Latest news with #JohnMathai
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Punnapuzha surge: Irked residents say ‘safe zone' areas no longer safe
Kozhikode: On Wednesday, a sudden surge in the Punnapuzha flowing through Chooralmala and Mundakkai in Wayanad, areas hit by 2024 landslides, forced nearby residents to protest. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These residents had been excluded from the list of landslide victims eligible for rehabilitation and daily livelihood allowance. They questioned the logic behind the 'go' and 'no-go' zones defined by the John Mathai committee report. Residents of Padavettikunnu, Attamala, Rattakolly and nearby areas, previously marked as safe, gathered at the Bailey bridge connecting Chooralmala to Mundakkai. They blocked revenue officials — including the village officer, tahsildar and others — who arrived at the spot, accusing them of unscientific demarcation of safe zones after the 2024 landslide. "The areas marked as 'go' zone, located just 50m away from the river banks, are now in danger. Padavettikunnu has 27 houses, but the road to the area is now underwater because of the water surge," said Yusuf, a resident of Padavettikunnu. He added that the govt had initially said around 1,020 families would be rehabilitated at the upcoming township in Elstone Estate, but that number has dropped to around 400 now. This leaves many people with no choice but to live in unsafe conditions. "We should learn from today's incident, especially since it is only June and more rain is expected in the coming months," he said. District panchayat president Shamshad Marakkar, who visited the site, said that just three days of rain proved the areas marked safe for habitation by John Mathai are actually uninhabitable. "After the heavy rain, we now know for sure that living in places like Rattakolly and Padavettikunnu is difficult," he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Protesters accused the village officer of submitting misleading reports that excluded their families from the list eligible for the Rs 300 daily allowance. Tensions arose when special officer Ashwini Kumar and Vythiri tahsildar V Bindu arrived. The protestors insisted they would not let these officials leave without issuing an order to grant them the daily allowance. Protesters demanded immediate assurance that all affected residents would receive the allowance. The agitation ended only after additional district magistrate K Devaki arrived around 4.30pm and promised to consider their demand sympathetically within two days.
The Print
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Print
DVC signs pacts with SJVN to source hydropower to meet green energy obligations
The agreements come on the heels of five similar PPAs signed between DVC and NHPC, and are part of a broader strategy to diversify the former's energy portfolio and strengthen grid reliability across the Damodar Valley region. The hydropower will be sourced from SJVN Ltd's Sunni Dam and Luhri Stage-I Hydro Projects. Kolkata, Apr 29 (PTI) The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) on Tuesday said it has signed power purchase agreements with SJVN Ltd for sourcing hydropower, in a bid to boost the multipurpose river valley project's push towards green energy and ensure stable supply for its consumers in West Bengal and Jharkhand. 'These PPAs are aimed at securing green energy obligations in our distribution business,' DVC Member-Secretary John Mathai told PTI. 'It will help us meet 100 per cent of our future obligations in green energy — be it solar, hydro, or any other source,' he said. DVC currently distributes around 43 billion units annually across its command area in West Bengal and Jharkhand. Its power supply is primarily high-tension electricity catering to industrial consumers. Under the latest pacts, DVC will procure hydropower from SJVN as allocated by the Ministry of Power. The agreements will become effective upon the commissioning of the respective projects. With an installed capacity of nearly 6,500 MW, predominantly thermal, DVC's future expansion plans are focused heavily on clean energy. The latest agreements are expected to boost peak demand management, support industrial growth, enhance grid stability and reinforce the adoption of renewable energy in the region. 'This collaboration aligns with our strategy to provide stable, sustainable and affordable power to our consumers while complementing our existing thermal and renewable assets,' Mathai added. PTI BSM RBT This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
DVC signs pacts with SJVN to source hydropower to meet green energy obligations
Kolkata: The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) on Tuesday said it has signed power purchase agreements with SJVN Ltd for sourcing hydropower, in a bid to boost the multipurpose river valley project's push towards green energy and ensure stable supply for its consumers in West Bengal and Jharkhand. The hydropower will be sourced from SJVN Ltd's Sunni Dam and Luhri Stage-I Hydro Projects. The agreements come on the heels of five similar PPAs signed between DVC and NHPC, and are part of a broader strategy to diversify the former's energy portfolio and strengthen grid reliability across the Damodar Valley region. "These PPAs are aimed at securing green energy obligations in our distribution business," DVC Member-Secretary John Mathai told PTI. "It will help us meet 100 per cent of our future obligations in green energy - be it solar, hydro, or any other source," he said. DVC currently distributes around 43 billion units annually across its command area in West Bengal and Jharkhand. Its power supply is primarily high-tension electricity catering to industrial consumers. Under the latest pacts, DVC will procure hydropower from SJVN as allocated by the Ministry of Power. The agreements will become effective upon the commissioning of the respective projects. With an installed capacity of nearly 6,500 MW, predominantly thermal, DVC's future expansion plans are focused heavily on clean energy. The latest agreements are expected to boost peak demand management, support industrial growth, enhance grid stability and reinforce the adoption of renewable energy in the region. "This collaboration aligns with our strategy to provide stable, sustainable and affordable power to our consumers while complementing our existing thermal and renewable assets," Mathai added.
