Tamil Nadu Govt Declares Jan 17 As Holiday, Extends Pongal Break To Six Days For Schools, Govt Offices And PSUs

Tamil Nadu Holiday: The Tamil Nadu government has officially announced a holiday on January 17 for all government offices, public sector undertakings and educational institutions. This addition follows the already declared public holidays for Pongal on January 14, Thiruvalluvar Day on January 15 and Uzhavar Thirunal on January 16.

With January 18 and 19 falling on a Saturday and Sunday, this decision creates a six-day holiday period for the Pongal festival. To make up for the holiday on January 17, institutions will be open on January 25, according to a Times Of India report.

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An official statement indicated that the government received numerous requests to declare a holiday on this date, allowing students, parents, teachers and government staff to travel to their hometowns and celebrate the festival with their families.

In separate news, six workers lost their lives following a powerful explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar on Saturday. Officials suspect the blast occurred during the mixing of chemicals, flattening a section of the facility and causing fatalities. Fire and rescue teams promptly reached the site, authorities confirmed.

ALSO READ: Tamil Nadu: Six Dead, Several Injured After Explosion At Firecracker Factory In Virudhunagar

Meanwhile, in Coimbatore, an LPG tanker overturned on the Avinashi Road flyover early Friday morning, resulting in a minor gas leak. Coimbatore district collector Kranthi Kumar Pati stated that the tanker detached from the truck while negotiating a roundabout. Although no injuries were reported, traffic was temporarily halted, and nearby schools within a one-kilometre radius were closed as a precaution.

Emergency responders sprayed water on the tanker, which carried 18 tonnes of LPG to BPCL's bottling plant in Ganapathy. Quick action by police and fire services prevented a potential disaster, ensuring public safety.