City: Chennai

Overflowing dustbins, irregular collection of garbage and mounds of unsegregated mixed wastes -- these are the stuff that every Chennaiite's nightmares are made up of. But thanks to the efforts of the Chennai Corporation, civic activists and citizens, the city had made significant positive strides in solid waste management before the onset of the pandemic.  The city corporation decentralised waste collection and segregation. Through the Zero Waste initiative, the civic body set up a system where collection and segregation took place at various points at the zonal level, with subsequent processing at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and Micro Composting…

The recent exposé in the social media on sexual harassment of students by some school teachers in Chennai has shocked the city. But while there is outrage across the city, and rightfully so, there is perhaps not enough awareness about how to prevent or even seek redress against crimes of child sexual abuse. In the backdrop of the incidents that have come to light recently, it becomes even more important for parents, teachers, caregivers and society as a whole to know more about the legislations, law & order framework as well as institutions that work for protection of children. Here…

Uma Mani, in her 50s, is a Chennai-based self-taught artist. She used to paint tulips and roses until 2010, the year in which she learned about coral reefs in Juan De Nova, a French documentary film, screened by Alliance Française Maldives for Earth Day. Fascinated by the world of corals and underwater life, she decided to paint them. “Until then, I was unaware of the fact that the presence of corals in the ocean is extremely important. It made me realise that they are on the brink of extinction,” shares Mani. Some of the most diverse ecosystems, coral reefs are threatened by…

As one of India’s largest and most populous metros, Chennai exhibits all the traits and vulnerabilities inherent to a developing, high-density city. Rapid urbanization has led to pollution, poverty and energy and water scarcity.  However, one of the key issues with the city is a pronounced lack of civic consciousness. Resilience working group sessions (led by the  Resilient Cities Network chapter in Chennai) involved experts from government, civil and academic bodies. They concluded that in order to achieve sustainable development goals and build resilience, civil ownership and participation was essential. These are the top three areas where citizen participation and involvement…

COVID: Corporation vaccinates traders, post-COVID follow-up initiated In a bid to prevent the Wholesale Market Complex at Koyambedu from becoming a COVID hotspot once again, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has vaccinated 239 traders, workers and others as on June 10th.  With the second wave of the pandemic subsiding, the number of containment zones has decreased in Chennai and is currently less than 100. By June 7th, the number of containment zones fell down to 81 from 365 a month ago at the height of the second wave.  The civic body has initiated post-COVID follow-up care for recovered residents of…

In mid-May, R Shanthi, a resident of CIT Nagar, tested positive for COVID-19 and isolated herself at home. In her 50s, Shanthi had mild symptoms that included fever and cough. It was a time of great anxiety and stress, but what kept her reassured to an extent were the phone calls that she received every second day, from the doctor deputed at Chennai Corporation’s zonal telemedicine department. Telemedicine has indeed been a boon for many patients like Shanthi battling the virus at home. Ever since the pandemic took centre stage, access to medical consultation for both COVID and non-COVID patients…

Vandhaarai Vaazhavaikum Thamizhagam ( Tamil Nadu is a land that provides livelihood to those who arrive here) has been an old adage about the state. A state welcoming migrants from all over the country and the world. Susheel Kumar of Deogarh in Jharkhand may not agree, though. Susheel, one of the many migrant workers in Chennai, has been in the city since 2017. With the fierce onslaught of COVID in the second wave and the resulting lockdown, the Alandur manufacturing unit where he worked shut down. “I am leaving as I have no income here now. I have been doing…

Translated by Sandhya Raju கோவிட்-19 தொற்றுக்கு எதிரான போராட்டத்தை வெல்ல தடுப்பூசி மிக அவசியம் என தற்போது பரவலாக ஒப்புக்கொள்ளப்பட்டாலும், இந்தியாவின் பெரும்பாலான நகரங்களில் தடுப்பூசி போட்டுக்கொள்வதில் மந்த நிலையே காணப்படுகிறது. எட்டப்பட வேண்டிய இலக்கை விட தினந்தோறும் தடுப்பூசி எண்ணிக்கை குறைவாகவே உள்ளது. மற்ற நகரங்களைப் போன்று சென்னையிலும் கடந்த ஜனவரி 16-ம் தேதி தடுப்பூசி தொடங்கப்பட்டது. முதல் கட்டமாக முன் களப்பணியாளர்கள், பின்னர் மூத்த குடிமக்கள், பின் 45 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்டவர்கள் என பல்வேறு கட்டங்களில் தடுப்பூசி போடும் பணி மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டது. மே மாதம் முதல் 18 வயது மேற்பட்டவர்களுக்கும் தடுப்பூசி போடப்படும் என அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது. ஆனால், நோக்கம் சரியாக இருந்தாலும், கள நிலவரம் வேறாக உள்ளது. தடுப்பூசி இருப்பு மற்றும் நிலை கோவிஷீல்ட், கோவேக்சின் என இரு பிரதான தடுப்பூசிகள் தற்போது போடப்படுகின்றன. மூன்றாவதாக, ரஷ்ய தயாரிப்பான ஸ்பட்னிக் சில தனியார் மருத்துவமனைகளில், ஒரு டோஸ்…

And so, here we are, in yet another lockdown. The results are encouraging. The chain of transmission seems to be weakening, at least in Chennai, where the numbers have fallen precipitously. That is by itself a reason for commending the initiative. But what after the lockdown is lifted and we all go back to our normal activities to the extent possible? What happens when markets, shopping malls, places of entertainment, gyms, hair and beauty saloons, public transport and offices open up again? After all, they cannot be kept closed forever, can they? What then if the COVID numbers rise again?…

Even before summer had set in officially, the two borewells at S Velu’s residence in Selaiyur turned dry in April. In search of water, he dug another borewell as deep as 600 feet, but that too failed to yield any water. Velu is now at the mercy of water tankers and municipal water supply and uses water sparingly. Although Chennai’s water situation is not as alarming or critical as it was in 2019, groundwater resources in several pockets of the city are reportedly drying up. As a result, besides using water supplied by the Metrowater agency, many households and industries…