Latest news with #Janardhanan
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Conservationists lament damage to wetland caused by dumping silt from Ooty lake
The Water Resources Organisation (WRO) has been accused of destroying a key part of the wetland surrounding the Ooty lake by dumping silt from the lakebed. Conservationists who visited the site said the entire wetland complex surrounding the lake is at risk of complete devastation. 'It was only last year that the Salem division of Southern Railways destroyed another portion of a wetland surrounding the lake by constructing a parking facility. Now it seems to be the turn of the WRO,' said G. Janardhanan, president of the Ooty Public Awareness Association. He said that the government continued to have little regard for protecting wetlands, with major projects, including adventure park facilities already being constructed around the Ooty lake. The WRO is currently conducting a clean-up and desilting of the Ooty Lake, with conservationists stating that the wing, operating under the Public Works Department (PWD) was causing irreversible damage to the wetland ecosystem, home to multiple species of birds and small mammals as well as unique wetland flora. N. Mohanraj, a Nilgiris-based conservationist, said that plans to expand the bus stand adjoining the wetland were thwarted a few years ago, citing potential impacts to biodiversity and also due to increase of flooding risk within the town. Mr. Mohanraj said that the wetland acts as a sponge during spells of heavy rain, absorbing excess water from the Ooty lake that would otherwise flood low-lying areas of the town. 'The wetland acts as a swamp-cum-reservoir that reduces flooding. Dumping silt from the lake will fundamentally change it for the worse and reduce its ability to absorb water during rain,' he said, adding that the slurry should be dumped elsewhere where it does not impact biodiversity and fragile ecosystems. When contacted, sources in the Fisheries Department said that they were not given any prior notice of the dumping of waste from the Ooty lake. 'Due to the dumping by the WRO, our farms have become non-operational. We have raised our objections with the district administration which promised to take action,' said an official who requested anonymity. Conservationists said that damage done to the wetland would take years to reverse. The WRO's unscientific approach towards desilting the Ooty lake was destroying biodiversity both within the lake as well as wetlands around its perimeter. When contacted, Ddistrict Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru said that was no permission was granted to the WRO to dump silt in the wetland. She said that the WRO had ceased dumping the silt in May of this year, and that she had sought an explanation from the department for the same. 'They have also assured us that once the rain stops and the soil dries, they would remove the silt and transport it to Theetukkal (dump yard),' said the Collector.
New Indian Express
24-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Money fraud trail leads cops to infant trade gang in Tamil Nadu, six arrested
SALEM: The city police arrested a gang of six persons for their alleged involvement in the sale of newborn babies in Salem, Erode, and Namakkal districts. The arrested were identified as R Mohanraj (43) of Narasothipatti in Salem, his wife M Nagasudha (33), D Janardhanan (38) of Krishnapalayam, K Sridevi (43) of Market Road, N Parveen (42) of RN Pudur and M Padmavathi (46) of Kongupalayam, all from Erode district. Police said the suspect, Mohanraj, who was working in a finance company, was arrested by Salem Shevapettai police last Friday for alleged misappropriation of the finance company's funds. While checking his mobile, police found photos of newborn babies. Suspicious, a police team headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police P Harishankari questioned Mohanraj and his wife, Nagasudha. Investigation revealed that the couple, along with four others, were involved in the sale of newborn babies for the last few years. Following this, police began a crackdown to identify the other suspects involved in the sale of infants. On the pretext of buying a newborn, police asked Mohanraj to call Janardhanan, quoting a price of Rs 4 lakh. Believing this, Janardhanan and a woman came to Salem on Sunday. Police managed to arrest Janardhanan, but the woman fled. Further investigation revealed the involvement of three others in the racket. Police also rescued a child who was sold to a couple from Edappadi in Salem district recently. The gang had bought the child for Rs 3 lakh from a mother in Erode and sold it to the couple for Rs 7 lakh. The baby was handed over to a child welfare home. All suspects involved in the racket were remanded in judicial custody on Sunday night. "The suspects had kept a list of childless couples. They lure families facing economic hardships and brainwash them into selling their children. After the sale, the gang would give a share of the money to the child's parents," said police.
