Cyclone Mandous weakens into deep depression; 4 killed in rain-related incidents, says Tamil Nadu CM
Chennai (PTI): Cyclonic storm Mandous, which crossed the coast at Mamallapuram near here, has weakened into a deep depression but the weather system impacted the city and its neighbourhoods, uprooting a number of trees.
Around 400 trees fell in the city under the impact of 70 kmph wind speed when the weather system crossed the coast in the intervening night of December 9 and 10, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said.
Four persons were killed, he said without elaborating.
Civic agencies, including the Greater Chennai Corporation here, were involved in removing the fallen trees.
"The cyclonic storm Mandous (meaning treasure box) weakened into a deep depression over north Tamil Nadu coast. To move nearly west-northwestwards and gradually weaken into a depression by noon of 10th December," the IMD Chennai said in a tweet in the early hours of Saturday.
Stalin, who reviewed the situation at Kasimedu area, told reporters that the government anticipated the situation and put in all preventive measures and could therefore prevent major damage.
"With advanced planning, this government proved any disaster can be managed," he said.
Around 400 trees fell due to the impact of the high wind speed. Many trees had fallen on electric poles but the clearing work was on in full swing, he said. Around 25,000 civic workers were involved in various activities.
There was no waterlogging in the 22 subways in the city and vehicular traffic was smooth.
Rescue work was being expedited in the neighbouring districts of Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Villupuram.
With the cyclone causing damage to electric poles and transformers, power had been suspended in 600 places and it has been set right in 300 of them. The rest of the work will be over by evening, Stalin said.
Estimation of the loss was being done and if required Central assistance will be sought, the Chief Minister added.
Earlier, state Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K K S S R Ramachandran said over 9,000 people have been lodged in 205 relief centres.
Between 6 am on Friday and 6 am today, 30 domestic and international flights were cancelled as airport operations were affected due to the cyclone.
The airport runway was briefly closed in the early hours today.
Besides, nine outbound flights were cancelled while 21 incoming airplanes were diverted to other cities today.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
