Category Archives: Nature

Singanallur Boat House to be renovated in 15 days

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature

Coimbatore :

The Singanallur Lake that was once a hub for various migratory birds and accommodated a boat house will be restored to its previous grandeur within 15 days. The lake was closed for public usage 5 years back and the boat house was also closed down. The Mayor, Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Executive Engineers and other higher officials at the corporation inspected the lake. Several labourers were employed to remove water hyacinth from the lake.

The engineers have also contracted a private company to renovate the boat house.

“I have instructed the officials to clean up the tank and renovate it within 15 days. We have also planned to have a cafeteria and a children’s play area in the boat house for recreational purpose,” said P Rajkumar, Mayor.

Once a popular attraction in the city, it was frequented by families and college students for boating and recreation. There have been several attempts in the past for cleaning the tank but hyacinth grew quickly even after cleaning it. Environmentalists said that even if the hyacinth is removed, the lake cannot be restored unless untreated sewage water is dumped into it. “The hyacinth has been growing there for years and due to its roots and seeds in the water, it will continue to grow. Hyacinth grows only in dirty water. So it is the hyacinth that cleans the sewage and drainage that is being dumped into the lake. If hyacinth is removed, the lake might start to stink. Only if they treat the water before directing it to the lakes, the problem can be solved,” said C Yogananthan, Environmentalist.

“We understand that sewage water is causing the growth of hyacinth and so I have strictly instructed the officials to stop sewage water entering into the lake. That will be the first step in restoring it,” said Rajkumar.

The engineers in charge for the restoration of the lake and renovation of the boat house said that the work will be completed as soon as possible. “After the renovation, we will go out to tender for the boats,” said T Gnanavel, South Zone Executive Engineer.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Komal Gautham, TNN / October 17th, 2014

Irula tribals in Thanikandi soon to take up agriculture

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Nature

Coimbatore :

Irula tribals of Thanikandi hamlet abutting the Western Ghats near Narasipuram in Coimbatore district would soon be tilling large tracts of land for cultivation.

The residents of the village who earn paltry sums as daily wage labourers would now be roped into an agricultural federation under the World Bank funded Pudhu Vaazhvu Thittam through which they would take up cultivation. Coimbatore collector Archana Patnaik visited the hamlet on Tuesday and inspected the land identified for cultivation by the tribals.

“A stretch of 96 acres of forest settlement land has been identified for this purpose. The tribals have rights to enjoy the land but cannot sell it,” said Philips Ilayaraja, district project manager, Pudhu Vaazhvu. There are 64 Irula families in Thanikandi who will benefit from this scheme.

Philips said that some of the tribals in Thanikandi had tried their hand in agriculture two decades ago but dropped it due to various reasons. They started going out as daily wage labourers but the pay was very poor. The traditional means of livelihood, that of selling forest produce, also became difficult and unsustainable due to the increasing incidence of elephant movement in the locality.

“The tribals would commence cultivation once the shrubbery in the identified land is cleared,” Philips said.

This Pudhu Vaazhvu scheme has been extended to Thanikandi after its success when implemented on a pilot basis in Thondamuthur. The scheme was introduced in 13 hamlets comprising 850 families in the block a year ago at a cost of Rs55L. Cultivation has begun in 298 acres of forest land provided to them.

Archana Patnaik visited Saadivayal, one of the villages were tribals have started cultivation and inquired about the progress made regarding the project. The tribal women said they were cultivating brinjal, lady’s finger, onion, paddy and cotton. We are using organic manure only,” one of the women told the collector. The women said that they sell their produce at the Boluvampatti vegetable market.

Patnaik assured the tribals that all support from the government would be provided to them in this venture.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / October 15th, 2014

Ooty student wins state level contest with thought provoking speech on nature

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Nature

Udhagamandalam :

A student of Class 12 of Crescent Castle Matric Higher Secondary School in Ooty bagged the first place in the state level elocution competition in English conducted by the forest department as part of their Wildlife Week Celebrations, held on Thursday in Chennai.

Having won the district level elocution competition held in Ooty earlier, Hanu Priya, a Badaga girl, was selected to represent the Nilgiris district in the state level competition held in Chennai.

“For the second time, Hanu Priya, has won the first prize in a state level competition. We are proud that she competed in the Wildlife week competition conducted by the forest department and won the elocution competition,” said Farouk Ummar, corespondent of the school.

Nurturing young minds to pay heed to the global issue of ‘deforestation’, Hanu Priya said, “The nature of man’s future depends on the future of our nature”. She said, only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught, will man realize that he cannot substitute money for sustenance. “The guidance I received from my English teacher, Rukhia, helped me deliver a winning performance at the state level for the second time”, she said.

Her prize-winning speech had some thought provoking moments with ” man did not inherit earth from his ancestors, he, in fact, borrowed it from his children” and “a greedy man grabs more than what nature offers him.” On Friday, Hanu Priya met Nilgiris collector P Sankar. As a token of his appreciation for her achievement, the collector presented her with a small memento.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / October 11th, 2014

Agro Foundation hails move to set up 100 soil testing labs

Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature, Science & Technologies

Focus on soil health, farmers producer organisations, credit for joint farming groups, technology-driven second green revolution with focus on higher productivity are some of the positives of Union Budget 2014–15, hailed S.S. Rajsekar, managing trustee of Chennai- based NGO, National Agro Foundation. “I am happy that these areas attracted the attention of the government which NAF has successfully demonstrated and has been advocating over a decade.” He said the government’s move to establish 100 soil testing laboratories was a clear direction in improving the farm productivity which would help trigger 4 per cent growth in agriculture sector.

Appreciating the holistic approach in farm sector with creation of Agri Tech Infrastructure Fund, National Adaptation Fund and Price Stabilization Fund, increased allocation in rural infrastructure development, warehouse infrastructure and irrigation; he was optimistic that these efforts would stabilise prices and would be a boon for farmers. However, coordination between the Centre and the State governments in delivery would be the key for desired results, he said. The NAF established by late C Subramaniam, the architect of India’s Green Revolution; has been working with a “Soil to Market” approach to usher in second green revolution.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Tamil Nadu / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – July 11th, 2014

Samayapuram temple earns 1.8cr by selling tonsured hair

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Nature, Records, All

Trichy  :

Just the mere strands of tonsured hair offered by devotees brought windfall to Samayapuram temple, the second highest revenue generating temple in the state. The temple authorities sold the tonsured hair for Rs 1.89 crore during an auction on Thursday.

Every year during the day of Ammavasai and Poochoriyal festival, many people swarm the temple. It is visited by about 3,000 devotees from various parts of the state on a daily basis. Devotees offer their hair in order to please the deity and wash away their sins and get one step closer to nirvana.

The temple collects all the tonsured hair and at the end of every year hold an auction, for which numerous bids are received, and these are not limited to Tamil Nadu, bids are made from various dealers from different parts of the country.

According to temple authorities, about 3,638kg of hair was auctioned off on Thursday and the tender was officially closed a few weeks ago.

A dealer from Vellore district bagged the tender for a sum of Rs 1,80,62,500. The temple started off the auctioning on a yearly basis but in recent months the amount of tonsured hair has increased and so the temple authorities have decided to hold an auction for the tender every two months.

This decision also gives an insight on the belief and devotion that people have for the Mariamman deity and the hoards of devotees that the temple pulls in on a regular basis. The funds will be used by the authorities for infrastructural changes in the temple. The money from the auction will be used to provide devotees better facilities and Rs 26 crore would be invested to build a cloak room with 96 bathrooms and a two-storied hair tonsure centre to handle the growing numbers of devotees.

The temple also plans to build solar plants at three locations inside the temple.

Solar plants would be implemented at the Ammavasai mandapam, Mudimandapam and near the guest house, said the temple authorities. Several projects are underway to improve the amenities of the temple.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy / TNN / October 10th, 2014

Kudankulam farmer sows groundnut developed by BARC

Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature, Science & Technologies

Tirunelveli :

A farmer at Kudankulam in Tiruneveli district, where two nuclear reactors are situated, seems to be impressed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre’s contribution to agriculture. The farmer, T Selvaraj, on Thursday began to sow the TG37A type groundnut developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

In June last, BARC invited a couple of progressive farmers, including Selvaraj, to the Palayamkottai prison where the inmates had sown the TG37A groundnut. The prison inmates sowed the groundnut in March and reaped the harvest in June.

Impressed by the successful cultivation at the prison, Selvaraj approached the BARC scientists. He was given 180kg of groundnuts to cultivate.

Selvaraj said he was planning to cultivate it in a one-hectare field. The sowing will continue for three days.

“I am convinced that this will give me good yields,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by J. Arokiaraj, TNN / October 09th, 2014

“Preserve Madurai’s history”

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Nature, Records, All
C. Santhalingam, retired archaelogist, speaking at the '' Rock Festival" organised by Green Walk at Samanar hillock near Keelakuyilkudi in Madurai on Sunday.Photo: R. Ashok
C. Santhalingam, retired archaelogist, speaking at the ” Rock Festival” organised by Green Walk at Samanar hillock near Keelakuyilkudi in Madurai on Sunday.Photo: R. Ashok

Nearly 500 nature lovers and history enthusiasts converged at Samanar hillock on the way to Keelakuyilkudi on Sunday despite the rain for ‘Rock Fest,’ organised by the Green Walk team to mark their 40th exercise.

Retired archaeologist C. Santhalingam explained the historical significance of Jain remnants at Chettipudavu. He said it was important to spread the historical and traditional accounts of Madurai to every person. “It will not be possible to excavate places within the city to trace remnants of forts and other prominent sites. Therefore, we should conserve the sites around the city,” he said.

According to him, places such as Kazhugu Malai, an 8th century hillock, and Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple that eulogise the history of the ancient city, should be protected.

Writer N. Murugesa Pandian said it was necessary to protect Tamil traditions, culture and language. “Such gatherings and explorations are important to study the richness of our past,” he said.

Environmental thinker Theodore Baskaran explained how Jain inscriptions had engravings on the lives of the common men. “Until World War II, a lot of interest was shown in studying inscriptions that contained details of former kings in order to trace history. When people wanted to know about the common man, Jain inscriptions and ‘Nadukal’ were studied,” he said.

Mr. Baskaran said such gatherings gave people an insight into happenings in the outside world. “These activities create sensitivity in people, particularly among students,” he added.

A. Muthukrishnan, founder of Madurai Green, noted that people in villages showed more concern in protecting natural resources and historical sites.

Geologist Christopher Jeyakaran released ‘History of Madura-Voyage into Jaina Antiquity,” an English translation of a book titled ‘Madura Varalaaru.’

The third edition of ‘Madura Varalaaru’ was also released. Various activities were organised for children.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Madurai / by Staff Reporter / Madurai – September 29th, 2014

Samba Ryots Stick to Tradition

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature

RyotsCF29sept2014

Nagapattinam :

Ever tried traditional rice, the one that looks brownish-red? It may taste a bit different but it has immense health benefits. In fact, the biggest consumers of traditional rice breeds are private super specialty hospitals across major cities, which cater to dietary needs of patients, predominantly diabetics.

Besides health benefits, the breeds – Maapillai Samba, Kavuni, Garudan Samba, Thanga Samba and Samba Mosanam – are said to be drought-resistant and can also survive excessive rainfall. That works like an insurance cover, isn’t it?

To cater to the growing demand, farmers here this year have expanded the acreage under traditional rice by about 600 acres. While the last season witnessed about 1,200 acres of traditional rice cultivation in Nagapattinam district, the figure would go up to 1,800 acres this Samba season.

Farmers say traditional paddy breeds do not seek high amounts of water, as they utilise moisture content in the air for growth.

According to Jayaraman, State coordinator of Save Our Rice campaign, “Thalainayar, Valivalam and Thirukuvazhai localities of Nagapattinam district have witnessed farmers opting for traditional paddy varieties. Since there is good demand for traditional rice such as Maapilai Samba, farmers are comfortable cultivating them.” About 20 kg of seeds are required per acre for traditional paddy cultivation for harvesting as much as 1,500 kg. Traditional rice fetches a market price of over Rs 62 per kg, which is decidedly more that the conventional rice you normally consume at home. It is the higher value for effort that draws farmers towards its cultivation.

Just as Maapilai Samba faces a huge demand from diabetics, the ‘Kavuni’ breed is supposed to fortify the immune system. “Super specialty hospitals at Chennai and Tiruchy are procuring traditional rice varieties from us. It is the hefty procurement prices that encourages other farmers to take up traditional paddy cultivation,” Jayaraman adds.

While cultivation cost for traditional paddy per acre is around Rs 6,000, it is about Rs 15,000 per acre for conventional paddy such as CR-1009 and other ADT paddy varieties. Traditional crops also keep weeds in check, as they grow taller than weeds, thus depriving them of sunlight.

As many as 63 traditional varieties, including Poonkar, Maapillai Samba, Kavuni and Thengapoo Samba are cultivated in the delta districts. Farmers say they get seeds for traditional paddy through links with their counterparts across the delta districts.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by S Deepak Karthik / September 29th, 2014

Tiger census brings together an eclectic group of people

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All

Udhagamandalam :

The All India Tiger Census 2013-2014 held in the three divisions of the Nilgiri forests and the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), brought together a varied group of people, many of them participating for the first time in the tiger census.

A large section of the volunteers are members of different NGOs involved in wildlife activities and students of the forest college and wildlife zoology. A few of them had participated in the census previously and wanted to experience the thrill of it again. People from across the board participated including software engineers, fashion designers, business men and even journalists.

The seven-day tiger census started with a training programme on December 16 in Ooty. The volunteers were transported to their respective allotted beats in the forest areas on the same evening.

The breathtaking and exciting field survey started at 6.30 am on December 17 on the transect lines in all the beats in the three divisions of the Nilgiris forest as well in the MTR. The following five days included activities such as carnivore sign survey, ungulate encounter rate, vegetation and human interference and pellet counts of herbivores.

S Sathesh Premnath, a senior software engineer from Coimbatore, who is attending the census for the first time, said, “It was a fascinating experience. I was completely bowled over by the sense of adventure in spotting indirect signs and direct sightings of animals like elephants and gaurs. The census made me more aware of my social responsibility.”

For Karthick, a business man from Chennai, who is a wildlife enthusiast and has visited several forests and tiger reserves in India, the census was a great learning experience. “It is very exhilarating just wandering the forest searching for signs of carnivores and once in a while actually spotting a wild animal,” he said.

R Parameshwari, a first year student of Wildlife Zoology in the Ooty Government Arts College said, “On the first day of survey I was actually afraid to enter the reserve forest. But the forest staff encouraged me and were very supportive. I soon forget about my fear and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, despite the rough terrain we had to cover”.

Dr. K. Bharanidharan, assistant professor of the Wildlife Department in the Forestry College and Research Centre in Mettupalayam said, “Around 36 students from our college participated in the census in MTR. Though theoretically they are familiar with the wildlife subject, nothing can beat hands-on experience”.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Shantha Thiagarajan, TNN / December 23rd, 2013

Home-grown solutions to life’s little problems

Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature
GREEN REMEDIES:Her Atri Herbal Nursery has 15 plant varieties. She also has ready-made garden kits for people.Photo: R. Ravindran / The Hindu
GREEN REMEDIES:Her Atri Herbal Nursery has 15 plant varieties. She also has ready-made garden kits for people.Photo: R. Ravindran / The Hindu

Subashree has proved a home garden is all it takes to have good health, good looks and a good life, says K. SARUMATHI

You have cold, she has the cure. You want to look good, she has the beauty solutions. You want to go green, she has the expertise to show you how.

If Subashree Vijay of Alwarthirunagar has a ready answer for any problem, it is because of her garden, pesticide-free and organic.

Subashree’s love for gardening knows no bounds, a fact illustrated by how she has let creepers cover the four walls of her house, on the outside. The backyard, terrace and every other available space has been utilised for growing plants. She cares for these plants as if they were her children. She offers others all her expertise on growing a home garden.

“I have always had an interest in gardening. It however took me a long time to get into it full-time. Now, every vegetable we cook is home-grown, pesticide-free and completely organic. Even my beauty products are all natural and made by me, at home,” says Subashree, who takes a particular interest in nurturing medicinal plants.

In her terrace are various herbs that can cure aliments. There are also vegetables such as lady’s finger, varieties of gourd, tomato, brinjal, beans, four types of chillies, 12 varieties of spinach and numerous flowering plants.

The organic fertiliser used in the garden is made at home, mixing buttermilk and coconut milk.

“I ferment and then sprinkle it on the plants. It is growth booster and results can be seen in a week. It is also safe to handle. Also, all garden wastes are swept and put into the pots to be turned into manure,” says Subashree, who also supplies liquid fertilizer to organic stores along with soil mixture and grow bags.

Her Atri Herbal nursery has 15 plant varieties, which have some use in the kitchen, are easy to grow and multiply. She also has ready-made garden kits for people, where she grows the plants and then gives them away. She also makes face packs and hair oil from the plants in her house and sells them under the banner of Atri Health Products.

Her plans for the future include helping people set up their own terrace gardens. “They need extra care and regular maintenance. You need to have passion for growing plants to have a blooming garden,” she adds. Subashree can be contacted at 96771 01627.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Down Town / by K. Sarumathi / September 14th, 2014