Tamil Nadu recorded 30,355 positive cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, bringing the state tally to 14,68,864. Among these, Chennai reported 7,564 positive cases, bringing the city’s total to 412505. The state recorded 293 deaths on Wednesday, putting the state toll at 16,471. A total of 226 of them had succumbed due to comorbidities. A total of 19,508 patients were discharged following treatment, taking the total number of recoveries to 12,79,658
Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund towards strengthening the health infrastructure with COVID-19 pandemic being virulent in the State. In a statement, he assured the funds received would be used only for stepping up medical infrastructure like ramping up production of medical oxygen production and storage facilities, purchasing of RT-PCR kits, life saving devices among others. “The funds collected will be used only to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and the details related to the expenses made (through the funds generated) would be available on a public domain ensuring transparency,” he said. The funds received would be 100 per cent tax exempted, he added.
The State Transport Authority of Tamil Nadu has collected a penalty of more than Rs 38 lakh from private omni bus operators in the past two days for over-charging passengers.
After the state government imposed a lockdown three days ago, scores of migrant workers and others rushed to return to their native places. Though government buses were operating at full capacity, passengers who wished to travel to regions far away opted for private buses.
Read| Rs 38 lakh collected as fine from private busses for fleecing migrants heading home
Amid the grave Covid-19 second wave, the Chennai Corporation Tuesday set up 360 beds at the Covid Care Centre in Chennai Trade Centre. Of these, 300 are oxygenated beds.
With the support of the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, an 11-KL oxygen tank has been installed here. Another oxygen tank with the same capacity will be installed soon. The centre is also equipped with more than 50 mobile toilets. In Hall 1, there will be 360 beds and in Hall 2, there will be another 500 beds.
Read| 360 beds set up at Chennai Trade Centre; 500 more to be added soon
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, his Cabinet colleagues, AIADMK top leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, who is set to be the Leader of Opposition on Tuesday took oath as MLAs in the Assembly. As soon as the House convened with pro-tem Speaker K Pitchandi in the chair, Stalin was the first to take oath. Following him, other ministers, beginning with senior legislator and Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan took the oath.
Two Ministers, S S Sivasankar (Backward Classes Welfare) and M Mathiventhan (Tourism), did not take the oath as they were being treated for COVID-19.
Former Chief Minister K Palaniswami who will be the leader of opposition, took the oath following the ministers. While Stalin, his Cabinet colleagues and DMK MLAs made a solemn affirmation, most AIADMK members including Palaniswami and former Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam took the oath in the name of God. Some other members including AIADMK’s K P Munusamy, who resigned his Rajya Sabha membership following his win in the Assembly polls, made the affirmation in the name of their conscience.
Read| Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, newly elected MLAs take oath
The Union government on Monday appointed three BJP members as MLAs to the Puducherry Legislative Assembly, taking the number of BJP MLAs in the house to nine. Venkatesan K, a former DMK MLA; VP Ramalingam, brother of former speaker VP Sivakolunthu; and advocate RB Ashok Babu have been appointed as MLAs.
In the recently-concluded assembly polls, AINRC-BJP-AIADMK contested as part of the NDA alliance. In the polls, AINRC won 10 seats and BJP won six seats to form the government. After several rounds of talks between the alliance parties, BJP MLAs pledged their support to nominate AINRC leader N Rangasamy as the Chief Minister. He was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Puducherry on May 7. Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan administered the oath of office to Rangaswamy who will lead a coalition government of BJP members in his cabinet.
Read| Centre appoints three BJP members as MLAs to Puducherry assembly
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chennai/chennai-hyderabad-live-updates-tn-logs-29272-new-cases-298-deaths-cm-appeals-to-public-to-donate-to-fight-pandemic/
