Raped schoolgirl gives birth in Krishnagiri

A 14-year-old school girl, who was allegedly raped by her neighbour some months ago, gave birth to a male child on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district.

The girl, who was admitted to the Government Hospital in , gave birth to the baby boy after the doctors advised that an ‘abortion’ would endanger her life. Police said her school was informed since it was a case of a minor girl delivering a kid. The Krishnagiri Police then visited the hospital and recorded a statement from the girl. The accused was later quickly nabbed, arrested for raping a minor girl and remanded to judicial custody today, sources added. The minor girl was befriended by the accused Selvam, who worked in a petty shop run by the girl’s grandma, Police sources said on Thursday. Seduction Selvam over a period of time allured and seduced the girl, a ninth class student of the Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Arasampatti, before “repeatedly raping” her, sources said. This went unnoticed until her pregnancy was confirmed a few days ago. As the girl’s father is dead and her mother is working as casual labour in Chennai, her grandmother was unaware of the crime, police said.

Plea for train service between Jolarpet and Hosur via Krishnagiri

The Krishnagiri Rail/Bus Passengers Association has demanded the Railway Ministry to introduce a direct service between Jolarpet and Hosur via Krishnagiri and Shoolagiri.

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, the president of the association, K. Ragavendran, said that an agitation would be held on January 24 near the round-tana in the district pressing for the demand. He said that a team of 15 office-bearers toured the district seeking public support. Joint Secretary of the association, D. Chandrasekar, who is also the secretary of the Krishnagiri District TNEB Pensioners' Association, said that a signature campaign was conducted last year in January and as many as two lakh signatures were obtained from the public in support of the demand and subsequently it was sent to Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee.

The Railway Board in its reply pointed out that a survey was conducted in 2008 and as per the survey the total project costs around Rs. 558. 24 crore

A team of officials from Southern Railway also conducted a survey during the first week of December last year. According to Southern Railway sources, that the project cost would be revised and would be sent to the Ministry for its approval.

Rural library contests in Krishnagiri

In an effort to encourage students in rural areas to use libraries, and to help develop their literary talents, the district administration plans to conduct rural library competitions on December 24.

A release from District Collector R. Ananthakumar said that under the flagship programme of Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam (AGAMT), emphasis was given to setting up of libraries in rural areas. Under the scheme, it was made mandatory that each village have a library. A total of 205 villages were taken up under the scheme in 2006-07 and 2009-10, and library buildings were constructed.

Basic infrastructure was developed and 1,005 books under different categories supplied to these libraries. An honorary librarian was appointed in each of the AGAMT village libraries.

The panchayats have been asked to submit their detailed action plan in this regard and take decisions at the special Grama Sabha meeting on December 20.

The rural library competition will include spotting geographical places on maps, memory tests based on books in AGAMT libraries, debates, and poetry recitation. The competitions will be held in the respective libraries in the 205 village panchayats. The first two winning candidates would be given prize money of Rs. 200 and Rs. 150 respectively along with certificates.

Dalits from Adi Dravidar Colony, Avadanapatti village, near Krishnagiri have accused three caste Hindu families of encroaching upon a vacant land meant for public purpose in their colony for the last eight years.

Over 50 persons thronged the Collectorate and submitted a petition to District Revenue Officer, C. Prakasam here on Monday demanding that the encroachments be removed.

The Dalits alleged that caste Hindus had erected two flag posts and hoisted a PMK flag and a Vanniyar Sangam flag and fear that it will flare up community clash.

In a petition, they alleged that three persons had encroached upon the land meant for a school and built houses and shops. Besides, the caste Hindu families blocked the flow of sewage into the main outlet from the Dalit colony.

This resulted in stagnation of sewage for more than a year posing serious health hazard to the residents.

Receiving the petition, Mr. Prakasam assured the Dalits to take action with the consultation of District Collector V. Arun Roy, who is away in Chennai on an official visit.

Rally on energy conservation held in Krishnagiri

Employees of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) and school students took out a rally here on Monday to spread awareness among people on the importance of energy conservation.

The rally was flagged off by Mr. S.K. Perumal, Executive Engineer, TANGEDCO near the R.C. Fathima Church in Bangalore Road.

The rally passed through the main thoroughfares such as Telephone Exchange Road, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Round Tanna, Old Bangalore Road and K. Theatre road before culminating at the TANGEDCO office.

The rally was organised by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) in association to mark the National Energy Conservation Week from December 14 to 20.

Flagging off the rally, Mr. S.K. Perumal appeals the consumers to replace the incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps and to use the energy-efficient electrical appliances and install solar water heaters.

Students and employees raised slogans urging people to save energy and use energy efficient appliances at their home and work place. Energy conservation should begin at home.

“Everyone should take precautions to ensure that the electrical appliances are used only when it was absolutely necessary,” the participants stressed.

The employees and students holding the placards that bore the message about ``fast depleting conventional sources of energy and also the growing demand for energy across the world, They also stressed that the increased energy consumption had caused huge damage to the environment. Conserving energy would help protect the Mother Nature.

Pamphlets on energy conservation were also distributed to the public during the rally.