Articles by News Desk

Several leopard sightings were reported in the city this month. A leopard wandering around Kudlu Gate in South Bengaluru was caught after a five day search. Unfortunately , the animal passed away in the veterinary hospital in Bannerghatta biological park after it was shot when it attacked a veterinary doctor.  This is not the first time that leopards have been sighted in the city. In 2016, an eight-year old male leopard had  entered Vibgyor High in Marathahalli. Wildlife conservationist, Sanjay Gubbi, was called to rescue the leopard. He had sustained serious injuries when the leopard attacked him. However, the leopard…

Mosquito breeding sites identified by GCC The Greater Chennai Corporation has located sites where there is extensive mosquito breeding in the city. The civic body has tagged 1500 such sites across the city. The sites include commercial buildings and spots that are under construction. The exercise has been underway since August. Thiruvottiyur zone has the highest number of mosquito breeding sites, followed by Manali.  Mosquito breeding and the onset of monsoon have caused a spike in Dengue cases in the city with the current tally for the year at 493. The civic body has undertaken several mosquito control measures in…

Mumbai breathes ‘temporary’ fresh air  The recent light rain across Mumbai has significantly improved the city's air quality, registering an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 74 on Friday. Out of the 24 monitoring stations, several recorded a 'satisfactory' AQI between 50 and 100. This unexpected rainfall is linked to a low-pressure system in the east-central Arabian Sea. In contrast, Mumbai had been witnessing poor air quality since last month, post-monsoon, with the overall AQI reaching as high as 193 last week. Numerous areas in the city had reported 'poor' air quality, with AQI levels consistently above 250. Source: Indian Express…

24 TMC Cauvery water for city The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is drawing up a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to use additional 6 tmcft Cauvery water for the drinking water needs of Bengaluru. The government has issued an order to the BWSSB to use 24 TMC of Cauvery water annually for the City and its surrounding areas. After meeting the legal team in the national capital, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, in charge of Water Resources Department, said that the city can use 24 TMC, according to the Supreme Court’s order in 2018. Currently, it is using…

GCC to work with NGOs for stray dog census The Greater Chennai Corporation is planning to work with various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to carry out the census of stray dogs in Chennai. The census will be part of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme that will ensure that all strays in the city are sterilised. A comprehensive policy for the census, vaccination and sterilisation of strays will also be evolved by the civic body.  The meeting of the civic body officials also flagged the issue of the city having only two NGOs which have been authorised to carry out sterilisations.…

Four-year degrees at non-autonomous colleges Starting from the academic year 2024-25, 812 non-autonomous colleges affiliated with the University of Mumbai will offer four-year degree courses such as BA, BSc, and BCom. The academic council of the University of Mumbai decided to introduce it in alignment with the guidelines of the New Education Policy (NEP). It is aimed at providing innovative and career-focused educational pathways. The undergraduate degree course will offer multiple entry and exit points, with options for certification, diploma, and basic Bachelor's degrees. Previously, the University of Mumbai had already implemented this four-year degree system in the majority of…

City had highest number of deaths from speeding in 2022 In 2022, the city recorded the highest number of deaths due to speeding of vehicles compared to other cities with a population of more than a million. According to the 'Road accidents in India - 2022', by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the IT city reported 711 deaths due to speeding, followed by Jaipur with 683 deaths and Delhi with 648 deaths. However, the highest number of accidents due to speeding was reported by Indore (4,338) followed by Bengaluru (3,528). There was a rise in road accidents in…

Kasimedu fishing harbour to be modernised Funds worth Rs 98 crore have been sanctioned by the union government for the modernisation of the Kasimedu fishing harbour. The total cost of the modernisation project is Rs 127 crore. The remaining funds will be contributed by the Fishing Harbour Management Committee (FHMG). The project is expected to be carried out in six phases, with the deadline in 2025. Work on the first phase will begin shortly. Plans for the upgrade include the construction of a fish handling complex, boar repair facility, cold storage facility, improved drinking water facilities and proper waste management. …

BMC takes steps to tackle rising air pollution As air pollution in the city worsens by the day, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has introduced new measures. The BMC has recently imposed a ban on the open burning of garbage. In a press conference, Guardian minister, Deepak Kesarkar, said that the BMC had issued notices to 6,000 construction sites, instructing them to install fogging machines and sprinklers to control air pollution. He also informed that the BMC is in the process of implementing waste segregation procedures at its two landfills in Deonar and Kanjurmarg, focusing on the extraction of pollutants…

Heavy metals in vegetables cross safe limits There is a high concentration of heavy metals in vegetables as farmers use wastewater to grow them, according to researchers from the Environment Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI), through a one-year study led by N Hema. Researchers tested 400 samples of 10 vegetables (brinjal, tomato, capsicum, beans, carrot, green chilly, onion, potato, spinach and coriander) and found contamination above the limits set by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The vegetables were from 20 stores, including five high-end supermarkets, five local markets, “organic stores” and Hopcoms. While the maximum permissible limit for…