In 46 village panchayats of Dindigul district

Village panchayats have intensified installation of solar streetlights not only to face acute power shortage but also scale down expenses. To begin with, installation commenced in 46 village panchayats at an estimated cost of Rs.1.1 crore. On completion of the first phase, the rest of the villages will be covered in subsequent phases, according to Collector N. Venkatachalam.

Three advocate commissioners confirm several irregularities pointed out by PIL petitioner

The Madras High Court Bench here on Monday passed an interim injunction restraining the Public Works Department (PWD) from mining sand “illegally” on Vaigai riverbed in Sithargal Natham and Villampatti in Nilakottai taluk of Dindigul district. A Division Bench comprising Justice P.P.S. Janarthana Raja and Justice M. Duraiswamy granted the injunction following a public interest litigation petition filed by P. Kottaisamy (64), former chairman of Nilakottai Panchayat Union, through his counsel N. Dilip Kumar in August.

Industries wonder whether TANGEDCO has a contingency plan in place

With power generation from windmills steadily declining over the last few days, load shedding in southern districts has increased significantly. While the pattern of volatile wind production is a recurring one, industries say the difference this time is that wind season is drawing to a close and power generation cannot be expected to increase again consistently to peak levels.

A total of 192 star tortoises that were seized while being smuggled out of the country have found a new home in the Sathyamangalam forests.

A total of 497 tortoises were confiscated in different incidents and handed over to Arignar Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur near Chennai for rehabilitation. The Forest Department, in association with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), carried out the rehabilitation process at the zoological park for a few months.

With the objective of creating awareness on the safe use of electricity and promote the use of high standard electrical appliances, a human chain was formed from Tamukkam to Raja Muthiah Mandram here on Monday.

Organised by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), Madurai Region, the event was part of the Electricity Awareness Week to be celebrated across the State from Tuesday to Monday (August 21 to 27).

Certain section of population seeks relaxation of ban on tourism; specialists are against any dilution of the scheme

The Tamil Nadu Government’s latest notifications on demarcation of core and buffer zones of three tiger reserves in the State may still require a fine-tuning to strike a balance among ecology protection, tribal welfare and tourism promotion, feel conservationists and wildlife experts. As the demand for relaxation of the ban on tourism becomes shriller in the reserve areas, the specialists are against any dilution of the scheme spelt out in the notifications.

Certain section of population seeks relaxation of ban on tourism; specialists are against any dilution of the scheme

The government’s latest notifications on the demarcation of core and buffer zones of three tiger reserves in the State may still require a fine-tuning to strike a balance among ecology protection, tribal welfare and tourism promotion, feel conservationists and wildlife experts. As the demand for relaxation of the ban on tourism becomes shriller from certain section of the local population in the reserve areas, the specialists are against any dilution of the scheme spelt out in the notifications.

The process of land acquisition for 20.5 km in six revenue villages along the Podanur – Pollachi section was derailing the pace of gauge conversion works, railway officials said.

Senior officials from the Construction Wing of Southern Railway, Chennai, led by Chief Administrative Officer K. Vijayakumar inspected the ongoing works from Podanur to Pollachi.