Distribution of compensation to farmers in non-delta areas of the district for crop losses suffered by them owing to the monsoon failure began on Saturday.

About 37,745 farmers will get relief ranging from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 an acre in the district. The State government has allotted Rs.16.96 crore for the purpose. Farmers who had raised paddy and suffered losses will be get Rs. 5,000 an acre.

Team visits delta regions in Tiruchi, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur districts

Farmers representatives sought to impress upon the Central team that toured the delta districts on Tuesday the need for sanctioning relief quickly to all farmers as the drought has had a severe impact. Several farmers also insisted that the Centre sanction the full quantum of compensation sought by the State (which has sought about Rs.19,665 crore as drought relief).

Power situation likely to ease after six months: Annadurai

At a time when the State is reeling under acute power crisis, industrial units can make use of solar energy wherever possible for their electricity requirements that would not only help in cutting down their power tariff bills but also help in conserving electricity, P. Annadurai, Chief Engineer-Distribution, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation, Tiruchi region, said on Sunday.

Coming up with a Project Design Memorandum (PDM) document for setting up and demonstration of 800 MW coal-fired plant with Advanced Ultra Supercritical (AUSC) parameters was a major stride by BHEL Tiruchi in ‘Engineering and Technology’ during 2012-13.

BHEL has submitted to the Central government that the PDM it has prepared in association with National Thermal Power Corporation and Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research is capable of achieving a plant efficiency of 46 per cent, the highest so far in the world.

The Tamilaga Vivsayigal and Thozhilalargal Munnetra Iyakkam has appealed to the State government to ban sand quarrying totally between June and January and during the monsoon seasons. During other periods, only dry sand should be quarried, that too only through local panchayats, it pleaded.

In a statement, Marudur M. Shanmugham, founder of the farmer association, said it was because of indiscriminate sand quarrying that the Cauvery had virtually been ravaged.

Rainwater harvesting, installing pumpsets, generators and RO systems, part of the plan

A Rs.40-crore contingency plan has been worked out to face the impending water scarcity during summer, the District planning Committee was informed on Thursday. Rajendra Prasad, Assistant Director, Panchayats, said that apprehending serious drinking water shortage during March-April, District Collector Jayashree Muralidharan had utilised various funds solely for tackling the issue. As much as Rs.37 crore had already been spent for drinking water facilities alone.

Even as the February 4 deadline for food business units to register themselves under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 is fast approaching, the district administration organised a rally in the city on Wednesday to sensitise traders to the need to register under the Act immediately.

All food business operators with a turnover of Rs.12 lakh should obtain licence from the designated officer and those with turnover of below Rs.12 lakh should register themselves with the respective food safety officer as per the provisions of the Act.

Plans on to construct check dams, recharge and village ponds at a cost of Rs.1.65 crore

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has called for intensive water and soil conservation/harvesting efforts in some blocks and other promotional efforts in Tiruchi district. In its Potential Linked Credit Plan, the bank points out that the Cauvery is the most important river in the district irrigating 52,125 hectares. Besides, there are 75 system tanks and 99 seasonal/rainfed tanks that cover 5,751 hectares and 9,164 hectares. Net irrigated area in the district is 99,082 hectares.

Only 5,500 units have complied with the requirement so far

Even as the February 4 deadline for food business units to register themselves under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 is fast approaching, just about 5,500 units have complied with the requirement in the district so far. According to estimates, about 14,000 units are engaged in the food sector in the district. Of these, about 4,000 would require licence and the rest would have to be registered.

One measure adopted was to extend the Health Department’s surveillance from government health institutions alone to include private hospitals capable of treating the disease.

From a level of 22 fresh cases every single day during the months of September to November last year when the epidemic was peaking in the city, incidents of dengue have come down to between zero and two per day during the first week of January.