DINDIGUL: A total of 9,000 tree saplings would be planted in the district to mark Anna birth centenary celebrations, Collector R. Vasuki has said.

She inaugurated various programmes and launched several projects as part of the celebrations here on Monday. The tree saplings would be planted on the campus of municipalities, town panchayats, panchayat unions and village panchayats to make these places clean and green.

Rs 80 then, Rs 45 now, complain villagers Dindigul VILLAGERS who are the beneficiaries of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) are complaining that the wages paid to them have been gradually reduced, much to their disappointment. On Friday last, about 3,000 workers, led by Balabarathi, MLA, resorted to picketing in Dindigul. On Monday, the villagers of Chettinayakkanpatti came to the collectorate in large numbers to submit a petition against the low wages being paid to them under the programme.

Batalagundu FISH worth Rs 12 lakh were found floating in a tank near Batalagundu in Dindigul district as the water was poisoned.Siruvankulam tank is situated near Thumbaipatti. Seven months ago, a group of 10 persons had taken the tank on lease and began rearing fish. On Thursday morning, the lessees had gone to the tank to fish and found the fish floating dead. The people of the area were told not to consume the fish. All the dead fish were buried near the tank. On a complaint by Murugan, one of the lessees, Batalagundu police have registered a case and are investigating.

The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) will promote spice tourism at Thadiyankudisai in the Kodaikanal block of Dindigul district. The campaign will be implemented with a financial support of Rs.70 lakh extended by the Union Tourism Ministry and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Scenic surroundings

THE Madurai Bench of the High Court has appointed advocate Karunanidhi as commissioner to report on the alleged pollution caused by a quarry near Dindigul. Gunasekaran of T Pudukottai in Oddanchathiram taluk of Dindigul district in his public interest petition had said that quarrying in hillock at Polikadu was not to be permitted; but on Nov 29, 2007, the district administration granted permission for quarrying.