Young girl with congenital deformities comes out with flying colours in high school exams

Coimbatore, July 26:

Thilkavathy writing her assignments

Thilakavathy at her home in Pull Kavundan Pudur

Thilakavathy cleaning vessels at her home

Seventeen years ago, when Nanjan (46) from Pulla Kavundanpudur and his wife Sarojini (35) gave birth to their second child, a girl with partially formed limbs having no fingers in her hands or legs (a form of severe congenital abnormality due to consanguineous marriage), they even contemplated on putting the infant out of a lifetime of miserable existence.

Back then, the causal labourer who lives with wife and three children in a nondescript village twenty kilometers from here did not imagine his second daughter to become an achiever and a role model for others in their colony.  But when the class ten results arrived this year, Thilakavathy who has no fingers and toes, passed out in flying colours scoring 340 out of 500 surprising everyone in the family and their neighbourhood.

Kovai soon turning into a taxi town, autos on the way out

Coimbatore, July 24:

Taking an auto rickshaw to commute in the city is soon becoming a thing of the past as a number of call taxi firms have flooded the market here. The unpredictable fares charged by auto drivers in the city and, the affordable and quality service provided by taxi companies has forced even middle class families to switch to taxis for commuting. 

“A trip from Coimbatore Central Railway Station to a destination like Vadavalli or Sai Baba Colony does not cost more than Rs. 150 – Rs. 180/- in a call taxi. But, one cannot get an autorickshaw to reach these destinations without paying Rs. 200/- minimum. Besides being comfortable, travelling in a taxi also affordable now,” says Vivek G, a resident of Vadavalli. 

Top Slip, Valparai are out of bounds for tourists

Coimbatore, July 25:

Top Slip, Valparai and other scenic locales in the Anamalai Hills are out of bounds for tourists from Wednesday as the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), a part of the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park which forms the core area of Project Tiger has been temporarily closed for visitors following an interim order from the Supreme Court of India.

“While it might be difficult for some of the tourists who had already booked and planned a vacation, the tigers and other animals that live here must be happy and celebrating the court’s decision,”  quipped Field Director of ATR Dr. Rajeev K. Srivastava said.

The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park stretches across 95,859 hectares covering parts of Pollachi, Valparai and Udumalpet taluks in Coimbatore district and is one of the top tourist destinations in western Tamil Nadu known for its abundant wildlife and lush greenery. The core area of the forest covered under Project Tiger covers an area of 12,610 hectares.

Forest officials at the ATR said that the present decision might not affect the tourist flow much as they were just receiving two to three visitors every day as it was not the peak season. “We get a lot of visitors during April and May and again during Dussera holidays, this year we might have a quiet Dussera,” said a senior forest official.

While tourist movement has been banned, tribals and other estate workers who need to pass through the reserve would be allowed to pass through the forest area. “The ban is only for visitors and hopefully, only a temporary one,” forest officials said.

Rajesh Khanna popularized the name Rajesh in textile town

Superstar Rajesh Khanna who passed away on Wednesday might have nothing do with Coimbatore except that parts of his film ‘Haathi Mere Saathi’ was shot here and was produced by a Coimbatorean M.M.A. Chinnappa Devar under the banner Devar Films.

But, the hero of the evergreen song ‘Mere Sapnon Ki Rani’ sure did become the ‘Sapno Ka Raja’ of many yesteryear dames out here as is obvious by the fact that the name ‘Rajesh’ became so popular in textile town during the late 60s and early 70s, when Rajesh Khanna was at his peak.

City-based heritage lover and a member of INTACH Mr. Rajesh Govindarajulu points out that several 40-year-olds in the city share his first name mainly out to the city’s love for Rajesh Khanna. “Atleast three prominent families here have males whose first name is Rajesh including mine and all of them are in their early 40s,” says Mr. Govindarajulu, whose great grandfather Raju Chettiar was a popular jeweler here back then.

Until the 70s, most south Indian families, including their family named their sons as Raju or Rajendran or Rajagopal etc. usually after their grandparents or great grandparents.  “But the name became ‘Rajesh’ became popular only after Rajesh Khanna stole our hearts,” he says. 

Businessman Arvind Shah, an old timer and a family friend of the Khanna’s points out that actor was extremely popular in the city and a casual perusal of the telephone directory would reveal the Coimbatore’s adoration for Rajesh Khanna. “So many Gujrathis and even other community members have named their sons Rajesh as is evident in the city directory. Until then, ‘Rajesh’s and ‘Rajiv’s (named after Rajiv Gandhi) were not so common here,” says Mr. Shah.

The deceased superstar’s popular speech at an IIFA award ceremony that is being beamed on TV channels now when he repeated Sahir Ludhianvi’s words ‘Aaj Mein Hooh, Kal Koi Aur Tha’ to a grand applause, rings so true for the Rajesh’s out here.

Rare bird escapes near extinction

 Nov 22, 2011:

While several species of birds have been poached to the point of extinction for various reasons, including their meat and feathers, the tiny, dark-feathered Edible Nest-Swiftlet is probably the only species that declined in population just to be a part of your yummy soup.

However, thanks to sustained conservation efforts by scientists at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology (SACON) and the forest department for the last several years who roped in the poachers themselves to protect the birds’ nests, the Edible Nest Swiftlet population has now steadily risen.

Edible Swiftlet’s nest built using its saliva is considered a delicacy in several countries as a result of which there has been widespread poaching of the birds in the Andamans for decades. The bird which was listed under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act has now been ‘conditionally delisted’ from the Schedule 1 status, thanks to its growing population following conservation efforts.

“It is a classic case study to prove that no conservation effort can be successful until the local community is roped in and explained of its benefits,” says Dr Shirish S. Manchi, scientist at SACON, who has been studying the birds for several years. “We have roped in nest collectors and motivated them to be nest protectors. It is these folks who watch the bird day and night to ensure that its nests do not get poached.”

While the sustained efforts made by conservationists and local tribes have helped, the nests built by these birds cannot be harvested and sold yet since the species is not removed from the Schedule – 1 of the Wild-life Act permanently.

Last year, there was a 40 per cent dip in the number of hatchlings when compared to the nests built during the period.

“When we roped in nest protectors for the project, we promised them that they could harvest the nests and sell for monetary benefits after a few years when the bird population stabilised.  Since that got delayed, many of the motivators are not interested in guarding the nests which has resulted in the dip,” said a senior scientist at SACON.

Secret bird paradise of Tamil Nadu

February 27, 2012:

Of the various bird watching sites popular among avid avian lovers in the city, the winding Maruthamalai road that leads to the temple located around 2000 feet above sea level is probably the least explored bird paradise.

Unlike the wetlands which are frequented by members of the dozen-odd bird watching clubs on a regular basis, the rare avian species that visit these hills in the north west of the city manage to evade their powerful lenses.

One of the few bird watchers and wildlife photographers who have covered these hills extensively, C. Subramaniam, says he has captured atleast 57 species of birds including several rare ones like the Changeable Hawk Eagle, Asian Paradise Flycatcher and the red headed falcon.

Local environmentalist C.R. Jayaprakash, who organises several bird watching trips for students and others, pointed out that they avoided the area for other reasons. “It is a reserve forest and we need permission from the forest department. Besides, elephant movement is common here and we do not want to expose our bird watching groups to that risk,” he said.

With expensive digital cameras staying away from these hills, the exotic and colourful birds showcase their beauties almost exclusively to the morning walkers and joggers.

To find a rare winged beauty while pumping one’s heart muscles on the bending Marathuamalai Road is an experience that could motivate one to run up the hills more often. Just as a beautiful male Paradise Flycatcher with a tail that was almost a feet long, did to this reporter one cold morning near the hill temple.

The sand is slipping away

March 19, 2012:

It has been a week after tragedy struck his family, but Estaac Vincent, 56, a tank operator in Mitatharkulam, still weeps and rolls uncontrollably on the cemented floor of his living room.

At around 3 am on March 11, his eldest son Satish Kumar, 22, was run over by a sand mafia lorry. Estaac, Satish, his brother Pon Kumar and a few other villagers had gone to nab sand thieves digging on the banks of Nambi River, barely 1.5 km from their homes, when the incident happened.

The death sent shockwaves among the 350-odd residents of this tiny hamlet who claim to have been fighting the sand mafia for the past 20 years. “My son died for the village,” says Estaac. “He had gone to save the village and our livelihood but was brutally run over by the lorry owned by an AIADMK councillor. There is no justice in this land. The culprit is still at large.”

While illegal sand mining has been a curse destroying the fragile ecosystem of Mitatharkulam and hundreds of other villages on the banks of the Nambi, police denied receiving complaints from Mitatharkulam in the past few years.

“Last month, we received at least half-a-dozen written complaints and 20-30 phone calls reporting sand stealing. We also seized over 20 vehicles. But no complaint has been received from Mitatharkulam,” said Vallioor DSP N.K. Stanley, adding, “Most complaints have come from Oorumankulam, Perunkulam and Anaikarai.”

But residents swear illegal sand mining is thriving along the river bordering Mitatharkulam.
Some point to an unholy nexus between smugglers and villagers. “Nobody is bothered about environment or putting an end to sand smuggling. People here see money when they look at sand,” a policeman said.
Probe into the brutal murder of Satish has revealed a racket booming for years in
Mitatharkulam.

“Smugglers come every other day. Whenever a lorry or truck drives down the mud path away from Mitatharkulam Bridge, a team goes from the village to nab sand smugglers red-handed. But out there in the barren land bordering the dried up riverbed they strike a deal.

“After getting money, villagers allow the lorry to go,” police sources said. If a driver does not pay, his lorry is taken to the village where local leaders call up the owner and demand a higher price. At no point are police and revenue officials alerted. While a cut goes to the village committee, the rest of the money is split among those who seize a vehicle.

At around 2.30 am on March 11, Mitatharkulam villagers were tipped off about the arrival of a lorry belonging to Tenzing, the local AIADMK councillor. “Estaac, Satish Kumar, Pon Kumar, former village head R. Pandi and a few others rushed in a tempo and on two-wheelers to catch the thieves,” said Augustine Anthony, headman of Mitatharkulam.

While police and villagers give different accounts of what happened in the next few hours, a visit to the crime scene reveals that the vast stretch of grassland has been plundered again and again by sand smugglers at night. Villagers claim they did not alert police as it could not be trusted, while police says it was never in the loop as villagers had learnt to make money from sand smugglers.

Several arrests have been made following the murder of Satish Kumar and revenue officials have put up a check post a few 100 metres from the site. “A village administrative officer, police constable and a village head will guard the check post round-the-clock until further orders,” senior revenue officials said.

Kovai educationist under scanner for misappropriation

The Coimbatore district crime branch police has registered a cheating case against a leading educationist in the city after he was accused of misappropriation of funds by one of the trustees of Tamil Nadu Technical Education Foundation, a charitable trust, that manages Tamil Nadu College of Engineering in Karumathampatti here.

Acting on an order issued by the Madras high court dated March 12, 2012, the crime branch police has registered a case under Section 420 of the IPC against Dr P. V. Ravi, managing trustee of Tamil Nadu Technical Education Foundation and head of the Park Group of Institutions, for alleged embezzlement of funds and a criminal breach of trust on April 22.

Police sources said the petitioner, P. Rajamani, treasurer of the trust, had accused Dr Ravi of operating several illegal bank accounts without disclosing to the trust and diverting the trust funds meant for public purpose for the personal benefit of his family members.

When contacted, Dr P. V. Ravi said the charges against him were baseless. “It is an attempt to grab the property by making false allegations against me. We will come out clean in the investigation,” he said.

Preserving 800-year-old rich heritage

With every passing year in cosmopolitan Coimbatore, a slice of heritage and tradition that has been a part and parcel of this landscape, dissolves into oblivion, paving the way for modernisation.

At a time when even farmers’ sons and daughters are moving to the cities to embrace technology, city-based manufacturer of bio-products Siddharth Kalingarayar, 37, one of the descendants of the Kalingarayar lineage whose ancestors are famous for having constructed the Kalingarayan canal in Erode, has been toiling hard to protect and preserve a heritage that dates back several centuries. It is his life’s mission to preserve a family heritage which can be traced back to 37 generations.

Mr Kalingarayar is actually preserving artefacts and monuments that speak volumes of the rich history and lifestyle of people in this part of the country that has, for all practical purposes, gone with the wind.
Located a few dozen kilometres from Coimbatore on way to Pollachi is the Uthukuli zamin.

Here, Mr Kalingarayar’s home needs no address: it is called aranmanai (palace), and his father Arun Kumar Kalingarayar, who currently lives there, is still addressed as ‘raja’. Set in a sprawling estate of three acres, the constructed area alone could be two-thirds of it and, according to the inmates, a significant portion of this palace could be around 800 years old.

“When we were children, I was unaware of the importance and wealth of all that was around me. From spears and swords that date back at least 500 years to copper coins that could be much older, to animals killed and stuffed by my forefathers, our home has been a treasure trove that was left uncared-for for generations. I am just restoring them,” says the young Kalingarayar.

While his ancestors, who moved from Erode to Uthukuli several generations ago, owned thousands of acres and even commanded huge armies, according to historians, the palace was abandoned as modernisation swept over the zamin during the middle years of the last century.

“For at least 30 years, this palace was unoccupied. We just visited here for family functions and get-togethers as my father, his brothers and cousins moved elsewhere seeking a better fortune. Sometime in the ‘70s, my parents moved back and my mother inculcated in me the importance of my heritage,” he says.

Now, when palaces and rajas are merely ‘stuff’ read in historical fiction and seen in films, the youngster and his two cousins Hariraj Kalingarayar and Vishnu Kalingarayar, the present heirs to the palace, try to balance the burden of a rich lineage with the madness of the present times.

“When we were children, the palace was a lot of fun. It remains a fascinating place to me and anyone who visits it,” says Mr Hariraj Kalingarayar, actor and wildlife photographer based in Chennai. As Pongal dawns, Mr Siddarth Kalingarayar is back in zamin Uthukuli, celebrating the festival with the villagers.
While much of history is getting lost to modernisation, at least this bit is in safe hands.

Disabled get fair chance to find a job

To land a decent job in a friendly work environment and earn a steady income is what all youngsters who pass out of school and college aspire for. But this simple aspiration too remains a distant dream if one is differently-abled.

Amid the dozens and dozens of job fairs that promise huge salaries and attractive packages to college pass outs in Kovai, a job fair of a different kind took place at the GRD Auditorium here on Monday.

Hundreds of differently-abled youngsters thronged the ‘Job Fair 2012 for the Differently Abled’.
The one-of-a-kind fair organised by Attitude Charitable Trust, Deaf Leaders and other organisations, attracted around 400 candidates from as far as Kerala and Karnataka and 48 companies from in and around Kovai.

Commenting on the ordeal faced by differently-abled persons, Mr K. Murali of Deaf Leaders pointed out that several differently-abled persons were not chosen for reasons as simple as not being able to climb stairs.

“Handicapped people face difficulties in every step. They have communication issues, workplace related discomforts and usually end up as burdens for their families,” he expressed through sign language.

The organisers said that the exclusive fair was a success and many had got offers with five-figure salaries. “Several persons who registered this morning have been shortlisted and will hopefully land a job,” said Mr

K.I. Anthony John, project co-ordinator of the fair.

Coimbatore-based Indo Shell Mould Limited, said that they had shortlisted candidates for around 100 openings in their organisation. “We have found that differently-abled persons, when placed in the right job, perform better than normal citizens. Hence, we plan to recruit them as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility as well as to increase our productivity,” said Mr E.R. Vincent Paul., HR Manager at Indo Shell.

Critical Koodankulam

The Fukushima Effect refuses to die down. While the opponents of Koodankulam continue to raise the Fukushima bogey to demand a complete stop to nuclear power in India, its proponents say Koodankulam is vastly different from Fukushima in its geography as well as the safety principles and record of India’s nuclear power programme. India has signaled that it will go ahead with nuclear power plants anyway. 

Before March 11, 2011, Japan had 54 nuclear reactors in operation, supplying nearly a third of the world’s third largest economy’s power requirements.

After a devastating combination of a magnitude 9 earthquake and a 14-metre high Tsunami in Fukushima broke the defences of the Daichi nuclear power plant on that day, causing reactors to blow up and spill dangerous levels of radioactivity into the air, sea and ground for miles around the plant, only two of those 54 reactors are operating. 17 have been shut down, 35 are under safety inspections, and most of them are never expected to come back online.

The ‘Fukushima Effect’, however, is much larger than that. It has caused a global fear of nuclear power, forced countries such as Germany and Switzerland to shut down existing reactors and forswear atomic power altogether, and even India and China – the most ambitious proponents of nuclear power today – to pause.

But, India (and China) is determined that that’s just it – a pause, not a full-stop. As events in Koodankulam, Tamil Nadu, have shown, we may not have stopped worrying and learned to love nuclear power -- indeed, the protestors are still sitting out there in and around Koodankulam, with whatever strength is left in them after the Centre and state governments showed they weren’t going to shutter a $3 bn project that has been 25 years in the making and is now just weeks away from going critical, no matter what – but we are going to go ahead, anyway.

Last week, after being blockaded by anti-nuclear protestors for nearly six months, some 950 technical and non-technical personnel of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) returned to the nearly-finished first 1,000 MW reactor, of the two that are currently under construction, at the site and began working towards criticality in three-six months time, after the Jayalalithaa cabinet passed a resolution on March 19 that the reactor must be commissioned – and power must start flowing from it – as early as possible.
Anti-nuclear protestors, mainly under the banner of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), had brought work at the plant to a grinding halt since October 12 last, forcing even the AIADMK government with their intense agitation to pass a resolution asking the Centre to stop all work at the plant until it could attest to, and convince the local people of, the safety of the project.
The U-turn happened after two panels, appointed by the Centre and the Jayalalithaa government itself, had given a ‘safe’ chit to the power plant and the ruling party was past a bypoll to an assembly seat close to Koodankulam.

Political Management

It was an interesting episode of political management by both the Centre and the state. While sporadic outbursts of resistance against the commissioning of the nuclear power station had been taking place since the late 1980s, the protests grabbed headlines after 117 protestors sat on an indefinite hunger strike from September 11, 2011 outside a church in Idinthakarai, the fishing hamlet closest to KKNPP.

The fast was led by Dr. S.P. Udayakumar, a US educated political scientist and anti-nuclear activist who is convenor of PMANE. While Udayakumar was fighting the big fight – against nuclear energy per se – his protest garnered support from locals, especially from fishermen as well as from thousands in and around the power plant, whose causes for worry ranged from the destruction of fisheries to displacement and compensation to radioactivity and health concerns.

With Fukushima still fresh in people’s memory, even intellectuals and former top government and military officials began a campaign against nuclear power.

In an effort to prevent the protests from going out of control – as it had in Jaitapur, Maharashtra, where one protestor was killed in police firing 10 months earlier -- Chief Minister Jayalalithaa met the protestors on September 21, 2011 and assured them that their concerns would be addressed.
The following day, her cabinet passed the ‘stop work’ resolution and Jayalalithaa made a public appeal to the prime minister. It seemed that she, as well as the DMK, was on the side of the protestors and the $3 bn plant would have to be mothballed.

Both the Centre and the Jayalalithaa government also constituted committees to look into the concerns raised.

The Central panel had nuclear safety, oceanography, life sciences and oncology experts, and they went about systematically dismissing the various concerns raised. V. Shanta, chairperson of the Cancer Institute, Adyar, said studies conducted around nuclear reactors in Kalpakkam had shown no abnormal incidence of cancer and added that the radiation in that region was lower than the natural radiation levels in some parts of Kerala.
She added for good measure that “Since the extraordinary safety measures incorporated in the nuclear reactors have made it safe, the fear of radiation is totally unfounded.”

N. Sukumaran, director of the School of Life Sciences at VELS University, Chennai, said that the coolant water released into the sea from Koodankulam would be only slightly warmer than the sea water itself and would actually facilitate fish breeding, rather than harm fishermen’s livelihoods.

Nuclear experts – former Atomic Energy Regulatory Board chairman S.K. Sharma, former director of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency’s radiation safety division M.R. Iyer, former director of Nuclear Waste Management Group at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre K. Balu and Suresh Moses Lee of the Safety Research Institute, Kalpakkam – dismissed fears of a Fukushima-like disaster.

Oceangraphy expert A.E. Muthunayagam said the passive safety measures included in the Koodankulam plant made it among the safest nuclear power stations in the world. “If there is any fear even after this, it is not based on scientific principles,” he declared.

He also raised the possibility for the first time that there were vested interests behind the protests. The panel had looked into the protestors’ queries and complaints but had found that they were not seeking answers to the issues they had raised publicly but were after some key documents related to the power plant, giving rise to suspicions about their motives, he said.

Soon after, no less than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh publicly charged that the protestors were being funded by foreign NGOs to stall the Russian-built nuclear plant. The Centre said that it had evidence of such funding. Key leaders of the protest were arrested.

Meanwhile, the other panel, comprising nuclear scientists, including former DAE chairman M.R. Srinivasan (see interview), studied the safety features of the power plant and they, too, ruled out a Fukushima-like disaster.
Within hours of the end of voting for the Sankarankoil bypoll, the Jayalalithaa cabinet passed a resolution accepting the panel’s report and calling for the Koodankulam plant to be made operational
quickly.

The protests continue

For the last several months, people across Tamil Nadu have been experiencing power cuts for as long as 8-10 hours a day, except in Chennai where it is two hours a day. Most industries have been left crippled by the power shortage and many workers and factory owners are considering migrating to other states.
Industry lobby bodies say, if only in half-jest, that while going nuclear might have long-term ill effects, the acute shortage of power is enough to kill them much earlier -- Tamil Nadu is reeling under a power deficit of 3,000 MW.

Little surprise then that the “sudden U-turn” by the state government last Monday was welcomed by industry representatives and the business community. Indeed not only did they welcome the decision, some even organized protests in favour of the Koodankulam plant.

The Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association, for instance, conducted a blood donation camp as part of their 200-strong ‘start KKNPP’ protest.
In Tiruchengode, more than 2,000 people attached to 15 industry associations took out a procession demading that the government start Koodakulam without delay and take action against those blocking it.
Tamil Nadu is expected to get 500 MW of electricity following the commissioning of Unit 1. The second unit, expected to be ready about seven months after the first, will give another 500 MW to the power-starved state, while the rest will go to other states through the national power grid.

The fishermen in the coastal villages of Idinthakarai, Perumanal, Kuthenkuli, Uvari and elsewhere, though, felt let down by their government. Udayakumar and 15 other protestors were back on an indefinite hunger strike, with the support of the fishermen of Idinthakarai.

“The two committees did not bother to visit the fishing hamlets and allay the fears of the locals. We have still not got any answers to the questions we raised regarding the safety of the plant.
The government has not taken our concerns seriously,” says Udayakumar. “We thought the chief minister was concerned about the welfare of the fishermen in this region. But the cabinet’s decision a day after the Sankarankoil byelection has proven once again that she had been deceiving us all along. We will continue our protest in a peaceful and democratic manner until the plant is closed forever.”

Jayalalithaa’s five-page statement on the decision to go ahead in Koodankulam asserted, however, that the Centre’s Experts Group had answered all the protestors’ questions and had made an elaborate examination of the technical and safety features of the plant.

In an effort to appease the protesting fishermen, she also announced a
Rs 500-crore package for infrastructure development in and around Koodankulam, including housing development and roads and even cold storage for fish and a facility to repair the mechanized boats of fishermen.

But the fishermen are in no mood for sops. Melrith (42), a mother of three from Idinthakarai, said they had “not been sitting in protest for the last five months to bargain for a good deal” from the government. “If we wanted more money from the government, we could have negotiated it long ago.

This protest is not for funds. We are concerned about the safety of our children and their children. We will not withdraw our protest just because the state government is willing to spend Rs 500 crore on us.”
While the protesting fishermen and their families had earlier raised health concerns such as loss of potency and the threat of cancer during the early months of the protest, several of the agitators now raising serious questions about the country’s nuclear policy.

“Although the scientists claim that the country’s power shortage can only be solved through nuclear power, even after 50 years of research, they supply hardly three per cent of our energy needs,” says Mariadas of Koothenkuli, who has joined the protestors. “The central government shelved the Sethu Samudram canal project after spending more than twice as much as the money spent on Koodankulam because it hurt religious sentiments. Why can’t they shelve Koodankulam on the grounds that it will affect the health of thousands of fishermen and their families?”

Barely a few kilometers away from Idinthakarai, at the Anu Vijay township in Chettikulam where KKNPP staff reside, the mood was jubiliant following the state government’s nod. “We are extremely delighted and thankful to the chief minister for allowing us to resume our work for the country,” said KKNPP site director Kasinath Balaji. “Efforts have resumed on a warfooting and we have requested additional manpower from all our other branches to ensure speedy commissioning of Unit 1 of the plant.”

Endosulfan divides scientists, TN farmers

Last week, 16 plantation workers in Valparai estates fell unconscious after they allegedly inhaled large doses of pesticide claimed to be endosulfan. A few days later, a similar incident was reported in Udumalpet.

While farmers’ associations and environmental activists across the state have staged protests on a regular basis demanding a total ban on endosulfan in the state, its use continues to be rampant despite the interim ban on the pesticide and the state government is yet to arrive at a decision on its fate.

Scientists at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) claim that there is no scientific evidence to relate endosulfan usage with birth deformities or any major health hazards.

“Farmers in TN have used endosulfan for the last 50 years. We have been recommending the pesticide for a variety of crops including cotton, rice, maize, wheat and pulses until recently,” says Dr E.I. Jonathan, director of the Centre for Plant Protection Studies, at TNAU.

He points out that endosulfan is like any pesticide and can cause damage only when it is consumed directly or when a person is exposed to a large dosage.

“We have thoroughly studied the product and have found very minimal residue levels in the samples,” Dr Jonathan says. “We have tested 2,258 samples over the last three years and only three out of them contained endosulfan residues which were below the maximum residue limit (MRL) prescribed in the Preventive Food Adulteration Act (PFA). But, nobody is ready to believe us,” he adds.

However, environmental activists and even members of the Federation of TN Agriculturists’ Association dismiss their claims and seek a ban.

“If the pesticide is so harmless, why has it been banned in so many countries across the world?” asks C. Nallasami, secretary of the federation. He says that the agriculture department and the state have not been transparent in publishing the facts on endosulfan.

The problem, according to TNAU scientists, is the indiscriminate use of any pesticide. “While we are certain that endosulfan cannot cause birth deformities as being hyped about, it can certainly cause health problems if used inappropriately just as any other pesticide. The sad part is the government has not put a system in place to check the usage of pesticides by farmers,” TNAU scientists say.

They lament that certain farmers go by the advice of the uninformed sources and indulge in overdose of pesticides that could harm public health.

“Instead of demanding a blanket ban on an individual pesticide, we should look at the larger issue of monitoring the usage of pesticides as it concerns public health,” a senior scientist at TNAU says.
“Even when I go to shop vegetables, I pick and choose the ones that have worms in it. If a worm can survive the onslaught of pesticides, then I will too,” he adds.

Doctors vs scientists

*”There is no doubt that endosulfan is bad for the health of humans, as well as the environment,” says Dr S. Elango, president of the Indian Public Health Association.
*Scientists at TNAU claim that there is no scientific evidence to relate endosulfan usage with birth deformities or any major health hazards.

Agri dept failed to give info, complain farmers

Farmers across the state lament that the state agriculture department has completely ignored them for the last several years.

They claim that they are not taken into confidence in any matter concerning agriculture. With around 60 per cent of the population in TN still depending on agriculture, the farmers associations claim that the agriculture department’s indifference is the root cause of all their woes.

“Farmers, farm workers and village artisans comprise more than half of the state’s population. But, we do not get any communiqué from the department. Even for the purchase of pesticides, seeds and fertilizers, we seek the help of private agencies as the government officials seldom interact with us,” says C. Nallasami, secretary of the Federation of TN Agriculturists’ Association (FTNAA).

FTNAA, which is an umbrella association of various farmers’ groups, claims that even in the recent controversy over endosulfan, they were not consulted by the government. “Whatever information we have gathered on the pesticide is through media. No government official has bothered to enlighten us on it,”
FTNAA members told this newspaper. They point out that while the TNAU claims to be researching on various pesticides and fertilizers, the information rarely reached them.

“One of the main reasons for farmers to misuse pesticides and fertilizers is because there is no exchange of communication between us and the scientists. Our generation of farmers is educated and we understand the possible health hazards to people. But, we are never kept informed,” says a grape farmer near here. “This is the main reason why banned pesticides are still used in this area while the TNAU does not recommend endosulfan for the crop,” he adds.

State agriculture department officials claim that they were doing their best to reach out to farmers. “Every district has agricultural officers who are the point of contact for the farmers. Besides, we have also introduced toll free numbers and various information kiosks for farmers to access information,” said an official of the agriculture department.

“But, it is impossible to reach every individual farmer. They too have to be proactive and reach out to us,” he said.

Endosulfan facts
*It is a non systemic insecticide (used only on the external surface).
*Belongs to organochorine group of pesticides under cyclodiene subgroup.
*Has a clearly defined toxicological profile verified by toxicological scientists.
*Does not accumulate in body and excreted within 48 hours.
*WHO considers Endosulfan to be of low or moderate toxicity.

1 lakh names go missing in job exchange records

Even as vigilance sleuths probe alleged irregularities in recruitment through Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, a major scam is unfolding in government employment exchanges.

Records of over 1 lakh aspirants who had registered on the employment exchange website www.tnvelaivaaippu.gov.in since its launch in September 2010 have gone missing.

Sources said hundreds of graduates, postgraduates and professionals who registered for government jobs over the past 17 months had been visiting the 32-odd employment exchanges in the state every day, only to find their names missing in records. The matter came to light after the government recently sought 853 veterinarians.

As per law, the exchange is expected to call at least five candidates for each post, which means over 4,000 veterinarians should have been sent interview cards. “We only have 1,600 registered doctors in the state, yet many did not receive interview cards as their names are missing from the database,” a senior official said.


Arun Kumar from Pattabiram, a bachelors in veterinary science from the Madras Veterinary College last year, says, “Several of my batchmates ,including me, registered online in December 2010. When the government announced 843 posts, we were all expecting a call for the interview. But, when I went to the employment exchange, they said my name was not even in the list.”

Between May and December 2011 alone, the employment exchange for professionals in Chennai received 74,462 new registrations, 43,142 renewals and 932 priority registrations. “All records of these candidates have gone missing,” sources in the department said.

Labour and employment secretary Mr Mohan Pyare said computerisation process was not complete. “Since it is not yet completed, there could be some irregularities which we will sort out if brought to our notice,” he said.

Mullaperiyar issue: Scared Ayyappa devotees from TN returning home

Reports of attacks on Tamils and their vehicles inside Kerala over the Mullaiperiyar dam issue caused tension along the border on Tuesday and threatened to disrupt the decades-old bonhomie between the neighbours.

Scores of Ayyappa devotees are stranded in Cumbum unable to continue their pilgrimage to Sabarimala after the reports of violence against Tamils in Kerala and the imposition of section 144 (prohibitory orders) in Idukki district.

Many Ayyappa devotees are returning home to conclude their poojas at local temples.
“Looking at smashed windshields of pilgrims’ buses and hearing horror stories of their being attacked in Kerala, we are scared to continue this pilgrimage. It is distressing because we have prepared for the Sabarimala trip with great devotion,” said a sad ‘Ayyappa saami’ getting ready to return home.

Upset at the attacks on some of their lorries in Idukki, truckers in Tamil Nadu have threatened to suspend transporting essentials to Kerala.

“About 1,000 lorries carry essentials such as rice, milk, vegetables, meat and cement to Kerala. If the attacks continue, we will be forced to halt operations,” said TN Truckers Association chief Nallathambi.
CMs call for calm

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa issued a passionate plea in Chennai asking the 'educated and intelligent people of God’s Own Country' not to fall prey to the machinations of vested interests creating needless fear about a strong dam.

Meanwhile, in Kerala, the all-party meeting on the Mullaperiyar issue turned out to be stormy with the opposition threatening to walk out over the stance taken by the advocate general in the High Court which they said would harm the State’s interests.

However, the opposition leaders finally accepted the request of the Kerala Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, not to walk out as the state needed to put up a united face to ensure that Tamil Nadu honoured its commitment to attend the secretary-level talks on December 15 and 16.

“We appeal for calm and not take the issue to streets lest we should vitiate the atmosphere for talks. We want to maintain good ties with our neighbor”, said Mr Chandy, briefing the media on the all-party resolution.
The resolution sought steps to reduce the fear and anxiety of the people, reiterated the demand for a new dam and lowering the water level to 120 feet from 136 feet.

Dam absolutely safe: Jaya

Reaching out to 'brothers' in Kerala, Jayalalithaa, in a statement on Tuesday, reiterated that the Mullaiperiyar dam was solid and safe, periodically maintained well.

There were many Tamils in Kerala and even more Malayalis in Tamil Nadu, all living in an admirable display of brotherhood and cooperation, she said.

The people and government of Tamil Nadu would not wish to cause harm to the brethren in Kerala. “We would not claim that the Mullaiperiyar dam is safe unless we were absolutely sure of our facts,” the chief minister said.

TN also removed DIG Intelligence Manikyavel for failing to provide intelligence inputs on the possibility of attacks on Malayalees and their establishments in Cumbam and Theni.

Kerala Oppn accuse govt

The LDF opposition in Kerala pointed out that the revenue minister, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, had acted against Kerala’s interests by pointing out that the Iddukki dam had the capacity to hold the waters of Mullaperiyar dam in case it failed.

The CPI leader, Mr C.Divakaran, told Deccan Chronicle that the opposition had behaved responsibly and not whipped up panic.

“However, Mr K M Mani (finance minister) wants to be the Vaiko of Kerala,” said Mr Divakaran.

Who is fishing in troubled KKNPP waters?

The villages around Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu have their own reasons for wanting the nuclear power plant closed down: Idinthakarai villagers, living less than 2 km from the Koodankulam nuclear power plant

(KKNPP), are worried about a nuclear disaster like in Fukushima and want to protect their lives and their progeny; those living in fishing villages like Perumanal, about 6 km from Koodankulam, feel that the nuclear power plant would affect the marine life, and, in turn, their livelihood. As one goes further away from the power plant, the reasons for the protest against it become nebulous.

While the leaders claim that their fierce protest is homegrown, people inland surmise it could be due to the influence of the mining lobby active in the region.

According to government order M.S. No. 822 dated 29-04-1991, an area of 5 km surrounding the Koodankulam nuclear power station is a sterilised zone where no industrial or mining activity is permitted.

There is a sand mining unit of a multi-crore mineral extraction firm close to the power plant. The effluents released by the unit turns the clear blue waters of the scenic Perumanal hamlet, where just a dozen families live, into crimson red for most part of the day.

“After all, the only folks who would lose crores of rupees if the nuclear plant becomes operational are the sand-mining folks. It is anybody’s guess here in Valliyoor (nearest town) that the mining lobby is behind the anti-nuclear plant protests spearheaded by the church,” said a former MLA and senior politician from Valliyoor.

From dawn to dusk, the protesters sit under a thatched roof outside St. Anthony’s church in Idinthakarai, the hamlet closest to Koodankulam nuclear power plant, demanding that the Rs. 13,000 crore nuclear power project, ready to go live with a capacity to generate around 2,000 MW of electricity, be shut down.

Anti-nuclear activist and schoolteacher S.P. Udayakumar, who has now become the face of these protests, claims that while his NGO People’s Movement against Nuclear Energy, has been campaigning against the plant for over a decade now, the most recent agitation and its massive success in grabbing the nation’s attention was the people’s uprising out of a genuine fear for the safety and well-being of around two lakh people who live in and around Koodankulam.

“Following the Fukushima nuclear accident that took place in March 2011, the fishermen have awake ving near a nuclear facility and are now demanding their right to live peacefully,” he says.

“The most recent trigger was the announcement of a mock drill when the public were asked to cover their face and mouth and run for cover following an alarm. The long list of do’s and don’ts released by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India has finally enlightened them of the perilous situation.”

In the Perumanal fishing hamlet, where around 5,000 people live, the residents also seek closure of the nuclear power station fearing it could affect the marine life and, hence, their livelihood. “The operation of the plant will affect our livelihood and we don’t want it here,” says Father Kishore, parish priest of Perumanal.
The sudden surge in protests has perplexed those managing the Koodankulam power plant. Site director at the power station, Mr Kashinath Balaji, sports a worried look these days.

“We have been spreading awareness about the plant and campaigning against the unfounded fears of some people for around a decade now. The sudden uprising is perplexing and inexplicable,” he says.

No foreign link, says strongman behind stir 

As one of the most vociferous protests against nuclear power in the country during recent times enters its third month in Koodankulam, the leader of the protests S.P. Udayakumar, a 52-year-old schoolteacher turned anti-nuclear activist, remains as enigmatic as the force that propels the stir.

While the intelligence agencies and rival groups are busy probing his connections with foreign agents and the flow of funds to channel the protests, Udayakumar dismisses the claims as official propaganda.

“I am a simple school teacher and a peace activist. I have been campaigning for peace and disarmament since my early youth. This movement is a public uprising of which I am a part. It is unfortunate that I am seen as the one pushing it forward,” Udayakumar says.

Born in a small time political family in Nagercoil, Udayakumar completed his post graduation in English Literature and moved to Ethiopia 1981-87 to teach English. “In 1989, I went to the US to do another PG in Peace Studies followed by a Ph D in political science from university of Hawaii,” he said.

“For the last 10 years, my wife has been running SACCER Matriculation School where I also teach. Besides, I am also a visiting faculty in several institutions based in the US and UK and make frequent visits abroad,” he says.

Although several local politicians including former Radhapuram MLA have been fighting for two decades for banning the power project, none could gather the kind of support Udayakumar has mustered.

“I have been fighting for these people for decades but locals in Koodankulam have only scorned me,” said former DMK MLA M. Appavu. “Udayakumar and his team approached me a few years ago to lead the protests against the power plant. But, I refused,” he said.

“We are not prepared for any negotiations,” Kumar says. “Our demand to the state and central government is to stop work on the Koodankulam nuclear plant and instead look towards renewable sources of energy.

The government is making a false claim that nuclear power can fill the energy gap in the country.”
However, intelligence agencies suspect the role of foreign agencies behind the activist’s involvement in the protests.

“For instance, Udayakumar and some of his associates have been on atleast a few trips to Fukushima in Japan. It is uncertain as to how he could manage the funds. We are also probing the role of a retired scientist from Nagercoil in sourcing foreign funds,” a police source said.

The curious case of Santiago Martin, the 'lottery king'

Most old timers who live in 6th Cross Street, Gandhipuram, remember Santiago Martin a.k.a ‘Lottery’ Martin, who surrendered at a Tirupur court in connection with a cheating case, as a friendly, cheerful neighbour.

The lottery kingpin who controls a huge multi-crore lottery empire across the country operated from a tiny office in Gandhipuram and only recently moved out to the outskirts near Thudiyalur.

“The family retained the office until recently as it brought them good luck,” said one of his former neighbours. “Although we knew that he was involved in the lottery business, not many estimated Mr Martin to have raked in so much money,” he added.

During the last few years, Mr Martin has been spotted in Coimbatore social circles quite frequently and has been involved in various real estate deals in the city. According to reliable sources, Mr Martin owns properties worth at least Rs. 2,000 crore in Coimbatore alone.

“Anybody who wants to sell property that is worth many crores in Coimbatore reaches out only to ‘Lottery’ Martin as he is one of the few who can afford it here,” said city-based businessman whose land deal with Martin had gone sour.

Using his financial clout, Mr Martin had also successfully blended with the affluent business community and is a member of various prestigious social clubs in and around the city. He is the preferred donor for various social organizations here.

Back in 2007, Martin was named as an accused in the illegal lottery trade busted by the crime branch police and was also nabbed by the police for investigations. “We had interrogated him and later released on conditional bail,” a police officer said. The officer, however, declined to comment on the present status of the case.

According to police sources, Martin’s empire is worth at least Rs. 7,000 crore and he has a strong presence in all the southern states as well as many other states in the North East. “He is also an accused in several cases registered across the country for illegal lottery trade and yet he operates freely due to his financial and political clout,” added a senior police officer.

The police dragnet seems to be finally closing in on Mr Martin and his family as the R.S Puram police on Monday arrested his brother-in-law and close aide Mr John Britto for attacking the manager of a retail outlet in the city.

Rags to riches?

The meteoric rise of Santiago Martin has surprised people who knew him and those who didn’t. If anyone wants to strike a real estate or a business deal in Kovai, Martin is the destination. Accused in many cases across India for illegal lottery trade and yet he operates freely. Clout!

Know about 'Lottery king'

*Martin was the leader in lottery business till 2003, the year when the AIADMK government banned the Rs. 15,000 crore lottery business.

*Known for his connections in almost all southern states is facing a huge tax evasion case in Bengaluru as well. He failed to strike a chord with the new governments formed in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

"Anybody who wants to sell property that is worth many crores in Coimbatore reaches out only to 'Lottery' Martin as he is one of the few who can afford it here," says a businessman

"He is also an accused in several cases registered across the country for illegal lottery trade and yet he operates freely due to his financial and political clout," says a senior police officer

A pan-india empire built on a base of time, craft and cunning

*Seeing a dawn in every dusk: Martin allegedly has a pan-India empire with his business extending from the North-east and entire South India, His business is worth Rs. 7,000 crore

*Cosying up with the DMK: Though a huge political controversy revolved around Martin in neighbouring Kerala, M. Karunanidhi entertained him to produce his ambitious film, Ilaignan.

Scam-tainted Raja, Sadiq had humble beginnings

Barely 12 kilometres away from Perambalur town, surrounded by lush green hillocks is a quaint and scenic village called Velur. Almost anyone here knows the directions to the “minister’s home” that is located close to an Amman temple. When this reporter went there on Sunday evening, his elder brother Kaliyaperumal was at home and claimed to be “unwell”. He did not want to speak to reporters.

Andimuthu Raja was the eighth son of the family and had a modest childhood. He grew up with three elder brothers and four sisters. After finishing his schooling in Perambalur district, he went out to pursue to study further.

“When he returned home, he practised at the Perambalur court where we used to call him the Marathadi Vakkil. From being a marthadi vakkil, he has now become Mr Million” said an advocate and former friend of the minister. “Please do not quote me. And you probably know why?”

At that time, Sadiq Pasha used to be a door-to-door textile salesman. When not attending to cases at the court, Mr Raja and his advocate friends used to stay at the Rasi Lodge in Perambalur which was their makeshift office. “Sadiq used to come there to sell his clothes at the lodge and their friendship probably began there,” his former colleagues said. Over the next two decades, Mr Raja’s growth in politics was tremendous.

He was soon elected as a MP and soon grew to a minister in the Union Cabinet. Now, he is accused of swindling `1.76 lakh crores. Locals here claim that Mr Raja did make significant contribution to Perambalur during his first term as an MP. “He used his clout to get some state projects to Perambalur,” said Mr Tada Periasamy, a prominent BJP politician.