Latest news with #CouncilforScientificandIndustrialResearch
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Stringent norms set for execution of Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road project
An expert panel under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) that recently granted final clearance for the proposed Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road project has fixed stringent norms for the project's execution under the direct monitoring of a four-member committee recommended by the District Collector. A review report will have to be submitted every six months after the commencement of work. 'A notification on the final clearance will be out within a week, which will help us move to the construction phase. The formal construction agreement will be signed following the final clearance,' said Thiruvambady MLA Linto Joseph. While giving final clearance, the expert panel has laid 60 conditions to reduce environmental impact and address concerns raised by various green bodies about natural calamities in ecologically sensitive areas. 'The norms fixed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Central Institute for Mining and Fuel Research will have to be strictly followed at the worksite. Also, suggestions by various government panels related to geology, environment, and mining will have to be considered as such,' said Mr. Joseph. There is also a proposal to establish four ground vibrator monitoring stations to constantly assess the work's impact, he added. Ensuring proper protection of biodiversity in the project area is another major condition. The construction company will have to ensure that the flow of the Iruvazhinji river is not interrupted. Also, the company will be responsible for the close monitoring of the quality of air in the constructed tunnel. The ₹2,134-crore project will be completed with the cooperation of the Department of Public Works, Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL). The tendering process had already been completed for the project which will be implemented by Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon Limited and Kolkota-based Royal Infrastructure. Meanwhile, N. Badusha, president of Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi, said the Samithi would move the Kerala High Court challenging the clearance for the project. Also, a protest would be staged along with other organisations during Environment Day celebrations in front of the Wayanad Collectorate on June 5,' he said. It was on October 16, 2000, that the blueprint for the 8.17-km twin tunnel, claimed to be the third longest underpass in the country, was unveiled by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. To speed up the project execution, the Chief Minister had included it in the list of 30 special projects directly monitored by him.
Eyewitness News
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Eyewitness News
Lesufi says resources being directed to fixing Gauteng's roads
JOHANNESBURG - At least 65% of the Gauteng government's road network is in a bad state, riddled with potholes and dysfunctional traffic lights. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced at a media briefing on Thursday that resources were being directed towards fixing roads. The province has been working to get its house in order before the G20 Summit is scheduled to sit in Johannesburg in November. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said that of the 4,500 roads under the provincial government's control, only 35% of them were in good condition. "We have appointed the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to assist us with mapping potholes in the province. According to the latest report from CSIR, our province has 5,400 km of road Infrastructure, comprising 5,000 km of tarred roads and 1,800 km of gravel roads." Lesufi said that money was being allocated to fix the province's roads. "To address these challenges, we have allocated R1.5 billion for immediate road repairs and maintenance. Additionally, by the end of 2025, we will take over the coordination of road maintenance programmes currently managed by provinces and municipalities to ensure more efficient service delivery." Another area of concern that Lesufi has committed to addressing is vandalism of traffic lights, especially in the City of Johannesburg.
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Ramokgopa apologises to business for unplanned return of load shedding
Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, took to the podium to apologise to business for the return load shedding. On Tuesday, Eskom announced that Stage 2 load shedding will only be implemented during peak periods, from 4pm to 10pm, until Thursday (May 15). Ramokgopa told media that the level of outages was due to delayed return of generation units and unplanned breakdowns in the past day or so. The return of load shedding is now at 2023 levels, said Ramokgopa, noting that 'we have reached that red line' at which Eskom needs to implement blackouts. Stage 2 outages involve disconnecting areas from the grid for as long as four hours at a time. Data compiled by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research showed that load shedding cost the South African economy about R2.8 trillion in 2023, with more intense rolling blackouts than any other year.
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Ramokgopa apologises to business for unplanned return of load shedding
Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, took to the podium to apologise to business for the return load shedding. On Tuesday, Eskom announced that Stage 2 load shedding will only be implemented during peak periods, from 4pm to 10pm, until Thursday (May 15). Ramokgopa told media that the level of outages was due to delayed return of generation units and unplanned breakdowns in the past day or so. The return of load shedding is now at 2023 levels, said Ramokgopa, noting that 'we have reached that red line' at which Eskom needs to implement blackouts. Stage 2 outages involve disconnecting areas from the grid for as long as four hours at a time. Data compiled by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research showed that load shedding cost the South African economy about R2.8 trillion in 2023, with more intense rolling blackouts than any other year.
Daily Maverick
11-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Tech takes root — Eastern Cape traditional healer teaches AI app to recognise medicinal plants
Combining a passion for computer science and a calling to become a healer, Onke Simandla has used his IT skills and knowledge of traditional medicine to create an app with a wide range of uses. It took patience and time, but information technology (IT) systems specialist and traditional healer Onke Simandla has successfully designed an app for herbalists by teaching artificial intelligence (AI) to look for and recognise medicinal plants. Simandla (42) received his master's degree in IT from the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape this week. For him, it marked a significant milestone in his efforts to merge the worlds of computer science and traditional healing in his home province. While doing his degree Simandla also completed a short course in plant medicine and performed at the Makhanda Arts Festival, all while holding down a full-time job in the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform in Pretoria. As he was doing his research, he was approached by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, which sponsored a trip to China for him. 'The aim was to go and learn the health system with the view of coming back and starting to implement some of the things we learnt,' Simandla said. He explained that patients at public hospitals in China have access to both traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The trip has set him on the path to his next goal of establishing a public health system in South Africa in which patients can be offered traditional healing as well as Western medicine in the same facility. Simandla also wants to set up a system for the manufacture of traditional medicine that can lift rural communities out of poverty by providing proper supply lines of these medicines. But even in his own practice as a traditional healer, he will never exclude Western medicine. 'I would, for instance, say let's get an allergy test to make sure you are not sensitive to any of the ingredients I am using.' Science vs spirituality Simandla grew up in Peelton, a small rural town close to Bisho in the Eastern Cape, perhaps best known as the hometown of the late ANC stalwart Steve Tshwete. He completed his undergraduate work – a BSc degree in computer science and geographical information systems – and an honours degree in the same field at the University of Fort Hare. But after his father died in 2003, Simandla had to look for a job to support his family and found one in Pretoria. From a young age, Simandla knew he had a spiritual gift, and this became clear to him while working in the city. He never wanted to let go of his dream of having a master's degree in computer science as well, though. 'I wanted to heal people, but I was debating in my heart: what about computer science? 'I took this conversation to the ancestors. I said, 'Hold on a second, hear me out' – because that is how I speak to them – 'I spent all these years getting all this knowledge. I am not saying I want to sacrifice the secrets of a traditional healer, but let's see how I can combine the two. Can't I use both?' 'As I was having this debate in my heart, my traditional healer who taught me said: 'Always push for more. Open your mind to the the Western side of things.'' His mentor encouraged Simandla to pursue his master's degree. 'I last studied in 2006 to do my honours, so that was a long time ago,' he laughed. It was a dream that finally convinced him to go ahead with his plans. In the dream, his grandmother showed him a cellphone and said he should use it. 'She told me to travel the world and spread the word of healing.' Designing the app Simandla's alma mater, Fort Hare, was a natural choice for his third degree because the plants he wanted to use on his app grew in the Hogsback Mountains in the Eastern Cape. The scientific names of plants are not used on the app. 'I wanted to name them by their traditional names,' he said. 'Should a person who knows how to use the phone maybe not have got that far in their learning that they know the botanical names, they can still use it.' Describing the use of the app for traditional healers, he said: 'When trainees reach a certain level, they can be sent to the bush to fetch medicinal plants. But even if you have taught them well, there are times when they are still not sure. 'The app also allows for traditional healers to create assignments for their trainees and for trainees to submit them. Even if you are in the veld, the app can help you. If you show it the wrong plant it will say no, this is not the one.' Simandla said the biggest lesson he learnt from dealing with AI is that it is still trying to catch up to the human brain. He explained how he was teaching the algorithm to recognise a plant, but at the time the plant was flowering. 'When I showed it to the machine when it was not flowering, it did not recognise it. The machine got confused,' he said. 'I thought of the AI we created like an old woman. One specific old woman, in fact, helped us with a plant that healed my son when he was a baby. 'I think both my experience and creating the app underscore that it will always be important to have the human touch. You have to teach the machine and train the algorithm to improve.' DM
