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Friendly guides

 

Here come the tourist friendly guides

 

By J. V. Siva Prasanna Kumar

 

Chennai: Tamil Nadu will soon get tourist friendly guides to provide authentic information to the domestic and foreign tourists.

The much delayed and eagerly awaited Tamil Nadu government sponsored training programme for guides commenced on July 19.

A total of 400 authorised guides would be inducted at several tourist destinations across the State.

In February this year, the State Tourism Department for the first time hit upon the idea of imparting training to guides and authorising them to conduct the tourists. Accordingly, 184 graduates in the 20 to 40 years age group were selected for this training programme.

After completing the course, 34 guides would be posted at Chennai, Mahabalipuram and Cuddalore, 70 at Madurai, Dindigual, Ooty and Salem, 44 at Thanjavur, Tiruchi, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai and 36 at Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram. Gradually, the service would be extended to other tourist destinations across the State.

The 13-day training programme includes field visit for three days. At the end of the programme, the participants would be provided with identity cards that are renewable annually. The programme is part of an initiative to streamline the functioning of tourist guides and make them accountable. Their conduct would be constantly monitored and complaints against them would be viewed sternly.

Tamil Nadu, which possessed all round tourist attraction, required at least 1000 to 2000 genuine guides to promote the splendour and greatness of the State, according to State Tourism Minister N. Suresh Rajan.

"We require guides who could conduct themselves well and offer authentic information to domestic and foreign tourists," he said while inaugurating the first guide-training programme for the State initiated by his department in association with the Anna Institute of Management here.

Underscoring the important role played by guides in improving the image of the State, the minister said the tourism industry would thrive better due to the efforts of the guides. Besides providing them employment, the guide service would make tourists return to the State with fond memories. There was every chance for them to refer the guides to their kith and kin, he added.

 

E.om. 20.07.07

Posted in Guides.

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By siva junutala – July 20, 2007


Valluvar Kottam to be renovated

 


By J. V. Siva Prasanna Kumar
 


Chennai: The temple chariot-like construction of Valluvar Kottam, which is a familiar landmark in the city situated at the intersection of Kodambakkam High Road and Village Road will be refurbished to attract more visitors.


The State government has cleared the decks to renovate the monument built by the government in honour of the Tamil saint and savant Thiruvalluvar who penned the immortal Thirukkural ' a treatise.


This familiar landmark has been attracting tourists and locals in a big way and is among the more than 42 monuments raised by the government. It is a pet project of chief minister M. Karunanidhi who wanted to honour the Ayyan (Thiruvalluvar).


Announcing that the monument would "soon get a new touch" at a cost of Rs.60 lakhs, State Information minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi said the amount was immediately sanctioned by Mr. Karunanidhi when it was pointed out to him that the monument urgently required improvement work.


The minister was speaking at the inaugural of the Tamil Computer Print - Exhibition and conference being held under the joint auspices of the Madras Printers and Lithographers Association (MPLA) and Kanithamizh Sangam at Valluvar Kottam here on Friday.


Mr. Parithi informed tender had been invited to execute the renovation work and the chore would begin shortly.


He said efforts were being taken to develop print and Tamil software and called for measures to support development of Tamil software in order to fulfill the needs of people. He released softwares - Pon Pen, Tutor software on the occasion.


Underscoring the importance of installing Tamil software in computers provided by State government to schools, former Vice Chancellor of Anna University M. Anandakrishnan said although on an average 5000 projects were carried out in engineering colleges annually not even five projects were done in Tamil.


Encouraging projects in Tamil through incentives and the use of open-source software would go a long way in developing Tamil software, he suggested.


R. Udhayakumar, vice president, MPLA, deplored the manpower shortage in printing and auxiliary industries. Despite a huge requirement of about 3500 per year, the institutes were able to provide a mere 140, he said adding printing was a green area which should be looked at as a source of obtaining employment. Those possessing a minimum educational qualification of tenth standard could benefit. Efforts were on for establishing a training centre to meet the requirement for trained persons.


Secretary of MPLA, V. Ravi and president of Kanithamizh Sangam M. Anto Peter spoke. Among the other things, the exhibition showcases new software, printing related material, pre-press and post-press materials. The expo, containing 53 stalls, would be open for the public till Feb. 4.


 


E.o.m. 02.01.07.

Posted in Monuments.

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By siva junutala – February 26, 2007


Functioning of tourist guides to be streamlined

 


By J.V. Siva Prasanna Kumar


 


Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Tourism Department has embarked on an ambitious plan to weed out touts in the guise of guides and at the same stroke project the correct image of Tamil Nadu to domestic and foreign tourists. As a first step the department would authorise 400 persons to serve as guides at various tourist destinations across the State.


"We have received overwhelming response to our guides training programme scheduled to commence next month. 400 persons have evinced interest in undergoing the training," State Tourism Minister N. Suresh Rajan expressed and added the exact number of guides to serve a particular tourist destination hinged upon the number of persons willing to work there.


Speaking to this newspaper on Sunday, Mr. Suresh Rajan said the department would streamline the functioning of the tourist guides and make them accountable. Their conduct would be constantly monitored and complaints against them would be viewed sternly, he said.


The new guides to be authorised next month would be provided with licence and identity cards renewable annually. "We will not hesitate to cancel their authorisation or identity cards if their conduct was found flawed," the minister said.


The trained guides would be posted at all major tourist destinations as part of an exercise to brand Tamil Nadu as the "tourism destination" of India. The guides would market the tourism potential through "authentic guide service" to visiting foreign nationals and domestic tourists.


Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Kancheepuram, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Madurai, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal and Udhagamandalam are among the destinations figuring in the first phase for the authentic guide service lacking there.


Applicants in 20 to 40 year age group would be trained by the state Tourism Department in association with the Anna Institute of Management.


 


E.o.m. 18.02.07.


 

Posted in Guides.

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By siva junutala – February 26, 2007


Tourism can generate employment opportunities

 


By J.V. Siva Prasanna Kumar
  


Chennai: Tourism sector has tremendous potential for exploitation by enterprising entrepreneurs and the aim of the Tamil Nadu tourism policy is to promote sustainable tourism that could generate employment opportunities and at the same time prolong the stay of foreign and domestic tourists visiting the State, says State Tourism Minister N. Suresh Rajan.


"The aim of the tourism department is to increase the arrival of tourists both domestic and foreign and to increase their period of stay in Tamil Nadu. Accordingly, steps have been taken to improve the infrastructure facilities and identify and develop tourist destinations and circuits in the State in a systematic manner," the minister said.


He was speaking at the inaugural of a one-day seminar on new generation entrepreneurs and tourism held under the aegis of the M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women and School of Business and ED Cell at the college here on Saturday.


Pointing out that the seminar reflected in one way as a part of the tourism policy of the state, Mr. Suresh Rajan said chief minister M. Karunanidhi has been taking "aggressive steps" for betterment of women.


He said Tamil Nadu occupied the second place in terms of arrival of foreign tourists and third in domestic tourist arrival. Interestingly, Chennai has been placed as "best and first in hospitality."


"Our chief minister has the vision of making Tamil Nadu a leading State on all fronts including tourism," he said and sought the cooperation from the people in ensuring a memorable experience to the tourists visiting the State.


 


E.o.m. 24.02.07.

Posted in Tourism.

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By siva junutala – February 26, 2007


TNEB gearing up for more power in summer

 


By J.V. Siva Prasanna Kumar


 


Chennai: Tamil Nadu Electricity Board is gearing up to face increase in demand for power during the summer. "Even before the summer has approached we have started taking stock of the situation and will take appropriate measures to meet the demand," a TNEB official said.


Speaking to this newspaper on Wednesday, the official on condition of anonymity said the present requirement of about 8,000 Mega Watt (MW) was likely to go up in the coming months and this would have to be met by stepping up additional generation.


Pointing out that top officials in the department would review the situation, he said the TNEB would evolve a plan to manage any crisis that may arise.


"We successfully managed the situation last summer by ensuring uninterrupted supply and this time too we will cross the Rubicon when it comes," he said adding the resources from hydro power projects would first be tapped before the quantum of water recedes.


The additional requirement would also be met by stepping up generation through captive projects and private producers may add upto 15,000 MW over next five years. Wind energy is another potential source that would be harnessed and in addition the TNEB will cope up with the increased demand for electricity through its new projects on the anvil.


In all likelihood, the State may not sell its surplus power to Punjab and instead may buy from other States for internal consumption and to ensure uninterrupted supply.


The State has a generating capacity of 10,011.84 MW power excluding the board's wind-mill capacity of 19.355 MW. The four thermal power stations account for 2,970 MW, four gas turbines: 424.280 MW, 37 hydro projects: 2,137.4 MW, independent power projects: 1101.16 MW, Central share of 2,841 MW, 360 MW external assistance and 178 MW from captive power projects.


Private wind farms have a capacity to generate 3180 MW. The Board's gross generation during 2005-2006 was 56,006 Million Units and the total energy consumption during that period was 43,795 MU.


 


E.o.m. 21.02.07.

Posted in EB.

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By siva junutala – February 26, 2007


Australia keen on ties with India, says Truss


J. V. Siva Prasanna Kumar
 


Chennai: Australia is looking towards developing and strengthening relationship with India, which is Australia's seventh largest export destination taking roughly the same amount of Australian goods and services as the UK, Warren Truss Australian minister for trade said.


Inaugurating the Australian Consulate General in Chennai on Monday, Mr. Truss said in his view the "momentum was building so strongly in our economic relationship that it is creating an entirely different playing field." Growing trade in sectors like resources, education, tourism, information technology services, construction and agribusiness contribute to the momentum in economic relationship of both the nations, he added.


Reeling out statistics on Australian gold exports to India (A $3.5 billion), coal trade (A$2.6 billion), nearly 39,000 Indian students enrolled in Australian educational institutions in the past year, growth of Indian tourists by 23 percent in 2006 and millions of dollars worth of Australian diamonds sold indirectly to India via Antwerp, Mr. Truss pointed out, "a big diver of this trade is of course India's economic ascent."


"But we can't assume that a rising economy will carry our trade with it. It takes more than economic models to make markets Australia has plenty of experience to share. We are a trading nation," the minister asserted. Australia's trade in goods and services is valued at one percent of world trade, which was about the same as India's.


Reasoning that there were good reasons to join sides, Mr. Truss claimed India's economy was poised to grow at nine percent and India could emerge as the world's second largest economy by the middle of this century. "There is every hope that many Indians will get rich before getting old and that millions more will climb out of poverty." Realising that many Australian investors understood the immense potential for economic growth in India, his government opened the Consulate General as "another gateway to trade with India."


Australia has been in Chennai for more than a decade through Austrade ' trade promotion and marketing arm, and "we regard Chennai and south India as an attractive place to invest," he added.


As Trade minister he viewed India as very important to Australia's long term prosperity and expressed the hope that India too would reciprocate in the same manner.


India, which required oil, gas, coal and LNG could look towards Australia as a reliable long term supplier or resources, the minister said adding he would discuss trade in energy with his Indian counterpart on Wednesday.


Australia's Export Finance and Insurance Corporation and India's ICICI bank would soon finalise a multi million dollar import credit scheme to enable Indian companies to purchase high quality Australian goods and services in mining, air services, infrastructure and construction, he announced. Food industry and IT are some of the core areas on which both could expand their trade.


 


E.o.m., 26.02.07.

Posted in Trade.

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By siva junutala – February 26, 2007


Watershed programmes alter face of rural Tamil Nadu

 


 J.V. Siva Prasanna Kumar


 


Chennai: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development's (NABARD's) watershed development programme has helped script a success story in rural Tamil Nadu by introducing effective management practices in agriculture and water and soil conservation measures.


It facilitated provision of employment to the agricultural labourers and rural women. "15 percent of the project funds are utilised to provide employment to women and agricultural labourers, as a special component of the programme," says V. Maruthi Ram, deputy general manager of NABARD.


Speaking to this newspaper on Tuesday he said the programme has led to improvement of tree cover in the locality. A notable feature was machines were not used for digging trenches or ponds and the locals are given preference in providing employment though the villagers were expected to provide shramdhan for four days, he added. Grazing of grass or felling of trees in the locality was banned.


The role of Non Governmental Organisations is crucial. A total of 50 NGOs, which are involved, ensure the participation of the villagers and once the project is completed within five years, NABARD withdraws its support and the watershed would be maintained by village watershed committees.


"The groundwater level has gone up in several areas. Enthused over this, farmers have switched from raising traditional crops to growing crops that are more remunerative.


In Nilakottai in Dingidul district in the State, for instance, the acreage under crop cultivation improved leading to increase in productivity. People have taken land on lease for cultivation," he says.


Micro planning and management of available water, harvesting rainwater by establishing percolation ponds, desilting canals and tanks, soil conservation, raising nursery, afforestation of degraded lands are some of the salient features of the project.


Field bunds, rock check dams, farm ponds, water absorption trenches, agro forestry, dry land horticulture are also taken up. Effective water management is propagated through drip irrigation.


The farming community is made aware of the adverse effects of employing chemical fertilisers and how this affected the health of the watershed community, the importance of taking up environment protection and proper use of natural resources.


NABARD has been implementing the programme since 2001 with the help of corpus fund created with Rs.100 crores and a matching grant given by the Central government.


A total of 74 projects have been sanctioned for 24 districts in the State for this fiscal at the rate of Rs.6 lakhs per 100 hectare covering two to four villages. 30 proposals are under consideration.


 


E.o.m.25.02.07.

Posted in environment.

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By siva junutala – February 25, 2007


Audio guide facility for world heritage sites in TN soon


J V Siva Prasanna Kumar

Chennai: The conventional practise of providing human guides to world heritage sites in Tamil Nadu will soon be a thing of the past. For, the state Tourism Department has come out with an innovative means of alluring foreign tourists to four among the five world heritage sites in the state.

It has readied the audiocassettes to serve as "authentic guides" to foreign nationals visiting the Mamallapuram near here, Brihadisvara temple in Thanjavur, Iravadisvara temple in Darasuram, and Brihadisvara temple in Gangaikondacholapuram. The other world heritage site in the state, which is the mountain railway at Nilgiris completed in 1908, has not been included in this itinerary.

These five are among the 26 sites in India out of 788 places across the globe declared as world heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The audio guide concept makes a detour from providing (human) guides and eliminates chances for fleecing the tourists under the pretext of conducting them around the monuments. Moreover, the tourists need not hunt for guides or get duped by unauthorised guides who may not be able to furnish the correct particulars.

Among the other things, the audio"guides" provide information in a sequential order on the places. "These cassettes are compact and would render good 'service' to the foreign tourists," an official told this newspaper.

"The tourist has to carry a small lightweight digital audio player and immediately after arriving at the site, the tourist could press a button on the player and hear a recorded commentary on the spot in his or her own language," the official added.

The cassettes are multi-lingual and would come in handy in marketing initiatives abroad. The cassettes have been evolved prior to the notification for the bye-elections to the Madurai Central Assembly constituency and also the civic bodies polls.

However, the authorities could not organise a function to launch the audio guides service in view of the election commission's model code of conduct that has come into effect. In all probability, the service would be launched later this month once the elections conclude.

The Rock cut monuments at Mamallapuram, which has been attracting tourists apart, the UNESCO has classified the Brihadisvara temple of Thanjavur, the Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Iravadisvara temple at Darasuram, as the three great 11th and 12th century Chola Temples.

E.o.m.12.11.06

Posted in Travel.

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By siva junutala – November 12, 2006


Guides for major tourist destinations to be trained

J V Siva Prasanna Kumar

Chennai: The state Tourism Department has proposed to train guides for ten major tourist destinations including Chennai and Mahabalipuram as part of an exercise to brand Tamil Nadu as the "tourism destination" of India.

The initiative, according to official sources, would help "market the tourism potential" of the state and also provide authentic guide service to the foreign nationals and domestic tourists visiting the state.

In the first phase, the department has selected Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Kancheepuram, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Madurai, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal and Udhagamandalam as the destinations that would be provided with the authentic guide service. These spots have been chosen as they lacked "sufficient guide service" an official said.

"The tourist guides play an important role in promoting tourism through a rapport they could establish with the tourists. Besides providing statistical information, the guides would ensure the visit of tourists is safe, enjoyable and reminiscent too of their brief sojourn," an official told this newspaper.

Applicants in the 20 to 40 year age group would be trained by the state Tourism Department in association with the Anna Institute of Management, shortly. Age relaxation of upto five years would be given to those hailing from the SC \ ST categories.

The applications could be obtained from the offices of the tourist officers of the districts concerned. The filled applications for the guide-training course should reach the office of the Commissioner, Tourism Department, Tourism Complex Wallajah Road, Chennai ' 2 by November end.

Field visit for three days, apart, the training programme runs to ten days. About 40 persons would be initially selected for the course. About Rs.2000 would be levied for providing training, license and identity card. A test would be conducted at the conclusion of the course.

E.o.m.12.11.06.

Posted in Writing.

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By siva junutala – November 12, 2006