Congress, DMK form alliance for 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls

Azad, after meeting the DMK chief Karunanidhi at his residence in Chennai, announced the news to reporters, “DMK and Congress will fight Tamil Nadu assembly elections in alliance. Our mail goal is to put in place a government led by the DMK.”

When asked about the party's strategy on seat sharing, the senior Congress leader said thta further discussion will take place with DMK leaders on the issue.

A Congress delegation led by Azad on Saturday met DMK chief Karunanidhi at his residence in Chennai after which it was decided that the two former allies will join hands once again for the Assembly polls, to be held in April-May this year.

DMK and Congress had snapped tie in 2013 over Sri Lankan Tamil issue. Earlier, reports were there that the two parties were looking to revive their alliance and DMK chief Karunanidhi have invited Congress senior leaders at his residence to 'materialise the ties'.  

Selfie rage takes another life: Schoolboy mowed down by train in Chennai

The incident happened yesterday evening when the boy was trying to take a selfie on the railway track, but was hit by a speeding train, which led to his death.

The victim has been identified as Dena Sukumar, a class 12 student of Poonamallee Aringnar Anna government higher secondary school.

Selfie-related deaths have continued to haunt India in 2016 as three girls drowned in sea while trying to click themselves in January this year. After the incident, Mumbai police identified 16 'No Selfie Zones' in the city in a bid to discourage people from putting themselves at risk while photographing themselves.

According to study by Washington Post, India accounted for about half of 27 selfie-related deaths across the world.

Jayalalithaa thanks PM Modi on jallikattu decision; Celebrations mark TN

The Centre's notification allowing jallikattu in Tamil Nadu was on Friday welcomed by political leaders as well as organisers and other stakeholders, with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 'prompt response' in the matter.

Rural parts of the state especially southern districts, where the bull taming sport is popular during the annual Pongal festivities in mid-January, celebrated the Centre's decision with jallikattu organisers and the sport lovers bursting crackers and distributing sweets.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Jayalalithaa who pursued the matter with him said, "I am very grateful to you for your prompt response in the matter, which has enabled the conduct of Jallikattu."

She said the sport "upholds traditional cultural values and traditions of Tamil Nadu and has great historical significance and also ensures the conservation of native germ plasm and continuance of traditional breeds of indigenous cattle".

Central government allows `Jallikattu' in Tamil Nadu

People at places like Madurai and Trichy, where Jallikattu is traditionally held, were the most elated.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision.

"I am very grateful to you for your prompt response in the matter, which has enabled the conduct of `Jallikattu', a sport which upholds traditional cultural values and traditions of Tamil Nadu and has great historical significance and also ensures the ... continuance of traditional breeds of indigenous cattle," she said in a communication to Modi.

"I am very happy to learn that the ministry of environment, forests and climate change has issued a notification that has paved the way for the conduct of the traditional sport," she said.

The central government bowed to the strong demand made by various organisations and political parties to permit the traditional bull taming sport that was banned by the Supreme Court to prevent cruelty to animals.

The central government, in a gazette notification, removed bulls form the list of animals that are banned from public display.

The central government allowed bulls to be exhibited as a performing animal at Jallikattua and bullock-cart races in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Gujarat.

Leaders of various political parties in Tamil Nadu welcomed the central government's decision to allow Jallikattu.

DMK president M Karunanidhi thanked the central government and the steps taken by union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and others for lifting the ban on the traditional sport.

MDMK leader Vaiko and PMK founder S. Ramadoss also welcomed the Centre's decision.

However, the permission is subject to conditions like sanction from the district collector or the district magistrate.

The bullock-cart races are to be held on proper track and the bulls have to be tamed within a distance of 15 metres from their enclosure.

The bulls should also be put to proper testing by officials of the animal husbandry and veterinary department ensuring their good health and no performance enhancing drugs are administered to them.

In May 2014, the Supreme Court upheld a notification by the environment and forests ministry categorising bulls in the list of animals which shall not be exhibited or trained as performing animals.

The Tamil Nadu government filed a review petition before the Supreme Court.

Introduce Bill to amend laws for conducting jallikattu during Pongal: Jayalalithaa

Amid growing chorus for holding the banned bull-taming sport 'jallikattu' in January, Tamil Nadu government has urged the Centre to introduce a bill to amend laws for its conduct. It also suggested a special Parliament session for the purpose or even promulgating an ordinance considering the "urgency" of the matter.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Pongal (Tamil harvest festival) was fast approaching (next month) and "it is very important that the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu, who have a deep attachment to the conduct of the traditional event of jallikattu, are honoured."

In a December 22 letter to Modi, she said media reports had "indicated" that Minister of State for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar had stated the Centre would introduce a Bill in Parliament in the Winter Session to enable its conduct.

She said, "We were eagerly looking forward to introduction of the bill," but Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan was quoted in media that the deadlock in Rajya Sabha was the reason for non introduction of the legislation.

Strongly urging the PM to immediately direct the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to introduce a Bill to comprehensively and suitably amend relevant provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, she said it had to be passed immediately to enable conduct of Jallikattu.

"May I request that the Parliament session be extended, or a special session called for this purpose? Alternatively, considering the urgency of the issue, the Government of India may consider promulgating an ordinance enabling the conduct of jallikattu during Pongal 2016. On behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, I urge you to have the ordinance promulgated expeditiously," she said in the letter, released today.

The CM said inability to conduct Jallikattu has caused general disappointment and widespread resentment among the people, particularly in rural areas, as this was a sport, which was part of their cherished tradition.

Jayalalithaa said jallikattu was a traditional sporting event held as part of Pongal festivities in rural Tamil Nadu for many centuries, adding that bulls reared exclusively for this event were tamed by able-bodied youth.

Jallikattu had considerable historical significance and was ingrained in the cultural tradition of Tamil Nadu and even found mention in the 'great epic Silappathigaram', and was popular among warriors since the Sangam era, she said.

"The sport is inextricably linked to rural, agrarian customs and practices and helps with the conservation of native germplasm since bulls with excellent physical attributes are reared. It also has religious connotations with families donating bulls to temples in fulfillment of vows."

"The second day of the Pongal festivities is dedicated to showing gratitude to the bulls that serve and contribute to the prosperity of the farmers," she said.

Velachery flooding 2015 a manmade disaster

During the ’70s, Velachery was a small hamlet with paddy fields and a few small industries on the narrow Velachery-Tambaram road and a few stone quarries in Taramani area. 

At that time, government proposed a 100 feet bypass road from Raptakas factory to Vijayanagar bus terminus and simultaneously another 100 feet Taramani road was planned to connect Vijayanagar bus terminus to OMR.

 

The government acquired land for these two roads during 1974 after paying compensation to land owners. However, the roads could be completed only at the end of the ’90s. In the meantime, Highways department decided to widen the Velachery-Tambaram road and made it as part of IRR from MRTS Velachery station to OMR via Taramani road, which was already developed. 

 

Velachery tank lies on the northern side of the bypass road and the entire ayacut area of this tank had already been converted as housing colonies. Surplus water from this tank runs along the bypass road and Velachery-Tambaram road and crosses the IRR and the MRTS track through a culvert to enter the Pallikaranai marsh. 

 

The delay in completion of the bypass road encouraged some people to occupy the land already acquired by government and put up some illegal constructions blocking the water course.

 

In 2002, the Highway department decided to acquire additional land for widening the road leaving the already acquired land to the enjoyment of the encroachers. Due to the encroachments, surplus water course became a small storm water drain and could not carry the entire water to the Pallikaranai marsh.

 

Immediately after the 2005 floods, an engineer came up with an idea to divert the water from Vijayanagar junction to Buckingham canal through an underground drain below the Velachery-Taramani road.

 

This project was started in 2005 at an estimated cost of `35 crore. After 10 years the estimate was revised to Rs 60 crore. At this rate, it is likely to take another five to 10 years to complete the work since the remaining work is in the toughest reach and the estimated cost is also likely to go up to Rs 85 crore.

 

The crux of the matter is, after all these efforts, they are going to land up 18 inches below the bed level of the Buckingham canal and thereby creating an avenue for another engineer to come up with another brilliant idea to lower the bed level of Buckingham canal from Lattice bridge to Adyar river at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

 

When all these things were happening, another engineer suggested construction of a head regulator across the old storm water drain just in front of the Junior Kuppanna restaurant to

head up the water and divert it to Velachery-Taramani-Buckingham canal underground drain. 

 

Since the natural slope is towards Pallikaranai marsh, water will flow only towards that direction. Once you put up a head regulator with shutters which could not be opened for three days even before completing the underground drain to connect the Buckingham canal you end up in diverting the entire water from the Velachery tank into the residential area of Vijayanagar and other colonies. This is how it all happened this year.

 

Constructing a storm water drain 20 feet below the ground level at some stretches near Taramani burial ground would cost nearly Rs 80 crore as it stands now. The expected project cost for developing Buckingham canal bed level and for other improvements is Rs 100 crore. Public money of Rs 250 crore is being wasted.

 

Civil engineering is the department which creates all infrastructure where if you do work with devotion you will end up constructing dams, bridges, buildings, hospitals and educational institutions which will be remembered by the people.