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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
54 fishermen who lost boats get Rs3.96 crore relief
1 2 Ramanathapuram: As many as 54 fishermen who lost their fishing boats to the Sri Lankan navy which could not be retrieved received financial assistance of 3.96 crore from the chief minister's public relief fund on Saturday. Ramanathapuram MLA Katharbatcha Muthuramalingam and Ramanathapuram district collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon handed over the relief to the affected fishermen. A total of 8 lakh each was provided for fishermen who lost mechanised fishing boats while those with country fishing boats were provided 2 lakh. Between 2024 and 2025, 48 mechanised fishing boat owners and six country boat owners were identified to have had their boats seized by the Sri Lankan navy.
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Collector inspects removal of plastic pellets from Danushkodi seashore
District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon here on Wednesday inspected the cleaning works being undertaken at Danushkodi coastal areas to remove the plastic pellets that were being washed ashore in the last few days. A container, chemical bags, plastic pellets, and other materials had been washed ashore near several villages of Kanniyakumari in the last week from the sunken Liberian vessel off the Kerala coast on May 25. Earlier this week, similar chemical bags and plastic pellets were found along the seashore of Danushkodi. The clean-up activity by Coast Guard personnel and local body workers was kicked off immediately after the incident Following the inspection, the Collector spoke to the press and said that till date about 80 bags and 300 kg of plastic pellets were removed from the area and the clean up work would go on for about a week. 'Though plastic pellets are safe to handle with bare hands, necessary precautionary measures are being ensured. Also, studies to ascertain the damage that it would cause to the marine ecosystem and fish are being conducted by experts,' he added. The chemical bags and plastic pellets that were removed have been stored in a protective location, and once scientists and marine experts recommend a safe way of disposal, they would clear them off according to the procedure, he noted.
NDTV
10-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
Plastic Nurdle Spill From Sunken Cargo Ship Reaches Tamil Nadu, Raises Alarm
Chennai: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India's most fragile coastal ecosystems. The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel. The ship's cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk. Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds -- including Greater and Lesser Flamingos -- and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds. The nurdles -- tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing -- resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards. About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village. Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds. Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis. Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, "We've identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris." He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway. The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries. Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains. Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles' buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics. With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens. Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India's most critical marine ecosystems.
The Hindu
06-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
International Seaweed Day observed
To commemorate International Seaweed Day the Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in association with SNAP Natural and Alginate Products, Ranipet, organised a seaweed farmers/collectors interaction meet on the campus premises. Around 350 seaweed farmers and collectors from Ramanathapuram and Kanniyakumari districts participated in the meeting. The programme was inaugurated by Ramanathapuram Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon. The felicitation address was delivered by Deputy Director of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare, Ramanathapuram, K. T. Gopinath, Secretary of Seaweed Research and Utilisation P. Anantharaman, and Executive Director of SNAP Natural and Alginate Products Kavita Nehemiah. Principal Scientist and Scientist-in-Charge, CSIR-CSMCRI-Marine Algal Research Station, Mandapam Camp, V. Veeragurunathan and other experts shared their views on the issues and challenges in seaweed collection and farming. The seaweed farmers/collectors expressed their views and ideas and also put forth their queries during the interaction session. The panel experts provided valuable suggestions and addressed their queries. The International Seaweed Day is observed on June 4 every year. It signifies the potential of seaweeds to address food security, climate change, and ecosystem health. It also encourages the inclusion of seaweed in our diets as a sustainable food alternative and promotes its discovery and dissemination, according to a press release.
The Hindu
02-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Schools reopen after summer vacation in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga
Schools, both government and private, in the district, on the first day of school reopening on Monday, celebrated the students welcoming event by distributing flowers, sweets and eateries to both parents and students. Ramanathapuram MLA Kadarbasha Muthuramalingam along with the district Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon at Vallal Pari municipality elementary school distributed notes, books, bags, socks, shoes, geometry boxes and uniforms to students of 138 government and 49 government-aided school students in the district. Following the school reopening event, parents of the students' who were not admitted to the municipality girls higher secondary school as they scored below 400 in class X board examination, appealed to the MLA and officials to consider admission to those students too. Further, parents of students who studied in English medium till class X in the same school, demanded them to find a solution to those students who could not be admitted to the same school as it did not have class XI and XII in English medium. As there were no English medium government higher secondary schools in the entire town limit, parents either enrol their wards in a private schools or enrol them in English medium government schools outside the town limit or stop their education, the parents pointed out. To address the issues and to add higher secondary English medium in the same school and to upgrade the Vallal Pari middle school to higher secondary school, students demanded the officials and Mr. Kadarbasha Muthuramalingam. Officials consoled the parents that the English medium students would be admitted to Tamil medium classes till they get permission from the State government. Also, they made sure that the parents' demands to upgrade the middle school and construction of new classrooms would be considered. SIVAGANGA In Sivaganga district, on the reopening day, Minister for Co-operation K.R. Periyakaruppan along with District Collector Asha Ajith, distributed books, uniforms and other essentials to the students of 1,352 schools at SS Government Higher Secondary school. At the event, 1,26,707 students studying in classes 1 to XII were given free subject books and school bags. Also, 77,190 students were given free uniforms.
