QChennai: Many Stranded as Transport Unions Continue Strike & More

Here is your roundup of the top stories from Chennai.

The strike began in the evening and as people were unaware of it, several were stranded in bus depots.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @premperspective)

1. Talks Fail Again, Transport Unions to Continue Strike

The unions have announced that the strike will continue till their demands are met.(Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia/ Kforkanish )

Even as the government was holding negotiations with most of the trade unions, a major section of the transport corporation workers went on a flash strike on Thursday evening, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across the State.

“The government did not agree to our demand for 2.57 percent wage hike once in three years. Instead, the officials were for 2.40 percent. After deliberations, they revised it to 2.44 percent, which is not acceptable to the trade unions,” said Labour Progressive Front (LPF) leader M Shanmugham.

(Source: The Hindu)

2. Kamal, TTV in War of Words

Kamal Haasan said that the bypoll result was a blot on democracy.(Photo Courtesy: Hotstar)

Actor Kamal Haasan, who made public his intention to enter active politics a few months ago, has described the outcome of the Radhakrishnan Nagar by-election a “huge blot” on the country’s democracy.

“I would not even term as bribery the purchased victory which happened brazenly… It is a daylight crime,” he wrote in his weekly column in the latest issue of the Tamil journal Ananda Vikatan. Expressing shock and amusement over efforts to portray the winner of the by-election as a ‘messiah,’ the actor said that by choosing the Independent who had “fixed the maximum price” for each person, residents of RK Nagar had harmed themselves.

(Source: The Hindu)

3. O Panneerselvam Named Leader of Assembly

The forthcoming Assembly session is the first since the coming together of both factions of AIADMK and after the bypoll for RK Nagar in which TTV Dhinakaran secured a massive win. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @OfficeofOPS)

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam was on Thursday named the Leader of the State Legislative Assembly, the post he had held when Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister, and for a brief period after her death.

The decision to make Panneerselvam as the Leader of the House comes ahead of the Assembly session scheduled to commence on 8 January, and after about four months since both factions of AIADMK buried their differences to come together. Senior AIADMK leader and School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan was made the Leader of the House in February 2017, soon after Panneerselvam rebelled against Sasikala.

(Source: The Hindu)

4. HC Grants Conditional Advance Bail to Vetrivel

Late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on her hospital bed in Chennai in 2016.(Photo: ANI Screengrab)

A fortnight after releasing a video clip of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in a hospital, disqualified AIADMK legislator P Vetrivel has managed to secure anticipatory bail in the cases filed against him for the video release. As per the conditions imposed, the TTV Dhinakaran loyalist has to appear in the Anna Square police station every day at 10.30 am for two weeks.

On 20 December, a day before the RK Nagar by-election polling, Vetrivel released the video. On the same day, a criminal case was registered against him for poll violation, based on a complaint made by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

(Source: Times Of India)

5. I-T Dept Lifts Prohibitory Order

The I-T Department conducted raids at over 188 locations in connection with sidelined AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

The Income Tax department on Thursday visited a building opposite Veda Nilayam, the residence of former Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa at Poes Garden, for revocation of prohibitory orders. The tax officials went to five other premises across the State in places including Coimbatore and Tiruchi for lifting prohibitory orders.

A senior official from the Income Tax – Investigations Wing, said, “This was not a raid. We are lifting prohibitory orders.” He refused to divulge further details. Last week, the I-T department lifted prohibitory orders at more than 13 places.

(Source: The Hindu)

6. 3-Fold Jump in Salary of TNPSC Members

Good news for members of TNPSC as their salaries have climbed 3-fold.(Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

In view of the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission, the salary of the members of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission has been increased about three times.

Their monthly salary has jumped from ₹67,000 to ₹1,82,000, according to a Government Order issued recently. The decision of the State government to revise the pay of members and other employees of the TNPSC was taken after the revision of pay of All India Service officers by the Centre following the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission and the subsequent revision granted to State government employees.

(Source: The Hindu)

7. Work on 10th Check Dam Across Kosasthalaiyar After Pongal

Many residents depend on the river for growing crops such as paddy, groundnut, chillies and brinjal. (Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia/ Puzhal2015)

For residents of Attrambakkam and neighbouring villages, water from Kosasthalaiyar is a lifeline. But they often have to suffer shortage of resources whenever the flow decreases. The long-pending work to construct a check dam across the river will begin after Pongal.

According to officials of the Water Resources Department, this would be 10th such facility to be constructed across the river to store water that otherwise drains into the sea. Attrambakkam village is located three km downstream of Poondi reservoir. The news has come as a relief for residents who are worried over fluctuating groundwater level.

(Source: The Hindu)