Tamil Nadu   

Briefly

George Fernandes' appeal to union leaders

CHENNAI: Former Union Minister and convener of the National Democratic Alliance, George Fernandes, on Thursday regretted that of late, there had been a lack of commitment among trade union leaders. He appealed to the leaders to make sincere attempts to achieve the just demands of workers.

Mr. Fernandes was addressing a gate meeting organised by the State unit of the Rail Mazdoor Union in Carriage Works, Perambur. He discussed various demands of railway workers including setting up of the Sixth Pay Commission, removal of ceiling for bonus and removal of anomalies in the revised pension scheme

Former Union Minister of State, Digvijay Singh, also participated in the discussion. — Special Correspondent

Additional IA fight to Sharjah

Chennai: Indian Airlines will operate an additional flight using an Airbus-300 aircraft on the Chennai-Kochi-Sharjah sector on August 30.

According to an IA release, IC-1975 will leave Chennai at 10-45 a.m. and reach Kochi at 11-45 a.m.

The special fare from Chennai to Kochi will be Rs.2,421. Consequently, IC-174 that day on the Chennai-Mumbai sector has been combined with flight IC-571 and will leave Chennai at 8.40 p.m. and reach Mumbai at 10.25 p.m. In the return direction, flight IC-173 on the Mumbai-Chennai sector has been combined with IC-572 leaving Mumbai at 6 p.m. and arriving in Chennai at 7-40 p.m. — Special Correspondent

Ex-servicemen complex to be opened in Vellore

CHENNAI: An ex-servicemen welfare complex project will be dedicated at Vellore on August 28.

General Officer Commanding of ATNK & K Area, Chennai, Maj.Gen. Paramjit Singh, will dedicate the project.

The facility set up using Canteen profits of ex-servicemen, fulfils a long-felt need of ex-servicemen.

About 35,000 ex-servicemen and their dependents have settled in and around Vellore and the figures are increasing at 8 per cent annually, according to an official release. — Special Correspondent

Jail bharo programme on September 21

Thanjavur: The Thamizhar Desiya Padukappu Iyakkam will organise a jail bharo programme on September 21 throughout the State demanding use of Tamil in education, Tamil as spiritual language and protection of Tamil culture in cinema, said Thol. Thirumavalavan, iyakkam president, here on Thursday.

He told presspersons agitations will be held before the Secretariat and district headquarters.

Nearly one lakh persons are expected to participate. Earlier, a meeting was held to discuss the issue with the leaders of political parties in the Iyakkam. Pazha. Nedumaran and Dr. Sethuraman participated. — Special Correspondent

Jaya TV to launch news channel

CHENNAI: Jaya TV, a Tamil entertainment channel, which is entering its seventh year of broadcasting, will soon launch a dedicated news channel, Jaya Plus.

Jaya TV has already completed the installation of a teleport on its own premises and is expecting clearance from the Telecom Ministry.

It has approached the Ministry for permission for uplinking Jaya Plus too.

The channel was cleared by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in April 2004.

Jaya TV has a reach in Malaysia, Gulf countries, Europe, and Canada.

It will be available in the United States shortly, according to a press release. — Special Correspondent

11 bus passengers injured

TIRUNELVELI: Eleven passengers were injured when lorry rammed the State Transport Corporation bus near here on Wednesday.

Police said the lorry, proceeding from Nagercoil to Sattur with logs dashed against the bus, going from Madurai to Nagercoil, at Paruththikulam under the Gangaikondan police station limits.

While seven of them were treated as outpatients, four were admitted to a private hospital at Palayamkottai. — Staff Reporter

Youth gets life term for murder TIRUNELVELI: The Principal Additional Sessions Judge, Ganesan, sentenced a youth to life term for murdering a youth.

According to prosecution, R. Samikannu (23) of Kasimajorpuram near Courtallam developed enmity with S. Mariappan alias `Karuvaadu' Mariappan (22) of the same area as the latter had an affair with a relative of the former.

So, Mariappan attacked Samikannu on July 29, 2004 with a log when he was sleeping in an autorickshaw killing him on the spot.

A fine of Rs. 10,000 was also imposed on Mariappan. — Staff Reporter

Held for theft

Tuticorin: Marimuthu (27) was arrested on Thursday since he stole a bike belonging to Meenakshisundaram (28) when it was parked at AKS Theatre Road in Kovilpatti recently.

The stolen vehicle was recovered. — Staff Reporter

Boat damaged

Tuticorin: Some unidentified persons had damaged a boat kept at seashore at Veerapandianpattinam near here on Wednesday.

Police said a case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Selvam (41). The Tiruchendur police are investigating. — Staff Reporter

Karur experiences moderate showers

KARUR: There has been a welcome relief from the simmering heat during the daytime in Karur with the town experiencing moderate showers in the evenings. While the daytime temperature was a bit higher during the past week, for the past two days, evenings were cooler with welcome showers cooling the district. Farmers also seemed to be a happy lot, what with the rains supplementing the copious flow in the Cauvery. — Staff Reporter

Couple end life

KARUR: Suspicion claimed the lives of a couple at Arasu Colony near here on Thursday. Police said Revathi (22), irked at the continued suspicion over her chastity by her husband Senthil Kumar (33), a cook at a school at Esanatham, doused herself with kerosene and set herself ablaze at their house at Arasu Colony in the wee hours of Thursday. Senthi Kumar who tried to put out the flames was injured in the attempt. While Revathi died on the spot, Senthil Kumar died at the Government Hospital here. — Staff Reporter

AIR special for Sri Krishna Jayanthi

TIRUCHI: The All India Radio, Tiruchi, will broadcast a special music programme on Friday on account of Sri Krishna Jayanthi.An official release issued here on Thursday said the programme, `Gokulathil ore kulir nilavu', presented by R. Veeraraghavan, would be broadcast in the main channel at 8.45 a.m. Another programme on `Srimad Bhagavadam' would form part of the `Arul Malai' programme in the FM channel from August 27. Slokas on the significance of the incarnation of Sri Krishna with interpretation in Tamil would be broadcast for three months. — Staff Reporter

Mettur level

Tiruchi: The water level in the Mettur dam stood at 118.58 feet today. The inflow was 19,102 cusecs and the discharge, 18,010 cusecs. — Staff Reporter

19 bags of rice seized

ERODE: The Bhavani Tahsildar seized 19 bags of boiled rice meant for supply to ration cardholders, from a house at Salangapalayam village near Kavindapady on Monday. A case was registered. - Staff Reporter

Sachets destroyed

ERODE: Officials of the Erode Municipal Health Department conducted a surprise check in the shops at the Municipal Bus Stand on Thursday. They seized several packaged drinking water bottles and sachets, which had crossed expiry date, and destroyed them. - Staff Reporter

Couple electrocuted

ERODE: A man and wife were electrocuted on Wednesday night. According to the police, Chinnakannu (65), an ironsmith of Burgur near Anthiyur, was melting iron rod in his house, when it touched a live wire and he was electrocuted. His wife Maragatham (55) tried to rescue him and was also electrocuted. - Staff Reporter

Shops closed in Sivagiri

ERODE: Over 60 per cent of the shops and business establishments remained closed on Thursday in Sivagiri village in Erode taluk when a hartal was called by the DMK and other Opposition parties in protest against cancellation of bus services. They said that as some buses from Erode to Vellakoil, plying through the village were cancelled, many could not reach offices and schools on time. - Staff Reporter

Farm labourers held

ERODE: Erode Police arrested 171 agricultural labourers on Wednesday when they attempted to conduct a rail roko seeking enactment of a welfare legislation for unorganised workers and waiver of farm loans taken by the poor. - Staff Reporter

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Briefly

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