Saravanan's Blog

By  Harald Schultz Source:  http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=615 U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart failed to get a foothold on the German market - first and foremost because management didn't take into account German consumer habits. German retailers could have been forgiven for panicking when Wal-Mart first arrived in Germany. They probably felt like ants about to be trodden on by an angry giant. But nine years on, the giant turned on its heel and disappeared. "TextilWirtschaft," Europe's leading trade publications for textiles and clothing, described the fiasco as "Wal-Mart's Waterloo" in a reference to Napoleon's bitter defeat against Prussia and Britain in 1815. But what on earth made the giant capitulate? When Wal-Mart decided to expand in 1996, its managers saw Germany as a promising market. Europe's largest market is home to 82 million - far more than in England, France and Italy which each have a population of 60...

By G Saravanan Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 28, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/ChPT-takes-PMO-Advisor-down-the-garden-path/337704.html CHENNAI: In what could have been a clear case of window dressing by the Chennai Port Trust management, visit of the Advisor to the Prime Minister T K A Nair to Chennai and Ennore ports on Saturday has been ‘clearly planned’ to showcase that ‘all is well’ at the port. Instead of allowing the PM’s advisor to have a first hand experience on the problems faced by the exim traders and container trailer drivers due to poor road connectivity between Chennai and Ennore ports by visiting on road, Nair’s visit to the Ennore Port was ‘planned’ via Outer Ring Road up to Ennore clearly avoiding the battered road that serves the only connecting road up to Chennai Port. According to port sources, after his visit to Ennore Port, Nair returned to Chennai Port via sea-route, once again clearly avoiding the container tr...

Source: www.dinamani.com http://news-views.in/t-k-a-nair-takes-the-chair-as-new-advisor-of-the-prime-minister-4013/ திருவொற்றியூர், நவ. 27 : சென்னை, எண்ணூர் துறைமுகங்களின் சாலைக் கட்டமைப்பு வசதிகளை மேம்படுத்துவது குறித்து ஆலோசனை நடத்துவதற்காக சென்னை வந்த பிரதமரின் ஆலோசகர் டி.கே.ஏ.நாயர் மோசமான நிலையில் உள்ள இப்போதைய சாலைகளை பார்வையிடாமலே சென்று விட்டார். அவர் பார்வையிடுவதைத் தடுக்கும் வகையில் திட்டமிட்டு துறைமுக நிர்வாகம் செயல்பட்டதாக ஏற்றுமதி, இறக்குமதியாளர்கள் தரப்பில் புகார் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.  சென்னைத் துறைமுகத்தில் கடந்த சில மாதங்களாக நிலவும் பல்வேறு பிரச்னைகள் குறித்து தொடர்ந்து புகார் வந்த வண்ணம் உள்ளன.  துறைமுக இணைப்புச் சாலைகள் திட்டத்தில் உள்ள பொன்னேரி சாலை, எண்ணூர் விரைவு சாலை, எண்ணெய் சுத்திகரிப்பு ஆலை உள்ளிட்டவை போக்குவரத்துக்கு உதவாத நிலையில் உள்ளன. இதனால் கண்டெய்னர் போக்குவரத்து கடுமையாகப் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.  பிரதமரின் ஆலோசகர் வருகை: இந்நிலையில் இப்பிரச்னை குறித்து செய்தித் தாள்களில் தொடர்ந்த செய்திகள் வந்து கொண்டிருக்கும் நிலையில் பிரதமரின் ...

US Pacific Fleet site with distorted Indian map Now, US Pacific Fleet removed the map and changed with tags By G Saravanan Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 26, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/distorted-indian-map-removed-from-us-site/337108.html CHENNAI: Bowing to the  Express expose, the United States Pacific Fleet has removed the distorted Indian map from its website. Though the US Pacific Fleet’s Emerging Media Director Chuck Bell, in an email reply to Express two weeks ago, had downplayed the presence of a distorted map on its site, stating that it had been designed to be used only as a website linking too l, the controversial map has been finally removed from the site. The US Pacific Fleet has also redesigned the page and placed it under the ‘area of responsibility’ tag, listing 37 countries with their flags to make users understand their work in the Pacific region. It may be noted that Express published a story on Nov...

Pics: http://jayalalithachildhood.blogspot.com Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 24, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/jayalalithaa-deified-in-local-body-resolution/336400.html CHENNAI: The first meeting of the AIADMK-majority Corporation Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a congratulatory resolution praising the party chief and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa as the mentor, visionary and guiding power for all the councillors as well as the Mayor. Pics-Hindustan Times At the end of the three-hour debate on the resolution, besides Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy, 69 councillors and Villivakkam MLA JCD Prabhakar spoke about their party leader and every other speaker thanked Jayalalithaa for giving them a new role as people’s representatives at the historic Corporation. While airing his view on the resolution, which was placed as the first resolution by the council, the party’s senior leader in the house, V Sukumar Babu, said, “In the history of ...

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 24, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/free-for-all-at-chennai-corporation/336406.html CHENNAI: T he first Chennai Corporation Council Meet held on Wednesday here at the Ripon Building began on a bad note for the opposition DMK. No sooner than the Council proceedings began, the Opposition floor leader Subash Chandra Bose (DMK), started his speech saying that the public were suffering due to the recent hike in milk price and bus fare. When Bose continued with his speech despite Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy’s objection, the ruling party councillors, who sat next to him, snatched his mike and prevented him from speaking. Even after their ‘intervention’, Bose continued with his speech. Irritated with his remarks against the State government, the AIADMK councillors surrounded him and shouted him down.  Empty bottles were hurled at Bose and other DMK councillors who rushed to his rescue received blows. Soon, the DMK...

By G Saravanan Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 23, 2011: source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/reel-to-clean-up-city-after-nmf/336116.html CHENNAI: The City Corporation’s Council meet slated for Wednesday is all set to give its nod to Hyderabad-based Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited (REEL) to replace the ailing Neel Metal Fanalca (NMF) from conservancy operations in three zones. Ripon Building sources said, the Hyderabad-based agency was the lowest bidder for the contract, which covers 88 sq km of the expanded Corporation.  When the bids of the three companies that qualified to garner the contract for the three zones - Teynampet (zone IX), Kodambakkam (zone X) and Adyar (zone XIII) - were opened for scrutiny on Tuesday, Ramky Enviro Engineers quoted the lowest amount per metric tonne leaving behind Malaysia’s SMCI Group and United Arab Emirate-based MBM Dallah.  Once the Corporation Council gives its nod for Ramky Enviro Engineers as a replac...

Pics by A Raja Chidambaram By G Saravanan Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 23, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/drivers-by-night-nomads-by-day/335973.html CHE NNAI: For Kumaresan, one of the drivers with a well-known omni bus service at the Chennai Contract Carriage Bus Terminus (CCCBT), Koyambedu, the day starts with a frantic search for a retiring space at the terminus after driving for more t han 12 hours. Like Kumaresan, there are more than 500 drivers and cleaners, who are deprived of the comforts offered to  government drivers by the State Express Transport Corporation at the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT). With no retiring facilities available for them, such drivers and cleaners lead a nomadic life at the terminus by sleeping on pavements till evening. These drivers have to face innumerable hardships everyday from morning till the time they don their  white uniforms and slip into the driver’s seat. “For us, the run star...

By G Saravanan Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 22, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/Omni-terminus-cries-for-attention/335584.html CHENNAI: With the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) turning a blind eye to the maintenance of the Chennai Contract Carriage Bus Terminus (CCCBT), popularly referred to as the omni Bus Terminal at Koyambedu, the facility lacks even the most basic of amenities, leave alone nominal facilities for passengers. Though CCCBT was inaugurated in 2003 to cater to the needs of private carriage operators ferrying thousands of passengers from Koyambedu to different parts of the state and even to neighbouring states, the CMDA has never attempted to improve any  of the amenities inside the heavily-used terminus, Natarajan, a regular commuter told City Express. Giving a classic example of CMDA’s negligence towards CCCBT, Natarajan said, “ The 6.75 acre-facility meant for the passengers does not have prope...

By G Saravanan Published in The New Indian Express on November 19, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/Port-Trust-may-ban-erring-vessels/334724.html CHENNAI: Signalling a significant change in its stand on shipping liners that continue to collect Chennai Trade Recovery (CTR) surcharge from traders despite warnings, the Chennai Port Trust management is likely to ban the erring vessels from entering its premises. Speaking to the press on the sidelines of a trade committee meet with Belgian representatives here, Chennai Port Trust Deputy Chairman P C Parida said, “We are seriously considering a ban on the entry of those shipping liners that are still collecting CTR surcharge despite being told by the port management not to do so.” If the port’s plan translates into action, the shipping liners calling at the Port would be forced to withdraw CTR surcharge that has been in vogue since August last. Reacting to the CTR issue, Union Minister for Shipping G K Vasan said he ...

T Kamalanathan meeting the officials at the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) By G Saravanan Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 18, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/4-indians-languishing-in-tanah-camp-to-get-ec/334357.html CHENNAI:  Finally, there is light at the end of tunnel for the five Indians  languishing at Tanah Merah Detention Camp, Kelantan, Malaysia, despite completing their sentences for visa-related offences moe than a year ago. According to camp sources, the Emergency Certificate r(EC), which enables their homebound journey, has been issued by the Indian High Commission, Kuala Lumpur, two days ago and reached the addressees on Thursday noon. While four of them, Adaikan (Pudukottai), Gopalasamy (Mannargudi) and Pandian (Mannargudi) from TN and Bentu Singh (Nawa Sahar, Punjab) have received their ECs, IHC officials are still processing the EC of the fifth person Kulwinder Singh (Moga, Punjab) and it is likely to...

Source: http://www.tamilwin.com/view.php?232D22DG3eUQlc2BI3dSLfb3jC24ap3029E2 ஆண்டொன்று கடந்து நமது மாவீரர்களை நினைவு கூரும் அந்த நவம்பர் மாதம் பிறந்துள்ளது. மண்ணுக்குள் விதையாகிப்போன அந்த மனித தெய்வங்களை மறப்பதோ அன்றி புறக்கணிப்பதோ மனித தர்மத்திற்கு ஏற்புடையதான செயல்கள் அல்ல. அவர்களைப் பூசித்து வணங்கும் ஒரு புனிதமான பணி நம்மவர்கள் முன்னே காத்திருக்கும் தருணத்தில் அந்த மாவீரர்களின் தியாகங்களை எம் கண்கள் முன்பாக கொண்டு வந்து நிறுத்தி அவர்களை வணங்குகின்ற விழாக்களை எடுப்பதிலே தமிழர்கள் புலம் பெயர்ந்து வாழுகின்ற நாடுகளிலே தோன்றியுள்ள கவலைக்குரிய விடயங்கள் பற்றி இந்த வாரம் ஆராய்வது ஒரு அவசியமான தேவையாக உள்ளது. நாம் நமது கதிரோட்டம் பகுதியிலே ஆண்டுதோறும் குறிப்பிட்டு வருகின்ற முக்கியமான விடயங்களில் இந்த மாவீரர்கள் தொடர்பான கருத்துக்களும் அடங்குவதுண்டு. அவர்களுக்குரிய மாதமாக நாம் கருதுகின்ற நவம்பர் மாதத்தில் வழமைபோல அவர்களைப் போற்றியும் பூசித்தும் கொண்டாட வேண்டிய தேவை நமது புலம் பெயர்ந்த மக்களுக்கு உண்டு. அவ்வாறு நாம் மாவீரர்களின் நினைவுகளை கொண்டாடும் வகையில், அந்த விழாக்களை ஏற்பாடு செய்ய ...

Courtesy:Sanjib Kumar Roy via Facebook site Andaman Sheekha Port Blair, Nov 16: IN a historic judgement in the sensational CBSE question paper leak case, the Court of Special Judge of Port Blair has sentenced four accused persons to imprisonment for life on Wednesday (16 November). The prime accused P. Krishnama Raju, Abdul Rasheed, M.J. Vijayan and Abdul Salam were found guilty under various sections of law, while accused M.P. Arun was acquitted by the hon’ble court on Tuesday. The verdict came after the conclusion of a nearly four- month-long speedy trial conducted on a day-to-day basis on the orders of the Hon’ble High Court. The Ld. Special Judge (District & Sessions Judge), Mr. Debi Prasad Dey, delivered the 311-page verdict in special case no. 04 of 2011 (the State-vs-P. Krishnamaraju & 04 others) in a packed court room on Tuesday, and pronounced the punishment on Wednesday.  Accused P. Krishnama Raju was found guilty under section 409/120B of Indian Penal ...

Source :http://www.viduthalaipulikal.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73:media-release-nov-14&catid=28:report&Itemid=2 "இயக்கத்தின் மரபுகளை மீறாமல் எமது தேசியத்தலைவரின் வழிகாட்டலின் கீழ் வழமைபோன்று இந்த மாவீரர் நாள் நிகழ்வுகளை நடாத்த அனைத்து மக்களும் ஒத்துழைப்பு வழங்குமாறு அன்புரிமையுடன் கேட்டுக்கொள்கின்றோம்." தலைமைச் செயலகம்,                                                                                  த/செ/ஊ/அ/07/11 தமிழீழ விடுதலைப்  புலிகள், தமிழீழம். 14/11/ 2011. ஊடக அறிக்கை அன்பான தமிழ்பேசும் மக்களே, புலம்பெயர் நாடுகளில் இன்று தமிழ்த்த...

By G Saravanan Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 15, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/first-corporation-council-meet-on-november-23/333294.html CHENNAI: T he first Council Meeting of the expanded Chennai Corporation is set for November 23 at its renovated headquarters - Ripon Building. For the ruling AIADMK party, which has won a brute majority in the Corporation Council by garnering 168 seats out of 200, the day would be marked as historic as none from the party had chaired such a meeting in the civic body’s history. Though two Independent candidates won in the October-local body election, both have since joined the ruling AIADMK party to make its strength to 170. Besides winning these many members in the Council, t he AIADMK party also snatched the coveted Mayor post from the DMK for the first time in the Corporation’s history . While the party’s Saidai S Duraisamy won the prestigious seat from the DMK with over a margin of five lakh votes, ...

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on November 14, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/Perambur-MLA-meets-Mayor/332897.html CHENNAI: Perambur MLA A Soundararajan (CPIM) on Saturday met Chennai Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy at the Ripon Buildings and presented a 12-point agenda to improve basic amenities and other problems affecting the development of the area. In a three-page memorandum, Soundarajan appealed to the civic body chief to shift the Kodungaiyur dumping yard to a remote suburban area to save lakhs of people living near the yard for decades. It may be noted that MLA Soundararajan, during the Council Meeting at the Chennai Corporation in June, had made a fervent appeal to the Mayor and the Commissioner to shift the yard, as the very presence of the dumping yard at Kodungaiyur had been creating severe health-related problems for the locals over the years . Besides the shifting of the yard, Soundararajan has asked the Mayor to streamline...

By Daniel Thimmayya Published in The New Indian Express Chennai on November 14, 2011: Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/a-story-of-rags-to-respectability!/332886.html CHENNAI: In a previous life, 12-year-old Prashanth made more money in a day than most 30-year-olds in Chennai can dream of.  Smiling as he throws mock punches at a social worker, at his new ‘home’ in Perambur, the boy does not miss what his life used to be. In a previous life, as recent as one year ago, Prashanth was a rag-picker, trawling the streets of Royapettah along with his similarly employed father.  “I was really fast,” he says shrewdly. “My father would drive the vandi (garbage cycle), while I would spot and pick ‘good stuff’, without him even having to stop!” he recalls with a twinge of fondness. The sales used to yield between “Rs 400-500 and Rs 800 on a good day”. All that is a distant memory now. He is one of the 20 child rag-pickers who have been picked up and are b...