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.

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 project, which is expected to be completed in three years, will benefit the residents of Varappuzha, Cheranalloor, Eloor, Mulavukad and surrounding areas. The project is being planned as part of the Japan-aided drinking water project, said Hibi Eden MLA.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 had died due to oxygen starvation. “It is common for the levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water to go down gradually when the high-level of biodegradable waste in a water body. Under such circumstances, the aquatic organisms living in the region migrate to places where the DO is adequate, rather than dying out.

KOZHIKODE: The latest series of land agitations started by the tribal people in Wayanad district on May 7 has intensified with more vested forest lands being encroached on Monday. New encroachments of forest lands by erecting huts under the aegis of Adivasi Congress, the tribal arm of the Congress, have been reported from Thavinchal 44, Kaithakolli Vattikunnu near Mananthavady.

A total of 200 acres of land, which includes Revenue, Forest and Devaswom land, was encroached by around 170 Paniya families at Edapetti.

KOCHI: The Solar City project, intended to make Kochi the first solar city in the state, is all set to takeoff soon as the Corporation is planning to constitute a committee for its launch. The project that will be implemented with the financial aid from the Central and State Governments mainly aims at installing solar energy systems to power streetlights, garden lights, households, hotels and restaurants and major administrative offices.

“Initially a special committee will be set up comprising a Solar City cell and stakeholder committee. The proposal will be presented in the next Corporation Council meeting for its approval,” said a top official with the Corporation.