The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Briefly

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Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Sonia, Pranab Mukherjee arrive

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI DEC. 27. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, and the general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu, Ambika Soni, arrived here tonight by a chartered aircraft from Port Blair. Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Mukherjee would make an aerial survey of the tsunami-affected districts of Tamil Nadu tomorrow. The TNCC president, G.K. Vasan, the Union Minister, E.V.K.S. Ilangovan, were among those who received Ms. Gandhi at the airport.

Bridge collapses

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY DEC. 27. The 150-year-old bridge across the Arasalar (backwater belt) on the Karaikal-Nagore route in Karaikal collapsed on Sunday under the impact of the tsunami that hit the region, V. Ramakrishnan, Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, said here today.

He said the help of the Military Engineering Services were sought for erection of a bridge till a new one was built at the place.

The district administration evolved a plan to erect a new structure.

Mr. Ramakrishnan said earthmovers were deployed in coastal villages in Pondicherry and Karaikal for relief operations. He said protection walls along the coastal belt minimised the tsunami impact.

HC closed ahead of schedule

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI DEC. 27. The Madras High Court today closed its business at least 90 minutes ahead of its schedule following the Registry decision to treat the reduced hours as "permission time."

Many of the judges were in the middle of proceedings when the Registry first circulated a note referring to the possibility of further tremors and tsunami threat. When some judges were still going ahead with the business (which included the hearing on Kanchi Acharya's bail application in an assault case) a Registry official personally informed the judges of the threat perception.

After the second reminder, judges cut short the proceedings "in public interest" and retired to their chambers at around 3 p.m. The office staff, however, had to wait till 4.15 p.m. for further instructions. While the courts function up to 4.15 p.m. normally, the work hour of offices is up to 5.45 p.m. Registry sources said the decision for early closure was taken on representations from court employees to that effect and keeping their safety in mind.

Arguments inconclusive

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI DEC. 27. With today's arguments on the Kanchi Acharya's bail application in the `Radhakrishnan assault case' remaining inconclusive, the Madras High Court is to continue its hearing tomorrow.

When it came up for hearing today, Justice R. Balasubramanian wanted the senior counsel for the prosecution, K.T.S. Tulsi, to narrate the facts of the case before moving on to the questions of law. Even as he narrated the sequence of events, the judge wanted to know as to what would be the extent of liability of a person accused of conspiracy, if those who actually executed the conspiracy exceeded their brief.

"Can a conspiracy accused be held responsible for the acts of the second command?" he asked, adding that the question was "whether the command was to commit murder or cause grievous hurt or simple injury."

To this, Mr. Tulsi said, "the finer semantics of what was said and what was understood and done is not a matter to be examined even in trial. Even in the absence of any overt command, if he joins a criminal enterprise then he is liable for the consequences. Once he authorises the commission of an illegal act, then he is liable."

Even before Mr. Tulsi could wind up his arguments enabling counsel for the Acharya, M. Sathyanarayanan, to submit his replies, the matter had to be adjourned. Hearing would resume on Tuesday noon.

Donate liberally: Katju

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI DEC. 27. The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Justice Markandey Katju, today contributed Rs.10,000 to the Chief Minster's Public Relief Fund for relief measures in the tsunami-hit areas.

The Chief Justice handed over the cheque to the Madurai District Collector, D. Raajendiran. Earlier, heading the first Division Bench along with Justice K. Govindarajan in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, the Chief Justice appealed to judges, lawyers and registry staff in the entire State to send in their contributions through demand drafts addressed to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund. He also directed the registry to stick notices on the Bench premises and send fax messages to all those concerned including the principal seat in Chennai.

Relief measures

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI DEC. 27. In the aftermath of the tsunami disaster, the State's administrative set-up has been busy facilitating rescue and relief measures in all the coastal districts. While rescue was prioritised, the State health department also had to contend with an epidemic threat, thanks to the unsanitary conditions caused by contamination of water. Thirty teams of doctors, comprising largely of physicians and orthopaedicians, have fanned out to coastal areas to render assistance to those affected, hurt in yesterday's tragedy.

A total of 1300 persons, directly or indirectly hurt, have been admitted to government hospitals in the affected districts. Of this, the largest groups are from Nagapattinam and Cuddalore, according to officials. Each team is equipped with Tetanus injections, stocks of drugs, including antibiotics, IV fluids, bandages and other paraphernalia to handle treatment for fractures. Mattresses and food and water are also being distributed to groups of people.

Additional directors of health have been appointed in every district to co-ordinate rescue and relief measures and information flow on the total toll and the requirements of the injured.

Sea swallows autorickshaw, van

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM DEC. 27 . A van carrying 11 family members and relatives of David of Virudunagar was swallowed by the sea in Velankanni when they were there at the time of tsunami yesterday. The van had gone into the deep sea along with the persons.

Similarly, an autorickshaw carrying four family members of Samsudeen of Khajamalai in Tiruchi was taken away in Nagore.

Seven members of a family belonging to Dr.Md.Ismail of Kottampatti in Madurai who were travelling in a car died after the car was smashed by the high tides in Nagore yesterday. According to Dr.Ismail, 11 persons were travelling in the car of whom four escaped with serious injuries. The dead included four doctors.

Six out of seven undergraduate girl students of Marudupandiar College of Arts and Science in Thanjavur who went to Velankanni were missing.

No festival procession

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM DEC. 27. All temples in Nagapattinam cancelled the usual `Arudra' festival deity procession because of the natural calamity.

The temples celebrated the festival in a simple manner as most of the fishermen families were sheltered in the temples.

All shops and business establishments except medical shops here remained closed for the second consecutive day. One or two restaurants were opened today at the request of the people to enable them take food.

Free helpline telephones

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI DEC. 27 . The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has established four free helpline telephones in Nagapattinam district.

According to BSNL sources in Mayiladuthurai, two phones - 223900 and 225700 - will be installed at the Revenue Divisional Officer's Office at Mayiladuthurai, one - 228700 - at the AVC Marriage Hall, and one - 226700 - at the Girls' Higher Secondary School, Mayiladuthurai.

By virtue of the facility, installed today, calls could be made to any part of the State till December 29, sources added.

ATMs opened

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI DEC. 27 . Three Automated Teller Machines were declared open at the Golden Rock, Crawford and Ponnagar branches of Indian Bank in the presence of the bank's Chairman and Managing Director, M. B. N. Rao, here recently. The ATMs at the three branches were declared open by the Divisional Railway Manager, D. K. Saraf, the Corporation Commissioner, Harmander Singh, and the Principal District and Sessions Judge, V.Thayarammal, respectively.

Power cut

By Our Staff Reporter

PUDUKOTTAI DEC 27 . There will be no power supply in the following areas from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday owing to monthly maintenance work in the local sub-station: Rajagopalapuram, Charles Nagar, Periyar Nagar, New bus stand, Santhanathapuram, Kalif Nagar, Thiruvaluvar Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Maraimalai Nagar, SIPCOT Industrial Area, SIDCO Industrial Estate, SIPCOT Nagar and Thiruvappur, according to a TNEB press release.

Mettur level

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI DEC. 27 . The water level at the Mettur reservoir stood at 85.63 feet today. The inflow was 1033 cusecs and the discharge 7,555 cusecs.

Residents' plea

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE DEC.27. The Muthampalayam housing unit (Phase III) residents today appealed to the Collector, D. Karthikeyan,

to instruct the housing board authorities to make arrangements to supply drinking water.

They said that for the past 10 days over 300 houses had not been getting the borewell water and they were forced to buy it outside. They wanted the authorities to repair the motor pump.

Programme

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE Dec.27. The State Bank of India conducted a customer relations programme at its Agricultural Development Branch in Kodumudi.

The Branch Manager, A. Murugesan, said farm loans to the tune of Rs.8.20 crores were disbursed up to November 2004 by the branch.

Grievances meeting

By Our Staff Reporter

GOBICHETTIPALAYAM Dec. 27 . The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board will conduct a grievances redressal meeting for consumers at Gobichettipalayam on December 29.

It will be held at the office of the Superintending Engineer on Kacheri Street at 10.30 a.m.

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