Centre takes up CIDCO Lotus Lake burial with State Env Dept as greens raise alarm

Lotus Lake is part of the 564 wetlands inspected and documented by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) under the state government's mandate, preparatory for the long-pending notification of the wetlands, Kumar said, quoting information received by him under the RTI Act.

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The Hindu

9 hours ago

• The Hindu

Chittoor gears up for Yoga Day fete, 9 lakh likely to participate

The district administration is geared up for the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations scheduled at the Mesanical Grounds here on Saturday (June 21). Over 9 lakh people are expected to take part in the massive programme across 5,808 habitations in the district. Addressing the media here on Friday (June 20), District Collector Sumit Kumar stressed on the need for proper planning and prompt execution of the event. Lauding the officials, NGOs, and public groups for the State-led 'Yogandhra 2025' campaign, the Collector urged officials not to lose momentum and ensure that each venue has adequate facilities, with top priority to drinking water, snacks, toilets, and medical camps. Mr. Kumar instructed the officials to mobilise the yoga participants based on the capacity of each venue. He said that the public address systems, photo, and videography were mandatory, and the footage should be uploaded on the official app by 10 am of the same day. The Collector directed the special officers at the mandal level, municipal commissioners, and MPDOs, to participate and oversee arrangements. He said that the public representatives from village to district levels should be formally invited to give a fillip to the event. The programme will be held at the Mesanical Grounds from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. The Collector said that Yoga instructors will be posted at all the venues to guide the participants.

Time of India

a day ago

• Time of India

NCSCM confirms only 50m Coastal Regulation Zone buffer applies to Palk Bay coastline

's National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) confirmed that only a 50-metre Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) buffer applies to the Palk Bay coastline—not 500 metres as claimed by a petitioner. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This means that development controls along the coastline could ease significantly. Petitioner Arul Raj, a Ramanathapuram resident, sought directions to quash draft CZMP map numbers TN 44 to 60, arguing that Palk Bay was part of the sea and should therefore be subjected to a 500-metre CRZ as per the 2019 Notification. Filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), NCSCM's submission draws on the CRZ Notification, 2019, and official hydrographic charts to classify Palk Bay as a tidal-influenced water body. Under the notification, such water bodies attract only a 50m buffer from the High Tide Line (HTL), not the broader 500m applicable to open sea stretches. This interpretation reaffirms that only a smaller stretch of coastal land is subject to regulation, potentially opening up more area in Ramanathapuram and Pudukkottai districts for fishing infrastructure, tourism, and livelihood-based development. "While it could unlock economic opportunities along the southern coast, it also raises the possibility of increased ecological pressure in the absence of proper safeguards," said B Raja, an environmental activist. Following the Tribunal's direction, NCSCM conducted ground-truthing on March 15, 2025, across 20 coastal sites from Rameswaram to Manamelkudi. Scientists used handheld GPS devices to verify the presence of mangroves, salt marshes, and fisheries-related structures depicted in the draft CZMP maps. The petitioner based his claim on light blue shading in the draft maps, interpreting it as a 500-metre CRZ zone. NCSCM clarified that the colour was a draft-level visual error—not a legal demarcation. It added that the maps would be corrected if such errors were pointed out during public consultations. The Tribunal is scheduled to hear the matter on July 17. Email your feedback with name and address to MSID:: 121937674 413 |

India.com

a day ago

• India.com

Ahmedabad Plane crash: Authorities to survey areas around airport to check..., DGCA rules...

Ahmedabad Plane Crash @X Ahmedabad Plane crash: Authorities will conduct a survey of the areas surrounding the Ahmedabad airport, in the wake of last week's Air India plane crash that claimed 270 lives, to check whether any structures were violating height norms and posing a threat to aircraft safety, an official said on Thursday. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 persons on board crashed into a medical hostel complex in Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad moments after it took off from the city airport in the afternoon of June 12. The ghastly air crash and subsequent fire killed 270 persons, including passengers, crew members and people on the ground. 'As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)'s guidelines, a survey of areas surrounding the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here will be conducted by the officials of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Civil Aviation department,' Ahmedabad District Collector Sujeet Kumar told reporters. 'Once the survey gets over, subsequent necessary work will be initiated,' he said. He cited the draft Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 2025, issued by the civil aviation ministry, to tighten controls on structures that pose a threat to aircraft safety near airports. The draft rules aim to empower authorities to take immediate action against buildings, trees, or other objects that violate prescribed height limits in designated aerodrome zones. Officials can issue notices to such buildings and initiate action for height reduction or demolition. 'The work of the survey will be carried out in a prescribed time. The area of survey around the airport will be decided by the civil aviation team,' Kumar said. Survey teams will be formed soon, he said. In the last week's tragedy, the aircraft departed from the Ahmedabad airport at 1.39 pm and its pilot issued a 'Mayday' distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after take-off to the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad. Moments later, the plane smashed into the medical complex located outside the airport compound. All but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board the ill-fated plane and another 29 persons, including five MBBS students of B J Medical College, on the ground were killed.