City: Chennai

On a Tuesday morning in early April this year, over a thousand teachers and students at a Kilpauk school were part of an interactive, fun-filled session, that was unlike any other they had ever taken part in. For, while there were fun and games and audio-visual presentations, as there might have been during other school events, the focus on this occasion was different. It was a session meant to raise awareness among those present, as well as break the silence around one of the greatest social evils of the times - child sexual abuse, or CSA. Much as we would…

Mere formation of a body, planning and allocation of funds to rejuvenate the water bodies cannot be the ideal solution to the water crises that we have in our nation, said Dr Rajendra Singh Prasad, better-known as Waterman of India, at a gathering in Chennai last weekend at Goethe-Institut. The discussion on making Tamil Nadu drought-free was organised by Goethe-Institut, Chennai in association with Asian College of Journalism, Confluence 10, Kalakshetra Foundation and with coordination of several other colleges, universities and NGOs. “We must start a dialogue with the Government for identifying, demarcating and notifying the water bodies. Once it…

When I read that "The Cut" had been shortlisted for The Hindu Playwright award in 2016, I was keen on watching it; so off I went to watch the play, staged by Theatre Nisha, a Chennai-based group, on Saturday, 27th May 2017. I'd read two reviews of the play, by Karan Pillai for The New Indian Express, on Jan 27, 2017  by Parshathy J Nath for The Hindu, on 30 Jan, 2017   I was expecting the sepia tones referred to in one, and the brilliant performances mentioned in the other (see photo below, from an earlier performance.)   The…

தமிழக விவசாயிகள் டெல்லியில் போராடிய போது அது குறித்து பாராளுமன்றமும் விவாதிக்கவில்லை, தமிழக சட்டமன்றமோ கூடவே இல்லை. பாராளுமன்றம் தமிழக விவசாய்களின் பிரச்சினை தமிழக சட்டமன்றத்தின் பொறுப்பு என்று அவர்கள் போராட்டத்தைக் கண்டு கொள்ளவில்லை , தமிழக சட்டமன்றமோ விவசாயிகள் டெல்லியில் தானே போராடுகிறார்கள் , அதனால் நமக்கு என்ன என்று இருந்துவிட்டார்கள். நம் கையே நமக்கு உதவி , நம் பிரச்சனைகளை அரசுக்கு வெளிப்படுத்துவதுடன் நின்று விடாது நாமும் நம் பிரச்சினைகள் என்ன,அது எதனால் வந்தது , அதற்கு என்ன தீர்வு என்று ஆராய்ந்து அதற்கான தீர்வுகள் காண வேண்டும் . அதற்கான முதல் முயற்சியாக தமிழகத்தின் பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் இருந்து வந்த 50-கும் மேற்பட்டோர் 'சட்ட பஞ்சாயத்து இயக்கம்' நடத்திய இளைஞர்களுக்கான 'மாதிரி சட்டமன்றம்' என்ற நிகழ்வில் விவசாயிகளின் பிரச்சனைகள் மற்றும் அதற்கான தீர்வுகள் குறித்தும் பேசியது வரவேற்கபட வேண்டிய ஒன்றாகும். விவசாயிகளின் சிக்கல்கள் மற்றும் செய்யவேண்டிய மாற்றங்கள் குறித்தும் முன்வைக்கப்பட்ட கருத்துக்கள் அரசின் கவனத்திற்கு கொண்டு வர வேண்டும் . அதே நேரத்தில் விவசாய்களும்…

Rajan tried all manner of entrepreneurial enterprises. He sold scrap paper and cardboard to recyclers. He built a street corner chai and cigarette cart, and repaired truck and bus tires. He started an office cleaning service for high-tech companies in the growing IT sector south of the city center. None of these delivered the financial returns and workday flexibility of selling clear, sky blue, 20-litre water “cans” in Chennai’s immense bottled water industry. The 32-year-old business owner, stocky and muscled, fits the enterprise. Every day, Rajan explained through an interpreter, he and a partner purchase some 200, 20-litre water cans…

In December 2015, a few of us, office colleagues, got together and formed Naam Virumbum Thamizhagam (The Tamilagam we want) with the intent to engage in action that would eventually lead to the improvement of our respective neighbourhoods. 15-members strong today, our primary mission is to take the lead as citizens in bringing about a positive change in governance, by engaging in socio-political dialogue and activities. For any organization seeking to bring about an improvement in governance and social change, it is very important to know and resolve the local problems that citizens face, before taking any big steps. Our…

It was August 2016. I chanced upon a Conservancy worker in Rail Nagar near Koyambedu segregating the 'waste' that was dumped into a plastic packet and suddenly found something like human excreta on her bare hands. I was shocked and asked how she got that. She said she had been asked by officers above her to separate the wet waste (mainly kitchen waste) and dry waste and put them into separate bins. I asked her whether the people who dump all their waste in one plastic bag would not segregate the different types of waste themselves if asked to, and…

What would a city dweller do if they saw a snake inside their house in the city? Chances are they would reach for a stick or a weapon to kill it. If you ever find yourself in that position, DON’T kill the snake.. It is a protected creature under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and killing or handling a snake is a punishable offence. If a nosy neighbor decided to take a picture of you with the snake, you are in double trouble! Chennai has its own share of human-snake encounters. In areas like Navalur on Old Mahabalipuram Road, Uthandi…

Garbage it seems has become an unavoidable part of our lives. However, we can reduce the amount we generate. A few months ago, 11 of us, all part of the Grandma & Grandpa's International Early Learning Center's Leadership Development Series, were discussing cleanliness of cities and their waste problems, and decided to go on a walk around our neighbourhood to understand how clean it actually is. While walking we came across piles of garbage on the streets everywhere and overflowing from the bins! We were overwhelmed to see so much waste and this caused a switch to flick in all of us.…

Have you ever stopped to read an advertisement board nailed onto a tree trunk? Or stared in awe at the pretty strings of lights used to adorn many a tree during the festive season? Now place yourself in the position of the tree and think again! These fixtures or constricting elements on our mature trees actually kill them silently. However, the good news is that even as a concerned citizen, you can save the city's trees, free them from such abuse and give them a new lease of life and respect. Free the Tree Campaigns or FTCs organised by Nizhal, the…