Latest news with #MKarunanidhi
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Miscreants deface Karunanidhi's statue in Salem
Salem: A 16ft tall bronze statue of former chief minister and DMK patriarch the late M Karunanidhi at Anna Park here was defaced by unidentified miscreants, who splashed black paint on it, on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. According to an official source, it was the visitors to the park who first found the statue defaced with black paint on Tuesday morning and alerted police. A team of police, headed by assistant commissioner K M Aswini, visited the spot immediately and initiated an inquiry into the incident. Aswini said they were reviewing CCTV footage collected from the locality to zero in on the suspects. The CPM, meanwhile, condemned the act and urged police to nab the miscreants who defaced the statue of Karunanidhi and punish them. The party also sought police to probe the possible intention to disrupt law and order with the act. Mutharasan, state CPI secretary, said the statue of esteemed Tamil scholar Kalaignar, who was greatly revered by the people of Tamil Nadu, was unveiled at Anna Park just a year ago. "We condemn the act (of defiling the statue)." He said the Sangh Parivar, known for saffronising politics in recent years, was implicated in similar acts in the state in the past. "After saffronising the statue of Valluvar, who authored the world-renowned Thirukkural, and vandalizing the statues of prominent leaders like Periyar, Ambedkar and MGR, they now seem to be targeting the statue of Kalaignar. This has caused significant unrest in Tamil Nadu and is seen as a political maneuver. This is nothing but a lowly political conspiracy." He called on the state govt to apprehend everyone responsible for the act and ensure stringent action against them.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Time of India
Ooty Toy Train Hits 20 Years As UNESCO Heritage Site
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway in 1915 The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR), which hit the spotlight when it was featured in the 'Chaiya Chaiya' song from 'Dil Se' (1998), celebrated 20 years of its heritage status on July 15. Considered a marvel of engineering and technology, the NMR, the steepest mountain railway in the country, which was constructed in 1908, was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2005. Also called the 'Ooty Toy Train', it is known for offering a 'fairytale' experience of the Nilgiri Hills. It is the only rack-and-pinion line running the 46km distance from Mettupalayam to Ooty. It remains the most popular among tourists, including foreigners. But charm apart, the NMR journey almost ended in the late 1960s, but it was saved at the last moment by public outrage and media coverage. In 1968, faced with mounting financial losses, the Railway Board announced the closure of all 'uneconomic' rail lines. The NMR fell into this category and was set to be shut down. There was widespread public uproar against the closure. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai As per records with the Nilgiri Documentation Centre (NDC), a national English daily warned, 'The proposal to dismantle the 70-year-old mountain railway, which occupies a vital position in the slender economy of the Nilgiris district, will upset the economy and may well result in the migration of a large number of people to others parts of the country in quest of livelihood'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Discover Effortless Glucose Monitoring: Request a Free Trial Dexcom Try Now Undo Rani, a Tamil weekly, said, 'Ooty without the railway will be like a flower which has lost its fragrance.' Readers also voiced their opposition. A traveller wondered whether the govt would also consider scrapping the Shimla line, which had been known to be a more significant loss-making route. Dharmalingam Venugopal, founder director of NDC, says chief minister M Karunanidhi , who was then the minister for public works, assured the state assembly that the govt would advocate for keeping the line open. 'Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had assured a local MP that she had instructed the railway minister to consider 'all relevant aspects' before deciding to scrap the line,' says Venugopal. The railway minister announced in the Lok Sabha in March 1969 that 'there would be no dismantling of uneconomic lines in any part of the country'. NMR, a love story NMR has featured as a prominent Tamil film shooting location. One of the earliest Tamil films to showcase NMR was Kamal Haasan and Sridevi's 'Moondram Pirai' (1982). The heartbreaking climax was shot at Lovedale Station. Movie enthusiasts then considered Lovedale station and NMR as characters in the romance drama
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Is Tamil Nadu's Kanavu Illam Scheme Discriminating Against Literary Awardees?
Govt's Kanavu Illam scheme was meant to honour writers with housing, but ended up excluding many of them R S Raveendhren When a well-intentioned policy lacks adequate administrative or legal support, it is only natural that it becomes a non-starter, one that undermines the very ideals it was meant to uphold. This predicament plagues a flagship scheme announced by the Tamil Nadu govt in 2021. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The scheme Kanavu Illam (dream house) was launched inter alia to mark the 97th birthday of former chief minister late M Karunanidhi . It provided for the allotment of houses to Tamil writers who are recipients of civilian awards, such as the Jnanpith, Sahitya Akademi, or any national or state-level award. The 2022 order issued by the department of Tamil development and information stated that the Kanavu Illam allotment was 'not for the recipient of the award but for the award itself', implying that the house was an honour, not a piece of real estate. The policy clearly intended to recognise significant contributions to Tamil literature, regardless of whether an awardee already owned a house. It also outlined the selection process, norms, and implementation guidelines. Another circular that year stated that even those with existing homes could apply if they met the eligibility criteria. The scheme envisaged selecting up to 10 awardees each financial year starting from 2021. In response, many Tamil scholars applied, and several eligible recipients were shortlisted. But in an order dated Jan 1, 2024, the govt took a U-turn, declaring with retrospective effect that awardees would be ineligible for a Kanavu Illam if they or their spouses had purchased flats or plots from the Tamil Nadu housing board (TNHB), or had received any allotment of land or housing from govt bodies or the collector, whether at a concession or market rate. As a result, allotments for several eligible awardees were put on hold or rejected. These amended, retrospective conditions not only defeated the original intent of honouring literary contributions but also demeaned the awardees' achievements by applying arbitrary and irrational criteria. The order discriminates only against Tamil writers who acquired flats through TNHB or Tamil Nadu urban habitat development board, while those who bought homes privately remain eligible, a clear violation of Article 14 of the Constitution. The amended order fails the test of the doctrine of Intelligible Differentia by confusing private acts of applicants who have the means to purchase property with those deserving to be awarded under this beneficial scheme. What the amendment does effectively is discriminate against a class of people under the guise of honouring them. A policy is not a law. A policy can only succeed if and when it achieves its avowed object through legitimate means. If the govt can iron out the bottlenecks of unreasonable criteria, this scheme would admirably acquit itself with the glory it rightfully deserves. (The author is an advocate in Madras high court )
Time of India
08-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Indian Rosewood Conservation Act Expires: A Threat to Biodiversity in the Nilgiris
Indian rosewood is a genetic resources for plant breeding, and their disappearance would negatively impact the ecological integrity of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve With the Tamil Nadu Rosewood Trees (Conservation) Act quietly lapsing in Feb 2025 after three decades, and no new safeguards introduced, the majestic Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) has been left vulnerable, say environmentalists. Introduced by chief minister J Jayalalithaa in 1995 for 15 years to safeguard endangered and culturally significant heritage trees, the legislation was extended for 15 years in 2010 when M Karunanidhi was in office. The Indian rosewood grows primarily in the lush landscapes of the Nilgiris region in Tamil Nadu, in Anamalai, Mudumalai and Gudalur. An Indian rosewood, estimated to be about 200 years old and standing in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, was honoured as a Heritage Tree of Tamil Nadu by the State Biodiversity Board in 2017. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai 'To us, it's not just a tree. It's sacred,' says B Bellie, a member of the Badaga, the largest indigenous community in the Nilgiris. 'For generations, the rosewood, referred to as 'kaalli mora' or 'kale mora', has held a revered place in our lives and rituals.' In a time when the preservation of native trees is a priority for govt agencies, the forest department's move to annul the Act has sparked outcry from environmentalists. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Pieces of Clothing you should Ditch over 40 Learn More Undo 'This decision not to renew the Act contradicts conservation principles,' says Dharmalingam Venugopal, founder and director of the Nilgiri Documentation Centre (NDC). 'The authorities should be aware of the circumstances surrounding the enactment of the Rosewood Trees (Conservation) Act, a first-of-its-kind legislation in India.' In 1994, Venugopal says, several large estates in the Gudalur belt applied to cut down 2,000 old of the trees 'under the pretext of shade regulation for tea bushes'. 'Some court orders favoured these estates by allowing the felling of Indian rosewood. A front-page article in a national newspaper about this issue prompted Jayalalithaa to enact legislation to protect the Indian rosewood in the state, particularly in the Gudalur belt of the Nilgiri region. It sets an example for other states within the Nilgiri biosphere reserve.' Srinivas R Reddy, principal chief conservator of forests and head of the forest department, says the Act is 'no longer needed'. 'It has discouraged people from planting rosewood in other areas. By removing it, we're hoping more farmers will grow them, especially in irrigated areas, as rosewood doesn't survive in dry conditions.' The objectives of this Act, he adds, are not fully realised because other regulations such as the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forest Act of 1949 and the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas (Preservation of Trees) Act of 1955, adequately protect these trees. 'A separate rosewood tree act is simply not needed.' B J Krishnan, former member of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, says artificial regeneration of the Indian rosewood is 'near impossible'. 'Artificial cultivation of the species is difficult due to its low seed germination rate in natural conditions and slower growth compared to other native trees in the Nilgiris,' he says. 'As a result, the Indian rosewood population continues to decline even within forested areas. ' Krishnan adds that the trees take more than two decades to reach maturity and achieve a significant diameter of about 200cm. 'So how can a farmer realistically grow and sell this tree?' he says. 'Withdrawing protective legislation would endanger the ancient Indian rosewood in the Janmam lands of Gudalur, many of which are leased to private companies. Known as the 'ivory of the forests', each tree, if felled, could fetch millions in the timber trade. ' A fully mature 30ft tree will fetch at least `60 lakh in the timber market, says K Shankar, a timber merchant. Most of these trees are several decades old, and Krishnan believes the now-lapsed law played a role in protecting them from being logged. 'Maybe some natural regeneration has occurred in the region because of that protection. However, earlier waves of felling have caused a loss of genetic diversity that threatens the long-term resilience of rosewood populations in the Gudalur belt.' Reddy says that naturally grown rosewood will remain protected, but the planting of new trees will only be allowed with proof and approval from the district-level committee. Krishnan says that existing laws such as the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forest Act, 1949, and the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas (Preservation of Trees) Act, 1955, also fail to address the conservation needs of this critical floral species, he notes. 'Indian rosewood trees is a genetic resources for plant breeding, and their disappearance would negatively impact the quality of the gene pool and the ecological integrity of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. ' He adds that just as there are specific legal frameworks to protect species such as tigers and elephants, Indian rosewood requires an act. 'The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2006 was enacted to facilitate the targeted conservation of tigers by establishing tiger reserves and core/critical tiger habitats, though tigers were protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. The same targeted approach was applied when the rosewood tree act was implemented. ' Venugopal says that the withdrawal of this Act would effectively enable the illegal logging of the trees, which are on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 'Estates falling under Section 17 of the Gudalur Janmam Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) of 1969 contain a substantial number of Indian rosewood in the possession of large private companies. Perhaps the Act is being withdrawn to benefit the lessees of the janmam land,' says an environmentalist. Email your feedback with name and address to
New Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Seven years on, Meenambal Sivaraj Nagar residents protest delay in housing allotment in Chennai
CHENNAI: Seven years after their original homes were demolished here, nearly 70 residents of Meenambal Sivaraj Nagar near Basin Bridge staged a road roko on Wednesday, urging the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) to immediately hand over the newly constructed tenements. The protest comes after an alleged delay in the inauguration of the houses despite the construction being completed and tokens issued to eligible families last year. Residents claim that the only thing preventing them from moving in is the pending formal inauguration by Chief Minister M K Stalin. In the meantime, they say they are burdened with rising rents. According to the protesters, their families have lived in the area for six generations, originally in huts. In 1974, under then chief minister M Karunanidhi, 176 families were allotted houses under TNUHDB. Over time, the population in the area grew to accommodate over 230 families. In 2019, during the previous AIADMK government, the dilapidated buildings were demolished, and families were given temporary allotment orders for the new tenement along with a one-time ex gratia payment of Rs 8,000. They were assured that new homes would be ready within two years. The project to construct 308 homes (Stilt+11-storeys) was awarded to a private contractor in 2020 at an estimated cost of Rs 40.14 crore, with a deadline of 18 months. However, construction was only completed in 2024. Despite the distribution of tokens last year, residents have not been permitted to move in.
