Monday, Dec 27, 2004
Monday, Dec 27, 2004 |
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Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Tamil Nadu
Fishermen worst hit
CHENNAI Dec. 26. Fishermen community in the State is the worst hit, as about 1,000 fishermen were feared killed in today's tidal wave that also damaged 2,000 mechanised boats and 20,000 catamarans. The toll is only a conservative estimate and it will go up as the Government is assessing the extent of damage and the loss of lives, according to official sources. The fate of hundreds of fishermen who had gone into the sea for fishing was not known till this evening. The administration was going by reports of missing fishermen by people in various coastal villages. Apart from boats, fishermen lost their implements, such as nets, and household property worth several lakhs of rupees. Several thousand huts, belonging to the fishermen, were completely washed away. They were now accommodated in local schools and kalyana mandapams. Relief materials were being provided to them, the sources said. However, affected fishermen were sceptical about any major relief coming from the Government. They said they had lost everything and were virtually on the street. It would take years to recover from the shock, they added.
`No dearth of funds'
MADURAI DEC. 26 . The Tamil Nadu Governor, Surjit Singh Barnala, today described the tsunami that hit the coastal districts and neighbouring States as a "national calamity." "It all happened so suddenly. About 2,000 lives have been lost in the coastal districts. The waves have also hit parts of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and the Andaman islands. There has been a total devastation on the coastal lines," he told presspersons here. Mr. Barnala, who arrived here by road this morning, cancelled his visit to the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple. "I have sent my condolences to the bereaved families. While two Central Ministers have arrived in Chennai, the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, is expected to visit the affected areas tomorrow." "All efforts will be made by the Central and State Governments... There will be no dearth of funds for relief operations, which have already commenced. The people should face the situation boldly and help those in distress. The Raj Bhavan will send a report to the Centre on the developments." Mr. Barnala is scheduled to visit Rameswaram early tomorrow. "I intend to meet the family members of some boatmen reported missing," he said.
`Centre will grant request'
CHENNAI DEC. 26. The Centre will accede to any special request made by the Tamil Nadu Government to tide over the calamity that hit the State today. "We are waiting to see for ourselves the extent of damage in different parts of coastal Tamil Nadu and in Chennai city, to make a detailed report and place it before the Prime Minister," Mani Shankar Aiyar, Union Petroleum Minister, told newsmen here. Mr. Aiyar, accompanied by the Communications Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, arrived here as the Prime Minister's emissary by a special IAF aircraft this evening. Mr. Aiyar said oil companies and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation extended a helping hand to the State Government in rescue operations. Mr. Maran said the Centre would go all out to provide succour to the affected. It would gear up the governmental machinery for providing urgent medical and logistic assistance to the victims. Mr. Maran said that after touring on Monday the south coastal Tamil Nadu, especially Cuddalore and Nagapattinam, where the devastation was severe, he and Mr. Aiyar would submit a report to the Prime Minister. Mr. Maran sought the cooperation of the people and requested that the calamity be not politicised. "What we need now is a humanitarian gesture and immediate relief to the quake-affected people," he said.
127 bodies recovered
The Chennai Corporation Commissioner, M.P. Vijaya Kumar, who was present at the airport, apprised the Ministers of the extent of damage caused, especially in areas abutting the seafront. So far, 127 bodies were recovered in Chennai. The official toll in the State has been put at 766. (That was the available figure by evening.)
Tiger found dead
UDHAGAMANDALAM DEC. 26 . A tiger was found dead in the Sigur Reserve Forest of the Singara Range near the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. A.K. Ulaganathan, District Forest Officer, Nilgiris North Division, told The Hindu here today that an anti-poaching squad saw the carcass, about two km from Chokanalli late on Friday. Autopsy revealed that the carnivore, aged about seven, died early on Friday owing to cardiac problems. Laboratory tests would be conducted for bacterial or viral infection, if any.
Two killed in car-bus smash
KRISHNAGIRI DEC. 26 . A couple were killed and three others seriously injured in a collision between a car and a government bus at Uthangkarai here yesterday. The police said Vijaykumar (48) of Bangalore, along with his relatives, was returning in the car from Tiruvannamalai when the accident occurred. Vijaykumar and Jegadeeswari died on the spot. The injured were admitted to the Krishnagiri Government Hospital.
Students bag honours
Thanjavur Dec.26 . J. Srinivas and Satyendra Kumar, third-year B.Tech. (Electronics and Communication Engineering) students of Shanmugha Arts Science Technology Research Academy here have won Rs. one lakh awarded by M/s Texas Instruments at Hyderabad. They have designed a portable scanner, which is independent of a computer, can be taken anywhere with a laptop to scan documents. The documents scanned can be loaded into computer later, says a press release issued here by R. Kandasamy, Registrar, SASTRA. Its dimension is 30 cm x two cm x four cm. It can be carried to libraries to take photocopies of important pages. In this contest, 125 institutions from all over India participated.
CITU cadres take out march
KARUR DEC. 26 . A group of 20 cadres belonging to the CITU has undertaken a trek from here to Keezhvenmani in the Thanjavur delta in commemoration of 44 agricultural labourers who were burnt to death there on December 25, 1968. The CITU district secretary, G. Jeevanantham, is leading the march that began at Velayuthampalayam in Karur district. Cadres belonging to the CITU and the CPI (M) felicitated the trekkers at several places in the district en route.
Competitions
Thanjavur Dec.26 . Failures are steppingstones to success, said Arun C. Bharat, Additional Commissioner of Income tax, here on Friday. Delivering the valedictory address at the two-day inter collegiate competitions organised by the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI) National College, Mr. Bharat said the will to compete was an Indian character. `The losers have nothing to lose, because failures are steppingstones to success.' India produced mathematicians, scholars and Nobel laureates. But it is necessary to produce entrepreneurs and industrialists. A. Susai Raj, Principal of the college, said that inter-collegiate competitions were held on December 22 and 23 in business quiz, product launch, debugging to test computer efficiency, best manager contest and cultural programmes.
Power shutdown
Thanjavur Dec.26 . There will be no power supply in the following areas on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as maintenance work will be undertaken at Thirupanandal 110 kw sub-station, says a press release issued here by T. Nadarajan, Executive Engineer, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Kumbakonam: Thirupanandal, Cholapuram, Palakudi, Anaikarai, Thathuvanchery, Sikkalnayakkanpettai and nearby areas.
Mettur level
Tiruchi Dec.26 . The water level at the Mettur reservoir stood at 86.98 feet today. The inflow was 916 cusecs and the discharge 8,630 cusecs.
Inaugurated
ERODE DEC. 26 . A shooting range erected at Sri Vasavi College in Chitode for NCC cadets was inaugurated by the correspondent of the college, V. Adhikesavan today. Presiding, the NCC Commanding Officer of 15 Tamil Nadu Battalion, Col. N.L. Singh, said that the 12-day annual NCC training camp began at the college on December 24. As many as 700 cadets from 15 colleges and 22 higher secondary schools in Erode and Namakkal districts participated in the training imparted by 20 trained army personnel. The principal, V. Sivakumar, and the NCC officer, Major K. Ravindran, spoke.
Grievances day
ERODE DEC. 26 . The grievances meeting for TNEB consumers of the Erode Urban Division would be held at 10.30 a.m. on December 28 at the Erode Urban Executive Engineer's office.
Spirit seized
Krishnagiri Dec. 26 . Personnel of the Prohibition Enforcement Wing seized 200 litres of rectified spirit worth Rs. 50, 000 in Hosur on Saturday. According to the police, a lorry carrying the spirit was intercepted by a team conducting vehicle checks on the Hosur-Krishnagiri Road. Three persons were arrested in this connection.
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