After 15 years, govt museum gets dedicated space in Coimbatore's Semmozhi Poonga
Kavitha Ramu, director of Government Museums, told TNIE that the state government issued a order on Friday allocating 3,600 square feet of space for the museum inside the Semmozhi Poonga campus. "We requested a separate area to accommodate all the artefacts collected by the government museum, and the state government has granted this space. Further developments will take place soon," she stated.
Currently, the museum is operating from the Nehru Stadium premises on a rental basis and is in need of space to showcase its treasures. The department recommended various locations to establish a permanent museum, and ultimately, the state government approved space in Semmozhi Poonga.
"While the park highlights the values of Tamil culture and the heritage of Coimbatore, the museum will enhance that narrative. The museum will play a significant role in the Semmozhi Poonga campus," said KA Murugavel, curator of the museum.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
50% US tariffs unfortunate; dampen sentiments: Parth Jindal
NEW DELHI: While the recently announced 50% US tariffs will have no direct impact on the cement or steel sectors, the move has dented market sentiment, says Parth Jindal, managing director of JSW Cement. 'The impact will mostly be on gems and jewellery, textiles, toys and auto components. 'But sentiment matters," said Jindal whole responding to a question by TNIE. Calling the development 'unfortunate,' Jindal said the US and India must not let decades of bilateral progress be undone by protectionist measures. 'This is no way to treat India,' he said, voicing strong support for the Indian government's stance. Jindal also acknowledged potential cost pressures from rupee depreciation, which could increase the cost of importing coal and petcoke. JSW Cement, he said, may shift its fuel mix more heavily toward domestic sources, potentially flipping the current 60:40 import-domestic ratio. JSW Cement, which is in the capital market with its IPO, is aiming to increase its capacity from the current 20 million tonne capacity to 60 million tonne. Asked why JSW Cement opted for an IPO instead of raising fresh private equity, Jindal explained that the company had reached a critical size—20 million tonnes of capacity, making it a top-10 player with a roadmap to break into the top five. 'JSW is a well-known brand, and we had always planned to go public once we hit 20 million tonnes,' he said, adding that favourable market conditions allowed the company to proceed without delay.
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Fake handlooms flood Telangana markets; leaves traditional weavers in crisis
HYDERABAD: Despite growing appreciation for India's handloom heritage, traditional weavers are grappling with an existential crisis. Mass-produced powerloom sarees, often made elsewhere but falsely marketed as genuine handloom, are saturating the market. This misrepresentation not only misleads consumers but also cripples authentic artisans, pushing them into unsustainable price wars and threatening centuries-old traditions. Thati Shekar of Vastra Kalakar Handlooms and Handicrafts Producer Company told TNIE, 'Apart from rising production costs, the biggest challenge is the influx of printed sarees. A genuine handloom saree can cost up to Rs 9,000, but machine-printed ones are sold for Rs 3,000–4,000. This price gap severely undermines our efforts. Despite our skill and labour, we're pressured by middlemen to sell at unreasonably low prices.' Weavers allege the government has failed to check the sale of fake handlooms, despite issuing licences to such manufacturers. 'We urge consumers to be cautious. The government has done little. Enforcement is weak, and officials appear to be colluding with big showrooms,' said Yelugam Sambaiah, president, Kshtranji Chenetha Sahakara Sangam. Though the Geographical Indication (GI) Act came into effect in 2004, stakeholders say there has been no serious effort since to protect handloom products. Of the 18 GI-tagged items in the state, seven belong to the handloom sector. 'No dedicated funds or enforcement mechanisms have been set up,' said Lav Kumar, secretary, Pochampally Tie and Dye Association. 'Weavers are forced to sell Rs 6,000–10,000 sarees for as little as Rs 500–1,000. We've approached public representatives, but the response has been lukewarm. We need a dedicated corpus fund to fight this.' IP practitioner at Resolute, Subhajit Saha, added, 'GI tags aren't enough. We need copyright protection for weavers' designs, and a GI board to oversee enforcement. It is a collective right so it also needs collective efforts.'
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Centre releases Rs 3,000 crore for CMRL Phase 2 in 2025-26
CHENNAI: The union government has released Rs 3,000 crore so far this financial year towards Chennai Metro Rail's Phase 2 project, according to a Right to Information (RTI) response accessed by TNIE. The funds, disbursed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs as of July 28, form part of a total outlay of Rs 8,445.8 crore earmarked for the project in 2025-26 — the single-largest allocation for any metro project across the country this year. The release includes the full equity contribution of Rs 1,841.2 crore, Rs 158.8 crore in subordinate debt, and Rs 1,000 crore in pass-through assistance (PTA) from external agencies, according to the ministry's reply to RTI petitioner Dayanand Krishnan. A senior official with Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) said the centre had already released approximately Rs 5,400 crore before March 2025, following the formal approval of Phase 2 as a central sector scheme in October 2024. 'The Rs 3,000 crore includes funds received during April and May. In total, Tamil Nadu has received around Rs 8,400 crore so far. It's not disbursed in tranches — funds are released as and when needed,' the official said. Spanning 118.9 km across three corridors, Phase 2 is one of India's largest ongoing urban mobility investments. Its reclassification as a central sector scheme last year has unlocked direct funding from the union government, after years of procedural delays. The steady flow of funds is expected to ease financial pressure on the Tamil Nadu government, which has been seeking continued central support for its expanding mass transit infrastructure. The large allocation also signals the strategic and political significance of the project, with Chennai emerging as a key node in India's urban transport agenda. RTI activist Krishnan, who has closely tracked metro funding in Tamil Nadu, urged the union government to expedite approvals and funding for three pending proposals from the state: A new corridor linking Chennai Airport to Kilambakkam, and greenfield metro projects in Madurai and Coimbatore. Concrete moves Release includes equity of Rs 1,841 cr, Rs 158 cr subordinate debt, Rs 1K c assistance from external agencies In total, Tamil Nadu has received around Rs 8,400 crore so far, says official 118.9 km across 3 corridors; Phase 2 is one of India's largest urban mobility projects
