MADURAI: Rash driving, high-decibel horns, thumping of modified-silencers, travelling triples on two-wheelers and pelting vehicles with stones; the list goes on. The commemoration of Guru pooja by followers of Maruthu brothers, Muthuramalinga Thevar and Immanuvel Sekaran is giving residents a tough time.
A resident, T Pandi (44), said the supporters dance atop moving vehicles, risking their’s as well as other commuter’s lives. “If anybody dares to question them, they would attack the person. Even government vehicles and officials are not spared,” he said.
Another resident, P Nithya (33), said the followers also play communal songs aloud, creating displeasure for those from other communities. “I feel, this kind of ‘celebration’ is unique in this part of the State. It must change. Guru pooja should be commemorated, but not this way,” she said.
Counsellor and psychotherapist P Raja Soundara Pandian, said the issue should be seen as a child learning from his parents. “The present generation is following their elders. They actually don’t know how to celebrate,” he said adding the youth must think.
A senior police official said during this year’s celebration, two youth died in an accident due to rash driving in Sivaganga. Government buses were also damaged in Madurai. Violations this time are more compared to earlier years.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police in Ramanathapuram E Karthik said two men were killed in various accidents involving vehicles going to Pasumpon to take part in the celebrations. “The accidents occurred due to various reasons including drunk driving and overspeeding,” he said.
A 21-year-old, K Vigneshwaran, was killed in an accident while travelling from Perungulam to Pasumpon, when his car turned turtle.
OSD appointed for Illam Thedi Kalvi
The State government has appointed K Elambahavath, IAS, as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for the Illam Thedi Kalvi (education at doorstep) programme. Meanwhile, Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani, who had opposed Illam Thedi Kalvi, on Saturday welcomed the chief minister’s clarification on this scheme. The other IAS officers transferred include S Balachander, who will be joint director of e-governance, and joint CEO, TN e-Governance Agency. IS Mercy Ramya will take over as joint commissioner (Intelligence-I), Commercial Taxes, Chennai. Anand Mohan will assume charge as joint commissioner (State taxes) Commercial Taxes, Coimbatore. Nishant Krishna will take over as executive director of SIPCOT.
GO against suspension on day of retirement
Giving effect to an announcement made by Chief Minister MK Stalin in the State Assembly, the TN government has issued a G.O. to avoid suspension of its employees on the day of their retirement. The G.O. said a decision should be taken three months prior to the date of retirement, if final orders could not be issued in a pending disciplinary case against the person.
‘Welcome schoolkids with bouquets, sweets’
Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday exhorted MPs, MLAs, local body functionaries, and teachers to receive children returning to schools on November 1, after a gap of 600 days, with bouquets and sweets. The first couple of weeks of classes could be about storytelling, singing, sports, painting, techniques to increase memory power, etc., the chief minister said in a statement
(With inputs from Ramanathapuram)