Forest guard shot at by four poachers

Injured forest guard Govindan at the Salem GH on Sunday.

Express News Service

First Published : 03 Aug 2009 04:53:00 AM IST

Last Updated :

HOSUR: Four poachers fired at forest guards, leaving one grievously injured in Krishnagiri forest region on Sunday.Two forest guards of Krishnagiri Forest Division saw some poachers with country guns when they were on patrol in Neranahalli forest region on Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border. The guards tried to nab the poachers when they were cutting sandalwood trees, sources said.But in the melee, the poachers fired at the forest guards and fled. Govindan, the forest guard, who was grievously injured, was taken to Salem Government Hospital. Krishnagiri Police have registered a case and a police team lead by Krishnagiri Superintendent of Police Babu visited the spot. The police are also investigating whether naxalites are involved in the incident. It may be noted that Krishnagiri district was once a hot bed for naxalites and the State government has taken all measures to prevent naxalites from entering Tamil Nadu from Andhra through Krishnagiri district.

Written test

A preliminary written test and new inventions in science will be conducted on July 19 to select boys and girls aged between 9 and 16 for the ‘Balashree’ award at the Jawahar Bala Bhavan housed in the District Music School in Krishnagiri.

A release issued by the Project Officer P. Kathirvel, Jawahar Bala Bhavan, said that the award being given to the children every year by the National Bala Bhavan

For details, contact: 98407 24673, says the press release.

Exhibition on environment

Commissioner of Museums T.Sri. Sridhar inaugurated an environment awareness exhibition at the District Museum on Mahatma Gandhi Road in Krishnagiri on Friday.

Mr. Sridhar said since Krishnagiri shares border with Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, it was an important base for commercial activities in the past. Urban citizens are inhaling polluted air because of heavy traffic, hence it is essential to teach children keep the environment clean.

In Krishnagiri district, there are many old inscriptions, stone slabs and special drawings. It is our duty to safeguard these inscriptions, Sridhar added.

Additional Collector (Development) Darez Ahmed, Chief Education Officer, M. Baskaran, UNICEF district coordinator Mr. Ganesamoorthy participated.

R.T. Thulasi Brinda, Curator, Krishanagiri Government Museum welcomed the gathering. Ashok, Technical Assistant proposed a vote of thanks.

Later, he along with the Collector visited Periya Kottapalli hills where they inspected rocks having Brahmi inscriptions.They also visited Chinna Kothur village, as it was once the capital city of Hoysala Prince Veeraramanathan. They inspected the Kuntheeswar temple.

Will AIADMK boycott Assembly polls, asks DMK

Will the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam boycott the 2011 Assembly elections in the State, asked E.V. Velu, the Food Minister, here on Friday.

He was here to address at the United Progressive Alliance’s meeting held in Pochampalli in Krishnagiri.

He said by-elections were the litmus test for the ruling and Opposition parties. If Jayalalithaa do not believe in Electronic Voting Machines, will she take the same stand in 2011?

He asked the DMK and its alliance party workers not to take the boycott by AIADMK alliance in a lighter manner. “We should remain alert and work for the victory of DMK,” he said.

Law Minister Durai Murugan questioned Jayalalithaa’s demand for cancelling the by-elections and use the money to provide basic amenities.

He asked if she was really worried about the people she would not have fielded the former Bargur MLA M. Thambidurai in Karur Lok Sabha constituency.

The by-election was necessitated because of Thambidurai’s resignation.

Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veerasamy said the BJP was obstructing the Rs. 2400-crore Sethu Canal project and the Left was opposing the Nuclear agreement.

Both did not want the nation to develop

Rs. 1,084-crore Annual Credit Plan released for Krishnagiri

The Annual Credit Plan (ACP) for Krishnagiri district for the financial year 2009-10 envisages a total outlay of Rs. 1,084.74 crore, which is 16.20 per cent (Rs. 151.11 crore) higher than that of the previous year.

Indian Bank Chairman and Managing Director M.S. Sundara Rajan released the ACP here on Thursday and Collector V.K. Shanmugam received the first copy.

Agriculture gets the lion’s share of Rs. 646.26 crore, which accounts for 59.90 per cent of the total outlay benefiting 1,73,071 beneficiaries. This is 85.81 per cent higher than the previous year’s outlay.

The projected crop loan will be Rs. 352.52 crore, 44 per cent higher than that of the last year. A sum of Rs. 232.78 crore has been earmarked for agriculture term loan and for agriculture allied sectors it is Rs. 60.96 crore (18.74 per cent higher than last year).

Besides these, an amount of Rs. 157.92 crore has been allocated for Small Scale Industries, which is 4.78 per cent higher than the last year.

An outlay of Rs.280.56 crore has been projected for other priority sectors such as transport, retail trade, small business professional and self-employed, housing and education loans. This is 60.52 per cent higher than the last fiscal.

Indian Bank Assistant General Manager G. Muthappan, Lead District Manager B. Vadivel and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Assistant General Manager V. Thirumalai participated.

SHG fair

Later, Mr. Sundara Rajan inaugurated an exhibition of products by the women Self-Help Groups from Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts.

More than 15 groups participated in the exhibition and showcased their productes.

He also honoured 26 toppers of SSLC and Plus Two exams from both the districts.

All of them were given cheques ranging from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 at a simple function organised in Krishnagiri.