The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday announced a slew of drinking water projects.

According to a release, Rs 94.4 crore has been allotted to implement a project to provide water to people in 248 settlements in Kovilpatti, Kayathar, Ottapidaram, Vilathikulam and Pudur blocks in Tuticorin district. Another Rs 1.62 crore has been earmarked for annual maintenance of the project. Water from Thamirabarani river will be used for the project.

Moser Baer’s Rs. 100- crore 5-MW solar grid interactive photovoltaic (SPV) plant in Sivaganga has technology suited specifically for Indian climate

Located in the hinterland is a project that proved to be a trump card for those advocating solar power as a solution to the power crisis in the State. Spread across 65 acres in Rettai Pillai Ayyanarkoil, a tiny hamlet near Muthupatti in Sivaganga district, the 5-MW solar grid interactive photovoltaic (SPV) plant has exceeded the targets set in the planning stages, according to government and company officials.

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.

Cheques to the value of Rs 2.08 crore were distributed to 89 villages in Sivaganga, Tiruppuvanam, Ilayankudi, S. Pudur and Kannangudi panchayat unions for undertaking poverty eradication programmes under the ‘Pudu Vazhvu’ scheme here on Thursday.

Collector V. Rajaraman, who gave away the cheques to representatives of village poverty eradication committees, said that the scheme was being implemented in the first phase in five panchayat unions of Sivaganga district.

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).

When the first flock of emus — flightless birds native to Australia — landed at Perundurai in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district in 2006, they drew the attention of only curious onlookers. Then they drew the attention of investors, enabling firms and businessmen offering schemes on the birds to rake in huge money. Six years on, the emus and the investors have been left in the lurch and the businessmen have allegedly taken flight with the invested money as emu contract farming joined the list of dubious investment schemes after a few years of roaring business.

Tamil Nadu is repeatedly requesting the Centre to advise Kerala to conclude an agreement on sharing of the Neyyar river water and release it to the State, pending finalisation of the agreement, according to Public Works Minister K.V. Ramalingam.

Apprising the Assembly on Friday of various steps taken by the government for securing water for 9,200 acres of ayacut in Vilavancode taluk of the Kanyakumari district, the Minister said that the State had, using toposheets of the Union government,

Drinking water schemes seeking to serve 44.36 lakh people in eight districts will be implemented at a cost of over 1,500 crore in 2012-13, Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development K.P.Munusamy told the Assembly on Monday.

Replying to the debate on the allocation for departments under him, the Minister said the schemes, to be implemented in Cuddalore, Villupuram, Pudukottai, Theni, Sivaganga, Coimbatore, Tirupur and Tirunelveli district, would benefit 8,134 habitations in five Municipal Corporations,

Expressing dissatisfaction over the action taken so far by the Centre and Tamil Nadu governments on Mullaperiyar row, DMK chief M.

Mullaiperiyar or Mullaperiyar? Where one stands on the dam dispute between Tamil Nadu and Kerala can be easily revealed by how the name is spelt.