Nayan: The government seems to have finally woken up to the problems of the much-neglected North Chennai by sanctioning a road over bridge (RoB) and grade separator projects.  The bridge will be constructed near the Vysarpadi railway subway on the Grand Northern Trunk Road and the grade separator at the Moolakadai junction. The RoB will come up at the cost of Rs.55 crore, while the Moolakadai grade separator will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore, a senior highway department official told Deccan Chronicle. He added that both the proposals were in advanced stage and the tenders would be floated next month.

Nayan: For the first time in its history the Nilgiri Mountain Railway passenger train made its uphill journey well into the dark hours on Sunday. The Nilgiris Passenger fondly called as 'Toy Train' which runs between Metupalayam and Ooty, started its upward journey as usual at 8 am on Sunday morning. But, the steam locomotive developed a technical snag when it was reaching the Hillgrove area.  As it could not pull the train up, it had to be stopped at Aderly, nearly an hour after its departure from  Mettupa-layam.

Nayan: Tamil Nadu fishermen alleged that the Sri Lankan Navy fired on one of their boats again in the early hours. The incident was reported to have taken place off the village of Kodiakaraia and there is no confirmation yet of any casualties.  Three fishermen – Gnanavel (21), Mathivannan (18) and Thamizharasan (18) – are, however, yet to return home.  The Lankan Navy personnel are said to have jumped into the boat of one Ramaswamy to open fire in the air to intimidate the fishermen. They were also said to have damaged the nets that the fishermen had cast in the waters of the bay

Nayan: It is the largest-ever exhibition of medicinal herbs in the country. In addition to 650 fresh medicinal herbs collected from Kolli, Courtallam, Maruthuvazh and Kandarai hills, the ongoing exhibition at the Anna Government Siddha medical college at Arumba-kkam here has nearly 700 photographs of other medicinal plants with details of their curative powers.

Nayan: With just three days to go for the launch of the first phase of 'Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd' in Thanjavur on July 15, local cable TV operators (LCOs) and a multi system operator (MSO) are at loggerheads on how Arasu's signals should be routed. The corporation, however, has not revealed if the signals would be given directly to the LCOs or through an existing MSO from whom cable operators presently source their signals.

Nayan: The peacock may be India's national bird and a delight to the eyes but for the people of Ottapidaram taluk in Thoothukudi district, it is merely a delicacy. Villagers in Ottapidaram and Vilathikulam taluk, who had been poisoning the peacocks and peahens, as they destroyed their crops, have now taken to catapults to finish off the birds. Reason – the poisoned birds cannot be eaten and hence a cleaner way of killing them ensures the birds end up as dinner as well.

Nayan: The spate of road accidents which killed at least eight people in Chennai during the last seven days has raised concerns about safety of Chennai roads and the adequacy of traffic arrangements to tackle quadrupling vehicular population.  Malathi (35), a passenger in a speeding auto, was killed when the vehicle overturned on July 6. Two youth were killed while over speeding in their motorbike on Thursday on Sardar Patel Road where the traffic flow is smoother but faster after a long one-way round about was created around the Halda junction and Chinnamalai. The number of accidents involving government buses (MTC, SETC and other government buses) has gone up in the city after traffic changes. In the last five months alone 244 accidents were reported whereas there were only 526 accidents involving government buses during the whole of 2007.

Nayan: Government-run sand quarries at Pazhaya Seevaram and Vishar in Kancheepuram district arebrazenly breaking rules. Sand mining upto 20 feet is quite common on Palaru riverbed in Kancheepuram and Vellore districts while the depth allowed by the government is only three feet. This was captured in several scenes of the recently-released documentary film, My name is Palaru directed by R.R.Srinivasan.  "Sand mining up to 30 feet in Palaru creates water scarcity in the surrounding villages. Good water is available only up to 15 feet. Indiscriminate sand quarrying up to 30 feet depletes ground water," said Mr P. Durai, state convenor, Water protection movement, Mamandoor in Kancheepuram district.

Nayan: The CB-CID police arrested one of the highest performing agents of Gold Quest International, Padma (42) from Kilpauk, on Monday. According to the police, Padma had amassed over Rs 22 crores by way of commission from Gold Quest International.  "She was the main organiser of the multi-level-marketing scheme in India and abroad and had enrolled about a lakh members into the scheme," the police said. The police have also recovered two cars from the accused and seized some of her property.

Nayan: The ruling DMK's allies CPI (M) and CPI have opposed the acquisition of cultivable land for the proposed 3300-acre multi-product special economic zone (SEZ) in a joint venture by Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited at Hosur,  According to the government order issued by the secretary of industries department dated June 2, 2008, administrative sanction had been accorded for acquiring 2930.575 acres of patta dry lands and for alienation of 382.7 acres of poramboke lands, totalling to 3313.275 acres in Achettiapalli and Onnalvadi villages of Hosur taluk and Bairamangalam and Kundumaranapalli villages of Denkanikottai taluk in the district. But the Left parties allege that the wetlands are being acquired as dry lands for the proposed special economic zone. CPI state secretary D. Pandian said, We are against acquiring cultivable and cultivated land for the proposed special economic zone at Hosur.

Nayan: Dr S.A.R.Geelani, a lecturer from Delhi University, who was acquitted in the Parliament attack case, is now on a nationwide mission to release nearly one lakh political prisoners across the country. He wants Ms S. Nalini Srikaran, one of the accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, released unconditionally as she has already been pardoned by the family of Rajiv Gandhi.

Nayan: The ongoing gauge conversion works from Vellore cantonment to Thiruvanamalai, aimed to increase railway traffic, has hit a speed-breaker after Southern Railway terminated the Rs 40 crore contract awarded to an ISO certified Nagarjuna Construction Company Ltd citing lack of performance and default. However, the Hyderabad-based company claims that the contract was a 'premature termination' as they had refused to grease the palms of a few railway authorities. Speaking to media, a senior official of NCCL seeking anonymity said that the company has posted its personnel in full strength and pumped money running into 90 per cent of the piling work and earth filling had been completed. Terminating a contract at this juncture is a total injustice to the company, he added.