The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : `Exnora Gem' award for Ponn Kalaimani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 14, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Exnora Gem' award for Ponn Kalaimani

Staff Reporter

It encourages those involved in social work

INSPIRING WORK: Chennai Corporation Mayor M. Subramanian (right) hands over the citation of the `Exnora Gem' award to its first awardee, Ponn Kalaimani, at a programme organised in Chennai on Sunday. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI: Chennai Corporation Mayor M. Subramanian gave away the `Exnora Gem' award to Ponn Kalaimani, assistant general secretary, Exnora International, at a function here on Sunday.

Mr. Subramanian said he had been a member of Councillors' Exnora and that Exnora founder M.B. Nirmal was an inspiration to elected representatives such as him.

Pammal Municipality vice-chairman Kandavel recalled the efforts taken by Exnora representatives in the urban local body to make useful products out of waste and assist in the implementation of model solid-waste management practices, making Pammal a `zero-waste' zone.

Space constraints

Karambakkam Village Panchayat chairperson K. Ganapathy said the civic body faced a constraint of space for the disposal of waste as it was located near Chennai and much of the land belonging to the government had been encroached upon.

Facilitating practices

However, it was also working with local Exnora members to facilitate good solid waste management practices, he said.

Sulochana Ramaseshan, president, Exnora International, said Hotel Raintree would shortly receive the `Green Hotel' award from Exnora.

Mr. Kalaimani was felicitated by various speakers for having completed three decades in social work and his role in campaigns for a smokeless Bhogi, fire-accident free Deepavali, rainwater harvesting, tree plantation and against breaking pumpkins on the road.

The time he devoted to tsunami-rehabilitation in Nagapattinam and establishing `soap-box speakers' were repeatedly mentioned.

The `Exnora Gem' award has been instituted this year to encourage those who have involved themselves in social work over a long period.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail