Time to strengthen its prey base

The recent wildlife census conducted at Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) shows a significant increase in the predator population and signals the need to strengthen its prey base or herbivore population. When the survey team crossed Rettaikaradu area in Thirukkurunkudi range, the members saw a panther, a ‘shy animal’, taking rest under a shade and another team, which was trekking near Maanjolai above Manimuthar dam, saw a panther standing on a rock at a distance.

Leading hospitals receive minimum of five patients in a week

After claiming more than forty lives in Tirunelveli district during the previous outbreak in the first quarter last year, dengue has reared its ugly head again in the city with almost all leading hospitals here receiving a minimum of five dengue patients every week. Though the latest outbreak has not resulted in any death so far, the disease has triggered panic among the public. The fear has increased manifold as anti-mosquito operations, carried out by the Corporation, have come to a grinding halt.

To decide on ‘pinnacle protest’ against project commissioning

The latest announcement from Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy on the possible commissioning of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in mid-January has compelled the protesters to convene a meeting of community leaders on January 13 at Idinthakarai to decide on the future course of action against the upcoming nuclear park.

Protesters opposing the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) on Monday demanded that the Union government organise a nationwide debate on the country’s energy policy, particularly on the ongoing as well as proposed nuclear power programmes.

Convener of the Anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Struggle Committee, S.P. Udayakumar, said the current agitation against the KKNPP would be suspended if voters chose to support the Congress overwhelmingly in the next Lok Sabha polls even after a transparent nationwide debate.

If the proposal gets the nod it would be the first in the country

If the innovative proposal of constructing a wildlife overpass, that has been forwarded to the State Government by the Department of Forest here, gets the official nod, it will permanently end incidents of deer getting crushed under wheels of zooming vehicles on the national highway even as the herbivores move out of their habitat at Gangaikondan in search of food and water.

A sea-based agitation against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project passed off peacefully on Monday, with around 700 boats, including 150 mechanised vessels, carrying more than 3,000 fishermen participating in the protest.

With black flags fluttering on their boats, protesters raised slogans against the ready-to-be-commissioned nuclear complex and the Central and State governments.

Land near slaughter house used as unauthorised dumping yard

Residential areas south of Government Engineering College here has become uninhabitable in the recent past as the rubbish, particularly the plastic waste, being burnt in the unofficial garbage dumping yard of the Corporation near Melapalayam modern slaughter house generates huge volume of smoke and gases almost round-the-clock.

Tension prevailed here for about five hours on Sunday as the police thwarted a bid by about 3,000 agitators to lay siege to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) site to protest fuel-loading in the reactor.

Earlier in the day, the protesters, led by the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy convener, S.P. Udayakumar, surprised the police, who deployed about 4,000 personnel, marched towards the site through the shore around noon.

Owing to mixing up of animal, human and industrial waste

Even as the first phase of encroachment eviction drive on the banks of the Tamirabharani has been completed and cleaning of the thorny bushes on the sloping land besides the water body has been going on for the past few Saturdays, a lot of things needs to be done to really save the river, as the pathological quality of this river has reached an alarming status.

Thanks to forest personnel who have successfully checked poaching

Here is really a heartening news for nature lovers as the Indian gaur population at Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) has increased significantly during the past few years as the forest personnel have successfully checked poaching by hunters from Kerala through continuous vigil from their permanent camps in the highly inaccessible evergreen forests.