By Umaima Shafiq
Scientists allay fears over new observatoryCHENNAI: A panel of scientists has been pacifying residents over the establishment of a federal government-funded neutrino observatory at Pottipuram in southern Theni district about 60km from the temple city of Madurai. The panel said that the Indian Neutrino Observatory (INO) would create jobs, expose local colleges to advanced scientific research and improve road and rail networks in the area. They allayed fears of radiation and environmental pollution or damage of reserve forests in the area.The INO is the sole project in India that was first proposed in 1989 and will be completed with multi-institutional help this year. Located on 66 acres of government land, the INO will study neutrinos or subatomic particles that are released during perihelion of stars, sunlight and other cosmic reactions. The public apprehension mainly revolves around a specially constructed 4,500ft cave that will house the world’s largest magnet of 12,500 tonne. Physicists said the study will throw light on the origin of the earth and cosmos. Depressed nurse jumps to her deathA 24-year-old nurse committed suicide by jumping from the fourth floor of an apartment complex at Vepery in Chennai last week.T Suja sustained head injuries and was rushed to hospital by passersby. She was reportedly depressed over rejected marriage proposals. Her parents, working as labourers, said Suja had attempted suicide twice before. In another incident, an auto-rickshaw driver was arrested for driving around with his wife’s body in the back seat of his vehicle at Ambur about 185km from Chennai.Imran Basha told police that his wife Sumiaya Banu had jumped off the terrace of their house after a domestic quarrel. She sustained multiple fractures but had died while coming back from hospital. He claimed to have been taking the body for her funeral. However Sumaiya’s parents suspected foul play and have asked for a detailed inquiry. The couple have two children.Protests over death of babies in hospitalTension gripped the Kilpauk government hospital in Chennai when two babies died in the neo-natal care unit.Parents and relatives besieged the hospital alleging medical negligence. Twenty-two-year old Rasthi, claimed that she delivered a boy normally on December 25 but the baby developed fever and swollen stomach soon after getting discharged from the hospital. Similarly another boy born to a couple from Tirumazhaisai suburb also developed similar complications.Doctors refuted these complaints saying that the babies had become sick due to shortcomings at their homes. Recently the death of five newborn babies at the government hospital in Ooty forced the state health ministry to appoint more doctors.Bureaucrat killed in car accidentShantini Kapoor, a senior bureaucrat and principal secretary to the Tamil Nadu government and two others were killed when their Bengaluru-bound car collided with a lorry on the Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri highway about 100km from Salem. Police said the car driver lost control, rammed a barricade and collided with a lorry besides hitting another car and injuring its seven occupants. Shantini, a 1983 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer has held various state and federal government posts.