Pondicherry

March 10 2002

The police fired 10 rounds in the air to disperse two clashing groups of fishermen in Koonimedu Kuppam village on the Tamil Nadu-Pondicherry border today.

The clashes followed a dispute over the right to fish in the sea, with one group objecting to the entry of the other in their territorial waters.

Police pickets had been posted in the village to prevent recurrence of clashes. The situation was now under control, police official said.

Eye hospital for Karaikal soon

Pondichery

March 9 2002

The Pondy govt will set up a Rs 1.4 crore eye hospital in Karaikal, according to Health Minister E Valsaraj.

In a communique here today, he said the hospital would come up close to the General Hospital for which a site had already been made available.

Work on the hospital would begin soon.

AIADMK announces names for RS poll

Chennai

March 11 2002

Thanga Tamilselvan, who resigned his MLA seat in Andipatti to enable AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa to contest and become the Chief Minister, has been chosen by her as one of the four party nominees for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu, scheduled to take place on March 27.

The other three nominees of the AIADMK are N Jothi, her advocate who handled TANSI land deal and coal cases, S Perumal, Dharmapuri (north) secretary of the Jayalalithaa Peravai, and S P M Syed Khan, former secretary of the Theni district unit of the party.

AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa announced these names in a statement here this afternoon.

As the AIADMK has 132 legislators in the 234-member House, the victory of all the four members is certain.

Since only six names had been announced by the respective parties, all of them are sure entrants to the Upper House of Parliament.

Official declaration is possible only after the withdrawal of nomination papers on March 18.

Vasan files nomination for RajiyaSaba seat

Chennai

March 11 2002

Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) president G K Vasan today filed his nomination papers for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu, scheduled for March 27.

The papers were filed before the Assembly secretary and returning officer for the elections V Rajaraman at the Secretariat.

Those who proposed the candidature of Vasan included former Union Minister and now leader of the TMC legislature party S R Balasubramanian, Congress leader D Yasodha, CPM leader J Hemachandran and CPI leader G Palanichamy.

TNCC president E V K S Elangovan and a large number of TMC and Congress MLAs were also present.

The Congress, the CPI and the CPM have extended their support to Vasan’s candidature.

The TMC has 23 members in the 234-member House. The Congress has seven, the CPM six and the CPI five.

The last date for receiving nominations is March 14. There are six vacancies in the Upper House from Tamil Nadu.