QChennai: TN Rejects Offer to Hold Talks on Mekedatu & More

Here is your roundup of the top stories from Chennai.

The Mekedatu project proposed by Karnataka in 2013 has created a fresh spat with Tamil Nadu five years later now.

(File Photo: IANS) 

1. Mekedatu: TN Turns Down Karnataka’s Offer for Talks

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday, 10 December, turned down the Karnataka government’s offer for talks on the contentious proposal for a dam project across the Cauvery at Mekedatu, citing the proceedings in the Supreme Court over the issue and contending that it was sub-judice.

Referring to a letter of Karnataka Minister for Water Resources DK Shivakumar, seeking an appointment with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to discuss the issue, Tamil Nadu Law Minister C.Ve Shanmugam said in his reply it was “an attempt to impede the proceedings” pending in a litigation moved by Tamil Nadu in the Supreme Court.

The offer of talks was also an attempt to impede contempt proceedings initiated against Shivakumar and others in the Supreme Court on 5 December this year and the matter was sub judice, Shanmugam pointed out and requested him not to go ahead with the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu project.

(Source: The Hindu)

2. Fishermen Told not to Venture Into sea for Next 3 Days due to Oncoming Depression

The incident comes close on the heels of the PMSA apprehending 11 fishermen with two boats last week. (Photo: Reuters)

A low pressure has formed in the central parts of South Bay of Bengal, said Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), adding that squally weather is likely in southern Tamil Nadu. Fishermen have been instructed not to venture into the sea for the next three days. While light to moderate rains are likely to occur in isolated parts of southern Tamil Nadu, dry weather may prevail over Chennai and other parts of northern Tamil Nadu.

“Squally weather with wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph, is likely to prevail over Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining central parts of South Bay of Bengal,” said a statement from the IMD on Monday, 10 December.

Meanwhile, the five-day forecast shows that Chennai would start receiving rainfall from Thursday, 13 December, coupled with thunderstorm activity. Currently, the city is reeling under 52 percent deficit rainfall.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

3. OPS Says He Agreed to be CM for Only 3 Months

File photo of O Panneerselvam.(Phot Courtesy: TNM)

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has claimed that he told the family of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s aide VK Sasikala in December 2016 that he would hold the post of Chief Minister only for three months.

Panneerselvam told The Hindu in a recent interview that despite conveying his initial disinclination to take up the post after Jayalalithaa’s death, did so after he was persuaded by an emissary of V Divaharan, the younger brother of Sasikala, to change his decision in the “interests of the party and the government.”

It was at that time that he conveyed to the emissary that he would be there only for three months, by when his successor should be chosen. “I had told him that I would provide my full cooperation,” Panneerselvam said.

(Source: The Hindu)

4. Man Kills Infant son, Himself Over Fear of Meeting Expenses

A 24-year-old man allegedly poisoned his son and killed himself at their house in Kanathur on Sunday, 9 December, night, allegedly due to financial constraints.Police said, Suresh was married to Jaya two years ago and the couple had a one-and-a-half-year-old son, Kishore.

Suresh worked as a security guard in a private hospital. “Recently, he was worried about the expenses at his house which he could not afford with his salary,” said a police source. On Sunday night, after Jaya slept, Suresh woke his son and fed him water laced with poison and allegedly killed himself. On information, Kanathur police came to the spot and recovered the bodies. They found a suicide note by Suresh, in which he mentioned having taken the extreme step fearing expenses. A case has been filed.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

5. YouTube Bets Big on the Tamil Market

YouTube is betting big on the Tamil market and intends to grow its business here in 2019. The online video firm will be focusing more on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities next year. Satya Raghavan, director, content partnerships, YouTube in India, told The Hindu , cities like Coimbatore will be the next priority to scale up business.

Citing an example, he said, “If you look at this YouTube page, Village Food Factory, the creators are from a small town in Tamil Nadu. But their content is quite popular across the globe. Any content in Tamil has an appeal internationally,” he added. Without divulging into the revenue details, he said that the Tamil market is performing phenomenally well for YouTube and the market share has been increasing year on year.

(Source: The Hindu)