Buying a box of Deepavali sweets could make a difference to a student studying in the rural pockets of the city.
The Rotary Club of Coimbatore East is producing about five tonnes of Deepavali sweets this year with an objective of raising funds for its project ‘Vidyadhaan.’
Infrastructure
The proceeds from the sale of sweets would go into the purchase of benches and desks for schools in rural areas that lack basic infrastructure facilities.
“Owing to lack of facilities, the students sit on the floor and this leads to physical discomfort. It also prompts them to drop out of school,” says S.P. Manoharan, Project Chairman.
‘Pure ghee’ sweets
The ‘pure ghee’ sweets will have lots of variety – jalebis, soan papdi, laddoo and carrot cakes, all included.
Dry fruits will also be for sale. One has to spend Rs.145 a kg. Those who order 250 kg will get a free Fisher brand shower booster pump worth Rs.14,450, says Mr. Manoharan. For five tonnes of sweets, about Rs.7.5 lakh would be spent, he adds. They have also started receiving orders.
A stall would be put up opposite Suguna Kalyana Mandapam in the first week of November.
“The public do not always respond well to requests for donations. Through sale of sweets, we hope to raise enough funds for the project,” he says.
Four schools in Sultanpettai, Sencherimalai, Edayarpalayam and Kamarajar Road had been identified for the project.
These schools in total required 220 benches and desks.
For booking sweets or for information regarding booking, call 9843059659.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
City in Shambles when it rains
Just an hour’s heavy rain is enough to expose how vulnerable the city is to flooding. Subways get flooded and this leads to flyovers getting choked with traffic. Every year, monsoon exposes the faulty storm water drain across the city. Instances of water logging and the resultant traffic snarls reveal that the lessons during the downpour last November have not been learnt.
The Coimbatore Corporation says a separate scheme for storm water drains under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission will provide a lasting solution.
But, it will take at least three to five years for implementation. This implies that the city will have to live with the problem if no temporary measure is taken to eliminate water stagnation that seems to worsen with every monsoon.
The subway under the Avanashi Road flyover is a source of frustration for the administration. Heavy rain last week flooded the subway used by autorickshaws and two-wheelers. Police recently have begun efforts to make these vehicles use the subway to reduce congestion on the flyover. Following orders from District Collector Neeraj Mittal, the concrete surface in the subway was re-laid and lights were installed. But, water stagnation has defeated these efforts.
The underpass near Kikani school is already providing indications of the flooding to come. There has not been much trouble at the Lanka Corner underpass, but there is no guarantee that flooding will not happen. All the underpasses that connect the eastern part of the city with the west seem to be rain water collection points because of the lack of a good drainage. Another problem spot is the Lawley Road junction where heavy rain leads to sewerage bursts.
Mayor R. Venkatachalam admits that poor storm water drains are turning into a major problem. “We have asked the consultant to speed up the process of preparing the project for storm water drains. We admit that heavy rain calls for special efforts to tackle the problem.”
Regular users of the Avanashi Road Flyover say driving on it is very frustrating for about two hours from 6 p.m. Meanwhile, Coimbatore MP K. Subbarayan has called for constituting an experts team to study the condition of the flyover.
He told presspersons on Tuesday: “The parapet is weak and the flyover’s condition poses risk to people, especially when there is heavy volume of traffic.” The flooding of subways and underpasses splits the city into two, with each side remaining cut off from the other for long periods, he pointed out.
Referring to water stagnation on main roads, he said remedial measures should be taken up on a large scale as the current situation was detrimental to the growth of an industrial region.
In a release on Wednesday, State secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party G.K.S. Selvakumar, called for immediate steps to prevent flooding. Rain had exposed the inadequate infrastructure in the city, he said.
The Coimbatore Corporation says a separate scheme for storm water drains under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission will provide a lasting solution.
But, it will take at least three to five years for implementation. This implies that the city will have to live with the problem if no temporary measure is taken to eliminate water stagnation that seems to worsen with every monsoon.
The subway under the Avanashi Road flyover is a source of frustration for the administration. Heavy rain last week flooded the subway used by autorickshaws and two-wheelers. Police recently have begun efforts to make these vehicles use the subway to reduce congestion on the flyover. Following orders from District Collector Neeraj Mittal, the concrete surface in the subway was re-laid and lights were installed. But, water stagnation has defeated these efforts.
The underpass near Kikani school is already providing indications of the flooding to come. There has not been much trouble at the Lanka Corner underpass, but there is no guarantee that flooding will not happen. All the underpasses that connect the eastern part of the city with the west seem to be rain water collection points because of the lack of a good drainage. Another problem spot is the Lawley Road junction where heavy rain leads to sewerage bursts.
Mayor R. Venkatachalam admits that poor storm water drains are turning into a major problem. “We have asked the consultant to speed up the process of preparing the project for storm water drains. We admit that heavy rain calls for special efforts to tackle the problem.”
Regular users of the Avanashi Road Flyover say driving on it is very frustrating for about two hours from 6 p.m. Meanwhile, Coimbatore MP K. Subbarayan has called for constituting an experts team to study the condition of the flyover.
He told presspersons on Tuesday: “The parapet is weak and the flyover’s condition poses risk to people, especially when there is heavy volume of traffic.” The flooding of subways and underpasses splits the city into two, with each side remaining cut off from the other for long periods, he pointed out.
Referring to water stagnation on main roads, he said remedial measures should be taken up on a large scale as the current situation was detrimental to the growth of an industrial region.
In a release on Wednesday, State secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party G.K.S. Selvakumar, called for immediate steps to prevent flooding. Rain had exposed the inadequate infrastructure in the city, he said.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Foundries on Strike
The indefinite strike by small and tiny foundries here entered the second day on Tuesday.
Rrepresentatives of the Coimbatore Small and Tiny Foundry Owners’ Association met the Rural Industries Minister, Pongalur N. Palanisamy.
They sought supply of some of the main raw materials to the foundries through the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation. The foundry owners also met the Managing Director of the Corporation, G. Santhanam.
The small and tiny foundries are on strike here demanding steps by the Central and State Governments to control the spiralling prices of pig iron, coke and scrap.
The engineering units, which are the main buyers of the castings manufactured in the foundries, have expressed their support to the strike.
Rrepresentatives of the Coimbatore Small and Tiny Foundry Owners’ Association met the Rural Industries Minister, Pongalur N. Palanisamy.
They sought supply of some of the main raw materials to the foundries through the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation. The foundry owners also met the Managing Director of the Corporation, G. Santhanam.
The small and tiny foundries are on strike here demanding steps by the Central and State Governments to control the spiralling prices of pig iron, coke and scrap.
The engineering units, which are the main buyers of the castings manufactured in the foundries, have expressed their support to the strike.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Collecting Parking fee is Nonsense !!!
The Coimbatore Consumer Cause has assailed the Coimbatore Corporation on the fee it collects for parking vehicles at the new lot opened on Cross-Cut Road on Sunday.
Reacting to the Corporation’s resolution in the Council that Rs.20 will be collected for cars parked for six hours and Rs.10 for two-wheelers, the consumer body’s secretary K. Kathirmathiyon said on Monday that such an exorbitant fee was unacceptable.
Hourly basis
On Mayor R. Venkatachalam saying after the inauguration of the lot on Sunday that the Corporation would reconsider the fee and fix rates on hourly basis, Mr. Kathirmathiyon said that the Corporation should not be collecting a fee at all on Cross-Cut Road.
“The Corporation should be held accountable for the lack of parking space in the commercial complexes on this road,” he said.
Pointing out to the building rule violations in the structures, which led to the lack of parking space, the consumer activist said that this was the reason why the public were forced to park their vehicles along the road. This, in turn, caused congestion on this busy stretch.
Preventive measure
“As the Corporation did not stop these violations or take any corrective measures to ensure that parking space was provided, the civic body should be penalised. Instead, it seeks to pass the consequences of the problem on to the people by levying a fee.”
Case
Mr. Kathirmathiyon recalled the case his organisation had filed in the court to seek the abolition of the parking fee collected more than five years ago on this road.
“I had pointed out that this was a problem allowed to thrive by the Corporation. Therefore, the civic body could not penalise the public by collecting a parking fee. I reiterate this point now. There is no need to ask for a reduction in the fee now. It just cannot be collected. The Corporation has no justifiable reason to collect it,” he said.
Reacting to the Corporation’s resolution in the Council that Rs.20 will be collected for cars parked for six hours and Rs.10 for two-wheelers, the consumer body’s secretary K. Kathirmathiyon said on Monday that such an exorbitant fee was unacceptable.
Hourly basis
On Mayor R. Venkatachalam saying after the inauguration of the lot on Sunday that the Corporation would reconsider the fee and fix rates on hourly basis, Mr. Kathirmathiyon said that the Corporation should not be collecting a fee at all on Cross-Cut Road.
“The Corporation should be held accountable for the lack of parking space in the commercial complexes on this road,” he said.
Pointing out to the building rule violations in the structures, which led to the lack of parking space, the consumer activist said that this was the reason why the public were forced to park their vehicles along the road. This, in turn, caused congestion on this busy stretch.
Preventive measure
“As the Corporation did not stop these violations or take any corrective measures to ensure that parking space was provided, the civic body should be penalised. Instead, it seeks to pass the consequences of the problem on to the people by levying a fee.”
Case
Mr. Kathirmathiyon recalled the case his organisation had filed in the court to seek the abolition of the parking fee collected more than five years ago on this road.
“I had pointed out that this was a problem allowed to thrive by the Corporation. Therefore, the civic body could not penalise the public by collecting a parking fee. I reiterate this point now. There is no need to ask for a reduction in the fee now. It just cannot be collected. The Corporation has no justifiable reason to collect it,” he said.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Proposal to establish nano-facility
An expert team from Arkansas University, U.S., is visiting Chennai to discuss with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on establishing a manufacturing facility to produce low-cost drugs/medical devices that would be in the reach of common man.
The Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, has submitted a proposal to establish a Nano-facility Centre on its campus with support from the American university and State Government through an initial investment of Rs.20 crore for treatment of diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease and heart ailments. G. Thiruvasagam, Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University, told The Hindu here on Sunday that the meeting with Chief Minister is likely to take place by October 24 or 25 in which officials from the two universities, health and higher education departments, and others would participate. Representatives from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would also take part.
Infrastructure ready
“We have already provided basic infrastructure and equipment to qualify Bharathiar University for this facility. The centre will start manufacturing after getting the Government’s nod,” he said.
According to Dr. Thiruvasagam, the Arkansas University has been pioneering research and production in nano-technology fields and that expertise would now be available for Bharathiar University also. A team from Coimbatore including the Vice-Chancellor and Government representatives had visited the U.S. during September to explore the possibility of partnership.
Explaining the significance of the project, the Vice-Chancellor said that products such as ‘glucose sensor watch’ would be available for diabetes patients at Rs.500 and drugs for other diseases will be at an affordable cost.
The Global Nano-Medicine Initiative Programme, of which former U.S. President Bill Clinton is the chairman, will also be a partner in the Bharathiar University’s initiative by extending its funding/expertise and technology through Arkansas University.
The Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, has submitted a proposal to establish a Nano-facility Centre on its campus with support from the American university and State Government through an initial investment of Rs.20 crore for treatment of diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease and heart ailments. G. Thiruvasagam, Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University, told The Hindu here on Sunday that the meeting with Chief Minister is likely to take place by October 24 or 25 in which officials from the two universities, health and higher education departments, and others would participate. Representatives from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would also take part.
Infrastructure ready
“We have already provided basic infrastructure and equipment to qualify Bharathiar University for this facility. The centre will start manufacturing after getting the Government’s nod,” he said.
According to Dr. Thiruvasagam, the Arkansas University has been pioneering research and production in nano-technology fields and that expertise would now be available for Bharathiar University also. A team from Coimbatore including the Vice-Chancellor and Government representatives had visited the U.S. during September to explore the possibility of partnership.
Explaining the significance of the project, the Vice-Chancellor said that products such as ‘glucose sensor watch’ would be available for diabetes patients at Rs.500 and drugs for other diseases will be at an affordable cost.
The Global Nano-Medicine Initiative Programme, of which former U.S. President Bill Clinton is the chairman, will also be a partner in the Bharathiar University’s initiative by extending its funding/expertise and technology through Arkansas University.
Coimbatore-Singapore Silk Air direct flight from October 28
Silk Air, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, will launch its Coimbatore-Singapore-Coimbatore weekly thrice direct flight service on October 28. This becomes the first ever connectivity between the two cities.
Ramachandra Menon, Manager India and L. Ravindran, Coimbatore Manager for Silk Air announced this to presspersons on Friday.
Coimbatore becomes the third destination for Silk Air in south India next to Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
Coimbatore airport has only one international connectivity for Sharjah by Indian and Air Arabia.
Silk Air officials said the new weekly thrice service would make for a capacity injection of 700 seats a week providing a boost to Coimbatore’s trade and tourism and to meet the growing demand for direct international connections to and from the city.
Ramachandra Menon, Manager India and L. Ravindran, Coimbatore Manager for Silk Air announced this to presspersons on Friday.
Coimbatore becomes the third destination for Silk Air in south India next to Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
Coimbatore airport has only one international connectivity for Sharjah by Indian and Air Arabia.
Silk Air officials said the new weekly thrice service would make for a capacity injection of 700 seats a week providing a boost to Coimbatore’s trade and tourism and to meet the growing demand for direct international connections to and from the city.
New parking lot on Cross-Cut Road
The Coimbatore Corporation opened on Sunday a parking lot on Cross-Cut Road (next to Lakshmi Complex) in order to decongest this stretch that is a major shopping area in the city.
Measuring more than 29,000 sq.ft., this site of the Corporation was once occupied by the civic body’s school. The structure had been in disuse for a long time and the rapidly rising number of vehicles parked on this road made the civic body to open this site for parking.
The Corporation said that close to 200 cars could be parked on this lot and this would ease the congestion on the parking space along the 1.2-km Cross-Cut Road. Mayor R. Venkatachalam said that this was, however, only a temporary arrangement.
The Corporation planned to have a multi-tier parking facility on this spot as part of a project under the Central Government’s infrastructure development programme, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. (Cross-Cut Road is one of the areas identified for multi-tier parking lots in the city.)
The Mayor said that Rural Industries Minister Pongalur N. Palanisamy, who opened the lot, also promised to provide his constituency development funds for two consecutive years if the Corporation wanted to build the multi-tier facility along this road.
Rates revision
The Mayor also said that the Corporation might take a fresh look at the parking fee fixed for cars and motorcycles. At present, the rates have been fixed at Rs.20 for a car for six hours of parking. In the wake of reservations over such a system, the Mayor said that a proposal to fix rates on an hourly basis would be placed before the Finance and Taxation Committee of the Coimbatore Corporation Council for its approval.
This would be viable for people who parked their vehicles for 30 minutes or even three hours. The rates on hourly basis would also avoid arguments that a vehicle’s stay at the lot had been only 20 minutes more than the stipulated period of six hours and therefore the extra rate could not be paid.
The Mayor said that a reserved site at Swarnabika Layout (Behind the old Ganga Hospital) would also be opened for parking till Deepavali.
“As there will be heavy rush for Deepavali shopping, we have decided to clean and open this site also for parking and a fee as in the case of the lot on Cross Cut Road will be collected,” he said.
Measuring more than 29,000 sq.ft., this site of the Corporation was once occupied by the civic body’s school. The structure had been in disuse for a long time and the rapidly rising number of vehicles parked on this road made the civic body to open this site for parking.
The Corporation said that close to 200 cars could be parked on this lot and this would ease the congestion on the parking space along the 1.2-km Cross-Cut Road. Mayor R. Venkatachalam said that this was, however, only a temporary arrangement.
The Corporation planned to have a multi-tier parking facility on this spot as part of a project under the Central Government’s infrastructure development programme, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. (Cross-Cut Road is one of the areas identified for multi-tier parking lots in the city.)
The Mayor said that Rural Industries Minister Pongalur N. Palanisamy, who opened the lot, also promised to provide his constituency development funds for two consecutive years if the Corporation wanted to build the multi-tier facility along this road.
Rates revision
The Mayor also said that the Corporation might take a fresh look at the parking fee fixed for cars and motorcycles. At present, the rates have been fixed at Rs.20 for a car for six hours of parking. In the wake of reservations over such a system, the Mayor said that a proposal to fix rates on an hourly basis would be placed before the Finance and Taxation Committee of the Coimbatore Corporation Council for its approval.
This would be viable for people who parked their vehicles for 30 minutes or even three hours. The rates on hourly basis would also avoid arguments that a vehicle’s stay at the lot had been only 20 minutes more than the stipulated period of six hours and therefore the extra rate could not be paid.
The Mayor said that a reserved site at Swarnabika Layout (Behind the old Ganga Hospital) would also be opened for parking till Deepavali.
“As there will be heavy rush for Deepavali shopping, we have decided to clean and open this site also for parking and a fee as in the case of the lot on Cross Cut Road will be collected,” he said.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Twelve killed in building collapse
Twelve people died and eleven sustained severe injuries in Coimbatore city when an apartment building collapsed after heavy rain, police said on Saturday.
Three women and a boy were among those who died in the accident late on Friday.
Around 500 policemen were deployed to clear the debris and help with rescue work, city police commissioner CK Gandhirajam said.
The apartments built by the government 30 years ago had developed deep cracks and residents had been advised to move out for repair work.
"The building collapsed even as the victims were still busy packing all that they considered valuable," said a senior police official, who did not wish to be named.
Such accidents are common in India, where houses and flyovers often collapse because of heavy rain, poor construction materials or flouted of building regulations.
Three women and a boy were among those who died in the accident late on Friday.
Around 500 policemen were deployed to clear the debris and help with rescue work, city police commissioner CK Gandhirajam said.
The apartments built by the government 30 years ago had developed deep cracks and residents had been advised to move out for repair work.
"The building collapsed even as the victims were still busy packing all that they considered valuable," said a senior police official, who did not wish to be named.
Such accidents are common in India, where houses and flyovers often collapse because of heavy rain, poor construction materials or flouted of building regulations.
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