City: Chennai

As the world is coming together to combat plastic pollution, there is still so much to be done to even be aware and acknowledge the impact of some products that have become an indispensable part of our lives. For example, we are yet to wake up to the eco-disaster of the disposable sanitary pads, while start-ups and NGOs are finding it hard to make an impact with alternatives. To create awareness on sustainable menstruation, Goli Soda, an upscale store in Chennai selling recycled and upcycled products hosted a panel to talk about the impact of waste created by conventional sanitary napkins…

“Anna, can you do a video on how to become a Swiggy delivery boy?” A popular query posed to those who do YouTube explainer videos. Many have taken to responding to these requests. The videos garner considerable views and the comments section is rife with questions from eager job seekers about the various aspects of the job ranging from salary to working hours and perks. The roads of Chennai are a sea of orange, black and red these days, as the food delivery services Swiggy, Zomato and UberEats grow in size. Swiggy, the leading food delivery service became a unicorn,…

Gaja spares Chennai with mild showers Cyclone Gaja passed between Nagapattinam and Vedharanyam in Tamil Nadu, crossing six districts in its entire cycle. Uprooting several trees with wind gusting at a speed of up to 120 kmph, Gaja crossed in the early hours on Friday casting a heavy spell in the surrounding areas, leaving over 25 dead. Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday announced a grant of ₹10 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives, ₹1 lakh for the severely injured and ₹25,000 for those with minor injuries. Earlier this week, Gaja was at…

தமிழ் மொழி மற்றும் இலக்கியத்தில் ஆர்வம் கொண்டுள்ள, ஒத்த பார்வையுள்ள சிந்தனையாளர்கள் கூடும் ஓர் தளமாக இயங்குகிறது 'மன்றம்’. வாழ்வின் பல்வேறு கட்டங்களில், வேறுபட்ட அனுபவங்களை சந்தித்து அவற்றை பற்றி ஆழ்மையாக சிந்தித்த பலர் அவர்களின் எண்ணங்கள் மற்றும் பாடங்களை பகிர்ந்துகொள்ளும் ஓர் வாய்ப்பாக மன்றத்தின் நிகழ்ச்சிகள் விளங்குகின்றன. மன்றத்தின் உரையாடல்கள் ஆக்கபூர்வமாகவும், பயனுள்ளதாகவும் விளங்கும். மன்றத்தின் மூன்றாவது நிகழ்ச்சி வரும் நவம்பர் 17, சனிக்கிழமை மதியம் 2 மணிக்கு இந்தியன் இன்ஸ்டிட்யூட் ஆப் டெக்னாலஜி ஆராய்ச்சி பூங்கா அரங்கத்தில் நடைபெறவுள்ளது. இதில் கலந்துகொண்டு உரையாற்றும் நபர்கள்: பார்த்தசாரதி ராமானுஜம், யோகா பயிற்ச்சியாளர் மற்றும் மென்பொருள் வடிவமைப்பாளர்: பாரத்தின் அழைப்பு ராஜேந்திரன் தண்டபாணி, தீர்வுகாணபவர், ஜோகோ: கணினி நுண்ணறிவு ஷோபா மேனன், நிறுவனர், நிழல்: நிழலில் பிறந்த ஒளி சி கே குமரவேல், இணை நிறுவனர், நேச்சுரல்ஸ்: சின்ன படிகள், பெரிய கதவுகள் தஸ்லீம் பர்ஸானா, அரங்காவலர், திவ்ய ராஸா ட்ரஸ்ட்: சில…

Saritha and Krishna (names changed), residents of South Chennai, eloped and got married in May this year. As they belong to different castes, their families opposed the relationship, due to which the couple cut ties with the families and are living on their own now. However, every month is a struggle, as the family sustains itself on Krishna’s meagre income. Since a smart card would take care of their basic food expenses such as rice, dhal and sugar, the duo applied for it online. But, they could not complete the procedure, as the form requires deletion of their names from…

You've been hearing of a looming food safety crisis triggered by the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in meat and vegetables for some time now. Now, this has hit close to home, right here in Chennai, with new found evidence. A study that examined samples of vegetables, fruit, fish, chicken and mutton from households, market and fish and meat outlets has found the presence of colistin-resistant bacteria in 44 of the 100 samples. The study has also unravelled the mechanism by which a gene responsible for antibiotic-resistance can be transmitted to humans, with worrying consequences. Colistin is known as the ‘antibiotic…

There is perhaps not a Chennaiite, who has not, at one time or the other, frequented the lanes of Parry's Corner, a commercial hub for wholesale plastic and paper products, clothes and electrical items. But ask any of them and it's unlikely to come across one who has visited the neighbourhood recently, but has not been left aghast at the pathetic state of affairs in this historic avenue. Narrow roads made narrower by illegally parked vehicles; cars, rickshaws and pedestrians jostling for space in bylanes that are barely 6 ft wide; unregulated packaging units adding to the mismanaged waste in…

“Hungry people are also angry people. That's the biggest challenge I have to face in my job every day” says Naresh (name changed) as he waits for the restaurant to parcel up his latest order of aloo paratha and rose milk, to be delivered to an apartment three kilometres away. One of the approximately 50,000 delivery boys employed across the country by food delivery service, Swiggy, Naresh begins his day at 8 am, when the first of the restaurants open for service. Orders come streaming in and the app auto-assigns a delivery to him. The restaurant and the delivery location…

SC rule on bursting crackers flouted The Supreme Court order on the two-hour window for bursting crackers and the subsequent directive from the TN Government stipulating one hour each in the morning and evening did not deter Chennaites from enjoying Diwali their way. Most parts of the city went on with the celebrations as usual, unmindful of the apex court order. Tamil Nadu police have registered around 1500 cases on those who violated the SC rule, including 342 cases in Chennai alone. However, despite violations, the average particulate matter level was way below this time, compared to last year according…

Everyday, as we go about our daily commute in Chennai, we see these statues - silent sentinels of the past, standing tall and telling us their stories. Covered in bird poop or dust and often damaged, these towering sculptures are a witness to the city’s pollution and traffic snarls, apart from its history, of course. Except on occasions relating to the personalities (such as birth anniversaries) where they are cleaned up/renovated and garlanded, these statues are largely ignored in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Statues are often the targets of vandalism, as historian Nivedita Louis rightly explained, “Statues…