VILLUPURAM : Collector R. Palanisamy has warned of criminal proceedings against those spreading rumours about pulse polio immunisation programme.
In a statement released here, Mr. Palanisamy said that certain vested interests elsewhere in the State had spread rumours about safety of the vaccination. Following the rumour, parents of 4,000 children in the 0-5 age group in Villupuram district, did not get their children vaccinated in the first phase of the programme on December 21, 2008.
Officials later approached the parents and dispelled myths about the vaccination, Mr. Palanisamy said. On an average, 102 children below the age of one died of natural causes in Tamil Nadu every day. The average deaths in Villupuram district was in the range of four to five a day. However, mischief mongers were wrongly attributing such deaths to polio vaccination, he said.
The district administration had decided to initiate criminal proceedings against those who were stumbling blocks to the programme, Mr. Palanisamy said.
For clarifications, people could call toll free number 1056 functioning round the clock.
The second phase of vaccination programme would be organised at 2,374 centres by involving as many as 9,440 volunteers on Sunday, Mr. Palanisamy said.
Special camps would be organised at bus stands, railway stations, brick kilns, stone quarries and at the habitations of nomadic tribes.
A mobile team would cover migrant population and travellers. Joint Directors of Health Krishnaraj and Geetha were making the arrangements , Mr. Palanisamy said.
Cuddalore
Cuddalore Collector Rajendra Ratnoo has said that polio vaccine produced on the basis of the norms prescribed by the World Health Organisation was safe.
Getting an additional dose would not lead to any health problem. It would develop the immunity of the children, he said.
A total of 2,53,487 children in the 0-5 age group would be covered by the programme in Cuddalore district on Sunday.
PLEASE MAIL ME YOUR FEEDBACKS, PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT VILLUPURAM. JUST MAIL ME AT villupuram2day@yahoo.com
Earn upto Rs. 9,000 pm checking Emails. Join now!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Southern Railway to introduce integrated security system
MANGALORE: In the wake of recent terrorist attacks on railway stations and trains in different parts of India, the Southern Railway is striving
hard to ensure safe and secure journey to the travelling public.
An integrated security system will be introduced in all important stations, including Mangalore, in a phased manner, a press release from Southern Railway here said.
First phase will cover Chennai Central, Egmore and suburban stations, Coimbatore, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram stations. In the second phase Trichy, Madurai, Mangalore and Calicut stations will be covered. Integrated security system includes CCTV, access control, personal and baggage screening, and explosive detection and disposal system. Additional dog squads are being set up in six stations.
RPF personnel are deputed for access control in all major stations. RPF personnel also escort all major express, mail, passenger and EMU trains in coordination with GRP. Modernization of the force is also being taken up in a big way. Various security related equipments like CCTV, luggage scanners, metal detectors and bomb squad equipments are being procured and installed in all major stations.
CCTV has been installed in Chennai Central, Egmore, Tambaram, Villupuram, Madurai, Calicut, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Trichur stations. Procurement of bomb squad equipments and other modern security equipments is also under progress. To create awareness among passengers, it has resorted to several innovative measures like RPF Mitra Yojana, skit, forum drama, announcements in FM channels and slides in cinema theatres.
hard to ensure safe and secure journey to the travelling public.
An integrated security system will be introduced in all important stations, including Mangalore, in a phased manner, a press release from Southern Railway here said.
First phase will cover Chennai Central, Egmore and suburban stations, Coimbatore, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram stations. In the second phase Trichy, Madurai, Mangalore and Calicut stations will be covered. Integrated security system includes CCTV, access control, personal and baggage screening, and explosive detection and disposal system. Additional dog squads are being set up in six stations.
RPF personnel are deputed for access control in all major stations. RPF personnel also escort all major express, mail, passenger and EMU trains in coordination with GRP. Modernization of the force is also being taken up in a big way. Various security related equipments like CCTV, luggage scanners, metal detectors and bomb squad equipments are being procured and installed in all major stations.
CCTV has been installed in Chennai Central, Egmore, Tambaram, Villupuram, Madurai, Calicut, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Trichur stations. Procurement of bomb squad equipments and other modern security equipments is also under progress. To create awareness among passengers, it has resorted to several innovative measures like RPF Mitra Yojana, skit, forum drama, announcements in FM channels and slides in cinema theatres.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
“Villupuram medical college will function from next academic year”
CHENNAI: The Villupuram Medical College will function from the next academic year, subject to mandatory clearances, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy said on Monday.
Of the three medical colleges announced in the last budget – Villupuram, Dharmapuri and Tiruvarur – work was progressing fast on the Villupuram college after “impediments in its path” were removed, Mr. Ponmudy said.
The government passed an order in August 2006 for setting up the medical college. Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin laid the foundation stone in May 2007. A litigation held up construction. In December, bhoomi puja was performed for construction of the Rs.99-crore government medical college and hospital at Mundiambakkam near Villupuram.
As regards two other colleges, the Minister said he was satisfied with the progress of work. The Villupuram college would be a four-storied structure spread over 25,694 sq.m and would have 500 beds. The outpatient ward with a blood bank would have an additional 4,951 sq.m space. In the next phase, classrooms, an administrative building, an auditorium, hostels and quarters for doctors and nurses would be built.
Mr. Ponmudy told The Hindu that the motive behind setting up these medical colleges was to give a fillip to educational facilities there. “Of the six constituent colleges of Anna University, three are in Villupuram district – Panruti, Tindivanam and Villupuram. This is again a measure to take affordable professional education to the door step of the rural student.”
Mr. Ponmudy said preliminary work on the Sivaganga and Perambalur medical colleges had also begun. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi would lay the foundation for the Sivaganga Medical College on February 8.
Of the three medical colleges announced in the last budget – Villupuram, Dharmapuri and Tiruvarur – work was progressing fast on the Villupuram college after “impediments in its path” were removed, Mr. Ponmudy said.
The government passed an order in August 2006 for setting up the medical college. Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin laid the foundation stone in May 2007. A litigation held up construction. In December, bhoomi puja was performed for construction of the Rs.99-crore government medical college and hospital at Mundiambakkam near Villupuram.
As regards two other colleges, the Minister said he was satisfied with the progress of work. The Villupuram college would be a four-storied structure spread over 25,694 sq.m and would have 500 beds. The outpatient ward with a blood bank would have an additional 4,951 sq.m space. In the next phase, classrooms, an administrative building, an auditorium, hostels and quarters for doctors and nurses would be built.
Mr. Ponmudy told The Hindu that the motive behind setting up these medical colleges was to give a fillip to educational facilities there. “Of the six constituent colleges of Anna University, three are in Villupuram district – Panruti, Tindivanam and Villupuram. This is again a measure to take affordable professional education to the door step of the rural student.”
Mr. Ponmudy said preliminary work on the Sivaganga and Perambalur medical colleges had also begun. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi would lay the foundation for the Sivaganga Medical College on February 8.
MTC begins operations from bus bay at Tambaram railway station
CHENNAI: It's a New Year gift for more than one lakh passengers who travel by Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses in Tambaram. Southern
Railway has from Thursday onwards allowed MTC and other town-service buses to pick up and drop passengers at its newly constructed bus bay inside the Tambaram railway station, bringing to an end a three-year wait for passengers.
"It's a big relief for senior citizens like me, thanks to the railways and the efforts taken by MTC," said 62-year-old S Vedalakshmi, a resident of Chengalpattu.
The new arrangement is the result of a series of talks held between Southern Railway and a team of MTC officials led by S Krishnamurthy, deputy commissioner, MTC (Mount division). Southern Railway finally realised that the opening of the bus bay would benefit train commuters, who have been walking nearly a km to board a bus outside the station.
"It's a team effort as both Southern Railway and MTC found common ground and decided to focus on the interest of commuters," M Hanifa, deputy manager, MTC (Tambaram - Operations), told TOI on Friday. Together with MTC traffic inspectors R Soundrapandian, A Nagaraj and Immanuel Arul Selvam, as well as traffic police personnel in Tambaram, Hanifa is in charge of easing traffic flow at the Tambaram Junction, diverting MTC and other town-service buses to the bus bay.
The bay was constructed in 2006 by Southern Railway along the lines of a similar facility at the Central railway station, to help train commuters and also to modernise Tambaram railway station by providing more amenities. However, the bus bay was never used as railway officials felt that a large number of passengers in its premises might lead to security problems. Also, work on the road overbridge to replace the level crossing near the Tambaram railway station prevented the bay being used.
The net result was that State Express Transport Corporation (SETC), Tamil Nadu State Corporation (Villupuram division), MTC and private buses would park on the service lane on Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road, near the Tambaram junction, to pick up waiting passengers. It led to traffic chaos, especially during morning and evening rush hours. The situation turned worse during festival seasons with the rush of people trying to avail bus and train services.Now, with the opening of the bus bay, traffic has eased to a large extent.
On an average, Tambaram records an increase of 30,000 passengers every year for MTC buses. Everyday, 1,500 MTC buses are run from Tambaram to Mamallapuram, Tiruporur (on OMR), Kovalam and Vadamalli (on ECR), Sriperambadur and Walajabad, among other places.
Railway has from Thursday onwards allowed MTC and other town-service buses to pick up and drop passengers at its newly constructed bus bay inside the Tambaram railway station, bringing to an end a three-year wait for passengers.
"It's a big relief for senior citizens like me, thanks to the railways and the efforts taken by MTC," said 62-year-old S Vedalakshmi, a resident of Chengalpattu.
The new arrangement is the result of a series of talks held between Southern Railway and a team of MTC officials led by S Krishnamurthy, deputy commissioner, MTC (Mount division). Southern Railway finally realised that the opening of the bus bay would benefit train commuters, who have been walking nearly a km to board a bus outside the station.
"It's a team effort as both Southern Railway and MTC found common ground and decided to focus on the interest of commuters," M Hanifa, deputy manager, MTC (Tambaram - Operations), told TOI on Friday. Together with MTC traffic inspectors R Soundrapandian, A Nagaraj and Immanuel Arul Selvam, as well as traffic police personnel in Tambaram, Hanifa is in charge of easing traffic flow at the Tambaram Junction, diverting MTC and other town-service buses to the bus bay.
The bay was constructed in 2006 by Southern Railway along the lines of a similar facility at the Central railway station, to help train commuters and also to modernise Tambaram railway station by providing more amenities. However, the bus bay was never used as railway officials felt that a large number of passengers in its premises might lead to security problems. Also, work on the road overbridge to replace the level crossing near the Tambaram railway station prevented the bay being used.
The net result was that State Express Transport Corporation (SETC), Tamil Nadu State Corporation (Villupuram division), MTC and private buses would park on the service lane on Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road, near the Tambaram junction, to pick up waiting passengers. It led to traffic chaos, especially during morning and evening rush hours. The situation turned worse during festival seasons with the rush of people trying to avail bus and train services.Now, with the opening of the bus bay, traffic has eased to a large extent.
On an average, Tambaram records an increase of 30,000 passengers every year for MTC buses. Everyday, 1,500 MTC buses are run from Tambaram to Mamallapuram, Tiruporur (on OMR), Kovalam and Vadamalli (on ECR), Sriperambadur and Walajabad, among other places.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Students take out processions
CUDDALORE: Students of Government Arts Colleges in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts boycotted classes and took out processions in support of the Sri Lankan Tamils on Thursday.
They carried placards urging the Union government to intervene in the issue and ensure immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
They also wanted a check on the Sri Lankan Navy’s killings of Tamil Nadu fishermen. Students of Periyar Government Arts College in Cuddalore, Kolanjiappar Government Arts College at Vriddhachalam and government colleges at Chidambaram, Villupuram and Tindivanam took out processions.
They carried placards urging the Union government to intervene in the issue and ensure immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
They also wanted a check on the Sri Lankan Navy’s killings of Tamil Nadu fishermen. Students of Periyar Government Arts College in Cuddalore, Kolanjiappar Government Arts College at Vriddhachalam and government colleges at Chidambaram, Villupuram and Tindivanam took out processions.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
One detained under NSA
VILLUPURAM: One person was detained under the National Security Act and 164 others were arrested under its various sections for damaging public property in the recent violence.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Superintendent of Police A. Amalraj said that on the directions of District Collector R. Palanisamy, E. Kannan of Rosanai in Tindivanam taluk was detained under the NSA on January 20. In the violence in the wake of the fast undertaken by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan in Chennai in support of Sri Lankan Tamils, certain groups burnt four State Transport Corporation buses in Villupuram district. — Special Correspondent
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Superintendent of Police A. Amalraj said that on the directions of District Collector R. Palanisamy, E. Kannan of Rosanai in Tindivanam taluk was detained under the NSA on January 20. In the violence in the wake of the fast undertaken by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan in Chennai in support of Sri Lankan Tamils, certain groups burnt four State Transport Corporation buses in Villupuram district. — Special Correspondent
Monday, January 19, 2009
Congress, VCK activists clash in Puducherry
PUDUCHERRY: Activists of the Congress and the Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) clashed on Monday after a statue of Rajiv Gandhi at the Chain Factory junction was vandalised.
Police dispersed the groups, which clashed near the Venkata Subba Reddiar statue on Maraimalai Adigal Salai, and arrested 13 persons belonging to the VCK and 11 from the Congress.
Police officers said that a case was registered for “dishonouring” the statue under Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code for “creating a malignant act wantonly to cause rioting”.
The statue was found with an effigy of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa with chappals and broomstick hung on it.
Police personnel have been posted near important statues in various parts of Puducherry.
President of Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee, A.V. Subramanian, condemned the act. He said to protect the lives of Tamils in Sri Lanka, the Centre, in consultation with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, had sent the Foreign Secretary to Sri Lanka for talks. Violence had erupted in various parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the last few days, in which buses were damaged.
Several Congress workers were injured in the clash and admitted to hospital, Mr. Subramanian said. He urged police to act against those who indulged in violence and prevent such incidents.
Later, at a press meet, representatives of the VCK, the All India Forward Bloc and the Federation for People’s Rights condemned the arrest of VCK activists, including organising secretary S. Pavanan, and demanded their immediate release.
They denied the role of the VCK in the act and urged the government to order a CBI enquiry. They would submit a complaint to the Orleanpet police station demanding the arrest of Congress workers for speaking ill of Ambedkar and Thol. Thirumavalavan.
191 arrested
Special Correspondent from Cuddalore writes:
The police have arrested 191 persons in Villupuram and Cuddalore districts in connection with damage to State-run buses in the past few days. The police said a total of 42 cases, including 35 for stone throwing, four for bus-burning and three for road roko, have been booked against them.
Staff Reporter from Coimbatore writes:
Two VCK activists were arrested on Monday while two others surrendered at the Race Course police station in connection with stoning of buses.
Stray incidents of violence were reported ever since Mr. Thirumavalavan began his fast in Chennai demanding the Centre’s intervention in Sri Lanka. On Saturday night, a few buses were stoned at the Sungam Junction here.
The police arrested B. Mohammed Ali of Kuniamuthur (28) and A. Abudaheer (29) for damaging a bus at Kuniamuthur on Sunday. K. Selvam alias Viduthalai Selvam (49) of Ramanathapuram and M. Balasingam (26) of New Sidhapudur surrendered before the Race Course police. They have all been remanded to judicial custody.
Police dispersed the groups, which clashed near the Venkata Subba Reddiar statue on Maraimalai Adigal Salai, and arrested 13 persons belonging to the VCK and 11 from the Congress.
Police officers said that a case was registered for “dishonouring” the statue under Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code for “creating a malignant act wantonly to cause rioting”.
The statue was found with an effigy of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa with chappals and broomstick hung on it.
Police personnel have been posted near important statues in various parts of Puducherry.
President of Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee, A.V. Subramanian, condemned the act. He said to protect the lives of Tamils in Sri Lanka, the Centre, in consultation with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, had sent the Foreign Secretary to Sri Lanka for talks. Violence had erupted in various parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the last few days, in which buses were damaged.
Several Congress workers were injured in the clash and admitted to hospital, Mr. Subramanian said. He urged police to act against those who indulged in violence and prevent such incidents.
Later, at a press meet, representatives of the VCK, the All India Forward Bloc and the Federation for People’s Rights condemned the arrest of VCK activists, including organising secretary S. Pavanan, and demanded their immediate release.
They denied the role of the VCK in the act and urged the government to order a CBI enquiry. They would submit a complaint to the Orleanpet police station demanding the arrest of Congress workers for speaking ill of Ambedkar and Thol. Thirumavalavan.
191 arrested
Special Correspondent from Cuddalore writes:
The police have arrested 191 persons in Villupuram and Cuddalore districts in connection with damage to State-run buses in the past few days. The police said a total of 42 cases, including 35 for stone throwing, four for bus-burning and three for road roko, have been booked against them.
Staff Reporter from Coimbatore writes:
Two VCK activists were arrested on Monday while two others surrendered at the Race Course police station in connection with stoning of buses.
Stray incidents of violence were reported ever since Mr. Thirumavalavan began his fast in Chennai demanding the Centre’s intervention in Sri Lanka. On Saturday night, a few buses were stoned at the Sungam Junction here.
The police arrested B. Mohammed Ali of Kuniamuthur (28) and A. Abudaheer (29) for damaging a bus at Kuniamuthur on Sunday. K. Selvam alias Viduthalai Selvam (49) of Ramanathapuram and M. Balasingam (26) of New Sidhapudur surrendered before the Race Course police. They have all been remanded to judicial custody.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
“Bring technology into school system”
PUDUCHERRY: “Little changes are happening in schools. To make changes, we need to bring in technology appropriately into the school system, in teaching and into the world of education,” Senior Principal of St. John’s International Residential School, Chennai R. Kishore Kumar said on Thursday.
At a “meet for mentors,” an initiative of The Hindu - Newspaper in Education (NIE), 80 correspondents, principals and coordinators from 60 schools in Puducherry, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Neyveli came together for an interaction with two experts.
Mr. Kumar said changes in social, cultural, lifestyle, economy and mindset of the people had impact on education. “We are not aware of the impact in education. Are we stirring the system of education to the future? There are three greater impacts that of explosion of population, explosion of knowledge and explosion of scientific development,” he stated.
Insisting on the need that every student should have capacity for self-learning, he said, “From mechanical schooling, we should move to a holistic education, innovative and learning-oriented education.” Quoting from UNESCO’s report on education, he said the four pillars of education were learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be. “There should be concentration on multiple intelligence in the schools. As of now, there is concentration only on linguistic intelligence. There are a lot of areas our children ought to develop,” he observed. He said only education could counter any kind of disaster, including terrorism.
Managing Director of Ma Foi Group and Randstad India K. Pandia Rajan said there were changes in the global political system, economic system and social system.
“To shape young minds and hearts, you need to allow your own minds and hearts to be shaped,” he said. Out of students who pass out engineering colleges, 22 per cent do not get jobs for a year and 10 per cent do not get employment for two years, he added.
“Update yourselves in the first place. The portals of learning are the key things to make a difference. In a year, e-learning will be gripping the country,” he said.
The representatives from various schools interacted with the two experts on the occasion.
Vellore-Villupuram railway line will be electrified: Velu
Tiruvannamalai: The 151-km stretch of railway line between Vellore and Villupuram, where gauge conversion work is under progress, will be electrified at a cost of Rs. 97 crore, Minister of State for Railways R.Velu has said.
After inspecting the works at the railway station here on Saturday, he told reporters that after completing all ongoing electrification works, it would be possible to travel from Kanyakumari to Jammuthavi or Kolkata or Mumbai on an electric train.
Estimate enhanced“The estimate for the ongoing gauge conversion work between Katpadi and Villupuram has been enhanced from Rs. 231 crore to Rs. 330 crore. Of this amount, Rs.185 crore has been spent already and works for another Rs.120 are going on.
The deadline for completing the gauge conversion works between Katpadi and Tiruvannamalai has been extended to March 2009 and between Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram to June 2009,” he said.
New rail roadTenders for works relating to the construction of a new rail road between Tiruvannamalai and Tindivanam had been opened a few days ago and works would begin soon.
All materials required for laying broad gauge line between Katpadi and Tiruvannamalai, including sleepers, gravel etc., were ready at the sites along the line, he added.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
