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 BCom student at a private college in Pallavaram. The police said that Varaprasad went to a grove near Vallapakkam along with three other friends to cut firewood when the incident happened.

The trio were cutting firewood at a grove near the Kancheepuram-Chengalpattu bypass road when 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, the police said.

On receiving information from his friends, personnel from the Walajabad police station reached the spot, recovered his 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 and condemned their callousness. 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, and the traffic was affected for around an hour. The police reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. They pacified the protesters, assuring them that appropriate action would be taken, after which they 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.

The petitioner, advocate Theeran Thirumurugan from Madurai, in his Public Interest Litigation, said he was shocked to find widely circulated videos showing students of Alagappa Model Higher Secondary School, Karaikudi, allegedly raising the slogan “TVK... TVK” during a government function held on August 3 in the presence of dignitaries, including a minister.

The videos and media reports also created an impression that the slogans were not immediately restrained, he contended.

The petitioner said schools must remain insulated from partisan political influence as students are minors and at a formative stage of intellectual and emotional development. Educational institutions should instead foster independent thought, scientific temper, constitutional morality and democratic values, he said.

“Irrespective of the political party involved, school students should neither be encouraged nor permitted to participate in partisan political slogans, political campaigns or political demonstrations within educational institutions or during official government functions conducted on school premises,” he said.

If such practices continued unchecked, government schools and other educational institutions could gradually become platforms for political mobilisation, compromising the objective of providing children with a free, fair, impartial and politically neutral educational environment, he contended.

The petitioner further contended that the issue was not confined to one school. There were no comprehensive State-wide SOPs or binding administrative guidelines governing political activities during government functions on school campuses, he said, adding that the absence of such guidelines could result in similar incidents recurring across the State.

He had submitted a representation to the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, School Education Department, on August 3, seeking an inquiry into the reported incident and formulation of State-wide guidelines to prevent the use of school students and educational institutions for partisan political activities. As he received no effective response, he approached the High Court.

In his complaint, Jesudas (74) claimed that Edwin, his wife Veena and Veena's sisters Bagiyaselvi and Juliet Rani allegedly abused and threatened him and his wife when they were alone at their house on July 1, in matters related to a property dispute.

The police registered an FIR against the four under sections relating to obscene or abusive speech and criminal intimidation and are investigating.

Online applications for B Ed admissions were invited from June 19 to July 31. A total of 3,149 students applied, following which the rank list was released on July 31. Online counselling was conducted from August 4-10.

Eligible candidates were given the opportunity to select their preferred Colleges of Education during the counselling process.

Following the completion of the first phase, allotment orders were issued online to 1,800 students based on their choices and rank.

Candidates can download their allotment orders on twise.ac.in by entering their online application ID. Students who have received allotment orders must join their respective Colleges of Education by August 21.

The admission process is being carried out through the common single-window counselling system for the government and government-aided B.Ed colleges in the State. Tamil Nadu has seven government Colleges of Education and 14 government-aided B Ed colleges, offering 2,040 seats.

Reacting to the incident, Stalin said the killing of the three Tamils in a Karnataka forest was shocking and strongly condemnable, alleging that the act had been committed with no regard for the value of human life.

He further alleged that Karnataka forest officials appeared to be making efforts to shield those responsible for the deaths and demanded that such attempts be stopped immediately.

"The incident should be registered as a murder case and a transparent, impartial investigation must be conducted. Those responsible must be punished," Stalin said in a social media post, adding that only such action would deter others from committing similar offences.

He also called upon the Tamil Nadu government to register its protest with the Karnataka government over the incident. "The Tamil Nadu government should not remain silent on this matter, like the Mekedatu issue" he said, urging the State government to raise the issue firmly with its Karnataka counterpart.

The former Chief Minister also demanded that the Tamil Nadu government secure adequate compensation for the families of the deceased and take steps to provide government employment to a member of each bereaved family.

The DMK leader said accountability was essential and stressed that the families should receive both justice and appropriate support from the government.

Ayyammal had alleged that her husband Paramasivam (52) was assaulted by police personnel at the station on July 19 after they were taken in connection with a complaint filed by their neighbour.

She claimed that Paramasivam sustained a head injury in the alleged police assault and that the police subsequently threatened the family. The Commissioner said action would be taken based on the inquiry report.

He said Valakrishnan of Mel Anuppanadi had initially lodged a complaint against his neighbour, Paramasivam, following a dispute over parking of an autorickshaw. Paramasivam also lodged a complaint against Valakrishnan, following which the police registered an FIR and conducted an investigation.

"The parties later reached a compromise and approached the police. As an FIR had already been registered, we informed them that they should approach the court," he said.

Paramasivam reportedly informed the hospital that he sustained injuries in a fall, said sources at Government Rajaji Hospital.

The sources said he was advised to be admitted as he had sustained a head injury, but he refused.

Paramasivam was later admitted to a private hospital, where he died despite treatment.

He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "cheating" people on the issue of women's reservation, as "the women's reservation bill was introduced by a Congress-led government in the past and it was the BJP that opposed the Bill at that time".

Speaking to PTI Videos, Elangovan also slammed the TVK-led government in Tamil Nadu for its performance in its first 100 days.

He criticised the Centre's rationale of linking the 33 per cent quota to an increase in parliamentary seats. "They should implement women's reservation in the existing seats," Elangovan said, calling the delay to increase seat numbers an "insult to women".

Turning his guns on Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, he criticised the allegedly poor administrative performance of TVK's first 100-days of government by calling it "nothing".

Elangovan alleged that the TVK government had only managed to change the names of existing schemes. "Their only ideology is to attack DMK every way".

Responding to CM Vijay's claims of defeating a conspiracy against his government, Elangovan pointed out that the administration lacks an absolute majority and heavily relies on parties that won in the DMK alliance. He warned that these supporting parties could withdraw their backing if the government fails to deliver on its promises.

Elangovan also attacked CM Vijay for targeting DMK chief M K Stalin while the senior leader was not present in the House. He asserted that Vijay is "happy that Stalin is not there" because he could not answer him.

According to him, "Vijay is incapable of spontaneous political debate", stating that the chief minister is "not a well-prepared man" who merely "reads out whatever is given to him in writing". Elangovan contrasted his behaviour with the political decency shown by former chief ministers and iconic leaders like C N Annadurai toward K Kamaraj.

Addressing the controversy surrounding the rendition of the full version of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters, Elangovan said that Senior leader Sonia Gandhi was right in objecting to the rendition of the full song. He said that Sonia Gandhi's stand on the song aligns with the Constituent Assembly's resolution at the time of Independence that only certain portions of the song be sung.

Speaking at the Gram Sabha convened on the occasion of Independence Day, MLA Jamal Mohamed Younoos Y N said instructions had been issued to pass similar resolutions in all 54 village panchayats in the Mayiladuthurai Assembly constituency.

According to the MLA, after Kharge, a prominent Dalit leader, addressed a public gathering in Uttarakhand recently, people allegedly affiliated with the RSS and BJP washed the venue with Ganga water to "purify" it.

"We strongly condemn this act," the MLA said during the meeting.

"He has been a Member of Parliament for multiple terms spanning decades, has served as a Union minister and a minister in the state government, and currently holds the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. Treating a leader of his stature in this manner merely because he belongs to a Scheduled Caste is highly condemnable," he said.

The legislator said the Congress had historically stood for equality and that the alleged incident in Uttarakhand was not merely an insult to the party president but an affront to citizens across the country.

"Our nation's freedom was fought for by leaders who believed in equality across caste and religion. This action exposes a discriminatory ideology," he said.

The Gram Sabha meeting also saw discussions on local civic issues, with residents questioning officials about irregularities in drinking water supply, maintenance of water tanks and delays in garbage clearance in the wards.

Addressing a meeting of DMK's legal wing, he also termed the administration's actions "fascist" and accused authorities of detaining individuals over speech and social media posts.

"If you speak, there is an arrest. If you post on social media, there is an arrest. This government is functioning like a fascist regime because of its deep sense of insecurity. It is as if they wake up every morning with a schedule and a timetable of whom to arrest next," Udhayanidhi alleged.

On his recent arrest, he said, "When the police arrived at my doorstep at 8 am, I was reading the newspaper. I thought they were arresting me for calling out this incompetent government, but they had no real answers. Our legal team moved with lightning speed at the Madras High Court to ensure justice was served."

The former Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister was arrested on August 4 for his alleged "double-meaning" remark alluding to popular actor Trisha and insulting her modesty.

Alleging that the state government was intentionally targeting young activists and "Gen-Z youth," the DMK leader said, "This government is terrified of the Gen-Z youth who are speaking up for our ideology. They target them to create fear among their family members. Our legal wing must act as an unbreakable fortress to protect these young voices."

Outlining the roadmap for the party's legal wing, Udhayanidhi called on lawyers to expose "government irregularities", including "corruption" in the appointment of government pleaders and to systematically follow up on public grievances in court.

Stating that the party's legal wing has a rich history, the Opposition leader said, "Whether during the times of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi or party president (MK Stalin), whenever the movement faced crises, the legal team solved them."

"We must stay alert, work with absolute unity, and remain on the field until our party president is back in the Chief Minister's chair," he said.

Meanwhile, the DMK legal wing, in its resolution, strongly condemned the TVK government for arresting Udhayanidhi when he spoke in support of farmers in Thanjavur recently.

In another resolution, it condemned the state government for failing to take action against those spreading defamatory comments about the Leader of the Opposition on social media platforms.

According to the top court's cause list of August 17, the matter would come up for hearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta.

On August 12, the apex court had said pleas filed in the matter by the Tamil Nadu government and others, including the DMK, would be taken up for hearing on August 17.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 in relief to the family.

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.

The works, to be implemented by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, aim to improve water storage and groundwater recharge ahead of the northeast monsoon, while strengthening irrigation facilities and reducing the risk of flooding in agricultural and residential areas during 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.

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.

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)

The move follows the Union Home Ministry's framework for setting up state cyber crime coordination centres and the Supreme Court's directions on creating an effective mechanism to tackle digital arrest offences.

The TN-S4C will function as Tamil Nadu's counterpart to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and serve as a 24x7 operational hub for cyber incidents and financial fraud intervention. The centre will coordinate with district cyber crime police stations, banks, financial institutions, telecom and internet service providers, CERT-In, I4C and other agencies.

The new structure will have a State Cyber Command Centre (SCCC) and a State Cyber Crime Investigation Centre (SCCIC) as its key operational arms.

The state government has sanctioned 172 police posts for the two units. The SCCC will have 76 posts and the SCCIC will have 91, apart from five senior officers heading the overall structure.

The SCCC will operate the 1930 cybercrime helpline control room, oversee e-Zero FIRs and coordinate SIM and IMEI blocking of numbers and devices suspected to be linked to cybercrime. It will also undertake cyber patrolling, open-source intelligence, social media intelligence and dark web surveillance.

The SCCIC will handle complex cases requiring specialised investigation and inter-state or international coordination, including organised cybercrime syndicates, ransomware attacks, cryptocurrency offences, large-scale financial fraud and other technologically sophisticated crimes.

The centre will develop cyber threat intelligence databases and analyse emerging crime patterns to recommend technology and policy interventions

The centre will also maintain a centralised dashboard to track cybercrime complaints, financial fraud responses, investigations, arrests, recoveries, seizures and convictions. It will develop cyber threat intelligence databases and analyse emerging crime patterns to recommend technology and policy interventions.

The government has adopted a hybrid staffing model involving specialised experts from outside the police department. Six experts have been empanelled in areas including dark web investigation, threat intelligence, digital and mobile forensics, malware analysis, log analysis and vulnerability assessment.

The state has sanctioned Rs 8.88 crore to expand the 1930 helpline call centre with 15 outsourced seats for three years. A legal adviser will also be appointed on contract.

The TN-S4C will also coordinate statewide cyber operations, prevention campaigns and awareness programmes through Cyber Arangam and cyber crime police stations. Its performance will be reviewed monthly, with quarterly reviews by the Home 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.

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 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.