QChennai: TTV Plans Tour; Bus Fare Hike Hits Resettled Families

Here’s your roundup of news from Tamil Nadu.

TTV Dhinakaran

(Photo: PTI)

1. TTV Plans to Tour State From 2 Feb

Rebel leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) TTV Dhinakaran is planning to undertake a statewide tour, commencing from Thiruvidaimarudur on Friday, 2 February.

In the first leg of the tour, Dhinakaran will cover Kumbakonam, Papanasam and Thiruvaiyaru Assembly constituencies, between 3 and 5 February, according to a press release issued on Monday by Thanga Tamilselvan, the propaganda secretary of the AIADMK faction headed by Dhinakaran.

(Source: The Hindu)

2. Bus Fare Hike Hits Resettled Families

The bus hike has mainly affected resettled families, as most of them are unorganised workers and rely on buses to commute.(Photo Courtesy: TNSCB)

Life has come to a standstill for a large number of domestic and unorganised workers living in the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board settlements after the government hiked the bus fares recently.

On 19 January, the government hiked ticket fares of buses operated by public transport corporations and private entities by over 50 percent. Following opposition, the State issued a revised structure under which the minimum ticket fare in MTC buses would be Rs 4 against the previous rate of Rs 5.

(Source: The Hindu)

3. 13 Animals Died on IIT-M Campus Late Last Year, RTI Reveals

The court had earlier ordered IIT-M to ensure that the black bucks, which are endangered, are protected. (Photo courtesy: IIT-M)

An RTI plea has revealed that 13 animals died on the sprawling campus of IIT-Madras between November and December last year.

The National Green Tribunal had directed the IIT-M management to ensure that all animals on the campus are protected.

The RTI shows that 13 animals, including three blackbucks and one blackbuck fawn, died on the campus between 1 November and 17 December. The other animals that died were a few spotted deer and monkeys. It is not clear if the animals died in accidents or due to other causes.

(Source: The Hindu)

4. Bus Fare Hike: Oppn Leaders Court Arrest

DMK MK Stalin had demanded for a CBI probe into the alleged payment of bribes to a state minister and top officials to facilitate sale of gutka in the state.(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

DMK working president MK Stalin, along with leaders of allied parties, courted arrest on Monday in Chennai, while staging a protest demanding the immediate rollback of the steep hike in bus fares that the State government announced recently.

Thousands of cadres belonging to the DMK, the Congress, the Left parties, the MDMK, the VCK, the Indian Union Muslim League and the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi were detained at various places across the State when they staged massive demonstrations as part of their agitation against the bus fare hike.

(Source: The Hindu)

5. Engineering Student Ends Life in Chennai

Mother suspects foul play(Photo: iStock)

A college student on Sunday committed suicide by jumping off a hostel building on the campus of a private engineering college in the city. Police said the victim has been identified as S Sabarinathan, 21, who was a third year student at MNM Jain Engineering College. Hailing from Needamangalam in Tiruvarur district, Sabarinathan was staying in the hostel.

Police sent the body to the Government Royapettah Hospital for post-mortem.

(Source: The Hindu)

6. Very Few Ordinary Buses: Commuters

MTC, however, claims more than 50 percentof its fleet are for ordinary service  (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

The rollback of bus fare hike announced by the State government on Sunday brought hopes to commuters on a reduction in ticket fares. However, their hopes were dashed when the State Transport Department ‘clarified’ on Monday that the reduction would be a uniform rate of Re 1 across all categories of the services, including Express and Deluxe.

After the hike in the bus fares was announced on 19 January, commuters have been complaining that the MTC is operating more ‘Deluxe’ buses in the main bus routes within the city.

(Source: The Hindu)

7. IGNOU’s Silence Worries Students

Candidates fear rejection of admission; university says they need not panic  (Photo: onlineadmission.ignou.ac.in)

Lack of information from the Indira Gandhi National Open University regarding admission status has left students anxious.

Dr Sai Prasad Koosam of Warangal, who had applied for an online BSc course in the University, said, “I filled the required form and paid the fees also. But the status on the University website shows that my registration is incomplete.”

Anxious that his admission might be rejected, he made several calls to the phone numbers mentioned on the IGNOU website besides sending e-mails but in vain.

(Source: The Hindu)