Latest news with #Seeman
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
N Chennai residents form human chain to protest WTE project
Chennai: Residents of North Chennai, joined by local councillors, formed a human chain at Kodungaiyur on Sunday, urging the govt to scrap the proposed Waste-to-Energy (WTE) project at Kodungaiyur dumping ground. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They demanded that the reclaimed 352acres of landfill be converted into a park, playground, or college to benefit the community. Support for the campaign grew stronger with political parties such as AIADMK and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) backing the protest. AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami said residents were already struggling with health issues such as respiratory and skin problems and announced a protest at Kodungaiyur on June 2. NTK leader Seeman called the project an "environmental disaster" aimed at working-class neighbourhoods, warning it would release toxic gases and worsen pollution levels. Hundreds participated in Sunday's protest, raising concerns over the project's impact on public health and the environment in North Chennai. The human chain stretched nearly four kilometres — from Ezhil Nagar at Kodungaiyur to Ambedkar College at Vyasarpadi. "Despite repeated objections, steps are being taken to install the incinerator. We visited the WTE plant in Hyderabad and saw firsthand how residents there are suffering from health problems. We fear a similar outcome here," said T K Shanmugam, president of the Federation of North Chennai Residents' Welfare Associations. Congress councillor J Dilli Babu (ward 37) said residents near the dumpyard have suffered for more than four decades. "The civic body claims the plant will be built with safety measures, but there's no assurance of complete safety for residents. We urge GCC to shift the WTE plant to the outskirts," he added.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Nainar lauds Stalin for attending Niti Aayog meet; Seeman slams
Chennai: Welcoming M K Stalin 's participation in the Niti Aayog meeting in Delhi on Saturday, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran said the Tamil Nadu chief minister was keen to work closely with BJP govt at the Centre. NTK chief coordinator Seeman , however, raised doubts about CM's visit and linked it with ED searches in Tamil Nadu. "The CM did not participate in any of the programmes last year, but this year he did. Whatever schemes Stalin is bringing to Tamil Nadu, all credit goes to him. Stalin should have a good relationship with Union govt to secure funds for the state and for the benefit of people," Nainar told reporters here. For his part, Seeman said, "There were many instances in the past when Stalin could have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but now question arise as to why you (Stalin) are attending the meeting, especially after skipping the previous Niti Aayog meetings. You should have clarified. There is a doubt whether an Enforcement Directorate (ED) search could have been the reason for your visit." Questioning the reason behind Stalin holding a rally to support Operation Sindoor when other state CMs, including BJP allies, remained silent, Seeman said, "BJP is thinking that even if their allies such as Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar-led JDU opt out of the alliance, DMK will support with its 22 MPs." DMK allies such as MDMK and VCK defended Stalin's visit to Delhi. MDMK founder Vaiko said, "Stalin is not fearful of ED raids. Opposition parties are blabbering." VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said, "The bitter truth is that a state govt cannot completely stand aloof or oppose Union govt. If we do, the loss is for us. Our CM might have considered the Niti Aayog meeting as a chance to meet the PM and Union ministers to express our concern directly to them."
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Will erect manimandapam for Mutharaiyar: Murugan
T Tired of too many ads? go ad free now richy: The 1,350th anniversary celebration of mutharaiyar king Perumpidugu Mutharaiyar was observed on Friday with many political leaders garlanding his statues in Trichy. Union minister has announced a new manimandapam for the king. Besides Murugan, Maharashtra governor C P Radhakrishnan, state municipal administrations minister K N Nehru, natural resources minister S Regupathy, backward classes minister Siva V Meyyanathan, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and district collector M Pradeep Kumar also paid tributes. "BJP celebrates all leaders. Our Prime Minister is active in promoting the lesser-known leaders in Indian history. A new manimandapam will be established for Perumpidugu Mutharaiyar at a place where it will add glory to him. The Union govt will issue a new postal stamp also next year," L Murugan said. AIADMK deputy general secretary Natham R Viswanathan, BJP state president Nainar Nagendran, AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran and TVK general secretary Bussy Anand also garlanded the statues. Musiri MLA M Thiyagarajan, Srirangam MLA N Palaniyandi, and Thuraiyur MLA S Stalin Kumar also paid their respects. Addressing reporters after paying respects, NTK coordinator Seeman ridiculed Stalin for going for the Niti Aayog meeting in New Delhi. "Stalin is going because of threats of Enforcement Directorate raids," he said. "DMK and AIADMK are ideologically identical as much as BJP and INC are in terms of governance. A new ideology, a new principle can only be an alternative to them," Seeman added.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Seeman links CM's visit to Delhi to ED searches
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief co-ordinator Seeman on Friday claimed Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had gone to New Delhi under the 'pretext' of attending the NITI Aayog meeting only because of the recent investigations by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED). 'The CM, who did not attend the last three NITI Aayog meetings, suddenly found it important to go now,' he alleged while addressing journalists in Tiruchi. Mr. Seeman accused the DMK of failing to confront the Union government for allegedly withholding Tamil Nadu's rightful financial allocations. Responding to a question on the Supreme Court's recent remarks crticising the ED's investigation in the Tasmac case, Mr. Seeman remarked, 'Are courts going to govern the country or the State assembly and Parliament? If courts decide everything, then we might as well dissolve the legislatures.'
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
50 encroachments along Adyar river bulldozed
Chennai: Rapped by Madras high court, which has set a three-month ultimatum for state govt to remove encroachments on Adyar river, authorities bulldozed at least 50 houses in the Anakaputhur area on Wednesday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Water resources department officials said 593 families living along the river in Anakaputhur, in areas such as Quaid-e-Milleth Nagar, Thai Moogambikai Nagar, Santhai Nagar, and MGR Nagar Third Street, will be removed. "They are being provided with alternative housing, with each house being 390sqft. They are being relocated to Talaivaram, Keerapakkam, Perumbakkam, and Navalur, with each house unit costing Rs 17 lakh. It's being given free of cost to the beneficiaries," said an official. All the encroachments in Anakaputhur will be removed in a week, said officials. "The downstream areas like Thideer Nagar, Jyothi Ammal Nagar, Surya Nagar, and Malligaipoo Nagar in Saidapet and Kotturpuram will be removed subsequently. The court has given orders. We will proceed by removing houses in one neighbourhood after another," the official said. Tamil Nadu's additional advocate-general J Ravindran had told the high court that the encroachments stalled the govt's . The project, worth Rs 1,500 crore, was announced in three consecutive state budgets from 2023, but it failed to take off as the contractor could not prepare a detailed project report due to encroachments. The encroachment removal drive on Wednesday saw a lot of political action as well, with Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman carrying out protests. Speaking to reporters, Seeman asked why the govt was removing the encroachments of only poor people leaving out the bigger entities, including colleges, untouched. "Who gave electricity connections, voting rights, ration, put roads, and allowed them to stay here for 60 years?" he said, asking whether action will be taken against the officials concerned.
