Date:01/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/01/stories/2008010159570500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Ceat Classic Autorickshaw Challenge flagged off

Staff Reporter

Participants to spread awareness of road safety, children’s education

— PHOTO: N.SRIDHARAN

on the fast lane: Participants of the ‘CEAT Classic Autorickshaw Challenge 2007’ in Chennai on Monday.

CHENNAI: Twenty-eight teams from eight different countries set on their journey across Tamil Nadu in autorickshaws on Monday to drive home a message on importance of children’s education and road safety.

The ‘CEAT Classic Autorickshaw Challenge 2007’ was flagged off by Deputy Commissioner of Police A.G.Mourya at Elliot’s Beach, Besant Nagar. The rally would cover nearly 1,000 km across the State in about eight days. Teams comprising 65 participants from various professions such as medical, legal and media would travel to places, including Puducherry, Madurai, Rameswaram, Tuticorin, Kutralam and culminate the rally at Kanyakumari. Of the three participating teams from India, two are from Tamil Nadu. Participants from other countries such as Canada, U.S. and Ireland are also part of the rally. They will stop by in villages chosen by them under the ‘Adopt a Village’ programme and distribute some funds and materials.

They had already visited the villages about two months ago to understand the people’s requirements. In a bid to make it an eco-friendly rally, about 6,000 saplings would be planted at Tiruvannamalai by an international non-governmental organisation ‘Trees for the Future’ to offset the total carbon dioxide emissions.

Organised for the third consecutive year, the rally has been gaining popularity in terms of increasing participation. CEAT’s regional head Ravi Shankar and ‘Orampo’ film directors Pushkar and Gayathri were also present.