TIIC plans to issue Rs. 36-crore loan

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC) has fixed a target of Rs. 36 crore to be distributed as industrial loan in the district during the current financial year as against its last year disposal of Rs. 31 crore, said Collector C.N. Maheshwaran here on Wednesday.

Inaugurating a special loan mela organised by the TIIC in Hosur, Mr. Maheshwaran said that the TIIC was established with the view to boosting industrialisation in the State.

It had so far extended loans to over 1 lakh tiny, small and medium scale industries to the tune of Rs. 9,413 crore. Of this, 40 per cent of the loan was given to first generation entrepreneurs, he added.

Following an appeal from the Hosur Small and Tiny Industries Association (HOSTIA), the TIIC had announced a special scheme to extend loan for purchase of power generators. Under this scheme, the entrepreneur’s margin of the investment would be only 20 per cent, Mr. Maheshwaran said.

One killed in bus-lorry collision, 14 hurt

One died and 14 passengers, including eight women and a small boy, were severely injured on Wednesday evening after the bus in which they were travelling hit a lorry near Hosur in Krishnagiri.

A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus bound from Harur in Dharmapuri going towards Hosur with more than 40 passengers when it hot a lorry near Konneripalli village on the Chennai-Bengaluru national highway, according to police.

Police said that the two vehicles collided as the lorry driver did not notice the bus.

The 14 people who were injured were shifted to the Hosur government hospital.

Border village turns paradise for house sparrows

Do you miss seeing house sparrows? You can see them in Kothagondapalli, a tiny village 5 km from Hosur

The village, which borders Karnataka, has more than 200 houses with a population of about 1,200.

It has now become a destination for environmentalists and bird lovers following the success of Kothakondapalli in conserving sparrows.

“The credit should go to Sreenivasa Seva Trust (SST) for the pride that Kothakondapalli got for its sparrow conservation,” said M. Muniraj, elected member for Kothakondapalli panchayat.

SST, promoted by the TVS group, has played a key role in encouraging villagers to conserve house sparrow. The trust chose Kothakondapalli because of its proximity to TVS Motor Company in Hosur.

The members of the trust explained the need to conserve sparrows and invited villagers to take part in the project.

The villagers agreed to take part in sparrow conservation and were given corrugated boxes modified as birds nest by the trust.

The villagers put up the nests at the entrance of their houses in the hope that sparrows would make these their homes.

“Patience is essential in the conservation of sparrows,” said T. Gopa Amma, 35, of Kothakondapalli.
SST has expanded its sparrow conservation project to other villages close to Kothakondapalli.

By Sanjeevi Anandan

ID cards distributed for differently abled persons

As many as 48 differently abled persons were given national identity cards at a special screening programme conducted in Bagalur in Hosur taluk in Krishnagiri district on Sunday.

The camp was organised jointly by the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Care-Givers and the Office of the District Differently-Abled Welfare for the first time in the town, situated at a distance of 15 km from the industrial town of Hosur.

Over 100 differently-abled persons thronged the camp from Bagalur and neighbouring villages.

Imthiyas Ahmed, District Differently-Abled Welfare Officer, and government doctors from Krishnagiri led by S. Murugesan, orthopaedic specialist, Ranganathan, Vijay, Lakshmishri, Bhavani and Magesh screened the people.

Shyamala, district president of the association, was also present, a release said

Minister inaugurates welfare schemes for tribal people

806 tribal students hailing from villages in and around Denkanikottai Taluk given community certificates

Minister for Municipal Administration K.P. Munusamy (second left) hearing the grievances of children at Gullatti Goundanur village

 near Denkanikottai on Saturday. Krishnagiri Collector C.N. Maheshwaran (left) is in the picture.- Photo: N. Bashkaran

As many as 806 tribal students hailing from villages in and around Denkanikottai Taluk were given community certificates on Saturday by Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development K.P. Munusamy.

Inaugurating the welfare schemes for tribal people at a function held at Forest Travellers Bungalow, the Minister said that the initiative was the first of its kind in the State. He said the entire government machinery in Krishnagiri was working hard in the last two months to find out the needs of tribal people residing in 45 hilltop villages in five panchayats under the Denkanikottai and Thalli Panchayat Unions.

Based on reports published in newspapers about prevalence of malnutrition among tribal children and lack of basic amenities in tribal villages, District Collector C.N. Maheshwaran, on April 10, instructed officials of various departments to visit these villages and find out the needs of the people.

It was found that about 15,480 people were residing in the 45 villages.

Based on the findings, Mr. Maheshwaran formed a Tribal Development Committee to implement development and welfare schemes in these villages.

Welfare aids

At the function held on Saturday, welfare aids were distributed to 18 villages, which needed immediate attention. As many as 329 beneficiaries were given housesite patta, 59 new ration cards were distributed and other welfare assistance to the tune of Rs. 1.79-crore was given to 1,967 people. Seven anganwadis were also opened. Minister lauded the efforts of the district administration.

Earlier Mr. Munusamy also inaugurated a water supply scheme at Gullatti Goundanur village.

He instructed the district administration to take immediate steps to admit 12 girl children of the village in Class IX and extend all help including hostel facilities.

Presiding over the programme, Collector C.N. Maheshwaran said that the media reports were an eye-opener for the district administration.

He said the Tribal Development Committee will discuss the issues of tribal people and bring it to the notice of the district administration. First Monday of every month, Hosur Sub-Collector will listen to the grievances of the tribals, he said.

A new scheme, initiated by Collector C.N. Maheshwaran -Adopt a Tribal Child to impart Education ( Malaivazh Makkalukkana Kalvi Thana Iyakkam )- was also launched. As many as 60 people including teachers, government officials promised to donate Rs. 5,000 each, soon after the launch of the scheme.

District Revenue Officer C. Prakasam, Hosur Sub-Collector Sandeep Nanduri, District panchayat chairman K. Ashok Kumar among others participated.

Over 100 BJP workers arrested, released

As many as 120 cadres, including three women, of Bharatiya Janata Party were arrested across the district for staging road blockades at four places condemning the hike in petroleum prices and also against the Union Government’s inaction in tackling inflation.

Police sources said that about 20 party workers staged a road blockade opposite the Head Post Office in Hosur. G. Balakrishnan, district president, presided over the agitation. Party leaders Narendran and Varadarajan among others participated.

In Krishnagiri, Munavar Begum, State Vice-President, Minority Wing of the party, presided over the agitation at Five Road Junction. As many as 36 cadres, including two women, participated. B. Koteeswaran, District Vice-President, and M.S. Shanta Kumar, State Vice-President, Fishermen Wing of the party, participated.

In Uthangarai town, 23 cadres, including one woman, were arrested when they resorted to a road blockade near Four Road Junction. Siva, District Vice-President, presided.

In Berigai, the agitation was led by Sundaramoorthy, Union Chairman of the party. Forty-one cadre were arrested when they attempted to block the road opposite the bus stand, police sources said. All of them were released in the evening.

Three hurt in accidents

Three persons, including a woman, were injured in different accidents in and around Krishnagiri recently.

Thimmakka (55) of Sigaralapalli village fell from a moving bus while trying to board it at Bargur and sustained injuries.

She was admitted in Bargur Government Hospital. Bargur police have registered a case against the bus driver. In another incident, a two-wheeler in which G. Pavendan (21) and his friend Vikram (18) of Kollakkottai area in Krishnagiri were riding was hit by a car on the Bangalore-Chennai National Highway. Both of them sustained injuries and were admitted to Government Headquarters Hospital in Krishnagiri.

Hogenakkal project trial run will begin in October: Minister

Munusamy inspects head works on the banks of the Cauvery

The trial run of the water pumping from the headwork of the Hogenakkal Drinking Water and Fluorosis Mitigation Project will begin in October this year, said K.P. Munusamy, Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development, here on Friday.

Speaking to The Hindu after inspecting the head works on the banks of the River Cauvery, Mr. Munusamy said that the trial run would take place in October and the project to meet the drinking water needs of the people in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts would go on stream before the end of December this year. Subsequently, the treated water from the water treatment plant at Yaanaipallam to the Master Balancing Reservoir at Madam would take place. “The storage capacity of the Master Balancing Reservoir is 160 million litres.”

“As announced, the government is keen to inaugurate the scheme before December. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will inaugurate the scheme,” he added.

The project work was awarded as five packages to different firms. So far, 62 per cent of the work had been completed. Officials had been asked to speed up the remaining work.

The Minister said that 68 per cent of the works under package II, 54 per cent in package III, 60 per cent under package IV and 63 per cent of the works under the package V were completed.

People living in three municipalities, 17 town panchayats, and 6,755 rural habitations in 18 panchayat unions would benefit.

The project was envisaged to provide protected drinking water to the people of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts and also to mitigate the effects of the fluorosis disease in the districts.

After the inauguration of the project, it would take at least six months to streamline the supply, said P. Ekambaram, Managing Director of TWAD Board, who was accompanying the Minister during the inspection, said.

The Rs. 1928.80-crore project is being implemented with the financial assistance of the Japan International Cooperation Agency. P. Palaniappan, Minister for Higher Education, K.P. Anbazhagan, Palacode MLA, K. Agilan, Director (Engineering), TWAD Board, J.D. Gopal Rao, Chief Engineer, A. Pradhaban, Superintending Engineer, among others accompanied the Ministers.

Later, both the Ministers’ reviewed the progress of the project at the Krishnagiri Collectorate in the evening.

Hosur MLA Gopinath appears before Judicial Magistrate

An arrest warrant issued against Congress Legislative Party Leader and Hosur MLA K. Gopinath was recalled after his personal appearance before the Judicial Magistrate, Denkanikottai, in Krishnagiri on Thursday.

A case was registered against Mr. Gopinath, Telugu actor-politician Chiranjeevi and four other local party leaders in Bagalur Police Station in connection with the violation of Model Code of Conduct during the 2011 Assembly elections.

Bagalur Inspector of Police R. Krishnan told The Hindu that a case under sections 143 (unlawful assembly) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) was registered against the six persons on April 9, 2011. He said the election convoy of Mr. Chirajeevi along with Mr. Gopinath had stopped near the Bagalur bus stand without permission. A case was registered against them based on the complaint lodged by the local Village Administrative Officer Krishna Rao. The case was inquired by the Judicial Magistrate I, Hosur. As all the six charge-sheeted in the case failed to appear before the court, the Magistrate issued an arrest warrant on April 24, 2011.

MLA K. Gopinath told The Hindu that he was not aware of any case pending against him in the Bagalur court and added that he was planning to file defamation suits against the police as well as some print and electronic media for maligning his reputation.



SBI donates ceiling fans to government schools

A.R. Ganesan, Regional Manager, State Bank of India, Regional Business Office, Salem,

giving away ceiling fans to P. Anandakumar, Headmaster, Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Krishnagiri,

State Bank of India has donated 140 ceiling fans to 10 government schools in Krishnagiri district on Thursday.

They were handed over to headmasters concerned of the Government schools in the presence of Chief Educational Officer S. Suganya at her office.

A.R. Ganesan, Regional Manager, State Bank of India, Regional Business Office, Salem, and 14 branch managers in the district were present.

Mr. Ganesan said that this was part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity on account of the Bank Day which falls on July 1.

SBI has 59 branches in the Salem region. All the branches were instructed to provide 10 fans to government school coming under their respective jurisdiction.

N. Arumugam, Chief Manager, Main Branch, Krishnagiri, told The Hindu that the bank was extending a helping hand for the last six years to the poor and downtrodden through its CSR activities.

In the initial three years, every branch of the bank was asked to adopt two students from Standard VI and support their studies till they completed Plus-Two.

In the fourth year, the bank provided reverse osmosis plant in ten schools, he said.

Arrangements for mango exhibition in Krishnagiri going on at slow pace

Tenders floated and works allotted but works are yet to be completed

With only four days left for the inauguration of 20th All India Mango Exhibition, the arrangements for the annual event is on a slow pace.

Agriculture Minister S. Damodaran and Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development K.P. Munusamy would be taking part in the inaugural function of the 21-day event.

The district administration had floated tenders for sound and lights, decoration of entrance, issue of entry ticket, construction of temporary toilets, exhibition office and temporary sheds for government stalls and private stalls.

The works were allotted to the successful bidders on June 14. But still the works have not been completed.

Officials, on condition of anonymity, said that the officials of the departments concerned were showing least interest in the arrangements.

Invitations

Meanwhile, all media offices and important personalities have received invitations for the inaugural function from the DIPR on Tuesday evening.

The people living near the Government Higher Secondary School, the exhibition venue, have expressed concern about the noise pollution that might be caused as a result of the event being organised at the location.

An official told The Hindu that District Collector C.N. Maheshwaran has given clear instructions to the officials to close the stalls before 10 p.m. and avoid loud sounds that might disturb those living nearby.

Over 80,000 ration card holders in the district to get free home appliances: Minister

As many as 83,000 eligible ration card holders in the district would be given free home appliances during the current financial year, Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development K.P. Munusamy said here on Sunday.

Addressing after distributing free home appliances to 2,240 beneficiaries costing Rs. 1.22 crore at different places, the Minister said Chief Minister had allocated Rs. 1,455 crore for various welfare schemes to the students during the current fiscal.

As far as education was concerned, our district has improved to 17th position from 27 in the State. This was possible only through efficient and dedicated teachers and also the officials who spent their valuable time for the improvement.

The Minister lauded the efforts of the officials, teachers and the coordinated efforts should continue during the current academic year and bag 10th place in education.

He said the distribution of free home appliances to 60,000 card holders would be achieved soon. All the 4.40 lakh card holders who are drawing rice in the ration shops would be given home appliances. Earlier, at a function held in the afternoon, the Minister released an education souvenir brought out by the Department of Education.

Addressing after releasing the souvenir, Mr. Munusamy said that so far 51,190 students were given the incentive amount to the tune of Rs. 2.38 crore in the district. The incentive was issued to bring down the rate of school drop outs at SSLC and Plus One and Plus Two. He also called up on the parents and students to make the district as nil reports in school drop outs.

School-bound eggs make it to the local market

An attempt to divert eggs, meant for distribution under noon meal scheme, to be sold in the open market was foiled by the cadre of Hindu Munnani at Agaram in Krishnagiri district on Thursday night.

The eggs were meant for distribution in the Government Higher Secondary School in Agaram.

About 10 members of the party, led by P. Ananthanarayanan, party vice-president, Kaveripattinam Union, spotted the van from a house near the school at around 9.30 p.m. and alerted the Nagarasampatti police. Since the policemen did not arrive on the scene, the cadre took the vehicle to the police station.

Till the arrival of presspersons around 2.30 p.m., the police refused to register a case, they said.

Inspector K. Ganesan recorded the statement of the van driver A. Nallathambi (44) of Karukkanchavadi Village near Kaveripattinam. A case was registered and Nallathambi was arrested.

District Collector C.N. Maheshwaran suspended the school's noon meal organiser Yasoda on Thursday evening, Collectorate sources said.

SSLC exam: girls continue to outshine boys in Krishnagiri district

The pass percentage in SSLC under the newly-introduced ‘Samacheer Kalvi System' in Krishnagiri district has paid good dividend. The district achieved an overall pass percentage of 87 per cent as against 82 per cent last year, said S. Suganya, Chief Educational Officer, here on Monday. She told The Hindu that girls outshined boys this time too in the Krishnagiri Revenue district.

Total students appeared for the examination was 26,993 including 13,348 girls. Of these, 23,359 students, including 11,859 girls passed out the examinations, she added. The pass percentage of the boys was 84 per cent as against the 89 per cent of the girls.

 :L.V. Renukashri and B. Chandra Murali Rao

R. Banumathy  

 Ramya.M

 E. Praveen Kumar 

Seven students from Vijay Vidyalaya Group of Schools in Krishnagiri and Hosur and Shri Vidya Mandhir Higher Secondary School, Uthangarai shared the first three positions.

The toppers were: R. Banumathy and E. Praveen Kumar of Vijay Vidyalaya MHSS, Hosur and B. Chandra Murali Rao and L.V. Renukashri of Vijay Vidyalaya MHSS, Krishnagiri. They got first position by securing 494/500.

The second rank was bagged by M. Ramya of Vijay Vidyalaya MHSS, Hosur with (494/500) and the third position was shared by K. Rishya Sankar of Vijay Vidyalaya MHSS, Hosur and G. Mahishavarshini of Sri Vidya Mandhir MHSS, Uthangarai with a total of 492.

Among the government schools, A. Naveen of Government HSS, Karappattu, was the topper with the score of 489/500 and A. Nandini of Government GHSS bagged the second rank in the district with the score of 479/500 and third rank by R. Kaviarasi of Government HSS, Karappattu.

100 per cent result achieved

As many as 26 government schools, three aided schools and 59 private schools achieved 100 per cent result in SSLC examinations in