In recent monsoons, as heavy rains battered Chennai, causing floods and damage, many residents grew frustrated with the government's emergency call centres. Calls often went unanswered or were handled by outsourced agents unfamiliar with local issues. As the president of the United Federation of Residents in Tambaram, I felt it was essential to address the growing concerns about emergency support during the rainy season. Anticipating a heavy downpour on October 17th and 18th this year, we launched our community helpline — just days before the rains started. The helpline, reachable at 044-35901040, is manned by a dedicated team of around…

CPCB questions air pollution study A Lancet study linking air pollution to an estimated 33,000 deaths annually, mainly due to PM2.5 levels in ten major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, may not be following the accurate methodology. It might be incorrect about the air quality challenges or mortality rates, said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In its submission to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the CPCB said that relying on satellite data and modelling techniques could be “unrealistic.” It added that these methods might not capture the variability in death registration systems, affecting the reliability of cause-specific…