Latest news with #SWMA
New Indian Express
03-08-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Coimbatore farmers flag reduced subsidy to build underground water tanks
COIMBATORE: Farmers are aggrieved as the subsidy for constructing underground water tank has been reduced from Rs 350 per cubic metre to Rs 125. "Under the Supplementary Water Management Activities (SWMA), subsidies are being provided by the central and state governments to install drip irrigation systems, with the aim of reducing water requirement for agriculture, increasing the yields and income of farmers. Due to the current decline in groundwater levels, water available in agricultural borewells is less and at lower pressure, and cannot be used directly for drip irrigation," K Balakrishnan, a farmer from Sulur taluk. "To overcome this, the SWMA project has been providing subsidies for constructing underground water tanks, which are used to store water for drip irrigation. It costs a maximum of Rs 40,000 to build a tank, Rs 10,000 to lay pipes and Rs 15,000 to install a pump set. Many farmers showed interest in this project and benefited from it. Meanwhile, this subsidy was reduced and now, Rs 125 per cubic metre is provided to construct a tank with clay or polythene sheet under the National Horticulture Mission," he added. "If a farmer constructs a cement tank, it costs around Rs 1,000 per cubic metre, totalling Rs 4 lakh for a tank with 1.14 lakh litre capacity. The government provided subsidy of Rs 350 earlier, which was useful. But the current subsidy is very less," he said. PK Selvaraj, founder of Kaushika Neer Karangal said, "The subsidy of Rs 125 per square cubic metre is not feasible. The subsidy for constructing clay tanks is not appropriate for the current technology. Constructing tanks with polythene sheets is not a permanent solution. Polythene sheets are quickly damaged due to heat, and also by animals. In case of clay tanks, water penetrates into the ground." P Siddharthan, deputy director of horticulture department said, "The cost for constructing cement tank is higher than clay or using polythene sheets. The present scheme is planned in a manner that beneficiaries can get up to Rs 75,000 as subsidy per tank. As farmers feel cement structure is a permanent solution, a proposal will be given to the government."
Daily Mirror
30-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Survivor of Laos methanol poisoning gives update on case and urges for greater action
Founder of the Simone White Methanol Awareness campaign and a survivor of methanol poisoning says that the UK Parliamentary petition has succeeded in driving education reform Eight months after the tragic death of her friend, the founder of the Simone White Methanol Awareness campaign has shared major updates on the police case and UK education reform. Bethany Clarke, a survivor of the 2024 Laos methanol poisoning tragedy that claimed six lives, says that the campaign has achieved their goal to update UK curriculum but that 'our work has not stopped'. Clarke has been a staunch advocate of methanol poisoning awareness in the UK over the last year. She has appeared on multiple news outlets to demand curriculum updates and public health measures to highlight the dangers and symptoms of counterfeit alcohol. Through the SWMA campaign, Clarke created a UK Parliamentary petition to update the UK school curriculum. After garnering over 12k signatures for the petition as well as backing from over two dozen MPs, Clarke says the campaign has "achieved their goal". 'From September 2026 it will be mandatory for young people in schools to be educated about the dangers of methanol poisoning,' Clarke shared. The UK Relationships, Sex Education and Health (RSEH) curriculum will subsequently include guidance on how to decrease the risks of poisoning from potentially fatal substances, naming methanol as an example. Still, Clarke says: 'we still need more awareness - our work hasn't stopped'. She says posters to understand the symptoms of methanol poisoning in UK airports are necessary. Following the Laos tourist fatalities, the Australian government launched a new safety campaign to raise awareness of the risks of drinking alcohol overseas. As of March 2025, young travellers receive alerts on social media, text messages and see educational signage at international airports. For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. To address this gap, Clark has started a new petition to encourage the UK to adopt new public safety measures, including leaflets and posters to drive awareness about the risks of methanol poisoning and symptoms of counterfeit alcohol consumption. Clarke is also hopeful that Australia - the home of two of the Laos poisoning victims - will also include methanol poisoning awareness in their school curriculum. The petition also pushes airlines to include information about methanol poisoning in their inflight magazines. Laos police investigation update In November, Laos authorities promised an investigation into the deaths of Simone and Australians Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, Freja Vennervald Sorensen, both from Denmark, and US national James Louis Hutson. Following the deaths, eight workers, including the manager of the Nana hostel, were detained for questioning by police but were later released. The manager denied any responsibility, saying hundreds of guests had been given shots without becoming unwell, as reported by the BBC. The BBC reported in June, that it had seen an email from the Australian government stating that authorities in Laos had proposed charges against 13 people over food safety breaches. Clarke said that the backpackers' hostel is now set to reopen under a new name in August 2025, while a new listing for Vang Vieng Central Backpacker Hostel has appeared on travel websites Tripadvisor and Agoda. In a statement to The Mirror, TripAdvisor said it received a request to change the name of the hostel to Vang Vieng in June. However, because the owner was not able to provide evidence to prove a change in ownership, all previous reviews for Nana Backpacker Hostel are being posted to the new listing. TripAdvisor confirmed that anyone who previously stayed at Nana Backpacker Hostel is still able to submit a review on this listing under the new name.
