Regd. No., TN/CC(S) DN/223/15-17, RNI No: 33810 / 82VOL. XXXV NO. 238 � 8 PAGES � Rs. 4.00 CHENNAI ��SATURDAY 5.8.2017 (EVENING) � OTHER STATIONS SUNDAY 6.8.2017 (MORNING)

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A YEAR CHANGES PAY AND PROMOTION

VELAIKKARAN TEASER FROM 14 AUG

They are government employees, but they cannot enjoy any of the benefi ts they are entitled to. Around 500 teachers of Tamilnadu

have been working for the same salary for...

Sivakarthikeyan starrer Velaikkaran will see its teaser launched on 14 August.

Produced by RD Raja’s 24 AM Studios, Mohan Raja of Thani Oruvan fame...6

Thousands of teachers and offi cers working for the government went on a road roko today

asking for the seventh pay commission be implemented. The protest was organised by Joint...

Chepauk Super Gillies stormed into their third victory of the season after beating

Karakudi Kalai by six wickets in a match delayed by rain on Friday. R Sai Kishore spinned a... 7 8

GOVT STAFF, TEACHERS STAGE PROTEST IN CITY

SAI KISHORE SPINS WEB AROUND KARAIKUDI

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Where is Oviya? Rumours run wild� Suicide attempt on Bigg Boss show a violation, says advocate � Suspense continues on her whereabouts

AIADMK gets murky, quirky� MLAs turn down posts given by Dinakaran � Ministers slam TTV � OPS holds crucial meeting

M BALASUBRAMANIChennai, Aug 5:

The debt owed by Amma Unav-agam, which is one of the most ap-preciated schemes of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, to Triplicane Urban Co-operative Society (TUCS) is pushing it into fi nancial crisis as sources revealed that the latter is unable to pay its workers.

A total of 407 Amma Unavagams (400 in 200 wards and seven in gov-ernment hospitals) are operating in the city and food items such as idli, pongal and chappathi are provided at subsidised prices.

The ingredients to make the food items are supplied by TUCS. The fund for this was sought from Greater Chennai Corporation. However, sources reveal that the amount has not been completely settled. Sources

added that the Corporation owes Rs 27 crore to TUCS for the provisions bought for Amma Unavagams.

TUCS officials said the Minister for Municipal Administration should intervene in the issue and ensure that the debt is cleared at the earliest.

A Corporation official, seeking anonymity, said there is delay as

funds have not been allotted for the purpose.

The offi cial added that close to Rs 200 crore loss is incurred due to Amma Unavagams every year. How-ever, the Corporation’s fi nancial advi-sor brushed aside the allegation and said the funds have been allotted.

Recently, a senior Minister fl ayed the Corporation for the declining food quality in the unavagams which is said to be the result of lack of funds to buy the required grocery items.

Similarly, sources revealed that the number of workers in ‘less popular canteens’ has been reduced to 10 or 12 from the initial 18. A canteen is adjudged as under-performing when the required number of idlis, chap-pathis and rice items are not sold. Efforts to contact Greater Corporation Commissioner went in vain.

NIVEDHIKA KRISHNANChennai, Aug 5:

Reminding one of a scene straight out from Sathuranga Vettai, a popu-lar con fi lm, a set of people, claiming to be from Nigeria, are sweeping lakhs of rupees from Chennai in a new kind of scam. Police say at least one Chennaiite falls victim to the scam every week in an average, in which they are asked to purchase and sell an ‘exotic seed’ found in Chennai.

Explaining the modus operandi, a police offi cial says, ‘Residents re-ceive a call from a person, claiming to be from Nigeria, that he needs a rare seed found in India. He would fi x a costly deal to transport the seed to his country.’ What follows is a series of internet surfi ng made by the victim to know more about the seed.

Predicting this move, the fraud-sters would have already created a number of websites about the value of the seed. Coming to a strong conclusion about the existence of such a seed, the resident contacts the dealer again and agrees for the deal.

‘Now the person will be directed to an agent who sells the seeds in the city,’ the offi cial says. What the victim

fails to realise is that the agent is also a part of the fraud, the offi cial adds.

After meeting the agent, the resi-dent procures a small quantity of the seed and sends the sample. After the Nigerian approves the product, the victim is now directed to buy a large quantity of seeds.

‘Spending few lakhs of rupees, the victim is asked to order the seeds but what he gets in return in donkey dung. And this is where the person realises that he was cheated,’ the offi cial says.

‘Operating just through phone calls, the criminals manage to swindle money from people. There are in-stances where people are cheated to the tune of Rs 15 lakh,’ he adds. Police offi cials say that at least six cases of ‘seed fraud’ are reported in Chennai every month.

A Corporation offi cial, seeking anonymity, said there is delay as funds have not

been allotted for the purpose

All not well at Amma Unavagams?q� Eateries owe Rs 27 crore to TUCS q� Lack of funds puts

scheme in fi nancial jam q� Corporation says money allotted

Sathuranga Vettai with seeds

q� Nigerian gang targets Chennaiites with lucrative deal q� At least 6 cases reported every month

Spreading roots

� Target will receive phone call� Foreign caller will explain

benefi t of seeds available in India

� Directed to agent� Made to pay huge money

NT Bureau Chennai, Aug 5:

Suspense continues on the Bigg Boss reality show after it telecast on Friday night contestant Oviya allegedly attempting suicide. The episode sent fans into a tizzy on social media, triggering rumours that Oviya had left the show.

According to sources, Oviya left the Bigg Boss show and checked into a star hotel in the city. On Friday night, they said, she took a fl ight to Kochi.

Vijay TV has not officially con-fi rmed her exit or presence in Bigg Boss. They have not aired any promos of the forthcoming episode which left audience vent out their anger on social media.

All the Oviyans and foot soldiers of Oviya Army - which is what her de-voted fans are calling themselves - are desperate to fi nd out the whereabouts of the actress who has acted in Ma-layalam and Tamil movies.

COMPLAINT FILED

Advocate S S Balaji who has fi led complaints against television shows such as Solvathellam Unmai and Kadhai Alla Nijam, has lodged a complaint with the police against the 'suicide attempt' of Oviya. In his complaint he said, 'The police must enquire into the suicide attempt by immersing in water. She went into depression with the norms and ac-tivities she was forced into by the producer, host and Vijay TV. This is a case of abetment of suicide and there is a conspiracy to gain TRP through this.'

Oviya Helen hit a high after she came on the sets of Bigg Boss. She was immensely popular on social media for her straightforwardness with fellow contestants although she was constantly under pressure of

being pushed into elimination week after week.

A senior police offi cial told News Today that they have not received any complaints from the sets of Bigg Boss and would act on a complaint

on the 'suicide bid' if it is fi led. Trouble in the house began last

week after Oviya displayed mood swings and isolated herself from ac-tivities in the house. She eventually asked Bigg Boss for a doctor and that

she wanted to leave the show as she felt she was not in good health. The young girl also jumped into the swim-ming pool on the premises and by way of throwing a tantrum, held her breath, saying she wanted to leave.

Dr Abilasha, a psychologist from Nungambakkam, says Oviya dis-played symptoms of depression, 'Whether it is scripted or not, on tel-evision it appeared she was unwell. Depression is what Oviya showed.

She had mood swings - happiness, irritation, sadness and outbursts. She wanted to be left alone and had negative thoughts.'

Oviya has always been trend-ing on social media with hashtags #NoOviyaNoBigBoss.

A viewer, Priya, said, 'Dishearten-ing. It was the sheer apathy of the others that pushed Oviya, who was the most sensible contestant, to a

(Contd. on Page 7)

IN OR OUT IN OR OUT

Aarav and Oviya at the show

This picture of Oviya is reportedly shot as she was leaving Bigg Boss house. The veracity of the photograph could not be confi rmed.

NT Bureau Chennai, Aug 5:

As if the existing confusions are not enough, more troubles started brewing in the AIADMK today, a day after the announcement of new offi ce-bearers by the party's deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran.

A bunch of MLAs has declined the postings given to them, while Minis-

ters too are against him. Meanwhile, those who have accepted it have started meeting Dinakaran at his residence today.

The recent announcement has led to fresh war of words as senior lead-

ers from the both the sides (TTV and EPS camps) are expressing their opinion about Dinakaran's move.

Finance Minister D Jayakumar was the fi rst from the Chief Minister Edap-padi K Palaniswami camp to share his thoughts.

'The appointment of the party gen-eral secretary is itself pending in the Election Commission and court. At this point the post of DGS becomes questionable and so are the post of

the new offi ce-bearers,' he said.Similarly Minister R B Udhayaku-

mar said that the EC has rejected the statement of TTV in the appoint-ment of V K Sasikala as the general secretary of the party.

'The appointment of new office-bearers is aimed at creating chaos in the party and it can be released only after the approval of the EC,' he added.

Responding to this, MLA Vettrivel from TTV camp said that Udhaya-kumar is an expert in making con-troversial statements. 'Only after announcing the new offi ce-bearers it will be notifi ed to the EC,' he said.

He questioned if everyone ap-pointed by Sasikala are willing to give up their posts. He also alleged those who are declining their posts are doing it due to pressure.

Similarly former Minister Palaniap-pan of the TTV team said that it was Sasikala who gave the Chief Minister post to Palaniswami.

MLA Senthil Balaji said that the new offi ce-bearers list was announced

only after discussing with everyone including Sathya Pannerselvam who rejected her posting.

'Jayakumar is making false propa-gation that the party and government are with Palaniswami,' he added.

Panneer's plan: In a related development, former

Chief Minister O Panneerselvam today held a high level meeting of his supporters at his Greenways Road residence. Senior functionar-ies of his faction K P Munuswamy, Natham Vishwanathan, Semmalai, K Pandiarajan, Manoj Pandian and

Member of Parliament Maithreyan were present during the meeting.

Sources revealed that the list of new offi ce bearers of the faction and the steps to be taken for the proposed protest against the government on 10 August were discussed during the meeting.

Palaniswami in Perambalur: In the meantime, Chief Minister

Edappadi K Palaniswami this morn-ing went to Perambalur to talk part in the MGR Centenary functions and he was received by Ministers and MLAs.

Rejected MLA Sathya Pannerselvam,

Pazhani, Bose have turned down the posting that was given to them by TTV Dinakaran.

Accepted Palaniappan, Senthil Balaji, MLA

Vetrivel, Nanjil Sampath and oth-ers support Dinakaran

Vijayadharani meets TTV

Congress MLA Vijayadharani today met TTV Dinakaran at his residence.

Addressing mediapersons later, she said that her visit was to convey her con-dolence to the death of the Dinakaran's mother-in-law.

'BJP is earning the anger of the voters and it is also pressurising both the factions of the AIADMK,' she said.

Fire in garment factory

NT BureauChennai, Aug 5:

A minor fi re broke out in a garment factory located near Poonamallee yesterday night.

The accident was said to be due to an electrical glitch inside the factory at around 11 pm.

Around 20 staff working in the fac-tory were residing in the fi rst fl oor of the building, owned by one Bachu Singh.

As the fi re quickly spread, the pas-sersby alerted the local police sta-tion. Fire engines from Poonamalle, Ambattur and Avadi were rushed to the spot and after an hour of strug-gle the fi re was put out.

The workers inside the building were safely rescued. Goods worth lakhs of rupees were damaged in the accident. A case has been registered with Nasaratpet police station.

TTV DinakaranTTV Dinakaran

VijayadharaniVijayadharani