Poisoned’ Muttukadu lake to get fresh lease of life

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The Muttukadu lake, which turned toxic due to untreated sewage being let out by residential buildings, is likely get a fresh lease of life. 

It is learnt that Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority is planning to amend the development regulation to make it mandatory for residential developments exceeding 25 dwelling units to set up a sewage treatment plant in the water shed catchment area of Kovalam Basin.

This comes following the recommendation of Second Master Plan Land use and Environment Monitoring and Review Committee to insist on the the provision of sewage treatment plant for smaller developments for the catchment for Buckingham Canal.

The Committee has recommended to amend the development regulation providing STPs for residential developments exceeding 25 dwelling units and

commercial or institutional or industrial developments exceeding floor area of 1500 square metres in the water shed catchment area.

The Committee has also recommended to insist on the provision of sewage treatment plants in cases of developments exceeding 500 square metres in the villages falling under the Aquifer Recharge area

This comes after Chennai Corporation commissioned German Development Bank KFW study on “Integrated Storm Water Drain projects for extended area of Chennai City.”

It is learnt that government is considering a proposal to construct drains in the South coast watershed of Kovalam basin which has three watersheds--- South coast, Pallikaranai and South Buckingham canal

Interestingly, it was The New Indian Express brought to light the toxicity of Muttukadu lake, which got a greenish tinge due to due to harmful algal bloom of the colonial

form of microcystis aeruginosa..

A study has stated that algae bloom is due to dumping of untreated sewage and effluents which has resulted in a spike in inorganic nutrients nitrate and phosphate, that in turn made the warm tropical water the perfect cocktail for the algae to bloom.

Factfile:

1. A study published in Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences on February 2014 documents the first occurrence of a harmful algal bloom of colonial form of microcystis aeruginosa in the backwater on June 2012.

2.The water of Muttukadu is highly polluted as it has high level of nitrates. A minimum level should be less than 0.5 mg/l . 

3. Muttukadu has nitrate value of 8.07 mg/l 

4. High values of hardness in water is due to regular addition of large quantities of sewage and detergents into lakes from nearby residential localities. 

5. The amount of total alkalinity recorded in Muttukadu

estuary was 184 ppm and in the coastal water was 81 ppm.

writingonblog uncensored: Schools in extended areas yet to enjoy Chennai Cor...

writingonblog uncensored: Schools in extended areas yet to enjoy Chennai Cor...: Chennai: Government schools in newly added areas of Chennai Corporation have been missing out on plethora of schemes due to administrative ...

Schools in extended areas yet to enjoy Chennai Corporation doles

Chennai:

Government schools in newly added areas of Chennai Corporation have been missing out on plethora of schemes due to administrative oversight.

 Addressing Chennai corporation’s budget session, Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy said that the schools in extended localities like Ambattur, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts have been denied nearly 47 useful schemes as they still don’t come under the administrative purview of Chennai Corporation.

 The scheme include free uniform for school students, free stationery equipment, cash prize of Rs 50,000 for top three state rank holders among others.

 Interestingly, the mayor blamed the previous DMK regime, which have initiated the expansion of city limits, for failing to bring the schools alone under the civic body’s umbrella.

“The DMK has failed when it came to include education under corporation limits and giving it a proper demarcation,” said the mayor which caused an uproar among opposition councillors.

 The remark resulted in DMK and Congress councillors walking out of the council.

Hope for low cost airports in TN as Greenfield airport eludes Chennai

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu could have low cost airports in Ramnad and Thanjavur with the announcement of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to develop unserved and underserved airports and airstrips.

Jaitley has announced that the Union government is drawing up an action plan to revive a total of 160 unserved and underserved airports and airstrips at a cost of Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore.

It could also mean that airports like Trichy, Thoothkudi and Madurai could also be developed.

Government agencies have projected that there is a need for 500 brownfield and greenfield airports by 2020.

Currently, the country has around 130 airports and only 60 to 70 are put into use, says a former Airport Authority of India official and a consultant M C Mangalaathan..

It is learnt that private sector is being encouraged to become actively involved in the construction of airports through different Public Private Partnership models, with substantial state support in terms of financing, concessional land allotment, tax holidays and other incentives.

However, the development of airports in the state rests with the funding by both state and centre.

However, aviation experts were hoping for a announcement of a greenfield airport in Sriperumbudur, which was the need of the hour for Chennai.

“The minister just announced 160 airports and he was not clear whether it would include greenfield airports,” sources said.

Currently, Chennai airport has already reached its saturation level and the only hope is to look for a secondary airport.

The passenger traffic, both national and international in the last eight months not showing any significant rise, doesn’t bode well for the airport. There was earlier a plan for greenfield airport but it was put off suddenly. “Hope the Centre includes it in its list,” said a former AAI official.

Meanwhile, Indian Custom’s ‘Single Window Project’ would be implemented at major ports and airports starting from beginning of next financial year. The customs baggage for international passengers have been simplified as filing of baggage declaration will be required only for those passengers who carry dutiable goods

Country’s only Rail Auto Hub yet to attract car majors

C Shivakumar

Walajabad (Kancheepuram district):

The country’s first auto hub being developed in Walajabad would soon flag off its first rake, which has the capacity to carry 125 cars, by the middle of this month, according to Southern Railway general manager Vashista Johri.

The hub was inaugurated by Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu from New Delhi through online, marred by technical glitches, as top railway officias assembled at Walajabad railway station, which is located near Kancheepuram district.

Interestingly, the launch of the auto hub would sound a death knell to the facility in Thiruvallur which was being used by Hyundai to transport its cars to Changasari in Assam.

But car majors are cautious in welcoming the move by Indian Railways. V Anand, senior general manager sales logistics, Hyundai, told Express that they need to evaluate the hub for commercial condition. "We have to evaluate in terms of aggregation of space, access to heavy vehicles and also loading and unloading cars besides safety of their cars,” Anand, who was present during the function said.

While the hub would be useful in transporting the car to Ennore Port, which usually takes nearly 36 hours through road from the manufacturing facility, Anand feels that cost factor still favours road sector.

The rail freight is too costly than road freight, he says. Only if the distance is above 2,000km, then rail freight service is affordable, he says. Interestingly, Hyundai, which produces 18,000 cars per annum, is using the rail to transport only four per cent of its cars and most of it is through Melapakkam facility sector.

While seeing its limitations in NMG rakes, Indian Railways is also planning to partner with APL VASCOR, a logistics specialist, which uses double decker wagon to transport the cars. One rake transports a total of 318 cars.

While the hub is being planned to cater to one million units of four-wheelers being produced per annum, the land looks inadequate and has to be developed to cater to huge containers carrying cars from the manufacturing plant. Even the road is too narrow but railways hope to expand it.

But Johri is optimistic. “It is just a pilot project. We will evaluate the first phase,” he says. Interestingly, the initial holding capacity is for 300 cars and it is likely to be expanded to 800 to 1,000 cars during the second phase.

Johri says that of the one million units being produced in Kancheepuram district, 3.6 lakh is being exported while the rest 6.4 lakh is transported to domestic market.

It is also planned to create infrastructure for the huge trucks carrying the cars from the manufacturing facility to the yard before being shipped to Chennai or Ennore Port or the domestic rail routes.

Currently, Hyundai is looking to transport the cars using the facility to Kathuwas near Delhi and Changasari in Assam.

While the idea of auto rail hub is good one but with lack of wherewithal and competition from private sector, it is long way to go before making the project a success. Barring Hyundai, there were no representatives from other auto majors

writingonblog uncensored: “Women Only’ counters at Post Office from Tuesday

writingonblog uncensored: “Women Only’ counters at Post Office from Tuesday: Chennai: The department of Post  Chennai City Region (CCR)  would open Magalir Mattum  Counters at select post  offices from Tuesday t...

“Women Only’ counters at Post Office from Tuesday

Chennai:

The department of Post Chennai City Region (CCR) would open Magalir Mattum Counters at select post offices from Tuesday to mark International Women’s Day.

Merwin Alexander, postmaster general, Chennai City Region said that the counters, which would be manned by women, would remain open till March 11 and would cater to opening of all types of savings account by women customers.