Tamil Nadu   

Briefly

Speaker announces

panel of chairpersons

CHENNAI: Speaker R. Avudaiyappan on Monday announced a panel of chairpersons nominated by him under Rule 9(1) of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules. The panel comprises B. Ranganathan, Durai Chandrasekaran, E.S.S. Raman, T. Velmurugan, K. Balabarathi and V. Sivapunniam. — Special Correspondent

Traders oppose introduction of VAT

CHENNAI: Tamilnadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peravai has opposed introduction of value added tax (VAT) in the State from January 1, 2007.

In a statement here, peravai president T. Vellaiyan said though the Government announced that traders having a turnover of less than Rs. 10 lakhs would be exempted, they would be the worst hit. Besides increasing corruption, it would lead to increase in prices of essential commodities. He feared that if VAT was introduced, MNCs would have monopoly in trade. He wanted the Government to reconsider its decision in the interest of traders and consumers. — Special Correspondent

Government proposal welcomed

CHENNAI: Cooperative bank employees' unions welcomed the State Government's proposal to allocate Rs.1,435 crore for repayment of dues to NABARD (Rs. 435 crore) and for enabling cooperative banks to continue to issue fresh loans for Rs.1,000 crore. Tamil Nadu Cooperative Bank Employees' Association (TNCBEA) general secretary P. Balakrishnan said the Government would release the balance of Rs. 5,431 crore due to cooperative banks together with interest later to protect the interest of farmers who wanted fresh loans and that of the depositors and employees. The decision to reduce farm loan interest from 9 to 7 per cent and bear the two per cent interest loss would be a big relief to farmers. He wanted the Government to urge the Centre to enhance refinance to State Cooperative Banks from the proposed 40 to 80 per cent by allocating sufficient amount to the general line of credit (refinance support by NABARD) from Rs.14,000 crore to the extent it is necessary. — Special Correspondent

Farmers hail Budget

NAGAPATTINAM: The composite Thanjavur district farmers' association has welcomed the Budget presented in the Assembly on Saturday.

K.G. Krishnamoorthy, vice-president, on Sunday, thanked Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for taking efforts to reduce the interest for farm loans and for providing free power supply to pumpsets energised under the self-financing scheme. He requested the Government to allocate more funds to cooperative societies for providing quick loans to the farmers. He urged the Government to announce the minimum support price for paddy, sugarcane, cotton and chilly. — Staff Reporter

Life term for four

TINDIVANAM: The Tindivanam Fast Track-II Court Judge Dayalan on Monday sentenced four persons to undergo life imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs. 2,000 in connection with a murder case and acquitted two persons.

The couple Raman (40) and Uma Maheswari (35), residing at Gengavaram in Ginjee taluk, was in lending business. On July 8, 2004, Raja (22), Anbu (24), Mohan Babu (23) and Palani (23) entered their house when Mr. Raman was away and asked Ms. Uma Maheswari to part with money and jewellery in her possession. When she resisted their attempt, the youths violently dashed her against the wall, killing her on the spot. When her father-in-law came in, the culprits ran away with cash of Rs. 11,000 and jewellery. — Special Correspondent

New projects

in the offing

PUDUKOTTAI: The national president of Junior Chamber International (JCI) India, Rajanbabu, will visit JCI zone XVIII on July 29 and 30 in connection with "Members Dharshan". Many projects would be launched during his visit, a press release said.

Security

beefed up

Thanjavur: Security has been put on alert in the wake of seizure of weapons and bombs at Coimbatore, said Abash Kumar, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Thanjavur range here on Monday.

He told The Hindu that vehicle checking was being conducted in the entire range. Checking of lodges and religious places were also going on. Security has been beefed up in the coastal region also. In Thanjavur town, police have been conducting vehicle checks for the past 48 hours. Checking would continue, DIG said. Patrolling has been intensified in coastal areas.

Woman killed

KARUR: Renuga Devi (45) was killed and two others injured in a road mishap near here on Sunday night.

The victim along with her family was returning in a car to Tirupur after a pilgrimage when an unidentified vehicle collided with their car near Vairamadai late on Sunday night.

Mettur level

TIRUCHI: The water level at the Mettur dam stood at 112.69 feet on Monday.

The inflow was 23,258 cusecs and the outflow, 22,000 cusecs.— Staff Reporter

Two killed in

road accident

Nagercoil: Two persons were killed on the sport and four others injured in a road accident on Saturday.

According to police, driver Raja (45) of Vadalivilai near Kottar and his cleaner Prabath (30) of the same area were going towards Tirunelveli in a mini-lorry when a tourist bus dashed against the lorry at Muppandal near Kavalkinaru killing the driver and the cleaner on the spot.

Injured persons from the tourist bus namely Mary Omana of Ramanputhur, Amala of Maravankudiyruppu, Mary Roslyn of Rajakkamangalam and Boominathan of Sivaganga were hospitalised.

Ration rice seized

TIRUNELVELI: A total of 260 ration rice bags were seized at Nanguneri, about 28 km from here, on Monday. The police said the ration rice-laden lorry was intercepted during a check. Driver P. Murugan (44) of Nagercoil reportedly told the police that they were transporting the rice, which reached Tirunelveli from Kovilpatti, to Kaliyakkavilai, on its way to Kerala.

Besides arresting Murugan, the police nabbed the cleaner V. Babu (30) of Kottar in Nagercoil.

`Aadi amavaasai' festival

TIRUNELVELI: `Aadi amavaasai' festival was celebrated at Sorimuthu Ayyanar Temple on the Western Ghats in Papanasam on Monday.

Devotees from across district converged on this temple to give offerings in memory of their ancestors. Special buses from various parts of the district were operated to this temple.

Girl commits suicide

TIRUNELVELI: A girl allegedly committed suicide in her house on Monday. The police said M. Revathi (13) of Kurichi under the Melapalayam police station limits reportedly hanged herself after she could not go to school in the right time.

Takes charge

Tuticorin: Ashwin Kotnis Mukund (30) took charge as Assistant Superintendent of Police (Kovilpatti sub-division) on Monday.

A native of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, he joined the Indian Police Service in 2003 after graduating in Political Science from Shivaji University. On successful completion of training in Andhra Pradesh, he served as ASP at Devakottai before assuming office in the district.

Held for hurling bomb

Tuticorin: The police on Sunday arrested Shyam Sundar Singh (33) on the charge of hurling a country bomb at Kombaiah (36) at Kovilpatti. They said the accused waylaid the complainant and threw the bomb owing to previous enmity. Kombaiah was injured. The accused was remanded to custody.

Body found

Tuticorin: An unidentified body of a male aged about 60 years was found on the basin of the Tamarabarani near Mukkani on Sunday.

The Authoor police have registered a case based on a complaint lodged by the Village Administrative Officer of Mukkani M. Esskaimuthu.

Assumes office

Tuticorin: L. Nadhan (53), assumed office as District Forest Officer here on Monday vice Dinkar Kumar who was transferred.

Belonging to 1988 batch of Indian Forest Service, he has done a Post Graduate Diploma in Forestry Management from the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun after completing B.Sc. (Agriculture) from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

Plea

ERODE: After visiting Dheeran Chinnamalai memorial at Odanilai near Arachalure, the Modakurichi MLA, R.M. Palanisamy, has made a request with the Tamil Nadu Government to convert the memorial into a museum. He urged the Government to place all items used by Dheeran Chinnamalai at the memorial. A temple chariot present during Dheeran Chinnamalai's time was now in a damaged condition. It should be kept for public view. - Staff Reporter

Killed in accident

SALEM: A 25-year-old engineer was killed and another sustained injuries in a road accident near Taramangalam on Sunday evening.

The police said Krishna Kishore of Andhra Pradesh was on his way to Salem on a motorcycle, when another motorcycle hit his vehicle. He died on the spot. Kumar of Alzhagusamudram, who rode the other motorcycle, sustained injuries and was admitted to the Salem Government Medical College Hospital. The Taramangalam police have registered a case. - Staff Reporter

Road blocked

SALEM: Residents of Chettichavadi and nearby hamlets blocked the road in front of the Collector's Bungalow here on Monday opposing the move to handover a 100-acre poromboke land to the Salem Corporation for establishing a compost yard.

Stating that the compost yard would spoil the environment and groundwater, they urged the district administration not to hand over the land. Traffic on Yercaud Road was affected for about an hour. City Police Commissioner K. Gopalakrishnan and police personnel pacified the agitators. - Staff Reporter

Businessman rescued

SALEM: The Salem City Police rescued a businessman abducted by a gang, and arrested seven persons on Sunday.

It was said that the gang tried to break open a room in a lodge in Fairlands here. On information from the lodge officials, the Pallapatti Police arrested the gang.

During inquiry, it was found that the gang led by Shaji abducted Baskar of Tirunelveli district, a textile merchant in Salem, recently from Valliyur, following a business dispute.

The police rescued Baskar and arrested Shaji and six others. - Staff Reporter

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