People's charter lists demands to candidates

People's charter lists demands to candidates - THE HINDU

Cuddalore, 16 OCTOBER 2011

The Federation of All Residents' Welfare Associations-Cuddalore has brought out a “People's charter” listing out demands for improving living conditions in urban and rural areas.

Copies of the charter are being handed over to candidates contesting local body elections, political parties, district administration and the public. The Association, which met under the presidentship of R. Aranganathan here, identified at least 29 issues to be resolved.

Federation general secretary M. Maruthavanan told The Hindu the charter noted that Cuddalore, besides facing lack of civic amenities, was also engulfed in pollution problems that severely affected air and water quality. It had been scientifically established that toxic elements that were present in excess quantity in water sources and ambient air were posing health hazards. The aspiring candidates should focus attention on these issues during and after the elections.

It pointed out that groundwater in Cuddalore was increasingly turning brackish and in another five years the town would be in the grip of serious water crisis. Therefore, the proposed Kollidam water project should be executed expeditiously.

The Federation observed that the shoddy execution of the underground drainage project had caused immense problems to commuters and the stretch of East Coast Road from the Manjakuppam clock tower to the Cuddalore Old Town was in shambles.

Fund for port development in Cuddalore district

Rs. 1000 crore is allocated for the development of port in Cuddalore. But it is not clear whether this fund will be spent on Cuddalore Port at Old Town area or on Thiruchopuram [thiruchchoapuram] port (to the south of Cuddalore Port) being developed by Nagarjuna Oil Corporation Limited (NOCL).

Here is a related article:

In principle approval from Centre to construct 4 harbours - Chennai Online

Jul 11, 2009

Chennai, July 10: The Tamil Nadu Government has got in principle approval from the Centre to construct four harbours at a cost of Rs 3,600 crore, minister for highways and minor ports, Vellakovil M P Swaminathan said today.

Replying to demands for the Highways and Minor Ports Department in the assembly, he said the Centre has approved construction of a Rs 1500 crore harbour near Paramankeni village in Kancheepuram district to handle coal needs for the proposed 4,000 MW ultra mega power project in the district.

Swaminathan said another harbour would be built at Udankudi in Tuticorin district at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore to handle coal requirements of the proposed 1600 MW power station of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

The Minister said following a request by Marg Swarna Bhoomi Board private Limited, a private harbour would also be constructed near Kanchipuram district at a cost of Rs 750 crore. This harbour would be used to repair ships, he added.

Swaminathan said IL&FS proposed to set up a 4,000 MW power plant in Cuddalore district. "In order to facilitate coal requirement for the plant,the government proposes to construct another harbour at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore in the area", he added. - Agencies

Security tightened around Cuddalore Port

Security tightened around Cuddalore Port - The Hindu

A.V.Ragunathan

Vital industries under security blanket

Photo: C. Venkatachalapathy

Staying alert: Security personnel inspecting the coast in Cuddalore on Wednesday.

CUDDALORE: Security has been tightened around the Cuddalore Port as part of Operation Barricade. Though the port is defunct, officials are cautious that no strangers gain surreptitious entry into it.

The operation is being kept as a closely guarded secret. But for the top brass, lower-level officials and personnel of various security agencies have no inkling about its true purport.

Unlike other mock drills , Operation Barricade is being carried out in utmost secrecy.
Guarding the sea route

The idea is to take the officials by surprise though an announcement of “infiltration” of anti-social elements who manage to enter the mainland through the sea route. Superintendent of Police Ashwin M. Kotnis told The Hindu that the entire administrative machinery was involved in the operation. Quick reaction teams were deployed at crucial points to guard vital installations.

Personnel of the Coast Guard, Coastal Security Group, local police, Intelligence Bureau and Port officials were involved in the operation, which is being conducted in all coastal villages of the district.
Coastal Vigilance Committees

Mr. Kotnis said that all 43 Coastal Vigilance Committees had been put on alert and their members told to report immediately to the police the citing of any suspicious movement.

Security personnel were doing the rounds at the Cuddalore Port area, Killai, Reddichavadi and so on.

Eleven additional checkpoints had been created to monitor vehicular movement.

Power generating units in the Neyveli Lignite Corporation and the SIPCOT Industrial Estate were now under security blanket. Mr. Kotnis said that at present there was no security threat. But, the operation would keep the personnel on their toes and hone their skills to deal with exigencies.

However, the personnel were not provided weapons to avoid people from panicking, Mr. Kotnis said.

Cuddalore port to get facelift!

Congress power sharing in TN: Sonia to decide - Asian Tribune
Mon, 2009-06-01 03:25

Gopal Ethiraj from Chennai

Chennai, 01 May, (Asiantribune.com): Congress power sharing The Union Minister of Shipping G.K. VasanThe Union Minister of Shipping G.K. Vasanin Tamil Nadu with its alliance partner DMK is gathering momentum. This is Congress men’s long-pending demand.

The Union Minister of Shipping, G.K. Vasan, who came to Chennai after taking charge, said AICC President Sonia Gandhi would decide on it. "Her decision on share in Tamil Nadu cabinet would be final."

The Congress Leader of the Floor, D.Sudarsanam, has recently stirred the hornet’s nest, expressing the feelings of his party-men. Since then the talk of sharing ministry in the state is gaining currency.

Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project is a dream project which would benefit Tamil Nadu and the country as well, Vasan said and added that certain obstacles in implementing the project has to be removed. He also said he was expecting the Pachauri Committee, which was constituted to look into it, to submit its report.

Vasan said that the roads connecting ports would be laid, and he is convening a meeting with officials concerned in this connection. The ports in Kanyakumari, Cuddalore, Ennore and Marakkanam would get facelift, he added.

On the Sri Lankan issue Vasan said the time has come for the Tamils to enjoy equal rights on par with the Sinhalese. The Centre has sanctioned Rs. 500 crore for rehabilitating the Lankan Tamils, he said. "All the essential items have been sent to Lanka for the Tamils."

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It is not clear what their "facelift" means. In worst case it could two high mast lamps and a part by the side of port trust office.

Cuddalore Port back into life

Nagarjuna Fertilizer's urea import has brought back life to Cuddalore Port. This has created an direct employment for 2500 people and indirect employment for many more. According to The Hindu 5000 employees are involved in unloading the urea from ships into godowns at the port. The series of pictures below, and the video at end shows how urea from main ships, M.V. Bao Shun and M.V.Ziang An are brought to inner port using barges and then transported to the destination.

The barge in the picture above is used to unload the urea from ships. Though the capacity of the barge is 400 tonne, it is not loaded more than 300-350 tonnes at a time, because of the shallow water at the inner port (guess the dredging work is yet to be completed).


Excavators unload the urea from barge into trucks which are then transported to godowns.


Since, nearly 50,000 tonnes of urea is unloaded in a very short period of time, existing storage facility could not accommodate the entire bulk. The picture above shows how urea is stored in huge heaps inside the port campus.

Urea is then packed into sacks and loaded on to trucks which take them to the destination.

Trucks queuing up inside the port campus - waiting to be loaded.

Related links:
Historic Return - Cuddalore Online

Possibility of Cuddalore - Chennai shipping service (Maritime varsity to get Cabinet nod - The New Indian Express)

Opportunities in front of us - Cuddalore Online

Cuddalore Port to be deepened - Cuddalore Online

Historic return

Arrival of two ships at Cuddalore Port marks an important moment in the history of the town. Cuddalore Port at Cuddalore Old Town is a natural harbor, used for more than 400 years by European settlers. The port was developed by English early in the 20th century. Earlier it was used by EID(East India Distilleries) Parry. Later after independence it was developed into a general purpose port. In 1960's and 70's the port was one of the busiest port in India, but the activity slowed down there after, and came to a complete halt on early 90's. Unavailability of cheap laborers and silt formation are considered to be the main reasons behind the fall of the port.

Cuddalore Port is now a minor port. Various proposals were made for the development of the port in the past decade. But none of them were implemented. Now the port is being deepened at the cost of Rs. 14.41 crores, with financial assistance from Asian Development Bank. Couple of weeks back two vessels carrying fertilizers arrived at the port. Once the desilting work is over, the facilities will be used in full capacity and would lead to the development of the region.

Ships as seen from Silver Beach

Related links:

Cargo vessel at Cuddalore port after 12 years - The Hindu

Renovation of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam ports will be completed by June - The Hindu

Port gets a new lease of life - The Hindu