New berth for Tuticorin port

Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport & Highways T.R. Baalu has approved the construction of a new berth at North breakwater at the Tuticorin port.

North Cargo Berth 1 will cost Rs.40 crore. It will add a capacity of 2.93 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to the port and help ease congestion in handling bulk/dusty cargoes in the existing berths.

Since it will enable the port to handle coal vessels of 65,000 to 75,000 dead weight tonnage (DWT) with a maximum draft of 12.8 metres,

Mr. Baalu has expressed the hope that the new berth will help meet the growing demand for handling bulk cargo in the coming years.

The Minister said the new birth will be especially useful for cargo meant for the proposed thermal power plant at Tuticorin to be set up by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and M/s Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd.

Presently, the Tuticorin port boasts of seven cargo berths, one container terminal, one oil jetty, two coal jetties and two shallow draft berths.

Private firms urged to file employment returns

The Directorate of Employment and Training has urged the private establishments in the district to file the employment returns (ER) in the prescribed forms before November 30, if they had not furnished them so far.

K. Kalaiselvan, District Employment Officer, said that the forms are available at the office of District Employment Officer at Koramballam or the organisations could download them from the official web site of the directorate, www.employment.tn.gov.in.

The filled-in forms should be submitted to the office of the District Employment Officer before the stipulated deadline to avoid any action under Compulsory Notification of Vacancies (CNV) Act, 1959.

“The filing was made mandatory since data submitted would play a vital role in the formulation of national policy on education, employment and training,” he said.

Mr. Kalaiselvan said that the data pertaining to number of persons employed at an establishment (both men and women separately) should be filed in the ER-I form, while the type of occupations and qualification of persons should be mentioned in the ER-II forms.

While ER-I should be filed during every quarter of a calendar year, ER-II should be filed once in two years.

The Employment Market Information (EMI) unit, a research and analysis wing, functioning at the office of District Employment Officer here, would compile and sent the entire data to the Planning Commission of India through the Directorate at the state level and Director General of Employment and Training at the national level.

Mr. Kalaiselvan said that the data submitted by the private firms would be used only for statistical purposes and hence the organisations need not have to be skeptical in filing the employment returns.

He said that the entire 381 government establishments (both departments and quasi government organisations) in the district filed the returns when a similar exercise was carried out during last calendar year to identify the status quo on employment in the government sector.

Source : The Hindu

Induction programme for students studying German

Indira Gandhi National Open University is organising an induction programme for the new students taking German language course.

The event will be held on Saturday at 9.30 a.m. at the IGNOU Regional Centre, CIT Campus, Taramani. Rudiger Punzet of Goethe Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan and Renu Bhardwaj, Director, School of Humanities, IGNOU, New Delhi, will participate in the programme. The students will be briefed on the structure of the programme and assignments. Course material will also be distributed.

Inductions for students in Tiruchi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem and Tuticorin will also be held at their respective study centres.

Tuticorin Port trust to conducts elocution contest

The Tuticorin Port Trust conducted an elocution competition on Thursday (November 15) for college students as part of the Vigilance Awareness Week celebrations organised at the port.

M Mathisekaran, chief vigilance officer, Tuticorin Port Trust, said that the competition was held on the topic ‘Role of youth towards elimination of corruption’. He said a ‘pattimantram’ was conducted on Tuesday evening to mark the Week celebrations. The Awareness Week which commenced on November 12 concluded on November 16.

TN seeks to double exports to $30 bn by 2011

The Tamil Nadu Government on Monday announced a new industrial policy seeking to double exports from the state to 30 billion dollars by 2011 that would create 10 lakh additional jobs.

The Industrial Policy 2007, released by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi here, seeks to generate a total of 20 lakh jobs by 2011, raise manufacturing sector's contribution to state GDP from 21 per cent to 27 per cent, improve competitiveness and efficiency of SMEs and agriculture-based industries.

"As work on the Sethusamudram channel is in progress, the state government would take up with the Government of India upgradation of Tuticorin port into a modern deep water hub port," it said.

Also, the state would provide all facilitation and support for early implementation of modernisation and expansion plans for Chennai airport.

The state would also follow-up with the Centre the issue of upgradation of Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Tuticorin and Coimbatore airports to handle wide-bodied aircraft.

A land bank of 10,000 acres for industrial parks would be developed across the state over the next five years with quality infrastructure facilities, including social infrastructure like skill development centres, housing, business centres, restaurants, financial services, schools and hospitals.

The land bank would be developed only in dry and barren areas and prime agricultural land would be avoided, the policy stated.

Source: Economic Times

Proposed Office for Sterlite Industries Tuticorin

The Proposed Office for Sterlite Industries Tuticorin

Recently Sterlite Industries changed their registered office from Maharashtra to Tuticorin.

Minister inspects the construction of fish market in Tuticorin

Minister for Animal Husbandry P. Geetha Jeevan conducted an inspection at the V.O.C. Market here on Monday to review the progress of renovation work taken up by municipal administration there on an outlay of Rs.18 lakh.

Of the total project cost, Rs.13 lakh was taken from the Tuticorin MLA’s Constituency Development Fund and the rest from the municipal exchequer.

Ms. Jeevan said that as part of the project, cement flooring would be made on the selling space and sheds provided to fish vendors.

Facilities to drain waste water and to remove garbage would be set up to maintain a hygienic environment on the market premises.

The approach roads to the market to a length of 450 metre would be upgraded into cement concrete road. Later she inspected the site near Washers’ Colony, where a lifting station was proposed as part of the underground sewerage scheme to be established by the municipality here.

Municipal Chairperson R. Kasturi Thangam, Municipal Commissioner R. Lakshmi and Municipal Engineer S.A. Rajagopal were present.

Official sources said that the municipal administration would give a fillip to e-governance at a cost of Rs.27.23 lakh during this fiscal. As part of the project, a laptop computer, 10 desktop computers, 10 printers and an equal number of UPS, would be procured.

The electronic data processing room at the municipal office would be refurbished.

Source: The Hindu

Tuticorin based Mercantile Bank opens two branches

The Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited has opened its 195th and 196th branches recently.

A release from TMBL head office here said that the Minister for Social Welfare, Poongothai, inaugurated the 195th branch at Sholinganallur in Kancheepuram district.

Meanwhile, B. Ramachandra Adityan, ex-director of TMBL, opened the 196th branch and 75th ATM at Shenkottai.

G. Narayanamoorthy, Chief Executive Officer, TMBL, said that the bank opened the branch at Shenkottai to give a fillip to timber exporters and to improve Forex revenue of the bank.

He said that the bank had become a member of National Financial Switch, which would enable the customer’s to withdraw money from ATMs of 25 other member banks of NFS.

He said that the bank would bear the cash withdrawing charges at NFS ATMs for its SB premium customers and the current account customers who had maintained an average balance of Rs.25,000 and above.

Research club opened in Tuticorin

A ‘Research Club’ established by Annammal College of Education for Women was inaugurated by D. Kumaran, Head, Department of Education, Madras University, here on Saturday.

He explained the concepts such as refining knowledge, discovering knowledge and solving problems in higher education, on which any research thrived.

A seminar was conducted on ‘Preparation and validation of research tools’ as part of the inaugural ceremony.

A. Fibyraj, principal of the college, said that the club would conduct an array of seminars during the current academic year to enthuse the school students to take up innovative research projects. M. Anisha Devi, E.P. Tessy and S. Guru, lecturers, were appointed coordinators of the club.

Upgrading of Tuticorin municipality proposed

The long awaited dream of residents here to have their town attaining the status of Corporation is likely to be materialised as the municipal administration has prepared a proposal for upgrading.

According to official sources, the document would be sent to the Government in a week.

The draft prepared by the administration has suggested merger of municipality with local bodies situated adjacent to the municipal limits.

The move has been necessitated, owing to the fact that municipality alone does not have adequate population or revenue to attain the Corporation status.

Sources said that to get the status of Corporation, the population should be more than five lakh and annual revenue from taxes like professional, property taxes, rentals and license fees, should exceed Rs.30 crore.

Presently, the population in the Tuticorin town (municipal limits) stands at 2,16,058 as per 2001 census and the income is just Rs.18 crore.

Accordingly, the proposal has suggested merger of a total of 28 village panchayats extending from Swaminatham situated North West, Tharuvaikulam situated North East, Mudivaithanenthal at South East to Pazhayakayal village panchayat situated south, all spreading over an area of 353.07 sq km.

The amalgamation will take the population to 4,36,094, close to the stipulated benchmark.

“This will not be a hindrance from getting the Corporation status considering that the figures were based on census taken about six years ago and the population will surely have crossed five lakh mark by now,” sources said.

Similarly, the proposed merger will peg the revenue at about Rs.26 crore. “It is okay since there is a considerable increment in the revenue of municipality and the village panchayats that are to be merged,” sources pointed out.

Sources said that once the municipality became a Corporation, there would be a greater inflow of grants under various schemes, which was essential to improve infrastructure to commensurate exponential growth expected in Tuticorin once the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project would be commissioned next year.

Source: The Hindu

TN urged to share 50 pc of project cost for double laning from Villupuram to Tuticorin

The Tamil Nadu Government has been requested to share 50 per cent of the cost of the project for doubling and electrification of the railway line between Villupuram and Tuticorin, Union Minister of State for Railways R.Velu said here on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters after inaugurating the Divisional Train Enquiry and Passenger information system,he said the Planning commission had found the project unviable.But when the volume of passenger traffic in the section was mentioned, it agreed to sanction the project provided the state government agreed to bear 50 percent of the cost, he said.

Doubling and electrification had been completed upto Villupuram. Doubling and electrification had been completed in Kerala and Karnataka states,and only this portion was left out in Tamil Nadu.

He said the Dindigul-Madurai Doubling and BG-Conversion work would be completed before March 31 next. The critical portion of the work including Vaigai bridge construction would be completed by this year.

He said a new railway terminal would be coming up in north madurai at a cost of Rs.12 crore.Besides,platforms were being extended in Madurai junction to accommodate 24 bogies.The Tuticorin-Mysore train would get five additional bogies after 'pit-line' work, which was going on at Tuticorin, was completed for the maintenance of the train.The frequency of the Manmad-Tirupati express would be increased twice a week shortly.

Source: The Hindu

Need to establish more container freight stations in Tuticorin

More number of container freight stations (CFS) should be established to commensurate the exponential growth in containerised cargo movement taking place in the country over the last decade, according to K. Suresh, Chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust.

Inaugurating the Container Freight Station established by the Vilsons Group of Companies in Tuticorin on an outlay of Rs.2 crore at a function held on Monday, he said that the container movement in the State registered 33 per cent growth during the first quarter of this fiscal vis-À-vis the corresponding period last fiscal.

He urged the operators of CFS to modernise the yards with equipments such as fork lifts and gantry cranes to facilitate faster movement and efficient handling of containers, rather than considering the facility as a mere transit point in the freight movement chain.

In his address, A. Subbiah, Deputy Chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust, said that the port plans to establish an additional container terminal on built, operate, transfer (BoT) mode during this fiscal to catapult Tuticorin as a major cargo handling port on the eastern coast of the country.

He reiterated the need for infrastructure development in the hinterland of the port in proportion with the increasing trade volume.

Mr. Subbiah said that the port administration had submitted a report to the Central Government suggesting establishment of ‘backbone freight corridors’ connecting Erode with cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Nagpur during the first phase.

This would facilitate easier movement of goods by rail from central India to the port here.

The corridor would also help expand the hinterland of the port and the container traffic through the port would witness a boom.

Joe Villavarayar, chairman of Vilson CFS, said that the station was equipped with warehouse area of 20,000 sq.ft., fork lifts, escort crane, trailers and fool proof security system.

“We plan to handle 3,000 TEUs of containers a month and the capacity would be increased in phased manner,” he added.

Source: The Hindu

Tuticorin Port traffic volume up

The Tuticorin Port has seen a rise in traffic volume after it announced changes through “Trade Notice” to handle deep draught vessels at anchorage beyond the permissible draught of 10.7 metres.Mr A. Subbiah, Deputy Chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust, in a statement here said that enthused by the amendment, importers brought a coal and a coke vessel carrying 53,106 tonnes and 46,759 tonnes respectively with draught of 12.5 metres and 12 metres and handled part cargo at the anchorage using self-propelled barges till the vessel reached 10.7 metres and the balance cargo was handled at the berth directly.

He said for the first time a dunpeas vessel mv. ‘Bei Hai’ with a parcel size of 43,497 tonnes, drawing 11.45 m draught, was handled at the port anchorage on October 8.

The vessel discharged 4,500 tonnes at the anchorage to self-propelled barges to reach 10.7 m draught and the cargo was further unloaded at Zone ‘B’. This performance was achieved in spite of intermittent rain during the course of handling. The port had provided all necessary infrastructural support such as transit storage and warehousing. The cargo was imported from Australia.

Source: BusinessLine

Talent search examination held in Tuticorin

A talent search examination jointly organised by State Bank of India and Sakthi Vinayakar Hindu Vidyalaya was held on the school premises in Tuticorin on 28th October.

The test was conducted to identify brilliant students and to extend educational loans to them for pursuing higher studies as per the norms set by SBI.

The knowledge of students in Science, History, Geography, Mathematics, Computer Science, General Aptitude, Literature and English was tested in the examination. The tests were conducted in two categories. The students studying in Standard VI to IX were pooled into Category ‘A’, while pupils in Standard X to XII were allocated into Category ‘B’.

A total of 1,200 students (836 in Category ‘A’ and 364 in ‘B’) from 13 schools in the district took part in the event. The results would be declared on a later date.

The winner and runner up in each of the section would get Rs.1,000 and Rs.750 respectively.

A rolling cup would be given to the winners in each of the groups provided they score more than 50 per cent. If the candidates scored more than 60 per cent, they would get a bonus cash award of Rs.500 along with the rolling cup.

‘Orissa Art and Craft Fair’ begins in Tuticorin

A 12-day ‘Orissa Art and Craft Fair’ organized by Utkal Hastasilpa Society, Bhubaneswar, got off to a colourful start at Ramaiah Mahal on 27th October.

An extensive gamut of handloom and handicraft products prepared by traditional artisans from different parts of the country, are on display at attractive prices.

Some of Orissa’s hand woven textiles like saris, which are unparalleled in range and style, are available in a wide range of prices catering to the needs of different sections of society.

Sambalpuri, Bichitrapuri, Bomkei, Pittol and Maniabandhi saris’, priced between Rs.300 and Rs.3,000, have a distinctive elegance about them with its unusual patterns and vibrant yet subtle blend of colours.

Attractive kurtas for men from Jaipur (Rs.180 to Rs.240) and churidars from Punjab made of handloom fabric with embellishments on it (Rs.360 to Rs.1,200), are available.

A good collection of curtains for doors and windows, stitched by artisans from Ludhiana on cotton fabrics, and bed sheets from Haryana and Rajasthan, is offered at tempting prices. Minister for Animal Husbandry P. Geetha Jeevan inaugurated the expo.

Heavy Rain Lashes Tuticorin

Heavy rain is continuing in various parts of Tuticorin.

A house collapsed and one goat was killed at Aadinathapuram village under Tiruchendur taluk in Tuticorin district on Friday. The goat was killed after a compound wall caved in. The district received a total rainfall of 408.4 mm in the last 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. on Friday.

Following is the rainfall recorded ( in mm) by various rain gauge stations during the period: Tiruchendur 3; Kayalpattinam 5; Kulasekarapattinam 2; Vilathikulam 24; Kadalkudi 24; Soorangudi 12; Kayathar 101; Kadambur 52; Kazhugumalai 17; Kovilpatti 4.2; Ottapidaram 11; Maniyachi 59; Keezha Arasadi 3; Vedanatham 2; Ettayapuram 24; Sattankulam 5; Srivaikundam 52 and Tuticorin Harbour 8.2.

Bank of Baroda's Exporters meet in Tuticorin

The Bank of Baroda organised an exporters’ meet in Tuticorin on 26th October evening to elucidate salient features of various export- friendly products promoted by the organisation and to answer queries of their clients pertaining to schemes.

Interacting with exporters, D. Sarkar, General Manager (Southern Zone), said that the exporters having confirmed export orders or having letter of credit from a recognised bank could avail export credit facilities offered by the bank.

“We are offering pre-shipment and post-shipment credits to exporters from the country through rupee-denominated loans as well as foreign currency loans,” he added.

To arrange tailor-made solutions for loan syndication, the bank has opened Regional Syndication Centres (RSCs) in Dubai, London and Singapore. He said that a new on-site ATM would be installed in Tuticorin shortly.

He called upon the exporters to make use of Core Banking Solution facilities offered by the bank in about 1,800 branches in the country and abroad.

Tuticorin BSNL introduces a series of special offers

The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has introduced a series of special offers for its customers in Tuticorin, in connection with the Navarathri and Deepavali festivals.

Official sources said that individual customers could now get landline or WiLL (Wireless in Local Loop) connection on payment of just Rs.100.

Those who opt for the offer will be given a prepaid card or a post-paid connection without activation charges being levied for them.

As value addition, they will also be allocated an account to access internet free for 25 hours, a caller ID facility worth Rs.50 and an attractive tele-shoppe bag.

In the case of companies, security deposits will not be levied, if the firms apply for a minimum of five mobile, landline or WiLL connections.

The entire offer is valid till November 11.

To help the special offers ‘reach’ the customers, the BSNL conducted a ‘Navarathri telephone mela’ across the district starting at Chidambara Nagar and Mudivaithanendal scheduled on October 22.

The mela was held at at Krishnarajapuram, Kurumbur and Seidunganallur on October 24.

It will be followed by phone galas at Kayalpattinam, Sattankulam, Sonakkanvilai, Srivaikundam, Maniyandi and Kodiankulam on October 25 and at Tuticorin Harbour and Vallanadu on October 26.

The landline and prepaid mobile connections will be provided immediately, if the customers books connection through this melas.

The BSNL has released ‘Call Now’ STD and ISD cards in different denominations of Rs.100, Rs.300, Rs.500, Rs.1,000 and Rs.2,000.

The validity of ‘Call now’ cards in the denomination of Rs.100 will be one month. For other denominations validity has been set at three months.

Using these cards, customers can make local or STD calls to the BSNL network at the rate of Re.1 per minute. For calls made to landline or mobile phone functioning under other networks, Rs.1.50 to Rs.2 will be charged.

Tuticorin Chemists and druggists’ association plea to Government

Members of Tuticorin Chemists and Druggists Association observed a fast in Tuticorin on 23rd October, to press their charter of demands.

According to the agitators, the authorities concerned should not allow the entry of multi-national companies and foreign investment into the retail pharmaceutical sector.

They also wanted the Government to simplify the Value Added Tax (VAT) procedures in the sector immediately.

M. Murugesan, N. Iyankannu and S. Veerabadran, president, secretary and treasurer of the association, respectively, and senior office bearers, S. Karuppiah, E. Arumugam, R.S.P. Gopal and A. Alagarsamy, spoke.

Later the agitators submitted a memorandum to Collector R. Palaniyandi seeking expeditious implementation of their demands.

Green turtle washed ashore

The carcass of a turtle spotted by scientists of the Fisheries College and Research Institute at the Valinokkam coast near Tuticorin a few days ago, was identified as that of ‘Chelonia Mydas,’ a marine green turtle.

It was traced by the FCRI team. The turtle measured 1.2 m in length, 0.75 m in breadth and weighed 25 kg.