The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 17, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Cauvery tribunal final award

By Our Staff Reporter

Thanjavur Feb. 16. The Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal is likely to give its final award in the row between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka before December this year, A. Mohanakrishnan, Adviser to Government, Water Resources, and Chairman, Cauvery Technical cell, Government of Tamil Nadu, said today.

The Tribunal had heard three groups formed to discuss continuance of the agreements signed and availability and sharing of water. All the groups submitted reports to the tribunal. "The final award may come before December this year and it is for the people to demand its implementation after the award came" Dr. Mohanakrishnan said here.

Pointing out that food grains production in the country must be increased from over 200 million tonnes now to 450 million tonnes in 2050, he said that for this to happen rivers must be inter-linked and it was feasible also.

Two held for borewell death

By Our Staff Reporter

Dharmapuri Feb.16. Two persons were arrested yesterday in connection with the death of a four-year-old boy, who fell into a 605-foot deep borewell at Athiyaman Kottai here on Friday.

The arrested were Rajendiran (42) and Devaraj (22), manager of the borewell company in Salem.

Illicit arrack seized

By Our Staff Reporter

HOSUR FEB. 16. The Prohibition Enforcement Wing personnel seized 600 litres of illicit arrack here yesterday.

According to the police, a team led by inspector Radhakrishnan was conducting vehicle checks on Melumalai Road. The team intercepted a car coming from Bangalore and seized the contraband. The car driver, Sudhir, was arrested.

Free eye camp

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Feb. 16. The Adhiparasakthi Charitable Medical, Educational and Cultural Trust, founded by Sri Bangaru Adigalar at Melmaruvathur, about 90 km from here, will conduct a free eye camp on February 20 to coincide with the birthday of Sri Adigalar.

A release from the Trust said registration and screening of patients would begin at 7 a.m. on February 20. It would go on till February 24 with the free distribution of spectacles. The Trust had been conducting the camps since 1986. Further details can be had over telephone: (04115) 229284/229230/229313.

Training in entrepreneurship

By Our Staff Reporter

SALEM FEB. 16. Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation of Tamil Nadu Limited (ITCOT), a State consultancy organisation, as part of its industrial promotional endeavour, will conduct a four-week full-time Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) on food processing industries for entrepreneurs of Salem and Erode districts in March.

According to the Programme Director, Perumal, the EDP, sponsored by the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries, is aimed at enabling prospective entrepreneurs to start their own food processing enterprises by providing integrated package of motivational, technical and managerial inputs.

Interested candidates can contact P. Senthilkumar, Project Officer, ITCOT Project Office, DIC Campus, Salem - 4. The phone number is 0427-2440051.

Scholarships to students

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Feb. 16. Students enrolled in courses offered by the Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU) can apply for scholarships up to Rs.13,500 a year provided by the South Asia Foundation (SAF).

A release from the TNOU Vice-Chancellor, M.S. Palanichamy, said the SAF had proposed to give 10,000 scholarships to students of open universities in south Asian countries. Sixty per cent of these would be allotted to students enrolled in Indian open universities, including the Indira Gandhi National Open University. Ten to 50 scholarships would be distributed to each open university based on enrolment for postgraduate and vocational training programmes. Applying for the scholarships would be subject to SAF membership (which is free of cost).

Prof. Palanichamy said students could apply for the scholarship through the TNOU by signing a pledge and submitting enrolment particulars in a plain paper.

Retired staff to support DPA

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Feb. 16. The Tamil Nadu Retired Government Employees Association has decided to support the Democratic Progressive Alliance in the Lok Sabha election.

The executive, which met at Tiruvannamalai on Saturday, adopted a resolution to work for the victory of DPA candidates to teach `a lesson' to the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government, which allegedly curbed the rights of employees and deprived them of their privileges. The meeting extended its support to the February 24 general strike called by various trade unions.

Aircraft auctioned

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI FEB. 16. Financial institutions vying with one another to hold car loan melas to woo vehicle buyers is a common phenomenon. However, today a mela of a different kind was organised at the Chennai airport to auction a Fokker aircraft belonging to Elbee, a private courier company.

A Tirunelveli-based buyer successfully bid for the aircraft for Rs. 6.5 lakhs at a special auction held at the airport conference hall.

The plane was grounded as the company had huge dues to be paid to the Airports Authority of India towards landing and parking charges and other fees. Consequently, the AAI initiated legal action and auctioned the aircraft. It had no engines and its tyres were in a deflated condition.

Official visits drought-hit areas

By Our Staff Reporter

PUDUKOTTAI Feb. 16 . The Commissioner of Revenue Administration, R. Santhanam, today inspected drought-hit areas in Aranthangi taluk. He interacted with farmers and enquired about their problems related to drought. He also inspected dry lakes and withered paddy crops, an official release said.

The Collector, Hiteshkumar Makwana, the District Revenue Officer, V. Shobana, the District Rural Development Agency, the Project Officer, P. Selvarajan, the Joint Director (Agriculture), R. Angusamy and other officials accompanied the Commissioner.

Development works inspected

By Our Staff Reporter

PUDUKOTTAI Feb. 16 . The Collector, Hiteshkumar Makwana, inspected development works being carried out at Thuvarankollaipatti in Karambakudi panchayat union in the district recently. The works included construction of group houses, desilting and deepening of supply channel, construction of passenger shelter, quarters for women teachers etc.

An official release here said the Collector had instructed officials to water the saplings daily and keep village ponds and school kitchen neat and clean.

The Karambakudi panchayat union chairman Thirumayan, district administration officials and local bodies representatives accompanied the Collector.

Power shutdown

By Our Special Correspondent

PUDUKOTTAI Feb. 16 . There will be no power supply in the following areas from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 17 due to maintenance work on the Pudukottai Town I Feeder, according to a TNEB release: Rajagopalapuram, Charles Nagar, Periyar Nagar, new bus stand, Santhanathapuram, Kalif Nagar, Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar and Maraimalai Nagar.

Bank to be shifted

By Our Staff Reporter

THANJAVUR Feb. 16 . The Tamil Nadu Industrial Cooperative Bank Ltd. here, now functioning on No. 2897 South Main Street, is shifted to No. 2647 on the opposite side of the same street near ICICI bank on the ground floor of V.R.M.Building tomorrow 18, according to a release from V.Jayaraman, branch manager of the TAICO Bank.

Mr. Jayaraman said jewel loans were given at the rate of Rs.375 per gram at 12 per cent interest by the bank on all days.

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