City: Chennai

The occasional spells of rains have brought some relief to Chennai. But that should not cloud the fact that the city went without any significant rainfall for about 200 days at a stretch. Rainfall patterns have become erratic in Chennai, with a spike in extreme weather events such as cyclonic storms and heat waves. Even though a large number of people -- in civil society as well as in the government -- are sceptical about attributing it to climate change, scientists do feel that there is a strong connect. Citizen Matters Chennai spoke to Dr V Selvam, former Executive Director…

Sometimes we wonder why inclusiveness needs to be demanded. Can't it come naturally? This seems to be the moot question that was raised in the 11th Chennai Pride March, held on June 30th. The walk started at around 3:30 PM from Chitra Theatre and ended with festivities and celebrations, including a flash mob dance. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the first Pride March which took place in Kolkata in 1999. There are around 21 types of pride parades that happen annually, all over India and the Chennai Rainbow Pride is one of them which is held in…

Rain brings respite against heat, but no relief from water crunch Amid cheers on social media celebrating the arrival of scattering rains across Chennai, the city has got respite from the gruelling heat. But the wait for water continues. The bone dry lakes, temple ponds and water bodies were partially filled, but the water table in the city is yet to see a significant rise. Incidentally, residents who had taken rainwater harvesting a little seriously enjoyed the instant benefit of the rains, however light. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has forecast that the city may experience showers over the weekend. Nungambakkam…

Plastics are elastic tics. They last, even if they know they aren't wanted. They were banned, but never went away because they weren't told about the law and didn't care if they did. You might think that India makes a lot of plastic and you are wrong. It makes a lot More than you think or the states report. Much more plastics are made than said. According to a report by the Central Pollution Control Board, just 14 out of 35 regional pollution boards really came out with how much plastic they generated in 2017-18. That itself worked out to…

Is the Small Bus an opportunity or a liability for cash-strapped Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) in Chennai? All comments made by MTC on the question give the impression that the Small Bus service is a drain on the finances of the Corporation. The bus corporation says not many people are using it, and therefore it is being curtailed or withdrawn, while people say the service is not reliable and often simply vanishes without notice. This report in The Hindumentions some problems in the service, although it does not contain new information on what the present situation is on the ground. Failed connections The…

One of the pet peeves of residents in cities is the overnight digging up of freshly laid or previously serviceable roads for various utilities. The exercise almost always leaves the citizen frustrated as she suddenly wakes up to uneven roads, potholes and dangerously elevated pothole covers. Not only is a perfectly navigable road rendered dangerous and unusable, in many cases the people are unable to ever properly get these roads fixed. What can you do if this happens to your street? But before you come to that, it is important to know what the rules say. Permissions for road cuts  …

The warning bells have been ringing at a high note for quite some time now. Chennai has just gone through the longest spell of rainless days, as a result of which water levels in our water bodies are at an all time low, causing a severe drought. However the government of the day seems to be in absolute denial of any water crisis in Chennai, nor do their actions indicate any move towards a sustainable and resilient Chennai. Arappor Iyakkam has come forward to highlight this issue through people’s participation in a unique protest called ‘KeluChennaiKelu’ on June 30 2019…

Thick Avocado milkshake, Red wine from paneer grapes, different varieties of mango and Kiwi -- exotic fruits are never in short supply in our cities these days. But have you ever wondered where these fruits are grown? Has it ever occurred to you that the Lichi you eat may have come all the way from China to our very own Koyambedu market? That there are three varieties of grapes grown in different parts of Tamil Nadu itself? The era of globalisation has seen an explosion of various foods available in urban markets, but most consumers are unaware of the origin…

Chennai sees rain after almost 200 days Chennaites took to social media to express their happiness and celebrate the sudden showers that caught the city by surprise on Thursday. Though it lasted for a few minutes only, it brought some respite and hope for heat-struck, water-starved Chennai. The city has recorded more than 10 hot days so far this month, when the day temperature crossed 40 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the quality of water in the city has changed to become very hard. As the water table too steadily declines, wells are being dug far too deep, leading to over-extraction, which…

Parched water bodies and empty pots along the lanes of Chennai illustrate the city’s unprecedented water crisis. While mismanagement by government departments and the poor Northeast monsoon have been touted as the primary reasons, let’s not forget our responsibility as citizens. In an attempt to provide solutions to Chennai’s water crisis, ADDA in collaboration with Citizen Matters, Chennai (a digital news media site that reports on urban issues) conducted a knowledge-sharing workshop on Saturday (June 22). More than 70 participants from the apartments of South Chennai, which rely largely on private water tankers, attended the sessions to understand various approaches…