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Sunday, December 30, 2007

Chennai Open begins today

Rafael Nadal took his practice session very seriously on Sunday. His trademark grunts and low-key rituals were put through their tests, as his taped knees held fort. The World number two’s forehand carried no off-season rust.
Carlos Moya was next in line with a tapered down version of his forehand. The familiar indiscernible banter made its way across the Centre Court.
Through its 12-year history, the tournament has frequently sought the support of a group from miles away, to make up for a thin local presence. In some ways Moya’s consistent presence has lent the event shape and lifted it out of public apathy.
The tournament’s profile had taken a beating after some lacklustre matches. But Moya’s and Paradorn Srichaphan’s entertaining battles have brightened up the tournament in recent times. Their regular presence has endeared them to the Chennai crowds.Highpoint
Nadal’s presence in the 2007 Chennai Open ATP tournament, which starts on Monday, is the highlight. Improved facilities lead to better draws.
The Spaniards, by sheer numbers, have fancied their chances here. That is why Moya’s role in bringing his compatriots to the city cannot be underestimated. With a strong ‘mentor’ culture in their tennis, Spanish unity has worked well for the tournament.
Nadal was troubled by the Belgian Xavier Malisse last year, but the Spaniard has learnt to deal better with flat hitting since then. His year has gone along expected lines, with a stunning clay season, and a Wimbledon final appearance followed by mixed results.

Police to check boisterous revellers

Eight thousand policemen and officers would be on duty this New Year eve, said Commissioner of Police G. Nanchil Kumaran here on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, he said the police would be moving in different parts of the city from Monday afternoon. To check boisterous revellers, police personnel would move in 200 patrol vehicles.
Police personnel in plain clothes would be deployed at various places.
Additional security has been provided at places of worship.
Earlier this week, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Sunil Kumar said automatic traffic signals would function till 3 a.m. on January 1.
In case of an emergency, people can inform the “May I Help You” kiosks functioning at major intersections.
All vehicles would be stopped at the 50-odd check-posts for verification of documents.
Permission had been granted to hoteliers to keep their licensed permit rooms open till midnight following their request to the Deputy Commissioners of Police in the city, he replied to a query. Farm houses on East Coast Road and other stretches would be closely observed.
As long as those who celebrated New Year eve did not create trouble, the police would not interfere.
In the guise of celebrations, if there were complaints of eve-teasing, the police would take stern action.
Vehicles driven by persons under the influence of alcohol would be impounded, Mr. Kumaran warned.
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Apparel training, design centre commissioned

The fifth Apparel Training and Design Centre (ATDC) in the State was commissioned in the district on Sunday by Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology A. Raja.
Sponsored by the Apparel Export Promotion Council, Union Ministry of Textiles, the Perambalur facility, established to empower women and employable youth, is the 38th in the country. The four other centres in Tamil Nadu are at Tirupur, Dharmapuri, and Guindy and Mogappair in Chennai.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Land identified for six industrial complexes

The State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu has identified six hotspots along the Chennai-Hosur National Highway for setting up industrial complexes as part of the proposed Industrial Corridor of Excellence.
Further, the SIPCOT has identified more than 10,000 acres of land to set up the ‘Land Bank’ mentioned by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in the New Industrial Policy 2007.
Several international and local promoters are already queuing up before government agencies seeking land to set up their ventures in and around Chennai. The Chief Minister had proposed setting up of the ICE during the last week of October 2007 to boost the State economy.
Talking to The Hindu, SIPCOT Chairman and Managing Director N. Govindan said, “We have moved in swiftly and have identified the land required for setting up of industrial township, industrial complexes, sub stations, logistics and airport. Further, we have floated a tender for choosing a consultant for the project. The consultant will be selected during the third week of January 2008 and will be given two months’ time to submit the feasibility study. In all probability, it will be ready by April 2008.”
As per the proposal, the industrial complexes are likely to come up in Panapakkam (Walaja), Iyepedu (Arakkonam), Ranipet, Vellore, Kethandipatti (Jolarpet) and Sulagiri (Krishnagiri).
The SIPCOT has three industrial complexes at Ranipet. The third unit – Leather SEZ – would be commissioned shortly, while the fourth unit would take some more time.
“In Sulagiri, we have already identified 5,000 acres of land and in Panapakkam and Iyepadu around 2,500 acres and 2,000 acres respectively. In Kethandipatti and Ranipet, we have identified 1,000 acres each. In fact, the State Government had given us five years to set up the Land Bank. But, we might be achieving it in the first year itself. These are all dry lands and we are waiting for administrative sanction,” Mr. Govindan said.
However, the consultant would state how much it would cost, where to house the industrial complexes, townships, sub stations and logistics. The ICE was being developed in two phases.
The first phase runs from Chennai to Ranipet and the second phase from Ranipet to Hosur.

BENAZIR BHUTTO ASSASSINATED

Rawalpindi: Benazir Bhutto, 54, chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party, was killed in a gunfire attack-cum-suicide bombing minutes after she finished addressing an election rally here on Thursday.
Ms. Bhutto had descended the stage at Liaquat Bagh, the venue of the rally, and got into a waiting car behind the stage. The vehicle, accompanied by several other escort cars with her supporters and PPP bodyguards, was leaving the venue when the explosion took place, about 5-20 p.m.
I was about 30 feet away from the blast in a crowd of people waiting to leave the rally from a parallel gate. A wall separated the two gates. The police had stopped us so that Ms. Bhutto’s convoy could leave.
I heard two rounds of automatic gunfire, which I mistook to be firecrackers at first. In the next second, a huge ball of flame went up in the air, accompanied by a massive explosion. People screamed and ran in all directions. I ran away from the blast first, and then went back towards it, quite apprehensive that there would be a second blast.
Daylight was fast fading but the first thing I saw was a dismembered head, face down, lying just outside the gate where I had stood hours earlier. The road was spattered with blood well beyond the gate where I had stood seconds earlier.
A little distance away, where the bomber had struck, lay several bodies, many of them dismembered. There was thick blood on the road and people were surging back and forth from the scene. Many of them were crying, some shouting slogans against President Pervez Musharraf. The police were trying to keep the crowds away — without much success. Some dazed PPP activists stood among the bodies, beating their heads and wailing.
Ms. Bhutto’s car had apparently sped away from the scene, and PPP workers at the spot believed she had got away. Sherry Rehman, her spokesperson, who was in a car behind Ms. Bhutto’s, also thought the PPP leader had escaped the attack.
But people had doubts. As I moved here and there talking to eyewitnesses, many asked me: “Is Bibi okay?, “How is Benazir?”
It was only later I found out that she died of bullet wounds from the gunfire that I had heard. The car took her straight to Rawalpindi hospital, where her death was announced by PPP senator Babar Awan to an angry and grieving crowd.
Back at the scene of the blast, there was chaos, with ambulances rushing in, their sirens screaming, the police trying to keep people away and the wounded trying to make sense of what had happened to them. On the pavement sat a man dressed in a brown suit, his trouser leg rolled up and blood gushing out of a wound. He was clutching his head in shock.
One of Ms. Bhutto’s bodyguards, wearing a T-shirt in the red and green PPP colours with “Benazir Jan Nisar” written on it, stood screaming. His face was covered with blood. “I was on the footboard of her vehicle. There was a man who came towards the car, there was an explosion, I don’t know anything after that,” said the man, identifying himself as Ayyaz Pappu of the Pakistan Students’ Federation, the youth wing of the PPP. He was escorted away by his friends.
Inside the gate from where Ms. Bhutto’s vehicles had begun to roll out, lay two bloodied people. Someone rolled over one of them, and as the man breathed his last, the person who had rolled him over whispered to him: “Say the name of Allah, quickly, say the name of Allah.”
As I drove back to Islamabad from Rawalpindi with a friend, the text messages started coming in: “Shaheed Benazir.” On the main road to Islamabad, at two places where the PPP had put up stalls to welcome Ms. Bhutto to Rawalpindi, her first visit for a public meeting in perhaps 10 years, activists had started gathering to mourn as the news of their leader’s assassination began trickling in.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Forbes list

Little-known microfinance institutions from India have hit the pages of famed Forbes magazine, which has named seven such entities in the list of world’s top 50 — the highest for a country.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Rain toll climbs to 38 in State

CHENNAI: Five people died in three separate rain-related incidents in the State since Wednesday evening, taking the death toll in the last three days to 38.
While Dindigul and Tiruchi lost two persons each, one died in Coimbatore. With this, as many as 16 districts have reported at least one rain related death, with Tiruchi reporting the maximum number – 6.
Standing crops on about 72,000 hectares are under a sheet of water, according to the Commissioner, Revenue Administration, Sakthikanta Das. As much as 90 per cent of this inundated crop is paddy and, if the rain subsides, the water is expected to run off in the next two days.

IAF to have fighter base near Thanjavur

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will soon have a full-fledged fighter base near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. It will be utilised to keep an eye on the major sea-lanes of communication which carry over 60 per cent of the world trade, including oil, to energy starved countries in east Asia and India, said a senior official here. The move is part of the plans to maintain the southern components of the armed forces in fighting fit condition.
The IAF refers to south India as the “cradle of training” as most round-the-year fighter bases are located in the east, north and south. The base would also be useful in combating threats of terrorism from the sea. However, the official discounted the notion that it was being set up to take on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He said the IAF concurred with the observation of Chief of the Naval Staff Sureesh Mehta that the LTTE was an irritant and not a threat.

Surplus water from Poondi discharged

Surplus water from the Poondi reservoir was released through four shutters into the Kosasthalaiyar river on Thursday, thanks to heavy inflow.
People from several areas flocked to the reservoir to take a look at the brimming lake and the discharge of surplus water. Following considerable inflow from catchment areas, including Pallipattu, due to rain, the reservoir level rose to 139.4 ft (maximum level 140 ft). Shutters were opened on Wednesday night to release about 1,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs). This was further increased to about 6,650 cusecs (which was received as inflow) through six shutters at 6 a.m. on Thursday.
However, the discharge was reduced to about 2,030 cusecs by 6 p.m. following a decrease in rainfall. The inflow, subsequently, decreased to about 5,000 cusecs. The storage in the Poondi reservoir was 2,975 million cubic feet (mcft) against the full capacity of 3,231 mcft.
A Public Works Department official said diversion to Cholavaram and Chembarambakkam reservoirs was not feasible as they were also fast filling up. While the storage of Cholavaram was 821 mcft (full capacity, 881 mcft), it was 3,021 mcft (3,645 mcft) in the Chembarambakkam reservoir. The storage at Red Hills reservoir, city’s prime source of drinking water supply, stood at 2,782 mcft (3,300 mcft). A Metrowater official said that the storage in the four reservoirs was built up by about 1,000 mcft in a day, sufficient to supply the city for nearly two months at the present rate of 645 million litres a day.

SIDCO accepts garment cluster plan

Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO) has accepted the request of Tiruchi District Tiny and Small Scale Industries’ Association (TIDITSSIA) for establishment of a cluster of garment units at Ariyamangalam Industrial Estate.
SIDCO Chairman and Managing Director D. Rajendran, with whom the TIDITSSIA placed the proposal during his recent visit to Tiruchi, accepted it in principle, said association president S. Sridharan.
As per the proposal, the SIDCO will construct and sell built-up cubicle space of 500 square feet for housing 160 units in a vertical structure and create common facilities.
Each unit, according to Mr. Sridharan, will employ 20 persons.
Not less than 3,000 people could be employed for garment manufacture, he said, adding that export houses in Karur, where manpower shortage was highly felt, were prepared to outsource their work to the units in the proposed cluster.
Mr. Sridharan said that considering the quantum of outsourcing work, Mr. Rajendran was also accommodative to the TIDITSSIA’ suggestions for starting similar clusters in the SIDCO industrial estates at Tirugokaranam and Viralimalai in Pudukkottai district where workforce was available in plenty.
The TIDITSSIA is prepared to provide training for the workforce oriented towards garments manufacture under its STED (Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development) initiative supported by the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi.
Promotion of food processing units would be the next focus, Mr. Sridharan informed, adding that the Association had plans to take the help of the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, and the National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB).

Declare inter-linking of rivers a national project: Karunanidhi

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday reiterated that inter-linking of rivers in the country should be declared as a ‘national project’ and a time-bound action plan be implemented for the same.
Addressing the National Development Council meeting of Chief Ministers of various States, Mr. Karunanidhi said: “In the last NDC meeting, I had strongly advocated for inclusion and funding of interlinking of the peninsular rivers in the first instance during the 11th Plan itself.”
He added: “I am afraid that any further delay in the implementation of this project will be detrimental to the development of our nation. All of us are well aware of the strain in the inter-State relations due to inter-State river water disputes. If unresolved, such disputes may pose a threat to the very unity and integrity of this country.”
Mr. Karunanidhi said: “Our nation has an established constitutional and legal framework for resolution of such disputes. Hence, in the interest of harmony among the States, it is imperative that all such disputes are resolved under the existing laws of the land and all the States respect and abide by the decisions of the competent authorities.”
Linking of intra-State rivers would also require substantial funding, which a State government could not afford to bear on its own, he said, and urged that funding of projects for intra-State rivers as already resolved in the 53rd NDC meeting.

No breakthrough on Mullaperiyar

There is no breakthrough in the talks between the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the Mullaperiyar dam dispute.
At the end of the 90-minute discussion on Wednesday, Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan told reporters, “There is no understanding between us. There will be another discussion.”
The talks between the Chief Ministers were held in response to the suggestion made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday that the issue be amicably resolved.
Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister Durai Murugan said, “There was no decision at the meeting. The Kerala side stuck to its stand that there is a lot of seepage in the dam and Tamil Nadu is not allowing them to inspect the dam. They [Kerala] expressed the apprehension about the seepage and were not willing to accept Tamil Nadu’s contention that the level of seepage was within normal limits.”
He said the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi explained to them that the seepage in the dam was within the permissible levels and there was no cause for any alarm as expressed by Kerala.
Mr.Durai Murugan said, “Our Chief Minister then suggested that the Central Water Commission be asked to inspect the dam to assess the extent of seepage.”

There has been a three-fold increase in passenger patronage and revenue earnings after the introduction of MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System) services t

In a demonstration of the maturity of the Indian technology in the surface-to-air missile (SAM) defence system, two Akash missiles were fired on Wednesday from a mobile launcher at a single target, and this “ripple event” turned out to be a success, according to officials of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The trial is part of a 10-day campaign involving the firing of several Akash missiles with radars, launchers and support systems in the presence of the eventual user, the Indian Air Force.
The two missiles were fired from a truck at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, near Balasore, Orissa.

Three-fold increase in MRTS revenue

There has been a three-fold increase in passenger patronage and revenue earnings after the introduction of MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System) services to Velachery from Beach, according to Chennai Divisional Railway Manager Man Singh.
The number of passengers had increased from 7,000 to 20,000 and the revenue from Rs. 84,000 to Rs. 2.2 lakh per day after extending EMU services from Tirumylai to Velachery.
The sale of monthly season tickets had increased from 250 to 700 after the inauguration. A majority of the season ticket-holders board from Velachery station. Ticket sales
According to division officials ticket sales at Perungudi and Taramani was less than 1,000 while in Velachery and Thiruvanmiyur it was 2,000 and 2,700 respectively. Last Sunday, when a naval display was on at Marina, an additional revenue of Rs 1 lakh was realised.
For women passengers, two half coaches will be added to the rakes, one in the front and the other in the back.
The DRM said there were demands for introducing first class coaches and direct services from Gummidipoondi and Arakkonam side.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Karunanidhi, Achuthanandan to discuss Mullaperiyar dam issue

Prime Minister requested Karunanidhi to hold talks
Report on desalination plants to be submitted soon

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday said that he would meet Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan with a view to resolving the Mullaperiyar dam dispute.
Talking to journalists after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon after his arrival in the capital, Mr. Karunanidhi said the Prime Minister requested him to hold talks with Kerala Chief Minister to resolve the issue. He said, “I had told the Prime Minister that the talks held earlier as per the directions of the Supreme Court did not yield the desired results. But the Prime Minister said that there was nothing wrong in having another round of talks. I had accepted the request in the fond hope that a solution would emerge from the talks.”

Centre ‘careful’ about LTTE movements

The Centre is “careful” about the movements of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam not only in Tamil Nadu but also elsewhere in the country, said National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan here on Monday.
Addressing mediapersons after meeting Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence, Mr. Narayanan ruled out joint patrolling with the Sri Lankan Navy in the Indian Ocean. There was only coordinated patrolling, with India and Sri Lanka doing patrolling in their respective areas.
Complimenting the State government for effectively tackling the naxalite problem, Mr. Narayanan said Tamil Nadu had dealt with the issue much better than other States. Describing his meeting with the Chief Minister as a courtesy call, Mr. Narayanan said he had discussions about the National Development Council (NDC) meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 19 and a conference of Chief Ministers on internal security on December 20.
He had extended an invitation to the Chief Minister on behalf of the Prime Minister and he had agreed to attend the meeting, he said.
Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy and Home Secretary S. Malathi were present.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Adult mosquito density high in MKB Nagar

The Chennai Corporation’s recent study of adult mosquito density has shown that MKB Nagar, Vyasarpadi, in north Chennai, is the most affected area.
Adult mosquito density is calculated by trapping mosquitoes using a suction tube. The number of mosquitoes caught in 15 minutes in one location determines the density.
MKB Nagar has an average adult mosquito density of 120 per 10 man hour days (MHD). This means that field workers were able to trap 12 mosquitoes an hour in the area. Pulianthope has a density of 80 per 10 MHD.
Flood-prone parts of Velachery also have an adult mosquito density of 80 per 10 MHD.

Sathish is Chennai’s Superstar

Icy winds swept the Tau Devi Lal Stadium here but Chennai Superstars warmed the hearts of their supporters with a show that lit up the venue even though the finish was anti-climatic.
Superstars won by 93 runs and stormed into the final of the Indian Cricket League.
It was a truly team effort by the Superstars but R. Sathish was an exceptional performer, lifting the spirits of the team with a brilliant 51 and then an incisive spell pushed Kolkata Tigers on the back foot.
Ian Harvey, Thiru Kumaran, Tamil Kumaran and Sathish took two wickets each after a superb opening spell by Shabbir Ahmed to cap a wonderful performance by Superstars.

Continuance of alliance depends on DMK’s attitude: Ramadoss

The continuance of the Pattali Makkal Katchi’s alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam depends upon the DMK’s attitude, S. Ramadoss, PMK founder, said on Friday.
Reiterating that there was no change in his party’s position vis-À-vis the DMK, Dr. Ramadoss said that while his party would continue to support the ruling DMK regime, it would also function as a constructive opposition party.
“The recent statements issued by Electricity Minister and DMK treasurer Arcot N. Veeraswami against me will have no bearing on the ties with the ruling party,” said the PMK leader.
Dr. Ramadoss earlier took a team of Chennai-based mediapersons around the site in Konerikuppam (about 110 km from Chennai) where the Vanniya Education Trust, founded by him, proposed to establish a group of colleges in different disciplines, including arts and science, engineering, law and medicine.
[This week, Dr. Ramadoss and Mr Veeraswami were engaged in a duel of words over the manner of land acquisition by the Trust.]
He asserted that the PMK would remain in the alliance comprising the Congress to fight the Lok Sabha elections.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Billa hits theaters today

Billa, Ajith's most-awaited release and the most hyped film of the year, after Sivaji, is to be screened across 10 screens in Chennai.
The team had earlier planned to release the film today to coincide with the superstar's birthday but postponed it due to postproduction delays, to 14 December 2007.
Ajith was particular that Rajinikanth graces the function as he was dedicating the film to the superstar. However, much to his disappointment, Rajini had expressed his desire to visit Bangalore on his birthday and his inability to attend the premiere. It is common knowledge that Rajini, as a convention, has been celebrating his birthday away from Chennai for a long time now. Anyway, he had earlier seen the trailer and had lauded Ajith and director Vishnu Vardhan for doing a commendable job. The Billa team is gung ho on receiving compliments from the superstar himself.
The team is so particular that no information about the movie is released in the media that they have gone ahead and even canceled the premieres that were to be held today under Ajith's request to the producers and directors as he wanted his fans, to whom he bestows all his success, to watch the movie first. A noble gesture indeed very much in the lines of the superstar himself.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Court case delays escalator bridge project in CHENNAI

The Chennai Corporation’s plans to construct foot overbridges with escalators are delayed due to a case pertaining to commercial hoardings pending before the Supreme Court.
The Corporation had announced that it would construct foot overbridges with escalators at three locations on Anna Salai (near SIET College, near Todd Hunter Nagar and near the Panagal Building) and one on Taluk Office Road in Saidapet.
Although a project developer has been identified through a tender process, there is a catch. The project developer was expected to generate funds for operation and maintenance of the escalators through advertisement revenue gained from hoardings on the bridge.
Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said the escalator bridge plan would only take off after the Supreme Court verdict in a case filed by hoarding owners associations in the State. The association had appealed against a Madras High Court order that upheld government rules on hoarding sizes and location.
The Corporation had invited bids for the project in July. Lakshaya Media, a private firm, had submitted the lowest bid. The bid has to be presented before the Council for approval and then sent to the State Government for clearance. The private firm would be required to employ a construction agency to build the escalator bridges and the work would be monitored by the Corporation.
At present, most foot overbridges receive little patronage from pedestrians. The steps are steep and beggars and anti-social elements occupy them. A woman trying to cross Haddows Road near Shastri Bhavan said she dare not take the overbridge as she once was almost attacked by two beggars.

9 held for selling gifted TV sets distributed by TN Govt

Nine persons were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly selling colour television sets distributed to poor families under a government scheme.
They were arrested on charges of extortion and threatening the beneficiaries.
The police seized 18 TV sets and impounded an autorickshaw and a four-wheeler that were allegedly used for selling the TV sets.
The arrests were made following media reports that free TVs were being bought and sold in the market by middlemen.
Speaking to reporters, Police Commissioner G. Nanchil Kumaran said the police raided a few locations and seized the TV sets from a shop on Ritchie Street and from two houses in Cherian Nagar and Ashok Nagar in New Washermenpet.
He said the police would closely watch people who indulged in threatening or wooing the beneficiaries to part with the television sets. The names of the accused are S. Selvi, B. Selvam, A. Askar Ali, John Basha and T.Selvaraj of New Washermenpet and P.Muralidharan, auto driver Gopalakrishnan, E. Vasu and K. Murugan of Egmore.

Sensex scales new peak at 20291

The stock market touched a life-time high on Tuesday as the benchmark Sensex closed above the 20000-mark on expectation of a rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve. The NSE Nifty also closed above the 6000-mark for the first time.

Sethu project: court adjourns hearing on Swamy’s plea

The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned to January 16, 2008 hearing on a batch of petitions filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy and others challenging the implementation of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project.
A three-Judge Bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice J.M. Panchal, adjourned the hearing as the Centre sought further time to file its response.
Additional Solicitor-General R. Mohan, appearing for the Sethusamudram Corporation, told the Bench that the government was examining the report of the expert committee and some more time was required to file the response. When counsel for some of the petitioners wanted the court to direct the Centre to give copies of the committee’s report, the CJI told them: “We have not appointed the committee. We only allowed them to set up the committee. They may or may not accept the report. You challenge if any decision is taken.”
Dr. Swamy told the Bench: “I had filed an application urging the court to take suo motu contempt of court proceedings against K. Veeramani, President of the Dravidar Kazhagam for writing a letter to the CJI asking him not to entrust the Sethusamudram case to a Bench headed by Justice B.N. Agrawal [it was this Bench that said that Ramar Sethu should not be destroyed].”
He alleged that the DK President, by writing a letter to the CJI, had interfered with the administration of justice.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

State in search of sites for two reservoirs

CHENNAI: The State Government is looking for sites to construct two small reservoirs on the outskirts for storing Krishna water, the Public Works Minister Durai Murugan said on Monday.
The Minister told The Hindu that originally the reservoirs were to come up at Ramancheri and Thirukandalam across the Kosasthalaiyar.
But the proposals did not materialise because of opposition of land owners to any move to undertake the preliminary work.
“However, we need some more reservoirs. I have told my officers to come up with specific proposals by March.”
At present, Satyamurti Sagar at Poondi, the Cholavaram and Red Hills tanks store water for the city supply. The Chembarampakkam tank is used as a storage point even as it serves as an irrigation tank. The combined storage of the four reservoirs is 11 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft).
Tamil Nadu is to get 12 tmcft annually under the Krishna water supply project. The extent of land required is 1,739 hectares in respect of the Ramancheri reservoir and 1,371 hectares in the case of Thirukandalam.
According to the cost worked out in the early 1990s, the two projects require Rs. 700 crore. The previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime (1996-2001) sought to pursue the projects but it gave up the idea in view of the opposition of the land owners. When the AIADMK came to power in 2001, it announced that the Thirukandalam reservoir proposal would be taken up, but nothing materialised.

Monday, December 10, 2007

‘Sea Tiger,’ two aides arrested

CHENNAI: A ‘Sea Tiger’ was among the three persons arrested by the ‘Q’ branch of the Tamil Nadu police in the car parking area of the Chennai international airport terminal on Saturday.
The three were allegedly involved in the purchase of a boat for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
According to the police, the special unit personnel detained three persons, James alias Raja (45) of Chinnakadai, Mannar, Sri Lanka, Jayakumar alias Gaurishankar (34) of Jaffna and Ravikumar (42) of Subbaraya Nagar, Choolaimedu, on suspicion. During questioning it was found that Jayakumar was a ‘Sea Tiger’ and had illegally come to India in February this year.
James had visited India three times this year on his passport, the last time in October.
He had allegedly smuggled out of the country computer spare parts, swimming pads and Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment for the LTTE by concealing them in beedi bundles.
About Rs.4.78 lakh and 4,140 Sri Lankan rupees were seized from him. Four mobile phones were seized from the arrested persons.
The police said investigation further revealed that Rs.4.78 lakh was meant for purchasing a boat for the Tigers from a person called Raji.
It is alleged that Ravikumar helped James in the purchase of essential items for the LTTE.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Child-friendly spaces in police stations unused

CHENNAI: The city’s first experiment in creating child-friendly spaces in police stations seems to have hit a roadblock.
The specially-made furniture, toys and posters in a room at K10 Police Station, Koyambedu, have either been put away or are gathering dust. Vidya Reddy of Tulir Centre for Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse, which set up the room, recalls that it was a police initiative.
“We were pleased to do up the room. Now, it seems that all they wanted was a token gesture for publicity,” she says.
Even basic requests, such as for a door that can be closed to maintain privacy, so that victims will be able to talk to investigating officers, were not granted, she says.
Police sources say that they did not receive any complaint of child abuse. However, they concede that the K10 outpost often hosts runaway children. “When schoolchildren are found at the terminus, we call the parents or relatives in the city,” a senior official said. Deputy Commissioner (Anna Nagar) Jayagowri said that the room is used whenever complaints are received.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

NIFT Chennai designs for Corporation staff uniforms

SET for change: The khaki clothes of Chennai Corporation employees will soon be replaced with NIFT-designed uniforms.
The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has come up with a range of user-friendly and aesthetically designed uniforms for Chennai Corporation employees.

The Corporation had consulted the NIFT to design uniforms for employees, starting from the Corporation Commissioner to sanitary workers. The designs are almost ready, said P. Mohan Raj, NIFT course coordinator for fashion and textiles.

For sanitary workers, the NIFT designed grey uniforms that were easily washable. Instead of a regular shirt collar, the NIFT recommended a ‘mandarin’ collar that would allow sweat to easily evaporate. The full length trousers could be shortened, by folding it and fastening it with Velcro straps. The Corporation has also asked the NIFT to come up with a slogan for the Chennai Corporation and a logo that would be stitched on the uniforms.

Small paisley prints were likely to be chosen for saris for women, with mild colours for officers at a higher grade.

TN bus burning case: Madras HC upholds death penalty


The Madras High Court on Thursday upheld a Salem court’s sentences on 28 convicts, including the three awarded death penalty, in the Dharmapuri bus burning case.The Salem court had held three AIADMK functionaries and 20 other people guilty in the bus burning incident of 2000 in which three students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University had been burnt alive in a mob violence following the conviction of AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa in the Kodaikanal Pleasant Stay Hotel case.
There were a total of 31 accused in the case. While two were acquitted, one person died during the trial. A near 30-minute video clipping of the bus burning incident shot by a Dharmapuri-based private photographer was one of prime piece of evidence that established the prosecution's case at the court of the Salem First Additional District Sessions Judge D Krishna Raja. The clipping showed the burning bus and the girls crying for help and their friends' frantic efforts to save them. It also showed a white police jeep that did not stop while passing through the spot. The verdict in the case came after a seven-year-long trial. In 2003, the Madras High Court had scrapped the on-going trial in a Krishnagiri court and ordered a retrial in a Salem court following a petition that said the sensational bus burning case was going the Best Bakery way at the Krishnagiri court.
Recently, one of the victim's father had filed a petition seeking to enhance the sentence of seven years awarded to the 25 accused. After hearing elaborate arguments from both sides, a division bench of Justice D Murugesan and Justice V Periya Karuppiah had reserved orders without mentioning any dates on the appeals and the petition.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Chennai Airport project: land acquisition notices stayed

The operation of individual acquisition notices issued to owners of lands, identified for the Chennai Airport Expansion Project, was stayed by the Madras High Court on Wednesday.
Admitting the petition filed by 15 residents of Marvel Riverview County Phase II in Manapakkam, Justice P. Jyothimani issued notices to State Transport Secretary, Kancheepuram District Collector and Sriperumbudur tahsildar.

When the matter came up for admission on Wednesday, the Additional Government Pleader sought two weeks’ time to file counter. Granting time, the Judge said, “In the meantime there shall be an interim injunction.” The matter was adjourned to December 19 for further proceedings.The petition challenged the legislative competence of the State Government to initiate the acquisition proceedings when parliamentary legislations – the Aircraft Act and Airports Authority of India Act 1994 – had the exclusive jurisdiction for acquiring lands.

K.M. Vijayan, senior counsel for the petitioners, submitted that the Union Government was the appropriate authority to decide the place of airport and land acquisition for airport.
The petitioners, further, contended that the notices were issued under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, and added that the Act was not applicable for the purpose of airport expansion.

Gas leak again; case registered

CHENNAI: For the second consecutive day on Wednesday, residents of north Chennai and other parts of the city complained of irritation in the eyes and a choking sensation due to inhalation of an acrid-smelling gas.

As the news spread, many educational institutions declared a holiday as a precautionary measure.

Based on a complaint received from a resident of Egmore, the Central Crime Branch police registered a case under IPC Sections 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health) and 284 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance).

Speaking to reporters, Commissioner of Police G. Nanchil Kumaran said preliminary inquiries were conducted with several industrial units, including the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited at Manali. Whether any noxious gases had leaked from any of these facilities would be known after investigation

Status quo on demolitions in Chennai

It will be maintained till December 14, next date of hearing in Supreme Court
HC had quashed law granting moratorium on demolitions
State Government, CMDA filed SLPs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered maintenance of status quo on demolition of unauthorised constructions in Chennai.

Demolitions were taken up after the Madras High Court struck down as unconstitutional a law granting one-year moratorium on demolition of all types of unauthorised constructions, numbering over 37,000, including 147 high-rise commercial complexes.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Health village for medicare, research coming up near Chennai

A health village is to be established in Elavur, near Chennai, to serve as the hub for medicare and medical research in South Asia. It is a joint venture between Frontier Lifeline Hospital and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).
A memorandum of understanding, formalising the Rs. 450-crore project, was signed by representatives of the organisations on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
Frontier Lifeline was represented by its founding chairman K.M. Cherian, and TIDCO, by its Managing Director S. Ramasundaram.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Tamil Brahmi script in Egypt

A broken storage jar with inscriptions in Tamil Brahmi script has been excavated at Quseir-al-Qadim, an ancient port with a Roman settlement on the Red Sea coast of Egypt. This Tamil Brahmi script has been dated to first century B.C. One expert described this as an “exciting discovery.”
The same inscription is incised twice on the opposite sides of the jar. The inscription reads paanai oRi, that is, pot (suspended) in a rope net.
An archaeological team belonging to the University of Southampton in the U.K., comprising Prof. D. Peacock and Dr. L. Blue, who recently re-opened excavations at Quseir-al-Qadim in Egypt, discovered a fragmentary pottery vessel with inscriptions.
Dr. Roberta Tomber, a pottery specialist at the British Museum, London, identified the fragmentary vessel as a storage jar made in India.
Iravatham Mahadevan, a specialist in Tamil epigraphy, has confirmed that the inscription on the jar is in Tamil written in the Tamil Brahmi script of about first century B.C.

March deadline set for IT corridor project


The six-lane road works on the 20.1-km Information Technology (IT) Corridor from Madhya Kailash Temple to Siruseri will be completed by March-end.
A toll plaza on Rajiv Gandhi Salai would come up at Perungudi and the Government would make arrangements to provide Local Residents Pass for those living on the road.
The Tamil Nadu Government had, in principle, cleared the second phase of the IT corridor extension, from Siruseri to Mamallapuram, with a link road to Kelambakkam and it was awaiting a detailed report from the consultancy agency. Similarly, consultants were working on the expansion and widening of ECR from Thiruvanmiyur to Sholinganallur and also on putting up flyovers on the IT corridor.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Major fire at Madras Export Processing Zone

A major fire broke out at a cosmetics manufacturing unit inside the Madras Export Processing Zone here on Friday. It broke out at one of the units of Suntara Cosmetics India around 12.30 a.m. and continued to rage even after 6 p.m. While no one was injured, finished goods and raw materials worth several lakhs of rupees were destroyed, said representatives of the company.
The fire broke out in the eyeliners and lipliners unit. The company has another unit in the MEPZ where perfumes are manufactured.

How to Think :Managing brain resources in an age of complexity.

When I applied for my faculty job at the MIT Media Lab, I had to write a teaching statement. One of the things I proposed was to teach a class called "How to Think," which would focus on how to be creative, thoughtful, and powerful in a world where problems are extremely complex, targets are continuously moving, and our brains often seem like nodes of enormous networks that constantly reconfigure. In the process of thinking about this, I composed 10 rules, which I sometimes share with students. I've listed them here, followed by some practical advice on implementation.

1. Synthesize new ideas constantly.
Never read passively. Annotate, model, think, and synthesize while you read, even when you're reading what you conceive to be introductory stuff. That way, you will always aim towards understanding things at a resolution fine enough for you to be creative.

2. Learn how to learn (rapidly).
One of the most important talents for the 21st century is the ability to learn almost anything instantly, so cultivate this talent. Be able to rapidly prototype ideas. Know how your brain works. (I often need a 20-minute power nap after loading a lot into my brain, followed by half a cup of coffee. Knowing how my brain operates enables me to use it well.)

3. Work backward from your goal.
Or else you may never get there. If you work forward, you may invent something profound--or you might not. If you work backward, then you have at least directed your efforts at something important to you.

4. Always have a long-term plan.
Even if you change it every day. The act of making the plan alone is worth it. And even if you revise it often, you're guaranteed to be learning something.

5. Make contingency maps.
Draw all the things you need to do on a big piece of paper, and find out which things depend on other things. Then, find the things that are not dependent on anything but have the most dependents, and finish them first.

6. Collaborate.

7. Make your mistakes quickly.
You may mess things up on the first try, but do it fast, and then move on. Document what led to the error so that you learn what to recognize, and then move on. Get the mistakes out of the way. As Winston Churchill put it, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt."

8. As you develop skills, write up best-practices protocols.
That way, when you return to something you've done, you can make it routine. Instinctualize conscious control.

9. Document everything obsessively.
If you don't record it, it may never have an impact on the world. Much of creativity is learning how to see things properly. Most profound scientific discoveries are surprises. But if you don't document and digest every observation and learn to trust your eyes, then you will not know when you have seen a surprise.

10. Keep it simple.
If it looks like something hard to engineer, it probably is. If you can spend two days thinking of ways to make it 10 times simpler, do it. It will work better, be more reliable, and have a bigger impact on the world. And learn, if only to know what has failed before. Remember the old saying, "Six months in the lab can save an afternoon in the library."

Two practical notes.
The first is in the arena of time management. I really like what I call logarithmic time planning, in which events that are close at hand are scheduled with finer resolution than events that are far off. For example, things that happen tomorrow should be scheduled down to the minute, things that happen next week should be scheduled down to the hour, and things that happen next year should be scheduled down to the day. Why do all calendar programs force you to pick the exact minute something happens when you are trying to schedule it a year out? I just use a word processor to schedule all my events, tasks, and commitments, with resolution fading away the farther I look into the future. (It would be nice, though, to have a software tool that would gently help you make the schedule higher-resolution as time passes...)

The second practical note: I find it really useful to write and draw while talking with someone, composing conversation summaries on pieces of paper or pages of notepads. I often use plenty of color annotation to highlight salient points. At the end of the conversation, I digitally photograph the piece of paper so that I capture the entire flow of the conversation and the thoughts that emerged. The person I've conversed with usually gets to keep the original piece of paper, and the digital photograph is uploaded to my computer for keyword tagging and archiving. This way I can call up all the images, sketches, ideas, references, and action items from a brief note that I took during a five-minute meeting at a coffee shop years ago--at a touch, on my laptop. With 10-megapixel cameras costing just over $100, you can easily capture a dozen full pages in a single shot, in just a second.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Samsung’s Sriperumbudur unit goes on stream

Samsung Electronics has opened its second manufacturing facility in India at Sriperumbudur, 44 km to the west of here, to cater to its growing consumer base in southern India as well as increase its exports to countries in the South Asian region. The US$ 30 million facility, which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday, will manufacture flat televisions, LCD televisions and home appliances.

“The growing demand for our products in the south, coupled with the strong infrastructure, the port facilities and the Tamil Nadu Government’s investor-friendly policies, prompted us to set up this new facility,” H. B. Lee, President and CEO, Samsung South West Asia Regional Headquarters, said. Southern India is the company’s largest consumer base in the country, contributing to 34 per cent of its overall revenue.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Shriram Properties Limited "The Gateway" Chennai SEZ IT/ITES

The Gateway SEZ near Vandaloor is coming up. This property will accomodate IT/ITES firms.Project is jointly promoted by Shriram properties Ltd and Sun Apollo.

SIPCOT Industrial Complex,Cheyyar

SEZ on 255 acres within the Cheyyar industrial estate located near the Mathur-Mangadu Koottu Road, 13 km from Kancheepuram and 15 km from Cheyyar. Allotment was in progress for the remaining land.

For more details http://www.sipcot.com/Industrial_complex_Cheyyar.htm

Dell facility near Chennai

Dell Inc, the US-based personal computer manufacturer will build its manufacturing facility at the Sriperumbudur Hi-Tech Park near Chennai.

Yeddyurappa sworn in Chief Minister

Sixty-four-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yeddyurappa took oath as Karnataka Chief Minister in the name of God and farmers at a grand ceremony here on Monday. Four other legislators — R. Ashok, Jagadish Shettar, V.S. Acharya and Govind Karjol — also took oath as Cabinet Ministers in the first-ever BJP-led government in the south. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Governor Rameshwar Thakur.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Simply Superb

Madras Coming Soon