Schools under Greater Chennai Corporation to be revamped
ICT for teacher development, infrastructure, classrooms and school management systems will be revamped in 80 schools run by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). The timeline for the project is six months. Around Rs. 174.91 crore has been allocated for revamping the schools under the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) and Singara Chennai 2.0.
The revamping includes a greater focus on homework, remedial sessions and weekly tests.
Additionally, GCC plans to build 3600 classrooms and get 4000 more dual desks for the schools. GCC has already bought 10,000 dual desks for Rs. 9.8 crores.
For improving teacher training, an MoU with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences is being finalised. Previously, 600 teachers in the city received school leadership training.
Source: The Hindu
Read more: As students flock to GCC-run schools during COVID-19, system creaks under the strain
Push for pet registration across the city
In the lead-up to a dog census, the Chennai Corporation has asked all the pet-owners to register their furry friends in its veterinary clinics in Thiru. vi. ka. Nagar, Meenambakkam, Nungambakkam and Kannammapettai. The cost of pet registration is Rs. 50/year.
On registration, owners can avail of free vaccination and deworming for their pets. Apart from that, the registered pets receive collars with a unique ID number. This can help locate animals if they go missing.
According to GCC data, there are 50,000 pets in the city. However, only 1200 pet owners register their pets every year. To boost pet registration, animal activists call for a digital process because there are only a few clinics in Chennai. They also recommend that an online database of pet IDs be available if they go missing.
Source: The Times of India
Incomplete stormwater drain work will bring floods in Chennai warn Ward councillors
Ward councillors urged the civic body to complete SWD work quickly, to avoid floods, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas. Councillors suggested that Captain Cotton Canal and Kodungaiyur canal be cleaned with robotic equipment before the rains so that they can carry flood water.
Even though the mayor reassured the councillors that there would be no floods in Chennai this year, the opposition party criticised the SWD work as being slow, and that the Corporation engineers were abandoning the wards under the opposition party.
Source: DT Next
1000 MTC buses to get GPS speakers and LED display boards
1000 MTC buses from Anna Nagar, Madhavaram, Thiruvanmiyur, Avadi and Adambakkam among other areas are to get six GPS-based speakers and one LED display board each. They would enable audio and visual announcements in Tamil and English 200-300 metres away from bus stops, to help people who do not know Tamil. The manually written boards are to be removed soon, confirmed MTC officials.
Due to the pandemic, the initiative was delayed over the past year, with just 50 buses operating with speakers and screens. MTC has rolled out tenders for the project, and the highest bidder would fully fund the installation. The bidder would be able to run advertisements via the speakers and screens for revenue.
Source: The Times of India | The New Indian Express
Read more: GPS speakers, panic buttons, pink buses and more: What the MTC rider in Chennai can look forward to
TNWRD to tackle encroachment in Sunnambu Kolathur lake in Madipakkam
Sunnambu Kolathur lake in Madipakkam which was originally 80 acres has shrunk by 50%, thanks to 842 houses and shops encroaching the area. Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department is to issue notices to the 842 encroachers for their removal. Those who have received the notice would be evicted if they do not show proof that they own the land.
Since around 15 tons of waste is dumped every day on open land next to the lake, NGT asked the State Pollution Control Board to check if any initiative has been taken to prevent illegal garbage dumping.
Source: The Times of India
[Compiled by Padmaja Jayaraman]