|
|
June 2003
Rajini meeting Director Teja? A trip to Hydrabad!
Sunday, June 29, 2003
Just when news is abound that Theja might direct Rajini's next film, the actor had gone to Hyderabad with his family. Though everybody says that KS Ravikumar is going to direct his next film, there are some who believe that Rajini had already finalized Theja because all his films in Telugu have turned out to be superhits. According to rumors, the two are going to start discussing the story, soon. Rajini's trip to Hyderabad with his family is believed to be for discussing the story. Theja's Telugu hit 'Jeyam' was remade in Tamil. It was released last Saturday. Rajini is aware of the positive response that the film had drawn. This has hastened his trip to Hyderabad. More Cinema News at http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/
'Sandiyar' - Lost the battle, but not the war!
Sunday, June 29, 2003
On the 29th of June, Kamal announced that he is ready to change 'Sandiar's name. Fans of good films welcomed it. They didn't want it to go the 'Maruthanayakam' way. For the past few days, news is circulating that Kamal intends to shoot the film at Hyderabad's Ramojirao Film City studios. But, it is encouraging to hear that Kamal has decided to continue shooting in Tamilnadu ( we thought Tamilians were thrown out and harassed only in Karnataka, these days it happens in Tamilnadu itself!). this is a courageous decision. Kamal is a gift to Tamil cinema. He is the first Tamil movie celebrity with a nationwide recognition. He attempts to conquer new frontiers with every film of his. Will a man with such lofty intentions destroy Tamilnadu with a violent film? Unbelievable! It al began with 'Baba'. PMK's Ramadas knows about the kind of publicity one gets when one antagonizes a film star. He became a world known figure just because he managed to pick up a fight with Rajini. Dr Krishnaswamy is taking the same route to fame. How did he miss the violence that existed in films like 'Amarkalam', 'Red', 'Dheena', 'Gemini', 'Dhool' and 'Saami'? he says that films shouldn't have violent scenes with sickle as the weapon. 'Dheena's star attraction is the scene in which Ajith takes his sickle out to save Laila. The very logo of 'Saami' has a knife in it. Police Officer Vikram uses the forbidden weapon to attack the villain. Krishnaswamy turned a blind eye to all these and is now trying to destroy his own brainchild. But, Kamal is acting smart. He has dismissed all this as publicity stunt of the politician. He is sure about one thing- he is not changing the story. He is showing the onscreen courage in real life too. Now that 'Sandiar' has changed, Krishnaswamy can look into the welfare of the people's More Cinema News at cinesouth.com
Kamal - Gowthami inseparable! The next Simran?
Sunday, June 29, 2003
When gossips surface, everything else takes a back seat. Just when Kamal and Krishnaswamy are tied in a bloody battle, here comes a very different story. Nobody knows if Gouthami is going to act in 'Sandiar', but she had been deeply involved in the film's progress. She had assisted him in selecting the co-stars in Theni. Gouthami is the hottest topic of discussion in Kollywood. Her arrival in Kodambakkam is due to her separation from her husband. But, there are strong possibilities that she is here looking for chances. Kamal is living apart from his wife and children. Gouthami to is separated from her husband. Their coming together is making people's imagination work overtime. So, has Kamal found new friend? Kamal's usual reply to all these is- leave e alone. Will he say the same thing now too? More Cinema News at cinesouth.com
'Catholics never encouraged conversions'
Sunday, June 29, 2003
PTI CHENNAI: A top Catholic leader on Saturday said that Catholics never encouraged forcible religious conversions. The Cardinal Varkey Vithyathil, addressing a inter religious peace conference at the suburban Injambakkam said "we never believed in luring anybody to our religion. If somebody comes on their own, we welcome them", he said. The Sankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt, Sri Jayendara Saraswathi Swamigal, who also participated in the conference, said Hinduism was the only religion in the world which allowed 'reconversions'. No other religions accepted the reconversions, he said. Speakers at the conference stressed the need for religious harmony for the development of world and for peace. The conference was organised by the 'VGP temple of world peace'.
Gold medallions in honour of Chandrasekerendra Saraswathi
Sunday, June 29, 2003
PTI CHENNAI: The Seer of Kanchi Kamakodi Peetam Sri Jayendara Saraswathi on Saturday released a gold medallion brought in honour of late Sri Chandrasekerendra Saraswathi Swamigal, revearedly called as Mahaswamy and Paramacharya by his devotees, on the occasion of his 110th birth anniversary. 'GoldQuest International limited,' a numismatics company based at London, brought out the medallion. The company has brought out two gold coins -- one weighing 31.104 grams and another 10 grams on the Paramacharya, Company Director Japa Das told a press meet here on Saturday. The medallion has been minted at the world renowned B H Mayer's mint at Germany, which was one of the oldest and biggest private mints in Europe. The 31.104 gram medallion would cost Rs 43,200 and the ten gram coin would cost Rs.26,300. Vijay Eswaran, managing director of the GoldQuest, speaking at the function said the medallion was significant to the company as the Paramacharya's teachings were very dear to it. Late Swamingal was an embodiment of humility, he said.
TN govt files defamation case against The Hindu
Sunday, June 29, 2003
PTI CHENNAI: A city sessions court on Saturday issued notices to TNCC working president E V K S Elangovan and the editor and printer and publisher of The Hindu. on a complaint filed against them by the Tamil Nadu Government over his alleged defamatory remarks published in the daily's November 9, 2002 issue. Issuing notices to Elangovan, the daily's editor N Ravi and its printer and publisher S Rangarajan, First Additional Sessions Judge Ramasubramanian directed them to appear in the Principal Sessions Judge's Court on July 3. The complaint, filed by city public prosecutor (PP) T V Ganesh on behalf of the government, sought suitable action against Elangovan for allegedly threatening the Government and passing defamatory remarks against it and the daily for publishing the same. The PP said the statement amounted to threatening the state government with malicious and defamatory allegations which were totally false and made with ulterior motives against the government and its chief minister. All the facts were well known to all and in spite of it, the daily had wantonly published the article with an ulterior motive and to lower the image of the chief minister, the PP charged in his complaint.
IG of police suspended
Sunday, June 29, 2003
PTI CHENNAI: Inspector General of Police (Training) K Muthukaruppan has been placed under suspension by the Tamil Nadu government. Muthukaruppan, former Police Commissioner of Chennai, was served suspension orders last night, official sources said on Saturday. The reason for the suspension was not immediately known. In April last, officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) had reportedly conducted raids in his house in the city in connection with complaints of alleged acquisition of wealth, disproportionate to his known sources of income. Jayalalithaa government earlier, two years ago, had refused to oblige the Centre to shift Muthukaruppan to the central services.
Cyber porn victim's future lies shattered
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: Lying on a bed in the ICU of a city hospital, Chitra, the main witness in the Dr Prakash cyber porn case, says she sees no future ahead for her but vows to carry the fight against the porn doctor to its logical conclusion. She blames him squarely for ``ruining'' her life. ``Prakash - the main accused in the December 2001 cyber porn case - is the reason why I have lost my sister-in-law, Asha. I'll have to take care of her one-and-a-half-year-old twin daughters with no sight of the future ahead,'' she told this website's newspaper on Friday. ``Asha and I had decided to end our lives because of extreme poverty, harassment by Choolaimedu inspector of police Murugesan and other problems we faced after Prakash's arrest. Though Asha is dead now, I will continue to fight against him and hope that he is punished for all our sufferings,'' Chitra said. Recounting her harrowing experiences with the `porn doctor' and dispelling the media reports which said that she had a relationship with him, she said she was trapped and forced to heed his demands for about three months. ``I did not have any relationship with him,'' claimed Chitra, adding that she had approached him for a fracture in her leg. However, Prakash drugged her and took her pictures in compromising positions inside his clinic, she alleged. ``From that day onwards, he kept threatening me to come to his farmhouse in Ennore and said if I failed to do so, he would print posters of the photographs taken and paste them all over the city,'' said Chitra. Prakash allegedly sent his henchmen in a car to bring Chitra from her home to the farmhouse almost every day. ``There I was drugged and forced to service his clients. I was made to hold a camera and shoot porn films for him as I refused to be shot,'' Chitra further said. ``At the farmhouse, I met Asha who had a disability in her lower limbs and she was also being forcibly filmed while being sexually abused by Prakash's men,'' Chitra went on to say. ``Asha was just about 16 years old then and with a physical disability, she could not even escape from the farmhouse. She had also fallen into Prakash's trap as he promised her to cure her disability for free,'' Chitra recalled. However, Chitra and Asha both escaped from Prakash's Ennore farmhouse. Chitra's brother Stalin who sympathised with Asha decided to marry her. Chitra shifted her house from Choolaimedu to a place in Aminjikarai and Prakash could not trace her. It was after this that she and Asha issued a statement against Prakash. While both Chitra and Asha were main witnesses in the case, Chitra said, ``Prakash must be a relieved man as one of his witnesses is now dead''. Meanwhile, Stalin who had surrendered at a Vellore court has arrived in the City to participate in Asha's funeral on an emergency bail and will be returning to Vellore Prison on Saturday, leaving Chitra ``to fight the battle all alone''.
`Wings of State transport corporations given to private agencies'
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: Maintenance, security and body building for the State transport corporations has been handed over to private agencies as a first step towards privatisation of the transport sector, alleged C Kuppusamy, president of the Labour Progressive Federation, in a press release. Kuppusamy claimed that in the recent meeting with managing directors of the State corporations, it was decided to sack drivers involved in fatal accidents and suspend crew indulging in ticket irregularities. This was very unfair, he said as most accidents took places because the fleet was over aged. The drivers are forced to take out vehicles that have undergone no maintenance and this causes accidents. He added that the Minister had been informed about the decision. But Transport Minister R Viswanathan refuted these claims. However, the Minister, Kuppusamy said, did not deny postponing the much overdue wage settlement for employees of the State transport corporations. Without any bonus, Kuppusamy said, employees had no incentive to work. Kuppusamy also alleged that all contacts awarded by the State transport undertakings were a sham and concealed the truth.
Women auto drivers streets ahead of men, says Chennai
Saturday, June 28, 2003
IANS CHENNAI: One more traditional male bastion succumbs. After city buses, more auto-rickshaws in Chennai will be driven by women. The Rotary Club of Madras and the Association for Non-traditional Employment for Women (ANEW) have collaborated to put more women auto-rickshaw drivers on Chennai's roads. The demand came from mothers who said they prefer women to drive their young children to school every day. Mothers all over Chennai said women drivers were safer and more careful while ferrying children in the auto-rickshaws. Thousands of small children here travel to school in auto-rickshaws. The present designing of these vehicles and the manner in which they are driven have been a matter of concern for long. But all that could change with the Rs.1 million project that saw Director General of Police I.K. Govind hand over keys to 10 women drivers at a function here on Thursday. Ten new auto-rickshaws were also given to the women to ply in the city. The auto-rickshaws have been modified to meet the needs of children -- the seating is raised and the guards are higher. ANEW president Lakshmi Kumar said her organisation had conducted a survey in 2002. "The survey showed the need for cheap and safe transport for primary school children," she said. Subsequently, the Rotary Club and ANEW joined hands to train poor women so they could also find jobs in the transport sector. Said one of the new drivers, 30-year-old Manimekhalai: "I feel I will be a better person than a man because I will be like a mother to the children." Said trainer Kalai Rani, who has been driving an auto-rickshaw in west Chennai for three years: "There was a lot of teasing in the beginning but now I am not a curiosity any more. Mothers also appreciate my services." An auto-rickshaw with a woman driver is to be found regularly at the Malar hospital stand in South Chennai. She carries the sick to and from the hospital. Well, she would be happy too now that she is no longer the lone woman in a man's world.
Govt announces 4 % DA; employees `disappointed', to strike work from July 2
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: The Federation of JACTTEO-GEO and COTA-GEO, a major organisation of government employees and teachers, on Friday announced that it would go ahead with the indefinite strike from July 2 as planned. The move followed the failure of talks held by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa with the Federation and other unions. The Chief Minister had made some offers at the end of the talks on DA, gratuity and payment of wage arrears for noon meal workers, the concessions costing the government around Rs.515.84 crore, but the Federation found the offer ``not satisfactory and disappointing''. There are nearly 12 lakh government employees, government school teachers and noon meal workers in Tamil Nadu. Jayalalithaa, in a press release issued a few hours after her talks with the employees unions at the Secretariat, which lasted nearly 90-minutes, said the one per cent DA for the employees with effect from Oct 1, 2002, which was to be credited to the GPF as announced earlier, would now be given in cash from July 1, 2003. This would cost Rs.54.8 crore to the government. Of the four percent DA hike announced by the government with effect from Oct 1, 2002, three per cent is already being given in cash. Now the remaining one per cent too would be given in cash but only from July 1, 2003. The government would provide another three per cent DA from July 1, 2003, in cash at a cost of Rs.200.91 crore. Similarly the payment of gratuity for retiring employees from April 1, 2003, would be given in cash for the full amount instead of 50 per cent in cash and 50 per cent as small savings certificates as announced earlier. She said this would cost an additional Rs.260.13 crore to the government. Jayalalithaa also announced that the wage revision arrears due for the workers of the anganwadi, nutritious meal scheme, chid welfare scheme and noon meal scheme from Jan 1, 1996 to March 31, 1998, would be given in cash at a cost of Rs.36 crore to the exchequer. Appealing to the unions to drop their proposed strike from July 2 in the ``interests of the people'' and instead concentrate on government's developmental works, she said what was offered was the maximum possible by the government. She recalled that during her regime in 1991-96 her government had given them various concessions at the appropriate time without their asking. Though the fiscal situation had improved now to some extent thanks to various measures taken by the government on the economic front, the government was yet to come out of the crunch, due to debts and interests accumulated by the previous DMK regime. STRIKE: Meanwhile, S Moorthy, president of the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary PG Teachers Association and high level committee member of the JACTTEO-GEO and COTA-GEO, said that the Federation was firm in launching the strike from July 2. Unless the government withdrew all the six GOs relating to the pension benefits and restore bonus and encashment of earned leave, there would be no change in the decision to launch an indefinite strike from July 2, he said. Moorthy said that the functioning of government schools in the State would get affected from July 2 as teachers too would join the strike. Even the ongoing supplementary examinations for SSLC, HSC would be affected, he warned.
Dos and don'ts for internet cafes
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: Owing to a spurt in cyber crimes, the City police on Friday issued a 12-point charter of guidelines to the owners of internet cafes in the City. The move followed a meeting held with them on June 23. A release issued here by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, T Nagar, Murugan, said the cafes should function only between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. and there must be a display of a warning board saying, ``Browsing pornographic material on the Inernet is a crime''. The guidelines also state that the CD drives and floppy drives should be accessible only for the owner of an internet centre, and customers should not have access to it. Ensuring the presence of emergency lamps and parking vehicles outside these centres in an orderly fashion is another guideline specified to the internet centre owners.
Freshers receive a warm welcome at Loyola
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: If you walk into the Loyola College premises this week, you will see handmade posters beckoning freshers to join the NSS, the NCC, the AICUF and several other outreach programmes. Here are some of the slogans the posters – made by senior students – carry: ‘‘A human is incomplete without concern for the society. Are you a human? Join AICUF and be human’’, ‘‘Confidence and Self Control: If you want to attain these characters, join Loyola NCC Army’’ and ‘‘Do you spare a thought for the oppressed, if so join the AICUF’’. Gone are the days of the ‘ice-breaking sessions’, very often a euphemism for ragging. Now seniors are actually encouraging juniors to join their fraternity from the start. However, it remains to be seen if the students upon reading the messages take the initiative to enroll and work with commitment for the society. All the posters give a general idea of what they can do once they are part of a project. Says first-year chemistry student Umesh, ‘‘We have credits for the programme we take up. I’m interested in the NCC.’’ Loyola College principal V Joseph Xavier says that the three-day orientation programme is a process of ‘‘defreezing’’. He says that during the orientation session, the students get an overview of the history of the college, campus rules, additional courses or training available and who to approach for any help, when necessary. To make sure that no ragging takes place, police in plain clothes do campus rounds, he added. Joseph Xavier says that the first semester is made a relatively easy one in order to help students to settle down. This system seems to help, as students come from states as far as Nagaland to study in Loyola. Hinoka Zhimomi, a first-year History student has already decided that he is going to participate in sports, specifically foot ball and cricket. But the orientation is not only enrolling for various projects. Students are also made aware that the Career Guidance Centre in college updates them about part time job availability and placement. Speaking to students on Thursday, Bernard D’Sami, who is charge of the centre, told students that the centre would help them become ‘‘more employable.’’ Many freshers say they are glad the college would help them find a job. Senthi M and Alex Yagu, both first-year Zoology students, say the career guidance was ‘‘the best of the orientation programme.’’ And judging by the long queues outside the Loyola Institute of Vocation Education to enrol for extra courses, the freshers are going to make the best of the facilities.
Prostitution racket busted in the heart of the city
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: A team of officials of the Anti Vice Squad busted a flesh trade racket in the heart of the city off Mount Road on Wednesday night. The sex racket was being managed by a village panchayat president by taking the lodge on lease and creating trap doors and secret chambers to hide sex workers. He had also employed teen-aged boys to stand guard outside the rooms. In an operation launched around midnight on Wednesday, AVS officials stormed the lodge at Bootha Perumal Kovil Street. Though the lodge had been raided at least three times before and cases had been booked against the Gopalapuram village Panchayat president, Suresh Kumar, he continued with the trade in the lodge. Officials suspected that there was something more to the lodge than what met the eye because on many occasions, despite having credible information about the activities going on in the lodge, they could not trap sex workers inside. This time, however, when the officials conducted a thorough search in all of the 20 rooms in the two-storeyed lodge, they found ‘secret chambers’ attached to two rooms on the second floor. ‘‘The secret chambers comprised fans and lights and whenever there was a raid, the sex workers would hide in these rooms and shut the small door, which from outside would look like the door of a cupboard or that of a table fixed to the wall,’’ said an AVS official. While all four sex workers who were inside these chambers were arrested by the officials, they also took into custody three teen-aged boys. The main responsibilities of the boys in the lodge included keeping a vigil on the rooms where the sex workers were entertaining their customers and alerting the women when there was a raid by using a secret alarm switch, the officials said. The boys told the AVS officials that were from Trichy and had been hired by Suresh Kumar who said he would get them jobs at a hotel in Chennai. All four sex workers are between 18 and 20 years old and are from Andhra Pradesh.
Factionalism in Congress worsens in Madurai
Saturday, June 28, 2003
MADURAI: With Kamaraj birth centenary celebrations fast approaching, the infighting in the century old Congress seems to have gained momentum in the Temple City and parts of the southern districts, including Virudhunagar, with the situation turning from bad to worse. Posters condemning TNCC president EVKS Elangovan with slogans like ‘‘Save Congress, support Vasan’’, pasted by Vasan supporters, could be seen in the City on Thursday evening. Congress functionary R Chockalingam said, ‘‘People like Peter Alphonse, S Balakrishnan and Elangovan should be ousted from the party. They are more interested in their own welfare and supported the DMK’s interests’’. Another supporter of Vasan and a senior functionary in Virudhunagar district said, ‘‘No Congressmen has a second opinion in the Kamaraj centenary celebrations, but the problem was only with the functioning of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee leadership. The AICC should immediately intervene and settle things amicably. Even Vasan had told the media that he would go to New Delhi and invite Soniaji to participate in the historic event in Chennai.
Leakage shuts down nuke material reprocessing plant
Saturday, June 28, 2003
Chennai, June 27 (IANS) A nuclear material reprocessing and plutonium-uranium extraction plant in Tamil Nadu has been shut down after a leakage. Reports said the radiation leak at the Kalpakkam plant of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) was noticed on June 21. It took a week and a flash strike by workers for the authorities in Kalpakkam to come out with the truth to the media and the public that two engineers and a worker had suffered excessive exposure to radiation. BARC's reprocessing facility in Kalpakkam is just 48 km from Chennai. An unnamed BARC official in Kalpakkam was quoted in local reports as saying that a high-level expert committee is going into the various safety aspects of the plant. "It (the plant) will reopen once necessary measures to forestall recurrence of such incidents are in place," he said. Officially, none of the multiple agencies in charge of Kalpakkam -- the municipal authorities, BARC, the Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre (IGCAR), the Madras Atomic Power Plants (MAPS) authority or even the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) -- have given any explanation or acknowledged the leakage and the associated risk. According to the Atomic Energy Employees' Association, two scientific officers - B.P. Singh and one identified only as Sridharan -- and a worker named Raju went into the radiation-free zone of the reprocessing plant to take routine samples. They emerged with high levels of radiation in their bodies. They were immediately flown to the Radiation Medical Centre in Mumbai for treatment. The association demanded a report on these workers' radiation status but the authorities refused to give any information. The union then went on a flash strike on Monday. An official unwilling to be named said: "There is no cause for alarm." BARC director B. Bhattacharya flew down from Mumbai to talk to the striking employees and assured them that the plant was safe, following which the stir was withdrawn, the workers' union general secretary T. Mohan said. But anti-nuke activists and employees remain concerned by the secrecy over the leakage. There is a concentration of nuclear power and research units in Kalpakkam. The MAPS I and MAPS II reactors produce 340 million watts of electrical output (MWe). The IGCAR research reactor produces 30 kilowatts. All use natural uranium. The fast breeder test reactor commissioned using plutonium and uranium produces 40 MWe and the prototype fast breeder reactor using mixed-oxide fuel is scheduled to produce 1,400 MWe by 2008. According to the Carnegie Endowment's tracking project on nuclear proliferation, none of the Kalpakkam facilities have International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards in place, nor do the reprocessing facilities for laboratory scale operations begun in 1985 and the large-scale two-line fast breeder fuel reprocessing facilities under construction. Weapons-grade plutonium, which is also the fuel for the second stage reactors of the Indian nuclear power programme, is obtained from spent uranium fuel of pressurised heavy water reactors. Fuel reprocessing aims at recovering the reusable fissile and fertile component of the spent fuel. Fuel reprocessing started in India (in Trombay) entirely indigenously at a time when the country was barred from getting help in its nuclear technology. Today there are three reprocessing plants to extract plutonium from spent fuel -- one at Trombay, the second at Tarapur and the third cold commissioned at Kalpakkam in 1998. The Kalpakkam Atomic Reprocessing Plant facility has a capacity 100 tonnes per annum. It incorporates the hybrid maintenance concept in hot cells, using servo-manipulators and engineered provisions for extending the life of the plant. The plant caters to the needs of reprocessing fuels from MAPS as well as for the two new fast breeder test reactors, one of which is yet to start operation. The Kalpakkam plant is being upgraded to separate even larger quantities of plutonium than the Tarapur facility. Both can supply plutonium to India's nuclear weapons programme. It is reported that indigenously enriched uranium was used in the two low-yield nuclear weapons India tested in 1998, leading to speculation that the material may have been obtained from the fast breeder rest reactor project in Kalpakkam.
MDMK leader challenges his expulsion
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: MDMK leader T A K Lakshmanan on Friday said that he has challenged his expulsion from the party in court. Lakshmanan, who was the Tirunelveli district secretary of the party and once considered very close to MDMK supremo Vaiko, told reporters that the party general secretary had no authority to expel him as he was one of the founder members of the MDMK. Stating that he had submitted a memorandum to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, demanding a probe into the alleged amassement of wealth by Vaiko, after he became an MP, he said a sitting judge of the Madras High Court should head the enquiry commission. He was expelled for alleged 'anti-party activities' as he raised the banner of revolt against Vaiko by criticising him openly about his style of functioning.
Southern Railways announces six new trains from Chennai
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: The Southern Railways on Friday announced introduction of six new trains in the sector from here to Erode (daily), Bangalore (week-ends), Chandigarh via Dehradun (weekly) and Vasco-da-gama (weekly) via Bangalore and Hubli and between Trivandrum and Jodhpur (weekly) and Salem and Yesvantpur on all days except Tuesdays. Releasing the new Southern Railways (SRs) time table, effective from July, Minister of state for Railways A K Moorthy said the new daily Express from next month between Chennai and Erode via Tiruchirappalli would start from July one and on the return journey from Erode to Chennai the next day. A week-end Express train between Chennai and Bangalore would run on Fridays from here and on Sundays from Bangalore to Chennai from next month. The weekly Chennai Central-Dehradun/Chandigarh Express would leave here at 0530 hrs on Fridays and from Chandigarh at 0710 hrs on Mondays, while the weekly train to Goa would leave from here on Fridays at 1400hrs and from Vasco on Thursdays 1440hrs. While the Trivandrum-Jodhpur Express would leave from Trivandrum Central at 1330 hrs on Saturdays, its pairing train from Jodhpur would leave from there at 2355 hrs on Tuesdays, the Salem-Yesvantpur Fast Passenger would leave Salem and Yesvantpur at 0530 hrs and 1600 hrs respectively.
Ex-IAF man's wife petitions for probe
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: Over 35 years after a flight sergeant was presumed missing after an airforce plane in which he and 90 others were flying in disappeared over the Rohtang pass near the Indo-Pak border, the officer Somasundram's wife Vijayalakshmi, has petitioned the State Humam Rights Commission to make concerted efforts to trace the missing flt.Sgt. In her petition filed on Thursday before the State Human Rights Commission, the 66-year old Mrs Vijayalakshmi Somasundaram said her husband was four years older than her. She said "....the time is evidently short. I would like to pass away either as Mrs Somasundram or the widow of Mr Somasundram which is only in your hands". On February 7, 1968, when the occupants of the aircraft, including a crew of six were returning from Leh to Chandigarh, all contact with the aircraft was lost while it was over the Rohtang Pass. Since then it has been presumed that the aircraft had crashed and all the occupants were dead. Till date the cause for the disapperance was yet to be established, it is understood. A certificate of official presumption of death of all the persons on the aircraft was issued nine months later.
Numismatic company to bring out gold coins on Paramacharya
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: Two gold coins on late Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathy, popularly known as Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti peetam, is being brought out by a London based numismatics company. GoldQuest International Limited would bring out two gold coins weighing 31.104 grams and 10 grams on the Paramacharya, Company director Japa Das told reporters here on Friday. The coins would be released by the Kanchi seer Sri Jayendra Saraswathy at a function here on Saturday on the 110th birth anniversary of the Paramacharya, he said. He said the medallion had been manufactured at the world renowned B H Mayer's mint at Germany, which was one of the oldest and biggest private mints in Europe. Das said the 31.184 gram medallion would cost Rs.43,200 and the ten gram coin would cost Rs.26,300.
Sex racket from secret chambers busted
Saturday, June 28, 2003
CHENNAI: Police on Friday busted a sex racket, run from secret chambers in a lodge here, by arresting four commercial sex workers and eight others besides sealing the lodge. Police said they stumbled on upon the secret chambers attached to rooms in the lodge situated in the arterial Anna Salai of the city which they had raided following a tip-off that prostitution was taking place there. The chambers, concealed by false walls, were discovered by the anti-vice squad during intensive search of the rooms, they said adding the proprietor of the lodge, who had taken it on lease, had absconded on learning about the raid.
School boy stabbed to death for teasing two girls
Thursday, June 26, 2003
CHENNAI: A 17-year-old school boy, who allegedly teased two girls, was stabbed to death at the Thiruvelankadu railway station by the girls' brother and his friends early on Wednesday. The Thiruvallur police, who have arrested seven persons, said, the incident could have been averted if the eve-teasing issue had been brought to their notice earlier. The police said the school boy, Sadasivam, of Orathur Colony in Thiruvelankadu, about 40 km from Chennai, had been teasing two of his classmates for the past one week, while they were on their way to the Adi Dravidar School in Arakkonam. The two girls live in Orathur Colony in Thiruvelankadu and commute to their school in Arakkonam by train every day. Trouble brewed after Sadasivam, their classmate, who took the same train to school, began teasing them. The girls complained to their brother Jeeva. Jeeva, a daily wage worker, called some of his friends and decided to go and warn Sadasivam. They reached Thiruvelankadu railway station early and waited for Sadasivam to arrive. When Sadasivam and his friends reached the station to go to school as usual, Jeeva and his group took him and told him to stop teasing the girls. However, the discussion developed into a heated argument and eventually, Sadasivam's friends and Jeeva's friends came to blows. As tension prevailed at the station and few others in the area sided with the schoolboys, one of Jeeva's friends drew out a rod from one of the benches on the railway platform and stabbed Sadasivam and three others. All four of them were taken to the Thiruvallur hospital. While Sadasivam died at the hospital, three of his friends are undergoing treatment. Thiruvallur Superintendent of Police V Varadaraju told this website's newspaper that a team of officials who went to the railway station after the incident had taken Jeeva and six others into custody. Preliminary investigations revealed that Jeeva and his friends had no intention of killing Sadasivam, and the stabbing incident was a consequence of an impulsive action on the part of one of Jeeva's friends, he said.
Partyman's murder: Jaya assures action
Thursday, June 26, 2003
AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today said firm action would be taken against those who were involved in the murder of Erode town MGR youth wing secretary and Erode Municipality vice-chairman, Chittu alias Balakrishnan, at Karungalpalayam area in Erode last evening. Expressing grief over the murder of Balakrishnan, for which previous enmity has been attributed as the cause, the Chief Minister, in a statement here, said Balakrishnan's death was an irreparable loss to the party. She said action would taken against the culprits whoever it might be and that an end should be put to those in public life being murdered. The Chief Minister expressed her condolence to members of the bereaved family.
Partyman's murder: Jaya assures action
Thursday, June 26, 2003
AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today said firm action would be taken against those who were involved in the murder of Erode town MGR youth wing secretary and Erode Municipality vice-chairman, Chittu alias Balakrishnan, at Karungalpalayam area in Erode last evening. Expressing grief over the murder of Balakrishnan, for which previous enmity has been attributed as the cause, the Chief Minister, in a statement here, said Balakrishnan's death was an irreparable loss to the party. She said action would taken against the culprits whoever it might be and that an end should be put to those in public life being murdered. The Chief Minister expressed her condolence to members of the bereaved family.
HC restrains MGR's kin from using unauthorised construction
Thursday, June 26, 2003
HC restrains MGR's kin from using unauthorised construction CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has restrained Sudha Vijayakumar, a close relative of late MGR, from using the unauthorised construction in Manapakkam in Kancheepuram district in contravention of the Development Control Rules for any purpose. Justice A Kulasekaran granted the stay while passing interim orders on a writ petition from M Rajendran, founder-member of Sathya Educational and Charitable Trust, praying for a direction to this effect. Originally, Rajendran had filed a civil suit and a vacation judge on June 10 had restrained Sudha Vijayakumar from putting up new construction on the land and from using the constructed building as a school. Aggrieved, Sudha filed a petition to vacate the stay. When she contended that a civil suit would not lie in the matter, Rajendran withdrew his suit with liberty to file a writ petition. Justice Prabha Sridevan dismissed the suit. Rajendran contended in his present writ petition that Sudha had encroached upon the adjoining land belonging to his Trust and put up unauthorised constructions for the purpose of starting a school in memory of MGR Janaki from June 11. She proceeded with the construction despite stop work and demolition notices issued by the CMDA in May last. Her application to reclassify the residential zone to educational zone was pending with the CMDA, which was yet to issue the completion certificate too.
10% NRI quota in Govt engineering colleges too
Thursday, June 26, 2003
CHENNAI: The State government has decided to create NRI quota seats in all the six Government engineering colleges and admit students under the quota from the academic year 2003-04. Following the decision, 10 per cent seats of the total intake in these colleges would be reserved for admissions under the NRI quota ``over and above the sanctioned strength.'' The six government engineering colleges together have a sanctioned strength of 1,520 seats. This means, 152 seats would be added in these institutions for admission under the NRI quota. The colleges are: AC College of Engineering and Technology, Sivaganga; Bargur Engineering College, Bargur; College of Technology, Coimbatore; Salem Engineering College, Salem; Thanthai Periyar Institute of Technology, Vellore, and Tirunelveli Engineering College, Tirunelveli. The NRI quota seats were introduced last year in the Anna University's four constituent colleges and all self-financing engineering colleges. However, in April last, the Director of Technical Education, S K Prabakar, sent a proposal to the government requesting to permit him to create a similar NRI quota for the government engineering colleges also. He argued that the revenue generated from these seats could be utilised for the development of the colleges. Pointing out that Anna University's constituent colleges were charging US $ 35,000 per course for IT-related subjects and US $ 25,000 for all other courses, the Director suggested that the government engineering colleges could collect US $ 25,000 as one-time fee for all courses or US $ 6,500 per annum. In his proposal, Prabakar said 75 per cent of the revenue generated through the NRI quota admissions could be given to the respective colleges for the ``development of the institution and upgradation of research and teaching standards.'' This amount could be maintained by the Directorate of Technical Education and released to the colleges as and when required. The remaining 25 per cent income can be remitted to the government account, he added. After examining the proposal, the Higher Education Department issued a GO on May 30 observing that since the 10 per cent NRI quota would be over and above the present sanctioned strength. ``This proposition will not affect the prospects of the local students during admission to government engineering colleges.'' On the other hand, this would help improve the quality of these colleges, the GO said while permitting the Director of Technical Education to make the NRI admissions. However, the government modified the proposal in terms of revenue sharing as per which only 40 per cent of the income generated through the NRI quota admissions would be given to the colleges for development and research. The remaining amount would be remitted to the government account.
BJP banks on chariot, Congress icon in Tamil Nadu
Thursday, June 26, 2003
BJP banks on chariot, Congress icon in Tamil Nadu IANS CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is banking on its old formula of chariot processions and, ironically, an icon of its main rival Congress party in trying to spread its negligible appeal in Tamil Nadu. Newly elected BJP state president C P Radhakrishnan flags off a Rath Yatra, or chariot procession, on Wednesday evening in Kanyakumari, a temple town at the tip of the peninsula. The 'rath', a decorated, chariot-like vehicle, will travel through the 234 assembly constituencies of Tamil Nadu "to create awareness about the BJP", said Radhakrishnan, who represents Coimbatore in the Lok Sabha. Two BJP federal ministers from Tamil Nadu -- Pon Radhakrishnan and S. Thirunavakarasu from Pudukottai and Nagercoil -- will help the state unit chief with the programme to try to enlarge the party's support base ahead of next year's general election. Since the late 1990s, when the BJP first made a breakthrough in Tamil Nadu and won a seat in Parliament, the party has managed to spread its influence somewhat in this state dominated by Dravidian politics. Today it has four MPs in the Lok Sabha. The BJP also plans to capitalise on the centenary of late Congress ideologue K Kamaraj on July 15. The chariot procession too will carry pictures of Kamaraj, party members said. Radhakrishnan said the Tamil Nadu unit would invite Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to participate in the centenary function it plans in Kamaraj's hometown Virudhnagar in southern Tamil Nadu. If it succeeds, the BJP's centenary bash for Kamaraj could eclipse any that the Congress may plan if it is not able to get its president Sonia Gandhi to participate. The BJP is currently an ally of the state's main opposition DMK party. Though state BJP leaders claim they will stand by the DMK, they also say they are open to making "new friends" in Tamil Nadu. There have been strong indications of Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalitha's AIADMK -- which is the DMK's sworn rival -- slowly inching closer to its former ally BJP.
Coast Guard receives distress alert from two merchant ships
Thursday, June 26, 2003
CHENNAI: Distress alerts from two merchant vessels was received at the Coast Guard's Rescue Coordination Centre in Chennai on Wednesday. Merchant Vessel 'Green Glory' with an Egyptian flag was sinking in Oman Search and Rescue Region, 225 miles from the nearest point of land. The distress alert was first received by another merchant vessel at 7.37 GMT, and was then relayed to the Coast Guard station. It was picked up by the Rescue and Coordinatioon Centre at 8.30 GMT. On receiving the alert, Coast Guard officials here tried the mobile number of the merchant vessel but were unable to get through. The last time the vessel made any contact was 19.40 GMT on June 23, according to INMARSAT, London reports. The distress alert on merchant vessel 'Sima Express' carrying the flag of St Vincent and Grenadine reported that the ship was being abandoned by the crew in Somalian Search and Rescue Region, off 80 miles from the nearest coastline. As both vessels were outside the limits of the Indian Coast Guards' Search and Rescue Region, details of the ships were obtained and passed onto Search and Rescue agencies in Oman, Pakistan, Egypt, St Vincent and Grenadine, Korea, Djibouti and Somalia.
Jaya hints at interlinking of rivers by 2007
Thursday, June 26, 2003
COIMBATORE: To meet the immediate national need for inter-basin transfer of surplus water, the task force on river linking project will be urged to complete its work in the Tenth Plan period itself, said Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in her address at the 24th convocation of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) here on Wednesday. Governor of Tamil Nadu and Chancellor of TNAU Dr P S Rama Mohan Rao awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the field of agriculture and rural development. Accepting the award, the Chief Minister said that the water scarcity in Tamil Nadu had assumed critical proportions and the only long-term solution was the peninsular river water grid linking the Mahanadhi with the Gundar river in Tamil Nadu. Apart from championing the need for interlinking of rivers, statewide campaign for rainwater harvesting, watershed development and conjunctive use of rain water with ground water had also been initiated. The Government also laid emphasis on sea water desalination and recycling of water to maximise water availability. In Tamil Nadu, to place the focus on the efficient use of available water and to promote precision farming in a big way, the State government would launch a special project on precision farming in Dharmapuri district. The Chief Minister called for active participation of premier institutions like the TNAU to adequately train the students and extension workers in such ventures. Talking about sustainable agriculture as the very basis of food security, Dr J Jayalalithaa referred to a system that could produce crops to meet not only the present day requirements but as well as left enough in the land for future generations to reap for themselves. `Any farming system that lacked ecological integrity, economic viability or social responsibility was not sustainable', she added. Referring to the major programme initiatives of the Government, she said that under Wasteland Development Programme, a thrust has been given to agro-forestry, planting of horticulture seedlings and bio-mass plantation crops for generating electricity and tree borne oil seed plants for producing edible and fuel oil. The State government had also sent a project proposal to the Government of India to seek special Central assistance of Rs 350 crore for planting Jetropha, Paradise tree and other bio fuel trees. Since the gender issue was a matter of grave concern in Agriculture, the Chief Minister called for the need to enable women to realise their full potential as farmers. To spearhead such a change, in Tamil Nadu, the Women Self Help Group programme had grown into a major movement with a membership of more than 22 lakh and with a combined savings of Rs 309.59 crore, she said. To involve women in technology, the State government had also ordered setting up of an exclusive bio-technology park for women at Kelambakkam among other projects. The Chief Minister said that the targeted growth of 4 percent in agriculture for the 10th Plan could be achieved by strengthening agriculture exports as one of the key strategies. Towards this end, the Government had established TANFLORA, an agriculture export zone for flowers in Hosur, as well as one for floriculture in Nilgiris and the other for mangoes in Theni and 5 other southern districts. The Chief Minister also said that the power of information technology should be utilised to ensure quicker technology transfer in the rural areas. The Chancellor awarded medals, prizes and certificates to 11 students for their outstanding performance in various streams such as agriculture, floriculture, forestry, agricultural engineering and other areas. Send this Story to your friend
CM announces steps to curb road mishaps
Thursday, June 26, 2003
Amid reports of frequent road accidents in the State, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has announced several measures, including enactment of a suitable legislation and re-certification of driving licences at periodical intervals to bring down the rate. While the legislation could act as a deterrent to curb the menace of rash and negligent driving, re-certification of licences would be an effective means to arrest the trend. The Chief Minister gave these directions to the officials during the review meeting of the police department held yesterday at the Secretariat. Apart from the above steps, the Chief Minister also directed the officials to draw up a comprehensive action plan to bring down the incidence of road accidents and also for prompt treatment of accident victims. The Tamilnadu Road Safety Council would be reconstituted with the Chief Minister as Chairperson. Stating that the 80 stretches of the highways already indentified for special coverage should be intensively patrolled, she sanctioned 80 new patrol vehicles with distinctive design, which would be equipped with state-of-the-art gadgets like radar gun, breath analyser and first aid kit, to facilitate intensive patrolling. This will be implemented at a cost of Rs.four crore. Besides these, the Chief Minister said to ensure better co-ordination between the line departments involved in effective management of highway patrolling and accident care, a joint team should be constituted comprising officers from police, transport, highways and health departments, she said. The Zonal Inspectors General of Police would monitor the functioning of the highway patrols in their jurisdiction and would send weekly reports to the Director General of Police who would in turn furnish reports to the government. In each of these 80 stretches, Emergency Accident Relief Centres would be established in colloboration with private hospitals and corporate institutions so as to provide immediate relief in accident cases. While reviewing the functioning of all-woman police stations, Jayalalithaa instructed that the women police personnel in these stations should be given training in batches of 25 on all aspects of crime investigation and counselling. Specially designed modules would be developed by the Police Training College for this purpose. While stressing the importance of registering all cases relating to offences aganst women, she said effective follow-up action for getting higher conviction rates should be taken. Besides this, special laws should be framed expeditiously to curb incidence of cheating of innoncent women on promise of marriage. To speed up the trial process in cases of offences against women, the Chief Minister ordered setting up of four new Mahila courts at Madurai, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli and Salem. This is in addition to the existing Mahila courts at Chennai and Coimbatore. Reviewing the crime situation in the State, the Chief Minister instructed that to control grave crimes, a determined drive should be launched to bring to book all those evading arrest with non-bailable warrants against them. Unit to check organised crimes in each commissionerate should be entrusted with the investigation of crimes registered in their jurisdiction. Commending Salem district where illicit distillation and distribution of illicit liquor has come down drastically due to the efforts of the District Superintendent of Police, Jayalalithaa said similar drives should be launched in all districts. The Zonal IGs should give due importance to the grievance redressal mechanism in the districts to keep high the morale of the police force. DGP I K Govind, City Police Commissioner K Vijaykumar and senior police officials participated in the review meeting.
MRF Pace Foundation to become full fledged academy
Thursday, June 26, 2003
The internationally renowned MRF Pace Foundation will soon become 'a full fledged academy', on the lines of the world class cricket academy run by the Australian Cricket Board, by diversifying to encompass all aspects of the game. Disclosing this, legendary Australian speedster Dennis Lillee told PTI that though no timeframe had been fixed, it was imperative for the foundation to provide coaching in batting and fielding too. "I have had discussions on this with Vinoo Mammen, the MRF Chairman and S R Ratnam, Director Corporate Affairs (MRF), alongwith T A Sekar, Chief Coach. No time frame has been set for this project, but there is unanimity that the Academy should enlarge its scope of helping bowlers and batsmen," he said. "MRF Academy has been rendering yeoman's service since 1987 and reached a milestone in helping fast bowlers from across the globe. The academy is being run on the lines of ACB in terms of pace bowling. It is time it attended to all forms of cricket". He said the next move was to provide facilities for coaching in batting. "We may later accommodate training for spinners. Today's cricket is all about performing well in batting, bowling and fielding," he said. The Academy, he said, was not looking at the financial gains, but was only keen on doing a good job in helping fast bowlers throughout the world, particularly in India. The MRF pace foundation had a good system in place in India, he said. (PTI) 21:51 IST
Cop, lawyer come to blows in court
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Madurai, June 25: The chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of the city court had to mediate to end fisticuffs between a lawyer and a police official, parties in a case, inside the court complex yesterday. Police said the fight followed some alleged unsavoury remarks made by the police official, in charge of coastal security in the rank of an SP, against the lawyer, who had filed a case against him for alleged harassment of his father. The official was the sub-inspector of a police station at Vadipatti when he allegedly harassed the lawyer's father in connection with a property dispute in 1982. The police official, who had come to the fast track court-I for the hearing in the case filed by the lawyer, made some remarks while coming out of the court which infuriated the lawyer. After a wordy dual both of them exchanged blows, and some lawyers also joined the fight. As the situation went out of control, the office-bearers of the Lawyers Association, including president Vellaichamy, took up the issue before the CJM, who mediated between the lawyer and the SP. Vellaichamy said the issue had been sorted out amicably. (Agencies)
Kiruttinan murder: 2 give statement
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Madurai, June 25: Two persons gave an in-camera statement before a local court yesterday in connection with the recent murder of senior DMK leader T Kiruttinan. Tamizhnesan and Veerasamy, said to be close associates of Mannan, one of the accused in the May 20 murder of Kiruttinan here, gave the statement before Judicial Magistrate Bhagavathi Ammal, court sources said. Mannan, a close associate of M K Azhagiri, an accused in the case and son of DMK president M Karunanidhi, had reportedly confessed that both Tamizhnesan and Veerasamy were part of the conspiracy to murder Kiruttinan. Police said though the two had participated in the conspiracy to murder Kiruttinan, they had opposed the move. Apart from Mannan, three others, including two prime accused who allegedly executed the murder, are under judicial custody. Azhagiri was taken into custody a day after the incident. (Agencies)
Factionalism in TN Cong comes to the fore
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Simmering factionalism in the Tamil Nadu Congress reared its ugly head today with 16 of the 31 members of the Kamaraj Centenary Celebration Committee boycotting a meeting called by AICC general secretary Kamal Nath to discuss the arrangements to be made for the celebrations of the late leader, scheduled here on July 15. All those who boycotted the meeting were supporters of AICC secretary G K Vasan, who is a member of the committee. He himself did not attend the meeting. Admitting that there were differences among the partymen in the state, Kamal Nath told reporters that his party, which was a large party, would have such differences. "I know how to solve the differences. I need not say to the press openly," he said when asked what was his solution to eradicate groupism in the state unit. He said everybody had complete faith in AICC president Sonia Gandhi and it would not be a big problem for him to sort out differences. Kamal Nath said some of the members of the celebration committee had met him in a hotel, where he was staying, and expressed their "inability" to attend the meeting. He had a free and frank discussion with them, he added. The TNCC would finalise the date and venue of the centenary celebrations function to be attended by Sonia Gandhi in three or four days. Vasan and others, including the leader of Congress legislature party S R Balasubramaniam and TNCC treasurer D Sudarsanam, earlier met Kamal Nath and reported to have complained about the style of functioning of the TNCC leadership and demanded a change in the leadership. They were more angered over a recent comment made by TNCC working president E V K S Elangovan that some persons, close to the AIADMK, were creating trouble to the TNCC leadership. Vasan told reporters that they had briefed the AICC general secretary on the steps to be taken to strengthen the party in the state. He refused to answer a question whether he demanded a change in the leadership. Kamal Nath, reiterating his earlier remarks that there would not be any change in the TNCC leadership, said he had been "misreported by the press at New Delhi" by quoting him as saying that the TNCC leadership would be changed in a fortnight's time. He said he had only said that DCC and block level Congress committees would be constituted in a fortnight's time. (Our Correspondent)
Cancer treatment for Rs 10,000
Monday, June 23, 2003
HYDERABAD: The Indo-American Cancer Institute and Research Centre on Sunday announced a subsidised scheme for treatment of cervical cancer to white ration card holders, pensioners who get less than Rs 2,000 per month and those over 70 years. The Basava Tarakam Scheme was announced on the occasion of the third anniversary celebrations of the institute. Under the scheme, treatment planning, simulation and more than seven weeks of treatment will be done for Rs 10,000. “This treatment costs between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 at private hospitals,” institute’s director and chief surgical oncologist Dr Mohana Vamsy Ch said. Nearly 35 per cent of women cancer patients suffer from cervical cancer. It affects even young women. Cervical cancer is predominant in women in the lower socio-economic strata because of early marriage, frequent child births,sexually transmitted diseases and poor personal hygiene, Dr Vamsy added. Regional cancer centres will be set up at district headquarters and in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.
Change of name for Kamal Hassan's film
Monday, June 23, 2003
Bowing to pressure Kamal Hassan has decided to change the name of his film Sandiyar. The title, which means 'thug', had led to protests by Dalit leaders. The story is reported to have cast overtones giving rise to apprehensions that it could lead to clashes between the upper caste Thevars and Dalits in the Chinnamanur village in Tamil Nadu where the sets had been put up and where the two castes are in equal number. Dalit leader and Puthiya Tamilagam party chief Dr Krishnaswamy had threatened to disrupt the shooting of this film forcing Kamal to seek police protection for his unit. This climb down comes in the wake of the Tamil Nadu Government's refusal to extend police cover. "It's not my intention to hurt anyone. Since there was a problem with the name, I have decided to change the name of the film," said Kamal Hassan. The Puthiya Tamilagam leader is reported to be satisfied with the change clearing the decks for the shooting of the film at the same spot in Tamil Nadu. This is not the first time filmmakers have been forced to change controversial names of their movies. In the past, films like Geethai had to be changed to Puthiya Geethai and Naan Gandhi Allai had to be altered to Naan Mahan Allai.
Change of name for Kamal Hassan's film
Monday, June 23, 2003
Bowing to pressure Kamal Hassan has decided to change the name of his film Sandiyar. The title, which means 'thug', had led to protests by Dalit leaders. The story is reported to have cast overtones giving rise to apprehensions that it could lead to clashes between the upper caste Thevars and Dalits in the Chinnamanur village in Tamil Nadu where the sets had been put up and where the two castes are in equal number. Dalit leader and Puthiya Tamilagam party chief Dr Krishnaswamy had threatened to disrupt the shooting of this film forcing Kamal to seek police protection for his unit. This climb down comes in the wake of the Tamil Nadu Government's refusal to extend police cover. "It's not my intention to hurt anyone. Since there was a problem with the name, I have decided to change the name of the film," said Kamal Hassan. The Puthiya Tamilagam leader is reported to be satisfied with the change clearing the decks for the shooting of the film at the same spot in Tamil Nadu. This is not the first time filmmakers have been forced to change controversial names of their movies. In the past, films like Geethai had to be changed to Puthiya Geethai and Naan Gandhi Allai had to be altered to Naan Mahan Allai.
MK to meet Azhagiri
Monday, June 23, 2003
DMK chief M Karunanidhi will meet his son M K Azhagiri lodged in a prison in Tiruchi in connection with the murder of former Minister and DMK leader T Kiruttinan. Disclosing this to mediapersons here today after presenting a solatium to partymen at a function here, Karunanidhi, replying to a question on reports in a section of the media that Union Ministers were expected to meet Kanchipuram Seer Jayendra Saraswathi to find a solution to the Ayodhya dispute, said, 'I don't know. I came to know of it only through newspapers'. Asked about DMK's stand on the Ayodhya problem now that there were talks of a solution to it, Karunanidhi said he would welcome any settlement but, he added, the final decision should not be detrimental to peace in the country. Questioned if the decision on the Ayodhya issue should be left to the court or sorted out outside, he said whatever the decision, it must be for good. It should not provoke religious clashes, he said. The DMK supremo distributed educational aid to the tune of Rs 1.45 lakh from the DMK Trust to partymen from various parts of the State.
Sandiyar: Update
Monday, June 23, 2003
All set for shooting, after trouble After generating controversy and hype, Kamal Haasan's Sandiyar is all set to take off. An enthusiastic Kamal Haasan, who is producing and directing the film would be rushing to Madurai to begin shooting soon. The entire unit of Sandiyar, which had to be recalled to Chennai from Madurai, will be returning in the next few days. The shooting of the controversial film was postponed after objections were raised by Puthiya Tamizhagam leader Dr K Krishnaswamy, about the title. Meanwhile, a meeting with Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa helped Kamal sort out the issue. Here are excerpts from Kamal Haasan's interview to Rediff.Com during the course of which he discloses the troubles his movie has so far come across, what exactly took place during his meeting with the Chief Minister and also on the change of the title (Sandiyar). 'She (Jayalalithaa) spent around 40 minutes with me for a 10-minute problem,' Kamal Haasan says and adds that 'the Chief Minister assured me not to get worried'. I asked her if there was any misunderstanding between us regarding the issue. She told me there was no problem at all. She said she didn't want the controversy to snowball in my face.' Kamal who plans to release Sandiyar by this Deepavali, says Jayalalithaa asked if there was anything controversial in Sandiyar. 'When I told her the film could have 20 other titles, she told me to change the title,' he adds. 'I even offered to title it after one of my older films', he says and adds the Chief Minister was very helpful and offered to let him shoot anywhere in the State except places where there is communal tension. 'In fact there was communal tension where we were shooting two days after we packed up and so her advice is perfectly valid.' Kamal Haasan, however, still believes that changing the title is tantamount to infringing on his creative rights. 'If they are fighting about my film's title, I can remove it without affecting the film,' he adds. 'I lose nothing. Finally it's for the audience to decide the quality of the film. But someone has taken a political ride on my vehicle and I don't like it. I have to make the movie and I am going to.' About Jayalalithaa refusing the unit police protection, he says, 'I never asked her for police protection. I just wanted crowd control.' On his latest home production Nala Damayanthi featuring Madhavan in the lead role, Kamal Haasan says the movie is doing extremely well and the collections are getting better by the day. 'We earlier produced a film Sathi Leelavathi, which was remade as as Biwi No 1 in Hindi. Nala Damayanthi is expected to be as successful'. He adds: 'I intend to make the movie, which is all about a Palghat Brahmin cook in Australia in Hindi too.' On Madhavan, he says, the actor has done complete justice to the role in the movie.
Manirathinam, back after a year
Monday, June 23, 2003
Manirathinam, back after a year Director Manirathinam needs no introduction. Having made his debut with Pagal Nilavu, this talented director has virtually dominated Kollywood with hits one after another. Ever since Roja, in which Manirathinam dealt with terrorism in the Kashmir valley, his movies started gaining international attention. Such is the class of Manirathinam, who returns almost after a year after Kannathil Mutthamittal to wield the megaphone. A man of innovative thoughts, Manirathinam has a big starcast with quite a few popular names for his forthcoming movie, which is yet to be titled. It is being made simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil. The very news of Manirathinam returning to action has raised the expectations among many in the industry. The movie is being made in Hindi with Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan and Vivek Oberoi in the lead, while Rani Mukherjee, Kareena Kapoor and Simran, who seems to be trying her luck in Bollywood, are also cast in the film. However, sources say, Manirathinam, known to keep things close to his heart, has begun shooting for the Hindi version of the movie. Meanwhile it is believed that Madhavan, a regular feature in Manirathinam's movies in recent days, Surya and Shaam are to be cast in the Tamil version. While Jyothika, Trisha and Meera Jasmine are expected to act opposite them. Manirathinam, who rewrote the history of Tamil filmdom with hits like Naayakan, Agni Nakshatram, Thalapathy, Bombay, Anjali, Iruvar, Roja, Uyire has decided to choose romance as the subject for his forthcoming film.
A singer's son turns into producer
Monday, June 23, 2003
S P B Charan, son of noted playback singer S P Balasubramaniam, who turned his attention to acting is all set to play the lead role in Unnaiyae Saran Adainthen, which he is producing. Like any other person in the industry, Charan seems to have waited for a big break in the filmdom and when it failed, he decided to take the challenge head-on by producing a film. The musical score for Unnaiyae Saran Adainthen is by SPB. The movie also has Venkat Prabhu, Nizhalgal Ravi, Anju and 'Paravai' Muniamma in the cast. A model from Mumbai Meera Vasudevan is making her debut. Venkat Prabhu, who acted alongside Srikanth and Sneha in April Madhathil says it was a pleasant experience to act is this film which has a strong storyline and effective screenplay. Samuthrakani, one-time associate of K Balachander, who has directed a couple of TV serials including Oonjal and Anni is making his debut as a director through Unnaiyae Saran Adainthen. Music director Illayaraja spontaneously agreed to render his voice for a song in SPB's tune as soon as he heared it, Charan says. 'It is indeed a privilege for us to have Illayaraja singing in the movie.' Rajesh Yadav has handled the cinematography, editing by K Palanivel, stunts by 'Thalapathy' Dinesh and art by P Suresh.
Will things get sweeter for Jeeva?
Monday, June 23, 2003
Will things get sweeter for Jeeva? After his first film Asai Asaiyay enjoying moderate success, this young hero Jeeva teams up again with his father R B Choudhary for his next venture Thithikudhe which introduces young director Brindha Sarathy, who had written the dialogues for Anandham. Speaking about the movie, Jeeva says, 'when I was shooting for Asai Asaiyay, Brindha Sarathy came and urged me to take up the role. The story was good and hence I immediately accepted the offer. It is yet another love story, but narrated in a totally different way. Sridevi Vijayakumar and Sruthika are acting along with me.' 'We shot a song in Switzerland and it has really come out well. It would be released next month.' Asked about his debut film, Jeeva says, 'thanks to my father, I am where I am today. I initially wanted to be a technician, but luck has brought me before the screen. From then on, I decided to sharpen my acting skills and stunts.' 'Though my debut film was not a smashing hit, I didn't feel guilty for it. I gave my best. Thank God, people accepted me as an actor', he says and adds, 'my forthcoming movie would be for Super Good Films again and I hope it will be an action-packed film'. Meanwhile, Brindha Sarathy, who makes his debut as director (26th to be introduced by Super Good Films), says the movie has come out well. Jeeva plays the role of a music shop owner. The dialogues are very emotive and would capture the imagination of the audience. The highlight of the movie is Vivek's comedy. Playing the role of Punch Bala, he comes out with hilarious dialogues all through the movie. Vidyasagar's music has come good and the audio is already doing brisk business. With the movie ready for release next month, it is upto the audience to give their verdict, he adds.
Dr Prakash case: Witness dies
Monday, June 23, 2003
One of the two women, connected with the case of pornography doctor, Prakash, who attempted suicide Tuesday, died in a hospital at Purasawalkam this morning. According to sources, the deceased Asha consumed pesticide along with a nurse Chitra, who is still struggling for her life. It is said that Asha decided to take the extreme step because of alleged 'continuous torture by the police'. The police however, said that they had been in touch with Chitra and her sister-in-law Asha only for official purposes and denied torturing them.
T M Soundararajan takes wrong medicine, hospitalised
Monday, June 23, 2003
CHENNAI: Well-known playback singer T M Soundararajan was hospitalised on Sunday after he consumed a wrong medicine at his Mylapore residence. The 81-year-old singer, also known as the `voice of MGR' after he sang a series of hit songs featuring M G Ramachandran, was under heavy medication recently. He is said to have picked the wrong medicine and consumed it at around 4.30 p.m. on Saturday. Only his wife Sumithra and daughter Mallika were at home then. Sumithra told our website owned news daily that she had gone to prepare soup for her husband, when he walked across to the next room where the medicines were kept and took the wrong one. TMS' two sons who were informed about the incident immediately rushed to the house and admitted him to a private hospital here. Hospital authorities said he had responded well to the treatment and was likely to be discharged on Monday.
AU directs colleges to return original certificates to students
Monday, June 23, 2003
CHENNAI: The Anna University has issued a final notice to its 240-odd affiliated engineering colleges in the State to return all original certificates to students immediately or face disapproval of the current academic year's admission list. Sources said the Anna University Registrar Ganapathi had a few days ago sent individual communication to the principals of the engineering colleges to ensure that original certifiates retained at the college offices, except the transfer certificate, were handed back to the students. Significantly, the direction would apply not just for first year students but also to existing students who are in the second, third and fourth year engineering course. The colleges can instead retain attested photocopies of the Plus Two marksheet, conduct certificate and community certificate for any official reference. It may be recalled that on various occasions in the recent past, Anna University Vice Chancellor E Balagurusamy had insisted on this norm to prevent harassment of students by the managements of some private colleges. Towards the end of May, the varsity had once again written to the colleges asking them to return original documents. Yet, complaints kept pouring in from students and parents that the managements were not obliging them whenever they sought their mark sheets or community certificates. The case of one girl student was indeed moving. The girl, Sujatha (name changed on request) had joined an engineering college, which has now been blacklisted by the varsity. Since she was not interested in pursuing BE in some other college, she approached the college authorities to return her Plus Two marksheets and other original papers so that she could join a B.Sc (Computer Science) course at an arts and science college in the city. However, the engineering college is refusing to return her original documents and she is at a loss as the admission to arts and science colleges is drawing to a close. Taking such cases into account, the varsity has now instructed the principals to obtain "due acknowledgement" from the respective students after returning their certificates. The colleges have further been asked to sent to the university, at the earliest, a declaration that the documents have been handed over to the students. The university warned that the admission list sent by defaulting colleges will not be approved by the varsity for the academic year 2003-04. Similar action would follow any complaints received from studenets on this score in future.
Jaswant denies mission to Kancheepuram was to sort Ayodhya tangle
Monday, June 23, 2003
Jaswant denies mission to Kancheepuram was to sort Ayodhya tangle CHENNAI: Union Finance Minister Jaswant Singh and Defence Minister George Fernandes on Saturday called on Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal at his Mutt in Kancheepuram, 70 km from here, and were closetted with him for more than an hour. Details of the discussions were not divulged. Talking to the media later, the duo dismissed as "unfounded" all speculation to the effect that they had met the Acharya to discuss with him his latest proposals on the Ayodhya tangle. ``The speculation that we are on a mission was unfounded,'' he said. Jaswant Singh claimed he was in Kacheepuram with his wife in connection with the inauguration of a technical unit in the Viswa Maha Vidyalaya, a deemed university run by the Mutt. When a reporter pointed out that it could not have been all that coincidental that the meeting was taking place at a time when the Ayodhy issue itself was at its peak, came the quip, ``Lord Ramachandara was there when Ayodhya was at its peak." With mock humility, he went on to observe that he was too small a man to talk on the Ayodhya issue. Pressed whether he was perhaps a "small" messenger of Prime Minister Vajpayee, he ducked again, saying that he was an ordinary citizen of the country. "Ayodhya issue is figuring much more in the minds of the media than it is in my mind," he said answering a question whether the Ayodhya issue at lest figured in his meeting with the Sankaracharya. Jaswant Singh said he would pray for a political solution which was peaceful, which met the expectations of every one and which did not create any difficulty for the society. "What could be better than that, this is the most constructive thing that can happen," he said. Defence Minister George Fernandes, for his part, said he was taking the message of happiness from the Acharya to the Prime Minister. Asked about the latest initiative taken by the Shankaracharya, he said any suggestion was most welcome. "A suggestion from the Acharya is certainly most welcome," he said. He denied that there was any difference of opinion among the NDA partners on the issue. The Acharya, who too had a brief interaction with the media after the two Ministers left, asserted that the duo's visit had nothing whatsoever to do with the Ayodhya issue. He was, however, confident that the proposals he had sent across to the Muslim Personal Law Board (MPLB)would evoke a positive response. He maintained that the issue was heading towards an amicable settlement. He said the representatives of the MPLB were in touch with him. However he refused to reveal any details of his fresh proposals. "They themselves have kept the letter in their cupboard. How can I say anything about it now?" he wondered, smiling. "The letter will be discussed in the MPLB meeting on July 6. Come to me on July seven. I will clarify all your doubts," he promised. Asked for his reaction to the criticism expressed by the VHP and RSS over his proposals, he said in a democratic country every one had the right to express his or her opinions on any issue. Significantly though he scotched speculations that he had suggested that the Hindus would drop their claims on Kasi and Mathura if only the Muslims agreed to the construction of a temple on the site where the Babri Masjid had stood. He said he had not made any comment on Mathura, Kasi or Varanasi. Asked about Puri Sankaracharya's crticism of his mediatory efforts, he joked, saying the Puri Acharya had become a "sankadacharya." "I want to get the problem resolved in an amicable manner," he said responding to a question why he was taking more interest than the politicians in the matter.
Marxists turning a blind eye to reality: PT chief
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Joining issue with the CPI(M) which has criticised Puthiya Tamizhagam's objection to the film Sandiyar, party president K Krishnasamy has said it was surprising that the Marxists, who dwelt on problems in every every other part of the world, were turning a blind eye to 'reality' in the southern parts of Tamilnadu. In a statement here, he charged that the State CPI(M) had taken sides with the dominant caste at the time of 'Mudukulathoor clashes' and criticised the practise of Communism in India and in the State. Quoting scholars from different parts of the world, he said Communists in Asia had been criticised as 'destabilising forces'. Indian Communists had acquired an identity of being strong believers in caste and religion. Citing the observations made by Communist scholar, Amalendukuga, he said the scholar had regretted attempts made in the country to implement straight away the Communist movement of Europe without taking into consideration the casteist divisions here. The PT chief said Marxists too were to blame for the failure to have recorded the name of Sankaralingam, who destroyed a British arms cache, as captain of Veerapandiya Kattabomman, during the freedom stuggle in early stages. Marxists, among others, had derided the struggle launched by him against the two-tumbler system in Coimbatore district, he claimed. Observing that art must pave the way for change in society, Krishnasamy said the 'culture of murder' must not be permitted to become institutionalised. Quoting former Chief Minster C N Annadurai as saying that casteism would pave the way for violence in society, he said filming of Marudhanayagam had been stopped and film Bharathi Kannamma, which upheld caste amity, had been prevented from having a successful run. The Communists, however, had remained silent over such films, he remarked. Pointing to a resolution passed by the CPI(M) stating that the threat to stall filming of Sandiyar, 'takes away creative freedom', he asked why did the not the Communists pass a resolution condemning the act of violence against him when he was touring Pappapatti Panchayat in connection with the local body poll. Stating that recurrence of caste clashes which followed the film Thevar Magan must not be allowed to taken place in the case of Sandiyar which, he claimed, glorifies the culture of swords and holds a casteist implication to instill fear in the mind of another caste, he said preventing violence which could be a fallout of such films was in the interest of Tamil society. He described Marxists as 'dreamers who believe there will be no caste just because they believe it is so in society'.
Maran to be shifted to Bangalore?
Saturday, June 21, 2003
The family of Union Minister Murasoli Maran, who is undergoing treatment in a private hospital in the US, is said be contemplating shifting the ailing leader to a hospital in Bangalore since there was no improvement in his condition. According to sources, Maran may be shifted back to India in a few weeks and his family is considering admitting him to the Mallaiah Medical Centre or a hospital belonging to the Saibaba Trust in Bangalore. The DMK leader M Karunanidhi had called for an enquiry into the treatment provided to the Union Minister and written to Prime Minister A B Vajpayee in this regard. He had also announced that Maran's son Kalanidhi Maran would bear the expenses for the treatment of his father.
Cable guys caught in the cross-fire
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Cable operators in Chennai are now caught in the crossfire between two MSOs - Hathway and SCV - which are both vying with each other to expand their base. A section of operators feel that the MSOs should demarcate their boundaries and continue with their business in an amicable way instead of fighting it out. They allege that in areas where the operators receive signals from one particular MSO, they were being threatened or pressurised by the other through local political party leaders, rowdies and goondas. In a few areas, one MSO has been taking efforts to create 'puppet operators'. In the event of CAS being implemented, the MSOs want to establish supremacy. They are said to be giving even monetary support apart from providing signals at a cheaper rate to make inroads in such areas where they enjoy little patronage. This has had an adverse effect on operators who have been in the trade for the last 13 years. Having invested huge amounts over the years, they feel they are helpless in the present situation, they say. The operators also alleged that this rivalry has led to cutting of cables in many areas and filing of false complaints in police stations. 'This mars our reputation among customers,' they say. Some operators say SCV is pressurising many Hathway operators to take up their signal by claiming that they alone can provide channels like KTV, Gemini and SCV. Eventually, they have succeeded in establishing themselves in areas including Thiruvanmiyur that was the stronghold of Hathway. Meanwhile, Hathway has been using arm-twisting tactics to force SCV operators switch over to their signals in other areas. Keeping CAS implementation in mind, both the MSOs want to have their own operators and establish their monopoly. Other cable operators feel that the huge investment they had made would yield fruit but their dreams have been shattered by this unhealthy rivalry. They say their survival is being threatened by the MSOs. A few operators have even threatened to commit suicide if things get out of control. Meanwhile, the Tamizhaga Cable TV Operators' General Welfare Association held an emergency meeting and expressed their concern over the issue.
School blames it on family
Saturday, June 21, 2003
A week after the suicide committed by a 16-year-old student of Velammal Matriculation Higher Secondary School, alleged to have been a fallout of corporal punishment, the school management today squarely blamed the boy's family members for the incident and said it was planning to file a damage suit against them. Addressing media persons, some of whom adopted an aggressive posture, M V Muthuramalingam, chairman of the school, said the management was not ready to buy the theory that the student took the extreme step because the teacher had punished him for not attending a special class. 'Information available with us indicates that the boy had never written anything about the school in the suicide note but about one Ravi and also about his sister's marriage', claimed Muthuramalingam. Claiming that the boy's maths teacher had been arrested only because of media pressure and based on a complaint filed by the family, he said that the true picture would emerge in another two to three days' time. He also claimed that his school had earlier suspended teachers against whom parents had complained that they were resorting to corporal punishment.
Parai
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Films with a strong and emotive story are a rare commodity these days. With Parai, director K S Ravikumar tries to fill the void, presenting a touching story with host of characters sans heroism. However, had the director paid more attention to the screenplay, Parai would have provided much better fare. Sarath Kumar plays a tough and arrogant lorry driver in the movie. Ramya Krishnan, Meena, Vijayan, Mansoor Ali Khan, Vinoo Chakravarthy, Ramesh Khanna are also in the cast. However, the pick is a small character played by Jayaram, who is a cleaner in Sarath's lorry. Jayaram develops an intimacy with him. He decides to take a break and go to meet his wife Meena and child in his village. But in a freak mishap, he loses his life. Sarath Kumar, shown as a tough man who had spent his younger days in a reformatory school for committing a murder, moved by the plight of Jayaram's family, decides to stay with them and help them. He vows to fulfill Jayaram's last dream - to build a house for his child. In the event, he comes across a landlord Vijayan in the village and takes him on for committing bad deeds. Meanwhile, Ramya Krishnan, who runs a tea shop in the village falls in love with him. While people in the village suspect Sarath's relationship with Meena on one side and Sarath taking on the misdeeds of the landlord on the other side, the rest of the story has more twists and turns. Towards the climax, gory scenes of one chopping the hands and legs of others irritates the audience. Though Sarath appears mature in his performance in a few scenes, he stands like a 'rock' in some scenes. All through the film, Sarath smokes beedis and drinks frequently. Meena has no scope to perform, while Ramya Krishnan has given a refreshing performance. The comedy of Ramesh Khanna and 'City' Babu is lively. The duo seem to evoke laughter whenever they appear on the screen. Re-recording which should have added more strength to this emotional drama is disappointing. Sabesh-Murali have tried out many sounds which at times takes the life out of the movie. A couple of tunes are good. However, few questions remains unanswered in Parai. How did Sarath and Jayaram come together and why Vinoo Chakravarthy cares a lot for Sarath even when the latter fails to re-pay his loans. Has Ravikumar left it for the audience to decide?
Plan to protect Vivekananda memorial
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Taking into consideration the good tourism potential that it had, the Kanyakumari district administration here is evolving schemes, including protecting the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Saint Tiruvalluvar’s statue. Disclosing this, collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi told reporters here today that for promoting tourism in the district, a scheme with an outlay of Rs 6 crore had been formulated. The idea was to get the district declared as a tourism district. Out of the allocation, money would be spent for the improvement of the coastal areas of Muttom, Sanguthurai, Sothavilai and Thengapattinam for beautification so that more and more tourists could be attracted. Bedi said a scheme had been evolved for the protection of Vivekananda memorial and Tiruvalluvar’s statue from the sea wind. He said the district administration also proposes to improve and develop places of interest in Eraniel from the MPs and MLAs area development funds. (Agencies)
RPF constable run over by train
Friday, June 20, 2003
Madurai, June 20: A railway protection force constable was killed after he was run over by a Madurai-Kollam train at Kallikudi near here last night. Police said the constable, who was patrolling the track, had attempted to get into the train to go to Virudhunagar when he fell down. Both his legs and a hand were chopped off. He was rushed to hospital but died on the way, police said. (Agencies)
Prisoner commits suicide at Madurai
Friday, June 20, 2003
Madurai, June 20: A 'mentally challenged' murder-accused prisoner allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself using his dhoti in his cell at the central jail here, official sources said. They said the prisoner was convicted to life imprisonment along with 17 others in connection with a murder case in 1997. The jail authorities put him in a separate cell as he was a mentally challenged person, they said. A magisterial inquiry was ordered into the incident, they said. (Agencies)
World's largest condom on display
Friday, June 20, 2003
In a bid to create awareness about AIDS and role of condom in prevention of the deadly disease, a 'water condom', billed to be the world's largest, has been put on display near a lake close to Chennai. The condom, measuring 300 feet in length and 30 feet in breadth, was kept on display at the Muttukadu Boat House, about 60 km from Chennai, by Indian Community Welfare Organisation, a non-governmental agency involved in STD, HIV and AIDS prevention in Tamil Nadu in the past nine years. The condom, designed at a cost of Rs 90,000, was put on display by Dr Krishnamurthy, director, Tamil Nadu Public Health Services, last evening in the presence of Dr Bimal Charles of AIDS Prevention and Control (APAC) funded by USAID. The aim of the event was to disseminate information on the Sexually Transmitted Diseases and reach larger public through media, ICWO secretary A J Hariharan said. The ICWO had put up on display a 150-foot-long condom in the city last year on the World AIDS Day in association with the Tamil Nadu government. The previous largest condom on record was 87-foot-long one designed in France in 1997, Hariharan said. Efforts were on to include this feat, sponsored by Hindustan Lever Limited, APAC and local Rotary Clubs, in the Guinness Book of Records, he added. (Our Correspondent)
Go for green power, says Kannappan
Friday, June 20, 2003
Union Minister of State for Non-Conventional Energy M Kannappan said today at least 18,000 remote villages in the country would be electrified with the help of renewable energy sources. Inaugurating a CII-organised conference on 'Green Power', here, the Minister called upon corporates to turn their attention to renewable energy not only to meet their demands but also as a business proposition. He said in order to achieve the goal of 10 per cent share of the country's power generation from renewable energy by 2012, an investment of at least Rs 60,000 crore was required. "Out of this, at least Rs 15,000 crore is expected to come from the private sector and the rest from financial institutions," he added. Jamshed N. Godrej, past-chairman of CII, said the CII's green business centre, coming up at Hyderabad, would have a 20 kw grid connected solar power plant as a demo project to inspire the industry and community to go for green power. (Our Correspondent)
TN in forefront in blood donation
Friday, June 20, 2003
Blood is the lifeline of a human being and it can neither be manufactured in an industrial unit nor purchased in a market. In India, there is a shortage of 40 per cent in the demand and availability of blood as only 60 per cent of it is collected through voluntary donations. However, Tamil Nadu is one of the top states in the country collecting about 85 to 90 per cent of its demand through voluntary donors. Tamil Nadu annually requires about 4.20 lakh units of blood (a unit is 350 cc) to supply to various hospitals undertaking major surgeries. The state is now in a position to collect as much as 3.70 lakh units, mostly through donors, in the age group of 18 to 60, the prime age group being 18 to 35 years. Says R Rajkumar, secretary of the Association of Voluntary Blood Donors, Tamil Nadu, "in India nearly nine million units of blood is collected annually from voluntary donors, constituting 60 per cent of the requirements. There is shortage of blood to the tune of 40 per cent in the country and the collection differs from state to state depending on the population of each state". The Madras Voluntary Blood Bank (MVBB), started in 1975, which is now being looked after by Rajkumar, has done yeoman service in the field of maintaining registers for donors, arranging camps for collecting blood and distributing it to various hospitals in the Metropolis free of cost. In the last 25 years, the MVBB had supplied nearly three lakh units of blood to various hospitals, including government hospitals. (Our Correspondent)
Gang held for murder, rape and robbery
Friday, June 20, 2003
Police have arrested 13 members of a gang involved in several cases of robbery, rape and murder in and around of Madurai rural limits in the last few months. Police said a special team formed to investigate the murder of a woman, who was found dead with stab injuries at Karupay near here a few months ago, arrested four members of the gang, who were moving under suspicious circumstance in the same area last night. They confessed that the woman was murdered by them. Further investigation revealed that the four members, along with 13 others were involved in various anti-social activities and the murder of about ten women. Police said four members of the gang were yet to be arrested. (Agencies)
Revamp of curriculum in women's college
Friday, June 20, 2003
Tiruchirapalli,The Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy College for Women here has envisaged a total revamp of curriculum and syllabi effective this academic year itself. Instead of regular courses in one discipline, supportive elective subjects for a degree course, the college had started offering a wide range of prime courses in 22 headings. Career-oriented ancillary subjects numbering over 30 topics with liberty of choice and additional programmes of certificate courses in vocational acumen have been provided for the students, college sources said. The college has around 5,000 students, including PG and research. (Agencies)
Five Hyderabad hospitals being probed for kidney trafficking
Friday, June 20, 2003
IANS HYDERABAD: A thriving kidney trafficking racket has been busted here with the arrest of 13 people connected with private hospitals allegedly involved in 51 illegal transplantations during the last two years. Top Hyderabad police officer A.K. Khan said the names would be revealed only after investigations into the five private hospitals and their doctors were completed. The flourishing business came to light after police arrested six brokers and seven donors, including one from neighbouring Karnataka, on Thursday. Khan said they had evidence linking at least two doctors working with the gang. The brokers, who had themselves sold one kidney each, were luring poor donors into selling their kidneys for Rs.60,000 to Rs.100,000 each. The brokers' commission from this transaction would be anywhere between Rs.10,000 and Rs.50,000. The brokers would scout various hospitals looking for patients needing a kidney transplant. They would then establish contact with the patient, find out the blood group and arrange a donor accordingly. The gang would lure people from different parts of the state into donating their kidneys. Police seized 30 rubber stamps of various government departments, a computer and material used to prepare fake certificates and other documents necessary for kidney donations. Under the Andhra Pradesh Transplantation of Human Organs Act and Rules 1995, all kidney donations - except from a blood relative - need permission from an Authorisation Committee formed under the Act. Donation by an unrelated person, even a distant relative, can be accepted only after the committee has been satisfied that the donor is giving his kidney out of genuine concern for the patient and not with a commercial motive. Khan said police would submit their investigation report to the Authorisation Committee for action against the hospitals and doctors involved in the racket. He admitted that illegal trading in human organs for therapeutic purposes had gained momentum. However, investigations were on and criminal action would be initiated against the doctors and five corporate hospitals involved in the racket, he said. Since one of the donors is from Bellary in Karnataka, police are probing possible links in the neighbouring state.
Kamal Haasan meets Jayalalitha over film, may change title
Friday, June 20, 2003
Chennai, June 20 (IANS) Actor-director Kamal Haasan Friday met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha over shooting of his controversial film "Sandiyar" and said he might change its name to avoid disputes. "If the name is creating problems, we might change it," Kamal Haasan told reporters after his discussions with Jayalalitha over the film, the shooting of which was stalled following protests from Dalit groups and political parties. The meaning of the word 'sandiyar' is someone who is constantly at war or quarrelsome. The film deals with two families in southern Tamil Nadu's Madurai region. Kamal Haasan assured Jayalalitha that his story would not hurt caste sentiments. He is thinking of calling the movie "Sakala Kala Vallavan", or master of all skills. Those against the film, including the Puthiya Tamizhagam political party, said it would encourage caste clashes as it deals with an inter caste romance. Kamal Haasan was ready to begin shooting for the film in the Madurai-Theni region of the state in June. However, with protests mounting, he sought police protection for his 200-strong team shooting in remote villages in Theni. Shooting was shelved after the government said it was not possible to provide police protection for three months or more to the team in remote areas. Kamal Haasan has been seeking a personal audience with the chief minister for more than a week. After shooting here was cancelled, Andhra Pradesh offered the versatile actor an alternative location in Rajamundry for the film. The politically influential Thevar community, seen as the traditional backers of the state's ruling AIADMK, Thursday offered protection to Kamal Haasan's crew. He had earlier made a popular film on the community called "Thevar Magan". The actor looked distinctly relieved that the dispute was nearing an amicable solution and said that he would try to resume shooting soon.
Star couple actress Revathi and cinematographer Suresh Menon separates
Thursday, June 19, 2003
It seems to be season for separation of star couples in kollywood. The latest to jump onto the bandwagon, loaded with Kamal Haasan-Sarika, Parthiban-Seetha and Raghuvaran-Rohini, are actress Revathi and cinematographer Suresh Menon. The couple, who got married way back in 1986, said they had 'mutually decided to separate from each other for few a personal reasons. There is no hatred between us'. Asked about the reason for separation, Revathy said 'due to personal reasons, we mutually arrived at a decision to lead an independent and separate life. For the last seven months, I have been living at my parents' place in Shenoy Nagar, while Suresh Menon is residing at Kilpauk. We still have cordial relationship between us. I will be directing a Hindi movie for Suresh Menon's Telephoto Films in the coming months', she said. Suresh Menon also echoed her views. 'There is no hatred between us and there is no financial difficulty which pushed us to this decision. It is a decision arrived mutually, after detailed thought'. Actress Revathy made her debut in Manvasanai directed by Bharathiraja and followed it up with good performances in Pudhumai Penn, Punnagai Mannan, Mouna Ragam, Anjali, Kai Kodukum Kai, Kizhaku Vasal, Thevar Magan and a few others. She has acted in lead roles in Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi films too. Suresh Menon entered the Tamil filmdom as a cinematographer in Thodarum Uravu. Even after their wedding in 1986, Revathy continued to act in films. Meanwhile, the couple started a production house Telephoto Films and produced few movies like Pudhiya Mugam and Pasa Malargal, which did not succeed in box-office. Their last venture Mithr - My Friend received wide appreciation, yet failed in the box-office.
Cell operators sing sad tune
Thursday, June 19, 2003
With new and attractive phones being on offer, your multi-tuned cellphones may not have stopped ringing. But cellphone companies, which are offering those schemes, are playing the exact opposite of those tunes. Having gone the whole hog in the competition against the Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) and land line operators, cellular operators now say they are paying a price for their 'low prices' and new packages. It is little consolation for them that the user base has risen to12 million by March 2003 from the measly 6 million just a year ago. Many companies have said that they are on the brink of financial sickness, with the total loss of the companies pegged at over Rs 7,100 crore. Worryingly, they say the figure will increase in the coming months. Most of them say that they had offered 'unviable' schemes after the launch of the WLL services. Offers like free incoming calls, lower STD rates, though having resulted in an increase in usage by 10 per cent in May as compared to April, both in the pre-paid and post-paid segments, have also hit their bottomline. According to industry figures, in the post-paid segment, average usage has gone up from less than 650 minutes in April, to 700 minutes a month in May. Cell companies are blaming the government for their predicament. The Cellular Operators Association has specifically said the entry of WLL services has had an impact on them. The operators have said the situation is dire and the industry is no longer able to generate the funds required for increased capital expenditure to service its growing subscriber base and provide service at specified quality of service levels to cellular consumers.
Hi-tech cricket betting racket busted in Chennai
Thursday, June 19, 2003
City police have busted a gang involved in cricket betting and arrested four persons in this connection. According to a police press note, a special police team acting on a complaint filed by one Sirajuddin of Parrys area stating that he was cheated by a gang which promised to double the money he had paid them. On receiving information from Sirajuddin that the gang was operating from a house in Kotturpuram, a team of police personnel from the Flower Bazaar station raided a house. During the raid, police seized one colour television, eight cellphones, one laptop computer, three landline phones, a tape-recorder and Rs.2,500 cash among others. The four arrested - Parvez, Mahender, Bharath and Shankar - were said to be involved in cricket betting. S N Seshasayee, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Flower Bazaar), inspected the seized items. Assistant Commissioner Arumugasamy and inspector Edward were also present. The raids were conducted under instructions from city police Commissioner K Vijay Kumar and Joint Commissioner (North) C Sylendra Babu. HI-TECH FRAUD: The items seized from a gang involved in a cricket betting racket on display. A case has been registered with the Flower Bazaar police and further investigations are on.
Voter ID cards online
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Voter ID cards online NT Bureau Chennai, June 18: The Election Commission favoured using electronic voting machines in all constituencies in the next general elections, Election Commissioner, B B Tandon, said today. Talking to reporters here along with Justice Kuldip Singh, Chairman, Delimitation Commission on Constituencies, Tandon said the Election Commission was ready to conduct general elections and in a state of full preparedness. He said electoral rolls in Tamilnadu had been updated till 1 January 2003 and would be updated again this year to enable all those who complete 18 years of age to vote in the next general elections. In the next phase, all voters can get their voter-ID cards online, which, he said, would prevent confusion. 'They can go to the centre and collect their ID within 30 minutes time', Tandon said and added that 65 per cent of voters in Tamilnadu already had ID cards and the rest could get the cards online in the next phase, expected to begin in another two to three months' time. Some 65 per cent voters in the country had voter ID cards while in Pondicherry the percentage stood at 99, he said.
Voter ID cards online
Thursday, June 19, 2003
The Election Commission favoured using electronic voting machines in all constituencies in the next general elections, Election Commissioner, B B Tandon, said today. Talking to reporters here along with Justice Kuldip Singh, Chairman, Delimitation Commission on Constituencies, Tandon said the Election Commission was ready to conduct general elections and in a state of full preparedness. He said electoral rolls in Tamilnadu had been updated till 1 January 2003 and would be updated again this year to enable all those who complete 18 years of age to vote in the next general elections. In the next phase, all voters can get their voter-ID cards online, which, he said, would prevent confusion. 'They can go to the centre and collect their ID within 30 minutes time', Tandon said and added that 65 per cent of voters in Tamilnadu already had ID cards and the rest could get the cards online in the next phase, expected to begin in another two to three months' time. Some 65 per cent voters in the country had voter ID cards while in Pondicherry the percentage stood at 99, he said.
Cong set for a new beginning in TN?
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Will the two leaders - S Balakrishnan, president and E V K S Elangovan, working president - who have been given a fresh lease of life, begin a new chapter in the TNCC? This is the question that is staring Congressmen in the face here following the development in New Delhi where AICC seems to have decided to leave the arrangement of dual presidents and every other appointment untouched for the present. A section of leaders here believes that the arrangement would be left untouched till the next Assembly elections. A positive fallout since the problem over leadership erupted in the State unit was that the AICC now had a better idea of issues relating to TNCC, a senior Congress leader said today. Consequently, both Balakrishnan and Elangovan seem to have cemented their position, too. The two leaders will be back in the city and will go on a tour of districts (the programme was announced as cancelled 15 July). The Kamaraj Centenary celebrations too will be held 19 July and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was expected to attend the programme, the leader said. The problem over leadership, which had been brewing for a while, peaked 15 July following indications given by the AICC that a change in presidentship was likely in the TNCC. However, talks with Elangovan who had indicated in New Delhi of his willingness to work with Balakrishnan, seem to have influenced the AICC to continue with the present arrangement. In backing Balakrishnan, Elangovan seems to have played his cards shrewdly. Balakrishnan's statements, too, maintaining that they have no problems with each other have successfully isolated AICC secretary G K Vasan, who was seen as the key figure behind the fissures. Now the detractors of the two leaders are left with no choice but to accept the arrangement backed by the AICC. Particularly, the 'Vasan coterie' which was unhappy over the two presidents cooperating with each other, seems to be left with no choice but to accept Balakrishnan, seen as a TMC man, at the helm. For this group now, resistance to Balakrishnan would mean something worse having Elangovan as their sole leader. As a result of the problem, Balakrishnan, according to a leader in the party, has now emerged as a strong person in the State. However, as a person who prefers to remain non-controversial, Balakrishnan is not likely to antagonise Vasan, leaders here indicate. Kamalnath, too, who came under criticism for his handling of the party's affairs in the State, has become the 'safest person for Tamilnadu now'.
MSOs wait for channels' move
Thursday, June 19, 2003
With the broadcasters and the MSOs locked up in a meeting with Information and Broadcasting department secretary Pavan Chopra at New Delhi today, details about the individual prices of pay channels are expected later tonight. Meanwhile, the MSOs are also waiting for the arrival of the set-top boxes, while the cable operators are taking efforts to reach out to the consumers and educate them on the set-top boxes. A senior office-bearer of the Confederation of Cable Operators said 'we expect the individual prices of the channels be declared tonight. Based on the prices and also the fact who will remain pay and who will not, the response to set-top boxes would be known.' Anyway, to know the response of the consumers for set-top boxes, the cable operators conducted few surveys in various parts of the city, which showed only eight per cent of patronage for set-top boxes, he said and added 'it would certainly pick up and in couple of years almost a majority would posses it. He recalled that when the cable TV came into vogue almost a decade ago, the patronage was very poor. But today, almost every household possesses a cable TV connection. Any product when enters the market would get lukewarm response, but in course of time if it is good, it would click. Similarly, CAS too would get the patronage of the masses in a couple of years time. Chennai cable operators feel North Indians (Hindi speaking group) would go for STBs since almost all the prime Hindi channels are pay channels.
IAF trainer aircraft crash lands
Thursday, June 19, 2003
A two seater training plane, belonging to Indian Air Force reportedly lost control and crash landed in Okiyam Thorappakkam this afternoon creating panic in the suburbs. According to sources, the two Air Force men who were in the small aircraft sustained minor injuries and were taken to the Military Hospital by a defence crew immediately after they crash landed.
Timely action averts major rail mishap
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Timely action averts major rail mishap NT Bureau Chennai, June 18: A major railway mishap was averted at Panruti yesterday due to the timely action of a junior engineer, who spotted a group of people meddling with the track. A press release from Southern Railway here today said the junior engineer Saravanan was inspecting the stretch between Serndanur and Panruti in the Villupuram-Cuddalore section yesterday when he found some persons on the track. Seeing the inspection team, the group fled but one Parasuram of Duraipandi village was arrested. Investigation revealed that 16 keys were missing from the track and the track was immediately restored. This ensured the smooth running of Tambaram-Rameswaram Sethu Express on the restored track.
Megaserials: How long will the bubble last?
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Megaserials: How long will the bubble last? The cinema industry is going through tough times while television (with the likes of megaserials, film-based programmes and sitcoms being telecast on various channels) is on the ascent. Megaserials across various television channels are the ones grabbing the attention of audiences. Megaserials are so popular that they are on all through the day. TV channels are so happening that some top film stars are making a beeline for the small screen. Megaserials like Chitti, Alaigal, Nambikkai and Agnisatchi, only to name a few, have set a new trend. Others like Annamalai have followed suit. With some of the teleserials going on seemingly endlessly, one even wonders how long will the charm of the megaserials hold. A chat with a few leading small screen artistes shows that they have varying thoughts on the issue. O A K Sundar (actor): Right now megaserials are enjoying their moment in the sun. It will change in the course of time. From dramas to short serials, it has come a long way. No doubt, the family megaserials will give way to something else after a few years. As for now, things appear good for mega-serials on TV. Maybe after a few years, serials with family sentiment as the main theme will give way to science fiction. Bombay Gnanam (actress): As times have changed people's choice too has changed. When going to a cinema became cost-effective, they turned to television for entertainment. Now megaserials are enjoying a good run, but how long they will continue to do so remains to be seen. When people get bored watching the TV serials they will surely turn to cinema. Yet, TV serials are having a good run now, it is good for us. Chetan (actor): Trends and format will keep changing.' Asked if the cinema industry had suffered because of the growing influence of television, he says it is not so. 'Both cinema and TV will co-exist.' On cinema stars coming to act in TV serials, he feels it is good. M S Baskar (actor): Good characters, script, direction and starcast will always ensure that megaserials are successful. The recent success of Alaigal and Chitti is an example. Well planned and executed scripts always appeal the masses. The entire unit should be dedicated and strive to give the best. The future for megaserials looks very bright. Vasu Vikram (actor): Today megaserials might be popular but it may not be so after a few years. Films and megaserials may have to give way for telefilms in the years to come when people might not have enough time sit through a three-hour movie. S Suresh (actor): Cinema will not lose its importance despite the popularity enjoyed by serials and other television programmes. Vijay Adhiraj (actor): TV is here to stay and as of |
