For letting out the effluents into the patta lands

Members of Athoor Pattadhar Sangam, a farmers' association in Athoor block demanded action against textile processing units functioning near the bank of Kudaganar River and Athoor Kamarajar dam, and letting out effluents into the patta lands.In a petition submitted to the Athoor Tahsildar here on Tuesday, they also insisted that the district administration must initiate action against these units and seize machineries.

Zero tilling and organic farming will not only eradicate the need for expensive fossil fuel machinery, synthetic fertilizers and crop chemicals but also increase yields substantially and make way for farmers to return to their natural state, said Foundation for Farming, (Zimbabwe) Director Brian Oderive.

He was inaugurating an international workshop on ‘climatic change in agriculture: Adaptation and mitigation strategies,' held at Gandhigram Rural Institute near here on Wednesday.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is studying the feasibility of widening the 268 km stretch of NH 209 (Dindigul to Coimbatore and Coimbatore to Karnataka border via Annur) into a four-lane road. The detailed project report is likely to be prepared by March next.

Kerala Irrigation Department engineers accompanied it

The Supreme Court-appointed Empowered Committee on Sunday inspected Tamil Nadu Hydel Power generation station at Lower camp and Vaigai dam as part of its inspection of Mullaperiyar dam here.

It is spread over eight years and costs Rs.686.28 crore

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday announced implementation of an eight-year Rs.686.28 crore Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project to increase green cover in the State, avoid conflict between man-animal and prevent animals from migrating to grassfield in search of food and water.

Thousands stage demonstration in Cumbum and Goodalur

Members belonging to various farmers' associations and the local people in Cumbum and Goodalur took out massive rallies and staged demonstrations on the Mullaperiyar dam issue here on Sunday. A total of 20,000 farmers thronged Goodalur town and staged a demonstration on Theni-Kumili highway demanding protection for the dam and increase in water level to 142 feet.

As part of popularising Conservation Agriculture (CA) technologies, Soil and Water Management Research Institute (SWMRI) of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University here organised Direct Seeded Harvest day at Kuruvadipatti village recently.

Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) harvester machine was used at the field of Mr.Asaithambi. DSR is the best mechanical practice to conserve water, labour and other input use during rice production.

An amount of Rs. 50 crore has been earmarked towards the implementation of a marine discharge project for treated effluents from dyeing and bleaching units, situated mostly in the western belt of the State.

Underscoring that the growth of a State would be judged best by the quality of well-connected roads, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday announced various projects, including the development of three Chennai roads to international standards and extension of East Coast Road (ECR) up to Kanyakumari.

Collector K. Nagarajan ordered closure of five companies manufacturing packaged water in different parts of the district on the charges of pumping ground water massively without obtaining prior permission.