writingonblog uncensored: Centre plans to develop aerocity around Chennai’s ...

writingonblog uncensored: Centre plans to develop aerocity around Chennai’s ...: CHENNAI: The governments at the Centre and State are working together to firm up plans on setting up a second airport, a greenfield ...

Centre plans to develop aerocity around Chennai’s second greenfield airport

CHENNAI:

The governments at the Centre and State are working together to firm up plans on setting up a second airport, a greenfield facility, and developing an aerocity around it.

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha told reporters that efforts are on to acquire 1,000 to 2,000 acres of land to develop a world class greenfield aerocity on lines like that of Gurgaon.

The new airport, he added, would be built within next five years as Chennai airport would attain saturation by then.

To a query on whether the plans to expand the present airport would be hit with the proposal to go in for a greenfield airport, the minister said work was progressing in this regard and the bids for building new terminals as part of Phase II expansion of Chennai airport would be floated in January next year.

"From the date of bidding, it will take 24 to 36 months to complete the entire second phase of Chennai airport expansion," he said.

The expansion work is likely to cost more than Rs 2,000 crore along with a walkator in front of the terminal building and some airside work.

The minister, who was here to inaugurate the opening of air services from Chennai to Mysuru, said the first phase of regional connectivity scheme has been a success with bigger players like Indigo, Jet Airways and Spicejet wanting to take part in the bids under the second phase.

“There are 400 airstrips in India and under the fist phase we are planning to open 100 of them,” he said.

The minister added that he was looking into suggestions of having more international flights to Coimbatore and Tiruchy, and better service to Madurai.

Meanwhile, Trujet Managing director, V Mahesh said Trujet will also launch service from Thoothkudi to Chennai on November. “It will be a non-regional connectivity scheme service,” he added.

writingonblog uncensored: 1.9 kg of gold worth Rs 58 lakh recovered from air...

writingonblog uncensored: 1.9 kg of gold worth Rs 58 lakh recovered from air...: CHENNAI: The Air Intelligence Unit of Customs department has foiled several bids to smuggle gold from the airport by seizing 1.9 kg of g...

1.9 kg of gold worth Rs 58 lakh recovered from air passengers in 4 separate cases

CHENNAI:

The Air Intelligence Unit of Customs department has foiled several bids to smuggle gold from the airport by seizing 1.9 kg of gold worth around Rs 58 lakh from air passengers in the airport during the last four days, according to Rajan Chaudhary, Commissioner of Customs, Anna International Airport.

Sleuths foiled the bid to smuggle 930 grams of gold worth 27.7 lakh by Mohammed Mohideen who had arrived from Dubai on an Emirates flight on Saturday.

He was carrying the gold in ‘XFORM’ power supply units for personal computer. Once the power supply units were unscrewed by customs department sleuths on suspicion, it was found that the gold was embedded on the circuit boards of the transformers. The passenger was arrested.

In a separate case, 350 grams of gold worth Rs 10.3 lakh was seized from Madampara Sharif, who hid the gold inside rectum. The passenger arrived from Dubai by Indigo Airlines flight on Saturday.

In another two cases, 388 grams of gold worth Rs 11.5 lakh was recovered from a passenger Abdul Samad, who arrived from Dubai by Indigo Airlines flight while 209 grams of gold worth Rs 6.2 lakh was seized from passenger Parvees Abdul Azeez, who arrived from Dubai by Air India flight. In both the case, the gold was concealed in the pant pockets

writingonblog uncensored: New economic policies improved growth rate but inc...

writingonblog uncensored: New economic policies improved growth rate but inc...: CHENNAI: Former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the economic policies followed by governments since 1991 may have increased the ...

New economic policies improved growth rate but increased inequality, says former Cong minister

CHENNAI:

Former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the economic policies followed by governments since 1991 may have increased the growth rate of country but it has also resulted in the increase in inequality.

“It is one of the question I still could not understand that while on one hand we have high growth rate but the other hand we have inequality on the rise,” said Ramesh while addressing the 107th AGM of Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI).

He said he is not blaming right wing policies for economic slowdown as since 1991, the economic reforms were a right wing policy.

“The issue is economic management by the present government which has to be blamed. The government is looking at quick-fix solutions rather at structural solutions,” said Ramesh.

Slamming the Narendra Modi government for economic policies, Ramesh said that it requires great skill to screw up economy when oil prices are so low globally. “During our time, the oil price was $140 a barrel and now it is $50 a barrel. But we are still seeing a growth of 5pc,” he said.

He also hit out at Finance minister Arun Jaitley stating that he brought tax reforms in 2017 giving extraordinary powers to tax officials which in the longer run is not good. The mindset is of ‘tax-terrorism,” he said.

He said that the policies of government has become unpredictable. The rhetoric is pro-business but action is not pro-business. There is a deep distrust that all businesses are tax evaders. Our nation is not of tax evaders but a tax minimising nation, he said.  

writingonblog uncensored: TN to pass ordinance to implement TN Business Faci...

writingonblog uncensored: TN to pass ordinance to implement TN Business Faci...: CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government may go in for an ordinance next month to implement the Tamil Nadu Business Facilitation Bill to ensure ea...

TN to pass ordinance to implement TN Business Facilitation Bill next month

CHENNAI:

Tamil Nadu government may go in for an ordinance next month to implement the Tamil Nadu Business Facilitation Bill to ensure ease of doing business in the state, according to executive vice-chairperson of Tamilnadu Industrial Guidance and export Promotion Bureau Shilpa Prabhakar Satish.

The Bill has been drafted by the Industrial Guidance and Export Promotion Bureau with the help of global consulting agency Deolitte and remarks have been sought from the industry, said Shilpa.

Initially, the plan was to introduce the Bill in the assembly but with the current political situation, the government is planning to pass an ordinance, sources said.

 

She said the bill has been uploaded on the website and invited the industry to give its remarks

She also said the single window portal, which will be integrated with 32 services of seven to eight departments, is ready and will undergo a soft launch in next two to three days.

“We will be launching it in October once it undergoes the security audit,” said Shilpa.

She also said that Sipcot has a land bank of 53,000 hectares of land of which 40,000 hectares have been identified for development and administrative sanction has been given to 30,000 hectares. She said that the focus of the state government is to spread out industries away from the cities so that development is evenly spread.

She also said that plans are there to set up Tertiary Treatment and Reverse Osmosis (TTRO) plants to supply water to SIPCOT industries

writingonblog uncensored: Air Traffic Management to undergo sea change with ...

writingonblog uncensored: Air Traffic Management to undergo sea change with ...: CHENNAI: Air Traffic Management will undergo a sea change in India with the introduction of Space Based Automatic Dependent Surveillance...

Air Traffic Management to undergo sea change with space tech app

CHENNAI:

Air Traffic Management will undergo a sea change in India with the introduction of Space Based Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) Broadcast where in the pilot doesn’t have to feed in his location to the Air Traffic Control room every 10 to 15 minutes.

Pradeep Kandoth, general manager Air Traffic Management (ATM), Chennai, said that it is being proposed to use the Space Based ADS to monitor the airspace along the seas.

The Space-based ADS-B service will complement ground-based air traffic surveillance systems currently in use, by seamlessly relaying position and status information of aircraft flying over oceans, poles and remote regions to air traffic controllers on the ground.  This new capability is a quantum leap for remote surveillance thus unlocking operational efficiencies, reducing fuel costs and enhancing safety in remote and oceanic airspace.

It is learnt that Airport Authority of India has signed a memorandum of understanding with Aireon, developer and operator of the world’s first space-based global air traffic surveillance system to collaborate on the potential deployment of Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) services in Indian airspace.

This would ensure the surveillance over 1,200 nautical miles over the Indian Ocean with radar like pictures.

He also said that there are plans to bifurcate the  Oceanic airspace of Chennai which  spans an area of around 4,00,000 Square nautical miles through which around 400 International Overflying aircraft transit daily using the 14 International routes providing the vital connectivity between East and Western parts of the Globe.

“We are planning to bifurcate it into lower and upper airspace in the next five to six months,” he said.

He said that Airport Authority of India (AAI) is in the process of implementing Central Command Centre, Air Traffic Flow Management (CATFM) system covering the entire Indian airspace and major airports. This was implemented by the United States after terror attacks in 2001. “We have already implemented it in Delhi,” he said

He said Airport Authority of India, Chennai, has undertaken the project of Sectorising the Oceanic Airspace on trial basis. The airspace is  split into two sectors after assessing the workload of the controllers, traffic density in each sector , number of  traffic conflict points requiring controllers’ intervention  and the communication or surveillance facilities  available in each sector.  

writingonblog uncensored: Postal assistant under CBI scanner

writingonblog uncensored: Postal assistant under CBI scanner: CHENNAI: A postal assistant of Karaikudi Head Post Office and her husband is under the scanner of Central Bureau of Investigation (Anti...

Postal assistant under CBI scanner

CHENNAI:

A postal assistant of Karaikudi Head Post Office and her husband is under the scanner of Central Bureau of Investigation (Anti-Corruption Branch) for possessing disproportionate assets which is 206 per cent more than her known source of income.

CBI said that Muthumathi’s income from October 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016 was taken in for computation and it was found that she acquired large number of assets in her name and that of family members.

It is learnt that the income from salary, rental income, deposits, interest earned and loans availed from October 1, 2014 to June 20, 2016 was 4.39 lakh.

Muthumathi joined the postal department on March 2011 as postal assistant. She is the lone earning member and her husband is unemployed.

writingonblog uncensored: Slum Clearance board to build 8.29 lakh homes und...

writingonblog uncensored: Slum Clearance board to build 8.29 lakh homes und...: C Shivakumar @ Chennai: Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board, the state level nodal agency for implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (P...

Slum Clearance board to build 8.29 lakh homes under housing for all scheme

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board, the state level nodal agency for implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), has sought permission from the state government to build 8.29 lakh homes in the 666 urban local bodies in the state under the four components of the scheme.

It is learnt that Slum Clearance Board was implementing the scheme under three components which include insitu slum redevelopment; affordable housing in partnership with private and public sectors as well as parastatal agencies and subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction. The fourth component, Affordable Housing through Credit Linked Subsidy, is being implemented by urban local bodies and municipalities.

The housing requirement under all the four verticals is 8.29 lakh. The State Government is seeking approval for constructing 2.01 lakh houses during the year 2017-18 and the the project cost works out to Rs 7078.61 crore.

Sources said that Slum Clearance Board wants to take over the Credit Linked Subsidy component from the local bodies. Under this component, interest subvention subsidy is offered for economic weaker section and low income group for building new houses.

Houses with size upto 30 square metre is offered at subsidized rate to economic weaker section whose income is less than Rs 3 lakh while houses with size upto 60 square metres is offered to low income group with an income not less than Rs 3 lakh and not more than Rs 6 lakh.

The housing requirements under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme is 1.47 lakh and slum clearance board officials feel that progress made by the local bodies has been slow.

Factfile:

Housing for all Mission is being implemented under 4 verticals.

1.  Insitu Slum Redevelopment:

a.  Using land as a resource

b.  With private participation

c.  Offering extra Floor Space Index or transferrable development rights (TDRs)

2.  Affordable Housing through Credit Linked subsidy:

a.  Interest subvention subsidy for EWS and LIG

b.   EWS: Annual household income upto rs 3 lakh and house size upto 30sqm

c.  LIG: Annual Household income between Rs 3 to Rs 6 lakh and house sizes upto 60 square metres

3.  Affordable Housing in Partnership

a.  Partnership with priate and public sectors and parastatal agencies

b.  Central assistance as per EWS house in affordable housing projects where 35pc of constructed houses are for EWS

4.  Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction

a.  For EWS individuals requiring individual house

b.  State to prepare a separate project for such beneficiaries

c.  No isolated or splintered beneficiary to be covered

Factfile 2:

1. Total Houses requirement in 666 urban local bodies is 8.29 lakh

2. The State Government is proposed to get approval for 2,01,357 houses during the year 2017 – 18. 

3. The project cost works out to Rs. 7078.61 crore

4. The State Government has sanctioned the budgetary support of Rs 826. 93 crore for the year 2017–18.  

5. Out of 666 Towns the Housing for All Plan of Action were receieved from 528 Town Panchayat ,90 Municipalities, 3 Corporations. 43 have yet to be submitted

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Beach station to be bifurcated as MRTS-Me...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Beach station to be bifurcated as MRTS-Me...:   C Shivakumar and Venkatesan Parthasarathy The Chennai Beach suburban railway station is likely to be transformed into another ma...

Chennai Beach station to be bifurcated as MRTS-Metro merger likely by Dec 2018

 

C Shivakumar and Venkatesan Parthasarathy

The Chennai Beach suburban railway station is likely to be transformed into another major metro rail hub, once the Mass Rapid Transit System gets integrated with Chennai Metro by December 2018.  

Beach, one of the oldest stations in the suburban rail network, will be bifurcated after the merger, for which assets of Southern Railway and MRTS are being identified to be handed over, top Railway and state government officials said.

Sources told Express that the initial plan was to develop Fort suburban station as the terminus for MRTS services. However, that idea was dropped as Fort did not have adequate land to develop the required infrastructure.

Furthermore, Beach station, which came into existence in 1931, has the land required for developing it as the commercial and operational terminus for MRTS.      

This came up during the recent discussion on the proposal which was mooted at the high level meeting of state government with Chennai Metro Rail and Southern Railway officials.

The meeting, which was held to discuss the inception report submitted by consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Balaji Railroad Systems Limited (BARSYL), leading Railways and Metro Rail Consulting Engineers, deliberated on finer aspects of the bifurcation of Chennai Beach.   

It is understood that the consultants are working out a plan for a transitional period once the merger takes place. That plan is likely to be submitted by January next year.

“Resources such as rolling stock, signal as well as employees will be retained for some period,” railway sources said.     

It is learnt that the fare structure of MRTS

is likely to undergo a change and the state is looking at a common ticketing with Metro rail.

It is also proposed to explore the possibility of having additional parking space at the vacant land available close to Rajaji Salai near Parry’s Corner junction.

Railway officials said they have agreed to lease out their land to CMRL for their parking needs although the design and capacity is yet to be ascertained.  

The inception report focussed on clearly demarcating the physical assets, such as tracks, platform and yard boundary.

Sources indicated that there won’t be any gauge conversion in the immediate future as it would result in cost escalation for CMRL.   

The consultants have been asked to study the sensitivity of traffic on the MRTS section. Sources indicated that Chennai Metro have to build a separate rail track from Beach to Fort, as the existing line will be taken over by Southern Railways.

The proposed track would be built on the eastern side of the existing down line of MRTS. However, this would require land acquisition from the defence establishment near Fort and technical feasibility of the proposal has to be studied.   

How the merger will work out

1. The assets of MRTS and Southern Railway will be audited

2.  Few assets will have to be shared for a limited period as the portion of line from Park Town station to Beach would be common

3. Chennai Beach station to be bifurcated and converted into a commercial and operational terminus of MRTS

4. Vacant space available towards Rajaji Salai near Parry’s Corner junction to be made as parking slot for MRTS

5. Fare of MRTS is likely to be revised and plans are on for common ticketing with Chennai metro

6. Gauge conversion has been ruled out for the immediate future

7. Technical feasibility for a separate MRTS line from Chennai Beach to Park Town is to be studied   

MRTS FACTS

Operational cost per day (estimated): Rs 18 lakh per day

Potential Capacity: 425,000 passengers a day

Daily Ridership: Around one lakh

First MRTS route operated from Beach up to Chepauk in 1995

Extended to Thirumyilai station in Mylapore in 1997

MRTS services extended from Thirumayilai to Thiruvanmiyur in June 2004

MRTS extended from Thiruvanmiyur to Velachery in 2007

Extension from Velachery to St Thomas currently underway

Chennai Beach factfile:

1. The first electrically operated rail service in Chennai was started from Chennai Beach on 2 April 1931 to Tambaram.

2. Around 400 trips are operated from Chennai Beach station every day.

3. This includes close to 250 services in the Beach–Tambaram–Chengalpattu sector and 134 services in the Beach—Velachery MRTS sector, in addition to services to Gummidipoondi and Ennore in the north and Avadi, Pattabiram, Thiruvallur, and Thiruthani in the west, and the less-frequent services to Chennai Central.

4. The station sees close to 100,000 passengers every day using the city's suburban rail network,with more than 40,000 commuters buying tickets from the station every day

High level meet to address safety and protection of children in schools

New Delhi:
Taking note of seriousness of incidents of child abuse in schools, the Union Ministries of Women & Child Development and Human Resource Development will hold a high level meeting in New Delhi tomorrow. The meeting will be co-chaired by the Minister of Women & Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi and Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javdekar. Officials of the two ministries, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, CBSE, NCERT, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan will participate in the meeting.



In a telephonic discussion, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi requested Shri Javadekar to consider suggestions like having women employees as the support staff and bus drivers/conductors in the schools, screening of educational films on child sexual abuse in the schools, popularizing POCSO e-Box and Childline 1098 through NCERT publications and having strict norms for employing the support staff. Smt. Maneka Gandhi has also given the suggestions in her letter to the HRD Minister.



The Ministry of Women and Child Development has already started its outreach campaign for protection of children through electronic as well as social media.



Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi stated that the basic objective of the meeting of the two ministries is to develop a set of guidelines and protocols which schools must follow so that the children remain protected from any kind of abuse or physical/ mental harm.



The WCD Minister further stated that the parents, guardians and teachers should remain vigilant about the children as well as their behavior and any suspected situation should be reported immediately on the Childline No.1098 and the POCSO e-Box. Link of the POCSO e-Box is given below:



Link: http://www.ncpcr.gov.in/user_complaints.php

writingonblog uncensored: TN Housing Policy to regulate private urban renta...

writingonblog uncensored: TN Housing Policy to regulate private urban renta...: Chennai: Tamil Nadu is facing a shortage of 1.5 million homes in the urban areas and there is an urgent need to regulate and streamline ...

TN Housing Policy to regulate private urban rental housing

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu is facing a shortage of 1.5 million homes in the urban areas and there is an urgent need to regulate and streamline private urban rental housing to enable access to urban poor, according to State Urban Housing and Habitat Policy (SUHHP) being drafted by German agency GIZ along with the state housing board.

It is learnt that through the new policy, the policy and government subsidies towards housing will undergo a significant change with focus being more on streamlining private urban rental housing.

The state will be looking at housing supply intervention in the state as an integrated market rather than sub-markets for different income groups as failure in any sub-market will have ramifications across the city.

It feels that housing supply intervention for urban poor is often usurped by the low income group and middle income categories in the city.

The policy will also focus on lack of access to credit for urban poor. In the absence of documented income proofs, irregular income and absence of collaterals, it is difficult for the poor to access funds, the draft policy observed.

It is learnt that the focus under SUHHP will be urban renewal strategies which allow densification of core city area and redevelopment of congested and dilapidated housing stock.

Another event of concern is the transaction cost imposed during conversion of land to built space through various land and housing regulations which constitute 10 to 25pc of urban dwelling price across India. The policy will try to implement reforms in land and housing that can reduce the transaction costs and lower housing prices

What the policy will look into:

1.   It will come out with frameworks to bridge affordability gaps

2.   It will look into rental housing demand and supply side intervention

3.   Tenure security and regularization

4.   Unlocking vacant housing

5.   Improving supply of serviced land

6.   Reforms in key land and housing regulations that affect supply

writingonblog uncensored: 48 hours deadline for CMDA to upload site inspecti...

writingonblog uncensored: 48 hours deadline for CMDA to upload site inspecti...: Chennai: Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority will now have to upload the site inspection report of industry or business projects ...

48 hours deadline for CMDA to upload site inspection report

Chennai:

Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority will now have to upload the site inspection report of industry or business projects online within 48 hours from the time it was inspected.

CMDA Member secretary has asked the Area Plans Unit to make necessary provision in the website to display the inspection report.

“This can be downloaded by the establishment firm and has to be made available in the next two years,” CMDA member secretary C Vijayraj Kumar said in a office order.

This comes as Industries Department has come out with reforms action plan for Ease of doing Business pertaining to single window clearance of industrial applications.

It is learnt that the Guidance Bureau is coordinating and implementing the system after it was suggested by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

This comes as the state has drafted a bill  under which 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.

The act will also 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.

writingonblog uncensored: GST delays Chennai’s third desalination plant

writingonblog uncensored: GST delays Chennai’s third desalination plant: Chennai; The floating of tender for Chennai’s third desalination plant has been delayed due to implementation of Goods and Services Tax....

GST delays Chennai’s third desalination plant

Chennai;

The floating of tender for Chennai’s third desalination plant has been delayed due to implementation of Goods and Services Tax.

The tender for 150MLD desalination plant to be set up at Nemelli was scheduled to be floated on August 31. However, it was delayed due to GST, sources said.

The desalination plant which is being funded by German agency KfW has been delayed over the price of components to be supplied for the desalination plants as it has to be reworked with the implementation of GST.

It is learnt that the tender is likely to be floated after September 15.

Similarly, a 400MLD desalination plant in Nemelli, which is financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is still being worked as Chennai Metro Water has to submit a revised detailed project report.

Currently, Chennai Metro Water is reliant on Minjur and Nemelli desalination plants to quench the thirst of Chennai. The two desalination plants provide 180MLD of water. During the water crisis in 2003-04, people were dependent on trains to provide them with drinking water in the absence of desalination plants.

writingonblog uncensored: Rains bring hope but water levels in reservoirs ye...

writingonblog uncensored: Rains bring hope but water levels in reservoirs ye...: CHENNAI: The rains have brought hope of a good North East monsoon for water managers as the dried up reservoirs supplying water to the c...

Rains bring hope but water levels in reservoirs yet to improve

CHENNAI:

The rains have brought hope of a good North East monsoon for water managers as the dried up reservoirs supplying water to the city is again gurgling with water.

A Metro Water official told Express that the water levels in the four reservoirs --- Poondi, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam is still being categorized as dead storage despite the catchment area getting good showers.

The water levels in the four reservoirs had slipped to double digit but due to rains it crossed the three digit mark and now the capacity is 395 million cubic feet. “But, it is far from adequate as anything below 445 million cubic feet is categorized as dead storage,” a Metro Water official said.

Interestingly, Chennai Metro water is now again drawing 75 to 100 million litres of water per day from Chembarambakkam and Red Hills. “A few months ago, we had stopped drawing water from the reservoirs as it has nearly dried up. Now due to rains in the catchment area, water is being withdrawn,” he said.

Interestingly, Chennai Metro Water is still dependent on ground water to quench the thirst of the city. “We are now planning to tap the acquifer in Kosasthaliyar river basin to supply additional 10 MLD of water to the city,” Metro Water sources said.

It is learnt that a tender worth Rs 78 lakh has been floated to construct 10 bore-wells to tap water from the acquifer in the river, which is one of the three rivers that flow in the Chennai Metropolitan Area.

Currently, the water supply to the city continues to be restricted to 430MLD as against the usual supply of 835 million litres per day.

Interestingly, Metro water is now trying to identify new sources of water to quench the thirst as the existing sources are also getting depleted. “More than 70 per cent of water from the 22 stone quarries in Sikkarayapuram has been utilized,” said the source.

 Lake levels

Poondi:

Full Capacity: 3231 million cubic feet

Storage last year: 536

Current level: 28mcft

Cholavaram:

Full Capacity: 881 million cubic feet

Storage last year: 66mcft

Current level: 25 mcft

Red Hills:

Full Capacity: 3300 million cubic feet

Storage last year: 578mcft

Current level: 110 mcft

Chembarambakkam:

Full Capacity: 3645 million cubic feet

Storage last year: 1082mcft

Current level: 232mcft

Capacity of four reservoirs: 11057 million cubic feet

Last year level: 2,262 mcft

Current level: 395

writingonblog uncensored: New food testing lab at Chennai

writingonblog uncensored: New food testing lab at Chennai: Chennai: National Collateral Management Services Limited (NCML) inaugurated its food testing laboratory at Chennai, adding to its already ...

New food testing lab at Chennai

Chennai:
National Collateral Management Services Limited (NCML) inaugurated its food testing laboratory at Chennai, adding to its already existing network of laboratories.
The lab has been set up by NCML’s food testing division “CommGrade. During the last one year, NCML has broaden its reach in various parts of the country namely in Vizag, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Indore, Unjha, and Bengaluru. The laboratory was inaugurated by Sanjay Kaul, managing director and chief executive officer, NCML.
The main objective to setup the laboratory is to meet the ever-increasing needs of the food business operators. It intends to cater to the analytical requirements of various industries with primary focus on food and agri sectors. Additionally, it will focus on serving the needs of Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs). The laboratory is well equipped to perform various tests as per the requirements of Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

writingonblog uncensored: For out-of-the-box policy ideas, TN turns to ‘Cube...

writingonblog uncensored: For out-of-the-box policy ideas, TN turns to ‘Cube...: Chennai: Inspired by the General Services Administration of the United States, a dozen experts from the State government, academia and te...

For out-of-the-box policy ideas, TN turns to ‘Cube’

Chennai:
Inspired by the General Services Administration of the United States,
a dozen experts from the State government, academia and technocrats
are coming together to form a Centre of Excellence that would help
policy-makers, starting with the challenges in water and
transportation sectors.
The Centre of Excellence for Urbanisation, Buildings and the
Environment (Cube) obtained the administrative approval from the State
government to establish it at the Indian Institute of Technology,
Madras, sources told Express.
Cube, to be registered under the Societies Act, would receive Rs 10
crore funding support from Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Chennai
Metropolitan Development Authority, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board
and Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department.
It will have a 12-member governing body headed by IIT Madras Director
Bhaskar Ramamurthi as its chairman. It will also have a nominee each
from State finance department, housing and urban development
department, MAWS and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, IIT
professors as well as technocrats.
The members will have to update from time to time the work undertaken
by Cube to the chief executive officer of Tamil Nadu Infrastructure
Development Board.
Road transport sector and Public Works Department will be the
end-users of the technology and advancements that the centre pioneers.
“This will be utilised for capacity building within these departments,
which can be supported on a project to project basis,” sources added.
Initially, there were plans to tap the funds of Tamil Nadu
Construction Workers Welfare Board but it has been dropped, said
sources. However, the welfare board will support skill development
programme.
The funding from the State will be for five years to ensure sustenance
and stability of the centre. Cube will also address issues of water
supply and sewerage system related issues, as private projects lack
sustainable construction technologies.

Cube:
1. Cube will help capacity building in road transport sector and PWD
2. It will address water supply and sewerage systems related issues
3. It will help in developing sustainable construction technologies
4. It will address urbanisation and ensuing problems which are key
areas in public policy

writingonblog uncensored: 322 OTA cadets inducted into Indian army

writingonblog uncensored: 322 OTA cadets inducted into Indian army: Chennai: A total of 322 Cadets including 266 men, 31 women were commissioned as Officers of the Indian Army following the completi...

322 OTA cadets inducted into Indian army

Chennai:

A total of 322 Cadets including 266 men, 31 women were commissioned as Officers of the Indian Army following the completion of vigorous training at the Academy. 

Further, 25 Cadets from Bhutan, Maldives, Fiji and Afghanistan also were commissioned into their respective Armies.

Lieutenant General PM Hariz, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command reviewed the spectacular parade which was commanded by Academy Under Officer (AUO) Abhishek R.

The Cadets marched out with precision from Parameshwaran Drill Square to the tune of ‘Auld Lang Syne’, taking the ‘Final Step,’ thus symbolising the end of their training. The ‘Final Step’ in fact is the ‘First Step’ towards an exciting and demanding career as the custodians of the Nation’s integrity and honour. 

The parents of the Officer Cadets, dignitaries, relatives of our fallen war heroes, and members of the diplomatic fraternity witnessed the mesmerising parade.

Addressing the Parade, the Reviewing Officer congratulated OTA for having toiled hard to turn out such a smart and dynamic group of young Military Leaders. The most coveted “Sword of Honour” and the “Gold Medal” was presented to AUO Abhishek R.  The Silver Medal for standing second in Overall Order of Merit was awarded to  BCA Aarushi Sharma and the Bronze Medal for standing third in Overall Order of Merit was awarded to ACA Vivek. 
The chief of army staff banner for Champion Company was awarded to Jessami Company.

Later in an impressive ‘Pipping Ceremony’, the Cadets were pipped (putting on of rank badges on uniform) by their parents.  The event was followed by the Oath Taking Ceremony.  The audience gathered at the Pipping Lawn under the “TRICOLOUR” fluterring proudly atop a 100 feet Mast and listened spellbound as the Cadets took the oath in the name of Constitution of India. 

The Passing Out Cadets stated under oath that “I will as in duty bound honestly and faithfully serve in the regular Army of the Union of India and go wherever ordered by Land, Sea or Air and that I will observe and obey all commands of President of the Union of India and the command of any Officer set over me even to the peril of my life’.   The newly Commissioned Officers are now all set to join their new assignments in Units across the country.

writingonblog uncensored: German agency to fund 12.5m euros for Coimbatore ...

writingonblog uncensored: German agency to fund 12.5m euros for Coimbatore ...: Chennai: Coimbatore is getting ready to realise its Metro dreams as Chennai Metro Rail is likely to take up the task to conduct a feasib...

German agency to fund 12.5m euros for Coimbatore Metro feasibility study

Chennai:

Coimbatore is getting ready to realise its Metro dreams as Chennai Metro Rail is likely to take up the task to conduct a feasibility study and prepare a Detailed Project Report on the mass transit system in the Manchester of South Indian.

It is learnt that the 10-month study which includes both preparing a feasibility report and a detailed project report would cost around Rs 13 crore.

Sources told Express that German Funding Agency KfW has expressed interest in providing 12.5 million Euros to conduct the study and the balance amount will be paid by the state government.

The move comes after Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami made an announcement in the state assembly to introduce metro rail project in Coimbatore city.

The need for a mass transit system in Coimbatore is required while taking into account the growing population of Coimbatore which is expected to grow up to 27.7 lakh by 2033.

It is learnt that 136km of Mass transit Network identified by Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for Coimbatore Planning Area – 2015 will also be scrutinised. The CMP has identified four corridors in these stretch based on the vehicular and pedestrian traffic on the Coimbatore Radial Roads particularly Avinashi Road, Trichy Road and Sathyamangalam Road.

They include Kanniyur to Ukkadam Bus Stand (24km) along Avinashi Road; Bilchi to Ukkadam (24km) along Mettupalayam Road; Kannampettai to Thannerpanthal (42km) along Thadagam Road and from Ganeshpura to Karunyanagar (44km) along Sathyamangalam Road.

However, it was felt that CMP is a broad based macro level study report and further study is required in finalizing the mass transit system. As such, Chennai Metro Rail will be coming out with a final option based on social, technical and commercial project feasibility.

It is learnt that Chennai Metro will also prepare a detailed project report regarding City Bus improvement proposals and non-motorised plans for Coimbatore City.

Metro rail will also conduct prelimnary Environmental Impact study along the alignment and propose Environment Management Plan for construction and operation phase.

Factfile:

1.  Coimbatore city encompasses 257.04 sqkm and the local planning area encompassing Coimbatore urban agglomeration and its peripheral area covers 1287 sqkm

2.  Population of Coimbatore City and Local planning area is 16.11 lakh

3.  The population is likely to increase up to 27.7 lakh by 2033

4.  71.59 per cent of Coimbatore is residential and 18.19pc is industrial area

5.  The Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Coimbatore Planning Area – 2015 has identified 136km of Mass transit Network in four corridors

6.   The corridors include Kanniyur to Ukkadam Bus Stand (24km) along Avinashi Road; Bilchi to Ukkadam (24km) along Mettupalayam Road; Kannampettai to Thannerpanthal (42km) along Thadagam Road and from Ganeshpura to Karunyanagar (44km) along Sathyamangalam Road.

writingonblog uncensored: TN regularisation scheme a non-starter as only fiv...

writingonblog uncensored: TN regularisation scheme a non-starter as only fiv...: Chennai: Less than five applications were received in the last three months to regularise illegal buildings in the Chennai Metropolitan ...

TN regularisation scheme a non-starter as only five submit applications

Chennai:

Less than five applications were received in the last three months to regularise illegal buildings in the Chennai Metropolitan Area after the state government issued rules and guidelines on June this year to grant amnesty to unauthorised buildings built before July 1, 2007.

Sources revealed that the amnesty scheme had few takers as the government has imposed multiple infrastructure and amenities charges as penalty before regularising the buildings. The last date for submitting applications is December, 2017.

Ajit Kumar Chordia, president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association (CREDAI), Tamil Nadu, told Express that the penalties are too high that those who want to regularise their buildings would rather go in for demolition than pay up the money.

The provisions like multiple infrastructure and amenities charges and other costs have kept the violators at bay. Even the violators in T Nagar have not applied for regularising their buildings, he said.

If one goes by the applications under the regularisation scheme, then it should be termed as failure, he said. Former national president of the Builders' Association of India R Radhakrishnan agrees with it. “Why would anyone pay double the cost of the value of his land to get his building regularised,” he reasons.

M G Deivasahayam, High Court appointed Monitoring Committee member of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority says that the government has lost credibility by going in for another regularisation scheme. “The new regularisation scheme has made people think that they can continue defying the development rules by paying bribe to officials rather than paying a hefty sum to the government,” he said.

“The buildings in T Nagar which have violated all development regulations are continuing for the last two decades. When no action has been taken till now, they will feel that they can continue to do so either by approaching courts or paying bribe to officials,” he said.

The only losers are those who paid up money to get their building regularised. “They would be cursing themselves of coughing up huge sum of money to get their buildings regularised,” he wondered.

Meanwhile, four months after the rules for regularising unapproved plots and layouts were notified on May 12, 2017, the applications for regularisation of unauthorised layuts (other than CMDA limits) from across the state is 834 while that of individual plot registration is 5,800. the applications recieved for regularisation of sub-division is 1640. Meanwhile in Chennai Metropolitan Area the total application applicatiom recieved for regularising unapproved plots and layouts is around 3,100

writingonblog uncensored: Jet Airways introduces additional flight services

writingonblog uncensored: Jet Airways introduces additional flight services: CHENNAI: Jet Airways has introduced a daily Coimbatore-Pune non-stop service as well as additional flight service from Chennai to Delhi ...

Jet Airways introduces additional flight services

CHENNAI:

Jet Airways has introduced a daily Coimbatore-Pune non-stop service as well as additional flight service from Chennai to Delhi as it plans to expand connectivity between emerging cities in India.

The Coimbatore-Pune non-stop service (9W364) will depart from Coimbatore at 0305 hours and arrive into Pune at 0455hours. It will subsequently connect onwards to Delhi arriving early morning at 0740 hours. On its return leg, flight 9W363 will depart from Pune at 2355 hours and arrive into Coimbatore at 0145 hours (next day).

Similarly, Jet Airways has introduced a seventh frequency on New Delhi-Chennai sector. The flight 9W829 will depart from Delhi at 2145 hours and arrive at Chennai at 0035hours next day. On its return leg, Jet airways 9W828 will depart from Chennai at 0210 hours and arrive at Delhi on 0455 hours.

writingonblog uncensored: Prashanth Hospitals Introduce Technology for Super...

writingonblog uncensored: Prashanth Hospitals Introduce Technology for Super...: Chennai: Prashanth Hospitals, one of Chennai's leading and state-of-the-art Super specialty hospital brings a cutting edge technology ...

Prashanth Hospitals Introduce Technology for Super Microsurgery

Chennai:
Prashanth Hospitals, one of Chennai's leading and state-of-the-art Super specialty hospital brings a cutting edge technology for the first time in India by introducing the ‘40x Microscope’, a break-through solution for surgeries which require high precision, according to Dr C Geetha Haripriya, Chairperson, Prashanth Hospitals.

The ‘40x Microscope’ with magnification capability of 40 times the normal naked eye vision is used for connecting blood vessels and repairing nerves in the field of Microsurgery, which is in vogue now. This new high-tech microscope also enables surgeons in viewing the lymphatic vessels underneath the skin and sub-millimeter blood vessels which can be repaired under 40 x magnifications, thus resulting in rightly naming the procedure as ‘Super Microsurgery’.

Geetha Haripriya said, “We have always believed in providing the best and the most advanced treatment to all our patients. The 40x microscope is revolutionary and will immensely boost the clinical and surgical treatments provided at our hospital, further proving beneficial for doctors and also bolstering the use of innovative and cost effective techniques to treat our patients.”

The 40x microscope which has a ICG Dye based Near Infrared (NIR) Camera will assist surgeons while performing complicated surgeries like Plastic surgery, Breast surgery, Diabetic foot surgery and Neurosurgery and also on those with Brain Aneurysm, proving to be a lifeline for patients with complicated health conditions.

Babies with finger tip amputations will enormously benefit from this new technological advancement as it involves high precision and expertise.

There are instances, when doctors have to perform surgery on very thin flimsy sub-millimeter ‘Lymphatic Vessels’ as in the case of persistent Lymphedema following surgery on breast cancer patients. These patients will benefit from a feature of the new operating microscope, made specifically keeping Lymphedema Surgery in mind that increases the magnification to 40 times than normal.

With this new operating microscope, doctors will be able to perform the below mentioned medical procedures which were near impossible earlier:

writingonblog uncensored: AI to link Delhi with Copenhagen on Sept 16

writingonblog uncensored: AI to link Delhi with Copenhagen on Sept 16:  New Delhi: Air India will be launching yet another link to Europe by connecting Delhi to Copenhagen by a non -stop flight from Sept...

AI to link Delhi with Copenhagen on Sept 16

 New Delhi:

Air India will be launching yet another link to Europe by connecting Delhi to Copenhagen by a non -stop flight from September 16.

Copenhagen is Air India’s 44^th international destination and 11^th European non-stop destination. This thrice -a - week service will be operated by the latest state-of the art Dreamliner on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and will fulfill a long standing demand of travellers of both the countries.

To mark this new service, the airline is offering attractive return fares starting from Rs 42,700 only, inclusive of all taxes. AI 157 will depart from Delhi at 1430 hrs to reach Copenhagen at 1845hrs the same day. The return flight AI 158 will leave Copenhagen at 2045 hrs and reach Delhi at 0735 the next day.

To popularise this new connection, Air India has undertaken special branding of the Rapid Metro train in Gurugram.