KOZHIKODE l friday l april 24, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION NGT shoots notices to 6 cricket stadiums for non-compliance The National Green Tribunal has sent notices to six stadiums, including the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi for non-compliance of tribunal order PIC: Sayantan Ghosh in focus: groundwater to maintain stadia IPL matches may get affected The plea was against use of groundwater or fresh water to maintain cricket grounds instead of the sewage treatment plant (STP)-treated water. And also against not installing rainwater harvesting systems. The NGT bench said seven stadiums failed to submit their replies despite repeated directions; only Hyderabad has sought time to reply ■ ■ Notices sent to Arun Jaitley Stadium, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium (Raipur), Sawai Mansingh (Jaipur), Dr DY Patil Stadium (Mumbai), Ekana Stadium (Lucknow), Barabati Stadium (Cuttack) Lucknow, Delhi, Jaipur and Raipur are hosting matches this IPL season and NGT is asking why activity should not be stopped I P11 2021 year of order , mandating stp-treated water & rainwater harvesting CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Transport chaos: Commuters endure massive traffic gridlock in Chennai Small & big: India’s smallest booth of 5 voters in Theni witnesses 100% polling Thousands heading out of Chennai to exercise their franchise in hometowns were caught in an unprecedented gridlock. The traffic jams on GST Road, Chennai Bypass, and other arterial stretches which began around 9 pm on Wednesday, persisted until 1 pm on Thursday The smallest polling booth in the country at Vellimalai in Theni recorded 100% voting with all its five registered voters exercising the franchise. A nine-member team of polling officials and policemen travelled nearly 80km through rugged hilly terrain to set up the booth Administrative mismatch: 2K voters of 6 villages boycott poll in Pudukkottai Aggrieved over access to govt services, 2,000 residents of six villages in R Palakuruchi panchayat boycotted poll. Though its revenue area comes under Pudukkottai, the panchayat is part of Tirupathur seat in Sivaganga, making it hard for residents to access services Super massive polling again Screen grab from undated video footage released by Iran’s IRGC showing its naval personnel boarding a ship attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz | afp Trump’s hell-hole jibe on India ‘in poor taste’: Govt P R E E THA NAI R @ New Delhi ‘Shoot and kill’ order in a sharp response to US President Donald Trump’s repost of a derogatory comment against India on social media, New Delhi on Thursday said that the comments are “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste”. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the remarks do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests. “We have seen the comments, as also the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy in response. The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste,” said Jaiswal. Hours after Trump reposted American political commentator and radio host Michael Savage’s podcast, the US went into day a damage control. Responding to queries from Indian media, a US embassy spokesperson said: “The President has said ‘India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top’.” In the podcast, Savage also termed Indian and Chinese immigrants as “gangsters with laptops” who have “stepped on our flag”. Trump shared the transcript and video of the podcast Savage Nation, calling for changes in the US’ birthright citizenship law. “A baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring in their entire family from China, or India, or some other hell-hole on the planet,” it said. The social media post invited scathing criticism from Opposition parties. “Modiji’s dear friend, ‘Namaste Trump’ has shared a note abusing India and using an extremely disparaging term. Modi ji remains absolutely mum on these ridiculous utterances,” said Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge. Trump on Thursday issued shoot-at-sight orders on Iranian boats laying mines to choke traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. “I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be... that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait,” he said 55 Not safe to travel to Iran now: Indian embassy The Indian embassy in Tehran cautioned against travelling to Iran in view of resumption of flights. “Airspace restrictions and operational uncertainties due to regional tensions continue to affect flight operations to and from Iran,” it said in its advisory TN sees unprecedented 85% turnout At 92%, West Bengal voter turnout highest since Independence T M u r u g a n a n D h a m @ Chennai The high-stakes campaign of political parties for the Assembly poll in Tamil Nadu received an equally enthusiastic response from the electorate on SU B H E NDU M AITI @ Kolkata the day of polling as the state recorded an unprecedented 85% West Bengal on Thursday recorded its highest-ever voting pervoter turnout on Thursday . centage since Independence at 91.78 for the first phase of assemThough the sharp jump from bly elections, 7.06% mere than the previous best of 84.72% in 73.6% in 2021 Assembly polls is 2021. Voter enthusiasm was visible though the Election Commispredominantly driven by the sion of India’s ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) axed 91 shrinking of the state’s electorlakh names from the electoral rolls citing various reasons. ate by about 67 lakh from 6.41 Murshidabad, Bankura, Cooch Behar, Malda, Jhargram and crore to 5.73 crore due to the Paschim Medinipur reported turnout around or over 90%. KaSpecial Intensive Revision limpong was relatively lower around 81%. (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Hundreds of voters wait in queue to cast their vote at a polling booth in Kallikuppam What also stood out was the rather peaceful polling as no loss scenes at polling booths indi- in Ambattur, Chennai, on Thursday | P Jawahar of life was reported, though stray incidents of violence were cated palpable enthusiasm reported from a few districts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi from voters, particularly from ticipation was widespread. usually read as a signal of peocongratulated the Election Commission for the peaceful polling. the younger population, in parIn absolute numbers, the to- ple expecting change. In the “For the first time in the last 50 years Bengal witnessed peaceful ticipating in the democratic tal number of people who voted 2011 Assembly elections, the elections with less incidents of violence in the first phase. I conprocess. in the polls went up by 24 lakh state witnessed the highest votgratulate the Election Commission…” he said. The entry of actor C Joseph from 4.63 crore in 2021 to rough- er turnout of 78,29%. The inChief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the high turnout reVijay through his ly 4.87 crore in cumbent DMK government flected “fear among people that if they don’t vote, they may lose Tamilaga Vettri Ka2026. In 2024 Lok lost, and the AIADMK came to Assembly their voting rights and citizenship”, linking it to SIR. zhagam has already Sabha polls, 4.39 power. However, there is a need elections Polling was held in 152 of the total 294 seats in the state in the raised the expectacrore voters had for caution since 2016 witnessed first phase. The second phase for the remaining 142 tions on the surprises exercised their a higher turnout of seats is scheduled for April 29. Women (92.69%) outthe election results franchise. 74.8% than 73.6% in numbered men (90.92) at the polling booths, which may throw up on May While incum- 2021, but the incummade it more difficult to read the mandate. How4, when the final rebent Chief Minis- bent AIADMK reever, both the Mamata-led TMC and the BJP presults are expected to reveal ter and DMK president M K tained power in dicted a decisive mandate in their favour. whether these numbers will Stalin is pitching his re-elec- 2016 and it lost Violence erupted in Nawda in Murshidabad translate into substantial rea- tion as a high-stakes battle for power in 2021. district after supporters of the TMC and lignment of the political order state autonomy against central According Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan in Tamil Nadu. overreach, AIADMK general to ECINET Party clashed with each other, promptAll districts registered above secretary Edappadi K Palan- portal at 11 ing the Central Armed Paramilitary 75% voter turnout, and around iswami and the BJP were cam- p m , t h e Force to resort to lathi charge. Kabir, 20 districts registered above paigning on the economic Veerapanan expelled TMC leader, is a candidate 85%. Significantly, of the 234 promise of a “double-engine di Assemthere. In Kumarganj, BJP candidate Assembly constituencies, only government”. Actor Vijay is bly constitSubrata Sarkar was assaulted by seven recorded a voter turnout riding on youth support to chal- u e n c y goons. Also, BJP MLA Agnimitra below 75%, while 42 have re- lenge the long-standing DMK- p o l l e d t h e A newlywed couple after casting vote Paul’s car was attacked near Rahmat corded voter turnout above AIADMK duopoly . h i g h e s t in Pettai, Tirunelveli | v karthik alagu Nagar in Asansol Dakshin. 90%, indicating that the parThe high voter turnout is (93.40%). P5 80+ seats Cong strategist projects victory for UDF in Kerala State sweats 40.2 37.7 37.6 37.6 37.5 37.2 IMD alert Palakkad Thrissur Kottayam Kozhikode Kollam Kannur Max temp in state on Thursday (°C) One person died of suspected sunstroke, while three others suffered sunburns as the state continued to record high summer temperatures on Thursday . The ultraviolet index (UVI) was between 8 and 9 – indicating high level of UV radiation – in some places. Sanalkumar M V 37, of Pal, lipoyil in Kannur, who collapsed while working in the sun and admitted to a private hospital on Wednesday died on , Thursday morning. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said it is awaiting Sanalkumar’s autopsy report to confirm the cause of death. In Nadapuram, Kozhikode, anganwadi teacher Anila suffered sunburn on her hands, while in Malappuram’s Wandoor, four-year-old Isa John suffered sunburn while playing at her home. In Ernakulam, Pandava Baira, a 27-year-old migrant worker from Odisha, was admitted to the Koothattukulam Community Health Centre with burns on his hands and Heatwave conditions likely to prevail in Thrissur, Kollam and Palakkad districts on Friday. Hot and humid weather likely till April 26. Isolated showers from April 27. neck following a sunburn he suffered while working at a timber mill at Thamarakkadu. He was later shifted to Muvattupuzha General Hospital. With mercury continuing to hover in the 37-40 degrees Celsius range in the state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued heatwave warning in Palakkad, Thrissur and Kollam on Friday . For the second consecutive day Palakkad was the hottest at , 40.2 degrees Celsius, while Thrissur and Kottayam followed with maximum temperature of 37.7 and 37.6 degrees No Pooram fireworks, kudamattam cut to 15 minutes as Thrissur mourns G O P I K A V A R R I E R @Thrissur One dies of suspected sunstroke, three suffer sunburns; heatwave alert issued M a n o j V i s w a n at h a n @Kochi Sunil Kanugolu attributes front’s prospects to anti-incumbency sentiment against LDF govt, and a more targeted sentiment against CM Pinarayi Vijayan | P5 UV index Konni 9 Kottarakkara 8 Chengannur 8 Changanassery 8 Munnar 8 Celsius, respectively Maximum . temperature in Palakkad was 41.1 degrees Celsius on Wednesday the highest in the state this , season. Confirming the heatwave conditions, the IMD issued an alert cautioning that maximum temperature will remain above normal till April 26. “Hot and humid weather will continue in Kerala due to high temperature and humidity The . prevailing weather can cause health risk to vulnerable people like infants, elderly and people with chronic diseases,,” ● More on P4 said the IMD.  EXPRESS READ Boy, woman die of snakebite in Kerala Alappuzha/T’Puram: Two persons, an eight-year-old boy in Thiruvananthapuram and a 42-year-old woman in Alappuzha, died of snakebite on Thursday. The deceased are Dikshal of Azhoor and Selina of Kayamkulam | P4 ED Sabarimala probe loses momentum Kochi: After a flurry of highprofile interrogations and intense media scrutiny, the ED investigation into the Sabarimala gold scam has entered a slower phase, raising questions over whether the probe has lost its initial momentum | P5 As the cultural capital mourned the demise of 14 people in Tuesday’s explosion at a firecracker-making unit at Mundathicode in Thrissur, the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu devaswoms decided to hold a low-key Thrissur Pooram, in keeping with the sentiments of a majority of devotees. In addition to completely avoiding fireworks display the , organising devaswoms decided to cut down the famed kudamattam ceremony to 15 minutes. The decisions followed a high-level meeting convened on Thursday Union Minister and . Thrissur MP Suresh Gopi, Revenue Minister K Rajan, Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, Higher Education Minister R Bindu, MLAs P Balachandran and Xavier Chittilappilly, Dis- 103 more body parts recovered from blast site Thrissur: The search using cadaver dogs and additional police personnel for the missing people continued on the second day after the April 21 blast at the firecracker making unit at Mundathicode in Thrissur. In all, 103 body parts were recovered. About 60 cops participated in the search operation on Thursday | P4 trict Collector Sikha Surendran and other department officials, besides representatives of the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu devaswoms took part in the meeting. The meeting discussed in detail the concerns of the devaswoms and other participating temples, especially potential issues that would arise from scaling down the pooram celebrations. The devaswoms have booked elephants and percussion artists in advance after spending huge amounts. It was decided that elephant parades and the melam, including that of the eight participating temples, will happen as it is. Fifteen elephants will be used for Madathil Varavu of Thiruvambady Bhagavathy, Elanjithara Melam of Paramekkavu Bhagavathy and also for the kudamattam ceremony . “Thrissur Pooram will be conducted without compromising on rituals. However, kudamattam will be curtailed to 15 minutes, using a maximum of 10 special parasols. Elanjithara Melam, the elephant parades at night and Arattu ceremonies will be conducted as per tradition,” G Rajesh, the Paramekkavu devaswom secretary, ● More on P4 told TNIE.  SC: No ‘WA varsity’ inputs on Sabarimala New Delhi: On Day 8 of the Sabarimala reference hearings on Thursday, the SC underlined that constitutional principles must prevail over external public commentary and opinions expressed outside the legal framework | P7 Police personnel carrying out a search at the blast site at Mundathicode in Thrissur on Thursday | Express