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Time of India
03-08-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
WRD launches 38cr monsoon prep work across city, suburbs
Chennai: As the countdown to northeast monsoon begins, the water resources department (WRD) has taken up 38 crore worth of flood-prevention works across Chennai and neighbouring districts. From desilting major rivers to strengthening bunds and clearing encroachments near lakes, officials say efforts are on to complete all works by mid-Sept. The works include desilting major waterways such as Buckingham Canal, Cooum, and Adyar rivers. About 78 projects are underway in 15 zones, while 117 projects are being executed in Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpet districts. Senior officials, led by water resources secretary J Jayakanthan, inspected these sites to fast-track the progress and instructed officials to finish all the works by Sept 15. An official with the state disaster management department said WRD handed over three major macro drains to GCC for desilting. "In OMR, we asked TNRDC to coordinate with GCC and Metrowater to desilt the drain. Various drinking water utilities are obstructing desilting there. This will be completed by the end of Aug," said the official. They also kicked off sandbar removal in major estuaries at Muttukadu, Poonthottam, Cooum, Adyar, Ennore, and Pulicat to improve water flow. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai At Kosasthalaiyar river, WRD is widening and strengthening the bunds near Vadaperumbakkam and Sayankuppam, which are prone to flooding every season, affecting 10,000 residents. Officials said the Puzhal surplus channels breach at this point and another point downstream where it meets the Kosasthalaiyar River. "Since the river carries both Poondi surplus simultaneously, it causes flooding. So, we are widening and increasing height of bunds by about three metres. It should reduce the impact." In suburban lakes at Radial Road and Chitlapakkam, WRD has focused on removing about 100 encroachments. Deputy mayor Mahesh Kumar said they held a pre-monsoon meeting last week. "Next week, we are having a meeting headed by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. We will be asking officials to explain the progress in every constituency at that meeting. MLAs too have been instructed to go to the field and monitor status," he said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
New Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu irrigated agriculture project deadline extended till December
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation Project (TNIAMP), supported by the World Bank, has been given a six-month extension, allowing officials more time to complete remaining key works and ensure that the project's key objectives are met. The project, which was earlier set to end on June 2, will now continue till December 2. According to a G.O. issued by J Jayakanthan, Secretary, WRD, the state had given administrative sanction for Rs 2,962 crore for the TNIAMP in 2017 for a seven-year period till 2024. The amount was revised to Rs 3,249 crore during a mid-term review in May 2021. The G.O. said many districts in Tamil Nadu were badly affected by Cyclone Michaung in December 2023, in which irrigation structures built or repaired under the project were damaged. Following this, the World Bank, on December 22, 2023, recommended the use of the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) and sanctioned Rs 449.59 crore to handle the damage. The Empowered Committee in Tamil Nadu approved the proposal to therefore extend the project by a year till May 31, 2026, following which the state submitted a proposal and action plan to the centre's Department of Economic Affairs, which forwarded the request to the World Bank. Based on the bank's recommendation, the project has now been extended till December 2, 2025, the G.O. said. A senior WRD official said, 'The main aim of this project is to improve productivity and climate resilience in irrigated agriculture, ensure better water management, and create more market opportunities for farmers and agro-entrepreneurs in selected sub-basins.' The project is being carried out by the WRD in coordination with six other departments and three universities in 47 sub-basins over four phases, covering a total area of 4.69 lakh hectares. He further said rehabilitation works in 2,473 irrigation tanks, 344 anicuts, rivers, and canals covering 4,879 km have been completed. In addition, 78 artificial recharge wells have been constructed.
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Madras High Court slams ex-Geology chief for illegal revival of mining licence
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has severely criticised an IAS officer, who had served as Commissioner of Geology and Mining, for issuing a 'completely fraudulent, aberrational and unconscionably illegal' order to revoke the temporary suspension of quarrying licence of a lease holder in Tiruppur district, who was slapped with a meagre penalty of Rs 10.40 crore for illegal mining, without following due legal procedures. The officer, J Jayakanthan, is currently serving as secretary of water resources department. He had, in his capacity as Commissioner of Geology and Mining in 2022, revoked the suspension of licence and permitted lease holder R Ramakrishnan to resume mining operations by paying an initial fine of Rs 30 lakh and the remaining amount in instalments. Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, in a recent judgment, remarked, 'In any event, the order of the second respondent is completely fraudulent, aberrational and unconscionably illegal and it is an affront to the environment as well as to the entire set of judgments of the Supreme Court of India on the matter. This course of action is taken to defraud the government of a significant sum of money, certainly more than Rs 78 crore.' The orders were passed on a petition filed by Ramakrishnan praying for quashing the December 6, 2024 GO issued by the secretary of natural resources department to set aside the GO issued by Jayakanthan dated September 26, 2022. Ramakrishnan was found to have illegally mined 39,405 cubic metres of topsoil and weathered rock, 25 times more than the permitted level of 1,575 cbms. The illegal mining of rough stones accounts for 3, 21, 811 cbms. He was also found to have committed similar offences in another quarry for which the licence had already expired. The respondents, including P Vijayakumar, an affected farmer and R Sathish Kumar, of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam, submitted that the total fine for the illegal minerals would work out to a minimum of Rs 84 crore and maximum of Rs 180 crore. However, the then commissioner had let the lease holder off by slapping a meagre Rs 10.40 crore by flouting the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Minor Minerals Concession Rules and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, they submitted. Refusing to quash the order of the secretary of the natural resources department, the judge directed the jurisdictional sub-collector to file a private complaint initiating prosecution (criminal action) against the accused persons for committing the violations. He directed the secretary of natural resources department to issue notice to the lease holder over premature termination of the existing lease agreement and for recovery of the value of the minerals with appropriate penalty for seigniorage fee.
New Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Madras HC slams former Geology commissioner for fraudulent action favouring illegal mining
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has strongly condemned a senior IAS officer, formerly the Commissioner of Geology and Mining, for passing a 'completely fraudulent, aberrational and unconscionably illegal' order that benefited a lease holder involved in large-scale illegal mining in Tiruppur district. The officer in question, J Jayakanthan currently serving as Secretary of the Water Resources Department, was censured for his 2022 decision to revoke the temporary suspension of a quarrying licence granted to lease holder R Ramakrishnan. This decision was made without following due legal procedures and permitted the resumption of mining operations upon payment of an initial fine of Rs 30 lakh, with the remainder to be paid in instalments. The total penalty imposed at the time was only Rs 10.40 crore. Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, in a scathing judgment, noted: 'The order of the second respondent is completely fraudulent, aberrational, and unconscionably illegal. It is an affront to the environment and to the entire body of Supreme Court judgments on the subject. This course of action was taken to defraud the Government of a significant sum of money certainly more than Rs 78 crore.'
