1. Kalaignar pen statue | Plea at SC infructuous as environmental clearance was given, tells T.N. government
The Tamil Nadu government has urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the case against the proposed 134-feet tall Muthamizh Arignar Dr. Kalaignar pen monument in the Bay of Bengal, off the Marina beach in Chennai.
Representing Tamil Nadu government, senior advocate and DMK MP P. Wilson, said the project has already got environmental clearance from the Centre, making the plea infructuous. The plea filed by an AIADMK leader at the apex court in January had contended that the project would affect the livelihood of the traditional fishing community and harm the coastal ecosystem.
The court directed the case to be listed next week.
2. Amputation of toddler’s hand | Annamalai, EPS condemn medical negligence
Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai condemned the Tamil Nadu government for the alleged medical negligence at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai where the right hand of an 18-month-old baby boy was amputated yesterday after it developed severe gangrene. In his statement, the BJP leader recalled the death of footballer Priya in November last year owing to medical negligence at Periyar Nagar Government Peripheral Hospital, Chennai.
Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary who condemned the incident, demanded the State government to pay a compensation of ₹50 lakhs to the affected family.
The parents, Dastagir Meera and his wife Abdul Azeesa have reportedly lodged a police complaint while an inquiry by the State health department is under way (report is to be submitted tomorrow).
3. Vengaivayal water tank issue | One-man commission granted one more month
The Madras High Court has granted four more weeks to Tamil Nadu government to file a status report on the inquiry being conducted by retired judge M. Sathyanarayanan, into the incident of human faeces found in an overhead tank that supplied water to Scheduled Caste residents of Vengaivayal village in Pudukkottai district in December last.
Three months had already lapsed since the appointment of the one-man commission (on March 29) and the retired judge had visited the village twice. Chief Justice S.V. Gangapurwala and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu said this would be the last opportunity granted to the government for filing the status report.
4. Ban on online gambling | Madras HC refuses interim relief to gaming companies
For the second time, the Madras High Court refused to grant any interim relief to online gaming companies pending adjudication of a batch of cases filed challenging the constitutional validity of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022.
Further, the court has decided to take up the cases for final hearing on July 13.
