TN This Week: Teachers Want Equal Pay; Nurses Demand to be Reinstated

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) officially snapped ties with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Monday. This created a stir in the state, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to comment on the withdrawal. Read more

The Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) went on a state-wide strike on Monday against the increase in electricity charges. After failed talks with the government on September 26 and again on September 29, they have announced that a protest will be held on October 4. Read more

The Madras High Court upheld the 2011 convictions of 215 people by the sessions court in the gang rape of 18 tribal women in Vachathi village on June 20, 1992. It directed the state government to compensate each victim with Rs 10 lakh.

Due to heavy rainfall affecting several Northern districts earlier this week in Tamil Nadu, daily life was thrown out of gear. Authorities declared a holiday for classes I to V in Vellore and Ranipet on Tuesday.

Rajkumar (47), a farmer from Nagapattinam district, died of a heart attack on Sunday night. The bereaved family of the deceased said that he was suffering from depression due to losses incurred this kuruvai season. Notably, it has been pointed out that the Tamil Nadu government’s compensation for crop loss was “not sufficient” and delayed by several months.

Dr M S Swaminathan, the renowned agricultural scientist, passed away at his residence in Chennai on Thursday at the age of 98. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin announced that his funeral will happen with police honours as a recognition of his immense contributions.

The employees of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) won a decisive battle against the dismissal of the union office bearers for raising issues with the employees. The four workers rejoined service on Wednesday after 58 months. Read more

NewsClick brings you a round-up of the important developments from Tamil Nadu in the past week.

SECONDARY GRADE TEACHERS STAGE A HUNGER STRIKE

After talks with the school education department demanding equal pay for equal work failed on Monday, Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers’ Association staged a hunger strike on September 28.

Demanding that the government address the pay disparity prevalent for several years, nearly 6,000 SGTs gathered in the DPI campus in Chennai. They urged the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party to keep its election promise.

NURSES’ HUNGER STRIKE

Nurses, who were recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) and terminated from service in December 2022, staged a hunger protest on Tuesday.

More than 200 nurses from various districts participated in a protest in Valluvar Kottam, Chennai, demanding appointment of 3,290 temporary nurses who were recruited in 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis.

They called off the protest after state Health Minister Ma Subramanian instructed officials to take steps to appoint them soon.

CAUVERY WATER DISPUTE

Farmers in Trichy continued their protest against Karnataka and the central government demanding Cauvery water. However, the Trichy City Police on Friday removed the makeshift sheds put up by the members of the National South Indian River Interlinking Farmers’ Association following the expiry of the 14-day time given by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

The meeting of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Thursday upheld the decision of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), and directed Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu every day, until October 15.

Meanwhile, pro-Kannada organisations held two days of Bengaluru Bandh, and the strike extended to other parts of the state on Friday. Commuters travelling between the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka encountered disruptions.

On the day of the Karnataka Bandh, CM Siddaramaiah said a review petition will be filed before the CWMA and the Supreme Court today, stating that “we do not have water and therefore cannot release water”.