not there. The gang found Bakkiyam sitting outside. In a fit of rage, they attacked her with knives and fled, police said. Her neighbours rushed her to a private hospital nearby and subsequently, she was referred to Government Stanley Hospital where she was declared dead. The police then registered a case and arrested the duo. It is to be noted that this is the fourth crime that has taken place in the Avadi Police Commissionerate jurisdiction within a month. On April 15, an armed gang robbed a jewellery shop in Muthapudupet and escaped with gold worth `1.5 crore and `5 lakh in cash. Four people were arrested by the police. On April 27, a history sheeter was hacked to death due to previous enmity. His hands and head were severed. Six people were arrested in this case. On April 28, a husband-wife duo was hacked to death inside house by a man who was arrested the next day.
A video capturing a rental goods carrier engaged in a heated argument with traffic police over a 500 fine despite possessing all required documents is gaining traction on social media. The post Video Of Alleged Chennai Traffic Police Wearing No ID Imposing Fine On Goods Carrier Driver Goes Viral, Driver Says Fine Imposed For No Reason appeared first on The Commune .
Mild showers bring relief to Chennai, Tamil Nadu amid sweltering heatwave - DTNEXT
Mild showers bring relief to Chennai, Tamil Nadu amid sweltering heatwave DTNEXT
Heatwave ends in TN, Chennai sees marginal dip in mercury level
CHENNAI: The worst of the summer heat is over as the maximum temperature has dipped across Tamil Nadu, thanks to pre-monsoon showers. The weather in Chennai has improved marginally with cloudy skies. Maximum temperature will be around 36-37 degree Celsius for the next two days. Tamil Nadu has received 69% deficit rainfall from March 1 to May 7. The Chennai region has received zero rainfall making it one of the driest spells in the state capital. On Tuesday, Tiruchy recorded the highest temperature of 42.1 degree Celsius. While the State has not received any significant rainfall, places in Nilgiris, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and other interior districts, which endured one of the torrid heatwave spells, received good rainfall in the last couple of days bringing down the temperature. The regional meteorological centre said there would be heavy rainfall in ghat and interior districts on May 8 and 9 as well. As per the forecast, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Theni, Dindigul, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tirupattur, Vellore and Virudhunagar districts would receive heavy rain on Wednesday. Moderate showers are predicted till May 13.
Dogs which attacked five-year-old girl in Chennai shifted to Madurai farmhouse
CHENNAI: Even as the Chennai corporation was expected to take custody of the two dogs that attacked a five-year-old girl on Sunday evening, the family, after obtaining due permission, took the dogs to their farmhouse in Madurai. Official sources said they had allowed this relocation since the farmhouse is a secluded open area, and not too different from the place the corporation officials had originally planned to keep the dogs in. The civic body, by itself, does not have the resources to take custody of dogs and maintain them, except at the Animal Birth Control facilities where dogs undergo surgeries and are then released back into the areas they come from. The family had taken due permission and they have also been asked to send us photographs of the dogs every day for the next 10 days to monitor any signs of rabies as per protocol, said a senior corporation official. The plan initially was for the corporation authorities to secure the dogs and take them to a sequestered spot for observation. While there is a call for stricter pet licensing implementation in the aftermath of the issue, the authorities said pet licenses only help the city corporation enumerate and keep track of the pets in the city and their vaccination records. While we are revisiting the stray dog population strategies, it is important to ensure responsible pet ownership. Owners should be mindful of the fears of the public and not take any risks as far as safety is concerned. Vaccinations must administered at the right time, the official added. They are also mulling setting up designated spaces for pets like exclusive parks, which may be brought about once the model code of conduct is lifted. Surakshas surgery tomorrow The five-year-old child who suffered severe injuries in the attack, Suraksha, is scheduled for surgery on Thursday. She sustained some injuries to her scalp, but the blood supply seems to be regular. The surgery is due on Thursday and in the meantime, she is not in intensive care. She is recovering well, said sources. The medical expenses of the child are borne by the dog owner.
Sacred servings of sumptuous food
CHENNAI: With an exciting line-up of authentic vegetarian dishes, Tamil Brahmin cooking is all about traditional culinary practices. They are comparatively less spicy and taste unique. The nutritional value of the ingredients is given prime importance. The cuisine traces its roots back to the Vedic period and features traditional cooking methods like roasting, steaming, sun-drying (papad), pickling (mango, lemon), and roasting and grinding (idli podi, paruppu podi). The principles of Ayurveda are generally followed and the cuisine caters to the six essential flavours sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent, and pungent. Focus is given equally to nutrition, flavour, texture and variety. Generally, Tamil Brahmin cuisine has two different styles of cooking the Iyer (Saivite) style and the Iyengar (Vaishnavite) style. Both have explored the infinite possibilities of vegetarian dishes with the Iyer cuisine alone boasting 27 types of sambar and more than 40 types of rasam. Some of these may overlap in both styles. Even within these two sects, the recipes change depending on their place of birth. Hence, the food of Tirunelveli Brahmins would be different from that of Srirangam Brahmins. In general, onion and garlic are not included due to their pungent flavour, though the current generation has started including them. The Iyengar cuisine practices the Satvik tradition more strictly whereas in many Iyer weddings vengaya sambar with shallots is a delicacy. This cuisine emphasises the use of sacred grains rice, lentils, vegetables, curry leaves, coconut, cumin, and mustard seeds and this blend symbolises health, auspiciousness, spirituality, and tradition. Tam-Brahm cuisine is based on the concept you are what you eat. Hence, it is believed that the food we eat shapes our personality andmood and that a healthy vegetarian diet fosters serene qualities. Every ingredient used has a purpose beyond taste is what they believe. For example, curry leaves and coriander leaves cleanse our intestines, fenugreek leaves aid in digestion, and are included in their diet along with legumes for protein; pepper is used as a remedy for cough and cold, and turmeric as a wound healer. Brahmins are generally orthodox and give great importance to cleanliness before they start cooking. They usually have a bath and perform a puja before entering the kitchen as they believe God tastes the meal first. This belief makes them give great attention to the right mix of flavour, nutrition, and texture. They use amudhu (nectar) as a suffix to their dishes. Rasam is called sathamudhu, poriyal which is a stir-fried vegetable is called karamudhu, and payasam is thirukanamudhu. The highlight of this cuisine is its strong, freshly brewed degree filter coffee. Most households buy and roast their coffee seeds and have their coffee grinder to grind it fresh every time. A hot fresh filter coffee served in a brass davara with that froth and a hint of bitterness has fans around the world and can brighten any dull soul. Another important tradition of Tam-Brahms is combining breakfast and lunch to have a full-course meal from around 10 am to 11 am. They then follow it up with a tiffin and coffee at around 3 pm, and just a fruit or curd rice before bed. Modern-day pressures and diet have made many switch to a breakfast-lunch-and-dinner routine. A typical ilai sapadu for lunch would include rice, ghee, dal, sambar, poriyal, kootu, rasam, pachidi, curd rice, and a payasam. Curd rice aka daddojanam with pickle is the highlight of every meal. Rice is cooked till mushy and mashed with milk and butter before adding curd to make it creamy and then tempered. The list of rice varieties in this cuisine is aplenty like puliyodarai, kadamba sadam, sambar sadam, vathakulambu sadam etc. Even today, every city boasts of messes and canteens (particularly during the music season) that serve traditional fare starting from idli, vadai, bajji, bonda, meals, vazhaipoo vadai to sweets like Kasi halwa. Akkaravadisal is a hallmark dish of the Iyengars and is made during special days. Rice and moong dal cooked in milk till creamy, sweetened with jaggery, and flavoured with ghee, cardamom, and camphor...it is just irresistible. Akkaravadisal Ingredients Raw rice: 1 cup Moong dal: 1/4 cup Ghee: 1/4 cup Jaggery: 1 to 1.5 cup Cashew nuts, raisins Edible camphor: a pinch Milk: 4.5 cups Method Wash the rice and dal together. In a heavy brass pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee and add the rice. Roast till you get a good aroma. Add the milk and cook on medium flame for around 15 to 20 minutes till mushy. Make a syrup by adding 1/2 cup water and jaggery. Filter it and add it to the rice mixture. Heat the remaining ghee, fry the dry fruit, add the rice, and cook for a few minutes till glossy. Serve hot.
CHENNAI: When we think of our school-going days, our core memories are invariably linked to the eager anticipation of lunch breaks, the joys of commensality, and the routine of opening everyones tiffin boxes to see who has brought what. However, its not always easy preparing tiffin that pleases all; while health-conscious parents pack nutritious vegetables or fruits, a child might want something more attractive, or they might crave junk food. A satisfactory blend of this need for nutrition as well as a playful and attractive element that will excite children is precisely what Tasty Tiffin, the latest book by food activist, entrepreneur, and founder of Archanas Kitchen, Archana Doshi, offers. Deeply passionate about sharing the fundamentals of home cooking, Archana is a strong advocate for the nutritional values of simple Indian meals. The book delves into these topics and is addressed to parents who look to keep their children not only well-fed, but also happy. Regarding the inspiration behind her book, Archana says, It stemmed from a personal journey of navigating the challenges of providing nutritious and appealing school lunches for my own children. As a parent, I recognised the need for a comprehensive resource that not only offered practical solutions but also celebrated the joy of cooking and eating together as a family. Curating recipes This book is a rich source of over 40 recipes and is effective in the simple presentation of lunch plans. Speaking on the process of compiling these recipes, Archana shares, Curating the recipes for Tasty Tiffin was a labour of love that drew upon a myriad of influences, including my own childhood memories of school lunch boxes. I vividly recall the excitement of opening my tiffin to discover what delicious freshly packed food that my mum cooked for me, and those fond experiences served as a guiding light throughout the recipe development process. The process of writing Tasty Tiffin spanned several months, from initial concept development to final manuscript submission, and the dedication and love that was poured into every page was unwavering, resulting in a meticulously crafted resource that Im immensely proud to share with readers. Archanas book was written considering family food habits, and she insists that it is appealing to all parents. The decision to publish Tasty Tiffin at this moment was driven by a desire to empower parents with a diverse array of delicious and healthy lunch box ideas, especially amid growing concerns about childhood nutrition and the prevalence of processed foods. In todays fast-paced world, parents are constantly seeking practical solutions to the age-old challenge of preparing nutritious and enticing meals for their children, she says, adding, Tasty Tiffin offers a timely and indispensable resource that addresses this need head-on with creative lunch box ideas that cater to modern tastes and lifestyles. As she wrote the book with busy parents in mind, her recipes are complete with simple instructions, accessible ingredients, time-saving tips, and make-ahead options. Each recipe is crafted to be approachable and achievable, even for those with limited time or culinary experience, she notes. Archana also understands that preparing the perfect lunch box does not always have to involve trendy practices. She says, It is not about being crafty and cutting things in various arts as such type of cooking and packing is not sustainable. Instead, it is about choosing the right bento box which has compartments and providing various colourful options in those sections. The presentation of food plays a crucial role in packing lunch boxes, however, that should not be a single factor in planning them. With such practical tips and guidelines, Archanas book focuses on efficient food arrangement and the introduction of new flavours and colours in meals, rather than time-consuming or unnecessarily artistic lunch plans. This practicality extends to the ingredients specified in every recipe too. Archana states, One of the guiding principles behind Tasty Tiffin was to make the recipes as accessible and approachable as possible, using ingredients that are commonly found in most home kitchens. By focusing on pantry staples and everyday essentials, I aimed to eliminate the need for special trips to the grocery store and ensure that parents can easily whip up delicious and nutritious meals with what they already have on hand. Nutrition in focus Two other criteria that Tasty Tiffin endeavours to fulfil are those of suitability for children and nutrition. Archana asserts, First and foremost, every recipe had to be kid-friendly, with flavours and textures that appeal to young palates. Additionally, each dish had to be nutritionally balanced, incorporating a variety of food groups and essential nutrients to support childrens growth and development. The emphasis on healthy food choices is woven into the fabric of every recipe, reflecting my commitment to promoting balanced and nourishing meals for children. When asked about her opinion on the fundamentals of an optimal tiffin, she mentions the importance of balance. There must be a harmonious balance between taste, nutrition, and practicality. A successful tiffin should feature a variety of textures, flavours, and food groups to keep kids engaged and satisfied throughout the day. I always believe in multiple small portions and adding variety, especially when they are younger. She furthermore notes the prioritisation of hassle-free preparation, packing, and transport of the same. Listing her personal favourites from her book of recipes, the mother of two reflects, As a parent, its challenging to pick favourites among the delectable recipes featured in Tasty Tiffin, but a few standout dishes have undoubtedly become beloved staples in our household. The cheesy spinach and corn quesadillas and the mini vegetable idlis, served with a side of tangy chutney, are always loved. However, perhaps the ultimate crowd-pleaser is the peanut butter and banana sandwiches, a playful yet nutritious snack that never fails to delight young taste buds. Packed with captivating photographs, easy-to-follow steps, and a multitude of recipes that effortlessly combine different food preferences, Archana has formulated an all-in-one guide to happy and healthy children, as well as satisfied parents. She concludes, By infusing my personal touch into each dish, I aimed to create a collection that resonates with families across generations and cuisine preferences, mixing and matching cuisines that give new life to dishes and paving the way for new culinary adventures. Tasty Tiffin is available to order on Amazon. For more appetising recipes, tutorials, and resources for meal plans, visit Archanas website at www.archanaskitchen.com. Connect with her on all social media platforms at Archanas Kitchen.
Sree Balaji Ice Cream Brothers Manoharan and Chandrasekaran set up the shop in 1980. People who visit the shop tell me that the taste is still the same as it was 30-40 years back, says Sasi Kumar, one of the partners. Offering one flavour a day, the store provides eight flavours. We have a timetable. On Sundays we alternate between pineapple and pistachio, he adds. Earlier priced at 75 paise a cone, now it is `25. The other products available here are cup ice cream at `15 and 250 g in a bowl, served for family, at `80. They also sell takeaway ice creams at an additional cost of `5. Time: Daily, 10 am-10 pm. Visit: 3, Paper Mills Road, Jagannathan Colony, Perambur, Chennai:600011 Vinus Igloo A few years ago, ice cream was seen as a luxury. I intended to make it easily available to commoners, says Vinoth V of Vinus Igloo, an ice cream parlour started in 1995 in West Mambalam. The USP of the store is their pricing. Initially sold for `1, their smaller cones are now being sold at `2. They offer eight different flavours but chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, strawberry and butterscotch are in demand. If customers like the flavour, they can buy a larger one for `50. Vinoth is all set to launch eight more branches and introduce stick ice cream by the end of the month. Time: Daily, 10 am to 12 am. Visit: 35, Thambiah Road, AGS Colony, West Mambalam, Chennai:600033 SV Bakery Started as a small business in 2000 by Rajan Kumar, SV Sweets Bakers and Icecreams in Chromepet is popular for its signature soft-serve. Every day we change the flavours. This is done randomly and we dont have a fixed day for a flavour. Currently, we serve six to seven flavours like mango, strawberry, blackcurrant, pistachio, chocolate and butterscotch, says Rajan. Serving the third generation of customers, he says, We use 100% pure milk to make our soft serve. Since we dont add water our ice creams are rich and creamy. With pure offerings, the soft serve costs `20 for all flavours and the choco-dip from `30. Time: Daily, 7 am to 9 pm Visit: 47, Radha Nagar Main Road, Chromepet, Chennai:600044 Snofield SET up in 1982, Snofield in Gopalapuram offers sundaes, faloodas and cakes. Their summer specials include fruit salads with ice cream, pistachio and fruit ice cream faloodas, and their prime ingredient mango. Every dessert on the menu can be customised with mango. The customers make their combinations of sundaes, faloodas, and fruit salads with mangoes during this season, shares Ashok from Snofield. Their sundaes, especially Tall Beauty which comprises vanilla and chocolate ice cream, choco sponge cake, chocolate sauce and nuts have been popular since its establishment. Its been 40 years and generations of families have been our customers. We have people bringing their grandchildren here saying, I used to have ice cream here in the old days, shares Ashok. Their summer plan is to add more flavours to the menu. Time: Daily, 11 am to 11 pm. Visit: Amaravathi Complex, 1, Cathedral Road, Gopalapuram, Chennai:600086 Inputs by: Meghana Sree R, PS Niranjana, Sonu M Kothari
Plan on to link 200 waterbodies to save Chennai from flood, drought
CHENNAI: To prevent flooding in Chennai and surrounding areas and to improve the citys water storage capacity, the water resources department (WRD) has planned to link 200 tanks in Adyar and Kovalam river basins. According to WRD officials, the initiative is aimed at preventing flooding during monsoon in Chennai, particularly in places such as Tambaram, Mudichur, and Mannivakkam. A senior official said 90% of citys rainwater flows into the sea due to lack of adequate storage structures, and linking of waterbodies will help address the issue. Another official said 134 of 196 tanks in Adyar basin and 66 of 120 tanks in Kovalam basin have been identified for interlinking through cut and cover method based on a survey of the two basins spread across Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts. Under the cut and cover method, instead of acquiring land for building open channels or to restore encroached canals, covered structure will be built below the ground level to carry excess water from one tank to another. Since the structure would be covered, the possibility of encroachment of water channels would be eliminated. This would also help reduce cost and speedy execution of the project, sources said. Chennais water demand may touch 28 tmcft by 30 The project, which is awaiting approval from state government, is expected to be rolled out with financial assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, another official said. Chennais annual water requirement, for both industrial and domestic use, currently pegged at 22 tmcft, is expected to surge to 28 tmcft by 2030 due to population growth and industrial expansion. Augmenting the storage capacity of citys water bodies is thus indispensible to meet future needs, the official said. The official also said that by interlinking the tanks, WRD wants to increase the storage capacity of Chennais drinking water reservoirs by four tmcft from 13.22 tmcft to 17.22 tmcft. While the historical records indicate the existence of 3,600 tanks in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts, WRD currently maintains only fewer than 1,000 tanks in these districts. ENS
Man sets government bus ablaze in Tamil Nadu after tiff with driver, held
COIMBATORE: Coimbatore Rural Police arrested a 27-year-old man for setting a government bus on fire on Tuesday night over an argument with the driver. The arrested was identified as Vigneshkumar (26) of Sivaganga, who works as a cab driver in Chennai. As per police, Vigneshkumar was en route to his native Thondamuthur to see his wife and newborn child, when he got into an argument with the driver of a government bus, plying from Narasipuram to Ukkadam, over giving way to his bike near Santhaipettai. He was also frustrated over a family dispute. Following this, the suspect brought petrol in a bottle for Rs30 and around 7.30 pm, when the bus stopped at Santhaipettai bus stop to board passengers, he poured it on the buss front tyre and set it on fire. Seeing this, passengers got down from the bus. With the help of the public, the driver Sampathkumar and conductor Senkon managed to put off the fire. They also caught Vigneshkumar. He was then handed over to the Thondamuthur police station. The police arrested him under section 436 of IPC and section 4 of the TNPPDL act, 1992. He was remanded in judicial custody on Wednesday. A similar case is already registered against him in Sivaganga district for setting a private property on fire, said Vadivelkumar, Inspector of Police.
Rules only on paper: Wholl rein in dogs
Girl mauled by rottweilers, GCC inaction led to dogs not quarantined post-attack. Owner moved them to Madurai. AWBI guidelines ignored. Pet owners charged but not held accountable under weak laws, endangering residents.
Rules only on paper: Wholl rein in dogs - The Times of India
Rules only on paper: Wholl rein in dogs The Times of India
Review: Used the Nuego EV Bus for my Bangalore to Chennai travel
BHPian DigitalOne recently shared this with other enthusiasts. I had to go to Chennai last week to attend to a family matter. When it was time to come back, I vaguely recalled reading a news article that NueGo had introduced an electric bus service on this route. So took the opportunity to see what it is all about. I booked using the Paytm app. Weekday (Thursday) AC seater fare was just Rs 524, including GST; To compare, a KSRTC Airavat AC starting at same time was around Rs 780. Pickup was from Koyambedu, opposite Sangeeta hotel, marked as Sharma Transports in Google maps. Paytm app had the link to the right pickup spot, but no contact details of the operator. I did a dumb mistake of not trusting the app but asked the auto driver for the pickup point for private buses. He dropped me about 500m ahead, and I had to walk back in the hot sun . Pick up spot: The bus was scheduled to start at 3PM. When I reached at ~2.10, the bus was already there, AC was switched on and the cool air inside the bus was so welcome after that 10-minute walk. I felt the seats were thinner compared to the Volvo busses. But the recline was excellent and it was comfortable. Less than 50% of the seats were occupied, so I could use both the seats throughout the journey . The bus started on dot 3 pm from Koyambedu. But in the next two pickup points there was a cumulative delay of around 40 mins for the pickups: unhappy. Operators (including KSRTC) have to do something to curb this nuisance of passengers taking their own sweet time to reach pickup spots. By the time the bus left Poonamallee road KFC, it was 4.20 pm. There were a lot of squeaking noises and one particular flapping noise inside which somewhat negated the lack of engine noise. (The bus was new, and these noises may probably settle down eventually). It definitely was not 'noiseless' as they advertise. Ride quality was comparable to a Volvo ICE bus, nothing superior. At around ~6.30 pm, between Vellore and Ambur, the bus took a U-turn under a flyover, came back a couple of kms towards Vellore and stopped at a newly setup NueGo charging station cum rest stop. I wasn't expecting this, as I had assumed it will reach Bengaluru on a single charge. 2 NeuGo buses towards Chennai were getting charged, one left just as our bus entered. The bus stopped for almost an hour (55 minutes, to be precise) here. The driver initially told 30 minutes. This board is kind of hidden. Yes, technically 55 is '30+ minutes' but it could have been better informed . The rest rooms are also in the back of the restaurant. I wonder how they are going to manage when it rains? (Is it safe to charge outdoors during rains?) Ironically, there was a power cut at the charging station, and the DG sets were running on full steam. So much for 'sustainable clean energy' . The bus eventually left at 8pm and reached Silk board at 11pm (~8 hours) where I got down. A comparable trip by a KSRTC Airavat would have taken 6.5 - 7 hrs. In summary, on the plus side, the fare was cheaper (introductory pricing??), busses are new, seats are comfortable, and the AC was super effective. On the minus, the duration is long. The novelty would soon wear of and they would be compared with other ICE operators. They need to pull up their socks. Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.
Gale uproots over 5k banana trees in TN's Avinashi villages
TIRUPPUR/TIRUCHY: At least 5,000 banana trees were uprooted by strong winds in several villages in Avinashi on Saturday and Sunday night. Sources said harvest-ready trees were uprooted in just 10 minutes of the wind in Vettuvapalayam, Sevur, Muriyandampalayam, Thandukaranpalayam and Alathur. Many villages with small banana plantations in Kalipalayam, Mudiyar were also affected in Avinashi. Speaking to TNIE, P Nanda Kumar (37), a farmer in Thandukaranpalayam, said, Around 1,400 banana trees in my farmland were destroyed. Almost all of them were seven months old. I spent more than Rs 2 lakh for tilling, fertilizer and maintenance. I was about to harvest, but the wind destroyed them. Not just my farmland, several farmers near my plantation were also affected. The worst part is even for clearing the fallen trees and preparing the land for fresh crop a huge investment is needed. I have to spend at least `20,000- 25,000 per acre. If unripe bananas arent destroyed, they will be sold for one third of the price to chips makers. An official from the horticulture department said, These areas are vulnerable to strong wind movements. In the last two years, several hundred banana trees have been uprooted. But we cannot predict the weather and other environmental conditions. We are waiting for a report from revenue officials for an exact number. Initial estimation put the number to around 5,000 banana trees. In order to quantify the exact number, a team of revenue officials will be visiting the spots in a day or two. Speaking to TNIE, an official from Tiruppur District Administration said, Based on the report from revenue department, a team from horticulture department will move to GeoTag the location. Revenue inspectors and village administrative officers are deployed in each village. Officials will be assessing the areas and crops damaged and submit a report to the collector. After the approval from chief revenue administrator (Chennai), compensation will be announced. Tiruchy Banana trees in Thottiam and Kattuputhur areas of Tiruchy district were also uprooted by strong wind on Sunday. Crops in villages such as Manjamedu, Nathamedu, Seelaipillaiyar Puthur, Sri Ramasamudhram and Kaduvetti villages in Musiri taluk have suffered lot of damage. The strong wind also destroyed betel vine crops cultivated on around 5 acres in Thottiam block, and damaged 50 coconut trees and maize crops on over 2 acres in Kattuputhur. On receiving information, Musiri DMK MLA N Thiagarajan inspected the fields and assured the farmers of compensation from the government. Officials have assured to conduct an enumeration soon to ascertain the extent of loss. Lot of crops damaged Banana trees in Thottiam and Kattuputhur areas of Tiruchy district were also uprooted by strong wind on Sunday. Crops in villages like Manjamedu, Nathamedu, Seelaipillaiyar Puthur, Sri Ramasamudhram and Kaduvetti villages in Musiri taluk have suffered damage
Legal team visits Coimbatore jail to probe torture of Savukku Shankar
COIMBATORE/CHENNAI: Following allegations that YouTuber Savukku Shankar was tortured by Coimbatore Central Prison personnel, a five-member team headed by D Shanmugavel, chief legal aid defence counsel of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and two doctors, visited the prison and held an investigation on Tuesday. The report will be submitted before the Judicial Magistrate - IV on Wednesday. Talking to reporters at the court, Shankars counsel S Gopalakrishnan alleged that his client was denied treatment for the hand fracture and was suffering in pain. The counsel showed an order copy given to the prison authority by Theni police for effecting arrest in a case related to Shankar and two others possessing ganja while they were staying in Theni on Saturday. Shankar had acknowledged receipt of the order affixing his left thumb impression instead of signing. Shankar did so because his right hand is fractured following the assault, Gopalakrishnan said. Responding to the allegation, the prison department in a release said, no prisoner has been assaulted. In another development, the fourth judicial magistrate court in Coimbatore on Tuesday posted to hear the bail plea submitted by Shankar on charges of making derogatory remarks, on May 10. The magistrate ordered that police petition seeking custody will be heard on May 9. YouTuber Savukku Shankar 'brutally attacked' by jail authorities, claims his mother; seeks judicial probe Fresh cases Salem cyber crime police on Tuesday registered another case against Shankar based on a complaint by a women sub-inspector demanding action against him for posting a video in which he spoke in an obscene manner about Tamil Nadu women police. Acting on her complaint, Shankar was booked under sections 294(b), 353, and 509 of the IPC, read with Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and the Information Technology Act, 2000. The cyber crime wing of CCB Chennai too registered a case against Shankar based on a complaint lodged by journalist Sandhya Ravishankar in 2018. In a post on X, she said Shankar had made derogatory comments against her in a blog post. Earlier, the head of the Tamilar Munnetra Padai Veeralakshmi lodged a complaint against Shankar and Felix Gerald of Red Pix for making derogatory comments about women cops based on which both men have been booked. Lawyer claims YouTuber Savukku Shankar beaten in Coimbatore jail
Farmers in TN getting 3-phase power for 12 to 16 hours every day, says minister Thangam Thennarasu
CHENNAI: THE state government has been providing three-phase power supply for 12 to 16 hours every day throughout the state to farmers without any interruption since assuming office in 2021, Minister for Finance, Human Resources and Electricity Thangam Thennarasu said in a statement on Tuesday. The release comes in the backdrop of AIADMK general secretary and leader of opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami criticising the government for allegedly failing to ensure three-phase power supply to farmers. Thennarasu said, Under the previous AIADMK regime, delta regions received three-phase power supply for 12 hours every day while the other areas received it for only 9 hours. We prioritised farmers welfare and have been supplying power for 12 to 16 hours every day throughout the state. As a result, agriculture production has increased in Tamil Nadu, he said. As regards challenges faced during summer, he said electricity consumption has risen, especially in delta districts where agricultural power use peaks at night, causing disruption in some high-tension power lines. Steps are being taken in these areas on a war footing to address disruptions and extend the three-phase power supply for more hours. To mitigate low-voltage risks, integrated development plans were initiated in July 2021. A survey revealed that a total of 5,705 transformers were overloaded and 3,200 were functioning with low voltage. To address this, as many as 8,905 additional transformers were installed under the Integrated Development Project inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin in August 2021, enhancing grid capacity by 652 MVA, he said. Thennarasu highlighted that three-phase power is also being supplied round the clock for combined drinking water projects across the state.
Chennais pet licensing system defunct - The Times of India
Chennais pet licensing system defunct The Times of India
KSH Logistics expands multi-client warehousing capacity in Chennai - BusinessLine
KSH Logistics expands multi-client warehousing capacity in Chennai BusinessLine
I dont owe Jeyakumar any money, says Thangkabalu; MLA Ruby grilled
TIRUNELVELI: A special police team conducted an inquiry with former TNCC president KV Thangkabalu at a hotel in Tirunelveli city, and Nanguneri MLA Ruby Manoharan at a private college in Thoothukudi district on Tuesday in connection with the suspicious death of Tirunelveli East District Congress president Jeyakumar Dhanasingh. Speaking to media persons after the inquiry, Thangkabalu denied any involvement in the death and said he has given a written statement to the police. Jeyakumars claim, in his purported dying declaration, that I owe him money is a lie. There was no need for me to seek money from him. I have cooperated well with the police officials, Thangkabalu said. He said he had arrived in Tirunelveli for Lok Sabha poll works as per TNCCs instructions. I coordinated the party functionaries in Tirunelveli for election activities. Ahead of that, I was part of poll works in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem and Kallakurichi, Thangkabalu said, and added that he was the first one to have offered a party post to Jeyakumar. Further, the police received Jeyakumars postmortem report from Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, and a copy has been sent to Chennai for expert opinion. Superintendent of Police N Silambarasan and a team of DSPs also conducted an inquiry with Jeyakumars family. Jeyakumar laid to rest; TNCC calls for fair probe Murder or suicide? 30 under lens over Tirunelveli East Congress chief Jeyakumar death
KSH Logistics expands multi-client warehousing capacity in Chennai
The facility caters to various needs, including co-packing, distribution, e-commerce, and omnichannel services, meeting evolving customer demands
Youth in Tamil Nadu gets Rs 2L for trauma in medical negligence case
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to a youth who had suffered mental agony and trauma due to alleged medical negligence eight years ago. Justice Anita Sumanth, in a recent order, directed the government pay the amount to Vishnu of Mettur in Salem within six weeks. The boy was admitted at the Government Hospital in Mettur in 2016 after complaining stomach pain. After undergoing, appendectomy, he suffered complications and was taken to Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital in Salem where he had undergone another surgery. Later, he was admitted to a private hospital in Coimbatore. His mother Sasikala lodged complaints with the authorities seeking action against the doctor who had performed the surgery but the inquiries revealed no negligence. Later, she moved the HC. Even though she could not prove the charge of medical negligence, the court took a lenient stand. The narration of events informs me sufficiently to conclude that the tertiary care system in the state is undoubtedly responsible for the medical trauma that the child was put through, the judge said. The judge also directed the district collector to consider providing suitable government job to the victim who is now 22 years of age.
Water pollution high around Coimbatore's Vellalore dump yard
COIMBATORE: The air and water quality were very poor in the Vellalore area after the fire accident at the dump yard in the city, according to an RTI reply from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). Though the quality of air returned to normal, water pollution still remains a problem due to the wet waste dumped in the yard. Last month, a major fire broke out at the Vellalore dumpyard in Coimbatore. Though the City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), district administration, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service Department, police department, TNPCB, army personnel along local people put out the fire in two days, the smoke erupted from the fire engulfed the skies and the nearby areas for several days. Owing to this, the air quality levels in Coimbatore worsened. As concerns about air quality were raised from various quatres, TNPCB officials set up five air-quality detection devices in five different locations near the dump yard. The officials also tested water samples lifted from five places in the area and a final report was submitted to the TNPCB head office in Chennai. Following this, KS Mohan, a social activist and Kurichi-Vellalore Pollution Prevention Action Committees Secretary, filed an RTI application seeking the final report and the test results. The report revealed high pollution levels in air and water in the Vellalore area due to the fire which broke out in the dumpyard last month. The CCMCs licence to dump waste in the facility ended in 2019 and they obtained permission to only to dump chicken and other meat wastes in the dump yard. However, the civic body has been illegally dumping other waste in the facility for several years now. TNPCB has mentioned this in their final report, Mohan told TNIE. Speaking to TNIE, a TNPCB official said, Air quality detected in all five locations was worse. As per the TNPCB norm, the PM10 and PM2.5 pollutant concentrations in the air must be below 100 and 60 respectively. But the test revealed that the average was above 120 and 70 respectively in all five places. A minimum of 119 and a maximum of 166 PM10 concentration was recorded. Similarly, the groundwater is also polluted heavily in the region due to the dumping of wet waste in the facility. The analysis report of the groundwater samples collected at 14 borewells and open wells in and around the Vellalore dump yard reveals that the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in 13 locations and Chlorides in one location exceeded the permissible limit of the drinking standards (IS 10500: 2012). The TDS and chloride levels were very high, especially in the borewells and open wells of Mahalingapuram and Konavaikalpalayam villages, sources said. Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Tuesday was around 94 in Coimbatore. Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakar said, We havent received any information regarding the renewal of licence for the Vellalore dump yard from the TNPCB and I will check into it. As far as the garbage in the facility is concerned, we have now received a sanction of about `90 crore for the next phase of the bio-mining project. We will float a tender and start the works after the elections are announced and the MCC is lifted. Also, a new biogas plant with a capacity of processing 250 tonnes of waste will also be set up in the facility to clear the piled-up waste, retrieve the land and restore the environment in the area.
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Tamil Nadu: 3.25 FSI for buildings in integrated townships planned to boost growth
CHENNAI: The state government is mulling on increasing floor space index (FSI) to over 3.25 in integrated townships, which it is planning to promote with significant investment from private sector, through the new policy it is finalising for integrated townships. At present, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has set the FSI for residential buildings at 1.5 and 2 in most areas while for commercial buildings it can go up to 3. Sources said CMDA is thinking about increasing the maximum floor space index to 6.5 in the Transit Oriented Development (ToD) area along the Chennai Metro Rail and MRTS corridor and developers could push for higher FSI. According to sources, the normal applicable FSI in integrated townships will be based on the road width as applicable under Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules (TNCDBR). However, officials are considering a flexible FSI so that balance unutilised FSI at one site can be used in another site within the same integrated township. Over and above the FSI as prescribed in TNCDBR, sources said, an additional FSI of 0.1 may be provided for the houses to be built in the townships for economically weaker sections, in addition to the 10% of minimum requirement for EWS. Srinivas Anikipatti, Senior Director - Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Knight Frank India, said developers could be demanding an even higher FSI to what is proposed under the policy. Though the state lacks proper integrated townships, it has few residential townships developed by Hiranandani and SPR group, which could be converted into integrated townships by adding amenities mandated. Integrated townships inside city could be built on 25 acres while on peripheries it could go up to 100 to 200 acres or beyond. Dr Niranjan Hiranandani, Chairman, Hiranandani Group, said, Integrated townships will propel economic growth, attract investment and boost employment. After the pandemic, interests of home-buyers are skewed towards such integrated township model in quest of better integrated living with community benefits. Gated projects attract all segments of home-owners. Buyers will benefit from such township projects as it caters to their preferences in terms of education, healthcare, entertainment and retail all at one stop destination. This will have a multiplier effect on GDP growth. Similarly, the draft integrated policy, which was prepared by the State Planning Commission, has proposed to provide a green channel / single window clearance system for developers who want to establish and operate a project of the size of an integrated township. In places where land use conversion is needed to ensure availability of large pieces of contiguous lands, re-classification will be decided by the Empowered Committee for Integrated Townships to be formed by the government, sources said. However, the biggest challenge will be to amend the Town and Country Planning Act. The present Act does not provide for Township policy, sources said.
Madras HC: Pocso accused cant claim ignorance about consequences
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has observed that the mental trauma of undergoing aggravated penetrative sexual assault would haunt a minor girl for ever and the perpetrator cannot claim ignorance on the consequences of such offence. Justice R Hemalatha made the observation recently while dismissing an appeal filed by a man challenging his conviction in the rape case of a 15-year-old girl in Chennai. The appellant, Sathishkumar, was convicted and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 10 years by the Special Court for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act Cases, Chennai, in 2018. He challenged the conviction on the ground that he and the girl were romantically involved, leading to physical relationship with her consent. He also said he tied thaali (the nuptial knot) on her at the Tiruttani temple before staying for a few days at Hogenakkal in 2014. However, the girl returned to Chennai and surrendered before the police station concerned where a missing case was registered and charged him of taking her forcibly and having physical relationship. Later, the girl was married off to her maternal uncle. Though the victim is happily married now, the mental trauma or the effect of such an incident would haunt her forever, the judge observed. Referring to the appellants claim that he had taken the girl with her consent, the judge said, It is clear that the appellant had committed this grave offence. He was much older than the victim. A 25-year-old man cannot be ignorant of the consequences of making a girl pregnant. Justice Hemalatha further held consent or not from the victim girl is immaterial in such cases.
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