Tamil Nadu   

Briefly

Jayalalithaa's appeal

to party men

CHENNAI: General secretary of the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Jayalalithaa on Friday appealed to party men not to end their lives on account of the outcome of the May 8 Assembly elections.

In a statement here, she expressed her condolences to the bereaved families of seven party activists who committed suicide or died of heart attack after hearing the results. "I have been striving for your welfare. My strength hinges on your existence. Please do not demoralise me by ending your lives," she said. Ms. Jayalalithaa also announced cash assistance of Rs. 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased. — Special Correspondent

Planning Commission

forms committee

CHENNAI: Planning Commission has constituted a steering committee to formulate `Basic Education Literacy' policy as part of the 11th Plan. This committee includes senior level officers at the State and Central level, administrative and academic members from various institutions and its terms of reference include the formulation of strategies for reducing illiteracy in the country. It will also work out financial requirements for various schemes and programmes for providing basic education up to standard X and submit its report within the next six months. R. Rajan, director (i/c), State Resource Centre, Tamil Nadu, has been included as a member in the committee. — Special Correspondent

Seminar on jatropha

cultivation

CHENNAI: About 390 million hectares of wasteland in India can be brought under jatropha. The seeds contain more than 30 per cent of non-edible oil, says ITCOT Consultancy and Services Limited, a management consultancy organisation.

The organisation, which is organising a day's seminar on "Jatropha-biofuel of the future," here on May 27, said Jatropha was already being grown in Nicaragua. In India, it was found in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. It provided a non-toxic, biodegradable 100 per cent natural energy alternative to petroleum. It would help reduce the country's dependence on oil imports and provide energy security. The seminarwill cover areas such as cultivation of the crop, buy back, jatropha processing, nursery development, Government incentives and bank assistance for entrepreneurs. A visit to a nursery development centre of the crop will be organised.

Information can be had from Shankar on 28295484 and 98409 28302. — Special Correspondent

Convocation

CHENNAI: Technology development has a long-term vision to enable, educate and empower citizens through information and knowledge, Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development Ali Ashraf Fatmi said on Saturday.

Globalisation is redefining the environment surrounding countries and reshaping lives and values, he said, delivering the convocation address at the Seventh Graduate's Day of the Thangavelu Engineering College near here. Mr. Fatmi said the driving force behind globalisation was technology. It had a social dimension in the way people lived and worked and technology graduates were at the epicentre of global revolution.

The Minister gave away degrees to 375 graduates, including 25 rank holders. K.V. Thangkabalu, Member of Parliament; Jayanthi Thangabalu, chairperson of Ponniamman Educational and Charitable Trust; T. Swaminathan, principal, Thangavelu Engineering College and K. Raveendran, principal, T.J. Institute of Technology, were present. — Special Correspondent

Youth murders woman

TIRUNELVELI : The Seevalaperi police have arrested a man for allegedly murdering his wife.

The police said K. Sooryakala (28), mother of two children from Shanmugapuram under the Seevalaperi police station limit, eloped with Subramanian, cousin of her husband, M. Kumar (30), to Kerala some months ago.

When they returned to Shanmugapuram recently to attend a village temple festival, Kumar allegedly hacked Sooryakala to death when she was working in a field on Saturday.

Child stabbed to death

Tuticorin : The police on Saturday arrested Ratinaraj (28) who allegedly murdered his two-year-old daughter at Arumuganeri on Friday.

The police said Ratinaraj got agitated over some remarks made by his wife about his mother while they were walking through a paddy field.

Subsequently, he tried to attack his wife, Selvarathi, with a sickle, but she escaped unhurt. Frustrated, he stabbed his daughter, Esther Joyce Mary. The child died on the spot.

Fatally knocked down

TIRUNELVELI : The Thisayanvilai police are on the lookout for a person who fatally knocked down an old man with his bike. The police said Y. Sakthiraj (75) of Sivanthipuram under the Thisayanvilai police station limit was knocked down by an unidentified two-wheeler on Saturday. He died on the spot.

With the identifications of the rider, provided by the people in the vicinity, the Thisayanvilai police are investigating.

Woman drowned in pool

TIRUNELVELI : A 70-year-old woman was drowned in a pool in front of the Main Falls at Courtallam on Saturday. The police said Shenbagam of Rajapalayam was drowned in the pool when she was taking bath in it.

Body recovered

Nagercoil : The Railway Protection Force recovered the body of a youth at Putheri near Nagercoil.

According to the police, based on information given by the public, the railway protection force recovered the body from a railway track and sent it for post-mortem. Later, they identified the body and revealed his name as Sukin Beno (19) of Thadikkaramkonam.

Sweets distributed

Nagercoil : Cadres of DMK distributed sweets to people, including tourists in Kanyakumari and burst crackers immediately after MLA N. Suresh Rajan took charge as Tourism Minister.

Commits suicide

Nagercoil : An AIADMK man allegedly committed suicide unable to bear the defeat of his party in the Assembly elections. According to the police, Devasagayam (43) of Lekshmipuram near Mandaicadu committed suicide by consuming poison. The police have registered a case. — Staff Reporter

Change in examination schedule

TIRUCHI: The Bharathidasan University has announced a few changes in the schedule of examinations under its distance education programme.Accordingly, examinations for under-graduate, post-graduate courses (except MCA and MBA) and post graduate diploma courses scheduled to be held on May 17, 18, 19, 26 and 27 have been re-scheduled for June 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 respectively. There would be no change in the examination schedule for MCA and MBA programmes.

Plea against oil

price hike

TIRUCHI: The Thennidia Nugarvor Padhukappu Kuzhumam has appealed to the Union government to give up the proposed move to hike the prices of petroleum products. In a resolution adopted at its executive committee meeting here, the organisation strongly oppose the move, especially any hike in the price of LPG and kerosene which it said would adversely affect the lower and middle income groups.

The organisation urged the Centre to strictly enforce the Gold Control Act .

Radio programmes

TIRUCHI: The All India Radio (AIR), Tiruchi, would broadcast a few special programmes on May 16 to mark the completion of 67 years of service by the station. The specials would include a one-hour phone-in programme for listeners at 9.45 a.m. on the day on the topic, `Radio - then and now.' Retired officials of the AIR would participate it.A compilation of musicians, `Sippikul Muthu' would be aired at 2.30 p.m.

Mettur level

Tiruchi: The water level at the Mettur dam stood at 111.26 feet on Satruday.The inflow was 1,359 cusecs and the outflow 2,000 cusecs.

— Staff Reporter

Electrocuted

ERODE: A worker of a gas-welding factory was electrocuted on Saturday. According to police, Saravanan, a native of Villupuram district, was working in a gas-welding factory at Veerappampalayam, Erode. He touched a live wire and was electrocuted. He was shifted to Erode Government Headquarters Hospital, where he died. The Erode North Police are investigating.

- Staff Reporter

Cash, jewellery stolen

ERODE: Cash, jewellery and home appliances were stolen from a locked house on Friday night. According to police, Shanmugam, an employee of the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Textile Processing Centre, Asokapuram, a suburb in Erode left for work on Friday night.

His wife, son and daughter-in-law were asleep on the terrace after locking the doors due to humidity.

When they came down in the morning, they noticed that the front door was broke open and 30 sovereigns of gold jewels, Rs. 35,000, VCD player and home appliances were missing.

The Erode North police have registered a case and are investigating.

- Staff Reporter

Puja conducted

ERODE: In connection with `Chitra Pournami', a special 108 Vilakku Puja was conducted at the Saiva Mariamman Temple, Edayankattu Valasu, Erode, on Friday night.

A special puja was also conducted at the temple, a release issued here said.

- Staff Reporter

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Farm loans due to cooperative banks waived for the first time
The south never had it so good
Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan congratulate Karunanidhi
Congress seeks common minimum programme
Best Educationist Award given away
Construction of shelters nearly complete in Cuddalore
Uma Bharathi begins `yatra'
Small-scale units seek comprehensive policy
No representation in Cabinet for four central districts
Minority leaders call on DMK chief
5 suspected LTTE sympathisers held
They did not vote for any of 14 candidates
Briefly

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu