A Rs.1,000-crore project of building one lakh concrete houses in cyclone-hit districts such as Cuddalore and Villupuram was the highlight of Governor K. Rosaiah's address to the Assembly on Monday.

Mr. Rosaiah, who delivered his first address as Governor since assumption of office in August, said the State would take up the construction immediately to replace the damaged huts in the districts

The mandatory installation of solar water heater as a precondition to obtain power connection has been resented by people in Kodagu. The main reason being the non-feasibility of such a condition due to the climatic condition in the district.

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission, in its amendment to the various clauses of conditions of supply of electricity, had made the use of solar water-heating systems mandatory in certain categories of buildings.

Builders constructing malls and multiplexes, even in district headquarters across the state, have to leave a whopping 66 per cent space of the total built-up area for parking.

It is mandatory for all municipalities, municipal corporations and urban development authorities in the state to follow this rule while approving building plans for malls and multiplexes. Presently, the space reserved for parking varies in municipalities and corporations.

With the State witnessing a high level of migration from rural areas to urban localities and as cities were expanding at a rapid pace, the government has launched Rs.6,654 crore ‘Integrated Urban Development Mission' to provide basic facilities in corporation, municipal and town panchayats.

The government will spend Rs.757.28 crore this fiscal for works in urban localities related to laying new underground drainage and storm water drains, provide safe drinking water, roads, solid waste management, streetlights and other basic amenities, said an official release.

CHENNAI: To improve basic infrastructure facilities in cities and urban areas in the state, Tamil Nadu government today decided to start a scheme at a cost of Rs 6,653 crore. Under the "Integrated Urban Development Scheme", basic infrastructure, including drinking water, sewage water removal, health, rain water drainage, roads and streets, solid waste management, parking facilities and parks will be improved in corporation and townships at a cost of Rs 5,890 crore, an official release said.

The ban on use and sale of plastic carry bags below 40 micron will come into force in the city from Monday. The civic authorities are planning to undertake a twin approach to eradicate the menace from the city: to crack down on the sale and use, and create awareness among the masses.

Measures will be initiated to banplastic carry bags within a year

Minister for Rural Development K.C. Joseph said here on Friday that scientific waste treatment plants would be installed in corporations and major municipalities by October.

The Water Board supplies 340 million gallons of water every day in the city, but is collecting bills for only 220 MGD. It does not have an account of 120 MGD of water it is supplying daily in the city. As a result, the Board is getting revenue of only Rs 35 crore per month for 220 MGD, and is losing another Rs 15 crore that it should be getting for the 120 MGD that is unaccounted. Officials said this huge quantity of water is going waste due to leakages in the distribution system, and also due to a large number of illegal connections.

Demand for electricity growing by 10 % in State annually

Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed has said that 14 selected municipalities in the State will soon switch over from conventional electricity to solar energy to light their street lamps.

Inaugurating a seminar organised by the Kerala Energy Conservation Forum (KECF) in association with the Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) here on Tuesday, the Minister said the pilot project would be completed within three months.

The Suchitwa Mission has recommended setting up at Brahmapuram a mega plant capable of processing about 500 tonnes of municipal solid waste generated daily in Kochi corporation areas and nearby municipalities.

Experts associated with the mission told The Hindu on Monday that the plant will work on a German technology known as ‘ecocycling'.