Tamil Nadu is now a leader in renewable energy, with one of the largest regional installation of wind farms. The state has excellent solar energy potential. It is also blessed with abundant biomass resources.

Being one of the most industrialised states in the country, and known for its excellence in technology, research and academia, the state has the potential to become a global leader in renewable energy.

CHENNAI : Corporation wards which fall under Saidapet and Theyagaraya Nagar constituencies in South Chennai have been chosen by the civic body for a pilot project to cover dustbins.

The project envisions a better garbage disposal system for households in Chennai, by having garbage collected directly from the residents and dumped in large covered bins. This will eliminate the existing process of dumping trash in small dustbins occupying every nook and cranny of the city streets. Overflowing garbage bins and the unbearable stench emanating from them are also expected to be arrested.

CHENNAI : As if the spurt of Dengue induced deaths in Tirunelveli region isn’t alarming by itself, the sheer number of cases recorded in 2012 is a shocker.

According to the health department, in just five months this year, there have been 1,632 cases of dengue recorded officially in Tamil Nadu. With over 21 people having already succumbed this year, this is much more than the eight deaths last year.

CHENNAI: Charging Karnataka with "unjustly utilising" Cauvery water for summer irrigation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today asked Prime Minister Manmhohan Singh to convene a meeting of the Cauvery River Authority to discuss the issue.

Karnataka has been unjustly utilising the water for summer irrigation from February to May by depleting storage in its four major reservoirs, she said in a letter to Singh.

CHENNAI: The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) Friday announced that the first of the two 1,000 MW units of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) is expected to start commercial operations this August and the second unit in March 2013.

The announcement on NPCIL's website as to the expected month of commercial operation of the first unit has now eased the mental pressure on people at KKNPP as the government has been saying that the first reactor would start operations in 20 days' time.

CHENNAI: Forest and tree cover has declined in Tamil Nadu and the State has not prepared its own forest policy even though five years have passed since a recommendation to do this was made by the National Forest Commission, says a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

The report - released by principal accountant generals Suhasini Srinivasan and S Murugiah at the office of the the Principal Accountant General on Wednesday - states that the state achieved only 22 per cent forest and tree cover against the target of 25 per cent, by 2007.

CHENNAI: Pointing out that illegal sand mining has been reduced to a great extent after the government headed by her assumed office in May 2011, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday handed out a stern warning to those involved in the activity. “My government, at no point of time, will allow anti-socials to exploit river basins which are nature’s boon for agriculture and drinking water requirements. Whatever be their status, the government will deal with those involved in illegal sand mining with an iron hand”, the CM said in a statement here.

MADURAI: A week-long inspection by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department at the hostel inside the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) revealed that unhygienic living conditions, poor maintenance of water tanks and supply of contaminated food were to blame for the recent outbreak of diarrhoea among nursing students.

On Thursday, when a team from the department checked the hostel canteen, they found that cool drinks and milk products in the refrigerator were contaminated.

The district administration has taken a major initiative to rejuvenate the traditional water bodies and their inlet channels from the catchment areas at a cost of Rs 1.82 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Scheme.

Besides this, the authorities also proposed to remove the blockades in channels that connected these water bodies with the Palar River for a stretch of about 20 kms from Pallikonda to Vellore before the onset of the southwest monsoon in July.

CHENNAI: The Supreme Court-constituted expert panel to study the safety of Mullaiperiyar Dam has overstepped its brief in making suggestions for resolving the inter-state issue, Tamil Nadu PWD Senior Engineers Association (TANSEA) observed on Monday.

“The AS Anand Committee was only asked to report on whether the dam was safe or not. It did not have any business making recommendations to Kerala to build another dam,” TANSEA secretary A Veerappan, said addressing a press conference here.