City: Chennai

No notice. No alternative housing. Tsunami survivors at Nochi Nagar near Marina beach are left in the lurch as the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) is tearing down their temporary shelters, in brazen violation of the residents' basic rights. As their houses are destroyed before their eyes, the Nochi Nagar residents stare at an uncertain future, a future in which they will have to shell out exorbitant sums for rental housing if they want a roof over their heads. They say they have been victims of discrimination throughout -- eleven years ago, they didn’t get the houses meant for them and…

Is Chennai ready to withstand the monsoon? The city experienced good showers last week, but the short spell left many Chennai roads dirty and water logged. That raises a pertinent question: Are we ready to face the monsoon, leave alone a flood-like situation? The storm water drain work is still incomplete in many parts of the city instilling fear of floods, especially in the suburbs of Chennai. Though the officials claim they are undertaking the work and will complete them before the onset of north east monsoon, there still is a long way to go. Meanwhile, the integrated stormwater drain…

Sanitation woes Public toilets in the city have come under the scanner for poor maintenance, lack of facilities and sheer inadequacy in number required to cater to a population the size of Chennai's. A subset of this issue is the lack of access to toilets for women. Dhagam Foundation’s recent event, Kakkoos-a-kaanom highlighted this problem plaguing people from all walks of life, especially women. The NGO had undertaken a meticulous social audit that covered 613 public toilets across the 15 zones in the city. A perception survey was also conducted among 1351 individuals on the myriad issues that prevent them…

With ornately carved arches, Rajasthani-style false balconies and decorative brackets, it is easy to mistake this quaint little building for a mini palace. Cloaked by the flamboyant Gulmohar outside, the Madras Literary Society, a treasure trove of archaic books and venerable first editions from the 16th century patiently waits to share its hidden gems with the curious visitor. The history of the Madras Literary Society can be traced back to the College of Fort St. George set up by the British East India Company in the early 1800s to help English engineers get accustomed to the vernacular language, practices and…

Tamil Nadu, the largest manufacturer and consumer of plastic in South India, has announced a welcome move to ban disposable plastic from January 2019. Ripples of the proposed ban can be felt in the state and even in Chennai city, where questions are being raised over the preparedness of people to fall in line and the many ramifications of doing away with plastic altogether. Will people really be able to discard everyday disposables that they are so used to? And how will the shift affect employment and income generation? A self-help group in Walajabad panchayat of Kancheepuram has initiated a…

Here is the first story to kick off our month-long celebration of Madras Day! Happy Birthday Madras! Sriram V is 75 walks old!! A name synonymous with Chennai heritage, Sriram marked this milestone with a tour of Dare House, the distinguished Art Deco building on Parry's corner, which is the headquarters of the Murugappa group. (A list of all 75 walks can be found here) Meenakshi R: Between Walk 1 and Walk 75, tell us what has changed. Sriram V: I did my first walk in 1999, in Mylapore. In those days there was no social media or apps to…

“கடந்த பத்து வருடங்களாக எல்லோரையும் சூரிய எரிசக்திக்கு மாறும் படி வலுயுறுத்தி வருகிறேன். இது நான் எடுத்த சிறந்த முடிவு. இது எவ்வளவு எளிதானது என்பதை மக்கள் உணர்ந்தால், அவர்கள் நிச்சயம் முயற்சிப்பார்கள். அதற்கான மனம் தான் தேவை” என்கிறார் சென்னைவாசி டி சுரேஷ். சூரிய எரிசக்தி பற்றி சென்னை மற்றும் தமிழ்நாட்டு மக்களிடையே எடுத்துச் செல்லும் இவரது முயற்சிக்காக இவர் சோலார் சுரேஷ் என்றே அழைக்கப்படுகிறார். க்ரீன்பீஸ் மற்றும் ஜெர்மி (Greenpeace India and GERMI) நடத்திய Rooftop Revolution: Unleashing Chennai’s Solar Potential  ஆய்வின் படி சென்னையில் 1.38 GW (கிகாவாட்) அளவுக்கு சூரிய மின்சக்தி தயாரிக்க வாய்ப்பு உள்ளது என்றும் இதுவரை இந்த முயற்சி மேற்கொள்ளப்படவில்லை என்றும் கூறுகிறது. மேலும், வீட்டு கூரை மேல் சூரிய மின்சக்தி அமைப்பின் மூலம் 586 MW (மெகாவாட்) கிடைக்கும் என்றும் இது மொத்த அளவீட்டில் 46% ஆகும் எனவும்…

A viral Facebook post narrating assault by the police during a routine traffic stop that took place in Chetpet on July 19th has sent shock waves across the city. Haroon Sait, the victim, spoke out about being slapped and beaten by the police as he refused their demand for a bribe. The sub-inspector in question has since been suspended after a departmental inquiry. Commissioner of Police A.K.Viswanathan called on Haroon at his residence and assured that such incidents will not take place in the future. This is, however, not the first instance of a major altercation between motorists and traffic…

Relief for property owners: property tax hike reduced to 50% Within days of announcing a likely increase in property tax to as much as 100%, the Government reduceD the cap to 50% for residential buildings. The rollback on tax hike came after requests from the public, and resident welfare associations. The owners of residential buildings, irrespective of whether they are self-occupied or rented out, will now face a tax rate hike of not more than 50%. Source: Times of India Are private schools hampered by the fixed fee rule? The recent controversy surrounding the demand of a caution deposit by…

Tamil Nadu will be banning single use plastic and other biodegradables from January 2019. Not wishing to impose restrictions on unprepared citizens, the state government has given itself and its people a good six months before the ban kicks in and plans to conduct back-to-back campaigns over this period. From sensitising shopkeepers and consumers about switching to biodegradable bags to campaigning against plastic in schools, the civic body is leaving no stone unturned to ensure successful implementation.   But, how are the people of the city reacting to the prospect of doing away with single-use plastic altogether? Responses have been mixed…