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Statue
for Vijay
M
M-7, Thiru-Vi-Ka
Industrial Estate,
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Chennai - 600 032.
& 2250 0111, 4202 1111
Chennai’s No 1 English evening daily since 1982
www.newstodaynet.com
NATIONAL DAILY
VOL. XXXII NO. 318
FOUNDER EDITOR: T.R.R
H CHENNAI H SUNDAY 26.10.2014 (EVENING) H OTHER STATIONS MONDAY 27.10.2014 (MORNING) H 8 PAGES Rs. 4.00 H Regd. No., TN/CC(S) Dn. / 223 / 12-14, RNI No: 33810 / 82
AIADMK to
pay tributes
to Thevar
NT Bureau
Chennai, Oct 26:
Leaders and cadres of the AIADMK will pay floral tributes to the
statue of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on Anna Salai here on
30 October as part of 107th Jayanthi
festival of the leader.
A press release from the AIADMK,
said, ‘the party’s presidium chairman
E Madhusoodhanan will garland the
statue. It will be attended by MPs,
MLAs, members of MGR Manram,
Jayalalithaa Peravai, trade bodies
and various units/wings of the party.
Coal Ministry
gears up for
e-auction
Kolkata, Oct 26 (PTI):
The Coal Ministry is gearing up to
prepare the modalities of the proposed e-auction of coal blocks that
may take place in January next year.
The coal ministry recently held a detailed discussion about it with mjunction Services Ltd, an e-commerce
company promoted by Tata Steel and
Steel Authority of India.
Takes guard
anohar Lal Khattar, a low-profile organisation man
with active RSS background, was today sworn in
as Chief Minister of Haryana, where BJP has formed
government for the first time on its own.
60-year-old Khattar, a first-time MLA from Karnal and
a non-Jat leader known to be close to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, was administered the oath along with
nine ministers by Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki at a
function here attended by a galaxy of BJP leaders including the PM, party chief Amit Shah, Union ministers,
Chief Ministers of BJP ruled states and
veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.
Meanwhile, hopes for the release of four fishermen
from this coastal town and one from Kerala detained
in Iran have brightened with the intervention of Indian
embassy officials and support of the fishing firm that
employed them.
“The senior officials in Indian embassies in Qatar and
Iran have made good efforts for the release of Indian
fishermen,’ president, Tamilnadu Fishermen Development Trust, P Justin Antony said.
Food, clothes and medicine have been provided to the
fishermen, he added.
At least 20 militants were killed and several others
injured early today when Pakistan’s fighter jets pounded
their positions in the country’s tribal region.
Khattar takes oath
as Haryana CM
q Modi attends swearing in ceremony
Chandigarh, Oct 26:
Manohar Lal Khattar took oath as
the first BJP Chief Minister of Haryana
today.
The occasion was historic for the
BJP as it is for the first time that the
party has come to power in Haryana
since the state’s inception in 1966.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP
president Amit Shah, Chief Ministers
of BJP ruled States, Punjab Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Union
Cabinet Ministers and other senior
BJP leaders attended the ceremony.
Outgoing Chief Minister Bhupinder
Singh Hooda was also invited.
In a departure from the past, the
venue for the oath-taking function
had been kept at Panchkula, which
earlier used to be Chandigarh, the
common capital of both Haryana and
Punjab. Also, this is the first time that
CIC makes RTI
norms tougher
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
Records cannot be destroyed even under weeding-out policy if a citizen
has sought information
related to them through
the RTI route as doing
it would be a violation of
the transparency law, the
Central Information Commission has held.
The transparency panel passed this stricture while hearing
the plea of Ashok Dixit who sought some information from Delhi
Technological University here but was denied on the pretext
that records carrying the information have been weeded out.
Taking a stern view of the varsity’s explanation, Information
Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu issued a show cause notice
to the university asking why a maximum penalty of Rs 25,000
not be slapped on it for not providing information.
The Commission does not accept the claim of the respondents that the record is weeded out without showing how and
when they followed weeding out policy, especially when an RTI
application is pending in respect of the record, Acharyulu said.
He said the public authority has to explain the Commission
whether they are following the provisions of the Public Records
Act 1993 in destroying old records, made any rules for their
offi ce, who is in-charge of implementation of those rules,
when the particular information sought by the appellant was
destroyed and what is the file noting about that file before it
was weeded out.
Record cannot be destroyed after RTI application is filed,
even if it outlived the time prescribed under weeding out policy
and if destroyed like that, it would invite the penalty under
Section 20 of the RTI Act, he said.
Massive arrangements
were made at the Sector
5 HUDA ground in
Panchkula for the
swearing-in ceremony.
Tight security measures
had been put in place,
with over 3,000 cops being
deployed
a Chief Minister was being sworn-in
at a public ceremony instead of the
event being held at the Haryana Raj
Bhavan
Massive arrangements were made at
the Sector 5 HUDA ground in Panchkula
for the swearing-in ceremony. Haryana
Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki adminis-
Mishap at
tered the oath of office to Khattar.
Tight security measures had been put
in place, with over 3,000 cops being
deployed.
60-year-old Khattar is known as
as low-profile, ‘behind-the-scenes’
organisational man of the RSS and
BJP.
Those who known him describe
him as a no-nonsense man and a
tough task master.
A former Rashtriya Swayamsewak
Sangh (RSS) pracharak, Khattar
contested and won his first election
from the Karnal Assembly seat. He
was chosen as leader of the BJP
legislative party on Tuesday.
BJP created history by coming to
power on its own for the first time in
Haryana, since its inception in 1966.
In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, BJP bagged 47 seats,
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) won
19 seats and its ally Shiromani Akali
Dal (SAD) got 1, Congress won 15
seats, Haryana Janhit Congress
(HJC BL) won 2 seats, Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) managed 1 seat
and five seats went to independent
candidates.
Nine killed in
road accident
Nagaon, Oct 26 (PTI):
At least nine persons, including five women, were killed and
24 injured when a bus in which
they were travelling fell into a
roadside ditch at Uluani in Nagaon district today.
The incident occurred when the
bus ferrying passengers from
Lakhimpur district to Guwahati
for a train journey to Delhi hit
the railing of a small bridge before rolling down into a ditch at
around 1.30 AM, Superintendent
of Police Arabinda Kalita said.
Eight persons, including the
bus driver, died on the spot,
while a woman succumbed to her
wounds in hospital, he said. The
injured passengers were admitted
to hospital. Five critically injured
persons were referred to the
Gauhati Medical College Hospital,
Kalita said.
The surviving passengers said
the chartered bus was carrying
35 people from Lakhimpur district to Guwahati so that they
could board a train this morning for their onward journey to
Delhi.
FATAL JOURNEY
midnight: One
dies, 21 injured
NT Bureau
Villupuram. Oct 26:
A eight-year-old boy was killed
when a State Transport Corporation
bus hit a private bus near Ulundurpet. Twenty-one persons who were
travelling in both the buses sustained
injuries and were rushed to hospitals
nearby.
A private bus was proceeding from
Madurai from Madurai to Chennai
yesterday. When the vehicle reached
Ulundurpet, one of the the tyres got
punctured.
Meanwhile, another private bus
which was proceeding in the same
direction stopped to help the driver
and conductor of the bus that was
strandd on the road. Unfortunately
a State Transport Corporation bus
which was coming behind rammed
into the bus.
In the melee, a boy was killed on the
spot. The government bus suffered
maximum damage. On hearing cries
of the injured passengers, local residents rushed to their rescue. Those
who sustained injuries were rushed
to nearby government hospitals.
Traffic came to a standstill on the
road following the mishap.
The skeletal remains of the bus that was involved in the mishap.
EC for proxy voting, e-ballots for NRIs
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
proxy voting, he said let the facility first Representation of the Peoples (RP) Act
‘After enrolment, an overseas elector
begin for NRIs.
which insists on the physical presence
The Election Commission favours proxy
an NRI in his local constituency at the
voting and e-ballot for NRIs but not voting
The
committee
is
of
the
view
that
e-postal
will be able to cast his or her vote in an ballot, where blank postal ballot is trans- of
time of voting.
in Indian embassies abroad.
election in the constituency, in person, ferred electronically to NRIs and returned According to EC website, after enrolment,
It says the Ministry of External Affairs
by post, can be employed after validation an overseas elector will be able to cast his or
(MEA) does not favour voting in missions
at the polling station provided for
of the process and pilot implementation her vote in an election in the constituency, in
abroad.
We are not opposed to anything. But will
the part where he is registered as an in one or two constituencies and then be person, at the polling station provided for the
scaled up for parliamentary elections if part where he is registered as an overseas
do anything that can be feasible, Chief
overseas elector’
found feasible, practicable and meeting elector.
Election Commissioner V S Sampath told
the objectives of free and
According to the provisions of the RP
PTI.
fair elections,’ said the report given to Act, a person who is a citizen of India and
He said a committee comprising officials
who has not acquired the citizenship of any
from the EC, Law Ministry and the MEA to apply their mind,’ he said. He said if the in some countries, the NRI population the SC.
The 50-page report was prepared by a other country and is otherwise eligible to
had gathered opinions from all sections proposal sails through, then NRIs will be could be equal to the local populace and
before submitting a report to the apex sent ballot papers electronically and they it will be difficult to hold such an exercise 12-member committee led by Vinod Zutshi, be registered as a voter and who is absent
Deputy Election Commissioner, for ‘Ex- from his place of ordinary residence in
court.
will have to return it to poll authorities at the embassy.
Another problem is that some of the ploring Feasibility of Alternative Options India owing to employment, education or
Sampath said any move to allow NRIs physically.
otherwise is eligible to be registered as a
use proxy voting on the lines of defence
Explaining the feasibility aspect in not countries may not be democracies and for Voting by Overseas Electors’.
voter in theconstituency in which his place
they
may
object
to
NRIs
exercising
their
The
report
is
the
result
of
a
public
interest
personnel and e-ballot facility will require allowing NRIs to vote at embassies, he
litigation filed in SC against the inherent of residence in India, as mentioned in his
changes in the law. ‘It will require a legisla- said the MEA was of the view that it will be democratic rights.
Asked how EC would check misuse on inequality created by Section 20(A) of the passport, is located.
tive framework. The lawmakers will have difficult to allow such an exercise because,
Published by K. Balakumar on behalf of News Today Media (P) Ltd., from 85, Mount Road (GST Road), Guindy, Chennai 600 032 and printed by him at Frontline Printers Private Ltd., M-7, Thiru-Vi-Ka Industrial Estate, Guindy,
Chennai 600 032. Ph: 4202 1111. Editor: K. Balakumar. Phone: Editorial/Admn /Advt: 22504000, Fax: 2250 1800 (Editorial)/2250 1200/2250 0101 (Advt/Admn). e-mail: [email protected], Circulation: 4202 1111. Fax: 4212 0000.
2 SUNDAY
26 OCTOBER 2014
City
TWIT PICK
PMO India @PMOIndia
Tele-medicine enables expert opinion even for
people living far away. We need to integrate
this and give good facilities to people: PM
Centre
CHENNAI
Overgrown weeds choke
Pallikaranai marsh
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Success in its highest and noblest form
calls for peace of mind and
enjoyment and happiness which come
only to the man who has found
the work that he likes best.”
-Napoleon Hill
Where to walk?
from the surrounding areas
has also let to the shrinking
of this swamp. Dumping of
waste has largely reduced
the fauna in the wetland.
The
marsh,
originally
spread over 5,500 hector,
is now reduced to less than
1,000 hector, it is alleged.
Thick vegetation covering the
In order to save the
Pallikaranai wetland.
Pallikaranai
marshland,
e
n
v
i
r
o
n
m
e
n
talists,
allikaranai is one of the few
ornithologists, wildlife researchers
remaining natural wetlands
and residents living around the
in the city. This marsh is home to
area urge the State government
plenty of migratory birds and is a
and the local body to periodically
great retreat for bird-watchers and
clean and maintain the place.
nature enthusiasts. The wetland,
‘The presence of moss and
situated in the backdrop of highweeds increases the
rises, is picturesque. But this
level of carbon
scenic beauty has been
dioxide in the
deteriorating due to the
I
water thereby
HER
C
A
overgrowth of moss and
VEL
killing
water
weeds that has enveloped
life,’
says
Sriram
a
resident.
the entire lake.
‘Decomposing water weeds also
The wetland has shrunk to
have the potential to deplete
a large extent due to the several
oxygen.
overbearing need for development
Although steps have been taken
and construction of new buildings
to
remove encroachments, illegal
in the area. The drawing of water
dumping of garbage in the reserve
P
Drawing of
water from the
surrounding
areas has also
let to the shrinking of this
swamp
forest area and poaching of birds
should be stopped. Violators should
be penalised,’ says Sweetha, a bird
watcher.
It is important to preserve the rich
fauna of the wetland and to maintain
a natural balance in the eco-system
by keeping it clean.
It was previously stated by the
authorities concerned that they will
undertake cleaning once proper
waste management facilities are
installed. But that does not seem
to happen in the near future is what
many environmentalists say.
— NT Bureau
NEW IS NICE
Pedestrians are left with no space to walk at Vadapalani pavements
I
t has become an ordeal for
people
using
Vadapalani
stretch of Arcot Road. During the
peak hours, they are left with no
space to walk as the vehicles ply
very close to the footpaths.
‘Auto drivers and other vehicle
owners park them on the sides
which occupy most of the space.
The stretch from Hotel Green Park
to Saligramam is in a very pathetic
condition. The footpath is cemented
with slabs by the Corporation but
many vehicles use the footpath
to avoid the trafc. This threatens
the safety of the pedestrians’. says
Rajesh, a resident of Vadapalani.
I
N
PALA
VADA
The bus stop on the Hundred
Feet Road doesn’t have a proper
shed and people have to expose
themselves to the elements. Even
government buses stop very close
to the walker’s pavement, which is
dangerous.
IN THEATRES
Chandrasekaran,
a
resident
of Kumaran Colony says, ‘the
pavement near Vijaya Hospital, is
encroached by hawkers. We are
forced to walk on the road and face
the risk of getting hit by vrooming
vehicles’.
People are concerned that no
action has been taken over this
issue even though this is one of the
arterial roads of the city.
‘I urge the Chennai Corporation
to take up the matter seriously
and resolve the problem’, signs
off Raj, a student of a college in
Vadapalani.
— NT Bureau
IN HOME
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04:10 PM X2: X-Men
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KATHI
A road at East Dhandeeswaram Nagar at Velacheri is spoting a fresh look.
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ATP World Tour 500 2014 : Swiss Indoors
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8
ANSWER TO
SUDOKU 2878
(25.10.2014)
7
7
1
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10:00 PM
1
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5 9 1 3 6 2 4 8 7
7
and 3x3 box must contain the digits
2
3
8
6
7
1
4
1 through 9 exactly once: Easy nah?
9 3 8 4 5 6 1 7 2
3
6
6
9
3
9
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1
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9
5
6
The object is to insert the numbers in the boxes
to satisfy only one condition: each row, column
6
8
5
4
1
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7
4
7
2
9
3
6
5
9
1
6
8
5
7
2
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1
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9
7
6
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5
6
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1
2
4
9
1
9
4
5
8
3
6
SUNDAY
26 OCTOBER 2014
Mixed Bag
CHENNAI
3
Rotary’s gesture to VHS
q Hospital gets new equipment for neurosurgery centre
Professor T Nalini receiving the award at a function held in Chennai
recently.
Honour for professor
NT Bureau
Chennai, Oct 26:
Dr T Nalini, a professor in the Computer Science Engineering department
of Bharath University, Agaram Road, Selaiyur, has been conferred with
a national-level gold medal recently by Global Economic Research and
Progress Association in recognition of her services to the field.
NT Bureau
Chennai, Oct 26:
The Voluntary Health Services
(VHS) hospital located at Taramani
here has got another new facility. The
Rotary Club of Madras Metro donated
a equipment used for the delicate
brain surgery to VHS to be used by
its neurosurgery centre.
Dhilip Bajaj from Rotary Club of
Madras Metro donated the instrument
to VHS honorary secretary Dr Suresh.
The total cost of the instrument is Rs
10 lakh, said a press note.
Also, the Department of Paediatrics - Out-Patient services was
inaugurated through a donation of
Rs 10 lakh from the Rotary Club of
Madras Metro.
Starting with the out-patient services, it would be scaled into full-fledged
child care services, including Paediatric ICU, ward with all specialists from
the paediatric cardiology, surgery,
Rotary District Governor ISAK Nazar donates the new equipment to
VHS in the presence of managing trustee Sugual Chand Jain and VHS
honorary secretary Dr Suresh.
paediatric intensivist, etc in a span
of one year.
Rotary 3230 District Governor ISAK
Sailor’s wife complains
against Navy
Kochi, Oct 26 (PTI):
Wife of a Naval sailor belonging to
the Eastern Naval Command, who
had raised allegations of financial
irregularities against his senior
officers, has alleged her husband
was being illegally kept in a hospital
here and efforts were being made to
establish that he was suffering from
mental illness.
Sunil Kumar Sahu, shipwright
artificer at INS Kattabomman, Vijayanarayanam, in Tirunelveli, which
comes under the Eastern Naval
command, had allegedly raised allegations of corruption against his
commanding officers. Sahu’s wife
Aarti said he was locked up in a cell
following this and brought to Kochi
on 23 October from Kattabomman
and admitted at the INS Sanjivini
here for treatment.
She alleged that efforts were being made by the Navy to portray
Sahu as a mental patient. He has
been kept at the psychiatry ward,
she said.
‘I want my husband to be discharged from the hospital. He does
not have any problem. I would like
him to be shifted to a civil hospital
if there is need. I do not have faith
HC rejects petition of
sacked MTC employee
Chennai, Oct 26 (PTI):
The Madras High Court rejected a
petiton filed by a dismissed Metropolitan Transport Corporation employee,
challenging his removal from service
and said a dismissed employee cannot seek sympathy from the court
on the grounds that his family would
be in dire straits if action was taken
against him.
‘The management decision that the
employee had abandoned service
was perfectly justified,’ Justice S
Vaidyanathan said while rejecting the
petition by M C Vijayakumar.
The petitioner, who joined service
in 1988, contended that he was on
medical leave for some time and had
submitted leave letters without fail.
On one such occassion, he reported
for duty in March 2008, and was told
he had been dismissed from service
in February itself. He claimed he had
not received any communication in
this regard from the management.
The management contended he
was under unauthorised absence
since 2007 and a charge memo
was served on him. Considering
his reply, he was allowed to join
duty. But he worked for just one
day and then absented himself. A
show-cause notice was issued to
him, to which there was no reply.
Hence, the decision to dismiss him
from service.
Justice Vaidyanathan said ‘it was
an admitted case that the petitioner
did not join duty. If any employee
wanted to avail medical leave, he or
she should inform the management
by enclosing a medical certificate
through registered post.’
in the doctors at the Naval hospital,’
she told PTI.
‘There is no problem with my husband. He was forcibly brought to
Kochi,’ Aarti, who is in the city with
her two-year old son, said, adding,
she was told that he would be kept
on observation for 10 days.
Meanwhile, Defence spokesperson
said Sahu was brought to Kochi from
INS Kattabomman for ‘medical advice. That advice is being provided.
No treatment was being given to him.’
The sailor was sent to Kochi for
medical assessment. ‘He is only
being assessed for any health re-
quirement the doctor has asked,’
the spokesperson said.
Aarti, who is presently staying with
her husband’s friend, said she was
asked to vacate the accommodation
provided to the family at the Naval
base here Friday.
The spokesperson said though
she was not required to accompany
him, she insisted on coming and we
allowed her to stay for the night on
humanitarian grounds. There is no
provision to permit Sahu’s family to
stay at the naval base and the accommodation provided so far was
on humanitarian grounds.
Nazar inaugurated these services
yesterday at a function at Voluntary
Health Services premises.
‘Shutting down KNPP
Unit-1 won’t benefit TN’
Madurai, Oct 26 (PTI):
Anti-nuclear activist S P Udhayakumar said shutting down of the first unit of
the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project due to a problem had proved
right his view that KNPP would not benefit Tamilnadu.
Participating a demonstration organised by Social Democratic Party of India
here, he said KNPP officials had claimed the plant was safe and had done trial
runs after ‘thorough inspections’; but now a fault had been detected in the unit.
‘My view that the plant will not benefit Tamilnadu has been proved right after
the first unit was shut down due to some problem,’ he said.
Udhayakumar, convener of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy,
alleged that commercial generation of power from Unit 1 had not taken place
even for a single day, but did not elaborate.
On 20 October, the first unit was shut down due to a ‘minor problem’ in its
turbine generator which had been in operation for just over 190 days, even as
officials assured that the problem would be set right in six to eight weeks.
Unit-1 of the Indo-Russian joint venture at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district
had attained criticality on 13 July, 2013, after much delay following protests
against the poject by anti-nuclear activists, spearheaded by PMANE, in areas
around the complex, citing safety reasons.
Senior citizen
held for giving
false complaint
GO GREEN
Terrace farming is the latest trend, it seems. A house at Perambur has gone green with plants on top of the
house.
Photo: R THIYAGARAJAN
Culprit in child sexual
assault case held
Managing trustee of the Central
Committee Sugual Chand Jain and
honorary secretary of Voluntary
Health Services Prof Dr S Suresh
were present.
Nazar spoke about the long-term
association of the Rotary movement
with the Voluntary Health Services
and outlined the future plans of Rotary.
Voluntary Health Services was
founded by Dr. Krishnaswami Srinivasa Sanjivi to meet the healthcare
needs of the poor and middle-class
based on their clinical needs and
not based on their ability to pay for
services.
About 70 per cent of the patients
(those with a monthly income below
a certain limit) are treated free of cost.
A non-commercial blood bank run
purely on voluntary blood donation
since 1962.
‘Educated girl contributes
to nation’s growth’
Coimbatore, Oct 26 (PTI):
Educating girls empowers them,
uplifts their families and ultimately
contributes to the development of the
nation, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia Central University, Delhi,
Prof Talat Ahmad, has said.
A clear indicator of their involvement
in education was the fact that most of
the top ranks in colleges were bagged
by women, he said delivering his address on the 12th Convocation of Sri
Krishna College of Arts and Science
here yesterday.
Ahmad urged men not to lag behind
in education and to compete with
women on equal terms in getting
academic merit and excellence.
Outlining the changing and dynamic
role of teachers in shaping students’
lives and careers, he said, ‘A teacher
gets long-lasting name and fame only
in the classroom and becomes a personality among students through efficient teaching, interest, involvement
and concern for students’ needs.’
Nearly 733 graduates were awarded graduation certificates, of whom
592 were undergraduates, 140 post
graduates and a MPhil scholar.
Sivaganga, Oct 26 (PTI):
A farmer of Pilloor village in the district was arrested today by the police
for giving a false complaint regarding
the burglary of 65 sovereigns of gold
jewellery and Rs.15 lakh cash from his
house recently.
The 58-year-old Krishnan claimed
in his complaint that the burglars had
stolen the cash and jewellery by jumping into his house after removing the
tiles of the roof, police said.
A police team led by Inspector, Pon
Raghu began the investigation with
the help of the forensic experts and
sniffer dogs as the booty involved was
very heavy.
They suspected the involvement of
the farmer as the dog did not go out
of the house sniffing the scent and
instead went around in the house itself
and sat down.
Krishnan, his wife and their son who
was staying with them gave contradictory versions about the incident when
they were questioned, police said,
adding, the farmer on further enquiries,
confessed to have acted as directed by
his wife. Police also found the booty
buried in a pot inside the house and
arrested the farmer.
Wall of temple
tank collapses
Tiruvarur, Oct 26 (PTI):
The wall of the famous Kamalalaya
Kulam (tank) of the 7th century Sri
Thiagarajaswamy temple here collapsed yesterday due to incessant
rains, officials said.
No one was injured in the collapse of
the wall on the western side extending
to sixty metres, they said.
In 2012, the north side wall of the
tank also collapsed due to heavy
rains. But the Hindu Regligious and
Charitable Endowment Department
did not take any step since then to
renovate the temple.
Bangalore, Oct 26 (PTI):
The breakthrough came a day after
Four days after the sexual assault of a three-and-aa functionary of the trust running
half-year girl studying in nursery, an office assistant of
the school here was arrested yesterday for the crime
the school was arrested on charges
that evoked public outrage and raised questions about
of violation of norms in managing
safety in schools.
Gundappa, aged 42, working in the Orchids Inthe institution.
ternational School, where the incident took place
on 22 October, was arrested based on evidence,
evidences collected so far we have arrested one
including statement of the victim before the judicial
individual today in the case.’
magistrate, city Police Commissioner M N Reddi
Describing the case as ‘extremely sensitive’ as it intold reporters here.
volved a child of a very tender age, Reddi said it was
‘We had registered a case under Sec 376
not easy to collect information from her given
IPC (relating to rape) and Sections 4 and
the age and the ‘trauma she underwent.’
6 of POCSO Act. The investigation was
The breakthrough comes a day after
on. Today we have made an arrest in
a functionary of the trust running the
this case,’ he said.
school was arrested on charges of
The TNAU organised meeting was held at Agricultural
Coimbatore, Oct 26 (PTI):
Sections 4 and 6 of Protection of
violation of norms in managing the
Research Station in Bhavanisagar, a varsity release
There was an urgent need for mechanisation from
Children from Sexual Offences Act
institution.
said here yesterday.
seeding to harvest in the agricultural sector consider2012 relate to punishment for penetraPolice had registered a criminal case
The members of RREAC, comprising leading farmers,
ing
the
reduction
in
cultivable
land
and
depletion
of
tive sexual assault and punishment for
invoking POSCO Act and IPC on a
university
officers, agricultural scientists, officials from
water
resources,
Dr
K
Ramasamy,
Vice-Chancellor
aggravated penetrative sexual assault,
complaint from the child’s father.
Department
of Agriculture held detailed discussion on
of
Tamilnadu
Agricultural
University
(TNAU)
has
said.
respectively.
The girl was crying when her mother
various research and extension needs pertaining to the
Addressing a meeting of Western Zone Regional
‘....identification of the pictures of the accused
picked her up from school on 22 October and
Western Zone of Tamilnadu, it said.
Research and Extension Advisory Council (RREAC),
was conducted by an approved specialist agency,
she was not behaving normally and had symptoms of
It was proposed to exhibit traditional agricultural pracRamasamy,
who
is
also
the
chairman
of
the
Council,
and also the statement was recorded from the victim
fever. While she initially told her mother that someone
tices and implements to encourage traditional agriculsaid there was also the need for agricultural scientists
beat her up, she later said she was sexually assaulted,
before the judicial magistrate under Sec 164 CrPC
ture and
importance
will be given
to value
addition
of
to conduct
based on
the farmers’
needs
to Private
according
the parents.
yesterday.
on these
evidences
alsoMedia
Published
by K.Based
Balakumar
on two
behalf
of Newsand
Today
(P) Ltd.,tofrom
85, Mount Road (GST Road), Guindy, Chennai
600 research
032 and printed
by him
at Frontline
Printers
Ltd.,
M-7, Thiru-Vi-Ka
Industrial
Estate,
Guindy,
marketing
of
agricultural
commodities,
the
release
said.
increase
the
productivity
and
their
income.
Chennai 600 032. Ph: 4202 1111. Editor: K. Balakumar. Phone: Editorial/Admn /Advt: 22504000, Fax: 2250 1800 (Editorial)/2250 1200/2250 0101 (Advt/Admn). e-mail: [email protected], Circulation: 4202 1111. Fax: 4212 0000.
VC’s plea to scientists
Blend
4 SUNDAY
26 OCTOBER 2014
Student opens fire
in US school
Modify WTO rules,
India tells UN
T(H)ANK YOU RAIN
In yet another tragic shooting in a US school, a student
opened fire in a school cafeteria, killing one student and
critically injuring four others before taking his own life,
police said.
The shooting occurred in the cafeteria of Marysville-Pilchuck High School, 55km north of Seattle in Washington
State. The shooter was identified as Jaylen Fryberg, who
was recently named the school’s homecoming prince.
He shot himself and died, the police said. Eyewitness
said the shooting began from cafeteria. Before turning the
gun onto him, Fryberg killed one girl student. Two other
girls and two boys were wounded. The injured were taken
to a nearby hospital.
In a stern message, India has
told the UN General Assembly
that developing countries must
have the freedom to use food
reserves to feed the poor ‘without
the threat of sanctions’ and a permanent solution on food security with necessary changes
in WTO rules is a must.
‘The issue of food security is central to the pursuit of
poverty eradication and sustainable development in
developing countries and must be treated with the same
urgency as other issues, if not more’, Counsellor in the
Indian Mission to the UN Amit Narang said in a UN General
Assembly session on ‘Macroeconomic Policy Questions:
International Trade and Development’.
Over 1,700 bombs
dropped on IS
US and allied aircraft have flown nearly 6,600 sorties in
the air war against the Islamic State group and dropped
more than 1,700 bombs, the American military.
The flights for ‘Operation Inherent Resolve’ include
thousands of mid-air fuelling runs, surveillance sorties
and 632 air strikes in Iraq and Syria, according to US
Central Command.
The latest tally was released one month since the US-led
coalition extended its air campaign from Iraq into Syria, in
a bid to counter the advance of the Islamic State jihadists.
The effect of the open-ended air campaign remains the
subject of debate, with the White House saying the militants have been damaged by the strikes and critics pointing to the group’s battlefield successes despite the raids.
Coalition aircraft have targeted Islamic State militants
with more than 1,700 bombs and missiles since August
8 in both Iraq and Syria, Central Command said in a
statement.
Modi meets media, lays
stress on Clean India
‘It is not only the government
but everyone together should
take up the job of keeping India clean’, said Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
Addressing journalists during
Diwali Mangal Milan at the BJP
headquarters in New Delhi,
the Prime Minister praised the
media for spreading awareness on Clean India campaign.
Stating that the government is getting information and
vision from media, Narendra Modi, said, ‘You have turned
pen into broom’.
He further said, ‘I see media playing a major role in
changing the country, Many governments are being
forced to wake up. Writing about the Clean India drive is
a service to the nation.’
In a lighter vein, the Prime Minister, said, ‘I am looking
the way to see how I can further deepen my old ties with
you all ( media). Hopefully, I will find a way to improve
my connection with the media.’
Blast: NIA chief monitors probe
NIA Director General Sharad Kumar took stock of the
progress in the investigation in the Burdwan blast case.
Kumar met NIA investigators and assessed the progress
in the probe into the blast at Khagragarh in Burdwan town
on 2 October that claimed the lives of two suspected terroristsof Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.
Three persons, including two women - one of them the
widow of a suspected terrorist who died in the blast, had
been interrogated by NIA.
CHENNAI
Infra consulting firms for
service tax exemption
The tank of Vadapalani Murugan temple, which was empty for the past many months, is now brimming
with water.
Photo: R Thiyagarajan
Jaya asks supporters
not to take extreme steps
Aavin price hiked
by Rs 10 per litre
The Tamilnadu government hiked the price of Aavin
milk by Rs 10 per litre. It also decided
to increase
the procurement price of milk, which
will come
into effect from 1 November.
In a statement here, Chief
Minister O Panneerselvam
said the government was
forced to increase the milk
price from Rs 24 to Rs 34
(pasteurised milk for card
holders), since it had to hike
the procurement rates. He said it has been decided to
increase the procurement price of cow milk from Rs 23
to Rs 28 and buffalo milk from Rs 31 to 35.
Stating that the move would benefit more than 22.5 lakh
milk producers, Panneerselvam pointed out that milk
business plays a crucial role in the economic development
of villages. He recalled that when milk producers placed
a demand before the government to increase the
procurement price last year, the rate was hiked by Rs
three, however without increasing the selling price.
AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa once again appealed to
her supporters not to take extreme
steps in the wake of her sentencing
in a graft case, reassuring them
that she will come out of all the
challenges with divine help.
Besides the 193 persons who had
died of various reasons, including
suicide, apparently upset over her
jail term in an illegal assets case,
26 more had died since her last statement on October
19 after coming out on bail, she said and expressed
concern over the deaths.
I am confident that I will come out triumphant crossing
all challenges with divine help, she said in a statement.
Two killed in flash
flood in Erode
Two people have been killed in flash floods in Erode
district. The tragedy occurred on Saturday morning when
men were crossing a bridge on the bike. The water flow
increased due to rains in Sathyamangalam forest.
fondly addressed as ‘Latchiya Nadigar’ (Actor of
Principles) by his fans.
At a time when actors were choosy about their films
and keen on doing solo hero roles, SSR set a new trend
in Tamil cinema. In his heydays (1950s and 1960s), he
had no hesitation in brushing shoulders with actors like
MGR and Sivaji Ganesan. He acted with MGR in Raja
Desingu as Mohamed Khan and in Kanchi Thalaivan
as Paranjothi. He had worked in many films with Sivaji,
including Manohara, Rangoon Radha, Raja Rani, Deiva
Piravi, Aalayamani, Pachai Vilakku.
S S Rajendran passes away
Veteran actor-politician,
SS Rajendran died following
illness, his family said.
Rajendran, popularly known
as SSR, was admitted to a
private hospital yesterday
where he breathed his last.
Rajendran (86), who started
off his career as a theatre
artiste, later ventured into Tamil cinema and carved
a place for himself with his impeccable dialogue
delivery.
His notable films include Parasakthi, the debut
movie of veteran actor Sivaji’ Ganesan, Poompuhar,
Marakka Mudiuma, Kumudam, Naanum Oru Penn,
and Raja Desingu, among others.
He has acted in many family dramas and was
Music therapy
reduces depression
Fire at Pondy Bazaar
Fire broke out at a restaurant in Pondy Bazaar,
however no one was injured in the accident. According
to police sources, fire broke out at Geetha Cafe when
one of the air conditioners on the first floor of the
double-storied restaurant, had a short circuit.
As a result of the fire, a portion of the first floor’s
ceiling is reported to have caved in. Three fire tender
vehicles from T Nagar fire station doused the flame
in twenty minutes.
Infrastructure consulting firms have requested the
government to exempt them from service tax at par with
contractors and concessionaires.
‘The government-funded infrastructure projects are
impeded by discrimination against the consulting engineering companies by levy of service tax. This critical
issue originated with the introduction of Point of Taxation
Rules 2011 & subsequent amendment in Finance Act
2012’, infrastructure consultants said in a letter to Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley.
They demanded a relook at the service tax introduced
under the Finance Act 2012 and treatment at par with contractors and concessionaires as they are exempted from
payment of service tax as per a June, 2012 notification.
Flintoff joins Brisbane Heat
Former England allrounder Andrew Flintoff has signed a shortterm contract as Brisbane Heat’s
star recruit for Australia’s Twenty20
Big Bash cricket competition.
The Heat confirmed that 36-yearold Flintoff, who played 79 tests
and 141 limited-overs internationals, would arrive in December to
play the last half of the tournament and also work as a
television analyst.
Flintoff came out of retirement in May, and helped
Lancashire reach the English T20 Blast final in August.
Heat coach Stuart Law said he wants Flintoff to be bowling fast, hitting sixes, and using his wealth of experience
to help the squad.
Law says, Brisbane fans will quickly discover he’s a
champion fella and I’m sure they will love having him
with the team.
Pankaj Advani
in ‘11th heaven’
India’s Pankaj Advani set a
record of sorts when he defeated Peter Gilchrist 6-2 in the final
of the World billiards championship (points format) at Leeds.
It was Advani’s 11th individual
World title and his third of the
year in different formats of the game, having won the
World 6-Red Snooker and the World Team Billiards
titles earlier.
‘I’m in 11th heaven! I returned to India to focus on this
very event and it has paid off. Gilchrist was the most
dangerous competitor of the tournament and in a dream
final. I am happy with the way I performed.’
Skydive from edge of space
A
Google executive has set a new record by jumping
successfully from near the top of the stratosphere
-- some 135,000 feet, or 41,000 metres high, his project
usic therapy can reduce depression in children and adolescents with
website said.
behavioural and emotional problems, according to the largest ever study
The record dive by 57-year-old Alan Eustace, who is
of its kind.
a senior vice president of knowledge at Google, was
The researchers at Queen’s University Belfast in partnership with the Northern
conducted as part of the Stratospheric Explorer project
Ireland Music Therapy Trust, found that children who
received music
to allow manned exploration of the stratosphere above
therapy had significantly improved self-esteem
a n d
100,000 feet.
significantly reduced depression compared
According to a statement from the Paragon Space
with those who received treatment without
Development Corporation, Eustace completed the fourmusic therapy.
hour mission over Roswell, New Mexico, using a specially
The study also found that those who
designed space suit and balloon module to carry him to
received music therapy had improved
the stratosphere.
communicative and interactive skills,
Ascending at about 1,000 feet per minute, Alan achieved
compared to those who received usual
his target altitude in about two and a half hours, the
care options alone.
statement said.
In the study which took place between
He spent a short time, around a half hour, experiencing
March 2011 and May 2014, 251 children and
the wonders of the stratosphere before being released
young people were involved.
from the balloon. In rapid free fall, Alan experienced a short
They were divided into two groups - 128
period of near weightlessness and within
underwent the usual care options, while 123
90 seconds exceeded the speed of
were assigned to music therapy in addition
sound.
to usual care.
The previous record was
project, designed by the engineering fifirm
rm ILC Dover
project
All were being treated for emotional, developmental or behavioural problems.
set by Austrian skydiver Felix
with assistance from several other consultants and
Early findings suggest that the benefits are sustained in the long term.
Baumgartner in 2012, jumping
companies.
from a height of nearly 128,000
This is the largest study ever to be carried out looking at music therapy’s
The New York Times, which first reported the news,
feet or 38,969 meters, also from
ability to help this very vulnerable group, and is further evidence of how Queen’s
quoted Eustace as saying, It was amazing. It was
New Mexico.
University is advancing knowledge and changing lives, said Dr Valerie Holmes,
beautiful. You could see the darkness of space and you
Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Eustace’s free-fall into the
could see the layers of atmosphere, which I had never
and co-researcher.
atmosphere lasted about five minutes,
seen before.
and he deployed his parachute at around
Music therapy has often been used with children and young people with
The Times said that Eustace was propelled from the
18,000 feet and floated gently to the ground, the statement
particular mental health needs, but this is the first time its effectiveness has
module with a small explosive charge, sending him
said.
been shown by a definitive randomised controlled trial in a clinical setting, said
travelling briefly at supersonic speeds, creating a sonic
Ciara Reilly, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust.
Within four hours of launch, Alan arrived at the launch
boom heard by observers on the ground.
site where the team and guests toasted his achievement
The findings are dramatic and underscore the need for music therapy to be
According to Paragon, the system has wide-ranging
and safe return.
made available as a mainstream treatment option, Reilly said.
applications for the study of the science of the stratosphere.
Paragon
the printed
recovery
systems
for the
PTIby K. Balakumar on behalf of News Today Media (P) Ltd., from 85, Mount Road (GST Road), Guindy,
PTI
Published
Chennaiproduced
600 032 and
by him
at Frontline
Printers
Private Ltd., M-7, Thiru-Vi-Ka Industrial Estate, Guindy,
Chennai 600 032. Ph: 4202 1111. Editor: K. Balakumar. Phone: Editorial/Admn /Advt: 22504000, Fax: 2250 1800 (Editorial)/2250 1200/2250 0101 (Advt/Admn). e-mail: [email protected], Circulation: 4202 1111. Fax: 4212 0000.
M
CHENNAI
RINL to resume
production in a week
Visakhapatnam, Oct 26 (PTI):
Almost two weeks after its operations were
badly hit by cyclone Hudhud, Rashtriya
Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) is all set to
resume production in all its units and scale
up volumes close to normal levels in about
a week’s time, a top company executive said
here today.
Critical units like Coke Ovens and Blast Furnaces
have all
been revived and production commenced from Sinter Plant and Steel Melt
Shop (SMS) as well.
To scale up the production and to start the Rolling Mills, RINL is in the
process of strengthening the power supply line from State Grid, a company
release quoted RINL chairman and managing director P Madhusudan as
saying.
He said the resumption of production at RINL, the corporate entity of
Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), is possible due to concerted efforts of
employees.
The VSP collective worked hard for the revival of production and greenery
at Vizag Steel Plant which was badly hit by the cyclone on October 12, the
release said. The CMD also lauded Vizag Steel fraternity for celebrating
Diwali modestly in view of the devastation caused by the cyclone.
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
Electrical goods and consumer electronics maker Arise India is looking to
tap the fast growing mobile handset
and smart TV segments as part of
plans to grow revenue by over 20
per cent this fiscal to Rs 1,550 crore.
We would now focus on LED and
mobile handset business as it has
a promising future. This fiscal, we
would have over Rs 200 crore business from this segment by the end
of this year, Arise India Managing
Director Avinash Jain told PTI.
The firm had a revenue of Rs 1,258
crore last fiscal and is setting up a mobile handset manufacturing unit.
As part of strategy to expand in the
two segments, Jain said: ‘We have
set up LED TV manufacturing unit at
Kala Amb in Himachal Pradesh with
an investment of Rs 20 crore and
are also in the process of setting up
a unit for mobile
handset manufacturing.’
The company
sells low cost
mobile handsets
ranging between
Rs 800 and Rs
5,550.
Jain said Arise
is also expecting
robust growth in
its LED TV business with Android Jellybean
4.2 operating
system which allows consumers to
surf Internet and use Android-based
applications on the TV.
Presently, the company imports
panels assembles at Kala Amb
plant.
On retail network expansion, Jain
Wendt India posts
impressive numbers
NT Bureau
Chennai, Oct 26:
Wend India, a joint venture between Went GmbH, Germany and Carborundum Universal Ltd of Murugappa Group, achieved sales of Rs 2716 lakh
during the quarter ended 30 September, 2014 which is 8 per cent higher
than the last year’s level.
The domestic sales has been at Rs 2041 lakh, which is 6 per cent higher
than the corresponding period of last year, due to increased sales to the user
industry segments like auto, engineering, ceramics, steel, glass, refractory
etc. A press note said the Board of Directors of Wendt (India) took on record
the unaudited financial results as reviewed by the Board of Directors for the
quarter (ended 30 September).
The export sales demonstrated a growth of 15 per cent over the corresponding period of last year and was at Rs 675 lakh. This was due to higher
sales to Germany, UK, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Australia, Korea, Thailand
and middle-east.
The Profit After Tax (PAT) for the current quarter has been higher by 52
per cent at Rs 458 lakh over the corresponding period of previous year. The
good results in the form of revenue and net profit growth has been primarily
on account of higher volumes, operational efficiencies, products development
and other income. On a consolidated basis, the company’s sales stood at Rs
3233 lakh for the current quarter which is 11 per cent higher than the corresponding period of last year with the Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 354 lakh,
being down from last year mainly on account of higher rate of depreciation
as per the revised Companies Act 2013.
5
Import duty exemption
on potato sought
Agriculture Ministry keen to curb price rise
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
The Agriculture Ministry has demanded that potato be exempted
from import duties to boost domestic
supplies of the vegetable and curb
rise in its prices.
Potato prices have shown a rising
trend and the commodity is being
retailed at Rs 35-40 per kg in the
National Capital, against 20-25 a kg
till recently.
The government had last week
directed NAFED and the Small
Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium
(SFAC) to import potatoes to improve
Arise to focus on
mobile handset
India world’s
4th largest
steel maker
SUNDAY
26 OCTOBER 2014
Enterprise
said the company plans to add
1,000 shop-in-shop outlets under
its ‘Arise One’ concept by the end
of this fiscal.
The company has plans to increase the number of ‘Arise One’
outlets three-folds to 3,000 by
March 31, 2016, focusing on tier III
and IV places. We have presently
57 ‘Arise One’ running stores and
have booked for over 300 and are
in process,’ Jain said.
Commenting on the company’s
sales growth, he said: ‘This fiscal
we would touch Rs 1,550 crore. We
would have a production of around Rs
1,100 crore, which is around 70 per
cent of our total revenue.’
The company manufactures a
range of items, including pumps,
inverters, batteries, LED TVs and
home appliances such as geysers
and mixer grinders.
BOARD MEETING
Mahaveer Finance India Ltd
will be holding its board meeting on 8 November to consider
the unaudited financial results
of the company for quarter and
half year that ended on 30 September, 2014.
APAI questions
‘non-existent’
low airfares
Mumbai, Oct 26 (PTI):
Apex air travellers body, Air
Passengers Association of India
(APAI) today questioned the
frequent ‘special fare’ offers by
domestic carriers and termed
them as ‘non-existent’, even as
it urged the DGCA not to allow
such schemes.
The association, in a communication to the Directorate General
of Civil Aviation, also sought to
know as to what action the regulator intends to take against the
carriers on the issue.
the domestic supply in the coming
months. But the two organisations
have raised concerns that import
of potatoes will be unviable at high
Ishi Maya to
enter Bangladesh
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
Women’s ethnic wear e-commerce
portal Ishi Maya will enter Bangladesh
through a partnership with a local
company to sell its merchandise in
the neighbouring nation.
Vinayak Online Marketing Private
Ltd, which sells merchandise from
Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal,
through the Ishi Maya platform, will
launch a dedicated portal for Bangladesh. It has tied up with Bangladeshi
firm Karigari for the same.
Bangladesh is a key market for
Indian women ethnic wear. For
this market, we have tied up with
a Bangladeshi company. Through
this tie-up, we will be able to offer
services like Cash On Delivery,
Same day delivery to customers in
Bangladesh, Nitin Gupta, CEO of
Vinayak Online Marketing Pvt Ltd
told PTI.
He, however, did not share financial details such as investments and
revenue sharing for the company’s
Bangladesh foray.
import duty of 30 per cent.
The issue has been taken up with
the Commerce Ministry. We have
suggested for complete exemption
of import duty on potatoes to encourage shipments, a senior Agriculture
Ministry official told PTI.
Both NAFED and SFAC are gearing
up to float tenders to import potatoes
during the lean period up to Januaryend, he said.
NAFED has decided to invite expression of interest from global suppliers for import of 25,000 tonnes of
potatoes before issuing full-fledged
tenders, he added.
In June, the government had imposed a minimum export price (MEP)
of USD 450 per tonne on potatoes
to increase domestic availability and
cool prices.
The stock of stored potatoes is
getting exhausted and therefore the
government has decided to import
to boost availability till the new crop
arrives from January-end.
India produced 44.3 million tonnes
of potatoes in 2013-14 crop year,
down 2.3 per cent from the previous year.
Electrolux aims big
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
Swedish consumer appliances firm
Electrolux is targeting Rs 500 crore
turnover from small appliances by
fiscal 2017 as it expands products
range in the country.
We are a new entrant in the domestic
market. We have spent last one year
in understanding the market and
developing products for India. We
are looking at Rs 500 crore turnover
by FY 2016-17, Electrolux Kelvinator
Small Appliances CEO Pramod K
Khosla told PTI.
The company entered into small
appliances category in India in
October 2013 with the launch of
select products under its powerbrand
‘Kelvinator’.
In this financial year, our first year of
operation, we are expecting Rs 100
crore turnover, he added.
Electrolux, which started operation
for its small appliances business
in India with water heaters, air
coolers and tower fans, is in process
of expanding products range by
launching kettles, toasters, food
processors and rice cookers by end
of this fiscal.
By the end of this year our portfolio
of appliances will be complete. But
going forward, we will continue to add
and refresh products in the market.
‘We also plan to introduce gas
stoves and induction cook-tops by
next year, he added.
Currently, branded small domestic
appliances market, which includes
mixers, irons, air coolers, water
heaters, tower fans among others,
is estimated at around Rs 6,500
crore.
After completing its product
portfolio, the company will also
go in mass media advertising,
which includes advertisements on
televisions, for its products.
Next financial year, we will go in
for mass media advertising. We will
spend up to 10 per cent of turnover
on mass media advertising, Khosla
said.
Electrolux also sells airconditioners, refrigerators,
microwave ovens and washing
machines in India under the
Electrolux and Kelvinator labels.
Oil Ministry to overhaul
exploration policy: Pradhan
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
After unveiling major reforms since
BJP’s storming to power, Oil Minister
Dharmendra Pradhan plans to overhaul the exploration policy to attract
investors, spur energy output and
revive the economy.
In parallel, the Ministry is setting stiff
targets for state explorers like ONGC
to reverse the declining trend in oil
and gas output in recent years as it
looks to cut on import dependence.
Pradhan, 45, wants to replace
the 15-year old production sharing
regime, which has produced more
controversies and less oil and gas.
Only three out of the 252 blocks
given out have come to production
stage. The new regime aims to inspire
confidence in investors and require
minimal government intervention.
We want to increase ease of doing
business in India. Bottlenecks have
to be removed, red-tapism cut and
Govt aims to make $15 bn
IoT industry in India by 2020
investors given confidence so that
they can come and invest in oil and
gas exploration and production, he
told PTI here.
The focus is on raising domestic oil
and gas production beginning with
state explorers ONGC and Oil India,
who had in the immediate past not
met their own stated targets. They
have been given a 10 per cent improvement target so as to cut imports,
he said.
Top most on priority is monetisation of small and marginal fields lying with ONGC with help of private
investment as well as technology,
he said.
Natural gas pipeline network in the
country will be doubled to 30,000
kilometres by 2019 to expand the
reach of environment-friendly fuel.
Also, state refineries are being
asked to improve efficiencies to
become globally competitive even
as fuel retailing is opened up for
competition.
We have set priorities and targets
at every level - upstream, midstream
and downstream. Efficiencies have
to improve. Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has showed how the same set
of people under the same system
can deliver better results,’ he said.
Telcos may raise tariffs
to pay for spectrum costs
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
With 62.41 million tonnes output,
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
India remains the world’s fourth largIndustry body COAI has said mobile tariffs may go up soon as telecom
est steel producer in the first nine
operators are expected to pass on to customers the burden of spectrum cost
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
The number of internet-connectmonths of the current year, preceded
they will incur in the upcoming auction.
ed
devices
(12.5
billion)
surpassed
The
government
is
working
on
an
by China, Japan and the US.
the
number
of
human
beings
(7
bilThe auction of airwaves is likely to be conducted in February next year.
ambitious
plan
to
create
$15
billion
World Steel Association (WSA) data
lion) on the planet in 2011, and by
‘Internet of Things’ industry in the
Definitely there will be an upward pressure on tariffs as the debt burden of
showed India’s steel production grew
2020, Internet-connected devices
next six years.
telecom players will increase post auctions, they have to pass on the cost to
by 1.8 per cent, the second highest
are
expected
to
number
between
Internet
of
Things,
or
IoT,
can
be
customers, COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI.
among the top four steel producing
26 billion and 50 billion globally, the
loosely described as a network of
He said operators have to pay around Rs 40,000 crore for the spectrum even
nations, during the January-Septemdraft policy document said.
inter-connected devices that can
if the airwaves would be sold at reserve price in 900MHz and 1800 MHz bands.
ber period from 61.27 MT in the same
The proposed policy is in line
be accessed through the Internet.
period last year.
From where the money will come from? Banks are also unwilling to lend to
of
government’s plan to develop
For
instance,
with
IoT,
street
lights
India has been the world’s fourth
telecom operators due to high debt burden. Also the telcos have to spend on
100 smart cities in the country, for
will automatically go off when they
largest steel maker for the last four
network infrastructure. So, after paying such huge amount for spectrum only,
which Rs 7,060 crore has been
sense no traffic on the roads and
years. The order is likely to remain
they have to pass the burden to customers, Mathews said.
earmarked in the current year’s
consequently save power. Another
unchanged in current year too, an
Telecom sector regulator TRAI had suggested a 10 per cent higher base
Budget.
application could be a smart band
industry expert said.
price
for the next round of spectrum auction in the 1800 Mhz band.
Devices
or
objects
under
IoT,
will
that will automatically alert physiDuring the first nine months, China
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had recommended a price
be
connected
seamlessly
on
networks
and
communicate
cian
when
body
vitals
go
to
abnormal
levels.
produced 618 MT steel which is a little
of Rs 2,138 crore per Mhz for the 1800 Mhz band and Rs 3,004 crore per Mhz
Among other things, IoT can help automate solutions with least human intervention. The IoT policy excludes
more than half of world’s total producfor the premium 900 Mhz band.
phones,
tablets
and
personal
computers.
to problems faced by various industries like agriculture,
tion at 1,231 MT. China logged 2.3
The
Department
of
Telecom
has
already
fl
oated
a
draft
The spectrum auction will be conducted for radiowaves in 900 Mhz held
health
services,
energy,
security,
disaster
management
per cent growth during the period. But
policy
on
technical
communication
among
machines
but
etc.
through
remotely
connected
devices,
the
draft
IoT
by
existing telecom operators Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular and Reliance
its steel production remained static in
is yet to finalise guidelines.
policy document says.
Communications through their licences that are expiring in 2015-16.
September, as per data revealed by
To boost IoT, the government has plans to fund creaSome of the proposed concepts under the policy inIn the 900 Mhz band, about 184 Mhz of spectrum is likely to be auctioned. In
WSA, at 67.5 MT when compared
tion
of resource centres and test-beds as a common
clude
development
of
tools
to
monitor
quality
of
water
1800 Mhz, government has proposed to auction 104 Mhz of spectrum which
with the same month last year.
flowing in taps and levels in reservoirs, smart environ- experimental facility to conduct experiments with an
included spectrum held by licences that are expiring in 2015-16 and unsold
Japan remained the remote second
ment to monitor quality of air, technology to monitor allocation of Rs 18 crore as 100 per cent fund with Rs 1
airwaves in February auction.
with 83.1 MT production during the
crore for each partner and Rs 3 crore for nodal agency
changes in body vitals and send alerts to hospitals.
Telecom operators have been cutting back on freebies and discounted
nine-month period clocking just 0.8
Human role will be limited to setting up parameters for over a period of five years.
minutes to maintain profitability. Analysts say this trend may continue as they
per cent growth over 82.4 MT proThe government will set up incubation centres that are
alerts and other activities expected from the objects.
have to pay for the fresh spectrum purchases.
duction in the same period last year.
The policy has the objective to create an IoT industry proposed to be called National Centre of Excellence in
After the last auction held in February this year, Vodafone India CEO Marten
The US stood at the third spot with
in India of USD 15 billion by 2020. This will also lead partnership with IT industry body NASSCOM and other
Pieters
had said the telecom industry in India has reached a point where the
66.33 MT production compared to
at an estimated
Rs 35 by
crore
increase
in Media
the connected
from
around
200(GSTindustry
Published
by K. during
Balakumar
on behalf of to
News
Today
(P) Ltd.,devices
from 85,
Mount
Road
Road),associations
Guindy, Chennai
600 032 cost
and of
printed
him at tariffs
Frontline
Printers
Private
Ltd.,
M-7,
Thiru-Vi-Ka
need
to increase
every
year
to sustain
itself.Industrial Estate, Guindy,
65.3 MT output
the Januaryfor
5
years
to
execute
a
centre
with
capacity
of
40
people.
million
to overPhone:
2.7 billion
by 2020.
Chennai
600
032.
Ph:
4202
1111.
Editor:
K.
Balakumar.
Editorial/Admn
/Advt:
22504000,
Fax:
2250
1800
(Editorial)/2250
1200/2250
0101
(Advt/Admn).
e-mail:
[email protected],
Circulation:
1111.
Fax: 4212 0000.
September period of the last year.
The February 2014 auctions fetched about Rs 4202
62,162
crore.
6 SUNDAY
26 OCTOBER 2014
Sports
Federer overjoyed to
be in home nal again
No joy for Suarez as
Real beats Barca
Madrid, Oct 26:
Real Madrid trimmed Barcelona’s
lead at the top of La Liga to one point
when they recovered from letting in
an early goal to secure a stirring 3-1
comeback win in the ‘Clasico’ on
Saturday.
There was no dream return for Luis
Suarez, making his Barca debut after a
four-month ban for biting an opponent
at the World Cup.
The Uruguay forward looked
reasonably sharp and had a hand in
Neymar’s opening goal but did not
come close to scoring himself before
being replaced by Pedro midway
through the second half.
Neymar stunned a packed and hostile
Bernabeu with a superb fourth-minute
effort before Cristiano Ronaldo levelled
with a penalty in the 35th, the rst goal
the Catalan side had conceded in nine
league outings this term.
Pepe made it 2-1 to the European
champions ve minutes into the second
half and a misunderstanding between
Andres Iniesta and Javier Mascherano
led to Real’s third after the hour when
Karim Benzema nished off a swift
break with a clinical strike.
Gofn’s dream run continues at Swiss Indoors
Basel, Oct 26:
Top-seeded Roger Federer
beat big-serving Ivo Karlovic
7-6 (8), 3-6, 6-3 Saturday to
reach a ninth consecutive
Swiss Indoors nal and his 11th
overall in his hometown of
Basel.
Federer, who is looking
for his sixth Swiss
Indoors title after
nishing runner-up in
the past two editions,
will meet David Gofn
after the Belgian kept up
his remarkable form by defeating
teenage wild card Borna Coric 6-4,
3-6, 6-3.
Federer racked up three match
points in his nal service game but
needed just one, winning with a
backhand volley at the net to please
the partisan crowd.
Wozniacki eyes
maiden Slam
Caroline Wozniacki
Singapore, Oct 26:
Caroline Wozniacki set her sights on
winning her rst Grand Slam title on
Saturday as she expressed pride at
emerging strongly from a difcult year
including her break-up with golfer Rory
McIlroy.
Wozniacki’s narrow loss to Serena
Williams in the WTA Finals semis did
not stop her reecting with pleasure
on a season which could have turned
sour after her marriage plans fell apart
in May.
Instead, Wozniacki has returned to the
top 10, won a title for the seventh year
in a row and reached the US Open nal,
before her run to the semi-nals of the
season nale in Singapore.
‘I think I can be really proud of how I’ve
handled everything this year, how I’ve
fought back,’ the Danish world number
eight told reporters.
‘You know, I think I’ve proved to myself
that I’m a really strong person and that
I can keep improving my game. You
know, I’m just really happy that I’ve
learned so much from this year.
‘It’s been a very, very meaningful year
for me and very learningful. Can you
say that?’
She added: ‘It’s denitely a year that
I’m going to remember back on. You
know, I’m still going to smile, because
everything happens for a reason. It’s
made me who I am today.’
CHENNAI
Wozniacki beat French Open
champion Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka
Radwanska and Wimbledon winner
Petra Kvitova on her way to the seminals, one of the best runs of her career.
Her streak came to an end with a
narrow three-sets loss to Serena, who
has now beaten her four times this year
including in last month’s US Open nal.
But Wozniacki said she now felt
ready to take the last step by nally
winning a Grand Slam tournament,
an achievement that has eluded her
despite nishing both 2010 and 2011
as world number one.
‘I denitely feel that way. I think I’ve
been playing some great tennis, I’ve
beaten some great players,’ she said,
adding that her friend and 18-time Slamwinner Serena was still a major hurdle.
‘I told Serena, I said, ‘Can you just
leave me alone. Like go away from the
court. I don’t want to see you on the
court. I love you, but stay away from the
other side of the court. Quite frankly, I’m
tired of losing to you.’
‘But, again, she’s a great champion
and probably my toughest opponent. I
think I lost to her four times in the last
three months. I was ready today to
make that change, but I told her that I’m
coming back next year and I’m going to
try again.’
‘I’m unbelievably happy,’
Federer said. ‘I never thought
I would be this successful
ever at this tournament.
So clearly I’m
overjoyed
and I
hope
I
can play
another
g o o d
match
Roger Federer
tomorrow and enjoy the nal.’
Karlovic hit 33 aces but it was not
enough to secure what would have
been just his second victory over
Federer in 12 meetings.
‘I think he served his best against
me ever,’ Federer said. ‘It was very
impressive for how long, how big he
served. It was close, I didn’t expect
to break anymore in the third set,
so I was very happy to get that and
then bring it home.’
Karlovic went close to breaking
serve late in the rst set but sent
a return into the net, and Federer
took the lead after a closely-fought
tiebreaker which he won with a
crosscourt backhand that landed
just inside the far corner.
The players only lost a combined
three points on their serve in the
rst seven games of the second
set before Karlovic earned a break.
Federer upped his game in the nal
set where a run of 12 consecutive
points saw the 33-year-old Swiss
break at love as well as winning two
love service games.
For Goffin, it was his 43rd
victory in 45 matches since his
straight-sets loss to Andy Murray
at Wimbledon, and it sent the
23-year-old Belgian into his third
Tour-level final.
‘It means a lot,’ Goffin said. ‘It
wasn’t my best match today, but
emotionally it was a tough one. I’m
really happy. I have nothing to lose
tomorrow.’
The seventh-seeded Goffin
wasted three match points before
converting his fourth attempt when
his Croatian opponent returned a
smash long.
Coric had upset Rafael Nadal on
Friday to announce himself as one
of the rising stars of tennis, and the
17-year-old reafrmed that early in
the match. He raced across from
the other side of the court to return
a shot which Gofn had seemingly
perfectly placed over the net - and
which appeared impossible to
reach - before landing the ball just
inside the baseline to the gasps of
the crowd.
Goffin made the decisive
breakthrough in the fourth game of
the nal set, sealing the break with
a precise backhand down the line.
Coric missed the chance to break
straight back as Goffin thwarted
him with an ace. The Belgian
double-faulted twice on match point
and sent a backhand volley long
before nally grabbing his fourth
opportunity.
Torrid season over as
Nadal opts for surgery
London, Oct 26:
Rafa Nadal’s announcement on
Friday that he will miss the ATP
World Tour Finals because of
appendicitis ended a difcult year
for the Spaniard during which he
has endured injury, illness and
worrying defeats.
The 28-year-old’s ninth French
Open crown in June stands out like
a beacon in the gloom as for most
of the season Nadal has looked like
a mere mortal, far from the force
of nature that collected 14 grand
slam titles.
On Friday he was crushed by
Croatian teenager Borna Coric at
the Swiss Indoor event in Basel,
First goal made the
difference, says
Delhi coach
Narrow win for SRM
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
After tasting rst win of the Indian
Super League, Delhi Dynamos head
coach Harm Van Veldhoven said
the rst goal of the 4-1 thrashing
of Chennaiyin FC made all the
difference.
Wim Raymaekers struck in the
second minute of the match and
Dynamos maintained their attacking
game to outclass their opponents.
‘We had a perfect start with
Raymaekers getting the early goal.
It’s always good to score early. Had
we scored early against Pune City
FC (in the opening match), we would
have won that match like today’s,’
he said at the post-match press
conference yesterday.
‘I have midelders of the calibre of
Hans Mulder, Bruno Herrero and the
Steven Dias and we did not give any
chance to Chennai. The second, third
and fourth goals came. I am proud of
my players,’ said the Dutch with his
trademark smiling face.
Seeded players have it easy
losing the first five games before
offering some instinctive resistance
in a 6-2 7-6 (4) reverse.
Lacking power and timing, hardly
surprising considering he has been
on antibiotics in a forlorn bid to
delay surgery until after the World
Tour Finals next month, Nadal’s
performance made uncomfortable
viewing for his legion of fans.
A few minutes later he made the
decision most had been expecting
by withdrawing from the seasonending showpiece in London having
already pulled out of next week’s
Paris Masters.
Nadal said he would have his
grumbling appendix removed on
Nov. 3 before
spending two
months training
hard for a return
at the Qatar
Open in Doha
on 5 January
-- a tournament
he won this
year before his
body started
creaking.
After a career
spent fighting
ferocious oncourt battles against some of the
best players ever to wield rackets,
question marks will accompany the
Rafa Nadal
Mallorcan’s latest comeback mission,
although at least this time it is not
his suspect knees that are under the
microscope.
ATK skipper wants to
forget controversy
Kolkata, Oct 26 (PTI):
Atletico de Kolkata captain Sanju
Pradhan said they were determined
to leave behind the controversy
surrounding their players and also
appealed to the media to focus more
on the game as they prepare for the
match against Kerala Blasters.
ATK’s marquee manager Antonio
Habas, their forward Fikru Teferra
and goal keeper Predipkumar
Bhaktawer were suspended for
breaching disciplinary codes during
their ISL outing in Margao.
‘Football is a physical game. It
was their home ground and it got a
bit intense. It keeps happening and
did not happen for the rst time in
football,’ Pradhan said on the eve
of the match.
‘It would be a bad in uence on
the team if you keep on rubbing the
wrong way. It would really help us if
you let us concentrate on the match
S Rly edges
out SRM
tomorrow,’ he added.
Pradhan also said that losing Fikru
was not a big setback for them.
‘I don’t think it’s a disadvantage
but whoever plays in Fikru’s position
will give 100 per cent.’
Pointing at marquee player and
former Liverpool star Luis Garcia’s
absence in Goa, Sanju said, ‘Lobo
gave us three points from an away
match. Whoever gets to play will
utilise the opportunity.’
On Habas absence, he said:
‘Coach always guides from the
sidelines.’
Sanju said Kerala Blasters FC
who are seeking their maiden will
would look to pounce on them and
he predicted a 50-50 game.
‘We have seen them on TV. They
will give us fight as they have lost
both their matches. It’s important
match for them. I’m sure it would
be 50-50, whoever gives them
their best would win the match.’
The ATK management meanwhile
has appealed against the ban and
said they are concerned about
the number of disciplinary actions
against the team in such a short
period.
‘We abide by the ISL rulebook and
respect the disciplinary committee
decisions but at the same time we
have appealed at the AIFF against
the ban,’ an ATK ofcial said.
Besides being the top performer
of the league ATK have also made
headlines for all the wrong reasons
in four outings.
‘We are concerned about this but
at the same time we don’t have
control on the players on the eld.
Obviously we will take corrective
steps and we are discussing with
our team.’
Old Trafford is ‘Gold
Trafford’ for Chelsea
Results:Shyam Nikil bt C Lakshmi
(TN); Ketan Patil (Maha) lost to VAV
London, Oct 26: Chelsea squad, who have opened a
Rajesh (TN); Navin Kanna T U bt
A trip to Manchester United has in three-point lead over Southampton
Umashankar (Pondy); Sonkalan
the past struck fear into the heart of at the top of the table.
Bharathy (WB) lost to S Nitin (TN); B
‘United are still a very good side with
many an opposition team, but that
Kumaran bt Poojakanth (TN).
will not apply to Chelsea on Sunday world-class players,’ the defender told
Chess tourneyVishy Anand
because they know history is on the club’s website (www.chelseafc.
Action from the Southern RailwayChess Foundation will be conducting
com).
their side.
SRM match in the SRM UniversityInternational FIDE rating chess
Chennai District ‘A’ Division
‘Results haven’t really gone their
The Londoners seem to have
tournament for players rated below
Volleyball League Championship
the Indian sign over United at Old way so far but we’re still aware at
2000 from 1 to 4 November at MR
in Chennai yesterday.
Trafford, having lost only nine of 39 Old Trafford it’s a hostile atmosphere
Matriculation Higher Secondary
NT
Bureau
and they’ve got great support behind
league matches there since 1966.
School, Nerkundram here under
Chennai,
Oct
26:
them. We’ll go there expecting them
A
2-1
victory
in
2010
went
a
long
the aegis of Tamilnadu State Chess
Southern Railway rallied past SRM
way to sealing a third domestic title to be very good.’
Association and All India Chess
in a close contest in the ongoing
Mourinho will certainly have Chelsea
Federation.
in six years for the Stamford Bridge
SRM University-Chennai District ‘A’
A press note said the total prize pool
outt. They again silenced a 75,000 in the right mood to take on United,
Chairman of Dhanalakshmi College of Engineering V P
is Rs 1.5 lakh and the rst prize is Rs Division Volleyball League Championship
crowd in May 2013 with a 1-0 triumph, according to Spain midelder Cesc
25,000 and there are 55 prizes to be 2014 at SDAT Multipurpose Jawaharlal
Ramamurthi inaugurating the National Under-25 chess
while last season’s clash ended in a Fabregas who has been a revelation
won. Entry fee: Unrated players Rs Nehru Indoor Stadium here yesterday.
tournament at the college premises on Saturday.
since joining from Barcelona in the
goalless stalemate.
1500, Rated upto 1600 is Rs 1300
Chelsea have won 14 of their last close season.
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and above 1600 is Rs 1000. Last date Southern Railway lost the rst two sets
NT Bureau
before mounting a superb comeback
‘The difference with him, from
39 visits to Old Trafford, also drawing
Chennai, Oct 26: Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and of entry is 28 October.
Seeded players had a good start, Tamilnadu are taking part in the event. Entries should be sent by DD to post a 19-25, 21-25, 25-19, 26-24,
16 times, and Jose Mourinho’s men what I have experienced in the three
Four International Masters -- Shyam favouring Vishy Anand Chess 15-12 win with Piraisudan (attacker)
winning their games in the rst round
appear well-placed to continue their or four months I’ve been here, is
of the Dhanalakshmi College of Nikil, V A V Rajesh, Navin Kanna and Foundation payable at Chennai and Manu Joseph leading the way.
how competitive he is,’ explained
proud record this weekend.
Engineering 23rd National Chess Nithin (all from Tamilnadu) are seeded t o : S e c r e t a r y , V i s h y A n a n d
In other matches, ICF beat Indian
Seventh-placed United have Fabregas. ‘He just wants to win, he
Championship for Youth (under-25) from one to four.
Chess Foundation, No.24, Janani Bank 25-21, 28-26, 20-25, 26-24
struggled to find form under new doesn’t let you relax.
organised by Tamilnadu State Chess
The chairman of Dhanalakshmi Complex, IIIrd Floor, MTH Road, with
‘When we are having meetings
manager Louis van Gaal and do
Association at the college campus College of Engineering V P Ramamurthi Thirumullaivoyal, Chennai- 600 062.
Anand (attacker) and Deepak
before
the games, halftime talks,
not
look
strong
enough
to
mount
a
yesterday.
inaugrated the championship. He Further details call A Saravanan (setter) playing well for the winning
challenge for a record-extending 21st even after the games, he always
A press note said a total of 78
at 9952021133 or Subbalakshmi at side; Income brushed aside SDAT
has the right things to say. Not just
top-ight crown.
Players from various States including announced free boarding and lodging 9962497277 or visit www.tamilchess. 25-19, 25-22, 25-15 and Customs
Captain John Terry, however, has that, the way he says it he makes
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, for all the players, managers and those com and www.aicf.in.
got
past
St
Joseph’s
25-17,
25Published
K. Balakumar
on behalf of accompanying
News Today Media
600 032 and printed by him at Frontline Printers Private Ltd., M-7, Thiru-Vi-Ka Industrial Estate, Guindy,
players.(P) Ltd., from 85, Mount Road (GST Road), Guindy, Chennai
Odisha, by
West
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sounded a note of caution to the everyone focused straight away.
19, 25-19).
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SUNDAY
26 OCTOBER 2014
Mixed Bag
CHENNAI
Guidelines for privatising
airport operations
Hyderabad, Oct 26 (PTI):
The Centre is in the process of finalising guidelines for bringing operations
and management of some airports under the Public-Private-Partnership model,
Civil Aviation Secretary V Somasundaram has said.
These operations are currently under control of Airports Authority of India.
Somasundaram also said that the five airports selected to be developed
under ‘no-frills airports’ category would be operational in the next two years.
‘That model (under PPP) is mainly developed for the metro cities. The remaining airports are not in metro area. These are in medium cities. For these
airports we may need a revised model because we will not have the kind of
volume which Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore have. So we are working on that,’
Somasundaram said.
‘May be within a month we will come out (with the guidelines). It is in advanced
stage. We need to change the guidelines for PPP model. Within a month we
expect these (guidelines) to be finalised. Then they will call for RFQ,’ he told
PTI during his recent visit to cyclone-hit Visakhapatnam.
Earlier, the Congress-led UPA government had in September last year decided to allow private parties to pick up 100 per cent equity stake in operation
and management of the six airports - Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad,
Jaipur and Lucknow - through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
The move was vehemently opposed by the airports’ unions, alleging that it
would reduce the already shrinking revenue of the AAI due to the privatisation
of country’s two busiest airports - Mumbai and Delhi.
A Parliamentary panel had last year also opposed privatisation of government
airports in the country. However, the present government has reportedly decided to keep airports at Chennai and Kolkata out of the PPP model as of now.
Somasundaram said the present PPP model, developed during 2005 and
2008, is suitable for airports in metro cities.
‘Make in India’ is the focus
Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week begins today
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
The eighth edition of the Sweden
India Nobel Memorial Week, which
begins today has a special focus on
this year’s Nobel Peace Laureate
Kailash Satyarthi.
Held in homage of Swedish philanthropist and innovator Alfred Nobel,
the week is set to place across ten cities - Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad,
Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune
till November 1.
Themed on Sweden Made in India:
Co-creating the Future- the week is
organised by the Swedish Embassy
in India.
I believe that ‘co-creating the future’
fits very well with the idea of innovation and ideas for the future.This year
of course am particularly happy that
Kailash Satyarthi has received the
Nobel Peace Prize. Protection of the
world’s children is absolutely central
to the world co-creating its future,’
Sweden’s Ambassador H E Harald
Coal unions to meet
on 31 October
A series of events have been planned during
the week like seminar with Swedish and
Indian delegates, lectures by two former Nobel
Laureates, a Nobel memorial quiz for youth, an
India-Sweden Innovation Accelerator seminar
Sandberg told PTI. Sweden is one
of the countries, which participated in
the launch of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India campaign.
Swedish companies like Ericsson,
SAAB, SCA, Scania, Tetrapak and
Volvo India have been present in India since more than 10 years. Today
there are around 135 Swedish companies who directly employ almost
150,000 people.
Sweden is very happy to be a part
of ‘Make in India’ initiative by Prime
Minister Modi. It sends a strong signal
to the world and gives an impetus to
trade and investments between our
two countries, Sandberg said.
A series of events have been
planned during the week like seminar
with Swedish and Indian delegates,
lectures by two former Nobel Laureates, a Nobel memorial quiz for
youth, an India-Sweden Innovation
Accelerator seminar and many more,’
Sandberg said.
Nobel laureate George Smoot, who
was awarded the Prize in 2006 for
Physics and Finn Kydland who was
awarded in 2004 for Economics are
set to lecture and attend seminars in
Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune.
The finale of the Nobel Memorial
quiz, is scheduled here on November 1 after preliminaries in 10 cities.
According to sources, government might conduct the
interview on November 18. The last date for application
is October 29 and so far three candidates have sent their
applications.
These include R Mohan Das, Director-Personnel and
Industrial Relations and N Kumar, Director-Technical
from CIL and Gopal Singh, CMD of CIL subsidiary Central
Coalfields.
There is no information about any private sector applicant for the post.
The CIL chairman’s post has been lying vacant since
the retirement of S Narsing Rao in May and is currently
managed by the Additional Secretary in the coal ministry
A K Dubey.
The Prime Minister’s Office has directed the coal ministry
to set up a search-cum-selection committee to choose the
candidate and carry out the appointment process through
the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PSEB).
LS seating plan to
be finalised soon
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI):
The long wait for the finalisation of the seating arrangement in Lok Sabha
is expected to be over next month, almost six months after the constitution
of the new House.
‘We expect the arrangement to be in place before the winter session,’ said
an official at Parliament over the exercise which has dragged on following the
declaration of the results of the 16th Lok Sabha polls on 16 May.
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs is scheduled
tomorrow amid talk that it could decide on a month-long winter session beginning 24 November. Winter sessions generally end on 23 December or before.
The new Lok Sabha does not have a Leader of the Opposition as the largest
group in the Opposition side is the Congress which, however, has only 44
seats, the lowest-ever tally for a House which has got 543 members.
The most sought-after seats inside the House are the front row ones, which
are seen as being something of a status symbol among parliamentarians.
As the main Opposition party in the previous Lok Sabha, BJP had five front
row seats. But its strength of 114 MPs was substantially higher than what
Congress has managed this time.
Ever since Speaker Sumitra Mahajan held a meeting on the issue, the last
few months have witnessed pulls and pressures among various political
parties over the matter. Much debate and dispute have held up the arrangements so far.
The front row in the semi-circular hall can accommodate 20 members,
including the Deputy Speaker.
The BJP-led NDA, which has a strength of 334 members in Lok Sabha, is
entitled to 12 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi occupies the corner-most
seat to the right of the Speaker.
One of the reasons cited for the delay was that AIADMK, Trinamool Congress
and Biju Janata Dal appear to be unwilling to have seats along with Congress.
AIADMK, TMC and BJD have a total of 90 members. AIADMK has 37 MPs
while BJD has 20 legislators. TMC has 33 MPs after one of its legislators
passed away earlier this month.
Modi to attend Maha
govt swearing-in
Mumbai, Oct 26 (PTI):
Officials of the Protocol department
in Mantralaya here are in a quandary
over seating arrangement for Prime
Minister Narendra Modi when he
attends the swearing-in of the BJP
government here later this week.
‘It is not common for the Prime Minister to attend swearing-in ceremony
of state government and Protocol
department is trying to figure a way
out regarding seating arrangement
for him,’ a senior BJP leader told PTI.
‘We suggested them that they
should watch where PM sits during
the swearing-in ceremony of Haryana
government today and accordingly
make seating arrangements here,’
he said.
Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States
are also expected to attend the
oath-taking ceremony, planned at
the sprawling Wankhede stadium in
south Mumbai.
Union Minister Rajnath Singh,
BJP’s central observer for election
of the Legislature party leader, is
expected to arrive here tomorrow
and the election is likely to take
place the next day, a top BJP leader
said yesterday.
Back channel talks were said to
be on between BJP and estranged
former ally Shiv Sena for forming a
coalition government.
Winners get an all-expense paid
trip to Sweden where they will visit
headquarters of global Swedish companies, Swedish universities and the
Nobel Museum among other things.
The first and second runner-up will
get a chance to visit Swedish Aerospace giant, Saab’s stand at Aero
India 2015. The sponsored trip will
included a one day visit to Bangalore,
travel, entry fee, lunch and guided
tour of the Saab stand, the ambassador said.
The Swedish Embassy in collaboration with Delhi Metro Rail
Corporation (DMRC) has put up
an exhibition on the various Indian
Nobel Laureates at the Rajiv Chowk
Metro Station.
Last year the embassy was delighted to celebrate the centenary of
Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel Prize in
Literature with the primary focus on
works and life of Tagore. This year it
is going to be Kailash Satyarthi’s life
story and his activism, Sandberg said.
Mamallan
Software unveils
new product
FULL BLOOM
To express opposition to de-nationalisation
Kolkata, Oct 26 (PTI):
Steering committees of five central coal sector trade
unions are meeting on October 31 for next course of action
for proposed de-nationalisation of the sector.
The steering committee of 5 CTUs will meet on October
31 at Ranchi to decide future course of action to combat
the proposed gradual de-nationalisation of coal mines
by way of allowing commercial mining by private sector,
Indian National Mine Workers’ Federation SecretaryGeneral S Q Zama told PTI.
He said under no circumstances the unions will compromise on allowing commercial mining by private sector
which is nothing but de-nationalisation of coal sector.
We will put our all strength and do whatever is needed,
including long-term strikes, Zama said.
He said that along with other matters he will also try to
build a consensus on not allowing private sector executives for the race for the post of chairman.
7
After the rain stopped for a brief while in city, this vendor was seen
coming out selling flowers at East Mugappair.
NT Bureau
Chennai, Oct 26:
Mamallan Software India Private
Limited has launched ‘The Derivo
Business Rules Management system’, a software that allows one to
create and run declarative business rules of the if-then format.
The launch event was graced by
Bollywood actress Riya Sen, the
company’s brand ambassador.
Addressing mediapersons here
recently, Om Visvanathan, founder and CEO of Mamallan Software,
said with ‘Derivo’ the company is
making its entry into the business
process management space.
Going forward, Mamallan would
continue to focus on this segment and make available new
products. The new and improved
Derivo business rules management software will be available
only for pre-order as it is still
under construction.
Poor health systems in
Asia cause for Ebola alarm
Singapore, Oct 26 (AP):
outbreak of the disease with a rapidly
rising death toll in Guinea, Liberia
The longer the Ebola outbreak
and Sierra Leone. There have also
rages in West Africa, the greater
been cases in three other West Africhance a traveler infected with the
can countries, Spain and the United
virus touches down in an Asian city.
States.
How quickly any case is detected,
Early symptoms of Ebola include
and the measures taken once it is,
fever, headache, body aches, cough,
will determine whether the virus takes
stomach pain, vomiting, and dihold in a region where billions live in
arrhea, and patients aren’t contapoverty and public health systems
gious until those begin.
are often very weak.
The virus requires close contact
Governments are ramping up
‘This is a non-treatable
with body fluids to spread so health
response plans, stepping up surdisease with a very high care workers and family members
veillance at airports and considering quarantine measures.
mortality rate. And even caring for loved ones are most at
risk.
Still, health experts in the region’s
less developed countries fear any a country like the United
Asia, home to 60 per cent of the
outbreak would be deadly and hard States has not been able to world’s population, scores higher
to contain.
than West Africa on most developcompletely prevent it’
ment indexes and includes emergThis is a non-treatable disease with
ing or developed countries like
a very high mortality rate. And even
a country like the United States has not been able to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.
completely prevent it, said Yatin Mehta, a critical care speBut countries like India, China the Philippines and Incialist at the Medanta Medicity hospital near New Delhi.
donesia have vast numbers of poor, many of whom live
The government is trying. They are preparing and they in crowded slums, and underfunded health systems.
are training, but our record of disaster management has
Sujatha Rao, a former Indian health secretary, said
been very poor in the past.’
India’s health system kicked into overdrive when
More than 10,000 people have been infected with Ebola confronted with a health crisis, as was seen during
and nearly half of them have died, according to the World the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. ‘In India we’re very good
at crisis management, but we are hopeless at routine
Health Organization.
The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is the largest ever care,’ Rao said.
‘IRDA favours lifting cap on agent fees’
Hopes for release of
TN fishermen brighten
per cent of business to the life insurMumbai, Oct 26 (PTI): agents more producance industry. But they do not find
Sectoral regulator Irda is expected to suggest tive and help deepen
their job attractive now with the 40
to a high-level panel that the new Insurance Bill insurance penetration,
Kanyakumari, Oct 26 (PTI):
per cent of first year premium as their
remove the existing 40 per cent cap on agency which is only 3.2 per
Hopes for the release of four fishermen from this coastal town
commission, Life Insurance Council
commission and leave agent licensing process cent now.
and one from Kerala detained in Iran have brightened with the insecretary general V Manickam said.
There were 21.5 lakh
to insurers themselves.
tervention of Indian embassy officials and support of the fishing
Hence, the industry has been
firm that employed them.
Insurance Regulatory and Development Au- life insurance agents at
demanding that the provisions
Sasi Louis, Arokiam, Anthonis, Antony (all from Tamilnadu) and
thority (IRDA) chairman T S Vijayan is slated to the end of the Septemgoverning licensing and commisThadeuse (Thiruvananthapuram), employed with a Qatar fishing firm,
meet members ofParliamentary panel on Insur- ber quarter. In FY11,
were detained by Iranian authorities on 22 September for allegedly
sion in the Act must be transferred
ance Law (Amendment) Bill here on Monday, t h e r e w e r e 2 6 l a k h ,
fishing in their territory. Together, they were later fined Rs 5.5 lakh.
to Irda so that the regulator has
which has been steadsaid a source.
The senior officials in Indian embassies in Qatar and Iran have
the flexibility to allow insurers to
The Bill is likely to be tabled in the winter ily declining ever since
made good efforts for the release of Indian fishermen,’ president,
fix remuneration to their
session. The regulator is likely to suggest that the commission was
Tamilnadu Fishermen Development Trust, P Justin Antony told
agents of their own,’ he added.
the agent licensing process, which is currently capped at 40 per cent.
PTI today.
Since an agent can sell policies
handled by Irda, be handed over to insurers. Since the beginning of
Food, clothes and medicine have been provided to the fishermen,
Currently, after training and examination, the this fiscal alone, there was a decline of 40,000 of only one company that one is associated
he added. ‘The Deputy Chief of Mission in Iran has written to me
agents from 21.9 lakh at the end of the last fiscal. with, there is no sense in not allowing an
Irda grants licence to an agent.
in this regard,’ he said.
The decline started after Sebi banned life insurance company to issue licence to them,
Also, the regulator wants the new law to let
Initially, the owner of the fishing firm that employed the five fishinsurers
from
selling
unit-linked
insurance
he added.
insurers fi x the agency commission on their
ermen had shown indifference in getting them released.
The source said all the three Irda members and
own. Currently, the law does not allow an insurer products in June 2010. The insurance indus‘Now, the firm is understood to have come forward to consider
to pay more than 40 per cent of the first-year try has been demanding hiking agency fees few other senior officials will be present during
paying
the fine and get them released,’ Antony said.
for
long
as
it
would
help
them
organise
their
the interaction with the MP. The meeting is likely
premium to the agents as commission.
The
familes
of the fishermen and the aid organisation had appealed
agency
force
better.
to
be
attended
by
the
house
panel
chairman
and
Sources
the regulator
of theofview
that
Published
bysaid
K. Balakumar
on is
behalf
News
Today Media (P) Ltd., from 85, Mount Road (GST Road), Guindy, Chennai 600 032 and printed by him at Frontline Printers Private Ltd., M-7, Thiru-Vi-Ka Industrial Estate, Guindy,
to authorities and later Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week,
Agents
are
responsible
for
bringing
in
over
90
BJP
MP
Chandan
Mitra.
a
flexible
commission
framework
will
make
Chennai 600 032. Ph: 4202 1111. Editor: K. Balakumar. Phone: Editorial/Admn /Advt: 22504000, Fax: 2250 1800 (Editorial)/2250 1200/2250 0101 (Advt/Admn). e-mail: [email protected], Circulation: 4202 1111. Fax: 4212 0000.
requesting intervention to ensure their release.
26 OCTOBER 2014
8 SUNDAY
, CHENNAI
Licensed to post without prepayment under WPP. No. TN / PMG / (CCR) / 470 / 12-14
Vadivelu’s
next
is Eli
Vadivelu
V
Statue of actor Vijay
Statue for Vijay
F
ans of actor Vijay have erected a statue for their hero at a theatre in Chennai. A grand function was held in
which the statue was unveiled this morning. The actor’s Kaththi, directed by A R Murugadoss, was released
on Deepavali day.
The movie is reportedly doing good business at the box-office. Fans of the actor in the suburb have come
together to erect a statue and they are celebrating the success of the Kaththi. Fans gathered in large numbers
at Vettri Theatre in Chrompet where the statue was erected.
—NT Bureau
adivelu is set to begin shooting for his next film,
which is titled Eli (rat). The film will be directed by
Yuvaraj Dayalan, who had earlier directed the comedian
in Tenaliraman.
The shoot for this period film will commence from September. Says Vadivelu, ‘I am doing my next film also with
Yuvaraj and the shoot will begin next month. The film will
be set in the 1970s, which is when western culture started
to influence Indians.’
Meanwhile, sources says, ‘The film is titled Eli because
Vadivelu’s character will have the funny characteristics
of a rat in the film and hence the title. The other cast and
crew are yet to be finalised.’
— NT Bureau
Yuvaraj
Get, set, go for
Rajini Murugan
floors on 30 Octoajini Murugan will go on
ame directs the film,
ber. Ponram of VVS-f
and Keerthi Suresh
yan
ike
which has Sivakarth
l compose music. Thirin the lead. Imman wil
producer, confirmed the
rupathi Brothers, the
news on Twitter.
an and Imman were
Ponram, Sivakarthikey
eceived Varuthapadatha
earlier part of the well-r
Valibar Sangam.
pleted the shoot for
Sivakarthikeyan has com
a
ys police officer.
Taana in which he pla
—NT Bureau
R
Sivakarthikeyan
P
Journey
around
Madurai
orkuthirai is yet another film that is centred around Madurai.
A period movie set in 1980s in Usilampatti, the film has been
shot in Madurai and its surroundings.
It portrays how love was divine in the year 1980s and how
the family consisting of a brother, sister, mother and father are
bonded, says a press release.
Costumes, locations, songs and scenes of this film would
carry the audience to the year 1980’s, says director Sri Prawin.
‘It is a movie is a war between an innocent and criminals.
Chaithanya Krishnan, Chandini Tamilarasan, Nagineedu,
Kavitha Srinivasan, Pankaj and Sanjay in the cast.’
The movie has music by Bharath V M and Nandhan.
— NT Bureau
RK and Poonam Kaur in Enn Vazhi Thani Vazhi
RK ready
for the act
R
K of Ellam Avan Seyal and Azhagarmalai-fame is ready with his film titled Enn Vazhi
Thani Vazhi. The movie has music by Srikanth Deva.
It is directed by Shaji Kailash (who made Ellam Avan Seyal). RK plays an encounter
specialist in it.
It is an action-thriller with an important message to the society. Srikanth Deva has come
up with racy songs and background score, sources say.
Actress Roja is playing a negative role in this flick, which has Seetha, Poonam Kaur,
Meenakshi Dikshit and Madhan Bob, Ilavarasu and Radharavi in key roles.
— NT Bureau
I
ndo Cine Appreciation
Foundation in association
with the Embassy of Mexico
in India are organising Mexican Film Festival from 28 to
30 October at Russian Centre of Science & Culture, Kasturi Ranga Road, Chennai.
The movies to be screened
at the festival includes The
Desert Within, My Mexican Shivah, Otilia
Rauda, Open Heaven and The Mayor.
The Mayor tells the story of Mauricio Fernandez, Mayor of the wealthiest municipality
in Latin America located in the North of
Mexico. He presents himself as a polemical
figure who takes justice by his own hand in
order to ‘clean’ his municipality of the drug
cartels presence.
A millionaire with a fortune valued at 800
million USD. He constructed his own palace with ceilings that he bought from William Randolph Hearst, the original Citizen
Kane, and plagued the place with his own
eccentric collections.
—NT Bureau
A still from Porkuthirai
Pencil crew
goes to Japan
K
alsan Movie’s maiden venture Pencil is fast nearing
completion.
A crew of 25 members is leaving for Japan along with actor
and music director G V Prakash and actress Sridivya.
Sources say a couple of peppy numbers will be shot in the
Land of the Rising Sun.
The songs Kangalile Kangalile Kadugalavu Therigirathe
and Yaarai polum illaa neeyum, Ellaar polum ulla naanum
are penned by Thamarai. Sheriff will do the choreography
for songs.
Directed by Mani Nagaraj, the movie has cinematography
by Gopi Amarnath. T P Gajendran, Urvashi and Thirumurgan
are also in the cast.
—NT Bureau
A still from Pencil
Movies from
Mexico
Published by K. Balakumar on behalf of News Today Media (P) Ltd., from 85, Mount Road (GST Road), Guindy, Chennai 600 032 and printed by him at Frontline Printers Private Ltd., M-7, Thiru-Vi-Ka Industrial Estate, Guindy,
Published by K. Balakumar on behalf of News Today Media (P) Ltd., from 85, Mount Road (GST Road), Guindy, Chennai 600 032 and printed by him at Frontline Printers Private Ltd., M-7, Thiru-Vi-Ka Industrial Estate, Guindy,
Chennai
032.
Ph:Ph:
4202
1111.
Editor:
K. Balakumar.
Phone:
Editorial/Admn
/Advt:
22504000,
Fax:
2250
1800
(Editorial)/2250
1200/2250
0101
(Advt/Admn).
Chennai600
600
032.
4202
1111.
Editor:
K. Balakumar.
Phone:
Editorial/Admn
/Advt:
22504000,
Fax:
2250
1800
(Editorial)/2250
1200/2250
0101
(Advt/Admn).e-mail:
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