The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Jet makes wrong landing

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI MARCH 13. A Saudi Airlines Jumbo-747 jet with 126 passengers aboard this morning landed in the ``runway area closed for maintenance'' at the Anna international terminal here, damaging two lights. The jet from Riyadh suffered ``fissures in the left and right wing flaps and tyres''.

The aircraft approaching from the Pallavaram-end (Runway 07 end), landed in the ``unserviceable threshold area''. The premature landing in the closed 570-metre area of the main runway gave anxious moments to air traffic controllers and airport managers.

Immediately after touchdown, the pilot taxied the plane to the allotted parking bay. Regional authorities of airworthiness and air safety have grounded the jet. Riyadh-bound passengers from Chennai have been accommodated in city hotels. Arrangements were being made to send them by another aircraft.

The incident took place even after a Notice to Airmen was issued by the national airports division of the Airports Authority of India, intimating the global operators of the closure of the area of the runway.

Passing-out parade By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI MARCH 13. A total of 64 Mechanical Transport Technician trainees, Indian Air Force (IAF), passed out today after an intensive 62 week training at the Mechanical Transport Training Institute, Avadi.

Air Commodore Sudip Mondal, Air Officer Commanding, 23 Equipment Depot, Avadi, was the chief guest.

Another batch of 29 Missile Fitter (Mechanical) trainees also passed out after 36 weeks of training, according to an official release.

Another sambar found dead

By P. Sudhakar

Tirunelveli March 13. Just six days after the accidental death of a sambar near the Kaavalkinaru junction close to the Western Ghats, a female sambar, aged about two-and-a-half years, died here today under mysterious circumstances.

On seeing the sambar grazing in a barbed wire-fenced vacant plot next to their station, the Perumalpuram police tried to catch the animal, but in vain. When they chased the animal, the sambar sustained injuries in the back and the snout. Though the policemen informed the Forest department personnel after leaving the animal alone, it died soon.

Postmortem at the Sripuram Veterinary Hospital showed revealed that the animal had eaten grass and gooseberry.

Though the Forest department personnel suspect that the animal could have strayed into this area from Kalakkad via the Tamirabarani course, the policemen said the poachers might have caught the animal and it could have escaped from them when they reached Tirunelveli.

The carcass was buried in the Gangaikondan reserve forest, forest officials said.

Meanwhile, forest personnel extinguished a bush-fire, which broke out in the Five Falls area of Courtallam yesterday.

3 die in car-lorry collision

By Our Staff Reporter

KANCHEEPURAM MARCH 13. Three occupants of a car died when it and a container lorry collided at Irungattukottai near Sriperumbudur on the Chennai-Bangalore National Highway in the wee hours today. Rajendran (40), Shanmugam (44) and Loganathan (46) of Ayanavaram in Chennai died on the spot. Saravanan driver of the Qualis, who was seriously injured, has been admitted to a private hospital at Poonamallee. Police sources said the car was going from Chennai to Vellore and the container lorry was coming to Chennai.

Two killed in smash

By Our Staff Reporter

VIRUDHUNAGAR MARCH 13. Two women were killed on the spot when a lorry hit the car in which they were travelling on the Madurai-Tirunelveli National Highway near Sattur early today. The car driver, Kannan, who sustained serious injuries, was admitted to a private hospital at Kovilpatti.

The deceased were R. Kunjari (56) of Tirunagar, Madurai, and T. Savithiri (44) from Thanjavur. The lorry driver, Dharmar, of Madurai has been arrested.

Catamine drugs seized at airport

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI MARCH 13. A Kula Lumpur-bound passenger was detained and catamine drugs were seized from him at the Anna International Terminal here at midnight last night.

According to airport sources, Ramaiah (50) from Pudukottai was moving suspiciously in the check-in area. Based on a tip-off, he was intercepted and examination of his hand-baggage showed up the catamine drugs.

In all, there were 22 boxes containing 15 mini-bottles which had the drugs, normally used for anaesthesia. It is said the drugs will fetch a high price in the international market. The passenger was handed over to the Meenambakkam police.

Preventive foot care clinic

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI MARCH 13. Around 30,000 amputations every year as a result of diabetic foot can be prevented by timely treatment and awareness, Princess Benedikte of Denmark, said at the inauguration of a preventive foot care clinic at the Kilpauk Medical College, here today.

``The centre would help bring down the devastating proportions of this disease''.

The centre funded by the World Diabetes Foundation would cater to the `economically weaker sections,' said P. Vijayalakshmi, Director of Medical Education. She said quality service would be provided to the patients.

Two-wheelers destroyed in fire

By Our Staff Reporter

Tirunelveli MARCH 13. As many as 28 two-wheelers and 19 cycles were reduced to ashes in a fire at a private two-wheeler parking area at KTC Nagar near here today.

According to the police, a spark from an electric wire crossing the thatched shed caused the blaze. The fire could be controlled only after an hour since the petrol in the vehicles fuelled the flame. The blaze also spread to a nearby teashop, damaging a portion of the sunshade.

Two boys drowned

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI MARCH 13. Two boys from Tallakulam met with a watery grave in the Vandiyur tank at K.K. Nagar this evening.

Kalaiarasan (12) and Karpagapandian (10) of Kanmai Mettu Street, came to the tank for bathing when they were drowned. The bodies were shifted to the Government Rajaji Hospital for post mortem. The Karupayurani police have registered a case.

Denmark Vice-Consul decorated

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI MARCH 13. S.B. Prabhakar Rao, honorary Vice-Consul for Denmark, Southern India in Chennai, and president - Corporate Affairs, Chemplast Sanmar, has been decorated with the Belonningsmedalje Med Krone by the Queen of Denmark, in recognition of his distinguished services for over 25 years. The award was presented by the Denmark Princess, Benedikte, here on Friday. The decoration consisted of a silver medallion with a picture of Margrethe-II, Queen of Denmark, and the Royal Crown on top.

The Ambassador of Denmark, Michael Sternberg, lauded Mr. Rao's contribution for protecting Danish interests and furthering Indo-Danish relations in many areas.

Poll campaign banned at select places

By Our Staff Reporter

Ramanathapuram March 13. The Election Commission has banned election meetings or campaign at worship places, according to the Collector, S. Vijaya Kumar.

He said in a release that candidates or their agents should not use electric or telephone polls to tie flags or paste pamphlets.

A candidate must use only one car for campaign. Agents of a candidate should also use only one car for campaign.

Candidates should bear the expense for setting up barricades in case of any VIP visit, said the release.

Collector's fiat to local bodies

By Our Staff Reporter

DINDIGUL March 13. The Collector, P. Senthil Kumar, today advised local bodies not to conduct any council meeting as per election guidelines.

In a release today, he said the Election Commission had already issued guidelines for conducting the local body meetings.

"If the local bodies want to discuss execution of drought relief and other essential works, they can discuss the issues with the heads of the departments concerned. Such works should not be published in dailies," the Collector added.

Boy drowned

in tank

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin March 13. An eight-year-old boy drowned in the village tank at Saervaikaaranmadam today.

The police said J. Lingam and his friends had gone to the village tank this morning to take bath.

When he accidentally moved to the deeper part of the tank, he drowned.

Without knowing this, his friends returned home around noon. When the parents searched for the boy, they found the body, floating.

The Sawyerpuram police are investigating.

Results published

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI March 13. The results of the following non-semester examinations of the Directorate of Distance Education, Madurai Kamaraj University, held in December 2003, have been published at the university buildings, Palkalainagar, according to A. Srinivasan, Additional Controller of Examinations (in charge):

B.A. (all subjects), B.Sc. (all subjects), B.C.A., B.B.A., B. Com., B. Ed., M.Ed., B. L. I. Sc., M. L. I. Sc.

Hall tickets for the U.G. (semester) and P.G. (semester) examinations, April 2004, can be had from the respective colleges, according to the Controller of Examinations, MKU.

Power shutdown

By Our Staff Reporter

SIVAGANGA March 13. There will be no power supply at Saligramam, Vandal and surrounding areas between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on March 16 in view of maintenance works to be carried out at the Saligramam sub-station of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

Water level

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI March 13. The level in the Periyar dam today stood at 108.6 feet with an inflow and discharge of 108 cusecs. The level in the Vaigai dam was 28.18 feet with a discharge of 30 cusecs. The combined Periyar credit was 941 mcft.

Illicit arrack seized, 83 held

By Our Staff Reporter

PUDUKOTTAI MARCH 13 . The police arrested 83 persons, including 28 women, and destroyed 10,457 litres of illicit arrack, in raids conducted in the district on March 12 and 13.

A total of 8,050 litres of fermented wash was destroyed, according to a police press release issued here today.

The arrested were remanded to judicial custody.

Child labourers rescued

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM MARCH 13 . A total of 219 child labourers have been identified and all, except 20, admitted to schools, according to the Collector, M. Veera Shanmugha Moni.

At a meeting held here recently, he Collector said it was against law to engage children below 14 years in jobs, and the Government allocated funds for providing education to every children under the `education for all' scheme. Free books, uniforms and food were provided in schools to children living below the poverty line.

AIDWA cadres stage protest

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUCHI MARCH 13 . Members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) staged a demonstration here today, to press their demands.

The AIDWA urban district unit president, U. Nirmala Rani, led the agitation.

The AIDWA would present petitions to officials on the lack of infrastructure, and the problems confronting the farm labourers, beedi workers and handloom workers.

Mettur level

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI MARCH 13 . The level in the Mettur dam stood at 25.01 feet today. The inflow was 54 cusecs, and the discharge 563 cusecs.

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