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Thursday, Aug 19, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Injured children meet Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI AUG. 18. Two children, who were treated at Apollo Hospitals here for burns which they sustained in the Kumbakonam school fire last month, met the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, at the Secretariat today after their discharge from the hospital. A. Kausalya and P. Vijay, who were admitted to the hospital for plastic surgery at the instance of the Chief Minister, thanked her for providing the advanced treatment to them. Ms. Jayalalithaa offered sweets to the children and wished them her best wishes, says an official release.

Abusive words led to suicide?

By Our Staff Reporter

VIRUDHUNAGAR AUG. 18. Abusive language used by the station inspector drove the head constable, M. Sankara Narayanan, to shooting himself dead in the Amathur station here yesterday, police investigation has revealed.

Police sources said the inspector used ``filthy words'' during a roll call the previous morning, when the head constable absented himself for duty. He came to know about this through his colleagues. ``He had absented himself only to avoid facing the inspector,'' a police officer said.

A dejected Sankara Narayanan reportedly hinted to a sweeper his suicide plan and refused to take lunch on Monday, police sources said. The head constable, who reported for duty yesterday morning, entered the inspector's room and triggered the rifle killing himself.

The Virudhunagar Superintendent of Police, S. Jeyachandran, had vested the investigation with the Virudhunagar Town inspector, Radhakrishnan, instead of the Amathur inspector.

Panic over disease

By Our Staff Reporter

VELLORE Aug. 18. The detection of a mystery disease at Ramanathapuram and Hasthinapuram near Tiruvannamalai in the last few days has created panic among the villagers. Medical teams have been rushed to the villages to examine the nature of the disease.

The residents displayed symptoms of diarrhoea, giddiness and fatigue. Two persons aged 80 and 81 who were admitted to hospital died in the last few days.

M. Vallalar, District Revenue Officer and Collector-in-charge, said the deaths were attributed by medical authorities to natural causes. Blood and urine samples from the deceased were sent to a laboratory in Hosur. Water contamination was suspected to be the cause of the illness. Water samples were also sent to laboratories for analysis. A 74-year-old person with symptoms of acute diarrhoea has been admitted to the government hospital, Tiruvannamalai.

Maran statue unveiled

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM AUG. 18. A bust-size statue (made of stone and other materials) of the former Union Minister, Murasoli Maran, was unveiled by M.K. Stalin, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam deputy general secretary, at Thirukkuvalai in this district today, birthplace of the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi. Earlier Mr. Stalin was given a rousing reception by the district unit.

Grant for constables' kin

CHENNAI AUG. 18. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today sanctioned Rs. 1 lakh each from the Public Relief Fund to the families of head constables, M. Veerappan and M. Leelavathi, who died in harness. She also announced a grant of Rs. 50,000 each to the families of five construction workers who died while they were on duty. The deceased workers, belonging to Salem, Dharmapuri and Dindigul districts, died on different occasions, says an official release.

Anna University's caution

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI AUG. 18. Anna University has asked parents and students to verify the claims made by self-financing engineering colleges before seeking admissions. In a press release, the Vice-Chancellor, E. Balagurusamy, urged parents to keep in mind the commitment of the management to the cause of education, availability of dedicated, qualified, experienced and competent faculty; adequate number of classrooms, a computer laboratory, laboratories, a library and hostels; pass percentage in the previous years; staff-student and student-management relationship; details of placement in previous years; easy accessibility of the college and public transport; industry-institute interaction; whether the management collects additional fees without issuing receipt, the status of AICTE (All-India Council for Technical Education) and Anna University affiliation and amenities such as canteen, drinking water, toilet, medical aid, telephone, STD and Internet.

4 Sri Lankan fishermen held

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Aug. 18. Four Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested and their boat seized today by the Indian Coast Guard, when they entered the Indian waters without valid documents.

The police said CGS Nayaki Devi intercepted the fishing craft as it crossed the international boundary and entered the Indian waters. After interrogation by the Coast Guard officials, the fishermen were handed over to the Thermal Nagar police station tonight. The names of the detained fishermen were not known.

Dies in accident

PUDUKOTTAI AUG 18 . Rangan (54), a revenue inspector at Killukottai, was killed in a road accident at Ilayavayal junction last night.

According to police sources, he was on his way to Andakulam from Kulathur taluk office in a moped when a mini lorry fatally knocked him down. The lorry driver Selvadurai (25) has been arrested.

Statue unveiled

NAGAPATTINAM AUG.18. A bust-size statue of former Union Minister, Murasoli Maran, was unveiled by M.K.Stalin, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam deputy general secretary at Thirukkuvalai. Mr. Stalin was given a rousing reception by the Nagapattinam district unit of the DMK when he reached the village today.

Grievances day

Thanjavur Aug.18. The monthly farmers grievances day meeting will be held Friday at the Collectorate here on Friday, according to a press release issued here by the Collector, J. Radhakrishnan.

Special poojas

NAGAPATTINAM AUG.18. Special homams, abishekams, laksharchanas and poojas will be performed to the deity of Lord Dakshinamurthy in all the Siva temples in connection with the `Guru peyarchi' as the Guru is transiting from the Simha rasi to Kanya rasi around 11 p.m. tomorrow.

Special poojas have been arranged in several temples..

The TNSTC is operating special buses to Alangudi, Thevur and other places in connection with the special occasion.

Postal campaign

Tiruvarur Aug.18. Ten lakh inland letters carrying the message of sanitation programme will be distributed through post offices in 10 panchayat unions, said the Collector, P. Ekambaram.

He released the inland letters at a function held here on Tuesday. S.Ayyaru, Project Officer (District Rural Development Agency), received the first inland letter. Arunachalam, Superintendent of Post Offices, Ganesan, Chief Post Master, were present.

The complete sanitation scheme was being implemented from 2003 to 2006. Individual toilets would be constructed in all villages for which the Government is giving Rs.500 as subsidy.

The State Government had released Rs.3.54 crores in this connection. Of this, Rs.97.58 lakhs was distributed as subsidy.

Detained

PUDUKOTTAI AUG 18. Rangasamy of Pappanpatti in Alangudi Taluk in the district, who had undergone punishment for distillation of illicit arrack, has been detained under the Bootleggers Act.

According to a press release issued here today, he was arrested on the direction of the Collector, Jatindranath Swain.

Power shutdown

TIRUCHI AUG.18 . There will be no power supply in the following areas from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday due to maintenance works at the Sathamangalam substation, according to a press release from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board:

Tirumanur, Kizhakolathur, Elakurichy, Kovilur, Mathur, Vanamputhur, Kuruvady, Thuthur, Tirumazhapadi, Annimangalam, Kizhakavatankurichy, Keelapazhur, Kokkudy, Melapazhur, Arungal, Karuvidaicheri, Kallakudi, Poyyur, Malathankulam, Poondi and Maravanoor.

No power

ERODE AUG. 18. There will not be power supply in the following areas on August 19 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. due to the shutdown of Rasathavalasu sub station for maintenance: Vellakoil, Dasavanaickkenpatty, Puduppai, Thethampalayam, Kurukkathy, Lakkamanaickkenpatty, Muthur, Mettupalayam, Mangalapatty, Oodayam, Chinnamuthur, Thenamkaraipalayam, Kambiliampatty, Valliyirachal, Chettiarpalayam, Papini, Kasturibagram, Kandasamypalayam, Uthamapatty, Vazhathottavalasu, Olapalayam, Ponparappi, Veerachozhapuram, Chettipalayam, Veeranampalayam. B. Pachapalayam, Kangeyampalayam and Bhagavathypalayam.

Training

ERODE AUG. 18. The District Rehabilitation Centre will provide training to physically challenged persons in the age group of 18 to 35 to start ventures.

They would, later, be given loans to run the trade. Those interested should contact the District Rehabilitation Officer, Collectorate, on or before August 31.

Five held for sandalwood smuggling

PALANI Aug.18 . The police arrested five persons on the charge of smuggling sandalwood to Kerala via Palani today. About 100 kg of sandalwood worth Rs.1 lakh were seized from them during a surprise raid in Palani hills today.

The arrested were Sadhasivam (25), Annamalai (30), Andi (22), Venkatachalam (26 ) and R. Annamalai (30), all belonging to Chitheri in Dharmapuri district.

The police said the accused cut sandalwood in Western Ghats and attempted to smuggle it to Palghat in Kerala via Palani. The arrested were produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.

Noon meal organisers suspended

DINDIGUL Aug. 18 . The Dindigul Collector, S. Murugaia, today suspended five noon meal organisers on the charge of irregularities in the noon meal centres.

The Collector, during a surprise raid on government schools in Oddanchatram taluk, detected poor maintenance of records, deficiency in stock of materials meant for cooking and improper distribution of rice to children. He initiated action against noon meal organisers of K.R. Government Boys Higher Secondary School and Government Girls Higher Secondary School and panchayat union schools in the Odaipatti and Virupattchi unions.

PMK cycle rally

Nagercoil Aug. 18 . Activists of the Pattali Makkal Katchi took out a cycle rally in Nagercoil to urge the Government to close all Indian Made Foreign Liquor shops in the rural areas of the State.

The district secretary of PMK, I.C.S.Misa, led the agitation.

Tonic to check eriophyte mite attack

Tuticorin Aug. 18. The Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore, has successfully developed a tonic, ``which substantially increases the number and size of the coconuts and the thickness of kernel, besides helping to mitigate the eriophyte mite attack.'' The tonic would be available to farmers in the southern districts from September 2004, according to sources at Agriculture College and Research Institute at Killikulam, where the root-feeding tonic would be prepared.

Mass production of the tonic, containing macro and micronutrients in the right proportion, would begin at the university ``very soon.'' As the shelf life is only 30 days, the university has selected the Killikulam institute for production of the tonic.

Water level

MADURAI Aug. 18 . The level in the Periyar dam stood at 123.1 feet with an inflow of 914 cusecs and a discharge of 1350 cusecs. The level in the Vaigai dam was 39.07 feet with an inflow of 1022 cusecs and a discharge of 930 cusecs. The combined Periyar credit stood at 4037 mcft.

Madurai received 10 mm of rainfall followed by Melur — 5 mm, Shamuganadi — 4, Periyar dam and Gudalur — 3 mm each, Thaniyamangalam — 2, and Tekkadi and Uthamapalayam — 1 mm each.

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