Kochi: Keeping decibels in check
Last year, the sound decibels at Pallimukku and Kundanoor Junctions recorded 106 decibels, nearly double the permissible levels. KOCHI: Last year, the sound decibels at Pallimukku and Kundanoor Junctions
New Indian Express (Kochi)
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Corporation plan to convert garbage into fuel
KOCHI: Having identified that a ‘waste to energy’ plant will solve the garbage disposal-related issues in the city, the Kochi Corporation is mooting the idea of setting up such a facility at Brahmapuram. It will be designed to treat plastic waste to generate crude oil. A team consisting of the Mayors of Kochi, Kollam and Thrissur Corporations recently visited the solid waste treatment plant at the Pimpri-Chinchwad twin towns in Pune.
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Kerala bans gutka, pan masala products
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Citing increasing incidence of diseases like oral cancer, the Congress-led UDF Government in Kerala today announced a ban on the manufacture and sale of gutka and pan masala containing tobacco in the state with immediate effect. Announcing the decision at a press conference here, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the ban on gutka and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine was enforced under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Regulation Act, 2011.
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Rs 1,000-crore project to end water woes
KOCHI: In a major initiative to find a solution to the drinking water woes of West Kochiites, a Rs 1,000-crore project is being prepared by the state government in association with various agencies. The
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Plywood pollution to be checked
PERUMBAVOOR: Offering a ray of hope for the residents of Perumbavoor, the plywood manufacturers in the region have announced the formation of a new committee to keep a tab on the pollution caused by the companies. The committee will study the cleanliness and hygiene amongst the plywood manufacturing units, said C K Abdul Majeed, general secretary, South Indian Plywood Manufacturers Association.
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Periyar: Panel to recommend conservation ideas
KOCHI: The District Collector has ordered the setting up of an empowered committee to recommend long-term programmes for the conservation of the Periyar river. The committee will consist of engineers, green activists and members from the panchayat. “A number of studies on the river have been undertaken, however, none of them focused on the projects that can be taken up for its conservation. This committee will specifically focus on the projects that can be implemented in the area. The committee will also draw upon the earlier studies on the river,” said District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth.
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Protest against pollution by plywood factories
KOCHI: As the call against the industrial pollution caused by plywood factories strengthens, hundreds of people took part in a protest march to the District Collectorate on Monday. The protest march, led by the Action Council for Environmental Protection, sought the cancellation of licences of the plywood manufacturing units in the worst polluted areas, a stop in approving licences to companies in residential areas, ban on the night-time functioning of the companies and raised various other demands. The march was inaugurated by social activist C R Neelakandan.
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Project to stop flow of toxin into Periyar River
KOCHI: Ending a long delay in setting up the bridge cum regulator project across the Periyar River at Pathalam and Purappillikkavu, the irrigation department has finally fixed the dates for opening tenders. The prequalification tenders for setting up the Pathalam bridge will be opened on Monday. At a time when fish deaths is becoming a frequent phenomenon in Periyar, the ambitious project which could have been a permanent solution in containing the issue of fish deaths, has been facing an inordinate delay.
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Corporation squad to curb waste dumpers
KOCHI: To prevent the illegal dumping of waste in public places, the Corporation will soon launch a special health squad. The squad will be divided into four units consisting of officials from the health department of the Corporation. Announcing the plan to set up the units at the launch of the pre-monsoon cleaning programme ‘Mazhayethum Munpe’, Mayor Tony Chammany said that the primary objective of the health squad is to make sure that the waste treatment methods are strictly followed by the public.
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Rural fish farming project aims big catch!
KOCHI: The ambitious ‘Matsya Samrudhi’ project, mooted in a bid to shore up fish production levels in the rural belts of the state, will be launched in June this year. The state government-sponsored project will jointly be implemented by the Fish Farmers Development Agency, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and the Agency for the Development of Aquaculture Kerala (ADAK). The `195-crore project targets to increase the production by one lakh tonnes within a period of three years. The project is expected to make the state coffer richer by `481.5 crore.
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Fish bring toxic Periyar to the surface
KOCHI: Expressing concern over the increasing incidents of fish deaths in the Periyar River, environmentalists brushed aside the claims made by Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) that the fish