Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Court curbs on demolishing temples

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed all 13 District Collectors under its jurisdiction not to demolish any temple without following the laws.

A Division Bench comprising Justice P.K. Misra and Justice A.R. Ramalingam said the interim order would continue until a public interest litigation petition was disposed of and posted the matter to April 26.

S. Thanuskodi of Kodaikanal had moved the Bench alleging that the authorities were demolishing temples based on orders passed by the Bench on February 17, but without even issuing notice. Another Division Bench on February 17 directed all Collectors and heads of local bodies to remove encroachments on public streets, roads and pathways following the due process of law. - Our Staff Reporter

Deer killed in fight

TIRUNELVELI: A 3-year old male spotted deer was killed in a fight with another animal in the Gangaikondan deer park, near here on Thursday.

The District Forest Officer, H. Venu Prasad, told The Hindu that the fight could have occurred over having "territorial supremacy". Four small holes and one-foot-long gash could be seen in the abdomen.

Another spotted deer, aged about 2 years, was fatally knocked down by a vehicle on the Tirunelveli - Madurai National Highway around 2 a.m. "Though we have constructed walls, the deer scale the fence in some areas,'' Mr. Venu Prasad said. - Staff Reporter

4 die in lorry collision

Thanjavur: Four persons died and 22 were injured when a lorry carrying iron hit a mini-lorry at Aduthurai near Kumbakonam on Wednesday.

Muthukumar, driver of the mini-lorry; Sadiq Batcha and Govindammal died on the spot. Papa died in hospital. All the dead and the injured were vegetable vendors who travelled in the mini-lorry. - Staff Reporter

Counterfeit notes seized

VELLORE: Two bundles of counterfeit currency notes totally valued at Rs. 19,200 were seized by the Bagayam police here on Thursday. The police, who were engaged in night patrol on Arni Road here, picked up Kottai (21) of Avudayarkoil in Pudukottai district moving suspiciously at the Sankaranpalayam-Sainathapuram junction and seized the notes from him.

Summer specials

CHENNAI: In view of the increasing summer rush, Southern Railway is operating more summer specials to Nagercoil and Madurai from Chennai.

Train 0611 Chennai Egmore - Nagercoil weekly special will leave Egmore at 8.30 p.m. on all Wednesdays from April 27 to June 15 and reach Nagercoil at 12.30 p.m. the next day. In the return direction, train 0612 will leave Nagercoil at 3.30 p.m. on all Thursdays from April 28 to June 16 and arrive Egmore at 7.30 a.m. the next day. Train 0615 Chennai Egmore - Madurai special will leave Egmore at 11 p.m. on all Mondays from May 2 to June 20 and reach Madurai at 8.30 a.m. the next day. In the return direction it will leave Madurai at 7.15 p.m. on all Sundays from May 1 to June 19 and arrive Egmore at 6.30 a.m. the next day.

Train 0623 Chennai Central - Coimbatore special will leave Central at 8.45 p.m. on April 27 and reach Coimbatore at 5.30 a.m. the next day.

Advance reservation will commence on Friday

In connection with the Chitra Pournami festival at Melmaruvathur, special gauge trains will be operated between Tambaram and Melmaruvathur from April 23 to 25. It will leave Tambaram at 9.40 a.m. and reach Melmaruvathur at 11.30 am. In the return, they will leave Melmaruvathur at 2 p.m. and arrive Tambaram at 3.50 p.m., says a release. - Special Correspondent

PMK wins ward bypoll

THANJAVUR: S. Maithili of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has been elected to ward number 10 of the Thiruvidaimaruthur Panchayat Union in the local body by-election held on April 19.

Following is the details of votes polled by the candidates in the byelection: Maithili (PMK) — 1366 votes, E.Jayanthi (AIADMK) — 177 votes. S.Thamizhselvi was elected president of Ulur panchayat in Pattukottai Panchayat Union, P. Chandraleka was elected president of Alavanthipuram Panchayat in Papanasam Panchayat Union and K. Subramanyan for Sengipatti Panchayat in Budalur Panchayat Union. — Staff Reporter

Export guidance

THANJAVUR: Organisations in Thanjavur district, which want to export their goods can avail the facility of the Export guidance cell at the District Industries Centre, according to the Collector, M. Veera Shanmugha Moni.

Those who want to export their goods can contact phone no 255318 at the District Industries Centre.

The cell provides procedures for exporting goods, prices of 300 types of industrial goods, export import policies, and trade exhibitions being conducted in various countries. — Staff Reporter

Dry day

PUDUKOTTAI: All the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) retail shops in the district will remain closed on April 22 on account of Mahavir Jayanthi and Meelad-un-Nabi.

According to an official press release the State Government had declared April 22 as a dry day. — Staff Reporter

Special counters

TIRUCHI: The Income Tax (IT) department has opened special counters for senior citizens and physically challenged persons on the ground floors of all Income Tax offices in Tiruchi region.

The region comprises the revenue districts of Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam, Karur, Pudukottai, Salem, Namakkal and Krishnagiri.

A press release from the Additional Commissioner of Income Tax (Headquarters), Tiruchi, N. Varadarajan, issued here today said henceforth the senior citizens and physically challenged persons could file their returns of income and other communications in the special counters of respective Income Tax offices instead of filing in the respective ranges where they were assessed to tax. — Special Correspondent

Mettur level

TIRUCHI: The water level in the Mettur dam stood at 53.72 feet today. The inflow was 648 cusecs and the discharge 800 cusecs. — Staff Reporter

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu