Kerala offers 20 lakh litres drinking water, TN rejects it
Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 20: The Kerala government Thursday expressed willingness to provide 20 lakh litres drinking water to Tamil Nadu, which is facing a water crisis, but the latter has declined it, saying there was "no need for the help at present."
"Since the major water bodies of Chennai has been facing acute water shortage, the Kerala government decided to extend an helping hand," a release issued from the Kerala Chief Minister's office said.
Though chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office contacted the Tamil Nadu CMO on the offer, the neighbouring state informed that "at present there is no need for the help, it said.
Kerala was prepared to transport 20 lakh litres of drinking water from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai through train, the release added.
Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration minister S P Velumani told reporters in Coimbatore in that deficiencies in some groundwater conservation projects were identified at various places, including Chennai, and were being attended to.
He said Tamil Nadu was facing the worst-ever drought.
Rains were expected in a few days, he said.
As far as Chennai was concerned, he said there was depletion of ground water as the city had witnessed rains 190 days ago.
Water was being supplied through lorries and borewells are being dug wherever the water problem prevails, he added.
The Tamil Nadu government has said it was largely dependent on groundwater to meet requirements till the onset of northeast monsoon in October.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami has said drought and deficient monsoon had resulted in depletion of groundwater levels, but claimed the issue was not as big as was being made out, especially in the media.
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Bengaluru: 18 candidates arrested for cheating in Army Group C recruitment exam
Bengaluru (PTI): Eighteen candidates who appeared for a recently conducted Army Group C recruitment examination here were arrested for allegedly cheating and indulging in malpractice, police said on Tuesday.
The arrests were made based on an FIR filed by S S Jyothirlingam, Colonel and Security Officer to the Commandant and Managing Director of the 515 Army Base Workshop, where the examination was held on February 8, police said.
The examination was conducted for direct recruitment to Civil Defence Employee Group C posts, specifically Lower Division Clerk positions, they said.
According to the FIR, during the course of the examination, 18 candidates were allegedly caught cheating by using digital and electronic devices with the intention of securing a government job through unfair means.
Electronic devices were found in their possession within the examination premises. In the case of two candidates, electronic devices were also found in bags kept outside the examination hall, it said.
"Based on the complaint, we registered an FIR for cheating and examination malpractice. The electronic devices have been seized. After questioning the candidates, we arrested all 18 of them on February 9 in connection with the incident," a senior police officer said.
Further investigation is underway.
