Two youth died in an accident involving a motorcycle and a milk van here on Monday. The victims, identified as Abinath (20) and Iniyan (19), were residents of Poyyapatty village in Harur. The two were engaged in wage gigs after completing Class 12. The victims were on a motorcycle heading towards Anumantheertham from Poyyapatti when they met with the accident. The two were killed on the spot. Their bodies were sent to government hospital in Harur. The police registered a case.

PMK MLA for Dharmapuri Sowmiya Anbumani inspected the SIPCOT industrial estate on Friday (May 29). She said that of the 1,700 acres, 1,200 acres were porampok and fallow land and 500 acres were patta land not fit for cultivation. The PMK was supportive of such industrial estates that did not jeopardise farmlands or threaten acquisition of wetlands, she said.

The location of the SIPCOT, however, was on a rocky hilly terrain, and this was deterring businesses from establishing units there. The PMK MLA called upon the authorities to level the terrain. As of date, barring nine industrial units, there were not many takers.

Earlier in the day, she interacted with traders and the public at the old bus stand over the shifting of buses to the new bus stands on the outskirts, which was inaugurated four months ago.

Many among the public said several buses to moffusil areas were bypassing the old bus stand, forcing them to find transport to get to the new bus stand. Traders around the old bus stand, which is located inside the town, had long voiced their objections to the shifting of the bus stand on the grounds that their business had been hit.

Interacting with the traders, Ms. Sowmiya Anbumani said that despite the assurance by the District Collector that all buses would continue to pass through the old bus stand, buses were not doing so. She also threatened to lead protests if the buses were not allowed to enter the old bus stand.

Dharmapuri recorded a pass percentage of 93.49 in Class 12 exams on Friday (May 8). Girls surpassed the district average with a pass percentage of 94.44, and boys registered a pass percentage 85.71. Government schools recorded a pass percentage of 91. In government schools, girls registered a pass percentage of 94.06 and boys registered a pass percentage of 87.19. Of the 108 government schools, eight registered centum pass percentage.