City: Chennai

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,…

Rajeshweri S. Silambarasan V. Krishnamurthy P. Not names you would be familiar with, but just a few among the thousands of street vendors in Chennai who have survived the lockdown. Around two and a half months ago, Rajeshweri used to sell flowers at Nesapakkam; Silambarasan ironed clothes at Mugalivakkam and a small roadside juice shop at Nanganallur won bread for Krishnamurthy. What ties them together today is poverty and uncertainty; the lockdown and the apathy of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) have thrown their lives into disarray. However, what saw them through the travails of the period was the monetary…

The famed Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Center for Herpetology, or simply, the Crocodile Bank for many locals, has been hit hard by the lockdown. Visitors to the park bring a major source of revenue and this stream has been cut off due to the stringent restrictions on travel. Recent travails The Crocodile Bank is an iconic institution that has been engaged in conservation of rare species for over four decades. It is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike, with summers bringing in many visitors. The site is situated away from the bustle of the city, in Mahabalipuram.…

The initial stringent lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 left many stranded far away from their hometowns and families. Those who had moved for work found themselves unable to return home as all forms of transport were suspended. Emergency travel was allowed only for those with pressing reasons and availability of a personal vehicle. With each extension of the lockdown, some relaxations were accorded. Inter-state trains for guest workers were operationalised after a large number of guest workers began travelling by foot to their homes which were hundreds of kilometres away. After more easing of lockdown norms, domestic air…

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…

It is always heartbreaking to cancel weddings. The pandemic imposed lockdown has forced hundreds of would-be couples to postpone their big event to some time later next year. At the same time, a significant new trend has also emerged during the crisis -- that of lockdown weddings. Given the uncertainty over when things will be back to normal, many refused to suspend their plans indefinitely and went ahead and took the plunge, although with a downsized wedding that was practically possible and that satisfied social distancing requirements and other norms of the times.  Jagan G and Gowri Gnanasambanthan fell in…

The mobility sector will witness a dramatic change post-lockdown. With physical distancing and cleanliness being emphasised, the number of people opting for personal transport could well go up in Chennai as in other cities.  While we have to learn to live with the virus we also need to ensure safe social distancing; given the likely crowds and surge in use of private vehicles, I wonder if there will be enough space for practising social distancing. The biggest problem post-lockdown is going to be gridlock. Studies in the past have shown that that Indians, on average, spend 7% of their day…

ஆம். இனி கொரோனாத் தடுப்பு என்பது ஒவ்வொரு தனிநபர் கைக்கும் வருகிறது என்ற உண்மையை நாம் ஏற்றுக் கொண்டு தான் ஆகவேண்டியுள்ளது. அதுவும் நோய்த் தொற்று குறிப்பாக சென்னையில் அச்சமூட்டும் வகையில் உச்சநிலையைத் தொட்டு வரும் இந்த சூழலில் இக்கூற்று நம் மூளையை உசுப்புகிறது. மே 25 இல் தொற்று எண்ணிக்கை 11,131 (இது தமிழகத்தின் எண்ணிக்கையான 17,082 இல் பாதிக்கும் மேல்). சென்னையில் மட்டும் தினமும் இப்போது 400, 500 என உயர்ந்து வருவதை இங்கு நினைவில் கொள்ளலாம். ஊரடங்கு 4.0 இல் சென்னை ஏற்கனவே அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள சிவப்பு மண்டலத்துக்கான சில தளர்வுகளுடன் இயங்கிடுமாறு அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்நிலையில் தான், நமது உயிரின் பாதுகாப்பு இதோ இப்போது நாம் எடுக்கும் ஒவ்வொரு சின்ன சின்ன முடிவுகளிலும் தான் என்ற நிதர்சனம் நமக்கு மேலும் ஒரு புதிய விழிப்பைத் தருகிறது. வைரஸின் பரவல் வேகமெடுக்கும் ஒரு அபாய தருணத்தில் வருகின்ற இந்தத் தளர்வின்…

Kumari (name changed), a nurse at a reputed government hospital in Chennai has not been able to feed her child for over 10 days now. She had been exclusively breastfeeding her infant boy till weeks back, but these days she has to leave instructions with her husband on what to feed him and the lullabies to sing in her absence. She then leaves for the hospital, only to come home after 14 days.  A lactating mother, Kumari has a tough and choiceless job ahead: 12-hour long shifts for five days at a stretch, attending to COVID-19 positive patients and to…

When one hears the words ‘patient dignity’, 'dignity in health care', 'dignity in death,' it conveys that even at their most vulnerable moments, human beings need to be treated with honour and respect. Every patient wants dignity, but are they getting it? 19th May 2020, early morning around 01.45 am, Dhanalakshmi, a senior citizen of our neighbourhood, aged almost 80, was critically ill. Her family and other residents in the building tried to call the 108 and 104 helplines to call for an ambulance. While 108 appeared defunct, 104 was not answered. With few options left, they approached the nearby…