Articles by News Desk

The Gig Economy is characterised by economic activity based on short-term or temporary labour contracts - as opposed to permanent employment - typically in the service sector. The rise of app-based companies has created a new economic model which deems workers to be independent contractors, rather than employees. While this allows for low barriers for entry and exit to the field, it exempts gig workers from protections conferred by employment laws including minimum wages, overtime and other benefits. The COVID-19 crisis, in particular, has brought into sharp focus the precarious conditions gig workers are subject to. Platform workers engaged in…

Tamil Nadu recorded 1,116 fresh COVID cases on Friday, June 5th, of which 1,438 patients were reported from Chennai, according to the Health department bulletin. The total number of cases in Chennai alone stood at 19,826 till that date. In view of the same, the state government has deputed five ministers to monitor the relief work carried out by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). Here is the list: D Jayakumar - Madhavaram, Tondiarpet, RoyapuramKP Anbalagan - Adyar, Perungudi, Sholinganallur R Kamaraj - Anna Nagar, Teynampet, KodambakkamRB Udhayakumar - Thiruvottiyur, Manali, MadhavaramMR Vijayabhaskar - Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Alandur Among the cases, eight policemen,…

COVID cases spike After the relaxations made to inter-state and inter-district travel, 79 positive COVID cases were reported among returnees to Bengaluru between May 18 and June 3. Among them, 40 individuals were from Maharashtra, 12 from Delhi, eight from Tamil Nadu, two from Rajasthan and one from Andhra Pradesh. The remaining 16 cases are from other places, including other districts of Karnataka. A senior BBMP official said it is challenging to keep road travellers under check, as border controls were being ignored in many areas especially along Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh borders. While the BBMP has jurisdiction over…

Non-essential item shops to reopen in Kolkata from June 1 As per a notice issued by Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), shops selling non-essential items in 46 markets in Kolkata can open from 10 am to 5.30 pm from June 1. The 46 markets include New Market, Entally Market, Charu Market, Lake Market, Hatibagan Market, Sealdah Baithak Khana Bazar and Maniktala Bazar.  According to Member of the Board of Administrators in KMC and former Mayor-in-Council Amiruddin Bobby, the decision was taken following a notification from the state secretariat which stated that shops selling non-essential items can be allowed to open in…

COVID-19: Work to set-up largest COVID care centre on, Multistorey buildings in T Nagar to remain shut, autos continue to ply in the city The state government today extended the lockdown with significant relaxations till June 30. According to the new guidelines, public transportation is not allowed to resume services in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur and Chengalpattu as the number of cases is increasing every day. Check the detailed guidelines below. New guidelines issued by the Tamil Nadu government for lockdown. Graphic: Aruna Natarajan On May 29, Tamil Nadu recorded 856 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 21,184, according to…

Shorter hospital stay for COVID patients COVID-19 patients will have a shorter stay in hospital, with the state government changing its discharge protocols. From now, symptomatic patients staying in isolation facilities will be discharged 10 days after admission if they show no symptoms on the last three consecutive days and test negative. If they test positive, repeat tests will be done after 72 hours. Asymptomatic patients in isolation facilities will be discharged following a test seven days after admission, if the result is negative. Earlier, all patients had to spend a minimum of 14 days in hospital and a patient…

Cyclone Amphan leaves a trail of destruction in Kolkata Kolkata woke up to scenes of destruction on May 21st as over 5,000 trees, hundreds of lamp posts and several traffic signals were uprooted by winds at 130 kmph raging through the city, as Cyclone Amphan hit large parts of coastal Bengal. A large part of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport was flooded while 1 hangar was damaged and another two were destroyed. As electric poles collapsed, CESC Ltd. disconnected power supply in a majority of areas in the city, plunging the city into darkness. Telephone lines were snapped, broadband…

Migrant labourers suffer as BIEC shuts down Since Monday night, over 3,000 migrant labourers walked to BIEC (Bangalore International Exhibition Centre) but were not allowed in. Instead, they were made to board buses and dropped off back to the areas they had come from. Most buses were packed and did not follow the norms of mandatory sanitisers or the limit of 30 passengers per vehicle. K V Sharath Chandra, IGP, Central Range, said BIEC was meant to be a temporary shelter for those walking to their hometowns in north India, but that more people were coming in, thinking they'd be…

COVID-19: Volunteers deployed in slums, Stanley Hospital docs contract COVID, trains from Chennai cancelled On May 22nd, Tamil Nadu recorded 786 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 14,753, according to the state health bulletin. Chennai continues to be the hotspot in the state, as 569 cases out of the 786 belong to the city. There are 5,461 active cases in Chennai, while 3,791 patients have recovered; 66 succumbed to the disease. Cracking down on violators who do not wear masks when they step out, the city police is levying a fine of Rs 500. Zone-wise list of COVID-19 cases…

As we approach the relaxation of lockdown, traffic and people on the roads is bound to increase, even as we continue to battle the pandemic. Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) can be very effective in helping the Greater Chennai Corporation, as the civic body continues its measures to create awareness and enforce social distancing in the near future. Here are some salient points for RWAs from a note issued by a senior GCC official. Awareness Awareness material will be handed over to RWAs by GCC.Do paste where it will be visible to the publicDo share the digital messages widely.Do NOT spread…