In a statement, Shanmugam said MLAs had raised questions in the Assembly on Wednesday about the government's plans for the land acquired for the airport. Responding to them, the Industries Minister had said the land would be used for alternative industrial projects.

Shanmugam said under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, land acquired for a specific project should be returned to the original landowners if it was not used within five years or if the project was abandoned.

"The land cannot be diverted for another project. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu government should not act in violation of the law," he said.

He urged the government to take appropriate steps to return the acquired land to the farmers.

TNAIV will be able to provide computing services for a fee, take up AI-related projects through concessions or leases, and acquire stakes in project companies.

In effect, the company is being positioned as the vehicle through which the State can commercially operate AI infrastructure and invest in projects, hold equity stake rather than limiting its role to policy and programme implementation according to the Information Technology and Digital Services Department Policy Note 2026-27.

The land for such projects will remain with State land-holding agencies and can be made available to TNAIV on long-term lease. Concessions will be assessed under the State's public-private partnership framework and awarded through open competition. TNAIV will operate as a taxable company and will not receive CSR funds.

The proposed company will operate alongside a revamped Tamil Nadu AI Mission (TNAIM). The government plans to renew and incorporate TNAIM as a Section 8 not-for-profit company under the Companies Act.

It will handle the public-purpose side of the AI programme, including AI governance, the Tamil Large Language Model and Tamil-first datasets, Centres of Excellence, skilling and research partnerships.

TNAIM functions through the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) and iTNT Foundation. It is envisaged as a project-management and execution agency, with responsibilities including innovation hubs, laboratories, test beds, high-performance computing infrastructure and communication networks, including a proposed quantum communication corridor.

It will also support startups and MSMEs and build partnerships with academia, industry, technology companies and international organisations.

Its mandate has been expanded beyond AI to cover quantum technologies, AVGC-XR, deep tech and other emerging technologies, with ELCOT and ICT Academy supporting it in areas such as infrastructure, technology solutions and skilling.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Arlekar at Lok Bhavan here, the AMMK general secretary claimed that MLAs switched their loyalty to the TVK, enticed by power and money, which was against the people’s mandate.

Also, he sought the disqualification of the Mannargudi MLA, S Kamaraj, whom he had expelled from the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam for expressing support to the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

He had already submitted a petition to Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar seeking appropriate action against Kamaraj under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, but no action was taken so far. “I have urged the Governor to initiate an inquiry as to why the police had not registered an FIR on horse-trading and political defections,” Dhinakaran said.

He said he submitted a formal memorandum to the Governor requesting an inquiry into all the incidents, specifically the events that have occurred since May 8, when Kamaraj was reportedly made to support the TVK.

Expressing frustration that officials have not taken necessary steps to stop the “politics of horse-trading”, Dhinakaran said, “I have appealed to the Governor to put an end to such activities.”

How many buses will offer free travel in Tamil Nadu?

Women will be able to travel free of charge in 12,334 buses across Tamil Nadu under the expanded scheme.

This includes the 7,710 ordinary city buses already covered under the existing free travel scheme.

Which additional buses will be covered?

From October 2, free travel will be extended to 2,302 additional buses, including Express, LSS and Deluxe government buses operating in cities and towns.

Women will also be allowed to travel free in 2,047 ordinary-fare suburban buses and 275 ordinary-fare hill buses to facilitate inter-district travel.

How many buses have been added under the new scheme in Tamil Nadu?

A total of 4,624 buses have been added to the free travel scheme for women under ‘Vetri Payanam’, in addition to the buses already covered.

Due to delay in water release from Karnataka, the shutters are being opened after a 70-day delay.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is expected to travel from Chennai to Salem by air and proceed to Mettur dam to open the sluice gates for irrigation. Ahead of the release, Salem Collector K Elambahavath and senior police officials inspected the dam on Wednesday to review preparations and security arrangements.

The reservoir could not be opened for delta irrigation on the customary June 12 this year due to inadequate storage leaving farmers in the delta districts in distress. As of 4 pm on Wednesday, the water level stood at 89 feet, just a foot short of the 90-foot mark. Inflow was recorded at 8,827 cubic feet per second (cusecs), while 2,000 cusecs was being released for drinking water requirements.

Collector Elambahavath inspected the dam and held discussions with Water Resources Department officials on the arrangements for the water release.

Meanwhile, West Zone Inspector General of Police RV Ramya Bharathi, Salem Range Deputy Inspector General Santhosh Hadimani, and other senior police officials reviewed the security arrangements at the dam ahead of the visit of the Chief Minister.

The Forest Department is yet to ascertain whether the animal sighted by the workers is the same tiger suspected to have attacked and killed the two farmers.

On Wednesday, plantation workers reportedly spotted a tiger resting in a plantation in the Nambalakottai area. They captured photographs of the animal on their mobile phones and alerted the Forest Department. Officials subsequently launched efforts to track its movements by installing camera traps in the area.

The tiger is also suspected to have attacked and killed cattle in the locality. Around midnight, a cow belonging to Thomas of Marthoma Nagar was mauled to death at his shed. In a separate incident, another cow belonging to Sitharaj in the Devarshola area was killed by the suspected tiger.

Following the two cattle attacks, Forest Department officials appealed to residents to avoid venturing out unnecessarily after dark as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, the operation to capture the elusive tiger in the O’Valley Forest Range continued with intensified surveillance using drones and trap cages, while around 130 camera traps have been installed at strategic locations to monitor the animal’s movements.

A powerful Super El Nino is developing in the Pacific and could reach an intensity comparable to or even greater than the El Nino events of 1997 and 2015 by the end of this month.

Extreme weather warning

In a social media post, Hemachander said the sea surface temperature anomaly has risen to 29.6°C, around 2.75°C above the average. He claimed that a Super El Nino has developed unusually early this year and warned that its effects could become more pronounced in the coming months.

He also pointed to a series of strong westerly wind bursts over the central Pacific, which could trigger Kelvin waves and push additional heat towards the surface, further strengthening the El Nino conditions.

Hemachander said the phenomenon could intensify further by November and urged people not to ignore the possible impact of El Nino, stressing the need for advance preparedness.

Flood threat

For Chennai and its suburbs, the warning assumes significance as October, November and December are typically the peak northeast monsoon months, when several parts of the city remain vulnerable to flooding.

The possibility of intense rainfall and flooding due to the evolving El Nino conditions has raised concerns among residents. The State government is expected to take precautionary measures well in advance to minimise the impact of any extreme weather during the upcoming monsoon.

What is El Nino?

According to the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there are three ocean states or phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle namely the El Niño (warm phase), La Niña (cold phase) and neutral. These phases that occur in the Pacific Ocean represent shifts in sea surface temperatures and trade winds, which have the capacity to affect global weather, ecosystems and ocean temperatures.

Climatic experts describe El Niño as a natural climate event that originates in the Pacific when surface water temperatures become significantly warmer than normal. This affects wind patterns and atmospheric circulation across the globe, which also includes India where it significantly suppresses rainfall levels during the southwest monsoon season.

It may be noted that the Spanish term ‘El Niño’ which translates to ‘the boy’ originated among the South American fishermen community years ago when they first noticed the warm currents appearing around December. However, as days went by, the term has been widely used across the globe to describe the powerful weather phenomenon.

Experts to monitor El Niño threat

According to a recent Government Order issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, acommittee has been constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to advise the Tamil Nadu Disaster Risk Reduction Agency (TNDRRA) on scientific and precautionary measures.

The move follows a proposal from the Commissioner of Revenue Administration and the State Relief Commissioner, who warned of a high probability that a severe El Niño event will develop in 2026, which could affect monsoon rainfall and increase the risk of droughts and floods.

The committee will be chaired by the Commissioner of Revenue Administration and State Relief Commissioner. Its members include S Kanmani, head, Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Management, Anna University; Professor Balaji Narasimhan of IIT Madras; Arivudai Nambi Appadurai, Director, Climate Resilience Practice, WRI India; Ramesh Ramachandran, advisor to the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company; R Venkatesan, expert member of the State Environmental Appraisal Committee; JK Patterson Edward, director, Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute; and P Pradeep John, popularly known as Tamil Nadu Weatherman and senior manager at Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL).

(inputs from Bureau)

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister Ramesh has been assigned responsibility for Tiruvottiyur Zone-1 and Manali Zone-2.

T Lokesh Tamilselvan, Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, will oversee Madhavaram Zone-3 and Tondiarpet Zone-4.

Dr KG Arunraj, Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, has been assigned Royapuram Zone-5 and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar Zone-6.

M Vijay Balaji, who handles the Handlooms, Textiles and Khadi Department, will oversee Ambattur Zone-7, Anna Nagar Zone-8 and Teynampet Zone-9.

Dr TK Biju, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, has been assigned Kodambakkam Zone-10 and Valasaravakkam Zone-11.

Vijay Tamilan Parthiban, Minister for Transport, will oversee Alandur Zone-12 and Adyar Zone-13.

K Vignesh, who handles the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, has been assigned Perungudi Zone-14 and Sholinganallur Zone-15.

What does the 0.01-paise quote actually mean?

According to the clarification, senior Communist Party of India (CPI) leader R Mutharasan has repeatedly claimed that one gram of gold is being provided for one paisa under the scheme.

The Information Verification Wing said this is incorrect. The price of the gold itself is calculated separately under the scheme.

The 0.01-paise amount quoted by the companies refers to the lowest bid for all additional charges, including making charges, wastage, insurance, transportation, packaging and BIS hallmarking, excluding the actual cost of one gram of gold.

Therefore, the claim that one gram of gold is being provided for Rs 0.01 is false, the wing said, urging people not to spread misinformation.

Responding to BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran's demand for legal action and removal of the minister from the Cabinet, Arunraj asserted that the finance minister was not a willing participant in the corruption.

"Actually, he is a victim. He is a victim of forced bribery and corruption. He was forced to give," Arunraj told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of Apollo Multi Speciality Hospital here.

Pushing back against the BJP's argument that giving a bribe is equally a crime, the minister claimed that authorities and officials in power during the previous administration had made such payments compulsory for private educational institutions.

"Since they insist, and it was made compulsory for all the private schools and colleges during the previous regime... In that sense, he's a victim actually, he has come out as a whistleblower," Arunraj said.

Emphasising that the law provides protection for whistleblowers, he said that a proper enquiry must be conducted into the matter.

Wilson on Monday alleged in the Assembly that he was forced to pay a bribe to the School Education Department during the previous DMK government.

The allegation prompted former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi to demand a Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) probe into the minister’s "confession" of paying a bribe.

Refusing to answer specific queries of reporters regarding concerns over the diversion of agricultural land for industrial purposes, Arunraj, however, clarified the state government's developmental policy.

Asserting that the administration is not against progress, he said, "We are against forced acquisition and any development which is against the wishes of the people."

The significance of the Mettur Dam

Usually, water is released from the Mettur Dam for irrigation in the Cauvery Delta on June 12 every year. If it is not released then, water is released when the dam’s water level reaches 90 feet.

Through this irrigation, about 16 lakh acres of agricultural land in 13 districts, including Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Karur, Trichy and Thanjavur, receive irrigation water.

Due to the low water level in the dam, water has not been released from the dam for nearly 70 days.

Mettur Dam water level reaches 88.43 feet

As of August 25, the water level of the dam was 88.43 feet. The dam is receiving 10,807 cubic feet of water per second, leading to a slow rise in the water level.

The water level is expected to reach 90 feet in the next couple of days.

Opposition members in the Assembly on August 25 raised a question about when the dam would be opened. In response, Water Resources Minister N Anand said, “A good answer would be given soon.”

Salem District Superintendent of Police visited the Mettur Dam yesterday and conducted a surprise inspection. Following this, preparatory work to release water from the Mettur Dam is underway.

CM Vijay’s visit to Mettur Dam

It has been reported that Chief Minister Vijay will open the Mettur Dam on August 28. He will arrive at Salem Airport by flight and then travel by car to Mettur.

In a statement, he said the 56th meeting of the CWMA was held in Delhi on Tuesday under the chairmanship of its chairman S K Haider, with senior officials from the Water Resources Departments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka participating.

After hearing the arguments of both sides, the authority ordered Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu at 9,000 cusecs a day for 15 days, he said.

Veerapandian said the CWMA had earlier directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs for 15 days till August 11 and subsequently 12,000 cusecs a day for 15 days from August 12. However, the Karnataka government and its officials had failed to implement the orders of the Supreme Court and the CWMA, which was strongly condemnable, he said.

He welcomed the Tamil Nadu government's move to approach the Supreme Court against Karnataka's failure to implement the orders and to seek directions for their enforcement.

"The Karnataka government should respect the judgments of the Supreme Court and the orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority and implement them immediately. The CPI urges the Karnataka government to uphold the rule of law," Veerapandian said.

Even Speaker JCD Prabhakar later put an end to the discussion, saying that “all the members in the House have great respect for the media,” but the damage was already done, leading to a heated debate.

The minister said the government had attracted Rs 1 lakh crore in investments in three months, while one lakh youth were expected to get employment. But her remarks on ‘paid news’ drew strong objections from Opposition members, who said such comments were an insult to the media and democracy.

The exchange took place during the debate on grant demands, when DMK member Austin cited figures on industrial and economic growth under the previous DMK government. Referring to a recent investors’ conference, he questioned how many of the projects were new investments and how many involved expansion by existing investors.

Responding to the figures, Keerthana said Austin had made a serious allegation based on an incorrect report published by Projects Today, which she described as a private publication. She said Projects Today would write anything for money and that such a report should not be used to portray theState’s investment climate negatively.

DMK Whip EV Velu objected to the minister’s remarks, saying that stating that journalists would write anything for money was an insult to democracy. DMK member Thangam Thennarasu said the media acted as a “third eye” by scrutinising the government’s functioning and that ministers should not make generalised remarks about newspapers and media organisations. The Speaker then referred to earlier statements made in the Assembly on the use of media reports during debates. He said that information presented in the House should be supported by evidence and that not every report appearing outside the House could be treated as an official record.

The Speaker said the minister had described only the report cited by Austin as unsubstantiated and had provided official information in response. He said her remarks should not be construed as an attack on the entire media.

Participating in the debate on the demands for grants for the Industries, Natural Resources and Information Technology departments, Ganesh Kumar said TAMIN could help address the state’s economic and financial burden. He urged the government to use the state-owned company to commercially exploit Tamil Nadu’s natural resources.

Ganesh Kumar said the government had estimated revenue of Rs 4,100 crore from the minerals sector for 2025-26, while the budget had projected Rs 11,000 crore.

He said TAMIN had the potential to generate up to Rs 1.5 lakh crore if it took the initiative to extract and sell mineral resources directly. He said TAMIN was established in 1978 by then chief minister MGR.

Karuppasamy (21) had been running a bike repair workshop set up by his father, Marimuthu, near their house.

He had reportedly stopped working after suffering a fractured arm in a bike accident about four months ago and had since been frequently consuming alcohol, which became a frequent quarrel topic between them.

Police have arrested Marimuthu.

The programme will help businesses improve their digital and commercial capabilities, access wider markets and progressively participate in global trade and exports

The partnership will provide Tamil Nadu MSMEs with free training, personalised mentorship, business tools and market-access opportunities, with pathways to domestic and international supply chains through Flipkart and Walmart Marketplace.

According to the Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce Department's 2026-27 Policy Note, the programme will help businesses improve their digital and commercial capabilities, access wider markets and progressively participate in global trade and exports.

Guidance will facilitate the outreach and mobilisation of MSMEs through its existing schemes, District Industries Centres and other government bodies, while also creating awareness about Walmart Vriddhi’s programmes and opportunities.

The programme will include training, workshops and seminars covering finance, marketing, workforce management and environmental sustainability, with a focus on business readiness and digital transformation. For businesses looking to expand beyond India, Walmart Marketplace will provide a route to international e-commerce markets, while Flipkart will provide access to the domestic market.

“Through Walmart Marketplace, we want to help MSMEs strengthen their export capabilities, navigate cross-border trade and connect with customers in international markets,” said Ashin Mathew, India Head, Cross-Border Trade, Walmart Marketplace.

Avaneesh Gupta, senior VP, General Merchandising and Fashion Sourcing, Walmart, said the initiative would help entrepreneurs build the skills, digital capabilities and market access needed to develop resilient businesses.

The MoU was formalised during the Vettri Tamil Nadu Investment Conclave and forms part of Walmart Vriddhi’s goal of empowering 1.70 lakh MSMEs across India by 2028. The programme, launched in 2019, has so far trained more than 1.15 lakh MSMEs across the country, according to Walmart.

The episode that caught the attention of all happened during the debate over the Parandur airport project. Both TVK and DMK resorted to personal attacks and jibes like “G Square Mappillai” and “Lottery Marumagan”, referring to DMK president MK Stalin’s son-in-law V Sabareesan and Minister Aadhav Arjuna, who is the son-in-law of lottery baron Santiago Martin, respectively.

The clash was triggered by Law and Energy Minister R Nirmalkumar’s allegation that the DMK was raising the issue of “G Square Mappillai” and others who allegedly invested black money in real estate businesses in Parandur, which led to former minister Thangam Thennarasu commenting about “Lottery Marumagan”.

The matter did not end there, as Aadhav later alleged that DMK ministers and MLAs were using benami companies to plunder minerals and asked why the opposition MLAs were agitated when he referred to G Square or mountains.

While his cabinet colleagues KA Sengottaiyan, N Anand, and A Rajmohan defended him, DMK Whip EV Velu said the ruling party should produce evidence for its accusations and said the opposition could not remain silent when such remarks were made.

Intervening in the squabble, Speaker JCD Prabhakar said he was deeply distressed by members rushing towards one another and using words that should not be heard in the House. "I do not want to be forced into the painful act of sending anyone out of the House," he warned.

The scenes turned more dramatic when TVK MLA Madhar Badhurudeen criticised the DMK over its alleged past references to Muslims as “terrorists”. As tempers rose, DMK’s Poondi K Kalaivannan and Vasantham Karthikeyan moved towards the front row to exchange angry words with TVK members.

School Education Minister Rajmohan alleged that Karthikeyan used filthy language against the TVK and asked if their leaders taught them MLAs to behave in such a manner. Following this, Kalaivannan went directly to the Speaker's chair and explained why he had moved away from his seat.

At one point, Velu was seen physically restraining the DMK members, and finally, along with Govi Chezhiaan, he convinced the MLAs to remain calm.

That was not all, as the day also witnessed angry words between the AIADMK general secretary over the resignation of six AIADMK MLAs. It began as a clash between DMK’s Austin and Minister Aadhav. Soon, Sengottaiyan joined and alleged that the TVK candidate from Edappadi constituency withdrawing nomination papers was horse-trading.

Angered by this, Palaniswami countered that the candidate's nomination paper had been rejected. The scenes worsened when AIADMK members began arguing with the Speaker. Eventually, Prabhakar expunged key portions of the debate, saying the matter was pending before the court.

The AITUC-affiliated Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations Employees Federation general secretary R Arumugam said that the expansion of the fare-free travel scheme would reduce women’s financial burden and facilitate their access to education, employment and daily travel.

However, he said the government should compensate the corporations for the actual revenue loss, rather than merely allocating funds for the scheme.

The government has estimated the annual expenditure on the expanded scheme at around Rs 6,000 crore. However, the union said that the actual revenue loss could be substantially higher.

“With around 10,000 city buses and an estimated average loss of Rs 5,000 per bus per day, the loss could work out to nearly Rs 1,500 crore a month and Rs 18,000 crore annually,” he added.

“The government should also take into account the revenue shortfall arising from the fare-free travel of women and compensate the corporations accordingly. Under the earlier Vidiyal Payanam scheme, around Rs 3,200 crore was allocated for this in ordinary city buses, and even that was inadequate.”

Welcoming the announcement, the CITU-affiliated Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation general secretary K Arumuganainar said that strengthening free and subsidised public transport would help reduce traffic congestion, accidents and environmental pollution.

“The amount paid by the government for free travel of women and students should not be treated merely as a subsidy. It should meet the entire difference between the revenue and expenditure of the transport corporations,” he opined.

The AITUC federation cited the government’s white paper in June, which put the corporations’ debt burden at Rs 61,642 crore and accumulated losses at Rs 72,667 crore.

The unions urged the government to provide special financial assistance to reduce the debt and accumulated losses and ensure that the corporations remained financially viable while continuing to provide affordable public transport.

The DMK member raised objections over what he called abusive remarks by the Chairman, Felix Gerald, on air.

During the debate on the demands for grants for the Industries Department in the Assembly on Tuesday (August 25), DMK member Austin said Minority Commission Chairman Felix Gerald was participating in television debates on political issues.

"The Chairman's post is a statutory post. Under the Minority Commission Act, a person holding the post of Chairman should not make abusive remarks about others. Therefore, the incumbent Chairman should be barred from participating in debate shows," Austin said.

Law Minister R Nirmalkumar said participating in television debates was a matter of personal choice. He pointed out that during the DMK regime, Textbook Corporation Chairman I Leoni had continuously criticised Opposition parties.

Intervening in the issue, Speaker Prabhakar told the minister that there was a difference between a statutory post and a board chairman's post. He said the government could consider the point raised by the DMK member and decide on the issue.

In a representation sent to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday (August 25), the association said it learnt through media reports that the Vande Bharat Sleeper was proposed from Nagercoil to Bengaluru via Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Coimbatore and Salem.

The proposed route would take 13 to 14 hours from Nagercoil to Bengaluru and cost Rs 2,335 for a three-tier AC ticket, making it less useful for passengers from Kanniyakumari, said Edward Jeni, general secretary, Kanniyakumari District Railway Users Association.

On the contrary, if the train is operated through Tamil Nadu via Tirunelveli, Madurai, Namakkal, and onward to Bengaluru, the distance would come down to about 664 km and the fare would be around Rs 1,690, while the journey would take eight to nine hours, he said.

The proposed route would therefore entail an additional Rs 640 fare and about five extra hours travelling, Jeni said.

Hence, the train should be operated from Thiruvananthapuram Central, which it said was the primary passenger base for the service, and through Tamil Nadu, said the association.

It also sought better rail connectivity to Kanniyakumari by extending existing trains to Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, and Tirunelveli, and extending the Madurai–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express to Nagercoil via Tirunelveli.

To reduce terminal congestion at Thiruvananthapuram Central, the association also sought the extension of the Thiruvananthapuram Central–Mangaluru Express to Nagercoil. It said the move would provide overnight passenger connectivity between Kanniyakumari district and northern Kerala while reducing congestion at Thiruvananthapuram Central.

The association also sought the extension of the Thiruvananthapuram North–Nagercoil Passenger train to Tirunelveli or Thoothukudi, the Coimbatore–Nagercoil Superfast Express to Kanniyakumari, and the shifting of the originating station of the Nagercoil–Kollam Passenger to Kanniyakumari.

The ERPA further requested the Railways to extend the Madurai–Bengaluru Cantt. Vande Bharat Express to Nagercoil via Tirunelveli, using a shorter route that avoids Tiruchy.

The TVK government didn't engage much in the discussion with the Industries Minister Keerthana, assuring that the land seized for the now-dropped project would be used without affecting people or agriculture.

Thangam, meanwhile, went on to assert that the new airport site had not been selected in a single day.

"The Airports Authority of India (AAI) selected the proposed site because it would cause minimal displacement of people and would not disturb other industries or the existing Tambaram defence airbase, which can't be touched due to the nation's strategic needs," Thangam said.

Explaining why Parandur was selected, he said the eastern region had the Bay of Bengal, while the northern region had a large industrial base, including Manali and other areas.

"The only option was to select the site in the western region, around Parandur and Pannur. There was no personal intention to select the proposed airport at Parandur. If the government abandons the new airport project, it will affect the growth of industries in the State," he alleged.

Replying to him, Minister for Law and Energy R Nirmalkumar said the Chief Minister had taken the decision only after holding detailed discussions with various stakeholders.

He also assured that the Chief Minister would announce alternative schemes for Parandur.

Following him, Minister Keerthana said alternative industrial schemes would be implemented at Parandur without affecting people or agricultural lands. She also questioned why the DMK regime had commenced the expansion work at the existing airport.

"The Union government has approved Terminal 5 at Meenambakkam Airport, including the bypass road. The government is not against the new airport, but it should not affect agricultural lands and common people," Minister Keerthana said.

He displayed photographs to highlight the extent of environmental degradation in the State. He alleged that successive governments had failed to prevent such large-scale destruction and said several ancient geological formations had been sacrificed for mining, particularly for M sand production.

According to the minister, Bheemarishi and Konaripalayam in Perambalur district, Sengunam Mountain, Siraiyur and Kondayampatti village hillocks in Madurai district, a 10 metre high rock hillock at Amburpettai in Tirupattur district, Ananthalai Mountain in Ranipet district, two mountains at Muthur in Coimbatore district and Konamalai Mountain in Tenkasi district had disappeared due to excessive mining.

"These mountains were around 3.2 billion years old. But they have now been destroyed," Prabhu said, stressing the geological and ecological significance of the formations.

The minister warned that the government would not spare anyone involved in sand or mineral mining beyond permitted limits, saying stringent action would be taken against those violating prescribed norms.

Replying to PMK MLA A Ganeshkumar during the debate, Prabhu said that discrepancies had emerged between the quantity of minerals reported for revenue purposes and the actual volume extracted. "TAMIN's profit has decreased, but it is not functioning well. During the previous regime, revenue was returned to the Treasury based on 60 lakh metric tonnes, whereas the actual quantity of natural resources mined was six crore metric tonnes," he said.

"Gravel and sand mining irregularities can be hidden once the rains come and fill the mined-out spaces. Still, efforts are under way to conceal the actual quantity mined in some stone quarries by using M-sand. The government will soon monitor everything, and none will be spared," he said.

Prabhu said the government would strengthen monitoring of mining operations and take action against those found violating norms.

He also said discussions were underway at the officials' level with the Centre following Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's demi-official letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking withdrawal of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026.

The Bill, recently passed by Parliament, seeks to regulate State-level taxation and centralise oversight of mineral-bearing lands, he said.

Though the chargesheet was filed on June 18, the CB-CID shared a copy with Akash’s parents only nearly 66 days later, after the family submitted representations to district authorities and staged many protests demanding a copy.

His family and human rights activists now ask why the six policemen have not been arrested despite the incriminating chargesheet.

“The investigation conducted so far reveals that the accused, fully aware that the deceased Akash Delison belonged to the Hindu Devendrakula Velalar community, took him in a police vehicle on March 6, 2026, around 5.30 pm to a secluded, low-lying area full of eucalyptus trees, off the road to Maanambathi village. With the intention of causing his death, all the accused beat Akash below his right knee and above his ankle with an iron rod, inflicting severe fractures. This assault led to fat embolism, which directly caused his death,” the chargesheet states.

Fighting back her tears while sharing the chargesheet with the media in Sivaganga, Akash’s mother, Ananthi (45), said: “At least now, the government should direct the CB-CID to immediately arrest all the policemen involved in my son’s death. What happened to my son should not happen to another child. He must get justice.”

Breaking into sobs, Ananthi recalled her son’s last words: ‘Amma, they beat me. It hurts. I told them not to beat me, but they didn’t stop. They broke my leg, Amma.’

The chargesheet states that after the assault, the policemen concealed the iron rod used in the incident and created a false version of how Akash sustained the injuries.

The main accused, inspector Dhilipan (39), recorded in the case diary that Akash had sustained injuries after jumping from a bridge near Manamadurai, according to the chargesheet. Hence, the police booked him under Sections 103, 201 and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), read with Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The other accused — sub-inspector K Guhan (35), grade-I constable S Kaleeshiwaran (37), driver constable P Mahendran (33), constable L Deivendran (38) and constable B Palaniyappan (40) — were booked under Sections 103 and 238 of the BNS, read with Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

‘There are more involved but CB-CID named only 6’

People Watch executive director Henry Tiphagne said Akash had clearly disclosed the alleged police atrocity in his dying declaration before a magistrate. “Had the police arrested the accused policemen immediately, the family would not have had to stage protests and refuse to receive his body,” he said.

“The CB-CID has not shared all the details of the chargesheet. We had complained against 16 people in connection with the murder. But only six have been named in the case. The police should take action against others too,” said M Lenin, coordinator of the Justice for Akash Delison Murder Campaign Group.

The CB-CID has stated in the chargesheet that a requisition letter has been sent to senior police officials seeking sanction for prosecution against the accused policemen.

During Zero Hour in the Assembly on Tuesday, DMK MLA Govi Chezhiaan asked the government when the Mettur dam would be opened for irrigation in the Delta region. "The farmers are expecting the government to announce the opening date of the Mettur," he said.

Following him, AIADMK floor leader Edappadi K Palaniswami also asked about the opening date of the Mettur dam.

Salem district Superintendent of Police Kuthala Lingam conducted a surprise inspection at the Mettur Dam on Monday.

Meanwhile, the water level in Mettur continued to rise gradually, raising hopes among farmers in the Delta region. The inflow, which stood at 13,538 cusecs on Sunday, fell to 12,231 cusecs on Monday and further declined to 10,807 cusecs by Tuesday morning. Officials said the fluctuation was not a cause for concern, as inflows tend to vary and water continues to be released from reservoirs in Karnataka.

Despite the decline in inflow, the steady flow of water into the reservoir pushed up the dam's water level. The level rose from 85.95 feet on Saturday to 86.83 feet on Sunday and 87.67 feet on Monday before reaching 88.43 feet on Tuesday.

“With the current trend in inflow, the water level could soon reach 90 feet, which is the benchmark for considering the release of water for irrigation. If the level crosses 90 feet and the inflow remains steady, a decision is likely to be taken on releasing water for irrigation in the delta region,” a Water Resources Department official said.

The Mettur dam missed its customary water release date on June 12 due to insufficient storage.

The Tamil Nadu Global Capability Centres Corridor and Development Programme, aimed at facilitating the large-scale development of GCCs in the State, is one of the 23 major announcements made by the minister.

The corridor will cover the Pallavaram Thoraipakkam radial road, Mount Poonamallee High Road and Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR).

Under the programme, the government plans to improve common and shared infrastructure along the identified corridor. Efforts will also be made to provide enhanced Floor Space Index (FSI) for eligible campuses to facilitate the expansion of GCCs.

In another key announcement, the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL) will establish a notebook manufacturing unit in Mayanur, Karur district, at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crore.

The unit will have an annual production capacity of 5,000 metric tonnes.

The notebooks produced by TNPL will be supplied to students under the Tamil Nadu government's free notebook distribution scheme under the brand name "Vettri Notebook".

The notebooks will also be made available for commercial sale in the open market.

During her address, Minister Keerthana also said the government was planning to establish a green airport in Ramanathapuram, signalling its intent to expand aviation infrastructure and promote industrial and regional development in southern Tamil Nadu.

After declaring victory in its fight against armed Naxalism on March 31, the bigger challenge now is to restore normal life in areas that remained isolated for decades and provide tribal communities with access to education, healthcare, markets, and employment.

When Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000, the newly formed State had a government-run transport system. However, frequent attacks on buses by Naxalites, coupled with poor passenger patronage in remote areas, made operations increasingly difficult. The government eventually shut down the service in 2006.

The absence of a reliable public transport network had a disproportionate impact on tribal communities living in remote villages. While people in urban and semi-urban areas could rely on private vehicles, villagers in Naxal-affected regions often had limited options. For many, walking several kilometres remained the only way to reach schools, hospitals, markets or government offices.

The problem was particularly severe for children. According to data from the Chhattisgarh Tribal Research and Training Institute, the literacy rate among Scheduled Tribes in the State stands at only 59.1 per cent, highlighting the challenges in providing educational access to tribal communities.

It is against this backdrop that the State government introduced a new transport initiative, spearheaded by senior IAS officer S Prakash, a 2005-batch officer originally from Madurai, who is now the Transport Secretary, which seeks to reconnect villages that remained cut off from regular public transport.

Instead of creating an entirely new government-owned transport corporation, the State has partnered with private bus operators to run services to tribal villages. Now, buses operate twice a day, in the morning and evening, ferrying students to schools, small traders carrying tribal and agricultural products to nearby markets, people travelling to nearby towns for employment, and those requiring regular medical treatment at urban hospitals.

The ticket fare starts at Rs 8, which makes the service affordable for tribal families but forces most bus owners to operate at a loss. To ensure that this does not affect services, the government provides subsidies to operators.

After the initial phase, the service has now expanded, with 108 buses now being operated across 13 districts, including Bastar.

Speaking to DT Next, Prakash said the primary objective of the initiative was to give tribal communities access to education and essential services. "Reconnecting tribal communities with schools, making it easier for them to access higher education by travelling to urban areas, and ensuring better access to essential services are among the key objectives," he said.

"The response from tribal communities has been very encouraging. People are now travelling to urban areas more frequently, which is helping them economically and also providing better access to education and healthcare. Earlier, because of the Naxal threat, buses could not be operated frequently. Now, after the eradication of Naxalism, the transport system is functioning much better," Prakash said.

The impact is particularly significant for students. A bus can mean the difference between attending school regularly and dropping out. For families, it provides access to markets, hospitals, and government services without having to depend on costly private transport.

For a State emerging from more than 40 years of armed conflict, rebuilding that everyday connection could be one of the most important steps towards restoring normal life.

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The two men were mauled in separate incidents in the O Valley area on August 8 and 21. Many protests have since taken place demanding the capture of the tiger.

The AIADMK held the protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Gudalur, urging the government to take concrete steps to prevent further human-wildlife conflicts and provide Rs 50 lakh compensation to the bereaved families.

Meanwhile, the Forest personnel have deployed drones and set up 11 cages at strategic locations for the capture.

Inaugurating the domestic cargo movement, Airport Director G Gopalakrishnan said that the first consignment weighing 1,192 kg was sent on Indigo flight (no 6E 2171) at 6.20 am on Tuesday. By the end of the day, a total of 2.46 MT goods were handled through the terminal, reflecting strong uptake from shippers and airlines.

Gopalakrishnan said the domestic cargo facility was a long-sought after one by the trade and business community from the region. Despite having international cargo operations, the airport lacked a dedicated domestic cargo handling. Based on a request for permit, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) recently conducted a scrutiny at the new terminal and gave the approval, Gopalakrishnan said.

Sounding optimistic about the new facility, which fulfills the demands of the trade community, the airport director said the volume of goods handling would grow steadily in the coming days.

Officials said that the new facility would help the trade community to move textiles and allied materials, and small machines and components to destinations within the country.

The Airport Authority of Indian (AAI) and AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services (AAICLAS) would continue working with all the stakeholders to scale up operations and facilitate trade in the upcoming days, officials added.

The Mahamaham festival at Kumbakonam, which is held once in 12 years, has been scheduled on March 9, 2028. The 10-day event is expected to attract lakhs of devotees from across the country. As Kumbakonam railway station is located close to the Mahamaham tank, devotees are likely to prefer commuting by trains.

Taking note of this, the Railway administration has commenced works to facilitate devotee movement and regulate it along with the district administration.

On Tuesday, DRM Balak Ram Negi and Collector R Revathi visited the Kumbakonam station and inspected the renovation works at the station and the Mahamaham tank.

Collector Revathi said the works to ensure basic amenities are under way and assured that the district administration and Railways would provide required facilities at the Kumbakonam railway station.

DRM Negi said besides the ongoing renovation works, an additional platform would be established at the railway station. Also, the goods shed functioning in the station has been shifted to Thirunageswaram to facilitate the devotees’ movement, Negi added.

"Even after repeated demands from people like us, why was the report of the expert committee kept under wraps?" he asked. Shanmugam alleged that the DMK government had not maintained transparency on the issue. "Is the DMK ready to explain why it was necessary to hide the report?" he asked.

The DMK government had constituted the Machendranathan committee in February 2023 to examine various aspects of the proposed airport, including environmental, hydrogeological and rehabilitation issues. The report was not made public.

Meanwhile, CPM-affiliated Tamil Nadu Vivasaigal Sangam state general secretary Sami Natarajan urged the state government to return the agricultural lands acquired for the Parandur airport project to the respective farmers.

Citing the 2013 land acquisition law, Natarajan said that land acquired for a specific purpose should be returned to the original landowners if it was not used for that purpose.

"Since the Parandur airport project has been dropped, the agricultural lands acquired for it should be handed back to the respective farmers. The TVK government should return the lands to the farmers in accordance with the 2013 land acquisition law," he said.

Separately, CPI-affiliated Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association welcomed Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's announcement in the Assembly on Monday that the proposed greenfield airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district would be scrapped. It urged the state government to withdraw all police cases registered against farmers and residents who had protested against the project.

The association's general secretary BS Masilamani also welcomed the Chief Minister's announcement that a new site would be identified for the state's second airport. He urged the government not to select another location dominated by agricultural land and residential areas, thereby subjecting farmers to similar hardship.

This poses a severe health hazard to thousands of people living in the vicinity.

K Baskar, joint secretary of the Manavalanagar Residents Welfare Association, pointed out that the Tiruvallur railway station was a major suburban terminus on the western line, serving nearly 1.5 lakh passengers daily who commute to Chennai.

“Around 26 express trains and 180 suburban trains stop here. Diverting untreated wastewater through the Road 1 culvert near platform 6 is highly condemnable,” he added. “Previously, this sewage mixed into Putlur Lake near Putlur station.”

Echoing similar concerns, Anthan Krishnan, a resident of Manavalanagar, urged urgent intervention, saying, “To avert a health crisis, the railway administration must immediately liaise with municipal officials to restore a clean and healthy atmosphere around the station.”

Refuting the allegations, Tiruvallur Municipality Chairman P Udhayamalar Pandian stated, “The claims regarding untreated sewage discharge are false. Treated water is not being diverted near the railway tracks. It’s routed to the Putlur Check Dam 3 km away, from where it reaches the Cooum River. Any water near the tracks is merely natural run-off caused by the terrain.”

A senior municipal official stated that the construction of a new STP was underway adjacent to the existing facility.

"Nearly 80% of the work is complete, and the remaining works will be finished within a month. Once it becomes operational, fully treated water will be discharged directly into the Putlur check dam and into the Cooum,” he stated. “Previously, treated water was released into the Cooum River via the Putlur check dam. However, following public opposition, it was redirected to Putlur lake.”

The Forest Department frontline staff on routine patrol noticed the ailing elephant calf at Thekkampatti Odai Pallam on Monday. They immediately alerted senior officials, following which a team led by Mettupalayam Forest Range Officer SM Sasikumar and Forest Veterinary Officer S Vennila reached the spot and began treatment.

“The elephant was administered medicines and glucose in an attempt to revive it. However, it failed to respond to treatment and its condition deteriorated. Despite prolonged efforts, the elephant died later that night,” a Forest Department official said.

As it was already late, the post-mortem examination was conducted only on Tuesday. Preliminary findings indicated that the elephant had apparently swallowed a palmyra fruit without properly chewing it.

“The whole fruit appears to have become lodged between the respiratory tract and the food passage, causing severe breathing difficulty. The findings suggest that the elephant choked on the fruit, resulting in its sudden death,” the official said.

Forest officials said a detailed post-mortem report would help establish the exact cause of the elephant’s death. It comes close on the heels of three wild elephants losing their lives this month in the Masinagudi Forest Division in the Nilgiris.

The deceased was identified as Marimuthu of Chittatoor near Vengal. He worked as a driver.

Police have secured three persons in connection with the murder and have launched a search for other suspects.

According to the police, Marimuthu was an accused in a case for threatening an electricity board employee with a knife. As part of the bail condition, he was supposed to sign everyday at Vengal Police Station.

On Tuesday (August 25), he was riding his two-wheeler towards the police station when a car rammed into his bike. Marimuthu who fell off the bike, was rounded up by a gang wielding weapons. Before Marimuthu could escape, the gang rained blows on him and fled in the car.

As the car was being driven at high speed after the murder, the driver lost control and crashed into the compound wall of a house and stopped. Hearing the commotion, residents rushed to the spot. On seeing knives and weapons inside the car, the public caught three members of the gang and alerted police.

Upon information, police rushed to the scene on information and moved the grievously injured Marimuthu to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. The arrested persons were identified as Kalanidhi (24), Dheena (25) and Naresh (21). Police recovered knives from the car and are searching for two others who escaped.

Probe revealed that Marimuthu was allegedly in a relationship with Dheena’s sister. She had reportedly been living separately from her husband and later died by suicide last year.

Police said that Dheeena held Marimuthu responsible for her failed marriage and death and assembled a gang to kill him. Further investigations are underway.

The decision was taken at the 56th meeting of the CWMA held in Delhi under the chairmanship of SK Haldar. Officials from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala participated in the meeting.

Prashant M Wadnere, Secretary, Water Resources Department, Tamil Nadu, along with Thiru Subramanian, Chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell, attended the meeting.

The meeting was held following the Supreme Court's direction to the Tamil Nadu government on Monday to raise before the CWMA its grievance over the release of its proportionate share of Cauvery water by Karnataka.

"According to the CWRC, 11.6 TMC of water has to be released over 15 days. We requested them to reduce it to 6,000 cusecs.

"Tamil Nadu argued for increasing the release to 28 TMC. After all discussions in the meeting, the CWMA reiterated the recommendation of the CWRC," Karnataka officer Gaurav Gupta said.

At its 141st meeting on Monday, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release water from its reservoirs and ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs at the Biligundulu border point. The flow has to be maintained continuously for 15 days, during which Tamil Nadu is expected to receive approximately 11.66 TMC of water.

The release is expected to benefit Kuruvai cultivation and meet Tamil Nadu's drinking water requirements.

Earlier, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12. The CWMA had subsequently upheld that decision.