Palacode farmers demand swift completion of Jarthalav-Pulikarai canal project
The project is crucial for improving the water table in Palacode taluk, farmers stated.
The project was proposed in 2019 to divert water from the Jarthalav lake in Krishnagiri to more than 16 lakes in Palacode taluk to improve groundwater recharge.
Farmers stated that the implementation of the project is crucial for cultivation of sugarcane and other crops in the drought-prone areas. However, only 70% of the work has been completed.
Speaking to TNIE, K Subramaniyan, a Palacode-based farmer, said, "There has been no progress on the project for the past one year. One of the reasons is the delay in digging canals. Most of the project falls in hilly terrain, and poor planning has delayed the project. Primarily because they have not considered the hills and the rocks in the planned canal".
Another farmer, R Murugesan from Palacode, said, "The project is a must now. Be it sugarcane, turmeric, or tomato cultivation, water is the key, and this project is key for water management. We need it now. Immediate efforts must be taken to implement the scheme".
When TNIE reached out to PWD(WRO) staff, they said, "Works are being conducted and efforts are being taken to clear the rocks. We are also considering a controlled explosion to loosen the rocks and speed up the works".
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
As mango season draws to close, prices improve
KANNIYAKUMARI: Mango farmers in the district are pleased as prices are starting to rise even as the season is drawing to a close. According to sources, mango trees are grown in 1158. 064 hectares in Kanniyakumari district. The district deputy director of horticulture, Y Sheela John told TNIE that at the horticulture farm in Palathotttam, 4480 kg of mangoes were harvested generating Rs 2.2L. Last year, only 900 kg were harvested last year season and 4200 kg in the previous year. Popular varieties such as Neelam, Bengalura, Banganapalli, Alphonse,Himahudeen, Jahangeera, Kalapad, Panchavarnam, Rumani, and local varieties such as Panikanadan, Surankudi, Vettaiyan Surankudi were grown in the farm. T Murugan (62), a mango farmer in Thittuvilai said in the yield has been high this compared to the last 6 to 7 years, which has brought down the prices. Murugan, who has taken the Neelam variety trees on lease, said he did not harvest mangoes due to poor price. " As the mango season is drawing to close, the price is increasing. Now I am getting Rs 10 per kg whereas earlier it was much less," he said. A mango trader E Ahilan said farmers sold Neelam variety for Rs 10 -Rs 8 per kg before, but the price has increased to Rs 10 -Rs 12 since Friday. Similarly, Banganapalle variety was sold for Rs 20 per kg earlier, but now the price has increased to around Rs 80. This is because the arrivals is going down, he explained.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Industrial units with no permits operate in Gurgaon, flouting green norms
Gurgaon: Scores of industrial units are operating in the city without environmental permits as authorities struggle to control unchecked pollution in areas already burdened by sewage overflows and encroachment. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) said in a July 2 right to information (RTI) reply that 281 industrial units in Gurgaon have been granted mandatory environmental consent to operate. Activists allege there are hundreds more industrial units that have been functioning without any approvals. These illegal factories are clustered in and around Basai, Kankrola, Badshapur and Dhanwapur. They operate without basic pollution controls such as effluent treatment systems. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon "Though the official number is 281, ground reality is far more alarming. In areas like Basai and Kankrola, there are several unauthorised industrial units. These are hotspots of unregulated pollution," said Delhi-based activist Varun Gulati. Most of these units are involved in manufacturing garment and textile, milk packaging, snacks, rubber parts, sealants and synthetic glues. Some of them handle metal scrap, or dismantle electronic waste too. "Many of these industries are ghost operators that don't follow basic rules like effluent treatment. When complaints are filed, they can't be traced," Gulati, who tracks violations in the district, said. The unauthorised units often operate in zones not designated for industry or on the fringes of residential areas, worsening health risks for those living nearby. "Pollution stress in these areas is no longer a hidden issue. It's visible in the water, in the air, and in the rising health risks to nearby communities," said Vivek Kamboj, an environmentalist. Despite multiple complaints, action by pollution control authorities has remained limited to show-cause notices or temporary shutdowns. There is no database to track illegal or unregistered units across the district. "The biggest failure is in enforcement. Pollution control isn't just about paperwork, it's about actually going into these industrial pockets and shutting down operations that poison the environment," said said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment. Activists demand that district authorities need to carry out ground-level surveys, satellite-based mapping and real-time inspection systems to track compliance in the rapidly growing city. A senior HSPCB official acknowledged the problem and said the board is aware of illegal units in Basai and Kankrola. "Enforcement drives are being intensified, and action will be taken against units operating without valid consent. No industry has the right to pollute unchecked," the official said.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
BMC's spl care waste collection yet to take off in some wards
Mumbai: While a large number of housing societies and other establishments have registered for the Domestic Sanitary Waste and Special Care Waste Service, housing societies in some wards have complained that the BMC is yet to offer proper sanitary waste collection services in their areas. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now More than four wards, which have registered societies and establishments, are facing problems in offering proper collection services. However, the civic body attributed this to vehicle shortages and logistic issues at the ward level, which they said would be resolved soon. "An office bearer of our society in the M-East ward approached the local ward office twice in the last two months to enquire about the special collection service. However, ward officials said they are yet to start the services and would inform the society once it starts," said a member of a housing society in Govandi. A senior civic official said, "The service is registration-based as of now. A few BMC wards are facing vehicle shortages and other logistic issues, which are currently being resolved." "The BMC should send a circular to the housing societies about the service. People should be made aware of what kind of waste falls into these categories," said Rajkumar Sharma from Chembur-based advanced locality management and networking action committee (ALMANAC). Dhaval Shah, director of Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens' Association, said, "The civic body could have called a meeting of all ALMs and area residents' associations in various wards and informed them about the initiative. All we know about the initiative is through newspapers." The BMC started a dedicated domestic sanitary and special care waste collection and management service on April 22, and as of June 30, the civic body collected 61.5 tonnes of domestic sanitary and special care waste. As many as 1,919 establishments, including 1,140 housing societies, 677 beauty parlours, 27 hostels, and 75 educational institutions, registered for the collection service as of July 1. Currently, an average of 1.7 tonnes of such waste is collected daily and transported to six plasma incineration facilities within BMC jurisdiction.
