As the outlook has brightened for the Indian software services sector in the new year, Coimbatore, the largest Tier-II city in Tamil Nadu is gearing up to join the IT revolution.
The much-awaited Tidel Park in the IT & ITES special economic zone (SEZ) in the city is expected to be up and running by April-end this year. Nearly 80 per cent of the construction work is over now, said a top official in the company.
The Park is jointly developed by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (Tidco), Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot), Software Technology Parks of India (Stpi) and Tidel Park, Chennai.
With the state government actively promoting IT and ITES in Tier-II cities, Elcot has also embarked on developing SEZs in cities such as Madurai, Trichy, Tirunelveli, Salem and Hosur.
"Apart from developing common infrastructure facilities in the SEZs, we are building 50,000 sq ft buildings each in Madurai, Trichy and Tirunelveli to house IT companies," said an Elcot official.
He added Elcot would soon call for tender to start construction works at Salem and Hosur. Conceived in August 2006, the foundation stone for the Tidel Park Coimbatore was laid in February 2007, but due to global recession, the civil works contract was awarded as late as September 2008. "The costs escalated and we had to call for tenders twice," an official said.
Coimbatore has already attracted big IT companies including Cognizant, which has created a huge infrastructure inside a private SEZ. IT-enabled services companies such as Perot System, KGiSL and CBay Systems are also present in the city.
Built at a cost of Rs 380 crore, Tidel Park Coimbatore has three basement floors for parking, ground floor for commercial and IT & ITES purpose and four upper floors specifically for IT & ITES companies.
The SEZ is located behind Coimbatore Medical College on the NH 47 and is 3 kms from the airport. With about 9 lakh sq ft of space for IT and ITES companies, the Tidel Park is expected to provide employment to 12,000 professionals in one shift.
Apart from Tidel, Wipro, TCS and HCL too have bought 9.5 acres each inside the 56-acre IT-SEZ . While Wipro stopped its construction works after completing nearly 80 per cent of one block early last year, the other two companies are yet to start work.
But now with the Tidel Park nearing completion, TCS and HCL have requested for a floor each (2 lakh sq ft) to house their offices before building their own space.
A top Tidel official told that about 15 companies including government-owned Centre for Development of Advanced Computing and city-based Point Perfect Solutions have booked space inside the Tidel Park.
Many smaller companies including US-based Exterro have evinced interest. "The bookings are made on first come-first service and we lease out on short term (3 years) and long term (15 years) basis," he added.
Apart from housing IT and ITES companies, Tidel Park will have commercial shops catering to the needs of the employees. "Right from cafeteria to saloon to banks, nearly 1 lakh sq ft area in the ground floor will have all such facilities," an official said, adding Archies had already booked space under bookstore facility.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Latest news on Jaggubhai piracy DVD
Nearly 50000 DVDs of Jaggubhai, the yet to be released Sarath Kumar - K S Ravikumar film, were seized by the Chennai police yesterday, against the complaint lodged by the producer of the film Radhika Sarathkumar. The police also arrested a web site owner in Coimbatore for uploading it illegally on his site!
Nearly 50000 DVDs of Jaggubhai, the yet to be released Sarath Kumar - K S Ravikumar film, were seized by the Chennai police yesterday, against the complaint lodged by the producer of the film Radhika Sarathkumar. The police also arrested a web site owner in Coimbatore for uploading it illegally on his site!
Buzz up!Jaggubhai was long in the making and was to finally release for this Pongal. The pirated version has no background music, so obviously it was taken before the re-recording and final mixing from the lab or somewhere.
According to sources, the footage available on the internet runs for two hours twenty four minutes with the complete climax. The Chennai cyber crime cell arrested Shankar Ganesh owner of an Internet site which uploaded the film.
Earlier, Radhika Sarathkumar complained personally to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi about this illegal upload on the web. On the Chief Ministers directive, the Cyber Crime cell registered a case. Acting on a tip off that fake CD’s of the film were being sold in Chennai, the police raided different localities. In a press release, Radhika thanked the Chief Minister and the police for acting swiftly, which led to the huge haul of pirated video CD’s of the film
Buzz up!Jaggubhai was long in the making and was to finally release for this Pongal. The pirated version has no background music, so obviously it was taken before the re-recording and final mixing from the lab or somewhere.
According to sources, the footage available on the internet runs for two hours twenty four minutes with the complete climax. The Chennai cyber crime cell arrested Shankar Ganesh owner of an Internet site which uploaded the film.
Earlier, Radhika Sarathkumar complained personally to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi about this illegal upload on the web. On the Chief Ministers directive, the Cyber Crime cell registered a case. Acting on a tip off that fake CD’s of the film were being sold in Chennai, the police raided different localities. In a press release, Radhika thanked the Chief Minister and the police for acting swiftly, which led to the huge haul of pirated video CD’s of the film.
Nearly 50000 DVDs of Jaggubhai, the yet to be released Sarath Kumar - K S Ravikumar film, were seized by the Chennai police yesterday, against the complaint lodged by the producer of the film Radhika Sarathkumar. The police also arrested a web site owner in Coimbatore for uploading it illegally on his site!
Buzz up!Jaggubhai was long in the making and was to finally release for this Pongal. The pirated version has no background music, so obviously it was taken before the re-recording and final mixing from the lab or somewhere.
According to sources, the footage available on the internet runs for two hours twenty four minutes with the complete climax. The Chennai cyber crime cell arrested Shankar Ganesh owner of an Internet site which uploaded the film.
Earlier, Radhika Sarathkumar complained personally to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi about this illegal upload on the web. On the Chief Ministers directive, the Cyber Crime cell registered a case. Acting on a tip off that fake CD’s of the film were being sold in Chennai, the police raided different localities. In a press release, Radhika thanked the Chief Minister and the police for acting swiftly, which led to the huge haul of pirated video CD’s of the film
Buzz up!Jaggubhai was long in the making and was to finally release for this Pongal. The pirated version has no background music, so obviously it was taken before the re-recording and final mixing from the lab or somewhere.
According to sources, the footage available on the internet runs for two hours twenty four minutes with the complete climax. The Chennai cyber crime cell arrested Shankar Ganesh owner of an Internet site which uploaded the film.
Earlier, Radhika Sarathkumar complained personally to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi about this illegal upload on the web. On the Chief Ministers directive, the Cyber Crime cell registered a case. Acting on a tip off that fake CD’s of the film were being sold in Chennai, the police raided different localities. In a press release, Radhika thanked the Chief Minister and the police for acting swiftly, which led to the huge haul of pirated video CD’s of the film.
Infrastructure facilities to be upgraded in Coimbatore
Textile city Coimbatore is awaiting a massive facelift at a cost of Rs 178 crore ahead of the World Classical Tamil Conference to be held in the last week of June this year. A total of 72 roads spanning 96 km including several arterial roads within the city and roads surrounding it, will be upgraded.
Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday ordered the construction of 3,840 multi-storied tenements in Ukkadam and Ammankulam areas and also ordered the creation of infrastructure facilities required for these tenements at a cost of Rs 118 crore. As many as 2,232 multi-storied tenements will be constructed at Ukkadam at a cost of Rs 68 crore and in Ammankulam, 1,608 tenements will be built at a cost of Rs 50 crore.
The entire upgradation work will be done under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission to help providing housing facilities to the poor.
Besides, the Chief Minister has also directed the authorities to upgrade major roads within the city and roads which connect the city to the railway station, airport and the trade fair complex of the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association, which is regarded as the biggest in the country next to New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan.
Roads leading to the airport, bus stand and railway station which connect the Salem- Cochin Road on which the conference venue is located, roads which connect the Singanallur bus stand, the Coimbatore Central bus stand, and roads connecting the Ramanathapuram and Pothanur railway stations will also be upgraded.
Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday ordered the construction of 3,840 multi-storied tenements in Ukkadam and Ammankulam areas and also ordered the creation of infrastructure facilities required for these tenements at a cost of Rs 118 crore. As many as 2,232 multi-storied tenements will be constructed at Ukkadam at a cost of Rs 68 crore and in Ammankulam, 1,608 tenements will be built at a cost of Rs 50 crore.
The entire upgradation work will be done under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission to help providing housing facilities to the poor.
Besides, the Chief Minister has also directed the authorities to upgrade major roads within the city and roads which connect the city to the railway station, airport and the trade fair complex of the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association, which is regarded as the biggest in the country next to New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan.
Roads leading to the airport, bus stand and railway station which connect the Salem- Cochin Road on which the conference venue is located, roads which connect the Singanallur bus stand, the Coimbatore Central bus stand, and roads connecting the Ramanathapuram and Pothanur railway stations will also be upgraded.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Janatha Meal vanishes from Coimbatore Hotels
The Rs 20-meal, introduced by the Tamil Nadu Government in hotels for the benefit of the downtrodden, is no longer available in the eateries across the State.
The scheme, fondly called as Janatha Meal, was introduced in 2008 on the birthday of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on June 3 across the State.
It was made mandatory for all the hotels to serve Rs 20-meal, besides tiffin items like idly, dosa and hot drinks like tea and coffee at a reduced price, thus catering to the needs of the poor. However, now none of the hotels follow the price regulations stipulated by the government.
The hotels served the food items at a reduced rate for a few months, after which the Janatha Meals vanished from their menu. The Rs 20- meal should comprise 400 gram of rice, sambar, rasam, butter milk and a side dish.
The hotels were also asked not to compromise on the quality of the food items. Besides, the government insisted that tiffin items like idly, dosa, pongal and puri, also coffee and tea to be served by the hotels at a reduced price.
Due to the unchecked price rise in hotels at Coimbatore, which serves as a hub for migratory population working in textile units and construction industry, they are largely affected.
“Life is not the same as it were two years ago due to the rising cost of food items in the hotels. In fact, I spend a major share of my salary for food. The government should do something to check the rising prices of food items in the hotels,” said R Suresh, a batchelor, who works at a textile unit in Coimbatore.
Further there is also a general feeling among the public that the price of food items in Coimbatore are generally sold at higher rates than elsewhere. Even at any moderate level hotel in the city, the price of a meal is fixed at around Rs 40, besides, pongal, dosa and other items are sold at a price range of Rs 20 to 30.
Tamil Nadu Hotel Association Youth Wing President C R Senthil Kumar said the hotels could not serve the food items at the stipulated price due to the hike in input cost, besides increasing labour wages and rentals. “All the eateries managed to serve the food items at the government fixed rate for over a year, but now the hotels are helpless. So, it is not possible to serve at the fixed price,” he said. Kumar said the association has urged the government refix the rate of food items.
The scheme, fondly called as Janatha Meal, was introduced in 2008 on the birthday of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on June 3 across the State.
It was made mandatory for all the hotels to serve Rs 20-meal, besides tiffin items like idly, dosa and hot drinks like tea and coffee at a reduced price, thus catering to the needs of the poor. However, now none of the hotels follow the price regulations stipulated by the government.
The hotels served the food items at a reduced rate for a few months, after which the Janatha Meals vanished from their menu. The Rs 20- meal should comprise 400 gram of rice, sambar, rasam, butter milk and a side dish.
The hotels were also asked not to compromise on the quality of the food items. Besides, the government insisted that tiffin items like idly, dosa, pongal and puri, also coffee and tea to be served by the hotels at a reduced price.
Due to the unchecked price rise in hotels at Coimbatore, which serves as a hub for migratory population working in textile units and construction industry, they are largely affected.
“Life is not the same as it were two years ago due to the rising cost of food items in the hotels. In fact, I spend a major share of my salary for food. The government should do something to check the rising prices of food items in the hotels,” said R Suresh, a batchelor, who works at a textile unit in Coimbatore.
Further there is also a general feeling among the public that the price of food items in Coimbatore are generally sold at higher rates than elsewhere. Even at any moderate level hotel in the city, the price of a meal is fixed at around Rs 40, besides, pongal, dosa and other items are sold at a price range of Rs 20 to 30.
Tamil Nadu Hotel Association Youth Wing President C R Senthil Kumar said the hotels could not serve the food items at the stipulated price due to the hike in input cost, besides increasing labour wages and rentals. “All the eateries managed to serve the food items at the government fixed rate for over a year, but now the hotels are helpless. So, it is not possible to serve at the fixed price,” he said. Kumar said the association has urged the government refix the rate of food items.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Kongu Nadu Munnetra Kazhagam to stage agitations
Kongu Nadu Munnetra Kazhagam (KMK) has threatened to stage a series of agitations if the Centre and the State governments failed to come up with a solution for the issue of discharge of effluents into river Noyyal.
State President of KMK Best S. Ramasamy told journalists that indiscriminate discharge of untreated effluents from dyeing units had affected people in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Karur districts, causing ailments such as skin diseases, infertility and even kidney failure.
The effluents had also affected agriculture in this region substantially.
As per a Supreme Court order, dyeing units would be barred from discharging effluents into Noyyal from January 6.
The dyeing units have gone on strike citing constraints in complying with the court order. They had been asked to provide compensation to farmers, pay the penalty for effluents discharged so far, and ensure Orathuppalayam Dam was cleaned and de-silted.
The strike would affect lakhs of workers in hosiery and dyeing units as the two were allied industries.
The governments should depute a committee to closely monitor and spell out solutions. The trade was facing problems because of the effluents issue, Mr. Ramasamy said and added that the attitude of both the governments was ‘lethargic.’
State President of KMK Best S. Ramasamy told journalists that indiscriminate discharge of untreated effluents from dyeing units had affected people in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Karur districts, causing ailments such as skin diseases, infertility and even kidney failure.
The effluents had also affected agriculture in this region substantially.
As per a Supreme Court order, dyeing units would be barred from discharging effluents into Noyyal from January 6.
The dyeing units have gone on strike citing constraints in complying with the court order. They had been asked to provide compensation to farmers, pay the penalty for effluents discharged so far, and ensure Orathuppalayam Dam was cleaned and de-silted.
The strike would affect lakhs of workers in hosiery and dyeing units as the two were allied industries.
The governments should depute a committee to closely monitor and spell out solutions. The trade was facing problems because of the effluents issue, Mr. Ramasamy said and added that the attitude of both the governments was ‘lethargic.’
Coimbatore Corporation increases drinking water tariff
After a protracted struggle, the Coimbatore Corporation managed to get the approval of the Council on Tuesday to increase the drinking water tariff. The sanction, however, came with a condition from councillors that the new rates should take effect only when the Corporation made 24-hour supply of water.
The Corporation wanted these to take effect on April 1 next year. But the parties wanted it to wait for more than a year till the 24-hour supply would begin.
The Corporation wanted to step up revenue from water supply to fund the Rs.113-crore Pilloor Phase II drinking water scheme.
Official sources, however, said that since the Council had passed the resolution on the tariff, the increase could be effected after the due consent from the Government was obtained, nothwithstanding the condition from the Councillors.
The Corporation on Tuesday did away with the slab system of tariff for one category of residential connections. A flat rate of Rs.100 a month would have to be paid for consumption up to 15,000 litres.
A tariff of Rs.6 per 1,000 litres would be charged for consumption between 15,001 litres to 20,000 litres.
The tariff for 20,001 litres to 1.5 lakh litres was fixed at Rs.8 per 1,000 litres and at Rs.11 per 1,000 litres for consumption above 1.5 lakh litres
The Corporation wanted these to take effect on April 1 next year. But the parties wanted it to wait for more than a year till the 24-hour supply would begin.
The Corporation wanted to step up revenue from water supply to fund the Rs.113-crore Pilloor Phase II drinking water scheme.
Official sources, however, said that since the Council had passed the resolution on the tariff, the increase could be effected after the due consent from the Government was obtained, nothwithstanding the condition from the Councillors.
The Corporation on Tuesday did away with the slab system of tariff for one category of residential connections. A flat rate of Rs.100 a month would have to be paid for consumption up to 15,000 litres.
A tariff of Rs.6 per 1,000 litres would be charged for consumption between 15,001 litres to 20,000 litres.
The tariff for 20,001 litres to 1.5 lakh litres was fixed at Rs.8 per 1,000 litres and at Rs.11 per 1,000 litres for consumption above 1.5 lakh litres
Tamil Nadu increasing power generation capacity
The Tamil Nadu Government has initiated several measures to ramp up power generation capacity and in the next 1 to 2 years an additional generation capacity of 7000 MW would be added in the State.
According to Mr MK Stalin deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu said that the Government is also addressing the problem of infrastructure bottlenecks plaguing the Coimbatore region, which apart from being famous for its engineering prowess is now proving its mettle in electronics and IT sectors too.
Speaking at an interactive meeting organised by the CII, Mr Stalin said that hydel power generation, which was 6455 million units during 2007-08, shrunk to 5386 MUs during 2008-09. The generation of wind power and power from the thermal power plants at Neyveli and nuclear plants at Kalpakkam and Kaiga also fell. But while at the all India level, generation fell by 13.8% in Tamil Nadu, it was only by 5.5%.
Mr Stalin further said that cogeneration plants with a capacity of 234 MW were established in 17 sugar mills in the co operative and public sector fold at an investment of INR 1176 crore. Agreements have also been signed for establishing two power plants with a total capacity of 1,200 MW at an investment of INR 4650 crore.
In the Ennore plant, establishing 600 MW capacity unit is nearing completion. In the next one to two years, it is expected that 7000 MW of additional power generation capacity will added.
According to Mr MK Stalin deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu said that the Government is also addressing the problem of infrastructure bottlenecks plaguing the Coimbatore region, which apart from being famous for its engineering prowess is now proving its mettle in electronics and IT sectors too.
Speaking at an interactive meeting organised by the CII, Mr Stalin said that hydel power generation, which was 6455 million units during 2007-08, shrunk to 5386 MUs during 2008-09. The generation of wind power and power from the thermal power plants at Neyveli and nuclear plants at Kalpakkam and Kaiga also fell. But while at the all India level, generation fell by 13.8% in Tamil Nadu, it was only by 5.5%.
Mr Stalin further said that cogeneration plants with a capacity of 234 MW were established in 17 sugar mills in the co operative and public sector fold at an investment of INR 1176 crore. Agreements have also been signed for establishing two power plants with a total capacity of 1,200 MW at an investment of INR 4650 crore.
In the Ennore plant, establishing 600 MW capacity unit is nearing completion. In the next one to two years, it is expected that 7000 MW of additional power generation capacity will added.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Exterro to double headcount in India
Exterro, a US-based $12 million privately held legal enterprise software company is looking to double its headcount in India and triple
its revenue in 2010. The company headed by an Indian-born US citizen has set up a development centre here.
"We are planning to book space in the upcoming Tidel Park in Coimbatore to house around 250 to 300 employees. In the first phase, we will expand our operations here by doubling the head count to 90 in 2010," Exterro’s president & CEO Bobby Balachandran told ET.
The company started in 2004 at Portland, Oregon in US by four Indian-born promoters with an investment of $1.5 million is looking to finance its expansion plans through private equity and venture capital. "We are in process of infusing around $15 million to increase revenue by three times in 2010. We will go for an IPO by the end of 2012," he added.
Exterro has two offices, one each in Portland and Chicago and a third one in Coimbatore. Mr Bobby said the Coimbatore centre is treated as an extended arm of the US offices and not as a separate offshore development centre. "India is strategic for our growth and we chose to set base in Coimbatore due to the city’s entrepreneurial nature and huge talent available," he added.
It is currently focused on product development with four unique products namely Genome (data mapping), Legal Hold (preservation of data), Discovery Workflow Management (process data) and FusionGo (snapshot of everything). They are priced in the range of $ 250,000 to $ 150,000 and the company charges 20% on a yearly basis as maintenance cost.
"We are looking to innovate and develop two additional products a year in the electronic discovery platform, whose market is currently pegged at $4.5-$5.5 billion a year," Mr Bobby said, adding software with limited functionality will be launched in the Software as a Service (SaaS) mode from February 2010 for companies in the low and mid market ranges.
"We are doing business in the enterprise software space but we see a growing market in SaaS mode and we expect it to eclipse the enterprise software space by 2012," he said.
Basically a link provider between business and technology, Exterro has specialised in software solutions pertaining to legal governance, risk and compliance management.
"The executives in the West are under lot of regulatory pressure and they need to store, preserve and process data regularly. We help them with our software in managing data for legal enterprise," Mr Bobby added.
Walt Disney, Visa, Pfizer, Hershey’s, Fidelity, Qualcomm, Microsoft, Oracle and Intel are its clients, he said, adding the company is also in discussion with Mittal group and Reliance in the US. Apart from US, the company has set its sights on European Union and is scouting for office space in London. "Asian countries including India are also in our plans, but corporate governance and market regulations are still not mature here," he added.
its revenue in 2010. The company headed by an Indian-born US citizen has set up a development centre here.
"We are planning to book space in the upcoming Tidel Park in Coimbatore to house around 250 to 300 employees. In the first phase, we will expand our operations here by doubling the head count to 90 in 2010," Exterro’s president & CEO Bobby Balachandran told ET.
The company started in 2004 at Portland, Oregon in US by four Indian-born promoters with an investment of $1.5 million is looking to finance its expansion plans through private equity and venture capital. "We are in process of infusing around $15 million to increase revenue by three times in 2010. We will go for an IPO by the end of 2012," he added.
Exterro has two offices, one each in Portland and Chicago and a third one in Coimbatore. Mr Bobby said the Coimbatore centre is treated as an extended arm of the US offices and not as a separate offshore development centre. "India is strategic for our growth and we chose to set base in Coimbatore due to the city’s entrepreneurial nature and huge talent available," he added.
It is currently focused on product development with four unique products namely Genome (data mapping), Legal Hold (preservation of data), Discovery Workflow Management (process data) and FusionGo (snapshot of everything). They are priced in the range of $ 250,000 to $ 150,000 and the company charges 20% on a yearly basis as maintenance cost.
"We are looking to innovate and develop two additional products a year in the electronic discovery platform, whose market is currently pegged at $4.5-$5.5 billion a year," Mr Bobby said, adding software with limited functionality will be launched in the Software as a Service (SaaS) mode from February 2010 for companies in the low and mid market ranges.
"We are doing business in the enterprise software space but we see a growing market in SaaS mode and we expect it to eclipse the enterprise software space by 2012," he said.
Basically a link provider between business and technology, Exterro has specialised in software solutions pertaining to legal governance, risk and compliance management.
"The executives in the West are under lot of regulatory pressure and they need to store, preserve and process data regularly. We help them with our software in managing data for legal enterprise," Mr Bobby added.
Walt Disney, Visa, Pfizer, Hershey’s, Fidelity, Qualcomm, Microsoft, Oracle and Intel are its clients, he said, adding the company is also in discussion with Mittal group and Reliance in the US. Apart from US, the company has set its sights on European Union and is scouting for office space in London. "Asian countries including India are also in our plans, but corporate governance and market regulations are still not mature here," he added.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Do not lower guard on A (H1N1) flu
Public health authorities in Coimbatore seem to be having a bit of relief now with fewer cases of A (H1N1) influenza being reported now than a month ago. But, this is no reason for the public to lower their guard, the authorities warn.
The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital had only three persons quarantined in its 20-bed isolation ward on Wednesday. And, one of them who tested positive in Mumbai tested negative in Coimbatore. “We are discharging him tomorrow,” Dean of the hospital V. Kumaran said.
“Close to a month ago, the two private laboratories approved by Government for conducting flu tests used to report nearly 30 positive cases a day. Over the last one week, the number dipped to 10 or 15. Now, it is even less,” Dr. Kumaran said.
Of the seven persons who underwent tests at one of the laboratories on Tuesday, only two tested positive. One of these persons was from Erode and another from a rural area in Coimbatore. “Cases being reported from the city are steadily decreasing. One inference is people are following the treatment protocol and the other is that the community is developing immunity,” the Dean said.
More in Hindu....
The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital had only three persons quarantined in its 20-bed isolation ward on Wednesday. And, one of them who tested positive in Mumbai tested negative in Coimbatore. “We are discharging him tomorrow,” Dean of the hospital V. Kumaran said.
“Close to a month ago, the two private laboratories approved by Government for conducting flu tests used to report nearly 30 positive cases a day. Over the last one week, the number dipped to 10 or 15. Now, it is even less,” Dr. Kumaran said.
Of the seven persons who underwent tests at one of the laboratories on Tuesday, only two tested positive. One of these persons was from Erode and another from a rural area in Coimbatore. “Cases being reported from the city are steadily decreasing. One inference is people are following the treatment protocol and the other is that the community is developing immunity,” the Dean said.
More in Hindu....
Coimbatore Passport Office plans SMS alerts
The Coimbatore Passport Office plans to launch Short Message Service (SMS) alerts to passport applicants. The service is expected to become operational by January 2010, said B. Balamurugan, Passport Officer, Coimbatore.
The new services include SMS alerts on various stages of processing of applications and ‘first-in and first-out’ concept of seniority-based processing. All district passport cells would be computerised with online application facility. The SMS facility would enable the applicants to enquire about the status of their applications, Mr. Balamurugan said.
He held preliminary discussions with P.V. Raju, senior systems analyst from the Kochi Passport Office, where the SMS system is already operational, on the creation of the required infrastructure. During the process of applications, the passport office might raise queries on police verification details, original documents, previous passport etc. These queries are at present sent by post which consumes time. On receiving the SMS alert, the applicants could respond to the queries promptly.
The ‘first-in and first-out’ system would help eliminate attempts to bypass the seniority of applications. Once the police verification report is attached to the application, it will be serially numbered and processed only on that basis. In emergency cases, only the four designated Passport Issuing Authorities could assure early issuance of passport. The Coimbatore office which has a staff strength of only 21 as against the sanctioned 55 is overburdened. It has asked the district passport cells in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Salem and Namakkal to become online so that the workload could be minimised.
The new services include SMS alerts on various stages of processing of applications and ‘first-in and first-out’ concept of seniority-based processing. All district passport cells would be computerised with online application facility. The SMS facility would enable the applicants to enquire about the status of their applications, Mr. Balamurugan said.
He held preliminary discussions with P.V. Raju, senior systems analyst from the Kochi Passport Office, where the SMS system is already operational, on the creation of the required infrastructure. During the process of applications, the passport office might raise queries on police verification details, original documents, previous passport etc. These queries are at present sent by post which consumes time. On receiving the SMS alert, the applicants could respond to the queries promptly.
The ‘first-in and first-out’ system would help eliminate attempts to bypass the seniority of applications. Once the police verification report is attached to the application, it will be serially numbered and processed only on that basis. In emergency cases, only the four designated Passport Issuing Authorities could assure early issuance of passport. The Coimbatore office which has a staff strength of only 21 as against the sanctioned 55 is overburdened. It has asked the district passport cells in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Salem and Namakkal to become online so that the workload could be minimised.
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