The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Briefly

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Wednesday, Jan 26, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

By Our Special Correspondent

Gallantry awards for tahsildars

CHENNAI JAN. 25. The Tamil Nadu Government's Anna Medal for Gallantry will be given this year to four revenue officials, including three posthumously.

The award is given every year to government servants/civilians for acts of bravery.

According to an official release, three of the award winners lost their lives and the other suffered serious injuries while preventing illegal sand quarrying in their areas.

The award winners are the late A.R. Venkatesan, tahsildar, Tirukkazhukundram taluk, Kancheepuram district; G. Punniakotti, tashildar, Sriperumbudur taluk, Kancheepuram district; R. Shanmugasundaram, revenue inspector, Kancheepuram district, and S. Natarajan, tahsildar, Nanguneri, Tirunelveli district.

The award carries a medal worth Rs. 2,000 and a cash certificate of Rs. 10,000.

`Set up panel for tsunami relief'

CHENNAI JAN. 25. The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, G.K. Vasan, today urged the State Government to set up a State-level committee to coordinate work of district-level monitoring committees set up by the Government for relief works in tsunami-affected areas.

In a statement here, Mr. Vasan suggested the State-level committee should interact with district-level committees at frequent intervals to review the progress of relief works. This, he said, would avoid malpractices in the relief works. If necessary, the coordination committee might consist of legislature leaders of political parties, he said.

Janata Dal (S) State president

CHENNAI JAN. 25. The national president of the Janata Dal (Secular), H.D. Dewa Gowda, has appointed P. Mohamed Ismail, former MLA, ad hoc president of the Tamil Nadu unit.

Mr. Gowda, in a letter to Mr. Ismail, also authorised him to select new office-bearers and executive committee members in consultation with the senior state leaders and send the list to the high command for approval.

Mr. Ismail, a close associate of the late Kamaraj, was the former State president of the united Janata Party and also member of the Assembly.

PMK campaign launched

CHENNAI JAN. 25. A call for arresting the trend of younger generation becoming addicts to smoking was made today by the Pattali Makkal Katchi founder, S. Ramadoss.

Launching a campaign against tobacco, Dr. Ramadoss said the youth in the State, particularly in the 10-15 age group, was falling prey to the habit. He sought public support for the campaign.

As part of the drive, signature of one million persons would be obtained urging the Malaysian Government to cancel an international conference on tobacco to be held at Kuala Lumpur in November. A letter would be sent to the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

`Thaiyil mahotsavam' tomorrow

By Our Staff Reporter

KANCHEEPURAM JAN. 25. The `thaiyil mahotsavam,' celebrated to mark the `thiruavatharathinam' (birthday) of Thirumazhisai Alwar at Sri Yathokthakari Swamy temple here will be held on January 27.

The presiding deity, `Periyaperumal,' mounted on the `sesha vahanam' and the panchaloha idol of Thirumazhisai Alwar, will be taken in a procession from the temple to Chinna Iyyankulam on the banks of the Palar near here on that day. Anointment of the deity will be performed there. The `sathumarai' for the deity will be held on January 27, after the arrival of the idols from Chinna Iyyankulam, according to the hereditary trustee, N. Narayanan.

Memorandum signed

By Our Staff Reporter

VELLORE JAN. 25. The Vellore Institute of Technology today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, here for cooperation in design of sensors/devices, development of corrosion sensors and advanced materials, environmental chemistry, sonochemistry, development of chemical sensors, nano materials and coating technology, design of fibre optic sensors, joint investigation of experimental mechanics, heat transfer and fluid flow, design of intelligent instrumentation, development of 3-D graphics for human resources management and Virtual Reality Packages.

Under academic and research interactions, the cooperation would be in curriculum development for existing and new courses, visit of IGCAR scientists for establishing laboratory experiments, recognition of IGCAR as research a centre for Ph.D. and recognition of IGCAR scientists as research advisors for guiding Ph.D. students.

Baldev Raj, Director, IGCAR, and G. Viswanathan, Chancellor of VIT, signed the MoU.

TDP workers detain train

CHENNAI JAN. 25. About 100 workers of the Telugu Desam Party detained the Chennai-Tirupati Sapthagiri Express at Puttur for nearly an hour this morning by squatting on the track protesting against the killing of the party Penugonda MLA, Paritala Ravindra. The police disbursed the squatters.

Following this the Chennai Central-Dadar Express was delayed by more than 45 minutes.

Bomb threat to Collectors

NAGAPATTINAM JAN. 25. The Collectors of Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur today received anonymous letters threatening to blow up petrol bunks, schools and Government offices on January 27 and 28 after the Republic Day celebrations.

The contents of the letters are similar and the writer is said to have posted the letters from Mayiladuturai, police sources said.

J. Rajendran, Superintendent of Police, Thanjavur, said the police were keeping a vigil and were conducting investigation.

Demonstration

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE JAN. 25 . In view of Martyr's Day (veera vanakka naal), members of the AIADMK Students Peravai staged a demonstration in front of the Chikkiah Naicker College here today. They protested the use of Hindi on milestones on the National Highways. Hundreds of college students participated. The Erode Town AIADMK Secretary, R. Manoharan, was present.

Review

SALEM JAN. 25 . The State Project Director of the Sarva Shishya Abhiyan (SSA) T. K. Ramachandran, today reviewed the SSA projects being undertaken in the district.

Mr. Ramachandran held a detailed meeting with senior officials from the Department of Education including the Chief Educational Officer, S. Karmegam, on various project works undertaken under the SSA. A team from the Centre is expected to visit the district's SSA projects shortly.

Hailed

SALEM JAN. 25 . The Salem Rice Mill Owners' Association has thanked the Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa, for not including paddy and rice in VAT. A release from the association said that the rice mill owners, rice merchants and retail traders would be much benefited from this timely decision.

Looted

SALEM JAN. 25 . An unidentified gang looted about Rs. 2.50 lakhs and 10 sovereigns of gold jewellery from a house near Karipatti near here today.

The police said that the gang had reportedly entered the house of Chitayan this afternoon and locked an old man Thengamalai in a room. On complaint from Chitayan, police registered a case.

Injured

METTUR JAN. 25 . Two workers of the Tamil Nadu Minerals (TAMIN) Corporation sustained serious burns when explosive materials, which they placed in a pit in a stone quarry at the Kombaikadu village near here, reportedly exploded on Tuesday.

The police said that the mishap occurred when the workers Mani (40) and Chinnappan (42), were drilling holes and placing explosive powder in the quarry. Both of them were admitted to a private nursing home in Salem.

Free legal aid centre

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM JAN.25. The Collector, J.Radhakrishnan, today laid the foundation stone for the construction of a free legal aid centre on the court campus here.

The centre will be constructed at a cost of Rs.20 lakhs and the amount was allocated by R.Kamaraj, MP, and Mr. Jeevanandam, MLA, from their area development fund.

M. Mohamed Essath Ali, Nagapattinam District and Sessions Judge, attended the function.

Water supply

By Our Staff Reporter

THANJAVUR JAN.25 . The municipal authorities will take stern action against those tapping drinking water illegally from main and street pipelines and getting unauthorised connection in residential areas, said A. N. Santhanam, Commissioner, Thanjavur Municipality, today.

Talking to The Hindu , he said the municipality had been supplying 24 million litres daily (mld) at the rate of 190 lpcd (litres per capita daily).

The water pumped from the Coleroon was being treated and filtered at the Vennar riverbed, about five km from here, and supplied through 17 overhead tanks in the municipal area.

The residents could represent to the authorities if they did not get water in any area and leakage in pipelines, if any, would be rectified soon.

Fear allayed

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM JAN.25. The Collector, J. Radhakrishnan, allayed the fears of fishermen and others living in the coastal areas of the district following rumours that tsunami would hit the coast on Wednesday or Thursday.

He visited several coastal villages today and yesterday, and convinced the people that they need not be panicky.

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