Debate on Climate Shifts to Issue of Irreparable Change-WashingtonPost

Debate on Climate Shifts to Issue of Irreparable Change

Some Experts on Global Warming Foresee 'Tipping Point' When It Is Too Late to Act
By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff WriterSunday, January 29, 2006;
Now that most scientists agree human activity is causing Earth to warm, the central debate has shifted to whether climate change is progressing so rapidly that, within decades, humans may be helpless to slow or reverse the trend.
This "tipping point" scenario has begun to consume many prominent researchers in the United States and abroad, because the answer could determine how drastically countries need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years. While scientists remain uncertain when such a point might occur, many say it is urgent that policymakers cut global carbon dioxide emissions in half over the next 50 years or risk the triggering of changes that would be irreversible full story>>

IT park in Cuddalore

Minister of Communications & IT, Mr.Dhayanithi Maran has announced his proposal of starting an IT park in Cuddalore. The announcement came as a pleasant surprise.Now its the work of the district administration to kick-start the land acquisition process.If we are slow in this we may loose it Pondicherry.Cuddalore will not get such yet another offer for developement anytime soon.

The acquisition has to be really fast for as the election date is much closer EC will order to freeze all the developement works.As there is no open land inside Cuddalore town itself there are four choices along four outskirts.

North end must be a bad choice because a developement there will greatly help Pondicherry rather than Cuddalore.

I dont see Thiruvanthipuram road as a bright choice because it may not lead to contiguous developement of the nearby areas(I mean developements will seize after a certain limit because of the geographical nature of the area).

Two other choices can be one near Sellankuppam that is to the south of Imperial Road and the other along Nellikuppam Highway.

This is a never again offer for Cuddalore.We must get it at any cost.

Tsunami memorial in Cuddalore

While some of towns worst affected by tsunami had already constructed a tsunami memorial Cuddalore is yet to have one. On December 26th 2005 ground breaking ceremony for a tsunami memorial (mandapam) was held. Mandapams has closed ceiling. And the site selected was the place exactly where police outpost stood earlier. In my view it will be hiding the beautiful shore for visitor just arriving. It is from the place just below the present high mast lamp people can have a wider view of seashore with beautiful blue water lining.

Instead a Callanish type pillar will add to the beauty of the view. Recall tsunami occurred on a full moon day. The pillars to be built can be arranged in such a way so that the light enters the sanctum of the arrangement on every last full moon day of the year.



A random picture of Callanish I got on search.

Will animals be kept off?

Couple of weeks back Traffic Police here issued an warning and a message of caution to the people who leave their animals to roam about in the streets of Cuddalore.The message was that,Cuddalore Traffic police will confiscate any animals roaming about the streets and will heavily fine the owner of the animals.

This warning was welcomed by a greater section of the population.If implemented the traffic flow will never again be interupted by the animals (esp. cow).

Let us see how effectively the rule will be implemented.

Also see: Grazing at the middle of the road

You may remember me reporting the destruction caused while laying fibers for landline by a telecom gaint (AIRTEL destroys pedestrian foothpath).

Especially the concrete flooring between the road and padestrian footpath were competely destroyed in eitherside of the Lawrence Road.

There were some reconstruction of these cement flooring between the Durai Plaza and the old exit point of the Bus Stand.But the same did not happen starting from Hotel Vasantha Bhavan upto the railway level crossing or on the otherside of the Lawrence Road (i.e.) from Railway Autorickshaw stand to upto east end of Lawrence Road.

This strip is mud filled at some points.It is untidy and greatly resembles a drainage at certain other points.

Even at the places where reconstruction took place,no proper provision were made for rain water to reach the drainage system underneath the platform.The holes which are supposed to take raing water are either completely blocked by concrete or merely visible.

If proper corrective measures arent taken a great deal of money spent there will be in vain.

Road extension-Imperial Road

North end of the Imperial Road is also being extended.This is a bold step forward.Extension at this point must have been an challenging task for the administrator,for the taxi drivers there must have greatly resisted any such move.

Broadening road at this point will greatly helpfull in reducing congestion especially during peak hours.Vehicles going towards Cuddalore Old Town will now be able to move with ease without having to waist for a signal for the vehicles going towards Bus Stand.

Barathi Road extension

The much awaited Barathi Road extension is underway.The entire stretch of the road starting from Nethaji Road right upto Imperial Road is being extended.The road is greatly extended near Town Hall and in front of Saint Annes school.Hope bus stop at these two points will be pushed away from the road to ease the traffic flow.But the space in between Cuddalore Municipal Office and the Bank of Baroda is left untouched.The large drainage opening there remains untidy as ever.
I expected even greater extension in front of Post Office.This is one of the dangerous point to ride in.Large trees there can be removed considering the safety of the people.Another reason for this point being soo dangerous apart from the narrowness is,buses either rush here at a great speed or stop to pick up the passenger.

Coming back to the extension process though the entire process is slow it makes a steady progress unlike the drainage construction in Hospital Road.

Also see:
Barathi road extension

Cuddalore villagers confront Pollution Control Board - SACEM

Mettur, Cuddalore villagers confront Pollution Control Board on controversial PVC project

More than 100 representatives from pollution impacted communities in Mettur and Cuddalore today presented a petition to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. The delegation of farmers, fisherfolks and residents petition highlighted the PCB’s failure to check major environmental violations by Chemplast Sanmar’s PVC plant in Mettur Dam and asked for reasons for clearing the company’s 40,000 tonne/year PVC proposal in Cuddalore despite massive public opposition and many expert recommendations against it. After failing to approve the project for three years in light of public opposition and technical irregularities, the Tamilnadu Government has curiously revived the proposal in this election year. Following its failure in Tamilnadu, Chemplast tried to set it up in Krishnapatnam, Andhrapradesh, but was unable to secure permission from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board owing to massive opposition. PVC is a poison plastic whose production, usage and disposal are associated with the release of deadly environmental poisons such as dioxins and furans.

community residents

Chemplast’s existing facility in Mettur, Salem, has caused tremendous harm to life and environment during its operation in the past 50 years. In July 2003, the Indian People's Tribunal released a report of a public hearing panel chaired by Justice (Retd) Akbar Kadri of the Madras High Court that looked into allegations of pollution and human rights violations by Chemplast Sanmar's operations in Mettur. The panel found that "Chemplast Sanmar. . .have caused irreparable damage to humans and the environment." An earlier Tribunal headed by Justice (Retd) S. Kanakaraj in 2003 had looked into Chemplast's proposal to set up a PVC factory in SIPCOT Cuddalore. This panel too had recommended against the setting up of the PVC factory in Cuddalore on grounds that SIPCOT is already over-polluted and that PVC is a dangerous product whose production, usage and disposal are associated with the release of deadly environmental poisons such as dioxins and furans

"It is unfortunate that agencies such as TNPCB that are meant to protect public health and environment are hand-in-glove with polluters like Chemplast. Instead of addressing the long-standing complaints of Mettur residents against the pollution caused by Chemplast, the TNPCB has permitted the company to threaten the lives of SIPCOT residents who are already reeling under the effects of pollution from existing chemical industries in the estate," said M. Matheswaran of West Gonur Farmers' Welfare Association from Mettur Dam

The permission granted is patently illegal, unscientific and arbitrary as it does not consider the pollution caused by new components added to the proposal such as a desalination plant and a power plant. At the very least, a new Environmental Impact Asssessment and public hearing ought to be held, residents said. The company plans to import Vinyl Chloride Monomer, a carcinogenic and explosive raw material, by installing a marine terminal and a 3.5 km long pipeline that will run through Chitrapettai, Tammanampettai, Nochikkadu and Semmankuppam passing through sensitive sand-dunes and vulnerable residential areas. Fisherfolk from the Tsunami-hit coastal villages near SIPCOT Cuddalore said that they will not allow the company's pipeline and marine terminal because they have no confidence in the Government's will to regulate polluters

Several bodies and political leaders, including the Semmankuppam Panchayat, the Cuddalore district Panchayat Union, the Cuddalore MLA E. Pugazhenthi, the PMK leader Dr. Ramadoss, the State Human Rights Commission and NEERI have stated that no more polluting industries should be located in SIPCOT Cuddalore.

Exposing Chemplast's lies that the project has the blessings of local communities, representatives from Semmankuppam, Sangolikuppam, Sonnanchavadi, Nochikkadu, Eachangadu, Rasapettai, Chitrapettai and Tammanampettai in Cuddalore, along with Mettur residents occupied the TNPCB head office in Guindy in order to appeal to the authorities to reject the PVC plant. They said that they are prepared for a long-drawn out agitation against the Government's policy of systematically targeting SIPCOT residents with proposals for polluting industries.

For more details contact:
Shweta Narayan: 9444024315
Visit: http://www.sipcotcuddalore.com/

Petition to TNPCB to check pollution - ChennaiOnline

Petition to TNPCB to check pollution

More than 100 persons consisting of farmers, fishermen and other residents of Mettur and Cuddalore today handed over a petition to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) demanding action against environmental violations in their areas.

The petition alleged that TNPCB had failed to check the pollution caused by Chemplast Sanmar's PVC plant at Mettur in Salem district.

The group questioned the board's decision to clear Chemplast's proposal to set up PVC plant with 40,000 tonnes annual production in Cuddalore, despite massive public opposition and expert recommendations against it.

Chemplast's existing facility at Mettur had caused tremendous harm to life and environment during the past 50 years, the group alleged in the petition.

PVC is a poison plastic and its production, usage and disposal are associated with the release of deadly environmental poisons such as dioxins and furans. The permission granted to Chemplast is apparently illegal, unscientific and arbitrary as it does not consider checking the pollution caused by new components added to the proposal, it claimed.

Copyright © 2006, Chennai Interactive Business Services (P) Ltd

Cuddalore gets Rs.843 mn in tsunami aid - NewKerala

NewKerala reported that Cuddalore gets Rs.843 mn in tsunami aid in its issue dated Nov. 01 2005 full story>>

World Bank funds Cuddalore

World Bank has funded to improve the drinking water supply in Cuddalore Municipality.Asian Developement Bank also funds to built bridges in tsunami affected areas of Cuddalore.

COMPEX 2006 - EXPO in Pondicherry

The Information Technology Traders Association (ITTA) of Pondicherry is set to hold Compex 2006 expo from January 6-8, 2006 at Jayarama Kalyana Mantap.

There would be about 50 participants in the exhibition, both members and non-members, and there would be no entry fee whatsoever for participation.