CM flags off awareness vehicle to explain ill effects of plastics

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Plastic Manufacturers Association (TAPMA) has announced a protest in the city on December 13, against the upcoming ban on single use plastics by the State Government from January 1.

Calling on the blanket ban of single use plastics discriminatory, the association’s office bearers addressing the media on Monday, here, said that around 2 lakh people in the State would be affected by the proposed ban. “The plastics are 100 per cent recyclable and we must take this message to the consumers rather than calling for a complete ban,” said B Swaminathan, chairman, environment committee, TAPMA.

Stressing that the current solid waste management plan being implemented by the government left many anticipated, he said that only about 6 per cent of the waste generated contains plastic and even that wastage was dominated by packaging material in the fast-moving consumer goods. “However, those packaging materials are not banned. There are plastics used in many government departments that are not banned. Though, the same usage is banned for general or public use,” he said referring to GO 110. Talking about the adverse impact of the ban, they said, the government will lose GST of Rs 1800 crore annually, and that the 5,000 plastic small and medium enterprises will be forced to shut down. Loans of Rs 4000 crore will become  non-performing assets. The association has also sought an expert committee to look into the impact of the ban.

Around 10,000 people from the industry are expected to participate in the protest that will be staged at Chepauk on December 13.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi  Palaniswami inaugurated the women’s helpline 181 on Monday. 

At least, 1352 calls were received on the helpline in eight hours and the calls had begun from women from across the State, even before the official launch, according to sources at the Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme Department.

 

The 181 helpline, a 24*7 helpline, will look at offering a slew of rescue and information services for women. It will offer medical services, legal aid, police assistance in tandem with the One Stop Centre (OSC). Two one stop centres—the new building in Chennai and the new centre in Kancheepuram were also inaugurated on the same day.

Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Monday, laid foundation stone, through video conferencing, for various projects attached to Public Works Department (PWD), which will be constructed at the cost of Rs 121.42 crores.

The major project for which foundation stone was laid was for the construction of the groynes between Ennoor and Ernavur kuppam, at the cost of Rs 38.39 crore. The groins will prevent soil erosion and will protect the livelihood of the fishermen in the area. 

To protect the water sources and irrigation channels, a check dam would be constructed across South Pennar river, between Thalavanur village in Villupuram district, to Enadhirimangalam village in Cuddalore district. The dam would be constructed at the height of 3.10 meters and with the length of 376.6 meters. Once the dam is constructed 87 wells would be recharged and 2,114 acres of farm lands would be irrigated, said Palaniswami. He also laid foundation stone for another check dam across Vellaru river . 

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday, distributed ‘Chief Minister’ award for 26 officials and employees of forest department. The award was given to foresters those who have worked for conserving forests, wildlife and to those preventing man-animal conflict. Certificates and medals apart from cash price were also given. The cash price would vary according to the different positions held by the officials in the State.