writingonblog uncensored: TN likely to have 11 more Post Office Passport Sev...

writingonblog uncensored: TN likely to have 11 more Post Office Passport Sev...: Chennai: Tamil Nadu is likely to have 11 more additional Post Office Passport Seva Kendras in the second phase for delivery of passport...

TN likely to have 11 more Post Office Passport Seva Kendras

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu is likely to have 11 more additional Post Office Passport Seva Kendras in the second phase for delivery of passports to the citizens.

R Anand, postmaster general of Chennai City Region told Express that presently post offices in Vellore and Salem are processing the passport and efforts are on to add more post offices which can provide passport related services.

It is learnt from sources that the Centre is planning to open Post Office Passport Seva Kendras in the state in 11 places under the second phase. They include Cuddalore, Dindigul, Namakkal, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Tiruppur, Viluppuram, Virudhunagar and Kanyakumari.

This is aimed at making the passport issuance process hassle-free and ease burden on passport offices across the country which are grappling with large volume of applications, said Anand.

Interestingly, Post offices in the state are not only offering passport services but also offering services pertaining to Aadhaar cards. “We are offering Aadhaar updation at post offices. If someone has an issue pertaining to correction in name or address, they can walk to the nearest post office and get it done,” said Anand.

He said that it is roughly estimated that more than three lakh people across the country want their Aadhaar card to be updated and this could go to six lakh shortly. “We are planning to provide the service in all the post offices in Chennai region, which also includes Puducherry and Northern Tamil Nadu. Currently, 10 post offices in Chennai region are providing the services,” he said.

During the last one and a half month, around 5,600 Aadhaars were updated, said Anand.

He also said that efforts are on to integrate  post offices in the Chennai region with the rest in India under the Core Banking Solutions by December end. "We will be integrating 534 of the 568 post offices in the region as 34 of the post offices are not technically feasible,” he said.

Factfile:

1. Chennai Region of India Post has 23 lakh postal accounts, including 10.84 lakh saving accounts, 2.4 lakh Sukanya Samriddhi Account, Public Provident Fund account and Senior Citizens Savings Account

2. Tamil Nadu has 97 India Post ATMs of which 21 are located in North Tamil Nadu. This include 10 in Chennai alone

3. India Post ATMs offer five free transactions a day which is highest when compared to other bank ATMs

writingonblog uncensored: TN to enact law soon for channelling all business ...

writingonblog uncensored: TN to enact law soon for channelling all business ...: Chennai: In a bid to woo investment in the state and ensure ease of doing business, the state government is planning to come out with a ...

TN to enact law soon for channelling all business aplications through single portal

Chennai:

In a bid to woo investment in the state and ensure ease of doing business, the state government is planning to come out with a legislation and has asked Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance and Export Promotion Bureau to help draft a bill.

It is learnt that a Bill is being drafted by the Industrial Guidance and Export Promotion Bureau with the help of global consulting agency Deolitte.

The move by the state government comes in the wake of Centre planing to improve its performance in World Bank’s Doing Business Rankings. India is currently ranked 130 in Doing Business Rankings by the World Bank.

The biggest challenge before the Centre is to pursue with the state governments, local bodies and the Supreme Court and high courts for necessary reforms in ease of doing business. Interestingly, Tamil Nadu government which has signed memorandum of understanding worth Rs 2.42 lakh crore worth of investments during the Global Investors Meet could not realise it as most of the projects were delayed due to issue of approvals pertaining to land and buildings.

Sources revealed that the state is likely to notify independent state-level and district level nodal agencies and set up District Industry Centres in all the 32 districts.

It is learnt that once the act is enacted, all the applications will be channelled through a single window portal, which will be integrated with the departments that have to give clearance to investment projects.  

There are also plans to set up a State Single Window Monitoring Committee, which could also act as a appellate authority to redress grievances. The committee is likely to provide a time-frame of 30 to 45 days to raise the grievances which also has to be settled in the given time frame. Sources indicated that it is suggested that the committee should conduct meeting twice a month.

Similarly, plans are also on to set up Investment Promotion and Monitoring Board which will be meeting four times in a year to review the disposal of applications submitted through the single window portal.

Similarly, the state is also planning to protect the interests of Medium Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) by setting up a single window state committee for MSME. This will monitor the disposal of applications which exceeds Rs cover investments above Rs 5 crore.

Box;

Common Building Rules delayed

Chennai:

The single window clearance could be successful only if the state implements the Common Building Rules which do away with the multiple approvals process, according to sources.

Once the Common Building Rules is implemented, force, a set of 60 development rules will govern the construction of building across the state. It is learnt that thousands of crores worth investment to the state is hit due to approval processes.

It is learnt that Tamil Nadu government has prepared a blueprint to frame ‘Tamil Nadu Common building Rules, 2016’ for local bodies in accordance with the

provisions of the Model Building bye-laws but it is yet to be implemented.

Factfile:

1. TN is coming out with a legislation to ensure ease of doing business in the state

2. The Bill is being drafted by the Industrial Guidance and Export Promotion Bureau with the help of global consulting agency Deolitte

3. State Single Window Monitoring Committee, which could also act as a appellate authority to redress grievances.

4. set up Investment Promotion and Monitoring Board which will be meeting four times in a year to review the disposal of applications submitted through the single window portal

5. Industries Guidance Bureau has asked Tamil Nadu e-governance Agency (TNeGA) to develop software for single window facilitation. It is learnt that TNeGA has awarded the work to Muthu Soft Labs.

writingonblog uncensored: TN employees go on stir despite govt terming it a...

writingonblog uncensored: TN employees go on stir despite govt terming it a...: Chennai: Banking transactions as well as state government official machinery was hit as both bank and state government employees went on...

TN employees go on stir despite govt terming it as illegal

Chennai:

Banking transactions as well as state government official machinery was hit as both bank and state government employees went on strike on Tuesday even as Tamil Nadu government warned that the strike by government workers is ‘illegal’.

M Anbarasan, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association said that government offices, colleges and schools has been affected as nearly 10 lakh government employees are participating in a day long strike demanding implementation of Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.

Anbarasan said that agitations will cotinue in 300 to 400 places across the state on Tuesday demanding implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations on par with Central government employees. The government employees are also demanding 20 per cent immediate interim relief before the implementation of Pay Commission recommendations.

Interestingly, the state government has warned the employees that action would be initiated as the strike violates Tamil Nadu Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1973.

In a circular to all secretaries to government, Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan has said that disciplinary action will be initiated against the government officials participating in the strike.

“The absence of employees belonging to recognised or unrecognised service associations of teachers and government employees will be considered unauthorised and they are not entitled to pay and allowances on the basis of the principle ‘No work - No Pay’,” she said.

She also said that part-time employees on daily wages and on consolidated pay will be liable to be discharged from service. She also urged the secretaries to deny casual leave or any other leave other than medical leave for the state government employees on August 22.

Abarasan said a meeting will be held on August 26-27 to prepare for indefinite strike from September 7 if the demands are not met.

Bank Stir: A total of 55,000 bank employees across the state joined the nation-wide strike on Tuesday to protest the plan to privatise public sector banks, merger and consolidation of banks and other demands including not to write-off non performing assets in banks, said All India Bank Employees Association general secretary C H Venkatachalam.

writingonblog uncensored: Chinese data buoy found in Andamans

writingonblog uncensored: Chinese data buoy found in Andamans: Chennai: A Chinese data buoy has been located by Indian Coast Guard and Para Military Force (PMF) on the shores of Kamrota island in th...

Chinese data buoy found in Andamans

Chennai:
A Chinese data buoy has been located by Indian Coast Guard and Para Military Force (PMF) on the shores of Kamrota island in the Nicobar district of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Indian National Centre for Oceanic Information (INCOIS), Hyderabad,
director Dr Satheesh C Shenoi told Express that the Chinese officials
informed INCOIS about the drifting of the buoy towards Indian waters.

The data buoy was deployed at the International waters and has drifted
towards Andaman and Nicobar Islands after breaking free from its
moorings, Shenoi said.

Coast Guard said that based on the information from INCOIS a search
party off Dring Harbour on the North Western side of Kamrota Island
was given the task for locating the yellow colour data buoy.

It was discovered that the buoy landed on beach and the top antenna is
broken and separated, Coast Guard said.

“The approach to the location of the buoy is only from the seaward
side as the area is thickly wooded and has dense forest,” Coast Guard
said.

"Coast Guard is coordinating with National Institute of Ocean
Technology, Chennai to ascertain further details of the buoy," a
statement from the coast guard.

Usually, some of the defence establishments across the world use buoys as underwater listening posts to detect the movement of submarines. They are designed to detect acoustic signals of submarines. Usually, they are released  at a high or low altitude and once they enter the water, the sea actiates the battery and a hydrophone drops on a thin wire to a preset depth below the floating buoy. The hydrophone can be deployed to a depth of 100 fathoms. The data is then relayed back to the aircraft, sources revealed.
EOM

writingonblog uncensored: TNRERA receives 188 applications for registration ...

writingonblog uncensored: TNRERA receives 188 applications for registration ...: Chennai: Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) has received 188 applications manually for registration of real estate p...

PWD verifies records of trucks carrying sand

CHENNAI:

In a bid to curb illegal transportation of sand and create a database of trucks carrying sand from 26 quarries, Public Works Department conducted a special camp for verifying vehicle records.

PWD sources said that the camp was conducted at all the 32 districts by PWD officials along with Regional Transport Officers from August 7 to August 11.

The original records of sand transporting vehicles in the district headquarters was reviewed after which the data of which all lorries are eligible and those who are not eligible will be uploaded online.

“This will help in online procurement of sand from the quarries by the trucks,” the official said.

The trucks whose records are verified will be the only ones that will be allowed to transport sand, the official added.

writingonblog uncensored: TNRERA receives 188 applications for registration ...

writingonblog uncensored: TNRERA receives 188 applications for registration ...: Chennai: Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) has received 188 applications manually for registration of real estate p...

TNRERA receives 188 applications for registration of realty projects

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) has received 188 applications manually for registration of real estate projects and 16 of them have been approved and registration number has been assigned to them.

This was disclosed as Union Housing and Urban Development Secretary Durga Shankar along with additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Rajiv Ranjan Mishra and other Union government officials reviewed the implementation of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), 2016 and other projects in the state.

Sources informed Express that 42 applications for registration of real estate projects are being held back due to lack of particulars for processing the file. It is learnt that letter has been sent calling for the particulars. The remaining 130 applications are being processed.

Similarly, for the registration of real estate agents, a total of 64 applications have been received of which 18 have been approved and issued registration number. Sources said that 20 applications are being held back as they lack particulars and details have been sought. The remaining 26 applications are currently being screened, the sources added.

Interestingly, the applications which are to be submitted after July 31 deadline was to be penalised, as per an official release. But no details are available in this regard.

Similarly, a website which has been created for Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory authority (www.tnrera.in) lacks transparency as the details of former CMDA employees who have been assigned the new task under the Interim RERA is missing, said developers.

Meanwhile, the online registration process, which is under development, will be operational in a week thus resulting in online registration of projects.

Factfile:

TNRERA:

Real Estate Project registration applications  

No of applications received: 188

No projects approved and Reg No assigned: 16

Projects lacking particulars: 42

Projects under scrutiny: 130

Real Estate Agents Applications:

No of applications received: 64

No projects approved and Reg No assigned: 18

Projects lacking particulars: 20

Projects under scrutiny: 26

Box:

Metro Rail Second Phase project reviewed

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE:

The Union Secretary for Housing and Urban Affairs reviewed the Second Phase of Chennai Metro which includes three Metro Rail corridors.

Of the 107 km plus stretch (excluding the extension till Poonamallee), more than half would be underground and the remaining elevated. The total cost as per the feasibility report is estimated at Rs 42,000 crore. The cost of the underground stretch is Rs 32,000 crore while the elevated stretch is Rs 10,000 crore.

The Union Housing secretary also reviewed Pradhanmatri Away Yojana project implemented by the state

writingonblog uncensored: Contract carriage bus terminus to be placed under ...

writingonblog uncensored: Contract carriage bus terminus to be placed under ...: Chennai: The Chennai Contract Carriage Bus Terminus (CCCBT) at Koyambedu will soon be under surveillance as Chennai Metropolitan Develo...

Contract carriage bus terminus to be placed under surveillance

Chennai:

The Chennai Contract Carriage Bus Terminus (CCCBT) at Koyambedu will soon be under surveillance as Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority is planning to have cameras fixed in all corners of the terminus for safety measures.

The move comes as the entry fee for Omni buses entering the CCCBT at Koyambedu will soon be increased to Rs 200 per bus per day.

The decision to this effect was taken during the review meeting held by the Housing and Urban Development Minister Udumalai Radhakrishnan recently.

The bus terminus will also have a boom barrier at  appropriate location so that buses movement are regulated.

Mohammed A Afzal, president of Tamil Nadu Omni Bus Owners Association said that the entry fee has been increased recently to Rs 150 per bus per day in the month of June from Rs 60 per bus per day.

“Now they want to increase the entry fee to Rs 200. We first wanted some amenities to be provided and work is going on in this regard,” said Afzal.

The move to increase the fee to Rs 200 was taken to enable Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to meet the expenditure on maintenance of the bus terminal with the funds generated from the omni bus operators.

The operators were informed that the expenditure on maintenance is very narrow from the total revenue of the CCCBT.

One of the major demands of bus operators is to develop entire lands of CCCBT plus vacant lands of the eastern side (by ignoring the lands with Court Cases), as commercial complex with facility for parking both Government and private buses, said Afzal.

“We have also urged the need to shift the dust bins from the entrance of the terminus into another location immediately as well as provide water supply for all toilets without any restriction,” he added.

writingonblog uncensored: TN contemplating on giving more power to TNFRS to ...

writingonblog uncensored: TN contemplating on giving more power to TNFRS to ...: Chennai: The state government is planning to give more power to Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service as the state is working on formulating...

TN contemplating on giving more power to TNFRS to ensure fire-proof buildings

Chennai:

The state government is planning to give more power to Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service as the state is working on formulating a area-based comprehensive fire safety management plan for Chennai's Central business district (CBD) or the city's main business and commercial area like T Nagar as well as key commecial areas of Chennai Metropolitan Area.



The study will chalk out main business and commercial area in the city as well as commercial areas in the Chennai Metropolitan Area that are vulnerable to fire and come out with a action plan on how to fight and control fire in these areas.



During a recent review meeting chaired by Housing Secretary held earlier this month, it was suggested to increase the scope of fire service with more enforcement powers.



Sources indicated that the plan will also look into consulting private fire safety training institutes for fire safety management plan.



V Sivaramakrishnan, a fire consultant, has welcomed the move by the government to involve fire safety training institutes. However, he said that the government has to ensure that the fire fighting equipment are being installed by the licensed fire safety consultants.



“Currently, the importance of fire safety is lacking while designing a building. The builders take help of unprofessional persons to install fire equipment which can prove costly for human life during a crisis like situation,’ he added.



Meanwhile, the officials are planning to include rules guaranteeing that the building follows Fire Safe Building Practices. This could be included at the time of issuing building permit. This could include use of fire resistant materials in the construction of building.



The government is also contemplating of including third party annual fire safety auditing of buildings. It is learnt that most of the organisations, including hospitals are trying to cut cost by not implementing the basic fire safety norms. Citing an example, Sivaramakrishnan said that a leading hospital in the city refused to implement fire safety norms as the organsisation fears it will affect their profits.



How to implement fire safety plan for Chennai:

1. List out priority business and commercial areas in the heart of the city and commercial areas around CMA and prepare techniques to contain fire during exigencies

2. Third party annual fire safety auditing of buildings

3. Inclusion of Fire Safe Building Practices clause for issuing building permit

4. Ensuring the fire safety equipment is installed by licensed fire consultants

5. Giving more enforcement powers to TNFRS

writingonblog uncensored: TNRERA to be monitored by Chief secy

writingonblog uncensored: TNRERA to be monitored by Chief secy: CHENNAI: The implementation of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), 2016, will be reviewed by Union Housing secretary Du...

TNRERA to be monitored by Chief secy

CHENNAI:

The implementation of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), 2016, will be reviewed by Union Housing secretary Durga Shankar and Tamil Nadu Chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan in the next one week.

This comes as Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has asked the state to set up a a permanent regulatory authority and appellate Tribunal or else the real estate transactions in Tamil Nadu could be hit.

It is learnt that additional secretary of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Rajiv Ranjan Mishra will be in Chennai on August 18 to review implementation of RERA in Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar Island after which Union Housing Secretary Durga Shankar will review the progress of all urban schemes and RERA later in the day.

Similarly, Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan will review the progress on Real Estate Regulatory Authority and the regularisation of unauthorised layout as well as simplification of procedures for building plan approval on August 22.

This comes as interim head of Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority is being shifted into CMDA premises after earlier moves to locate it in Guindy. The move has resulted in High Court appointed Monitoring Committee member M G Deivasahayam stating that CMDA is catching the regulator.

He has also hit out at the move of appointing former CMDA officials without undergoing selection process for the post stating that it will undermine the whole process of having a real estate regulator.

Another issue is the subsequent Government Orders oer how the financial transactions under TNRERA has to be carried out. There have been two Government Orders over remitting the registration fee in the bank account. The initial order by TNRERA on July 11 was that the registration fee was to be remitted under State Bank of India (State government account) or in any of the treasuries or sub treasuries.

This GO was immediately amended stating that the fee has to be remitted in Indian Bank of CMDA branch in Egmore. “Why was the amount not being deposited in state government account or in treasuries when TNRERA is handling not only realty issues pertaining to the state but also of Andaman and Nicobar Islands,” wondered a former official.

Interestingly, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 was notified by the state only on June 22. After the notification, the state government failed to act until the Centre ticked the officials to carry out the registration manually on July before a website is in place.

As a result, the authority started manually registering the projects. A website was created only a week later and this failed to function properly. However, the Centre has given the state time till March next year to have a website ready.

writingonblog uncensored: After 11 years, CMDA processes 1,600 pending files...

writingonblog uncensored: After 11 years, CMDA processes 1,600 pending files...: Chennai: More than 10 years have elapsed but Chennai Metropolitan Development A uthority has yet to clear 1,600 applications submitted...

After 11 years, CMDA processes 1,600 pending files of 1999 regularisation scheme

Chennai:

More than 10 years have elapsed but Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has yet to clear 1,600 applications submitted under the previous regularisation scheme to regularise unauthorised building built before 1999.

Despite a three month deadline to clear all the pending applications under the 1999 Regularisation Scheme as per Madras High Court order in 2006, the pending files are now being scrutinised by CMDA officials to provide an opportunity for all Section 113-A applicants to apply under the new regularisation policy.

It is learnt that the member secretary of CMDA has given a deadline to officials working in six units of CMDA to process the 1,600 applications withing August 21, 2017.

The 1999 regularisation scheme was implemented by introducing a amendment in 1998 by including a provision Section 113 A under Town and Country Planning Act. Under the amendment, government is empowered, on an application being made by the person affected, to exempt any land or building developed immediately before the date of commencement of this Amending Act, from all or any of the provisions of the Act or Rules or Regulations made thereunder, by collecting regularisation fee at such rate not exceeding Rs.2,000 per square metre.

With the new provision Section 113-C being introduced as an amendment under the Town and Country Planning Act, the unauthorised development built before July 1, 2007 is now being implemented after the government came up with fresh guidelines after the earlier ones were struck down by Madras High Court.

Interestingly, the move by CMDA to process the pending files under the earlier regularisation scheme has been criticised by Madras High Court appointed Monitorig Committee member M G Deivasahayam. Madras High Court had appointed monitoring committee to oversee the implementation of Section 113-A after the frequent amendments by state government to relax the rules for violators under Section 113-A was opposed by civic groups.

Deivasahayam said that processing of pending applications under Section 113-A is a violation of 2006 order. It may lead to contempt of court. As per Para 12 of the judgement, “The Monitoring Committee shall be consulted for applications claiming exemption under section 113-A of the Act.”

“The Monitoring Committee has not been consulted in this regard,” says Deivasahayam.

“Once the files are scrutinised, then as per Madras High Court order, it has to be put before the Monitoring Committee,” said Deivasahayam.

The delay in scrutinising the old files has been a cause of concern among the civic groups who want to fix the responsibility on the officials. “How could the new act be implemented when old files pertaining to earlier regularisation scheme is pending,” reasoned a former planner. Interestingly, CMDA had created a separate section to process the files for regularisation. “While for 11 years the files have been lying undisturbed, now within the next three weeks they would be scrutinised,” observed a former planner. The 1,600 files will be scrutinised by 15 officials.

Deivasahayam, who is opposing the implementation of Section 113-C, which gives lifeline to unauthorised construction built before 2007, says that before implementing the new amendment, the order of earlier High court division bench should have been over-ruled.

“With Supreme Court order stating that Section 113-A is a one time measure, the state should have also appealed against it before introducing the new amendment,” Deivasahayam contended.

writingonblog uncensored: Metro water to float tender for 150MLD desal plant...

writingonblog uncensored: Metro water to float tender for 150MLD desal plant...: Chennai: Chennai Metro Water is planning to float the tender for new 150MLD desalination plant by August 31 and it would be ready in t...

Metro water to float tender for 150MLD desal plant by Aug 31

Chennai:

Chennai Metro Water is planning to float the tender for new 150MLD desalination plant by August 31 and it would be ready in the next two years, according to a Metro Water official.

“The drought is being expected every three years as a result, the government is planning to have two desalination plants within next couple of years,” the official said.

The 400 MLD desalination plant in Nemelli is likely to be taken up soon as efforts are on to prepare detailed project report.

This would mean the city, which is expanding, will have 750MLD of water from desalination plants in the ext couple of years.

Meanwhile, the city’s water supply will be crippled with the loss of 100 MLD of water for a day with emergency maintenance work being carried out at Kattupulli desalination plant in Minjur.

The city is being supplied with around 430 MLD of water and one-day maintenance work from August 10 (10am) to August 11 (10am) will affect the water supply. “We may be getting around 350MLD of water on the that day,” sources said.

It is leant that piped water supply to Madhavaram, Manali, Thiruvottiyur, Ernavoor, Kathivakkam, Patel nagar, Radhakrishnan Nagar, Kodungaiyur, Kannadasan Nagar, MKB Nagar and Vyasarpadi will be hit.

Interestingly, Chennai Metro water is relying only on desalination plants and ground water to quench the thirst of the city.

All the four reservoirs supplying water to the city have nearly dried up with Poondi and Chembarambakkam having only dead storage. Chembarambakkam has 75 million cubic feet of water. The water is being sucked out by building a small channel to extract the water. “We may be able to get 325 MLD of water from the dead storage,” sources added. Poondi has only 19 million cubic feet of water.  

Meanwhile, efforts are on to tap Eramaiyur quarries in Mudichur. It has a potential for 1,000 MLD of water but we have to create infrastructure like laying of pipelines, the official said.

Lake levels

Poondi:

Full Capacity: 3231 million cubic feet

Storage last year: 653

current level: 19mcft

Cholavaram:

Full Capacity: 881 million cubic feet

Storage last year: 73mcft

Current level: 00 mcft

Red Hills:

Full Capacity: 3300 million cubic feet

Storage last year: 989mcft

Current level: 00 mcft

Chembarambakkam:

Full Capacity: 3645 million cubic feet

Storage last year: 1456mcft

Current level: 75 mcft

Capacity of four reservoirs: 11057 million cubic feet

Last year level: 3,171 mcft

Current level: 94mcft

writingonblog uncensored: Give your innovative ideas for rural sanitation

writingonblog uncensored: Give your innovative ideas for rural sanitation: New Delhi: The Ministry of Drinking water and Sanitation (MDWS) is organizing Swachhathon 1.0- the Swachh Bharat Hackathon, to crowd sourc...

Give your innovative ideas for rural sanitation

New Delhi:

The Ministry of Drinking water and Sanitation (MDWS) is organizing Swachhathon 1.0- the Swachh Bharat Hackathon, to crowd source solutions for the pressing issues pertaining to Sanitation. The event will be held on September 8 and the portal for submission of entries has been online since August 2, 2017 at (http://innovate.mygov.in/swachhathon-1.0/)

The Primary target of the Ministry is youth from rural areas, who can come up with innovative solutions to problems in the following categories:

a)      Innovative, Sustainable, Environmental-friendly and affordable toilet technology for hilly, dry, flood prone and remote areas.

b)       Technological solutions to monitor the usage of toilets.

c)      Technological  salutations for bringing behavioral change for toilet usage and hygiene.

d)     Innovative models and methods  to improve  the operation and maintenance  of school toilets .

e)      Innovative  solutions for Menstrual Health Management(MHM).

f)       Innovative  solutions  for early  decomposition  of faecal matter.

India has 18 Biosphere Reserves, says Union environmet minister

New Delhi:
There are 18 Biosphere Reserves in the Country, according to Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan.

Biosphere Reserve (BR) is an international designation by UNESCO for representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large area of terrestrial or coastal/ marine ecosystems or a combination thereof. They are special environments for both people and the nature and are living examples of how human beings and nature can co-exist while respecting each other’s needs.

The Biosphere Reserve Programme is guided by UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme as India is a signatory to the landscape approach supported by MAB programme. A scheme called Biosphere Reserve is being implemented by Government of India since 1986, in which financial assistance is given in 90:10 ratio to the North Eastern Region States and three Himalayan states and in the ratio of 60:40 to other states for maintenance, improvement and development of certain items. The State Government prepares the Management Action Plan which is approved and monitored by Central MAB Committee”.

LIST OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES:

1) Cold Desert, Himachal Pradesh

2) Nanda Devi, Uttrakhand

3) Khangchendzonga, Sikkim

4) Dehang-Debang, Arunachal Pradesh

5) Manas, Assam

6) Dibru-Saikhowa, Assam

7) Nokrek, Meghalaya

8) Panna, Madhya Pradesh

9) Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh

10) Achanakmar-Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh-Chattisgarh

11) Kachchh, Gujarat

12) Similipal, Odisha

13) Sundarban, West Bengal

14) Seshachalam, Andhra Pradesh

15) Agasthyamala, Karnataka-Tamil Nadu-Kerala

16) Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu-Kerala

17) Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu

18) Great Nicobar, Andaman & Nicobar Island

writingonblog uncensored: TN prepares blueprint for sustainable urban growth...

writingonblog uncensored: TN prepares blueprint for sustainable urban growth...: Rs 50 cr regional plan proposed by Directorate of Town and Country Planning Chennai: The concept of planned development is so far limite...

TN prepares blueprint for sustainable urban growth

Rs 50 cr regional plan proposed by
Directorate of Town and Country Planning
Chennai:
The concept of planned development is so far limited only to cities
and its extended areas. But perhaps for the first time the state
government is embarking on a framing a “regional plan” that would
include land use pattern for the entire state, except the Chennai
Metropolitan Area.

Sources privy to the matter said the “regional plan” would be similar
to the master plans that cities like Chennai and Coimbatore have. But
the new plan, since it covers much of the state, would aim for
preservation of agricultural lands and natural habitats. The main
objective of the plan was to prepare a roadmap for balanced growth
across the state with 2050 as the horizon year.

It is learnt that the Directorate of Town and Country Planning has
estimated the cost of preparing the regional plan at around Rs 50
crore and a consultant would be engaged for the purpose. Sources told
Express that such a regional plan covering entire state is required to
manage a sustainable urban growth.

Since the urban planning is presently done only to cities and its
extended areas, hardly five percent of the state’s landscape is coming
under planned growth. The developments in rest of the areas are mostly
haphazard. Out of 1.28 lakh square metres of area coming under
Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), only 0.07 lakh square
metres presently has some sort of a master plan.

The new “regional plan” will map various factors like agro-climatic
zones, eco-sensitive zones, groundwater, green and forest cover, urban
heat island, biodiversity, pollution levels of water, soil, land and
air. The prepare the plan, a consultant with regional planning
expertise using Geographic Information System could be engaged.
Sources said tenders to select the consultant would be awarded after
constituting a Tender Accepting Authority, which will include
Commissioner of Town and Country Planning and representative from
housing and finance departments and chief planner of Chennai
Metropolitan Development Authority.

The move of the state government comes in the back drop of Union
government asking Tamil Nadu to prepare master plan for 32 cities in
Tamil Nadu, which have been selected under the Atal Mission for
Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).

As per norms, state has to create GIS based land use master plan for
all Amrut cities. The 32 cities are part of 500 cities, which the
Centre plans to fund a 10-year development programme with an
investment of Rs 2 lakh crore.

A study by The New Climate Economy, released by The Global Commission
on the Economy and Climate has predicted that India’s urban population
is expected to cross 600 million by 2031 and the growth which is
largely taking place on the fringe of cities is unplanned and outside
the purview of city codes and by-laws.

What the regional plan will do:
1. It will map proposed institutional areas and its location in peri-urban areas
2. It will identify major economic hubs and industrial estates
3. Preferred locations and norms for regional landfill site
4. Bring in regional landuse plan and development controls
5. Proposals for MSME clusters
6. Growth areas and satellite townships
7. Development corridors and transit oriented developments

writingonblog uncensored: TNRERA registers 100 projects manually as website ...

writingonblog uncensored: TNRERA registers 100 projects manually as website ...: Chennai: Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) has registered manually more than 100 projects as the deadline for registe...

TNRERA registers 100 projects manually as website faces technical glitches

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) has registered manually more than 100 projects as the deadline for registering projects under the the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 came to an end on July 31, 2017.

A top official of TNRERA said that the whole process was done manually as the website is yet to yet to be developed.

“The rules were notified recently and it requires lot of approval to put in place the website. We are trying to set it up in the next couple of weeks,” the official said.

“We are accepting the applications manually and will screen them. This is being done after Union government has asked us to manually register the applications,” the official said.

The uploading of all registered applications will take time, the official said.

Interestingly, the projects are being manually registered by former Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority officials who are now the office-bearers of Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The office of TNRERA is functioning along with that of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the premises of CMDA.

Experts alleged that the vouched transparency in real estate suffered a blow as buyers are being kept in the dark on the details about projects being registered as all the registrations are being done manually.

High Court appointed Monitoring Committee member of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority M G Deivasahayam said that, “Confusion is the first law of corruption. It has to be done online. There is a hidden agenda,” he said.

Deivasahayam also hit out at the recruitment of former CMDA officials in RERA. “It is like catching the regulator. The regulator has to be independent. Now CMDA will be dictating terms to RERA. It will function as an arm of CMDA,” he said.

Interestingly, planners have cited examples and pointed out how CMDA took control of Koyambedu Market and Iron and Steel Market which was to function independently under the marketing management committee (MMC) as per Specific Commodities Act. However, the powers of both the markets were diluted with CMDA controlling the entire market.

A top TNRERA official defended the move to hire former CMDA officials stating that they have the expertise but Deivasahayam dismissed it as “Jugaad.”

Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) president Suresh Krishn said that most of the developers have submitted the applications manually as the website faced technical glitches.

Factfile:

1. Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 was notified only on June 22

2. The state government failed to act until the Centre ticked the officials off to carry out the registration manually on July.

3. As a result, the authority started manually registering the projects.

4. A website was created only a week later and this failed to function properly after the housing secretary set the deadline to July 31 sparking protests from the developers.

Tangedco prepares Rs 200 crore action-plan to clean-up flyash from water bodies

Chennai:

After the rap by National Green Tribunal, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) has come up with a Rs 200 crore action plan to clean-up flyash from Buckingham Canal and Kosasthalayar Basin.

Ruling out that Ennore Creek is being polluted by North Chennai Thermal Power Station, a top official from Tangedco told Express that the action plan will be submitted to National Green Tribunal on Thursday.

“We have already cleared the ash deposits along the banks of Kosasthalayar which leaked from the cast iron pipe. We will be submitting the photos as evidence,” said the official.

“We used the poclains to clean up the deposits of ash which was pointed out to us due to leakage in the 7km to 8km long pipeline,” the official said.

The clean up will be carried out in two stages. Under the first stage, the focus would be to plug the leaks in the pipeline. “For this we have allocated Rs 5 crore. The pipelines will be patched up immediately,” the official said.

“Under the next stage we are allocating Rs 200 crore to replace the entire pipeline. This would take nearly 12 to 16 months as we have to shut down the pipes one by one to carry out the replacement,” the official said

He said the pipelines are 25 year old and has small punctures from which the slurry, that is transported from the North Chennai Thermal Power Station to Ash pond in the government land near the Ennore Creek, gets leaked and gets deposited here and there.

He also ruled out Tangedco has got anything to do with polluting the Ennore Creek. “The land where the ash pond is located is a government land alloted to us when the thermal plant came up. “We are clearing the ash as and when the pond fills up,” he said.

The action plan by Tangedco has been drafted after National Green Tribunal (NGT) warned it that its North Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS) would be shut down if discharge of toxic fly ash into water bodies at Ennore is not contained within a week.

The green bench has also proposed to form a committee, comprising soil scientist, hydrologist and biodiversity experts, to assess the impacts to creek, mangroves, Buckingham canal and other water bodies during the course of clean-up.

Interestingly, the North Chennai Thermal Power Station has drawn flak from the Comproller and Auditor General Report which has stated that the plant is operating without the consent of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. The report has stated that TNPCB has yet to give its consent as the two plants did not revamp existing pollution control systems like Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) and not installing and connecting online continuous effluent monitoring systems with TNPCB’s server.

Factfile:

1. Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation has come up with a Rs 200 crore action plan to clean-up flyash from Buckingham Canal and Kosasthalayar Basin.

2. The fly ash deposited in the water bodies is due to leakage in the 25 year old cast iron pipe

3. TANGEDCO has allocated Rs 5 crore to patch up the leaks.

4. It will allocate Rs 200 crore to replace the entire pipeline.

5. The whole exercise will be carried out in 12 to 16 months

writingonblog uncensored: Your subsidised gas cylinder dearer by Rs 2

writingonblog uncensored: Your subsidised gas cylinder dearer by Rs 2: Chennai:  The price of your gas cylinder has gone up by Rs 2 in Chennai as part of Union government’s move to eliminate all subsidies...

Your subsidised gas cylinder dearer by Rs 2

Chennai: 

The price of your gas cylinder has gone up by Rs 2 in Chennai as part of Union government’s move to eliminate all subsidies by March next year.

The gas cylinder which cost you Rs 465.56 last month has now been priced Rs 467.35.

However, the good news is that the price of non-susidised cylinder has come down by Rs 41. The price of non-subsidised cylinder, which was Rs 574 last month, is now priced at Rs 533.  

Indian Oil Corporation sources said the government has recently ordered state-run oil companies to raise subsidised cooking gas (LPG) prices by Rs. 4 per cylinder every month.

This comes as public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) were authorised to increase price of subsidised domestic LPG cylinder by Rs. 2 per cylinder (14.2-kg) per month (excluding VAT) with effect from July 1, 2016. Oil companies had hiked LPG rates on several occasions since then

Interestingly, the price of subsidised gas cylinder has been rising continuously from November 2016 till July 1, 2017. The steepest hike was of Rs 31 in the month of July when the price was increased from Rs 434.15 to Rs 465.56.

There are as many as 18.11 crore customers of subsidized LPG in the country. These include 2.5 crore poor women who were given free connections during the last one year under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna. There are another 2.66 crore users of non-subsidised cooking gas.

writingonblog uncensored: SC panel issues notice to evict 600 acres of Panch...

writingonblog uncensored: SC panel issues notice to evict 600 acres of Panch...: Chennai: More than 5,000 acres of Panchami lands (Depressed Classed Assigned lands) have been occupied by other communities in eight di...

SC panel issues notice to evict 600 acres of Panchami lands

Chennai:

More than 5,000 acres of Panchami lands (Depressed Classed Assigned lands) have been occupied by other communities in eight districts of Tamil Nadu and action has been initiated to get them back, according to Vice-Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes L Murugan.

Murugan, who is conducting a hearing of cases pertaining to atrocities against Scheduled Castes at State Guest House, told Express that notice has been served to people of other communities occupying 600 acres of Panchami land to vacate it.

As per law, the Panchami land, which came into being after Madras government passed the Government Orders 1010 and 1010A dated  September 30, 1892, could not be sold, or mortgaged to anyone.

Dalit activists claim that despite the act, panchami lands meant for dalits have vanished. And what is more there has also been a fall in the dalit owners of such lands.

On Dalits in the State being forced to approach the courts to register even First Information Reports pertaining to cases linked to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Murugan said that this attitude of officials should be changed. “According to new amendment to the act, if officer is neglecting his duty file FIRs under the Prevention of Atrocities Act, action can be taken against the official, he said.

Murugan said that he is hearing eight case and one of them pertains to a murder case in Puducherry where in the Director General of Police, Puducherry is being summoned.

Murugan said that he along with director of Adi Dravidar Welfare reviewed the implementation of schemes for Scheduled Castes. He said that he will be reviewing the schools and college hostels run by the Adi Dravidar Welfare department.

writingonblog uncensored: TN health drink Neera to be showcased in global fo...

writingonblog uncensored: TN health drink Neera to be showcased in global fo...: Chennai: Neera, a health drink prepared from the sap of Coconut palm, is likely to be showcased in the World Food India 2017 platform in...

TN health drink Neera to be showcased in global food expo

Chennai:

Neera, a health drink prepared from the sap of Coconut palm, is likely to be showcased in the World Food India 2017 platform in New Delhi, according to Tamil Nadu agriculture minister R Doraikannu and agriculture secretary Gagandeep Singh.

This comes after the government permitted the sales and marketing of the Neera, considered to be a health drink for persons suffering from diabetes as it has low glycemic index (GI).

The GI is a measure of how quickly and how high a particular food item raises the blood sugar level by releasing glucose into the blood stream.

Addressing a World Food India 2017 roadshow, organised by Confederation of Indian Industry, Gangandeep Singh said that the state is planing to market the drink globally and plans are on to set up Neera processing units with help from Coconut Development Board,

Singh said that government will allow only coconut growers associations, cooperative societies and coconut growers federations to extract neera using ‘anti-fermentation liquid’ (AFL).

Interestingly, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal had said that World Food India Summit, to be held in New Delhi from November 3 to 5, will have a special section where in such natural health drinks like Neera and other products will be popularised globally

writingonblog uncensored: Two more mega food parks to be set up in Villupura...

writingonblog uncensored: Two more mega food parks to be set up in Villupura...: Chennai: Tamil Nadu is likely to have two more mega food parks in Villupuram and Krishnagiri by availing funds from the Centre under the...

Two more mega food parks to be set up in Villupuram, Krishnagiri

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu is likely to have two more mega food parks in Villupuram and Krishnagiri by availing funds from the Centre under the Kisan Sampada Yojana, according to Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu and state agriculture secretary Gagandeep Singh.

Talking to Express on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 roadshow, both the minister and the secretary said that the state is preparing a project report for setting up mega foodpark in Villupuram and Krishnagiri districts under the just announced Kisan Sampada Yojana.

Land has been identified to set up Mega Food Park in Villupuram. The process is on to identify land in Krishnagiri, they added. This comes as Ministry of Food Processing Industry has accorded ‘in-principle’ approval on January 3, 2017 to Ratnatray Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd. for setting up of a Mega Food Park at Village Akkarai Sengapally, Annur Taluka, in Coimbatore district.

This comes as Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal urged the state to avail funds under Kisan Sampada Scheme. The scheme has Rs 6,000 crore outlay and the focus is on mega food parks, integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure as well as creating infrastructure for agro-processing clusters.

The mega food park aims at providing a mechanism to link agricultural production to the market by bringing together farmers, processors and retailers so as to ensure maximizing value addition, minimizing wastage, increasing farmers’ income and creating employment opportunities particularly in rural sector, said Badal. She said all the 42 mega food parks, taken up during Congress regime, will be completed in the next two years

Meanwhile, Doraikannu and Singh said that there is also a proposal to set up banana processing plant in Tuticorin and Theni districts. “We will be seeking funds from the Centre in this regard,” he said.

Singh said that the government is planning to set up fish processing plants in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam. This comes as lot of the catch in these two areas are being sent to neighbouring Kerala to be processed and exported. Already a fish processing plant is being set up in Thiruvallur on Sipcot land by a priate firm Monsoon Bounty.

The state government is also setting up terminal market complex in Melur in Madurai and Navalur near Sriperumbudur, said Singh.

writingonblog uncensored: TN health Minister evades taxes worth Rs 14 cr

writingonblog uncensored: TN health Minister evades taxes worth Rs 14 cr: Chennai: Tamil Nadu Health Minister Vijaya Bhaskar is believed to have evaded taxes worth Rs 14 crore as Income Tax recorded his stateme...

TN health Minister evades taxes worth Rs 14 cr

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Vijaya Bhaskar is believed to have evaded taxes worth Rs 14 crore as Income Tax recorded his statements after questioning him for two hours.

Emerging from the Director General of Income Tax (Investigations) building after being grilled by Income Tax officials for two hours, the minister accepted that the stone crusher unit attached in  100 acre land belongs to him.

While he did not mention about evasion of taxes, it is learnt from sources that it could be around Rs 14 crore. The minister also hit out at the allegations made by the media. “There has been no press release. But the media has been spreading lies. The blue metal company was alleged to be run by a cook Subbiah. Subbiah is a sub-contractor and not a cook. He is a respectable man and has a son who works abroad,” the minister said.

He also said that Income Tax department is well within its powers to attach his property under the new rules. “I am a law abiding citizen. I have been cooperating despite being in a position of power,” he said.

“They had summoned me to appear on 4.30pm. I reached there by 5.30 pm. For two hours they questioned me,” he said.

He also said that the blue metal company is functioning within the rules. “There are 120 stone crushers in the area. It is one of the traditional form of business in that area. I am also one of the entreprenuers. Everything is within the rule,” the minister said.

“Once the inquiry is over in the next six months. I will get back my property after undergoing due processes. I have been paying value added tax, income tax and sales tax for the property,” he said.