CHENNAI: The poor northeast monsoon in the last couple of years has prompted the state government to announce a slew of projects to conserve water through construction of check dams, artificial recharge structures, repairs, renovation and restoration of tanks as drinking water sources. Chief minister J Jayalalithaa made 312 announcements, including on infrastructure and welfare projects, during the concluding session of the collectors' meet here.
While the last season was bad, the monsoon which arrived on October 22 this year has not brought any cheer to the state. Tamil Nadu is deficient by 32% for the period between October 1 and December 11. Except Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Nilgiris, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari, the rest of the state continued to suffer from the deficiency. As per regional meteorological data, TN recorded 27.3cm of rain in the current season, against the normal average of 40cm.
Days after directing collectors to gear up to counter unforeseen natural calamities, Jayalalithaa announced that various conservation projects and water supply schemes would be taken up for the benefit of the people. More than eight tanks in Tiruvarur will be renovated, and tanks, anaicuts and supply channels will be renovated in four places in Trichy.
About 1,200 small drinking water tanks will be renovated in Ramanathapuram. Desilting will be taken up in Kamalalayam tank in Tiruvarur and 755 panchayat union tanks and 437 former zamin tanks in Ramanathapuram will be renovated. She also announced check dams in Madurai, Tiruvallur and Dindigul.
"Conservation projects will have to have people's participation to make it a success. They have to keep water sources clean and protected," said K Karunakaran, former vice-chancellor, Anna University.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/State-announces-312-projects-conservation-of-water-gets-priority/articleshow/27314835.cms
Sunday, 15 December 2013
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Youth saves village from toxic water, feted by CM
CHENNAI: The thought of an entire village consuming poisoned water gives him the shivers even now, he says.
S Vijay, the 17-year-old son of a Dharmapuri farmer, saved 15,000 people in his native village of Pikkili, and 17 other villages in the panchayat of the same name, in Dharmapuri district, from drinking toxic water. Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday honoured him with a cash award of Rs 1 lakh.
Vijay works for a firm that distributes water from a sump in Melkottai village to 18 villages in the panchayat.
"I wasn't well on the morning of November 9, so my mother helped me get to the sump because I had to close the valve," Vijay says. "The smell was obnoxious near the sump."
Vijay and his mother grew suspicious when they spotted a powdery substance on the path leading to the sump. They found traces of the substance even on the granite slabs covering the sump. "The water also smelled foul so I suspected that someone had put poison in the sump," Vijay says. Tests later proved him right: A laboratory confirmed that a highly toxic rodenticide had been mixed in the water.
Losing no time, Vijay alerted the pump operator in Thirumalvadi village, asking him to stop distribution of water from the overhead tanks that received water from the sump. He also informed Pikkili panchayat president Vasuki Ayyappan about the alarming discovery by calling her husband, C Ayyappan.
The 2 lakh litre sump, which receives water under the Hogennakkal Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project, supplies water to 11 overhead tanks for distribution to 18 villages.
The warning came just in time: The tank operators were to start distribution to street pumps in just an hour.
"Vijay is the saviour of Pikkili. We are alive because of him," Ayyappan says. Residents of the panchayat's villages were elated about the chief minister honouring the boy. "It is a proud moment for all of us because Vijay saved thousands of lives and his achievement has been recognised by Jayalalithaa," says Muthu, a resident of Periyur.
The panchayat resumed water supply only after the sump and overhead tanks were thoroughly cleaned. The panchayat has lodged a complaint with the Papparapatti police, seeking action against the culprits who poisoned the water.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Youth-saves-village-from-toxic-water-feted-by-CM/articleshow/27199068.cms
S Vijay, the 17-year-old son of a Dharmapuri farmer, saved 15,000 people in his native village of Pikkili, and 17 other villages in the panchayat of the same name, in Dharmapuri district, from drinking toxic water. Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday honoured him with a cash award of Rs 1 lakh.
Vijay works for a firm that distributes water from a sump in Melkottai village to 18 villages in the panchayat.
"I wasn't well on the morning of November 9, so my mother helped me get to the sump because I had to close the valve," Vijay says. "The smell was obnoxious near the sump."
Vijay and his mother grew suspicious when they spotted a powdery substance on the path leading to the sump. They found traces of the substance even on the granite slabs covering the sump. "The water also smelled foul so I suspected that someone had put poison in the sump," Vijay says. Tests later proved him right: A laboratory confirmed that a highly toxic rodenticide had been mixed in the water.
Losing no time, Vijay alerted the pump operator in Thirumalvadi village, asking him to stop distribution of water from the overhead tanks that received water from the sump. He also informed Pikkili panchayat president Vasuki Ayyappan about the alarming discovery by calling her husband, C Ayyappan.
The 2 lakh litre sump, which receives water under the Hogennakkal Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project, supplies water to 11 overhead tanks for distribution to 18 villages.
The warning came just in time: The tank operators were to start distribution to street pumps in just an hour.
"Vijay is the saviour of Pikkili. We are alive because of him," Ayyappan says. Residents of the panchayat's villages were elated about the chief minister honouring the boy. "It is a proud moment for all of us because Vijay saved thousands of lives and his achievement has been recognised by Jayalalithaa," says Muthu, a resident of Periyur.
The panchayat resumed water supply only after the sump and overhead tanks were thoroughly cleaned. The panchayat has lodged a complaint with the Papparapatti police, seeking action against the culprits who poisoned the water.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Youth-saves-village-from-toxic-water-feted-by-CM/articleshow/27199068.cms
War of words over water quality test
KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode corporation council meeting witnessed heated exchange between the opposition and ruling councillors over the absence of a mechanism to check the quality of drinking water being used at the marriage halls to prepare food.
The meeting was chaired by mayor A K Premajam on Tuesday.
The issue came up in the wake of outbreak of hepatitis B and malaria from various parts of the district.
The mayor agreed to hold a meeting with the Kerala Water Authority(KWA) to take steps to avoid leakage of water in distribution lines to avoid mixing of drinking water with drainage water.
The heated exchange occurred when a joint calling attention motion on spread of hepatitis B and malaria in the various parts moved in the council by K P Abdulla Koya of UDF and Muzafir Ahmmed of CPM came up for discussion at the council.
Abdulla Koya, inviting the attention of mayor, said that four marriage halls were there in the Kuttichira ward. One case of malaria and around 50 hepatitis B cases have been reported in the Kuttichira ward alone. Ahmmed said that a total of 20 persons detected with hepatitis B cases have been admitted to various hospitals in the city. The civic body authorities should take steps to carry out effective preventive measures strengthening the health wing.
The KWA line is situated next to the drainage and the leakage results in mixing up of the drinking water with polluted water, which is the one of the reasons for the spread of hepatitis B.
Health standing committee chairperson Janamma Kunjunni said that the civic body has already taken steps to carry out chlorination."At present the civic body does not have any mechanism to check the quality of water being supplied from Manannchira reservoir and water being used by marriage halls.
The rift occurred when deputy opposition leader Muhammed Ali alleged that the health standing committee chairperson is giving irresponsible reply and the civic body should act fast to check the quality of water being supplied to various parts of the city since it's a matter pertaining to the health of public. The heated exchange of words occurred when Ahmmed said that Muhammed Ali is trying to divert the issue.
The mayor then said that steps will be taken to find a solution as the civic body does not have a facility to check quality of drinking water being used in its limit. In reply to a question raised by UDF councillor N C Moyin Kutty on how many residential flats above 15m are there in the city, the mayor said that there are 69 such flats. And a detailed report on the number of houses in these flats will be given after conducting a survey.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/War-of-words-over-water-quality-test/articleshow/27199357.cms
The meeting was chaired by mayor A K Premajam on Tuesday.
The issue came up in the wake of outbreak of hepatitis B and malaria from various parts of the district.
The mayor agreed to hold a meeting with the Kerala Water Authority(KWA) to take steps to avoid leakage of water in distribution lines to avoid mixing of drinking water with drainage water.
The heated exchange occurred when a joint calling attention motion on spread of hepatitis B and malaria in the various parts moved in the council by K P Abdulla Koya of UDF and Muzafir Ahmmed of CPM came up for discussion at the council.
Abdulla Koya, inviting the attention of mayor, said that four marriage halls were there in the Kuttichira ward. One case of malaria and around 50 hepatitis B cases have been reported in the Kuttichira ward alone. Ahmmed said that a total of 20 persons detected with hepatitis B cases have been admitted to various hospitals in the city. The civic body authorities should take steps to carry out effective preventive measures strengthening the health wing.
The KWA line is situated next to the drainage and the leakage results in mixing up of the drinking water with polluted water, which is the one of the reasons for the spread of hepatitis B.
Health standing committee chairperson Janamma Kunjunni said that the civic body has already taken steps to carry out chlorination."At present the civic body does not have any mechanism to check the quality of water being supplied from Manannchira reservoir and water being used by marriage halls.
The rift occurred when deputy opposition leader Muhammed Ali alleged that the health standing committee chairperson is giving irresponsible reply and the civic body should act fast to check the quality of water being supplied to various parts of the city since it's a matter pertaining to the health of public. The heated exchange of words occurred when Ahmmed said that Muhammed Ali is trying to divert the issue.
The mayor then said that steps will be taken to find a solution as the civic body does not have a facility to check quality of drinking water being used in its limit. In reply to a question raised by UDF councillor N C Moyin Kutty on how many residential flats above 15m are there in the city, the mayor said that there are 69 such flats. And a detailed report on the number of houses in these flats will be given after conducting a survey.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/War-of-words-over-water-quality-test/articleshow/27199357.cms
City draws water projects for 25 years
SURAT: Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has conceptualized two projects, which will take care of the water needs of the city for another 25 years. At present, 900 million litres per day (MLD) of water is being supplied for 46.4 lakh people living in the city. In the next 10 years, the city population is expected to touch 80 lakh and it will be 1.20 crore in 2026 when the Surat-Navsari twin city concept is a reality. The water requirement of the city will be 1,600 MLD after 10 years and 2,100 MLD by 2026. The two projects would take off in the next five years.
"We have given approval to Gujarat Engineering Research Institute (GERI) and also sanctioned Rs 31 lakh for managing a balloon barrage model upstream of Tapi river near ONGC Bridge. The project aims to create an artificial reservoir to store 20 million cubic metre (MCM) of water at any given time," SMC standing committee chairman Rajesh Desai said.
The balloon barrage would be built after we receive a report from GERI. The project will cost SMC Rs 170 crore. SMC has also decided to lay a 58-km long pipeline of 2-metre width from Kakrapar Weir to Surat. About 450 MLD of water would be pumped through it on a daily basis. This project will cost SMC about Rs 500 crore. WEBCOS, a Delhi-based consulting firm, has given its report on the project. The SMC is awaiting state government approval before floating the tenders for it
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/City-draws-water-projects-for-25-years/articleshow/27198722.cms
"We have given approval to Gujarat Engineering Research Institute (GERI) and also sanctioned Rs 31 lakh for managing a balloon barrage model upstream of Tapi river near ONGC Bridge. The project aims to create an artificial reservoir to store 20 million cubic metre (MCM) of water at any given time," SMC standing committee chairman Rajesh Desai said.
The balloon barrage would be built after we receive a report from GERI. The project will cost SMC Rs 170 crore. SMC has also decided to lay a 58-km long pipeline of 2-metre width from Kakrapar Weir to Surat. About 450 MLD of water would be pumped through it on a daily basis. This project will cost SMC about Rs 500 crore. WEBCOS, a Delhi-based consulting firm, has given its report on the project. The SMC is awaiting state government approval before floating the tenders for it
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/City-draws-water-projects-for-25-years/articleshow/27198722.cms
Lawyers demand re-opening of swimming pool
AURANGABAD: The advocates swimming association on Thursday urged the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation to open its Siddhartha swimming pool for public at the earliest. The civic body has closed the pool for the past several months.
Satish Varma, secretary of the association, said theAMC had been doing repair work of the pool from February 2013. "We have repeatedly urged the administration to speed up the work and open the pool for public. Every time the authorities say that the repair work is in the final stages and that it will open in 15-20 days. It is one of the best pools in the city," he said.
Abhay Deshmukh, manager of the Siddhartha swimming pool, said that the pool was closed only for repairs.
"The facility was started in May 1994 and since then we never closed it. However, the pool has now developed technical problems in its water filter system, besides leakages in some parts. The work is going on and it will be soon over," he said.
Deshmukh added that the pool would be opened by the end of December.
The pool is located in the heart of the city on the premises of Siddhartha Garden and Zoo.
The Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University's pool on its campus is also non-operational for the past four years.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/aurangabad/Lawyers-demand-re-opening-of-swimming-pool/articleshow/26980755.cms
Satish Varma, secretary of the association, said theAMC had been doing repair work of the pool from February 2013. "We have repeatedly urged the administration to speed up the work and open the pool for public. Every time the authorities say that the repair work is in the final stages and that it will open in 15-20 days. It is one of the best pools in the city," he said.
Abhay Deshmukh, manager of the Siddhartha swimming pool, said that the pool was closed only for repairs.
"The facility was started in May 1994 and since then we never closed it. However, the pool has now developed technical problems in its water filter system, besides leakages in some parts. The work is going on and it will be soon over," he said.
Deshmukh added that the pool would be opened by the end of December.
The pool is located in the heart of the city on the premises of Siddhartha Garden and Zoo.
The Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University's pool on its campus is also non-operational for the past four years.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/aurangabad/Lawyers-demand-re-opening-of-swimming-pool/articleshow/26980755.cms
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