Tamil Nadu   

Briefly

Signature campaign for AIDS awareness

Thanjavur: The Collector, M. Veera Shanmugha Moni, launched a signature campaign to create awareness about AIDS among people here on Monday. He signed a banner put up by the Nehru Yuva Kendra and the Youth Hostel. The Collector said that the campaign would continue for a week in all the panchayat unions. Members of the Nehru Yuva Kendra and the Mahila Mandram would mobilise 50,000 signatures in the district.

Dr. Swaminathan, Joint Director, Health, and Dr. Kannan, Deputy Director, Health, participated in the function.

World Disabled Day observed

KARUR: When there is a will to excel, disability in any form would never deny success to any person, the Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency, K. Rajamani, said here recently. Mr. Rajamani was presiding over the World Disabled Day organised here recently. He also gave away prizes and certificates to winners of painting, kolam and sports contests. Inmates of the Anbalayam School for the aurally impaired, CSI Boys and Girls schools, Vriskha school for the mentally retarded, R.C. Amalarakkini, Kulithalai, and Kalaignar school for hearing impaired,

Velayuthampalayam, took part in the events. Mettur level Tiruchi: The water level in the Mettur dam stood at 120.20 feet on Tuesday. The inflow was 15,080 cusecs and the outflow, 14,837 cusecs. — Staff Reporter

LPG cylinders seized

Nagercoil: A 15-member team led by the District Revenue Officer, Jothi Nirmala, conducted surprise raids in hotels and teashops on Monday night and seized 40 gas cylinders meant for domestic use.

Similarly, on a tip-off, the same team raided the house of one Panneerselvam of Nesamony Nagar near Ranithottam and seized 94 gas cylinders and other equipment meant for refilling cooking gas in small cylinders for operating autorickshaws.

The team registered cases against the offenders.

Worker commits suicide

NAGERCOIL: A construction worker committed suicide by consuming poison within the premises of Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital on Tuesday.

According to police sources, Samikkannu (21) of Krishnagiri was working with a private contractor, who was engaged in construction work in progress at the medical college premises. Since he could not get employment on a regular basis, a dejected Samikkannu took the extreme step. The police recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem.

Coolie ends life

A collie committed suicide by consuming poison. Mani (27) of Aralvoimozhi used to quarrel with his wife often in an inebriated mood. He demanded his wife to give him money to buy liquor. When she refused, he took the extreme step.

Man dies in accident

NAGERCOIL: An old man was killed on the spot in a road mishap on Tuesday.

According to police sources, Thangiah (70) of Kanimadam near Anjugramam was going towards Kanyakumari in a bicycle when a State Transport Corporation bus coming from the opposite direction hit the cycle, killing him on the spot.

Chain snatched

Tuticorin: The police are on the look out for an unidentified person who had snatched a gold chain from Ramalakshmiammal (70) at her house on Sunday.

According to police sources, the incident occurred while she was going to a toilet situated outside her house. The South police have registered a case.

BJP youth wing meet

TIRUNELVELI: A daylong meeting of Bharatiya Janaya Party's district youth wing was held here on Sunday.

While K. Thirugnanam spoke on use of yoga with demonstration, S.A. Sakthi Eswaramurthy spoke on the power of mind.

Dr. S. Vijayan of Aravind Eye Hospital spoke on the importance of eye donation and the need for creating an awareness of it.

The president of the youth wing, N.S. Pitchumani presided. — Staff Reporter

Man gets life term

ERODE: A man was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering his wife.

The prosecution case was that Nagaraj of Vaikkalmedu in Perundurai, a tailor, had frequent quarrels with his wife Valli. He used to torture her to get money from her parents. Nagaraj took Valli in his cycle to Thindal branch LBP canal and strangulated her to death. He then threw the body into the canal. It was recovered the next day and the Perundurai Police arrested Nagaraj.

On Tuesday, Principal District Judge Mohandass awarded life sentence to Nagaraj for murdering his wife and 10 years' RI for kidnapping his wife from the house to the canal. Both sentences would run concurrently, he said. - Staff Reporter

Demonstration

ERODE: More than 300 members of Tamilaga Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) staged a demonstration on Tuesday before the Telephone Bhavan, in protest against the demolition of Babri Masjid. - Staff Reporter

Chief Minister's appeal

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday appealed to the public to make generous contributions to the Flag Day Fund.

In a message here, she commended the Armed Forces, who "not only defend the country in times of war, but also render yeomen service during natural calamities, often discharging their duties in extreme climatic conditions and difficult terrains."

The Government of Tamil Nadu had been in the forefront in looking after the welfare of ex-servicemen by providing health care, employment, training and motivation for self-employment to them and education for their children, she said. — Special Correspondent

Vasan meets Sonia

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president G.K. Vasan met the All-India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday and explained to her the widespread damage caused by floods in the districts, including Chennai and its suburbs, due to "unprecedented rain" in the State. He explained to Ms. Gandhi that only by allocating Central funds to the State it would be possible to bring the State back to normality.

Mr. Vasan criticised Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for politicising the flood situation by levelling "unfair charges" against Opposition leaders. From the beginning, the Democratic Progressive Alliance partners had been maintaining a stand that the flood situation should not be made a political issue. The CM's statement against the DPA leaders and Central Ministers, belonging to Tamil Nadu in this connection, was "unfortunate and condemnable," he said. — Special Correspondent

EPF pensioners should submit certificate

CHENNAI: All Employees Provident Fund pensioners drawing pension through banks/post offices should submit the life/non remarriage certificate to the respective paying banks/ post offices before December 20. In case the certificate is not submitted to the disbursing agency, pension will be stopped from January, according to release from the Regional P.F. Commissioner, Chennai Region and Pondicherry. — Special Correspondent

Producer felicitated

CHENNAI: Documentary and television producer-director S. Krishnaswamy was felicitated at the Vatavaran film festival-2005, organised by the Centre for Media Studies in New Delhi recently for receiving the "Lifetime Achievement Award" of the U.S. International Film and Video Festival.

Kerala film director Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Nandita Das, Mike Pandey, Shekar Dattatri and the Bedi Brothers were also felicitated. Karan Singh, chairman, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, presented felicitation plaques to the winners. — Special Correspondent

Demonstration

VELLORE: A large number of Muslims staged a demonstration on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam at the Collectorate here on Tuesday, demanding the fulfilment of the Centre of the assurance given by the Narasimha Rao Government that the 450-year old Babri Masjid would be reconstructed at the same spot in Ayodhya. The demonstration was part of the observance of the 13th anniversary of the demolition of the masjid.

The protesters demanded the restoration of the land belonging to the masjid to the community and the immediate tabling in Parliament of the report of the Liberhan Commission.

Volunteers of Tauheet Jamath staged a similar demonstration in Pernambut. — Special Correspondent

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