The National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, on Friday ordered notices to the State government and other authorities to file replies on a residents’ welfare association’s application for closure of

Relief for Pallavaram Municipality

The Pallavaram Muncipality got some relief from the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, on Thursday on the issue of dumping garbage. The Tribunal directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to make a spot inspection on the new site at Venkatamangalam mooted by the municipality and to accord ‘consent to establish’ without further delay.

Residents to get 20-litre cans at Rs. 12; novel project to boost local body’s income

Amidst the growing popularity of packaged drinking water, Mudichur panchayat near Tambaram has ventured into a novel project of supplying purified water in 20-litre cans at a subsidised price to its residents. The panchayat will soon begin distributing water that has been purified in a reverse osmosis plant and packaged in 20-litre cans. The cans will be supplied at Rs. 12 against the retail price of a maximum of Rs. 30.

For dumping garbage in the lake despite an interim order

The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Southern Bench, on Thursday directed the Pallavaram Municipal Commissioner to appear before it and explain why the civic body continues to dump waste in ‘Periya Eri’ (lake) in spite of an interim order against it. Following an application from S.P. Surendranath Karthik, Madipakkam, the National Green Tribunal, New Delhi, in September last, granted an interim injunction restraining the municipality from dumping waste in the lake.

The cyclone has left two people dead so far

The coastal districts of Tamil Nadu were hit by Cyclone Nilam this evening. With wind speeds of up to 100 km/hour, it severely affected many areas in Tamil Nadu, as well as Andhra Pradesh. According to PTI reports, the cyclone left two people dead. Most industrial houses, schools and offices in the coastal districts were closed on Wednesday. Heavy winds damaged roads here, as well as those in other coastal areas. Power cuts were also reported. Initial estimates pegged economic losses from the storm at Rs 70-80 crore. Government officials said the figure was expected to rise.

Locality receives just 4 million litres per day against requirement of 28 million

There is some good news for Pallavaram residents reeling under a shortage of drinking water. The State government has given its nod for a Rs. 99.95-crore water supply improvement scheme in the municipality. It will be implemented by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board with the aid of World Bank under the Tamil Nadu Urban Development Project-III (TNUDP).

A voluntary organisation of residents has contributed a handsome sum for the improvement of Chitlapakkam lake, a 50-acre water body near Tambaram.

The lake has been at the core of a movement by activists and residents who have been fighting for its protection for over a decade. The S.V.V Trust handed over Rs. 10 lakh to the town panchayat administration, during a recent interaction with C. Rajendran, South Chennai Lok Sabha MP. Mr. Rajendran sanctioned another Rs. 5 lakh from his MP local area development scheme, taking the total amount to Rs. 15 lakh.