City: Chennai

Translated by Sandhya Raju “உலர் கழிவு மேலாண்மை பணியில் நீண்ட காலமாக உள்ளோம் ஆனால் எங்களுக்கு ஊதியமோ மரியாதையோ இல்லை" என்கிறார் வேளாச்சேரியில் கழிவுகளை சேகரிக்கும் நயன் முஹமத். அந்தந்த பகுதிகளில் கழிவு அப்புறப்படுத்தலில் மிக முக்கிய பங்கு வகிக்கும் இவர்கள் நீண்ட காலமாக புறக்கணிக்கப்படுகிறார்கள். எந்தவொரு பாதுகாப்புமின்றி அவர்கள் பணி முறைபடுத்த வாய்ப்புகளின்றி தொடர்ந்து பணியில் ஈடுபட்டுவருகின்றனர். இந்தோ-ஸ்பானிஷ் கூட்டு முயற்சியில் "அர்பேசர்-சுமீத்" நிறுவனம் கழிவு மேலாண்மை ஒப்பந்தத்தை பெற்றதையடுத்து, இந்த முறையும், நகரத்தின் பல பகுதிகளில் உள்ள கழிவு சேகரிப்பவர்கள் நிராகரிப்பை எதிர்கொள்கின்றனர். புதிய கழிவு மேலாண்மை ஒப்பந்தம் பரவலாக்கப்பட்ட கழிவு மேலாண்மை என்ற அடிப்படையில் 2020 ஆம் ஆண்டு அக்டோபர் மாதம், ஏழு மண்டலங்களில் கழிவு மேலாண்மையை இந்த நிறுவனம் பெற்றது. மக்கும் கழிவுகள் (காய்கள், மீந்த உணவு போன்றவை), மக்காத கழிவுகள் (பிளாஸ்டிக், பால் கவர், பேனா போன்றவை) மற்றும் அபாயகரமான வீட்டு கழிவுகள்…

Bibliophiles in the city finally found cause to celebrate over the last fortnight as the much awaited 44th annual book fair was held on the YMCA grounds, Nandanam. Citizens from all sections of society flocked to the event to check out the new collections and buy their favourite books. The event comes to an end today, March 9th. But how did the book fair in the age of the pandemic go? Plagued by uncertainty due to COVID, the book fair this time, organised by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI) was a much-anticipated event. Usually held during the…

On-site vaccine registrations on the rise among seniors The vaccination drive against COVID-19 for senior citizens and persons aged 45 and above with comorbidities kicked off on March 1st. While there are provisions for online and offline registrations, on-site walk-in registrations have gained momentum among this category.  On the other hand, seniors from western suburbs of the city have complained about the lack of adequate number of vaccine centres in their locality. Senior citizens living in Avadi travel all the way to either Anna Nagar or Thiruvallur to get the vaccine shot. Information on government vaccine centers too have been…

Amid the constant hustle and bustle of activities that keep Kotturpuram buzzing, the Miyawaki forest located near the Kotturpuram MRTS is a peaceful sanctuary, a pleasant burst of green and fresh air for all who pause here. The urban forest, which turned one in early February, was created in 2019 after cleaning about 1,600 tonnes of waste. More than 2,000 saplings of different varieties were planted that now yield hibiscus flowers, papaya and drumstick pods among others in the 2211.87 sq m** plot of land. https://twitter.com/albyjohnV/status/1356077781927378946?s=20 The Miyawaki method of raising forests has gained immense popularity across cities. Since the…

Registrations for the second phase of the vaccine drive against COVID were kicked off on March 1st. In this phase, citizens above 60 years of age and people above 45 years of age with comorbidities can register themselves for getting the vaccine. According to the announcement made by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,  Co-WIN website is the only place for registration for common citizens and the Co-WIN mobile application is only for administrators.  Read more: Interview: When and how will Chennai get the COVID vaccine? But what is the registration process like? Is there any provision for offline…

The residential market in Chennai has already begun to see a revival, after going through a pandemic-induced slump in 2020. The realty sector in Chennai has been witnessing steady growth since the third quarter ending September 2020, says a report from The Hindu. But how many among the new projects, with multi-storeyed apartments and offices, will actually go green? According to the Indian Green building Council, "a green building is one which uses less water, optimises energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building." It has been 18…

Road crashes kill around 1,50,000 people every year in India and could thus be termed the 7th most important non-communicable disease. The Government of India, in 2019, passed the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act which increased penalties for several violations such as not wearing helmets and seatbelts.  As part of the National Road Safety Month 2021, Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG) surveyed 10 locations in Chennai city to gauge the level of compliance with helmet and seatbelt rules. By law, only two persons are allowed on two-wheelers and both are required to wear a helmet, properly fastened. In cars,…

Chennai to vote on April 6th, civic body issues directions for model code of conduct The Election Commission of India, on Friday, announced that Tamil Nadu will go for Assembly elections on April 6th and the results will be declared on May 2nd. This time, the election will be conducted throughout the state in a single phase. March 19th is the last date for filing nominations.  In view of the elections, the civic body has issued directions for the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Commissioner G Prakash stated that any defacement of public property, such as wall paintings, posters, cut-outs…

A vertical pole stands tall at the Ashok Pillar junction, right next to the bus stop. Apart from a loudspeaker, a street lighting system and a CCTV camera fixed to the pole, it also sports a Wi-Fi router. Any member of the public can access free Wi-Fi in this area for half-an-hour at the speed of 2Mbps. That’s a smart pole for you! Chennai has 50 such smart poles.  Internet service for the 50 smart poles has been provided by Airtel, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. According to a senior official from Chennai Smart City Limited, the approximate…

On the one hand, it is good news. The Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) is looking at creating a museum at the Kilpauk Water Works. The Police Commissioner’s Office in the city is setting up a museum at its old office in Egmore. The Corporation is debating the possibility of a city museum in Victoria Public Hall. Three great institutions of the city almost simultaneously working on museums for themselves! What more could we ask for? The question is how sustainable will these be in the long run given that they will almost certainly be run by…