Good morning, Chennai!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 31 ℃ | Low: 26 ℃ | Mostly cloudy with a chance of some rain.
🧐 Did you know? The Corporation Stadium, aka, Nehru Stadium, was the home of cricket in Chennai for a decade. India’s first Test series win against England in 1964 was at this stadium.
🎾 Rise of pickleball
The sport is gaining popularity since it’s age-friendly, inclusive and fun.
What’s it about? Pickleball is described as part table tennis and part tennis. While for some it’s just a fad, for others it’s a couple of hours of fun and adrenaline. Many Chennaites are now taking up the sport as a form of leisure.
- Vimalraj Jayachandran’s tennis career evolved into one in pickleball. It’s an easy sport to pick compared to other sports like tennis. Tamil Nadu has over 1,000 players, some at the elite level.
- The Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association (TNPA)’s formation was to build a happy and healthy community that includes women and elders.
Growth in Chennai: There are about 12-15 pickleball venues in the city, with about 40 courts. The Ice Water Sports Arena at Express Avenue was built with an astroturf for indoor football. Since it’s not being used regularly, there are plans to transform it into pickleball courts.
✊ Protesters shift location
Several of the protesting Samsung workers have shifted to Podavur village.
What’s happened so far? The state police dismantled the tents used by Samsung workers after a case of unlawful assembly was registered against 625 protesters. The police also checked the driving licenses and ID cards of others. They arrested 30 people, including CITU’s Kancheepuram district secretary, E Muthukumar.
- Several workers on their way to the protest site were stopped and told to return. They relocated to Podavur village, about 3 km from the Samsung plant.
- A police contingent was deployed at Echoor, Sirumangadu, and Kunnam junctions. Some of those detained were lodged in a private marriage hall in Sreperumbudur.
Official visits: Former AIADMK ministers Benjamin and Ramana visited the workers at the new site. Police had previously arrested CITU state secretary A Soundararajan and other protesting workers.
🏞️ Zipline controversy
The zipline at the Kalaignar Park was closed after two women were suspended mid-air.
What’s it about? Just five days after the Kalaignar Centenary Park was inaugurated, the zipline was closed after two women were suspended mid-air. The firm that operates the zip line said there was no malfunction, and the issue was fixed.
- Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami criticised the government for endangering people’s lives. Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam hit back and said the equipment was up to standards.
- The ride is based on gravity and people’s weight, and the difference between the two women’s weights caused it to malfunction since the speed was reduced.
Corrective measures: The zipline’s speed limit will be readjusted to accommodate people of all ages and remain consistent to prevent further incidents.
🌧️ Orange alert
The met department has issued an orange alert for Chennai with forecasts for heavy rain.
What’s it about? The met department issued an orange alert for the city on October 15, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall. The rainy spell is expected to begin on Monday afternoon and intensify further.
- There’s a low pressure area over the east-central Arabian Sea to north Sri Lanka across coastal Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Heavy rain is forecast on Monday for Cuddalore, Puducherry, and Villupuram.
- Tuesday could see isolated heavy rain over Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu. The rainy spell is expected to continue till October 16.
Good rainfall: The state has received good rainfall over the past few days. Karaikudi received 15 cm of rainfall followed by the Trichy airport with 13 cm.
📊 Today’s Poll
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Do you still listen to the radio?
- I do listen to the radio.
- I don’t listen to the radio.
❓ Today’s Question
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What game was your favourite during your childhood?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Team Detailing Solutions, based in Chennai, gifted its employees 28 cars and 29 bikes.
- The Kalaignar Centenary Park saw 8,000 visitors, causing traffic and parking issues.
- Chennai’s Gallery Veda showcases unique exhibitions and fosters an art ecosystem.
- Bay Area in California celebrates the festival of Navarathri with traditional musical events.
- Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inspected the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) ahead of expected heavy rainfall.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!