While being confident of a good samba crop this year, the Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association (CDFA) is pushing for a permanent solution to the perennial problem of the north east monsoon rain water running off into the sea.

While the bounty from south west monsoon is controlled by Karnataka as the major Cauvery catchment area is located in that State, north east monsoon benefits Tamil Nadu directly.

PWD had refurbished 15 shutters last year at a cost of Rs.2 cr.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs.4.27 crore for repairing damaged shutters at the barrage across the Cauvery River at Upper Anicut (Mukkombu) near Tiruchi. Last year, the Public Works Department refurbished 15 of the 41 shutters on the barrage at a cost of Rs.2 crore, also sanctioned by the NABARD. The department had sought more funds for repairing the remaining shutters at an estimated cost of Rs.4.50 crore in the second phase.

Obstetricians and healthcare workers must pull out all stops in bringing down pregnancy related deaths was the primary objective of the maternal and perinatal health workshop sponsored by Asia Oceania Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and annual conference of Tiruchi Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (TRIOGS) that concluded here on Sunday.

Saving the mother and baby at all costs should be top priority, Suchitra Pandit, vice-chairperson, Indian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ICOG) told The Hindu .

The Madras High Court Bench here on Monday ordered for production of licences granted by the Collectors of Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts to the Public Works Department for quarrying sand along the stretches of rivers Cauvery, Amaravathi and Kollidam flowing through the six districts.

A Division Bench comprising Justice R. Banumathi and Justice G. . Akbar Ali passed the direction after it felt that the counter affidavits filed by the officials did not contain information sufficient for disposing of the case.

A public interest litigation petition has been filed in the Madras High Court Bench here to forbear the Public Works Department from carrying out sand quarrying operations along the stretches of rivers Cauvery, Amaravathi and Kollidam flowing through Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts.

When the case came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justice R. Banumathi and Justice G.M. Akbar Ali on Monday, the judges adjourned the case to July 9 as the lawyers representing the PIL petitioner, B. Juliaan (31) of Lalgudi Taluk in Tiruchi district, were not present in the court due to a boycott call given by one of the advocates’ association.

British High Commission-supported project to promote use of renewable energy

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), an international organisation offering technical consultation, training, and information services for capacity building and support to local governments in the implementation of sustainable development will soon come out with an action plan to reduce carbon emissions in the city.

The AIDS Prevention and Control (APAC) project, managed by non-governmental organisation Voluntary Health Services, has transferred its AIDS-related projects to the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control So

The government has sanctioned Rs 33.60 crore for forest development and preservation under this year's annual plan from the Thirteenth Finance Commission’s grants-in-aid for the forest department.

The commission had sanctioned a sum of Rs 142.48 crore for the five year plan period. In the first two years, the government had sanctioned Rs 17.81 crore each. This year, the department has sanctioned Rs 2.01 crore for establishment of butterfly park in Tiruchi and providing a road train with traction facilities at Arignar Anna Zoological Park.

Algae and larva seen floating in the drainage; plastic bags strewn around

A drain that flows close to the pipeline supplying drinking water to the manufacturing units in SIDCO Industrial Estate in Thuvakudi poses a health hazard for industrial workers. Algae and larva could be seen floating in the drainages where pigs wallow. Household garbage strewn at such spots has added to the stink. Plastic carry bags were ubiquitous in the garbage.

Despite the expiry of its licence, a sand quarry at Natham (near Anbil) continues to haul several loads of sand every day, according to villagers from neighbouring T. Kalvikudi. In order to bring the issue to the attention of district authorities, a group of farmers from the village submitted a petition to the Collector, on Monday.

“Every day, hundreds of sand lorries ply through T. Kalvikudi from the illegal sand quarry at Natham causing great inconvenience to the locals,” said C. Gurusamy, one of the farmers.