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Jayalalithaa visit talk of the town in Thanjavur

By G. Srinivasan

A huge decorated pandal awaiting the visit of the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, at Thanjavur.

Thanjavur Sept. 22. ``When will the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, visit Thanjavur? "Will she visit Thanjavur at all?" are the questions being raised by people here in discussions.

All preparations were almost completed to receive her on September 19. But the visit was postponed at the eleventh hour. A huge pandal, which can accommodate 50,000 people, is waiting for her arrival at the Annai Sathya Stadium. With interior decorations half complete, the police are guarding the pandal round-the-clock. Two fire tenders are in place at the stadium.

"We don't know how long we will have to be here. Only Amma has to decide" say the police and fire personnel staying there.

According to officials, the pandal will remain until the Chief Minister visits Thanjavur. "Even if it takes one month, the pandal will stay" It occupies the main ground, which will have to be relaid after the meeting is over. The walls of the stadium have been whitewashed, temporary water taps put up at many places and Syntax water tanks also are found everywhere. Sodium vapour focus lamps have been installed all over the stadium around the pandal and generators kept stand by at various points.

A renovated helipad with a newly-laid road leading to the dais through a broken wall of the stadium and casuarina poles for erecting cut-outs are awaiting the Chief Minister's visit. But the official word is yet to come.

The AIADMK men are also disappointed over the postponement. They were vying with one another, writing graffiti and putting up cut-outs and posters throughout the town. Many were trying to find a place to erect the hoardings at vantage points to catch the eyes of the Chief Minister.

Vigil stepped up for Sivaganga trip

Our Ramanathapuram Reporter reports:

Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made in view of Ms. Jayalalithaa's visit to Sivaganga district tomorrow.

According to sources, the police have also stepped up vigil in the coastal areas of Ramanathapuram district. Additional personnel have been posted at all coastal and inter-district border checkposts. Armed police personnel are checking all vehicles entering Sivaganga district.

Checks were also conducted in hotels and lodging houses in both the districts, and in the Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps at Okkur, Nattarasan Kottai, Thayamangalam, Thazaiyuthu, Moonkil Oooranie and Karayur.

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