‘Harmful’ mining project stalled

Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa has stalled a federal government project to mine methane in the Cauvery river delta. The chief minister said the project could affect fertile lands in nearly 60 villages in the Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts. “Projects are implemented for the sake of the people and not vice versa. This is the basic objective of my government. We will not allow the methane extraction project if it causes even minimum harm to the farmers of the delta area, the granary of Tamil Nadu,” Jayalalithaa insisted. The chief minister has also ordered an expert panel to review the project and submit a report within three months.

L V Prasad’s grandson dead

Akkineni Ravi Shankar Prasad, 54, grandson of film producer L V Prasad, was found drowned in the east Godavari river on July 13. A week earlier, Prasad had left Chennai for Yanam in Andhra Pradesh where he had gone to inspect his new hotel. He was last seen leaving for a jog from the hotel. His family filed a police complaint after they were unable to contact him. Later his decomposed body was discovered at Gokullanka village. The body was autopsied and flown back to Chennai for a funeral. Shankar is survived by his wife and two daughters. Police have not disclosed if his death was a murder, suicide or accident. Prasad was a film financier and distributor.

Housewife’s body found in bag

A 28-year-old woman’s naked body was found stuffed inside a gunny bag at Wallajah in suburban Chennai. The woman had been missing for a week. Police identified the woman as Ganga Devi, wife of software engineer Saravanan. A missing complaint had been filed by the husband with the police. The couple had been married for eight years but did not have any children. Ganga is believed to have had an affair with a neighbour who is also missing. Police suspect the neighbour could have murdered Ganga. Investigations are underway.

Water supplies contaminated

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has ordered Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) to stop pumping crude oil at Tondiarpet in suburban Chennai after local residents complained of polluted water supply. Residents complained the polluted water had led to coughing and food poisoning. They added that this was the sixth such incident in a year.

147 children taken ill after school meal

Within two days of Bihar’s school meal tragedy that left 23 children dead, similar incidents were reported in Cuddalore and Kumbakonam. About 147 students of a government aided school in Neyveli in Cuddalore district complained of vomiting, nausea and headache after consuming school meals. They were rushed to nearby hospitals and all except eight girls were discharged on the same day.  Meanwhile in Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district, eleven students took ill after eating food at a government aided missionary hostel. They too were briefly hospitalised. The social welfare ministry has inspected noon meal centres in Chennai and Neyveli. Tamil Nadu was the first to introduce the free midday meal scheme in the 1960s and the project is considered the most successful among all states for its versatile menu. However low salaries of cooks, lack of kitchen staff and careless preparation has led to accidents.