Latest news with #Thoothukudi
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Govt acted swiftly unlike under EPS's rule'
Trichy/Pudukottai: Municipal administration minister K N Nehru and mineral resources minister S Regupathy on Tuesday sought to defend the govt for what they called 'swift' action since the alleged custody death incident came to light in Sivaganga district. Nehru told reporters in Trichy that while AIADMK was slow to respond to the Thoothukudi firing during its tenure, the DMK govt acted swiftly and appropriately in this custodial death case. "When EPS was chief minister, he said he came to know about the Thoothukudi firing incident only through TV," Nehru said, when asked about EPS and opposition's demand for a CBI probe into the matter. In Pudukottai, minister S Regupathy said the opposition demanded a CBI probe into the Anna University case. "But we conducted a proper investigation and punished the culprits. AIADMK should not comment. People have not forgotten the Sathankulam incident," Regupathy said. He said statistics would be presented in the party's manifesto to highlight the difference in the number of custodial deaths during the DMK and AIADMK tenures. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Two fishing boats adrift in Sri Lankan waters rescued along with 20 crew members on board
A well-coordinated and timely effort by District Collector K. Elambahavath, officials of Department of Fisheries, Indian Coast Guard, and the Thoothukudi fishermen has ensured the safe return of two mechnaised boats with 20 crew that drifted into the Sri Lankan waters after sudden technical snag. The mechanised boat 'Samson' left Tharuvaikulam Fish Landing Centre, its base, on June 15 for the first multi-day deep-sea stay fishing in Indian Ocean after the 61-day-long annual fishing ban with 11 crew with a lot of hopes of good harvest. However, the 140 hp six-cylinder engine developed a snag dashing the hopes of the crew even as they were fishing at the depth of more than 3,000 feet northeast off Kanniyakumari coast on June 27. After the crew's efforts to rectify the glitch failed, they sought the help of the mechanised boats fishing nearby through their communication devices to tow the boat back to Tharuvaikulam. However, rough sea conditions thwarted their repeated attempts to tow the 93-tonne steel structure. To make things worse, the boat's wireless set too went dead. On getting information, the stranded 10-year-old boat's owner Athishta Kumar of Tharuvaikulam and his brother-in-law A. Aniton sought the help of Thoothukudi mechanised boat fishermen as the engine hauling power of Thoothukudi trawlers was much higher. As the owner of boat 'Anto' agreed for the rescue operation, his boat left Thoothukudi Fishing Harbour with nine crew members on June 28 early morning towards the GPS location marked by the stranded boat. Unfortunately, 'Anto', which was carrying the authorisation letter given by the Fisheries department about the proposed rescue operation, developed a snag in hostile weather conditions and both 'Anto' and 'Samson' started drifting towards Sri Lankan waters. 'When we narrated our plight to Assistant Director of Fisheries Bushra Shabhnam over the phone on Saturday night, she straightaway started the work even though she was in Thiruvananthapuram to receive the Thoothukudi fishermen returning from war-torn Iran. She shared this information with the District Collector over the phone around 9.45 p.m. even as she was returning to Thoothukudi for action through the Indian Coast Guard,' recalls Mr. Aniton. On getting information, Mr. Elambahavath alerted the Indian Coast Guard to rescue the boats drifting towards Sri Lankan waters. And, the ICG commandant kept an ICG boat ready at Thoothukudi Fishing Harbour before dawn for the rescue operation. The Collector wisely alerted the Sri Lankan officials through proper channels about the Thoothukudi boats drifting towards their shores that effectively averted arrest-like incidents by Sri Lankan navy. Meanwhile, Tharuvaikulam fishermen arranged two mechanised boats from Thoothukudi for the rescue operation and Ms. Bushra, who reached Thoothukudi Fishing Harbour late on Monday early morning, made arrangements for giving groceries and 2,000 litres of diesel to each boat even though the fuel station in the fishing harbour was closed on Sunday. Since both the boats did not have satellite phones, Ms. Bushra started searching for this communication device. 'When I was told that a Tharuvaikulam boat with a satellite phone was returning to the shore after fishing around 6 a.m. on Monday, we brought it to be handed over to one of the rescue boats even though they were accompanied by the ICG boat,' Ms. Bushra said. While the ICG boat can sail at the speed of 25 knots, the rescue boats' maximum speed is only 10 knots and hence the ICG boat slowly accompanied the two boats until it reached the International Maritime Boundary Line. After communicating with their Sri Lankan counterparts, the ICG officers allowed the rescue boats to enter the Sri Lankan waters to tow the stranded boats to reach Thoothukudi Fishing Harbour on Monday forenoon. 'We are immensely indebted to the Collector, the Indian Coast Guard, Ms. Bushra and the Thoothukdi fishermen for having safely rescued our livelihood (the boats) with the crew through well-coordinated efforts. All of them had sleepless nights on Saturday and Sunday for our wellbeing,' said Mr. Aniton.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Restore pulp content to 20% in fruit drinks: TN MP Kanimozhi
THOOTHUKUDI: Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has urged Union Minister for Food Processing Industries to direct beverage manufacturers to restore mango pulp content usage to 20 % which was the norm till 2022 when changes were effected in the GST slab for the products. In a communication on Monday to Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan, Kanimozhi said mango farmers are facing loss due to declining demand from the beverages manufacturing companies, as they had drastically reduced mango pulp content in their products from 20 % in 2022 to 11% in 2024, following a change in GST slab as per which fruit juices with more than 10% real fruit content attract 28% GST, the same as a carbonated drink whereas those with 10% fruit content attract 18 % GST. In order to avoid higher tax, manufacturing companies had reduced pulp content in their products, and this has resulted in severe loss to mango farmers, she said. As the food safety and standards (food products standards and food additives) Regulations, 2016 mandates minimum 10% fruit content to label the product as fruit juice, the companies are marking these products as 'fruit-based beverages' or 'fruit drink' which falls under a looser regulatory category that requires only 5 to 10 percent fruit pulp. Thus they change the terminologies of the product name to avoid complying with strict norms, the MP added.
The Hindu
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
World Refugee Day: Stalin for supporting those affected by wars
On the occasion of the World Refugee Day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday called for supporting those who have been severely affected by wars. In a social media post, Mr. Stalin said there were persons that were Stateless only because of wars. He recalled it was under his government that the 'refugee camps' housing the Sri Lankan Tamils were renamed as 'rehabilitation camps'. The UNHCR along with various NGOs organised an event to commemorate the World Refugee Day in Chennai on Friday. Minister of Minorities and Non Resident Tamils Welfare S.M. Nasar underlined the steps being undertaken by the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils in camps in the State. Chief Guest and Thoothukudi Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said her party would continue with its steps to get all the willing Sri Lankan Tamils the Indian citizenship. UNHCR India's Deputy Chief of Mission Margriet Veenma, said: 'In a time of growing needs and limited resources, it is more urgent than ever for governments, corporates and civil societies to unite, develop innovative solutions for refugees, and be catalysts for change in solidarity with them.' Commissioner of Rehabilitation and Non-Resident Tamil Welfare M. Vallalar said 3,000 of the 10,000 housing units planned for the benefit of Sri Lankan Tamil nationals have been completed. Member of the State government's constituted committee Govi. Lenin said a total of eight individuals from the camps have obtained Indian citizenship through the courts. Senior journalist R.K. Radhakrishnan moderated a panel discussion on solidarity and resilience. CEO of Startup TN Sivarajah Ramanathan, author A.C. Vijidharan, film and theatre actor Shanmugarajan, lyricist Parvathy Meera, assistant director Johnson and artist Neha took part in the discussion.
New Indian Express
18-06-2025
- New Indian Express
AIADMK councillor cheats sister of Rs 17cr, held while trying to flee country
CHENNAI: Thoothukudi corporation opposition leader S Raja (35) was arrested at Chennai airport on June 10 while attempting to flee to Malaysia on charges of cheating his sister of `17 crore. Acting on a Look Out Circular, a special team intercepted the AIADMK councillor and produced him before the CCB & CBCID Court, which remanded him in judicial custody. According to the police, the AIADMK leader was arrested following a complaint by A Ponnarasi, who is the daughter of former AIADMK minister SP Shanmuganathan and a resident of Iyyappanthangal in Chennai. She alleged that her younger brother Raja, along with his wife Anusha, convinced her to invest in their firm, Ommeena Pharma Distributors, by promising her a 16% stake in the company. She paid him Rs 11 crore after taking a loan by mortgaging her 2-acre property in Nandambakkam, Sriperumbudur. Without her knowledge, Raja diverted a part of the funds to his other firm, Ashun Exim, for personal use, the police said. Furthermore, Raja took 300 sovereigns of gold from Ponnarasi, promising shares in his proposed stone quarry, Golden Blue Metals, and used the proceeds to buy 40 acres of land in Thoothukudi in his name, the police said. They also forged her signature, fabricated her resignation, removed her as director, and transferred the shares to Raja. When Ponnarasi found out that she was cheated, she lodged a police complaint, based on which Raja was arrested.
