City: Chennai

"Will the protection of Ennore and Pulicat wetlands alone bring them back to the time when they were clean and unpolluted?" asks K Saravanan, a fisherman from Urur Olcott Kuppam, who has also been mapping fishing villages across the city. "It is too late for a complete revival." In the wake of Pallikaranai marshlands receiving the Ramsar tag this year, the question on everyone's minds is whether other wetlands in Chennai, like the Ennore and Pulicat wetlands, also get Ramsar status. To examine this possibility, it is crucial to understand the causes and effects of the degradation of the wetlands.…

Planting saplings as part of tree plantation drives in Chennai is an act that provides tremendous gratification to those who plant them. But what happens to the saplings after they are planted is a key question that we should be looking at. How many tree plantation drives are successful in their mission? Whom does the responsibility of caring for the plants fall upon? How can tree plantation drives be made more effective? A resident's lament Namachivayam C of Venkatarathinam Nagar planted 40 saplings in and around his locality ten months ago. "I grew up seeing many trees disappear in my…

Teen footballer's death causes uproar The death of a 17-year-old football player, R Priya from Vysarpadi, due to medical negligence at the government hospital in Chennai has created an uproar across the State. Priya was admitted to Periyar Nagar Government Peripheral Hospital where she underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair the ligament on her right knee on November 7. She then developed complications due to prolonged pressure caused by a compression bandage and was shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) where her leg was amputated and treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). On November 15, she was…

Rains pounded Chennai in the first week of November, reminding people of the horrors of the 2015 floods. But this time, the residents of Seethammal Colony were fast asleep, oblivious to the downpour. "When we woke up the next morning, we did not believe that it had rained the previous night," says A Sridharan, the vice-president of the Residents' Welfare Association of the colony, adding that the area used to be one of the hotspots of floods in Chennai until last year. However, this year, the newly laid stormwater drains (SWDs) were doing the job of keeping the roads free…

It is difficult to imagine a couple of constantly-overflowing garbage bins standing near a transformer being a part of so much history. But the ones you see at the tri-junction in Thiruvanmiyus where Malaviya Avenue Third Street bifurcates into the left and right of Sivakamipuram First Street in Thiruvanmiyur dominate the conversation in these parts.  For nearly a decade, efforts have been made by tenacious residents to transform the area by moving street furniture and getting the necessary infrastructure in place to prevent flooding. During this time, there have been recurring issues with waste management in the streets. If only…

Settling into a cosy corner at home with a mug of hot tea during the rains is the idea of a picture-perfect monsoon for many. However, when we relax indoors enjoying the drizzle, there is often someone out and about ensuring the roads are not inundated, that power lines stay intact, the drains are not clogged, and garbage is not strewn on the streets after a heavy downpour. Chennai's many frontline workers deal with these unenviable tasks even as they are unable to attend to their own needs or that of their families during these situations. With the impact of…

The United Nations' 27th Conference of Parties(COP27) is currently underway in Egypt, from November 6th to 18th. Nations from across the world are discussing ways and means to tackle the problem of climate change at this congregation. Climate change is a real and present danger and every nook and corner of the world is facing a climate crisis at present. Recent years have shown that climate change has not spared Chennai either. As countries at COP27 discuss how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or find mechanisms for Loss and Damage reparations, or create new institutions for 'Climate Finance', how do…

Translated by Sandhya Raju தமிழ்நாடு மின் உற்பத்தி மற்றும் மின் பகிர்மான கழகம் (TANGEDCO) செப்டம்பர் 10-ம் தேதி மின் கட்டண உயர்வை அறிவித்தது. இதனால் மின் கட்டணம் 50% அதிகமாகலாம் என கூறப்பட்டது. எந்த அளவு மின் கட்டணம் உயரும் என்ற கவலையில் மக்கள் உள்ள்னர்.  இதனை சமாளிக்க என்ன நடவடிக்களை நாம் மேற்கொள்ளலாம் என குறிப்புகளை உங்களுக்காக இங்கே பகிர்கிறோம். முதல் 100 யூனிட் இலவசம் என்றாலும், 400 யூனிட் வரை ஒவ்வொரு 100 யூனிட்டிற்கும் அடிப்படை கட்டணம் ₹2.50-லிருந்து ₹4.50 ஆக உயர்த்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. 400 யூனிட் முதல் 500 யூனிட் வரை, ₹6 ஆகவும், 1000 யூனிட் வரை ஒவ்வொரு 100 யூனிட்டிற்கும் ₹1 முதல் ₹2 வரை உயர்த்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.  சென்னையில் வீட்டு உபயோகத்திற்கான புது கட்டணம். தகவல்: TANGEDCO Read more: Did your July electricity bill shock you? Here is…

Desilting of Pallikaranai marshland invites backlash in Chennai Water Resources Department (WRD) is desilting a drain in the Pallikaranai marshland to prevent flooding in areas like Perumbakkam and Semmenchery, near Chennai. However, environmental experts believe that this move can backfire and cause more flooding in the surrounding areas because the marshland will get to a lower level than its current elevation. The latter is lower than that of the sea level. The Madras High Court has also restrained the authorities from desilting the marshland, point out activists from Chennai. But, the authorities plan to complete the dredging within a week,…

The Greater Chennai Corporation has been working on stormwater drain (SWD) desilting and restoration work, along with the creation of new drains across the city, over the past six months. Building a stormwater drain network to cover the entire city can be a challenging task. The experience over the past months has established that regardless of the talent and knowledge of professionals involved in creating stormwater and flood management facilities, it is prudent to seek public input during the planning, design, maintenance and operation phases. With their knowledge of local practices and preferences, the public can bring to light issues…