Tamils protest for a separate state for Sri Lankan Tamils

COIMBATORE - The Police here on Friday arrested more than 20 Tamil activists, who were protesting for a separate state for the Tamilians displaced by the war in Sri Lanka.

Flood alert issued, people on Vaigai river banks asked to shift

CHENNAI - A flood alert has been issued and people have been asked to be vigilant and move to safer locations here, after the Vaigal dam reached its full level due to continuous rains.

First in India, university offers scuba diving course

TUTICORIN - Scuba diving is much more than an adventure water sport. Realising this, a university is offering, for the first time in India, a certificate course in scuba diving for marine biologists and researchers to study the impact of global warming on marine life.

Tamil parties protest against proposed dam on Mullaiperiyar River by Kerala Govt.

COIMBATORE - Activists of Tamil Nadu’s regional political parties, Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) and Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK), staged a demonstration on Thursday to protest against Kerala Government’s plans to build a dam on Mullaiperiyar River.

Tamil Nadu village children row boats to go to school

ALAMBADI - Lack of schools in the vicinity forced the children to undertake risky boat rides through the Hogenakkal river to go to their school in Alambadi village in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri District.

Sivakasi creates new varieties of fireworks for Diwali

SIVAKASI - The Firecracker units in Tamil Nadu’s Sivakasi town, the hub of fireworks industry in the country have created different variants of dazzling fireworks for the forthcoming festival ‘Diwali’.

Vocational training for youths to keep them away from Maoists

KRISHNAGIRI - To wean them away from the Maoists’ influence, Tamil Nadu Police and district administration are imparting vocational training to the youth.

Tamil Nadu Atomic Research Centre conducts off-site mock drill

KALPAKKAM - The Madras Atomic Power Station conducted a mock drill at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu to prepare villagers around the site in case of any possible radiation leakage.

Fossilised eggs found in Tamil Nadu belonged to large dinosaur species

SALEM - Geologists have said that the hundreds of dinosaur egg clusters discovered in Tamil Nadu belonged to one of the largest dinosaur species that ever lived.

Dinosaur eggs discovered in Tamil Nadu

SALEM - Research scholars, archaeologists and geologists of the Periyar University in Salem, Tamil Nadu have found 20 fossilised eggs at a nesting site of dinosaurs.

Exim Bank to fund branding of Indian organic tea

COONOOR - State-run Export-Import (Exim) Bank will finance planters up to 50 percent for branding Indian organic tea in overseas markets, a top bank official said here.

Plantation labour law amendment bill in Parliament: official

COONOOR - A bill to amend the Plantation Labour Act, 1951 has been introduced in Parliament, a senior official said Tuesday.

Labour minister Kharge, top officials skip planters’ meet

COONOOR - The absence of chief guest, Union Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, and top commerce ministry officials has dampened spirits of participants at the 116th annual conference of coffee, tea, spices and rubber planters here.

Central minister Kharge, top officials skip planters’ meet

COONOOR - The 116th annual conference of coffee, tea, spices and rubber planters here Tuesday got short shrift when chief guest Union Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge failed to turn up, disappointing the participants.

Planters seek level-playing field to be globally competitive

COONOOR - Tea, coffee, rubber and spice planters in South India Tuesday called for drastic amendments to the various acts pertaining to land, labour and wages so that they could be globally competitive.

Indian coffee planters profit from higher global prices

COONOOR - Indian coffee planters have never had it so good as their aromatic beans continue to fetch higher prices, with the global meltdown having marginal impact on the consumption of the brew.

Exim Bank to fund overseas plantation acquisitions

COONOOR - State-run Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) will fund Indian firms to acquire plantation estates in African and South American countries, a top official said here Monday.

Planters seek relief from free trade pact with ASEAN

COONOOR - Planters of tea, coffee and spices in southern India are seeking financial support from the government to counter cheaper imports under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) India signed Aug 13 with the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Recessionary impact, lower exports loom over planters meet

COONOOR - Plantation owners from south India will deliberate on the effects of global recession on the exports of tea, coffee and spices among other issues during their annual jamboree beginning Monday in this small town atop the Nilgiri hills.

CPI-M leader Brinda Karat released on bail

MADURAI - Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Brinda Karat was released on bail on Saturday.

Rahul holds meeting with Congress activists, farmers in Thanjavur

THANJAVUR - All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who is on a three-day visit to Tamil Nadu, visited Thanjavur on Wednesday and held meetings with Youth Congress activists and farmers.

Museum in Tamil Nadu showcases tribal lifestyle

PALADA - A museum in Tamil Nadu’s Palada district provides an insight into the life of tribal communities living in Nilgiri Hills as it displays traditional tribal weapons, utensils, musical instruments, jewellery and costumes.

Students gift house to teacher as mark of respect

NAMAKKAL - In a unique and loving gesture, students presented a house to their former teacher at Gurusamypalayam village in Tamil Nadu.

Elephants worship Lord Ganesha in Mudumalai

MUDUMALAI - A group of elephants on Monday worshipped Lord Ganesha at a temple in Mudumalai on the occasion of the ongoing 10-day Ganesha festival.

Indian Army inducts first indigenous T-90 tanks

Indo-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

AVADI - The first batch T-90 tanks manufactured in India under license from Russia were Monday handed over to the Indian Army.

Bharat Heavy Electricals to invest Rs.485 crore in boiler division

TIRUCHIRAPALLI - Power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) will invest Rs.485 crore ($100 million) to expand its boiler division that makes thermal and nuclear plant boilers, a senior official said here Saturday.

Bharat Heavy Electricals to expand boiler division

TIRUCHIRAPALLI - Power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) will invest Rs.485 crore ($100 million) to expand its boiler division, a senior official said here Saturday.

Five-year-old elephant calf captured in Coonoor

COONOOR - A five-year-old elephant calf was captured by forest officials in Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu granny is 120-year-young!

KALAMPALAYAM - A 120-year-old woman refuses to age, living on her own literally. As young as her granddaughters, she gives credit to traditional food and conscious aversion to fast food.

‘N-submarines with missiles offer best second-strike chance’

KALPAKKAM - Nuclear-powered submarines with capacity to launch ballistic missiles offer the best second-strike capability for a nation, an Indian naval officer said here Sunday.