5-hour power cut on staggered basis in Villupuram, Cuddalore

VILLUPURAM: Electricity supply to consumers here will be cut in a staggered manner for five hours a day with effect from Sunday. However, industries are exempted from power holiday on Tuesdays.

The State government has categorically said that no industries, farm operations and welding works be carried out from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. For these four hours, both high-tension and low-tension power consumers should rely only on captive power generation.

According to a statement from the Superintending Engineer of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Villupuram, the time schedule for power cut would be as follows (the supply would be cut for three hours during day, one hour in the evenings and one hour at night): In places such as Vikkiravandi, Madurapakkam, Thiruchitramblam, Kandamangalam, Thirukkoilur, Ulundurpet, Thiruvennainallur, Sendur and Thiagadurgam, there would be no power supply from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., 6 p.m., to 7 p.m., and from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

In Valavanur, Kanjanur, Ariyalur, Eduthavainatham, Kallakurichi and Tindivanam, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and from 12 a.m. to 1 a.m; at Ginjee, Thayanur, Karanai Thiruchanur, Sankarapuram and Chinna Salem from 12 noon to 3 p.m., from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., and from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.

At Villupuram, Arasur, Thirupachanur and Murukkeri from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., and from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Cuddalore

The statement from the TNEB Superintending Engineer, Cuddalore, said the power cut schedule in Cuddalore district would be as follows: Panruti (Poongunam) – 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.; at Ko.Poovanur – 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. to midnight.

At Semmankuppam, Veppur, Vadakuthu and U.Mangalam – 9 a.m. to 12 noon, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and midnight to 1 a.m.; at Srimushnam, Pennadam and Vriddhachalam - 9 a.m. to 12 noon 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and 1 a.m. to 2 a.m.

At Palur, Thoppukollai, Mogantheriyankuppam, Koranampattu and Kullanchavadi – 12 noon to 3 p.m., 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., and 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.; at Sethiathope, Kattumannarkoil, Oraiyur and Panruti (urban) – 12 noon to 3 p.m., 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., and 3 a.m. to 4 a.m.

At B.Mutlur, Nallathur and Sornavoor – 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., and 4 a.m. to 5 a.m.; and, at Capper Hills, Chidambaram and Nathapattu (Cuddalore) – 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., and 5 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Varadarajan seeks judicial probe into Rettanai incident

VILLUPURAM: State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) N. Varadarajan has urged the government to institute a judicial inquiry into the police action against Rettanai villagers.

Mr. Varadarajan led an agitation organised by the party here on Wednesday against the police excesses.

Over 1,000 party workers, including 400 women, participated.

Right wages

Later, he told reporters that the poor people were demanding only right wages for the works done under the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme. The police attacked them with lathis and also fired at them.

Similarly, the police attacked CITU leader Sukumaran and others when they were about to attend talks to resolve a wage dispute at a chemical unit in the Cuddalore SIPCOT Industrial Estate.

Mr. Varadarajan said staging agitations/demonstration was the democratic right of the working class. But, of late, the police had become intolerant to any form of democratic protest.

Voicing concern over “increasing number of police atrocities,” against peaceful demonstrators in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rule, Mr. Varadarajan said the ruling party should not forget the fact that it would have to face the people.

Mr. Varadarajan called upon authorities concerned to ensure that the beneficiaries got 100-day work a year and also full wages as codified under the NREG Act.

Rs.1 lakh compensation for each of 36 patients

VILLUPURAM: Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy on Wednesday distributed compensation of Rs.1 lakh to each of the 36 patients undergoing treatment in Villupuram government hospital for complications following cataract surgery at a private nursing home recently.

Mr. Ponmudy said 66 patients – 41 men and 25 men – were screened in eye camps conducted by the nursing home, a satellite unit of the Tiruchi-based Joseph Eye Hospital, at Kaduvanur in Sankarapuram block and Nainarpalayam in Kallakurichi block on July 28. They were later taken to the Perambalur nursing home for cataract surgery, following which they complained of eye pain and blurred vision. Subsequently, Villupuram District Collector R. Palanisamy visited the villages and arranged for their admission to the government hospital here.

Regret expressed

On behalf of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and on his behalf Mr. Ponmudy expressed regret over the episode. Mr. Karuananidhi had announced a compensation of Rs.1 lakh to each patient from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The Minister said after the technical team and laboratories submitted their reports, follow-up measures would be taken.

He spoke to the Chief Minister over telephone informing him about the need for sending a specialists’ team to the Villupuram government hospital for attending on the patients.

A three-member team, comprising neurologist Muthukumar, neuro-surgeon Ragavendran and radiologist Ramesh, will soon visit the hospital.

Tamil Nadu hit by diesel shortage

Diesel users in Tamil Nadu had a tough time for the 10th consecutive day Tuesday, as the fuel shortage continued unabated.

Long queues were seen in many parts of the state. According to petroleum dealers, the current crisis has been triggered by the state-run oil companies, which have curtailed supplies to hike prices again to combat mounting losses.

Tamil Nadu is losing at least Rs.25 million a day due to the fuel shortage, which has affected movement of essential goods across the state. Prices of vegetables and other essential goods have shot up.

However, the oil companies say the crisis is a result of acute power shortage in the state.

Many industries and IT companies in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Kanchipuram, Villupuram and Vellore are now powering their plants and offices with diesel gensets, a move that resulted in a sudden jump in demand for diesel.

The Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers Association (TNPDA), at its general body meeting held in Salem Monday, decided that its member-dealers would not open petrol bunks on Sundays and after 10 p.m. on week days as they don't get adequate supplies to meet the high demand Monday mornings.

However, the state government Tuesday appealed to the TNPDA to change its decision. The government has also denied reports of severe fuel shortage in the state.

Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy told reporters Saturday that public sector fuel companies had promised to shore up supplies.

Besides, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has written to the central government for higher allocation of diesel to the state.

The World India 35 people lose vision after free eye camp

illupuram, Tamil Nadu: At least 35 people, including seven women, here yesterday complained of loss of vision after treatment for their eye ailments at a free eye camp in late July.

The camp had earlier left 20 other people blind.

The victims have been admitted to a government hospital here, 180km south of Tamil Nadu capital Chennai, and were being administered medicines to reduce pain.

The state government on Monday announced that Rs500,000 (Dh45,450) would be paid as solatium to each of the 20 victims who lost their eyesight during the camp conducted by a private hospital.

Steps to increase State’s literacy rate: Minister

MADURAI: The State Government will complete the process of appointing 7,000 school teachers for high and middle schools to fill up all existing vacancies by September-end.

Orders will be issued in due course to all candidates who were selected through employment exchange.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Friday, the Minister for School Education, Thangam Thennarasu, said that the Government would appoint these teachers on the regular pay scale.

Swift measures had been taken after identifying vacancies in districts for various subjects, he added

He said that 1,100 postgraduate teachers, who were recruited for higher secondary schools, were being given appointment orders now and they would be posted after counselling.

According to the Minister, the northern districts like Villupuram, Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai needed more attention from the School Education Department in view of a large number of vacancies in Government schools and the resultant poor performance of students in SSLC/ Plus Two public examinations when compared to students of southern districts.

“Many districts had three-digit vacancies with each northern district having more than 100 posts vacant. Hence, we are going to focus on students’ performance in examinations once these new teachers are posted,” Mr. Thennarasu said.

He was here in connection with a students’ skills improvement programme organised by the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Target plan

The Minister informed that a comprehensive target plan was being prepared to increase the literacy rate in Tamil Nadu to 85 per cent by 2010.

Literacy programme

“For the first time, we are going to have a plan of action for literacy programme. Right now, the literacy rate is at 75 per cent and steps are underway to increase it by another 10 per cent with particular focus on Scheduled Tribes and women through non-formal system,” Mr. Thennarasu said.

Stalin to lay stone for over 8,100 works

VILLUPURAM: Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin will lay the foundation stone for over 8,100 works to be executed at the total cost of Rs. 114.53 crore in Villupuram on Friday, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy has said.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Ponmudy said Mr. Stalin would also give away financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 11.56 crore to over 5,900 beneficiaries.

Of them 2,000 would be members of self-help groups who would benefit to the tune of Rs. 10 crore, he said.

Mr. Ponmudy said this was the culmination of the tour undertaken by him along with Collector R. Palanisamy to all taluks in Villupuram district to collect petitions directly from the people.

The selection of works and disbursement of assistance were based on the representations received from various sections of society. Mr. Stalin would also inaugurate projects worth over Rs. 128 crore, Mr. Ponmudy said.

Mr. Ponmudy further stated that following the representation made by him to Union Minister of State for Railways R.Velu, the Railways had given permission to the Villupuram Municipality to make College Road tar-topped.

On Saturday, Mr. Stalin would attend a review meeting in Cuddalore with the Collectors of six districts of Thiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Villupuram and Cuddalore.

TN orders probe into police action on villagers

The Tamil Nadu Government today ordered a judicial probe into the police action on a group of villagers protesting 'low wages' under the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme near Villupuram, about 150 km from Chennai, that left some persons injured on Saturday.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi ordered the probe following reports submitted by Union Minister of State for Law K Venkatapathy and state Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi, who were deputed by him on a fact-finding mission, Villupuram District Collector R Palanisamy said in a release.

Refuting any irregularity in the payment of wages under the centrally-sponsored scheme, Local Administration Minister and Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin said in Madurai that the protest was 'instigated by some political brokers to bring disrepute to the government.'

Palanisamy said Karunanidhi had also announced a solatium of Rs 50,000 from the Chief Minister's Welfare Fund to a teenager, who was injured in the incident.

Further action would be initiated after the report was submitted to the government, he said adding an RDO inquiry had also been ordered into the incident.

Police made a lathicharge and burst tear gas shells to disperse the protestors, numbering around 500, who protested against the local body over the wages paid under the scheme at Rettanai in Villupuram district. While some villagers alleged police also opened fire, the District Collector said the probe had been ordered into the police lathicharge.

Speaking at a government function, Stalin claimed Tamil Nadu stood first in the country in the implementation of the scheme and was giving the maximum wage of "Rs 80 per day".

Aravanis return youth to family after parent’s plea

VELLORE: It was rather an unusual complaint received at a police station here the other day. The complainant, a farmhand from Tirukovilur in Villupuram district, wanted his ‘son’ Kumaravelu who he alleged had joined a group of aravanis in Vellore to be rescued.

While the police summoned the members of the Vellore district Aravanis Welfare Association (VAWA) to ascertain the facts and in the process found out that the 23-year-old Kumaravelu in fact wanted to be with aravanis as he had recognised himself to be one.

According to Ganga, president of VAWA, Kumaravelu who had completed schooling came to Vellore in search of a job two months ago. Kumaravelu had approached some of the aravanis of Vellore and had expressed his desire to join them. Subsequently he was christened as Amudha and accepted as a member of the association, Ganga said.

Amudha (Kumaravelu) had also taken part in a training programme for aravanis in computer applications recently. Notwithstanding the police complaint, relatives and family members of Kumaravelu approached the aravanis association a few days ago and demanded that their boy be sent with them as his marriage was fixed.

“After a lot of counselling, we tried to reason out with the relatives urging them to understand the individual desire and the right to choose one’s own way of life,” Ganga noted.

When the family insisted on taking the boy, the association conceded. “Though Amudha expressed fear that the parents would not respect his feelings, we had to give a chance for the parents to realise their social responsibility,” Ganga said. This episode has opened a debate on whether an individual has right to choose life much against the parental concern? Whether Aravanis have the right to extend protection to newcomers? Whether parents have right to expect too much from their wards? Social activist Malliga Chandran said that a lot of awareness was needed to accept transgenders in the social set up if not in the family fold.

15 hurt as police resort to lathicharge

TINDIVANAM: Police fired tear gas and resorted to a lathicharge on residents staging a demonstration at Rettanai village near Mailam on Saturday. As many as 15 persons and two policemen suffered injuries.

The residents were protesting against the local body for distributing low wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Rettanai village panchayat.

Protesting against the block development officer’s move to distribute Rs 40 as a daily wage to the workers, more than 500 residents, including 400 women, demanded that the BDO, Elango, distribute Rs 80 as daily wage. Tasildar Kalyanam and Elango were making efforts to pacify the residents when a large number of police personnel arrived and demanded that the protestors disperse.

Rettanai Village Panchayat president, Kalaiselvan, was appealing to the police not to intervene in the discussion when they allegedly attacked him. Noticing this, residents pelted stones at the police. A few police vehicles were also damaged. After this, police fired tear gas at the protestors.

Anything possible in politics: Ramadoss

VILLUPURAM: Anything is possible in politics, said S. Ramadoss, founder of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, here on Thursday, while responding to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Jayalalithaa’s observation that her party was open to alliance with Left parties and the PMK.

Dr. Ramadoss told presspersons at Thailapuram that Ms. Jayalalithaa had expressed her opinion. It was the consistent view of the PMK that it would align with a Congress-led alliance for the Lok Sabha elections.

Asked whether an AIADMK-Congress-PMK combine was in the pipeline, Dr. Ramadoss said in that case elections would have to be held for both the Lok Sabha and the State Assembly. However, he would not speculate on the Assembly poll.

He pointed out that Congress leaders had been staking their claim for power sharing in the State but the minority Karunanidhi government was not magnanimous enough to accommodate them.

With the expulsion of the PMK and the Left parties all set to quit the Democratic Progressive Alliance, Dr. Ramadoss wondered whether any democracy or progress could be possible in the truncated DPA. Apprehensive of the political fallout, Mr. Karunanidhi had appealed to the Communist parties to keep intact the friendship that was assiduously nurtured over a period of time.

Dr. Ramadoss said that Mr. Karunanidhi had criticised Communist Party of India leader A.B. Bardhan on several occasions. But, it was customary for him to join hands with those whom he criticised.

The PMK leader urged the Chief Minister to clarify his position on the Hogenakkal project. Because of the soft-pedalling attitude, Tamil Nadu was losing its rights over the Cauvery, Palar and the Mullaperiyar dam.

S Railway records impressive growth in passenger earning

Chennai (PTI): Southern Railway on Friday said it has registered a passenger earning of Rs 750 crore in the first four months of this fiscal, a 20 per cent growth from that in the corresponding period last financial year.

During the period, Southern Railway carried 224 million passengers, 13 per cent more than that in the same period last year, its General Manager Rakesh Chopra said in a release.

"In the same period, we have loaded 11 million tons, nine per cent more than last year and earned Rs 445 crore from goods traffic, an increase of 24 per cent over last year," he said.

As part of serving more number of passengers, Southern Railway has planned to develop 'coaching terminals' at Tambaram and Kochuveli and will also be strengthening their facilities at Tirunelveli and Rameswaram, he said.

Chopra said that the gauge conversion of the main line between Villupuram and Mayiladuthurai will be completed by the year-end and would reopen the rail link to towns of Cuddalore, Chidambaram and Sirkhazhi.

He said that they will be introducing mechanised cleaning of major stations for improving the standard of cleanliness.

Engg students prefer pvt colleges

The six new government engineering colleges, which will start functioning from the current academic year, have failed to attract meritorious BE/BTech aspirants. Just as the six new Indian Institutes of Technology were not favoured by top ranking IIT-JEE candidates this year, during the ongoing single window counselling for engineering admissions in Tamil Nadu, there are virtually no takers for the new government colleges. The state government established engineering colleges in Villupuram, Tindivanam, Ariyalur, Thirukuvalai, Ramanathapuram and Panruti to provide facilities to the students to pursue professional education at an affordable cost. These institutions have been designated as Anna University (Chennai and Tiruchi) colleges. However, an analysis of the trends in the single window counselling during the past four days reveals that students preferred to join well-known self-financing colleges instead of the new government institutions. This, despite the fact that the annual fees in government colleges are only Rs 15,000 against Rs 40,000 charged by colleges which offer courses accredited by the National Board of Accreditation. Admission statistics pertaining to the electronics and communication engineering branch, which is the most popular course, revealed that after seats were filled up in College of Engineering (Guindy), Madras Institute of Technology, PSG College of Technology and Thiagarajar College of Engineering, students had opted for self-financing colleges.

Dalit marries French woman

VILLUPURAM: Transcending barriers of custom, tradition, nation, race and colour, a French woman was married to a Dalit youth at Kombedu village near Gingee. The marriage was conducted in a church on Friday night.The couple met at a restaurant in Puducherry two years ago where the man was working as a supplier.Richard Martin (29), a Dalit Christian, was working as a labourer in a restaurant in Puducherry when Kursio Marianbos (29), hailing from Nann in France, had visited it and met him in 2004. Since then, she had been returning to India every year and staying for three months in Puducherry. Last year, the duo flew to France to seek permission for marriage from Marianbos’s parents. Marianbos and family members later visited the Dalit colony at Kombedu village and secured consent from Martin’s family members recently. The marriage was conducted at St Xavier Church at Kombedu village. More than 30 family members and relatives of Marianbos attended the function. The French women were decked up in silk sarees and blouses and men in dhoties and shirts. As many as 20 priests have solemnised the wedding. Speaking to this website's newspaper, Marianbos said: “I had visited the place on several occasions. I like the tradition and culture of people in Tamil Nadu. I will follow the custom and wear thali forever.”

Mahavira bas-relief tells a story

An exquisitely carved bas-relief of Mahavira, the 24th tirthankara in the Jaina pantheon, has been discovered at Panaipadi village in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district. R. Sivanandam, epigraphist, Tamil Nadu Department of Archaeology, made the discovery when a team under the guidance of R. Vasanthakalyani, epigraphist-cum-instructor of the Department, was on a regular survey camp of epigraphy to study inscriptions around Panaipadi.
The discovery confirms that the area covering present-day Villupuram district was an important centre of Jainism in Tamil Nadu. The sculpture, from the Chola period, was about 1,000 years old, said K. Arulmozhi, Commissioner, State Department of Archaeology.
The bas-relief of Mahavira is carved on the surface of a boulder facing a Mariamman temple on the edge of a lake at Panaipadi. He is seated in a “dhyana” (meditation) pose and there are three umbrellas above his head. He has curly hair and his ears are pierced. There is a semi-circular “prabha” (halo) around his head. There are prancing lions on either side. Carvings of lions adorn the seat-pedestal. The sculpture has carvings of a yakshan and a yakshi on either side of the 24th tirthankara; they have “chamaras” (fans) in their hands.
“The tranquil face of Mahavira and the way the yakshan and the yakshi are carved attest to the fact that this sculpture has Chola period features and it belongs to the 10th century A.D.,” said Mr. Sivanandam.
Cholapandipuram village, about 2.5 km from Panaipadi, was a 10th century Jaina centre. On a nearby hillock, Andimalai, are carvings of Adinatha, Parsvanatha, Gomatisvara, Mahavira and Padmavathi and 20 Jaina beds hewn out of rock beds. An inscription at Cholapandipuram said these carvings were made at the behest of Sriveli Konkaraiyar Puddhadigal. Another inscription was in the form of a poem: it mentions that a local chieftain, Siddhavadavan alias Sethirayan, donated Panaipadi village for the worship of these Jaina tirthankaras during the second regnal year (952 A.D.) of Chola king Kandaraditya.
“When nothing related to Jainism was found at Panaipadi which has been mentioned in the inscription at Cholapandipuram, the discovery of the beautiful carving of Mahavira at Panaipadi now is important,” said Dr. Arulmozhi.
The Villupuram area was a flourishing centre of Jainism. This could be seen, said Ms. Vasanthakalyani, from discoveries of a number of Jaina sculptures and beds near Ginjee, Thondur, Melsithamur, Sirukadambur, Thirunarungkondai and so on.

State ahead of rest in implementing housing project

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is way ahead of other states in implementing the centrally-sponsored Indira memorial housing scheme, Indira Awaas Yojana, to construct free houses for the shelterless and those living in thatched huts. While more than 85,000 houses were constructed or renovated last year, the state government hopes to take up the same number this year too. Officials are confident that they would achieve the target this year too. "Tamil Nadu not only stands first in availing of the funds from Delhi for rural development works but also in completing the construction of houses," said a senior officer. While the Centre and state governments share the cost of construction in a 75:25 ratio , the cost of construction was hiked to Rs 35,000 from Rs 25,000 by the Union government considering the spiralling prices of raw material. What has proved attractive to the beneficiaries - at least 60 % of them are Dalits - is the state government's decision to provide an additional Rs 20,000 per house for concrete roofing over and above its share. Local administration minister M K Stalin raised the allocation to Rs 20,000 this year from Rs 12,000 taking into consideration the steep hike in cement and steel prices. By raising its share, the state's contribution goes up to 51% of the total cost. The Central Planning Commission member , Anwar-ul Hoda, who visited some of the construction sites in Villupuram district last month, expressed appreciation of the state government's efficient implementation of the project and the move to enhance its share. Unlike other works the house construction has not been entrusted to contractors. Instead, the government releases the funds directly to the beneficiary in two installments. In some districts the administration also helps the beneficiaries by arranging bank loans for constructing additional facilities.