logo
Kathirimalai tribal village to get electricity connection soon

Kathirimalai tribal village to get electricity connection soon

ERODE: The long wait for electricity to a tribal village in Erode district is likely to be over quite soon as the TANGEDCO has accelerated work in this regard. The tender process is almost over and the work to erect poles and draw power lines for about 8 kilometres to the Kathirimalai village is expected to start within a month.
The village in the foothill of Kathirimalai has about 100 houses belonging to the Solaga community. The residents have been yearning for electricity connection for decades but it eluded them so far. Only solar panels light up the households now.
A senior official from TANGEDCO (Gobichettipalayam SE Division) said, "We have recently completed the tender process for the project to provide electricity to Kathirimalai village. The tender is currently at the awarding stage. This will take a week. Then the work will commence in a month."
Speaking to TNIE, Anthiyur MLA AG Venkatachalam said, "This project will be executed at a cost of `3.25 crore. An electric line will be drawn from the foothills of Kathirimalai to Kathirimalai village for approximately 8 km. The work will start in a month. The work will be completed within three months of its commencement. We, including the district collector and other officials, are determined that the people of that village should get electricity as soon as possible."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Puducherry to launch piped natural gas supply to industries from August 15
Puducherry to launch piped natural gas supply to industries from August 15

New Indian Express

time15 hours ago

  • New Indian Express

Puducherry to launch piped natural gas supply to industries from August 15

PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry will commence supply of piped natural gas (PNG) to industries from August 15, with distribution to domestic and commercial consumers set to follow in phases. East Coast Natural Gas Distribution Pvt. Ltd., which is implementing the project, has completed an 18-kilometre main pipeline from the hook-up point at Sorapet to Mettupalayam. 'We aim to energise the pipeline by August 15,' A Magendiran, Assistant Vice President of the company, told TNIE. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) will supply the gas and is currently awaiting approval from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). 'Once we receive clearance, commissioning will begin immediately,' Magendiran added. In the initial phase, PNG will be supplied to one industrial consumer in Mettupalayam to test system reliability and assess pricing before broader rollout. Meanwhile, urban pipeline work is underway for domestic supply, though some stretches are pending administrative clearances. Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan has directed departments, including the PWD, to expedite approvals. An additional 14 km of pipeline will be laid by the end of this financial year to expand coverage to peripheral areas. Supply will first begin in town areas before being extended outward. The network aims to serve 8,000 to 10,000 consumers this year, with eventual capacity to cover up to 25,000 consumers across Puducherry. Although the project was awarded to East Coast Natural Gas in March 2024, groundwork only began in June due to delays linked to the general elections and staggered permissions. The project is now in its final stage of gasification. To promote PNG adoption, the Puducherry government has reduced Value Added TAX (VAT) on domestic PNG from 14.5% to 5%, and to 7.5% for commercial and industrial consumers, effective from April 1, 2025. The company has also sought GST relief on input gas costs from the Centre. The price of PNG for domestic use is expected to be around Rs 550–Rs 600, on par with a standard LPG cylinder.

Kerala govt plans tax incentive to boost source-level waste management
Kerala govt plans tax incentive to boost source-level waste management

New Indian Express

time2 days ago

  • New Indian Express

Kerala govt plans tax incentive to boost source-level waste management

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is planning to introduce a 5% discount on property tax for households with source-level waste management systems in a bid to encourage people to adopt processing of biodegradable garbage at the place of origin. Disposal of biodegradable waste remains a major challenge for the local self-government department (LSGD) and its source-level management remains low despite the state government's flagship cleanliness campaign, 'Malinya Muktha Nava Keralam'. A recent survey by the LSGD revealed that only 23% of households currently manage waste at source, prompting the government to think about incentives to woo the people to its processing at place of origin. The survey launched by the Suchitwa Mission in 94.58 lakh households found that only 25.12 lakh households possess some kind of waste management infrastructure like kitchen bins, ring compost, biogas plant or composting pits. LSGD Minister M B Rajesh told TNIE that the 5% discount is under government's serious consideration. 'Though the (Malinya Muktha Nava Keralam) campaign helped the local bodies in improving overall waste management, it failed to generate the expected impact on households. We want more households to adopt source-level waste management systems,' he said. Centralised waste management facilities are only for major cities and will focus only on bulk waste generators, Rajesh said. 'A final decision on the tax discount will be announced next week after analysing its financial impact on the local bodies,' the minister added.

Wayanad landslides: Survivors try luck with eateries; many give up, some carry on
Wayanad landslides: Survivors try luck with eateries; many give up, some carry on

New Indian Express

time2 days ago

  • New Indian Express

Wayanad landslides: Survivors try luck with eateries; many give up, some carry on

KALPETTA: Sofiya Jayan, a resident of Chooralmala School Road, worked as a tea garden labourer at the Vanarani Estate in Mundakkai. Her husband, Jayan, was a daily wager. That was before the landslide ripped through the region. Now, the couple runs a tea stall – named 'Chooralmala Thattukada' – on the Kalpetta Bypass Road. 'The landslide has taken away our livelihood. We had been receiving work through connections with our neighbours and other villagers. As we have lost our neighbourhood itself, it's hard to find a job in this new place. We searched a lot for jobs, but finally decided to start a tea stall,' Sofiya told TNIE. The river Punnapuzha overflowed and the entire neighbourhood was washed away in the landslide that struck on July 30, 2024. Since their house is located in the 'No Go Zone' marked by the John Mathai Committee, Sofiya and Jayan have moved to a rented house in Kalpetta. Many of the daily wage earners and plantation workers of Mundakkai-Chooralmala, who subsisted on the resources available in the area, started eateries to survive the disaster. Especially, those lacking specific expertise or skills are trying their luck with roadside eateries, thinking they are easier to manage. But many have already closed their shops, struggling as they were without adequate knowledge of running a business. Some, like Sofiya continue to run their shops because they have failed to find other jobs. 'We receive Rs 9,000 as daily allowance and Rs 6,000 as rent from the government. We have also been included in the government's township beneficiary list. But we need a job to survive and meet our daily expenses,' Sofiya said. She could cook some snacks, so they decided to start a tea stall, she said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store