The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 02, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

New Resident Commissioner

CHENNAI FEB. 1. The State Government today appointed a new Resident Commissioner for the Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi. An official release said Ramasundaram, on reversion to the State cadre, would act as the new Resident Commissioner.

K. Shanmugam will be the new Chairman and Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Limited.

While the former Kanyakumari Collector, Ramesh Chand Meena, is posted to act as Registrar of Cooperative Societies, the former Director of Fisheries Development Corporation Limited, A.S. Jeevarathinam, has been posted as Joint Commissioner of Sugar.

Traders hoist blackflags

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI FEB. 1. Traders affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association hoisted blackflags in front of their shops protesting against the Centre's decision to introduce service tax.

The stir was organised throughout the State by the traders, says an association release.

Tuticorin, Coimbatore specials

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI FEB. 1. Southern Railway is operating special trains to clear the rush of passengers.

Train 0613 Chennai Egmore-Tuticorin special via Tiruchi, Madurai and Virudhunagar will leave here at 7 p.m. on February 5, 12, 19 and 26 and reach the destination at 8 a.m. the next day. In the return direction train 0614 will leave at 8.30 p.m. on February 6, 13, 20 and 27 and arrive here at 9.30 a.m. the next day.

Train 0623 Chennai Central-Coimbatore special via Salem and Erode will leave here at 8.45 p.m. on February 4. It will reach Coimbatore at 5.20 a.m. the next day.

Train 0842 Chennai Central-Howrah special via Vijayawada, Vishakapatnam, and Cuttack will leave here at 10 a.m. on February 3. It will reach Howrah at 3.25 p.m. the next day.

Reservation will begin on Wednesday, says a railway release.

Plea on construction of buildings

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI FEB. 1. The Association of Engineers and Assistant Engineers Association, Public Works Department, has urged the State Government to entrust construction of all government buildings to the PWD.

The general council said though a government order had been issued that only the PWD should construct department buildings, they were being built by the departments concerned.

The council, which met here recently under the chairmanship of S. Mahalingam, passed a resolution urging filling of existing assistant engineer vacancies and withdrawal of GO.1 of the PWD, which empowered the Government to fill the posts with diploma holders, overseers and technical assistants.

Allowance to slain MLA's wife

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI FEB. 1. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today handed over a cheque for Rs. 1 lakh as `lumpsum allowance' to K.S. Jeyammal, wife of K. Sudharsanam, MLA, who was shot dead by dacoits on January 9.

His sons S. Vijayakumar and S. Satheeshkumar, were present when Ms. Jayalalithaa gave the cheque at the Secretariat here.

UGC funds for study centres

By Our Special Correspondent

COIMBATORE FEB. 1. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has sanctioned funds to 15 colleges for establishing centres for women's studies, the Additional Secretary, University Grants Commission, R.K. Chauhan, told The Hindu here today.

In the 9th Plan, the UGC sanctioned funds for creation of women's studies centres in universities. Under the 10th Plan, it was extending the funding to colleges as well. Each university received Rs. 50 lakhs and college Rs. 17 lakhs.

Prof. Chauhan said the UGC was keen on promoting quality in education through innovative programmes and research activities, besides major and minor projects in universities and colleges.

While private sector initiative in education was welcome, mushrooming of institutions without adequate infrastructure was a cause for concern.

To maintain standards, the UGC wanted to upgrade the abilities of teachers through orientation and refresher courses, step up the quality of courses offered in sciences and humanities, and improve the way the administrators managed institutions located in remote areas.

Six dacoits held

KARUR FEB. 1 . The police have arrested P. Selvam (30) of Kudiraikuthipallam, R. Selvaraj (27) of Theevattipatti, Salem, M. Ganesan (23) of Mecheri, Salem, C. Anbu (28) of Kudiraikuthipallam, K. Paraman (21) of Mecheri, Salem, and G. Soundaram (34) of Theevattipatti in connection with a dacoity at the farmhouse of Thangavel, a financier, at Velayuthampalayam in K. Paramathi police limits on January 2.

The Superintendent of Police, Abhin D. Modak, said jewels worth 42.5 sovereigns and a moped were recovered.

He said R. Balamurugan (21) of North Gandhigramam, his father C. Ramanathan (52) and B. Senguttuvan (30) of K.K. Nagar, Cuddalore, have been arrested on charges of house breaking committed in the house of S. Tamilselvi at Ramagoundanur in Pasupathipalayam police limits.

A total of 23.25 sovereigns worth jewels have been recovered.

It is business as usual

PUDUKOTTAI FEB 1 . It was business as usual in Pudukottai and Perambalur districts today with traders keeping their shops opened though a section of their counterparts in Tiruchi downed shutters to protest the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) and Service Tax.

Commits suicide

Thanjavur Feb.1. Panneerselvam (40), a resident of Nadu Thidal, Seppanavari here, allegedly committed suicide by hanging at Rajah Mirasudhar Government Hospital here where he was admitted for treatment.

Pannerselvam was admitted to the hospital on Monday but he was found hanging in the bed today. The Police have registered a case.

Iodine test in schools

Thanjavur Feb.1. Test on salt will be conducted in all schools on February 8 to create an awareness of the importance of using iodised salt as part of total sanitation scheme being implemented in this district, says the Collector, Veera Shanmugha Moni, in a press release.

Children can bring salt from their house and find out whether the salt used by them was iodised or not.

The United National Children's Education Fund (UNICEF) has given the required solution to test the salt.

He also advised parents to utilise the opportunity.

Mettur level

Tiruchi Feb.1. The water level at the Mettur reservoir stood at 55.27 feet today.The inflow was 150 cusecs and the discharge nil.

Couple found dead

Krishnagiri Feb. 1. A 27-year-old youth and wife were found dead in their house at Rayakottai about 30 km away from here on Monday.

The police have identified the deceased as Sakkappan and Murugammal. When the door of the house remained shut for a long time this morning neighbours grew suspicious and informed the police.

The police broke open the door and found the couple dead. The cause of death is yet to be ascertained. The Rayakottai police are investigating.

Branch opened

ERODE FEB.1. The Perundurai panchayat branch of the Tamilaga Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) was started yesterday and S. Abibulla was elected as President of the unit. The meeting, in a resolution, said that Perundurai had Arts and Science, Engineering and Medical Colleges. Students from all over India are studying there.

The meeting urged the Railway Ministry to extend the Chennai-Erode Yercaud Express and the Chennai Egmore-Erode express trains to Perundurai.

Further both should also be start from Perundurai. The meeting also pleaded for a road from Perundurai old bus stand to Police station via the Government Hospital and Raja Street.

M.A. Rahamathullah, K. Shaik Moideen, M. Abu Thahir and A. Shaik Sulaiman were selected as Vice-President, Secretary, Joint Secretary and Treasurer respectively.

Man murdered

TUTICORIN FEB. 1. The police are searching for a duo, Muthuraj and Ravi, for allegedly murdering Chittaraja at Urulakudu on the wee hours of Monday.

The duo had attacked the deceased with a sickle. Nalaatinputhur police are investigating.

Commits suicide

TUTICORIN FEB. 1. A 40-year-old man committed suicide by consuming poison at his house on January 30.

Thommai Rathnam was bothered over chronic stomach ailments, which prompted him to end his life. Thalamuthu Nagar police are investigating.

Search for usurers

TTUTICORIN FEB. 1. The police here are on the look out for Sudalai Kumar and two others on the charge of lending money at a exorbitant rate of interest to one Murugesan.

A case was registered under Section 4 of Prohibition of Exorbitant Interest Act 2003.

Body found

NAGERCOIL FEB.1. The police recovered the body of an aged man from Christopher Bus Stand at Vadaserry here on Tuesday.

According to police sources, tipped off by some passengers, the police recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem. However they could not ascertain the identity of the aged man.

The police have registered a case and are investigating.

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