Double standards
Recently, when former CM Basavaraj S Bommai put out a tweet demanding Karnataka CM Siddarammiah to stop release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, a few DMK cadre questioned through social media posts why DMK IT Wing was not exposing BJP state president Annamalai for his dual stance on certain matters, as he had also campaigned for Bommai during the recent elections in Karnataka. They pointed out that Annamalai had threatened to wave black flags at CM MK Stalin for attending the opposition alliance meeting in Bengaluru with the Karnataka CM and deputy CM. As the DMK IT Wing did not take up the issue until in the end, the cadre was a little frustrated.
Matter of convenience
The position of drivers in Adi Dravidar Welfare offices has been vacant in many of the districts across the state. This has given the officers themselves the opportunity to appoint ‘suitable’ people to these posts. Apart from driving, these men also double up as middlemen to collect bribes. The ‘convenience’ does not end here, as these drivers also help people who can’t pay bribes in cash by facilitating payment through digital modes like UPI.
Winds of change
A tea shop owner, near Kariyalur police station in the Kalvarayan Hills, is on cloud nine after the police personnel from the station cleared their dues amounting to `5,000 recently. Apart from thanking his stars, he is very grateful to the unknown well-wisher who petitioned the chief minister’s special cell to explain his situation. Around 10 personnel from the station used to visit the tea shop and have tea on credit. Over the last 6 months, the amount accumulated to `5,000 and there was no proper response when on they intended to settle it. After the petition was filed, it was forwarded to Kallakurichi district police officers from the CM cell, which set in motion the change of mindset among the cops. A few days back, the policemen visited the shop, paid the entire amount, took photos while handing over the payment and shared it on police WhatsApp groups.
Not so intense
A male tusker was found dead near a private farmland last week in the Kadambur forest range of Erode district. An investigation conducted by the Forest Department found that the reason for the death was the electric fence installed on the private farmland. Activists say that the forest department came to know about the death very late as all the rangers are new, following transfers, owing to which patrolling is not very effective. Activists added that the death could have been prevented and the electric fence could have been detected earlier if intensive patrolling had been carried out.
(Contributed by S Kumaresan, Subashini Vijayakumar, Bagalavan Perier B and P Srinivasan; compiled by Affan Abdul Kadar)