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Friday, Jul 09, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Tie-up for weather probe

Hyderabad July 8. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has entered into an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras to establish a new system for gathering weather data from rural areas and providing advisories to dryland farmers.

The ICRISAT will help the IIT-Madras' Telecommunications and Computer Networking (TeNeT) group identify and source cost-effective weather probes which will continuously feed data on temperature, humidity and rainfall to computers at rural information kiosks. The data will be compiled at information hubs and used for micro-level drought assessment and management, says an ICRISAT release. This will help to intertwine information and communication technology with open and distance learning and agricultural research, says the ICRISAT director-general, William Dar. The TeNeT group, led by Ashok Jhunjhunwala, has built a network of more than 1,000 rural information kiosks in association with non-governmental organisations and companies.

The collaboration between the ICRISAT and the TeNeT group was decided at a two-day international workshop, which studied new technologies available to revitalise agricultural extension processes.

Experts from agricultural research institutes, universities, private sector companies and civil society organisations from Asian countries participated.

Sadhu's bail plea also dismissed

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI JULY 8. D. Arulraj, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, today dismissed the bail application by R. Sadhu, an officer of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), in Madurai, who was arrested in connection with the ``fake stamp paper scam''.

The court on Wednesday dismissed the bail petitions of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, A.P.Mohamed Ali, and an Assistant Commissioner of Police, S.Sankar, in the case. Since the order on Mr. Sadhu's application was not ready, it was pronounced today.

Ration rice seized

Nagercoil July 8. Civil supply crime investigation department officials yesterday arrested six persons and seized 328 bags of rice meant for the public distribution system. According to sources, a police team, during a vehicle check at Marthandam, stopped two mini lorries. During interrogation, Rajayyan and Ashokan of Parasalai in Kerala, Ayyappan, Suresh, Babu and Chandhrasekaran of Kottar admitted that they tried to smuggle the rice bags, worth Rs.1 lakh, to Thiruvananthapuram. A magistrate in the Kuzhuthurai court remanded them to judicial custody for 15 days.

Varsity official suspended

TIRUCHI JULY 8. The Bharathidasan University Vice-Chancellor, C. Thangamuthu, has placed an assistant registrar under suspension pending enquiry.

According to official sources, V. Rajagopal is the fourth person suspended for alleged tampering with marks in valuation of engineering examination papers.

Competitive examination

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI JULY 8. An all-India open competitive examination for recruitment to the post of stenographers grade-D in the pay scale of Rs.4,000-100-6,000, would be held by the Staff Selection Commission on October 10. An official release said reservation would be made for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Classes, Ex-Servicemen and Orthopaedic Handicapped. Candidates should have passed matriculation or equivalent or higher examination for eligibility and the prescribed age limit would be 27 years as on August 1, 2004, with age relaxation as applicable for reserved categories and Government servants, it said.

All eligible candidates from Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry might apply to the Regional Director (Southern Region), Staff Selection Commission, Chennai-6. The last date for receipt of filled in applications is July 23.

Award for AIR director

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI July 8. The Station Director, All-India Radio, Chennai, H.R. Krishna Murthy, has been awarded the Ph.D. of Kannada University, Hampi, for his thesis on the topic ``The concept of participatory development on Joint Management: A critical study'', says university communication.

Kandhuri festival from July 19

NAGAPATTINAM JULY 8. The `Kandhuri' festival will be conducted at the Nagore dargah, near here from July 19 to August 1. Flag hoisting will be done on July 15 and the flag procession will be taken out on July 19. Besides Muslims, devotees from various communities including Hindus participate in the festival and pray at the Nagore Andavar Dargah. A fireworks display will be held on the night of July 26 as part of the festival. The main event, `Sandanakoodu' procession, will start at 8.30 p.m. from Nagapattinam and anoinment of sandal at the dargah will be performed in the early morning on July 29 and `fathiha' will be performed on July 31. The festival will conclude on August 1.

19 Sri Lankans held

Ramanathapuram July 8. Navy officials today arrested 19 Sri Lankan nationals while trying to escape to their homeland illegally. A boat and six cell phones were seized.

Sources said a team patrolling near Dhanuskodi in the wee hours noticed a fibre boat carrying refugees to Sri Lanka. The boat did not stop even after a warning. Following this, the officials opened fire in air and stopped the boat.

After questioning, the refugees were handed over to the Rameswaram temple police.

The refugees belonged to the Gummidipoondi and Yanai Eravu camps near Madurai.

Rain in Nagapattinam

NAGAPATTINAM JULY 8 . Several parts of Nagapattinam district including Nagapattinam experienced rain for about 40 minutes today bringing relief to the people. It is very useful to the kuruvai paddy raised in some areas with the help of pumpsets.

Declared open

ARIYALUR JULY 8 . The Perambalur Collector, D.Vivekanandan, declared open the visitors' hall at the Government Hospital at Jayamkondam on Thursday.

He assured that steps would be taken for provision of additional buildings, especially an accident-cum-emergency ward and post-mortem unit. R. Karuppiah, president, Lions Club of Jayamkondam, which donated the hall, constructed at an outlay of Rs.75,000, presided.

Power cut

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUCHI JULY 8. There will be no power supply from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 9 in Viralimalai, Nagamangalam, Manikandam areas due to maintenance work on the Alunthur sub-station, according to a Tamil Nadu Electricity Board press release issued here today.

Karaikal fishermen get Rs.1.58 crore assistance

Assistance for fishermen

KARAIKAL JULY 8. The Pondicherry Government has provided a financial assistance of Rs.1.58 crores to 396 fishermen for construction of houses in the Karaikal region, said the Minister for Industries and Social Welfare, M. Chandrakasu, here yesterday.

The Minister distributed the financial assistance at a seminar on fish culture organised by the Department of Fisheries in the presence of Deputy Speaker of the Pondicherry Assembly, A. V. Subramanian. He also distributed inputs worth Rs.90,000 to 64 fishermen and fishing materials worth Rs.150 each to 75 fishermen.

Held for murder

Tirunelveli July 8 .The police have arrested Jainulabdeen (77) of Anna Nagar on the charge of murdering his daughter-in-law.

The police said Roja Bhanu (35) had a quarrel with her father-in-law, Mr. Jainuladbeen, last night as he changed the TV channel to watch news. Jainulabdeen stabbed her to death around 11 p.m. when she was asleep.

Diarrhoea cases

Tirunelveli July 8. As many as 15 persons were admitted to the hospital and 20 others treated as outpatients for diarrhoea at Karungulam in the Valliyoor block today.

According to the Health Department sources, temporary hospitals were set up at Karungulam after several diarrhoea cases were reported. .

Two doctors and five nurses have been posted in the village for next 48 hours to monitor the situation. "The overhead tank at Karungulam has not been cleaned long, which could have caused water contamination and subsequently diarrhoea outbreak. Steps have been taken to clean the overhead tank," N. Ayyanar, Deputy Director Health told The Hindu.

Sanitary complexes

Tirunelveli July 8.

Integrated Sanitary Complexes, constructed at five places in the Palayamkottai zone of the Tirunelveli Corporation, were inaugurated on Wednesday by the Mayor, A. Jayarani.

The complexes were constructed at Padappaikurichi, V.M. Chathram, Nambikkai Nagar, Subramaniyapuram and on Nayanar Street each at the cost of Rs.4 lakhs under the VAMBAY scheme.

The Commissioner, D. Chandrasekaran, and the Assistant Commissioner, Palayamkottai, Narayanan Nair, participated.

Found dead

VIRUDHUNAGAR JULY 8. A 35-year-old woman was found dead in a dry well near Alangulam today.

A mother of four children, Jeyarani, hailing from Ethirkottai, had been missing since July 6. The police have registered a case.

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