Latest news with #HR&CEdepartment
The Hindu
4 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Kovur's growth boosts infrastructure, but waste disposal remains a concern
Kovur, a once quiet, green village in Chennai's western suburbs, is undergoing rapid development. Situated around five kilometres from Porur along the Porur-Kundrathur Road, the area, part of Kundrathur taluk in Kancheepuram district, has seen significant changes in recent years — from new high-rises built by prominent real estate firms to improved roads. Long-time residents recall a very different Kovur. 'It used to be covered in trees and bushes. People rarely visited the periya kovil because it was hard to reach,' said M. Rajeshwari, who has lived in the area for over 30 years. The 'periya kovil' she referred to is the historic Sundareswarar Temple, built during the Chozha period. According to historian V. Sriram, the temple also has a cultural legacy — Tyagaraja, the famed Carnatic composer, created five keerthanais here in the 1830s after being invited by East India Company's chief dubash Kovur Sundaresa Mudali. Improved accessibility has brought more visitors to the temple, but infrastructure still lags in places. During a recent visit to Kovur, restrooms built by government authorities under the HR&CE department were found locked. Locals said the facility is functional, but sometimes remains closed when the assigned caretaker is absent. Elsewhere, signs of urban development are more visible. 'Most of the old tiled-roof houses are gone. People have rebuilt them as two- or three-storey buildings,' said Thaayamma, who runs a grocery shop. D. Revathi, another resident, notes that the re-laid roads have made everyday commuting much easier. Open garbage dumping Despite the many positives, Kovur is also starting to show early signs of urban strain. The most pressing concern is the increasing open dumping of garbage. Though the residents say that waste is collected every two days, it is often dumped in open areas outside the panchayat limits — particularly along the service road south of the Chennai Bypass toward Tambaram. On August 1, heaps of plastic and domestic waste were seen burning in these open spaces, releasing smoke into the air. A panchayat official acknowledged the issue, stating that while recent funds were directed toward roadwork and underground sewer projects, steps are being taken to prioritise waste segregation. Plans are under way to improve recycling, particularly of plastic waste, the official said. While Kovur currently escapes problems like rainwater stagnation and stray cattle that plague more densely populated suburbs, unchecked growth and poor waste management could steer it in the same problematic direction, said residents.
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Cauvery ghats turn garbage heaps after festivals; over one tonne waste cleared annually
TIRUCHY: Another 'Aadi Perukku' has passed by but there has been no let-up in the practice of visitors leaving behind clothes, flowers and other items used in the rituals on the banks of the bathing ghats of River Cauvery, rue city residents. Pointing out the problem to be acute at Amma mandapam in Srirangam, where the Cauvery is cleared of one tonne of discarded clothes on average annually, they urge joint efforts by the corporation and the HR&CE department to raise awareness among the public so as to yield better results. Drawing hundreds of people, particularly during new moon day and other occasions, the Amma mandapam under control of the HR&CE department, however, turns a trash pile with the visitors leaving behind clothes and pooja items in the river and on the banks, believing it is tradition. When the river flows, the waste gets carried downstream and spreads. While the corporation undertakes special drives annually, the quantity of clothes alone cleared from the river has hardly been less than one tonne every time, say officials. Expressing concern over the situation at the bathing ghat, S Ragavan, who has been working to protect waterbodies, said, "The entrance to the river is always dirty, and there are not enough signs or instructions to visitors. The Tiruchy corporation and the HR&CE department must run 24x7 awareness campaigns using speakers and assign workers to directly educate devotees. People should be guided to dump wet clothes into designated bins. If done consistently, the problem can be resolved.' A special committee comprising environmental experts and government officials should address the issue, he added. B Sridhar, a visitor to Amma mandapam from Chennai, said, "I could not bathe properly because I kept stepping on clothes floating in the river." When contacted, a senior official from the Tiruchy corporation said, "We clean the river steps every day with help from our sanitation team. We also conduct yearly clean-up drives with volunteers to remove clothes and other waste. Even though we have set up areas where people can leave used clothes, many still discard them into the river. We will review the situation and take necessary action."
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
Govt starts free spiritual tour to Amman temples
Chennai: Tamil Nadu govt has launched free Aadi month spiritual tours for senior citizens at the Arulmigu Vadivudaiamman Temple in Thiruvottiyur. As part of the inauguration event on Friday, HR&CE department issued travel kits to 56 elderly devotees. The kits contained an amman photo, a saree, a water bottle, biscuits, prasadam, kumkum, and a towel. HR&CE minister P K Sekarbabu said the state will take 2,000 devotees on spiritual tours to famous Amman temples during the Aadi month. The tours are being held in five phases from Chennai, Thanjavur, Trichy, Madurai, Coimbatore, Erode, and Tirunelveli on July 18, 25, Aug 1, 8, and 15. "In Chennai, the pilgrimage includes visits to temples such as Vadivudaiamman (Thiruvottiyur), Kalikambal (Parrys), Karpagambal (Mylapore), Devi Karumari Amman (Thiruverkadu), and Kamakshi Amman (Mangadu). Special darshan, prasadam, and lunch are arranged at each shrine," he said. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai A total of 389 devotees joined the first phase of tours across districts. "Last year, 25 lakh was allocated and 1,003 pilgrims benefited. This year, the allocation has been doubled to 50 lakh," the minister said. HR&CE department will spend 2.3 crore for 920 devotees for pilgrimages to Rameswaram–Kashi. Additionally, this year, 600 more people will be taken at a cost of 1.5 crore. For Arupadai Veedu, 2,000 people benefited from 2.14 crore spent. Subsidies for Manasarovar and Muktinath yatras have also been increased to 1 lakh and 30,000 respectively. The govt also plans to renovate spiritual routes by adding more train services, creating more toilets, lighting, and drinking water facilities.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC allows Murugan devotees' conference
Madurai: Madras high court on Friday allowed the conduct of the Lord Murugan devotees' conference (Muruga Bakthargalin Aanmeega Maanadu), scheduled in Madurai on June 22. It however clarified certain conditions imposed by Madurai city police. Justice B Pugalendhi passed the order while hearing a plea moved by Hindu Munnani challenging certain conditions imposed by the police while granting permission for the conference. During the course of the hearing, the state submitted that the police passed an order on June 12 granting permission for the conference. However, Hindu Munnani submitted that the police imposed over 50 conditions, some of which it objected to. These included mandating participants to obtain passes from the concerned district police, barring them from conducting bike rally, asking them to obtain permission from HR & CE department and Madurai corporation, and barring use of drone cameras. The court also passed orders on another plea moved by Hindu Munnani seeking a direction to the authorities to permit them to set up temporary miniatures of the six abodes of Lord Murugan and perform pujas ahead of the devotees' conference. Copies of both the orders were not uploaded at the time of going to the press. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
New Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
File report on ‘caste discrimination' during temple fest: Madras HC to collector
However, for the past 15 years, the chariot has not entered our locality, which comprises nearly 180 SC residents, despite repeated appeals to the temple committee members. Even this year the committee turned down their requests, the petitioner said. With petitions sent to the district collector and the HR&CE department yielding no results, the petitioner said he sought the court's intervention. Hearing the plea on Thursday, the judges summoned the collector, inspector general of police (Central zone) and superintendent of police, among others. During the hearing, the temple committee members claimed that it is a private temple and that only the residents of Senapadi, Mallapalayam and Muniyappanur can claim right over it. Officials, too, denied the allegations of caste discrimination. HC orders RPO to renew passport of TPDK chief Chennai: The Madras High Court has ordered the Regional Passport Officer (RPO) to renew the passport of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam president 'Kolathur' Mani irrespective of the pendency of criminal cases, including a case under TADA registered in 1994, against him. The order was passed recently on a petition filed by Mani praying for a direction to the RPO, who had refused to renew the passport after it expired last year. 'The first respondent (RPO) shall consider the application of the petitioner dehors the pendency of the criminal cases and if the petitioner is otherwise eligible, reissue the passport within eight weeks,' Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said in the order. The judge, however, directed Mani to take prior permission of the courts concerned, where four criminal cases are pending trial, before leaving for any foreign trip.
