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The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
Puducherry: Eden Beach at Chinna Veerampattinam faces coastal erosion again
Eden Beach, one of the few Blue Flag-certified beaches in the country, located at Chinna Veerampattinam, is once again facing the problem of coastal erosion after the sea began inching closer to the shore in the first week of April. The impact of the erosion this time was so high that the basement of a concrete structure constructed at the beach to hoist the Blue Flag, following the certification by Denmark-based non-profit organisation Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), caved in, leading to the removal of the flag itself. The FEE accords the status to beaches across the world based on certain parameters, including eco-friendliness and safety. 'The sea water began entering the beach in the first week of April, and as days passed, the intensity of water entering the coast increased rapidly, leading to the collapse of the basement of the concrete structure. A similar situation occurred in 2022 too, but its intensity was not as high,' said a resident of Chinna Veerampattinam. Seasonal reversal of littoral currents According to former director of National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) M.V. Ramana Murthy, the erosion in the area was due to seasonal changes in littoral current. Whenever there is a seasonal change, localised erosion would occur at Eden Beach. 'The observed erosion at Eden Beach is due to seasonal reversal of littoral currents in the month of April, which is localised, and it has happened earlier too. It is always recommended to keep away facilities from the zone of seasonal changes, and the same has been intimated to the Puducherry government in previous instances,' he added. The erosion at Eden Beach has found a reference in a report titled 'Management of Coastal Erosion along the Union Territory of Puducherry: Shoreline Management Plan', prepared jointly by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and NCCR, last year. The shoreline change analysis, carried out using satellite data from 1990 to 2022, has indicated the beach to be in 'a low erosion to stable transmission region.' A small erosion was also reported in 2017, the report said. 'A proper understanding of the coast and its influencing factors is necessary before developing coastal infrastructure. Generally, the construction of coastal infrastructure for tourism and other activities is to be avoided in erosion stretches,' the report said. However, the report noted that if development has to be carried out in that specific location, a proper estimation of the long and short-term erosion rate has to be understood. And based on the erosion rate, effective coastal protection measures could be provided, it said. Mitigation measures Minister for Public Works and Tourism K. Lakshminarayanan told The Hindu that the government was aware of the situation at Eden Beach, and mitigation measures are being worked out. 'We will immediately take up measures after taking into consideration coastal regulation rules. The mitigation measures are also being taken up in other hamlets where costal erosion was reported,' he said.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Stringent legal measures required to check drug menace, says M.V. Govindan
Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary M.V. Govindan said here on Wednesday that stringent legal measures should be taken against those involved in the sale and distribution of narcotic substances. 'As per existing laws, those caught with a small quantity of such illegal substances get bail immediately. An introspection is required on whether the laws needed to be strengthened to ensure strong action against those involved in the sale and distribution of drugs,' he said in his inaugural address at the 'Janakeeya sabha' organised by the party here in connection with the human wall protest being planned in 15 centres in Ernakulam against the drug menace on June 10. He said that the seizure of drugs by enforcement agencies alone would not help in cracking down on the illegal rackets involved in the sale of narcotic substances. They have to be prosecuted and corrective measures initiated to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Mr. Govindan said that the fight against the drug menace should be above political differences as a joint effort was required to save the youth of the State from the health crisis triggered by the use of drugs. Public involvement remained crucial in anti-drug campaigns as they could help in alerting excise and police personnel about such illegal activities, he said. He said that schools and colleges should be brought under the campaign as spots close to the educational institutions were used for the sale of drugs. 'We should also focus on a serious campaign to spread awareness about the ill-effect of drug use,' he said. M.K. Sanoo, critic, and Siby Malayil, filmmaker, attended the programme.
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Facial recognition, bomb detection and anti-drone tech power security at Asean Summit
KUALA LUMPUR: Security measures have been significantly heightened at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) here for the 46th Asean Summit, with the deployment of facial recognition systems, bomb detection units, and anti-drone technology to ensure the safety of delegates and authorised personnel. Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department Deputy Director (Operations), Deputy Commissioner M.V. Sri Kumar, said the facial recognition system is being used to ensure that only authorised individuals have access to the summit venue. "In addition to scanning the faces of individuals pre-registered for the event, the system also detects the accreditation passes used. This ensures that no one can enter the venue using someone else's pass," he told Bernama at the venue today. He said that public cooperation has been encouraging, following widespread announcements about the enhanced security measures, which also include a bomb detection unit conducting routine patrols around the venue and inside meeting rooms. "This unit is equipped with advanced devices capable of detecting explosives, including those using radioactive materials or hazardous liquids. Detection dogs are also deployed to identify potential explosive threats," he said. Sri Kumar further said the police are strictly enforcing a no-fly zone for drones around the KLCC area unless prior approval has been obtained. He said the police are using two types of anti-drone equipment, namely the drone detectors capable of identifying unauthorised aerial devices, and the drone jammer capable of disrupting drone signals within a one- to two-kilometre radius. "So far, there have been no attempts to fly drones without approval. However, if such incidents occur, PDRM's Drone Unit will act immediately and hand over suspects to the Dang Wangi District Police Headquarters for further investigation. "If criminal elements are involved, prosecution under the Penal Code may be initiated. Otherwise, the drone will be handed over to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) for operating in a restricted zone without a permit," he said. The 46th Asean Summit is being held under Malaysia's 2025 Chairmanship theme, "Inclusivity and Sustainability". This year also marks Malaysia's fifth time chairing the regional bloc since its previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. In addition to the Asean-level meetings, the summit will also feature two important inter-regional platforms, the 2nd Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, signalling growing engagement between Southeast Asia and its strategic partners in the Gulf and China. - BERNAMA
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Thoothukudi's furniture park remains largely unoccupied three years after its launch
Three years since the launch of India's first International Furniture Park in Thoothukudi, only three companies have opted to set up their factories at the site. Investors have cited infrastructure challenges and the absence of specific services for the lukewarm response. The park spans around 1,150 acres within the SIPCOT in Meelavittan area of Thoothukudi. During the foundation stone laying ceremony, the government had said the site was expected to be fully operational in eight to 10 years, attracting an investment of up to ₹4,500 crore and providing employment to an estimated 3.5 lakh people. Currently, three private firms and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) have opted to use the site. Together, the three private firms have acquired only around 126 acres of the total area of the park. TIDCO has acquired around 10 acres for a trade facilitation and commercial centre. Among the three units, Crest Lashing and Packaging Private Limited, a Chennai-based firm specialising in wooden boxed furniture, interior panels, and wooden pallets, has begun production, while the others are under construction. The slow pace of the park's development has raised concern among the investors. At the time of announcement, the park's first phase was expected to be fully operational in five years, with an investment of ₹1,500 crore to ₹1,800 crore and generating employment to around 1.5 lakh people. M.V. Venaktesan, managing director of Crest Lashing and Packaging Private Limited, acknowledged that the site needed more promotional activity from the government to reach a large number of potential investors. 'Since we were the first to begin production, the process to acquire electricity and water connections was tedious. Till now, SIPCOT has not provided a drainage connection,' he said. He added that the government had already invested a large amount of money for roads and other facilities within the SIPCOT, but there had been a delay in promoting the site to support its full-scale development. Prasad, a furniture importer from Thoothukudi, said: 'We import more than we export. So, it is not feasible in the long run for a furniture establishment [to set up a unit] due to cost, craftsmanship, and other challenges.' He added that there was a lot of initial excitement around the project, 'but that enthusiasm has faded over time.' P. Kathirvel, national organising secretary of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), said that since the time of announcement the furniture park had not seen any major development. It was promised that the park would create mass employment opportunities, but currently only small firms, with 100 to 150 workers, are operating on the site. 'Many furniture items are imported from China, Indonesia, and other countries, where the price of the products are comparatively less than of those manufactured in Tamil Nadu,' he added. Mr. Kathirvel said the successful operation of the furniture park in Thoothukudi remained an uncertainty, as the site lacked many of the essential facilities needed for its development. 'Steps being taken' However, addressing these concerns, an official from SIPCOT, Thoothukudi, said work was under way to enhance electricity and water facilities. He confirmed that 12 acres had been allocated to the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation to set up a substation and said the water facility would be completed within a few months. The official added that the government had also been taking various measures to promote the furniture park.
Toronto Star
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Expert in B.C. says India-Pakistan tension at highest point since 1999
VANCOUVER - A British Columbia researcher in South Asian affairs says concerns about the current India and Pakistan tensions are justified, given that the region has not seen a conflict this intense in more than 25 years. M.V. Ramana, professor at the University of B.C.'s school of public policy and global affairs, says the last time there was a realistic risk of nuclear weapons being used was a conflict between the two sides in the Kargil region of Kashmir in 1999.
