cuddalore online information

In recent months there has been unprecedented heavy rains in urban areas.Few months back Mumbai received heavy rain which is a record high (nearly 100cm in 24hrs).This is an extreme case.Met. records say this is the highest in past 90 years.Few days back there has been heavy downpours in Chennai(>25cm in 24hrs).Again this is the highest in the decade.

Why rains target urban areas? Researchers in Spain has got the answer.They say it is the concrete structures that bring such heavy rainfall to urban.They are now planning to built concrete structures on the outskirts of the towns in the dry ares of Spain.

In Indian cities ever increasing concrete structures bring extremely heavy rainfall.Indian cities are poorly planned to manage anything of this sort.If alternatives are not taken we will be seeing the pictures like this year after year.

There had been strong opposition and protests againt seeting up a PVC plant in Cuddalore SIPCOT area. I never realized how hazardous PVC would be until I read the news item `Poison factory’ takes the life of one more worker’.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable B Deshi, attached to the Chennai Division of the RPF, has been selected for Railway Minister’s medal for bravery for the year 2005.

Mr.Deshi is a native of Cuddalore.Mr Deshi was selected for saving the life of four persons at Devanampatnam seashore in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, during the Tsunami on December 26 last.

It is said that Cuddalore District Collector Mr. Gagan Deep Singh Bedi wrote a letter to RPF Inspector General, Chennai, lauding the bravery of Mr Deshi for his courage and the IG recomended Mr Deshi’s name for Railway Minister’s Bravery medal, the sources said adding that the medal also carried a cash reward of Rs 20,000.

ReliefWeb has come up with an article about the women in Cuddalore district.The article Women’s need in Tsunami affected communities posted on 9th October 2005 brings the sufferings of women in tsunami affected regions into picture.Please make use of the link.I’m unable get you even parts of the article because of copy right restrictions.

Short lived the fortune of the park outside Cuddalore General Hospital.Setting up this park was one of the earliest measures taken by the District Administrator Mr.Gagandeep Singh Bedi to beautify Cuddalore.In less than a years time the park has gone unattended.Now even the potective structures are broken.

The park was setup and maintained (?) by Tagros Chemicals.The park once used to be watered regularly.As you see,the arrow pointing the hose-pipe (which was used to water the plants there) remains unattended for months together.

Now the lawn there became a resting ground for the auto-rickshaw drivers of the nearby auto stand.They convene there for a gossip.

In few months time remaining plants and the lawn will dry up and the demolished structures will remain to tell the story of a glorious past.

The death tool has crossed 30000 mark after a devastating earthquake in Pakistan.Bulidings and roads are broken apart.Both local and foregin news agencies are concentrating on the coverage of rescue operations.Non till now (to my knowledge) reported about the archeological sites and buildings.

Indus Valley is a cradle for one of the world’s oldest civilizations.Also there are sculptures of Budhhist period in NWFP and in Afganistan (one such was demolished my Talibans).The plight of them after the earthquake are unknow.

Also the plight of museums and antiquities remains a mystrey. Importance must be given to protect these the acheological treasures.If proper care is not taken certain section of people (who well know the value of antiquities in world market) would loot everything they could (as happend in Baghdad).

Following deatails are from THE HINDU’s article named Consumer awareness poor: survey

Federation of Consumer Organisations — Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry (FEDCOT) conducted the survey with the help of NSS volunteers.

Here I just paste some of the selected finding of the survey.

“consumers lack basic awareness about the purity of jewellery, wastage and cost. Over 78 per cent do not attach any importance to these factors, and concentrate only on design”

“… 54 per cent buy saris named after actresses, and do not bother about the texture of materials or the mills that have made them…”

“…75 per cent of them said most of the jewellery shops did not issue bills. Even if they did, they did not specify the caratage, wastage and making charges, vital data required for moving the consumer court, in case of a dispute…” .I will post more about this particular issue later on.

“….Less than 56 per cent of the consumers were aware that the unfair trade practices could be contested in the consumer courts. They did not even insist upon the correctness of bills. Hardly 30 per cent knew that the rate of sales tax should be mentioned in the bills…..”

In hotels-”..82 per cent of the customers said the bills did not carry the names of dishes and their prices…” “…28 per cent alleged that child labour was rampant in hotels..”

I have just now installed BloggerBar for Firefox extenstion.BloggerBar for Firefox extension is basically a toolbar which makes it possible to post from the toolbar.Also am posting this message through this functionality.Let me if it works.

I have posted earlier( Cuddalore - Pondicherry connection ) about the proposal of connecting Chennai and Cuddalore through rail.I could not confirm by the time I posted it.But I have confirmed it now.New information is that Southern Railways will submit the proposal to Railway Board by October end.

If the project is cleared, a line will be laid from Chennai to Cuddalore through Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry.This is a healthy proposal as against the earlier one which had plans to connect Pondicherry through Thindivanam. If connected through Thindivanam it would increase the travelling time.

The first survey seems to have been conducted in 2002 to assess the rate of return from operations on the Chennai-Mahabalipuram section, and the second in 2004 to calculate the returns on the Cuddalore-Pondicherry-Tindivanam stretch. Both showed a negative trend. For railways to start operations, there has to be a minimum 14 per cent return.

The findings of two earlier surveys on the project’s viability are being updated considering the development activities along the ECR.

The proposed new rail is to flow through Sedarapet and Thatanchavady industrial estates inside Pondicherry and the route thereafter is not yet planned I think.Making a path from Pondicherry into the Cuddalore must be the biggest challange of the project,as it would be necessary to clear some of the heavily congested residential areas in Cuddalore.

Let us hope that the project will take a right shape at the earliest.

Also see

Chennai-Pondicherry rail ? NO it must be Chennai-Cuddalore