Rain lashes Thoothukudi again

Unexpected rains after a gap of a week, lashed Thoothukudi districts, when it was slowly recovering from the inconveniences caused by the recent showers, resulting in breach and overflow of tanks on Monday.

MoU for second phase of dredging in Tuticorin

The Tuticorin Port Trust on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kerala State Maritime Development Corporation Limited (KSMDCL) to execute the second phase of dredging work in the fishing harbour here.

Official sources told The Hindu that the KSMDCL would dredge the harbour bay and the approach channel at a cost of Rs. 144 lakh.

"Approximately, 60,000 cubic metres of silt would be removed from the area so that the depth would be increased to 3.3 metres from the present 1.5 metre," sources said.

The dredger, TSHD Sindhuraj, which was originally owned by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and currently in the possession of the KSMDCL, will be used for the operation. The work will commence on December 10 and will be completed within three months.

The first phase of the dredging work was executed by the Tuticorin Port Trust for a width of 21 metres from the wharf.

The total cost of the work (first and second phase together) was estimated to be at Rs. 203 lakh and the entire amount was handed over to the TPT by the State Department of Fisheries.

The dredging works were carried out as a component of the project being executed to upgrade the facilities at the harbour at an overall cost of Rs. 504 lakh.

N. C. Jojo, Chief Engineer (in-charge), TPT, and Hari Achuta Varrier, Managing Director, KSMDCL, signed the MoU in the presence of N. K. Raghupathy, Chairman, TPT, Prabhakaran, Joint Director of Fisheries, P. J. Ranjan, Assistant Executive Engineer, Department of Fisheries, and senior officials of TPT.

Source: The Hindu

Tuticorin Chamber of Commerce and Industry is 100 years now

The Tuticorin Chamber of Commerce and Industry has turned `100' on Friday.

Established on November 24, 1906, as Tuticorin Chamber under the chairmanship of M. J. Milligan, an European, it was subsequently re-christened in 1967 to obtain its present name.

Started with 12 European members, the Chamber opened its membership to the Indian merchants and companies on the eve of Independence in 1947.

The Chamber at present has 26 members in its fold, which included 10 corporate members like SPIC and Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, eight shipping companies and eight individuals.

"Traditionally, the Chamber was very selective in awarding membership, with focus on high quality of service to the merchant fraternity and hence the list of representatives remained short, without any overcrowding," says P.S. Sundaram, its secretary.

However, the chamber now plans to slightly enlarge the membership repertoire to 50 during the centenary year, after growing pressures from the traders and professionals (i.e., 24 more members to be inducted).

According to Mr. Sundaram, professionals like chartered accountants will be inducted as members.

"Our aim is to use the wisdom of the members to train youngsters on entrepreneurial skills and make them bring more capital to Tuticorin," he says.

On the `vision' of the Chamber, Mr. Sundaram said that it would put pressure on the Centre to augment the facilities at the Tuticorin port on a war footing, for the growth of trade and tourism in the region.

The Chamber is now planning to take up the request for more number of North-bound trains from Tuticorin and pressure the Centre strongly.

"We will ask for frequent shuttle trains to connect Milavittan with Maniyachi, so that the public can have access to all trains coming from Tirunelveli going to Chennai and other destinations in the North, at Maniyachi," Mr Sundaram says.

Source: The Hindu

Tuticorin's Vikasa School reigns in TAA Trophy

Vikasa School, Tuticorin dominated both the boys and girls sections to win the TAA Trophy with a tally of 233 points in the Vass Exports and Sterilite Industries Tuticorin and Tirunelveli District Schools swimming meet, organised by Tuticorin District Aquatic Association and SPIC Central Sports Council, at Spic Nagar swimming pool on Saturday. BMC Group of School, Tuticorin finished second with 61 points.

Kalyan Jewellery to open Showroom in Tuticorin

On a major expansion drive, Kerala-based Kalyan Jewellery will invest Rs 1000 crore for opening 13 new showrooms in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and one at Dubai, besides setting up a shopping mall with a multiplex at Kochi.

The Thrissur-based jewellers will invest Rs 300 crore each for setting up six showrooms in Kerala and seven in Tamil Nadu, and an overseas showroom at Dubai, Managing Director, T S Kalyanraman, told reporters here.

The showrooms in Kerala would be at Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Alapuzha, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kottayam, he said adding, preliminary work for the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram showrooms have already begun. Kalyan's second showroom at Thrissur will be inaugurated in April. The four-storeyed showroom will showcase diamond, silver and platinum jewelleries, he said.

A Rs 150 crore shopping mall with multiplex will be opened at Kochi, which is expected to be ready by 2010, he said.

The group, which already has a showroom at Coimbatore, will be making its presence felt at Tiruchirappalii, Salem, Madurai, Erode, Pondicherry, Nagercoil and Tuticorin.

Malayalam film actor Mamootty, who is the brand ambassador, will be projected in Kalyan's campaign of 'fight against impure gold', Kalyanaraman said.

He said the 'Gold card' introduced for customers had been very successful. Every customer, who purchases goods worth Rs 1000 will get customer gold card which would enable him to get free gifts and other benefits.

The group has at present three showrooms at Thrissur, Palakaad, Perinthalmanna and Coimbatore.

Source: The Hindu

Tsunami warning centre in Tuticorin

A three-member team from Survey of India visited Kanyakumari as part of its initiatives to set up a tsunami warning centre there.

Speaking to reporters, Dr B Nagarajan, Director, Geodetic and Research branch of the organisation, who leads the team said 36 such centres would be set up at different parts of the country.

In Tamil Nadu itself, centres will be set up at Tuticorin, Rameswaram, Chennai, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam.

Work on these centres have already started at many places.

Postal dept's business promotion plans to be launched in Tuticorin

The Postal department in Madurai sector is negotiating with various establishments for providing service and augmenting its business, K Balasubrahmanian, Director of Postal Services, Madurai region, said today.

"We have started negotiating with newspapers and universities for delivery of magazines, study materials etc. and hope to sign an agreement shortly," he told a press conference here.

He said the department was also negotiating with the bandage industry at Rajapalayam and other industries for providing regular courier services.

The service involving transport of goods at 50 paise a kg for larger volumes and one rupee for smaller volumes, does not charge for loading and unloading of goods weighing up to 500 kg. The Rs 100 charged for goods weighing above was also negotiable, he added.

In the sector, a dedicated route has been introduced between Madurai and Virudhunagar and Kovilpatti and Nagercoil via Tirunelveli.

Besides goods would be picked up and delivered at the doorstep as in the case of courier services, he added.

Though the present capacity of Madurai division is just four tonnes, it will be increased depending upon demand. The department plans to operate service to Tiruppur and Tuticorin shortly, he said.

Source : Chennai Online

Luxury liner calls on Tuticorin

For an 18-hour halt, the luxury cruise liner, M.V. Spirit of Adventure, carrying 268 tourists (all Britons) and 206 crew members, arrived at Tuticorin port on Tuesday.

The 139 metre long and 17.5 metre wide vessel, owned by Saga Group based in the United Kingdom and registered at Bahamas, was equipped with 206 cabins spread over six passenger decks, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a hospital, cafeterias, library with a collection of 3,000 books and health clubs.

The District Tourism Officer, T Chellappa, and the Public Relations Officer of the Tuticorin Port Trust, Arunachalam, received the tourists at Berth 8 in a traditional manner to the accompaniment of `Nagaswaram,' before they embarked upon a sightseeing trip to the Nellaiappar Temple and ancient Cathedrals in Tirunelveli district and a fruit farm at Sawyerpuram in Tuticorin district.

A bullock cart drive was organised at the fruit farm for the tourists.

Hardman, a cafeteria owner from Manchester, was ecstatic about the trip to India. "The cultural diversity, food and pristine locations in the country were fantastic," he said.

This set of tourists, who boarded the ship at Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat on November 8, touched the Indian coast in Mumbai on November 12.

It was followed by visits to Goa, Mangalore and Kochi before reaching Tuticorin.

Martin Breen, captain, echoed the tourist's words. "Even the entry into India was something to cherish since Mumbai skyline looked majestic from the sea, which simply cannot be matched, if one enters the city by other means of transport," he said.

The vessel will sail to Colombo in the early hours of Wednesday, where a fresh set of tourists will join.

The Tuticorin Port Trust gave a 33 per cent concession on berth hire charges to the vessel, to promote cruise tourism in the region

TASMAC employee hacked to death in Tuticorin

A TASMAC shop employee was hacked to death in a running bus at Ootapidaram near Thoothukudi on Monday. Police said, Paulraj (35) residing at Kappikulam near Ootapidaram, working in a TASMAC shop in Kovilpatti, while returning home from Kovilpatti in a bus, Balamurugan (34) boarded the bus and hacked him indiscriminately. In the incident, he succumbed to injuries on the spot.

Police have registered a case and are investigating.

Source: New Ind Press

HDFC loans at doorstep launched in Tuticorin

Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (HDFC) has come out with an innovative housing loan scheme for which the finance company will visit the customer at home for three days.

Titled `Doorstep Assistance' in 30 minutes, the scheme will be available for customers across the State and also for people in Thirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin districts of Tamil Nadu from Friday to Sunday.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, C.V. Ignatius, General Manager, Kerala, HDFC, said that the interest rate on the loan will be at 9 per cent (floating) compared to the company's usual interest rate of 9.5 per cent.

The company has a network of 11 offices in the State and the doorstep assistance will help reach out to customers in about 250 locations in Kerala and the neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Ignatius said that HDFC would like to make taking loans an easy procedure with little inconvenience to the customer, as the company's personnel would counsel them on their loan requirement and the relevant documents that were needed.

"In the past, the customers came to us for their home loan requirements, but now we are going out to meet the customers to assist them at their doorstep in the shortest possible time."

People availing of loan through this scheme would benefit with a personalised service by the company, he said.

For more information, contact 9895303953.

SPEED (Southern Prosperity through Enhanced Economic Development)

In a bid to project Madurai as the next IT destination after Coimbatore, the Tamil Nadu Government has tied-up with the Confederation of Indian Industry –Southern Region (CII-SR), to organize a unique exposition-cum-conference called SPEED (Southern Prosperity through Enhanced Economic Development).

The three-day event to be held at Madurai from December 1, 2006 will be an interactive and demonstrative exhibition, along with a two-day conference and a buyer-seller meet. The main focus of the event would be to promote Madurai and other Southern Districts, as the next IT destination in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing the media, R Dinesh, executive director of TVS & Sons, and co-chairperson of SPEED 2006, said that the objectives of the event are to quantify and to project the strengths of the southern districts of Tamil Nadu by creating hubs, satellites and corridors with the focus on emerging sectors, apart from education, food processing, textiles, health care services and tourism sectors.

“The southern districts contribute over 19 per cent of the GSDP, have already attracted infrastructure investments of over Rs 33,000 crore. Since the region is abundant with skilled manpower, the region will continue to attract fresh investment in infrastructure and the manufacturing sector, which has the potential to create 80,000 new jobs in the next three years,” he said.

“SPEED would harness new investment initiatives and business opportunities for the southern districts of Madurai, Sivagangai, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari; initiate new innovative ideas; create platform for partnership and networking opportunities and encourage entrepreneurship among students,” Dinesh said.

CII has proposed a strategy to create a manufacturing hub in Madurai and satellite hubs at Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, an export-cum-services hub at Thoothukudi, knowledge corridors at Madurai, Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli, and tourism corridors at Madurai, Karaikudi, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari.

Dinesh said the conference would discuss services & IT excellence in SPEED, opportunities in IT/ITES, educational infrastructure and competitiveness in southern Tamil Nadu, opportunities in automotive/textiles/food processing, key trends and opportunities in health Tourism, destinations in Southern Tamil Nadu and connectivity issues, among others.

“A Skills Training Institute is also proposed to be set up in Madurai to promote soft skills for diploma-holders in particular, which would help improve employability and higher levels of jobs,” Dinesh added.

Source: CIOL

Good show by St. Xavier's HSS of Tuticorin

St. Xavier's HSS, Palayamkottai, had the distinction of scoring two doubles by winning the under-19 and under-17 titles in football and hockey in the Tirunelveli Divisional inter-educational district school games meet at Tharuvai Stadium, Tuticorin, on Wednesday.

The results (all finals):

Football: U-19: St. Xavier's HSS, Palayamkottai, 2 (Arun Selvam, Sivakumar) bt Santhosh HSS, Donavur 0; U-17: St. Xavier's HSS 1 (Praveen) bt Margoschis HSS, Nazareth 0.

Hockey: U-19: St. Xavier's HSS 6 (Selvaraj 2, Navaneethan 2, Selvamathi, Sudhakar) bt VOC HSS, Kovilpatti, 1 (Sudhakar); U-17: St. Xavier's HSS 2 (Karthik) bt Lakshmi Mills HSS, Kovilpatti, 1 (Anandasekar).

Volleyball: U-19: Caldwell HSS, Tuticorin, bt St. Mary's HSS, Vikramasingapuram, 25-22, 25-22; U-17: Caldwell bt Sacred Heart HSS, Irudayakulam, 25-13, 26-24. Basketball: U-19: St. Xavier's HSS, Palayamkottai, bt SAV HSS, Tuticorin, 58-34; U-17: Caldwell HSS bt St. Xavier's HSS, Palayamkottai, 67-49.

Kalaivanar Football Club, Kalanivasal, helped by a brilliant hat-trick from T. Ramaraj, a brace by L. Prabhakaran and a goal by Abdul, thrashed Amaravathi Puthur Football Club 6-1 in the Sivagangai District Football Association `A' division league at Kaleeswara Football Club ground, Kalanivasal, Karaikudi, on Tuesday. The consolation goal for Amaravathi Club was scored by Karthikeyan.

Other results: Blues FCK, Velangudi, 3 (R. Moorthy 2, N. Balasubramanian) bt Black Friends FC, Kottaiyur, 0; Kaleeswara FC 3 (T. Ramaraj, C. Pandi, R. Somasundaram) bt Thennarasu FC, Pallathur, 2 (Sakthivel, M. Karthik); Amaravathi Puthur FC 1 (Raja) bt Kaleeswara FC 0.

Source: The Hindu

Tuticorin airport to be Reviewed for Security

Two senior police officers in charge of reviewing security at airports in the State have completed the process with regard to two airports.

The review of three other airports is expected to be completed in the next few days. The officers had reviewed the security along with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials at theChennai and Tiruchirappalli airports. In general, security arrangements were found to be satisfactory.

The exercise is yet to be undertaken for airports in Madurai, Coimbatore and Tuticorin. A report would be submitted thereafter.

While the CISF was in charge of security inside the airports, security outside was taken care of by local personnel.

One aspect that needed to be considered was whether security inside the airports should be increased given the volume of flights handled, a senior police officer told The Hindu .

The matter relating to parking of government vehicles in front of the terminal building of the Chennai airport remained to be sorted out.

Following the receipt of an anonymous letter by the Tiruchirappalli airport, warning of a threat, Director-General of Police D. Mukherjee asked the Inspector-General of Police, Intelligence, and the Superintendent of Police (Security), to review the security in major airports.

Even as this was on, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation alerted security agencies in the country on possible attacks by Al-Qaeda terrorists on airports and vital installations. Patrolling outside the Chennai airport had been increased and constant vigil was on with regard to access control.

Source: The Hindu

Special trains from Tuticorin to Melmaruvathur

The Minister of State for Railways, R.Velu has ordered that 162 special trains be run to Melmaruvathur from various places and back and stoppage for other trains at Melmaruvathur for a minute from December 15 to February 2 in connection with the Irumudi festival in Melmaruvathur.

The special trains would be operated from Coimbatore, Erode, Palghat Town, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Dindigul, Tuticorin, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Tirumangalam, Virudhunagar, Rajapalayam, Sivakasi, Srivilliputhur, Manamadurai and Sattur.

Tatas Steel to invest Rs 2500 cr in Tuticorin

Tata Steel will be investing Rs 2,500 crore in its titanium dioxide project in Tamil Nadu.The company has completed the feasibility study and is likely to start production in the first quarter of 2009.

Sources said the size of the project would be 5 lakh tonne of ilmenite (iron titanium oxide from which titanium dioxide is extracted).

The new business will generate significant revenues for the company as titanium dioxide pigment in India is selling at Rs 1-1.2 lakh per tonne.

Tata Steel will have a technology partner for the project and can even explore the possibilities beyond just a technical partnership. “We will need a partner, if only someone want to come on board,” said the sources.

The feasibility study was conducted with a consortium of partners comprising Outokumpu Finland’s physical separation division based in the US, Outokumpu-Lurgi,Germany, Pincock Allen and Holt, US, a resource and mining consulting company, and L&T.

The company was granted prospecting license over 80 sq km area in Tamil Nadu in Tirunelveli and Tutitcorin districts. Tata Steel was supported by MN Dasturco and TZMI, Australia-based marketing and process consultants. The study was designed to be carried out in two parts, the geological resources evaluation and the mineral separation, validation and optimisation of flow sheets.

The sources said the feasibility study had shown that there was not enough water and the company have to set up a sea water desalination plant.

The construction time for the project will be 18-24 months. The project will be in phases with the first one involving mining, mineral separation and value addition.

The final phase will see production of titanium dioxide or pigment, a key ingredient for the paints industry, among others.

However, the project is running 6-7 months behind schedule due to delay in possession of the land. The target was to start the project in the middle of 2008.

Tata Steel requires 5,000 acres of land for the project, which will come up near Tuticorin. The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government in the middle of 2002.

Source: Business - Standard

Tuticorin will soon become Corporation

In a public meeting held at P&T Colony of Tuticorin, Mrs. Geeta Jeevan, State Minister andMrs. Kastuti Thangam, The Tuticorin Municipal Chairman collected the public requirements from the P&T Colony people and said that these steps are taken so that Tuticorin can satisfy all the needs to become a Corporation. She also said that Minister Stalin has promised that Tuticorin will be made a Corporation soon.

Tuticorin Port Deepens its channel to 14.7 metre

Baalu said the Tuticorin port has taken up a project to deepen its channel to 14.7 metres from the present 12.5 metres. The Rs 450-crore project assumes significance in the light of the ongoing Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, scheduled to be completed by 2008 at a cost of Rs 2,427 crore.

Once Sethusamudram project in Palk Bay is completed, Tuticorin port is expected to become a port that would attract several bulk carriers that go to Colombo for transhipment, he said.

Tuticorin Airservice profitable from first day - says Air Deccan

Interestingly, Kumar informed that not all new routes take time to mature. Some of them are profitable from the first day or first week itself. Giving example of such routes, he said Delhi-Dehradun, Delhi-Kulu and Chennai-Tuticorin started generating profit on day one while Coimbatore-Hyderabad, an airbus flight, turned profitable in a week’s time.

Source: DNA

New Hi-Tech Shopping Complex in Tuticorin

The Tuticorin based, DSF(Diamond Sea Foods) Group that has many Sea Food Processing and Exporting Facilities in Tuticorin recently bought the Charles Theater in V.E. Road of Tuticorin and started the construction of their Shopping Complex there.

The new shopping complex is named as DSF Grand Plaza. It has 5 floors and an underground parking facility. The complex will incorporate Electronic Escalators which is first implemented in southern Tamilnadu for the first time.

The Plaza will include shopping malls and a 3 Star Hotel in it. Still the construction of this complex is being done and we can expect more features.

Tuticorin is now becoming more modernised like Chennai with the development of new Hi-Tech infrastructures.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court asks Collectors to remove encroachments in public places in regions within its jurisdiction.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday asked Collectors under its jurisdiction to strictly comply with its orders, passed on April 26 last year, to remove encroachments in public places.

Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruchi and Karur come under its jurisdiction.

A Division Bench comprising Justice D. Murugesan and P. Murgesen pointed out that there had been large-scale shuffling of officers since the orders were passed and hence the incumbents should be made aware of the 2005 orders, which mandates filing of periodical status reports to the Registrar (judicial) of the Bench.

The judges said even now several writ petitions seeking to remove encroachments were being continually filed before the Bench, despite the categorical orders passed by a Full Bench.

The observations were made while hearing a writ petition seeking a direction to remove some encroachments adjacent to the Government Hospital at Tirupattur in Sivaganga district. The Collector, M.A. Siddique, was present during the hearing.

Initially, passing orders on a public interest litigation petition, a Division Bench of Justice P.D. Dinakaran and Justice Prabha Sridevan on February 17, 2005, directed the Collectors/ Municipal commissioners/ local body authorities in the 13 districts to take effective steps to remove the encroachments by following due process of law.

Pursuant to the Division Bench orders, numerous petitions were filed before the Bench alleging that the officials were evicting residents and demolishing structures by simply citing the High Court order without even issuing a prior notice.

Hence, a Full Bench comprising Justice P.K. Misra, Justice D. Murugesan and Justice A.R. Ramalingam was constituted to resolve the issue.

The Full Bench on April 26, 2005 laid down elaborate procedures to be followed under different statutes such as the Tamil Nadu Municipalities Act, National Highways Act, Tamil Nadu Public Premises (eviction of unauthorised occupants) Act and so on.

Session on human rights for tsunami-hit held at Tuticorin

A two-day `Human Right Defenders' (HRD) training for tsunami victims' organised by the People's Watch and Tsunami Legal Action Committee, both human right organisations, started here on Saturday.

A total of 40 persons from Vilathikulam and Ottapidaram taluks were imparted training on topics such as `Understanding human rights', `Tsunami issues from a right perspective', `Rights and challenges of coastal communities', `An introduction to coastal regulation zone', and `Effects of proposed Coastal management Zone on fishermen'.

Sources said that those who got trained at the programme would in turn educate the entire tsunami-hit fisher folks in their respective blocks, who were yet to receive the relief packages from the Government, on their rights.

Christal Babitha, a lawyer and resource person, explained the salient features of the notification on Coastal Regulation Zone, an area which extends from the high tide line upto 500 metres towards landward area.

She said the proposed amendment on the CRZ notification to form an Integrated Coastal Management Zone (ICMZ) would affect the livelihood opportunities of the fishermen community to a great extent.

"The recommendations to constitute the ICMZ had not taken the housing rights of the fishermen into consideration and hence, it should be feared that they would be uprooted from their `traditional bases' (i.e., beaches), once it was declared as a zone," she added. Thus the notification would alienate the fishermen from their sources of livelihood.

Ms. Babitha said that under the circumstances, the proposed move by the Central Government to amend the CRZ notification was unwarranted.

Source: The Hindu

Man Detained under Goondas Act at Tuticorin

The Collector, R. Palaniyandi, on Tuesday ordered the detention of Chinnaraj (21), an accused in multiple cases, under the Goondas Act.

Aources said the detention was made on the basis of the recommendations by the Superintendent of Police John Nicholson.

Inspector Murugesan of Kovilpatti (west) police station served the order to Chinnaraj at the Central Jail in Palayamkottai, where he is currently undergoing sentence after he was arrested on October 1.

He is involved in 12 cases of murder, extortion and robbery.

Source: The Hindu

Water overflowing from Srivaikundam dam

The dam at Srivaikundam constructed across the Tamiraparani brimmed on Sunday, after water was released from various reservoirs in Tirunelveli district.

The water started overflowing from the dam, after the sluices of the Marudhur dam situated in the upstream were opened.

To avoid flooding in the downstream areas, the district administration immediately diverted a large quantity of surplus water from Marudhur dam to Sadayaneri channel.

This move controlled the water flow through the Srivaikundam dam.

The Collector R. Palaniyandi said the water diverted through the Sadayaneri channel was taken to Puthentharuvai tank situated in Sattankulam taluk, which was constructed primarily to recharge the groundwater table in the region.

The Collector said that the administration would chalk out a comprehensive plan to utilise the water that was drained without any use into the sea once it crossed the Srivaikundam dam.

"We would make efforts to conserve it for irrigation," he said.

A break in the overcast gave sunny spells in the town on Sunday, after incessant rain lashed over the last few days.

However, 25 houses in the district suffered damage, owing to heavy rain on Saturday and in the early hours of Sunday.

Of them, 18 houses situated at Ettayapuram, Kovilpatti, Tiruchendur, Srivaikundam and Tuticorin taluks, suffered partial damage, while one house at Sattankulam, and two houses each at Srivaikundam, Tiruchendur and Kovilpatti, were destroyed.

The district received a total of 293 mm rainfall, with an average of 15.42 mm, during the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday.

Following is the rainfall recorded (in mm) in different places: Tiruchendur-53; Kayalpattinam- 55; Kulasekarapattinam-40; Vilathikulam- 12; Kadalkudi- 16; Vyppar-10; Soorangudi- 16; Kovilpatti-7; Kayathar-11; Kazhugamalai- 5.2; Ottapidaram-2; Vedanatham - 5; Keezha Arasadi-6; Ettayapuram- 7; Sattankulam- 20; Srivaikundam- 11.4 and Tuticorin - 16.4.

Three girls drown in village tank near Tuticorin

Three girls drowned in a tank in Muppilipatti village near Oddapidaram in Tuticorin district yesterday, police said today.

According to police, five girls had gone to the tank for bathing. The tank was full following heavy rains the village and surrounding areas.

Three of them went to deep waters and drowned. The local people retrieved the bodies later.

Four passengers injured in a bus plying between Sayalkudi and Tuticorin

Four persons were injured when a bus plying between Sayalkudi and Tuticorin overturned near here on Tuesday. The injured were admitted to the Tuticorin Government Hospital.

The incident took place when the bus was crossing T. Saveriyarpuram, after the driver tried to give way to a van. According to sources, bus was overcrowded with about 70 passengers.

The Thalamuthu Nagar police have registered a case.

Semen bank building and an in-patient shed at a total cost of Rs 38.26 lakh, at Tuticorin veterinary hospital

Minister for Animal Husbandry, Geetha Jeevan inaugurated a semen bank building and an in-patient shed at a total cost of Rs 38.26 lakh, at a veterinary hospital, here on Tuesday.

While the semen bank building with 447.2 square feet area, was set up at a cost of 34 lakh, the in-patient shed with 220 square feet area was constructed at a cost of Rs 4.26 lakh.

The Semen building constitutes a lobby, a room for doctors, an office room, a laboratory, a storage room, a container room and a toilet.

The Minister, in his inaugral address, said that under the Tsunami Reconstruction Project, training would be imparted to as many as 1,200 farmers living along the coastal areas of the district, in various animal husbandry activities, to increase their income.

Source: NewIndPress

Madurai - Tuticorin NH Project Exempted from Standard Procedures to Speed-up process.

The Union Cabinet's Committee on Economic Affairs, which also met on Thursday, decided to exempt 12 sub-projects under the National Highways Development Project from going through the procedures of the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee as the bids for them had been either already decided or awarded.

The bids had already been awarded in the case of eight sub-projects: Gwalior bypass, and Tindivanam-Ulundurpet, Ulundur-Padalur, Padalur-Tiruchi, Thanjavur-Tiruchi, Madurai-Tuticorin, Jhansi-Lalitpur, and Lakhnadon-Madhya Pradesh/ Maharashtra border sections.

Source: PIB

Reliance plans to extend its prposed Pipeline project upto Tuticorin

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) plans to link Kakinada and Basudebpur, the landing points of its two mega gas sources --- the D6 block in the Krishna Godavari basin and the NEC-25 block off the Orissa coast -- with an 890-km pipeline.
While Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh is the landfall point for gas coming from the D6 block, gas from the NEC-25 block will land at Basudebpur in Orissa.

Going by discoveries already announced by RIL, the current estimated gas reserves from these two blocks stand at over 25 trillion cubic feet.

According to a plan submitted by RIL to the petroleum ministry, such a multi-source system will not only ensure continuity in supplies to consumers but also enhance their reliability and security.

RIL has planned a large network of pipelines to evacuate gas from these two gas sources. With an investment running into billions of dollars, the three mega gas pipeline projects proposed by the company include the 1,500-km Kakinada-Uran (Maharashtra), 1,400-km Kakinada-Chennai-Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and the 1,100-km Kakinada-Basudebpur-Howrah (West Bengal) routes.

The petroleum ministry has already floated expressions of interest for booking capacities from these three pipelines, to be built on a common carrier basis.

In addition, Reliance also proposes to extend its pipeline from Chennai to Tuticorin, besides covering Bangalore and Mangalore.

Two more pipelines have been planned from Basudebpur to Cuttack in Orissa and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, and from Basudebpur to Howrah, Hooghly and Bardhaman in West Bengal. RIL has also written to the ministry to later extend them to cover Chattisgarh and Bihar.

Following the upscaling in production from its KG basin D6 block, from 40 mmscmd to 80 mmscmd, Reliance has for the time being put on hold plans to develop its NEC-25 offshore gas block in Orissa.

As a consequence, the markets of West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, which Reliance had earlier proposed to supply gas from its offshore block, will now be fuelled by supplies from its D6 blocks from 2008-09.

Source: Finiancial Express

Reliance plans to extend its prposed Pipeline project upto Tuticorin

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) plans to link Kakinada and Basudebpur, the landing points of its two mega gas sources --- the D6 block in the Krishna Godavari basin and the NEC-25 block off the Orissa coast -- with an 890-km pipeline.
While Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh is the landfall point for gas coming from the D6 block, gas from the NEC-25 block will land at Basudebpur in Orissa.

Going by discoveries already announced by RIL, the current estimated gas reserves from these two blocks stand at over 25 trillion cubic feet.

According to a plan submitted by RIL to the petroleum ministry, such a multi-source system will not only ensure continuity in supplies to consumers but also enhance their reliability and security.

RIL has planned a large network of pipelines to evacuate gas from these two gas sources. With an investment running into billions of dollars, the three mega gas pipeline projects proposed by the company include the 1,500-km Kakinada-Uran (Maharashtra), 1,400-km Kakinada-Chennai-Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and the 1,100-km Kakinada-Basudebpur-Howrah (West Bengal) routes.

The petroleum ministry has already floated expressions of interest for booking capacities from these three pipelines, to be built on a common carrier basis.

In addition, Reliance also proposes to extend its pipeline from Chennai to Tuticorin, besides covering Bangalore and Mangalore.

Two more pipelines have been planned from Basudebpur to Cuttack in Orissa and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, and from Basudebpur to Howrah, Hooghly and Bardhaman in West Bengal. RIL has also written to the ministry to later extend them to cover Chattisgarh and Bihar.

Following the upscaling in production from its KG basin D6 block, from 40 mmscmd to 80 mmscmd, Reliance has for the time being put on hold plans to develop its NEC-25 offshore gas block in Orissa.

As a consequence, the markets of West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, which Reliance had earlier proposed to supply gas from its offshore block, will now be fuelled by supplies from its D6 blocks from 2008-09.

NLC to invest Rs 4,500 cr to set up a 1,000 MW plant in Tuticorin

State-run Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd on Tuesday said, it plans to invest Rs 4,500 crore to set up a 1,000 MW power plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.

"We have received approval from our Board to set up a lignite-based power plant. In a week's time, we will send the proposal to the Union Power Ministry for clearance," NLC Chairman and Managing Director S Jayaraman told PTI.

Jayaraman said the company would finance 30 per cent of the project cost from its internal accruals, while the rest would be borrowed from the domestic market.

The company hopes to receive all the necessary approvals in the next six months.

"We have started working on the tendering process," he said, adding the company would place orders for machineries after getting Government clearance.

NLC has already signed an MoU with Tuticorin Port Trust for the project that would come up on a 200 acres of land.

The company would feed the plant with its captive lignite mines. Lignite is known to have far lower ash content than coal and, so, becomes a clean option for thermal energy.

The project has also received clearance from Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, he added.

"The project will be completed in 42 months from the zero date of construction work," he added.

NLC currently generates 2,490 MW of power.

Source: Businness

Tuticorin-Chengalpattu BG line doubling in phases

Doubling and electrification of the Tuticorin-Chengalpattu broad gauge line will be done in phases, Minister of State for Railways R. Velu said here on Saturday.

Flagging off the Chennai Central-Coimbatore (weekly) and Central-Mangalore (tri-weekly) superfast expresses, Mr. Velu said preliminary work on doubling the Madurai-Dindigul section had begun. Sanction had been given for the Chengalpattu-Villupuram section. Doubling of the remaining stretches between Villupuram-Dindigul and Madurai-Tuticorin was under consideration.

Mr. Velu said doubling of the BG line from Chennai Egmore to Tuticorin had become imperative in view of the growing passenger traffic. Southern Railway had to run special trains during festival and peak seasons on the sector.

He said in the last two years 40 new trains were introduced, services of 20 others extended and frequency of nine trains increased. As the zone was passenger oriented, the Ministry wanted to provide additional amenities. In the current financial year, the zone had been permitted to spend about Rs 40 crore.

Responding to State Transport Minister K.N. Nehru's demand for bullet train services from Chennai to Madurai and Coimbatore, the Minister said a policy decision had to be taken for introducing bullet trains.

Earlier, Mr. Nehru said the State Government would soon introduce feeder bus services from major railway stations in the State for the convenience of passengers from the North.

Source: The Hindu

17 houses damaged due to rain in Tuticorin

Seventeen houses were damaged in the heavy rain that lashed district on Friday night and in the early hours of Saturday.

Of this, 13 houses situated at Srivaikundam, Sattankulam and Tiruchendur blocks were partially damaged, while the remaining were fully destroyed.

Meanwhile, pulses such as blackgram and greengram cultivated over 400 hectares were submerged in the district owing to heavy rain the last few days.

Of the total 400 hectares, 80 ha falls at Thenthiruperi village, 70 ha at Gurukatoor, 150 ha at Thurayoor, 20 ha at Suganthalai and 80 ha at Rajapathi village.

S. Subramaniam, Joint Director of Agriculture, the loss could be estimated only after the water got drained from the fields.

Official sources said the district received an average of 30.1 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Following is the rainfall recorded (in mm) at various places during the period: Tiruchendur - 32; Kayalpattinam - 70; Kulasekarapattinam - 37; Vilathikulam - 22; Kadalkudi - 38; Vyppar - 6; Soorangudi - 8; Kovilpatti - 43; Kadambur - 16; Kazhugamalai - 52.4 mm; Ottapidaram - 4; Maniyachi - 62; Vedanatham - 7; Keezha Arasadi - 16; Ettayapuram - 22; Sattankulam - 10; Srivaikundam - 121 and Tuticorin - 4.7.

Source: The Hindu

Strategies to eradicate child labour reviewed at Tuticorin

The Collector, R. Palaniyandi, reviewed the strategies adopted to eradicate child labour in the district after the State Government prohibited child labour in `home and hospitality sectors' from October 10, at a meeting of officials from various departments here on Friday.

He asked officials from National Child Labour Project (NCLP), Labour Department and other line departments to step up the vigil and prevent employment of children below 14 years in houses, resorts, road-side eateries, spas and other recreational centres across the district, with the help of a detailed action plan.

"The notification for the ban on child labour in these sectors was an important step since youngsters employed in these occupations have long working hours and live in extremely difficult conditions without basic amenities like toilet facilities and place for resting," he added.

Such employment forces the children to undertake many hazardous activities, which would affect the psyche and health of them.

"At times, they were even subjected to physical violence, psychological trauma and sexual abuse, which otherwise might go unreported," Dr Palaniyandi said.

Reiterating the need for convergence of services to achieve the newly set goals in the eradication of child labour, he said departments of Education, Labour, Factories, Social Welfare and Rural Development should join hands to conduct awareness campaigns on a massive scale.

The Collector instructed the officials to enforce the Child Labour Act, Factories Act, Catering Establishment Act, Minimum Wages Act and Motor Transport Workers Act, more stringently without any impediment.

He also gave directions to them to conduct exclusive meetings for flat owners associations, NGOs, and hotel owners associations, to sensitise them to the provisions of Child Labour Act.

"A survey on child workers in respect of domestic employment should be conducted, to find out the prevalence of children in such occupations, if any," he said.

Dr. Palaniyandi warned that a fine of Rs 20,000 and imprisonment would be awarded to those who employed children below 14 years in the `home and hospitality sectors'.

The Collector urged the public to report the cases of child labour to the special cell set up at the Collectorate. (Telephone numbers: 0461-2340606 and 2335095)

M. Nallaperumal, Project Director, NCLP, and senior officials from various departments attended the meeting.

Source: The Hindu

High Court Bench restrains Tuticorin Collector from handing over the keys for Tsunami Relief House

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has restrained the Tuticorin District Collector from handing over the keys of 75 houses constructed for tsunami victims at Vembar village in Vilathikulam taluk.

A Division Bench comprising Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice P. Murgesen granted the interim injunction on a public interest litigation petition moved by a villager.

The petitioner, K.S. Rajagopal, said that the Revenue officials had evicted fishermen living on the Vembar seashore during December 2004, when tsunami struck the coastal areas of the State. The officials promised to build houses for all those who had been displaced.

Subsequently, 75 houses were constructed with the assistance of a non-governmental organisation and they were now ready for occupation. But the list of beneficiaries for whom the houses had been allotted included only 26 families living within 200 metres from the seashore and 32 families dwelling beyond 200 metres. The rest of the houses were allotted to the families from other districts, the petitioner said and alleged that many deserving families did not find a place in the list.

Source: The Hindu

New chairman of Thoothukudi district panchayat assumes office

The newly elected chairman of Thoothukudi District panchayat, N Chinnadurai, assumed office, here at the district panchayat council hall in the District Collectorate, on Friday, in the presence of District Collector R Palaniyandi, Secretary of the panchayat Mahadevan Pillai.

Chinnadurai of AIADMK was elected as the chairman of Thoothukudi District panchayat along with MDMK’s Mavelrajan as the deputy chairman in the indirect election held on October 28.

Former minister and the sitting Tiruchendur MLA, Anitha R Radhakrishnan along with other AIADMK MLAs, Sathangulam panchayat union chairman, Anandaraj, Thoothukudi Muncipal councillor, Suresh Kumar and the MDMK district panchayat councillors, participated in the function.

Speaking to reporters, he said that he would strive for the development of the district by giving priority over the basic needs of the people like drinking water and road.

Source: New Ind Press

Tuticorin needs Banking service from Citi Bank, HDFC and other International and nationalised banks

Tuticorin is one of the fastest growing industrial city in Tamilnadu and also contibutes a lot for the development of the Southern Districts of Tamilnadu. Many business people move in and out of the city from various places from the southern states of India like Kerala and Tamilnadu. Moreover, many people from Tuticorin are doing their their business in various other places and many are working in MNC in other cites in India and abroad.

So Tuticorin needs a banking infrastructure with all the nationalised and international banks to operate in the city. Since Tuticorin has unlimted growth opportunites and also the district with the Highest Per Capita Income in Tamilnadu, these banks will not lack behind in any means.

Tuticorin currently has branches of all Government undertaken Banks like Indian Bank, SBI, Canara Bank to name a few and private banks like TMB, ICICI.

Eventhough the HDFC and Citi Bank have their Credit and Financing division in the city, they donot provide Banking Services in Tuticorin. So people who work in MNCs in cities like Chennai, Bangalore and business people who've accounts in these banks suffer a lot without their banking service. The nearest barnch is located in Madurai, nearly 350kilometers from Tuticorin.

So let the Banks take this into their notice and take necessary action immediately to provide customers in Tuticorin and also utilise the devloping business opportunites in Tuticorin.

- Livingston Samuel JP

New Tuticorin Municipal Chairman

R.Kasthuri Thangam from DMK is elected as the Tuticorin Municipal Chairman.

She promised that she'll take immediade action to modernise and carryout beautification of Tuticorin City as high priorty.

Tuticorin - Tirunelveli 4 Lane Project Stopped

Activity of 4-laning of Tuticorin - Tirunelveli is almost stopped for the past few months. Reason for this is not clear.Meanwhile today in Tuticorin collectorate collector gave away money to whom they have given their land for this expansion. The actual expected date of completion is September 2006.

Hope the respective Government Departments and politicians take notice of this and take immediate measures to complete the work as soon as possible.

Current immediate Need of Tuticorin

• Undergroudn Drainage system ( This been discussed for the past many years but not much progress.)
• Proper Drinking water supply
• Proper Waste management
• Good Roads
• Early completion of 3rd gate over bridge
• Boat house at Roche park
• Maintanence of Rajaji park for public use
• Collective bus stand

The Municipal administration must take immediade action so that these thinks do not affect the growing opportunities of Tuticorin's development.

Paramount Airways to start service from Tuticorin

Paramount Airways proposed to expand its fleet from the present five to 20 by 2009-end, airways managing director M Thiagarajan said here today.

Announcing the acquisition of the fifth Embraer aircraft and putting it on air from today, Thiagarajan told reporters that with the arrival of the new aircraft, the airways would be operating to a total of 48 flights per day carrying 3,500 passengers.

Asked how the company proposed to fund the acquisition of new aircraft, he said 70 per cent would be through own funding and equity and balance through borrowings from international funding organisations. Around 500 million US dollars would be needed for purchasing the aircraft, he added.

He said within a short time, the airways would be covering Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Tirupati and would operate one more flight on the Chennai - Hyderabad sector taking the total to four flights per day.

From November 8, it proposed to operate services on the Bangalore - Chennai sector and from November 18, it proposed to operate one flight on the Coimbatore - Hyderabad sector and two flights on the Chennai - Thiruvananthapuram sector.

Thiagarajan said the carrier was also planning to operate flights from Tiruchirapalli. "We are also planning to cover Tuticorin and Salem," he added.

To a question, he said the Airports Authority of India had given the airways 10,000 sq ft space for a hangar, which would soon come at the airport here.

Source: Chennai Online

2,000 farmers to come under insurance cover

The Department of Agriculture plans to bring 2,050 farmers in the district under the ambit of National Agricultural Insurance Scheme. S. Subramaniam, Joint-director, said that the scheme could benefit farmers in the

CII to showcase southern districts

After one-and-a-half years of marketing its Southern Progress Through Enhanced Economic Development (SPEED) initiative to the State Government, the Confederation of Indian Industry, southern region (CII-SR) is taking its proposals to corporate investors.

It will hold an exposition-cum-conference called SPEED 2006 to showcase the strengths of Tamil Nadu's southern districts in Madurai from December 1 to 3. SPEED 2006 chairman and Thiagarajar Mills managing director T. Kannan expects the southern districts to attract fresh investment in infrastructure and manufacturing which will have the potential to create 80,000 new jobs over the next three years.

In March 2005, CII presented the results of a study covering the "unexplored opportunity" in seven districts and proposed a four-pronged strategy: to create a manufacturing hub in Madurai, with satellite hubs in Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin; an export-cum-services hub at Tuticorin; knowledge corridors at Madurai, Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli; and tourism corridors at Madurai, Karaikudi, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari.

The plan called for large infrastructure investments by the Government. Mr. Kannan says there have been two rounds of talks with the departments concerned and the proposals have been received well. However, several senior CII leaders admit that the pace of progress has been slow, and that "the ongoing process" could take 3 to 5 or even 10 years to show results.

Now, SPEED co-chairman and TVS executive director R. Dinesh says the conference will provide a platform to present its initiative to corporates and harness new investment.

The conference will be inaugurated by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi is also likely to participate. Key leaders from Indian industry have also been approached, including Infosys' Nandan Nilekani, United Breweries' Vijay Mallya, Ashok Leyland's R Seshasayee and HCL's Shiv Nadar.

Source: The Hindu

SPIC Corporate Functions Shifts to Tuticorin

The SPIC is in the process of shifting its key corporate functions from the plush Spic House in the heart of metropolitan Chennai to its unit in Tuticorin.

Red sanders seized at Tuticorin

Customs officials had seized 12.58 tonnes of Red Sanders, worth about Rs. 20 lakh in the international market, from a container that arrived at the Tuticorin port a few days ago for export to a European destination.

Two persons were arrested.

Bomb hoax in Tuticorin school

A bomb threat to A.M.M. Chinnamani Nadar High School here created a flutter on Tuesday.

Superintendent of Police John Nicholson said an anonymous person had made call to the office of the orphanage-cum-hostel situated on the premises of the school at 8.15 a.m. and threatened that a bomb was planted inside the school compound.

The call was received by Santana Lakshmi, warden.

Prior to the call, Ms. Lakshmi received two more calls at the same telephone number, one at 7 p.m. on Monday and another at 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday, asking her whether the school would function on Tuesday.

The warden told the police that the voice of caller was identical and sounded boyish.

The police along with the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad evacuated all the 1,600 students from the school and sealed the premises.

However, a search revealed that no explosives had been hidden anywhere on the premises. An investigation is on.

Source: New Ind Press

`Kappaphycus alverizii' is cultivated near along Tuticorin coast

Unscientific culture of exotic seaweed species, `Kappaphycus alverizii' near Tharuvaikulam, along the Tuticorin coast, as a commercial venture is affecting the growth of many indigenous seaweed species in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. This came to light in a survey conducted by a team of fisheries scientists, led by J. D. Jameson, head, Department of Fisheries Environment, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tuticorin.

Institute Dean V. K. Venkataramani said the team made the assessment after studying the occurrence of `Kappaphycus alverizii' in large quantities along the coastal waters and the beaches near the Tuticorin harbour, the Hare Island and the adjacent areas.

"The study found that 20-50 kg of this exotic seaweed species was washed ashore in the beach near the Harbour alone every day, besides the load that got entwined in fishing nets. This is due to the prolific growth when it is cultured in the sea using rafts," he said.

He said the presence of exotic seaweeds would destroy the coral base as well as organic nutrients and minerals in the Gulf, which in turn would affect the livelihood of native fish.

Furthermore, exotic seaweeds could stunt the growth of other fauna, including indigenous seaweeds, which too were favoured by the marine organisms. "Hence the cultivation of this exotic species should be confined to ponds... ," Mr. Venkataramani said.

Source: The Hindu

Tuticorin youth creates AIDS awareness

To achieve something notably through serving the society, a 30-year-old youth from a village near Sattankulam is pedalling his way through the State creating awareness among the rural people of HIV/AIDS.

A. Madasamy of Nedungulakam in Tuticorin district began his campaign from the Sattankulam Government Library on September 29 and has been distributing AIDS prevention materials and carrying on a information dissemination campaign in right earnest as he moves from one district to another on his bicycle. Though Mr. Madasamy could not say the distance he has covered so far, he says that he has covered Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Perambalur and Tiruchi districts before arriving in Karur on Monday. Pat from Collector


The enterprising youth met the Collector, T.N. Venkatesh, who appreciated his efforts and urged him to continue contributing for societal welfare. The Collector handed over AIDS/HIV awareness materials to be distributed among the masses besides presenting a cash reward to Mr. Madasamy in appreciation of his endeavour.

Source: The Hindu