CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday declined to dispense with the personal appearance of former chief minister, Jayalalitha, before three special judges on Wednesday in connection with three different corruption cases against her. Justice R Jayashima Babu observed that leaders should set an example by appearing before the courts and turned down the plea of Jayalalitha's counsel to exempt her from appearing.Manipur tops AIDS chart in N-EAGARTALA: Manipur ranks first in the north-eastern region in the number of AIDS cases reported so far, according to a report of the National Aids Preventive Organisation. Pointing out that there were at present 232 AIDS patients in the State, the organisation said that drug addicts prefer to take drugs in an intravenous form in the villages of Manipur and Assam.The organisation, in a recent survey, found 4,318 cases to be HIV positive out of 1.13 lakh blood samples collected in the north-eastern states.Device to control smoke emissionNEW DELHI: Scientists at the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute here have developed a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to control the emission of smoke from diesel engine exhausts, says the Institute's annual report for 1995-96.The Institute claims to have tested DPF on Indian diesel vehicles for its smoke reduction efficacy which stands at 50-60 per cent in free acceleration tests. The device is fitted in the exhaust system of diesel driven vehicles, emissions of which comprise particulates and nitrogen oxides as major pollutants. DPF reduces the smoke density of diesel exhaust by trapping particulates.Undertrials flee Tirupati jailTIRUPATI: A red alert has been sounded in the Chittoor and neighbouring districts of Andhra Pradesh to track down five undertrials who escaped from the Tirupati sub-jail after throwing chilli powder into the eyes of a guard on duty on Monday. Originally eight under-trials escaped but three of them were nabbed by the jail staff and police after a hot chase.According to deputy superintendent of police Tirupati (Urban), a massive man-hunt has been launched to nab the fugitives who were involved in several inter-State dacoities.
