The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 09, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

By Our Special Correspondent

Publication of poll roll

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 The Election Commission of India has postponed the date of final publication of electoral rolls to January 31. The summary electoral rolls were being revised, and the qualifying date now is January 1, 2004, says a release from the Chief Electoral Officer, Chennai.

2 arrested for kidnapping

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 The police today arrested a couple on the charge of abducting a seven-year-old girl student.

According to police sources, Nandini of Elanthanur in Nagapattinam district, studying in standard III was given chocolate by Sheik Noorudheen and his wife Sabeera Begum of Athiramapattinam. Nandini fainted immediately after eating it. The couple abducted her and made her beg in front of mosques in different parts of the State. In Ramanathapuram, they made her beg in front of a mosque near the Bazaar police station.

Muthu Kumar, sub-inspector, detained the couple and their two children Parakath Syed (3) and Ali Fathima (5) along with Nandini, as they were moving suspiciously in and around the mosque. During interrogation it was revealed that the couple abducted Nandini. Based on the information given by her, the police contacted her parents.

27 child workers rescued

By Our Staff Reportr

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 Labour department officials today rescued 27 child workers from shops and eateries in the city, Valparai, Pollachi and Udumalpet. Officials conducted raids on 133 shops and 38 eateries and the children were rescued, according to a department release.

Action has been initiated against these establishments.

Cinema producers' plea to CM

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 The Tamizh Thiraippada Padukappu Kazhagam (Tamil Film Protection Forum) has urged the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, to provide a subsidy for small-budget movies made with 30 or smaller number of prints.

Noting that many producers had moved to neighbouring States following an increase in charges payable for shooting films in public places in Tamil Nadu, the president, K. Rajan, urged the Chief Minister to announce a cut in the rates. At present, filmmakers had to seek permission 15 days before shooting in public places. This period should be reduced to three days. Small budget films should also be given entertainment tax exemption, he said.

Underlining the producers' support for all her efforts at social and economic development, Mr. Rajan, in an appeal, said the Chief Minister should treat the film fraternity more benevolently. He reiterated the demand for strict action against video piracy, including legislation to book violators of the anti-piracy laws under the Goondas Act.

Heroin seized, 2 arrested

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 Acting on a tip-off, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 5.540 kg of heroin from a house in Tiruchi on Wednesday. According to M. Veeraiyan, Additional Director-General of DRI, Chennai, two persons were arrested and remanded to judicial custody today.

Free chappal scam case

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 Questioning of the accused by the court in the "free chappal scam" case during the previous AIADMK rule, began in a special court here today and will continue tomorrow.

Twenty one persons, including Indirakumari, former Social Welfare Minister, and Easwaramoorthy, former Khadi Minister, have been cited as accused in the charge sheet. Two of the accused, including V.R. Nedunchezhiyan, former Finance Minister, have since died. The other 19 were present in the court and they replied to the questions put by R. Rajamanickam, special judge-I. The case relates to alleged irregularities in the procurement of chappals meant for distribution to schoolchildren in rural areas. Besides non-supply, the quality of chappals was substandard. Because of this, the Government suffered a loss of about Rs.1.20 crores. A total of 188 prosecution witnesses were examined.

CRPF examinations postponed

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 The written examination for recruitment of constables (GD) posts in the Central Reserve Police Force, which was to be conducted on January 9 at Madurai and Vellore centres, has been postponed to January 11 at 11 a.m.

The postponement came in the wake of the leakage of question papers and the arrest of five persons in Hyderabad.

An official press release here today said the postponement was due to "unforeseen administrative reasons".

Candidates qualified for written tests should report at the respective centres at the same time as directed on January 11, instead of January 9, it said.

Training in handicrafts

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 The Small Industries Service Institute, Guindy, here will organise a five-day comprehensive training in handicraft products at its auditorium from January 19. The objective is to impart a comprehensive understanding of handicraft products to prospective entrepreneurs and industrialists. The participation fee is Rs.800 (Rs. 400 for SC/ST/physically handicapped candidates). The last date for payment is January 13, says an institute release.

Grievances day

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 The superintending engineer of the Erode Electricity Distribution Circle today said that the grievances day for the Perundurai division consumers would be held at the office of the executive engineer on January 9 at 3 p.m.

Festival

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 Thousands of devotees took part in the annual fire-walking ceremony at the Pariyur Kondathu Kaliamman Temple near Gobichettipalayam this morning.

Many women with children in their hand walked over the fire. The chariot festival would be held tomorrow. On Saturday night, "Pushpa Pallakku" would be drawn from the temple to Gobichettipalayam.

More than 50 devotees who sustained simple burns were treated at the Gobichettipalayam Government Hospital.

Killed

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 In a case of dowry harassment, a man was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife at Dharmapuri on Wednesday. Police said that Sekar, 26, used to harass his wife Davamani, 20, of Krishnapuram, for more dowry and she was missing for two days.

On complaints from her parents, Krishnapuram police arrested Sekar. Further investigations are on.

Held for fratricide

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 The Paavoorchathram police have arrested a mentally deranged youth on the charge of murdering his father.

The police said T. Paulraj (27) of North Maalaisoodipatti under the Paavoorchathram police station limits attacked his father, P. Thaaveethu Sironmani (60), with an aruval this evening. The old man died on the spot. Though the police arrested Paulraj immediately, they could not extract any information from him.

Family members told the police that a petty quarrel between the father and the son might have led to the gruesome incident.

Power shutdown

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 There will be no power supply in the following areas between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on

Saturday owing to maintenance work in the Gandamanur sub-station: Gandamanur, Ambasamudram, Srirangapuram, Thappugundu, Govindhanagaram, Venkatachalapuram, M. Subbulapuram, Usilampatti, Sitharpatti, Ganesapuram, G. Ramalingapuram and nearby areas.

Semester results

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 The results of the B.Com. semester examination, conducted by the Madurai Kamaraj University during November 2003, will be published tomorrow9, according to a release from the Controller of Examinations.

Students can access their results through the following web sites: www.webulagam.com and www.southindia.com, or SMS 333 through AirTel from 9 a.m. on January 9.

Rally to collect small savings

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 . The district administration has proposed to organise a rally here tomorrow.

Led by the Collector, P. Annamalai, they rally will commence from the RDO's office at 10 a.m. Investors and agents, the mobile post office would participate in the rally to enable the people to make small savings investment on the spot.

Arrangements have been made to issue small savings coupons to the eligible investments on the spot through extension officers (small savings) of eight blocks in the district.

Development works

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 Booklets highlighting the development works carried out by the Government from 2001 would be supplied to the people in this district, the Collector, S. Kosalaraman, said here today.

In a press release, he said the booklets would be prepared by the Information and Public Relations Department at a cost of Rs. 50,000.

It has been decided to organise photo exhibitions at functions like Thyagaraja Aradhana at Thiruvaiyaru held between January 8 and 13, Government exhibition at Theevu Thidal at Chennai etc. Video clippings on the works completed in the villages would be screened.

T. Muniyappan, District Revenue Officer, and P. Rajendran, Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency, participated in the meeting.

Review meeting in Thanjavur

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 . It has been decided at the law and order review meeting held at the collectorate here on Tuesday to arrest those spoiling public places by acts like urinating and punish them.

The Collector, S.Kosalaraman, who presided, said that the decision would be implemented strictly. Those who create environment hazards by spitting, urinating and smoking in public places, would be punished as per law.

R. Thirugnanam, Superintendent of Police, T. Muniyappan, District Revenue Officer, and Ramalingam, Regional Transport Officer, Sivabhaskar, Inspector of Police, participated in the meeting.

Mettur level

CHENNAIRAMANATHAPURAMCOIMBATORECHENNAICH, JAN. 8.JAN. 8.JAN. 8 Water level at the Mettur reservoir stood at 30.10 feet today. The inflow was 208 cusecs and discharge nil.

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