Disease spreading to newer areas

Dengue cases have begun to increase in Coimbatore during ‘off-season’ and in newer geographical areas. Usually confined to rainy season between August and November, the number of dengue cases had increased sharply between January and March this year. Deputy Director of Health Services R. Damodharan told reporters here on Monday that the number of dengue cases was rising in rural areas now.

Tiger Reserve status accorded for the 1.40 lakh hectares of Sathyamangalam with 90,000 hectares as core zone is a shot in the arm for conservation of rare flora and fauna besides combating the pressures of poaching as the Sathyamangalam valley is on the State border.

Welcoming the decision of the Union Government, president of Osai (an NGO involved in conservation) K. Kalidasan said that the status will go a long way in getting the required funds and undivided attention.

The National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, on Tuesday granted an interim injunction restraining the Coimbatore Corporation from proceeding with the construction or other activities of a proposed

Sathyamangalam forest in Erode district has been declared a Tiger Reserve. It is the fourth such reserve in Tamil Nadu. The three other tiger reserves are at Mudumalai in the Nilgiris district, Anamalai in Coimbatore district and Kalakad-Mundanthurai in Tirunelveli district.

The Forest Department has received the Government Order declaring Sathyamangalam Forests as a tiger reserve, and the Union government has also notified it, Conservator of Forests, Erode circle, A. Venkatesh told The Hindu over the phone on Monday.

‘Friends of Elephants’ group launched

The support of local community residing in the areas bordering forests was vital to prevent human-elephant conflict, District Forest Officer V. Thirunavukkarasu said here on Sunday. While several measures had been initiated by the Government, it was only with the help of villagers living in the vicinity of forests could this issue be tackled effectively, he said while addressing the inaugural function of ‘Friends of Elephants’ group, formed jointly by ‘Osai,’ an organisation working in wildlife protection, and Tamil Nadu Forests Department, Coimbatore division.

Vehicles proceeding towards Omalur Main Road diverted for three hours. Farmers from seven districts gathered in protest against the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) gas pipeline cutting through their farmlands on Tuesday. They assembled near the Five Road Junction and attempted to lay siege to the GAIL’s office. Police removed 834 persons, including 80 women. They were later released in the evening.

The Coimbatore district has achieved a total coverage of 98.36 per cent during the second phase of the pulse polio programme on Sunday.

According to Deputy Director of Health Services R. Damodharan, of the targeted 3,31,450 children in the age group of 0 to 5 years, oral polio vaccine was administered to 3,26,001 children. Giving a break-up, he said that 1,84,950 children in rural areas and 1,41,051 children in urban areas (Mettupalayam, Pollachi and Corporation areas) took part in the campaign.

Ethiopia plans to sign agreements with some of the textile associations here to attract investments and expertise from the Indian textile industry.

Sisay Gemechu Edo, State Minister in Ethiopia’s Ministry of Industry held a meeting with members of the Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) here on Wednesday. He also visited the vendor development programme organised by Coimbatore District Small Industries’ Association and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute.

Power cut in the evening or night hours does not engulf the streets of JJ Nagar, a residential area with 120 houses about 10 km from Coimbatore city, in darkness. Nearly 90 per cent of the population here are daily wage earners and do not have uninterrupted power supply systems or generators. But, JJ Nagar has harnessed renewable energy.

A couple of months ago, 10 street lights in the panchayat were connected to a 500 watt solar system.

Survey has identified 282 malnourished childrenin 26 slums of the district

World Vision, a development and advocacy organisation, has implemented a project to tackle child malnutrition in Coimbatore since January. It has been taken up in collaboration with Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), a Central Government-sponsored social welfare scheme. The organisation, which has consultative status with UNESCO and partnerships with UN agencies such as United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organisation (WHO), undertook a survey in 26 urban slums in the district, which revealed a child malnutrition rate of 45 per cent, according to K. Vetriselvan John, Programme Manager (Coimbatore), World Vision.