Memorial for PANDIT Iyothee Dasa

He created the ‘Dravida Mahajana Sabha’ in 1891, and started the ‘Oru Paisa Tamilan’ magazine in 1907,” Stalin said.

Corporation worker sanitising the premises of Kalaivanar Arangam as the State Assembly was in session on Friday | Ashwin Prasath

CHENNAI:  To commemorate the 175th birth anniversary of Pandit C Iyothee Dasa (1854-1914), a memorial would be established at North Chennai, where he lived most of his lifetime, announced Chief Minister MK Stalin under rule 110 of the Assembly rules on Friday.

“As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, no one can speak politics without the words ‘Tamil’ and ‘Dravidian’. Pandit Iyothee Dasa was the one who made these words matter in the political arena. He created the ‘Dravida Mahajana Sabha’ in 1891, and started the ‘Oru Paisa Tamilan’ magazine in 1907,” Stalin said.

Assembly members Jegan Moorthi of Puratchi Bharatham, T Velmurugan of Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi, ER Eswaran of KMDK, T Ramachandran of CPI, Nagai Mali of CPM, GK Mani of PMK, S Selvaperunthagai of Congress and Kadambur Raju of AIADMK, welcomed the Chief Minister’s announcement.

 Shoring up Sports facilities

Announcements by Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Siva V Meyyanathan

Mega sports city with world class facilities near Chennai. TIDCO asked to select consultants to prepare Techno - Economic Feasibility Report for this project

Silambam artistes will be provided 3 per cent reservation in government jobs

‘Yoga for Complete Health’ mobile app would be developed by Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University

Olympic Academies will be established in four zones

High-altitude training centre is being established at Udhagamandalam at a cost of Rs 5 crore

Rs 7 crore sanctioned for establishing Sailing Academy and Centre of Excellence in Sailing in Chennai

Rs 2.58 crore allocated for establishing Centre of Excellence for Canoeing and Kayaking near Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University campus in Melakottaiyur

 Preserving Forests

Announcements by Minister for Forests K Ramachandran in the Assembly on Friday

• Separate policy will be formulated for removal of invasive alien weeds that pose threat to forest biodiversity
• Wildlife Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres would be established in Coimbatore, Tirunelveli and Vellore districts 
• Payment of compensation for human death, permanent incapacitation will be hiked from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh 
• Agasthiyar Malai Elephant Reserve will be notified as the fifth elephant reserve in Tamil Nadu, covering wildlife habitats of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts
• Marine Elite Force will be set up to combat marine wildlife crimes 
• Digital Archive and Forest Data Centre

 Blue Flag Certification

Announcements made by Minister for Environment and Climate Change Siva V Meyyanathan

10 beaches chosen for implementing Beach Environment and Aesthetic Management System to obtain Blue Flag Certification

The programme will be implemented at a cost of Rs 100 crore in the next five years

Kovalam Beach chosen as pilot beach for this programme, to be implemented by Department of Environment with funding from Society for Integrated Coastal Management and Union Ministry of Environment and Forests

Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board would be upgraded to meet new challenges due to climate change, at a cost of Rs 32 crore

 HONOURING FREEDOM FIGHTER

Initiatives announced by CM to honour freedom fighter VO Chidambaram on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary

•  Bust of the freedom fighter to be unveiled at the Gandhi Memorial Mandapam in Chennai
•  Renaming the Upper Cotton Road in Thoothukudi as VO Chidambaranar Road 
•  Statue of VOC to be erected at VO Chidambaranar Park in Coimbatore since he spent most of his life at Coimbatore jail
•  Audio-visual show at the memorial house of VOC at Ottapidaram and memorial building at Tirunelveli 
•  A biographic film on VOC and books written by VOC will be published in digital format

Celebrations  break out in Thoothukudi 
DMK cadre and residents in Thoothukudi burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate Chief Minister MK Stalin’s decision to rename West Great Cotton (WGC) road as VOC road to honour freedom fighter VO Chidambaram on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary. Ottapidaram in Thoothukudi, is the birthplace of VOC and he had served as a barrister at the Thoothukudi court.