Latest news with #E.V.Velu
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
GPS devices installed in garbage vehicles to keep track of their movement
The Tiruvannamalai Corporation has fitted the Global Positioning System (GPS) in its garbage vehicles to keep track of waste generation, especially door-to-door collection from households on a daily basis to ensure cleanliness of the town. Officials of Tiruvannamalai Corporation, which has started the initiative, said that the idea to introduce GPS tracking system in trash vehicles is to re-energize the process of source segregation at households by sanitary workers before segregated wastes are dumped at landfill sites on Girivalam path. 'The idea is to inculcate the habit of source segregation by consumers as it will be helpful to process segregated wastes easily and to ensure cleanliness of the town,' S. Selva Balaji, Commissioner, Tiruvannamalai Corporation, told The Hindu. Corporation officials said that garbage segregation into biodegradable and non biodegradable wastes was stopped during the outbreak of pandemic in 2021. Since then, sanitary workers were simply dumping all unsegregated wastes collected from households in landfill sites. It has resulted in accidental fires. Also, segregation of accumulated wastes at landfill sites remains challenging due to such accidents. The GPS fitted vehicles help to encourage segregating wastes by consumers themselves. It helps to monitor door-to-door collection, routes taken by sanitary vehicles and time taken for the work. Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu and Tiruvannamalai Collector were apprised about the initiative by the Corporation. Senior civic officials including Corporation Commissioner will be able to keep track of the vehicles. Civic officials will be alerted on any devivation on routes taken by vehicles and more time taken at specified streets. Currently, the Corporation has around 110 garbage vehicles covering areas around Arunachaleswara temple and Girivalam path.Every day, on an average, 65-70 metric tonnes of wastes are generated in the town. Each ward has 60-70 streets with around 400 households and a capacity of 300 kg garbage generation. At present, the Corporation has around 350 sanitary workers with over 60% of them are women. Corporation officials said initially, the project will be implemented in core areas of the town before extending it to other areas. The civic body was extended in January 2025 by merging 18 surrounding villages to become a Corporation.
The Hindu
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu government releases revised schedule of rates for the fiscal
The common schedule of rates for all government departments for this fiscal was released on Monday, with an overall increase of nearly 5%. This would help to standardise the cost of infrastructure projects to be implemented in Tamil Nadu. Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu released the schedule, compiled in three volumes, for various departments and government agencies, including Highways, the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. Sources in the PWD said that nearly 183 new items, including UPVC sliding windows and statues, have been added this fiscal. The schedule lists basic rates for various materials and services required for construction projects. The committee tasked with preparing the schedule, comprising the heads of several key departments, had considered various factors, including the market rates and the Wholesale Price Index, to arrive at the revised rates. The new rates would increase the average project estimate by 5%. The rates for M-sand and blue metal have been increased by 18% because of various taxes. Labour charges have also been raised by 7%. For instance, the charges for the mason (brick work) and mazdoor category-I were fixed at ₹1,098 and ₹716 per day respectively during 2024-25. However, cement and steel rates have been reduced by 6% and 0.6% respectively, based on the Wholesale Price Index. Last year's schedule had fixed ₹298 for a bag of cement and ₹56,000 for a metric tonne of steel. The new rates would help the departments prepare better project estimates and complete projects on time, the sources said.
The Hindu
19-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Avinashi Road flyover works to be completed by August 15, says Minister
A flyover that is under construction on Avinashi Road in Coimbatore city will be completed by August 15, Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu said here on Saturday. The ₹1,791.23-crore project spans 10.1 km from Uppilipalayam to Goldwins. The Minister told the media the flyover would have eight ramps. Work on one ramp was delayed due to a legal case pending before the Madras High Court. The steel girders above the railway section (near Hope college) was over and the flyover work was progressing. When asked about the absence of pedestrian subways along the flyover, the Minister said such facilities were generally not included in these types of projects. 'The focus is on the main carriageway and the entry and exit ramps. Once the project is completed, if a need arises, we will consider it,' he said. The Minister also inspected the ongoing construction of the Thanthai Periyar Library and Science Centre in the city. He said the construction would be completed by December and the facility was expected to open in January. The library and science centre were developed at a cost of ₹300 crore and would cover 1,98,000 sq. ft. To a question on the Talisman amulet (dhrishti bommai) placed at the construction site, the Minister said he did not support such practices. 'I am a Periyarist and do not encourage these. But the contractors may follow certain beliefs. I do not comment on that. Once the work is completed, there will not be any such structures,' he said.
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- The Hindu
Special darshan tickets at Arunachaleshwara temple will be increased to ₹100: HR&CE Minister
Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) P.K. Sekar Babu on Thursday said that the existing special darshan ticket of ₹50 at Arunachaleshwara temple in Tiruvannamalai town will be doubled soon to enable the department to provide more civic amenities to visiting devotees. Accompanied by Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu and Collector K. Tharpagaraj, Mr. Babu inspected temple premises and Mada streets in the town. He also interacted with devotees on the existing civic amenities and safety arrangements available in the temple and 14-km-long Girivalam path. 'As most of the devotees are from neighbouring States like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, special darshan tickets will be increased to ₹100 soon. More time will be given for devotees for darshan at the temple,' he said. Among civic amenities, the Minister said that additional water taps and seating arrangements for senior citizens and persons with disabilities will be set up in the temple premises. Also, digital boards will be installed at various spots in the temple to provide timing of special poojas for devotees. A special arena with a seating capacity of 2,000 persons for those devotees with special darshan tickets will be made soon to allow them for hassle-free worship. 'Steps to construct additional accommodation facilities for pilgrims are also underway. Land near Raja Gopuram of the temple has been identified to build a waiting hall for devotees at a cost of Rs 1.97 crore. Work will commence soon,' he said. The Minister said that more queues will be formed in free darshan to allow more devotees to visit the temple. Special queue will be in place for senior citizens and pregnant women to have darshan easily. Also, additional battery-run cars will be operated to help persons with disabilities to move around inside the temple.
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Rain revives fish farming in irrigation tank near Tiruvannamalai
Fish farming in an irrigation tank, which is maintained by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), at Melathikkan village near Tiruvannamalai town has been revived for the season due to rain in recent weeks, resulting in steady rise of waterflow to the tank. Accompanied by Collector K. Tharpagaraj, Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu released young fish in the tank on Wednesday as part of fish cultivation by farmers in the region. Officials of the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation (TNFDC), which maintains fish farms in the district, said that fish cultivation, including harvesting, is done during May to August due to the steady reduction of hot weather and gradual rise in water level due to south-west monsoon. These months also help to retain adequate oxygen in the farming area of the tank due to slow evaporation. Also, as the water level is almost steady, fishing in the waters in the tank remains safe for fishermen. 'Local fishermen from the neighbouring Edapalayam village have been doing the job for many years. Such roping of local skilled workers helps to prevent poaching and also provides jobs for them,' S. Velan, Assistant Director (AD), Department of Fisheries (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu. At Melathikkan tank, Catla, Roya and Mithila are the preferred freshwater fish varieties that are cultivated with acumen, involving local fishermen and officials of the fisheries department. These fish varieties were chosen at least for two reasons - speedy growth and good taste, especially for spicy fish curries. They weighed over one kg in three months after they were left in the tank. As per norms, each hectare of tank area, on average, should release around 2,000 fish should be released to maintain the fish growth in the tank. In other words, 60% of the total area of the tank should be the total number of fish released. Divided into forenoon and afternoon, fishing in the tank will be done by 18 units of local fishermen, closely monitored by the officials. Each unit has at least two fishermen in a coracle with a target of 20kg per team everyday. In other words, fishing in the tank should yield at least 0.5 tonnes (500 kgs) daily especially during the peak month of August. These fishermen are paid on a daily basis. Of the total catch, one-third goes for local consumption with the rest goes to the government-run stalls and buyers in the State.
