The Times of India       28.11.2014  

Corporation plants saplings at sewage unit in Ondipudur to cut stench

COIMBATORE: The city corporation launched a 'green belt' initiative on the sewage treatment plant campus in Ondipudur on Thursday afternoon. Mayor P Rajkumar and commissioner A VijayaKarthikeyan planted 50 saplings, including aromatic varieties to contain the bad odour emanating from the plant.

The saplings were planted by officials through the afternoon. The 14-acre campus has free space to plant around 450 to 500 saplings, according to the corporation and forest college's estimates. "We will be planting more saplings in a phased manner. We will complete planting 450 saplings in the following months," said Rajkumar.

The saplings selected include some popular Indian species and some aromatic trees. Some of the trees planted are pongam tree, the Indian tropical mahua tree also known as Ilupai, the Rattle-pod tree also known as Vagai tree, mixed varieties of mahogany and the senthuram mango trees. "We have chosen eucalyptus and a variety of bamboo to help contain the smell here," said the mayor. "We have also asked the forest department to suggest more aromatic species of trees and plants that will grow in tropical conditions," he added.

The Coimbatore corporation had announced the launch of the green belt initiative to improve the city's green cover last week. "The city lost many trees during road expansion projects along the highways and also during construction of many flyovers in the city, due to which the city's green cover had decreased drastically," said the corporation spokesperson. "So, we decided to plant more trees across the city in all government buildings and empty spaces we have," she added. 

The Hindu      20.11.2014

Sanitation campaign launched in Thuraiyur

A project to make Thuraiyur union free of open defecation was launched on Wednesday.

To start with, the programme was inaugurated at Ammapatti village near Thuraiyur on Wednesday, marking the observance of “World Toilet Day”.

Inaugurating the scheme, T.P. Poonachi, Minister for Khadi and Rural Industries, said 220 houses out of 505 households in the village had individual toilets. Work on the construction of 285 toilets, which commenced today, would be completed by January next year.

A sum of Rs. 10,000 had been released under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, he said and appealed to the residents and the panchayat body to keep the village clean and hygienic. He assured them that all basic amenities would be provided to the village.

He said that Thuraiyur block had been selected in the first phase of the programme, as it was a backward area in the district. A service organisation, SCOPE would extend the technical expertise for the implementation of the scheme and organise awareness campaign.

Jayashree Muralidharan, District Collector, spoke on the importance of health and personal hygiene. The programme would ensure environmental protection.

Earlier, the Minister administered a pledge signifying the importance of World Toilet Day and the villagers assured to desist from open defecation.

Plastic toilets

At a function held at the corporation office to mark the observance of the Day, A. Jaya, Mayor, gave away 100 potties to babies free of cost.

She said that 30 per cent of population in the city resorted to open defecation and the corporation had built 395 public toilets.

The city ranked sixth in terms of cleanliness at the national level and the first in the State.

V.P. Thandapani, Corporation Commissioner, said the corporation had provided toilet facility in 286 slum areas and 76 schools.

285 toilets to be constructed by January

Thuraiyur block selected in first phase