QChennai: Stalin Files Case Against Vikatan; Nipah Scare Spreads

Here is your roundup of the top stories from Chennai.

DMK leader MK Stalin. (File Photo: IANS)

1. Stalin Files Defamation Suit Against Vikatan for Alleging Link to 'Lottery King' Martin

The story states that the businessman is the DMK’s main source of money and that Martin had given the party Rs 500 crore for expenses during the recent elections. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

DMK President MK Stalin has filed a defamation suit against Tamil magazine Vikatan over an article published on 8 May, alleging that he had financial dealings with 'Lottery King' Martin Santiago, who is currently under the Income Tax department's scanner. In a plaint to the Madras High Court, Stalin termed the allegations as 'fictitious' and demanded Rs 1,10,00,000 (Rs 1.1 crore) as compensation for damaging his reputation.

The Vikatan article, which appeared in the print and online version, is titled - '500 crores election fund? Martin is caught …DMK in trouble'. It alleges that Martin was very close to the 'Karunanidhi family' including Stalin, with whom he is reportedly still in touch.

(Source: The News Minute)

2. Nipah Threat: After Coimbatore Govt Hospital, Madurai GH Sets up Isolation Wards

The isolation ward in Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai has 33 beds with Intensive Care Unit facilities put in place to monitor and address anybody who presents themselves with the symptoms related to the Nipah virus.(Photo: iStock)

After a 23-year-old man tested positive for the Nipah virus in Kerala a few days ago, Tamil Nadu is actively putting precautionary measures in place to address the threat of the viral infection. Isolation wards are being set up in major district hospitals across the state. While the Coimbatore Government Hospital has already set up a special Nipah ward, the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai becomes the latest to join the list of government health facilities with a dedicated Nipah ward.

Kanyakumari, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Theni districts were placed on high alert by the state government after the 23-year-old man was confirmed to have contracted the virus in Kerala.

(Source: The News Minute)

3. Animal Welfare Board of India Violates Lease Rules in Chennai, Reveals RTI

An RTI query has now found that the AWBI’s old Chennai office is being used for other purposes, in violation of its original lease. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ Animal Welfare Board of India)

It’s been over a year since the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) shifted out of its Chennai office, amidst much outcry from animal lovers and activists bemoaning the departure of the 56-year-old central government institution from the city. The administration said that the move was in keeping with the rules, which reportedly mandates that the AWBI function out of Delhi.

The land lease was granted by then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi solely for the purpose of operating the AWBI office. An RTI query by animal rights activist Antony Rubin reveals that the first floor of the Chennai office has been 'handed over' to the official of the National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai.

(Source: The News Minute)

4. 18-Yr-Old Jumps to Death at CMBT Metro Station

A plus-two student in a private school at Chetpet, he used to travel by public transport.(Photo: YouTube Screenshot)

An 18-year-old boy committed suicide by allegedly jumping off a 60-foot sidewall at a CMBT Metro Rail station on Friday afternoon.“Shrivanth K Arun got off the train at 3:30 pm and waited for about five minutes at platform no 1 and after the train moved and passengers left, he allegedly climbed atop the sidewall and jumped,” said an investigation officer.

“He was in his school uniform and jumped with his bag into a vacant land,” the officer added. Preliminary investigations revealed that he was depressed.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

5. Metro Asked to Justify Phase II Cost, Cut Spending

For a huge chunk of the cost, the Chennai Metro has already got a loan sanction from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for ₹20,196 crore, for 52 km from Madhavaram to CMBT and Madhavaram to Shollinganallur.(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

The Centre has asked Chennai Metro, which has given an estimate of ₹69,180 crore for the phase II project, to explain the reason behind this huge spend, according to sources.

The Ministry of Urban Development asked them to itemise every aspect — from land acquisition to construction — recently to find out how much spending was required for each segment and to see if it could be cut down, sources said. A highly placed source said these were routine exchanges which happened when a project of this scale was taken up. “They are bound to ask such questions. There is nothing wrong,” he added. Of the total cost, the cost for construction (without escalation) alone will take about ₹43,000 crore and the cost for acquiring land and taxes will take nearly ₹13,700 crore.

(Source: The Hindu)