Date:16/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/16/stories/2006081616530300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Freedom fighters honoured, cash awards distributed

Staff Reporter

Patriotic fervour marks Independence Day celebrations in the city

A PIECE OF HISTORY: Students of SBOA School, Anna Nagar, enacting the Vellore Mutiny at the Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday. — PHOTO: K. PICHUMANI

CHENNAI : Patriotism was in the air. Religious and cultural differences seemed to be on a holiday, as the old and young paid respects to the Tricolour on Tuesday. The nation's 60th Independence Day was celebrated with great fervour in different parts of the city.

Several government and non-governmental organisations in the city celebrated the occasion with usual fervour.

The Chairman of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Local Administration Minister, M. K. Stalin, hoisted the flag at the head office. Managing Director Shivdas Meena and other senior officials were present. Chennai Collector R. Jaya honoured 10 freedom fighters at the Collectorate. Cash awards worth nearly Rs.10,000 were distributed to students, on behalf of the Adi Dravida Welfare Department. In total, Rs.44 lakh was distributed under various welfare schemes.

Deputy Mayor R. Thiagarajan hoisted the flag at Ripon Building. A parade was conducted by school students, followed by a cultural programme.

Corporation Commissioner M. P.Vijayakumar, Joint Commissioner Sandhya Venugopal Sharma and others were present.

At the Metropolitan Transport Corporation headquarters on Pallavan Salai, Debendranath Sarangi, Transport Secretary, presided over a flag-hoisting ceremony.

He honoured employees whose children topped in the Class X and XII examinations.

P. Pazhaniraj, who designed buses with lift facility within the prescribed time, was also honoured.

Blood donation camp

Alumni of Sevalaya's Mahakavi Bharathiyar Higher Secondary School organised a blood donation camp to commemorate the Independence Day. They propose to make the camp a yearly affair.

At P.S.Higher Secondary School, Mylapore, an exhibition was organised by the Commerce Department. It would be open for school students on Wednesday and Thursday, said headmaster B. Raghuveeran.

At the celebration organised by Murthuzavia Educational and Cultural Foundation of South India, Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, unfurled the flag.

He said that while terrorism and communal tensions prevailed everywhere, people of Tamil Nadu and particularly Chennai, always maintained peace and harmony. He commended the foundation for their work.

Students of SBOA Junior College in Anna Nagar, as part of the day's celebrations, re-enacted the story.