Tirunelveli - General News

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community wise clasehes is increased now in Tamilnadu:bash:

Desilting under way ahead of northeast monsoon

Desilting operations got under way here on Monday to clear the city’s drains and stormwater channels ahead of the onset of the northeast monsoon. The cleanup drive launched by the Corporation is aimed at obviating potential mosquito breeding grounds that could cause an outbreak of waterborne diseases during the rainy season.
Said Mayor Vijila Sathyananth, who inaugurated the exercise at Manakaavalanpillai Nagar in Palayamkottai, “We plan to complete the desilting operation before the onset of the northeast monsoon in October. The silt removed from the channels will be transported to the garbage dump so that mud will not slide back into the channels.”
Commissioner T. Mohan, City Engineer K.P. Jai Xavier and chairman of Palayamkottai Zone M. Christhurajan were present.

HOBBY Craftwork has helped to banish the blues for this talented homemaker


Usha Swaminathan lays out her latest batch of crocheted projects on the divan with maternal pride. Soft-soled slippers, a frock with matching booties and hat, handbags and trinket bags … the Thillai Nagar-based homemaker is a skilled worker with needle and thread.
Crochet is Mrs Usha’s current passion, though she had always been interested in needlework as a schoolgirl. “My mother’s friend taught me the basics of embroidery and craft techniques,” she says of her childhood in Tirunelveli. An expert in beadwork and nylon wire basket weaving, she switched over to crochet to reduce eye-strain.
Her preferred medium is wool, and even Tiruchi’s hot weather has not affected this choice.
“I spend five to six hours everyday on crochet, but not at a stretch. So it’s okay for me to handle wool in this weather,” she says. “Though it’s difficult to wear woollen garments here, we can use wool to make accessories like hair ornaments and bags,” she says.
Mrs. Usha shows us a macramé rucksack made with ordinary coir rope, originally a gift for her college-going niece.
That rucksack earned her not just niece’s praise, but also orders for at least three more. “Coir is actually easier to work with than macramé thread,” says Mrs. Usha. “I spent around Rs. 250 on this rucksack, but the cost will easily shoot up to Rs. 2000 if I were to use macramé thread, which more slippery to work with.” Encouraged by sister-in-law to go commercial, Mrs. Usha has tried to put her products for sale online through Facebook.
The feedback so far has been more about “compliments than purchase offers,” Mrs Usha admits, but adds that she bagged a few orders as well.
“I have started selling my things in my friends’ circle, but price is a major issue. Crochet is a costly hobby. People who know the value of such things, buy them, but it’s not easy to convince everyone,” she says. “Of late people in Tiruchi have gone for embroidery in a big way. They all want to wear embroidered clothes, even though they are high maintenance, and not always culturally suitable,” she adds.
When we visit, Mrs Usha is busy crocheting a tote bag using a stitch called ‘crocodile scale’ that gives a three-dimensional effect. She is all praise for YouTube tutorials that helped her learn this advanced technique.
Her other favourite is the versatile Afghan Square, a crochet panel that can be used to assemble anything from baby quilts to large shopping bags.
Crochet, like most goal-oriented hobbies, can be therapeutic, says Mrs. Usha. “I went into deep depression after my sons left for work in Chennai. I used to teach them at home until the end of their schooling. Once they shifted, our home felt like an empty nest,” she recalls. “Now crochet has given me a new diversion,” she smiles.
Already booked for the upcoming Navaratri festive week with an order for 50 crocheted tambulam bags and six macramé jute rucksacks, Mrs. Usha has no time for the blues.
“I hope my daughters-in-law will know some craft work,” she says. “But the younger generation of women is losing the tradition of sewing that we learned in school because the syllabus has swapped them for computer lessons. Sewing is a must for everyone,” she says, her fingers poised to execute the next crochet stitch.

There is kofta for lunch. Rich brown gravy, with a dash of dhaniya patta on top. The next day it is yellow kadhi with pakodas and brinjal subzi. The chappatis look soft. Every day roti, rice and two subzis are ladled into shiny steel dabbas, the whole thing then put inside a green-blue zippered bag, and kept ready for a dabbawallah to pick it up and deliver it to the hungry man waiting on the other side of the city…
That is pretty much the simple story of The Lunchbox , where the dabba is delivered to a wrong destination and the ripples that it creates in the lives of ordinary people.
Every time Irfan Khan opens up the tiffin box, we crane our necks. What is in the dabba today? When Nimrat Kaur rinses the plump, purple brinjal, we know we are in for a treat. And when she listens to the recipe of paneer butter masala on the radio, we secretly hope she is going to try that out next. We learn she loves the keema pav in a certain restaurant, we wonder what he loves so much about baingan ki subzi. Nawazuddin Siddiqui tells us he makes a mean mutton pasanda…Remember the number of times we have made ourselves a quick cup of tea before settling down to a looked-forward-to activity? Just so we can postpone the pleasure of reading a book or watching a movie… so much of delicious anticipation. Nimrat does just that. She knows there is a letter waiting for her in the dabba, but she holds back long enough to make tea for herself and then sits down to savour the note as much as the chai! There is so much reference to glorious food in the film. Why can’t we have more films like this? Stanley Ka Dabba is a great exception but I thought Bollywood was incapable of making a Julie and Julia or a Chocolat. But now, I eat my words, happily.
Just imagine all the stories that can be woven around food, right here in our country. I remember hunkering down in an old agraharam house with sunlight streaming in from a skylight, watching a bunch of mamis making Deepavali bakshanams. It was unforgettable. The oil hissed and bubbled, the bangles tinkled, and there were bursts of exclamation and laughter as they updated each other on some serials. Then, there was a magnificent finale – when an old paati, even as she dipped a long-handled spoon into the oil to take out the golden, fried murukkus burst into a song, kurai ondrum illai . So many stories right there, bound together by murukkus. Imagine a rags-to-riches story on the chatwallah on Shahjahan Road in Delhi who, they say, has become a millionaire.
Or how about old Mr Eapen in Coonoor who talked to his plants and made jams and wines from the produce he grew there. What about the two ladies who stand in their blue-grey coats behind the counter and turn out the softest, tastiest kozhukattais from four in the evening at Adyar Ananda Bhavan? What about all those places where time has stood still for more than a hundred years? Where food is made pretty much the same way it was when they began…the family pickle shop in Town Hall, the iruttu kadai in Tirunelveli or the Crown bakery in Coonoor.
What a great setting these would be for a family drama, or a whodunit (why not?) or just a simple story of people who love to cook and eat. Is Ritesh Batra listening?

PSK to receive walk-in applications

The Passport Seva Kendras in Madurai and Tirunelveli have announced that a few categories of applicants will be allowed to submit their registered online applications as walk-in applications.
According to a release, senior citizens above 60 years of age, minors below 15 years of age whose parents hold valid passports and applicants waiting for the issue of Police Clearance Certificates (PCC) are eligible to be considered as walk-in applicants.
Persons having queries with regard to the above service may contact 0452 2521204, 2521205 and 2521795 or can register their grievances with the same numbers. The applicants can also get an update on the status of their applications and other queries in both English and Tamil, the release added.

Treat of Tamil plays




The Hindu Tamil presents Nadaga Thiruvizha, an assortment of plays in three cities of Tamil nadu – Madurai, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli – on September 27, 28 and 29, 7 p.m. The plays are by some of the most prolific artists of Tamil theatre – ‘Crazy’ Mohan, Y.Gee. Mahendra and S.Ve Sekhar and are proven entertainers with wit, intrigue, sharp dialogue and captivating performances.
The schedule is as follows:
Natakapriya’s ‘Yamirukka Bayam Yaen’ (Madurai on Sept 27, Tiruchi on Sept 28 and Tirunelveli on Sept 29)
UAA’s ‘Irandam Ragasiyam’ (Sept 27 in Tiruchi; Sept 28 in Tirunelveli and Sept 29 in Madurai)
'Crazy’ Mohan’s ‘Chocolate Krishna’ (Sept 27 in Tirunelveli; Sept 28 in Madurai and Sept 29 in Tiruchi).
The venues are Lakshmi Sundaram Hall in Madurai, Nellai Sangeetha Sabha in Tirunelveli and MD Hall in Tiruchi.
Tickets can be collected at the venue from today (Sept 27) and at the following venues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.:
Madurai: The Hindu, 147/2 – A, 80 Feet Road, KK Nagar, Madurai – 625020
Tirunelveli: The Hindu, 2nd Floor, Thiripura Arcade, No 75 A, Trivandrum Road, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli – 627002
Golden Lotus: AlagarKoil Road, Moonrumavadi, K. Pudur, Madurai 625007, ph: 91761 15555.
Tirunelveli: The Hindu, 2nd Floor, Thiripura Arcade, No 75 A, Trivandrum Road, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli – 627002
Sathya: No: 139/2A/2, Trivandrum Road, Palayamkottai-627002. 99949 65985, 0462-2501785
Tiruchi: The Hindu, Chennai Bypass Road(NH 45), Senthanneerpuram, Tiruchirapalli - 620004
Entry is free and each ticket admits two persons. Sponsors are: Title Sponsor - Indus; Powered by: TMB (Madurai & Tirunelveli); Associate Sponsors: Punjab National Bank (Madurai & Tiruchi); Alno Kitchens (Madurai) and Sathya Electricals (Tirunelveli).

Meeting on planting 10 lakh saplings held




Collector C. Samayamoorthy addressing the consultative meeting on planting 10 lakh saplings in Tirunelveli on Wednesday.Photo: A. SHAIKMOHIDEEN

A consultative meeting on planting 10 lakh saplings across the district as part of ‘Green Tirunelveli’ campaign, initiated by Collector C. Samayamoorthy, was held here on Wednesday.
The Collector has identified the Agriculture, Horticulture and Forest Departments for planting saplings on the premises of all government offices and official quarters, along roads and on the banks of 921 systemised and 1,528 non-systemised tanks across the district.
The Forest Department, while planting and maintaining 1.28 lakh saplings, will distribute 11,000 saplings to the public.
The Agriculture Department will get the saplings from its nursery at Tenkasi and also from private suppliers.
The officials have been instructed to procure and supply one-year-old saplings to the public so that they will withstand the adverse climatic conditions to some extent.
The Tirunelveli Corporation has been given the responsibility of planting and maintaining 5,000 saplings.
Each town panchayat will have to grow 500 saplings and each government office premises will have a minimum of 50 saplings.
Even primary health centres and government hospitals have been asked to provide ‘green cover’ to their campuses.
Schools, colleges and other educational institutions will grow over 50,000 saplings on the premises.
Heads of government departments have been entrusted with the task of reviewing the maintenance and growth of saplings, which will have metal guards.
Schools and colleges which do not have compound walls will be given plants which are not grazed by cattle.
The office premises will have fruit-bearing trees like mango, jamun, etc.
The officials have been told to rope in the labourers hired under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, to water the plants, particularly during the summer, and on holidays in the case of the educational institutions.
Voluntary organisations like Lions and Rotary Clubs, local bodies and their representatives, NCC cadets, NSS volunteers and members of the National Green Corps will also participate in the campaign.

Legal counsel for the Army


Avinash Shekhar is a proud young man. He is one of the few who will get to serve the country through the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department of the Indian Army and still do what he loves and believes in as a law graduate. His name is fourth in the merit list of the JAG Department’s course for law graduates (men’s category). There are only seven such posts for men and three for women between the ages of 21 and 27.
Based in Chennai, Avinash completed his five-year law degree from the School of Excellence in Law, Chennai, and was, till recently, working under one of the partners of a leading law firm. It was one of his colleagues who told him about JAG. “I wasn’t aware of JAG until the notification for application had been announced and a colleague advised me to apply.” He is glad that he went ahead with it as he is among the seven men who were selected out of the few hundred applicants.
What is JAG?
The Judge Advocate General Department, commonly known as JAG, consists of legally qualified Army officers who have knowledge of military law and provide legal help to the military in all aspects. Avinash explains that the selection process for the JAG course is a meticulous exercise and spans five days or more. There is no written examination as such.
Over the course of these five days, the applicants are required to show their merit through a series of practical and perceptive problem-solving, obstacle courses and medical tests. At the end of each day, a group of people are chosen for the next round and the rest are eliminated from the selection process. “It’s like one big reality show,” Avinash says.
The process involves three stages — screening, recommendation and medical test. The candidates have to undergo various tests, after which they are screened and shortlisted for the next level. A series of interviews and physical tests is conducted and candidates are then subject to medicals tests, which is followed by document verification.
Avinash stresses that science was never his cup of tea. He did not want to make the usual choice by taking up engineering or medicine. He attributes his interest in law to his mother, who is a criminologist and was also magistrate in the juvenile court of law. “Though it was my mother who nudged me in this direction, my role model was my maternal grandfather, who passed away a few years ago. I had learnt a lot from him and he remains an inspirational figure for me.”
From Tirunelveli to Thiruvananthapuram and now Chennai, this 25-year-old has everything going his way and he knows that this is only the beginning of greater things to come.

தென்காசியை தனி மாவட்டமாக்க வேண்டும்


சங்கரன்கோவில் நகர திமுக சார்பில் அதிமுக அரசை கண்டித்து துண்டு பிரசுரங்களை தங்கவேலு எம்பி பொதுமக்களிடம் வழங்கினார்.
தென்காசி, அக். 1:
தென்கா சியை தனி மாவட்டமாக அறிவிக்க வேண்டும் என்று குற்றாலத்தில் நடந்த தமமுக கூட்டத்தில் தீர்மானம் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டது.
குற்றாலத்தில் தமிழக மக்கள் முன்னேற்ற கழக வடக்கு மாவட்ட நிர்வாகி கள் ஆலோசனை கூட்டம் நடந்தது. கூட்டத்திற்கு மாவட்ட தலைவர் செல் வராஜ் தலைமை வகித்தார். இணை செயலாளர் குற்றா லம், மாடசாமி, இளைஞரணி செயலாளர் சாந்தகுமார், வெள்ளச்சாமி, வினுபாண்டியன் ஆகி யோர் முன்னிலை வகித்த னர். ஒன்றிய செயலாளர் காட்டுராஜா வரவேற்றார். மாநில பேச்சாளர் காளி முத்து பேசினார்.
கூட்டத்தில் தென்காசி பாராளுமன்ற தொகுதியில் தமிழக மக்கள் முன்னேற்ற கழக தலைவர் நிறுவன தலைவரை போட்டியிட செய்வது, ரயில்வே மேம்பாலத்தை உடனடியாக திறக்க வேண்டும். தென்காசியை தனி மாவட்டமாக அறி விக்க வேண்டுமென்பன உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு தீர்மானங்கள் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டன.
ஒன்றிய செயலாளர்கள் ஸ்டாலின், முருகன், நகர செயலாளர் ராஜா, ஒன்றிய தலைவர்கள் விஜயபாண்டியன், ஜெயராஜ்பாண்டி யன், இளைஞரணி செய லாளர் முத்துக்குமார் சதீஷ்குமார், ஆதிபாண்டியன், செல்லத்துரை, கருப்பசாமி, பாபு உட்பட பலர் கலந்து கொண்டனர். பழனிபாண்டியன் நன்றி கூறினார்.
தமமுக கூட்டத்தில் தீர்மானம்

தென்காசியில் நடந்த தவ்ஹீத் ஜமாத் பொதுக்கூட்டத்தில் கலந்து கொண்ட பெண்கள்.
கடையநல்லூரை தாலுகாவாக்க வேண்டும்
தென்காசி, அக். 1:
தென்காசியில் தமிழ்நாடு தவ்ஹீத் ஜமாத் எழுச்சி பொதுக்கூட்டம் நடந்தது. கூட்டத்திற்கு நகர துணைத்தலைவர் முஹம்மது ஷெரீப் தலைமை வகித்தார். மாநில மேலாண்மைக்குழு உறுப்பினர்கள் சுலைமான், பக்கீர்முகம்மதுஅல்தாபி மற்றும் முஃமினா ஆகியோர் பேசி னர். கூட்டத்தில் முஸ்லிம்களுக்கு கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள 3.5 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீட்டை 7 சதவீதமாக உயர்த்த வேண் டும். மத்திய அரசு 10 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்க வேண் டும். இந்த கோரிக்கைகளை வலியுறுத்தி ஜனவரி 28ம் தேதி சென்னை, கோவை, நெல்லை, திருச்சி ஆகிய இடங்களில் சிறை செல்லும் போராட்டம் நடத்தப்படும். தென்காசியில் ரயில்வே மேம்பாலத்தில் ரவுண் டானா அமைத்து விரைவில் திறக்க வேண்டும், கடையநல்லு�ரில் தனி தாலுகாவாக பிரிக்க வேண்டும் என்பது உள்ளிட்ட தீர்மானங்கள் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டன. நகர மருத்துவரணி செயலாளர் செய்யது அலி நன்றி கூறி னார்.
தவ்ஹீத் ஜமாத் வலியுறுத்தல்

K. Balu’s paint brush moves effortlessly as he fills in the colours on a statue of the goddess Saraswathy. “The only time I have to really concentrate is when I paint the face, especially around the eyes; the slightest of mistake will ruin the bhava of the idol. It is the same for all idols,” says the 45-year-old.
Navaratri is a busy time of the year for Balu. He’s neck-deep in getting kolu dolls ready in time for the festival. “This year, we have Dasavatharam kolu sets and Ashtalakshmi sets to name a few. While these are always popular, it’s the one which depicts a traditional Brahmin wedding that is fast moving.”
According to Balu, statues of Ganesha are also quite popular for kolus. The deity comes in various forms. “There are ‘Musical Ganapathy’, ‘Pancha Ganapathy’, ‘Playing Ganapathy’... Children who come with their parents to shop for kolus ask for the ‘Playing Ganapathy’, which has the deity in cricket gear!”
And while kolus are traditionally put up in houses during the Navaratri fete, these days some schools also put up kolus. “A couple of schools in and around Manacaud have set up kolus on campus. This is to create awareness on kolus, its history, tradition, and so on amongst the students. We are also completing the finishing touches for statues of Saraswathy, Lekshmi and Ganapathy for various temples in and around the city in connection with Navaratri.”
The shop in Karamana in which the artisan works not only makes and sells idols, figurines, statues and the like for customers in the city, but also caters to customers in Kollam, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil.
“Actually, we are busy throughout the year as there is always a demand for statues during most festivals. We make the statues out of a mix of fibre and Plaster of Paris.” Garden figurines such as dwarfs, birds and lions, which were once popular in the olden days, are making a comeback and are gracing gardens, he says.
Till a couple of years ago orders of busts or statues of Mahatma Gandhi were in high during Gandhi Jayanthi, says Balu. “The last statue I did of Gandhiji was for Cotton Hill Girls High School; I think it was two years ago.”
Balu, who completed his class 10, has been working at Mani Chettiar and his son, Saju N.’s shop for 20 years now. “When I was a child studying at Karamana Government High School, I would pass by Paladesam Chettiar, Mani sir’s father’s workshop and watch the artisans at work. I used to help out occasionally and it gradually turned into a passion.”
Balu does help make idols, but his speciality lies in painting the statues. “You need a steady hand and an attention to detail,” says Balu who starts his day at work by 8 a.m. and ends it by 6 p.m. everyday.
“Our work is such that one does not have the luxury of taking a day off. I don’t mind it though, as I love my job. Per day we mould around 20 to 30 statues and paint around 100 statues, if they are small sized ones, and around 30 statues, if they are large.”
Balu’s wife, Reena, works as an attendant at PRS Hospital. “These days, both the spouses need to be employed if one wants to make ends meet.”
His children, Kiran and Anjana, are still in school and show no interest in their father’s field. “I hope they do well in their studies and get jobs that will ensure them a comfy life,” says Balu as he continues with his work.

Special discount sale of Khadi products commences

Annual discount sale of khadi products commenced here on Wednesday as part of Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations.
Inaugurating the special discount sale, Mr. Samayamoorthy said it had been decided to sell Rs. 70 lakh-worth khadi products during the festival season this year with a 30 per cent discount through the outlets at Tenkasi, Ambasamudram, Palayamkottai Market and the showroom on A.R. Line Road, Palayamkottai.
In addition to this, special outlets had been opened at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, Government Siddha Medical College Hospital, Alangulam, Radhapuram, Kadayam, Maanur, Keezhapaavoor, Vasudevanallur, Mukkoodal and Cheranmahadevi to sell khadi products.
“Credit facility for purchasing khadi products has been arranged for government employees and teachers working in government and private schools, who can repay the loan in ten instalments,” Mr. Samayamoorthy informed.
The Collector inaugurated the first discount sale and Physical Director of St. Ignatius College of Education Gladys Stella Bai received it.
Tuticorin
In the neighbouring Tuticorin district, the Collector, M. Ravikumar, inaugurated the festival season discount sale of khadi products.