Tamil Nadu   

Briefly

20 per cent interim dividend declared

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Power Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation has declared 20 per cent interim dividend for 2006-2007.

A cheque for Rs. 4.4 crore was presented to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi by Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veerasamy at the Secretariat on Tuesday. The Corporation has accumulated net profit of Rs. 240 crore, according to an official release. — Special Correspondent

Container wagons dispatched

TIRUCHI: The 34th rake, comprising 45 low-container flat wagons, meant for the Container Corporation of India was dispatched from the Goldenrock railway workshop here on Monday.

Chief Mechanical Engineer, Southern Railway, Sanjiv Handa, flagged off the wagons at a function held on the workshop premises. Chief Workshop Manager S. Rangarajan and the workshop staff were present.

Mr. Handa urged the workshop authorities to become the first manufacturer to roll out the newly designed `BOXNHL' wagons, which will have additional load carrying capacity of 2.92 tonnes per wagon and 169 tonnes per rake (58 wagons). This would fetch additional revenue to Railways. — Staff Reporter

Crack on track delays trains

Coimbatore: A small crack was noticed on the railway track near Irugur station in the early hours of Tuesday, minutes before the Cheran Express from Chennai to Coimbatore was to cross the point. According to Railways sources, track expands, causing small cracks near the welding points, during summer. The Cheran Express and the Kurla Express to Coimbatore were detained at Irugur. They were routed through the second line. They reached Coimbatore Junction 95 minutes and 120 minutes behind schedule. Normal traffic was restored by 9 a.m. — Staff Reporter

Abducted fishermen return to Pamban

RAMANATHAPURAM: Fourteen fishermen of Pamban, who were reportedly abducted by Sri Lankan fishermen, returned to the shore safely on Tuesday.

Sources said they set out to the sea in three boats on March 28.

While fishing near Katchatheevu on March 29, a group of Sri Lankan fishermen detained them along with their boats. After keeping them in an undisclosed place in Sri Lanka for three days, the island fishermen released them. However, they refused to release one of the boats. There is no information on why the Sri Lankan fishermen detained the Indian fishermen. — Staff Reporter

Field Marshal Manekshaw turns 93

Udhagamandalam: Field Marshal S.H.F.J. Manekshaw turned 93 on Tuesday. The ailing eighth Chief of Staff of the Indian Army remained at the Military hospital in Wellington, where he has been undergoing treatment for some time now. According to a press note issued by the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington, President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, Chief of Army Staff J.J.Singh and Commandant, DSSC, B.J.Gupta, were among those who greeted him.

— Special Correspondent

Burglars held

Udhagamandalam: Two persons have been arrested in connection with a series of burglaries here. According to the police, following complaints of houses being burgled in various parts of the hill station like Saint Mary's hill a special team had been formed to nab the culprits. The team had arrested Rajesh and Ameen at Theetukkal near here. While Rajesh was an ex-convict Ameen was a door-to-door flower vendor. Stolen items including jewellery and articles like television sets and a motorcycle purchased with the ill-gotten money were recovered from them.

Education fair

Udhagamandalam: The Saint Joseph's Boys Higher Secondary School Alumni Association will conduct an Education Fair on April 8 from 10 a.m at the school. Stating that such a fair is being conducted for the second time by the association its President G. Stephen Jayaseelan said at Coonoor on Tuesday that it will be open to Standard 12 students from various parts of the district. The fair would help provide vital information on higher education facilities and educational loans.

Price rise: MDMK holds demonstration

ERODE: Hundreds of MDMK activists led by the district MDMK secretary, A. Ganesamurthy, organised a demonstration in front of the Telephone Bhavan on Brough Road on Tuesday demanding the Union Government to control the price rise.

They said that prices of all essential commodities and building materials have risen several fold without any reason.

They wanted the Union Government to take steps to reduce the prices of all commodities. Demonstrations were held at Bhavani, Gobichettipalayam, Sathyamangalam, Perundurai, Kangeyam and Dharapuram.

Welfare measures distributed

ERODE: The Erode District Collector, T. Udhaychandran, distributed Rs. 5.80 lakh as welfare measure to 24 people for kidney transplantation, heart surgery and cancer cure at the grievances day meeting held on Monday.

The collector received 340 petitions demanding old-age pension, employment, patta and loan.

The collector assured that all the grievances of the people would be redressed. The District Revenue Officer, V. Santha, Project Officer, DRDA, R. Rajashree and others were present.

Bodies recovered

TIRUNELVELI: Bodies of two girls were recovered from the rail track at Veeravanallur near here on Tuesday. Railway police said bodies of J. Sheela (16) and her neighbour and friend G. Mahalakshmi (15) of New Amman Temple Street, Veeravanallur, were recovered from the rail track this morning.

Civic chief surrenders before court

TIRUNELVELI: The chairman of Tirunelveli District panchayat surrendered before a court here on Tuesday. After being cited as an accused in a forgery case registered by the District Crime Branch, M. Graham Bell surrendered before the First Judicial Magistrate Court after obtaining bail.

Windmill gutted

TIRUNELVELI: A windmill at Ooththumalai near Alangulam was destroyed in a fire accident in the early hours of Tuesday. Fire tenders from Surandai extinguished the flames. Short-circuit is said to be the reason for the mishap. — Staff Reporter

Doctors resort to token strike

PUDUKOTTAI: Private medical practitioners participated in a token strike on Tuesday protesting alleged intimidation by a group of anti-social elements to extract money.

Street corner meetings

PUDUKOTTAI: The Pudukottai district unit of Tamil Ealam Liberation Supporters' Coordination Committee conducted street corner meetings at three points on Tuesday urging the Centre to protect the lives of innocent Tamils from the Sri Lankan army.

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Mass contact programme

PUDUKOTTAI: The Collector, S.J. Chiru, will hold a mass contact programme at Panankulam in Alangudi block on April 11.

District Revenue Officer A. Tamilmanim will preside over a programme at Gopalapuram in Manamelkudi block .

Local holiday for Pudukottai

PUDUKOTTAI: The Collector, S.J. Chiru, has declared local holiday for all Government offices and educational institutions in the district on April 9 in connection with the annual car festival of Sri Muthumariamman Temple, Narthamalai, in Kulathur block. Government offices would work on April 21 in lieu of the holiday.

Mettur level

TIRUCHI: The level in the Mettur dam stood at 78.38 feet against its full level of 120 feet on Tuesday. The inflow was 972 cusecs and the discharge, 2,000 cusecs. - Staff Reporter

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