Karnataka has proposed constructing a 67-TMC dam across the River Cauvery at Mekedatu, a move that has been strongly opposed by the Tamil Nadu government.

The revised DPR reportedly contains details of the forest land that would be submerged, the number of trees that would be affected and the compensatory measures proposed by the Karnataka government.

The Karnataka government had first submitted the DPR for the Mekedatu project to the Central government around five years ago. The project was then estimated to cost Rs 9,000 crore and was proposed to meet Bengaluru's drinking water requirements and generate 400 MW of electricity.

However, the Central government returned the earlier DPR citing technical issues and asked Karnataka to submit a revised report. Against this backdrop, the Karnataka government has now resubmitted the revised DPR.

The proposed project involves constructing a dam with a storage capacity of 67 TMC. The report states that around 4.75 TMC of water from the project would be utilised to meet Bengaluru's drinking water requirements.

8.90 lakh trees to be felled, 12,500 acres of forest land to be submerged under Mekedatu project

According to the revised DPR, around 12,500 acres of forest land would be submerged once the Mekedatu project is implemented. As a compensatory measure, around 20,000 acres of land in areas including Dakshina Kannada and Shivamogga have reportedly been identified for allocation to the Forest Department.

The project is also expected to have a significant impact on the forest cover in the Mekedatu region. Around 8.90 lakh trees are proposed to be felled as part of the project.

Of these, around seven lakh are classified as small trees, while around one lakh are categorised as large trees. The remaining trees are also expected to be affected by the project and associated construction activities.

The complete details contained in the revised DPR have not yet been made public.

Rs 9,000 crore Mekedatu project proposed to meet Bengaluru's drinking water needs and generate 400 MW

The Mekedatu project was originally proposed with an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore. Karnataka has maintained that the project would primarily help meet the drinking water requirements of Bengaluru while also generating 400 MW of electricity.

The proposed dam across the River Cauvery has, however, remained a contentious issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government has consistently opposed the project, citing concerns over its impact on the State's share of Cauvery water.

Karnataka has continued to push for the project, with the revised DPR now submitted to the Central Government for further consideration.

Foundation stone for Mekedatu project planned for August 2027, says Karnataka

Karnataka Irrigation Minister Cheluvarayaswamy has confirmed that the revised DPR has been submitted to the Central Government. The State government has reportedly set a target of laying the foundation stone for the Mekedatu project by August 2027.

The Karnataka government has already appointed a dedicated office and a team of officials to oversee the project. The team is currently carrying out work related to the implementation of the proposed dam.

The revised DPR will now be examined by the Central Government before further decisions are taken on the project. Meanwhile, the proposed submergence of forest land and the felling of nearly 8.90 lakh trees are expected to remain key points of concern as the project moves forward.

The company will launch the 10 residential projects across the State between August 23 and September 1, 2026, comprising a mix of plotted developments and villas.

The latest initiative will mark a significant expansion of Sameera Group’s footprint across key growth markets in TN. The new projects will come up across Tiruchy, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Vellore, Ranipet, Kanchipuram, Chennai, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Chengalpattu.

Each project is planned across approximately 10 acres, with around 200 units and plot sizes beginning from approximately 800 sqft.

Jayakumar Murugesan, MD, Sameera Groups, said, “We are simultaneously expanding into several important growth markets across TN. This initiative reflects both the scale of our ambition and the execution capability we have built over more than four decades in the real estate sector.”

M Sandeep Kumar, MD, Sameera Groups, said, “These launches have been planned to address the growing demand for organised residential developments across emerging markets in TN. The projects will offer a mix of plotted developments and villas, supported by gated environments, parks and other community infrastructure. Our focus is to create well-planned developments that can offer customers both a quality living environment and long-term value.”

Wondering what prompted the chief minister to make such a decision, DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi said there were so many issues affecting the people that merited immediate attention.

“The people are suffering, and there are many burning issues afflicting the state. What is the urgency for this? The government could have waited,” Bharathi told PTI, reacting to Vijay’s announcement in the Assembly today.

When pointed out that some of the first-time MLAs from the ruling TVK don’t own a car, he asked, “Then why not the party fund them or ensure a loan to buy the vehicle?”

Another DMK leader, Dr Ezhilan, criticised the decision, pointing out that many legislators are wealthy as per their election affidavits. Spending hugely on providing them vehicles and allowances contradicted the state government’s claim of a financial crisis or empty coffers, he told reporters here.

AIADMK spokesperson and party’s advocate wing joint secretary RM Babu Murugavel said an official vehicle for the legislators was essential.

“I personally think all MLAs will accept the car and also the allowance. This only reminds me of the demand for houses for MLAs that I had raised when I served as a legislator,” Murugavel told PTI.

Acknowledging it as a unique initiative, DMDK general secretary and MLA Premallatha Vijayakant flayed the decision, questioning the financial implications. “This project involves an investment of over Rs 150 crore, considering both initial costs and long-term maintenance. While the move is welcomed, there are concerns that many MLAs already possess personal vehicles,” she said.

Instead, the government should prioritise the needs of farmers and fully waive the farm loans. “This would have a more impactful use of public funds and would receive greater public approval,” she told reporters outside the Assembly.

She said CM Vijay must secure the state’s rightful share for tail-end farmers facing crop distress.

“We have only been receiving surplus water from the Cauvery until now. Only when that rightful share of water arrives and flows to the tail-end areas will farmers benefit today. Considering all this, our chief minister must urge this with (Karnataka CM) DK Shivakumar and our Home Minister Amit Shah to secure our rightful water share in the Cauvery,” Premallatha added. She further demanded that the state leadership take up the matter regarding the recent killing of three Tamil youths in Karnataka forests.

As Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay was making a slew of announcements, the House was suddenly disrupted when AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami asked the Speaker to take up an issue for which his party had given a notice.

The Speaker repeatedly appealed for order, urging the members to adhere to established democratic procedures. He reassured that the urgent issues submitted by members had already been forwarded to the government for necessary action and would be formally addressed the following morning.

Emphasising the Assembly’s heavy legislative schedule for the day, which included discussions on crucial grants for three government departments, the Speaker insisted on maintaining decorum and requested members to resume their seats.

However, unsatisfied with Prabhakar’s decision, the AIADMK members staged a walkout.

Later, speaking to reporters outside the Assembly complex, Palaniswami launched a sharp attack on the ruling TVK government over its response to a recent tragedy involving a fisherman from

Palaniswami noted that his party has been insisting on discussions about the TN fisherman shot dead by Iranian pirates but has not received a concrete response Mayiladuthurai.

He claimed a fisherman was shot dead by Iranian pirates while working in Saudi Arabia, while three others were injured and were currently undergoing treatment.

Accusing the administration of inaction, Palaniswami alleged that the opposition had raised the issue in the House on five consecutive days without receiving a concrete response. He demanded that the state government take immediate measures to bring the deceased fisherman’s body to Tamil Nadu, ensure high-quality medical care for the injured, and extend financial aid to the affected families.

According to the Daily Thanthi report, firefighting operations continued for the second day on Thursday (August 20) as the blaze could not be brought under control.

The private paper mill has more than 500 workers.

How did the fire break out occur at the paper mills?

On Wednesday afternoon, old paper bundles stacked in one part of the mill suddenly caught fire amid scorching heat. Strong winds at the time caused the fire to spread rapidly across the premises.

More than 50 firefighters in six fire engines led by District Fire Officer Bhanupriya, rushed to the spot after being alerted. Firefighting operations continued through the night, but the blaze remained uncontrolled.

How many tonnes of paper bales were destroyed?

Around 25,000 tonnes of old paper bales worth several lakhs of rupees were destroyed in the fire.

In the first incident, a container lorry broke down and was parked on GST Road near Acharapakkam on Tuesday night. At the time, three men – Senthil Kumar (45) from Kadaimalaipudur near Acharapakkam, Manikandan (37) from Pammal and Kalidas (47) from Kampur near Tindivanam were travelling towards Chennai over-speeding on a bike.

Police said the bike crashed into the back of the parked lorry after the riders failed to notice it on the road. Manikandan, who was riding the bike, and Senthil riding pillion, died on the spot. Kalidas, who was seated on the bike, was grievously injured. Acharapakkam police rushed to the spot and admitted him to the Chengalpattu GH for treatment. 

In another accident, a government express bus from Marthandam in Kanniyakumari was travelling towards the Kilambakkam bus terminus on the GST Road on Wednesday morning. When it reached Pulipakkam near Chengalpattu, the driver lost control of the vehicle, veered uncontrollably and overturned on the road. There were 28 passengers on board, of whom four were injured and were taken to a GH for treatment. The remaining escaped without injuries.

Chengalpattu Taluk police used a crane to remove the overturned bus and restore traffic movement. Following the accident, traffic was affected on GST Road for more than two hours in the early hours of Wednesday.

Though usually such FIRs are uploaded in public domain within 24 hours, the FIR related to this particular case was not uploaded. Officials claimed that it was the prerogative of the investigation officer to take the decision in sensitive cases like Pocso and other heinous crimes. However, it’s highly unusual for the DVAC not to have uploaded the FIR that was registered more than 50 days ago.

The sea at Dhanushkodi was unusually turbulent in the morning, with waves rising several feet in the air and crashing against the protective wall near Arichal Munai.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has warned that sea conditions could be rough, with waves moving towards the shore at unusually high speeds. There is also a possibility of boats colliding with one another and sustaining damage, it added.

Following the warning, the police erected barricades at check-posts on new road areas leading to Dhanushkodi. Vehicles, including autorickshaws, cars and vans arriving from various places, were asked to turn around.

Even devotees and tourists who had visited the Rameswaram temple and arrived for the customary stop at Dhanushkodi were turned back by the police, citing rough sea conditions.

The sudden imposition of the restrictions disappointed residents, particularly women who usually set up stalls selling fruits, conch shells, shell garlands and other items along the Arichal Munai road.

Meanwhile, fishermen have been prohibited from venturing into the sea until further orders. More than 10,000 mechanised boats, country boats and fibre boats from Rameswaram, Pamban, Mandapam, Thangachimadam, Dhanushkodi and other parts of the district have been anchored along the coast.

In Thoothukudi, the Fisheries Department has alerted fishing villages. Officials have advised people living in low-lying coastal areas to remain cautious, as seawater could suddenly advance into coastal and shoreline areas. They also advised fishermen not to keep small boats close to the shore and to anchor mechanised boats with sufficient distance between them.

Coastal parks in Thoothukudi have been closed to the public.

The police barricades have been placed and warning boards put up at coastal parks, including Muthunagar Beach Park and New Harbour Beach Park, to prevent public entry. Police personnel are also patrolling coastal areas.

Gudur is a critical interchange linking Chennai, Vijayawada and Renigunta. Gummidipundi serves as a key suburban node for daily commuters to and from Chennai, and once completed, it will provide seamless connectivity to Chennai, Kamarajar (Ennore) and Krishnapatnam ports, besides improving access to religious and tourist destinations like Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary and Lord Veeraraghava Perumal Temple.

The 90-km Gummidipundi-Gudur section is a vital double-line corridor along the Delhi-Chennai and Howrah-Chennai trunk routes. Falling within the Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) and East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), Gudur serves as a crucial interchange linking Chennai, Vijayawada, and Renigunta, while Gummidipundi acts as a primary suburban node for Chennai commuters.

The Gummidipundi-Gudur link alone will generate 61 lakh mandays of employment and save Rs 382.15 crore in annual logistics costs. Gummidipoondi Railway Passengers Welfare Association president, S Suresh Babu, said, "We welcome the move. If an additional line comes, we get additional stoppages and train services, which will reduce our daily travel time to Chennai. Now an express train comes from Chennai Central; EMU trains are kept in a loop."

The other projects include Kharagpur-Bhadrak (Ranital) 4th Line — 173 km (West Bengal and Odisha, Bhadrak-Haridaspur 4th line — 75 km (Odisha) and Cuttack-Paradeep (Badabandha) 3rd and 4 th line — 72 km (Odisha). The total cost of the four projects is estimated around Rs 9,450 crore.

Participating in the debate on demands for grants for the Water Resources, Rural Development, and Tourism departments, DMK MLA I Periyasamy pointed out that eight lakh beneficiaries had been identified for the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Scheme during his party’s tenure.

Countering the DMK legislator, Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources D Anand alleged that large-scale irregularities had marred the beneficiary selection process, claiming that housing units were allocated to individuals who already owned homes. The DMK member maintained that despite minor discrepancies, the previous regime had ensured the scheme was not halted.

Intervening in the debate, School Education Minister Rajmohan remarked, "When we present evidence of graft during the DMK tenure, Opposition members deflect. I wonder how they will react when the Chief Minister himself unveils the ultimate proof in his possession."

As DMK legislators continued to demand documentary proof, Chief Minister Vijay stepped in, noting he had initially refrained from speaking on the matter. "Since Opposition members are demanding evidence, I must clarify. A week ago, the Finance Minister noted that audit files of three departments were placed on my table. That was no casual remark. Every charge is backed by solid evidence. Do not compel me to release them immediately. The files will be revealed at the right time," Vijay asserted.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, the Chief Minister added, "We approached the electorate with sincerity and humility, and they rewarded us with this mandate. I will speak out when required. At least let some good come out of it during the upcoming bypolls (to seven Assembly constituencies)."

The accused S Parthasarathy told the police that he took the extreme step as he was frustrated by his mother S Padmavathi's prolonged illness.

The Government Railway Police were alerted by workers after they noticed an elderly woman's body on the tracks near Manavur railway station.

Police personnel sent the body for a post-mortem examination.
The police examined the CCTV footage and found the woman was brought to the spot on a wheelchair.  

According to the initial probe, Padmavathi, a widow, had been living in Manavur near Thiruvalangadu with her eldest of the three sons.

Parthasarathy is the youngest of the three; his wife and daughters were estranged from him due to his alcohol problem. He was taking care of both his mother and the eldest brother who was also bed-ridden.

A contract employee at the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, Parthasarathy told the police that his mother’s recent hospitalisation pushed him into frustration as he could not care for her and also sent money to his wife and daughters, and decided to get rid of her.

On Tuesday, Parthasarathy took his mother to the Manavur railway station. He apparently took help from some passengers to carry his wheelchair-bound mother up and down the stairs to reach the platform where express trains passed through. He then allegedly pushed his mother in front of a moving train and fled the spot, the police said.

A police team secured Parthasarathy on Wednesday. He was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.

The accused doctor Selvamba Rajkumar performed the scan and revealed the fetal sex after receiving the money. Officials subsequently seized the cash, scanning equipment and sealed the hospital. The doctor was handed over to the Vazhapadi police.

Inquiries revealed that Selvamba charged Rs 30,000 for revealing the fetal sex, but discounted Rs 2000, if it is identified as female.

The arrested youths Akash (26) and Ayyappan (27) were lodged in the Pudukkottai prison. On Wednesday, a petition seeking bail was taken up before the Thanjavur Sessions Court. The petition said that Akash, who was suffering from a concentration disorder after an accident, had behaved rudely and stated that he was undergoing treatment.

The Judge Kanimozhi, who heard the plea, ordered bail and asked the police to provide counselling to the duo. Based on the assurance by the SP E Sundaravathanam, they were released on bail.

Instead of responding to the issues raised during the debate, Anand spent nearly an hour praising Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and the TVK's victory in the Assembly elections. He also repeatedly asserted that no one could purchase or lure TVK MLAs.

However, the minister did not explain the steps being taken by the government on the Cauvery issue, despite it being a major concern related to the Water Resources department. Anand said he had wondered several times why Vijay entered politics despite facing repeated hurdles after launching his party. He said he had suggested that TVK contest the elections in an alliance, but Vijay had decided to go it alone and emerged victorious.

Taking a swipe at the AIADMK, Anand said the party could have been in power had it not torn down a poster of the Vijay-starrer Sarkar during its release. He also claimed that several TVK district secretaries had initially refused to contest the elections citing financial constraints. Anand said people of Tamil Nadu had voted for Vijay rising above caste, religion and money.

The protestors charged that the government failed to pay heed to their demands and that no official initiated steps for a talk.

According to loadmen, they have been demanding the pending order of a 60 per cent wage hike with effect from July 12, 2025, green cards for all the loadmen attached to the TNCSC and elections for the recognition of their union.

The members noted that they were staging a series of protests in June when a group of officials held talks with the workers, assuring them they would fulfil their demands by July. However, he said, even as August is ending soon, the promises by the officials remain unfulfilled. As the officials haven't invited them for a talk to date, the agitators commenced their indefinite strike from Tuesday across the State.

As a part of the statewide strike, the loadmen working at the TNCSC rice mills and godowns functioning at Adavathur, Tiruvanaikoil, Srirangam, Manapparai, Musiri and Samayapuram in Tiruchy region stopped loading of rice bags and staged a protest.

“Not only the rice but also other commodities like palm oil, wheat and other essential items too were not loaded. This would affect the distribution in PDS outlets for the upcoming month," said Saravanan, Tiruchy district secretary of the loadmen union.

Meanwhile, the protestors opposed the move by officials to deploy guest workers from the North in loading and unloading activities for uninterrupted distribution and prevented the guest workers' entry into the godown. ”We need a proper response from the government; otherwise, the protests would be intensified," Saravanan added.

A quarrel had broken out between two groups during a music programme over their demand to play their preferred gaana songs. Following the argument, a group of youngsters assaulted and attacked Neelakandan (25) and Chandru (23), both from Padunelli. The two were hacked to death around midnight after the programme ended.

His relatives staged a road blockade demanding the arrest of everyone involved in the incident. Based on the directions of Kancheepuram SP Aravind, special police teams were formed and launched a search for the suspects.

On Monday evening, police arrested Bhagavathi (24), a resident of Padunelli. While attempting to escape, he fell and injured his leg. Police provided first-aid and continued their interrogation, in which they found that five others from the same locality were also involved in the murders.

Police subsequently arrested Pushparaj, Kalaiselvan, Giri, Prabhakaran and Nagaraj, who had been absconding, on Tuesday night. All six were produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.

Ponnerikarai police, after the investigation, said that the suspects were under the influence of ganja when the dispute occurred. They suspected that an argument between the two groups over the songs to be played during the music programme had escalated into a crime.

SK Kesavanathan, an exotic animal breeder, was booked for keeping exotic animals without necessary approvals after a Lar Gibbon featured in a video posted by film actor Vikram.

He had failed to register the animals with the Forest Department within the prescribed period as required under the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024.

Among those rescued are seven African several cats and two tufted capuchin monkeys.

Police said the victim was playing near her house with her siblings when her parents had gone to farm work. Then, a 15-year-old boy from the same neighbourhood lured the girl by promising to pluck mangoes from the tree for her.

He took the girl to his house and misbehaved with her. She later informed her parents, who then lodged a complaint with the All Women’s Police Station in Valparai.

The police arrested the boy and produced him in court to be lodged in an Observation Home for children.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian demanded action against those responsible for the order directing government arts and science colleges to coordinate with police and district administration to stop students from participating in protests organised by Left parties and the Tamil Nadu Cockroach Janata Party.

He said the directive was an attack on constitutional rights and appeared to follow the recent Gujiliamparai tahsildar's order seeking a list of CPI and CPM members with their addresses. Though the orders were withdrawn, those responsible should face departmental action, he said.

CPM Madurai MP Su Venkatesan questioned the legal basis of the college education department's order and demanded that the government explain what action would be taken against those who issued it. "There cannot be one standard for a tahsildar and another for a government secretary," he said in a post tagging Chief Minister Vijay.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss accused the government of hypocrisy, pointing out that education minister Rajmohan had participated in a student protest against NEET at the CPI office in T Nagar and backed the right to protest.

"On one hand, the minister himself expresses support for protests. On the other hand, the government is preventing students from participating in protests. What kind of double standard is this?" Anbumani asked.

TNCC president B Manickam Tagore on Wednesday welcomed the action taken by the district administration against the Gujiliamparai tahsildar for attempting to collect information on Left party members. He said the tahsildar's move to gather information on Left activists functioning democratically was shocking. He said monitoring members of the Congress's allied parties who were openly working among the people was an unacceptable overreach.

According to official inputs, a few students were involved in a physical confrontation on the school premises. Following this, the school head has been transferred, and an official enquiry was also conducted with the students.

However, the old video has emerged recently, raising questions about students’ overall safety and their access to drugs and other narcotic substances. The incident assumes significance amid wider concerns over violence and substance abuse among school students in Tamil Nadu.

Almost a week ago, a video of two students of a government school allegedly consuming liquor inside the school premises in Kanniyakumari went viral on social media. This prompted serious questions about access to these substances.

To curb such incidents, the Tamil Nadu School Education Department, since 2024-25, has been seeking annual reports from schools on activities undertaken by Anti-Drug Clubs (ADCs), which were established in November 2024 under the Chief Minister’s Drug Free Tamil Nadu programme. Schools have been instructed to report fortnightly activities, student participation, awareness seminars and identification of narcotic-drug hotspots near educational institutions.

The guidelines also envisage awareness programmes for classes 6-12 through speeches, poetry, posters and other activities.

As part of the water conservation measures, 27 check dams will be constructed in 13 districts at an estimated cost of Rs 206.75 crore. The structures will help store floodwater in major rivers and recharge groundwater.

The government will also renovate 7,500 km of irrigation canals for Rs 500 crore to support agricultural activities.

Considering the impact of climate change, 1,000 acres of grazing land will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore. The work will include cultivation of fodder crops and construction of structures to conserve water to protect grazing areas.

He also announced that panchayat union and village panchayat roads would be upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs 1,634 crore.
On the opening of the Mettur dam for delta irrigation, Anand said a decision would be announced soon after analysing the storage level.

His assurance came after AIADMK general secretary and MLA Edappadi K Palaniswami and other MLAs sought clarity on the opening of the dam to facilitate samba cultivation in the Delta region.

Police said Deenadayalan was travelling to Mahabalipuram from Karanai in a government bus. As the bus was overcrowded, he was travelling on the footboard. When the bus was negotiating a curve near Vadakadambadi, he lost his balance and fell from the bus.

He was grievously injured, including suffering a fracture to his left leg. The driver and conductor immediately stopped the bus and, along with nearby residents, rushed to his aid. They alerted an ambulance, but as there was a delay in its arrival, they stopped a passing car and shifted the critically injured boy to the Mahabalipuram GH. 

After receiving initial treatment, Deenadayalan was shifted by ambulance to the Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital for further treatment. He was admitted to the ICU, but died later in the evening. Mahabalipuram police have registered a case and further investigation is on.

The RMC weather bulletin says light rain with thunderstorms and lightning likely at a few places over the rest of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and the Karaikal area on Thursday.

Meanwhile, moderate rain is likely at isolated places over Western Ghat districts. Light rain is likely at isolated places over the rest of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal areas on August 21 and 22.

Moderate rain is likely at isolated places over Western Ghat districts, North Coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal area. Light rain is likely at isolated places over the rest of TN on August 23 and 24.

The RMC highlighted that maximum temperatures would remain 2-4 degrees Celsius above normal in parts of interior TN through August 23. Chennai’s maximum temperature will be around 38 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature will dip to 27 degrees Celsius.

A sudden fire broke out on Wednesday at around 4 am at the Aranthangi Traffic Police station in Pudukkottai, in which the motorcycles parked at the station premises were up in flames. Soon, the police personnel alerted the fire personnel, who rushed to the spot and doused the fire but three bikes were reduced to ashes.

On information, DSP (Aranthangi) Charles rushed to the spot and conducted an inquiry. As there was no CCTV camera in the traffic police station, the footage from the CCTV at the Law and Order police station adjacent to it was retrieved for inquiry.

The police sources said CCTV footage showed that a youth had gained entry into the police station with a can of petrol, poured it leisurely and torched the vehicles before escaping. As the face was not properly visible in the CCTV footage, the police are searching for the culprit based on the attire and way of movement. Further investigations are on.

The direction was issued by a Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel while hearing a petition filed by Katheresan of PP Kulam in Madurai and others. The petitioners sought directions to register criminal cases against those responsible for the police firing on people who were protesting and demanding the permanent closure of Sterlite Copper.

During the hearing, the judges asked whether the government had accepted the recommendations of the Aruna Jagadeesan Commission.

The Government Counsel informed the Court that the recommendations had been partially accepted and that the Commission's report had been discussed by the Cabinet. Recommendations including departmental action against the officials concerned were under consideration, the Counsel said.

When the judges inquired about the pending payment of Rs 20 lakh compensation to the victim families, the counsel for the petitioners submitted that they had been waiting for eight years in the case. The judges observed, “Patience is greater than the ocean.”

The government then sought one week to file an affidavit detailing the Commission's recommendations, compensation paid, government employment provided to the affected persons and departmental action taken against government officials.

Accepting the request, the Bench granted one week to file the affidavit and adjourned the case to August 31.

Madurai District Collector Nishant Krishna ordered an inquiry based on an anonymous representation alleging that the teacher had harassed a girl student who had passed Class 12 during the academic year 2025–26.

Based on the complaint, a team from the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) visited the school on June 14, 2026, to conduct an enquiry. However, the team did not receive cooperation from the school management.

Subsequently, a case was registered at Oomachikulam All Women Police Station in Crime No. 31/2026 under Sections 11(4), 12, 16, 17 and 21 of the Pocso Act and Sections 238 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The teacher was identified as Rajkumar. The police are conducting an investigation.

The Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel also directed the Madurai District Collector Nishant Krishna to inspect and file a report on the petitioners’ allegation that untreated or improperly treated biomedical waste had been dumped in open lands, vacant sites and along the Vaigai riverbank, including areas behind the Saravana Stores premises at Vandiyur in Madurai.

In the PIL filed by Dr B Sharmesh Khan and Dr Karthik Kannan, the petitioners alleged that despite the statutory framework under the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, there were serious deficiencies in the collection, transportation, treatment and final disposal of biomedical waste generated by government and private hospitals, medical colleges, nursing homes, clinics, diagnostic centres, blood banks, veterinary hospitals and other healthcare establishments.

According to the petitioners, the guidelines issued by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board stipulate that a Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility should ordinarily cater to healthcare establishments located within a radial distance of 75 km.

Only in exceptional circumstances, where the prescribed number of hospital beds is not available within such a radius, can the coverage be extended to 150 km, subject to the condition that the entire biomedical waste generated is collected, transported, treated and finally disposed of within 48 hours in accordance with the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.

However, the petitioners claimed that they had received contradictory information from authorities regarding where biomedical waste generated in Madurai was being processed. One response allegedly stated that the waste was transported to a facility nearly 500 km away at Gummidipoondi, while another indicated that it was processed at a treatment facility at Edappadi in Salem district, with only the incineration ash being transported to Gummidipoondi for final disposal.

The petitioners therefore urged the Court to direct the Chairman of the TNPCB to strictly implement the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules in Tamil Nadu and ensure proper segregation, collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of biomedical waste. They also sought the establishment of Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities, which they alleged were lacking in the State.

According to an official communication from the office of the Director General of Police (DGP)/Head of Police Force, Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, these cells have been established to prevent, monitor, and enquire into allegations of corruption, misconduct, abuse of position by police personnel/officers and other unethical practices.

"To facilitate easy reporting of such complaints, district/city-wise internal vigilance cell phone/WhatsApp numbers have been issued.

Citizens may report instances of corruption, misconduct, abuse of authority, or other unethical practices by police personnel through the designated numbers of their respective district or city internal vigilance cell," an official release noted.

"The internal vigilance cell assures all complainants and members of the public that the identity of complainants and witnesses will be kept strictly confidential, and no complainant shall be harassed or intimidated,” it stated.

No complainant shall be subjected to any form of harassment, intimidation, or retaliation for filing a complaint," the release added.

The DGP encourages all citizens to come forward and report complaints fearlessly, with the assurance that their complaints will be received and dealt with in a fair, impartial and timely manner.

The Internal Vigilance Cell will be monitored by senior police officers on a regular basis. Greater Chennai Police (GCP) had already created a vigilance cell and the public were encouraged to whatsapp complaints to 78717 23000.

Ramarajan (25), a resident of Elandurai village near Tirunageswaram in Thanjavur, and Mahadevi (23) from Tiruvarur got married last year.

On Tuesday morning, Mahadevi did not wake up even after a long time, and Ramarajan’s mother checked on her. As she failed to respond, they took her to Kumbakonam GH, where the doctors declared her dead.

Thiruneelakudi police registered a case of ‘unnatural’ death. However, Mahadevi’s relatives found that there was an injury to her head and appealed for a post-mortem, which confirmed a severe head injury.

When questioned, Ramarajan confessed that an altercation on Monday night escalated, and he attacked her with a wooden log.

He said that, as she fell unconscious, he made her lie on the mat and staged it as a natural death. The police arrested Ramarajan on Wednesday.

In Krishnagiri, near Hosur, VM Ellappa (32), a farmer from Chinnabelakondapalli village, killed his wife Prema (38) following an altercation while returning in a car on the Kelamangalam-Koolichandram four-lane road.

The couple was returning after meeting their sons staying in the private school hostel, when an argument escalated into violence. Police said Prema picked up a knife kept in the car and attacked Ellappa, who, however, overpowered her, snatched the knife and stabbed her multiple times.

As she died, Ellappa pushed her body out of the car and drove to Mathigiri police station and surrendered with bleeding injuries on his hands. He was admitted at Hosur GH for treatment, while the woman’s body was recovered and sent to Krishnagiri GH for post-mortem. The estranged couple reunited only recently following intervention by police.

In another incident, the Coimbatore police arrested Sivakumar (50) for brutally assaulting his brother Velusamy (56), a document writer from Devendra Vellalar Street near Singanallur with a wooden log over a long-standing property dispute. The deceased was residing alone, as his wife had separated from him over some family issues.

 A division bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan closed the plea after taking note of the revised circular allowing States to decide when to render their State songs, and the Tamil Nadu Government Order reaffirming that Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu shall be sung at the beginning of programmes across educational institutions, government offices and other establishments.

The Bench held that the petitioner's grievances had been addressed by the circular and the Government Order, leaving no further issue for judicial determination.

 The petition, filed by Ananya Radhakrishnan, contended that placing Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu in the third position during the ceremony caused deep anguish among the people and amounted to an unwarranted dilution of the ceremonial dignity traditionally accorded to the State Song.

According to the petitioner, the Ministry of Home Affairs' January 28 circular, titled "Orders Relating to the National Song of India", does not impose any constitutional, statutory or executive prohibition against commencing official State functions with an officially recognised State Song. The plea stated that the circular merely regulates the order between the National Song and the National Anthem when both are rendered together and is silent on State Songs, including Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu.

 The plea sought to quash the January 28 circular and direct the authorities to issue appropriate protocol guidelines ensuring that Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu is rendered at the commencement of official State functions and constitutional ceremonies, and is not relegated to a position subsequent to Vande Mataram or the National Anthem in the absence of any express constitutional, statutory or binding executive mandate.

 During the hearing, the Union government informed the court that when a State Song is rendered along with the National Song and National Anthem, Vande Mataram must precede Jana Gana Mana. It added that States have full discretion to decide when to render their State Song in a programme.
 The Government informed the court that the circular did not specify the order in which a State Song was to be rendered and that the discretion was left to the respective State. The court was also informed about the recent order issued by the Tamil Nadu Government.

 The Bench held that the administrative updates had addressed the grievances and dismissed the writ petition as infructuous. All connected miscellaneous petitions were also closed.

According to provisional allotment data furnished by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DME) here on Wednesday, 510 students have secured MBBS seats, while 104 students have been allotted Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) seats.

Among the 510 MBBS beneficiaries, 323 students have been allotted seats in government medical colleges, 12 in ESI institutions, 166 in self-financing medical colleges and nine in private universities. Out of 104 government school students allotted BDS seats, 16 have secured seats in government institutions and 88 have been allotted seats in self-financing dental colleges.

Community-wise, MBBS allotments comprise two OC students, 88 SC students, 15 SCA students, 6 ST students, 170 BC students, 24 BCM students and 205 students belonging to MBC and DNC communities (total 510). In BDS allotments, 15 students belong to SC, four to SCA, one to ST, 27 to BC, four to BCM and 53 to MBC and DNC communities (total 104).

The 7.5% special reservation, available to eligible students who studied in government schools from classes 6-12, has emerged as a significant pathway for students from economically and socially diverse backgrounds to access professional medical and dental education. “The State government has consistently accorded high priority to ensuring that students in government schools are provided equitable opportunities to enter professional courses, irrespective of their socio-economic background,” stated a press note from the department.

The department officials also assured that they would continue strengthening government schools through quality teaching, academic support, career guidance and competitive-examination preparation, to enable more students to pursue higher education and professional careers.

“The allotment covers students from across the reserved communities and demonstrates the reach of government school education in enabling students to pursue highly competitive professional courses,” noted the school education secretary Chandra Mohan.

Justices G Jayachandran and E Manoharan, referring to the Bhagavad Gita, observed that God did not discriminate among living beings and noted that there was no room for discrimination in places of worship.

Madhavan Ramanuja Dasan, a Kancheepuram resident and Secretary of Thirukatchi Nambi Thirumaladiar Seva Sangam, approached the Madras High Court, stating that he was a devotee of Lord Devarajaswamy and a Thenkalai Vaishnavite. He said that the Devasthanam has several shrines, including the important Manavala Munigal Sannathi for Thenkalai Vaishnavites.

During the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel alleged that non-Brahmin devotees were denied entry through the main entrance of the Sannathi and asked to use the side entrance, while Brahmins were allowed through the main entrance. He added that non-Brahmins were denied permission to recite hymns, were not given Satari, and faced discrimination during the 10-day birthday celebrations of Manavala Munigal.

The Special Government Pleader submitted that it was practically impossible to accommodate all members of the public inside the Azhwar Acharyas sub-shrines, as they are small structures. He stated that even the Adhyapaga Goshti and Adhyapaka Mirasi Goshti members could not be fully accommodated inside the sub-shrines during service periods and, therefore, members of the public had to be accommodated outside. He added that there was no discrimination or caste-based segregation in the temple.

The Court took on record the Temple authorities’ undertaking to ensure non-discriminatory distribution of Theertham, Satari and Prasadam. It also recorded their assurance that devotees, including non-Brahmins, would not be prevented from reciting Prabandhams in the temple shrines, except for the traditional Adhyabaga Misari service reserved for the Thenkalai sect.

“There is something special about your child becoming a doctor compared to other professions, especially if they are the first graduate in their family,” Mrs Gayathri said. “‘En paiyan, ponnu doctor’ carries more than what it literally means. It carries with it a silent respect, dignity and job assurance. The trajectory, the confidence and the quality of life it opens up for the family and the next generation is phenomenal.”

For many of the centre's students, simply reaching a classroom was its own daily obstacle. Some travelled two hours each way to attend class, then returned home to work odd jobs in the house and the field before studying at night. The barriers were rarely about drive or passion, Mrs Gayathri said, but access: no coaching centre nearby, no way to pay coaching fees, a shortage of reading material in Tamil, and, for girls in particular, a lack of encouragement to keep trying. In response, the centre added a hostel facility for its girl students.

The teaching itself was built around each student rather than a single fixed syllabus. “We were not just teaching Physics, Chemistry and Biology, we were teaching and seeing life lessons unfold,” Mrs Gayathri said. “To understand each student, their fears, their gaps, and then tailor their reading plan to their needs, whether Tamil medium or English medium, the teachers put in their utmost effort.” Regular weekly tests, answer-paper discussions, Wednesday evening video meetings, parent-teacher meetings and a fixed daily timetable became the rhythm the centre ran on.

Some students sat the exam for the fourth or fifth time, unwilling to accept anything short of an MBBS seat; one student, who had already completed a nursing degree, returned to the centre to begin preparing all over again for her original dream of becoming a doctor. Another, a Tamil-medium student, put the language barrier she faced simply: “Question purinja thaanae, answer solla mudiyum, madam” — only once I understand the question can I answer it, madam. “It was a struggle, not an exam on equal footing, given the economic gap,” Mrs Gayathri said. “The exam was the same, the pressures were the same, sometimes more. What made the difference was the shared dream between the student, the parent and the teachers, and the burning desire from within that carried the race to its end, which was really a beginning.”

“I'm proud to be part of their journey, from the classrooms at Magudanchavadi to the corridors of medical colleges,” Mrs Gayathri said. “I'm sure these children will pay it forward, and soon what started as a ripple will be a wave, one that keeps turning dreams into doctors to be.”

Mrs Gayathri thanked Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore, for its CSR support of the initiative, along with education consultants Mr Sathish and Mr Rajesh, faculty members Mr Senthil (Physics), Mr Sakthivel (Chemistry) and Mr Thilagam (Biology), coordinator Mr Arun Thangaraj and typist Ms Suganya, whom she called the backbone of the initiative. “They truly transformed not just a student's future, but the family's, and the next generation's,” she said.

About the Shanmuganathan Kanagavalli Charitable Trust

The Shanmuganathan Kanagavalli Charitable Trust runs a free NEET coaching centre in Magudanchavadi, Tamil Nadu, for students from surrounding villages, with a particular focus on Government school students facing barriers to accessing coaching. The centre was founded in 2024 by M/s Ganga Hospitals and provides tuition, study resources, mentoring and hostel accommodation for Gov School students at no cost to families. Mrs Gayathri is the grand daughter of Dr Shanmuganathan and Mrs Kanagavalli.

Media Contact

Shanmuganathan Kanagavalli Charitable Trust — 3/285, MGR Nagar, Magudamchavadi, Singagiri, Salem, 637103, Phone : 9362525262

More than 150 families have been residing at the camp near Boganallur in Kadayanallur taluk for the past 35 years. Over the last month, more than 50 residents have reportedly suffered from fever and received treatment at various hospitals.

Two deaths reported

Recently, 13-year-old Rihana Mary, daughter of Rajan-Saila Sri, died while undergoing treatment for dengue at the Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital.

Meanwhile, Narmala (27), wife of Dinesh and a resident of the same camp, was also undergoing treatment for dengue at the Tirunelveli government hospital. She died on Tuesday despite treatment.

Following the reported dengue cases, health and sanitation activities were intensified at the camp.

Residents alleged that garbage from surrounding areas was being brought and dumped near the camp and that some of it was being set on fire, creating unhygienic conditions.

They urged the authorities to remove the garbage and ensure that the area around the camp is kept clean to prevent further spread of dengue.

Jasmine glut causes price slump

Jasmine is cultivated on around 1,500 acres across Kaveripattinam, Thimmapuram, Avathavattam, Sandur and Bargur, among other areas within a 40-km radius. More than 250 farmers depend on the crop for their livelihood.

However, the rising temperatures have triggered early flowering, resulting in a glut and a sharp fall in prices in the wholesale and open markets over the past few days.

Over the last two days, around 50 tonnes of jasmine were transported in 40 goods vans, of which nearly five tonnes could not be sold. Perfume (attar) manufacturing units offered only very low prices, leaving farmers unable to recover their costs.

Jasmine farmers seek govt intervention

With no adequate local facilities to sell the surplus flowers and prices remaining unviable, farmers were forced to dump around three tonnes of jasmine into the Thenpennai river near Kaveripattinam.

Farmer Balaji said the flowers had bloomed prematurely due to the change in weather. As a result, production is expected to decline during the upcoming festival season, causing heavy losses to growers.

He urged the government to establish a perfume manufacturing unit in Krishnagiri to utilise surplus jasmine and prevent farmers from suffering similar losses in the future.

More than 300 students of the Government Arts College for Women, located on the district Collectorate campus, staged a protest from Wednesday morning demanding permanent classroom facilities.

As the college administration did not heed their demands, the students continued their protest despite the scorching sun. Unable to withstand the scorching heat, some students fainted. The situation turned tense when the students found the main entrance gate locked and were unable to take those who had fainted to hospital.

Despite calling for help, the students alleged that no one came to their rescue. “We had no other option but to break open the gate and save our friends,” a group of students said as they were seen carrying the fainted students to share autos. Subsequently, the affected students were taken to the Sivaganga Government Medical College Hospital.

Around 3,000 students are pursuing various courses at the Sivaganga Government Arts College for Women, but students of the BBA department have not been provided adequate classrooms.

“Nearly 300 students are studying in the BBA department, but there are no proper classrooms for them,” the protesters said.

“For the past three years, teachers have been conducting classes under trees and in bicycle parking areas,” said a third-year BBA student.

Despite repeated representations by the students to the college administration, no efforts were made to arrange permanent classrooms, they alleged.

“Hence, we had no other option but to express our anger by boycotting classes and launching a sit-in protest on the campus. We are demanding that a newly constructed building be allotted for conducting classes,” they said.

After this incident, the college administration held talks with the students and assured them of the allocation of classrooms for students of the BBA department.

The order, issued by the Commissionerate of Collegiate Education on August 17, has also raised questions over the government’s attempt to use the higher education and police machinery to regulate students’ participation in political activities. Though the communication was withdrawn on Wednesday, official records show it was based on a directive issued at a law and order meeting chaired by the chief secretary on July 27.

The circular coincides with a similar attempt made in Dindigul district, where a Gujiliamparai tahsildar reportedly sought to prepare a list of CPI and CPM members along with their addresses. The order was withdrawn by the district collector, and the tahsildar has been relieved from his duties.

The August 17 communication to principals of government arts and science colleges directed them to take “appropriate joint action” in coordination with the police and district administration to prevent students and youth from participating in protests organised by Left parties and the Tamil Nadu CJP.

The directive followed a communication from the Higher Education Department special secretary Rashmi Siddharth Zagade dated August 14. Referring to the minutes of the July 27 law and order meeting, she said the chief secretary had insisted on interdepartmental coordination to “to prevent students and youth from succumbing to the urge to participate in protests”.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the remarks came during a debate on the demands for grants for the Water Resources Department, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, and Tourism, Art and Culture Department in the Assembly.

During the debate, DMK MLA I Periyasamy raised several issues concerning the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. Minister N Ananth responded to his remarks. Periyasamy subsequently questioned whether there was evidence to support the allegations being made against the DMK.

‘The files are on my table with evidence’

Responding to the DMK MLA, Chief Minister Vijay rose to speak and said he had initially decided not to raise the issue.

“I did not want to say this. But the Opposition keeps asking for evidence. A week ago, the Finance Minister said that the files relating to inquiries into three departments were on my table,” Vijay said.

He said the Finance Minister had not made the statement casually and that the files were indeed on his table.

“All those files contain evidence. Don’t force us to open them. Everything will be released properly at the appropriate time,” Vijay said.

He added that his government would decide when, what and how to present the information before the people.

“I will speak. It is not that I cannot speak. At least something good should happen for some people in the by-election,” he said, without elaborating further.