Talk of the town

THE DIRECTORATE of Rural Development rings a fresh note, at least because of the spirit of its higher officials. The department is receptive to ideas, trying out new employment generation and other developmental schemes.

Its Director, Mr. K. Shanmugam, is currently in Kerala to study the Panchayat Raj institutions there.

One of the pro-active local body heads seen in Chennai, Mr. R.Illango, president of the neighbouring Kuthambakkam Panchayat says the director has taken his suggestion to visit Wardha to study Gandhian ideals on rural development. A trip could well be in the offing.

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ENGINEERING COURSES are a lot in demand, and students who are in the race for a seat know that only too well.

Tamil Nadu is a leader in allowing newer colleges each year, often providing a fresh lease of life for politicians with a sagging success score. Of course, there are others too in this area.

Joining the race for the spotlight is actor Vijaykanth, with an application from his wife, Premalatha, for the Azhagar Andal Engineering College, to start functioning at its permanent site in the Madurantakam area.

Madras University circles say the affiliation committee will meet shortly and give its green signal, while the AICTE okay is awaited. The State Government has issued a G.O. for the college, university sources say.

Vijayakanth is credited with quiet social service. Now, his college could well be a model for others, if it steers clear of the malpractices that make many self-financing colleges notorious.

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THE COFFEE mania has well and truly seized Chennai. After pubbing, we're going the whole hog now as the metro gets ready to celebrate a `Coffee Festival'. And we thought that day would never come!

Why a coffee festival in South India, which is for all intents and purposes, the crucible of lip smacking filter coffee? Mr. P. S. Subramanian, director, Fresh and Honest Cafe asks the question and answers it himself. Apparently coffee drinkers of the country have branched off and are no longer that die hard consumers of the caffeinated brew anymore. If you believe him, there is actually a country level campaign on to introduce more people into the habit.

So, Fresh and Honest Cafe, a Sterling Group subsidiary has installed their coffee machines at the Red E Food Court, Chetpet. And the Coffee Festival will be on between December 6th and 17th.

Their USP is `fresh coffee in 17 seconds'. According to Mr. Charles Chacko another director of FHC, ``You can see the coffee bean half a minute before you are quaffing it!'' Of course there are the usual varieties, plus some added flavours. All in a cuppa.

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HOW SERIOUSLY has the Government taken the issue of road safety ? Not very, say some observers.

The Transport Commissioner has been made the Road Safety Commissioner but because of his strenuous duties, a Joint Transport Commissioner is also entrusted with road safety. Yet, there is hardly any organised activity in this area. No public enquiries into major mishaps, no reports published, no remedial steps taken. Not even a beginning has been made by holding a public enquiry into aspects of safety in Chennai, let alone districts.

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AS A tailpiece, some may recall the strenuous efforts by the son of an IAS officer to move on to the next academic year, despite the lack of attendance in the fourth semester of his engineering course.

It turns out that the provisional green signal given to the candidate by the Madras University to write his examination, pending clearance by the Director of Technical Education has come a cropper finally. The candidate should resume the term which he tried to leapfrog without enough attendance. Many in the University resisted pressure and stuck to rules.

By Feroze Ahmed and Ramya Kannan.

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Section  : Southern States
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