School Education Minister A Rajmohan moved the special resolution in the Assembly, stating that 3.28 lakh teachers in the State had been affected by the mandatory TET requirement.

TET exemption for pre-2010 teachers sought

Speaking on the resolution, Rajmohan said teachers appointed before August 23, 2010, should be granted a complete exemption from appearing for the TET. He said the State government had been taking up the issue considering the difficulties faced by teachers who were appointed before the TET requirement came into force.

The Minister urged the Central Government to make the necessary amendments to the Right to Education Act to provide the exemption. Rajmohan said the demand was aimed at protecting the interests of teachers who had already been appointed and were serving in schools before the cut-off date.

DMK, AIADMK, PMK, CPI and Congress support TET resolution

The special resolution received support from various political parties in the Assembly. Members of the DMK, AIADMK, PMK, CPI, CPI(M) and Congress extended their support to the resolution moved by the School Education Minister.

There was no opposition to the resolution during the discussion in the House. The members supporting the resolution highlighted the need to address the concerns of teachers affected by the TET requirement and backed the State government's demand for an exemption for those appointed before August 23, 2010.

TN Assembly passes TET resolution unanimously

Following the discussion, Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar put the special resolution to a voice vote. As there was no opposition to the resolution, the Speaker announced that it had been passed unanimously.

The resolution calls upon the Central Government to amend the relevant provisions of the Right to Education Act and provide a complete exemption from the TET for teachers appointed before August 23, 2010.

In his petition, Stalin submitted that after the election was over and results were declared, he had duly nominated senior advocate NR Elango as his authorised representative for checking and verification of the burnt memory/microcontroller in the Control Unit, Ballot Unit and VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) for 14 selected EVM sets pertaining to Kolathur constituency.

During checking and verification by Elango, grave and alarming irregularities came to light. Elango immediately wrote to the DEO informing him of these grave lapses. He said the impugned order has been passed mechanically without responding to any of the clarifications sought.

He also sought a direction to the authorities to conduct 100 per cent counting of VVPAT slips relating to Kolathur constituency and the checking and verification of all 286 machines.

The farmers pointed out that the failure in the release of water from Mettur on its customary date resulted in the shrinking of kuruvai cultivation acreage to less than 2 lakh acres, and around 5 lakh MT paddy production would be less this time, as per analysis.

Since Kuruvai failed due to drought conditions due to failure of water release from Mettur and the impact of El Niño, the state government should immediately declare the delta as a drought-hit region and provide proper compensation.

Meanwhile, the samba season has already commenced with the support of groundwater for irrigation; the state government should immediately announce a special samba package and release the funds immediately.

“The farmers are receiving just Rs 4,000 per acre under both kuruvai and samba special packages since 2016 and this amount is inadequate due to the soaring prices of inputs and other fertilisers, and so, the state government should revise the amount to Rs 8,000 per acre, which would compensate the production cost,” said Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.

He also sent a representation to the Chief Minister, C Joseph Vijay, appealing to announce the special samba package during the current assembly session under 110 rule.

During Zero Hour on Monday, DMK MLAs once again raised the issue. In reply, the Speaker said that Question Hour would be taken up from Thursday.

In the Assembly, the first hour is allotted for Question Hour. During this period, members raise queries on issues concerning their constituencies.

Since the 17th Assembly was constituted, no Question Hour has been conducted due to reported delays in receiving replies from the respective departments.

Raising the issue in the state Assembly, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin claimed that the post-mortem report of the deceased- Anthony Samy, John Rose Peter, and Kumar - indicated that they were "tortured and shot at very close range".

"The three had severe injuries, including broken bones. This was brutal killing. I would like to know what action this government has taken to condemn this. At least has the government sought an explanation from Karnataka government," Udhayanidhi asked.

He sought to know if Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay raised the issue at the Southern Zonal Council meeting or whether Tamil Nadu's condemnation was personally conveyed to his Karnataka counterpart D K Shivakumar.

Also, he called for measures to provide necessary legal assistance to the three affected families, demanding a high-level enquiry into the incident.

Speaker J C D Prabhakar responded by saying that a state minister had already provided a reply when the issue was raised by the Opposition parties in the Assembly on August 18. Nevertheless, a detailed reply would be provided by the Law Minister soon.

This was second time the "killing" of three "Tamils" by Karnataka forest department echoed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in a week.

Anthony Samy, John Rose Peter, and Kumar, who lived in the villages in Hanur Taluk of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka and alleged to be poachers, were shot dead by that state's forest department in the early hours of August 15, in the Cauvery Wildlife sanctuary area.

Tamil Nadu political parties have been claiming that those killed are Tamils.

The plan proposed under the department's 2026-27 Policy Note will seek to expand the global market for products made in Tamil Nadu by using MoUs with multinational companies and 14 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).

The plan is building up of Tamil Nadu Export Promotion Strategy 2021 launched by the erstwhile DMK government. While textiles, leather and auto components were already part of the 2021 export strategy's priority sectors, fireworks and jewellery are new additions. At the same time, food processing, electronics and machinery, which were among the six sectors identified in 2021, does not have a place in the five sectors named for Enterprise TN.

The State ranks first or second nationally in eight major manufacturing categories, with a 33.64% share of India's wearing-apparel output and 25.18% share of leather and related products, ranking first in both. It ranks second in textiles, with a 19% share, and computer, electronic and optical products, with a 28.84% share.

It is part of the State's wider push to increase its global economic footprint as it works towards its USD 1.5 trillion economy target by 2036. The policy note says the State will focus on emerging sectors while also expanding global outreach through investor summits, roadshows and targeted sectoral engagement.

LED screen to watch the CM

Madurai North MLA Kallanai Vijay Anban, who has been a prominent functionary in Vijay’s fan club for several years and is said to be close to party general secretary N Anand, made an unusual request in the Assembly.

Speaking in the House, he said, “Our Chief Minister laughs heartily even when Opposition members crack jokes. But we cannot see his laughter from here. So, I request that an LED screen be installed so that we can see the Chief Minister’s reactions.”

Water bottles instead of glasses

DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakanth had, during the previous Assembly session, expressed concern over Assembly staff having to repeatedly bend down and walk over to members to serve water in glasses.

She had requested that water be served in glass bottles instead.

At the time, former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had also joked that if bottles were kept on the tables, members might get angry and throw them, bringing the idea to an end.

Premalatha has once again raised the demand for glass water bottles during the ongoing session. However, her request is yet to be implemented.

Split-screen telecast in Assembly

Minister A Rajmohan reportedly asked the camera operators in the Assembly to use a split-screen whenever TVK ministers were speaking and DMK MLAs stood up shouting, so that both sides could be shown in the same frame.

Rajmohan is in charge not only of the School Education Department but also of Information and Publicity

‘One-day doctor’

Tiruvallur MLA Arun Kumar, who is a doctor, had a different request.

After speaking about his constituency’s issues and praising Chief Minister Vijay, he made a request to the government, he wanted permission to work as a doctor, or take up some other service, at the Thiruvallur Government Hospital for one day every month.

The request comes at a time when ministers and MLAs have reportedly been advised against making surprise visits to schools and hospitals and turning them into social media reels.

The car controversy

VCK MLA Jothimani had requested that cars be provided to MLAs, saying that many legislators were financially disadvantaged.

Chief Minister Vijay immediately announced under Rule 110 that cars would be provided to MLAs.

The announcement, however, drew considerable criticism on social media. Details showing that Jothimani already had a car were widely shared, while information from the affidavits of legislators was also circulated online. One such claim pointed out that former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami did not have a car, while Kavundampalayam MLA Kanimozhi had 26 cars.

Minister Aadhav Arjuna later clarified that TVK MLAs who already owned cars would not take government vehicles.

The buses were launched for public use at the Secretariat.

As part of efforts to reduce vehicular pollution in Chennai, MTC is currently operating 625 low-floor electric buses, procured at a cost of Rs 697 crore, through five depots.

The state government has planned to operate another 750 low-floor air-conditioned electric buses at a cost of Rs 1,337 crore through seven depots. As the first phase of the initiative, Vijay launched 130 new low-floor AC electric buses procured at a cost of Rs 234.50 crore.

Of the 130 buses, 80 will be operated from MTC's Alandur depot and 50 from its Central depot.

The 80 buses from Alandur depot will operate on 15 routes: MAA1 (Chennai Airport-Kilambakkam), MAA2 (Chennai Airport-Siruseri IT Park), MAA3 (Chennai Airport-Adyar bus stand), 113 (Redhills-Guindy Thiru Vi Ka Estate), 76V (Koyambedu-Siruseri IT Park), D70 (Ambattur Industrial Estate-Velachery), 500P (Pallavaram-Chengalpattu), 570R (Alandur Court-Siruseri IT Park), 114R (Redhills-Guindy Thiru Vi Ka Estate), 515P (Pallavaram-Mamallapuram), 119 (Guindy Thiru Vi Ka Estate-Semmancheri TNUHDB), 170C (Thiru Vi Ka Nagar-Guindy Thiru Vi Ka Estate), 9M (Thyagaraya Nagar-AGS Officer's Colony), 70V (Koyambedu-Kilambakkam) and 105 (Tambaram West-Siruseri IT Park).

The 50 buses from Central depot will operate on 10 routes: 2C (K Kannadasan Nagar-K Kannadasan Nagar), 7H (Island Ground-JJ Nagar East), PP21 (Island Ground-Kilambakkam), 29A (Perambur B.T.-Anna Square), 40H (Anna Square-Pattabiram), 40A (Anna Square-Pattabiram), 88Kct (Parrys Corner-Kundrathur bus stand), 221 (MGR Central-Thiruporur), 72 (Thyagaraya Nagar-Thiruverkadu) and 25 (Anna Square-Poonamallee).

The new electric services will connect key destinations including Chennai airport, Kilambakkam bus terminus, Siruseri IT Park, OMR, Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Mamallapuram, Guindy, Anna Nagar, Pattabiram, Kundrathur and Poonamallee.

Separately, 1,614 new buses are being procured for the six STUs at an estimated cost of Rs 756 crore. As the first phase, 120 new buses procured at a cost of Rs 55.58 crore were launched on Tuesday.

Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, Transport Secretary L Nirmalraj, MTC managing director T Mohan and senior government officials were present at the event.

Separately, 1,614 new buses are being procured for the six STUs at an estimated cost of Rs 756 crore. As the first phase, 120 new buses procured at a cost of Rs 55.58 crore were launched on Tuesday.

Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, Transport Secretary L Nirmalraj, MTC managing director T Mohan and senior government officials were present at the event.

Addressing a gathering in Coimbatore, organised recently to highlight the TVK’s 100 days of public service, Kanimozhi Santhosh, who practised astrology before entering politics, said, “I received a call from DMK offering a Rs 15 lakh package last November. I was asked to predict through astrology that DMK would win the assembly elections and post it on YouTube. But I made it clear that DMK would not come to power, even though I was then not a member of TVK,” she said.

She also claimed to have an audio recording related to the conversation as evidence. “Political victories cannot be achieved with money,” she said, adding that she was making the allegation public so that people could know what takes place behind the scenes in politics.

Kanimozhi Santhosh also rejected criticisms that she had been advised to remain silent in the assembly when opposition members raised issues. “We have been elected to the assembly to speak about people’s problems. There will be differences of opinion within a party, but we should not allow outsiders to undermine our unity,” she said.

During the debate on the demands for grants for the Education and Municipal Administration Departments, Usilampatti MLA M Vijay alleged that the DMK regime was responsible for the water crisis in his constituency.

When DMK members tried to intervene, the Treasury Benches said that it was the member's 'kanni pechu' (maiden speech) and asked them to allow him to speak.

Following this, PMK floor leader Sowmya Anbumani said that the term 'kanni pechu' should be avoided and that 'maiden speech' or 'introductory speech' would be appropriate. Supporting her, lone CPM woman MLA T Latha shook hands with Sowmya over the issue.

Intervening in the matter, Minister for Tamil Development and School Education Rajmohan also extended his support from the Treasury Benches and said the demand could be considered by the Speaker.

However, the Speaker did not give any ruling on the issue.

On receiving information that a leopard got entangled in a fence at a farm in Nanjanad forest area, a team led by Ooty forest department personnel rushed to the spot and took rescue efforts on Sunday (August 23).

The leopard was tranquilised, the entangled wire removed, and treatment provided.

Yet, the leopard succumbed.

Following this, the forest department registered a case under the Wildlife Crime Prevention Act and nabbed a farmer, who set up the snare to prevent wild boar from damaging his carrot farm.

Further inquiries are under way.

Under the scheme, project reports will be prepared for corporations, municipalities and town panchayats to improve safe drinking water supply, underground sewerage systems, solid waste management, roads and transport facilities. Measures to improve the environment and public health will also be included. The CMIUDM scheme will be implemented with an estimated allocation of Rs 25 crore.

On behalf of Chief Minister Vijay, Minister Rajmohan announced the new schemes during the demands for grants on the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department.

Meanwhile, Rs 254 crore has been allocated for the ongoing underground sewerage works in Tambaram, Chromepet and Thiruneermalai, as well as for new underground sewerage projects.

The legacy waste accumulated over several years in Avadi, Tambaram and Coimbatore Corporations will be removed using the biomining method.

The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) is currently operating 22 sewage treatment plants. The biogas generated from these plants will be upgraded into Compressed Biogas and commercialised. This is expected to generate additional revenue for the government.

V Palanivelu, a retired Assistant Commissioner of the Madurai Corporation, submitted a petition to the Madurai District Collector on Monday stating that his wife, Maniyamma, who had retired as a District Child Development Project Officer in Madurai district, had long wished to donate her body for the education of medical students.

Maniyamma died at a private hospital on August 15. To fulfil her wish, the family informed the administration of the Government Rajaji Medical College Hospital on the same day about their decision to donate her body, he told reporters.

However, when Palanivelu contacted the hospital administration on August 16 to ask them to receive her body, he was allegedly informed that the medical college would not function on Sunday. “To our shock, they instructed us to hand over the body at the Government Rajaji Hospital mortuary instead of taking it directly to the Department of Anatomy,” he recalled.

To fulfil his wife's wish, Palanivelu, along with his family members, took the body to the mortuary. However, the staff there allegedly made them wait for nearly two hours as they suspected it to be an accident. “Only after we explained why we had brought her body to the mortuary did they accept it,” he said.

The ordeal did not end there. Palanivelu alleged that the hospital administration agreed to accept the body for donation only after he took up the issue with a former GRH Dean known to him. Following repeated efforts by the family, the body was taken from the mortuary to the Department of Anatomy at 11 am on August 17. A certificate acknowledging receipt of the donated body was issued at 12.30 pm, he said.

He urged the district administration to formulate clear protocols to ensure that donated bodies are received with dignity and due respect, in the presence of the medical college Dean, and requested that his appeal be brought to the attention of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

Participating in the debate on grant demands for the School Education Department, Minister Rajmohan said the curriculum would equip students with the skills needed to meet the demands of a rapidly changing future.

As part of the new initiatives, students will also have a ‘no-school-bag’ day once a month, during which they will not be required to carry books to school.

The government will pilot ‘TN PAL’, an AI-powered adaptive learning programme, in 500 government middle schools for students of Classes 6 to 8 at a cost of Rs 70 lakh. The initiative aims to provide personalised learning tailored to students’ needs and learning levels.

The minister also announced that sports jerseys would be provided to 23.40 lakh students in government and government-aided schools at a cost of Rs 81.89 crore.

Under the ‘PLAY’ initiative, every student will have a dedicated period each day for sports, arts, and co-curricular activities, providing them with opportunities to identify, develop, and showcase their talents.

Meanwhile, during the debate on the demands for grants for Higher Education, Minister P. Viswanathan announced that the monthly remuneration of guest lecturers working on a consolidated-pay basis in arts and science, engineering and polytechnic colleges would be increased from Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000.

He also announced that 6,000 assistant professors would be appointed in government arts and science, engineering and polytechnic colleges in three phases.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced the decision in the Assembly on Monday, saying the proposed airport would affect agricultural land and disrupt the livelihoods of farmers and residents.

At the same time, he made it clear that Chennai’s need for an additional airport remained and that an alternative location would be identified with minimal impact on agriculture and habitation.

Highly placed sources told DT Next that the government is not considering reversing the acquisition of the 1,700 acres for the compensation already paid to landowners. The parcels were acquired under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act and, according to the sources, could be put to other industrial uses.

“The acquired land need not necessarily be used only for an airport. Since it was acquired under the Industrial Purposes Act, it can be utilised for other industrial purposes. With the airport project shelved, options such as agriculture-linked and non-hazardous industries are being considered,” a senior official said.

The Industries department is expected to work out a detailed roadmap in consultation with the relevant departments. Sources said that the agro-processing and other agriculture-linked activities were among the options being examined, while the possibility of establishing a SIPCOT industrial estate was also under consideration.

“A clear roadmap will be prepared for the acquired land, and the government will announce it at the appropriate time,” the official added.

The Parandur airport proposal had envisaged a major greenfield facility to meet the city’s long-term aviation requirements, but the project faced sustained opposition from residents over agricultural land, water resources and the impact on established settlements. The government is now pursuing a parallel exercise to identify an alternative location.

Sources said that the Chief Minister had held several rounds of discussions on possible sites, but no location has been finalised. “Every possible location is being reviewed. Nothing has been finalised so far, and the government will soon arrive at a solution,” another source said.

Survey done in 2021, officially announced following year

The proposed airport was planned across nearly 5,300 acres covering 13 villages around Parandur. The Centre and the State government led by the DMK had decided to develop the second greenfield airport for Chennai, with survey work beginning in 2021. The project was officially announced in August 2022.

However, since the day the project was officially announced, the proposal has been facing strong opposition from villagers, who feared that the airport would severely affect agricultural lands and water bodies. Villagers also claimed that some settlements, particularly Eganapuram, could be completely destroyed if the project was implemented.

Residents of Eganapuram had conducted night-time protests for more than 1,100 days. They also protested by not sending their kids to the government schools. Village panchayats passed resolutions opposing the project on 16 occasions, while residents boycotted village sabha meetings seven times to register their opposition.

Despite the protests, the previous government had proceeded with land acquisition. Plans were also made to provide alternative housing for families that would lose their homes, and model houses were also constructed. The Union government was aiming to complete the construction of the airport by 2028.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who was then the leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, openly supported the villagers. During his first public visit to Eganapuram in January 2025, he assured residents that the project would be cancelled if his party came to power.

Since the formation of the new government, work related to the project had stalled, while ministers indicated that the project would be cancelled and an alternative location would be considered.

With his announcement in the Assembly on Monday, it’s official: Parandur project dropped, alternative site to be identified for the proposed project and that the existing airport would be expanded.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat campus, Sowmiya welcomed Chief Minister Vijay's announcements made under Rule 110 to drop the Parandur airport project.

Responding to questions on the welfare schemes announced by the Chief Minister, she said the PMK would support freebies and welfare measures that are essential for the people, particularly those related to healthcare, education and agriculture.

She also welcomed the free bus travel scheme for women, stating that it would help empower women across the State by improving their access to education, employment and other opportunities.

On environmental issues, she urged the government to take steps to protect water bodies across the State.

She alleged that several water bodies were being polluted due to inadequate sewage management and said local bodies should strengthen their sewage and waste management systems.

The government must ensure that sewage is not discharged into water bodies and should closely monitor waste management systems, she said, stressing that protecting water resources was essential for ensuring a healthy environment for future generations.

After the meeting, Bharathi told reporters that the government had agreed to consider demands relating to maternity leave, wage revision, a union office, and food allowance.

Earlier in the day, more than 300 cleanliness workers, who marched towards the Secretariat seeking to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, were detained by police near the Madras High Court. During the Assembly proceedings, Rajmohan said talks would be held with the union president.

The workers have been staging protests for the fifth consecutive day.

Speaking to DT Next after the meeting, Bharathi said the minister had agreed to consider extending one-year maternity leave for a third child to all women cleanliness workers and menstrual leave for local body and rural school workers.

He also said the government had agreed to consider revising the daily wage from Rs 751 to Rs 832.

Bharathi said the government had also agreed to immediately reinstate 13 workers among the 1,400 workers whom the Greater Chennai Corporation had earlier agreed to take back.

The demand for office space for the union would also be considered, he said.

However, the workers will continue their peaceful protest seeking fulfilment of the remaining demands, including regularisation of contract workers, a weekly off and quality housing facilities.

“We will stage a protest at Ripon Building in this regard,” Bharathi said.

The minister made new announcements during the demands for grants for the School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity departments.

As part of the initiative, a memorial hall with a bronze statue of director Bharathiraja will be established in Theni at an estimated cost of 2.5 crore.

The government will also provide an additional Rs 5.75 crore for establishing a Tamil chair at the University of Houston in the United States, the Minister said.

In another announcement, the government assistance provided for the Chennai Book Fair will be increased from 75 lakh to 1 crore.

The Minister further announced that an integrated memorial complex will be established in Chennai to honour several prominent personalities, including Velu Nachiyar, Periyar EV Ramasamy, BR Ambedkar, former Chief Minister K Kamaraj and freedom fighter Anjalai Ammal.

The incident occurred following a quarrel between caste Hindu youths and Dalit youths during a Vadamalai Jallikattu event organised by Dalit youths at Ettimangalam near Melur on Sunday.

The VCK members said the police had restricted the number of bulls that could participate in the event. As a result, the organisers could not allow a bull belonging to a caste Hindu to participate, which allegedly led to a quarrel between caste Hindu and Dalit youths at the venue. Elders intervened and pacified them.

Later, when Selvam, a Dalit youth from the same village, was standing in the Melavalavu area, caste Hindu persons who came on motorcycles allegedly attacked him with sickles before fleeing the spot. Selvam sustained a severe injury to his hand and was admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, where he is undergoing treatment.

The police arrested two persons, identified as Nithish Kumar and Prakash, in connection with the attack.

Reacting to the incident, VCK president Thirumavalavan, in a post on X, urged the Tamil Nadu government to arrest all those involved and provide treatment and compensation to the victims.

As the protest continued for over three hours, traffic on the Melur-Natham road was completely disrupted. A police team led by Melur Deputy Superintendent of Police Sivakumar held talks with the protesters.

More than 100 police personnel were deployed in Melavalavu and Melur amid tension following the incident.

According to DVAC, Abinesh bought land at Annai Nagar at Pradhamarma Puram village in Velankanni and planned to construct a lodge.

Since there was a canal flowing adjacent to his land, he wanted to construct an overbridge to connect the land and the main road. Subsequently, he applied for NOC with the Water Resources Management Department of PWD, Thiruvarur.

However, the AEE Manickavel and AE Vinoth demanded a bribe of Rs 3 lakh to process his application.

Unwilling to part with money, Abinesh lodged a complaint against the officials with the DVAC, Thiruvarur.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered, and on Monday (August 24), a team rushed to the office and caught both Manickavel and Vinoth red-handed while accepting the bribe of Rs 3 lakh.

Subsequently, they were arrested and later remanded under judicial custody.

The members belonging to the Aavin Milk Cooperative Society who converged in front of the Cooperative Society Aiylapettai near Koppu in Tiruchy demanded that the production expenses for milk have been increasing day by day and the procurement price should be revised annually, matching the production cost.

They referred to the private milk firms providing Rs 10 to 12 more than the Aavin price, and so the milk producers from across the state have started to approach the private players and this has reduced the milk procurement in Aavin from 34 lakh litres per day to 31 lakh litres, and this would decline in the coming days, the protesting members said.

They also stated that there are around 13 lakh milk producers across the state; among them, more than 10 lakh have joined the statewide protest. In Tiruchy, there are 230 milk-producing societies, and 2 lakh litres of milk have been distributed to Aavin each day.

“If the government fails to revise the procurement price based on the production cost, all the members would stop supplying milk to Aavin, which would result in a public crisis”, said, Ayilai Siva Sooriyan, State Executive Member of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam who led the protest.

He urged the government to expedite pending development projects and take immediate steps to tackle the increasing wild boar menace, which he said was causing hardship to farmers in the district.

Velumani criticised the previous DMK government and highlighted welfare and development initiatives implemented during the previous AIADMK regimes led by MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa.

He cited schemes such as Thalikku Thangam, educational assistance, rainwater harvesting, 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies, free rice and Amma Unavagams as measures aimed at benefiting poor and ordinary people.

Velumani claimed that the AIADMK government had brought development to Coimbatore equivalent to 50 years of progress within five years. Around 1,600 km of roads were improved during the party's tenure, and several major projects, including flyovers, drinking water schemes, colleges, and Smart City works, were undertaken, he said.

He also listed various projects implemented in Coimbatore during the AIADMK regime and alleged that the DMK government had failed to take forward several initiatives, including the second phase of the Athikadavu-Avinashi project.

Responding to the charge, Poyyamozhi said the minister’s claim of having paid a bribe warranted investigation by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.

Participating in the debate on the demands for grants for the School Education and Higher Education departments on Monday, Marie Wilson said he was among those who had been affected by the alleged practice.

"During the previous DMK regime, money was forcibly collected at some places in the School Education Department. I was one of those affected. I am a witness myself," Wilson said.

He said he can provide details of when, where, and how much money was collected, including from minority educational institutions. Wilson also alleged that he himself had paid money to Poyyamozhi at T Nagar during the previous regime.

Facing a serious charge, Poyyamozhi denied the allegation and said a case had been filed against Wilson in December over alleged violations in the running of his school.

Speaking to reporters at Anna Arivalayam on Monday, Poyyamozhi alleged that the finance minister had suddenly stood up and spoken on an unrelated subject when the Higher Education Minister was replying to the debate on his department's demands.

"If he claims to have paid a bribe, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption should investigate the matter and take action," Poyyamozhi said.

"The minister himself should take responsibility for his statements. The DVAC should commence an inquiry against Minister Marie Wilson. This is an attempt to divert attention from the corruption allegations against the TVK-led government," he added.

Raising the issue during the debate on demand for grants for the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department in the Assembly, Shanmugam, the former minister and Mailam MLA, said a daily-wage employee of the Villupuram municipality was allegedly involved in the diversion of around Rs 8 crore from the PF fund. The irregularity was detected on October 8, 2024, following which a police complaint was lodged, and the employee was arrested, he said.

"Even today, the Rs 8 crore has not been recovered. It is not known whether this is the only irregularity, how long the fraud had been taking place or who else benefited from it," Shanmugam said.

He said the authorities had sought to freeze the accused's assets, but a court had subsequently granted a stay. He alleged that no effective steps had been taken to vacate the stay and secure the assets.

Shanmugam also questioned whether similar irregularities had occurred in other municipalities and corporations and urged the Municipal Administration Department to conduct a Statewide audit of PF accounts.

"Is this confined to Villupuram municipality, or have similar irregularities taken place elsewhere? The department should examine the accounts of all municipalities," he said.

The AIADMK MLA further alleged that several political leaders had benefited from the Villupuram irregularity and claimed that the investigation had been stalled.

Seeking a fresh and comprehensive probe, he urged the government to identify all those involved, irrespective of their political or official position, and initiate appropriate action.

"Those responsible must be brought to book, and the money belonging to the employees must be recovered. A proper investigation should be conducted and action taken against everyone involved," Shanmugam added.

Viswanathan said that the government had no intention of targeting students based on their political affiliations or their participation in democratic protests.

Responding to CPM MLA R Chellaswamy during the debate on the demands for grants for the Higher Education Department, Viswanathan said the circular had been withdrawn immediately after the issue came to the government's notice.

"I take moral responsibility for the issue and express my regret and apologise to the House. The circular was issued due to an erroneous communication," Viswanathan said.

The circular had called for details of students participating in protests and sought information on the involvement of Left parties and organisations. Its contents sparked opposition from students and political parties, with concerns raised about the collection of information on students involved in campus protests.

The minister from the TVK's ally Congress said the government had taken immediate steps to withdraw the circular and had sought an explanation from the officials responsible for issuing it.

"The department has sought an explanation regarding how such a communication was issued. Appropriate action will be taken based on the explanation," he said.

“This is an injustice,” he told reporters in Nellai. Karti said delimiting Lok Sabha constituencies based on population would disadvantage Tamil Nadu and other southern states.

Asked about supporters projecting Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as a future prime minister, Karti said the leader of a political formation securing the backing of 272 MPs would become prime minister.

Employees staged a sit-in protest outside the Tasmac regional manager’s office at Muneerpallam in Tirunelveli after they were allegedly denied entry for talks with officials.

The protest was led by Tirunelveli district Tasmac trade union federation president Ramaraj and secretary Perumal, along with representatives of various unions and employees. The closure affected liquor sales in the two districts. Several customers were reportedly disappointed after shops remained closed.

During the debate on demands for grants for the School Education Department, he said schools and colleges would be classified into three categories after the PWD completed the assessment. "If a school building gets a red card, it will be sealed, and no one can use it. If it falls under the yellow category, it requires immediate attention, and the department will take the necessary action. If the building gets a green signal, it can be used for the next five years without any hindrance," Aadhav said.

Seeking the support of MLAs, he said the government would provide the assessment reports of the buildings to all MLAs, who could conduct field visits and submit their feedback to the government. "Maintenance work is a major issue in educational institutions. It will be rectified, and it is the government's duty," Aadhav said.

Following this, School Education Minister Rajmohan said the initiative aimed to ensure the safety of school buildings. "We are working closely on this issue," Rajmohan said.

Tamil Nadu has 6,279 higher and higher secondary schools, 177 arts colleges, 11 engineering colleges, 55 polytechnic colleges, and 98 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).

PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna's remarks that if the DMK did not have a 23-party alliance, it would not have won even 10 seats, had a strong hit back from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition KN Nehru, asking the ruling party to form government on its own, instead of surviving on the support of erstwhile allies of the DMK.

A debate in the Assembly on Monday over social justice and representation of marginalised communities swiftly turned into a political slugfest over the role of allies in the DMK's electoral victories, with TVK Minister Aadhav Arjuna asserting that the ruling party had won the 2026 election on its own while DMK leaders credited their alliance partners for helping them secure power in the past.

Participating in the debate on the demands for grants for the Higher Education and School Education departments, DMK MLA Govi Chezhiaan highlighted what he described as the party's long record of advancing social justice and political representation.

Citing the 1967 Assembly election, Chezhiaan said the DMK had defeated the heir of the Ramanathapuram royal family, Raja Shanmuga Rajeswara Sethupathi, by fielding Thangappan, who came from an ordinary background. He also claimed that the DMK had the distinction of fielding a Scheduled Caste worker in a general constituency in Coimbatore.

Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan countered by recalling Congress's role in providing political representation to marginalised communities. He cited P Kakkan, who rose from a humble background to become Home Minister, and said the TVK government had appointed members of the Scheduled Caste community as Ministers in both the Higher Education and School Education departments.

Viswanathan also flagged vacancies in the vice-chancellor posts of 12 universities. Joining the debate, minister Aadhav Arjuna said the DMK could not claim sole credit for its electoral victories, pointing to the contributions of the Congress, VCK, IUML, and Left parties. "Had the DMK contested alone, it would not have won even 10 seats," he said, asserting that the TVK had contested the 2026 election independently and emerged victorious.

DMK MLA K N Nehru hit back, saying the TVK too had benefited from support extended by other parties. "You have formed the government with the support of those who won with our alliance," he said.

Congress floor leader Tharahai Cuthbert said the Congress had campaigned for the alliance and later supported the TVK government, while the DMK members recalled that the DMK had rebuilt itself after being reduced to a single seat following the Rajiv Gandhi assassination.

Speaker's intervention brought the exchange back to the central point: "Victory and defeat ultimately come from the people."

Explaining the party position, TNCC president B Manickam Tagore said that the Congress was supporting the cancellation based on the government’s own studies and official records, and not as a political response to the previous government.

“The Airports Authority of India’s March 2022 feasibility report had already flagged concerns over Parandur’s waterbodies, irrigation tanks and low lying terrain,” he recalled. “More than one-fourth of the identified land comprised irrigation tanks and that a 201-hectare artificial lake was located close to the proposed project area.”

He also compared Parandur with the alternative Pannur site, saying Parandur was around 62 km from Chennai against 27.6 km for Pannur. “While around 1,005 families were expected to be affected at Parandur, only about 250 families would have been affected at Pannur,” he added. “More than 1,000-day protests by Eganapuram and neighbouring villagers reflect genuine concerns over land, water and livelihoods rather than opposition to development.”

The TNCC also demanded that the government announce a clear timeline for identifying an alternative location for the second airport through a proper Social Impact Assessment and meaningful consultation with affected communities. It further sought clarity within three months on land already acquired from farmers and landowners in Nelvai, Nagapattu, Thandalum, Podavur, Valathur and Akkammmapuram, besides immediate payment of the remaining compensation and restoration of basic civic amenities.

Following his arrest, Palayamkottai Central Prison Superintendent Senthamarai Kannan suspended him.

Based on a tip-off, a police team led by Tirunelveli Town police inspector Subbiah intercepted a luxury car on the Tirunelveli-Courtallam road on Sunday. During a search of the vehicle, the police found 2 kg of ganja and Rs 10 lakh in cash. They arrested M Thamizharasan (31) of Vittalapuram in Thoothukudi district and V Naveen (25) of Murappanadu in Tirunelveli district.

Further investigation revealed that Thamizharasan was working as a warden at Perurani Jail in Thoothukudi.

Earlier, while working as a warden at Palayamkottai Central Prison, he developed a close acquaintance with Dinesh, an associate of alleged ganja dealer Estate Mani, a police source said.

Subsequently, Thamizharasan allegedly came into contact with a network involved in smuggling ganja across the southern districts and earned lakhs of rupees through the illegal trade, the source said.

He allegedly developed contacts with ganja sellers from Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Thoothukudi districts when they were lodged at Palayamkottai Central Prison and Perurani Jail in connection with ganja cases.

A month ago, Palayamkottai police arrested Dinesh and Estate Mani in connection with a ganja smuggling case and lodged them in Palayamkottai Central Prison.

Police learnt about Thamizharasan's alleged involvement during their interrogation of Dinesh and Estate Mani, the source said.

Following the arrest of Thamizharasan, a joint team of police and prison officials searched the cells of inmates, the cooking area and the wardens' quarters at Perurani Jail. However, no narcotic substances, including ganja, were seized during the search.

The city police produced Thamizharasan before a Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him in judicial custody in Madurai Central Prison.

While allowing the CB-CID to continue the investigation into the case, a Division Bench comprising Justice CV Karthikeyan and Justice R Sakthivel observed that the transfer of the investigation could not be ordered merely on the basis of suspicion or speculation.

Referring to the directions of the Supreme Court, the Judges observed that the apex court had clearly stated that when an investigation is transferred from one agency to another, the court must record in its order that there is prima facie material against the accused.

The Supreme Court had also made it clear that a court could not directly order a CBI investigation merely to determine whether a person alleged to have actually committed an offence or not, the Judges observed.

In such circumstances, this Court could not order the transfer of the CB-CID investigation to another agency, the Bench said.

Expressing satisfaction with the progress of the CB-CID investigation, the Court observed that the agency had so far conducted searches at 16 locations in six districts through special teams. During the searches, 207 documents, 12 mobile phones, three laptops and eight other electronic devices were seized.

The CB-CID had so far examined 115 witnesses, including officials from the Registration Department, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and Revenue Department, said the Court

Records relating to the Registration Department, Revenue Department and banking transactions had also been seized and required detailed examination, the Court observed. CCTV footage had also been collected in connection with the case.

Earlier, the government counsel informed the Court that the petitions seeking a CBI investigation were politically motivated, as the petitioners included a member of a political party, a trustee of the Palani temple and the chairperson of the Palani Municipality.

Referring to judicial precedents, the government submitted that only petitions filed genuinely in the public interest and without any personal motive could be entertained as public interest litigation. Therefore, the petitions were not maintainable as PILs, it argued.

In the early hours of Monday (August 24), three elephants from a six-member herd strayed into the Sincona area of Valparai and broke open the door of a ration shop.

The elephants pulled out sacks of rice from the shop and consumed them. A large quantity of rice was found scattered in front of the shop after the animals left the premises.

The raid took place during a power outage caused by heavy rain and strong winds. Meanwhile, the other three elephants from the herd entered a tea plantation area in Periyakallar.

Forest Department personnel, who were alerted to their movement, drove the animals back into the forest.

In a separate incident in the Nilgiris, a sloth bear broke into a ration shop at Thuthurmattam near Coonoor on Sunday night and damaged and consumed food stocks.

The bear reportedly ate food items, including rice, sugar and palm oil, before leaving the shop. The incident comes amid growing concern over frequent bear incursions into human habitations around Coonoor in search of food.

In a letter sent to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay and all members of the Legislative Assembly, Henry Tiphagne asked why the SHRC hesitated to monitor and act on the excessive use of force by police in various incidents.

Moreover, two member posts in the SHRC remain vacant, while the post of Chairperson of the State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is also vacant, he pointed out.

The organisation also recalled that Vijay, before becoming Chief Minister, had strongly spoken out against custodial deaths and police violence. And he had promised that such incidents would not occur if he came to power.

The recent verdicts in the Sathankulam custodial death case and the Madurai SS Colony custodial death case resulted in the conviction of 13 persons, including two Inspectors and two Sub-Inspectors. Yet, the “illegal custodial torture approach” of the Tamil Nadu police remained “appalling and shocking to our conscience,” Henry Tiphagne pointed out.

Hence, the government must announce in the Assembly that Tamil Nadu would be turned into a “state free of torture”, he said, adding that the issue should become a subject of debate in the Assembly, with emphasis on the need for a law against custodial torture in the State

Henry Tiphagne also urged the government to rectify past failures, including the previous government’s handling of the criminal cases against police personnel in the Sterlite firing incident. He called for the cases to be withdrawn from the CBI and entrusted to an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT), and for departmental action against officials to be completed in accordance with the recommendations of the Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission report.

They burst crackers, distributed sweets and even organised street meetings and thanked the CM for fulfilling his assurance to cancel the project. “We’ll remember August 24 forever.

Today, we’ve gained independence for the second time, and our CM has given us this freedom. We’ve been protesting the airport proposal for nearly 1,500 days in various forms, but received no support from the previous government.

Out CM fulfilled his promise by scrapping the project. After five years, we can finally sleep peacefully today,” said G Subramaniyan, president, Parandur Protest Committee.

During Zero Hour, Vijayalakshmi said the DMK MLA had spoken in a disrespectful manner about the Chief Minister and the Industries Minister at the public meeting. "It was highly condemnable, and the Speaker should take action in this regard," Vijayalakshmi said.

Replying to the minister, Speaker JCD Prabhakar said that minister N Anand had also raised the issue with him personally. He assured her that he would make an appropriate decision after hearing the speech and determining whether the remarks were disrespectful to the minister and the Assembly.

Speaking at the public meeting, DMK MLA Durai Chandrasekaran said that the Industries Minister had claimed in the Assembly that all the achievements belonged to the TVK-led government, whereas they had actually been implemented by the DMK government.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) had directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12. The CWMA subsequently upheld the decision.

The observation came from a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta after senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan, appearing for Tamil Nadu, said they have not received the proportionate share of water.

"We have to receive the proportionate share of water. Unfortunately, that is not happening," Vaidyanathan told the bench.

When he argued that the CWMA was not giving direction to release proportionate share of Cauvery water, the bench said the state can raise this issue before the authority.

The bench was informed that the CWMA was scheduled to hold meeting during the day and on August 25.

The top court was hearing the Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking directions to the Karnataka government for immediate release of the water to it.

During the hearing, the bench told Vaidyanathan that on the last date of hearing, senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the Karnataka government, had placed before it a chart giving details of the water released.

The bench observed that as per the chart, water was released to Tamil Nadu as per the CWMA's direction.

"The CWMA is not giving direction for releasing proportionate water," Vaidyanathan said, adding, "I (Tamil Nadu) cannot release a single drop of water to farmers. They (Karnataka) are releasing water to farmers".

The bench posted the matter for August 31 and asked both the parties to come up with updated status.

On August 17, the apex court had asked Karnataka to ensure compliance of the CWMA direction on the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

While the Tamil Nadu government had claimed before the court that the CWMA's direction was not being complied with, the Karnataka government had said the picture being projected was "extremely incorrect".

The Tamil Nadu government had earlier said the state was not getting its due share of Cauvery water in a rain deficient year.

The Joseph Vijay led-state government on August 3 approached the apex court seeking directions to the Karnataka government for immediate release of the water.

The state government, in its plea, claimed that the quantum allocated to it by the CWRC as well as that released by its neighbour Karnataka was far less.

A CWRC meeting on July 28 directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs for 15 days starting July 29. However, the quantum of water released at Biligundlu ranged between 158 and 550 cusecs from July 29 to August 2, the state government said.

A press release issued by the Tamil Nadu government said that as of August 3, the combined total storage in the reservoirs in Karnataka -- KRS, Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathy -- stood at 77.537 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) and Karnataka would face no difficulty in releasing Tamil Nadu's due share proportionately.

Following rains in the catchment areas in the KRS and Kabini dams in Karnataka recently, the proportionate water to be realised at Biligundlu should be 26.954 TMC, it said.

"Accordingly, the Cauvery Water Management Authority order allocating 4.536 TMC is very less," the release added.

Karnataka has "failed" to share with Tamil Nadu its due share of water and the quantum was 26.954 TMC, the press release said.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Premalatha said the DMDK has already submitted a formal representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the Union government to bestow the country's highest civilian honour on the late leader.

Reaffirming the party's political alignment, Premalatha asserted that the DMDK firmly remains in the DMK-led alliance for upcoming local body and bye-elections.

Premalatha represents Virudhachalam seat in Tamil Nadu Assembly.

"As far as the DMDK is concerned, once a decision is taken and we win with the support of an alliance, we will never alter our stance. Whether a sofa set comes, a bureau comes, or even a large Godrej bureau comes, there will never be any change in our position," she added.

She also criticised transient political switchovers.

"Tamil Nadu has already seen the history of those who keep shifting from one party to another. Those who switch sides have neither history nor identity... If you keep jumping parties, that history lasts only for a minute -- it is a one-day scene," she added.

Detailing the welfare initiatives planned across the state, she said the party will launch the "Captain Free Computer Centre" and free tailoring training centres for women in the Virudhachalam constituency, resuming programmes first rolled out in 2006.

Free eye-care and medical camps, in tie-up with Vasan Eye Care, will be conducted in Chennai and Virudhachalam to benefit around 4,000 people, alongside the distribution of RO water units, iron boxes, sewing machines, and educational and medical assistance.

The party also handed over a Rs 1 lakh cheque from the Vallal Vijayakanth Trust to DMDK senior leader L K Sudhish to present to the Delhi Tamil Sangam, in addition to contributing Rs 50,000 and meals to the MGR School. A commemorative souvenir titled 'Captain Murasu' was also released on the occasion.

Premalatha noted that the party continues to pursue state interests with Union ministers, seeking exemption from NEET for Tamil Nadu, the release of Cauvery river water, and the sanctioning of railway and infrastructure projects.

She also opposed the distribution of free luxury vehicles to legislators, pointing out that over 90 per cent of MLAs already own multiple vehicles. Given the state's existing Rs 10 lakh crore debt burden, she urged the government to prioritise farmer loan waivers, milk procurement price hikes, and public healthcare over such perks.

In the first incident, VCK youth were standing and talking near ‘Viduthalai Kalam’ in Melavalavu village near Melur when two men from the same village allegedly arrived on a two-wheeler and launched a sudden sickle attack.

Of the three youths present, two managed to escape, while a youth identified as Selvam sustained severe injuries. He was admitted to the Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital.

In a post on 'X', Thirumavalavan said the assailants swung a sickle towards Selvam’s neck and that he tried to block the blow with his hands. In the attack, his right wrist was severed. A team of doctors was carrying out surgery to reattach the severed wrist, according to the VCK leader.

Thirumavalavan said he contacted medical officials after midnight and requested that Selvam be provided with appropriate and immediate treatment. He also said he contacted senior police officials at the time and urged them to arrest those responsible for what he described as a murderous attack.

In a separate incident, VCK functionary Alagar was allegedly attacked by a group in Ambedkar Nagar near Sellur in Madurai city. The attackers lay in wait in the dark and assaulted Alagar with a machete, causing serious injuries to his head.

Alagar was admitted to the Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital in a critical condition. Thirumavalavan said he had requested medical authorities to provide urgent treatment to save his life.

Condemning both incidents, Thirumavalavan urged the Tamil Nadu government to arrest all those involved in the two attacks and place them under preventive detention.

He also demanded that the victims be provided appropriate compensation under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Implementing the two women-centric schemes would cost the exchequer Rs 10,000 crore annually.

Making these announcements in the Assembly under Rule 110, which bars any discussions, Vijay said under the Annapoorni Super Six Scheme, beneficiaries would receive the cost of three LPG cylinders every year under a reimbursement model.

Chief Minister Vijay said that owing to the Gulf war, there had been a severe shortage of gas cylinders over the past four months. "Due to this, people are suffering from steep increases in gas cylinder prices. To avoid this hardship, the government is going to implement the Annapoorni Super Six Scheme," he said.

During the election campaign, Vijay had announced the Annapoorni Super Six Scheme, under which every family was to receive six LPG cylinders free of cost every year. However, the TVK-led government has now announced the tweaked version of scheme with an income criterion and half the number of cylinders.

In the present form, around 1.30 crore families with an annual income of not more than Rs 2.5 lakh will benefit from the scheme. “The new scheme will be implemented from the Pongal festival in January 2026. The government will allocate Rs 4,000 crore for this scheme," the chief minister said.

Another major announcement for women and transgender persons was the extension of free bus travel, a scheme originally initiated by the previous DMK government. Now rechristened as Vettri Payanam, the enhanced scheme will offer free travel to women on Express, Limited Stop Service (LSS), and Deluxe buses, in addition to ordinary buses, from October 2, which marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

"Under the extended scheme, women can travel on ordinary-fare mofussil buses operating between districts and in hill areas. Women can travel without income ceiling or any other restrictions. The scheme will cost the government Rs 6,000 crore annually," the chief minister said.

He added that the scheme would be extended to other services in the future.

According to data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, State-run oil marketing firms – IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL – supply LPG cylinders to 2.39 crore connections across Tamil Nadu.