According to a Daily Thanthi report, farmers in Kotagiri and surrounding areas mainly cultivate hill vegetables such as carrot, beetroot, potato, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, beans and garlic. Some also grow export-quality English vegetables such as broccoli and iceberg lettuce.

Low supply, high demand push up prices

Nilgiri garlic is known for its strong flavour and medicinal properties and has traditionally enjoyed good demand in the market. Farmers in areas including Kattabettu, Panahatti, Billikambai, Kakkuchi, Milithen and Eelada cultivate the variety.

However, fewer farmers cultivated garlic this year, while supplies from other States have also declined. This has contributed to a steady rise in prices, with the procurement rate reaching around Rs 500 per kg at Mettupalayam vegetable markets in recent months.

A farmer from Eelada said the garlic harvested during the first crop is mainly used for cooking, while the second crop is largely preserved as seed. Farmers from across the country purchase Nilgiri garlic seeds for cultivation, he said.

With supply remaining low and demand increasing, farmers who have cultivated garlic this season are now harvesting the crop and sending it to markets. The higher procurement price has brought considerable returns to growers, giving them an incentive to increase garlic cultivation.

Children affected by the fever have been admitted to various government hospitals including in Guduvanchery and Chengalpattu.

According to residents, the fever is also spreading among adults with additional symptoms like headache, vomiting and other ailments.

The public has requested the Tamil Nadu government and the panchayat administration to take action to curb the outbreak.

TN intensifies dengue surveillance

Last month, the Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department intensified surveillance across the State, deploying an inter-departmental strategy to strengthen early detection, monitor disease transmission, and eliminate mosquito breeding hotspots, even as officials clarified that there was no immediate plan to roll out Qdenga, the first approved dengue vaccine in India.

Last year, between January and November, the state recorded 20,866 dengue cases and 12 deaths. Health officials attributed the high case count not to an uncontrolled outbreak, but to the strength of Tamil Nadu’s disease surveillance and reporting system, which tracks infections from the primary health centre (PHC) level to secondary and tertiary care hospitals.

What is dengue?

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The illness typically presents with high fever, severe headache, body and joint pain, nausea, vomiting and skin rashes.

While there is no specific antiviral treatment, officials stress that early diagnosis, adequate hydration, timely medical care and sustained mosquito control remain the most effective measures to prevent severe disease and fatalities.

(With inputs from Bureau)

In a statement, Shanmugam said Anthony Raj, John and Kumar, residents of Thomaiyarpalayam village in Hanur taluk, had entered the forest area where they routinely grazed cattle to search for missing cattle when they were allegedly shot dead by forest department personnel.

He alleged that the forest officials were falsely claiming that the three men had gone hunting in an attempt to cover up the incident.

"The shooting cannot be accepted under any circumstances. The forest personnel responsible should be dismissed and arrested," Shanmugam said.

He also urged the Tamil Nadu government to convey its strong condemnation to the Karnataka government, pointing out that the victims were Tamil-origin farmers.

The Home Department issued the notification through a government order dated July 28, published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on August 12. The move follows the Centre's framework for State Cyber Crime Coordination Centres and the Supreme Court's directions on coordinating action against offences such as "digital arrest".

The TN-S4C, located at the Cyber Crime Wing administrative building at the Police Training College complex in Ashok Nagar, will function as Tamil Nadu's nodal agency for the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). It will operate under the overall supervision of the DGP and the immediate administrative control of the DGP/ADGP, Cyber Crime Wing.

The centre will serve as a 24x7 operational hub for cyber incidents, with responsibilities ranging from near real-time intervention in financial frauds and cyber threat monitoring to cyber patrolling and coordination with banks, telecom companies, internet service providers, CERT-In, I4C and other agencies.

It will also take up cases requiring inter-state or international coordination, including organised cybercrime, ransomware, cryptocurrency-related offences, large-scale financial frauds and technologically sophisticated crimes.

The new structure will have six key verticals: State Cyber Command Centre (SCCC), State Cyber Crime Investigation Centre (SCCIC), Cyber Arangam, Advanced Cyber Forensic Unit, Admin Division and Cyber Security Division.

The SCCC will run the 1930 cyber crime helpline control room, oversee e-Zero FIRs, facilitate SIM and IMEI blocking, coordinate content blocking and undertake cyber intelligence, social media intelligence and dark web surveillance. It will also act as the state nodal agency for the CEIR portal and monitor inter-state arrests through the Samanvay portal.

The SCCIC will handle complex cases involving multiple jurisdictions, organised cybercrime, ransomware and cryptocurrency-enabled offences. It will also function as an e-police station for e-Zero FIRs where the financial loss exceeds Rs 1 lakh.

The government has sanctioned 172 police posts for the core command and investigation structure, comprising five senior officers, 76 posts in the SCCC and 91 in the SCCIC. The staffing plan also includes 28 personnel on deputation for Cyber Arangam and 25 ministerial staff.

The Cyber Arangam will focus on public awareness, police training, student internships, hackathons and digital literacy. The Advanced Cyber Forensic Unit will manage the state's cyber forensic laboratory and facilitate the adoption of advanced forensic tools and technologies.

The government has also adopted a hybrid model involving institutional experts. Six experts have been empanelled in areas including log analysis, vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, dark web investigation, threat intelligence, security breach investigation, digital and mobile forensics, malware analysis and management.

The state has sanctioned Rs 8.88 crore for expanding the 1930 helpline call centre with 15 outsourced seats for three years. A legal adviser will also be engaged on contract at Rs 50,000 a month.

The government order provides for a state-level cyber crime dashboard to track complaints, financial fraud response, investigations, arrests, recoveries, seizures and convictions. The centre will also maintain cyber threat intelligence repositories and analyse emerging trends to recommend policy and technology upgrades.

The order also provides for a State Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre as a multi-stakeholder mechanism for proactive prevention, detection and mitigation of cyber fraud. The organisational chart says the centre is yet to be made functional.

The TN-S4C's performance will be reviewed monthly, with quarterly reviews by the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary of the Home, Prohibition and Excise Department.

The deadline was earlier set to end today.

Verification for LPG Consumers Underway

Public sector oil companies Indian Oil, Bharat Gas and Hindustan Petroleum supply 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinders to households. After customers purchase a cylinder, the subsidy amount provided by the Central government is credited to their bank accounts.

As part of the process, e-KYC verification of LPG consumers is being carried out across Tamil Nadu and other parts of the country. The extension is expected to give consumers additional time to complete the verification process.

The applications were submitted by the Tamil Nadu Food Processing and Agri Export Promotion Corporation (TNAPEx) through the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology to the Geographical Indications Registry.

Five traditional products on GI list

The five products for which GI tags have been sought are Kodaikanal Panrimalai coffee from Dindigul district, Karamanikuppam karuvadu (dried fish) from Cuddalore, Kumbakonam degree coffee from Thanjavur, Nilgiri ghee and Palamedu palkova (milk sweet) from Madurai.

A GI tag is granted to products that have a distinct quality, reputation or other characteristic linked to a specific geographical area, region, city or locality.

TNAPEx works to attract investments in food processing and agricultural exports and promote the export of agricultural produce and value-added products. It also facilitates GI registration for traditional products unique to Tamil Nadu.

The State has already applied for GI tags for several other traditional products, including Chettinad kaimurrukku and seedai, Ramanathapuram palm jaggery, Kovilpatti seeval and Ramanathapuram pattarai karuvadu.

A senior official from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department said products with GI recognition generally gain greater visibility and demand in international markets, which could boost exports.

The official added that obtaining GI tags for unique traditional products could help expand their export potential and improve the livelihoods of local communities involved in producing them.

The deceased was identified as Varaprasad of Vallapakkam. He was a first-year B.Com student at a private college in Pallavaram, Chennai.

According to police, Varaprasad had gone to a grove near Vallapakkam along with three friends to cut firewood as his college was closed for the day. While the group was cutting firewood at a grove near the Kancheepuram-Chengalpattu bypass road, Varaprasad allegedly stepped on a severed electric wire lying on the ground.

He suffered an electric shock and was thrown away. He died at the spot, police said.

On receiving information from his friends, personnel from the Walajabad police station reached the spot, recovered the body and sent it to the Kancheepuram district government hospital for postmortem.

Meanwhile, residents alleged that the EB officials had failed to remove the severed power cable despite it lying on the ground. More than 500 residents from Vallapakkam gathered at the Walajabad electricity board office and staged a protest.

The residents later blocked the Walajabad-Tambaram Highway, affecting traffic for around an hour.

Police personnel reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. After assuring them that appropriate action would be taken, the residents withdrew the road blockade and dispersed.

He emphasised that enumerators should select castes from pre-loaded official lists rather than leaving text fields blank for open responses.

In a letter in English, Tamil and Hindi written to all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, the former Union minister highlighted alleged flaws in the reported methodology planned by the Registrar General of India (RGI) for the second phase of individual data collection starting this September.

Stating that reports indicate that the RGI plans to leave the caste response column blank and record whatever name citizens provide, Ramadoss warned that this open-ended method would cause massive administrative confusion.

"Because people frequently cite sub-castes rather than officially recognised caste categories, recording raw inputs would falsely inflate the number of castes and render the collected data unusable for social justice policies", he claimed.

Proposing a solution, the PMK leader suggested integrating the existing Central and State caste lists directly into the digital census application's software.

"Enumerators could then select the appropriate caste from the dropdown list during household visits," he added.

He pointed out that this drop-down model was successfully used during state-level surveys in Bihar (2023) and Telangana (2024), yielding highly accurate and reliable demographic data.

Calling on MPs to act swiftly before the enumeration begins on September 1, he stated that "failing to fix the data entry methodology now would permanently derail the accuracy of India's social justice calculations".

The latest weather report from the Regional Meteorological Centre here on Saturday said that heavy rains are likely to occur at isolated places in Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Villupuram, and Tiruvannamalai districts from August 17 to August 19.

On August 19, apart from the northern districts, Nilgiris will also receive heavy rain, the report further added.

The weather agency also said that lightning with gusty winds reaching 40-50 km per hour is likely to occur over a few places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal area.

Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea as squally weather with wind speeds of 40-50 km per hour is likely to prevail in some parts of the southwest Bay of Bengal.

Chinnakalar in Coimbatore received maximum rainfall of nine centimetres, followed by Marakanam in Villupuram district, which registered eight centimetres of rainfall during the 24 hours ending Saturday night.

For Chennai city, the report said there would be light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and likely lightning during evening or night hours on Sunday.

A Dharmaraj, 56, a Grade-I Police Constable attached to the band unit of the Tamil Nadu Special Police Regimental Centre in Avadi, suddenly collapsed while on parade duty on Saturday. He was rushed to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where he died despite treatment.

Expressing grief over his death, Vijay said the loss was an irreparable one for the Tamil Nadu Police and Dharmaraj’s family.

He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family, relatives and colleagues and directed the authorities to provide Rs 30 lakh as relief to the family.

The works, to be implemented by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, are aimed at improving water storage and groundwater recharge ahead of the northeast monsoon, besides strengthening irrigation facilities and reducing the risk of flooding in agricultural and residential areas during periods of heavy rainfall.

According to the department’s estimate, the works will cover 10,994 water assets at a total cost of Rs 507.92 crore. Of this, Rs 458.33 crore has been earmarked for rejuvenating 10,185 channels, while Rs 49.59 crore will be spent on 809 ponds and ooranies.

Thanjavur accounts for the largest share, with 2,514 channels to be rejuvenated at an estimated Rs 113.13 crore. It is followed by Thoothukudi with 816 channels and Villupuram with 608. Krishnagiri and Dindigul will see 625 and 578 channels taken up respectively.

The exercise is intended to restore the carrying capacity of channels and improve the storage potential of rural water bodies before the approaching northeast monsoon.

Anand appealed to ministers, MLAs, local body representatives, residents and volunteers to participate in the programme and contribute to the effort to protect rural water bodies and strengthen the State’s water resources.

A resident of Kinathukadavu, Nausheen received the award from Chief Minister Vijay, marking another milestone in a journey shaped by endurance, financial challenges, and a determination to push her limits. “I believe that with perseverance, feminism and continuous hard work, even the most ambitious dreams can be turned into reality. I am proud to have received the Kalpana Chawla Award,” she said.

Nausheen is the only woman from Tamil Nadu to have won the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon three times consecutively from 2024 to 2026. Her latest run came on May 29, when she completed the 42.195-km full marathon from Everest Base Camp, at an altitude of 5,364 metres, to Namche Bazaar, situated at 3,440 metres. She finished the demanding route in 10 hours and 44 minutes.

The race, held amid low oxygen levels, freezing temperatures and rugged

Nausheen is the only woman from Tamil Nadu to have won the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon three times consecutively from 2024 to 2026

mountain terrain, tested both her physical endurance and mental resilience. At an altitude of 17,598 feet above sea level, Nausheen took on the marathon in conditions far removed from the conventional running tracks on which her journey began.

For Nausheen, the Everest Marathon has been among the biggest challenges of that journey. “Every step tests not only our physical endurance but also our mental strength and resilience.” Her achievement on May 29 also gave her another distinction. Of the 254 international athletes who participated in the event, she said she was the only Indian woman to complete the full marathon category.

Nausheen grew up in Oman before returning to India, where she studied aeronautical engineering. Her interest in sport eventually took her in a different direction, and she also holds a degree in psychology.

The journey has required personal as well as physical sacrifice. Nausheen said she pledged jewellery, sold property and saved money to fund her pursuits. Her family provided her with full support, while the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority and private companies also backed her efforts.

She hopes her journey will encourage women, youngsters and emerging athletes to pursue their ambitions and view obstacles as opportunities.

“The preparation of textbooks is being completed in phases for each subject. Recently, the next level of preparation was wrapped up for mathematics. Currently a team is separately working on social and science subjects,” a senior School Education department official said.

The department has expedited the process as the textbooks are supposed to be ready for the 2027-28 academic year, the official said, adding, “Public discussions and stakeholder suggestions were completed when the curriculum was prepared for elementary schools. Currently, we’re focused on finishing the textbooks and might put them out for public suggestions.”

Meanwhile, printing of the new second-term textbooks for Classes 1-3 began recently. Officials have also confirmed that the third-term textbooks for these classes are under finalisation.

The High-level Expert Committee and the Curriculum Design Committee saw a revision in committee heads and members following regime change. The TVK government allocated Rs 25 crore for curriculum change works, which began during the DMK regime. With curriculum change already implemented for Classes 1-3, changes for the remaining classes will reflect in the next academic year.

Stalin said the country was moving towards a bright future where the dreams of millions of people would be realised. "We create the future with knowledge, brotherhood and humanity. Let us move forward with unity," he said.

However, while the DMK celebrated Independence Day at its headquarters, the party's official mouthpiece, Murasoli, declared Saturday a holiday. Sources in the daily said that whenever the DMK was in the Opposition, Murasoli remained closed on Independence Day.

After hoisting the Tricolour, Vijay highlighted the achievements of the TVK-led government in its first three months and outlined key priorities, underlining transparent, good governance.

“Freedom from corruption and bribery is as vital as independence. The TVK-led government is committed to this goal. Our administration is anchored in transparency, corruption-free governance, a drug-free Tamil Nadu, women’s safety, and social justice,” he said.

Vijay asserted there would be no compromise on public welfare, describing it as the administration’s top priority.

On relations with the Centre, Vijay stated that Tamil Nadu would coordinate on administrative matters, but firmly oppose decisions detrimental to the State’s interests.

Highlighting initiatives launched over the past three months, Vijay noted that his government had continued several people-centric welfare schemes introduced by previous regimes, including the Amma Unavagam and the Breakfast Scheme.

Appealing for continued public support, Vijay said, “The Chief Minister represents eight crore people. My Cabinet colleagues and I are servants of the public. Let us unite to thwart forces working against the government.”

He thanked the electorate for rejecting caste, religion, money, and muscle power to deliver an overwhelming mandate for a people-centric government committed to social justice.

Vijay also announced a hike in monthly and family pensions for former armed forces personnel and freedom fighters.

Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar, Cabinet Ministers including D Anand and KA Sengottaiyan, Vijay’s parents SA Chandrasekar and Shoba, and actor Trisha were present.

Health Minister Arunraj said Nainar Nagenthran was making defamatory remarks against the Chief Minister merely to gain publicity after failing to draw public attention. "Unable to attract people's attention, he is making defamatory remarks against the Chief Minister only for publicity," he said.

School Education Rajmohan said Nainar should speak with the dignity expected of a state BJP president. Calling his remarks indecent and defamatory, he said, "Nainar Nagenthran is speaking like a street-corner speaker rather than a leader."

He also questioned the political equations between the BJP and DMK, saying that statements by leaders of both parties were raising doubts about a possible understanding between them.

Vanni Arasu described Nainar's remarks about Vijay and his mother as objectionable and disgusting and demanded an apology. "Nainar Nagenthran should apologise for his indecent remarks against Chief Minister Vijay and his mother," he said, adding that hatred and defamatory remarks against women appeared to be central to the politics espoused by them.

Vanni Arasu also referred to Nainar's earlier controversial remarks about actor Trisha, saying it was another instance of the BJP leader lowering the level of political discourse.

Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation general secretary K Arumuga Nainar said the transport undertakings carried nearly two crore passengers daily and required adequately trained permanent staff to ensure safe travel.

He alleged that the previous DMK government had failed to fill vacancies and instead engaged contract workers. CITU challenged the system in the Madras High Court, arguing that contractual appointments denied reservation and compromised social justice and passenger safety. The case is now pending in the Supreme Court, he said.

Nainar said CITU had expected the TVK government to reverse the policy but alleged that it had instead floated a tender to engage conductors through SS Enterprises, an Uttar Pradesh-based company. "While lakhs of Tamil Nadu youth are waiting for jobs, outsourcing conductor posts to a company from Uttar Pradesh is highly objectionable," he said.

CITU demanded immediate filling of all vacancies and cancellation of the tender issued to the Uttar Pradesh company.

Unfurling the tri-colour at the airport in view of the 80th Independence Day, director Gopalakrishnan said the new integrated terminal building with a world-class gateway to the region has led to remarkable growth and transformation.

The facility connects the airport with major domestic destinations like Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad and international destinations like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Muscat and Jaffna. “This connectivity strengthens Tiruchy’s role as a gateway for Central Tamil Nadu and beyond," he said.

Similarly, cargo handling has also increased from 6,4784 MT to 7,184 MT this year, recording a growth rate of 11 per cent, and revenue increased by 9.55%

Stating that the airport had witnessed increased passenger flow compared to the previous fiscal year, Gopalakrishnan said it handled 2.22 million international passengers, recording a growth rate of 13.4 per cent, while the domestic traffic witnessed 48.3 per cent growth. Similarly, cargo handling has also increased from 6,4784 MT to 7,184 MT this year, recording a growth rate of 11 per cent, and revenue increased by 9.55 per cent.

“Tiruchy air cargo handles mainly local agricultural products and manufactured goods to Singapore, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Doha, Sharjah and Muscat. Now, we have the approval of domestic cargo movement through the passenger terminal, which would enhance the quantity of cargo handling," he said.

As part of augmented infrastructure development, Tiruchy airport will get a new ATC Tower cum Technical Block and Utility/Service Block for Rs 60.75 crore by 31 December 2026, while Apron and Taxi track drainage works are currently in progress at Rs 9.22 crore and the construction of a new precast boundary wall has also commenced, for Rs 17.52 crore.

Meanwhile, for the runway expansion, 487.35 acres of land have been acquired, and more than 99 per cent of the land acquisition has been completed. To ensure security, the airport has installed hydraulic road blockers and tyre killers at Rs 72.27 Lakh, added Gopalakrishnan.

The FOMRRA said the absence of lighting had turned the stretches into dark spots, leading to concerns over late-night vehicle parking, public drinking and alleged drug-related activities, posing a safety risk to residents and commuters.

In a letter to the authorities, the residents' body pointed out that hundreds of streetlight poles removed from the OMR median during Chennai Metro Rail construction were lying abandoned near the Perungudi TNRDC toll gate. It said the poles were rusting in a vacant space, resulting in a waste of public resources.

Harsha Koda, co-founder of FOMRRA, said the existing poles could be shifted to the bypasses, which also fall under TNRDC's jurisdiction, instead of spending heavily on new infrastructure.

"Installing streetlights on these bypasses is critical. However, we do not need to spend huge amounts of taxpayer money on new poles when perfectly good infrastructure is rusting just a few kilometres away," Koda said.

He said transferring the poles would reduce capital expenditure, while local panchayats or the Kancheepuram district administration would only need to provide funds for cabling and light fixtures.

"Repurposing these streetlights is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate efficient asset use while immediately eliminating dark spots," he said.

FOMRRA has sought immediate interdepartmental intervention to expedite the shifting and installation of the streetlights.

The audit also noted that the Railway Ministry had not explained why underutilisation remained above 35 per cent even during non-COVID-19 years.

While the total underutilisation for all of Indian Railways in 2023-24 was Rs 5,955.83 crore, Southern Railway's was Rs 582.77 crore. Meanwhile, despite handling crores of passengers, some of Tamil Nadu's busiest railway stations continued to have gaps in basic passenger amenities, sanitation and accessibility.

Of 365 works for which the CAG could assess timelines, only 148 (41 per cent) were completed within the stipulated time frame, while 217 (59 per cent) were delayed. Twenty-nine of the delayed works had run more than three years beyond their targeted completion dates.

The CAG audit covered non-suburban railway stations across Indian Railways and examined passenger amenities, sanitation, drinking-water quality and the systems used to monitor and maintain them. Southern Railway's sample included 32 stations, of which 21 were in Tamil Nadu.

At MGR Central, which handled 2.81 crore passengers and earned Rs 1,131.49 crore in 2023-24, the audit found deficiencies in drinking-water taps and platform shelters meant for general-class passengers. The station was among the 10 highest-earning stations examined by the CAG that nevertheless had shortfalls in basic essential amenities.

The audit also identified deficiencies in basic facilities at several other major stations in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai Egmore, Tambaram, Katpadi, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Tiruchirappalli and Tirunelveli. At Egmore and Tambaram, for instance, deficiencies were recorded in facilities such as urinals, fans, signage, drinking-water taps and dustbins.

At Coimbatore junction, the findings were more serious. A water sample collected from a water cooler tested positive for E. coli. The station was also found deficient in drinking-water taps and fans. The broader picture for Southern Railway was also poor: its drinking-water deficiency score was 76.90, the second-highest among the 16 zones, with a higher score indicating greater deficiencies.

Accessibility was another area where the audit found shortcomings. A tactile pathway intended to help passengers with visual disabilities had been laid near the platform edge, rather than maintaining the prescribed 1,800 mm distance from the edge.

Some smaller stations also faced basic problems. At Nagapattinam, Katpadi, Nagore and Nidamangalam, charges for the pay-and-use facility were not displayed at the toilet premises. At Nidamangalam, auditors also found an unauthorised entry from the platform into a dwelling unit.

The monitoring mechanism itself came under scrutiny.

The Divisional Railway Users' Consultative Committees in the Chennai, Madurai, Salem and Tiruchy divisions did not meet as frequently as prescribed during the audit period. The audit also found a larger Southern Railway-wide maintenance issue involving CSR-funded toilets. Between 2020 and 2023, 187 prefabricated toilets were installed at a cost of Rs 25 lakh each, but 79 remained non-operational because service providers were not available for operation and maintenance. As a result, Rs 19.75 crore invested by Neyveli Lignite Corporation remained unutilised as of February 2025.

The boycotting residents said that the bifurcation of Puthanatham panchayat into Puthanatham and Idayapatti panchayats would affect the farming activities at Puthanatham and the textile production, adversely affecting the livelihood of Idayapatti panchayat residents.

Highlighting that they had opposed the move of bifurcation ever since the decision was made and organised a series of protests, they said the government failed to pay heed to their appeals and went ahead with the bifurcation process, succeeding in establishing Idayapatti panchayat.

In such a backdrop, the residents from as many as 18 villages in the Idayapatti panchayat, in a protest, boycotted the gram sabha meeting scheduled on Saturday in view of Independence Day.

They displayed hoardings condemning the government and demanding the withdrawal of the bifurcation of the panchayat. As many villagers boycotted the meeting, the officials were waiting for the residents. Later, as many as 15 persons took part in the meeting, whom the protesting residents claimed were outsiders. The residents also claimed that the participants were brought by the officials to the meeting. They also said that they would intensify their protests if the government fails to withdraw the bifurcation of the panchayat.

The federation has asked Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to increase funding for elderly welfare, citing the rapid ageing of Tamil Nadu’s population.

The federation said that Tamil Nadu had about 1.04 crore senior citizens in 2021, accounting for 13.6% of the population, and projected that the elderly population could rise to around 1.5 crore (18.2%) by 2031. It said the demographic shift could make Tamil Nadu the country’s second-highest state in terms of the proportion of elderly residents.

The organisation called for legislation to constitute a Tamil Nadu Senior Citizens Commission to implement and revise the State Policy on Senior Citizens, 2023. A draft framework prepared following an April 2025 consultation proposes a chairperson and up to nine members.

The chairperson could be a retired judge, IAS or IPS officer, or a former vice-chancellor. Five members would represent senior citizens’ associations and two NGOs, while representation is also proposed for women and Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities, the federation noted.

Pointing out that financial insecurity remained a major concern, the federation proposed increasing the old-age pension to Rs 3,000 a month and extending social-security pension coverage to 75% of elderly residents. It sought Rs 28,080 crore annually for pensions and another Rs 3,120 crore for healthcare and care infrastructure, including palliative care, medicines, shelters, old-age homes, recreation centres and medical clinics.

The document noted that only 14.18 lakh elderly were covered under the old-age pension safety net against an elderly population of 1.04 crore, while monthly assistance under various schemes ranged between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,500. It also said only over 4.51 lakh registered unorganised workers received pensions.

Speaking to DT Next, V Rama Rao, president of the federation, said, “The DMK government agreed to form a commission, but since the government has changed, we have placed a similar request to the TVK government. With Kerala already having formed a commission, it’s the need of the hour for Tamil Nadu to step in.”

Under the proposed commission, the federation aspires for a dedicated grievance cell to operate on weekdays, while the body could investigate complaints of abuse, neglect and rights violations, inspect elderly-care institutions, coordinate government departments and provide legal assistance. It would also have civil-court-like powers to summon individuals, seek documents, receive affidavits and requisition public records.

Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj condemned the alleged release and said his organisation, Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha, will lay siege to the KRS dam in the next two days.

The release follows the Cauvery Water Management Authority's direction to Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, according to BJP Mandya unit spokesperson Manjunath.

"The water was released from KRS around midnight. The water level in the Cauvery river has increased following the release," Manjunath told the media.

This is happening despite the state government's earlier position that it would not release water to Tamil Nadu amid concerns over availability for farmers and drinking-water requirements, Manjunath alleged. He also shared the latest video of the water being released from the dam.

Echoing the allegation, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj claimed that the government has been secretly releasing water.

"There is nothing new about it. They (government) are releasing water compulsorily. They released it earlier, saying that it was released from Kabini. They very cleverly released it from the beginning," Nagaraj said.

He also alleged that there was an understanding between the Karnataka Chief Minister and his Tamil Nadu counterpart, C Vijay Joseph.

Nagaraj charged that whenever he sought details of the water inflow and outflow, the government refused to share it, saying it was highly technical.

"This is not right. There should now be a high-level investigation into this," Nagaraj said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy dismissed allegations that the state government had released Cauvery water from the KRS to Tamil Nadu.

He said, "We are supposed to release water to Tamil Nadu from June itself. But we did not release water in June or July." He explained that when there was an order to release 3,500 cusecs, the actual outflow was higher.

The incident occurred while dinner was being served at the observation home, which houses more than 100 juveniles below 18 years of age involved in criminal cases from across Tamil Nadu.

Following the latest escape, more than 100 police personnel, including officers from Chengalpattu Town, Chengalpattu Taluk, Palur and Padalam police stations and the Armed Reserve, rushed to the facility around midnight under the leadership of the Chengalpattu district superintendent of police.

The police rescued the security personnel and kitchen worker who had been locked inside the room and conducted an inquiry. Additional security arrangements were subsequently made around the facility.

A special police team was formed to trace the 11 juveniles. One of them was found hiding near Chengalpattu railway station and apprehended. He was brought in for questioning, while efforts were under way to trace the remaining juveniles.

The Government Special Observation Home, which has been functioning since the British era, provides education and vocational training to juveniles as part of rehabilitation efforts. However, incidents of inmates attacking security personnel and escaping have reportedly increased in recent months, with more than five such incidents reported in the past eight months.

Sudha Kongara moved the Madras High Court seeking payment of the balance remuneration of Rs 8.39 crore, along with 12 per cent interest from February 8, 2026. She also sought the amount as security pending the passing of an arbitral award.

She further submitted that despite not paying her remuneration, Dawn Pictures was proceeding with the release of its upcoming film Idhayam Murali, and sought to restrain its release until the outstanding amount was paid.

The court, however, refused to grant an interim injunction restraining the release of the film and directed Sudha Kongara and Dawn Pictures to resolve their monetary dispute through arbitration.

When the matter came up before Justice K Kumaresh Babu, the court noted that two arbitrators appointed by it had recused themselves. While the first cited mistrust from the respondent, the second cited personal reasons and unavailability, clarifying that his recusal was not due to doubts over his independence or impartiality.

Observing that the successive recusals had left the applicants without any interim protection, the judge kept the arbitrator's appointment in abeyance and recalled the July 10 order closing the applications. The court also noted Dawn Pictures Private Limited's continued absence during the hearings.

The Court directed Dawn Pictures Private Limited to furnish security of Rs 8.39 crore within four weeks, failing which the revenue from its future films would stand attached.

Meanwhile, the TVK government’s decision to rename the previous DMK administration’s flagship, Anbucholai Senior Citizens’ Day-Care Centres, as ‘Senior Citizens Recreation Centres’ has also drawn criticism from organisations that are involved in running the facilities, with some alleging that funding for the programme has remained pending since March.

An NGO representative in Chennai said, “Changing the name would mean little unless the government has also ensured adequate and timely financial support for its continued functioning. The centres also need resources to provide food and essential services to senior citizens.”

Questioning the need for renaming a programme without first resolving the operational and funding problems faced by the centre, the organisations in Tamil Nadu pointed out that the more immediate concern was lack of funding.

According to an NGO, Anbucholai (grove of love and care) had become a simple and familiar name among elderly beneficiaries. Organisations argued that the new name was cumbersome and failed to reflect the identity the programme had built among its users.

The Anbucholai initiative was introduced by the DMK government as a daytime care and engagement programme for senior citizens. In the first phase, 25 centres in 13 districts were intended to provide elderly people with a safe social environment, meals, recreation and opportunities for interaction, particularly helping those experiencing loneliness and social isolation.

These centres have not received funding since March, including a recurring monthly allocation of Rs 43,500. As a result, NGOs operating the centres have been forced to meet expenses from their own resources.

“NGOs are using personal funds, borrowing money and even relying on credit cards to continue providing daily meals to elderly beneficiaries. NGOs were also bearing expenditure towards building rent, electricity and water bills, as well as salaries for employees,” said a staff member of an NGO in Chennai.

Organisations also stressed the emotional significance of the original programme for its elderly beneficiaries, saying the centres had helped many overcome isolation and improve their psychological and physical well-being. “For over a month, members of other NGOs operating in the State have been trying to reach Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Minister K Jegadeshwari, but have been unable to reach her or get the issue resolved through the department officials,” said an NGO member in Thoothukudi.

Department officials did not respond when contacted.

Speaking to DT Next, a senior woman leader said the remarks had placed the party in an uncomfortable position. "Political criticism is part of public life, but bringing the Chief Minister's mother into it was completely avoidable. We cannot defend such remarks before the people," she said.

Another senior leader said Nainar's comments could not be dismissed as an inadvertent slip, citing his earlier controversial remarks involving actor Trisha and Vijay. "This is not a mistake or a slip of the tongue. It was a carefully worded statement. Earlier, he made derogatory remarks involving Trisha and Vijay. At that time, Vijay was an actor and a political party leader. Today, he is the Chief Minister, and Nainar has also dragged his mother into the attack. This is shocking. We have decided to take up the matter with the central high command," the leader said, requesting anonymity.

A second leader alleged that the controversy had erupted at a sensitive time for Nainar, amid discussions within the BJP over a possible change in the state leadership. "The high command is already considering replacing Nainar as state president. At this stage, he has created another controversy around himself, apparently for political mileage within and outside the party. He is unfit to lead the BJP in Tamil Nadu," the leader alleged.

Seeking to downplay the controversy, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran said his remarks made at the launch of the ‘Ore Naadu 2.0’ magazine had been twisted and misrepresented for political gain. “I want to make it clear that I did not refer to anyone with any ulterior motive. I am a person who has deep concern and affection for one’s mother, motherland and mother tongue,” he said.

The move appeases both the present ally, Congress, and the potential ally, PMK.

Krishnasamy received the award, with his daughter clapping from the gallery. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a certificate. He received the award from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay during the Independence Day celebrations at Fort St George. As her father received the honour, Sowmya stood up and gave him a standing ovation.

Krishnasamy, a veteran Congress leader, became the first recipient of the award under the TVK-led government. His son Vishnuprasad is the incumbent MP from Cuddalore.

The award also assumed significance for the Congress, as the honour was instituted during the previous DMK regime, with veteran leaders of the CPM and CPI among the first recipients. Krishnaswamy was chosen for the award after PMK founder S Ramadoss turned down the honour.

The development has generated political interest amid indications of growing proximity between the TVK-led government and the PMK, which has four MLAs in the Assembly. Krishnaswamy's daughter, Sowmya, is married to PMK president Anbumani, the son of party founder S Ramadoss.

Earlier, Sowmya had sought a separate room for the PMK in the Assembly complex. The Assembly Secretariat promptly sanctioned a room following her request.

The room allocation had already drawn political attention. The honour bestowed upon her father at the Independence Day celebrations added another notable moment for the PMK floor leader and her family, fuelling speculation about the evolving political equations between the TVK and the PMK.

In a video message posted on his WhatsApp group on Independence Day, Udhayakumar said that if the AIADMK faced an alleged "invasion" by TVK, cadres would fight back. He warned that it would be difficult to predict whether Vijay would remain alive to hoist the national flag on Independence Day in future.

Invoking the legacy of former AIADMK leaders MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, Udhayakumar said loyal cadres would sacrifice their lives to protect the party. He called TVK's attempts to induct AIADMK functionaries the "height of abuse of power".

He accused Vijay of using social media, paid influencers, and content creators to build a "false image", while criticising the government over its alleged failure to implement election promises. Udhayakumar urged Vijay to focus instead on poverty eradication, employment generation, industrial and agricultural development, and Tamil Nadu's claims over the Cauvery and Mullaiperiyar rivers and Katchatheevu.

Recently, Udhayakumar triggered controversy by asking when actor Trisha would be appointed Deputy Chief Minister. "Tamil Nadu awaits to see when Vijay's 'beloved' Trisha will be appointed as Deputy Chief Minister," he said at a Jayalalithaa Peravai meeting in Thoothukudi on August 8.

The police identified the deceased as Surya (15), son of Murugesan from Mangalamedu. Surya was studying Class 10 in a private school in the locality.

According to the police, Murugesan was working at a farm owned by one Abudagir in the locality. Murugesan was staying on the farm along with his son and was working, the police noted.

On Saturday, Murugesan, along with his son Surya, sprinkled pesticides on the crops on the farm where he was working. When they both went inside the farm, the police said, Surya stepped onto the snapped live electric line, and he was electrocuted.

The electric line had fallen on the field following strong winds and heavy rain in the region during the previous night, the police said.

Based on the information, Arumbavur police rushed to the spot and retrieved Surya's body after suspending the power supply. The police sent the boy's body to Perambalur Government Hospital. The police have registered a case and are investigating further.

Officials have denied that the decision has anything to do with civic bodies being dominated by DMK and AIADMK leaders, even though such speculation is rife.

The best-performing urban local bodies are recognised with cash awards under the Chief Minister's Awards for Best Performing Local Bodies. Though the TVK-led government continued the practice of honouring the best-performing local bodies after assuming office, the elected representatives did not receive the awards in person this year. An official from the Secretariat said the decision was not politically motivated.

"The government had issued a circular regarding the Independence Day celebrations at local bodies. As per the circular, all local body representatives were required to remain in their respective local bodies and were therefore unable to travel to Chennai to receive the awards from the Chief Minister. There was nothing behind this for political reasons," the official said.

This year, Zones 2 and 6 of the Greater Chennai Corporation were selected for the Chief Minister's Award. Coimbatore and Thanjavur were selected in the Best Corporation category.

Bodinayakanur in Theni district, Arani in Tiruvannamalai district and Villupuram were selected in the Best Municipality category. Thiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur, Karungal in Kanyakumari and Chettipalayam in Coimbatore were selected in the Best Town Panchayat category.

Most of the elected local body representatives are from the DMK. During the previous DMK regime, elected local body representatives had received the awards from the Chief Minister. However, following the change in government, officials from the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department received the awards from the Chief Minister rather than from the elected representatives.

The change in the award presentation process also resulted in the Independence Day programme concluding 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled time of 9.30 am, officials said.

Under the Chief Minister's Best Practices Award, Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru was honoured for initiating an integrated approach to addressing childhood stunting in the Nilgiris. However, she did not receive the award in person as she was attending the Independence Day celebrations in her district.

S Satheesh Prabhu, team head of housekeeping at Chennai Metro Rail, and M Geethajalai, Dean of Coimbatore Medical College, who was involved in the production of lightweight artificial limbs, also received awards from the Chief Minister.

Speaking to reporters in Tiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur, Chezhiaan said that the practice of selecting the best local body administrations and having the Chief Minister present the awards to their heads had been followed to encourage better performance. “But now, the TVK government has opted to hand over the awards to higher officials of the department, who are expected to distribute them to the respective local body heads. This is against democracy,” he charged.

He said people of the State, who had witnessed democracy being upheld during Assembly proceedings, were now being forced to witness those who had no knowledge of democracy and failed to conduct themselves with dignity on the Assembly floor.

Calling the 100-day TVK government “a reel and not a real one”, Chezhiaan alleged that ministers and party functionaries were more focused on recording videos during their visits and posting them on social media than addressing public welfare issues.

He also demanded that the government stop collecting Rs 20 per bottle at Tasmac outlets and ensure corruption-free governance.

Chezhiaan also condemned the politicisation of Kanimozhi’s participation in the high tea hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, saying there was no hidden agenda behind it.

S Lokesh (17) and E Jayakumar (19), both from Karlampakkam village, had halted on the highway around 4.30 pm while returning from Puttur on their bike. Initial probe said the duo was shooting videos for social media when a luxury car bearing Maharashtra registration number, travelling towards Chennai from Bengaluru, struck them.

The driver, identified as Henry Isaac (55) of Telangana, fled the scene and remains absconding. The victims sustained fatal head and body injuries and died at the scene. Passersby alerted the Pallipattu police, who recovered the bodies and sent them to Tiruttani Government Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The police launched a search to trace the driver and are examining CCTV footage.

He joined the party in the presence of party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Why was Arun Kumar's nomination rejected?

The nomination of Arun Kumar for the Edappadi assembly constituency in Salem district was rejected during scrutiny on April 7.

Election officials cited several discrepancies in his nominations, including an insufficient number of proposers and subsequently rejected the application.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed a resolution stating that Tamil Thai Vazhthu should be the first song at government functions. However, an earlier circular issued by HC Registrar General Deepthi Arivunithi had directed the Principal Bench, Madurai Bench, subordinate courts in TN and Puducherry, and judicial training centres to sing Vande Mataram before the national flag was unfurled, followed by the national anthem after the flag hoisting. The circular said the directions were issued in accordance with the Union government’s instructions.

Against this backdrop, a fresh circular issued by the Registrar General stated that Tamil Thai Vazhthu would be sung first at the I-Day celebrations, followed by Vande Mataram and the unfurling of the national flag. The national anthem would be sung after the flag was unfurled, it said.

Accordingly, the I-Day celebrations at the HC began at 10 am with Tamil Thai Vazhthu. Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari unfurled the national flag, and subsequently received the ceremonial salute from CISF personnel deployed for security at the HC and the police band.

State Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar, DGP Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj, Advocate General Vijay Narayan, State Public Prosecutor John Sathyan, Madras HC Advocates’ Association president RC Paul Kanagaraj, Madras Bar Association president VR Kamalanathan, Bar Council members PS Amalraj and M Velmurugan, Registrar General Deepthi Arivunithi, other Registrars, court staff and several others attended the event.

The issue has triggered a political controversy, with ruling TVK ministers demanding an apology and a lawyer seeking police action against the BJP leader.

Speaking at Kamalalayam, the BJP's state headquarters, after relaunching the party mouthpiece 'Ore Naadu 2.0', Nainar Nagenthran apparently criticised Vijay's veiled remarks in the Assembly, which appeared to be directed at DMK president and former chief minister MK Stalin.

"If you go to the Assembly and ask, 'Where is appa? How would you know? You have to go home and ask your mother; only then will she tell you who your father is. If you search for your father in the Assembly, who would know?" Nainar said.

Nainar's remarks, however, drew sharp condemnation from TVK ministers and party functionaries, who accused him of making an objectionable reference to the Chief Minister's family and demanded that he apologise.

Meanwhile, a lawyer has petitioned the DGP to register a case against Nainar over his remarks.

Nainar had earlier faced criticism over similar remarks concerning actor Trisha and subsequently expressed regret. On this occasion, Nainar claims that he hasn't specifically referred to anyone and added that he has no ulterior motive in making those comments.

Earlier in the day, around 300 youngsters joined the BJP at Kamalalayam in Nainar's presence. He also hoisted the national flag at the party headquarters to mark India's 80th Independence Day.

The remarks, which Nagenthran presented as a response to Vijay's “kutti kathai” (short story) criticising DMK president MK Stalin, drew condemnation from political parties. A complaint was later filed at the Chennai DGP office over Nagenthran's remarks.

Speaking at a party event at Kamalalayam, the BJP state headquarters here, Nagenthran mockingly remarked, “When people search for a father in the house and cannot find him, they should ask the mother at home to know who the father is.” The remarks sparked widespread backlash, with several leaders condemning them as derogatory and disrespectful.

Vijay had narrated a “kutti story” in the Assembly following the DMK's defeat in the April 2026 Assembly election, referring humorously to the whereabouts of the opposition leader's “father” in an apparent allusion to Stalin's electoral defeat in the Kolathur Assembly constituency. Several political parties, including the DMK, had criticised Vijay's remarks.

Complaint filed at DGP office over Nainar's 'reply' to TN CM Vijay's remarks

According to Daily Thanthi, lawyer Varthini has filed an online complaint against Nainar Nagenthran at the Chennai DGP office, alleging that his remarks about Chief Minister Vijay and his mother were defamatory.

The complaint said that while political criticism was acceptable, personally humiliating a family member was a matter of concern, and alleged that Nagenthran's remarks were slanderous and hurtful to her as a woman and mother.

Nainar previously too made controversial remarks about Vijay

In February 2026, Nainar Nagendran faced widespread backlash for making a personal remark involving actor Trisha Krishnan while criticising Vijay. Trisha later condemned the comment through her legal counsel, stating she was politically neutral and demanded that personal lives be kept out of political discourse, leading to the State BJP chief tendering an apology.

Rajmohan, Vanni Arasu, Manickam Tagore condemn Nainar's remarks on CM Vijay

Minister Rajmohan strongly condemned the BJP state chief's remarks, calling them “uncivilised and inappropriate” for a political leader. He said Vijay had taught his colleagues to engage in civilised politics regardless of provocations or personal attacks.

Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu condemned Nagenthran's remarks about Chief Minister Vijay and his family, describing them as “extremely disrespectful and indecent” and deserving of strong condemnation. He also said Nagenthran had made low-standard remarks about an actress even before this.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president Manickam Tagore said Nagenthran's "politically uncivilised remarks" had become a regular occurrence and demanded that he immediately and unconditionally apologise to the people of Tamil Nadu and the Chief Minister for his remarks.

Annamalai too slams Nainar over remarks on CM Vijay

Former BJP president K Annamalai also condemned Nagenthran's remarks, saying he had crossed the boundaries of political decorum and civility.

Annamalai said political disagreements and questioning the government's actions were part of democratic discourse, but personal attacks against a leader's family, particularly their mother, were unacceptable and represented a regressive, “third-rate” form of politics that should not be encouraged among the younger generation.

(With inputs from PTI)

At the Independence Day gram sabha meeting held at a government school in Eganapuram on Saturday, villagers unanimously passed the resolution expressing their gratitude to the government and the CM for stopping the airport project.

The state government, however, has not made any official announcement on the future of the proposed airport.

They also passed another resolution seeking to rename the main road in Eganapuram as Thalapathy Vijay Road as a mark of appreciation. The resolution has been forwarded to the government through the Kancheepuram district administration.

The proposed airport was announced in 2022 and was planned across nearly 5,000 acres covering 13 villages, including Valathur, Nelvai, Thandal, Melpadavur, Nagapattu, Eganapuram, Edayarpakkam, Akkammapuram, Gunakarambakkam, Singilipadi and Mahadevimangalam. Residents of Eganapuram and other villages had been opposing the project for more than 3 years, citing concerns over loss of homes, agricultural land and livelihoods.

Why did Ekanapuram villagers oppose the Parandur airport project?

They had repeatedly raised their objections at gram sabha meetings. So far, resolutions opposing the project have been passed 16 times, while residents have also boycotted gram sabha meetings on seven occasions.

Meanwhile, before he became CM, party leader Vijay had visited Parandur and met residents protesting the project, and had assured them that the project would be scrapped if he became Chief Minister.

Following the formation of the new government, work related to the proposed airport was stopped. The State government is said to have taken a policy decision to put the project on hold.

Welcoming the development, Eganapuram residents thanked CM Vijay and the government through the gram sabha resolution and also sought the renaming of their village’s main road after him.

What is the status of the proposed Parandur airport project?

In a recent development, on July 30, the district revenue officer in charge of land acquisition for the airport was transferred without making any replacement appointment, leaving the post vacant, which raised the question whether the TVK government is stepping back from further land acquisition for the proposed airport.

In their election manifesto, the TVK had promised to drop the proposed Parandur airport project. However, after assuming the office, the government has not made any official announcement on the future of the project.

• The financial assistance provided for the marriage of two daughters of ex-servicemen will be doubled from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000.

• The monthly financial assistance for persons with disabilities among ex-servicemen and their family members will be increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000.

• The monthly pension provided by the State Government to freedom fighters will be increased to Rs 23,000

• The monthly family pension for the families of freedom fighters will be increased to Rs 12,500.

• The monthly special pension for the descendants of Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Muthuramalinga Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi, the Maruthu Brothers and VO Chidambaranar will be increased to Rs 11,500.

The awards were presented by Chief Minister Vijay as part of the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the ramparts of Fort St George, where he also hoisted the national flag and delivered his maiden Independence Day address as Chief Minister.

Municipalities receive awards

Among municipalities, Bodinayakanur in Theni district secured the first prize. Arani in Tiruvannamalai district received the second prize, while Villupuram bagged the third prize. Chief Minister Vijay presented the awards during the ceremony, which was attended by senior government officials, police personnel and other dignitaries.

Vijay hoists national flag

Earlier, Vijay arrived at the Fort St George ramparts and received the guard of honour from the Tamil Nadu Police before hoisting the Tricolour. He subsequently paid his respects and delivered his maiden Independence Day address. The celebrations marked the first Independence Day observed under the newly formed TVK government. The State-level ceremony featured the traditional flag-hoisting, guard of honour and presentation of awards to the best-performing local bodies.