Tamil Nadu   

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200 doctors to be appointed on contract

CHENNAI: The State Government has decided to appoint 200 speciality medical consultants and an equal number of nurses at 51 Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Services (CEmONC) and 24 hours intensive obstetric and newborn care wards on contract basis.

Specialists in obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics and anaesthesia and general surgeons will be chosen by a selection committee headed by District Collector on the basis of a list obtained from the Professional and Executive Employment Office, an official release said here on Thursday.

Speciality medical consultants with postgraduate degrees will get a consolidated pay of Rs. 10,000 and those with postgraduate diplomas will be given Rs. 9,000 a month.

The Government has earmarked Rs.12.50 crore for the purchase of medical equipment and medicine, besides maintaining ultrasonogram, laparoscopes, paediatric ventilators, defibrillators and CTG monitors at a cost of Rs. 52.20 lakh every year, the release said.

Apart from this, the Government has sanctioned Rs.40 lakh for the purchase of two ultrasonogram equipment and two computers. It has earmarked Rs.19.96 lakh to impart 15-day training for 204 gynaecologists. — Special Correspondent

Elephant calf dies at Mudumalai

Udhagamandalam: An elephant calf died at the Theppakadu camp of the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park on Tuesday despite the efforts of the forest staff to keep it alive, according to the Wildlife Warden, the Nilgiris, Rakesh Kumar Dogra.

Stating that the female calf was found by the staff on October 17, when it was about 10 days old, Mr. Dogra told The Hindu here on Thursday that it got separated from its herd and efforts to reunite it had failed. Consequently it had been placed under the charge of a mahout Manban. Though he and his family provided the elephant the best possible round-the-clock care under the guidance of forest veterinarian Kalaivanan, the pachyderm's condition steadily deteriorated. A post mortem was conducted on Wednesday. — Special Correspondent

SHRC official inquires into deaths at prison

Coimbatore: Superintendent of Police A. Sathyanarayanan, attached to the State Human Rights Commission held a two-day inquiry at the Circuit House here into the death of four inmates of the Coimbatore Central Prison in the last two months.

While three inmates reportedly died due to AIDS, one is said to have died of heart attack. However, family members of one of the inmates suspected foul play and demanded a probe.

The SHRC official on Wednesday held inquiries with two doctors of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital who conducted the post-mortem. On Thursday, he inquired the police officials who served the death intimation and the prison officials. - Staff Reporter

Flour mills demand introduction of VAT

CHENNAI: The Tamilnadu Roller Flour Mills Association has urged Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to introduce value added tax (VAT) in the State to provide a level playing ground to trade and industry. The association president V.K. Gupta said in a memorandum that despite initial fears and reservations a majority of States had implemented VAT. The States which implemented VAT had recorded 15 per cent increase in revenue during the first six months of the current fiscal compared with the previous year. — Special Correspondent

Jewels, cash stolen

PERAMBALUR : Unidentified persons allegedly stole a few suitcases containing valuables, including gold jewellery, all worth about Rs.4.50 lakhs besides Rs.50,000 in cash, being transported in a van.

The occupants, most of them from Malaysia, were proceeding to the Chennai airport from Lalgudi, the police said. On the outskirts of Perambalur, a few persons halted the van in the guise of demanding some tools to set right some snag their car had developed.

Only on reaching Veppur in Cuddalore disitrict, the occupants of the van noticed that the suitcases kept atop the van were missing. The occupants returned to Perambalur and lodged a complaint with the police. The Perambalur police have registered a case and are investigating.

Grievance day meet

TIRUCHI :A grievance redressal day meet for ex-servicemen was held at the Collectorate here on Wednesday. The meeting was presided over by Collector K. Nanda Kishore. At the meeting, petitions seeking house site patta, employment, flood relief etc. were given by the ex-servicemen. A total number of 83 petitions were submitted to the Collector, an official release issued here said. The Collector said that necessary action would be taken on the petitions and assistance provided. The city police will conduct a public grievance redressal day meet on January 3 at the office of the Commissioner of Police in Tiruchi.

The public could air their grievances to the Commissioner of Police Prateep V. Philip, a police release issued here said.

AIDS programme

TIRUCHI : The AIDS Prevention and Control Project, Voluntary Health Services and Anbalayam, a social service organisation, jointly organised a programme as part of observance of the World AIDS Day where the participants spoke about the dreaded disease and the need to prevent its incidence.

The director of Anbalayam, T. K. S. Senthil Kumar, spoke about the ways of providing help and support to the HIV BSNL offer

TIRUCHI : The BSNL is offering free upgrade to broadband for all dial up internet users. Monthly broadband rental charge of Rs. 250 will be waived off for the existing dial up customers who migrate to broadband dataone services. This scheme, which was valid up to December 25, has been extended up to January 31, a BSNL release said.

Mettur level

TIRUCHI : The level in the Mettur dam stood at 119.50 feet on Thursday. The inflow was 5026 cusecs and the outflow, 12,000 cusecs .

Student electrocuted

TIRUNELVELI: A student was electrocuted on Thursday.

S. Muthumari (13), a student of Nettoor in Standard VII, under the Alangulam police station limits, was electrocuted when he accidentally came into contact with a pipe, connected to an electric pump in the well.

Life term for murder

TIRUNELVELI: The Principal Sessions Court here has sentenced a youth to life term for murdering his daughter.

According to prosecution, C. Murugan (22) of Kattukuththaipatcheri near Maththalampaarai under the Courtallam police station limits had illicit affair with Mari (22) of the same area.

As she became pregnant, the village heads conducted the marriage of the girl with Murugan.

When she delivered a baby girl in her mother's house, Murugan failed to take her back. Meanwhile, he went to Mari's house, snatched her daughter and strangulated her to death on March 27.

Judge Ayyappan also slapped a fine of Rs. 1,000 on him.

He awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for trespassing into Mari's house and snatching the girl child. However, the sentence would run concurrently.

Bus service hit

Nagercoil: Inter-state bus service was affected on Thursday following a strike call given by trade unions in Kerala.

State Transport Corporation (Madurai division) in Kanyakumari district, which used to operate 40 buses daily from Nagercoil to Thiruvananthapuram and other parts of Kerala viz Parasalai, operated up to Kalliakkavilai. — Staff Reporter

Youth held

Tuticorin: The police on Thursday arrested Bharat Kumar (32) on a charge of deceiving a 30-year-old woman here recently.

They said that he had sexual relationship with the woman, his neighbour, after promising to marry her.

He refused to do so when she became pregnant. She filed a complaint at the All Woman Police Station at Srivaikundam. — Staff Reporter

Held on assault charge

Tuticorin: The police arrested Ramasamy (28) who allegedly assaulted Subbulakshmi (30) at Chidamarapuram near kadambur on Tuesday.

Ayyammal (50) lodged the complaint.

The injured was admitted to Tirunelveli Medical College and Hospital. — Staff Reporter

Babies handed over

ERODE: Two cradle babies were handed over to `Lifeline Trust', a non-Governmental organisation in Salem on Wednesday. Recently, Govindammal, wife of Babu of Odapalli in Pallipalayam here was delivered of a baby boy at the Erode Government Headquarters Hospital.

As the baby was malnourished, it was kept at the Children's Special Ward of the Hospital. Govindammal left without the child, and did not return. The child was handed over the cradle baby centre at the Hospital.

Similarly, a baby girl abandoned by a mentally challenged person at the Hospital was also kept at the cradle baby centre.

The Trust said that the children would be handed over to those willing to adopt them.

It had already given away 168 children in adoption, with all formalities intact.

- Staff Reporter

One killed in accident

ERODE: One person died on the spot and ten sustained serious injuries when a bus collided with a lorry near Modakurichi on Thursday. According to the police, the firewood-laden lorry proceeding from Karur to Erode and the private bus proceeding to Karur collided in Parisalthurai near Modakurichi.

Murugan travelling in the lorry died on the spot.

Lorry driver Ganesan, cleaner Saravanan, bus passengers including Vasanthy and Dhanalakshmi were removed to a private hospital.

- Staff Reporter

Residents demand water

ERODE: Over 150 men and women staged a road roko with empty pots in hand on Vellakoil-Moolanure Main Road in Dasavanaickkenpatty here on Thursday demanding drinking water.

According to the police, Uthamapalayam, Oonjalvalasu, Salaipudur, Servakaranpalayam, Ganapathypalayam, Kavalipalayam and surrounding areas were not provided with drinking water through the Amaravathy Comprehensive Water Supply Scheme for the last one month. Despite their demands, the Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board had failed to take action. On information, officials rushed to spot and pacified the crowd that dispersed after an hour. - Staff Reporter

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