A farmer in Somorasampettai, Tiruchy, found himself in an unexpected legal drama when an SUV knocked over his parked bicycle. Out stepped a distinguished lawyer, casually handing over his business card. “You can file a case against me,” he offered. The farmer, unfazed, asked for Rs 2,000 to fix his cycle, saying he couldn’t afford legal battles. The lawyer shrugged and turned back to his vehicle. That’s when the farmer picked up a hefty stone, aimed at the windscreen, and declared, “You can add this to the case!” Realising he had met his match, the lawyer quickly apologised and paid up. As one amused police officer put it, this was Somorasampettai’s very own David vs Goliath moment.
Awards for admissions
Board exams? Not a worry. Private colleges in Coimbatore are already in admission mode. A flashy event near Pollachi Road saw 25 government school headmasters and teachers being showered with ‘educational excellence’ awards. But midway through the applause, some headmasters got confused, asking, “Wait… what did we excel in?” Turns out, the answer came with a price tag. College staff soon sidled up, offering Rs 5,000 per student enrolled—plus ‘special gifts’ for sharing student data. Many headmasters played along. One teacher sighed, “So the award isn’t for our service, but for our students’ admissions?” Indeed. In the grand syllabus of private education, marketing seems to be the only subject that truly matters.
From ‘Appa’ to ‘Thaai Maaman’
CM MK Stalin loves it when students call him Appa (father). He even launched the APPA app on Friday, developed by the Tamil Nadu Parent-Teacher Association, to bridge the communication gap between parents, teachers, and the administration—because what’s a family without regular check-ins? But now, PWD Minister EV Velu has given him another family title. At a function in Jolarpettai, he declared that Stalin is also Tamil Nadu’s Thaai Maaman (maternal uncle). “Even if they don’t get Pongal Varisai, they’re getting `1,000 monthly from him,” he quipped. Social media had a field day. At this rate, if ministers keep adding family titles, the CM might soon need a kudumbam (family) ministry to keep track!
Safety stinks
After the tragic blast at the Manali Bio-CNG plant on February 15, which killed one worker and injured another, TNIE visited the site. The first thing that hit us? A stench strong enough to knock out a heavyweight boxer. Rotting waste or a gas leak? Hard to tell, but it burned the throat. When our reporter asked for a face mask, staff searched for 10 minutes—only to return empty-handed. If a mask is this hard to find, imagine the state of overall safety at the plant!
(Contributed by N Dhamotharan, Jose K Joseph, T Muruganandham and Praveena SA; compiled by Dinesh Jefferson E)