The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 16, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Petrol to cost less

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI NOV. 15. Following are the prices (a litre) of petrol in the State from Tuesday.

Chennai Rs. 41.25 against Rs. 42.51 now; Madurai Rs. 41.67 (Rs. 42.93); Coimbatore Rs. 41.40 (Rs. 42.65) and Tiruchi Rs.41.57 (Rs. 42.83).

In Pondicherry, the fuel will cost Rs.36.42, a reduction of Rs.1.12 from Rs. 37.54. The downward revision was announced this evening by oil companies, which, however, decided against any change in diesel prices. On November 5, the companies hiked petrol and diesel prices by over Rs. 2. The move, against which many political parties organised protests seeking a rollback, saw the cost of automobile fuels in Chennai rising by Rs.2.37 a litre.

Prisoners go on fast

By Our Staff Reporter

Coimbatore Nov. 15. Sixtyeight prisoners (both undertrials and convicts) observed a token fast in the Coimbatore Central Prison today to protest against the arrest of the Kanchi Acharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, in a murder case.

Yesterday 28 prisoners observed a fast.

Workshop on nerve system

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI NOV. 15. A live workshop on disorders of peripheral nerve system will be held at the Stanley Medical College on Tuesday and Wednesday. It will focus on relieving pain syndromes in post-traumatic, diabetic and leprosy patients.

Peripheral nerve disorders pose a major challenge for reconstructive surgeons and occur in various conditions.

Organised by the Institute for Research and Rehabilitation of Hand and Department of Plastic Surgery, the workshop will be conducted by Lee Dellon, professor of Plastic Surgery and Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, and his wife, Luiann, chief executive officer of the Peripheral Nerve Surgery Institute in Baltimore. For details contact 25260077.

4 of family commit suicide

By Our Staff Reporter

DINDIGUL NOV.15. Four members of a family committed suicide at Sithayankottai near Badlagundu today.

Palanivel (38), a tailor and his wife Ramuthai(26) consumed pesticide after administering it to their sons, Padayappa (6) and Sathish Kumar (4). The bodies were removed to the Dindigul Government Hospital for post-mortem.

Plea for hike in sugarcane price

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM NOV. 15. Farmers in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts have urged the Centre to increase the minimum support price of sugarcane with a recovery rate of 8.5 per cent to Rs. 830 a tonne . K.G. Krishnamoorthy, vice-president of the composite Thanjavur District Farmers Association, said the price of Rs. 745 announced by the Centre for sugarcane with a recovery rate of 9 per cent would not be beneficial to the growers. For, most of them were not getting more than 8.5 per cent recovery.

Two die of `dysentery'

By Our Special Correspondent

VILLUPURAM Nov. 15. Two residents of Veeranamur near Ginjee died and four others were hospitalised for dysentery and vomiting in the past two days. Muniammal (50) and Natesan (70) were admitted to the Ginjee Government Hospital and later referred to Pondicherry. Muniammal went back home and reportedly died there. Natesan died on way to hospital. The District Collector, Ka. Balachandran, has deputed a medical team to the village.

`Demands day'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI NOV. 15. The Tamil Nadu Primary School Teachers Federation today decided to organise a `demands day' on November 16 for appointment of teachers in vacancies.

In a release here, the federation said the Government declared its intention to enrol all students and also impart education to everyone. But 3,200 primary schools did not have headmasters; 6,000 middle schools did not have physical education teachers and 2000 middle schools did not have graduate teachers. The State was implementing the rule of two teachers for every 99 students, when it agreed in court that there would be three teachers for every 81 students.

Selected for excellence status

By Shastry V. Mallady

MADURAI NOV. 15 . The University Grants Commission has shortlisted Madurai-Kamaraj University among 10 institutions for the "university with potential for excellence" status. A decision will be taken soon, the Vice-Chairman, V. N. Rajasekaran Pillai, told The Hindu here today. The University of Madras was already accorded the special status. In the next three years 500 colleges and 10 universities would be recognised as centres with potential for excellence. So far, 50 colleges had been granted the status for allocation of additional funds by the UGC.

Tamil Nadu was availing itself of all major UGC schemes and about 100 university departments there were under the Special Assistance Scheme, Dr. Pillai said.

The UGC was working with Indian embassies in the developing and developed countries for attracting students. Science and technology, management, engineering and arts were offered to them and some short-term and long-term courses were also being prepared. Each embassy would be a nodal point.

Youth drowned

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Nov.15. Prashant (17), a resident of Alageshapuram here, was drowned on Sunday, while he was bathing at Koramballam pond near here.

The police said while the victim was trapped in the currents, three of his friends escaped.

One killed in accident

By Our Staff reporter

Nagercoil Nov.15. One person was killed and his nephew sustained injuries in a road accident today.

According to the police, Elango (25) of Kollencode along with his uncle, Vellappan (40), was going to Kannanvilai near Kozipporviali in a motorbike, when a van coming from the opposite direction dashed against it.

Velappan died at the Government Hospital here.

Jewels stolen, one arrested

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Nov.15. The police today arrested Amrithalingam on a charge of stealing jewels from a house at Ottapidaram near here on Sunday.

The police said Amrithalingam entered the house of Joseph Rajamani and decamped with 8.75 sovereigns of jewels. He was remanded to custody.

TASMAC shop burgled

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Nov.15. Burglars broke into a TASMAC shop at Nalattinpudur near Kovilpatti in the district in the wee hours of Sunday and decamped with cash.

The police said Rs.20,016 was also missing.

Gold chain snatched

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Nov.15. The police are on the lookout for some unidentified persons, who snatched a gold chain of Rengammal (50) at Kovilpatti on Sunday.

According to sources, the complainant was robbed while she was walking along a street at Indira Nagar.

Demonstration

By Our Staff Reporter

Nagercoil Nov.15. Activists of the Viswa Hindu Parishad staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here today, urging the Government to ensure the unconditional release of Sri Jayandra Saraswathi.

The district president, Thanumalaya Perumal, led the agitation.

Rail traffic hit

By Our Staff Reporter

Nagercoil Nov.15. Rail traffic on the busy Nagercoil-Tirunelveli bypass line was affected following the derailment of an engine on Sunday morning owing to heavy rain, which lashed various parts of the district.

According to sources, the driver had a miraculous escape. A rescue team restored the traffic in 30 minutes.

Vegetable prices up

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE NOV. 15. There has been a steep increase in the prices of all vegetables. Drumstick, which was sold at Rs. 10 per kilogram, is selling at Rs. 50 per kilogram today. Brinjal is now available at Rs. 24 per kilogram. This was due to poor arrival of vegetables due to rain, merchants said.

Arrested

By Our Staff Reporter

Dharmapuri Nov. 15. The Dharmapuri police arrested one person on Sunday on charges of dowry harassment. According to the police, Subramaniam (34) of Villupuram used to harass his wife Geetha (24) for more dowry. Following this, she lodged a complaint with the police station leading to his arrest. The Dharmapuri police have registered a case and are investigating.

Body found

By Our Staff Reporter

Krishnagiri Nov.15. The body of an unidentified man aged around 40 with signs of mutilation was found in a lake at Hosur here today. The police said that the body had been sent for post-mortem and based on the report further investigations would be taken up.

Stolen

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM NOV. 15. Electronic goods such as cameras, music systems and mobile phones were stolen from a duty paid shop in a shopping complex on Sarada College Road here.

According to police sources, the theft came to light when the shop, which was closed for Deepavali holidays, was opened on Sunday. The door lock of the shop was found broken. The exact value of the stolen goods is yet to be ascertained. The Fairlands police are investigating.

Accident

By Our Staff Reporter

NAMAKKAL NOV. 15. A retired headmaster died today of injuries sustained in a road accident near here. The police said Ilangovan (62) of Natarajapuram here suffered grievous injuries after his car crashed against a roadside tree at Kosavampatti on the Thuraiyur Road on Sunday.

He was rushed to a private hospital in Salem.

Mass contact programme

By Our Staff Reporter

PUDUKOTTAI NOV.15 . Welfare assistance and agricultural equipment were distributed at a mass contact programme held at Vembangudi West in Aranthangi taluk recently.

The Collector, Jatindranath Swain, distributed assistance to the tune of Rs. 3 lakhs to 230 beneficiaries, said a press release issued here. House site pattas were given to 153 while farm equipment and organic fertilizers were given to three persons.

A total of 200 petitions were received and action was taken on 54 of them. The rest were forwarded to the departments concerned.

Devotees take holy dip

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM NOV.15. Thousands of devotees took a holy dip in the Cauvery at Mayiladuturai today on the occasion of `Kadaimugam.' The Lord Mayuranathaswamy gave `Theerthavari' and it was witnessed by thousands of devotees. Kadaimugam is celebrated on the last day `Aippasi.' Taking bath in the Cauvery at Mayiladuturai is considered equivalent to taking bath in the Ganga.

Electrocuted

By Our Staff Reporter

KARAIKAL NOV.15. A construction worker was electrocuted here today when he got in touch with a live wire at his workplace. The police arrested the contractor and another worker for negligence in work.

Minister visits hospital

By Our Staff Reporter

PUDUKOTTAI NOV 15. The Fisheries Minister, M. Radhakrishnan, today met M. Sivaraj, who sustained a bullet injury when the Sri Lankan Navy reportedly opened fire at the fishing vessel in which he was on board along with other fishermen on Saturday. He paid a visit to the Arignar Anna Government Hospital at Aranthangi where Sivaraj is undergoing treatment.

Mettur level

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI NOV.15 . The water level at the Mettur reservoir stood at 100.07feet today. The inflow was 9,068 cusecs and the discharge 100 cusecs.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu