TN This Week: Stone Quarry Accident Trapped 6 Workers 300 Ft Deep, 3 Died

After receiving a nod from the Union government to help crisis-hit Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, on May 18, flagged off the first consignment of relief materials. The ship carried Rs 45 crore worth of rice, milk powder, essential medicines and other goods from the Chennai Port.

Another case of custodial torture has emerged in Tamil Nadu. This time police tortured a woman in the Thootukudi district over suspicion that she had stolen her neighbour's jewellery. Three female police officials and a Sub-Inspector are suspended over the incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the elevated highway between Chennai Port and Maduravoyal on May 26. This is the second time a PM will be laying a foundation stone for the project. It was laid by former Manmohan Singh in 2009 during the previous DMK regime and was halted for ten years under the AIADMK rule.

Another former minister, R Vaithilingam, has been accused by Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption organisation, of receiving a bribe of Rs 27.9 crores from a private builder.

In a meeting this week, public works and highways minister EV Velu revealed that as many as 14,912 people died in road accidents in Tamil Nadu in 2021.

A study released in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care showed that two out of five married women experience some form of domestic violence — physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional.

NewsClick brings you a round-up of the happenings this week.

FLOUTING NORM KILLED 3 IN QUARRY

Six workers were trapped 300-feet underneath a quarry since May 14 night in Venkateshwara Stone Crusher Unit in Tirunelveli district. Two of them were rescued, three died, while one worker is still missing.

Officials revealed the 2.36-hectare quarry had been barred from continuing operations in April 2022 for mining beyond the permitted limit, but the owners had continued work in violation of the law.

The quarry owner Selvaraj and his son Kumar who were absconding, are now arrested from Mangalore.

RAJIV GANDHI CASE CONVICT RELEASED

AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, who has been behind bars for 31 years, was released on May 18 after a Supreme Court order on May 18.

Congress expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court's verdict. DMK welcomed the order, and Stalin said, "The verdict is a victory for state rights and federalism in India."

The left parties welcomed the order saying the apex court has made it clear that the Governor cannot keep decisions adopted by the state legislature at abeyance.

However, the Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai targetted ruling DMK stating the party is glorifying a murder convict.

CBI RAIDS KARTI CHIDAMBARAM'S PREMISES

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on May 16, carried out searches at the premises of Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, in multiple cities across the country.

The agency registered a case against him for allegedly receiving illegal gratification for facilitating visas of Chinese nationals in 2011.

Notably, the DMK allotted one seat to Congress and announced three candidates for the biennial elections to the six Rajya Sabha seats vacant in Tamil Nadu on June 29.

ANOTHER ALLEGED FORCED CONVERSION

Some national media reported an instance of forced conversion in the state. Valarmathi from Pacheri village allegedly said that she and her family were being forced to convert to Christianity by the family of a man called Devdas in her village.

A video of her attempting to set herself on fire outside the Ramanathapuram Collector's office and the police stopping her is circulated widely. Reports emerged about a land dispute between the two families being the reason for the self-immolation attempt and conversion allegation, but most right media propagated the news from the conversion angle.

CORRUPTION ALLEGATION AGAINST AIADMK LEADER

The Arappor Iyakkam has accused former AIADMK minister R Vaithilingam of corruption charges during his tenure in the housing and urban development ministry during 2011-16.

The organisation has submitted proof of payment of Rs 27.9 crores of alleged bribery from Shriram Properties and Infrastructure Private Limited (now known as Gateway Office Parks Private Limited) to the former minister for sanctioning the plan for a building in 2015-16. A complaint has been submitted to the DVAC with the allegations and details of the cash transfer.

PROTESTS AND STRIKES

GARMENTS UNITS STRIKE

More than 90% of textile units and their allied job working units remained closed during a two-day strike on May 16 and 17, protesting against the abnormal increase in prices of yarn and cotton. Read more

A delegation of all-party MPs from western Tamil Nadu led by DMK deputy parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Textile Minister Piyush Goyal on May 18, urging them to reduce yarn prices.

UKRAINE RETURNED STUDENTS

A section of medical students in Ukraine, who returned to Tamil Nadu due to the ongoing war in the country, staged a protest in Chennai on May 15, pleading with the Union government to help them continue their education in India or elsewhere.

DIFFERENTLY-ABLED FROM RURAL TN

Around 2,000 differently abled persons and caretakers from rural Tamil Nadu protested outside the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj office in Chennai on May 17 against bias in MGNREGA. They said they were being forced to work for eight hours against the mandated four hours and denied the blue identity card. Read more

CHENNAI SANITATION CONTRACT WORKERS

The temporary staff of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) are on an indefinite work strike, which began on May 16, demanding permanent employment. Read more