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Farmers' appeal to Chief Minister

NAGAPATTINAM: The Federation of Farmers' Associations in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam have urged Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to ensure that paddy procurement norms are relaxed during the current samba season.

Federation general secretary Arupathy Kalyanam told The Hindu on Thursday that farmers in the Cauvery Delta region were not getting remunerative price for paddy since 2002 because of the stringent norms fixed by the Centre.

Mr. Kalyanam said though the farmers produced 300 tonnes of paddy in the last four years, the Government procured only 28.5 lakh tonnes.

After they dumped paddy in the sea at Danish Fort in Tharangampadi in February 2004, the Government relaxed its grade norms to some extent.

He also requested Ms. Jayalalithaa to hike the paddy procurement price. — Staff Reporter

Sri Lankan refugee found dead

VILLUPURAM: A Sri Lankan refugee was found dead with head injuries in a refugee camp at Keezhputhupattu near Marakkanam on Thursday.

The police said the deceased was identified as D. Nithyanandan alias Nesan (25). His wife Kavitha (24), who sustained injuries, had been admitted to a hospital.

A dog squad has been pressed into service. The police have registered a case. — Special Correspondent

`India should take back Katchatheevu'

CHENNAI: A meeting of the Tamil Eelam liberation supporters coordination committee on Wednesday has resolved that the recurring attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy could be prevented only by India taking back Katchatheevu.

The committee said incidents of the island navy crossing its territorial waters and shooting at Tamil Nadu fishermen and damaging their nets and boats were increasing.

It condemned what it called the inaction of the Indian Navy in the matter of protecting the fisherfolk.

To press the demand, a conference on protection of fishermen would be held in Madurai in February, according to a press release. — Special Correspondent

IA flight rescheduled

CHENNAI: Indian Airlines flight IC 802 on the Chennai-Delhi sector will operate via Hyderabad on Monday (January 23). It will leave Chennai at 8 p.m., reach Hyderabad 9 p.m.; leave Hyderabad at 9.40 p.m. and reach Delhi at 11.40 p.m., according to a press release. — Special Correspondent

`Why was metro rail project dropped'

CHENNAI: The State Government should explain why it dropped the metro rail project and opted for monorail, the Pattali Makkal Katchi, S. Ramadoss, said on Thursday.

He told mediapersons that the details of the Pallavan Transport Consultancy Services, which recommended the monorail system, and the background about the organisation should be publicised.

This was required because the agency could be held responsible for any development concerning the latest project.

The PMK leader said the metro rail project had been dropped after the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had been commissioned to prepare a detailed project report.

He argued that given the volume of passengers in Chennai and growing requirements, the monorail system would not be appropriate.

He said the metro rail system would have been less costly.— Special Correspondent

Two killed in road accident

KARUR: Two drivers were killed on the spot when their lorries collided

at Mettupatti branch road on the Karur-Dindigul National Highway on Thursday.

The victims were identified as Rudhresh (22), driver of a lorry transporting tomato from Bangalore to Tirunelveli and Senthil Kumar (32) driving green peas laden lorry from Tuticorin to Salem.

Their helpers, Radheesh and Srinivasan, who suffered injuries, were admitted to the hospital.

Two get 10 years' RI for rape

ARIYALUR: The Judge of the Fast Track Court, G. Venkatasamy, on Thursday sentenced two persons, Martin (32) and John Kennedy (31), to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment in a rape case. According to the prosecution, the duo tresspassed in to a woman's house at Kumizhankuzhi near Meensuritti on June 23, 1999 when the inmates were away and raped her. The police registered a case and arrested the two, following a complaint. The Judge, who found them guilty, also ordered a fine of Rs. 2,500 each, in default to undergo six months' imprisonment.

48 kg sandalwood seized

TIRUCHI: A forest team seized 48 kgs of sandalwood consisting of chips and small billets in the wee hour of Thursday in Thuraiyur forest range.

The team arrested four persons, including two women, for illegally transporting the sandalwood valued at Rs. 25,000. Forest authorities told The Hindu that acting on secret information forest team led by forester D. Manoharan arrested the four.

Varsity offers elective courses

TIRUCHI: The Bharathidasan University, Tiruchi offers Elective Course through its various departments to the PG students of the affiliated colleges in Tiruchi district on inter-collegiate basis.

The colleges shall permit the students to choose the Elective Course offered by the University. The students who qualify in these courses shall be eligible for extra credits and a separate statement of marks shall be issued by the University.

Two arrested

Tiruchi: The City Police on Tuesday arrested two persons on the charge of indulging in eve teasing. The names of the arrested persons were given as Shanmugham (20), of Devakottai in Sivaganga district and Kannan (24) of Ponnamaravathy in Pudukottai district. The two allegedly teased women at the Central bus stand.

Mettur level

TIRUCHI: The water level at the Mettur dam stood at 113.78 feet on Thursday. The inflow was 2,167 cusecs and the discharge, 6,009 cusecs.

Staff Reporter

Dies in road accident

Tuticorin: Mariappan (45), pillion rider, died when he fell from running motorbike near here on Thursday.

The police said Mariappan and Kumarasean were coming towards Tuticorin from Tirunelveli when the accident took place at Pudukottai, about 10 km from here. — Staff Reporter

Farmers' Day

Tuticorin: The SCAD-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, an organisation funded by Indian Council for Agriculture Research, celebrated Farmer's Day here recently. Officials from NABARD and Revenue Department explained various government schemes, which are beneficial to farmers, a release said.

In all, 180 farmers and members of various women groups attended the celebrations. — Staff Reporter

Cine crew fined

TIRUNELVELI: A team of cine technicians, who entered the reserve forest area for shooting without permission, were fined on Thursday.

Forest Dpartment sources said a team of technicians, who had come to Courtallam for outdoor shooting of a Tamil film, entered the reserve forest area off Main Falls-Five Falls stretch for shooting. As they had not obtained permission, a team of forest officials led by Samuel Rajan stopped the works and slapped a fine of Rs. 65,000. — Staff Reporter

Medical centre

Nagercoil: A tele ophthalmic consultation centre was established at Dr. Kumaraswamy Health Centre at Perumalpuram near Kottaram.

An outpatient department for treating cancer was also started. The Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital Dean Gunasagaran presided. — Staff Reporter

Body recovered from water tank

ERODE: The body of a worker was recovered from a big water tank after three days. The police have identified it as Palanisamy (23), a native of Theni district working in a private school at Modakurichi as fitter. On January 15, he, along with his friends, went to Karanampalayam village, near Malayampalayam, and took bath in the big tank there. He drowned and a search was on for the body. They traced the body on Wednesday evening near the Eswaran temple at Unjalure.

Thyagaraja remembered

SALEM: Members of the Salem Sangeetha Vidwath Sabha took out a procession with the portrait of Saint Thyagaraja here on Wednesday as a prelude to the Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival scheduled to be conducted from May 15 to 21 and to mark the silver jubilee celebrations of the Sabha.

The Sabha has decided to conduct Sri Purandaradasar Aradhana on January 29. Artists willing to perform in the festivals can contact the Sabha office at Subramaniapuram Extension, Salem -7.

For more details contact Phone: 0427-2319179.

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