6 | STATE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015 When the rains returned after respite to wreak havoc North coast battered the most Traffic on GST road between Chengalpattu and Chennai cut off for the first time in 40 years

TAMIL NADU BUREAU strong gusty surface winds. mm. The average rainfall re- TN has received an Following the direction of corded in Cuddalore in the last CHENNAI: ’s worst R. Nambiar, senior comman- 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on fears came true on Tuesday, as average of 53 cm, dant of 04 battalion, NDRF, Tuesday is as follows: Parangi- rains lashed the northern which is more than Arakkonam, eight teams com- pettai recorded a maximum of coast without any let-up. the annual average prising 234 personnel have 159 mm followed by Chidam- After merely a few days of been sent for the flood rescue baram with 99 mm, Cuddalore respite, the State’s north coast of 44 cm operation. In all, 24 rubber 97.40 mm, Annamalai Nagar 91 was completely unprepared boats have been taken for the mm and Vanamadevi 78 mm. for the renewed fury of the of rain on Wednesday and rescue operation, a press re- rains. And, the region went Thursday. near lease said. donates under water. Chengalpattu received 22 cm In Puducherry, the district Actor Rajinikanth has do- of rain on Tuesday, which re- administration has opened re- nated Rs. 10 lakh towards the Rain for four more days sulted in lakes in the region lief centres for people living in Chief Minister’s Flood Relief The bad news is, according overflowing, cutting off traffic low-lying areas. 15,000 food Fund through the Nadigar to officials at the Regional on the Grand Southern Trunk packets were distributed to Sangam. Meteorological Centre in between Chengalpattu and them through the relief cen- The actor has donated the Chennai, “a trough of low Chennai for the first time in 40 tres. Two persons were killed money through Sri Raghaven- pressure over southwest Bay years. Tamil Nadu has so far in rain-related incidents in Vi- dra Public Charitable Trust of of Bengal off Sri Lanka with received an average of 53 cm, rudhachalam in Cuddalore which he is the managing another upper air circulation which is more than the annual district. The rains also trustee. embedded” will continue to average of 44 cm with another wreaked havoc in Villupuram In a letter to the president of bring heavy rains for four full month of the monsoon pe- district with Marakkanam re- the Nadigar Sangam, the man- more days in north coastal Ta- riod left. cording a maximum of 204 ager of the Trust has said that mil Nadu, especially Chennai, In Chennai’s suburbs, Kola- mm of rainfall in the last 24 Rajinikanth has donated the (Clockwise) Trains, including Express services between Arakkonam and the Chennai Central, were affected owing to water logging Kancheepuram and Tiruval- pakkam and re- hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on money for flood relief. on tracks at , Annanoor and Loco Works on Tuesday; rainwater flowing through the surplus vent at Nandivaram lur. Coastal areas of the State ceived 15 cm each, 13 Tuesday. Villupuram town re- (Reporting by K. Lakshmi, lake on Tuesday morning, which might affect NH-45; the portion of National Highway 46 that caved in near Madhanur is being and neighbouring union terri- cm, while Avadi and corded a maximum of 50 mm V. Venkatasubramanian, R. repaired and will be opened for traffic on Wednesday; Ossudu lake in Puducherry reached the full level following heavy inflow from tory of Puducherry are ex- received 12 cm each. Chennai followed by Tindivanam with Sivaraman, Serena Josephine the Veedur dam. — PHOTOS: M. VEDHAN, D. GOPALAKRISHNAN, C. VENKATACHALAPATHY, T.SINGARAVELOU pected to get as high as 12.5 cm city will continue to witness 28 mm and Gingee with 22 M.) Unsung artistes behind classic musicals Half-yearly exams postponed SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Kancheepuram, Villupuram, assess the flood situation in nagaswaram players will realise ‘Endowed with flying fingers,’ they Cuddalore and Chennai, that various districts and Tanged- the sharpness of Mr. Natarajan’s CHENNAI: As Tamil Nadu is reel- were likely to witness flood- co was surveying the electric observation. But unlike today, the held their audiences in awe ing under the North-East ing. She held consultations lines to prevent electrocution. thavil players of yore did not get monsoon and has thrown life with officials at the Secretar- B. KOLAPPAN release of the film they pursued a their name mentioned in record- out of gear, Chief Minister iat on Tuesday. Patients shifted career as special thavil artistes,” ings, even though All India Radio Jayalalithaa has announced As surplus water is being As water has entered Tam- hillana Mohanambal, a star- explains Mr. Ponnusamy, the used to announce their names. postponement of half-yearly released from lakes, people in baram government hospital, packed film, a blockbuster hit younger of the Madurai brothers. “If you want to know the style examinations scheduled for low-lying areas have been patients had been shifted to even during its days, not only Both Venkatesan and Santha- of thavil playing of yesteryear, T December 7, to the first week evacuated to safe places. Po- other hospitals. showcased 's nam belonged to an era when the performances of Venkatesan of January. lice, Fire and Rescue Services, The water level at Poondi, method acting as a nagaswaram most of the thavil players were and Santhanam will offer a In a statement here, she Disaster Management forces , Puzhal and player, but also equally the bril- content to be part glimpse,” said tha- said though officials had taken and Coast Guard officials are Chembarampakkam reser- liant performances of T.S. Balaiah of a troupe, and vil player Thanja- adequate measures to cope on alert. The government has voirs has reached 83.8 per and K. Sarangapani as thavil vid- followed the na- vur T.R. Govinda- with the monsoon, life in ensured safe drinking water, cent of the total capacity. Sur- wans. gaswaram player rajan, who also some districts was affected medical facilities, besides plus water from 45 of the 89 Whether playing the interlude like a shadow in learnt from Mr. because of unprecedented conducing medical camps reservoirs under the manage- for Thiyagaraj Swami's keertha- life and music. Venkatesn for a rainfall in a few days. and distributing of Nilavem- ment of the Public Works De- na, Nagumomu or the prelude “They played short period. Ms. Jayalalithaa said senior bu Kudineer. partment is released and 6,971 for the nagaswaram-dance com- the instrument in Another film IAS officers had been sent to Ms. Jayalalithaa said senior of the 14,098 lakes in the petition, the furious movement of a way that elevat- that speaks vol- districts including Tiruvallur, Ministers had been asked to Sstate are full. fingers playing on the thavil at a ed nagaswaram to a different lev- umes about nagaswaram music Thiruvidaimarudhur T.V. Venkatesan breakneck speed continues to el. They never sought to dom- is Konjum Salangai. hold audiences in awe. The two inate the nagaswaram player,” The song Singaravelane Deva thavil players who played behind says clarinet maestro A.K.C. Nat- will remain an evergreen the scene are Thevur T.S. Santha- arajan. number. CSK ban: High Court rejects nam for Balaiah and Thiruvidai- Anyone who lis- The thavil for the song was marudhur T.V. Venkatesan for tens to the old re- played by Perumpallam P. Venka- Sarangapani. cordings of great tesan, who was part of Karukuri- Swamy's appeal for early hearing They were part of the nagas- chi Arunachalam's team till his waram troupe of Madurai broth- Thavil player death. A student of Natchiarkoil STAFF REPORTER as December 14 and 15 were R.M. Lodha Committee’s or- ers M.P.N. Sethuraman and Perumpallam Raghava Pillai, he accompanied already fixed for final hearing der. M.P.N. Ponnusamy. “They were Venkatesan. Karukurichi in most of his com- CHENNAI: The Madras High of the PIL. Affirming that the petition with us for 10 years and had a PHOTO: SPECIAL mercial recordings. Court on Tuesday refused to The court made it clear that is moved in the “interest of clear understanding of our style ARRANGEMENT He would play effortless- entertain a request made by on December 14 and 15 no public and for the cause of and played accordingly. After the ly even for the tough rak- BJP leader Subramanian Swa- more time or adjournments cricket”, Mr. Swamy alleged thi melam of Semponnar- my for early hearing of a PIL would be given on any that the entire proceedings koil brothers. petition against suspension of ground. before the Bombay High “He was a very intel- Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Raising serious concerns Court, the Supreme Court, They played in a way that ligent player. It was he from the Indian Premier over the legitimacy of the pro- the Justice Mudgal Commit- elevated nagaswaram who improvised for League (IPL). ceedings before courts, which tee and the Justice R.M. Lod- the end of the song in The First Bench of Chief culminated in the suspension ha Committee were com- to a different level the film,” said thavil Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul of the Chennai Super Kings pletely vitiated on account of A.K.C. Natarajan, player T.K. and Justice Pushpa Satyana- and Rajasthan Royals from the motivated and vested liti- Clarinet maestro Selvaganapathy. Thevur T.S. Santhanam rayana rejected Mr. Swamy’s the IPL, Mr. Swamy moved gation by Cricket Association motion for an urgent hearing the court challenging Justice of Bihar with “unclean hands”

Youth who stabbed DEATH IN MEMORIAM girl surrenders Vasantha Kumar reinstated

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ing Mr. Kumar has come at a time close on the heels of a national STAFF REPORTER th when Mr. Elangovan is facing tre- controversy surrounding the 18 DEATH CHENNAI: Former MLA H. Vasantha mendous pressure from all cor- century king. Celebrations of his SALEM: A 25-year-old youth SRI.D.SUNDARARAJAN 86yrs (Retd. Kumar was on Tuesday reinstated ners in the TNCC. While senior birth anniversary had led to vio- Bharat Petroleum) residing at No who stabbed a college girl as the head of the Tamil Nadu leaders, including former Union lence in recently. 3, 1st St, Judge Clny, after she declined to accept Congress Committee’s trade Minister P. Chidambaram, had Sanatorium, Ch−47, attained his marriage proposal sur- Acharyan Thiruvadi on 29.11.2015 wing, indicating that his removal complained to party president Vellore event Ph: 044−22230965 rendered in a court in San- from the post a few days ago did Sonia Gandhi about his unilateral Recently, the Tamil Nadu gov- kari here on Tuesday. not go down well with the party style of functioning and sought ernment denied permission to a M. Siddeswaran (25) of high command. his removal, the recent spat with Muslim outfit which wanted to Nallampatti Kattu Valavu in Mr. Kumar was removed from MLA S. Vijayadharani has escalat- mark the anniversary with a Edanganasalai attacked S. the post last week after which he ed the situation. grand event in Vellore. Soundarya of the same vil- lambasted TNCC president An AICC member added that The had to lage with a knife on Monday. E.V.K.S. Elangovan for arbitrari- the decision to bring back Mr. Ku- intervene to allow the function, She was admitted to a pri- ness and for using his authority to mar to the post was the direct re- but imposed conditions. vate hospital with multiple settle scores with opponents. Cu- sult of the high command inter- DEATH injuries and is out of danger. riously, M.S. Thiraviyam, a known vening. Discussion ANNIVERSARIES Based on a complaint filed loyalist of the TNCC chief who The Congress event will see In- IN MEMORIAM by the girl’s father, police was appointed to the post in place Tipu anniversary dian Union Muslim League State registered a case. On Tues- of Mr. Kumar, submitted his resig- Meanwhile, the TNCC has de- president K.M. Khader Mohi- day, Siddeswaran surren- nation on Tuesday. cided to conduct a conference on deen, author S. Ramakrishnan dered before the Judicial Tipu Sultan and his role in fur- and media personality Gnani Magistrate 2 Jeyamani who High command intervention thering communal harmony dur- Sankaran discuss the secular cre- sent him to judicial custody. The announcement of reinstat- ing his reign. The move comes dentials of the leader. An app for error-free poll rolls Rajesh Lakhoni is new Chief Electoral Officer SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT EC has provided Applications received for in- access to electoral clusion/deletion, modifica- SPECIAL CHENNAI: In an effort to ensure tion and transportation will CORRESPONDENT error-free electoral rolls, the roll data to poll be monitored by all electoral State Election Commission officials through a officers including the Chief CHENNAI: Senior IAS has developed a mobile- mobile app Electoral Officer through a officer Rajesh Lakho- based technology to be used common intranet. ni, who was Agricul- by booth level officers (BLO). tural Commissioner It has provided access to the Also for the first time in Tracking status and Secretary, Agri- electoral roll data to the the State, applications and On the website www.elec- cultural Depart- BLOs and electoral registra- supporting documents, are tions.tn.gov.in, applicants ment, has been ap- tion officers (EROs)through being scanned and uploaded can track their status with pointed Chief a mobile app. on to the central server. the application number. Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu. He re- The data is updated in four An appeal is made to all the places Sandeep Saxena, whose services steps and once the process is Mobile numbers citizens to furnish their mo- are placed at the disposal of the Govern- complete, an automatic text Thus, if the applicants bile numbers to the Election ment of India as Deputy Election Com- message is sent to applicants’ have furnished their mobile Commission by filling up the missioner in the Election Commission of mobile phone informing that numbers to the election offi- mobile details at www.elec- India. Mr. Lakhoni took charge on Tues- that the data entry is over. In cers or have filled in their ap- tions.tn.gov.in or through day. Earlier, the State government had November, over seven lakh plications, they are informed EASY (Electoral Assistance suggested the names of three officers, in- such messages have been of the status of their applica- System) at www.elec- cluding that of Mr. Lakhoni to the Elec- sent to applicants. tion by SMS notifications. tions.tn.gov.in/easy tion Commission .

CM CH-CH YK