CHENNAI: Truckers warn of December 5 showdown

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/truckers-warn-of-december-5-showdown/224535.html

                                                (PIC courtesy: picasaweb)

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 20, 2010:

CHENNAI: Sending a strong signal to the Union government on non-transparent and arbitrary toll charges being collected on national highways, All India Motor Transport Congress, an united body of truckers in the country, on Friday said the nationwide strike would begin on December 5 as planned.

Speaking to reporters here, All India Motor Transport Congress president G R Shanmugappa said, "We the truckers give November 25 deadline to the government to avert the crisis by accepting our demands, otherwise we would be forced to begin the indefinite strike as planned which could in fact cripple the country's economy."

Since 72 lakh vehicles, including Liquefied petroleum gas tankers, heavy trucks, tempos, bus and maxi cabs across the country would be going off the roads, government could be losing a revenue of Rs 6,000 crore a day, Shanmugappa told Express.

AIMTC was demanding the government to withdraw the highly arbitrary, nontransparent and extravagant excessive toll collections and illegal extortion in the name of toll.

Citing an example to tell the broad daylight loot in the name of toll charges, Shanmugappa said, "For the 300-odd km stretch between Chennai and Bangalore, a private company had spent around Rs 1,171 crore for its development. For the stretch, the agency was collecting a total toll of about Rs 52 lakh per day. And in the last four year alone, it had collected about Rs 720 crore (about half of the investment) and it could surpass its total investment in another three to four years."

"Though the company would be able to recover the amount it had spent on the stretch in about eight years, why the government gave permission to the operator to collect toll charges for 26 long years," Shanmugappa questioned.

It's a clear case of favouring the private companies by robbing the very truckers who propels the country's economy, Shanmugappa told Express.

Shanmugappa said the government during August had committed to the All India Motor Transport Congressin writing that its grievances would be redressed within 10 days. Even after two months, the government had not done anything, he added.

காவல்துறை உங்கள் "நண்பன்': உதவிக்கு வந்தவர் மீதே வழக்கு

Source:http://www.dinamani.com/edition/Story.aspx?SectionName=Chennai&artid=334422&SectionID=97&MainSectionID=97&SEO=&Title=%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%88%20%E0%AE%89%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D%20%22%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D

சென்னை, நவ. 19: சென்னையில் சாலை விபத்து ஒன்றில் காயமடைந்தவரை மருத்துவமனையில் சேர்க்க உதவியவர் மீதே போலீஸார் வழக்குப் பதிவு செய்ததுடன், அவரது வாகனத்தையும் பறிமுதல் செய்துள்ளனர்.
சாலை விபத்துகள் ஏற்பட்டால், அதில் காயமடைந்த நபரை விரைந்து மருத்துவமனைக்கு கொண்டு செல்ல வேண்டும். காயமடைந்தவருக்கு விரைந்து மருத்துவ உதவி கிடைத்தால் மட்டுமே விபத்துகளில் உயிரிழப்புகளை குறைக்க முடியும்.
இதனைக் கருத்தில் கொண்டு, விபத்துகளில் யார் காயமடைந்தாலும், காயமடைந்தவரை விரைந்து மருத்துவமனையில் சேர்க்க பொதுமக்களும், சக வாகன ஓட்டிகளும் போலீஸாருக்கு உதவ வேண்டும் என போக்குவரத்து போலீஸார் விழிப்புணர்வு பிரசாரம் மேற்கொண்டு வருகின்றனர்.
ஆனால், அந்த பிரசாரத்துக்கு, போக்குவரத்துப் போலீஸாரின் செயல்பாடே எதிராக அமைவது போன்ற சம்பவம் சென்னையில் நடைபெற்றுள்ளது.
சென்னை பூந்தமல்லி நெடுஞ்சாலையில் பச்சையப்பன் கல்லூரி அருகில் உள்ள போக்குவரத்து சந்திப்பில் கடந்த புதன்கிழமை காலையில் விபத்து ஒன்று ஏற்பட்டது.
கீழ்பாக்கம் மார்க்கத்தில் இருந்து அமைந்தகரை நோக்கி செல்லும் வாகனங்கள் செல்வதற்கான சிக்னல் அனுமதி கிடைத்தவுடன் அங்கு நின்றிருந்த வாகனங்கள் வேகமாக புறப்படத்தொடங்கியுள்ளன.
அப்போது, முதல் வரிசையில் இருந்த இரு மோட்டார் சைக்கிள்கள் ஒன்றுடன் ஒன்று உரசிக் கொண்டதில், ஒரு மோட்டார் சைக்கிள் நிலை தடுமாறி பக்கவாட்டில் சென்ற கார் ஒன்றில் லேசாக உரசி கீழே விழுந்துள்ளது.
இதில் சம்பந்தப்பட்ட காரும், மற்றொரு மோட்டார் சைக்கிளும் உடனடியாக அங்கிருந்து சென்றுவிட்டதாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது.


மோட்டார் சைக்கிளில் இருந்து கீழே விழுந்தவருக்கு தலையில் காயம் ஏற்பட்டது. அப்போது, அவ்வழியே வந்த மற்ற வாகன ஓட்டிகள் தங்கள் வாகனங்களை நிறுத்தி, காயமடைந்தவருக்கு உதவ முன் வந்துள்ளனர்.
அங்கிருந்த போக்குவரத்துக் காவலர், காரில் வந்த சிங்காரவேலன் என்ற நபரை உதவிக்கு அழைத்துள்ளார்.


ஆம்புலன்ஸ் வாகனம் வருவதற்கு தாமதமானதால், போக்குவரத்துக் காவலரின் வேண்டுகோளை ஏற்று, காயமடைந்த நபரை தனது காரில் ஏற்றி கீழ்பாக்கம் அரசு மருத்துவமனையில் சிங்காரவேலன் சேர்த்துள்ளார்.
இந்த உதவிக்கு நன்றி தெரிவித்ததோடு, செலவுக்கு வைத்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள் என்று கூறி 50-ஐயும் சிங்காரவேலனிடம் போக்குவரத்துக் காவலர் கொடுத்துள்ளார்.
அதேசமயத்தில், வேறு ஏதாவது தகவல் தேவைபடும் நிலையில் தொடர்பு கொள்வதற்காக என்று கூறி சிங்காரவேலனின் செல்போன் எண்ணையும் அவர் குறித்துக் கொண்டார்.
இந்த நிலையில், புதன்கிழமை பிற்பகலில், கீழ்பாக்கம் போக்குவரத்துக் காவல் நிலையத்தில் இருந்து முருகேசன் என்ற பெயரில் பேசிய அதிகாரி விசாரணைக்காக வருமாறு சிங்காரவேலனை அழைத்தாராம்.


இதன்படி, புதன்கிழமை மாலையில் சென்ற சிங்காரவேலனின் காரை சோதனையிட்ட போலீஸார், அவர் மீது வழக்குப் பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளதாகக் கூறி காரை பறிமுதல் செய்து காவல் நிலையத்தில் வைத்துக் கொண்டனர்.
ஜாமீன் அளிக்க 2 பேரை அழைத்துக் கொண்டு, 5 ஆயிரம் பணத்துடன் அடுத்த நாள் காலையில் வருமாறு தன்னை போலீஸார் அறிவுறுத்தியதாக சிங்காரவேலன் தெரிவித்தார்.
விபத்தில் சம்பந்தப்படாத தனது காரை ஏன் பறிமுதல் செய்தீர்கள் என்று கேட்டதற்கு, சம்பவத்தை நேரில் பார்த்த பொதுமக்கள் கூறிய சாட்சியத்தின் அடிப்படையில் வழக்குப் பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளதாக போலீஸார் தெரிவித்ததாக சிங்காரவேலன் கூறினார்.


இருப்பினும், இந்த வழக்கு குறித்த உறுதியான தகவல் எதையும் தெரிவிக்க கீழ்பாக்கம் போக்குவரத்து போலீஸார் மறுத்துவிட்டனர்.
விபத்து நிகழ்ந்த இடத்தில் இருந்த போக்குவரத்து காவலர், சிங்காரவேலனுக்கும், விபத்துக்கும் தொடர்பு இல்லை என்று கூறியுள்ள நிலையில், உதவிக்கு வந்தவர் மீது போலீஸார் வழக்குப்பதிவு செய்துள்ளது விநோதமாக உள்ளது.
விபத்து ஏற்பட்டால் விரைந்து உதவ வேண்டும் என்று ஒரு பக்கம் கூறிவரும் போக்குவரத்து போலீஸார், சிங்காரவேலன் போன்று உதவிக்கு வருவோர் மீதே வழக்கு பதிவு செய்தால் மற்றவர்கள் எப்படி உதவிக்கு வருவார்கள்?

CHENNAI: Trailers’ halt strike after Port Trust promise

Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/trailers%E2%80%99-halt-strike-after-port-trust-promise/223740.html

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 17, 2010:

CHENNAI: The Confederation of Surface Transport - Tamil Nadu, an united body of container trailers and tipper lorries associations, on Tuesday called off their proposed strike from November 22 after a written assurance from Chennai Port management to repair the damaged roads motorable in a month’s time.

Speaking to Express, its president R Sugumar said, “After a two-hour long brainstorming meeting at the Chennai Port Trust’s headquarters with representatives of nine different associations, chairman Atulya Misra gave us a written assurance to repair the damaged roads and make it motorable in a month’s time, hence we called off the strike.”

The strike came to an end on Tuesday evening after assurance by the port management on improving road conditions.
With the threat of truckers’ strike looming large, Port Trust chairman Atulya Misra along with representatives of trailer owners and other associations inspected the damaged roads.
After touring north Chennai roads, they returned to talks table at the Port Trust headquarters to settle the issue amicably. They gave a written assurance that the roads would be repaired in a month’s time. Normal operation are expected to resume in two days’ time, sources from Chennai Port said.

CHENNAI: Talks fail, trailers' strike enters 3rd day

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/talks-fail-trailers-strike-enters-3rd-day/223460.html

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 16, 2010:

CHENNAI: TALKS aimed at breaking the deadlock between the Chennai Port management and the striking container trailers have ended inconclusively on Monday after the drivers of trailers categorically declined to call off their stir until the roads were made motorable in north Chennai.

With the Chennai Port Trust stand to lose heavy revenue if the flash strike continues, its chairman Atulya Misra on Monday met the representatives of three associations including the Trailer Owners Association for 30 minutes at the Trust’s headquarters and held discussion aimed at breaking the impasse.
According to sources, the container trailer drivers who had resorted to strike seeking action against the men who attacked one of the colleagues on Friday night, now changed their demand and pressing the Port management to set the roads in the stretch right since the bad roads were leading to these kinds of unruly scenes.

Though the meeting held for about 30 minutes, solution reminded elusive after the port trust was non-committal on their basic demand for setting roads right immediately.

Speaking to Express, one of the representatives who participated in the meet said the Port Trust was only buying time and not thinking about the revenue loss for all stakeholders (port users).
Sources said the port management had told representatives it would take about two years to make these roads container trailer-motorable and they would need two-months time to complete temporary works.
Unimpressed, representatives of the associations asked Port Trust chairman to inspect the bad condition of roads. Based on their request, Misra would be inspecting the condition of roads on the stretch on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: City resident names granddaughter after Suu Kyi

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/city-resident-names-granddaughter-after-suu-kyi/223475.html

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 16, 2010.

CHENNAI: Manickam is a testimony to the adage: ‘You can take a man out of the country, but you can never take the country out of the man’.

Reacting to the euphoria that throbbed through Yangon streets after the release of Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi from years of house arrest on Saturday, this Vyasarpadi-based man, who has a Myanmarese connection, named his granddaughter after that country’s most respected leader.

“It was a double delight for me on Saturday. In the morning, my daughter, Christa Rani, delivered a healthy baby girl at a local hospital and in the evening, Myanmar’s military junta ‘delivered’ the country’s respected leader from house arrest,” a jubilant Manickam told Express at his home on Munivel Street, Kakanji Nagar in Vyasarpadi locality.

Manickam moved to the city about four years ago with his family from Moray - a border town between Manipur and Myanmar.

His wife is a Manipuri and Manickam has relatives both in Tamil Nadu and Moray.

“During my days in Moray, I used to visit Tamu, a town bordering with Myanmar, to run a noodles shop everyday. Since most of the customers were Myanmarese, I regularly listened to their talks about a person named Suu Kyi. It was then that I evinced an interest in the leader and her struggle for democracy in Myanmar. It has had an effect on my mind since then,” explains Manickam.And it was his liking for the charismatic name that made him name his granddaughter after Suu Kyi, he added.

CHENNAI: Repatriate Tamils hail Suu Kyi’s release

PIC COURTESY: http://www.rnw.nl

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 16, 2010:

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/repatriate-tamils-hail-suu-kyi%E2%80%99s-release/223476.html

CHENNAI: Families of repatriate Tamils from then Burma (Myanmar) settled in the city have expressed jubilation over the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from years of house arrest for voicing democratic changes in the country.

It was not an ordinary Saturday for many repatriates here at city’s localities like Vyasarpadi, Tondiarpet, Ennore and Redhills, where most of them stayed put after returning from different parts of Burma some three decades ago.

As the news of Suu Kyi’s imminent release from house arrest was trickling in via media reports, most of them were at home to see the icon’s face in freedom, for the first time in two decades.

Speaking to Express, T K Shanmugam, CPM’s North Chennai district secretary and a repatriate now living at Vyasarpadi since 1967, said, “We, the repatriates, welcome the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who faced the military’s ire by voicing for democracy in the country.”

“We have a great feeling for the charismatic lady and her release would pave way for democracy to flourish in the country,” Shanmugam added.

More than 50,000 expatriate Tamil families are living in Chennai city and its suburbs alone. Besides, a sizeable number of repatriates live in Tiruchy, Thanjavur and adjacent areas.

Expressing his view on Suu Kyi’s release, Rangasamy, an 81-year-old Indian National Army-served repatriate, who now lives at Vyasarpadi, said, “It’s a great news for all repatriates because Suu Kyi stood for the oppressed people and is respected by all in the country, including the 15-lakh Tamilians now living across the agro-based country.”

He was one of the few repatriate Tamilians who had attended the funeral of Suu Kyi’s father, General Aung Sun, a national leader of Burma until his assassination on July 17, 1947. He recalled seeing the General’s body in a casket for public mourning.

10,000 trailers to go off roads from November 22

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/10000-trailers-to-go-off-roads-from-november-22/222870.html

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 14, 2010:

CHENNAI: Irked over the State government’s continuing neglect in maintaining arterial roads connecting the Chennai Port, Confederation of Surface Transport -Tamil Nadu, a body of container trailers and tipper lorries associations, on Saturday announced an indefinite strike from November 22.

Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of various representatives to take a final call, confederation president R Sugumar said, “Arterial roads like Thiruvotriyur-Ponneri-Panchetti Road and Madhavaram-Manali Road (that were regularly used by container trailers and tipper lorries) are in bad shape. After the rains, they have become totally are not motorable.” 
Since the condition of roads (a lifeline for Chennai Port) was worsening and with neither the port nor the state government ready to understand the problems of transporters, it has been decided to suspend the plying of 10,000 container trailers including tippers, tankers and heavy lorries starting November 22, Sugumar told Express.

According to Exim sources, the loss of revenue for the government due to the proposed transporters’ strike has been pegged at Rs 500 crores per day.

The Chennai Port alone is expected to incur a revenue loss between Rs 30 crore and Rs 50 crore, the sources added.

According to the exporters, if the proposed indefinite strike begins as planned, they would be incurring a huge loss due to delay in delivering consignments of Christmas goods meant for their European Union clients.

Speaking to this reporter, R Raja, president of Chennai Trailers Owners Association, said, “We were forced to take the indefinite strike decision after the roads have become worse on the whole stretch.” The roads that are now in bad shape are part of the ambitious Ennore- Manali Road Improvement Project and the `600-crore plan that never took off.

‘Port Trust chairman always busy’

Confederation of Surface Transport- Tamil Nadu was trying to meet Atulya Misra, since the day he took over as the Chairman of Chennai Port Trust in September, but the chairman was ‘so busy’ that he reportedly did not have time to meet the very people who contribute for the growth of the port. Also, Misra is yet to meet the Chennai Trade Co-ordination Committee, consisting of stakeholders linked to sea trade.

Trailers' flash strike hits goods movement

CHENNAI: Movement of container trailers and goods from Chennai Port came to a total standstill on Saturday morning after the drivers of trailer lorries went on a flash strike seeking action against those who attacked one of their colleagues near Ernavur in North Chennai on Friday night.

Traffic along the 15 km stretch from Kasimedu to Ponneri was affected with drivers abandoning the vehicles on the roadside.

According to sources, trailer driver A Sekar was brutally attacked by a group of people reportedly close to a powerful local politician when he was reversing his loaded container trailer. They also attacked him with iron rods after a minor altercation.