Melmaruvathur – Villupuram passenger

 

Chennai, May 17: Due to persistent demands from rail users, passenger associations and elected representatives of the public, Southern Railway will introduce MEMU passenger train between Melmaruvathur and Villupuram.

Melmaruvathur – Villupuram – Melmaruvathur main line EMUs (Train Nos.109/110) will run with effect from May 18.

The train will depart Melmaruvathur at 11.40 hrs and reach Villupuram at 13.15 hrs. In the return direction, the train will leave Villupuram at 13.45 hrs and reach Melmaruvathur at 15.15 hrs.

The trains will stop at Acharapakkam, Tindivanam, Mailam and Vikravandi, according to a Southern Railway press release. (Our Correspondent)

Ministers from northern districts raise objections

CHENNAI: Ministers hailing from several northern districts of the State on Tuesday raised objections to the delimitation proposals for many Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies.

Making his submission before members of the Delimitation Commission in Chennai, Public Works Minister Durai Murugan, who represents the Katpadi Assembly constituency, referred to the proposed bifurcation of his constituency and said it was not properly designed.

While earmarking the boundaries of the constituencies, panchayat unions and panchayats were sought to be divided. The Katpadi constituency, as planned now, would be covering three-four taluks.

Arguing for renaming the Chinnasalem constituency as Sankarapuram constituency, K. Venkapathy, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, said the nomenclature of Sankarapuram should be retained at any cost.

He pointed out that the Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Kallakurichi and Villupuram Lok Sabha constituencies were proposed to be made reserved constituencies.

M.R.K. Paneerselvam, Backward Classes Minister, said the Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency was a reserved constituency for long, Cuddalore too was now sought to be made one such constituency. E.V.Velu, Food Minister, emphasised the need to retain the Thandrampattu Assembly constituency.

C. Ve. Shanmugam, former Education Minister and the current Member of Legislative Assembly from Tindivanam (AIADMK), expressed his disapproval of the concentration of several reserved constituencies in the northern parts of the State.

T.K. Raja, Pattali Makkal Katchi's representative of the Tirupattur Assembly constituency, expressed his objection to the abolition of the Tirupattur Lok Sabha constituency. Abdul Basit, DMK's Vaniyambadi MLA, said that according to the present proposal, people in several tribal villages would have to travel about 85 km to meet their representative in Ambur. Gayatri Devi, Madurantakam MLA (Congress), wanted reconsideration of the move to make both the Madurantakam and Cheyyur constituencies reserved seats.

A participant said the Kallakurichi Lok Sabha constituency and four out of six Assembly constituencies coming under it would be reserved constituencies. At least, the Lok Sabha constituency should be a general seat. Another participant wanted Tirusoolam and Meenambakkam, on the southern outskirts of Chennai, made part of the Alandur constituency. Several members called for the retention of the Triplicane constituency.

Later, Kuldip Singh, chairman of the Delimitation Commission, told presspersons that the panel was expected to complete its work by September.

Only a few more States including Bihar and Assam had to be covered.

Special police battalion will be raised, says Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will raise a special police battalion at a cost of Rs. 16.52 crore, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi informed the Assembly on Thursday.
The battalion would be located at Sundarampalli in Vellore district and it would replace four companies of the Central Reserve Police Force based there.
Officials later explained that the basing of the CRPF companies in Vellore meant that the State had to give the Centre about Rs. 17 crore annually towards expenses and maintenance of the companies. The cost of maintaining a battalion was roughly the same annually. Besides, the move would mean the creation of over a thousand jobs (including of ministerial staff).
Replying to the debate on the demands for grants for the Home, Prohibition and Excise Departments, Mr. Karunanidhi said that work on all 12 coastal police stations, 12 police outposts and 40 checkposts would be completed by this year-end. New police stations would be set up at the Melma junction (Tiruvannamalai), Pagandai junction (Cuddalore), Nallipalayam (Namakkal), Nolambur and Nazrethpet (Chennai), Reddiyar Chatram (Dindigul) and Kaanai (Villupuram).
Initially, Mr. Karunanidhi announced the setting up of six police stations at a cost of Rs. 3.2 crore. After he completed his reply, Congress Legislature Party leader D. Sudarsanam requested that Nazrethpet be included in the list. Mr. Karunanidhi acceded to the request.
He also announced the setting up of a Grade 1 police station at Oragadam, considering that industrial units were being set up in the area.
This would cost Rs. 1 crore. The nearby Sunguvar Chatram police station would be upgraded
Grade 1 station.

Upgrading stations
As many as 12 police outposts would be upgraded as Grade 5 police stations at a cost of Rs. 3.8 crore. There were 106 police outposts in the State.
Mr. Karunanidhi also announced that 15 police stations, ranging from Grade 5 to 2, would be upgraded. Of these, five would be upgraded to Grade 2 and the remaining 10, to Grade 1.
This year, 13 police stations (three in Coimbatore, four each in Tuticorin and Madurai and one each in Ramanathapuram and Tiruvannamalai) would get new buildings. Of the 1,432 police stations in the State, 284 were functioning from rented premises.
All police stations would start functioning from their own buildings in a phased manner, he said.
The Chief Minister added that he included 25 police stations in the list to be provided own buildings following representation from Ministers and members. If vacant government land was available in the areas suggested by the Ministers and members, new buildings would be provided.
Eight fire stations located in Tandrampattu, Omalur, Arani, Courtallam, Cumbum, Tiruthuraipoondi, Thakkalai and Ottanchatram, would get new buildings this year. Of the 282 fire stations in the State, 161 function out of their own buildings and 92 function out of rented premises. Another 30 operate out of semi-permanent buildings. The Government would provide all fire stations in the State own buildings in a phased manner, Mr. Karunanidhi said.

Lightning kills nine in a village

Eight persons were killed and six injured when lightning struck them on Tuesday night. Police, who had initially put the toll at nine, later said eight persons were killed in the mishap. The victims, all men, belonged to Mundiyampakkam village, about 10 kilo metre from this district-headquarters town. They were on their way to a temple of Goddess Mariyamman near a cremation ground for a routine pooja performed on 'amavasya' days when sudden rain accompanied by thunder and lightning lashed the area.

They took shelter in a thatched shed near the cremation ground when a lightning hit the shed. The bodies of the eight persons had been brought to the general hospital. The injured had been rushed to the JIPMER hospital in neighbouring Puducherry. The Villupuram town, 160 kilo metre from Chennai, and its surroundings experienced the heavy unseasonal rain for nearly an hour from 10.30 pm. (PTI)

Villupuram explosion: Rs. 1 lakh solatium announced

Villupuram, April 7 (PTI): The Tamil Nadu Government today announced a solatium of Rs One lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in a car explosion in a village near here claiming 17 lives and injuring over 20.
The State Local Administration Minister, M K Stalin, who visited the spot alongwith Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi, announced the solatium to the family members of the victims.
Describing the incident as "unfortunate", Stalin said the government would hold a detailed probe into the incident and the police has already started investigations.
Gelatin sticks being carried in a car exploded earlier in the day at Senthur village, killing 17 people, including the occupants of the vehicle and some persons who were picking tamarind from a roadside tree.

20 killed in villupuram car explosion

Villupuram (TN): Seventeen people were killed and 20 injured, some seriously, when a car believed to be carrying "some explosive substance" blew up at Senthur village near Villupuram on Saturday, police said. The injured were rushed to a government hospital in Tindivanam. Police said people noticed smoke emanating from a car parked on the national highway while its three occupants were making a futile attempt to douse the fire. They abandoned the car before it exploded, killing 10 people instantly. Seven others succumbed to injuries in hospital, police said. Police have launched a search to trace the three persons who were in the car. The injured and those killed were picking tamarind from a tree. The explosion was so intense that 40 nearby houses were damaged by it.
Police officials said they suspected the car might have been carrying some explosive substance. Pointing to the extent of damage, they said this might be due to some "strong explosive materials". PMK founder S Ramadoss, who visited the spot, told reporters that the state government should pay relief of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of those killed and reconstruct the damaged houses. There have been several seizures of explosives and components used in bombs in recent weeks in Tamil Nadu and in the waters off the state's coast. Officials believe these materials were being smuggled to the LTTE in Sri Lanka. (PTI)
Govt announces Rs one lakh for those killed in explosion Villupuram: Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced a compensation of Rs One lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in a car explosion in a village near here claiming 17 lives and injuring over 20. State Local Administration Minister M K Stalin, who visited the spot alongwith Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi, announced the solatium to the family members of the victims. Describing the incident as "unfortunate", Stalin said the government would hold a detailed probe into the incident and the police has already started investigations.
Gelatin sticks being carried in a car exploded earlier in the day at Senthur village, killing 17 people, including the occupants of the vehicle and some persons who were picking tamarind from a roadside tree.

Agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan has suggested special agriculture zones be promoted for protecting prime agriculture land.

Agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan has suggested special agriculture zones be promoted for protecting prime agriculture land.
The need of the hour was to keep the good prime land and high farm productive areas under agriculture. Furthermore, there were swathes of land whose potential had not been tapped. All these should be brought under the special zones for improving farm production, he said addressing members of farmers' clubs here on Tuesday.
Prof. Swaminathan said these clubs should serve as knowledge centres to help farmers adopt improved farm practices for getting higher productivity.
The aim should be more grain per drop. Sharing of information would improve the income of farmers, besides creating additional employment opportunities.
It was unfortunate that a majority of small and marginal farmers were not aware of the welfare schemes of the Government.
The clubs should educate farmers about them. In the current budget, the Centre proposed to start rural common service centres throughout the country to educate farmers on increasing productivity and using water judiciously. The clubs should associate themselves with these centres, he said.
Recognition for ryots
Regretting that farmers had not been given due recognition, Mr. Swaminathan said those who had done exceptionally well in agriculture should be honoured with "Padma awards."
He distributed awards for the best performing clubs.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Chief General Manager K.V. Raghavulu said at Atpresent, banks were meeting only 60 per cent of the credit needs of farmers. For the rest, they depended on moneylenders, who were charging a high rate of interest.
The following farmers clubs won prizes: Jeyankondapattinam Farmers Club, Sangamangalam Farmers Club, All Women's Farmers Club, Kallar Pasupathi Koil, Gangavalli Farmers Club, Chinampalli Farmers Club, Dharmapuri, and Uzhaipallar Uzhavar Mandram, Villupuram.

Studying the prevalence of HIV in TB patients

EVEN AS "Difficulties in working alongside the better-funded efforts to tackle AIDS permeate many aspects of TB prevention, treatment and research ... " as the Editorial in the latest issue of Nature points out, the scenario in India is changing for the better.
With their immunity compromised, TB is one of the most common opportunistic infections in those with HIV/AIDS. And such coinfection often proves fatal.
Greater possibility
And with a total TB burden of 8.5 million as per 2000 estimates, and almost 1.8 million new cases occurring every year, the chances of over 5 million HIV positive people getting TB are quite high.
It is to address this problem that the prevalence of TB in HIV infected people, and HIV in those with TB are being studied in India.
Earlier, TB patients were provided with information to get tested for HIV. But there was no way of ensuring that patients indeed went for the HIV test.
"We lost many patients in the process," noted Supriya Sahu, Project Director, Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS).
The National Surveillance Survey conducted by the Central TB Division is under way to address this problem. The surveillance survey has been expanded to cover 20 districts in the country, with two being in Tamil Nadu, and has been designed to test for HIV in all the newly diagnosed TB patients.
This would help understand the prevalence of HIV in newly diagnosed TB patients.
The study in two districts in Tamil Nadu — Thiruvannamalai and Villupuram — started in December last year.
Automatically tested
This is a pilot study where every newly diagnosed TB patient is automatically tested for HIV at the designated microscopy centres and is unlike the earlier scenario when healthcare providers used their discretion to decide who should be asked to go for HIV testing.
The two districts in Tamil Nadu where the surveillance will be carried out will be operational till 400 samples are collected from each centre. "All newly diagnosed TB patients and who are already on DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course) for two months will be tested for HIV," said Ms. Sahu.
Unlike the conventional practice, the newly diagnosed TB patients will neither be informed nor their consent taken before they are tested for HIV.
But is testing for HIV without the patients' knowledge ethical?
"It is an unlinked and anonymous HIV testing," she explained. "The samples will be coded and nobody will ever know the patients' HIV status. So there is no need to take the patients' consent. We are following the WHO protocol." The only parameters that will be known are the age and sex of the patients and their TB status.
But will zeroing in on newly diagnosed TB patients alone be a truly representative sample? "Nearly 80 per cent of those who come for testing to designated microscopy centres are new cases," said Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director, Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai.
Another study
A similar study to understand the prevalence of HIV in newly diagnosed TB patients was undertaken in 2005-2006 by Dr. Swaminathan. The study funded by TANSACS looked at four districts — Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Chennai and Vellore — in Tamil Nadu. Unlike the surveillance study undertaken by TANSACS, Dr. Swaminathan's study did not collect blood samples for HIV testing from the newly diagnosed TB patients. Instead, they were provided with information and counselled to get tested for HIV.
"One of the objectives of our study was to see the level of acceptance by TB patients to getting tested for HIV," Dr. Swaminathan explained. "And we found that about 70 per cent of TB patients were convinced of the virtue of getting tested for HIV."
People who did not go in for HIV testing were those who considered themselves as too old to get infected with HIV or were not at risk of getting infected. "Women generally considered themselves not at risk," she noted.
Studying co-infection
Another study that TANSACS intends to undertake in Tiruchi district, Tamil Nadu, is to see the level of co-infection with HIV and TB. Patients diagnosed with TB will be sent to voluntary counselling and testing centres (VCTC) and all who test positive for HIV will be sent to designated microscopy centres to check for their TB status.
The study on co-infection will be the first of its kind in the country. "This will not be a surveillance study," Ms. Sahu said. The protocol for the study is yet to be drawn up.
Under the joint TB-HIV action plan started in 2005 by NACO in six high prevalence HIV States, including Tamil Nadu, those coming to VCTC for HIV testing and suspected of having TB are referred for TB testing.
The second, third and fourth quarter results of the 2005 joint TB-HIV action plan found that of the 6,055 persons from the six states who tested positive for HIV, 1,601 were also infected with TB.
This highlights the seriousness of coinfection with HIV/AIDS and TB in people living in India. And it is only to be expected as the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and TB is high in the country.
Showing the way
India, South Africa and a few other countries are indeed showing the world and international bodies, including the WHO, on the ways of tackling the problem and working in a more coordinated manner.
Researchers in India working on TB, much like their counterparts in other countries, still do not get generous funding unlike those working on HIV/AIDS, and unlike HIV/AIDS, TB has failed to attract the kind of attention it deserves.
But these conditions have not stopped the researchers from starting to work in a more coordinated manner. That is good for India and those suffering from HIV/AIDS and TB.

Electrification of lines given priority: Velu

Electrification works of railway lines has been given top priority in the 10th Five Year plan, Union Minister of State for Railways R Velu has said.

During a visit to Vellore Cantonment station, he said the Katpadi-Villupuram electrification work was in progress and after the broad gauge conversion, the line will be open for traffic next year.

In the 10th plan, Villupuram-Tiruchirappalli electrification also would be taken up, he said.
The Vellore Cantonment station was being given a facelift at a cost of Rs 2.75 crore, he added.

Rural areas to benefit from budget initiatives

Job guarantee, groundwater recharge schemes

130 more districts all over the country to be brought under rural employment guarantee scheme

Groundwater scheme envisages 100% subsidy to small, marginal farmers for sinking wells

CHENNAI: Rural Tamil Nadu will benefit from two major Union budget initiatives in the areas of rural employment guarantee and groundwater recharge schemes.
Under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, 130 more districts all over the country will be added. At present, the scheme is in operation in 200 districts, of which six are in Tamil Nadu.

A few months ago, the State-level Council for the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme recommended that 10 more districts in Tamil Nadu be brought under the ambit of the scheme.
Subsequently, the State Government forwarded the suggestion to the Centre. In January, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi wrote to the Centre to apply the scheme to all districts of the State.
According to a senior government official, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Ramanthapuram, Tuticorin, Virudhunagar and Vellore are among the districts recommended. As these districts are economically backward and dry regions, the State Government hopes the Centre would agree to its suggestion. As for the remaining 13 districts, the district administrations have been asked to submit proposals. The groundwater recharge scheme, as spelt out in the budget, focusses on seven States having most of the "overexploited or critical blocks."
The scheme envisages 100 per cent subsidy to small and marginal farmers for sinking wells and 50 per cent subsidy to other farmers.

In Tamil Nadu, 175 out of a total of 385 blocks come under the two categories of blocks. According to a Central Groundwater Board (CGWB)'s survey in 2004, 143 blocks are overexploited and 32 critical.
(According to CGWB, "overexploitation" refers to more than 100 per cent extraction, showing long-term decline in the groundwater table in pre or post-monsoon or both. The "critical" category pertains to 90-100 per cent extraction, showing long-term decline either in pre or post-monsoon. Blocks with 70-90 per cent extraction with the decline in both pre and post-monsoon also come under this category.)

6 districts to be covered Under the proposed scheme, Villupuram, Salem, Namakkal, Dindigul, Theni and Tuticorin are likely to be covered, as they account for the bulk of the overexploited and the critical blocks, says a senior CGWB official. A project, estimated to cost Rs. 2.2 crore, is being implemented in the Gangavalli block in Salem district, where a host of measures is being carried out to improve the groundwater table.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the nodal agency for the new scheme, has been providing assistance for artificial recharge and water conservation schemes

lCM To Hold Industry, IT, Anbazhagan Finance

A 31-member DMK ministry, headed by DMK president, Mr M Karunanidhi as the chief minister, will be sworn-in on Saturday. Tamil Nadu governor, Mr S S Barnala will swear in the new cabinet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, behind Rippon Building, which houses the offices of Chennai Corporation. The new cabinet will be the largest for Tamil Nadu, with one out of every three newly elected MLAs of the party set to become ministers. The outgoing AIADMK cabinet had 26 ministers. The 31-member list, released by Raj Bhavan, consists of 18 new faces. including a couple of first time members of the house. Even while the thrust is on inducting fresh faces, DMK has retained 13 party stalwarts, including 10 of them who were ministers in the earlier DMK government between 1996 and ‘01. “The idea is to give representation to almost all the 30 districts in the state, except for Chennai, which has more representations in the cabinet. The objective is to strengthen the party base further across the state,” highly placed sources in the party said. With quite a few party stalwarts, including Karunanidhi (Chepauk), party secretary, K Anbazhagan (Harbour) and party treasurer, Mr Arcot N Veerasamy (Anna Nagar) and Stalin elected from Chennai, the city alone has five representations in the cabinet. The cabinet list includes former speaker, PTR Palanivel Rajan (Madurai Central) and former deputy speaker of the assembly Parithi Ilamvazhuthi. The most prominent name that figures in the list is that of Mr M K Stalin (Thousand Lights in the city), son of the DMK president. Tipped to take over the mantle, as and when the need arises, Mr Stalin will become a minister for the first time. The list includes two Muslim minorities - Mr S N M Upayathulla (Thanjavur) and T P M Moideen Khan (Palayankotai) and three women candidates - Dr Poongothai (Alangulam), daughter of Mr Aladi Aruna, a former DMK minister, Ms Geetha Jeevan (Tuticorin), daughter of DMK Tuticorin district secretary, Mr Periasamy and Ms Tamilarasi (Samayanallur). Among the other former DMK ministers, whose names once again figure in the present list include Mr Ko Si Mani (Kumbakonam), Mr Veerapandi Arumugham (Salem II), Mr Durai Murugan (Katpadi), Mr K Ponmudi (Villupuram), Mr K N Nehru (Tiruchi II), Mr M R K Panneerselvam (Kurinjipadi), Mr I Periasami (Athur) and Mr N Suresh Rajan (Kanyakumari). “Except in the case of two former ministers - Veerapandi Arumugham and Durai Murugan, who retain their portfolio, the portfolios of all others have been changed,” the sources said. Earlier, the 93 newly elected members of the DMK met at the party headquarters here in Chennai on Friday morning and elected Mr Karunanidhi as the legislature party leader in the assembly. The state governor, Mr Barnala later invited Mr Karunanidhi to form the next government, following submission of letters, extending their support for the DMK government, by DMK’s allied parties in the DPA including Congress, PMK and the two Communist parties.

New transport region inaugurated

Fulfilling a long-cherished dream of the people of the district, Transport Minister K N Nehru on Monday commissioned the new STC region at Tiruvannamalai.This would be the fourth region within the Villupuram division of the State Transport Corporation to operate 358 buses attached to nine depots carved out of Vellore, Kancheepuram and Villupuram regions, including the 51 buses commissioned during the inaugural ceremony of the region.These buses would either be operated in the new routes or in the old routes as additional services to places like Madurai, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Thanjavur, Karaikudi, etc.So far, there were no direct buses to these places from Tiruvannamalai. These new routes would cater to the needs of commuters from southern districts and labourers who have migrated to places like Tirupur for livelihood.

VILLUPURAM BUS STAND ENVIRONMENT BECOMING VERY POOR

7 QUESTIONS FOR THE VISTERS

1.WHERE IS THE BATH ROOM DOORS IN VILLUPURAM NEW BUS STAND
2. WHAT'S SMELL IN THE NEW BUS STAND.
3.WHAT IS THE MARKET CONDITION NOW
4.WHAT'S HAPPENING IN VILLUPURAM MUNCIPAL CORP.
5.ALL THE WARD COUNCILER WHAT R THEY DOING
6. WHAT ARE THE NEW PLAN'S FOR VILLUPURAM
7. WHAT WELFARE WORK ARE DONE BY PREVIOUS GOVT

Villupuram to get 17,000 free LPG gas connections

Ponmudi to launch scheme on Sunday

District Collector Brajendra Navnith told presspersons here on Friday that it had been proposed to distribute 17,025 free cooking gas connections to the eligible beneficiaries in the district.
At a function to be held here on Sunday, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi, would inaugurate the scheme, he said. The assigned gas connections would be distributed on an equal basis in all the 12 Assembly constituencies in the district within three months.
The beneficiaries had been identified by a four-member committee consisting of the panchayat president, headmaster, village administrative officer and `makkal nala paniyalar'. Only the ration cardholders without gas connections would be eligible.

In the second phase, 1.20 lakh colour television sets would be distributed in 12 Assembly segments during this year. The prerequisites were that the beneficiaries should already have electricity and cable connections. He further said 27,076 cycles would be given away to the students this year. 1,100 acres had been identified for the third phase of land distribution to the landless labourers.
Under the Anna Marumalarchi Thittam, a sum of Rs 45.60 crore had been allocated for improving basic amenities in 228 villages. Under the scheme, each village would get Rs. 20 lakh for providing basic facilities.