Taking strong exception to Kerala’s reported “unilateral” action in ordering real time monitoring of Mullaperiyar Dam along with the Centre without Tamil Nadu’s consent, the Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, today slammed it as a “blatant violation” of the principle of federalism and constitutional framework.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, she referred to reports of Kerala deciding “unilaterally” to install real time monitoring system for water build up, calling it yet another attempt to exacerbate fears in Kerala about its safety.

KOCHI: The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has cleared the Kochi-Koottanad-Bangalore-Mangalore pipeline project. Though the MoEF has given the ‘go ahead’, the details are yet to be received, a top official with the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) said.“The implementation of the project is a joint effort involving different departments. Clearance by the MoEF is a primary step towards the realisation of the project,” Vandana Chanana, general manager, (corporate communication), GAIL, told Express.

Kerala on Wednesday raised serious apprehensions on the effectiveness of the proposed national food security law as it could remove large number of poor families from the beneficiary list besides putting enormous financial burden on the state. Shibu Baby John, food and civil supplies minister, Kerala said the centre must apply separate socio-economic critieria for choosing beneficiaries under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) as because of better human index of the state, many families could be deprived from getting benefits of subsidised grain.

Operating agency to pull out of waste management project

The city Corporation has more to worry than the people's agitation and legal tangle in the operation of the beleaguered Vilappilsala solid waste treatment plant. With the Centre for Environment and Development (CED) deciding to back out from the technical support and operating agency role (for the plant), the Corporation is caught in a delicate situation over the running of the facility.

Groundwater in the entire areas has turned saline, say protesters

Residents of Neendakara and Ezhupunna in the northern tip of the district have joined hands to protest against the large-scale aquaculture farms in their region, which they say has not only brought paddy farming to a halt in the area, but also rendered the entire groundwater table there saline.

Additional power of 75,000 MW to be generated in five years

Union Minister of State for Power K.C. Venugopal said here on Monday that work on the Mysore-Kozhikode transmission line would start soon as the project had secured the final environment clearance from the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment.

Minister for Co-operation C. N. Balakrishnan has said that decentralisation of waste management was the only lasting solution for the garbage menace faced by the city.

Addressing the annual convention of the District Residents' Apex Council, Thrissur, at the Kerala Sahitya Akademi hall here on Sunday, he said people should take responsibility for treating the waste they produced.

Rs.99.63 crore from the agency constitutes 85 per cent of approved projects

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has decided to sanction nearly Rs.100 crore to implement a special package for upgrading infrastructure in 11 endosulfan-hit panchayats in the district.

KOCHI: The attempt of the Kochi Corporation to set up a bio-gas plants for decentralised treatment of biodegradable waste has failed to yield results despite spending Rs 61.61 lakh. This was owing to the lack of proper monitoring and timely remedial action.

Slum improvement project under BSUP

The city Corporation will launch a slum improvement project under the Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) project at Kalladimukham by February-end.
As many as 318 housing units will be constructed in two phases under the Rs.10.5-crore project. This includes 105 units for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes families and 213 units for general category families. The project will be implemented by COSTFORD.