writingonblog uncensored: Eminent Persons from Around the World Call for a N...

writingonblog uncensored: Eminent Persons from Around the World Call for a N...: Chennai: The High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda today released “A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transfor...

Eminent Persons from Around the World Call for a New Global Partnership to Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development

Chennai:
The High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda today released “A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development,” a report which sets out a universal agenda to eradicate extreme poverty from the face of the earth by 2030, and deliver on the promise of sustainable development. The report calls upon the world to rally around a new Global Partnership that offers hope and a role to every person in the world.

The Panel was established by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and co-chaired by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron.

The President of Indonesia said:  "Besides capturing inputs from as many sources as possible, the most remarkable fact of this report is that we, the panelists and co-Chairs alike, were able to rise above national interest and address the Global Partnership and Sustainable Development issues with a true universal perspective”.

The President of Liberia said: “This High Level Panel report is the product of an intense nine month global consultation, equipped with the views of governments, civil society, academia and the private sector. Together and in consultation with a broad range of actors we have considered the challenges of the 21st century, challenges like unsustainable economic growth, conflict and climate change, but we have also identified opportunities, such as modern technologies and innovative coalitions. This report sets out a new vision for a world equipped to tackle the hurdles to human development and to capitalise on new opportunities. We hope that it will prove a valuable input into the global conversation on the post-2015 development agenda and that the principles and shifts we identify will help to frame the ongoing dialogue."

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom said: “This report sets out a clear roadmap for eradicating extreme poverty by 2030.  We need a new global partnership, to finish the job on the current Millennium Development Goals, tackle the underlying causes of poverty, and champion sustainable development.”

The Roadmap

In the report, the Panel calls for the new post-2015 goals to drive five big transformative shifts:
• Leave No One Behind. After 2015 we should move from reducing to ending extreme poverty, in all its forms. We should ensure that no person – regardless of ethnicity, gender, geography, disability, race or other status – is denied basic economic opportunities and human rights.

• Put Sustainable Development at the Core. We have to integrate the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability.  We must act now to slow the alarming pace of climate change and environmental degradation, which pose unprecedented threats to humanity.

• Transform Economies for Jobs and Inclusive Growth. A profound economic transformation can end extreme poverty and improve livelihoods, by harnessing innovation, technology, and the potential of business. More diversified economies, with equal opportunities for all, can drive social inclusion, especially for young people, and foster sustainable consumption and production patterns.

• Build Peace and Effective, Open and Accountable Institutions for All. Freedom from conflict and violence is the most fundamental human entitlement, and the essential foundation for building peaceful and prosperous societies.  At the same time, people the world over expect their governments to be honest, accountable, and responsive to their needs.  We are calling for a fundamental shift-- to recognize peace and good governance as a core element of wellbeing, not an optional extra.

• Forge a New Global Partnership. A new spirit of solidarity, cooperation, and mutual accountability must underpin the post-2015 agenda.  This new partnership should be based on a common understanding of our shared humanity, based on mutual respect and mutual benefit.  It should be centred around people, including those affected by poverty and exclusion, women, youth, the aged, disabled persons, and indigenous peoples. It should include civil society organizations, multilateral institutions, local and national governments, the scientific and academic community, businesses, and private philanthropy.

writingonblog uncensored: TN has a literate population of 5.18 crore

writingonblog uncensored: TN has a literate population of 5.18 crore: Chennai: Tamil Nadu has a literate population of 5.18 crore of which 2.45 crore are in rural areas and 2.73 crore in urban areas, accord...

TN has a literate population of 5.18 crore

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu has a literate population of 5.18 crore of which 2.45 crore are in rural areas and 2.73 crore in urban areas, according to the Primary Census Abstract 2011 – Tamil Nadu.

The data states that there has been an increase of 1.13 crore literates during the decade and the highest number of rural literates has been recorded in Villupuram (18 lakh). Chennai (37 lakh) recorded the highest number of literates in urban areas.

The report also states that the literacy rate has increased from 73.5 per cent in 2001 to 80.1 per cent in 2011.

Interestingly, while the male literacy increased by 4.4 per cent from 82.4 per cent to 86.8 per cent, the female literacy increased from 64.4 pc to 73.4 pc.

Kanniyakumar has the highest literacy rate of 91.7 pc followed by Chennai with 90.2 pc. Thoothkudi has the third highest literacy rate of 86.2 pc. Dharmapuri (68.5pc), Ariyalur (71.3 pc) and Krishnagiri (71.5pc) are the bottom placed districts.

writingonblog uncensored: 20 pc of TN population are dalits

writingonblog uncensored: 20 pc of TN population are dalits: Chennai: The Schedule Caste population has increased by 26 lakh and constitutes a decadal growth of 21.8 per cent, according to the Prim...

20 pc of TN population are dalits

Chennai:

The Schedule Caste population has increased by 26 lakh and constitutes a decadal growth of 21.8 per cent, according to the Primary Census Abstract 2011 – Tamil Nadu.

The report states that the total population of scheduled castes is 1.44 crore of which 95 lakh are in rural areas and 49 lakh in urban areas.

The report states that scheduled caste population constitutes 20 per cent of the total population. The proportion during the last census was 19 per cent. The highest proportion of scheduled castes has been recorded in Tiruvarur (34.1 pc) and the lowest in Kanniyakumari (4.4 pc).

The highest number of SCs has been recorded in Villupuram (10 lakh) and lowest in Kanniyakumari (74,249).

The total schedule tribe population in the state is 7.9 lakh and of this 6.6 lakh are in rural areas and 1.3 in urban areas. The schedule Tribe population constitutes 1.1 per cent of the total population. The proportion during last census was 1.04 pc. Thus there has been an increase of 0.06 pc during the last decade. The data states that the ST population increased by 1.4 lakh and constitutes a decadal growth of 22 pc.

writingonblog uncensored: Village administrative officer steals ex-serviceman's land

writingonblog uncensored: Ex-service fights VAO seeking his land: Chennai: A 74 year old ex-serviceman is fighting through legal means for his property bought in a court auction in 1978 and has urged ...

VAO steals ex-serviceman's land

Chennai:

A 74 year old ex-serviceman is fighting through legal means for his property bought in a court auction in 1978 and has urged the Chief Minister’s office to intervene in getting back his land.

Retired squadron leader A Muthukrishnan has all the official documents besides a High Court order but he is unable to get back the 3.16 acre of land worth Rs 3 crore located in Chidambaram.

Muthukrishnan said that the property is now being claimed by N Kaliyamoorthi, a Village Administrative Officer of Vasathpur village in Chidambaram. Interestingly, the village administrative officer has also written a couple of letters to Muthukrishnan. In one such letter dated February 27, 2003, Kaliyamoorthy urges Muthukrishnan to give the land to him at a reasonable rate following which he will rename the colony as Muthukrishnan Colony.

In a separate letter written on February 7, 2004, he urges Muthukrishnan to give him the land as his children are well off.

Interestingly, even a High Court order has ruled in Muthukrishnan’s favour after the heirs, whose property was sold in court auction, sought back the property.

Interestingly, Kaliyamoorthy, who doesn’t have any role in the land since it was a court property and auctioned to Muthukrishnan is now paying the house tax and also has an electricity board connection.

“This highlights how vulnerable a common man is in front of a government official. The property is a court property, which I brought it in a court auction. How could the VAO build a double storied building in the land when all the documents are in my name and certified by the court,” says the senior citizen. “The irony is he is paying the house tax where as he is neither the legal heir or anyway related to the property. He is only a state government official and he built a Rs 70 lakh building on my land,” the ex-serviceman says.

 When Express contacted Kaliyamoorthy, he said that, “Let the court give eviction order then I will vacate. A petition is pending in the court,” he says.

writingonblog uncensored: Spiralling rupee clamps down on golden spree

writingonblog uncensored: Spiralling rupee clamps down on golden spree: C Shivakumar Chennai: The huge rush to buy gold at the city’s jewellery shops is slowly petering away and jewellers have attributed ...

Spiralling rupee clamps down on golden spree

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The huge rush to buy gold at the city’s jewellery shops is slowly petering away and jewellers have attributed the dwindling  sales to the falling rupee; which hit a new low against the dollar. “The interest in gold slowly declined as the Indian rupee started declining,” says the managing director of NAC Jewellers, N Ananta Padmanabhan.

He told City Express that when the prices of gold fell between April 14 and March 1, every day was like Akshaya Tritya for them. Why? Because, during that phase many jewellery shops in Chennai witnessed a 60 to 70 per cent increase in sales. Not only were there massive footfalls every day, some people even went to the extent of taking loans to buy ‘cheaper’ gold. “It was a mad rush and people overbrought the yellow metal,” says Padmanabhan. A weaker rupee raises the price of the yellow metal, as most of the country’s gold requirement is imported.

“The sales are flat now and it is believed that the rupee is likely to plunge further by five per cent,” claims Padmanabhan.

However, the nearly 20 per cent plunge in gold prices since the start of the year has reignited India’s passion for gold with many people finding it a safe bet. “I used to invest in the stock market and burnt my fingers during the global economic meltdown. Now I prefer to invest in gold,” says Senthil. He says that as of now, investing in gold and land is safe and profitable.

However, a section of people who had pledged their jewellery in bank are distraught over the falling prices. “I availed a loan of one lakh rupees after I pledged a couple of gold bangles and a chain. Now, with the fall in prices, the bank, after renewing my loan, is offering only `80,000. I have to use other means to make up for the remainder,” says Ganesh, a worried customer.

India Ratings director Deep N Mukherjee feels that gold buying will increase, if the rupee depreciates. “Gold is a hedge against uncertainty and not a hedge against inflation,” he says. Mukherjee says that the fall in buying after the 60 to 70 per cent growth in gold sales could also be attributed to the savings rate of people, which is falling drastically.He adds the fall in global gold prices is temporary and will rise again.

Jewellers feel that in India everything depends on the stable economy. “We need to grow at around six per cent for the immense buying of gold to continue,” says Padmanabhan. He warns that the profits of jewellers who sell at a low margin will be affected as the rupee falls.

writingonblog uncensored: Railway Board deal to outsource EMUs to three 'sic...

writingonblog uncensored: Railway Board deal to outsource EMUs to three 'sic...: Chennai: Trade unions of Integral Coach Factory have questioned a deal by Railway Board in which 308 electrical multiple units are outso...

Railway Board deal to outsource EMUs to three 'sick' West Bengal firms sparks concern

Chennai:

Trade unions of Integral Coach Factory have questioned a deal by Railway Board in which 308 electrical multiple units are outsourced to three West Bengal based firms that lack adequate infrastructure and allegedly termed as “sick units” by the state government.

The three companies in question are Titagarh, Jessop and Co and Besco. Trade Unions allege that the contract has been awarded to these three firms which don’t have basic infrastructure and will be relying on the technical knowhow of railways.

Interestingly, what is irking more the employees is that ICF has to provide drawing and designs, which are the intellectual property rights of ICF free of cost to these firms who will then be selling the coaches back to railways at an additional cost of Rs 130 crore more than it takes to produce at ICF.

“This is even after free transfer of design and drawings and supply of certain raw materials like steel, wheel sets and electrical equipments to those firms,” the ICF Joint Action Council consisting of 11 unions claim.

S Anandraj, convenor of the council, said that, “The cost incurred to develop the present design and drawings at ICF is approximately Rs 1,500 crore. But it is now decided to do the transfer free of cost,”

Anandraj alleged that the actual process followed for floating the tenders in Railways is completely deviated and violated in awarding this particular contract. As per the deal Indian Railways also has to bear the higher cost due to the price variation clause (PVC). It is alleged the three firms stand to benefit if there is price variation on steel, electrical machinery, equipment and batteries.

As per the clause, railways has to bear the coast escalation during the purchase of steel machinery, electrical machinery, equipment and batteries and again has to pay the higher coast on the account of PVC to the companies.

Interestingly, Indian Railway requires 24,000 coaches in the next five years. This runs up to nearly 5,000 coaches a year. Interestingly, the maximum manufacturing capacity in ICF as well as Rail Coach Factory Kaputhala is around 3,200 coaches a year.

The union members feel that railways should have ICF could produce an additional 500 coaches each year if the government’s sanctioned amount of Rs 242 crore was released for ICF’s second unit. “they only released Rs 120 crore,” said Anandraj.

“The Rajya Sabha MP T K Rangaraj, who is a member of consultative committee on commerce and industry has also urged the CBI to look into the move by Railway Board to transfer design, drawings of ICF to private manufacturers have any mala-fide intentions and if so take appropriate actions on the concerned persons,” he said while sharing the letter with the reporters.

He said that the ICF Joint Action Council would launch a protest in the second week of June if the contract is not scrapped

writingonblog uncensored: Tributes paid to 111 UN peacekeepers

writingonblog uncensored: Tributes paid to 111 UN peacekeepers: Chennai: This year’s International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is an opportunity to raise awareness about new developments in the...

Tributes paid to 111 UN peacekeepers

Chennai:

This year’s International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is an opportunity to raise awareness about new developments in the field while honouring those who lost their lives over the past year serving under the blue flag, according to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

In his message to mark the International Day of UN peacekeepers, Ban said United Nations peacekeeping is increasingly called on to deploy multi-dimensional operations to help countries transition from conflict to peace, with a significant focus on protecting civilians, including the most vulnerable among them:  women and children.

“To meet emerging threats and rise to new challenges, United Nations peacekeeping is adapting its policies to better fulfil its mandates to bring lasting peace to war-torn countries,” he said.

“We see one example of a new approach in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the Security Council has authorized the deployment of an “Intervention Brigade”, as well as unarmed, unmanned aerial vehicles to improve our ability to operate in this vast region,” he said.

Peacekeepers in Mali will operate under tough conditions marked by armed groups that threaten national and regional security.  The mission will help stabilize the country, foster national reconciliation and protect civilians, he said.

UN peacekeeping is also working to help reform national rule of law institutions.  By strengthening the police, courts and corrections, UN peacekeeping forges trust in local authorities.  A fair and predictable rule of law system contributes, in turn, to stability and sustainable development long after our troops leave, he said.

While we welcome these advances, we acknowledge that peacekeeping will always carry risks.  Unidentified assailants have recently ambushed and killed peacekeepers in the DRC, Sudan and South Sudan, while blue helmets serving in the Middle East have been detained, he added.

One hundred and eleven peacekeeping personnel died last year, and more than 3,100 have lost their lives during the UN’s 65-year history of peacekeeping.  

“On this International Day, let us pay solemn tribute to those who have fallen, support the more than 111,000 serving soldiers and police from 116 countries, and continue adapting our operations to better help civilians who need protection and support,” he said.

writingonblog uncensored: NLC plans Rs 29,000 crore expansion

writingonblog uncensored: NLC plans Rs 29,000 crore expansion: Chennai:  Neyveli Lignite Corporation on Tuesday said that it will invest Rs 29,000 crore for its expansion during the 12th five-year ...

NLC plans Rs 29,000 crore expansion

Chennai: 

Neyveli Lignite Corporation on Tuesday said that it will invest Rs 29,000 crore for its expansion during the 12th five-year plan.

Addressing a press conference here, chairman and managing director of NLC B Surender Mohan said that that the plan is to increase the generation capacity to 11,195 MW from the existing 2,740 MW.

Besides tapping the coal fields abroad, NLC is also planning to expand the lignite mining capacity to 38.85 million tonnes per annum from 30.60 MTPA.

He also said that the company has earned a net profit of Rs 1,459.75 crore all the products registered a growth over the performance of previous year. Lignite production registered a growth of 6.64 per cent and power generation registered a growth of 5.92 per cent during the year.

Interestingly, NLC is also focusing on energy mix and plans are on to tap solar energy and wind energy. 

He also said the company is also planning to have coal fields abroad and floated a tender in five different caregories. “We got 25 offers from countries like Indonesia, Australia, United States and several other countries,” he said without giving any further details.

On the labour issue in NLC, Mohan said that currently, the company has excess staff of 2,000. “We have not retrenched anybody,” he said.

With regard to the contract workmen issue, he said NLC is preparing a seniority list as directed by Supreme Court as the basis of inducting the latter in regular vacancies. However, he said that all the contract workers can’t be made permanent workers and this depends upon the vacancies.

TNEB owes NLC Rs 2,728 crore

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation has yet to pay dues worth Rs 2,728 to Neyveli Lignite Corporation.

Chairman and managing director of NLC B Surender Mohan said that of the 3,457 crore dues owed by various power distribution companies, Tamil Nadu tops the list with a total due of Rs 2,728 crore.

writingonblog uncensored: NLC defends proposal to divest 5 pc stake

writingonblog uncensored: NLC defends proposal to divest 5 pc stake: Chennai: Neyveli Lignite Corporation defended the proposal to divest five per cent stake in the public sector unit stating that it is as pe...

NLC defends proposal to divest 5 pc stake

Chennai:

Neyveli Lignite Corporation defended the proposal to divest five per cent stake in the public sector unit stating that it is as per the guidelines of Securities Exchange Board of India on which department of disinvestment is acting.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, chairman and managing Director B Surender Mohan said that divestment is very small as per the SEBI guidelines, which calls for 10 per cent.

As per SEBI guidelines all PSUs should have public share holding of 10 per cent. Currently, 6.54 per cent is already divested and balance about five per cent is proposed by Department of Disinvestment, he said

Even after the dilution of five per cent, the status of PSU will not be affected, said Mohan. The divestment is necessary otherwise the company faces the risk of delisting, according to director (finance) of NLC Rakesh Kumar.

Mohan’s statement comes in the wake of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa writing a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposing the Centre’s proposal to disinvest a further five per cent of the government of India’s (GOI) stake in the company.

Any proposal to disinvest even a small portion of the shareholding will lead to considerable labour unrest. Given the current acute power shortage in the State, any disruption of power supply from the NLC would very adversely affect the interests of the State, the chief minister has stated.

writingonblog uncensored: Effective governance can push the growth rate abo...

writingonblog uncensored: Effective governance can push the growth rate abo...: Chennai; Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that the nation’s economy will grow regardless of any government but to a...

Effective governance can push the growth rate above eight per cent: Chidambaram

Chennai;

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that the nation’s economy will grow regardless of any government but to attain a six to eight per cent growth it requires effective governance.

Presiding over a function to honour financial journalists with Shriram Sanlam Awards for Excellence at the ITC Grand Chola here, Chidambaram said that the focus should be that the condition for growth remains intact and governance remains more and more effective and responsible and efficient.

He said if the country conceive and designs its project more efficiently and deliver its projects more efficiently surely the growth rate could cross eight to nine per cent.

Urging the financial journalist not to underestimate the ability of India’s growth rate, he said the economy will continue to grow but the difference they could make is to ensure that the growth rate is not modest at five to six per cent but grows at a brisk rate of eight to nine per cent.

He later presented awards to journalists for the excellence in finance journalism. The lifetime achievement award was conferred on Swaminathan S Anklesaria, consulting editor of The Economic Times.

The ceremony also witnessed emotional moments when a 99 year old veteran journalist P A Seshan (he will be turning 100 in July) was honoured as he was ushered in a wheel chair. The journalist, known as ‘Bhisma Pitamaha’ of financial journalism, mumbled faintly after receiving the award that , “I will remember the day for long but not sure for how long.”

The award for the category ‘Indian Economic Policy and Macro economic Issues’ was presented to Raghu mohan from Business   World.

Arun Duggal, chairman of Shriram Capital said that the award recognizes the multi-faceted role that financial journalists play in setting up the knowledge base in reporting key issues of the Indian economy.

The entries have been deeply studied by a distinguished panel of independent jury comprising Gopal srinivasan, chairman and managing director of TVS Capital, Dr Nachiket Mor, chairman of CARE India ltd, Srinivasan K Swamy, chairman and managing director of RK Swamy BBDO, Ashu Suyash, chief executive officer of L&T Mutual Fund and Adit Jain, chairman of IMA Asia. 

writingonblog uncensored: India too slow when compared to China in tapping c...

writingonblog uncensored: India too slow when compared to China in tapping c...: C Shivakumar Chennai: Indian policy makers should take a lesson from China, which is trying to capitalize on its chemical industries...

India too slow when compared to China in tapping chemical industries to ensure energy security

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Indian policy makers should take a lesson from China, which is trying to capitalize on its chemical industries to ensure energy security for its people, according to an expert.

Secretary of the Chemical Industries Association and Nandini Consultancy Centre director N S Venkataraman said that India lacks a vision to be economic superpower and is totally dependent on imports of technology while China on the other hand is working out a strategy to be the global economic superpower.

He said that there may be theories that China’s chemical industries is struggling due to overcapacity, but this is untrue. Venkatraman said that the overcapacity production is part of China’s strategy to strengthen its energy security and plan to command the global economy.

Venkatraman said that the fall in solar panels was due to dumping of Polycrystalline Silicon photovoltiacs in the market by China. He said the prices fell and Indian policy makers were happy that the cost of solar energy has come down to around Rs 7.

But there is nothing to cheer about and prices of producing solar energy is likely to rise around Rs 14 in the next few years as the Chinese government has rules specifying for restriction on production of polysilicon. 

In India, at present there is no production of polycrystalline silicon where as India is drawing up ambitious plans to tap the potential for generating solar power. This will make India solely dependent on imports. Currently, the country imports polysilicon and wafers worth 4,000 tonnes per annum.

Not only that China also has a strategy on methanol. The methanol economy is a suggested future economy in which methanol replaces fossil fuels as a means of energy storage, ground transportation fuel, and raw material for synthetic hydrocarbons and their products. It offers an alternative to the proposed hydrogen economy or ethanol economy.

He said that coal is a major raw material for the production of methanol. He said coal is converted to methanol via synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon and hydrogen. He said China has increased the production of methanol from 11.30 million tonnes per annum in 2009 to 24.3 million tonnes per annum in 2012 and has a share of 57 per cent global installed capacity.

The focus of China is to use methanol in automobile, which is much cheaper than gasoline.   He said while China is preparing to safeguard its future by investing in Chemical industries as well as research and development, India on the other hand is more dependent on import of technologies from outside. He said that China’s share has doubled from six per cent in $2.2 trillion global chemical  industry to 12 per cent in the $3.5 trillion chemical sector by 2014. Surprisingly, India’s share has grown by a meagre one per cent.

He also highlighted the delays in implementing key projects in India. “There is also a need to set up chemical parks on barren lands to give boost to the chemical industries sector. The government should adopt a policy so that agriculture lands are not converted for industrial use as is done in China,” he added. 

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai has 13 pc share in Rs 13,0000 crore packa...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai has 13 pc share in Rs 13,0000 crore packa...: It is lifestyle and not safety that resulted in the shift to packaged drinking water, say Metro Water officials C Shivakumar Chenn...

Chennai has 13 pc share in Rs 13,0000 crore packaged drinking water

It is lifestyle and not safety that resulted in the shift to packaged drinking water, say Metro Water officials

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Metro water supplies 831 million litres a day (MLD) of water to Chennai yet residents in many localities are shying away to use it for drinking purpose.

Even though the water from the public water distribution agency is safe to drink claim officials, people still prefer packaged water.

A senior Metro Water official quoting a study done by a private water agency said that the packaged drinking water market is worth Rs 13,0000 crore of which Chennai alone has a 13 per cent market share. Interestingly, the state also tops in the number of BIS certified packaged drinking water manufacturing plants.

He said that the preference of packaged water in Chennai is due to the growth of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) in the city of which food and beverage consist of nearly 25 to 30 per cent.

He said people in Chennai prefer branded water as such many private players are setting up their plant to tap the market here. While the market may be crowded it is only a small quality of water, which could be around 5 to 7 million litres a day (MLD), is consumed by people. “It is the niche market,” said the official.

The growth of packaged water in the city started in the 1990s when the city witnessed a huge growth. Initially there were only two brands Golden Eagle and Hello, which were consumed only during functions, said another metro water official.

But the preference for bottled water grew as the income of the people in the city also grew and this also resulted in mushrooming of many companies.

But still many prefer to drink from the piped water, which is supplied to the city after being treated in the five different plants in the city.

“The surface water is first chlorinated in the plant, then alum is added to lessen the turbidity then it is filtered through rapid sand filteration method so that the solid waste gets removed. Now we use pulsar technology to treat the water in our 530 MLD plant in Chembarambakam,” the official said.

“The focus is on residual chlorine during the delivery. It should be .2ppm besides the ph levels should be 6.5 to 8.5 and the TDS should be less than 500,” the senior official said.

Interestingly, Metro Water officials prefer the tap water to packaged drinking water. A senior official reasons that for years one drank the tap water. “How could one quantify that it is unsafe,” he reasons.  

But safety has at times been an issue and even played a crucial role in the defeat of the DMK regime following series of complaints about sewage mixing with water or the quantity of residual chlorine in the water. Interestingly, the government is now spending Rs 189 crore in improvement of water and sewerage facility in the core city. Currently, the water samples are monitored regularly. “We monitor 3,500 samples a day besides we are also planning to introduce automated inline water quality monitoring system to constantly monitor the quality of water supplied to residents.

Officials said that the Rs 1.80 crore project would be implemented with setting up monitoring devices at 50 spots across the city.

Currently, Metro Water supplies 831 MLD of water to the city. Interestingly, this is six or seven times more than what it was supplying in 1987. “We were supplying 182 MLD in 1987 which was scaled up to 610 in 2010,” a metro water official added.

writingonblog uncensored: Metro Water to reorganize water distribution in th...

writingonblog uncensored: Metro Water to reorganize water distribution in th...: C Shivakumar Chennai: In the wake of declining water levels in the reservoirs, Chennai Metro Water is reorganizing it water distribu...

Metro Water to reorganize water distribution in the city

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

In the wake of declining water levels in the reservoirs, Chennai Metro Water is reorganizing it water distribution in the city.

Metro Water sources told Express on Saturday that the reservoirs which supply water to the city have only 2,349 million cubic feet as such the reorganization arrangement is being made in seven zones.

The seven zones include Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Anna Nagar, Teynampet, Kodambakkam and Adyar. "We are working out an arrangement where the reorganisation of piped water distribution is done on alternate days," Metro Water officials said.

The piped water is currently supplied from Poondi, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam. Officials said that Poondi has 352 million cubic feet of water, Red Hills has 901 million cubic feet of water and Chembarambakkam has only 1,096 million cubic feet.

However, there will be no change in the present rate of water supply in the eight zones, Metro Water sources said. These include Tiruvotiyur, Manali, Mdhavaram, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur.

Metro Water sources said that they are banking on 300 cusecs of Krishna water per day from June first week once the temporary works by Andhra Pradesh irrigation department in Uppalamadagu canal near Kalalahasti in Andhra Pradesh gets overbesides getting additional water from Neyveli, Tamaraipakkam and Poondi wellfields.

“The water situation in the city depends on the rain gods, who have to shower their blessings so that the piped water supply could return to normal,” metro water sources added.

writingonblog uncensored: Bata increases footprint in Chennai

writingonblog uncensored: Bata increases footprint in Chennai: Chennai: Bata increased its footprint in Chennai by adding another another outlet in Forum Mall in Vadapalani on Saturday. The out...

Bata increases footprint in Chennai

Chennai:

Bata increased its footprint in Chennai by adding another another outlet in Forum Mall in Vadapalani on Saturday.

The outlet was opened by Tamil actress Trisha and chairman and chief executive of Bata Thomas George Bata. With this Bata has now 1,250 outlets and it has ambitious plans to add 100 outlets every year in India. Last year alone Bata has opened 189 stores.

The investment required for each store is Rs one crore and focus is more on the family customers.

Later in an interview to reporters, Bata said that India contributes nearly 15 per cent of the total sales of Bata worldwide. “India is the most important market for us as we have a long heritage here. We got to re-invent ourselves and catering to the changing tastes of the population,” he said.

He said that Bata’s growth is linked to prosperity in the developing countries like China, India and Indonesia but Europe is still a major market for Bata. He said that India has a growing middle class population with a lot of spending power and it provides a huge opportunity for Bata.

Talking about the investment plans, Bata said that the focus is on creating synergies between various countries in providing centers of excellence for product development and development of human resources. Interestingly, Bata has continued to focus on improvements in shoe designs through constatnt research and analysis. The footwear collection has been vastly improved during the years with the company launching trendy and fashionable designs which has been well received by the modern day young customer.

Currently, we are modernizing our manufacturing plants in Kolkata, Patna, Bangalore, Hosur and Faridabad, says Bata. He also said that Bata’s store are getting bigger as big as 3,000 square feet and it caters to men, women and children.

Interestingly, the new Bata store is made as per Bata’s global format, designed by experienced designers and architects, using the latest retail techniques and best quality furniture to enhance the store’s layout and provide for an attractive product display.

“The focus is also more on women as there is a large presence of women in workforce and they have the spending power. The store now has ladies handbags, ladies belts, men’s handbag, belt, men’s wallet, socks and other accessories,” says Bata adding that children too are important customers.

He said the women’s category is growing 30 per year on year and is the fastest growing market.

He also evaded questions on whether he wants to tap the luxury segement. Interestingly, of the total footwear market, 70 per cent is unorganized and among the organized sector, Bata has an estimated 30 per cent share.

writingonblog uncensored: India-Vietnam sign maritime shipping agreement

writingonblog uncensored: India-Vietnam sign maritime shipping agreement: Chennai: India and Vietnam has signed a Maritime Shipping Agreement and officials from the countries are working towards evolving a c...

India-Vietnam sign maritime shipping agreement

Chennai:

India and Vietnam has signed a Maritime Shipping Agreement and officials from the countries are working towards evolving a concrete roadmap for cooperation in the maritime sector.

The agreement was signed on Friday between Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan and Minister of Transport of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Dinh La Thang during his six-day visit to Vietnam.

A Chennai Port Trust release said that Vasan is leading a seven-member delegation that includes Shipping Secretary P K Sinha, chairman of Inland Waterways Authority of India Vishvapati Trivedi, Director General of shipping Gautam Chaterjee and chairman and managing director of Cochin Shipyard Commodore Subramaniam among others.

Vasan and Thang discussed ways and means to strengthen cooperation in the maritime sector between India and Vietnam especially in areas such as shipping, ship-building and repair, ports management, ports security and safety, connectivity, human resource development and training, inland waterways etc. The delegation is also visiting Hai Phong Port and Nam Trieu shipyard in Vietnam.

Vasan also visited Hong Kong and held discussions with Prof Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, Secretary for Transport, regarding various avenues of association by the Hong Kong government in the Port Development Projects in India towards port capacity augmentation and logistic improvements. The discussions paved way for mutual understanding of various port related issues.

He also had an interactive session with the members of Ship Owners Association, Hong Kong and explained the capacity augmentation achieved by the Indian Ports in recent times and the business opportunities available in India and requested the members to make use of the Indian ports.

writingonblog uncensored: Minister reviews layout for Chithamanur industrial...

writingonblog uncensored: Minister reviews layout for Chithamanur industrial...: Chennai: Housing and Urban Development Minister R Vaithilingam on Friday reviewed the 32.26 acres layout for Chithamanur Industrial plot...

Minister reviews layout for Chithamanur industrial plot

Chennai:

Housing and Urban Development Minister R Vaithilingam on Friday reviewed the 32.26 acres layout for Chithamanur Industrial plot in Marimalai Nagar along with senior officials.

The layout, which is part of the Marimalai Nagar New Town scheme, is expected to be completed by the end of June.

The minister also urged the Kanchipuram Collector, who accompanied him during his visit to the site, to remove the encroachments from the land earmarked for the New Town scheme.

CMDA is struggling to get back the land to an extent of 178.87 acres, which was acquired to develop satellite town at Marimalai Nagar to regulate population growth of city as suggested by the First Master Plan.

He said that once the encroachments are removed, the land should be used for residential and commercial plots besides building schools and hospitals. The government decided to take up the development of New Town at Maraimalai Nagar near Chengalpet on 1972 and acquired 1,852 acres of land in nine villages of Potheri, Katankulathur, Kilakaranai, Ninnakkarai, Chithamanur, Gudalur, Sengundram, Thirukatchur and Peramanu.

writingonblog uncensored: Tirunelveli based Global Software expands footprin...

writingonblog uncensored: Tirunelveli based Global Software expands footprin...: Chennai: Tirunelveli based Global Software Solution on Friday expanded its footprint in Chennai with the launch of its Global Content Ec...

Tirunelveli based Global Software expands footprint in Chennai

Chennai:

Tirunelveli based Global Software Solution on Friday expanded its footprint in Chennai with the launch of its Global Content Eco Centre.

The Centre was opened by principal secretary and chairman and managing director of SIPCOT Swaran Singh.

Sekar Ponniah, Managing director of Global Software Solutions, said that the Rs 3.4 crore facility would focus on technology innovation in processing and automation related to content, which is the most demanding requirement for any organization of any vertical.

Global Software solutions is the first Indian company to make a application for Cheque Truncation System, which was compliant with National Payments Corporation of India norms. Currently, two cities Chennai and New Delhi have Cheque Truncation System. GSS general manager Venkatraman said that once Cheque truncation System is installed in Mumbai by year-end, one need not wait for three days for the cheques to be credited. It will be done within one day.

Meanwhile, the company’s new product Veracious Document Truncation System was also launched on the occasion by Vipin Surelia, head of Cheque Clearinng, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

“It is the first application for Mandate Management System, which is an initiative by NPCI for bringing Mandates and the resultant ECS debits under an automated clearing house at the national level.

He also said the company has created a product called Document Truncation System. The product provides tools to automate any content related process with a simple to complex functional and workflow requirements. “By this approach we plan to provide solutions to all the verticals like banking, financial, insurance, telecom and others,” Ponniah said

Thanjavur to become premier airbase of Southern Air Command

Chennai:

Thanjavur airbase is poised to become a premier airbase in Southern Air Command with upgradation of its infrastructure.

The upgraded airbase, which was reviewed by Air Marshal RK Jolly, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command on Friday, is expected to be inaugurated by Defence Minister A K Antony on May 27.

The airbase was first constructed in 1940 by the Royal Force (RAF).  During the period 1942-45, 36 squadron, 353 Squadron and 60 Squadron of RAF operated from this airfield with Hudson, Wellington 1C, Hurricane and Thunderbolt aircraft.

These aircraft were used in various roles, which included fighter operations, air transport, anti-shipping and anti-submarine patrol.  After Independence, airfield was handed over to the Airports Authority of India and Vayudoot operations were undertaken from this base.

The status of the airbase as the pride of Southern Air Command befits the city of Thanjavur, which was a jewel in the crown of the Chola and Pandya Kingdoms. 

By the mid-eighties a need was felt to build up IAF’s air power capabilities in the Southern peninsula to provide air defence protection to the high value national assets as well as the island territories.   In addition, there was a growing need to protect the maritime trade and the large exclusive economic zone (EEZ).  The government, therefore, decided to create Southern Air Command at Trivandrum in 1984 and also gave approval for the formation of 47 Wing at Thanjavur. 

The IAF took over the airfield in March 1990.  With the modernization and induction of new technology into the

IAF, a need was felt to upgrade the infrastructure at Thanjavur for use in times of need, and the work towards it started in real earnest.  This included construction of runway, and other operational, maintenance and administrative infrastructure to support air operations.  The air base is now ready to undertake all fighter, transport and helicopter operations.

In the past, this air base has been used extensively for relief operations whenever the southern peninsula was affected by natural calamities. During the heavy floods in Tamil Nadu in November 2008, the IAF helicopters operating from Thanjavur dropped 15,000 kg of relief material in Papanasam, Mulanguri and Pandalenur areas. Such tasks could be undertaken more efficiently with the improved infrastructure at Thanjavur.

Extensive Rainwater Harvesting Can Solve Gurgaon’s Water Problems!

Gurgaon:

The millennium city Gurgaon, sporting some of the biggest skyscrapers—both modern and luxurious—housing offices and residential apartment blocks, frequently battles with the issue of water scarcity. This is something that the city has painfully learnt to live with as it survives on 8 to 16 hours of load shedding.

Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) declared Gurgaon a dark zone way back in 2000, predicting Gurgaon to be waterless dry rocks by 2017, if excessive extraction of groundwater was not stopped immediately.

Despite CGWA ban on ground water extraction in 2000, water level in Gurgaon has been going down by four feet every year. There is no way to rectify this situation unless the rainwater is harvested and effectively utilized. Anticipating severe consequences in future, Punjab and Haryana High Court banned commercial use of ground water, especially in construction, in Gurgaon in 2012.

The Indian arm of the world’s largest contact center firm Teleperformance, headquartered in the city too has silently been doing its bit in this direction.

As part of Telepermance India’s ‘Citizens Of The Planet’ initiative it encourages its employees to reduce environmental impact by propagating sustainable practices, as well as disemminating environmental information in order to preserve for the coming generations a better future.

Sanjay Mehta, Managing Director of India arm of the world’s largest contact center Teleperformance says, “If 2,000 companies take to harvesting rainwater before the next monsoon arrives, the water issues in Gurgaon will be looked after for a year. That way we could plough back in the mother earth over 24,000 million liters of water annually which equals a year’s water consumption in the city. This is indeed a cause worthy of emulating for protecting the future for the millennium city.”

Team Teleperformance set up a rainwater harvesting unit back in 2001, by constructing two wells in its compound. These reserviors collect over 1.4 million liters of water annually. This small initiative, if replicated by every other corporate office in Gurgaon, will have a force multiplier effect to the extent that not only will the water scarcity problem of Gurgaon and neighbouring areas be addressed, but the issue of water logging will also be taken care of.

Interestingly, there’s a minimal investment for putting up a rainwater harvesting unit.  Two wells built within the office premise - one in front and one in rear cost Teleperformance Indian nearly Rs5,00,000 in 2001 and requires almost no maintenance. It is really that simple!

Sensing the criticality of the situation, many companies located in Gurgaon have taken upon themselves to sensitize their employees to conserve water use in offices, go in for rainwater harvesting to restore water levels. Several malls and office complexes have started using water less urinals