Zero Waste Management Initiative at Coimbatore Airport

Coimbatore International Airport, Coimbatore Corporation and Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) have initiated zero waste management at the airport premises, from Monday.

“About 900 kilograms of garbage is generated at the airport here daily. More than 85 per cent of it comes from 25 domestic and two international flights that land here every day. The rest is the waste produced by eateries, etc at the airport,” says Airport Director G. Prakash Reddy.

The waste is in huge volumes and comprises mostly of plastic bottles, cartons and carry bags, besides food waste. It is all dumped in an open yard close to the cargo section. Corporation trucks collect the garbage from there once a day in the morning or afternoon.

As it is just once a day, the garbage is accessible to stray animals, vermin and birds that scatter the litter across the nearby areas. This attracts the bigger birds posing a danger of bird hits.

“We realised that stopping the food chain would put an end to entry of stray animals to the airport,” adds the airport director.

The initiative was inaugurated by the Corporation Commissioner K. Vijayakarthikeyan on Monday. Now, the airlines will collect the wastes from the aircraft and deposit it into a kiosk near the terminal building. Persons deployed by RAAC will collect the garbage twice a day from the kiosk and take it to a segregation unit that has been lying unused for eight months since it was established. 

There, the waste will be segregated into degradable, non-degradable, recyclable and non-recyclable wastes.“They will segregate it from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and again from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and sell the recyclable materials to recycling units. Degradable and non-recyclable wastes will be collected by the corporation. It will put an end to the garbage menace without any expense to the airport,” says Terminal Manager Vanaja Sole.

According to Mr. Prakash Reddy the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is also planning to establish a biogas plant at the airport later this year after studying the volume of degradable wastes generated at the airport.

[Source]

Coimbatore Corp bags National Award for Solar Power Usage

Coimbatore Corporation has won a Central Government award for tapping solar power to use in its establishments, the civic body was the only one in Tamil Nadu and one among the few in the country to win the award – a prize of Rs. 10 lakh and a shield Government of India - Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Resources will give the award soon in New Delhi, as told by the Corporation Commissioner K. Vijayakarthikeyan told monday.

The Corporation has installed solar power plants at its main office in Town Hall in 2014-15, and at other places in 2015-16. Five zonal offices, a few schools and maternity centres. 

The installed capacity of solar panels in the five zonal offices was 37.5 kw, six maternity centres was 45 kw, the main office was 50 kw, 15 schools was 112.5 kw and other establishments was another 12 kw,  the civic body met most of its requirements.

Consequent to the award, the Corporation has asked the Central Government for Rs. 2 crore to install more solar panels. 

[Source]

500 Cr Fund to Cbe To Strengthen The Power Sub-transmission

Under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme initiated by the central government along with the state, Rs 500 crore will be spent in ten towns in Coimbatore region to strengthen and upgrade the power sub-transmission and distribution system.Chief engineer of TANGEDCO, Coimbatore region, A Thangavel said, "The basic objectives of reducing Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, commercial viability, reducing outages and interruption and increasing consumer satisfaction will be met under the project."

The selected towns include Udumalpet, Coimbatore urban conglomeration, Palladam, Ooty, Cuddalore, Coonoor, Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Valparai and Dharapuram.In Coimbatore urban area the work would be carried out at a total cost of Rs 319.39 crore, which would include construction of the new Sahara substation, erection of a new feeder for a 23 kilometre radius, 545km line strengthening, 350km underground cable works and 712 new distribution transformers. In Udumalpet, the work would be carried out at a total estimated cost of Rs 14.49 crore, which would include laying of the line for 10.9km, strengthening of line for 8.8km and sanctioning of 15 new distribution transformers.

In Palladam, work would be carried out at a total cost of Rs11.2 crore. Additional power transformers will be constructed in Palladam substation at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. A new distributor would come up at a cost of Rs 8.1 crore. The Ooty town project will see new feeders for 60km and strengthening of line for 18.9km, totalling Rs14.49 crore. In Cuddalore, a new feeder for 32km at an overall cost of 6.6crore will come up. New feeders for 16.25 km and strengthening of line for an area of 8.2km at an overall estimated cost of Rs 9.8 crore will come up in Coonoor.

Similar projects will also come up in Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Valparai and Dharapuram areas.
Programme modernization, extension of life, revamping old thermal and hydel plants, strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution networks (below 33 kV or 66 kV), including energy accounting and metering in the distribution circles, will be undertaken as part of the project works. These measures will help reduce power loss during transmission and distribution, which currently varies between 15 and 20 per cent, depending on the area. "The target to curtail the loss has been fixed at 3% per year. The objective is to reduce loss from 20 to 8 percent in the next few years. These measures would help save approximately 200 MW of power," said Thangavel. If the project fails, the funds will be considered as loans, which has to be repaid along with penalty, he added.

A 250kv substation at a total cost of Rs 45 crore is coming up in Coimbatore. The works would be completed soon, said Thangavel. Another 20 MW micro hydel project is likely to come up in Mettupalayam across Bhvani River, which will be sanctioned by the end of June or July, he concluded.

Agricultural trade fair "Agri Intex 2012" started

A five day agricultural trade fair, 'Agri Intex 2012' began on Wednesday at CODISSIA in the city. Firms exhibited agricultural equipment designed to reduce the use of labour in agriculture. Farmers at the exhibition said that due to severe labour shortage, they would consider buying such machines. P Aruchamy, from Udayampalayam who owns 2 acres of land, said that though he cannot afford the machines, the acute labour shortage is forcing him to think about procuring suitable machines.

Officials from firms which develop agricultural infrastructure say that it may take time to convince farmers to buy such machines, but eventually they believed that they would come around. Rajesh Chikkara, assistant manager of 'Class' an agricultural machinery manufacturer, said that these are products which can reduce dependence on labour and increase the efficiency. "We have a machine called the 'Paddy Panther 14', which can eliminate labour to a great extend. Planting an acre of land with paddy will take 3 to 4 labourers a full day. This machine can plant 3 to 4 acres of land in a day," he said.

For many companies, the focus is on attracting the young. S Muralitharan, an official of 'Redlands' another agricultural manufacturer, said that their firm is planning to make an air conditioned cabin for their machines. "This will appeal to youth," he said. Syntek Xtreme Fuel Treatment, a liquid which its manufacturers say will increase fuel efficiency and performance of vehicles. Mohan Murali, an executive of the firm said that if a millilitre is mixed with four litres of fuel, this would increase the mileage by 10 to 15 percent.

The exhibition also included show pieces made from coconut products.

MG Prabhakaran, an official from the coconut board said that they conduct free training programmes for those interested in developing products from coconuts. Ravindran said that art work is in great demand. Though there are many artists who make such products in Kerala and Orissa, not many people in Coimbatore develop such products, he said. "Coimbatore is an ideal city to make such products as it is filled with coconut farms," an official said.

Robbery @ Podanur Railway Station

Passengers at the Podanur railway station witnessed a gory scene early Wednesday morning when a five-member gang robbed a jaggery merchant to the tune of Rs 9.25 lakh, sprinkling chilly powder on his face and attacking him with a sickle before fleeing with his suitcase containing the money. The incident occurred at the ticket counter in full public view.

According to railway police and witnesses at the station, the gang had targeted Zaheer Hussain (46) of Neyakarapathi near Palani at around 6.10 am as soon as he alighted from the Chennai bound West Coast Express. Both Zaheer Hussain and his staff Faizal Rahman (29) were walking towards the station's exit when they were confronted by the gang in front of the ticket counter.

While one gang member sprinkled his face with chilly powder, another attacked him with a sickle. Debilitated and writhing in pain, the culprits were able to easily snatch his suitcase filled with money, escaping the scene by jumping the station wall. Zaheer, who had sustained a deep cut injury on his thigh, collapsed. "The whole incident took place in a matter of seconds. When a few of us who witnessed the crime attempted to help Zaheer, the thieves threatened to attack us," said Faizal. A few other passengers chased the culprits but they managed to escape by scaling the station wall where a car was waiting for them. The station is an isolated area. There were very few passengers and hardly any cops on patrol at the junction, making it easy for the robbers to escape.

Police suspect that the culprits may have known the victim, as they had followed the jaggery merchants to rob them, well aware that they had huge amounts of cash in hand. The money in the suitcase was payment Zaheer had received for supplying jaggery in Thalassery and Kannur, North Kerala. A couple of witnesses told the police that the car they escaped in had a Kerala registration number. Police have started studying the CCTV images recorded to get vital clues.

Zaheer said he travelled between Coimbatore and Kannur at least three times a week. Almost always, he availed the night bus services. This was the first time he travelled by train. Jaggery merchants Mahendrakumar, Madurai Nhanasekharan and Abu Tahir were also with Zaheer and Faizal but the gang only targeted him. All of them were carrying huge amounts of cash.Railway police have handed over the case to Podanur police for effective coordination and investigation. This is the first time that the railway station is witnessing a robbery of this magnitude in broad daylight. Zaheer is presently receiving treatment at a private hospital.