Saravanan's Blog

Food for thought from a school for fishermen’s kids Published Date: 1/27/2009 - (NIE) G Saravanan Chennai, January 26: FOR Vinoth Kumar, an eighth standard student at Sacred Heart High School in Paramankeni Kuppam, his school is the second home as it provides him with breakfast and lunch, which his fishermen parents cannnot afford to give him everyday. The not-so-rich private school, founded specially to impart education for the children of the fishing community, is providing noon-meal and breakfast for its students from its own funds. This is because the school’s plea for a noon-meal centre is still pending for the last six years. Not only for Vinoth, but for the 100-odd school-going children from the sleepy fishing hamlet Paramankeni Kuppam, tucked between sandy beaches of ECR and TTDC-run Mudaliyarkuppam Boat House near Kalpakkam, the school is the only hope to continue their education. The next available school is 13 kms away from there. It was founded in 1993 as a primary school...

CABINET NOD TO CHENNAI METRO RAIL Published Date: 1/29/2009 - (NIE) G Saravanan Chennai, January 28: THE Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved the Chennai Metro Rail Project at a meet in New Delhi. In June 2006, the Tamil Nadu Cabinet decided to implement the project in Chennai. It had ordered the preparation of a detailed project report, which was entrusted to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. The project was declared a “special initiative”. The DPR was submitted on November 1, 2007, and the Tamil Nadu Cabinet approved the project on November 7, 2007. The estimated cost of this project would be Rs 14,600 crore, factoring in escalation, central taxes and interest during the period of construction, but excluding state taxes and value of vacant state government land. Fifty nine per cent of the cost will be met by a concessional Official Development Assistance loan from Japan. The Central Government will contribute 15% of the project cost as equity and 5% as subord...

RESIDENTS WARY AS NHAI PLANS TOLL ROAD Published Date: 1/5/2009 - (NIE) G Saravanan Chennai, January 4: THE proposal to develop the Chennai-Tiruvallur High Road under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) scheme has not only annoyed the residents and regular road users, but also sparked a debate on the NHAI’s hidden intent in doing so. While people agree that toll roads would help faster movement of traffic and improve road maintenance, they want the toll plazas located on the outskirts of the city and not near any residential area. “Else, using the road would burn a hole in the pockets of the residents,” says Ganesan, a resident of Ambattur OT and a frequent visitor to European countries. “For the first few years, the toll tax would be low. But after 10-odd years, people may have to cough up huge sums to cross even a small stretch of, say 15-20 km, since the charges could shoot,” he warns. Kandan, a college student from Avadi, says: “While planning toll roads, one...

Collectorate turns a blind eye to RTI plea Published Date: 12/26/2008 - (NIE) G Saravanan Chennai, December 25: Six months have passed since an RTI application was filed with the Chennai Collectorate, seeking details of the implementation of the Prime Minister’s scholarship for tsunami-affected children in Chennai district. But the office is still collecting the ‘details,’ as in their own words, “the chief education officer (CEO) did not provide it.” It is a clear case of passing the buck, K Bharathi, who sought the details through RTI, told Express. The answer given by the Collectorate showed they were not willing to part with the information (list of benefited children) to anyone, said the petitioner, also president of South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association (SIFWA). The scholarship scheme was launched for the benefit of children, whose families were affected by the tsunami either in the form of loss of lives or livelihood. According to the scheme, such children were to get Rs 3...

Councillors’ cartel gets tender jolt Published Date: 12/6/2008 - (NIE) G Saravanan Chennai, December 5: The DMK and Congress councillors on Friday prevented more than 20 ‘rebel’ contractors, who bagged projects worth Rs 1 crore a week ago without their “assent” and “knowledge,” from entering the Thiruvottiyur municipality premises. They threatened not to participate in another tender process for works valued around Rs 98 lakh. Municipality sources said all councillors - both ruling and opposition - had a “syndicate of understanding” for allocating contracts. Developmental works, including construction of drains and roads in their wards, were awarded only to those contractors having allegiance towards them. A handsome commission to the councillor for each project awarded was an ‘unwritten law’ for all registered contractors. But the sudden developments during last week’s tender process at the municipality is said to have “demoralised” the councillors. On November 27, the last day for ...