The pits, the Coimbatore Corporation has dug for processing wet waste at the Chokkampudur burial ground./ Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
Being done on experimental basis at Chokkampudur
Following the initiative to segregate waste at ward 23 in R.S. Puram, the Coimbatore Corporation has taken the next step by processing wet waste.
According to Corporation Commissioner G. Latha, the civic body had started the process a week ago, on an experimental basis, at the Chokkampudur crematorium, where the civic body had dug three pits to process the waste.
The area councillor S. Manimeghalai said that conservancy workers collected two small truck loads of wet waste, took it to the crematorium, where they dumped it in the first pit.
The workers then sprinkled effective micro-organism solution to hasten the process of composting.
They also topped it with dry waste and dried and powdered cow dung to complete the process.
Thereafter, every day, the workers would stir the waste till the 20 day.
They would then transfer the waste to the second pit.
Once the experiment was complete, the workers would dig a bigger pit to accommodate the entire ward’s wet waste. Ms. Manimeghalai said that the initiative had provided a solution in wet waste management, which became necessary after the Corporation and residents came together to segregate waste.
Every day, the workers in the ward collected six-and-half to seven tonnes of dry waste, which they sold to a private firm which paid the workers at Rs. 3 a kg.
Fuel
Ms. Latha said that the local processing of wet waste also helped the Corporation save on fuel in that the civic body need not transport the waste till the compost yard in Vellalore.
The motto was local solution for local problem.
If the civic body found the process successful, it could consider replicating it in other wards, starting with the four wards where it had begun waste segregation.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Staff Reporter / Coimbatore – January 22nd, 2014
As alternative methods of farming are tried to boost agricultural output, the state government is keen on promoting kitchen gardens to produce fresh fruits and vegetables. Arul Anandar College at Karumathur, 25 km from Madurai city, has been raising vegetables in sacks and that too with the least of water to counter water shortage in the region.
Though, sack cultivation is not novel, its irrigation method is rarely heard of, at least in the region. Discarded pet bottles of 2 to 3 litres are hung upside down from a pole attached to the sack. Intravenous tubes used to give saline to patients are used to regulate water flow to plants.
The college has been involved in several research work in agriculture under the Rural Development Science (RDS) programme. The RDS department has been testing sack cultivation for the last few years as it is ideal for raising vegetables especially creepers on terrace, said college sources. The practice involves filling discarded plastic sacks with enriched soil and composted coir so that the sack weighs light. After successfully growing creeper vegetables like ash guards, snake guards, bitter guard and pumpkin in this way, the college has started experimenting with intercrops like brinjal and ladies finger of late.
Second-year students of the RDS department water the plants once in two or three days. Guru Eswaran, one of them, said purpose of the saline tubes is to regulate water flow. “We fill bottles once in two or three days. In case of holidays, we can reduce the flow so that the water in the bottle lasts for a week’s time,” he explained. The students also add diluted vermicompost wash (the concentrated run-off water obtained from vermicompost fields) into the bottles as fertiliser.
Ambudoss Arvind, associate agriculture professor, said sack cultivation is ideal for roof-top gardens and kitchen gardens. Using this method, one can save space and water, besides adopt organic methods. It could be used even in dry areas not fit for conventional farming. “We are also trying poly-bags for kitchen gardens. Pesticide spraying is very intense in conventional method of farming. Vegetable crops can be raised organically too. A kitchen garden can serve the needs of an entire street,” he claimed.
Besides research, the college also demonstrates innovative farming practices to farmers. College principal Fr Xavier Vedham said the RDS department sensitises local farmers about its innovative methods.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai> Vegetables / by J. Arockiaraj, TNN / January 19th, 2014
The Welding Research Institute (WRI) has signed a protocol of intention with Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany for joint working in the area of power source evaluation facility.
The pact was signed at a function held at the WRI of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on Thursday in the presence of A V Krishnan, executive director, BHEL, Trichy and senior executives.
On behalf of Leibniz University, Prof Dr Ing D Rehfeldt exchanged the signed protocol with R Easwaran, general manager (WRI & Labs), BHEL, Trichy.
Krishnan said that WRI has taken the right initiative to become a world class institute and this research – academia partnership will augment its efforts to develop a centre for welding power source evaluation which would be helpful to the nation in a big way.
He also said that by bridging the technology gap, WRI can evaluate the current generation power sources, which have several advanced features and needed to be evaluated for their dynamic characteristics. Various manufacturing sectors in the country would benefit through the development.
Prof Rehfeldt said that Leibniz University is looking forward for the joint establishment of the power source evaluation facility at WRI.
It is not only the hardware and software of the equipment, but the human mind working on this, that would fully unleash the potential of the technologies, said Rehfeldt.
Easwaran said the modern inverter-based power sources have many added features for improving the depth of penetration of welds, making spatter-free welds, welding thin sheets, etc and understanding the dynamic characteristics of the power sources required a high power data acquisition system in tandem with a high speed visualization system as well as automation even manual welding, to avoid human hand unsteadiness.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy> Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited / TNN / January 18th, 2014
The Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Oncology attached to the Christian Medical College here is organizing a two-day national workshop on Radiotherapy Gel Dosimetry from Wednesday, at the MePhysics Block, Rehab Campus, Bagayam, Vellore.
According to Dr Paul Ravindran, vice principal of the college, the aim of the meet is to provide hands-on training on the application of three dimensional gel dosimetry in radiation therapy.
The workshop is being conducted in collaboration with the Union for International Cancer Control. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, and the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences have also financially supported the workshop.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service – Vellore / January 08th, 2014
SASTRA University here has come out with a novel method for treating effluents let out by Tirupur dyeing units.
Meera Parthasarathy, Senior Assistant Professor, Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Biomaterials, School of Chemical and Biotechnology, and inventor of the novel method, explained it to the industrialists and technical persons of Veerapandi Common Effluent Treatment Plant at the university here on Tuesday. The method involves treating effluents with a special bacteria identified at SASTRA University named SASTRA bacteria for which patent had been filed and a powder in a two-step process instead of the seven-step process that was followed by dyeing units.
The untreated effluent undergoes bacterial treatment and powder treatment and becomes non-toxic.
Collecting untreated effluents from Tirupur, the SASTRA team conducted the experiments using bacteria and the powder prepared by them. Treated water was put to Zebra Fish Model (rearing fish in it) to find out whether it has been detoxified. Fish survived even after seven days and there is no toxicity in fish too, Meera Parthasarathy, said.
Following the court order, the dyeing units have been using a common effluent treatment plant.
K.K.Padmanabhan, Technical Director, Veerapandi Common Effluent Treatment Plant, said that as per the court order the units should follow zero liquid discharge and hence wastewater could not be let out.
When T.K.Rangarajan, CPI (M) MP, wanted to know about the usability of the treated water for drinking purposes, Mr.Padmanabhan replied in the negative.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by Special Correspondent / Thanjavur – January 08th, 2014
Along with Nammalvar, his brothers Balakrishnan, an engineer, and Ilangovan, a former MLA, practised organic farming.
Chirping of birds rented the air. Gentle breeze from hundreds of trees blew across the farm. It was the farm maintained by the family of G. Nammalvar (75), organic farming scientist, who passed away on December 30, at Ilankadu, his native village near Thirukattupalli.
It was a hot summer in June 2004, when this reporter visited that place to see Nammalvar along with V.Palaniappan, Adviser to Thiruvaiyaru Knowledge Resource Centre of Dr. M. S. Swaminathan Foundation.
Rays of sun and summer heat could not enter the place as it was a mini woodland with all kinds of trees. Birds were in large numbers and went on chirping.
Nammalvar, with his green head gear and flowing beard, was sitting on a wooden coir mesh cot under a tree.
As he took us through the farm and explained the activities, we understood that Nammalvar not only preached organic farming but also practised it in his family farm.
Along with Nammalvar, his brothers Balakrishnan, an engineer, and Ilangovan, a former MLA, practised organic farming.
Nammalvar showed the variety of trees he and his brothers had planted in the farm.
He showed how the leaves that withered from trees and other biological waste were turned into compost.
He also demonstrated the ‘Pancha Kavyam’ was prepared using five products — cow’s urine, dung and milk, ghee and buttermilk. “Pancha Kavyam can be used as a growth regulator and pesticide repellent for crops,” he said.
It was Nammalvar’s padayatra for ‘reviving natural resources and fertility’ (Iyarkai Valam Meetpu Nadaipayanam) in 2004, organised by Centre for Ecology and Research, a voluntary organisation, that made people rally behind him.
The yatra which commenced on June 5, 2004 covered a distance of 550 km in 25 days from Poompuhar to Grand Anicut, passing via 344 villages in Cauvery delta districts.
The padayatra created public awareness of the importance of organic farming, sustainable agriculture and participatory development at Thirukattupalli, Thiruvaiyaru and Orathanadu.
His last campaign for nearly a month from December 1 in Cauvery delta districts was against the proposed methane extraction project.
He was planning to organise a rally at Mannargudi on January 25 to protest against the proposed project.
Hundreds of people, mostly farmers, paid homage to late Nammalvar whose body was kept at Bharath College of Science and Management here.
R.Vaithilingam, State Minister for Housing and Urban Development, paid homage to Nammalvar. The Minister placed a wreath on the body of Nammalvar on behalf of Tamil Nadu Government, said a press release issued here on Tuesday.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by G. Srinivasan / Thanjavur – January 01st, 2014
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has released a new rice variety, which has recorded a highest yield of 11,567 kg per hectare.
Rice TPS 5, released at a function today, observed as Farmers Day, has a normal yield of 6,301 kg per hectare, 13 per cent increase over the parent seed ASD 16, with 118 days duration.
This can be adopted throughout Tamil Nadu barring Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga Districts, a TNAU release said.
The highest yield of 11,567 kg was achieved at Mohanoor in Namakkal district.
TNAU also released Blackgram MDU 1, which has a yield of 1,679 kg/ hectare. The newly released variety of fodder sorghum Co31 has a yield of 227 tonnes per year.
The newly released Butter Pear Ooty seed has a yield of 97.13 kg per tree a year, meant for Nilgiris district and Kodaikanal.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home / by PTI / Coimbatore – January 11th, 2014
When I revise my book on the Anglo-Indians, one of the many achievers I will have to add to my already long list will be Dr. John Shortt of the Madras Medical Services in the 19th Century. He could well have been one of the Madras Medical School’s first students when it was founded in 1835 with ten East Indians, as Anglo-Indians were then known, to be trained as apothecaries and 11 Indians to be trained as dressers, both, however, being additionally trained in diagnostic and aftercare skills. Among the four-member staff to train them, headed by Surgeon Mortimer, was Apothecary D’Beaux, an East Indian, and P. Muthuswami Mudaliar, but where they were trained I have not been able to trace. It was possibly this team that trained John Shortt.
To cut a long story to Shortt, he joined the East India Company’s services as an Assistant Apothecary. He must have been something exceptional even then, for he was selected to go to Edinburgh to study further. There he got an MD degree before returning to India to join the Madras Medical Services in 1854. In the Service, he served with the rank Surgeon-Major. When he retired 25 years later, he was serving in the rank of Colonel and, more importantly, as the Deputy Surgeon-General of the Madras Presidency, quite an achievement in those days for an East Indian.
Like many Government officials in those days, Shortt too spent much time on a variety of interests which got them wider recognition. His interests were botany, biology and anthropology. His published works included a paper on the Indigo plant in 1860, an anthropological study of the Todas, and a paper on the coffee plant. His paper on Indigo, written when he was Zillah (District) Surgeon, Chingleput, was published by ‘Pharoah and Co’. It was a publication noteworthy for its two-column page format featuring the English text in the left column and the “Hindustani translation” in Urdu script on the right. Shortt also practised as a veterinary surgeon after his retirement in Yercaud till his death. Out of his experiences of those years came a book titled A Manual Of Indian Cattle And Sheep: Their Breeds, Management And Diseases published by Higginbotham’s.
A page from Dr. Shortt’s book on Indigo / The Hindu
His work in biology was responsible for Shortt being invited to be a Fellow of the Linnean Society, London. He was later to propose Dr. Senjee Pulney Andy (Miscellany, August 26, 2013) for a Fellowship of the Society. Both of them independently wrote articles on the branching palms in South India that were published in 1869 in two different journals of the Linnean Society. Both also wrote on the Palmyrah and other flora in the journals of the Madras Agri-Horticultural Society. Shortt, who in the early 1870s, was listed as the Superintendent-General of Vaccination, was probably Pulney Andy’s boss, the latter serving as the Superintendent of Vaccination, Malabar, at the time. Shortt was also during this period the Secretary of the Obstetrical Society of Madras. He passed away in Yercaud on April 24, 1889. I wonder whether a reader in Yercaud can come up with a picture of Shortt’s tombstone and a note on his practice there.
******
The Turings of Madras
Alan Turing / The Hindu
It was Vishwas Ghaskadbi who set me on this trail by sending me an extraordinary story of coincidence related by Anvar Alikhan shortly after the story appeared of the famed World War II code breaker, Alan Mathison Turing, also known as the ‘Father of the Computer’, being pardoned posthumously by Queen Elizabeth II 60 years after he had been convicted for homosexuality. Shortly after the conviction, Turing had committed suicide.
Alikhan, doing a bit of research on Turing, discovered that Turing had connections with Madras on both sides of his family. The trail led to a house in Coonoor to which had retired E.W. Stoney, a railwayman, who was the father of Ethel Sara Stoney, the mother of Alan Turing. Then came the amazing coincidence — The Gables, which still survives in Coonoor, was bought by Nandan Nilekani, one of India’s leading authorities on the IT industry. He had no idea that his holiday home had a Turing connection — till Alikhan showed him indisputable evidence dating to 1916 that E.W. Stoney had indeed been the owner of The Gables.
Nandan Nilekani / The Hindu
The statement by Alikhan that Turing had connections with Madras on both sides of the family got me searching for the trail of the Turings of Madras. The Turing story in Madras begins in 1729 with Robert Turing, the fourth son of Sir John Turing, the 3rd Baronet, being appointed Surgeon’s mate in Fort St. David, on the recommendation of Dr. John Turing (a kinsman?), who was the Surgeon of the East Indiaman Greenwich which called at Madras that year. By 1741, Dr. Robert Turing was Surgeon at Vizagapatam and then served in Madras from 1753 to 1762 as a Presidency Surgeon. He lived in a house near Harris Bridge, which is near the Casino Theatre.
Dr. Robert Turing helped Robert Clive to recover from a prolonged illness in 1752 and had him fit to sail for England early in 1753. He was also a persistent advocate for a much larger hospital in the Fort. He wanted space for 250 men, an area to treat 200-300 seamen when the Fleet was in the Roads, and an operating theatre. It was from Sir John Turing’s brother Walter’s line that Alan Turing descended; his father was Julius Mathison Turing, an ICS officer who served in Bihar and the Ganjam District of Madras Presidency.
Whether they were connected with Robert Turing or not, there were in Madras in the second half of the 18th Century John and William Turing, both in the Madras Civil Service, and James and Robert Turing in the Madras Army. John Turing Senior was Sheriff in 1767 (an office William Turing who entered the Civil Service in 1769 was to hold in 1778) and Mayor in 1776. He lived in a garden house in Vepery. Another John Turing, Junior, arrived in 1795 and died in Vizagapatam in 1808. Significantly, that great chronicler of Madras History, H.D. Love, writes c.1912 that “the name of Turing is still represented in the Indian Civil Service in the Southern Presidency.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Madras Miscellany / by S. Muthiah / Chennai – January 12th, 2014
Progressive practices:Velanmai Chemmal awardees with their certificates and mementos, at the State-level Farmers’ Day at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore recently. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
As it does every year, this time too the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University gave away awards to five select farmers from different parts of the State in recognition of their innovation and progressive methods followed in agriculture.
Instituted by the university, the Velanmai Chemmal Awards are sponsored by C.R.I. Pumps.
This year’s achievers included G. Mayilsamy from Sulur Kaliapuram, Coimbatore, for his contribution to seed and bio-fertilizer production by adopting new technologies, and also for making many other farmers follow them to turn them into progressive farmers.
G. Karikalan from Keelapatti, Karur district, for adoption of latest technologies in ensuring sustainable agriculture received an award too. He has also established a co-operative production company, which is operating successfully.
T. Rajkumar from Devankudi, Tiruvarur district, was recognised for his contribution to sustainable agriculture and service to farming community. He is involved in extensive use of mechanisation, from sowing to harvest of rice. He has also associated himself and other farmers with animal husbandry, to generate additional income.
A.P. Karuppiah, a banana farmer from Sinnamanur, Theni district, received award for his contribution and service to farming community. He has been instrumental in motivating farmers to form associations and take up processing technologies in making banana products
R. Suganthi from Neyveli in Cuddalore district, was recognised for her contribution to rural women’s development and service to farming community. She has been associated with making and marketing processed food products. She is also involved in spreading the food processing technologies of the university among women Self Help Groups.
According to Vice-Chancellor K. Ramasamy, the selection procedure is very stringent. “Applications for the award are distributed by the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). The KVKs shortlist and submit a list of five names. These names are assessed by a five-member committee based on 10 criteria. The criterion is not only to do with their achievements, but also how much they can disseminate the knowledge that made them achieve great heights,” he said.
The final five were selected from the shortlisted 12. The winners of the award will visit all the colleges and campuses of the university to share their experiences with students.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Staff Reporter / Coimbatore – January 19th, 2014
The plant is yet to reach its full capacity. However, the gas generated now is enough to boil eggs, served to the students of Cantonment High School along with lunch./ Photo: G. Krishnaswamy / The Hindu
Once the plant reaches full capacity, there will be enough gas to run the stove for 150 minutes, nonstop, every day
Food waste generated from restaurants has helped to light the stove at the noon-meal kitchen of a government school in St. Thomas Mount.
More than 150 children have lunch at the school every day.
Clean energy
A biogas plant was set up at Cantonment High School in St. Thomas Mount last week. Through the simple process of fermentation of degradable waste, the plant produces methane gas from food waste.
Through a pipeline, the gas reaches a conventional stove in the noon-meal kitchen of the school.
The plant is yet to reach its full capacity as trials are still on. However, the gas generated now is enough to boil eggs that are served to the students along with the lunch. Once the plant reaches full capacity, there will be enough gas to run the stove for 150 minutes, nonstop, every day.
Plant costs Rs. 25,000
The plant was inaugurated by S. Prabhakaran, chief executive officer of St. Thomas Mount-cum-Pallavaram Cantonment Board, in the presence of Army officers and elected representatives.
Hand-in-Hand, an NGO associated with the Board’s solid waste management project from 2009, has installed the plant, which costs Rs. 25,000. “This is a very small plant but can be scaled up in the future. It has resulted in significant savings in LPG usage,” said Mr. Prabhakaran.
Peter Durairaj, health superintendent, said the plant had now been filled with about one kilogram of food waste sourced from restaurants every day. The food waste is mashed before being poured into the plant.
The resultant sludge from the plant — high-quality manure — can be used in gardening.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by K.Manikandan / Chennai – January 12th, 2014
