September may finally see water crisis resolution

With the Mettur dam fast filling up and discharge likely to increase in a few days, the Veeranam tank is expected to receive inflows in 10 days. Heavy rains in the adjoining states of Andhra and Karnataka have also brought respite to the water-starved city, creating a steady increase in the water levels at the reservoirs.

Krishna water supply from the Kandaleru reservoir in Andhra Pradesh will help boost the storage in the city reservoirs. Chennai currently is managing with drinking water supply of 525 million litres on alternate days. The city is now largely dependent on groundwater sources. Besides water from agricultural wells and Metrowater well fields, 10 mld of water is being tapped from abandoned quarries in Erumaiyur.

Since July, water trains from Jolarpet have been bringing 5.5 mld of water against the initially planned volume of 10 mld.

Source: The Hindu

Respite from heat as rains likely to continue

The city has been receiving consistent rains during the evenings for some time now, which is likely to continue for a few more days. Since the mid-week many parts of the city have received considerable rainfall. The Met department has forecast that this trend is likely to continue and heavy rains are likely.

Such spells in the city, according to weather bloggers, are also likely to intensify enough to recharge the groundwater table. With monsoons winds weakening and convergence, there is upper air circulation at the mid level. The clouds formed due to the heat will sustain for longer thus bringing heavy spells in the city and its adjoining areas.

Source: The New Indian Express | The Times of India

Action against food packed in newspapers and plastic wraps

Chennai collector R Seethalakshmi has issued a stern warning against those establishments that wrap food in paper or plastic wrap or sheets with stapler pins, as these can cause serious health issues due to chemical and microbiological contamination. Newspaper ink is known to have several carcinogenic agents, and when in contact with warm food it could melt and cause health issues.

The Food Safety Act 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation 2011 prohibits wrapping of food in inked paper, newspaper or any plastic wraps. Despite this, many roadside eateries and restaurants have been flouting these norms and the government has now said that action will be taken against all violators.

Source: The Times of India

Tonnes of garbage cleared near two lakes in the city

A huge garbage mountain in front of the Red Hills lake has been cleared to make way for a green park. The two-acre area which was piled with around 10 feet height of garbage caught the attention of Tiruvallur Collector Maheswari two months ago and the entire place was cleared this week, much to the surprise of local residents.

While 9000 tonnes of garbage non-biodegradable waste has been shipped to Andhra Pradesh through private contractors, 1000 tonnes will be recycled through biomining at a cost of Rs. 33 lakhs.  The Navarikuppam Town Panchayat is set to establish a park with walkways and playground equipment at a proposed estimate of Rs 50 lakh.

In another instance, residents cleaning the Velachery lake have fished out an estimated 4.5 tonnes of garbage. The clean up drive in its sixth week now. Most of the garbage removed from the now 55-acre lake was plastic.

Volunteers initiated a WhatsApp campaign where residents from across the city, including areas like Alandur, Koyambedu, and Siruseri, signed up for the lake clean up mission. Volunteers have also begun cleaning the Karanai Puducherry lake, Urapakkam from July. Residents are also looking at planting saplings along the bund once cleaning is complete.

Source: The New Indian Express

Metro Phase II plans seamless multimodal integration

When the 118.9-km stretch of Phase 2 of the metro corridor is completed, commuters will be able to move from metro stations to bus depots and MRTS stations through exclusive subways, skywalks, and walkways at 28 planned interchange stations along the entire stretch. According to an official quoted in this report, commuters will be automatically directed to other modes of transport from these stations, without having to step out on to the roads. All they will need is a mobile app and a smart card. The app will help them plan the entire journey well ahead, providing all relevant information.

The construction of Phase 2 is likely to begin early 2020 and the 52-km stretch is expected to be ready by 2024-25.

Source: The Times of India

[Compiled by Sandhya Raju]