Date:21/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/21/stories/2006092109980400.htm

Lorry driver killed in accident

TIRUNELVELI : One person was killed and two others were injured when two lorries had a head-on collision near Moontradaippu on the Tirunelveli - Nagercoil National Highway on Wednesday.

The police said a fish-laden lorry, proceeding to Kerala, dashed against a lorry coming to Tirunelveli at Paanaankulam near Moontradaippu, in which Manimaran (35), driver of one of the lorries hailing from Kariyampatti near Batlagundu was killed on the spot, while the cleaner, Selvam (19), driver of the fish-laden lorry, Gopi of Ernakulam, sustained injuries.

The injured have been admitted to hospital.

Vehicle seized

TIRUNELVELI : The Alangulam police have arrested a tractor driver for his alleged involvement in illegal sand mining and attempt to kill a Village Administrative Officer, who tried to prevent it.

The police said the Alangulam Tahsildar, Abdul Hameed, the Deputy Tahsildar, Antony Samy, the VAOs Thirumalai Kumarasamy, Meenakshi Sundaram, Sethukumar and Arul Lingam were patrolling at Kurippankulam near Alangulam on Tuesday.

When they tried to stop the tractor, the driver, Lakshmanan of Ayyanarkulam, escaped without stopping the tractor, which hit Thirumalai Kumarasamy.

While the police arrested Lakshmanan, the official was admitted to hospital.

Trekking expedition

TIRUNELVELI : Thirty senior division cadets drawn from various colleges under 5 TN Battalion NCC, Tirunelveli, will be undertaking a trekking expedition for three days in Kalakkad - Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve forest from September 22.

According to the Commanding Officer, 5 TN Battalion NCC, Tirunelveli, J.K. Nair, the trekking expedition will be flagged off by Field Director, KMTR, A. Ramkumar, and the cadets will cover a distance of 100 km on different jungle terrains. — Staff Reporter

Mass contact day

ERODE: District Revenue Officer V. Santha is conducting the Mass

contact day meeting on Thursday at 11 a.m. in 60-Velampalayam village in Erode taluk. There will be another such meeting at the local Panchayat elementary school too. The public was asked to submit their grievances. - Staff Reporter

Water supply hit

SALEM: Water supply to the city was affected on Wednesday following major leak in the main pipeline of the Mettur-Salem-Attur Combined water Supply Scheme. According to Corporation Commissioner A.M. Selvam, major breaches occurred at three places in the pipeline between Komburankadu and Pazhakkaranur. The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board officials were attending the leakage. The pumping operation in the Mettur Pumping Station was stopped for plugging the leakages. - Staff Reporter

Power shutdown

PERAMBALUR: There will be no power supply in Venbavur, Krishnapuam, Veppanthattai, Arumbavur, Poolampadi, Thazhuthalai, Venganur, Vengalam, Annamangalam, Esanai and Arasalur from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m on Thursday.

Mettur level

TIRUCHI: The level at the Mettur dam stood at 106 feet against its full level of 120 feet on Wednesday. The inflow was 14,367 cusecs and the outflow 20,000 cusecs. — Staff Reporter

DMK candidate files papers

MADURAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate for the Madurai Central Assembly constituency, S.S. Ghouse Basha, filed his nomination papers here on Wednesday.

Accompanied by M.K. Alagiri, elder son of the Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, Mr. Ghouse Basha submitted his nomination to the Returning Officer, S. Mookiah. — Staff Reporter

Arcot Veerasamy to head DMK poll panel

CHENNAI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam treasurer Arcot N.Veerasamy will head the party's committee to hold talks with allies on local body polls.

The members are: S. Viduthalaivirumbi, senior Ministers Veerapandi S. Arumugham and K. Ponmudi; Union Ministers T.R. Baalu and A. Raja. — Special Correspondent

AIADMK forms nine-member panel

CHENNAI: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa on Wednesday announced constitution of a nine-member panel to hold negotiations with other constituents of the Democratic People's Alliance for sharing of seats in the local body elections.

Led by O. Paneerselvam, the panel includes K.A. Sengottaiyan, D. Jayakumar, E. Madhusudhanan, E.V.K. Sulochana Sampath, N. Thalaivai Sundaram, N. Balaganga, C. Karuppasamy and Bader Sayeed. — Special Correspondent

Safety award for Heavy Water Plant

Tuticorin: The Heavy Water Plant (HWP) here has bagged the Safety Innovation Award for 2006.

The plant got the award, instituted by the Safety and Quality Forum of Institution of Engineers, New Delhi, for its innovative approach in maintaining the safety, health and environmental standards.

At a function held in New Delhi recently, V.V.S. Ramarao, General Manager, and V.C.P. Amarnath, Scientific Officer (safety), received the award. — Staff Reporter

Record cargo handling

Tuticorin: The Tuticorin Port Trust has created a record by handling 1,05,077 tonnes of cargo on Tuesday (September 19).

It thus surpassed the previous record in the cargo handling (95,008) in a day registered on February 19. — Staff Reporter

Special trains

Chennai: Southern Railway will run following special trains from Chennai to Coimbatore and Nagercoil to clear extra rush of passengers.

Coimbatore special: Train no 0607 will leave Chennai Central at 10.20 p.m. on September 22 and 29 and reach Coimbatore at 7.15 a.m. the next day.

In the return direction train no 0608 will

leave Coimbatore at 11.45 p.m. on September 23 and 30 and arrive Chennai Central at 8 a.m.

the next day. Train no. 0606 will leave Coimbatore at 11.45 p.m. on September 22 and

arrive Chennai Central at 8 a.m. the next day.

In the return direction train no. 0605 will leave Central at 10.20 p.m. on September 23 and reach Coimbatore at 7.15 a.m. the next day.

Nagercoil special: Train no. 0613 will leave Chennai Egmore at 11.30 p.m. on September 22,

24, 28 and 29 and October 1 and reach Nagercoil at 2.30 p.m. the next day.

In the return direction train no 0614 will leave Nagercoil at 8.30 p.m. on September 23, 25, 29, 30 and

October 2 and arrive Chennai Egmore at 9 a.m. the next day.

Advance reservation for the above trains will commence on September 21, according to a railway press release. — Special Correspondent