Collector T. Abraham said here on Wednesday that a new Periyar Samathuvapuram would be established at Mannuzhi in Thelur panchayat in Ariyalur block during the current year 2009-10.
Talking to media persons, the Collector said that land to the extent of 10.31 acres had already been acquired and had been handed over to the government. Tender will soon be issued for the construction of 100 houses in the new Samathuvapuram and the government had allocated Rs. 2.14 crore for providing all infrastructure facilities, he said.
Meanwhile, the construction of all the 100 houses in the Periyar Samathuvapuram at Naduvalur panchayat in T. Pazhur panchayat union in the district had been completed. All infrastructure facilities including road, drinking water, streetlight and fair price shop had been provided at a total cost of Rs. 2.04 crore. The Samathuvapuram will be inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on February 4, 2010, he said.
UGD scheme for Ariyalur
The Collector said that the underground drainage (UGD) scheme would soon be implemented by the TWAD in Ariyalur municipal area at a cost of Rs. 22 crore. The waste water will be discharged at Keezhapazhur where a plant would be set up to treat the drainage water.
Answering a question, the Collector said that the Ariyalur municipality required several infrastructure facilities and pointed out that he had written to the Commissioner of Municipal Administration in this regard.
New Collectorate building
Mr. Abraham said that the new Collectorate building here with all government offices under one roof was under construction at a cost of Rs.10.80 crore and would be completed by September 2010.
Buses for Ariyalur railway station
The Collector said that he would take immediate steps to operate buses to touch the Ariyalur railway station for the benefit of passengers boarding and alighting at the station as the passengers faced hardship by auto rickshaw drivers who demand exorbitant fares from the people. He pointed out that he would also consider operating mini buses and also share autos to the railway station to help the passengers, especially during the night hours.
SRI method of cultivation
Mr. Abraham said that farmers cultivating paddy in Tirumanur and T. Pazhur blocks in the district were advised to raise paddy crop under the latest system of rice intensification (SRI) method of cultivation to get more yield with less cost of cultivation. He said that farmers in Sendurai block had also evinced keen interest in raising the paddy crop under the SRI method.
He pointed out that the Agriculture department had fixed a target to cover 12,600 hectares of paddy crop under the SRI method this year out of the normal paddy cultivation area of 26,700 hectares. He said that 2,032 hectares had so far been covered under the SRI method in the district in the kuruvai and samba seasons.
