TN this Week: Anti-CAA Protests Continue, Vaccine Manufacturing Face Closure Threat, NGT Seeks Report on Lock and Seal Order Issued to Isha Foundation

ANTI-CAA PROTESTS CONTINUE

The protests opposing the three-pronged Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) continue in the state with large-scale and enthusiastic participation – much to the discomfort of the state and union governments. The Washermanpet protest continues with participation of political parties and civil society organisations. Justice(Rtd) Hariparanthaman of the Madras High Court also paid a visit to the site this week and extended his support.

The protests in Tirupur and Coimbatore also continue with leaders from religious groups and political parties extending support to the protests. The Tamil Nadu Platform for Peoples Unity and Jamaats Committees in Ambatur near Chennai held a massive rally and a public meeting on Friday opposing the CAA, NPR and NRC.

STATE-OWNED VACCINE=MANUFACTURING UNIT ON VERGE OF SHUTDOWN

The Integrated Vaccine Complex (IVC) of HLL Biotech Limited (HBL) in Chengalpet is on the verge of being shut down after the Union Finance Ministry rejected the proposal for additional funds terming the project ‘financially unviable’. Set up to manufacture vaccines for the National Immunisation Programme, IVC was declared to be a project of national importance by the government in 2012. The organisation was vested with the duty of catering to 75% needs of the country, including Liquid Pentavalent vaccine, BCG vaccine, Rabies vaccine, Japanese Encephalitis vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine and Measles (Rubella) vaccine to a total of 585 million doses. The initial project cost was Rs 594 crore. In 2018-19, the revised cost was estimated at Rs 904.33 crore, with an additional Rs 310 crore on top of the initial cost.

Around 200 employees of the unit have not been paid for the past eight months. They have been offered two options: temporary transfer to any of the subsidiaries of the HLL across the country or an unpaid leave of up to five years. Read more

NGT SEEKS STATUS OF LOCK AND SEAL ORDER ISSUED TO JAGGI VASUDEV’S ISHA FOUNDATION

The Southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday ordered the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Tamil Nadu government to submit a report on the ‘lock and seal’ order issued to Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation. The order was issued by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) in 2012.

Isha Foundation has reportedly made 13 lakh square feet of illegal constructions at the foothills of Velliangiri hills including the 112-feet-tall Adiyogi statue which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2017. No consent was obtained from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board in accordance with the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. Likewise, the Environment Protection Act and the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006—which mandates obtaining clearance before construction of structures in hill areas—have also been reportedly violated. Read more

TENSION IN COIMBATORE AS BOMB HURLED IN MOSQUE

A few unknown people threw a country bomb inside a mosque in Coimbatore on Thursday. As the bomb did not explode, there were no injuries or damage to any property. Tension prevailed in the city as a Hindu Munnani officebearer was attacked in the early hours of Wednesday by unknown people. Even though no arrests were made, the Hindu Munnani cadre allegedly assaulted a Muslim auto rickshaw driver and damaged many auto rickshaws owned by Muslims.

The Right-wing organisation had called for a bandh in the district on Saturday. During the hearing of a case filed by some organisations against this “illegal” bandh, the state government had assured in the court that public life will not be affected. But the city and district in general wore a deserted look. The merchants alleged that members of the Right-wing organisation forced them to down the shutters.

PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ON HUNGER STRIKE DENIED MEDICAL AID BY ADMINISTRATION

A female student on hunger strike at Pondicherry University (PU) fainted on her way to the washroom on Wednesday and needed immediate medical assistance, but the university administration reportedly denied any sort of aid following instructions by the registrar. The student, along with others who were on the hunger strike, were then admitted to a private hospital. Another group of five students have replaced them now to continue the hunger strike. Students of PU have been staging a sit-in protest for a month demanding rollback of fee hike, reservation for local students and free transportation. Following the administration’s refusal to address their concerns, five students had launched a hunger strike on February 29.

Several student and youth organisations including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) have expressed solidarity with the PU students and called on the administration to listen to their concerns. They also wanted the state government to intervene in the matter. Read more.

WORKING WOMEN DEMAND RIGHTS

The working women across the state hit the roads on March 6 demanding equal wages for equal work and proper implementation of social welfare measures to all. The road roko was called ahead of the International Women’s Day on March 8. The demands include minimum pension of Rs 3,000 for women above 55 years of age in unorganised sector and implementation of social welfare measures. The workers from various sectors including construction, cashew nut industry, stitching, agricultural labourers, etc. condemned the move to reduce the interest on the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) deposits.

Thousands of women took out rallies and were detained after they tried to block the roads. The mass movement was carried out based on a resolution adopted in the national conference of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

JOURNALIST ATTACKED IN VIRUDHUNAGAR

Sivakasi police on Thursday arrested an All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) functionary along with another person for assaulting a ‘Kumudam Reporter’ journalist allegedly for writing a report on the tussle between Tamil Nadu Minister for Milk and Dairy Development KT Rajenthra Balaji and Sattur MLA MSR Rajavarman.

The report titled ‘Will Rajavarman Defeat Rajendra Balaji?’ appeared in the magazine recently. The accused reportedly attacked the journalist allegedly with a sickle on Tuesday night. The journalist sustained severe injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital. One of the accused was allegedly involved in the murder of ‘Netrikan reporter’ in Sattur in 2017.

On Wednesday, Madras Reporters’ Guild condemned the attack and called for the arrest of the assailants. Journalists from Sivakasi and Chennai also held a protest demanding immediate action in the case.