The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board forced to increase the duration of the powercuts

Electricity demand touching 11,500MW and generation remaining at 7,500 MW, the state is reeling under acute power shortage, prompting the government to resort to long hours of unscheduled power cuts. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has been forced to increase the duration of the power cuts in the state barring Chennai. 

Most of the districts face outages lasting over six hours. In Madurai and surrounding areas, the residents are in a fix as the public exams are round the corner. With arrival of summer, unscheduled power cuts are bound to increase. "From 6 am to 9 pm, we face power cuts at regular intervals that last for at least two hours," said Elizabeth Rani, a mother of two school going children from Sadasiva Nagar near Anna Nagar. Of this, only two hours of power cuts are scheduled. 

In rural Madurai, the situation is even worse as unscheduled power cuts prolong for several hours and gone on into late into the night. "We don't know how our children are going to prepare for the exams," said Manimekalai, a resident of Nagamalai Pudukottai in the outskirts of Madurai. 

Similar is the condition in Coimbatore and surrounding areas which faces more than six hours power cuts every day. Nearly 150 industrial workers were arrested on Thursday, when they tried to picket two places on the busy Avanashi Road to mark their protest against power cuts, ranging from five to eight hours. 

The city has over 40,000 micro, small, medium and large engineering industries, foundries and textile mills, which are suffering production losses up to Rs 200 crore a day. "We are not able to do business as there is no power," said an industry association representative. 

TNEB officials state that they are helpless and cashless. "The demand has gone up drastically, but there has not been any capacity addition. We are not able to buy power as it is being sold at high prices and we do not have money to buy it too," said a source. The private power producers have reduced supply as the TNEB owes them over Rs 10,000 crore. "Many of our generation projects were delayed. We were supposed to get 1,000 MW from Vallur and 600 MW from North Chennai by November 2011, but it will happen by June this year," said the official. 

First nuclear plant in decades-U.S

U.S. approves first nuclear plant in decades

U.S. has approved construction of two atomic reactors in the country, making them the first to be built in America in more than three decades despite objections from the nation’s top nuclear regulator.

Commissioners of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) voted 4-1 to approve the construction of two 1,100 megawatt Westinghouse-Toshiba AP1000 at power generator at Vogtle in Georgia.

The site for the proposed plant already has two old reactors.

Only one member of the five-person NRC, Chairman Gregory Jaczko, dissented, citing safety concerns following a triple meltdown last year at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan.

He argued that the new licenses don’t go far enough in requiring the builders to incorporate lessons learned from the Japanese nuclear disaster last year.

“In a 4-1 vote, the Commission found the staff’s review adequate to make the necessary regulatory safety and environmental findings, clearing the way for the NRC’s Office of New Reactors to issue the COLs (combined licenses),” a official release said.

The Commission imposed a condition on the COLs requiring inspection and testing of squib valves, important components of the new reactors’ passive cooling system, it said.

The NRC certified Westinghouse’s amended AP1000 design on December 30, 2011.

The AP1000 is an electric pressurised-water reactor that includes passive safety features that would cool down the reactor after an accident without the need for electricity or human intervention, it said.

The NRC decision in this regard is significant one.

Though the last new nuclear reactors came up in 1996; this is for the first time that NRC issued a license to build a new reactor after 1978.

The U.S. froze construction of nuclear power plants after the partial core meltdown at Three Mile Island in 1979.

Congressman Joe Barton, Chairman Emeritus of the House Energy and Commerce Committee applauded the NRC’s decision.

“For the first time since parachute pants and shoulder pads were all the rage, construction will soon begin on two new nuclear reactors,” he said.

“This is great news for our nation. It will create clean, reliable energy and put thousands of Americans back to work.

Nuclear power is an important part of the energy future of this nation. I am hopeful that this isn’t just a onetime event, but instead signals a new commitment to nuclear power in America,” Barton said.

Senators Johnny Isakson, Saxby Chambliss, also praised the NRC vote to issue a Combined Construction and Operating License to Southern Company.

“I am thrilled by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s decision to allow construction at Plant Vogtle to begin because it will create clean, safe and affordable energy for Georgia’s families and small business, and it will create thousands of jobs in our state,” said Isakson.

“An energy independent America is a safe America, and nuclear energy is a vital source of reliable, secure domestic energy. Not only is this great news for our country, but I am grateful Georgia will have the 5,000 on site jobs and 800 permanent jobs created by this project,” Chambliss said.

India successfully launched an interceptor missile

India successfully launched an interceptor missile to 

destroy an incoming target missile in a direct hit...

India successfully launched an interceptor missile to destroy an incoming target missile in a direct hit at an altitude of 15 km over the Bay of Bengal on Friday.,Validating Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) 

Scientific advisor to Defence Minister V.K. Saraswat, Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Chief Controller for missiles and strategic systems, Avinash Chander and other top missile scientists were present.

The crucial test was conducted as part of India’s plans to deploy a two-tiered BMD system to engage and kill incoming enemy missiles in the endo-atmosphere and exo-atmopshere.

The target missile mimicked an incoming enemy missile with a range of more than 2,000 km.

A few minutes after the ‘hostile’ missile, a modified surface-to-surface Prithvi, took off at 10.10 a.m. from Launch Complex-3 at Chandipur, the interceptor missile, Advanced Air Defence (AAD), was fired from the Wheeler Island. As the target missile climbed to a height about 100 km and began descending at rapid speed, the interceptor travelling at supersonic speed homed on to the target and smashed it to smithereens around 10.15 a.m. at a 15-km altitude in the endo-atmosphere.

This was the seventh interceptor mission and the fifth endo-atmospheric interception. Six of the tests to date have been successful, including the first three in a row.

Immediately after the modified Prithvi was launched, the Long Range Tracking Radars near Puri picked up the target missile as also the Multi Functional Radar at Paradip tracked the missile and passed on the information to guidance computer, which gave the command for launching of AAD after computing the target’s flight. Equipped with inertial navigation system, a hi-tech computer and a radio-frequency seeker the AAD locked on to the target missile and blasted it in the terminal phase.

The Photo was released by the government of India

Student kills teacher at Chennai school

15-yr-old boy stabs teacher to death in classroom

A class 9 boy of St Mary's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School stabbed his teacher to death in a classroom on Thursday morning. He later told police that he was angry at her for scolding him.

 The teacher Umamaheshwari taught science and Hindi in the school for the past 8 to 10 years, according to her colleagues. 

Shock and fear gripped the school on Armenian Street in Parrys as 15-year-old boy, son of a daily labourer, repeatedly stabbed his science teacher Uma Maheswari (42) in the neck and face. Maheswari was sitting in another class on the first floor of a three-storey school building when the boy stormed in with a knife around 10.30am.

"He stabbed her first in the neck," said an eyewitness, "and inflicted cut injuries again on her cheek and neck. She died on the spot." When the other students cried out loud, he threatened them and ran out, but was caught by teachers and students, the witness said. He was handed over to police.

"The boy came with a knife wrapped in a paper," a policeman investigating the case said. "He said he was angry because the teacher scolded him. We don't know yet if there is any other reason."

His schoolmates said he was not an aggressive child, but was quite aloof. "He never used to mingle with others," a student said.

Sources in the school said, when the teacher was waiting in an empty classroom for the fourth period of the day to begin, the boy allegedly walked in and is believed to have slashed her throat and stabbed her in the stomach. The teacher raised an alarm which brought others rushing into the room. She died before she could be taken to hospital. Other students and teachers gheraoed the boy and later handed him over to police.

A classmate’s parent, Ajmal Khan alleged that the boy was angry with the teacher for some time. “He was waiting for sometime and when he got the opportune moment, he carried out the act,” Ajmal Khan said. Police officials came and later took him to the police station. Umamaheshwari’s body was sent to Government General Hospital for post-mortem.

    

 

Shocking Clip - Bus Fell Off the Road in to a Deep Groove

Shocking Clip - Bus Fell Off the Road in to a Deep Groove in Bolivia

This is a terrible video. The road shown in this video is the world's most dangerous road to travel by bus. This is the actual incident happened in Bolivia. In fact, the world's most dangerous road to travel on the bus is the rugged mountain trails in Bolivia. The above tragic incident took place in this road. The driver died on the spot. Fortunately, all passengers escaped since they were asked to get down from the bus before crossing the dangerous narrow path. The bus driver took the bus courageously to cross the narrow path. Due to the damage caused by heavy rain, bus slipped off the road and fell in to the groove. "In 1995, American Development Bank reported that this is the world's most dangerous road. Every year average of 300 die in accidents on this 38 miles stretch rugged mountain road.

Cyclone Thane Continues even after devastation

Cyclone Thane Continues even after devastation

Tropical Cyclone Thane will continue tracking westward from the Bay of Bengal and over southern India, but the system will weaken to a tropical depression by Saturday. The region, however, will remain under strong winds, heavy rains and possible flooding.

A dominant ridge of high pressure moving though Mongolia and northeastern China will continue pushing cool and dry air over much of Asia. Beijing will see mostly sunny skies with high temperatures near 4 degrees Celsius, whileShanghai will be sunny with highs near 9 C. To the east, a low pressure system will pull eastward and farther away from Japan, but the back side of this system will push a few patchy clouds and light showers over northern Japan. Tokyo will see partly cloudy skies with highs near 9 C.

Cyclone Thane makes landfall between Cuddalore and Puducherry, devastates area

Leaving major devastation in its wake, Cyclone Thane hit landfall between the Union territory of Puducherry and neighbouring Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu at about 9 am.

Winds of 140km/h (86mph) have damaged houses and uprooted trees and electricity poles.

"Cyclone Thane has hit landfall between Cuddalore and Puducherry at about 9am and is presently in retreat mode. It will take another hour for the fury to abate," said Puducherry collector S B Deepak Kumar. One person was killed in a house collapse in Puducherry, he told TOI.

As it passed the coastal Puducherry and the sea-side Cuddalore town and villages, the cyclone vented its fury, uprooting trees and electric posts. Power supply had been cut 12 hours ahead of the expected cyclone landfall. "Damages are extensive in Puducherry. We are waiting for the cyclone to retreat before doing an assessment," an official said. Several main roads and interior streets from Puducherry to Cuddalore looked like a war zone, strewn with uprooted trees and electric posts.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture out into the rough sea.

Fishermen in the area have been advised not to go out into sea and disaster management teams have been sent to the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu.

Trains coming in to the Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, have been delayed and the local port is "on high alert" and has asked ships to move out to safe distance, reports say.

People living near natural water reservoirs have been asked to move to safer places as surplus water will be released if the heavy rain continues.

Officials said there would be "heavy to very heavy" rain in parts of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and parts of the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala during the next 24 hours.

The territorial administration as well authorities in Cuddalore district had geared up for a possible calamity, evacuating villagers from coastal hamlets and those falling within the danger zone to cyclone shelters on Thursday. The preparations for Cyclone Thane had begun well before it was expected to hit landfall.

Met officers said Cyclone Thane took about three hours to cross coastal Tamil Nadu near Cuddalore and Puducherry. "We are getting reports regarding extensive damages caused due to cyclone", a senior met officer said. He said the cyclone is severe this time since rainfall is less. There will be gradual decrease of rainfall and wind, he said.

Officials said the cyclone would weaken within a few hours. Forecasters have predicted winds of 145 km/h (90mph) and warned of storm surges from the sea.

The cyclone made landfall on the coast between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu state and the union territory of Pondicherry early on Friday, officials of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"The cyclone is in the process of crossing between Cuddalore and Pondicherry coast. The wind speed is around 140 km/h at Pondicherry and Cuddalore. Waves 1.5m high are hitting the shores," an official told the Indian Abroad News Service agency.

Last year, at least 23 people were killed when the southern coast was battered by Cyclone Laila, the worst storm to hit the state of Andhra Pradesh in 14 years. More than 50,000 people had to be evacuated.

Andhra Pradesh saw its worst cyclone in 1977 in which more than 10,000 people were killed.

Source : Times of India, BBC NEWS INDIA

தானே' புயல் கரையை கடந்தது

வங்க கடலோரத்தில் மையம் கொண்டுள்ள "தானே' புயல் இன்று காலையில் கரையை கடந்தது

வங்க கடலோரத்தில் மையம் கொண்டுள்ள "தானே' புயல் இன்று காலையில் கரையை கடந்தது. கடலூர் மற்றும் புதுச்சேரி அருகே கரையை கடந்த போது கடும் சூறாவளிக்காற்றுடன் பலத்த மழையும் பெய்தது. முன்னெச்செரிக்கை நடவடிக்கையாக கடலோர மாவட்ட பகுதி மக்கள் உஷார் படுத்தப்பட்டனர். புயல் தாக்கும் என்ற பகுதியில் வாழும் மக்கள் மாற்று இடங்களுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். இந்த புயல் காரணமாக புதுச்சேரி மற்றும் கடலூர் பெரும் பாதிப்பை சந்தித்திருக்கும் என அஞ்சப்படுகிறது. தேச விவரம் குறித்து முழு விவரம் இன்னும் அறியப்படாமல் உள்ளது. சென்னைக்கு தென்கிழக்கே 800 கி.மீட்டர் தொலைவில் மையம் கொண்டுள்ள குறைவழுத்த காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு மண்டலம் வங்கக் கடலில், சென்னையிலிருந்து கிழக்கு மற்றும் தென்கிழக்கே 107.526 கடல் மைல் தூரத்தில் மையம் கொண்டிருக்கும், "தானே' புயல், படிப்படியாக நகர்ந்து, இன்று காலை, புதுச்சேரி - கடலூர் இடையே கரையைக் கடக்கிறது. இதன் காரணமாக, கடலோர மாவட்டங்களில் மணிக்கு 70 கி.மீ., சூறைக்காற்றுடன் இன்று பலத்த மழை பெய்யும். கரையை கடக்கும் பகுதியில், மணிக்கு, 135 கி.மீ., வேகத்தில் பலத்த சூறைக்காற்று வீசக்கூடும் என, சென்னை வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் எச்சரித்துள்ளது. சென்னையிலிருந்து கிழக்கு மற்றும் தென்கிழக்கே,

456.989 கடல் மைல் தூரத்தில், "தானே' புயலாக உருவெடுத்தது. இதன் காரணமாக, கடந்த நான்கு நாட்களாக கடல் கொந்தளிப்பாகக் காணப்படுகிறது.புயல் காரணமாக, தமிழகம் மற்றும் புதுச்சேரியில் நள்ளிரவு முதல் நேற்று மாலை வரை, சூறைக்காற்றுடன் பலத்த மழை கொட்டியது. ஆனால், சென்னை மற்றும் புறநகர்ப் பகுதியில் பலத்த காற்றை தொடர்ந்து நள்ளிரவு முதல் மழை, விட்டு விட்டு பெய்யத் துவங்கியது.நெல்லூருக்கும், கடலூருக்கும் இடையே கரையை கடக்கும் என, முன்னர் எதிர்பார்க்கப்பட்டது. ஆனால், தற்போது புதுச்சேரி அருகே இன்று காலை கரையை கடக்கும் பகுதியில் மணிக்கு 135 கி.மீ., வேகத்தில் சூறைக்காற்று வீசக்கூடும் என, சென்னை வானிலை ஆய்வு மையம் அறிவித்துள்ளது.

நேற்று இரவு முதல் புதுச்சேரி மற்றும் கடலூர், சென்னை நாகை , உள்ளிட்ட பகுதிகளில் தொடர் மழை பெய்து வருகிறது. கடலூர் மற்றும் புதுச்சேரியில் கடும் பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியிருக்கிறது. இதனை யொட்டிய பகுதிகளில் குடிசை வீடுகள் மற்றும் ஓட்டு வீடுகள் காற்றில் பெரும் சேதத்தை ஏற்படுத்தி வருகிறது. புயல் தாக்கும் என முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கையாக தமிழகத்தில் கடலோர மாவட்டங்களில் பள்ளிகளுக்கு விடுமுறை அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

நேற்று இரவு முதல் புதுச்சேரி மற்றும் கடலூர், சென்னை நாகை , உள்ளிட்ட பகுதிகளில் தொடர் மழை பெய்து வருகிறது. கடலூர் மற்றும் புதுச்சேரியில் கடும் பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியிருக்கிறது. இதனை யொட்டிய பகுதிகளில் குடிசை வீடுகள் மற்றும் ஓட்டு வீடுகள் காற்றில் பெரும் சேதத்தை ஏற்படுத்தி வருகிறது. புயல் தாக்கும் என முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கையாக தமிழகத்தில் கடலோர மாவட்டங்களில் பள்ளிகளுக்கு விடுமுறை அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

சென்னையில் கடல் கொந்தளிப்பு மட்டும் இருந்தது. பெருத்த சேதம் ஏற்பட்டதாக இதுவரை எவ்வித தகவலும்இல்லை. மழை மட்டும் தொடர்ந்து பெய்து வருகிறது. பல ரயில்கள் ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளன.

விழுப்புரத்தில் ஒருவர் பலி: விழுப்பரம் மாவட்டத்தில் தொடர்ந்து கன மழை பெய்து வருகிறது; கடுமையான காற்றும் வீசி வருகிறது. சங்கராபுரத்தில் மரம் விழுந்து ஒருவர் பலியானார். வானூர்- மரக்காணம் பகுதியில் பல வீடுகள் சேதம் அடைந்துள்ளன. இதில் சிலர் காயம் அடைந்தனர். இந்த பகுதியில் அதிகாரிகள் முகாம் இட்டுள்ளனர். கடும் காற்று காரணமாக மரங்கள், மொபைல் கோபுரங்கள் விழுந்து, கிழக்கு கடற்கரை சாலை, விழுப்புரம்- புதுச்சேரி சாலையில் போக்குவரத்து பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மூலம்: தினமலர்