TOP NEWS

Arasu goes on air sans Sun channels

CHENNAI:
In a bid to end the monopoly of private players in the cable TV
business, chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday launched the
operations of the state-owned Arasu Cable TV Corporation (ACTC) across
Tamil Nadu barring Chennai. The government has to obtain a licence from
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to operate the network in
the state capital.
Ironically, the network is the brainchild of
former chief minister M Karunanidhi who wanted to break the dominance of
the Maran brothers in the cable business. The bouquet of channels
offered by the Sun TV group, which has a high viewership, is yet to come
on board Arasu. Sources said negotiations are on with the group's
officials. The ACTC would initially make available 90 channels,
including some pay channels, at a monthly charge of just Rs 70.

After the government decided to revive ACTC, about 37,000 cable
operators and multi-system operators (MSO) with 1.45 crore connections,
have registered themselves with the corporation till August. Sources in
the secretariat said the government will soon obtain a licence from TRAI
for operating Arasu in Chennai. "The government will formally announce
it next week," they said.
Jayalalithaa said the government would collect from the cable
operators Rs 20 per connection per month and subscribing to the network
would help each household save Rs 70 to Rs 100 a month. Referring to the
monopoly of Karunanidhi's family and his grandnephew, the Maran
brothers, on the cable industry, she said they were collecting huge
money as monthly rent from the people.
"At present 60 channels
are loaded and the remaining 30 channels will be loaded shortly," Arasu
Cable TV Operators Association president N Yuvaraj told TOI. He claimed
the corporation netted more than 25,000 connections on the first day
itself. He said channels of the Sun TV group would not be available at
the moment on the ACTC network. "However, the group does not have any
option but to join the government's cable network," he said.

Saying that Karunanidhi has been accusing Jayalalithaa of scrapping all
welfare schemes implemented by the DMK government, Yuvaraj said: "This
Arasu Corporation was started by the previous DMK government but its
operations were shut down eventually by the same government."

New Delhi

















Blast outside Delhi High Court; 9 dead, many injured
At least 24 people were injured and four dead in a blast
this morning outside one of the entry gates to the Delhi High Court
complex crowded with visitors seeking entry into the premises.
The explosion occurred outside gate No.5 where 100 to 200 people were
waiting in queue to get passes
for entry into the court complex. The nature and magnitude of the blast was immediately not known.
According to eyewitnesses, 20 to 25 persons were injured in the
explosion, which occurred at around 10:17 am and some of them may be in a
critical condition. Delhi Special Commissioner Dharmendra Kumar
confirmed that 24 people have been injured.

Some of the injured were being treated at a dispensary in the court
itself while others were rushed to RML and LNJP hospitals. Home
secretary, Delhi government said that four people are dead.

Court business is usually heavy on Wednesday, which is listed as a
Public Interest Litation(PIL) day when the visitors come to the court in
large numbers.

Ambulances and fire tenders were rushed to the site. Forensic experts were also rushing to the spot.

The blast area has been cordoned off and police have asked people to clear the area.

Top officials of Delhi police including Special Commissioner (law and
order) Dharmendra Kumar and Joint Commissioner of Special Cell R S
Krishnaiah reached the spot.

Jt Commissioner (Crime) Sandip Goyal and Special Commissioner P N Aggarwal also joined them.

Kumar said it was too early to ascertain the exact nature of the blast.

He declined to speculate whether the blast was of low intensity or high intensity.

It is in the second time in four months that a blast occured outside the Delhi High Court complex.

An explosion on May 25 triggered panic prompting the authorities to
sound a high alert in the capital and tighten security at public places.
No one was injured.

Low-intensity explosives, wrapped in a polythene bag and kept close
to the car parked near Gate No. 7, went off around 1.30 p.m. Ammonium
nitrate, a battery-like object, wires and some nails were found at the
site by forensic experts.