Maoist leader lodged in Cuddalore prison stages fast

CUDDALORE:

 A Maoist leader, who was arrested on charges of indulging in anti-national activities and lodged at Cuddalore central prison, began an indefinite fast from Wednesday morning demanding proper amenities and free movement in the high-security prison. In a petition submitted to the superintendent of prison, Vivek, 47 complained of poor basic amenities in the prison and declared that he will fast unto death if the prison administration fails to extend proper amenities.



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Suspended environment clearance to the 1,200 MW thermal power plant in the Cuddalore district

he National Green Tribunal has asked the environment ministry to notify all wetlands in the country to avoid developmental projects in its vicinity as it suspended environment clearance to the thermal power plant in Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. In an order issued on Wednesday,

the tribunal also asked the ministry to finalise the guidelines and site criteria for Thermal Power Plants urgently. The tribunal had found that the existing guidelines had failed to take note of factors that affect the environment and ecology today. “It is pertinent to note that the siting criteria produced before us were framed 25 years ago,” the tribunal said, while hearing petitions by six locals against the 2,640 MW thermal power plant of Nagarajuna Construction Company.

The appellants in the case had alleged that the proposed project site was a wetland not suitable for commercial use. It will adversely affect irrigation schemes of the area and lead to scarcity of drinking water and fishing. They also said the project will stop farmers from growing seasonal crops and vegetables, and destroy a breeding area for migratory birds. The petitioners also contended that the environment ministry didn’t consider objections raised by a majority of those affected. The project proponents, however, said such claims were baseless and the site was not a notified wetland. The ministry said the project was cleared after taking into account all environmental aspects.

The tribunal said that another opportunity should be provided to locals to express their views on the project and, till then, the approval should remain suspended. The tribunal also suspended environment clearance to the 1,200 MW thermal power plant in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.

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Free Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon, scream Cuddalore Facebook friends

CUDDALORE: 

     “Free Alex! It is the voice of young India now,” reads a comment on the Facebook page ‘Free Alex Paul Menon’. The Facebook page was created by an American, Jim Peters, on April 21 and has been demanding Menon’s safe release. Until Wednesday the page received over 2,400 likes, and 1,800 people talking about it. Explaining his relation with Menon, Peters said the collector is his wife Nazreen’s nephew and she was his teacher at Rose Mary Matriculation Higher Secondary School. “I first heard that a collector had been abducted in Chhattisgarh. Knowing that Alex was posted there, I began searching the internet for more information, which is when we received the bad news that he was the one who had been abducted,” Peters told Express.

   The Facebook page has photos of demonstrations and rallies held in Tamil Nadu and images of posters requesting the government to take steps for Menon’s release. The page also provides updates about the developments in the case. “While talking with family members throughout the day, we felt the need to do something, that is when the idea of creating a Facebook page came up. We wanted a place where we could share information about what was happening,” Peters said. About Menon, Peters said, “He is an incredible young man and we wanted to make sure that his friends, classmates and relatives could have a place to get information.”  On the updates, he said, “We have a team… friends, classmates etc who contribute to the page. This team keeps updates going round the clock.”

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Cuddalore Youth hangs self from bridge across Gadilam

CUDDALORE: 

   Call it coincidence or weird twist of fate. A 27-year-old youth, who had rescued a girl who attempted suicide in 2010 at the Gadilam river, hanged himself to death from an old bridge across the same river on Wednesday. 

  Passersby, who saw the body at the busy place in the town early on Wednesday, informed the police. The deceased, Vijayakumar, was a musician living in RP Nagar in Cuddalore and ended his life due to a family dispute, police said. On Wednesday morning, as news about the incident spread, hundreds of people gathered on the river bank and the bridge, where Vijayakumar had used a bedsheet to hang himself. Reacting to Vijayakumar’s death, his friends recalled that in 2010, a girl had jumped into the Gadilam river from the same bridge. While others stood by when the girl was struggling in the water, Vijayakumar jumped in and rescued her. While the girl was saved, Vijayakumar suffered a fracture in the leg. The people and the police had appreciated him for his courageous act.

     “He was very brave. We did not believe the news till we saw his body. We do not know why he decided to end his life leaving his family alone,” they added.  DSP Vanitha visited the spot and conducted inquiries. Cuddalore New Town police have begun investigation.  The police recovered the body and sent it for postmortem. VCK state youth wing deputy secretary Thamaraiselvan visited the spot and consoled Vijayakumar’s family. Vijayakumar is survived by wife Dhavamani (23) and children Dhanushya (4) and Yogesh (3). 

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Fake ration cards to corner relief in Cuddalore

CUDDALORE: 

          Fishermen of Devanampattinam, a coastal village in the Cuddalore district, on Tuesday, charged Fisheries Department officials and a few middlemen for fake ration cards that have allegedly been circulated in coastal villages to pocket funds to be distributed to fishermen during the fishing ban. The State government provides relief funds to fishermen during the fishing ban period. Last year, J Jayalalithaa soon after becoming the Chief Minister doubled the relief amount of `1,000 to `2,000, in line with her assurance during the election campaign. The enhanced relief amount was distributed in June last year. However, the fishermen alleged that there is a lot of malpractice in distribution of these relief amounts. According to sources, in 2011, in the Devanampattinam fishing hamlet, relief funds were distributed to 1,754 beneficiaries whereas there are only 1,300 ration card holders in the village.

         K Pulendhran, a fisherman, said, “In June last year `2,000 was given to 1,754 beneficiaries but `4,000 was given to only around 1,200 people in the same village. How can the number of beneficiaries for the `4,000 relief fund come down to 1,200 later in the same year?” Fishermen charged that over 15 middlemen have been functioning in the village, helping people get relief amounts from the Fisheries Department. Another fisherman E Sekar said, “ These middlemen should be removed completely. They have been benefiting through schemes meant for fisher folk.” When contacted, Vivekanandhan, assistant director of the Fisheries Department, said, “We strictly monitor the distribution process and I am sure everything is being done as per the guideline.”

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Disabled man re-united with kin in Cuddalore

      In an emotional meeting, a 35-year-old mentally challenged man from Kashmir who was found wandering in Cuddalore two years ago was reunited with his family, thanks to the efforts of collector Rajendra Ratnoo and Oasis, a non-governmental organisation..

      Farooq Ahamed, dressed in a full-sleeved blue shirt and grey trousers, could not control his tears when he met his elder brother Nazar Ahamed Shah and uncle Mushtaq at the collectorate who had come from Kashmir on Thursday to take him back home. Mr Ratnoo said that Farooq was found wandering on the streets of Cuddalore two years ago. Officials of the social welfare department soon contacted Oasis, an NGO working in the field of rehabilitation of mentally ill persons, and brought him to the Centre for psychiatric treatment where after a slow recovery he revealed his identity and address to counsellors.

Farooq only knew Kashmiri and Urdu and with the help of interlocutors he was administered medicines.

      He was soon able to recall his address which enabled Oasis to get in touch with his family. His elder brother who had almost lost hope of finding his brother came to Cuddalore along with documents including Electors Photo Identity Card and house address. A visibly moved Mr Nazar Ahamed Shah thanked Oasis for having rehabilitated his brother. Mr Ratnoo said the district administration had put in place a mental health programme that identifies mentally ill patients and rehabilitates them to enable them regain their mental health. 

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